Chapter 5
Yu Sui's day and night research on the Strange Fire finally wasn't in vain.
Initially she thought the Five Elements Light Core was nurtured by the Strange Fire. After crushing five of them, she clearly noticed the birth speed of Five Elements Light Cores slowed considerably.
And she herself would feel excessive mental energy consumption, heavy eyelids, difficulty breathing, and finally passed out directly.
The next day, the mute woman found her collapsed beside the Liu Dan Jade Stone, hurriedly rushed forward to wake her, frowning at Yu Sui's dazed and bewildered expression.
Yu Sui tried to muddle through, but was still reported to Lady Su by the mute woman.
Lady Su asked her what happened. Yu Sui said she couldn't sleep last night so got up to recite books, then fell asleep beside the Liu Dan Jade Stone because it was cool there.
She managed to muddle through.
These small matters were unimportant, so Lady Su wouldn't take them to heart.
Yu Sui also learned what her current limit was for recreating Five Elements Light Cores.
Throughout the entire summer of that year, Yu Sui went to Gu Qian's house to play every few days. By winter, she had almost finished reading all the books in the study.
As the weather turned cool, the restless Strange Fire finally brought her another benefit.
After winter arrived, the Liu Dan Jade Stone in Yu Sui's room was replaced by the mute woman and others, replaced with Taoist School "Four Seasons Rest Talismans" hanging under her courtyard eaves, stopping winter's cold air from approaching while keeping the room warm as spring.
Yu Sui stood under the eaves wearing a single garment, looking up at the falling snow in the sky, extending her hand. The snowflakes melted before they could approach her palm.
Winter meant no more going to the National Academy, but she didn't idle either, beginning to frequently accompany Lady Su to attend banquets outside. As the New Year approached, the manor was also preparing banquets. At that time, all members of the Nangong clan would be invited to spend New Year's Eve at the manor.
During the New Year period was actually Yu Sui's busiest time.
Today this minister's banquet must be attended, tomorrow that general's banquet must also be attended, the day after the palace banquet must definitely be attended. Even if she only went to be a mascot, as the mascot representing Prince Nangong's manor, she had to be present at the scene.
But most of the time Yu Sui accompanied Lady Su. Occasionally the other ladies would also go. Only today's banquet at the Nation-Protecting General's Manor, the manor's master Nangong Ming also went.
Nangong Ming stood before the carriage waving at Yu Sui, who had just left the manor's main gate, indicating for her to come over.
Yu Sui obediently went over and called him Father. Nangong Ming patted her head, let her get on the carriage first, said a few words with Lady Su outside, then they separated.
After Lady Su got on the carriage, she closed her eyes to rest. Yu Sui turned her eyes, wondering whether to chat with her for a bit or be a mute.
After she had been mute for quite a while, Lady Su opened her mouth and said: "How is your relationship with the Zhongli family's children?"
Qingyang's Nation-Protecting General Zhongli Ci was called one of the three War Gods of the Military School. The Zhongli family was a Military School great clan, with ancestors for several generations all being generals of Qingyang with distinguished military achievements.
Their descendants all had great talent in the Military School way, proficient in both military formation and killing arts. Not only that, they also had hereditary ultimate sword techniques, considered one of the top ten powerful families in terms of combat strength among the six kingdoms of the current Xuangu Continent.
Also among those at the pinnacle of power in Qingyang Kingdom.
Nation-Protecting General Zhongli Ci's wife was an ordinary person with no background in the imperial capital, having one son and one daughter.
The son Zhongli Shan was ten years old, the daughter Zhongli Que was six years old, the same age as Yu Sui, also studying at the National Academy.
Yu Sui had seen Zhongli Que several times at the National Academy but never spoke to her, because she was sleeping most of the time.
Yu Sui often heard the name Zhongli Que, but always from Princess Shangyang's mouth.
Zhongli Que didn't join Princess Shangyang's sisterhood, making Princess Shangyang feel very embarrassed.
The little princess had whatever she wanted and rarely encountered anyone who defied her. Zhongli Que was one such person. For a period of time, she often looked for trouble, even causing such a fuss that the empress had to intervene to resolve it before it stopped.
The Zhongli family's status could be seen from this, comparable to the only non-royal surname king, the Nangong family.
Facing Lady Su's question, after quickly going through the information in her mind, Yu Sui answered honestly: "We're not very familiar."
Lady Su opened her eyes to look at her. Yu Sui thought she was going to criticize her social skills, but saw Lady Su close her eyes again, saying flatly: "No need for deep friendship."
Yu Sui nodded.
It seemed the relationship between the two families wasn't very good.
……
Today was the birthday banquet of the Nation-Protecting General's eldest son. Many people came, just the Zhongli family members alone made Yu Sui's eyes dazzle.
The Zhongli family clan was prosperous.
General Zhongli Ci alone had three brothers with the same father and mother. With the brothers marrying and having children, branching out and spreading leaves, the younger generation had nearly eleven or twelve people, not counting branch families and distant relatives.
Yu Sui followed beside Lady Su as a mascot.
At times like this, the advantages of high status showed. At least she didn't have to greet everyone she met. Most others would respectfully address her as Little Princess when they saw her.
After everyone finished their pleasantries, they began chatting amongst themselves. The men gathered together to talk about men's things, the ladies gathered together to talk about women's things.
Children also played with children.
The manor's servants had cleared the snow in advance. Red plum blossoms adorned the branches along the paths, stone lanterns were lit, dispelling the darkness of night.
Princess Shangyang also came. She was having fun playing with other children, running ahead and casually calling out to Yu Sui who was lagging behind.
Due to drowsiness, Yu Sui walked at the back with her head drooping. Hearing the call, she looked up and immediately saw Zhongli Que avoiding Princess Shangyang.
Under the cover of a maid, Zhongli Que lifted her skirt and ran through the red plum forest, running urgently with flushed cheeks, lightly puffing out cold air.
She ran out of the plum forest and came face to face with Yu Sui on the path. Both were startled.
As a princess of the manor, people took great care dressing and adorning her every day. Yu Sui didn't pay much attention, as everything looked good to her anyway.
Before going out, the maid first styled her hair in a hanging bun, with the top hair coiled into two small flower buds, then separated two strands of black hair to braid and fasten, finally the remaining long hair was divided into two long braids hanging behind her back, with thin red ribbons threading through the braids and tied at the ends.
At this moment, Yu Sui looked at Zhongli Que standing a few steps away. Their hairstyles weren't just very similar, they were identical. Even their hair ornaments were chosen in the same crabapple flower style, with the same red ribbons threading through the long braids, and the red ribbons hanging at the hair ends were also adorned with two golden beads.
The two girls faced each other speechlessly. After hearing someone calling Yu Sui's name from ahead, Zhongli Que lowered her head and quickly ran away.
Yu Sui raised her hand to touch the cool hair ornament on her head, then lowered her head and walked forward.
Zhongli Que hadn't run far before turning back to look, her gaze hesitantly watching Yu Sui walking away.
……
Yu Sui's memory of that day stopped at matching hair accessories with the little lady of the general's manor. This was also her memory of Zhongli Que.
Until spring returned and Yu Sui went back to the National Academy to study, she saw Zhongli Que again.
But the two still had no interaction.
Rather, it was Princess Shangyang who, after repeatedly hitting walls with Gu Qian, tried to win over Yu Sui to serve her.
Yu Sui asked her: "What do I need to do?"
Princess Shangyang put her hands on her hips and said: "Watch him, you have to tell me everything he does!"
Yu Sui shook her head and quickly refused.
In one year at the National Academy, Gu Qian had gone from initially offending all the teaching masters to now gaining the appreciation of all teaching masters, who genuinely taught him knowledge.
Yu Sui occasionally felt that Gu Qian was the one who got the protagonist setup.
Gu Qian had a mysterious background, perhaps carrying some blood vengeance. A figure like Nangong Ming protected his growth, he himself had outstanding talent, the arrogant and domineering Princess Shangyang liked him, quite a few boys also liked being friends with him, even the teachers he had offended were all won over by him.
When the carriage reached the manor, Yu Sui lifted the curtain and glanced at her three elder brothers. Not only did he have the positive characters' network established, there were also antagonist characters who often troubled Gu Qian and looked down on him.
Plus herself as the childhood friend, with Nangong Ming's personal stamp of approval as "someone to protect with one's life," Gu Qian's future was boundless.
Then what about her future?
Either death from exposure of her World Destroyer identity, or death from the struggle over Breath Soil.
Yu Sui raised her hand to rub her face, absent-mindedly thinking: Maybe I should just be a villain.
A villain who brings world-destroying disaster to the Xuangu Continent.
Destroying the world should be easier than saving the world.
……
Yu Sui's impression of Zhongli Que deepened in the summer of her seventh year.
Her room was once again equipped with Liu Dan Jade Stone. At night, because she couldn't sleep from the heat, she sat beside the Liu Dan Jade Stone, extracting new Five Elements Light Cores from the Strange Fire.
During the day she lazily slept at the National Academy.
Yu Sui didn't deliberately socialize. In these few years, besides Princess Shangyang who actively talked to her, she hadn't made any friends her age.
But she was very popular with boys.
Boys older than her liked to treat her as a little sister.
These friendships came from accompanying Lady Su to banquets, meeting at banquets, and chatting a bit more when encountering each other at the National Academy on regular days.
Especially Elder Brother Han Bing's friends, who were four or five years older than the little princess, all boys with good temperaments and upbringing. With good relationships with Han Bing, they also treated Han Bing's sister well, helping Yu Sui a lot with her studies.
There was one Little Brother Lin who had two tiger teeth when he smiled, sincere and kind. In Yu Sui's view, he was a very gentle young master from an aristocratic family.
She heard his family had recently gotten into trouble. His father was imprisoned and interrogated for three days without coming out, while his mother was running around seeking help.
Little Master Lin was only twelve years old. Usually gentle and cheerful, he had become extremely silent.
Before Little Master Lin found Yu Sui, she was lying on her desk sleeping. During lunch time, the teaching master left, and others paired up to go eat lunch.
Yu Sui rubbed her eyes and stood up. Zhongli Que walked toward her from far away. Even from a great distance, her gaze toward Yu Sui already showed something had happened.
But Yu Sui at that time couldn't see it. She was walking toward the door outside, and because her position was closer, she was faster than Zhongli Que.
Seeing Yu Sui about to leave the classroom and go outside, Zhongli Que became anxious and shouted: "Nangong Sui!"
"Don't go out!"
Yu Sui stepped one foot outside the classroom door when she was grabbed by the sleeve by Little Master Lin who came running. He knelt to the ground, completely losing his usual elegance, disregarding his image as he kowtowed to Yu Sui shouting:
"Princess, I beg you, please save my father, he was framed!"
His grip on Yu Sui's wrist was so strong it nearly pulled her down.
At this moment, Yu Sui only felt her ears ringing incessantly.
"My father has guarded Tongzhou for over twenty years, intercepting and killing hundreds who transported and sold poisonous herbs. Our ancestors all died from poisoning, so how could he collude with poison dealers for corruption and bribery!"
"I implore the Princess to tell the Prince to reinvestigate this matter!"
"Princess, I beg you! Please ask the Prince to release my father!"
Little Master Lin's actions attracted many onlookers. Yu Sui hadn't rested well last night, and now being bombarded with this series of information made her dizzy. As she pulled back her hands, she said: "You, you get up first."
At this moment, Little Master Lin had completely treated her as his last lifeline, kneeling before her and kowtowing until his head bled, never letting go, hoarsely describing his father's innocence and begging for reinvestigation.
Zhongli Que stood behind, turning her face away in frustration. It was over, still too late. Now she would be in trouble when she got back.
Yu Sui was nearly pulled down by Little Master Lin. Fortunately, Elder Brother Han Bing and others arrived in time, forcibly separating Little Master Lin from her and protecting her behind them.
This incident caused quite a stir, involving court officials, not something that could be covered up by children's playful words.
Yu Sui's mediocre performance over the years hadn't brought her any harm. She tried not to attract attention, minimizing her sense of presence. But because of her identity as a princess of the manor, sometimes it was unavoidable.
The stupid impression she left on everyone did reduce her presence in the imperial capital's noble circles.
So far, Lady Su had only blandly accepted the fact that she was foolish and untalented, while Nangong Ming couldn't understand the fact that he had a foolish daughter.
Little Master Lin usually walked closely with the manor's eldest prince, having a good relationship, yet when in trouble, he went to seek help from the manor's future heir, Princess Nangong Sui.
No matter how stupid she was, she still represented the most noble person in the manor, wielding power that some people couldn't obtain.
But Yu Sui's reaction clearly didn't handle this matter well, making Nangong Ming express dissatisfaction with her for the first time.
That night after Yu Sui returned, she was punished to kneel before Lady Su's door.
Lady Su frowned and glanced at her without speaking.
When Nangong Ming returned from outside and walked past Yu Sui, she felt that sinister oppressive feeling of being bitten on the throat by a venomous snake for the first time in a long while.
The man had just taken his seat when he sighed lightly, waving his hand to slap Yu Sui across the face from a distance.
Yu Sui covered her reddened cheek and looked up, her eyes full of tears.
"Sometimes being too stupid comes with a price," Nangong Ming smiled as he looked at Yu Sui. "You shouldn't be so stupid as to forget your identity. You represent the entire Prince Nangong's manor, you represent me. When he was spouting lies, you told him to get up first."
"Sui Sui, look, who can tell you to get up first today?"
Tears fell from the girl's eyes with a pitter-patter.
Yu Sui wiped her tears, thinking, indeed, wanting to survive by being stupid came with a price.
"I was wrong," she said quietly.
Nangong Ming asked: "Wrong how?"
Yu Sui said: "I shouldn't have brought shame to the manor."
A general answer. Nangong Ming sighed and let his stupid daughter off.
Yu Sui knelt at Lady Su's door for the entire night.
That night, Little Master's father was convicted and died in prison at the same time. The entire family was arrested, and Yu Sui never saw him again.