Ye Jingchuan always felt there were certain ways in which Song Chuyi resembled Zhou Weizhao—although this was something he was very reluctant to admit. In fact, every time Zhou Weizhao could accurately, swiftly, and precisely guess Song Chuyi’s thoughts and think along the same lines as her.
Just like at this moment, he hung his entire body on the railing, sat up straight somewhat bored, and after sighing for a while still felt uncomfortable in his heart. He couldn’t help but ask Zhou Weizhao, “Tell me, is that girl truly foolish or pretending to be foolish? She can’t really not see what kind of person Shen Qingrang is, right? If she really can’t even see this clearly, then that would truly be…”
Compared to his anxious confusion about what to do, Zhou Weizhao, who was always quiet and calm, appeared much more composed. He adjusted the cloak on his body and glanced sideways at Ye Jingchuan. “Do you think she’s like you, deaf and blind? Don’t worry, she has her own clear judgment.”
Ye Jingchuan knew this point too. Song Chuyi wasn’t someone who acted on impulse, but he looked at Zhou Weizhao, knocked on the railing, and only after finally getting Zhou Weizhao to look over did he sigh. “But I always feel she’s different toward Shen Qingrang.”
Last time at the Shen residence, although in the end Shen Qingrang was nearly beaten to death by Prince Zhennan, ultimately he wasn’t killed, right? After all, Shen Qingrang was the heir of Duke Yingguo’s manor. How could Prince Zhennan really kill him? Song Chuyi surely knew this point too, yet she still had no reaction and didn’t think of other ways to punish Shen Qingrang. This point was truly too strange.
“Given her personality that won’t tolerate any loss, if it were someone else, they would have been flayed alive by now. Just look at Xingfu—” Ye Jingchuan lowered his voice and glanced around before shaking his head in puzzlement. “Yet Shen Qingrang is still perfectly fine. This is truly baffling.”
Yes, those several daughters-in-law from the Li family who had once harmed An’an probably couldn’t even muster anger anymore. Others who had offended Song Chuyi also met bad ends, yet Shen Qingrang alone was still doing well.
Zhou Weizhao raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you so idle you have nothing to do? Why do you keep bringing up that boy from the Shen family for no reason? Where has he offended you recently?”
Ye Jingchuan scoffed, his voice suddenly rising. “Even if I lent him ten times his courage, let him try offending me! Although he hasn’t offended me, his mother has been constantly begging my mother consort to help them establish connections with Earl Changning’s manor—didn’t Earl Changning’s manor become estranged from Duke Yingguo’s manor? My mother consort says that the mother of Shen Qingrang’s target is probably still Song Chuyi.”
Probably planning to play the childhood sweethearts card. After all, it was said that Song Chuyi used to always play together with the young ladies and masters of the Shen family, and their relationship was once quite good.
Zhou Weizhao had clearly thought of this point too. His black and white eyes blinked, and he suddenly revealed a smile.
Although he didn’t know what role the Shen family played in Song Chuyi’s dream, even thinking with his toes, it couldn’t be anything good—otherwise, why would Song Chuyi, who was originally so close to Shen Qingrang, suddenly change her temperament?
He hadn’t noticed anyone else besides Ye Jingchuan, who often followed behind Song Chuyi, with whom she had close contact.
Moreover, these few times when the Shen family had troubles and wanted to go to Earl Changning’s manor to seek information, they were all quietly blocked by Earl Changning’s manor. Children’s squabbles originally shouldn’t implicate relationships between adults, unless Song Chuyi, who could influence Earl Changning’s manor, played a role in between.
“Don’t overthink it.” He came back to his senses and pulled Ye Jingchuan down from the railing. “That day it wasn’t just Shen Qingrang who offended her. Aren’t the others also living well?”
Although Chen Mingyu from Elder Chen’s family was partly because of their powerful influence, and partly because she had recommended the big fish Tang Mingzhao.
A Daoist priest from the temple happened to come looking, saying the Celestial Master requested Zhou Weizhao to come over to talk. With a sidelong glance, Zhou Weizhao saw that Ye Jingchuan had already taken off running, and couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile.
Ye Jingchuan feared neither heaven nor earth, except Zhang Tianshi—when he was little, it was said he wouldn’t nurse after birth and cried for several nights, nearly crying himself to death. Only after going to Longhu Mountain to specially acknowledge a godfather did he improve. From then on, he lived under the shadow of Longhu Mountain—everyone there was of higher seniority than him, and he had to address the Celestial Master as godgrandfather.
Anyone who constantly had to call someone godgrandfather would feel awkward in their heart, not to mention this godgrandfather couldn’t be offended. Ye Jingchuan slipped away quickly as if oil had been applied to his feet. On his way down the mountain, he happened to run into an enemy as if enemies were bound to meet on a narrow path.
Since being beaten by Ye Jingchuan that one time, Shen Qingrang had been behaving himself for quite a while. Although he didn’t know why Ye Jingchuan had beaten him out of nowhere, now seeing this god of death, his heart felt somewhat uneasy, and he nearly lost his grip on the reins in his hand.
“Going up the mountain?” Ye Jingchuan exchanged courtesies with him and looked back at the Daoist temple towering at the mountain peak. “Aren’t you someone who doesn’t believe in these things?”
Shen Qingrang performed the full courtesy. While cupping his hands, he truly looked like an elegant young gentleman. A smile appeared on his fair face. “Indeed. My mother specifically sent me to retrieve my younger sister’s protective talisman.”
Ye Jingchuan wore a frost-white long robe today with a twin-fish jade pendant attached at his waist, which now shone brilliantly against the white snow backdrop. He blocked the middle of the road with clearly no intention of letting him pass, raised his chin, and asked, “I remember you once told me that Miss Song the Sixth was very despicable, yet your mother has been constantly begging my mother consort recently to speak on your behalf to the Song family. Could it be that you were deceiving people before?”
Although young gentlemen from aristocratic families usually paid great attention to etiquette, the habit of talking about people behind their backs was no different from ordinary people. Shen Qingrang didn’t find his question too strange. He slightly furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, figuring that his mother had probably already conveyed her intentions to Princess Zhennan, which aroused Ye Jingchuan’s curiosity. He smiled and said, “Times change. You and I are both sons of great aristocratic families and should understand the principle that marriage matters are by parental decree. Where is there any question of liking or not liking? If parents say it’s good, then you marry her. As for what happens after marriage, that’s another matter.”
Admittedly, Shen Qingrang’s words this time couldn’t be faulted—marriages among the capital’s aristocratic families were largely as he described. But when it concerned Song Chuyi, it made Ye Jingchuan feel uncomfortable all over.
Shen Qingrang looked at Ye Jingchuan standing there like a jade tree in the wind, and felt somewhat envious. “Speaking of which, if I were as capable as you, I could also find something to do and wouldn’t have to be constrained by family elders in everything. Even unable to decide on the person I like. To be honest with you, although I understand all the principles, my heart still feels somewhat uncomfortable about it.”
Ye Jingchuan held back but ultimately couldn’t restrain himself. He tugged at the corner of his mouth in what counted as a smile. “The way you put it, it’s as if Miss Song is somehow burying your talents.”