Xin Yao sent people to deliver dirt on the Zhou and Dong families to Bai Sheng several times, but Bai Sheng was not very satisfied. She also told Xin Yao that she already knew about those matters.
Her husband had powerful rat scouts, so the information Xin Yao provided was truly only at the gossip level.
Bai Sheng told Xin Yao not to waste any more time. With her status as a princess, she was sure to find famous doctors across the country to treat her face.
Xin Yao was so angry that she threw another tantrum in her palace.
Lv Qin had no choice but to quietly suggest, "Mistress, if it really doesn't work, shall we beg His Majesty? Let His Majesty issue a decree, forcing her to treat the princess's face."
Xin Yao smiled bitterly and mocked herself, "My father's eyes only hold the Eldest Princess. If we other princesses died, he wouldn't even look at us twice. Do you think he would personally issue a decree to have my face treated?
Moreover, that servant woman's identity is a merchant, not a doctor, and she doesn't have a clinic. As long as she doesn't admit that she can cure this princess's face, even if Father issues a decree, he won't be able to do anything to her. Instead, he'll become a joke in the eyes of the people – the dignified Emperor forcing a woman who knows no medicine to practice medicine!"
"Then what should we do? Mistress, as a royal daughter, you should know how important a woman's face is. If beauty is lost, anyone in this palace can trample on you," Lv Qin worried anxiously.
Xin Yao took a deep breath, "This princess has the dirt that woman needs, but this princess still needs to consider it further."
Lv Qin's face lit up, "Then what is there to consider? Mistress, your face is your everything. No matter what, you must consider yourself first. My servant dares to speak treasonously, risking her head: the Empress's mind is all on the Crown Prince. You are merely their pawn."
Xin Yao looked directly at Lv Qin, not moving at all.
Lv Qin trembled with fear and immediately knelt on the ground, "Your servant has spoken treasonous words. I beg Mistress to forgive me. Your servant has accompanied you since childhood. For you, your servant is willing to die!"
Xin Yao gave her a sideways glance and said coldly, "Get up. What you said is not wrong. This princess is indeed a pawn. However, from today onwards, this princess only wants to live for herself! Lv Qin, go and help this princess deliver a letter to Minister Zhou."
"Mistress, what is this?" Lv Qin asked, confused.
Xin Yao looked into the distance, "This princess is going to break off the engagement!"
"Break off the engagement?" Lv Qin was shocked. "Mistress, if you don't marry the Zhou family, does that mean you will marry the Dong and Wu families?"
Xin Yao smiled disdainfully and said, "This princess will not marry any of them!"
"Then who does the princess want to marry?" Lv Qin's eyes widened.
"The Third Prince of Bei Qiang!" Xin Yao said word by word.
"The Third Prince? The prince with the greatest chance of succeeding the throne in Bei Qiang?" Lv Qin's eyes lit up.
Xin Yao nodded, "This princess wants to be the Empress, not someone else's pawn!"
Lv Qin rejoiced, "Mistress, I support you. But how can we marry the Third Prince of Bei Qiang?"
"This princess has received news that at next year's Myriad Dynasties Assembly, Bei Qiang will also send envoys, including the Third Prince. At that time, we will use some methods," Xin Yao's gaze held a hint of ruthlessness.
"Mistress, I understand. Your servant will go deliver your letter immediately!" Lv Qin nodded.
Minister Zhou's Mansion.
"Father, what did you say? The Fifth Princess wrote you a letter saying she wants to break off the engagement because she is ugly and not worthy of me?" Zhou Qingyun's mouth was split into a wide grin reaching his ears.
In fact, he had wanted to break off the engagement long ago. As the son of Minister Zhou, he did not want to marry an ugly woman as his wife.
Every time he met with the noble young masters in the capital, he would be mocked. Those young masters said he was crazy for wanting to be a consort, and that he was unwilling to abandon his future wife who was so ugly.
Minister Zhou held the letter, his eyes dark and unreadable, "The Fifth Princess's letter does say that, but she cannot make this decision by herself."
Zhou Qingyun said anxiously, "Father, since the Fifth Princess has voluntarily proposed to break off the engagement, then let's break it off. Her face is so ruined, this child really doesn't want to marry such an ugly woman as his wife."
Minister Zhou looked at his son with disappointment, as if he could not turn iron into steel, and nodded, "Since you don't want to marry her, then let's break it off."
"Father, you... you really agreed? That's great!" Zhou Qingyun jumped up with joy.
Minister Zhou poured another basin of cold water on him, "If you don't marry the Fifth Princess, then you will marry the niece of the Eldest Princess's husband's family."
Zhou Qingyun shuddered, "Father, is the niece of the Eldest Princess's husband's family beautiful?"
"Can beauty be eaten?" Minister Zhou glared at Zhou Qingyun and sighed, "This minister has been wise his entire life, how did I give birth to such an unaccomplished thing like you!"
Zhou Qingyun winked and said with a smile, "Father, isn't this child learning from you? Look at your seven or eight concubines, aren't they all more beautiful than the last?"
"You... get out!" Minister Zhou was so angry he felt a pain in his liver.
Zhou Qingyun, scared, scampered away.
"Sir, a child's marriage is a great benefit. Why should the second young master be matched with the niece of the Eldest Princess's husband's family? Isn't this a waste of a great opportunity to ally with the powerful?" The retainer beside Minister Zhou was very confused.
Although the Emperor doted on the Eldest Princess, she was, after all, just a woman.
Minister Zhou's gaze was deep, "This minister has his own considerations."
The Empress received Minister Zhou's letter of engagement cancellation. After opening and reading it, she trembled with anger.
Immediately, she flew into a rage and went to the Fifth Princess's palace.
"Slap!" The Empress saw Xin Yao and said nothing, she went up and slapped her hard, then scolded with a trembling voice, "You unfilial daughter! Do you really want to defy me? How dare you break off the engagement with the Zhou family without permission? Do you have a brain? Without the Zhou family's support, your brother will lose another bit of strength! You are putting your mother and brother on the spot!"
Xin Yao covered her face, her eyes full of hatred, "Have Mother and Brother not put me on the spot? I am merely a pawn in your power struggle. Have you ever considered my feelings, my happiness?"
The Empress was stunned for a moment, her voice softening slightly, "I told you, small patience leads to great plans. As long as you help your brother ascend to that position, you can do whatever you want."
Xin Yao suddenly burst into laughter, shaking as she laughed, "Mother, this drawing of a pie is truly tempting. When Brother truly becomes Emperor, there will be other things that require me to endure.
Mother, if you truly love your daughter, then stop treating your daughter as a pawn. Whom your daughter likes to marry, she will marry. If your daughter doesn't want to marry, she won't marry, can you?"
The Empress coldly reprimanded, "Ignorant! Naive!"
"Yes, your daughter is ignorant and naive," Xin Yao said indifferently, "Mother, you've hit me and scolded me. If there's nothing else, your daughter will not stay any longer."
After speaking, Xin Yao strode out.
"Mistress, where are you going?" Lv Qin followed closely and asked in a low voice.
Xin Yao said coldly, "To trade with that servant woman!"