Madam Liu’s crying stopped abruptly.
It was as if she had grasped the last straw that could save her life. She stared blankly at her usually clever eldest daughter, and a twisted glimmer of hope rekindled in her eyes.
“What idea? Quickly, what idea do you have?”
The tear marks on Madam Liu’s face had not yet dried as she grabbed Su Lingwei’s sleeve.
Su Lingwei gently covered Madam Liu’s hand with her own, her movements calm and unhurried.
“Mother, please don’t rush.”
“A few days ago, I heard some old people from the palace chatting about a sacred place blessed by immortals.”
Madam Liu was indeed attracted by her words and asked instinctively, “What place?”
“Wuling Mountain, a thousand miles away. In the mountains there is a temple called Qingfeng Temple.”
Su Lingwei paused, giving Madam Liu enough time to absorb the words before continuing.
“The Taoist priest there is said to possess extraordinary abilities. His methods for calming the mind and restoring peace are unparalleled, and they are especially effective for regulating a woman’s health. Many nobles who have made mistakes are sent there.”
She deliberately emphasized the words “made mistakes” and “nobles.”
Madam Liu’s breathing faltered, and the light in her eyes brightened again.
She understood.
This was not a place for recuperation—it was clearly a respectable prison prepared specifically for nobles.
Watching Madam Liu’s changing expression, Su Lingwei continued to add fuel to the fire at an unhurried pace.
“Think about it. With Third Sister in her current state, if she remains in the capital, those rumors alone will drown her and bring shame upon the entire Su family.”
“But if she is sent to Qingfeng Temple, we can simply say to the outside world that she has gone there to pray for blessings for our family and to cultivate herself in seclusion. Not only would that preserve her dignity, but it would also be considered a virtuous deed for the reputation of the Su family. Far from worldly troubles, quietly cultivating her temperament—wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?”
Every word she spoke was flawless and dignified.
Yes—between a daughter whose reputation was ruined and a daughter who prayed for the family’s blessings, it was obvious which sounded better.
“However… Wuling Mountain is thousands of miles away. The mountains are high and the roads are long…” Madam Liu still hesitated.
Su Lingwei smiled faintly, though the smile did not reach her eyes.
“Mother, in this world, only distance can make people forget. The farther she goes, the faster people in the capital will forget.”
“After three or five years, who will still remember these unpleasant matters? At that time we can bring Third Sister back, and everything will have passed.”
Three or five years?
Most likely she would never return in this lifetime.
The speech was dazzling and flawless.
It appeared to care for Su Jinse’s health while also allowing their brother to avoid the controversies of the capital and smoothly negotiate marriage.
Killing two birds with one stone.
Su Jinse stood where she was, her eyes lowered.
But inside her heart came a cold sneer.
Wuling Mountain.
A thousand miles away.
This was not recuperation—it was exile.
They intended to leave her in that distant place to fend for herself.
Madam Liu’s gaze slowly shifted from Su Lingwei’s eloquent face to Su Jinse.
That face was excessively beautiful, yet her eyes were empty.
But on the other side was her proud son, whose future was limitless.
The pride of the entire Jing’an Marquis Residence.
Madam Liu thought of Su Mochen’s dim eyes.
She thought of the contemptuous expression of the Zhang family’s messenger.
She thought of how the marquis residence would soon become the laughingstock of the entire capital.
All her hesitation crumbled bit by bit before the hope she held for her son’s future.
In the end, Madam Liu slowly closed her eyes.
A burning tear slid from the corner of her eye.
Her trembling hand lifted and fell onto the back of Su Lingwei’s hand, patting it gently.
That motion seemed to use up all her strength—and drained the last trace of maternal love within her.
“Then…”
Her voice was hoarse, like sand scraping across her throat.
“Do as you say.”
Before cold interests, familial affection shattered completely.
Su Jinse’s fate had been decided in just a few casual words.
From beginning to end, no one asked whether she was willing.
She had been treated like an object—a troublesome thing—and disposed of lightly.
A trace of undisguised triumph flashed in Su Lingwei’s eyes as she comfortingly patted Madam Liu’s back, appearing even more filial.
Everyone believed that the foolish Third Miss could not understand any of it.
But Su Jinse’s heart was extremely calm.
She even felt a long-lost sense of relief.
Leaving this magnificent cage was not punishment for her.
It was the beginning of freedom.
This family was not worth keeping.
That night.
The night in the West Courtyard was darker and colder than anywhere else.
Su Jinse lay on the hard bed, feeling the subtle changes as her ability slowly repaired the meridians in her body.
Creak—
The door was pushed open silently with the faintest force.
Under the moonlight, a tall figure stepped in, carrying with him a cold and restrained aura.
The person was her elder brother, Su Mochen.
He walked to the bedside and looked at the thin figure lying there. His handsome face was filled with guilt and heartache that he could not conceal.
“Jinse.”
Su Mochen’s voice was very low.
Su Jinse did not move. She simply opened her eyes in the darkness.
Moonlight filtered through the window lattice, casting mottled shadows on his face. The eyes that usually carried a gentle smile were now filled only with deep, inescapable guilt.
He took out a small rosewood box from his robe and stiffly placed it beside her pillow.
“Your elder brother… is useless.”
His throat bobbed violently, and his voice was hoarse with suppressed emotion.
Seeing that she did not react, Su Mochen assumed she had been frightened senseless, and his heart hurt even more. He leaned closer and lowered his voice until it was almost a whisper.
“Inside are all the banknotes I’ve saved over the years at the academy, along with a few pieces of jewelry. They’re not recorded in the marquis residence’s accounts. Keep them close to you, and don’t let anyone see them.”
He paused, his breathing trembling.
“I can’t protect you… When you reach Wuling Mountain, be careful in everything. The servants traveling with you cannot be fully trusted. Spend the silver when you must. Don’t let yourself suffer, understand?”
He spoke continuously, as if leaving final instructions.
Her eyes shifted slightly as she glanced at the rosewood box.
The material was good; the items inside were surely valuable.
Besides, what she lacked most right now was starting capital.
Su Mochen stood there for a moment longer, as if he still wanted to say something. Yet thousands of words were stuck in his throat and eventually turned into a heavy sigh.
He turned and walked out of the room, his back looking desolate as he gently closed the door.
Silence returned to the room.
The next moment, Su Jinse—who had been lying motionless—slowly sat up.
She did not light a lamp. Instead, under the moonlight, she picked up the rosewood box.
She opened it.
Several thick banknotes lay inside, with a few simple yet finely crafted gold and jade ornaments beneath them.
She picked up a gold hairpin set with a ruby and turned it between her fingers.
Not bad. All hard currency.
A genuine smile curved at the corner of Su Jinse’s lips.
From this day on, she, Su Jinse, would no longer need anyone’s protection.
The immense wealth and glory of the Jing’an Marquis Residence meant nothing to her.
But this “gift of exile”—
she accepted it with complete peace of mind.
She would treat it as the price they had paid in advance… for their lives.