With the raiders eliminated, everyone in Tongzhou breathed a sigh of relief. After Ye Jingkuan returned all the reserve troops, he went anxiously to see the Crown Prince.
Toward this legitimate nephew of Princess Rongcheng, he felt more awe than closeness. Perhaps it was because during these years in the Taoist temple, Zhou Weizhao had managed to cultivate an imposing presence that was difficult to ignore.
However, when he emerged from the room, his previous unease and exhaustion were swept away completely, as if the clouds had finally parted to reveal the sun. That kind of brightness and hope couldn’t help but make one’s heart rejoice.
At the same time, however, he grew extremely wary of Zhou Weizhao. This Crown Prince was young in years but mature and thorough in his actions. One could say he never miscalculated—even for something like coming forward to set the fire, he had found exactly the most suitable person. He was truly unfathomable.
If the Prince of Zhennan’s household’s future wasn’t bound together with the Crown Prince’s, tonight’s favor would forever hang over their heads like a blade, ready at any moment to cut them down to family ruin.
But at least the immediate crisis was resolved. What came next would naturally be for his father to worry about. He glanced back once, then headed off to find Ye Jingchuan without looking back. Since the matter was already concluded, naturally it was time to return to the capital early.
However, when he went to find Ye Jingchuan, he came up empty—Ye Jingchuan wasn’t in his room at all.
Ye Jingchuan had gone to find Song Chuyi. He had always felt somewhat guilty about the incident where Lianyi had nearly been discovered, and after the incident of Song Chuyi being attacked at night, he became even more aware of how difficult Song Chuyi’s situation was.
Therefore, with a heart full of righteous fervor, he went to ask Song Chuyi if there was anything he could help her with.
Song Chuyi was extremely vexed at the moment. The letter from the Cui family said that Cui Yingshu would come to the capital, and the date of departure was the very day after the letter was sent. She calculated the days—if they took the water route, Cui Yingshu should arrive at the latest in seven or eight days.
Therefore, she wanted to linger in Tongzhou for a few more days, so that when she returned to the capital, she could immediately expose Li Shi.
However, while she got her wish to stay at the estate, Miss Chen stubbornly came to find her every single day. Qing Tao’s temperament was more outgoing than Hong Yu’s, and after this happened three or four times, she lost her temper. Right in front of Miss Chen, she sarcastically mocked her about pushing someone out to block disaster that night, and Miss Chen’s face turned red as blood on the spot.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that no matter how thick-skinned she was, she surely wouldn’t come again. Who would have thought that the next day she still came right on schedule, still smiling broadly, as if yesterday’s incident had never happened.
While Song Chuyi regarded her differently, she also felt extreme vigilance in her heart. This Miss Chen was ruthless enough, composed enough, and most importantly, shameless enough—such a young lady was rare in the capital. Young ladies from prestigious families mostly cared about face, but Miss Chen didn’t care at all. This was truly remarkable.
Song Jue and Song Ren were both still at the estate waiting to return to the household with her. She didn’t want to create unnecessary complications, so naturally she couldn’t speak out about Miss Chen harming her right now. But now that Ye Jingchuan asked, she suddenly had an idea.
Many things would ruin her reputation and create a bad influence if she did them herself, but if Ye Jingchuan did them, it would be much more carefree and casual.
“Actually, there is something that needs your help, elder brother.” Song Chuyi tapped on the table, smiling extremely happily. “Didn’t you wonder that night why I so recklessly went outside?”
Ye Jingchuan had never been able to figure this out. Song Chuyi was such a clever person—why would she run out at that moment to seek death? Hearing this, he nodded honestly.
“Actually, I didn’t want to go out myself. I was pushed out by someone.” When Song Chuyi brought up this topic, her face remained smiling, as if it were just a trivial matter not worth mentioning. “The person who pushed me was this Miss Chen.”
Ye Jingchuan had never understood why the two younger sisters in his household were always at odds. Inner household matters seemed to him like a tangled mess—impossible to explain clearly. The father had his reasons, the mother had hers, and it was simply impossible to determine who was right and who was wrong.
Therefore, he was very annoyed at being dragged into such matters. From the day he turned twelve, Ye Yunxiu and Ye Yunyi never dared to come before him to have him judge their disputes again.
But now he suddenly realized that inner household matters weren’t limited to his own household, where sisters bickered and threw little tantrums, drawing in their brother to scold the other person a few times.
Song Chuyi’s stepmother could hire thugs to take her life. Miss Chen could push someone out to die in her place for self-preservation.
When these women became ruthless, they were simply more frightening than men. The first time he killed someone beyond the border, he didn’t dare sleep the entire night, yet this Miss Chen could come looking for Song Chuyi the next day as if nothing had happened. What kind of heart did she have?
“How are all you young ladies’ hearts made? How can each one be more ruthless than the last?” He felt that these young girls’ thoughts were somewhat unfathomable, but immediately his sense of justice was aroused. “Tell me, what do you want to do?”
“You go find her and say you saw her push me out. Isn’t that enough?” Song Chuyi pursed her lips in a slight smile. Her somewhat pale complexion brightened instantly because of this smile. “I think even if her face is thick as a wall, hearing you say such words, she should pack up and go home.”
That day, Ye Jingchuan had come to rescue people together with Zhou Weizhao. If Ye Jingchuan had heard something, then what about Zhou Weizhao, who always stayed close to Ye Jingchuan?
Seeing Ye Jingchuan rush out in a flurry, Hong Yu was somewhat worried. “Miss, having Young Master Ye do this—is it somewhat improper?”
After all, the Prince Consort was still here.
Zhou Weizhao should have already told Ye Jingkuan the entire plan. Ye Jingkuan wouldn’t get angry over such small matters. Song Chuyi waved her hand dismissively, then heard the door bang open. Nanny Xu, her face practically glowing with joy, rushed in smiling at her. “Miss! Your maternal uncle and aunt have arrived!”
Cui Yingshu!
Calculating the time, they really had traveled day and night without rest. Song Chuyi suddenly felt as if she had unloaded a thousand-pound burden, as if after dragging heavy objects for thousands of miles, someone had suddenly taken that thousand-pound burden from her. Her throat felt neither sour nor painful—it made her want to cry.
Her mother’s own brother, her maternal uncle whom she had only met a few times in her previous life, had traveled all the way from thousands of miles away to the capital for them…
Song Chuyi’s eyes grew hot, and finally a tear fell with a plop.
Nanny Xu was also happy for her. While taking a handkerchief to wipe her tears, she herself couldn’t help crying. “Miss, don’t cry, don’t cry. Now that your maternal uncle has come, we can seek justice for the Madam. This is a good thing!”
Qing Tao couldn’t help but smile as well. Her father had gone to deliver the letter to the Cui family. Now that the Cui family had sent people, it meant her father should be returning with them… Having accomplished such a major task for Song Chuyi, with Song Chuyi’s character, she would definitely not treat her father poorly in the future.
Hong Yu was so delighted she didn’t know what to say. After Lady Cui gave birth to Song Chuyi, her family members had been taken back to Jinzhong by Cui Yingshu, and she hadn’t seen them for several years now.