The evening banquet was set up at Chuzhou Pavilion. Lanterns were all lit along the corridors on all four sides, their reflections on the water’s surface transforming into countless rainbow lights. Accompanied by birdsong and flower fragrance, they lifted one’s spirits considerably.

Cui Yingshu sat at the table, but his thoughts had already drifted far away with the rippling water.

Earlier, Song Chuyi had said that Cui Shaoting could accept this position of Supreme Commander of the Three Frontiers. If the Cui family still wanted to be an aristocratic clan as in the previous dynasty, they needed to grasp any leverage that came into their hands.

For a nine-year-old girl to say such things, he should have found it strange, yet everyone in the Song family, even including Madam Cui, seemed to find it completely natural. He couldn’t help but be convinced as well.

But as Song Chuyi had said, once war broke out, it would be warfare between two nations. Though Great Zhou had strong soldiers and horses, the Tartars had also recovered their strength over these years and could be considered fierce warriors, and they also possessed natural geographical advantages.

Whether Cui Shaoting, accustomed to naval warfare in Fujian, could immediately adapt to the grassland tactics of the North was truly an unknown.

“Uncle can help me deliver a letter to my maternal uncle. I believe after reading it, he’ll make his own decision.” Song Chuyi’s expression when she looked up at him then was still engraved in his mind—calm and composed with a natural confidence that made it impossible to truly regard her as a child.

Song Chuyi’s face was hidden in the bright lantern light, long eyelashes casting shadows over her eyelids. She understood too clearly that the Cui family had no reckless men. In her previous life, when Cui Shaoting was finally transferred to Guangdong, he had still been able to adapt to local conditions and annihilate pirates in one stroke. If he could familiarize himself with the Northwestern terrain and situation, he might not fail to become Great Zhou’s most solid bulwark.

Moreover, with the current turbulent situation in court, if they didn’t want to remain perpetual objects of others’ covetous designs, attempts at alliance, or attacks, they could only become powerful as quickly as possible.

If Cui Shaoting could firmly establish himself in the position of Vice Minister of War and Supreme Commander of the Three Frontiers, it would be a guarantee for the Cui family’s future.

After the dinner banquet, they sat a while longer. First Master Song and First Madam Song personally saw them off. Upon returning, First Madam couldn’t help feeling somewhat worried. “It’s already past dinner time—how is it that Brother Jue still hasn’t sent any word? In the past, even when the Feathered Forest Guard had urgent matters, they would notify us in advance.”

“Since his superior has business with him, naturally he can’t leave. Don’t worry.” First Master Song had already heard the full story from Song Chengru. Though he too harbored fear and trepidation, he was in much better spirits than First Madam. Seeing her still looking worried, he said, “If you have spare time, you’d better worry more about Brother Jue’s wife. Her belly grows larger by the day, yet she still looks terribly thin and weak. You should look after them more—after all, they’re young. This is the first of the Earl’s manor’s Zeng generation, quite precious.”

First Madam’s attention was thus redirected by First Master Song’s words toward Li Qingzi, and her tone became somewhat lighter. “Speaking of which, the physician said she’s still too thin and should take proper nourishment. I’ll go check on her in a bit.”

Song Chengru remained at Chuzhou Pavilion without moving. This incident with the Crown Prince weighed heavily on his heart. Looking at his granddaughter who appeared calm as usual on the surface, he thought for a moment and asked, “Xiaoyi, in your view, if something truly happens to the Crown Prince…”

If the Crown Prince truly proved beyond medical help, where should the Song manor go from here? Should they continue following the Grand Prince unflinchingly, or should they turn toward Prince Gong?

After all, he was the Empress’s only remaining legitimate son besides the Crown Prince, and moreover was an already-adult prince. Compared to His Highness the Grand Prince Zhou Weizhao’s wet-behind-the-ears youth, he obviously inspired more confidence.

Song Chuyi lowered her head to look at the lake water outside the railing, rippled by the wind. She could roughly guess Song Chengru’s current thoughts. Her voice was clear as she turned to look at Song Chengru. “Grandfather, decisions shouldn’t be made too hastily. Otherwise, we’ll easily give the impression of being cold-hearted and ungrateful. Even if we later turn toward Prince Gong, I’m afraid Prince Gong wouldn’t fully trust us again. Moreover, do you remember the concluding words when Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain read His Highness the Grand Prince’s fortune?”

How could he forget? At the time, Zhou Weizhao was only five years old, struggling between life and death with his survival uncertain. The Celestial Master had merely glanced at him once and determined he was a person of great fortune.

And what these three words “great fortune” represented, everyone naturally understood.

Later, the Grand Prince indeed recovered completely unharmed. On the day of his recovery, it was said that hundreds of birds gathered at the Eastern Palace, with colored clouds circling the moon… His Majesty therefore treated the Celestial Master’s words as precious as treasure, and truly sent Zhou Weizhao to Longhu Mountain to become a registered Taoist disciple.

Song Chengru nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right. Over these ten-plus years, these three words have become almost universally known. Who doesn’t believe in their heart that His Highness the Grand Prince is the future… He holds the name of auspiciousness and is moreover of proper lineage…”

“Furthermore, though His Highness the Grand Prince is young, the Crown Prince’s shadow is everywhere behind him. When he appeared previously in Tongzhou, I don’t believe it was mere coincidence—before that, when we went to Zhiyuan Escort Agency, he had already appeared. This shows he had been watching Prince Duan for a long time, yet at that time he had clearly only recently returned from Longhu Mountain.” Song Chuyi analyzed point by point for Song Chengru. “Such a person can see through me at a glance and, with just a few hints from me, brought down Xingfu and severed one of Prince Duan’s arms. If he can be a friend, then by all means never become his enemy.”

Moreover, the Crown Prince was after all Emperor Jianzhang’s first son, and Zhou Weizhao was moreover the first grandson after Emperor Jianzhang ascended the throne. He had been personally held by Emperor Jianzhang when presenting him at the ancestral temple for naming, and held the advantage of legitimate succession. He truly couldn’t be easily offended.

Old Master Song considered the current situation, squinting his eyes as he stood with hands clasped behind his back beneath a horn lantern, asking in a low voice, “Xiaoyi, do you believe Longhu Mountain can cure the Crown Prince’s poison?”

“Even if they cannot, at least it won’t be worse than now.” Song Chuyi quickly responded. “Moreover, since Chief Minister Chang also doesn’t want to step into the whirlpool and stake his career and entire family on factional strife, he will naturally forge a new path. Following behind them, we can avoid many detours. Taking it to the extreme, even if we can’t rely on Chief Minister Chang, if the Cui family can firmly establish the position of Supreme Commander of the Three Frontiers, we can breathe much easier in the future.”

Holding command of hundreds of thousands of troops at the borders would indeed allow them to breathe a great sigh of relief.

Since there was more than one retreat route, Old Master Song no longer dwelled on it. He slowly nodded and said, “It’s getting late. I see Ayan seems to have been waiting for you. Go see him first, then return early to rest. I’ll go to the study and wait for your elder brother.”