Chu Yu silently gazed at her.
She couldn’t say she liked her when she first met Xie Jiu. But now, looking at Xie Jiu, a myriad of feelings welled up inside her.
In her previous life, Xie Jiu had left in a hurry. Perhaps she knew that the longer she stayed, the more she would have to face this bloody reality, and the easier it would be to get hurt.
If one doesn’t interact much with a person, judging their good or evil is impossible.
Chu Yu watched as Xie Jiu quietly looked at Wei Ya for a while, then slowly turned her head: “Do you know that currently, there’s a struggle for the throne between the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince?”
The Crown Prince’s birth mother was from the Yao family, while the Sixth Prince was born to the great Wang clan, truly from a noble lady.
Chu Yu didn’t understand why Xie Jiu suddenly mentioned this, but she knew that given Xie Jiu’s nature, she wouldn’t say these things without reason. So she remained silent, listening patiently.
Xie Jiu’s hand brushed over the coffin as she spoke calmly: “His Majesty embraced the Yao family as new nobility, established the Yao clan woman as Empress, and her son as Crown Prince, to balance power. The Sixth Prince represents the clan, while the Yao family is the Emperor’s blade. But is it appropriate to entrust a nation’s highest position to a mere blade?”
“This question,” Chu Yu pondered, “must be on the minds of all the court officials.”
“Then the Crown Prince would naturally think the same,” Xie Jiu lowered her gaze. “Two years ago, when the Wang clan and Yao clan were contesting for the Hexi region, His Majesty asked the Duke to advise on the decision. The Crown Prince came to the Wei mansion overnight, and they seemed to have a big argument. The Crown Prince left in the middle of the night.”
“Later, the Hexi region was given to the Wang clan.” Chu Yu seemed to understand something. Xie Jiu nodded, her gaze turning cold: “This time, the Crown Prince is the supervising general, and Yao Yong is also on the battlefield. If this matter is the Crown Prince’s meddling, have you thought of a countermeasure?”
Chu Yu remained silent.
In her previous life, it was neither the Crown Prince nor the Sixth Prince who ultimately ascended the throne, but the Thirteenth Prince, who was only two years old now.
Back then, after the Sixth Prince ascended the throne, Wei Yun directly led his forces into the imperial city, collaborating with Gu Chusheng from the inside and outside, slaying the Sixth Prince with his sword. Afterward, they assisted this young son of the Empress to ascend the throne. From then on, Gu Chusheng and Wei Yun, one civil and one military, engaged in a battle of wits and strength until her death.
She didn’t know what happened after her death, but she knew that before she died, the Crown Prince had long since died a thorough death. And the Crown Prince’s death was inextricably linked to one person—
The Imperial Princess, Li Chunhua.
She had already paid a visit to this person today. She was the elder sister of the current Emperor, having grown up together with him, their bond exceptionally strong. Her grasp on the Emperor’s heart was unparalleled in the world. She had been widowed at a young age, with only one daughter. After becoming a widow, she simply raised many male companions, living a life of debauchery.
In her previous life, Li Chunhua had betrothed her only daughter, Li Yuewan, to the Crown Prince, demanding that he be faithful to her daughter. The Crown Prince agreed, but he continued to have affairs outside. When Li Yuewan discovered this during her pregnancy, she went into premature labor due to the shock and ultimately died in childbirth. From then on, Li Chunhua turned her support to the Sixth Prince in anger, wholeheartedly opposing the Crown Prince.
Now, the Crown Prince had just gotten engaged to Li Yuewan, and Li Chunhua was still unaware of the Crown Prince’s scandalous affairs. What if she found out?
Chu Yu pondered—given Li Chunhua’s temperament of loving her daughter like her own life, how could she remain calm if she learned about the Crown Prince’s external affairs?
Everyone would get angry, and to get angry, one needs a reason. If the Wei family’s matter fell into Li Chunhua’s hands at this time, everything could proceed smoothly.
Chu Yu sorted out her thoughts, let out a breath, and said to Xie Jiu, “I understand now, thank you.”
Seeing Chu Yu’s expression, Xie Jiu knew she had found a solution. She nodded without saying more, her gaze falling on Wei Ya’s coffin. After a long while, she spoke hoarsely, “I’m leaving, and I won’t be coming back. When you were alive, I already tried my best to be good to you. Now that you’re gone, I have no regrets. In the next life…”
She clenched her fists, trembling slightly, “Let’s be husband and wife again.”
After saying this, she abruptly turned and walked out.
She was born cold and selfish—Xie Jiu told herself—doing everything for Wei Ya was already the most she could give.
Watching Xie Jiu’s retreating figure, Chu Yu couldn’t help but call out, “Xie Jiu!”
Xie Jiu halted her steps and turned around. The moonlight fell on her pure white figure. Chu Yu’s hands were tucked into her sleeves as she smiled gently, “Miss, you are truly beautiful.”
Xie Jiu was slightly stunned. After a moment, she smiled through her tears.
“Yes,” she said in a clear voice, “my husband once said the same.”
“Take care,” Chu Yu nodded, her eyes full of sincerity. Xie Jiu chuckled lightly, “Don’t worry, I’ll live a better life than you in this lifetime.”
“That remains to be seen,” Chu Yu smiled, leaning against a corridor pillar, her demeanor carefree and romantic, like some young master, her eyes full of tenderness. “Would you believe me if I said that in this lifetime, both of us will live very well?”
Xie Jiu didn’t speak. She quietly looked at Chu Yu.
This woman’s comfort was gentle and silent, yet full of strength. Xie Jiu was also such a sensitive person; she was sensitive to others’ malice, and even more perceptive of others’ kindness.
So she nodded and said, “Thank you.”
Chu Yu kept vigil for half the night. When she opened her eyes the next day, she quickly summoned people.
Chu Yu still remembered the Crown Prince’s lover who had caused Li Yuewan’s difficult labor—she couldn’t forget, not only because Gu Chusheng had asked her to investigate this matter, but also because that lover was indeed too scandalous. That lover was none other than the Crown Prince’s paternal cousin, the daughter of the Prince of Qinghe, the widowed Duchess Yunlan, who was a full twelve years older than the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince had been involved with Duchess Yunlan since he was sixteen, and this illicit relationship had lasted for as long as ten years, which could be considered quite devoted. Chu Yu calculated the time; it was now the seventh year of the Crown Prince’s affair with Yunlan. After pondering for a moment, she summoned the steward.
“Doesn’t the Wei family have a small courtyard next to Duchess Yunlan’s mansion?” she inquired. The steward was taken aback for a moment but quickly responded, “Yes, but it’s in the suburbs, quite remote…”
Chu Yu nodded, seemingly unsurprised, and instructed, “Go to the manor’s storehouse and get some incense balls. Set up a fire at the wall closest to the Duchess’s mansion in that small courtyard, and throw the incense balls into the fire. Keep it burning day and night.”
Although the steward didn’t understand what Chu Yu was saying, he still nodded and solemnly said, “I understand, young madam.”
“Also, find a beggar to deliver a message to the Crown Prince’s mansion. Don’t tell the beggar who you are, just have him deliver a letter.”
As she spoke, Chu Yu went to find paper and brush, then imitated Duchess Yunlan’s handwriting to write a love poem:
“One mountain, two mountains, mountains high and waters far, my love has not yet returned, thoughts of you turning maple leaves red.”
In the years of being married to Gu Chusheng, Chu Yu had learned many things, one of which was forging others’ handwriting.
She had the letter delivered to the Crown Prince’s mansion by a beggar. When the people at the Crown Prince’s mansion heard it was from a beautiful woman, they immediately presented it.
Meanwhile, Chu Yu, having burned the incense balls and carrying a large amount of gold and silver, once again visited the Imperial Princess’s residence.
For the sake of the gold and silver, Li Chunhua finally agreed to see Chu Yu.
Dressed in plain clothes, Chu Yu curtsied gracefully to Li Chunhua. The scent of the incense balls was strong, and Li Chunhua immediately noticed it, smiling as she said, “What fragrance is this on Young Madam Wei? It’s unique.”
“It’s a ten-day incense,” Chu Yu stood up, presenting the gifts. Holding the gifts with both hands, she approached Li Chunhua, smiling as she said, “This incense has a strong fragrance that lasts for ten days once it clings to you. It’s specially made by the Wei family. We don’t use it often, but now I want to renovate our suburban villa into an ancestral hall, so I had people burn the incense there first. I inadvertently brought some of the scents here, making Your Highness laugh at me.”
Seeing the silver, Li Chunhua was quite accommodating and didn’t say much, only remarking, “The suburban villa, is it the one next to Duchess Yunlan’s? There was a spring banquet hosted there one year.”
As she spoke, she seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic of the Wei family for too long and continued, “Yunlan has never been fond of fragrances. With you burning this, Yunlan must be quite distressed.”
“Not at all,” Chu Yu smiled, her eyes curving, “Women love all beautiful things. Perhaps the Duchess quite likes the scent of these incense balls?”
“She even asked me for a few incense balls, probably intending to use them in the future.”
Chu Yu supported Li Chunhua as if talking about an insignificant matter: “Perhaps Duchess Yunlan is looking for a husband. After all, not everyone can remain a widow for life.”