Qing Ying was even more flustered than she was, so shocked she couldn’t even speak. Only after arriving here from the front courtyard did she finally react, pulling Song Chuyi’s hand and calling out tremblingly “Miss”—His Highness had indeed always been extremely good to her young miss, this wasn’t wrong. But perhaps because Zhou Weizhao’s status was truly too special, Qing Ying simply hadn’t thought much in this direction. Especially now that Zhou Weizhao had personally spoken such words, she felt as if she were dreaming.
After waking from the dream, she felt somewhat frightened again—the Grand Imperial Grandson’s status was special after all. If her young miss married him, how could their future days be peaceful?
Song Chuyi, however, forced herself not to think so much anymore. She vigorously patted her own face to make herself calm down, had Qing Ying bring out the box containing letters, and began looking at the letter Song Jue had sent from the capital. Right now her heart was truly panicking terribly. If she didn’t do something to ease the alarm in her heart, she felt each day would pass like a year.
Qing Ying pulled out letters for her while observing her expression. Seeing her face showed not the slightest abnormality, she couldn’t help but worry somewhat. When ordinary families’ young ladies encountered such matters, how could they remain so calm? Whether she liked him or not couldn’t be discerned in the slightest. Carrying a heart full of worry, she went out. Seeing Nanny Xu holding a bowl of milk about to push the door and enter, she gently shook her head at Nanny Xu.
Nanny Xu hadn’t accompanied Song Chuyi out. Seeing Qing Ying like this, she only assumed Song Chuyi had suffered some grievance. Slightly restraining the expression on her face, she asked: “Who did you encounter just now when coming in that gave Miss some grievance?”
The eldest miss was indeed somewhat calculating. Just now on the third floor she had been going back and forth with Cui Huaying, making Song Chuyi look awkward. Although Nanny Xu knew their young miss was definitely not someone who suffered losses, she still couldn’t help but worry.
Qing Ying shook her hand. After much deliberation, she finally bit her lip and told Nanny Xu about the Grand Imperial Grandson—there was nothing to hide about this matter. Since His Highness had already spoken thus, in the future there would definitely be no reason to conceal it. Nanny Xu would find out sooner or later. Moreover, although their young miss was incomparably shrewd when handling other matters, in such affairs she ultimately seemed far too naive. She needed experienced people like Nanny Xu to teach and guide her.
Nanny Xu listened dumbstruck. She even forgot to deliver the milk, placing it in Luyi’s hands behind her. She pulled Qing Ying to a secluded place and in a lowered voice asked repeatedly: “Are your words true? His Highness truly said this?” She had long felt Zhou Weizhao was excessively good to their young miss, vaguely sensing something wasn’t quite right. But when she truly learned that Zhou Weizhao genuinely had such intentions, she found it incredible. This Highness was truly someone with a plan—Ye Jingchuan’s passion was too outwardly exposed, frightening Song Chuyi into repeatedly retreating. But this Highness maintained distances that were always just right—neither too close to scare Song Chuyi away, nor too distant to make Song Chuyi feel detached or awkward. This didn’t seem like a young Taoist who had cultivated for several years at all!
Nanny Xu felt their young miss was somewhat in peril. Such a clever young lady, unfortunately without a birth mother to guide her in these matters, knowing only fragments about emotional affairs and charging forward rashly—how could she be His Highness’s match?
Seeing Qing Ying nod affirmatively and even repeat what Zhou Weizhao had said at the time, she fell silent for a while, glancing toward the lit room. She only saw Song Chuyi’s shadow reflected on the window. After pausing for a moment, she moved closer to Qing Ying and instructed: “No one can reveal this matter. Miss has her sense of propriety. Let her make her own decision.”
Qing Ying had told Nanny Xu because Song Chuyi and Nanny Xu’s relationship was like mother and daughter. How would she mention it to others? She hastily nodded repeatedly in agreement: “I know this.”
Nanny Xu nodded. The milk had already grown cold. She was about to have Luyi go to the kitchen again to fetch a hot bowl when Ziyun hurriedly rushed over, gasping for breath: “Lord Lai requests Miss to meet him at the moon gate.”
The Cui residence wasn’t like the Song residence where one could enter and exit freely. Previously when going to Song Yan’s place, she had also reported to Yu Shi first, with a group of maids and women following. Nanny Xu felt somewhat resentful in her heart, but considering this Lord Lai’s status, she didn’t dare say they wouldn’t go. She knocked on the door, went in, and told Song Chuyi: “Lord Lai invites you to meet at the moon gate.”
From returning from Yangquan until now, Song Chuyi hadn’t yet seen Lai Chenglong. Hearing Nanny Xu speak thus, she nodded slightly, closed the letter in her hand, donned a thin cloak of blue gauze, had Nanny Xu stay behind to tell Cui Huaying she’d come over later, and herself took Qing Luo and Han Yan toward the moon gate.
Lai Chenglong’s spirit looked fairly good. Seeing her, he smiled faintly, then his face turned serious. He coughed several times and asked her: “Your sources of information are so well-informed. I presume you’ve already received news from the capital?”
His question was vague and unclear, but Song Chuyi didn’t equivocate: “What news is Uncle Lai referring to? Is it that Prince Dongping is about to investigate the spring examination bribery case, or the matter of Elder Chen receiving bribes?”
This young lady truly dared to speak, and her abilities were truly considerable. Lai Chenglong immediately confirmed this matter was truly related to her, and couldn’t help but frown: “You really are… where did such great audacity come from?”
Since the Chen family wanted the Cui and Song families to come to ruin, and had even set such a large trap for the Cui family, Song Chuyi naturally wouldn’t let the matter rest. Setting aside old grudges and past enmities, before the spring examination fraud matter came to light, the Chen family had also colluded with Huangjue Temple, planning to finish her off on the road to Jinzhong—the Chen family clearly came with ill intentions. Last time’s Cui family matter hadn’t given them any lesson either. They remained like venomous snakes coiled in the shadows, poised to strike. Facing such enemies, she wasn’t someone who would sit and await death.
She looked at Lai Chenglong, her expression composed: “Uncle Lai is far away in Jinzhong, yet still receives news so quickly.”
The Imperial Guard’s ability to collect intelligence was first-rate under heaven. If they didn’t even know about such major matters, wouldn’t that be too disgraceful? Lai Chenglong no longer beat around the bush with her. His tone carried a slight hint of helplessness: “Not only did I receive this news, I also received a secret report about Lord Fang recently having close dealings with your family’s eldest young master.”
Lai Chenglong’s eyes and ears had already reached such an extent. Song Chuyi’s heart tightened with alarm. Her gaze looked straight at Lai Chenglong, lips pressed together as she waited for the second half of his statement. He was Cui Shaoting’s friend, and could barely be counted as her own ally. If he had investigated these matters wanting to harm her, he wouldn’t have come to say these words.
“Your appetite is also far too great.” Lai Chenglong looked at her through the dim yellow lamplight. After pausing, he said: “Haven’t you considered what the consequences would be if the Chen family discovered this?”