Yu Shi was startled by her reaction. Seeing Song Chuyi’s brows knit tightly, she instinctively glanced at Princess Duanhui and Old Madam Song beside her, asking softly, “What’s wrong?”

Song Chuyi turned her head to look at Old Madam Song. “Someone from Prince Zhennan’s residence has come, wanting to see me.”

At this hour? Old Madam Song looked up at the two brightly lit lanterns hanging under the eaves outside, blinking with some surprise and confusion. At this time, which household wasn’t eating dinner? Why would Prince Zhennan’s residence send someone to request an audience now?

The Crown Princess and Crown Prince had just been harassed on Vermillion Bird Street. The agitated common people had lingered until evening before gradually dispersing from Earl Changning’s residence. At this time, Prince Zhennan’s residence should know Earl Changning’s predicament and shouldn’t be sending people over at all.

Had something happened? Just as she was about to speak, the men’s banquet on the other side of the screen had evidently also heard the news. The previously lively scene of toasts and drinks quieted. Mister Ying said from that side, “Could it be about Prince Zhennan’s matter?”

Could there truly be news from the Northwest? Old Madam Song beckoned Song Yan over and had him go around the screen to tell Old Madam Song and Song Chuyi, “Since it’s an inner household woman who’s come, just receive her in the flower hall in the back courtyard.”

By rights, if this concerned Prince Zhennan, even if the Princess Consort of Zhennan were anxious, she should have sent the Prince Consort Ye Jingkuan to speak. What did sending an old woman to speak amount to? This matter probably wasn’t related to the Northwest. And since it wasn’t related to the Northwest and was an old woman from the inner household who came, it must be an inner household matter. No matter what, it wasn’t appropriate for him to inquire.

Although the person sought audience with Song Chuyi, they used the pretext of seeking Old Madam Song. Old Madam Song still had to put on appearances. Hearing Old Master Song’s instructions, she understood his meaning and smiled as she told Princess Duanhui, Yu Shi, and the others to continue eating while she took Song Chuyi to the flower hall by the golden day lily pavilion in the back courtyard.

The visitor was Lin Shi, the wet nurse of the Princess Consort of Zhennan. She looked to be a full fifty or sixty years old. Though her spirit was vigorous, her temples were already grizzled with white. Upon seeing Old Madam Song and Song Chuyi, she hurried over to pay her respects.

Song Chuyi knew this old nanny’s position beside the Princess Consort of Zhennan. She shook her head and told her to rise, patiently asking, “Nanny, coming over so late—does the Princess Consort have some matter?”

Lin Shi glanced carefully at Old Madam Song, seeming somewhat hesitant. Song Chuyi then smiled and said, “Nanny, feel free to speak of whatever matter you have. My grandmother knows all my affairs—there’s nothing that cannot be said.”

Hearing her say this, Lin Shi looked relieved and no longer hesitated. She curtsied in acknowledgment and gently pulled a letter from her bosom to hand over. “This is what our Princess Consort entrusted to the young lady, saying it must be personally delivered into your hands.”

Song Chuyi indeed kept nothing from Old Madam Song, but being stated so openly like this, Old Madam Song still felt both touched and proud. Yet Song Chuyi trusted her, and she completely trusted Song Chuyi in return. No matter how precious a secret the Princess Consort of Zhennan wanted to tell Song Chuyi, as long as Song Chuyi didn’t volunteer to tell her, she had no intention of actively asking.

Who knew that as soon as Song Chuyi unfolded the letter paper, her expression changed drastically. She retreated several steps before steadying herself, then furrowed her brows and looked sharply at Lin Shi, demanding, “This letter—where did you get it?!”

She had been smiling warmly and amiably just moments before, but now seemed to have instantly changed faces. This truly made one’s heart tremble. Even though Lin Shi had been steeped in Prince Zhennan’s residence for decades, meeting her gaze she couldn’t help but feel somewhat diminished. Not daring to conceal anything, she respectfully lowered her head and answered, “In response to Your Ladyship, this letter was sent back by our Second Young Master. He specifically instructed that it must be personally delivered to you.”

Ye Jingchuan! Song Chuyi’s brows knit tightly, then relaxed again. So it was Ye Jingchuan—it was actually Ye Jingchuan. She gripped that letter paper and glanced at Lin Shi, asking, “Your Second Young Master sending a letter back—who else knows about this?”

Lin Shi hurriedly shook her head. “In response to Your Ladyship, aside from our Princess Consort knowing, no one else knows. Even the Prince Consort and the Princess don’t know yet. As soon as the person who brought the letter returned, our Princess Consort didn’t dare delay even a moment and directly sent me to inform you. She specifically told me to say that I came to fetch your residence’s Nanny Qiu to go to our household to perform soul-calming and fright-settling rituals for Second Miss.”

Ye Yunyi was timid and often needed soul-calming even from walking down dark paths at night. Earl Changning’s residence’s Nanny Qiu was indeed frequently fetched by Prince Zhennan’s residence to perform soul-calming and fright-settling rituals for Second Miss.

Song Chuyi nodded at her. “Then please wait a moment, Nanny. I’ll have someone inform my eldest aunt and have Nanny Qiu return with you.”

Lin Shi breathed a sigh of relief, acknowledged, and withdrew. Only then did Song Chuyi turn and grasp Old Madam Song’s hand. “Grandmother, Miss Lu has returned.”

Old Madam Song was startled, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at Song Chuyi, suspecting she had misheard. She furrowed her brows and asked, “Who? You said…” She recalled that Lin Shi had just said Ye Jingchuan sent a letter back and asked in astonishment, “Could it be that Second Young Master Ye sending a letter back is actually…”

Actually entirely to escort Lu Chonghua back.

This—how did those two become connected? And Ye Jingchuan escorted her back?

Song Chuyi’s brows were tightly furrowed, clearly also finding this somewhat unexpected. “The letter speaks rather vaguely.” She paced around the flower hall somewhat uneasily before stopping. “Perhaps to avoid leaking information, the wording in the letter is extremely ambiguous. I must go there first to find out.”

Old Madam Song grasped her hand. “But what if someone is trying to deceive you?” Seeing Song Chuyi calm down with bright eyes, she continued, “After all, the Lu family provided quite a few people around His Highness the Crown Prince. If the Lu family truly has problems, this might be…”

She feared these people would use a once-and-for-all method—directly luring Song Chuyi out to kill her.

“It won’t be that.” Song Chuyi shook her head and showed the letter to Old Madam Song. “This letter mentions ‘returning from travels’ and how ‘Teacher Qin’ is doing. These words—besides Huaying, Miss Lu, and me—no fourth person knows. It must be real. Chonghua has returned.”

This truly was an unexpected development. Old Madam Song squeezed Song Chuyi’s hand. “If that’s the case, where does she say she’s staying now?”

Prince Zhennan’s residence naturally would be impossible. Prince Zhennan’s residence must currently be under close surveillance like Princess Rongcheng’s residence and Earl Changning’s residence. Miss Lu shouldn’t possibly take that risk.

“At the villa in Tongzhou.” As Song Chuyi spoke, she furrowed her brows again, quite vexed. Now her status was different—her every move was closely watched. Even visiting Princess Rongcheng’s residence a few extra times drew criticism, let alone leaving the city.

But she absolutely must go see Chonghua. She had an intuition that Chonghua must have something important to tell her.