After Shen You was returned to the dungeon, Jiang Chun led his men out that very night.
Chu Yu repeatedly cautioned Jiang Chun to be careful. Jiang Chun smiled and said, “Don’t worry about me. Just take good care of Mother-in-law while I’m away.”
Chu Yu agreed, then held Jiang Chun’s hand and reminded him once more of everything he needed to remember before finally letting him leave.
Two days after Jiang Chun’s departure, Xie Yun came rushing to find Chu Yu.
Hearing of Xie Yun’s arrival, Chu Yu knew that Chu Jin must have made a move. She remained calm, inviting Xie Yun into the room and pouring her some tea. Xie Yun, with an anxious expression, had barely sat down before telling Chu Yu, “A Yu, A Jin has disappeared!”
“Oh?” Chu Yu looked up, feigning surprise. “How did A Jin disappear?”
“It was yesterday,” Xie Yun said, tears in her eyes. “During the day, she said she was going to buy some rouge and powder. I didn’t think much of it. I went to bed early, and when I woke up today, I realized she hadn’t returned all night. I’ve sent people to search everywhere, but we can’t find her.”
“What about her attendants?” Chu Yu had a good guess where Chu Jin had gone, but she couldn’t show it.
Xie Yun sighed, “Her attendants are also missing. They probably disappeared together. I was about to report it to the authorities when I found a letter under her pillow. She said she was going to Luo Zhou to find Lin Yang. What should we do?!”
Hearing this, Chu Yu’s eyes turned cold, but her face remained impassive. “Then keep searching. I’ll write a letter to Big Brother to inquire.”
“I’ve already sent people, but the journey is so rough. For a young girl like her…” Xie Yun began to cry, saying between sobs, “It’s my fault. Your father wanted her to learn martial arts before, but I didn’t agree. In these troubled times, if she had even half your martial skills, I wouldn’t have to worry so much.”
“My sister has her strengths,” Chu Yu smiled, comforting Xie Yun for a while before having someone escort her out. As soon as Xie Yun left, Chu Yu immediately sent people to find those who were following Chu Jin and wrote a letter to Chu Lin Yang, explaining that she had sent people to search for Chu Jin and telling him not to worry.
After finishing these tasks, Chu Yu took out the household account books to review them.
Having borrowed money from Chu Lin Yang, bought farmland in Luo Zhou, and set up businesses in Lan Zhou, the Wei household was now living frugally, having to be careful with every coin spent.
She was still reviewing the accounts late into the night when the people sent to find Chu Jin finally returned. Chu Yu wasn’t particularly concerned at first, but when she looked up, she saw two people enter, one of whom looked quite disheveled, covered in mud. It was the person who had been following Chu Jin.
Chu Yu frowned, “Why have you come back?”
Chu Jin was still on her way to Chu Lin Yang, and she had told them to stop Chu Jin. Why had they returned?
Hearing this, the man immediately knelt and said in a raised voice, “This subordinate is guilty. We lost track of Second Miss!”
“Lost track?” Chu Yu was stunned. She suddenly stood up. “How did you lose her?”
“Second Miss left the capital yesterday, heading straight for Luo Zhou. This subordinate planned to take action when we were close to Luo Zhou’s territory. Who knew that this morning we would encounter bandits? This subordinate fought fiercely with these brigands to protect the civilians and Second Miss. When I turned back, Second Miss had disappeared!”
“Find her!” Chu Yu said coldly. “Go and find her immediately!”
Having received the order, the guard quickly went out to search.
The search went on for two days, but there was no news of Chu Jin. Meanwhile, the battle lines were slowly approaching Hua Jing. The capital was in a state of dejection, with many civilians beginning to migrate to the rear. The atmosphere in the court was also noticeably deteriorating day by day.
The Emperor sent people to invite Wei Yun three times, but Wei Yun lay in bed pretending to be ill and refused to see them. The Emperor had no way to deal with him and could only constantly ask his court officials for advice, but no one dared to step forward and issue a military order.
Seven days later, the frontline finally sent the first report of victory. However, when the Chun De Emperor saw the victory report, he showed no sign of joy. The Wei family had known about this news half a day in advance.
This victory report stated that less than half a day after the Northern Di army advanced to the Fen River, they were repelled by Song Shi Lan’s troops.
The reason for the Chun De Emperor’s grim expression was that after repelling the Northern Di army at Fen River, Song Shi Lan immediately turned back to launch a strong attack on Xiao Ju County. In the end, Song Shi Lan took Xiao Ju County, but his elder brother, Song Wen Chang, died in the battle.
For the Emperor, the fact that someone who had been constantly losing battles could recapture Fen River in half a day proved that Song Shi Lan hadn’t been giving his all in previous battles. And now such a person was to replace Song Wen Chang as the heir apparent, legitimately taking control of the Song family’s military power. The Emperor felt pain in his heart and liver.
What a pack of wolf cubs he had raised!
Even though the Chun De Emperor understood what was going on with Song Shi Lan and Song Wen Chang, he couldn’t say a word openly. Not only could he not speak, but he also had to put on a show!
So the Chun De Emperor gritted his teeth and issued an imperial edict appointing Song Shi Lan as the heir apparent. He also rewarded him with some silk and gold.
Such rewards could be considered stingy, but given the current national crisis, no one said anything.
The Emperor’s performance that day was all reported to Wei Yun. Wei Yun laughed as he read the intelligence report, describing the scene at court to Chu Yu, saying with great amusement, “His Majesty must be feeling very frustrated right now. He might make himself ill with anger.”
“Getting ill with anger is nothing,” Chu Yu smiled and said, “It would be worse if he went mad with anger.”
As they were talking, there came an announcement from outside. Wei Qiu said matter-of-factly, “My Lord, His Majesty has sent someone again.”
Hearing this, Wei Yun quickly said, “Prepare the blood packets for me. I’ll go back to bed first.”
By now, Wei Yun had become quite adept at feigning illness. By the time the eunuch arrived at the main hall to deliver the imperial edict, Wei Yun was already lying in bed in his bedroom. Chu Yu smiled as she received the eunuch in the main hall, rising to greet him, “The Young Marquis is still bedridden and unable to come to the front hall to receive the edict. I hope the eunuch will forgive us. May I receive the imperial edict on his behalf?”
In normal times, receiving an imperial edict on someone else’s behalf would be extremely improper. However, in the current situation where the relationship between the ruler and his subjects had broken down, and almost no generals on the battlefield were listening to the Chun De Emperor, Wei Yun merely having Chu Yu receive the edict on his behalf seemed insignificant.
The eunuch didn’t seem angry and smiled, “That’s fine.”
Chu Yu breathed a sigh of relief and was about to say something when she heard the eunuch say, “This imperial edict is actually for the First Madam.”
Chu Yu raised her head in surprise, her eyes widening, “Why has His Majesty issued an edict?”
“Today, His Majesty has invited the Wei Old Madam to the palace for tea,” the eunuch said with a bright smile. “The Old Madam is lonely in the palace and wishes to see the First Madam. Is that convenient?”
Hearing this, Chu Yu’s expression immediately turned cold.
Jiang Chun had left, and Liu Xue Yang worried about him, had specifically chosen this day to go and burn incense to pray for Jiang Chun’s safety.
Chu Yu had already arranged attendants for Liu Xue Yang, but she hadn’t expected the Chun De Emperor to go this far.
“To openly abduct a minister’s family member in Hua Jing City,” Chu Yu said through gritted teeth, “Has His Majesty considered how other court officials will react if they learn of this?”
“Oh my, what are you saying, Wei First Madam?” The eunuch twirled his whisk in his hand, a fawning smile on his face. “It’s just an invitation for tea, and the Old Madam has agreed. Why are you making such a fuss?”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. She took a deep breath, knowing she needed to remain calm at this moment. The eunuch smiled and said, “With the mother in the palace, I wonder if the Young Marquis has the strength to come and receive the edict now? If the Young Marquis is truly too ill, it’s also fine for the First Madam to go to the palace in his place.”
Saying this, the eunuch seemed certain that Chu Yu would go. He stepped aside, making a “please” gesture, “First Madam, shall we go?”
Chu Yu remained silent. The eunuch smiled at her, seemingly waiting for her to lose her temper.
After a moment, Chu Yu gave a light smile and said, “Then I’ll trouble the eunuch to wait a moment. I’ll come after I’ve freshened up.”
With that, Chu Yu didn’t wait for the eunuch to speak. She turned and walked into the inner hall, returning to her room. She quickly took out many pieces of jewelry and put them in her hair, while putting on soft armor under her clothes. As she armed herself, she said to Wan Yue, who had followed her in, “Go tell the Young Marquis that I’m going to the palace to bring Mother-in-law out. Tell him to continue pretending to be ill. The Emperor is trying to force him out now. He must not act rashly.”
Wei Yun had been planning for so long, waiting for the moment when the Chun De Emperor would be backed into a corner with nowhere to retreat. Only then, when Wei Yun came out, would the Chun De Emperor have to yield unconditionally.
And now, no matter how badly Da Chu seemed to be losing when Wei Yun came back to save the situation, he would appear all the more brilliant.
At this moment, Yao Yong had not yet been completely defeated, so Wei Yun couldn’t come out. If he did, all the work done before would have been in vain.
The Chun De Emperor had not been pushed to the brink, and Yao Yong had not been eliminated. If Wei Yun went to the battlefield now, he might suffer the same fate as his father and brother.
Chu Yu pondered the situation as she put on her outer coat and tied her belt, quickly saying, “Tell him not to worry, I’ll take care of everything.”
Having said this, Chu Yu finished her preparations and went out.
The eunuch was quite anxious, pacing back and forth. Seeing Chu Yu come out, he breathed a sigh of relief and regained his composure. “First Madam, shall we?”
Chu Yu smiled slightly, her expression calm as she said, “After you, eunuch.”