Unbridled Medical Expert Consort: Demon Prince, Be Good - Chapter 46

Chapter 46a: Hypocritical Change

“Father, I’ve lived like this for ten over years. Why should I change at this time?” Luo Qing Luan interrupted him and continued indifferently, “There’s no need. Let’s avoid wasting money so that Father’s Concubine won’t be distressed.”

Luo Cheng looked totally awkward and smiled with difficulty. “Why would Father’s Concubine be distressed. I said to make changes for you, so it will be done. Or else, what if the Imperial Palace send people and they see that you live in this way. They’ll even mistake that we don’t treat you well.”

“Can it be that Father think that I’ve lived very well all these years?” Luo Qing Luan smiled derisively.

“You……”

Luo Cheng was angered into a bind, unable to vent. The fake smile on his face twitched repeatedly. Brushing his sleeve in anger, he continued, “I’m full of good intentions, yet you still talk like that. If it weren’t for Her Highness sending someone today to speak of yesterday’s matter, so that I know you’ve made progress, do you think that I’d be willing for you to refurbish your courtyard?”

“Why don’t you consider how your ghastly appearance and manners were before, so unbearably stupid. How were you anything like what a general’s daughter ought to be? It wasn’t bad for you to have fallen into the water. You were originally divorced by Fifth Prince, so I thought that you won’t be able to marry for the rest of your life. Presently, it’s not easy for His Highness the Crown Prince to be interested in you. You should properly grasp this opportunity. Don’t continue to be as stupid as you were in the past!”

Standing by the side, Wang Xue Ru sourly interjected, “Qing Luan, your father actually placed high hopes on you. He’s actually even more worried about you than Qing Shuang. If you fail to obtain the crown prince’s favor, wouldn’t that betray your father’s hopes?”

With a soft sneer, Luo Qing Luan simply didn’t care about her, as she glanced at Luo Cheng with indifference. “So it’s all because the crown prince is interested in me that Father is treating me better? Heh heh, should I thank the crown prince for taking a fancy to me, then? Otherwise, even my own father won’t attach any importance to me.”

Easily infuriated by Luo Qing Luan, Luo Cheng was about to detonate when his eyes fell again on the two trays of gifts on the table. Thinking of something, his anger slowly disappeared.

“Forget it. Your heart harbors a bit of resentment. This father is also understanding, but you need to remember. When all is said and done, I’m still your father. You’ve grown up now and should also be sensible. Look, your elder sister is already married to Fifth Prince, so you also should work a bit harder. If you can smoothly marry the crown prince, then our General’s Mansion will gain supreme honor.”

If it wasn’t for thinking of this point, how could Luo Cheng control his temper.

The second daughter who had been unpleasant to look at for ten over years, even though she seemed to have been reborn, it still was not so easy at all to change an impression that already penetrated deeply into the bone marrow. However, calling to mind how Luo Qing Luan recently had indeed changed greatly, Moreover, she even obtained Her Highness the Empress’ consideration. What’s even more rare was that Nangong Qing already fell for her. This was something he would never could have imagined.

If Luo Qing Luan could marry the crown prince, then he will become the nation’s future emperor’s father-in-law. Once he thought of this, Luo Cheng’s heart burned fervently.

“Oh, by the way, the Mid-autumn festival is next month. At that time, the Imperial Palace will surely set up a feast. You should properly prepare. If you can shine on that day, then that will also bring back some face to our General’s Mansion.”

Luo Cheng laughed, exhorting her over and over again. “Qing Luan, have you remembered this? Actually, gaining face is the small matter. The key is that you need to reveal your talents to the crown prince, so that he will like you even more. If Her Highness the Empress consequently appoint you as the crown prince’s consort, then that will truly be what’s most important. Father also wants what’s good for you. To be able to marry the crown prince means that you’ll be the future empress. Which young girl doesn’t long for this? Since you have the chance, then you need to properly grasp it, understand?”

This father of hers indeed placed benefits above all else, heh! Once Luo Qing Luan heard this, even though a smile still hung on her face, her heart already wished that she could kick Luo Cheng out.

Even though he acted as if it was for her own good, which part of what he said wasn’t as if he wanted to sell his daughter? For the sake of his own wealth and glory, status and power, he simply didn’t care whether she actually liked the crown prince, or whether she’d be happy married to him. In her father’s eyes, if there wasn’t still some use for her, how would he speak to her like he was today? Forget about remodeling her house, it’d be good if he didn’t curse or scold her.

Her heart already turned cold early on. No matter what Luo Cheng said, or how kind he acted, she still wouldn’t forgive him anymore.

Listening to Wang Xue Ru’s sour tone of voice, Luo Qing Luan felt that it’s quite funny.

Wang Xue Ru kept saying that her Qing Shuang’s luck was bad. If her luck wasn’t bad, how would she only be married to Fifth Prince? If Qing Shuang was still single, perhaps the one that the crown prince fancied would be Qing Shuang, and not her, Luo Qing Luan.

“That’s true, Elder Sister’s luck is indeed a little bad. If not, when that novel was published, how could His Majesty have bestowed her to Fifth Prince to be his concubine?” Luo Qing Luan spared no politeness and again mentioned the matter that made Wang Xue Ru most shameful. “However, Father’s Concubine should also be content with the situation. In any case, Elder Sister has already become Fifth Prince’s side consort. Maybe when she gives birth to a little heir, she’ll become Fifth Prince’s consort.”

“That’s of course!”

Wang Xue Ru was endlessly indignant. Once she thought about this matter, she felt suffocated with anger and couldn’t help but curse. “Whoever that damn bastard was, to go as far as to start a rumor about Qing Shuang and Fifth Prince at the time, claiming that they……”

“That’s enough, this kind of matter is shameful enough as it is, yet you still bring it up!”

Luo Cheng solemnly interrupted Wang Xue Ru’s outburst, then instructed Luo Qing Luan again to increase her zither practice, so that she could exhibit a graceful bearing during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Only that was what’s most important.

Having watched Luo Qing Shuang play the zither, Luo Cheng even had servants bring the zither from Luo Qing Shuang’s room and was finally satisfied. “Mn, indeed not bad. Continue to put in effort.” He stroked his beard and smiled. “Qing Luan, since your sister is married, let’s give this zither of hers to you. Remember to practice everyday.”

Chapter 46b: Hypocritical Change

“Master, but this is the zither that Qing Shuang liked the most……”

“So what? Qing Shuang is already married, and won’t be using this zither any longer. Moreover, what will Fifth Prince not buy her as long as she wants it?” Luo Cheng was totally unhappy and didn’t pay any attention to Wang Xue Ru at all.

She originally didn’t want it, but seeing Wang Xue Ru’s reluctant appearance, Luo Qing Luan smiled instead and replied. “Thank you, Father. I’ll remember.”

If Wang Xue Ru’s unhappy about it, she’ll gladly take it.

After Luo Cheng left, Luo Qing Luan didn’t obediently stay in her room to practice. Rather, she brought the book she finished writing last night and left to find Boss Li.

Even though she’d earned no small amount of money from Heavenly Dream Tower, and she estimated that next month, Sir Yu should again be sending her a few thousand taels of silver, as far as she was concerned, of course the more money the better.

This time, Luo Qing Luan already finished writing the second half of that racy romance from last time and even finished the erotic illustrations. She gave them both to Boss Li. However, she warned him that he must sell the book for half a month first, before offering the erotic illustrations for sale. That way, those men’s appetite could be whetted properly. The illustrated versions were always more impactful than the plain written novels. Moreover, her drawing skills were not bad, taking advantage of haze and strategic concealment to maximize the aesthetic qualities. Although for the average person, seeing these things required some sneaking around, Luo Qing Luan had already experienced so much. She’d already become immune to the ‘hundred poisons’.

Little racy novels……a hah, as far as she was concerned, they’re simply a piece of cake!

The crucial point was that they could make money!

Amid Boss Li’s greetings, Luo Qing Luan took her three thousand taels of silver share of profits from the recent sales. She didn’t feel reassured with putting too much money at home, so she straightforwardly deposited it with the Myriad Treasures Exchange just in case.

After doing these things, Luo Qing Luan found it difficult not to think again of what happened last time and circled around to find Bitao’s house, which had already been sealed off. As expected,  an announcement had already been posted, saying that Bitao’s entire family had been killed by some ‘John Doe’ debt collector. Currently, they were pursuing the killers in full force and will very quickly be able to bring justice to the deceased.

“Bring justice? Heh heh, truly ironic.” After a quick look, Luo Qing Luan turned around and left.

Bitao basically died precisely because of Wang Xue Ru. How did it turn into a death caused by debt collectors? Very likely, Wang Xue Ru had given the authorities who knew how much benefits under the table, so that they had fabricated this story so quickly. They’d avoided alarming the surrounding people while killing people to silence them.

Ordinarily, Father’s Concubine looked to be delicate and weak, acting coquettishly and pretending to be virtuous in front of Luo Cheng all day. Yet privately, her face changed completely. Luo Qing Luan was the one who experienced this the most. If Wang Xue Ru wasn’t a genuinely heartless woman, how could she have taught a daughter like Luo Qing Shuang?

In order to reach a goal, no means were spared. In order to cling onto Fifth Prince, she even supported something like having her daughter seduce Nangong Chen, and also attempted to drown her. This pair of mother and daughter were already treacherous and murderous to the extreme. It’s unknown how many unspeakable things they’d done during these years.

Very likely her mother’s death at the time, truly might’ve involved some issue.

Presently, besides making money, what Luo Qing Luan thought about the most was to quickly and thoroughly investigate the truth about what happened back then. It’s just that, Nanny Song, who apparently knows something, did not want to speak. Was it possible that she had misgivings about something? Or maybe she also didn’t know much?
In any case, if she wanted to slowly look into this matter, she first needed to start the investigation with Wang Xue Ru.

Since Luo Cheng already agreed to let her remodel her courtyard and to buy some furnishings, she also wouldn’t be modest. On the next day, she made a list of items and had Dai Yue deliver it to Luo Cheng.

She didn’t care much for other furniture, but Luo Qing Luan had Luo Cheng make her several bookshelves and also had him bring back all of the books that could be bought at the capital. Of course, these included only those books which were ‘suitable’ for her to read, such as those in regards to a lady’s virtues, Confucian morals, or all kinds of music compositions, paintings, calligraphy manuals, poetry and literature, etc.

Luo Cheng seriously thought that her personality turned for the better and that she wanted to strive to improve herself for the sake of becoming the crown prince’s consort, so he readily agreed. Even if he spent more than a thousand taels of silver, he hardly regretted it at all and even had her buy as many as possible for in depth study.

However, Luo Qing Luan merely wanted a few medical books, that’s all. She wanted to avoid invoking suspicion when she revealed her abilities in the future. With these books as a screen, at that time, she could claim that she learned those things from books. At most, other people might consider her to be a genius. As long as she could have an excuse, it’s fine.

Very quickly, the Mid-autumn Festival arrived in the middle of August along with the Full Moon Feast. As expected, the imperial palace sent numerous invitations to everyone, just like last time. Every high-born lady with some reputation had all been invited. Luo Qing Luan naturally was also not an exception.

It’s just that she didn’t expect that she had not even left when she surprisingly received a personal invitation from Marquis of Xuan Ping’s young daughter, Yuchi Lianqing. The mentioned invitation said: I’ve heard of the second Miss Luo’s talented name spreading far and wide. This time, I’ll need to properly ask for your guidance regarding the poems discussed during the Full Moon Feast. I hope that you’ll be generous with your advice.

This Yuchi Lianqing was actually the country of Western Chu’s number one beauty and talent. The wind has been blowing vigorously. When was she acquainted with this girl?

Her words sounded genteel and she was extremely polite. It’s just a pity that Luo Qing Luan did not have the slightest impression of her. Moreover, this was clearly a more like a written war challenge. How could she believe that this Yuchi Lianqing really approached her in order to be friends?

Luo Qing Luan laughed indifferently. She’d heard that Yuchi Lianqing and the third princess, Nangong Wan’er were very close friends. She reckoned that this girl wanted to take revenge on behalf of Nangong Wan’er for what happened at the Flower Bestowment Feast last time. Wanting to properly embarrass her, right?