From every corner of the street people were hanging red lanterns with the character of "victorious and prosperity" written on it. Everyone was lively, and laughter rang in the air. There were food stalls that were set up near the roads to entice passer-by as well as some kids running around mischievously, yet no adults scold them as no one dares to ruin the good mood.
The 19 year old, Su Lan Yue was walking around leisurely on the huge garden in the residence, one hand holding a fan. Her lips hooked up into a soft smile diverting everyone's attention to the slight glint in her eyes that screams danger. Since in the game, Su Lan Yue character was lofty, arrogant, and spoiled to the heavens kind of person, and since Shen Lian also was the type that liked to be pampered with so her character didn't raise any suspicions to all the players that were in the Su residence as they all thought that Su Lan Yue was just a NPC that holds a storyline. This of course was favourable for Shen Lian as she played her character perfectly.
"Second miss, the master wishes to speak to you." A player by the name of Lu Jing called out. She bowed her body low enough to never meet the second miss gaze, as she knows that in ancient times, a servant must never meet his master eyes as that can result into death. She had read too many books and watched to many dramas to remain uneducated about this customs, and she had known the horrors how most servants died. Beaten to death, sold to a brothel, die in sickness, or leave it up to their master imagination. She shivered at the thought that it would happened to her, but she needed to steel herself in order to accomplish her first quest; be the Su second miss trusted maid.
The problem however is that Su Lan Yue was that her mood changed as easily as the winds in June. She might look naïve, but she was capricious, and was overly cautious. She had seen the young miss punished one of the maid and the cook when her meal tasted funny, and quickly summoned the imperial doctor to see if she was poisoned. Of course the doctor only shook his head but dare not to laugh at the silliness of the Su second miss. The Su Family is known to produce talents in poison, as the second miss of that prestigious family she had been exposed to different poison, hence she would be immune. Su Lan Yue only let out a chuckle "Just because one is immune doesn't mean one cannot suffer."
Lu Jing saw how the imperial physician paled as he kowtowed in front of Su Lan Yue's bed begging for forgiveness. Without even glancing, Su Lan Yue casually turned her body and sleep, leaving the poor old man to maintain his position for as long as Su Lan Yue was sleeping.
When the imperial physician was escorted out of the mansion he looked like he had aged 10 years. Lu Jing could only mocked herself for having luck to have such an S+ Quest right from the get go.
Without giving a look, Su Lan Yue walked away from Lu Jing as she breathed a sigh of relief. 'How can this servant make herself look favourable in front of the second miss?'
Upon arriving, to her father's study, Su Lan Yue was greeted with a familiar face, one that was similar to her, the only difference is that the man had sharp features in contrast to her soft aesthetic next to the person was a voluptuous lady that had her hair style in a bun and was adorned with jewels and flower pin. She wore a purple cheongsam with begonia and yellow butterflies sown on it. No doubt she was beauty, but Su Lan Yue pretended to never notice her, as that person was only a concubine. Walking up towards her father with light but quick steps, Su Lan Yue cling to her father's arm and acted spoiled and cute. Su Hong was already used to his daughter aloof behaviour so he paid no mind to her disrespect at concubine Fa Chenqui.
"Father asked for me?" Su Lan Yue bright eyes look directly into Su Hong's her mouth curved up revealing a pair of dimples. Su Hong heart only felt warmer as he looked at his daughter with loving eyes. Patting her head, Su Hong proceeded to talk about his concerns to his daughter.
"Yue, Your brother and the crown prince would soon return from the battlefield in less than a month, and this morning at court the emperor seemed to hint that the moment they return, the engagement you have with the crown prince will be put forward." Su Hong watched his daughter pour him and herself tea, and making herself comfortable on the chair besides him. "Yue, I only agreed to this engagement as royal brother favours you, and that our family can prove that we are loyal to the royal brother, but if you have someone in your heart, I will talk to royal brother about the engagement. We can find ways, as you still have your elder sister to take your place if you didn't want too."
Su Lan Yue ears twitched when she heard the last sentence, her eyes quickly travel towards the woman wearing the purple cheongsam. She sneered in her heart but dare not to show it, instead she bobbed her head and laughed caughting the couple off guard by her sudden laughter.
Su Lan Yue knew that Fa Chenqui schemed in order to have her daughter position rise. As she was a concubine her daughter was only Si, and would always be lower than Su Lan Yue.
Su Lan Yue wiped off the tears in her eyes and gracefully picked up the teacup and took a sip. Her eyes looking down as she watched the petals on her tea swirled. Su Lan Yue heard that Fan Chenqui was visited by Su Hong last night, as the player inside of the body was not that innocent she knew what happened, and that Su Hong was influenced by the pillow talk that Fa Chenqui gave. Still, no matter how much she was loved last night by Su Hong, it was only lust that was the driving force that Su Hong have when he expressed the idea. But still, Su Lan Yue had a tight gripped on her father's heart that no matter what that concubine said it would all be for a naught if she said so. After all the love that Fa Chenqui shared was eros, while her's and her father was agape.
"Daughter doesn't have anyone at heart, as she never really left the estate nor has she met a promising youth that took my fancy. Rest assured father, this daughter is filial and wouldn't put the family in such dangerous waters. Letting the crown prince marry a concubine daughter would be a huge slap to the imperial family, thus I advise concubine Fa Chenqui and tell elder sister not to have thoughts such as this." You're thinking to snatch my golden goose? Think again. Shen Lan Yue has not yet receive any quest thus she wants to thread carefully on her choices. If she were to disregard the crown prince as her fiancée that would be just like lifting a stone and smashing on one own feet.
"I will let this slide once, but do not do it again go outside and receive your punishment." Shen Lan Yue smile was eerie, and made Fa Chenqui shivered. She should have not mess with the second Su miss. When she started to play the game the player inside Fa Chenqui was ignorant of the laws in this nation and how to act with proper decorum. The way she speaks was improper and sometimes strange. Thus she stayed in her courtyard, ignorant of the attitude of Su Lan Yue.
Today was the first time that she saw Su Lan Yue. She knew that the lord of the estate was beautiful, and was not surprise when an exact carbon copy of him entered the study wearing a yellow orange cheongsam. Half of her hair was braided into a bun with a phoenix jade pin to hold everything in place.
She could only silently sneer at the young lady's beauty, as Fa Chenqui met her daughter Su Chunhua , a few weeks ago. She couldn't help but compare the two. But what was to compare, Su Lan Yue was a heavenly beauty and her dear Chunhua couldn't even hold a candle against her. The quest that the system gave her was to have her daughter to enter the imperial family, but Su Lan Yue cut off that path. Thus when she heard she was to be given punishment a soft ding rang to her head, notifying that she failed the quest, and that the system would have to punish her by increasing her sensitivity when the she would be flogged 20 times. Each time the paddle would hit her, an unbearable pain would shoot to her body, making her scream in agony.
'Su Lan Yue... I will make you pay.'
Meanwhile inside the study room, the scream of pain could be heard so Su Hong ordered his subordinate to gag screaming woman. The player could only wince at how ruthless the daughter and father pair.
'He was with her last night now he's abandoning her for his daughter wishes?' the player could only keep the thought for himself as he scuffled away leaving only the two alone.
"You have something to say daughter?" Su Hong let out a chuckle. His Daughter was way too cute to be Qing Xi Yu wangfei. This was also a part as why he had brought up Fa Chenqui idea. His daughter was too good for that prince who hadn't had one single merit since his coming of age ceremony. The other well, was that the imperial family is messy, and perhaps bloody. He after all experience the insidious fighting inside the harem. Thus when his brother ascended the throne, and to preserve his life he took his wife name Su, and was later proclaim Duke Su.
Su Lan Yue played with her teacup as she admired its artistic value. Without looking up she answered meekly. "Father this daughter wishes to learn the family trade in poison and honed one skill in martial and magic arts."
Su Hong was surprised by his daughter request, as in the previous years, Su Lan Yue never bothered to do anything that wasn't interesting to her. Now she wished to study, have the pigs flown without him knowing?
Coughing he accepted his daughter request as he never found fault or was suspicious to his perfect daughter. Su Lan Yue hid the smirk on her face with her fan. She thanked Fa Chenqui for being rash and stupid for thinking such plans. As a few days ago, the player inside Shen Lian was raking her brain onhow to have a serious talk with her father as many would find it suspicious that the second Su miss was acting weird and would sooner expose her to millions of players.
Su Lan Yue however knew that Su Hong was an NPC thus decided to give him a bit of trust.
"Then daughter would trouble father into teaching her."