The hall entrance was utterly silent. Everyone stared dumbfounded at the young Heir inside.
At this moment, Chu Lan was the quickest to react.
“Young Master,” he asked, “what did you… What did you say?”
He looked at his daughter. Chu Tang’s clothes were in disarray, but the young maiden appeared pitifully delicate and charming in her dishevelment.
Did he… did he take a liking to her?
Xiao Xun said: “Just as before, I asked Mr. Chu Lan for help, promising him a ladder to heaven. Now that I need Miss Chu Tang’s help, I naturally must offer a reward in return. Since my sister saved that child and became Empress, her elder sister deserves the same. So, Miss Chu Tang, would you be willing to marry me?”
This… what girl in the world wouldn’t be willing?
The Zhongshan Prince’s Heir was born into wealth and nobility, young and handsome. Now his great endeavor was about to succeed—changing from Heir to Crown Prince, and in the future, he would be the Emperor of Da Xia.
For a woman to become Empress in this lifetime was the ultimate glory and wealth.
Hadn’t everyone seen how Chu Zhao immediately married the young Emperor, even though he was only six years old?
Now, Chu Tang also had the opportunity to become Empress—
Just now, Madam Jiang had only briefly entertained the thought, never imagining it would come true.
Madam Jiang and Chu Lan’s bodies trembled, not from fear as before, but from excitement. If Chu Tang became Empress, their entire family would ascend to heaven. Unlike with Chu Zhao, who became Empress but brought them no benefit, only mortal danger—
“Young Master’s generous affection, we, we—” Madam Jiang was too excited to speak properly and took a step forward.
Chu Tang reached out to support her, and they stepped into the hall together.
But that was as far as they got. Tie Ying, standing beside Xiao Xun, shouted: “Stay where you are!”
Madam Jiang’s legs went weak, and Chu Tang quickly supported her.
The two stopped advancing, while Chu Lan and the servants remained standing at the doorway without taking another step.
“Mother,” Chu Tang softly comforted Madam Jiang, “don’t be afraid.”
Before Madam Jiang could speak, she raised her head to look at Xiao Xun and asked: “What does the Young Master need us to do? We can’t reach His Majesty now; we can’t kill him anymore.”
Xiao Xun smiled slightly and said: “Miss Chu Tang, don’t worry. I’m asking you to do something within your capability. The Empress now leads two forces to surround my father.”
Chu Zhao? Chu Lan thought hatefully. Knowing the Zhongshan Prince’s forces had attacked the capital, why not hurry back to save people instead of trying to seize merit?
“The Empress may think this will make me retreat, but it’s impossible. Things have gone too far for me to turn back now.”
“However, my father gave all his troops to me, and I worry about him, so—”
Xiao Xun looked at Chu Tang.
“Miss Chu Tang, help me capture Chu Zhao.”
Capture Chu Zhao!
Chu Lan and Madam Jiang’s hearts skipped a beat. Chu Tang smiled bitterly.
“Young Master, how could I possibly do that?” she said. “You know how formidable Chu Zhao is.”
He indeed knew how formidable Chu Zhao was. Xiao Xun said: “Precisely because she is formidable, you are the most suitable person, Miss Chu Tang.” He smiled slightly, his gaze gentle. “Miss Chu Tang is her relative. In this world, the greatest enemies of formidable people are often their own family.”
Chu Tang helplessly said: “But in reality, she doesn’t trust us.”
Madam Jiang helped her daughter explain: “Yes, Young Master. Chu Zhao is very harsh with us, treating us like enemies.”
But she couldn’t bear to let her daughter lose such a good opportunity—Crown Princess, future Empress—
“Perhaps I could try. I am her elder, after all.”
She would sacrifice her life to secure her daughter’s future. Even death would be worthwhile.
Chu Lan no longer covered his face with his sleeve. Unable to restrain himself, he stepped forward, entering the hall, and said: “Let me go instead. With Second Brother gone, I am her only elder relative. If I visit her, she surely cannot refuse to see me.”
Chu Tang bit her lower lip, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her parents. Her eyes flickered with hesitation—
Crown Princess.
Empress.
She could also become Empress.
The expressions of all three family members were captured in Xiao Xun’s eyes. In his heart, he understood perfectly. The Chu Lan family had always been this way, never changing from beginning to end. Now, with nowhere to go, they would become even more desperate and thus more useful.
“I’ve always admired Miss Chu Tang,” said Xiao Xun.
Admired? Chu Tang looked at him.
Had this young Heir, who had been pursuing Chu Zhao from the beginning, also noticed her?
The young Heir smiled gently: “Although Chu Yi was dismissed and his reputation tarnished, he still commanded a region. Miss Chu Zhao spent over a decade under her father’s protection, living freely and happily. But Miss Chu Tang was different. Your family was implicated by Chu Yi, left without an official position. From a young age, you navigated among the young ladies of the capital, trying not to be bullied or ridiculed. Who knows how much thought you’ve put into it, how much bitterness you’ve swallowed—”
Chu Tang sighed softly. The Young Master truly understood her heart.
Madam Jiang tearfully embraced her: “My child, I’ve let you suffer.”
Chu Lan sighed: “It’s because of my incompetence.”
The family’s pitiful lamentations made Ning Kun tired of watching, and he simply turned his gaze away.
Xiao Xun’s eyes grew even gentler.
“Miss Chu Tang, you’ve been steeped in hardship yet managed with ease,” he said. “Even if Chu Zhao distrusts and guards against you, I believe you surely have ways to win her trust. Everyone praises Chu Zhao’s valor in battle, but in the battle of hearts and minds, you too are a heroine, Chu Tang.”
He looked at Chu Tang.
“Are you willing to become a heroine as well, standing above all under heaven, revered by everyone?”
Who wouldn’t want that? Chu Tang raised her head, looking directly at Xiao Xun for the first time.
“Will you truly marry me?” Chu Tang asked.
……
……
“I won’t speak of others, but I know very well what kind of person my cousin is.”
After a moment of silence, Chu Zhao raised her head and spoke.
The sunlight slanted in. In the spacious great hall of the Zhongshan Prince’s mansion, the atmosphere was oppressive. Besides the officials from before, guards had also entered due to the earlier fight, standing dense as a forest.
Chu Zhao’s expression remained unchanged as she smiled at the Zhongshan Prince.
“Chu Tang is a person with self-awareness. Or to put it another way, she’s someone who doesn’t trust anyone.”
People with self-awareness are indeed like that—they only trust themselves. The Zhongshan Prince nodded: “Yes, but she certainly believes in power.” Saying this, he smiled at Chu Zhao. “Could Miss Chu persuade Chu Tang to do this through sisterly affection?”
Even A-Le dared not answer affirmatively to this question and looked worriedly at Chu Zhao.
Chu Zhao said nothing.
“Miss Chu,” the Zhongshan Prince stood up. “What you can give, my son can also provide.”
He looked down at Chu Zhao.
“My son can even give more, more tempting, more sincere.”
“A person with self-awareness will certainly discern what should be done.”
……
……
Chu Tang was indeed a person with self-awareness.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have navigated the capital with such ease.
“Chu Zhao can become Empress because Uncle has troops,” Chu Tang said. “Whoever marries her gains those troops as support. Although I also bear the Chu surname, I have nothing. Your Highness has a bright future ahead, destined to be Emperor. How could Chu Tang be worthy?”
Madam Jiang and Chu Lan listened with bitter sorrow, hating their incompetence, unable to help their daughter.
“My Second Brother is gone,” Chu Lan stepped forward again. “I’ll seize the border troops for Your Highness to command.”
Tie Ying couldn’t help but laugh, not stopping Chu Lan’s approach. How laughable.
“What’s so funny?” Xiao Xun reprimanded Tie Ying. “Though Master Chu is a scholar, he can still command the army. I’m not asking him to kill enemies, just to sit there, and the border army will obey.”
Tie Ying responded with an “Oh” and said: “This subordinate was shallow-minded.”
“Stand aside,” said Xiao Xun.
Tie Ying followed the order and stepped back, still unable to contain his laughter. Ning Kun, who retreated with him, glared at him.
Tie Ying wasn’t afraid of him and glared back.
While the two made faces at each other in the corner, Xiao Xun continued speaking with Chu Tang.
“It’s not strange that Miss Chu Tang has such concerns,” he said. “In terms of family status, you indeed don’t match me.”
Chu Tang pressed her lips slightly; the blunt truth wasn’t pleasant to hear.
“But if I become Crown Prince and Emperor, I’ll be the highest person under heaven. No family status can match me,” Xiao Xun smiled. Previously, I was interested in Chu Zhao because I needed Chu Yi. Being related to Chu Yi would gain the trust of the late Emperor, who might name me Crown Prince. But now I don’t need others to give me the world—I’m seizing it myself. So family status means nothing to me.”
Chu Tang nodded; this reasoning was indeed correct.
“But there is one thing of utmost importance to me,” said Xiao Xun. “My father.”
The Zhongshan Prince? Chu Tang looked at Xiao Xun.
“My father mobilized all his troops for me, disregarding his safety, but I care. Hearing that Chu Zhao went to attack my father, I was filled with hatred, but I could not turn back. I cannot let my father’s efforts be in vain.”
“Miss Chu Tang, if you help me capture Chu Zhao and save my father from danger, your kindness—I, Xiao Xun, will remember it for a lifetime.”
After speaking, the young Heir even bowed to Chu Tang.
Chu Tang quickly stepped forward, curtseying: “This commoner wouldn’t dare.”
Chu Lan and Madam Jiang listened with tears in their eyes. How filial the Young Master was! What a good person!
Madam Jiang raised her hand and struck Chu Lan, saying resentfully: “It’s all your fault. How could you be so foolish back then, causing His Highness to miss a good opportunity?”
If Chu Lan hadn’t hesitated and had acted directly then, Chu Tang would now be Crown Princess, and she would have received an imperial title, sitting high in the capital without experiencing any shock, displacement, or wandering.
Chu Lan sighed: “It was all my fault.”
Xiao Xun smiled: “Back then, I needed Master Chu’s help; now I need Miss Chu Tang’s help. This shows our fated connection—”
“Young Master, please say no more,” Chu Tang interrupted him, biting her lip, hands clasped before her, her chest heaving violently, as if listening further would cause her emotions to become uncontrollable. She took a deep breath, “What should I do?”
……
……
“Miss Chu, think carefully about what to do,” said the Zhongshan Prince as he stood up, looking at Chu Zhao.
“You use my son’s captivity to threaten me, but haven’t you considered that I could also hold you hostage to threaten the court?”
Hearing this, the previously silent Chu Zhao burst into laughter.
“Your Highness,” she laughed, “you’re overthinking. If you hold me hostage, you cannot threaten the court. Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang are not my parents.”
The Zhongshan Prince was momentarily stunned, then found it somewhat amusing.
The girl continued to smile.
“—If Your Highness uses me to threaten them, they’ll surely send Your Highness a knife to assist you.”
The Zhongshan Prince laughed and nodded, looking at Chu Zhao with sympathy.
“How pitiful. For the court, Miss Chu, you are indeed dispensable.”
Chu Zhao also nodded, her eyes gentle: “That’s why I envy the Young Master for having a father like you who cherishes him. Your Highness, for your son’s sake, please sit down and think carefully about what to do.”
She smiled slightly.
“What if, this time, the Young Master has bad luck? What if my cousin makes a mistake and doesn’t discern the right course of action?”
……
……
“I don’t know how to ride horses or martial arts,” said Chu Tang. “I can’t do what heroes do.”
Xiao Xun laughed heartily.
“Miss Chu Tang, one doesn’t need to act like a hero; only the result needs to be heroic,” he said, taking out a paper package and shaking it. “What you need to do is very simple. This is a packet of medicine. Once consumed, it renders a person unconscious—”
Drugging her? Chu Tang visibly relaxed. This was simple for a weak woman. She stepped forward again, standing beside Xiao Xun, leaning in to look, and curiously asked: “Just feed this to her, right—”
Xiao Xun nodded: “This medicine is tasteless and odorless. You only need a little bit—”
His voice suddenly halted, as if his throat were being seized.
Chu Tang, standing beside him, held a gleaming dagger against his throat—
“Nobody move!”
The girl’s trembling, sharp voice.
“Or I’ll kill him!”
“My blade is poisoned!”
Almost simultaneously, Tie Ying, who had stepped back, flew towards them. Upon hearing the last sentence, he paused momentarily. In that instant, the young servant and old woman among the servants who had entered with Chu Lan’s family ghosted around Tie Ying. With a snap, the three fell to the ground like twisted rope.
Ning Kun and the other officials were also struck down by the old servant with two blows to the left and right.
Chu Lan and Madam Jiang stood frozen, eyes still filled with tears of excitement—
What was happening?
Outside, the noble families waiting in the courtyard widened their eyes. Just a blink ago, they reopened their eyes to see the soldiers in the yard suddenly caught by the servants from the capital.
The servants—men and women, young and old—differed in age and gender but moved identically. They seized the soldiers’ weapons and, with a swish, removed the soldiers’ heads.
Blood sprayed in the sunlight, splattering onto the faces and bodies of the noble families, burning like fire on their skin. The noble families let out screams of horror.
“Ah—”