Old Madam Song told Song Chuyi to go outside and find Xiang Mingzi—now that Song Chuyi was getting older, Old Madam Song didn’t want her reputation for excessive cleverness to spread even wider. She didn’t want her to stand out as different in front of these noble ladies—every household’s principal wife needed to be intelligent, but none should be too intelligent. Song Chuyi’s exceptional scheming and resourcefulness would inevitably make some people feel intimidated. Since Old Madam Song harbored some thoughts of evaluating Ye Jingchuan, she naturally treated the Princess Consort of Zhennan even more cautiously now, avoiding mistakes wherever possible.

Song Chuyi had just stepped out when she saw Qing Tao beckoning to her in the covered corridor. She walked a few steps, and Qing Tao had already come forward to quietly report: “That lord has sent you a letter.”

The people who would send Song Chuyi letters were extremely limited. Cui Shaoting’s letters were naturally delivered through Yu Shi and didn’t need such roundabout methods. Zhou Weizhao and Ye Jingchuan each had their own ways, and Qing Tao and the others were accustomed to receiving them, so it was nothing unusual. Only two people’s letters could make them show such a grave expression—one was the letter from Han Zhi that had scared Song Chuyi so badly she couldn’t sleep well for several days last time, and the other was Lai Chenglong from the Imperial Guard.

While instructing Ziyun to go to Xiangxie Pavilion to tell Xiang Mingzi to wait for her, she quickly returned to Guanju Courtyard. Taking scissors, she scraped off the wax seal and held the thin sheet of letter paper, staring at it blankly for a long while.

Lai Chenglong never wasted words. What prompted him to write a letter to notify her was generally a major matter, such as previously telling her that Chen Xiang and Prince Duan might move against her. This time was no exception. The letter contained only a few brief sentences, yet reading it made Song Chuyi feel as if she were immersed in well water, unable to come to her senses for a long while.

The letter said that someone had sent a Yangzhou beauty to Cui Shaoting’s side. They had originally thought she was a Yangzhou courtesan, but she actually had quite a background. This beauty, delicate as jade and fragrant, had actually been bought from beyond the passes by the Yangzhou Prefect, raised as an adopted daughter from childhood, and later presented to Cui Shaoting.

All at once, a whole group of people was implicated—the former Yangzhou Prefect, beyond the passes…

Song Chuyi’s entire body broke out in goosebumps. Turning her head, she saw the hibiscus flowers blooming vigorously outside the window, their colors so brilliant, blooming in great swaths, completely overshadowing even the Drunken Imperial Concubine camellia pot placed in her room.

Lai Chenglong couldn’t possibly write a few sentences for no reason just to tell her that her maternal uncle had acquired a new favorite. But what exactly was such a serious matter that Lai Chenglong couldn’t notify Cui Shaoting himself? As far as she knew, Lai Chenglong had always maintained private contact with Cui Shaoting, but recently it seemed she’d indeed heard about this less and less. Cui Shaoting’s letters also mentioned that Lai Chenglong hadn’t sent letters for several months.

The Yangzhou corruption case, smuggling beyond the passes, illegal trading of war horses, the beauty presented by the Yangzhou Prefect—Song Chuyi went through these connections in her mind over and over, then suddenly her eyes widened as cold sweat began seeping from her forehead.

Lai Chenglong was the newly appointed Imperial Guard Commander, managing two Imperial Guard Vice Commanders beneath him. His power and influence were even greater than Chen Xiang’s had been in those days. He could be said to be absolutely the Emperor’s pure subject.

Such a person—Prince Gong couldn’t control or deal with him, the Eastern Palace couldn’t afford to offend him, and in fact both sides needed to curry favor with him and win him over. So what exactly was preventing him from personally telling Cui Shaoting this crucial information? If he sent the letter, it would clearly make Cui Shaoting even more vigilant.

Song Chuyi recalled the Cui family’s downfall in her previous life—the Cui family had fallen because that year’s special examination saw Northern and Southern candidates brawling and causing trouble. Representatives of Northern talent submitted memorials bitterly protesting that all those passing the imperial examinations came from Jiangnan, thus provoking the disgust of Southern officials and scholars.

Later, Cui Yingshu was ordered to serve as chief examiner but was dragged into a case of candidate bribery and cheating. The student said to have colluded with Cui Yingshu to arrange a master-disciple relationship was still a renowned genius of the realm. Coincidentally, this great genius was also from the North.

This infuriated Southern officials and scholars. Imperial Academy students and failed candidates took to the streets in a vigorous protest, demanding Emperor Jianzhang give them an explanation.

At that time, she had already been neglected by Shen Qingrang and couldn’t hear any news. Later, gradually, she heard that Cui Yingshu had lost his official position and returned to Jinzhong together with Princess Duanhui.

Was that hand from her previous life—that dimly perceived hand that had pressed the Cui family down from the clouds into hell—finally about to reveal its true face in this life? She spread open her palm, looking at the clear lifeline upon it, then slowly clenched her fist.

Coming back to her senses, she raised her hand and lit the letter with a fire starter, then turned to instruct Qing Ying: “Go out and deliver a letter for me.”

It had been a long time since Qing Ying had seen her look so solemn. Somewhat stunned, she nodded, took the letter, and without hesitation turned and left.

Qing Tao had always been best at reading expressions. Seeing Song Chuyi so serious, her heart had long been pounding. She quietly stepped forward to pour her a cup of tea and asked softly: “Miss, has something happened?”

Yes, not only had something happened, she had a premonition it was something major.

It was aimed directly at the Cui family. Since her rebirth, the Cui family had been smooth sailing, and she had almost forgotten that the Cui family could also fall. Unfortunately, in her previous life, toward the end she had been equivalent to a deaf and blind person. Apart from some surface news, she knew nothing else.

Moreover, this life was vastly different from her previous life’s circumstances. Those people’s target for attacking the Cui family had also changed from Cui Yingshu to Cui Shaoting, who now controlled the heavy troops of Xibei.

She restrained the smile at the corners of her mouth, revealing her fierce aura for the first time. But no matter who it was, if they dared extend this hand, she would dare to chop it off without hesitation!

She stood up and straightened her clothes, also organizing her chaotic thoughts: “Go find Maternal Aunt.”

When Yu Shi saw her, she was still somewhat complaining: “Why did you take so long to come? Your cousin and Mingzi have already taken a bamboo raft for a tour.”

Zhuiyue Pavilion stood high, taking in all the scenery of the Earl of Changning’s residence garden. The river water that wound through and around the West Garden was like a jade belt, glittering with points of light under the sun, setting off the flowers and trees on both banks—quite reminiscent of the Peach Blossom Spring of Wuling.

Song Chuyi had no leisure to appreciate it. She pulled Yu Shi’s hand and asked softly: “Maternal Aunt, when was the last time Uncle sent a letter?”

This question was strange. Yu Shi looked at her hesitantly, seeing her completely serious expression, and couldn’t help feeling confused: “Three months ago when talking about Fujian affairs. Didn’t you also see that letter?”

Three months without news. Song Chuyi pushed down the worry that had reached her lips and pulled at the corners of her mouth: “I’ve somewhat forgotten. Besides talking about Fujian affairs, did Uncle mention anything else? Such as taking a beauty or something?”

Yu Shi then scolded her: “A young lady—what nonsense are you thinking about? Don’t you know your uncle’s character? Let alone beauties at his side—I’m afraid there isn’t even a single female mosquito!”