After lunch, rain began to fall in a gentle patter. The plants washed by rainwater appeared even more vibrant. Water from the large-leaved privet and bamboo leaves dripped to the ground with rhythmic tapping sounds, composing a harmonious melody.

Old Madam Song glanced at the flowers blooming brilliantly among the branches and vines outside, then ordered Yulan to close the window.

“Go stand guard outside. We’re not receiving anyone.” Old Madam Song instructed Nanny Huang. “If the eldest daughter-in-law comes, tell her dinner will proceed as usual. Uncle and his wife will be dining with us, so she should prepare thoroughly.”

Nanny Huang quietly acknowledged the order and sat with Yulan in the outer room doing needlework, while several maids on duty stood guard in the corridor.

The light in the room dimmed with the closing of the windows. Cui Yingshu looked at Old Master Song with some anxiety. “What’s going on? Logically speaking, at this critical juncture, the Feathered Forest Guard shouldn’t be mobilized…”

At this critical juncture, both the Imperial Guard and the Feathered Forest Guard should be properly guarding the Imperial City with tight security.

Madam Cui frowned at her husband, hesitating for a moment before saying, “When I left the palace, I happened to hear Weizhao request that His Majesty have the Imperial Observatory select a date to send an imperial envoy to Longhu Mountain to pray for blessings. Could it be because of this?”

Song Chuyi’s brow twitched, immediately sensing something amiss.

If Zhou Weizhao truly intended to pray for blessings, wouldn’t the best candidate be himself, having spent seven or eight years at Longhu Mountain? Moreover, with his status as a registered Taoist disciple, he would be better able to persuade Celestial Master Zhang to leave the mountain.

The Crown Prince was poisoned—since it was poisoning and not serious illness, why speak of praying for blessings? Probably the talk of praying for blessings was false, while secretly going to Longhu Mountain to seek medicine was the truth.

But sending an imperial envoy to Longhu Mountain with such fanfare—weren’t they afraid the mastermind behind the poisoning would interfere along the way?

Or was this a case of appearing to repair the plank road while secretly crossing at Chencang?

No, given Zhou Weizhao’s excessively cautious nature, he absolutely wouldn’t do something so ostentatious. The imperial envoy must be a decoy, while behind the scenes there should be his trusted confidants, or even himself, making a separate trip to Longhu Mountain.

Song Chengru evidently thought the same. He frowned with a rather serious expression. “If the Feathered Forest Guard is truly responsible for escorting the imperial envoy, this journey will be quite dangerous…”

Song Ren’s expression also looked unpleasant, but he knew that worrying was useless at this point. He could only forcibly suppress the unease in his heart and gather his spirits to listen to their conversation.

Cui Yingshu sighed, sounding somewhat moved. “His Highness the Grand Prince truly doesn’t seem like a mere twelve-year-old youth.”

He recalled the murderous aura on Zhou Weizhao’s face when, upon first learning of the Crown Prince’s poisoning, he immediately ordered the palace sealed and people arrested. He inexplicably felt somewhat frightened. But he shouldn’t have experienced such a shameful emotion as fear for many years now.

Madam Cui glanced at him, then looked at Song Chuyi, inappropriately thinking to herself—the nine-year-old niece before you also really doesn’t seem like an innocent young girl of only nine years.

“Xiaoyi, in your dream, what happened to your uncle?” Old Master Song suddenly turned to ask her, with some uncertainty in his inquiry. “Can you still remember?”

Song Chuyi looked up at Cui Yingshu in surprise, recalling what Madam Cui had mentioned earlier about Cui Yingshu deciding to return to office. She couldn’t help but ask, “Has Uncle’s appointment come through?”

She also recalled from her previous life how Chief Minister Chang had lost his position due to being implicated in the Crown Prince’s death. After careful consideration, without waiting for Cui Yingshu to answer, she asked, “Did Chief Minister help with this?”

Cui Yingshu’s handsome features were tinged with astonishment, and he drew a sharp breath at this young girl’s perceptiveness. “How did you know?”

Like the Song family, Chief Minister Chang, who had navigated official circles for over forty years with deep cunning and never attached himself to any faction, had probably also experienced many troublesome disturbances. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have initially taken the initiative to show goodwill before Song Chengru, proactively saying things with obvious directional intent like how Elder Zhang had gone too far.

Since Chief Minister Chang had already offended Xingfu and had no intention of turning toward Prince Duan, he naturally had to seek temporary shelter under a powerful branch like the Song family, or alternatively rally aristocratic families to form his own faction.

From the current situation, Chief Minister Chang seemed to be choosing the latter. He was originally related by marriage to Cen Biliang of the Ministry of War who had submitted the memorial, and his disciples were spread throughout court and country. Among them were quite a few scions of aristocratic families like Cui Yingshu. If all were promised substantial benefits or high office, they might actually succeed.

After careful deliberation, Song Chuyi didn’t answer Cui Yingshu’s question, but turned to look at her grandfather and asked, “Grandfather, has the cabinet’s dispute over the selection of Zijing Pass’s garrison commander reached a conclusion?”

If her guess was correct, Chief Minister Chang’s desire to win over the Cui clan wouldn’t stop at just giving Cui Yingshu the position of Vice Minister of Works. Among the Cui family, the person with the highest current status who could still be promoted further without appearing deliberately calculated was another person.

The position of Zijing Pass garrison commander was somewhat beneath Cui Shaoting. Shaanxi, Gansu, Datong, Xuanfu… Song Chuyi felt as if there was a vast net spreading overwhelmingly toward both the Song and Cui families.

Song Chengru was astonished by her keen perception. He nodded solemnly. “In the end, they recommended Wei Qingshu, who was nominated by Elder Du and currently holds the hereditary title of Mighty General.” He glanced at the thoughtful Cui Yingshu and added, “However, Chief Minister Chang separately memorialized His Majesty, suggesting the reestablishment of the position of Supreme Commander of the Three Frontiers, to be held by Fujian Commander-in-Chief Cui Shaoting.”

Supreme Commander of the Three Frontiers! It had come after all.

Song Chuyi narrowed her eyes, sighed as she looked at Cui Yingshu, then glanced at Old Madam Song and Madam Cui who had remained silent throughout. Her tone was heavy as she asked, “Grandfather, Uncle, have you considered that warfare might erupt again in the Northwest?”

Cui Yingshu and Old Master Song looked at each other, stunned by her question.

But after recovering their wits, they began carefully considering this possibility. If the Tartars had no treacherous intentions, they wouldn’t have allowed cavalry to enter the city, much less colluded with Xingfu.

Now that Xingfu, who had always facilitated their trade, was dead, and Great Zhou had made clear its intention to strengthen border defenses and maintain strict vigilance against them, what would the Tartars, who had always been short of supplies, do?

At this point they had nothing to lose, and having already beaten the surrounding tribes into submission, they could take advantage of winter when grazing was impossible to launch a coordinated attack on Great Zhou’s borders.

This happened every year in the past, but they usually just plundered some goods and left. However, this year was indeed different—having tasted the sweet rewards of Zijing Pass and Tongzhou, these desperadoes might truly have inflated ambitions and recklessly attack Great Zhou without knowing their own limitations.

And if warfare broke out, as Supreme Commander of the Three Frontiers, Cui Shaoting would naturally and rightfully have to go to the battlefield.