The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Chapter 157 Chu Qingzi's Secret

When Chu Qingzi's invitation arrived, Su Yaoyao was lying on a soft couch, having Chuntao massage her back.

She watched plays all day at the Marquis's residence and laughed so hard her back ached.

"Chu Qingzi?" She took the invitation and glanced at it. "Inviting me shopping?"

Chun Tao nodded: "Miss Chu sent someone to wait outside, saying she would like to invite you to the Treasure Pavilion to see the newly arrived jewelry."

Su Yaoyao thought for a moment.

She had always felt that Chu Qingzi was a bit strange.

He was excessively kind to her, knowing she was sensitive to cold and had a sweet tooth, and there was always an indescribable...familiarity between them in his words and actions.

But to say there was any malice, there was none at all.

Instead, he protected her in every way.

"Okay." Su Yaoyao got up. "I'll go then."

She wanted to see what this Miss Chu was really up to.

---

On the most bustling East Street in the capital, two carriages stopped one after the other.

When Su Yaoyao got out of the car, Chu Qingzi was already waiting at the entrance of the teahouse.

Today she wore a moon-white brocade dress, her hair simply tied up with only a white jade hairpin. She looked serene and aloof, like a plum blossom in the snow.

"Miss Su." She nodded slightly.

Su Yaoyao walked over and said with a smile, "Sister Chu, what brings you here today?"

A faint smile appeared on Chu Qingzi's lips.

"I've been having some free time and was thinking of finding someone to go for a stroll." She paused, "If it's inconvenient for Miss Su, then that's fine."

"That's convenient." Su Yaoyao took her arm. "Let's go, I was just thinking of buying some things."

The two walked side by side down the street, followed by Jingzhe and the maids from the Chu family.

Su Yaoyao walked along, sizing up the person beside her.

Chu Qingzi was beautiful, but it was a cool and aloof beauty, with a hint of indifference in her eyes that kept people at a distance.

But today, she seemed gentler than usual, and occasionally she would point to the shops on the street and say a few words.

Su Yaoyao became increasingly curious.

What exactly is going on with this Miss Chu?

The two browsed several shops. Su Yaoyao bought several boxes of rouge and picked out two bolts of fabric. Chu Qingzi didn't buy anything, but simply followed quietly, occasionally offering her advice.

Just as I was about to enter the next shop, I suddenly heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Oh, isn't this your older sister?"

Su Yaoyao frowned slightly and turned around.

Su Yun'er wore a peach-colored dress and her face was covered with thick makeup, but it couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes and her haggard appearance. She was so thin that she was almost unrecognizable.

Su Yaoyao looked at her, a cold smile playing on her lips.

This half-sister was banished to a side courtyard by the Second Prince after her miscarriage. Although she now holds the title of concubine, her life is probably not easy.

"Consort Su." Su Yaoyao nodded lightly, as if to say hello.

When Su Yun'er heard her call her "Consort Su," a hint of resentment flashed in her eyes.

She stepped forward, looked Su Yaoyao up and down, and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

"My sister is really living the high life now. Who would have thought that the woman my husband didn't want is now living in the East Palace and is about to become the Crown Princess?"

Su Yaoyao looked at her, too lazy to pay attention.

Su Yun'er, however, refused to give up.

"I heard the Empress Dowager brought back a cousin for His Highness the Crown Prince?" She covered her mouth and laughed. "Sister, you haven't even settled into your position as Crown Princess yet, and you already have a sister? Tsk tsk tsk, how pitiful. Su Yaoyao, you're nothing special!"

Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow.

Is this an attempt to stab her in the way of Shen Qinghe?

Just as she was about to speak, a figure in moon-white suddenly swept past her.

"Smack."

A crisp slap landed on her face.

Su Yun'er staggered from the blow, covering her face and staring in disbelief at the person who had struck her.

"You—you dare hit me?!"

Chu Qingzi withdrew her hand, her expression unchanged, but her voice was as cold as ice.

"You can't distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children. This is your legitimate elder sister, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yongning's mansion. How dare you, a mere concubine, address her by her given name?"

She spoke each word clearly.

"You don't know your place. The person standing in front of you is the future Crown Princess. Hitting you is my way of teaching you manners on behalf of your master."

Su Yun'er was so angry that she trembled all over.

"Chu Qingzi! You're just a young lady from the Prime Minister's mansion, what right do you have to tell me what to do! I belong to the Second Prince!"

Chu Qingzi looked at her, her eyes devoid of any warmth.

"Second Prince?" she said calmly. "Do you think my Prime Minister's residence is a pushover? Tomorrow at court..."

She paused.

"My father, Prime Minister Chu, will definitely impeach the Second Prince for failing to properly manage his household!"

Chu Qingzi said slowly, "Tell me, how do you think your Second Prince will treat you?"

Su Yun'er's face turned pale.

She glanced at Chu Qingzi, then at Su Yaoyao, stomped her foot angrily, and ran away.

Su Yaoyao stood there, watching this scene, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

She turned to look at Chu Qingzi, but froze.

Chu Qingzi stood there, her face pale, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Sister Chu?" Su Yaoyao stepped forward and supported her. "Are you alright?"

Chu Qingzi snapped out of her daze and forced a smile.

"It's alright. Let's go, there are a few more shops ahead."

Su Yaoyao didn't move.

She looked at Chu Qingzi and said seriously, "Actually, you don't need to do this. I have my own ways of dealing with her."

Chu Qingzi remained silent for a moment, her usually aloof eyes now churning with indescribable emotions.

She lowered her head, her voice very soft, almost inaudible:

"I've wanted to do this for a long time."

Su Yaoyao's heart skipped a beat—what secret is this person hiding?

She looked at Chu Qingzi and suddenly remembered something.

"Speaking of which," she lowered her voice, "on the day of the Second Prince's wedding, Su Yun'er miscarried...did you do it?"

Chu Qingzi was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

There was a hint of helplessness and a hint of innocence in that smile.

"Yaoyao." She looked at her, her eyes clear, "You think too highly of me."

Su Yaoyao stared at her for a long time, but couldn't find any flaws in her face.

She smiled and took her arm.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Come on, there's a jewelry shop up ahead, I'll take you there."

The two continued walking forward.

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the entrance of Dali Temple.

A person "just happened" to come out of the door, looking worried, as if he had encountered some trouble.

Su Yaoyao's eyes lit up, and she pulled Chu Qingzi over.

"cousin!"

Jiang Jingchen looked up, saw her, and forced a smile.

"Yaoyao? What are you doing here?"

"Shopping," Su Yaoyao said, looking at him. "What's wrong? You look so worried?"

Jiang Jingchen sighed.

"It's still that case of the missing girl from three years ago."

He lowered his voice, "We recently managed to find a lead. There's news that a woman who was imprisoned escaped and made it to the capital. But we've been searching for several days, and it seems the chances of her survival are slim."

Su Yaoyao frowned.

"A missing girl case?"

"Hmm." Jiang Jingchen lowered his voice, "It's been three years. Dozens of girls have gone missing, all around fifteen or sixteen years old. Neither alive nor dead. We've investigated for so long, and finally..."

Before he could finish speaking, a soft sound came from beside him.

Su Yaoyao turned her head and saw Chu Qingzi sway and fall straight towards Jiang Jingchen.

"Sister Chu!"

Jiang Jingchen reacted quickly and caught her.

"Miss Chu?" He looked down at her, his brow furrowing. "Are you alright?"

Chu Qingzi leaned against him, her face as pale as paper.

"It's nothing..." she said softly, "I'm just a little dizzy from standing for too long."

Looking at her like this, Su Yaoyao had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

Everything was fine just now, how did it suddenly...?

"I'll take you back," Jiang Jingchen said earnestly.

Chu Qingzi shook her head, straightened up from his embrace, and then, using the act of helping him up, quickly stuffed something into his hand.

"No need," she said. "I just need to rest."

Jiang Jingchen was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and quietly put the thing into his sleeve.

Su Yaoyao watched this scene with some doubt in her heart, but said nothing.

The two men helped Chu Qingzi downstairs, hired a carriage, and sent her back to the Prime Minister's residence.

---

Jiang Jingchen returned to Dali Temple, dismissed his attendants, and then opened the note.

The handwriting is neat, but it looks somewhat rushed.

"This is of great importance. The person you found is in the Prime Minister's residence, unconscious. The person behind this is powerful. I will hand him over to you once he wakes up."

There are two more words at the end:

Trust me.

Jiang Jingchen stared at the note, his brows furrowed.

Prime Minister's Mansion?

Is the woman who escaped in the Prime Minister's residence?

Chu Qingzi...

He recalled her pale face and her slightly trembling hands as she supported him, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him.

---

That night.

The dungeon where Aunt Liu was imprisoned was dark and damp, filled with the smell of decay and blood.

In the deepest cell, Aunt Liu was being held up and whipped repeatedly by the jailer, who made shrill screams.

The room next door, however, presented a completely different scene.

A low table, a cup of tea, and several plates of exquisite pastries.

A figure draped in a black robe sat upright, leisurely sipping tea, listening to the screams coming from next door, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The new jailer peeked out and whispered to the old jailer...

"Who is that important person? Why do they seem to enjoy listening to people scream?"

The old jailer glared at him.

Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask.

He pulled the newcomer aside and lowered his voice.

"The benefactor gave us money to keep this Aunt Liu alive. Treat her wounds, feed her, don't let her die, and don't let her have an easy time either."

The newcomer shrank back, not daring to ask any more questions.

The man in black picked up a pastry, listened to Aunt Liu's hoarse cries from next door, and took a small bite.

"It's so sweet."