The General's Genius Daughter
chapter-59

Chapter 59: Disaster At The Restaurant

“Leave here, I want to alone for a while.” Having escaped from the brink of death, Princess Huizhen felt as if she had been reborn. However, her hatred for Princess Huiling became stronger.

The two mothers looked at each other and retreated respectfully. Princess Huizhen closed her eyes and saw the harsh and emotionless pupils of her Mum.

Her mother did love her, or she would not have saved her from death. However, she was unwilling to live a life like this. She will definitely return to the imperial city one day!

Inside the imperial city, the business in Dong Hai Restaurant worsened by the day.

That was because of the rumor of Zhou Zhicheng, the boss of Dong Hai Restaurant, molesting servants in Hua’s Mansion. That scared off many ladies who loved to go to restaurants for fear of molestation.

Men who detest such character all boycotted the restaurant as well. Even guests who did come will drink wine and mock Zhou Zhicheng for molesting the maidservant of Hua’s Mansion.

It was also because Zhou Zhicheng had no backing now and could only allow himself to be bullied by the guests.

After the injury on his buttocks healed, he came back to the restaurant and saw little guests present inside.

Butler Wu had told Zhou Zhicheng about the changes in the restaurant, however, he did not expect the change to be so significant.

“Looks like we have to lower our prices now.” Zhou Zhicheng thought as he stared at the empty hall. Before he could even ascend to the second floor, he heard Butler Wu’s agitated voice. “Sir, look, isn’t that Princess Huiling?”

Zhou Zhicheng turned around and saw Princess Huiling bring her maidservant here. There were two long bloody scars on the maidservant’s face, which made her look frightening. However, he still recognized the maidservant to be Princess Huizhen’s servant Cuilian!

“Why would Cuilian be behind Princess Huiling?” Zhou Zhicheng suddenly understood and smiled. “Looks like Princess Huiling had arrived! Welcome! Welcome! Butler Wu, come and find a VIP room for Princess Huiling!”

Butler Wu was all smiles. Princess Huiling smiled lightly.”Mr. Zhou, you do have a nice restaurant!”

“Good, good! The coming of a Princess is better than anything!” Zhou Zhicheng carefully flattered this living Buddha.

Princess Huiling laughed twice before ascending the stairs with her maidservant. Zhou Zhicheng wiped cold sweat off his face as he felt uneasy. Princess Huiling had fought with Princess Huizhen in Wangyue Restaurant last time. The conflict between them would not be resolved so easily.

Even if Princess Huizhen had been sentenced to death, the appearance of Princess Huiling should represent something.

Zhou Zhicheng sat uneasily in the hall, waiting for the waiter to send the most luxurious dishes upstairs. After fifteen minutes, a shriek came from upstairs, making Zhou Zhicheng’s heart jump out.

He ran upstairs with Butler Wu. Before he even pushed open the door to VIP room 1, he saw Princess Huiling kicking the door open furiously. Pointing at Zhou Zhicheng, he screamed. “Outrageous bastard! Shameless profiteers! How can there be a dead rat in your food!”

Hearing that, Zhou Zhicheng and Butler Wu turned pale. They stared at the table and did see a dead rat present in the bowl!

There were not many customers eating in the restaurant, to begin with. Hearing that, they all threw down their chopsticks in fear and asked for compensation from the cashier.

“Princess! Someone framed us! We had operated for more than 10 years and no such incident happened…” Zhou Zhicheng kneeled down and shouted, “Princess, what do you want! Please tell me directly… I will definitely follow your orders!”

Princess Huiling raised her brows slightly and ordered, “Come and apprehend this man! A profiteer should be punished! Bring him to court!”

In Changjing, such a small crime would only result in the maximum imprisonment of about seven days. However, that wasn’t the main point. The main point was that the reputation of the restaurant would be ruined and Dong Hai Restaurant would never be able to open.

Zhou Zhicheng’s face turned white with fear. He begged, “Please have mercy! Please don’t be angry, Princess…”

Two guards in black threw Zhou Zhicheng down the stairs mercilessly. Butler Wu stood there shivering, lowering his head, unable to talk.

Princess Huiling snorted. Seeing that all the customers had run away, she was satisfied and returned to the palace.

Back to the palace, Princess Huiling was in an excellent mood. Inside the Qiuhua Garden of the Princess’ Residences, flowers bloom within the delicate pavilions. Everywhere was like spring.

Inside the hall, the Queen was sipping on her tea gracefully. Princess Huiling walked in quietly and was overjoyed and surprised to see her mother in the hall. After Empress Dowager’s birthday party, the Queen never ordered to see her.

When Princess Huiling went to visit, she was told that the Queen was unwell, and was blocked from entering.

Seeing that the Queen had personally stepped into Princess’ Residences, Princess Huiling was exhilarated and ran to her like a little bird. “Mum! You’re here? Welcome!”

The Queen waved her hand, indicating for others to retreat.

The maidservants retreated, with only the Queen and Princess Huiling left in the hall. Seeing the familiar face of Princess Huiling, one that resembled herself, she couldn’t help but think of her other daughter, as she grieved.

“Mum, I went to Dong Hai Restaurant just now, this time…Dong Hai Restaurant will definitely close down and will not be re-opened! You and the Emperor can finally be relieved!” Princess Huiling smiled and explained what she did. After all, it was because of Zhou Zhicheng that Princess Huizhen murdered Mrs Zhou.

Although Princess Huiling did pull her sister into the pits of death, she still will do things to please the Emperor and the Queen, working hard to make them happy.

The Queen placed down her teacup and suddenly slapped Princess Huiling!

Princess Huiling retreated after she was hit by this force. She fell on the ground embarrassing. Horrified, she stared at the angry and cold Queen, her heart almost jumping out of her throat in fear.

“Idiot! As the princess, how can you use such underhand methods to frame Zhou Zhicheng? Go find some goddamn evidence if you are capable!”

After the Queen chided her, Princess Huiling’s eyes turned red. “Mum… I just… want you to be happy…”

“Happy? Will your Dad and Mum be happy now that your sister is dead? Idiot! How can I have given birth to such an idiot! Framing Zhou Zhicheng will only make others think that the imperial family is unhappy at him, and thus used underhand methods to frame him! How will others view us now?”

The Queen was fuming. If not for the stubborn nature of Huiling, Princess Huizhen would not be forced to retreat to a remote area.

Even though Princess Huiling was dissatisfied, she still succumbed and begged for forgiveness. After scolding her for a while, the Queen did become a lot less angry.

“Ling, you made me so disappointed! You and your sister are born out of the same roots, and y’all should not fight each other! How can you investigate the matter regarding Mrs. Zhou behind my back!” “How can you expose your sister during the birthday party of Empress Dowager… Since when did I give birth to an idiot like you?”

The Queen reprimanded her once more. She then swept the teacup away out of anger, watching as it fell onto the ground, smashing into pieces.

“From now, you may not go out of the palace without my permission!”

After she was done, the Queen left. Princess Huiling was still kneeling there, her eyes red and her nails deeply embedded in her palm.

The court had investigated Zhou Zhicheng’s matter and had proven it to be the act of the waiter. Thus, the restaurant re-opened. However, after Princess Huiling’s incident, no customers wanted to visit Dong Hai Restaurant.

Having advanced to the second round of the tournament, she won her opponent with the same ghastly footwork and advanced to the third and final round of the tournament.

That day, Hua Qiyue brought Tianci to shop on the streets. They bought all that was fun and delicious.

Suddenly, a masked woman appeared in her sight. She had a forty years old woman next to her that seemed to be her servant.

The woman’s eyes and brows seemed familiar to Hua Qiyue. Hence, he pulled Tianci close to follow the woman. As they turned into a dark alley, she shouted softly, “Princess Huizhen?”

The girl turned around and had surprise written all over her eyes. However, seeing that only Hua Qiyue and Tianci was around, she became relieved.

The woman waved, signaling for Nanny Zhou to retreat. Hua Qiyue went up and continued, “Long time no see, Princess Huizhen.”

Princess Huizhen raised her brows involuntarily as she examined Hua Qiyue. The reason why she did not allow others to kill Hua Qiyue was that she was the first “acquaintance” to recognize her.

However, once news of her being alive spread, trouble would arise.

However, because Hua Qiyue had given two Long Red to Empress Dowager, Princess Huizhen felt necessary to leave her behind to her aid. This was particularly because she was alone and weak now, and she needed help from a mysterious and capable person like Hua Qiyue.

“It’s indeed been a long time. How about we chat over there?”

Princess Huizhen smiled casually. She had grown more mature ever since that ordeal.

Princess Huizhen was supposed to be living in a remote mountain five hundred miles away from the imperial city, but how could an energetic woman like her be willing to spend her whole life so boringly.

Thus, Princess Huizhen bribed two nannies to allow her to leave the mountain under the pretense of traveling southwards. Actually, she came to the imperial city to find Zhou Zhicheng.

She did not expect Zhou Zhicheng’s restaurant to be closed. After asking around, she found out the reason before meeting Hua Qiyue.

She rented a remote courtyard in the imperial city and waiting for her chance to strike. Regardless of revenge or not, she did not want to leave the imperial city.

Hua Qiyue brought Tianci to Princess Huizhen’s courtyard. At first, Tianci was terrified. However, with comforting from Hua Qiyue, he calmed down.

Zhou Zhicheng’s restaurant had no customers. Thus, he closed his doors and drank inside his house. However, halfway through his drink, he heard Butler Wu report that a maidservant wanted to see him.

Zhou Zhicheng was curious to who would find him when he was in such a terrible state.

At the living room, he saw that the maidservant in white was the one who had framed him the day before. Seeing Zhou Zhicheng, her face blushed as she apologized, “I am Qiuyun, Mr. Zhou… Last time was a misunderstanding and thus I’m here to apologize, because… because I had been molested before, and thus I was deeply hurt on the inside. I had accidentally fallen onto you and it was unintentional…”

As she spoke, Qiuyun blushed even more. Tears filled her eyes. She did seem sincere.