Han Zhengqing’s gaze softened as he looked at him with an extremely light smile, regarding him with some nonchalance and ease: “Yanzheng, you’re also someone who’s seen the world. Those wild, absurd tales people spread outside—do you actually believe them? Others may not know what kind of person Yuanhui was, but don’t you? That was just an excuse he used to try to destroy that girl, that’s all. Set your mind at ease.”
Zou Yanzheng had said much to him about how formidable Song Chuyi was, but he’d always just listened and let it go. It wasn’t that he looked down on women—women skilled at scheming like Lady Fan were even more formidable than men, as he’d witnessed. He didn’t believe there was a second Lady Fan. Thinking of this, his gaze turned cold, somewhat melancholy, but she was ultimately dead.
Zou Yanzheng repeated somewhat helplessly: “Miss Song Six is truly somewhat different…” He turned to say more to Han Zhengqing, but seeing Han Zhengqing’s expression change, he had to stop—he was still very afraid of Han Zhengqing, feeling Han Zhengqing was even more unfathomable than Yuanhui, whom he’d dealt with frequently before.
Han Zhengqing recovered on his own. Supporting his head with one hand, he changed to a more comfortable position and simply reclined sideways on the couch: “Do you think I’m very underhanded? Think I’m betraying my master for glory, being fickle and disloyal, and look down on me?”
Zou Yanzheng was startled, almost suspecting he was being sarcastic. After a long while, he finally reacted, his face turning pale and flushed as he shook his head and spoke truthfully: “How would I dare? Besides, if I thought that way, wouldn’t I be cursing myself in the same breath?”
Han Zhengqing gave a derisive laugh. He’d forgotten—Zou Yanzheng hadn’t originally been Prince Gong’s man either. He glanced at him: “You’re different. Prince Duan is dead. Since he’s dead, should you remain faithful to him? As for me—” He paused, the smile on his face deepening while his eyes revealed bone-chilling coldness: “I can’t really be called betraying my master for glory. I helped him for so many years, and he destroyed my family. If I betray him, isn’t that justified?”
Zou Yanzheng was startled, not expecting him to speak of such secret matters. He wondered whether he should pretend not to have heard to avoid being silenced later, but his curiosity overcame his vigilance. He couldn’t help but ask: “We heard that the Marchioness and the heir, weren’t they all…” He saw Han Zhengqing look toward him and couldn’t continue.
Han Zhengqing didn’t speak. The wine he’d drunk earlier had sobered somewhat. Touching upon the pitch-black night outside, he extended his hand to look at his own fingers, silently staring at Zou Yanzheng until he lowered his head, then gave a cold snort.
He had once had a family, long ago. Only, for his childhood sweetheart Cousin Fan, he’d gradually destroyed his original family and sent his first wife down the road to the Yellow Springs. He’d been completely convinced he could finally be united with his Cousin Fan, living a lifetime as a perfectly matched couple, but Cousin Fan married the Crown Prince instead.
He was grief-stricken to the point of death, but Cousin Fan pulled at his sleeve and sobbed, saying it was beyond her control… So he willingly married her younger sister, using such a nauseating method, thus becoming the Crown Prince’s legitimate brother-in-law and the Crown Prince’s vanguard.
If life had continued that way, for his Cousin Fan, for his son, he should have been the Crown Prince’s ox and horse for life. But things just didn’t develop in the direction he’d imagined.
His gaze lightly fell on the pillow lying on the bed not far away—inside it still contained two letters. One was written to him by Lady Fan Junior, full of curses about him and Fan Liangdi, saying he was cold-hearted and utterly conscienceless, saying he coldly watched as his own son was raised by Lady Fan into such a state, then watched as Lady Fan and Prince Dongping killed him.
The other was from Cousin Fan. She said she still loved him and couldn’t tolerate him gradually favoring Lady Fan Junior and Han Zhi.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t heartbroken. Blood was thicker than water—Han Zhi carried his bloodline after all. When he was young and ignored and hated by Lady Fan Junior, nearly dying, he too had held his small body anxiously, taking him everywhere to seek medical treatment.
But what could he do? Could he kill his Cousin Fan? How could he?! She was his obsession from childhood to adulthood. For her, he could disobey even his parents, could even abandon his legitimate wife. After so many years, his infatuation with her had penetrated his very marrow. How could he raise his hand against Cousin Fan, how could he generate hatred toward her?
Cousin Fan’s letter was written so affectionately, so movingly—he simply couldn’t generate much anger. After being sad for a while, that was that. But then Cousin Fan died. Thinking of this, his heart felt a dull ache. It was all because the Crown Prince was incompetent, all because the Crown Prince wanted to push the Fan clan out to take the blame—Cousin Fan had completely become his scapegoat. He revealed a cold smile, his expression vicious. Since the Crown Prince was so cold-hearted and unfeeling, he would make him pay the price. The plan was naturally perfect—all those people couldn’t escape from the palm of his hand. But Dongping…
He shook his head, his gaze becoming cold and stern again. As long as the plan proceeded smoothly, Prince Dongping would at most suffer some cold treatment and be reprimanded—in the end, he had no substantial major fault. It was Zhou Weizhao who poisoned the Crown Prince, and it was the Crown Prince who sent people to assassinate Zhou Weizhao. It had nothing to do with Zhou Weiqi. Even if Emperor Jianzhang and Empress Lu vented their anger on him because of Fan Liangdi, in their eyes he was ultimately their own grandson. At least his life would be safe.
And in Han Zhengqing’s view, as long as his life was safe, that was enough—even if he couldn’t kick away the Grand Prince and rightfully become the Grand Prince Imperial himself, having Prince Dongping call that person “father” was even more embarrassing to him.
In the future, when he successfully helped Prince Gong ascend to power, Prince Gong had promised him he would give Dongping a new identity… So now, if Dongping suffered some grievances, that was unavoidable.
Zou Yanzheng had sat with him in silence for half the night and was truly somewhat exhausted. He couldn’t help but ask: “Marquis, I’ve been waiting here for several days, but still no news has come.”
As if to ease his mind, shortly after, someone outside reported that a letter had come from the capital. Han Zhengqing glanced at him and had the person enter the room. He received the letter and scanned it rapidly, then threw the paper to Zou Yanzheng: “Hasn’t it just arrived?”
Zou Yanzheng caught the letter. Seeing it said the capital was under martial law, the Crown Prince was poisoned, and the Grand Prince had been ambushed—everything was within the plan—he couldn’t help but breathe a deep sigh of relief. In the end, things were still developing as Han Zhengqing had predicted.