Chapter 24: Not Even Worth Forty Taels

For half a month straight, Qiao Qingyun had been confined within the mansion, practicing diligently. After all, mastery of martial arts could not be achieved in a single day; it demanded perseverance and accumulated effort.

"Qingluo, don't just watch me. Why not join Zhong Shi and practice together?" Qiao Qingyun, exhausted, lay sprawled on the ground, refusing to move. Yet seeing Qingluo so leisurely made her feel a touch of resentment. Everyone around her possessed some martial skills; it could only benefit her, and, in fact, was a gain.

"Ah? Miss? No, no, I can't! Oh, I feel faint!" With that, Qingluo rolled her eyes and pretended to swoon, collapsing onto the grass and refusing to rise. Beside her, Hong Ying burst into laughter; she had never seen anyone so amusing. Just because she was asked to practice martial arts, Qingluo claimed to faint and lay down, unwilling to get up.

"Are you really not going to get up?" Qiao Qingyun looked at the prone Qingluo and asked. Qingluo remained silent, determined to outlast Qiao Qingyun, refusing to budge.

With a slight tug at her lips, Qiao Qingyun was pulled upright by Hong Ying. Dusting herself off, she smiled, "Tell me, are you trying to extort Zhong Shi? How much do you want?"

"Forty taels of silver." Qingluo demanded without negotiation, causing Hong Ying to laugh even harder. Indeed, nothing could not be solved with money. "That's too expensive. Stay lying down, then."

This was unexpected; Qiao Qingyun turned in disbelief to glance at Zhong Shi, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha, Qingluo, you can't even get forty taels!"

At this, Qingluo sat up indignantly and stared at Zhong Shi. "Tell me! Why won't you give me forty taels?"

"I'm poor." Zhong Shi replied matter-of-factly, unfazed by Qingluo's threat, making Qiao Qingyun and Hong Ying laugh even louder.

Tears nearly sprang from their eyes with laughter. Qingluo stomped her foot in protest, "If you had a hundred taels, would you give me forty?"

She simply couldn't swallow her pride—who could admit to being worth less than forty taels?

"No." Zhong Shi remained expressionless, making Qiao Qingyun laugh even harder.

"Hahaha, Qingluo, you—you've failed miserably."

"Miss!" Qingluo was nearly fuming, stamping her feet. "If you had a hundred taels, what would you do with them?"

"I would buy pastries for Miss." This was something Zhong Shi had noticed during his time accompanying Qiao Qingyun; she seemed to love all kinds of pastries.

Hearing this, Qiao Qingyun was taken aback, a warmth rising unexpectedly in her heart. She hadn't realized he cared about her.

"Miss!" Qingluo came over and wrapped her arm around Qiao Qingyun, making her both amused and exasperated.

"Alright, alright, enough fooling around." They all sat together on the ground again. Hong Ying, unable to contain her curiosity, finally voiced the question burning in her heart.

"Miss, why do you seem uninterested in the position of Crown Princess?"

This question seemed to strike a chord with Zhong Shi as well, his eyes instinctively turning to Qiao Qingyun.

"Pfft, must one celebrate with drums and firecrackers upon becoming Crown Princess?" Qiao Qingyun truly did not understand why everyone expected her to be overjoyed at her new position.

Zhong Shi joined Hong Ying in asking, "Yes, Miss, why... do you seem so reluctant?"

Qingluo was momentarily stunned; she hadn't realized these two could perceive things so keenly, even noticing Qiao Qingyun's lack of enthusiasm.

"Such matters depend on the person. If such a great opportunity fell into your lap, would you not be happy? The saying goes, when one rises to power, those around them benefit as well." Qiao Qingyun joked with those before her.

"But... Miss, why do you not feel this way?"

Qiao Qingyun did not wish to hide the truth. After all, they were in this together; trust was essential. She sighed and said, "Because it was my condition."

"What condition?" Hong Ying, sensing a juicy secret, quickly moved closer to Qiao Qingyun.

"Alright, I'll speak plainly. I was hunted; my father... was killed before my eyes. To let me escape, he drew them away alone."

"When I returned, Father was already dead. I couldn't linger, lest his sacrifice be in vain. I fled desperately and encountered the Crown Prince."

"The Prince was wounded, his arm injured. I know a bit of medicine. I made it a condition—he must marry me as Crown Princess, grant me status."

At this point, Zhong Shi's hands clenched tightly, and Hong Ying realized Qiao Qingyun hadn't finished her story.

"And then?" Qingluo, who had never heard Qiao Qingyun speak of this, was naturally curious.

"Later, the Prince brought me back to his residence. Soon after, news of my father's death arrived. But because the Prince sought to marry me, I couldn't perform the mourning rites, else it would be considered unlucky."

"I only returned recently. To put it plainly, the Prince and I are merely using each other—he needs my medical skills, I need his power and status."

Qiao Qingyun gave a bitter smile. "What can I do? I am but a helpless girl in this vast world. To speak kindly, I am the legitimate daughter of the General's manor, orphaned since childhood."

"To speak less kindly, I am a harbinger of misfortune. Had it not been for this arranged marriage, I would likely have been pelted with rotten eggs by now."

"Never," Zhong Shi proclaimed firmly, his protective gaze unmistakable. Qiao Qingyun was stunned, then smiled. "Whether it happens or not is not for us to decide, is it?"

"So long as I am here, I will never let Miss be harmed." This was Zhong Shi's promise. Hong Ying had never thought that the seemingly illustrious daughter of the General's manor could have suffered so much.

"Enough, there's no use in dwelling on it. Father wouldn't want me sad; he would want me to live well. As long as I become Crown Princess, power will be within my grasp, and finding the murderer will be easy."

Indeed, with absolute power, even money would yield to you. Those around you would swiftly change their attitudes.

After half a month without leaving the house, Qiao Qingyun was restless and anxious, pacing her room. When she saw Qingluo return, she pleaded, "Qingluo, let me go out! I'm suffocating!"

"No, Miss, it's unlucky!"