Song Chuyi turned her head to assess Chen Mingyu with a glance. Her refined features carried a smile, showing not the slightest trace of resentment or dissatisfaction over Cui Huaying’s glory today—but it was precisely this composure that made those who knew her increasingly suspicious. She had never been one willing to watch others steal the limelight; she had always been that way.
However, in the current situation, responding to changes with constancy was the best approach. Moreover, there was still no news from Cui Shaoting’s side, and she had no idea what results Lai Chenglong had uncovered in his investigation. She couldn’t show even the slightest hint that she already knew of this conspiracy, otherwise if that old fox Old Master Chen caught the scent, things would truly become troublesome.
With this thought, she tilted her head and followed Chen Mingyu’s words with a smile: “My cousin grew up in the Cui clan, raised by my maternal grandmother in her youth, so naturally she is excellent.”
Her attitude toward Chen Mingyu had been like this since Tongzhou—neither distant nor close, neither servile nor arrogant. This time she maintained the same perfectly appropriate measure. Chen Mingyu looked at her as one might look at a dead fish or a clown, thinking Song Chuyi’s noble demeanor both pitiful and laughable, yet her face was all spring breeze as she nodded along: “You’re quite right. The Cui clan has stood firm through several dynasties; they’re beyond comparison with the likes of us.”
Engaging in false civilities with Chen Mingyu was truly an exhausting affair. If Song Chuyi hadn’t been tempered through her previous and current lives, she probably wouldn’t be able to converse and laugh freely, responding with ease before this vicious soul wrapped in a beauty’s skin.
Fortunately, this torturous time passed rather quickly. Upon reaching the flower hall, they saw Old Madam Chen keeping Princess Rongcheng company in idle conversation. Chen Mingyu never missed an opportunity to curry favor with Zhou Weizhao’s paternal aunt. She immediately abandoned Song Chuyi and Xiang Mingzi, sidling up to her grandmother’s side to have Old Madam Chen introduce her and strike up conversation with Princess Rongcheng.
Xiang Mingzi breathed a sigh of relief, pulling Song Chuyi close to whisper in her ear: “Thank goodness she’s gone. This Miss Chen is truly difficult to bear.”
Xiang Mingzi hadn’t been present during the hunting ground attack, but later she heard from Qing Ying and Qing Tao about this Miss Chen’s glorious deeds. In her heart she felt rather put off by such a noble lady who repaid kindness with enmity while being so thick-skinned. Every time she encountered her she felt stifled, and just now on the journey to the flower hall, she had only silently stood by like a tree stump, not wanting to establish any intimacy with this Miss Chen at all.
Song Chuyi patted her hand with a smile, then heard Madam Yu calling from across the way: “Xiaoyi, come quickly. The Princess wants to meet you.”
Ye Jingkuan had been ordered to handle an assignment. Even Princess Rongcheng didn’t know exactly what it was, but this didn’t mean she truly couldn’t grasp any clues—even if she wanted to remain ignorant, her younger uncle and nephew going in and out these past days had let her guess something. Whenever matters involved this Miss Song from the Liu residence, whether it was her own younger brother-in-law or her nephew, they both seemed particularly attentive.
She took Song Chuyi’s hand with a beaming smile and looked her up and down, then turned back to smile at Princess Duanhui and Madam Yu: “When I saw her a few years ago it wasn’t so apparent, but now that she’s grown a bit older and her features have matured, she truly is captivating to the eye. Your Cui family certainly knows how to select fine looks.”
Everyone couldn’t help but laugh. Princess Duanhui reached out to pat her: “At your age, what improper things are you saying in front of the children?”
Old Madam Chen, seasoned and shrewd, knew well that there were no fools among the royal family. As the legitimate daughter of Emperor Jianzhang and Empress Lu, and the Crown Prince’s own elder sister, Princess Rongcheng’s every word and action couldn’t possibly be without purpose. Her attitude toward Song Chuyi to a certain degree represented the current stance of Qingning Palace and the Eastern Palace.
The last time they entered the palace, Empress Lu had refused to give a definite answer. Now Princess Rongcheng was being particularly cordial with Song Chuyi. Old Madam Chen understood clear as a mirror that the Empress now likely favored the Song family and the Cui clan more. Her heart skipped a beat, though her face showed nothing.
In any case, they were grasshoppers after autumn—they wouldn’t be jumping around much longer. She maintained a kindly smile on her face, tilting her head slightly to listen to Madam Du speaking beside her.
Chen Mingyu, no matter how she tried, couldn’t quite maintain her composure and nearly let out a cold laugh to remind this Princess to stop wasting her efforts on the Song family iceberg.
Song Chuyi took in all their expressions, merely pretending not to notice. After sitting for a while, she excused herself to go find Cui Huayi. Just as she went outside, she saw Qing Ying lifting her skirt and flying swiftly through the covered corridor. Song Chuyi couldn’t help but step forward to meet her.
“Is there news from that side?” Without waiting for Qing Ying to speak, she asked somewhat urgently, afraid that either Zhou Weizhao’s side or Old Master Song’s side already had news to inform her.
Qing Ying shook her head. After catching her breath evenly, her face full of joy, she told her: “Fourth Young Master has returned! Today Chief Steward Lin brought people to receive him at the wharf—he arrived three full days earlier than expected. Our household specially sent someone to tell you. Old Madam says both you and Miss Mingzi should return early. The family should all have dinner together; don’t delay too long here.” Though she hadn’t met Song Yan, she had heard Qing Tao and the others murmur plenty about this Fourth Young Master’s virtues. Combined with the seasonal clothing, purses, socks and shoes that Song Chuyi sent to Shu without fail, she knew this pair of siblings must have an extremely good relationship, and therefore was happy for Song Chuyi.
Song Chuyi was somewhat stunned for a moment. After a long while she finally reacted, asking in a daze: “Who did you say?”
Tang Mingzhao’s door was one all scholars in the realm wanted to enter, but entering that door wasn’t an easy matter either. The first condition was that one couldn’t return home for three years. By count, she hadn’t seen her younger brother for a full three years now. Though she had been counting the days in her heart, when this day truly arrived before her eyes, she instead felt somewhat at a loss.
She didn’t really wait for Qing Ying to answer, immediately turning back to the flower hall to take her leave of Madam Yu: “When I’m free tomorrow, I’ll bring A’Yan to come congratulate Elder Sister.”
Madam Yu was also surprised: “Wasn’t it said he’d arrive three days later? This boy certainly knows how to pick his timing.” Yet her feet weren’t idle—she called Mei Ying to pack a box of freshly steamed butter rolls and crispy butter pine cakes for Song Chuyi to take: “Last time when people returned from Shu, they said Brother Yan especially loves eating these. As luck would have it we have some today; take some back. Today I really can’t get away, so tomorrow your aunt and I will come together.”
Madam Cui also couldn’t sit still. If not for the fact that today was Cui Huaying’s special day, she couldn’t possibly let Song Chuyi return to the Marquis Changning residence alone. But today after all she had come specifically to accompany Princess Rongcheng to support Cui Huaying’s standing. How could there be any reason to attend to Song Yan while neglecting her niece? She could only follow Madam Yu’s words with a few instructions before letting Song Chuyi and Xiang Mingzi depart.
Old Madam Chen’s gaze was piercing, the smile on her face growing ever deeper. She had been worried earlier about a fish that had escaped the net. Now this fish from distant Shu had also returned—it was time to catch them all in one net.