Oops! The Black Lotus Can’t Be a Female Supporting Character

CHAPTER 19

“Ridiculous!”

Xiao Yan stormed out of the main courtyard, his face flushed with anger. A crimson mark burned at his temple, and a large stain of tea marred his shoulder. His damp hair clung messily to his skin—disheveled, humiliated, and utterly furious.

From that moment on, he never stepped foot in the main courtyard again. For days, he remained at Concubine Cui’s quarters, even on the first of April.

Their cold war continued, casting a heavy, oppressive atmosphere over the entire household. The tension was palpable, and whispers spread like wildfire as curious onlookers tried to uncover the cause of the dispute. However, Yin Wan ran the main courtyard like a fortress, allowing no leaks, leaving everyone in the dark.

Even Xiao Yanfei, secluded in Moonrise Pavilion, remained clueless about the reason behind the conflict.

In the original novel, young Xiao Ye’s tragic death from asthma left Yin Wan grief-stricken. Consumed by despair, she eventually fell into madness and was sent away to a monastery by the Marquis of Wu’an.

Not long after, on that stormy night, the original Yin Wan was cast out of the Marquis of Wu’an’s household.

Meanwhile, Concubine Cui rose to power, becoming the de facto mistress of the manor, basking in endless glory.

Thinking about it now, the original owner and Madam Yin truly shared the same fate—both discarded, both powerless.

Xiao Yanfei let out a long sigh, cradling two medical books in her arms as she stepped out of the bookstore.

“Xiao Yanfei!”

A familiar, saccharine voice suddenly called out.

She turned her head and saw an opulent carriage parked by the roadside. From within, Princess Ning Shu gracefully descended.

“Do you know how to fight?” The princess smiled sweetly, her gaze drifting to the butterfly knot hanging at Xiao Yanfei’s waist. Her dimples deepened, amusement twinkling in her eyes.

…Fight?

Xiao Yanfei blinked, momentarily bewildered.

Seeing that Xiao Yanfei didn’t deny it, Princess Ning Shu simply assumed she could fight. Without hesitation, she grabbed Xiao Yanfei’s hand and pulled her forward, her voice brimming with excitement.

“Come on, come on! I’m counting on you!”

Xiao Yanfei’s curiosity was piqued. Since she had nothing better to do, she let herself be dragged along and casually asked, “What exactly is this about?”

“To buy a qin!” Princess Ning Shu beamed, her smile as sweet as honey. She leaned in closer, her voice taking on a playful, wheedling tone. “No one else wanted to come with me. Yan Yan, you’re the best.”

In an instant, “Xiao Yanfei” turned into the more intimate “Yan Yan,” her voice sugary and coaxing.

Xiao Yanfei’s eye twitched.

Since when did buying a qin require knowing how to fight?

She had a nagging feeling she’d just boarded a pirate ship without realizing it.

Brimming with enthusiasm, Ning Shu led Xiao Yanfei to the end of Darong Street. Looking up, they saw a grand black lacquered signboard with three gilded characters: Jiangyun Pavilion.

In the lower right corner, there was a small orchid insignia—the mark of Prince Jing’s estate.

Everyone in the capital knew that all businesses under Prince Jing’s name bore the same orchid emblem on their plaques.

Princess Ning Shu was clearly a regular here. As soon as she stepped in, a smiling shop assistant hurried over to greet her.

“Your Highness, please come in.”

“The Luqi is still here, right?” Ning Shu asked as she ascended the steps.

“Of course,” the assistant replied with a grin. “You can rest assured, Your Highness. Jiangyun Pavilion prides itself on integrity. The bidding was set for the si hour, and si hour it shall be.”

He led the two of them into the main hall.

At the center of the hall stood a red-lacquered, intricately carved qin table, upon which rested a guqin. The instrument was entirely black, yet it carried an almost imperceptible green sheen, as if entwined by lush vines.

The moment Ning Shu laid eyes on it, she couldn’t look away. She turned to Xiao Yanfei, her tone full of pride.

“Look! Isn’t the Luqi stunning? It’s one of Jiangyun Pavilion’s finest treasures!”

It was indeed beautiful.

Xiao Yanfei nodded in agreement.

Ning Shu glanced around the room and grinned. “Looks like Liu Chaoyun isn’t coming after all.”

“Yanyan, you don’t know how infuriating she is. She just loves competing with me for everything.”

“If she dares to show up, we’ll take her two against one. You’re on my side, right? Once we get the qin, I’ll treat you to a play.”

Liu Chaoyun? Who’s that? Xiao Yanfei was still pondering the name when a commotion arose outside.

A girl of about fifteen or sixteen, dressed in bright yellow, entered the hall, surrounded by four or five attendants. Her delicate features were strikingly beautiful.

“Is that her?”

Uh… this doesn’t look like two against one. More like two against five. Are we going to get beaten up!?

“Three thousand taels.”

The girl in yellow had skin as fair as jade and a slightly voluptuous figure. A red cinnabar mark adorned her forehead, vivid and striking, adding to her air of refined nobility.

“I’ll take the qin.”

She cast a glance at Ning Shu and let out a soft snort, her gaze brimming with undisguised arrogance, chin lifted high in blatant superiority.

“It’s her!” Ning Shu tugged Xiao Yanfei forward, raising her chin as she squared off against Liu Chaoyun and her entourage.

This Liu Chaoyun always had to compete with her!

Whether it was jewelry, fine horses, luxurious fabrics, or rouge—anything Ning Shu had her eye on, Liu Chaoyun would always interfere. How infuriating!

Hmph! She was nothing more than the Empress’s niece, relying on imperial favor to trample over others.

Others might fear her, but Ning Shu didn’t.

“Four thousand taels!” Ning Shu declared, her delicate chin lifted defiantly, voice clear and unwavering.

Their gazes clashed midair, sparks flying.

Liu Chaoyun gritted her teeth. “Then I’ll bid five thousand taels!”

“Six thousand.” Ning Shu countered without hesitation, her voice dripping with provocation as she fixed Liu Chaoyun with a challenging gaze.

With just a few words exchanged, the atmosphere grew tense in an instant, crackling like sparks in dry air.

Ning Shu’s grip on Xiao Yanfei’s hand unconsciously tightened, her palm slightly damp with sweat.

Are they really going to fight!? Xiao Yanfei silently counted on her fingers, calculating her odds—at best, she could take on two people at once, but anything more seemed questionable.

Behind the zither table, Shopkeeper Shi watched the two young ladies with an amiable smile, allowing them to continue bidding freely. After all, the higher the price, the better for Jiangyun Pavilion.

Every month, Jiangyun Pavilion put up one or two rare treasures for competitive bidding. This Luqi zither was one of their prized collections, and it had already drawn multiple inquiries. Among those most determined to acquire it were none other than Princess Ning Shu and Miss Liu.

Shopkeeper Shi glanced at the sand timer beside the zither—only a thin trickle of sand remained. According to the rules, once the sand ran out, the highest bidder would claim the instrument.

Ning Shu’s lips curved into a radiant smile. “Liu Chaoyun, are you still bidding?”

Her face seemed to glow with confidence, her expression exuding triumph.

“Yanyan, don’t worry—we’ve got this in the bag!” she declared, practically beaming.

“My eldest, second, and third brothers all gave me their silver and told me to spend as much as I want!”

Xiao Yanfei swore she could see a golden aura shimmering around Ning Shu.

Liu Chaoyun bit her lower lip, her pearl-white teeth sinking slightly into her full lips.

If she raised the bid again, it would be a staggering seven thousand taels.

Of course, she could afford seven thousand taels. But if her mother found out she had spent such a fortune just to spite Ning Shu, she would undoubtedly have her monthly allowance cut for the next six months.

She had brought a group of her close friends to Jiangyun Pavilion today precisely to ensure that every noble lady in the capital would witness her winning the renowned Luqi zither. If, in the end, it ended up in Ning Shu’s hands instead, she would be utterly humiliated.

Lifting her chin, Liu Chaoyun sneered, “Ning Shu, if you dare snatch my zither, my aunt, the Empress, will see to it that justice is done.”

Ning Shu’s expression darkened, as if reminded of something unpleasant.

But rather than backing down, she jutted her lower lip and became even more assertive. She pointed at the sand timer on the table and turned to Shopkeeper Shi. “Time’s almost up. Prepare a case for my zither and wrap it up.”

She refused to believe that the Empress would intervene over something as trivial as a zither!

Shopkeeper Shi was about to instruct the attendants to fetch a case when a high-pitched male voice drawled from the elegant seating area on the second floor—

“Seven thousand taels. I bid seven thousand taels.”

On the second floor, a window creaked open, revealing a middle-aged man in his forties leaning lazily against the sill, one arm draped casually over the frame.

He wore a sapphire-blue robe embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns in silver thread. His jet-black hair was secured with a Hetian jade hairpin. Though his features were unremarkable—long brows, narrow eyes—his expression carried an odd contradiction: a warm, ingratiating smile tinged with an unmistakable air of arrogance.

“Ga—” Liu Chaoyun started, her face lighting up with joy, only to hurriedly swallow the word “Eunuch” upon noticing his plain attire.

This was Gao An, the Emperor’s personal eunuch and a trusted favorite. Even the imperial concubines vied for his favor.

Gao An didn’t bother coming downstairs. Instead, he simply leaned out of the window and cupped his hands in greeting to Ning Shu and Liu Chaoyun. “Greetings, Your Highness, Miss Liu.”

Princess Ning Shu pressed her lips together, clearly displeased.

“Your Highness…” Gao An smiled, his gaze sweeping downward from his elevated position. When his eyes landed on the girl standing beside Ning Shu, they flickered with interest.

Dressed in a delicate lilac robe embroidered with honeysuckle patterns, her dark hair was adorned with a neat row of jasmine blossoms. She had an air of quiet elegance, like an untouched orchid blooming in a secluded valley—so pure, so untainted by the world, that one couldn’t help but want to pluck her…

Ever since he caught a glimpse of her at Huangjue Temple last month, he hadn’t been able to forget her. She had been lingering in his mind, making his heart itch with restless longing, to the point where he could hardly eat or sleep.

Gao An’s greedy gaze all but clung to Xiao Yanfei, yet the words that left his lips were directed at Ning Shu. “Your Highness, I am here today on the Empress’s orders to purchase this zither. I must ask for your gracious understanding.”

His tone was polite—at least on the surface. But no amount of courtesy could mask the authority behind his words.

Princess Ning Shu’s expression darkened.

***