Chapter 350: Chapter 351: The Sucker
"The Prince has already given the order. You must leave the Prince Zhao Mansion within three days.
You should all be very clear about what kind of person the Prince is.
If you haven’t left in three days, what awaits you will be anything but a pleasant outcome."
They had, of course, all heard of Prince Zhao’s fearsome reputation. The thought of him killing without batting an eye sent them trembling all over, and they could only stammer, unable to speak a word.
Gao Shan said, "You still have three days. Think carefully about what you’ll do in the future.
I know you no longer have families. You can choose to marry someone else, or you could learn a trade to support yourselves.
Either way, it’s much better than withering away day after day in this rear courtyard, isn’t it?"
With that, he turned and left.
That afternoon, just as Hua Manman and Prince Zhao had finished their lunch and were preparing for a nap, they suddenly heard a commotion outside.
"Let us in! We want to see the Prince and the Princess Consort!"
Li Ji frowned and asked, "Who is making that racket outside?"
Jinxiu hurried out to take a look, then ran back and reported.
"Your Highness, it’s Miss Yan, Miss Wang, and Miss Tao. They say they have something to discuss with you and the Princess Consort. Chen Guard won’t let them in, and they’ve reached a stalemate, so it’s turned into an argument."
Li Ji watched her quietly.
Jinxiu was baffled by his stare.
’Did I say something wrong? Why is the Prince staring at me?’
In the end, it was Hua Manman who cleared up her confusion.
"The Prince probably doesn’t remember who those three young ladies are."
Li Ji said, "Indeed, I don’t."
Jinxiu: "..."
’They’ve been in the mansion for a year, and the Prince still doesn’t even know their names.’
’As expected of Prince Zhao!’
Resigned to her fate, Jinxiu explained.
"They entered the mansion a year ago. Miss Yan was sent by Princess Ningyang, while Miss Wang and Miss Tao were bestowed by the Emperor."
Anyone else would have hesitated to make things difficult for these three, for the sake of Princess Ningyang and the Emperor.
But Prince Zhao was accustomed to doing things his own way.
Whatever he said, went. He gave face to no one.
Li Ji said expressionlessly.
"Tell them to get lost."
Jinxiu lowered her head and was about to withdraw when Hua Manman stopped her.
"Wait, let them in. Let’s see what they have to say."
Li Ji turned to look at Hua Manman.
Hua Manman blinked. "Can’t I?"
Li Ji said, "Let them in to speak."
Jinxiu: "..."
’So it turns out Prince Zhao does give face to someone after all.’
’At the very least, he’s more than willing to give face to the Princess Consort.’
In just a moment, the three young women were led inside.
They were dressed in pink, yellow, and blue, respectively.
They knelt in unison and pleaded tearfully.
"We beg Your Highnesses to be merciful and not drive us away! As long as you let us stay, we’ll do anything you ask!"
Hua Manman was very curious. "Why don’t you want to leave?"
The woman in pink spoke.
"Our parents have passed away, and we have no other family. Besides the Prince Zhao Mansion, we have nowhere else to go."
Hua Manman said, "Didn’t High Housekeeper Gao tell you? Besides going home, you could also get married or learn a trade."
The woman in yellow said with a blush, "We don’t have anyone we fancy. We don’t want to just find some random man to marry."
The woman in blue quickly added, "We’re clumsy with words and utterly useless with our hands. We can’t do anything."
In short—
They had nowhere to go, didn’t want to marry, and were unwilling to learn a trade.
Hua Manman asked, "Even if you stay in the Prince Zhao Mansion, the Prince won’t give you a second glance. Are you sure you want to waste the rest of your lives here?"
The three replied in unison.
"We are!"
Hua Manman grew even more baffled, her mind filled with question marks.
Seeing her confusion, the woman in pink took the initiative to explain.
"We have no one to depend on. If we leave the Prince Mansion, we’ll easily be bullied. It’s safer to stay here."
The woman in yellow continued.
"Although the Prince doesn’t like us, he’s never been stingy with our food, clothing, or daily expenses.
Living in the Prince Mansion, we not only have food and drink, but also servants to wait on us, and beautiful new clothes and jewelry for every season."
The woman in blue said with pleading eyes.
"Compared to an unknown future, we think this kind of life is better. So we beg Your Highnesses to be merciful and not drive us away!"
After speaking, the three of them prostrated themselves in perfect sync.
Li Ji’s brow furrowed tightly.
’These three women are unbelievably audacious, daring to treat me like a sucker!’
’Just because I have money doesn’t mean I’m willing to support this group of parasites who do nothing but eat!’
Li Ji expected Hua Manman to scold them, but after waiting for a long time, he heard nothing from her.
He turned to look at Hua Manman, just in time to hear her innermost thoughts—
’What do I do? The life they’re describing sounds so tempting!’
’I also want to live that wonderful life with food, drinks, and pretty clothes, without having to wait on some jerk of a man!’
Li Ji: "..."
’It turns out I’m the clown.’
Si Yun noticed Prince Zhao’s expression growing more and more dangerous, but the Princess Consort was still zoned out, showing no reaction at all.
Si Yun grew anxious and let out a low cough.
Only then did Hua Manman snap back to her senses.
She cleared her throat, putting on an act.
"While I can completely understand your desire to live like salted fish, but—
The Prince’s money doesn’t grow on trees!
This mansion, the shops in the city, the manors outside the city—all of it was earned by the Prince on the battlefield, risking his life.
How can I let you squander it all?!
Even if the Prince wants to keep a salted fish, he can only keep one—me.
Besides me, the Prince Zhao Mansion has no room for a second salted fish!"
As her voice fell, the room was filled with silence.
The pink-yellow-blue trio was stunned.
They considered themselves quite shameless, but they never expected Princess Consort Zhao to be even more shameless than they were.
She’d managed to say such shameless words with such righteous confidence.
’She’s a role model for all salted fish!’
Li Ji’s expression was strange, his mood complex.
’Why do I have the strange feeling that I’m just the tool used to support this fish?’
Si Yun’s eyes widened, and she cheered wildly for the Princess Consort in her heart. ’The Princess Consort is so domineering! The Princess Consort is the best!’
Seeing that no one was speaking, Hua Manman asked in confusion.
"Why is everyone so quiet?"
Li Ji took her hand. "What the Princess Consort said is what I wanted to say. The Prince Zhao Mansion does not support idlers. The Princess Consort is the only exception."
Hua Manman was deeply moved and immediately handed him a "good guy" card.
"You’re so nice~"
Li Ji’s other hand wrapped around her slender waist, implying that he didn’t want a "good guy" card; he wanted a ticket to ride.
Hua Manman raised her arm, which was wrapped tightly in gauze, indicating that she was injured and couldn’t "drive."
Li Ji was helpless and could only wait.
The salted fish dreams of the three young women in pink, yellow, and blue came to a tragic end.
They were forcibly sent back to their quarters. If they were still unwilling to make a decision after three days, they would be thrown out of the Prince Zhao Mansion.
