The story of a bullied daughter's rise to power

"This is the first time I've seen you so incapable of comforting others. But... it was very helpful, thank you."

"I'm just stating the facts, not trying to comfort you. You have everything, but you act like you've been abandoned by the whole world. It's really annoying to watch." Situ Yaorao said with disgust.

"That's right. I already have so much that others can't have, so... I shouldn't overthink it." Tantai Yunyi's mood suddenly brightened. He stood up, looked at the people around him and said, "Shall we go?"

"Where else should we go?" Situ Yaorao was puzzled. She just felt that it was nice to stay in this corner.

"Of course I should go back. The banquet is almost over. If you, the heroine, don't go back, I'm afraid it will attract criticism. That would be bad." After saying this, Tan Tai Yun Yi went back first. At the mention of going back, Situ Yao Rao's whole body was unwell. Who knew she hated those people's faces as much as Tan Tai Yun Yi did?

Although she explained it clearly to Tan Tai Yun Yi, she couldn't do it herself.

However, no matter how reluctant he was, he still followed obediently. On the way, Situ Yaorao couldn't help but ask, "By the way, do you know the Luo family?"

Situ Yaorao always asked strange questions that surprised him. This time was no exception. Tantai Yunyi stopped and looked at her with a complicated expression: "Why do you always know things that I want to hide from you?"

"I'm also curious. Why do you always want to know such bizarre things? Are you connected to the Luo family?" Situ Yaorao pressed on. Tantai Yunyi shook his head. "It's very rare for members of the imperial family to have any connection with the Luo family. No... perhaps it's better to say that the Luo family doesn't want to be associated with the royal family. They're an extremely large family, a behemoth even for Lan Lin, and he dares not touch them lightly. They're the kings of the business world, you could say. Even we, the princes, wouldn't feel proud to meet someone from the Luo family. We'd even treat them with respect. After all, with the Luo family's help, the throne would be a sure thing. But how did you know about the Luo family? The prince wouldn't have told you."

Tantai Yunyi was very resistant to the Luo family. Upon hearing this, Situ Yaorao's mouth twitched, "If possible, I wouldn't want to know. But who lets them have what I want?"

"what?"

"Seven-Star Grass. Not long ago, the young master of the Luo family took away a piece of Seven-Star Grass at an underground auction in the capital. And that was the only one. If I could get that piece of Seven-Star Grass, my poison would probably be cured." Situ Yaorao looked at the man seriously.

Speaking of the Seven Star Grass, Tantai Yunyi's expression grew serious. After all, this matter concerned Situ Yaorao's life. So he asked, "Is it in the hands of the Luo family's young master?"

"Yeah." Situ Yaorao said helplessly.

"I don't know where you got this information, but if you can get the antidote from the Luo family's young master, it's best to abandon this idea. I don't have much contact with the Luo family, but I have heard of this young master. He is known as the most outstanding heir of the Luo family in the past hundred years. This shows how intelligent he is. Want to take the Seven Star Grass from such a person? Not to mention that you won't be able to meet him, the difficulty alone is already very high."

Tantai Yunyi said so. Upon hearing this, Situ Yaorao thought, "As expected." No wonder Liu Wuchen hadn't hesitated to talk to her about the Luo family. Was it because this was a condition that was completely impossible to succeed?

"Alright, let's go back quickly. Remember not to let your imagination run wild," said Tantai Yunyi. Situ Yaorao nodded helplessly, but she still took note of the Luo family. She planned to ask Yu Sheng about it when she saw him again. After all, Yu Sheng always understood businessmen better.

They don't want to have contact with the royal family, so they should have dealings with merchant families like the Yu family.

Situ Yaorao and Tantai Yunyi returned to the banquet one after the other. At this moment, everyone was in high spirits. On the dance floor, the dancers were dancing, and the ministers were all drunk. They were dazed, but more real than before.

After Situ Yaorao came back, she sat next to Tan Tai Wu Yue. He looked clear-headed and just looked at these people, not knowing what he was thinking.

"You seem unhappy?" Situ Yaorao tilted her head in confusion as she looked at Tan Tai Wu Yue beside her. Hearing this, Tan Tai Wu Yue gave her a deep look and sighed, "Tell me...if I were no longer the Crown Prince and could no longer bring benefits to these people, would they still flatter me with the same smiles they do now?"

"No," Situ Yaorao said decisively. But then she added, "However, if you weren't the Crown Prince, you would have made a group of close friends and a more relaxed life. That's how life is; there are gains and losses. By becoming the Crown Prince, you've lost the chance to make friends and your freedom, but you've gained these people's servility."

"But I feel like I've lost out." said Tan Tai Wu Yue.

"But this is what you have to do, isn't it?" Situ Yaorao looked at him like this. Her eyes were clear. "Because too many people trust you. Their lives are closely related to you."

"Yeah." Tantai Wuyue sighed. Perhaps it was because he'd been drinking? Even he was feeling sentimental. Situ Yaorao sat beside him, looking at the people in the hall. Her gaze finally landed on Situ Honglei and General Situ. They both sided with the Sixth Prince. Even at the banquet, they didn't smile at all. It was as if... this had nothing to do with them, completely separating them from her. But, wasn't that the way it should be? After all, General Situ had never considered her a daughter from the beginning.

"Your Highness, I am the captain of the palace guards. I have an important matter to report to you." A hoarse voice sounded from outside the door, tinged with anxiety. This voice also broke the original atmosphere in the room.

Everyone had lost their previous drunken state and regained their dignity as court officials. They sat there, waiting for the crown prince to summon someone in. Situ Yaorao couldn't help but smack her lips at how quickly these people changed their expressions.

"Come in and talk." Tan Tai Wu Yue's voice echoed, and the guard waiting outside the door came in. He threw his long sword aside, knelt on the ground and said, "Your Highness, I am standing guard at this moment. A young woman came with a token from the Prince's Mansion. She said she is the personal maid of the Crown Princess. She said that the matter is of great importance and she must see the Crown Princess and Your Highness. I dare not neglect her, so I brought her to wait outside the palace."

"Let her in. Since she has the token from my Prince's Mansion, she can't be wrong." Tan Tai Wu Yue said.

Then the guard brought Lian'er, who was kneeling outside, in.

After Lian'er came in, regardless of how many people were in the hall, she knelt on the ground and cried, "Miss... Madam..."

Before he finished speaking, Situ Yaorao, who was still sitting there, felt a jolt in her heart and stood up and asked, "What happened to mother?"