"I don't know which plot of land the Imperial Princess fancies? I'll buy it and gift it to you as a meeting present, just please, stop making things difficult for the employees at the Jin Yin Gambling House." The Fourth Princess thought to herself, a shop in a prosperous area of Bianjing wouldn't cost more than a hundred thousand taels at most, but if she let Xiao Man continue frequenting her gambling house, she'd be ruined!
Xiao Man curved her lips into a smile, "Anything I fancy, the Fourth Princess can procure?"
"In Bianjing, I still have some say. It's just a shop, Imperial Princess, please state your wish."
"I want the land where Tian Yu Tower stands."
The Fourth Princess's expression changed, "Imperial Princess, isn't this making things difficult? Tian Yu Tower is Eldest Sister's property, how can I possibly agree? If it were any other shop you fancied, I would begrudgingly yield, but this one is not mine."
"Then I want the Jin Yin Gambling House!"
"Is the Imperial Princess determined to oppose me to the end?" The Fourth Princess's expression turned cold. She wanted to snatch her Jin Yin Gambling House, but she'd have to see if she had the ability!
Xiao Man's expression remained unchanged. She took the tea from her maid and placed it into the Fourth Princess's hand, "Tian Yu Tower or Jin Yin Gambling House, I must have one. Fourth Princess, which do you think is more difficult, Tian Yu Tower or Jin Yin Gambling House?"
"If I refuse, what will you do?"
"I will go to the Jin Yin Gambling House every day until I win it over," Xiao Man said, her tone unhurried, as if discussing the fine weather. However, the content of her words was far from peaceful.
"Must it be this way?"
"Tian Yu Tower has already burned to ashes, and rebuilding will take time. I almost lost my life at Tian Yu Tower, so I feel it's not unreasonable to ask for the deed to Tian Yu Tower as compensation, is it?"
Of course, it's not unreasonable. If you want Tian Yu Tower, go directly to the Eldest Princess, why are you bothering me? The Fourth Princess couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
"The Eldest Princess will not agree."
"I believe the Fourth Princess can manage it," Xiao Man said, taking a sip of tea. "When the deed to Tian Yu Tower is in my hands, I will cease my visits to the Jin Yin Gambling House."
The Fourth Princess gritted her teeth fiercely, "Aren't you afraid we sisters will join forces?"
"Can you trust her?" Xiao Man asked softly. The Fourth Princess dared not, nor could she, trust the Eldest Princess. They had been rivals for too many years and understood each other too well. If the Fourth Princess cooperated with the Eldest Princess, the Eldest Princess might just betray her halfway. Moreover, if the Eldest Princess lost Tian Yu Tower, it would be of no harm, and potentially beneficial, to the Fourth Princess.
"If I help you with this, what benefit do I gain?" The Fourth Princess pondered for a moment before asking softly.
"There are many benefits. First, it strikes a blow against the Eldest Princess, releasing years of pent-up frustration. Second, it allows for timely damage control, reducing losses at the Jin Yin Gambling House. As for the third, I guarantee I will never set foot in the Jin Yin Gambling House to gamble again, how about that?"
The Fourth Princess remained silent. In truth, it didn't matter who ended up with Tian Yu Tower. Xiao Man's desire for Tian Yu Tower meant directly opposing the Eldest Princess. The Eldest Princess would be severely weakened by losing Tian Yu Tower, making this situation advantageous for her.
"The money you won must also be returned."
"That is impossible," Xiao Man said slowly. "The silver that has entered my pocket is mine. To take money from my pocket requires true skill. Does the Fourth Princess wish to gamble with me? If you win, I will return the four hundred thousand taels in full. If you lose, the Jin Yin Gambling House belongs to me."
"I was just joking. Four hundred thousand taels is not a sum I cannot afford to lose," the Fourth Princess said with a smile, changing the subject. "At the latest by tomorrow, the deed to Tian Yu Tower will be delivered to the Imperial Princess's manor. I implore the Imperial Princess to keep her promise."
"It's a deal."
At the morning court, Yao Ran brought up the past again, concerning the assassination attempt on Xiao Man at Tian Yu Tower. The assassins had still not been apprehended, and in front of the Empress, she berated the Ministry of Justice for their ineffectiveness.
The Fourth Princess exchanged a glance with an official, who immediately stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, Tian Yu Tower is the Eldest Princess's property. The Imperial Princess was attacked by assassins within the Eldest Princess's domain and narrowly escaped death. The Eldest Princess bears unavoidable responsibility."
"Mother, this matter was indeed my oversight. I never imagined the Imperial Princess would stay at Tian Yu Tower. As the security there was not stringent, I am deeply troubled by the Imperial Princess's misfortune," the Eldest Princess paused. "However, Tian Yu Tower is an inn, with constant comings and goings. The clientele is naturally mixed. If heavy guards were posted, it would no longer be an inn."
The Empress leaned back in her chair, her hand supporting her head, seemingly dozing with her eyes closed. But the Eldest Princess knew the Empress was listening to everything.
"Regardless, the fact remains that the Imperial Princess was attacked at Tian Yu Tower. The Eldest Princess should offer compensation."
Upon hearing "compensation" and not "accountability," the Eldest Princess breathed a sigh of relief. "Mother, I am willing to compensate. The Imperial Princess's attack at Tian Yu Tower, though not my wish, caused her distress. I wish to..."
"Why doesn't the Eldest Princess gift the deed to Tian Yu Tower to the Imperial Princess as compensation?" the minister who had brought up the matter said immediately. "The Imperial Princess was attacked at Tian Yu Tower, and the Eldest Princess offers the deed as compensation. I believe the Imperial Princess will see the Eldest Princess's sincerity."
"Lord Peng jokes. Tian Yu Tower has been reduced to ruins, how can it serve as compensation?" the Eldest Princess retorted immediately. The location of Tian Yu Tower was excellent. As long as she held the deed, it could be rebuilt even if destroyed. But if the deed was taken away, Tian Yu Tower would no longer belong to her.
"Tian Yu Tower is destroyed. For the Imperial Princess, this clears the Eldest Princess of suspicion. After all, the Eldest Princess wouldn't destroy Tian Yu Tower to assassinate the Imperial Princess, would she?"
The Eldest Princess remained silent.
"However, the Imperial Princess was indeed injured on the Eldest Princess's territory. It is not unreasonable for the Eldest Princess to gift the deed to this land to the Imperial Princess. Or is the Eldest Princess reluctant?"
A flicker of anger flashed in the Eldest Princess's eyes, but her expression remained unreadable. "Mother, I still have several other decent shops. If the Imperial Princess fancies them, she may choose any. The current Tian Yu Tower is nothing but a pile of rubble. If I were to give it to the Imperial Princess, she might think I, her elder sister, am being petty."
The Empress slowly opened her eyes and said with a touch of weariness, "Let it be so. Send the deed to Tian Yu Tower to her. I am tired. Court is dismissed."
As she exited the Hall of Political Affairs, the Eldest Princess's face was clouded with gloom. How much effort had she invested to obtain the deed to Tian Yu Tower, only to give it away for nothing? How could she not feel pained?
"Eldest Sister."
The Eldest Princess stopped and turned to look at the Fourth Princess, who was cheerfully following her, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"Eldest Sister, you misunderstand me. I haven't done anything," the Fourth Princess said with an innocent expression.
"It truly wasn't you?"
"Of course, it wasn't me!" the Fourth Princess said without hesitation. "I don't know what this Imperial Princess is scheming. You have no idea, a couple of days ago, she brought people to my Jin Yin Gambling House every day to gamble, winning hundreds of thousands of silver taels each day. My heart was bleeding."