Song Chuyi had something weighing on her mind, and knowing that no matter how much the Ninth Princess made a fuss, it was already too late to change anything, she felt somewhat listless and couldn’t muster any energy. She didn’t even notice when Madam Cui called her several times, only jolting awake with a start when Madam Cui reached out to feel her forehead. She forced a smile: “I got distracted.”
Old Madam Song was somewhat worried: “You’ve seemed absent-minded and lacking energy since this morning. Could it be that you’re truly feeling unwell? Why don’t we call for Imperial Physician Wang to examine you? If you really are ill, this is no laughing matter.”
Song Chuyi didn’t dare tell the elders that she was distracted because of Song Yan’s affairs, so she quickly shook her head and deflected with words: “I’m not uncomfortable, it’s just that hearing how the Ninth Princess still doesn’t forget to drag me down as her scapegoat even at this critical juncture, I was momentarily affected by it.”
There are never any certainties in this world, especially when it comes to the grievances and sordid affairs between young ladies. Often they aren’t particularly serious matters, but sometimes these young ladies have hearts smaller than the tip of a needle, able to compete over a single flower or another person’s compliment, and remember it for a very long time. So jealousy truly is the most undesirable thing. Madam Cui embraced her and earnestly nodded: “This is why people say that in life, there are some things that are unavoidable. Old Madam once taught you a saying, and I must remind you again now—no matter what happens, you must understand these four words: know contentment and find joy.”
So many calamities arise from greed in one’s heart. Song Chuyi knew that Madam Cui was indirectly reminding her not to get involved in the Eastern Palace’s struggle between legitimate and illegitimate sons, so she readily nodded in agreement. As long as Grand Consort Fan and Zhou Weiqi didn’t step on her head, she wouldn’t touch this hot potato.
By the time they finished dinner and saw off the guests, the moon was already high in the sky. The cold wind whistled loudly, and Song Chuyi’s ears were frozen red and burning. She pulled her cloak tighter around herself and hurried back to Guanju Courtyard.
Qing Yīng came forward and first wrung out a hot towel to wash her face, then told her: “Luo Gui came by once. He said that Ma Changjiang went to his house this afternoon and said that Fourth Young Master probably went to see the Heir of Marquis Jinxiang.”
When saying this, Qing Yīng had already softened her voice and tone as much as possible, but hearing it in Song Chuyi’s ears, it was still like a thunderbolt from clear skies. She was so shocked that her entire person became like a cat with its fur standing on end, jumping to her feet in an instant and crying out: “What?!”
Why would Song Yan, perfectly fine, get mixed up with Han Zhi? In his childhood he was watched extremely strictly, with almost no opportunity to go out, let alone meet Han Zhi who was thousands of miles away. Later he went to study in Shu, making it even more impossible to have contact with Han Zhi. That could only mean it was a recent development—Song Chuyi’s murderous intent rose instantly. She felt all the pores on her body open up, cold wind pouring into her collar. She shivered violently and suddenly came to her senses: “Going to see the Heir of Marquis Jinxiang?! Did Ma Changjiang say why he went to see him? Has Fourth Young Master been going to see him every time he’s gone out these days?!”
But ultimately, why would he go to see Han Zhi? Han Zhi was the type who, like a phoenix, would never land without treasure. Seeking out Song Yan naturally wasn’t because Song Yan was a worthy gentleman from an aristocratic family to befriend—there must be another purpose. The most likely one was that he was coming for her.
Qing Yīng hesitantly shook her head: “Ma Changjiang said that every time Fourth Young Master goes out, he actually changes carriages three or four times. Often he enters Juyi Tower and immediately switches to another carriage from the back door to go to the next location, then changes locations again after a while. When going far, he can even leave the city. If he hadn’t happened to catch sight of Guan Shan from beside the Heir of Marquis Jinxiang, he fundamentally wouldn’t be able to determine where Fourth Young Master went or who he met.”
No wonder someone as shrewd and meticulous as Ma Changjiang had followed for so long without any news. He probably only realized after seeing Guan Shan that this matter wasn’t so simple, and immediately rushed to report it.
She wanted to immediately summon Song Yan to her side and point at his nose to ask him why he was getting mixed up with someone like Han Zhi, but she forcefully restrained herself—she couldn’t go interrogate Song Yan with accusations at this time. Since he was even hiding it from her and being so secretive about it, he clearly must feel this matter couldn’t see the light of day. If she went to interrogate and berate him now, she would only push him further away.
Seeing her face cold as ice and her fists clenched tight, Qing Yīng also became somewhat panicked: “Miss, should we send someone to summon Fourth Young Master? That person is not easy to deal with—who knows what he’s incited Fourth Young Master to do?”
If Han Zhi had seduced him into walking a path he shouldn’t walk, touching things he shouldn’t touch… Song Chuyi closed her eyes, feeling her entire body trembling without exception. It took a long while before she calmed down, firmly shaking her head: “Pretend we don’t know about this matter. Tell Ma Changjiang to go back and find Sun Ergou and Ma San. Have them assign more people to follow Fourth Young Master. I need to know the final destination where Fourth Young Master went!”
This time she would definitely make Han Zhi pay the price!
Qing Yīng hesitated for a moment and asked her: “Should we go find that Young Master Zhang? He follows beside the Heir of Marquis Jinxiang every day, so he should be able to hear some information, right? If not, should we simply tell Uncle and Aunt about this matter?”
A few days ago she had just met with Zhang Run, and he hadn’t mentioned that Han Zhi was still in contact with Song Yan. Although he was Han Zhi’s young lover, Han Zhi was ultimately too vigilant and guarded, probably never having trusted him. The information he knew mostly came from indirect probing. Song Chuyi thought of their last meeting at Chongyin Workshop and somehow felt uneasy.
She couldn’t go find Zhang Run. If it really was as she suspected—that Han Zhi had set a trap to lure Song Yan because he discovered Zhang Run’s dealings with her—then going to find Zhang Run now would definitely be discovered by Han Zhi, further enraging him. It would be no different from drawing fire upon herself.
But if Zhang Run’s side was completely unaware that Han Zhi suspected him, he would definitely continue trying every means to help her extract intelligence about the northwestern account books. Han Zhi had now become that cat holding a mouse but not preparing to bite down, toying and teasing with one paw here and another there, watching the mouse dying under its sharp claws with no escape route.
Thinking of all this made Song Chuyi’s heart go cold. For a moment she didn’t know whether to have Ma Changjiang and the others first go notify Zhang Run, or first investigate clearly before making a decision. She hesitated, spacing out alone under the lamplight for a long while.
Finally she made her decision: “No, after the New Year we’ll be going to Jinzhong. At this time…”
The fewer people who knew about Song Yan’s affairs, the better. Otherwise, if it became public, it would truly affect his entire life.