Plan A
The Days and Nights of the Courtesan 6
Capital City
Fourteen meticulously laid out the information about Qu Feiqing in Su Xin’s mind.
Qu Feiqing, female, 23 years old, the former third princess of the Quliu Kingdom, currently the Empress, ascended the throne 4 years ago.
Su Xin gradually read through Qu Feiqing’s life story and couldn’t help but rub her forehead.
This one is very difficult to deal with; ruthless and merciless are her labels.
Unlike the only Empress in the history of Su Xin’s world, who painstakingly schemed for years before securing that position, Qu Feiqing is extraordinarily young. However, what they share is deep-seated shrewdness and a ruthless heart—qualities that make great achievers, decisive and resolute in their actions.
The Empress killed her son, Qu Feiqing killed her father and brother and imprisoned her younger brother.
Qu Feiqing is not a good person. If she were a good person, she wouldn’t have become the Empress.
Su Xin thought about asking such a significant figure that question and already felt how bizarre the scene would be.
Xue Yao’s wish is to have the most beautiful person in the Four Kingdoms admit that she is the prettiest.
If Su Xin were to bluntly ask this question, she would definitely be thrown out by Qu Feiqing’s people and probably killed on the spot.
Something is wrong.
Master Fourteen, I’m starting to square it off.
【Don’t be afraid, you will be even more afraid later, keep going, maybe there are even more difficult things waiting for you ahead.】
Fourteen comforted his host in a symbolic way.
I have a sentence that I don’t know if I should say or not, but forget it, I still want to say it, motherf*cker!
Su Xin felt that she might have a fake system. How could there be such a malicious system in the world?
【Yes, I can be even more malicious.】
Fourteen replied indifferently.
Su Xin didn’t bother arguing with Fourteen anymore. She was now sitting in He Yunshu’s carriage, which was spacious and had a simple style.
Su Xin also knew that the task was not so easy, after all, it came at the cost of dying and being reborn. If it were too easy, it would be too fake.
He Yunshu was dressed in women’s clothing, reading a book and leaning on her arm, looking quite relaxed.
Miss Mary Sue truly lived up to her name. She also traveled from the modern world like Su Xin, but Su Xin had a more special profession. However, Miss Mary Sue was different. She seemed to be capable of everything, from cooking, handling medicinal herbs, to making masks out of human skin.
“Xue Yao, when we arrive in the capital city, we will have to part ways. Take care of yourself.”
He Yunshu said to Su Xin. She was still unfamiliar with that minister’s mansion and didn’t know what problems might arise. In case someone wanted to harm her, it wouldn’t be good for Xue Yao to get involved.
Although it wasn’t pleasant to say so, no matter what, she was the legitimate daughter of the minister, while Xue Yao was just an ordinary woman without a powerful background.
“Alright.”
Su Xin still had a considerable amount of money in her hands, but she wasn’t sure about the housing prices in the capital city. She had a feeling that it would be much more expensive.
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The only way for Su Xin to get close to Qu Feiqing, given her current identity, was through the Four Kingdoms Banquet. If she went to Quliu Kingdom, not to mention how far the border was, it would be extremely difficult to reach the palace. She would probably be intercepted and killed before even reaching the palace. Moreover, she was currently good friends with Miss Mary Sue, who would become a winner in life and reach the peak of success. It was safer to stay here.
Once they reached the capital city and paid the entrance fee, Su Xin and He Yunshu would part ways.
“Xue Yao, after both of us have settled down, I will come find you. If anyone bullies you, you must tell me.”
He Yunshu held Su Xin’s hand, and Su Xin nodded.
Su Xin found a relatively secluded alley to settle in because the rent was cheaper. The landlord was an old woman who, upon seeing Su Xin, a young girl accompanied by a servant, offered a discount.
Before, Su Xin had asked if Shujuan wanted to leave. After all, her path might not be easy. But when Shujuan heard Su Xin’s question, her eyes turned red, and she was about to cry.
“Do you not want Shujuan anymore, Miss? Has Shujuan done something wrong? Shujuan can change, as long as you tell me, Shujuan will definitely do it.”
Shujuan looked panicked, as if getting her freedom, leaving Su Xin, and living without constraints would be a sin. She thought Su Xin was going to abandon her.
Su Xin had no choice but to let Shujuan stay by her side. Having someone to take care of her daily life made things easier, at least Su Xin didn’t have to cook for herself.
Su Xin could learn everything, except for cooking. It seemed like she was a natural kitchen disaster, but she knew how to eat.
Qiu Qingqing had once commented on her companion’s cooking skills, saying that even dogs wouldn’t want to eat what she made.
Even after changing bodies, Su Xin still didn’t possess this great skill.
Su Xin and Shujuan were busy all day, cleaning up the small courtyard and tidying up their temporary home.
There is still one year before the start of the Four Kingdoms Banquet.
Su Xin was thinking about how to find a way to participate. Generally, it would be recommended by the brothels. It’s not like modern talent shows where there are auditions and multiple rounds of selection, allowing many people to see. Such a selection for the Four Kingdoms Banquet is absolutely impossible.
It’s enough for the emperor and other important people to have a look.
So Su Xin couldn’t start from the brothels in the capital city. She had to start from the nobles.
She doesn’t know if in every fictional ancient world with a Mary Sue, there would be a charming and mysterious prince. He would appear to be idle and a complete fool, but in reality, he hides his true abilities. Usually, he would be the protagonist or a major supporting character.
Su Xin’s target was precisely this charming Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince loves beautiful women and fine wine, but he has a strange quirk: he enjoys seeing women cry.
After Su Xin learned about this quirk, she questioned Fourteen if he was a prophet. Otherwise, why would he have given her a gift before? Su Xin had previously received a gift from Fourteen called “Crocodile’s Tears”.
【That’s quite a coincidence, I just made an official announcement.】
Fourteen gave Su Xin the information about the Fifth Prince, Yu Hongliang, and let Su Xin study it on her own.
Master Fourteen, you truly are a diligent and responsible system, almost omnipotent.
Su Xin felt that Fourteen was a highly personified intelligent system, and it even knew how to sarcastically mock people. What’s more important is that Fourteen seems to be very versatile, there is no information it can’t find.
【Thank you for the praise. It’s what I should do. But I am not omnipotent. If I were, what use would you hosts have?】
Fourteen said very seriously.
You’re just a big asshole of a system.
You can’t even take a compliment. You’re so narcissistic.
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【There is an incoming call from the neighboring host. Would you like to answer?】
Fourteen played a ringtone for Su Xin and asked for her opinion.
Yes, yes, yes.
Su Xin remembered that this absent-minded system didn’t inform her of what her colleague was doing, causing her call to be rejected and be cursed at.
[This is Sun Yixiao. Colleague, please respond.]
A cheerful female voice echoed in Su Xin’s mind, different from the electronic sound of Fourteen. Su Xin felt a bit dizzy.
[Su Xin.]
[Oh, oh, oh, hello. I’m sorry about last time. When Fourteen requested a call, I was busy with something, so, cough, cough…]
[It’s okay, I understand.]
[Actually, I don’t have any urgent matters. I just wanted to say hello to you. If you have any doubts or unresolved issues in the future, you can come to me. Fourteen shouldn’t stop you from doing so. After all, it is a mission-oriented system and quite responsible.]
[Okay, thank you.]
The call was disconnected. Su Xin sat in her chair and pondered. The sudden phone call caught her off guard, and she hadn’t thought about what questions she wanted to ask. Currently, there were no unresolved issues either. Su Xin wasn’t particularly fond of chatting or engaging in small talk, so she decided to leave it at that for now.
It had been half a month since she arrived in the capital city. According to the Fifth Prince’s preferences, Su Xin dressed in a very fresh and youthful style to make a delivery.
Su Xin didn’t have a stable source of income, so after she arrived in the capital city, she found a job with the help of her landlady, Auntie. She became an embroiderer in the embroidery workshop.
Fortunately, the original owner had a solid foundation. Girls in ancient times, you know, liked to play the qin and embroider when they had free time. Being skilled in needlework was a required skill for women, so Xue Yao’s embroidery skills were considered decent. Su Xin was a kitchen killer, but she had a talent for it, and after diligent practice, she became quite good.
She took the embroidery sample and went to the embroidery workshop that Auntie had mentioned. The boss accepted her, and Su Xin would usually work on larger clothing items at the workshop, while she would take smaller items back home to work on.
On her way back, Su Xin bought a roasted chicken, wrapped in oil paper. While walking, she accidentally bumped into someone but tightly protected her oil paper package.
“Sorry.”
Su Xin glanced at the man, just a glance, and was about to continue on her way.
“Wait a minute, are you just going to leave after bumping into me?”
The man’s voice was pleasant, stopping Su Xin in her tracks.
“Do you have any other business, sir?”
Su Xin looked into the man’s eyes, unable to determine whether his collision with her earlier was intentional or unintentional.
The Fifth Lord, Yu Hongliang.
Yu Hongliang held his arms, seemingly smiling, as he looked at Su Xin. He thought to himself that he should be considered good-looking. None of the girls in the capital had seen his affectionate gaze without blushing or their hearts racing. However, this woman in front of him seemed unaffected.
She looked good, just as good as all the good-looking women he had ever seen. Today, he had planned to buy a roasted chicken for that little fool and continue eating chicken and drinking with her. Unexpectedly, he bumped into a girl whom he found quite appealing.
“From your accent, you’re not from the capital, right?”
“I’m from the south, so… is there something else, sir?”
Su Xin was using the strategy of “yielding while advancing” that Fourteen had taught her.
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Fourteen had said that with this kind of flirtatious and prestigious man, it’s best to keep him interested but not go too far. She should also do something that would pique his curiosity and cater to his preferences.
When Su Xin heard Fourteen say this, she felt that it was an AI with a story.
“Fifth Lord, you’re so slow in buying a roasted chicken. I’ve already bought my wine, and here you are, empty-handed, teasing a girl.”
A voice that sounded very familiar to Su Xin came from nearby, and Yu Hongliang turned around helplessly.
“Why are you rushing me, little fool? I’m here now.”
“You’re the fool.”
He Yunshu walked over with a cheerful smile and paused when she saw Su Xin.
“Xue Yao!”
He Yunshu ran over in big strides, pushing Yu Hongliang aside and hugging Su Xin tightly.
“Yunshu.”
Long time no see, Miss Mary Sue.