Although Song Chuyi had constantly been considering which boat to board to avoid being capsized in the storm, she was even more aware of whose world this currently was. Back when the Crown Prince had been weak and in poor health, Emperor Jianzhang had favored him and wanted his legitimate son’s position to be more stable, so naturally he hadn’t minded Song Chengru’s timely assistance during hardship.
But now that his sons had begun competing for power and advantage, aligning with either side wasn’t very appropriate. It would be better to steadfastly remain as before, showing the intention of not getting involved with any side.
Whether one was involved privately was a private matter, but on the surface, if one only obeyed the Emperor’s commands, that would absolutely never go wrong.
Song Chengru understood his granddaughter’s meaning, yet couldn’t help still feeling somewhat worried: “Though you say it simply, how could it be so easy to do? Our relationship with the Eastern Palace was so close two years ago—can we just sever it at will? In the eyes of outsiders—”
Song Chuyi smiled, revealing two small dimples at her cheeks, making one involuntarily breathe a sigh of relief first: “Have you forgotten, Grandfather? Although we expressed our intentions, we never expressed them to the Crown Prince. We expressed them to the Crown Prince’s Grandson and the Zhennan Prince’s manor. Even in outsiders’ eyes, didn’t you also go to Jiangnan because you were squeezed out by Elder Chen?”
Song Chengru’s eyes lit up, then immediately thought of Elder Du and smiled bitterly while shaking his head: “When the time comes, I’m afraid Prince Gong won’t favor me either. Then your grandfather will have thoroughly offended these several princes.”
But facing the current situation where both Prince Duan and Prince Gong were wildly ambitious, there truly was no other better method. Prince Duan needn’t be mentioned—vindictive and narrow-minded, if he truly ascended to the throne in the future, the first one he’d probably bite to death would be the Song family who had blocked his path before.
Song Chuyi smiled slightly. Facing the breeze blowing in through the window, she stood up and looked at Song Chengru: “In Grandfather’s view, hasn’t the Crown Prince’s actions this time been too eager for quick success and instant benefits? Previously the Crown Prince was often ill and the Eastern Palace was weak, so we naturally assumed the Crown Prince was an honest and benevolent ruler. But after the Yangzhou case came out, does Grandfather still think so?”
This was also a point Song Chengru had mentioned repeatedly—the Crown Prince acted too hastily. As soon as his health improved, he couldn’t wait to seize power, but didn’t consider that in Emperor Jianzhang’s eyes, his eating manner was too unseemly.
Seeing Song Chengru looking thoughtful, Song Chuyi struck while the iron was hot and reminded him: “Moreover, even within the Eastern Palace there’s factional strife. The Crown Prince’s attitude toward the Crown Prince’s Grandson and that other Highness is ambiguous. Wasn’t there talk some time ago about requesting an investiture for that other Highness?”
The look Song Chengru gave his granddaughter became increasingly subtle. This little granddaughter of his was truly a remarkable person—when looking at problems, she could always see through appearances to the essence. And she could always select the most advantageous path to take.
Back then she had avoided Prince Duan and chosen the Crown Prince. Now that the Crown Prince was eagerly trying to seize power at the front while his backyard was about to catch fire, she decisively chose not to wade through this muddy water first—most crucially, every chess move was made completely in accordance with Emperor Jianzhang’s thoughts.
Achieving this point was truly too difficult. Even the previous Chief Minister who had served as Imperial Tutor sometimes couldn’t gauge the dragon’s temperament accurately.
He stroked his beard and nodded with satisfaction, instructing someone to invite First Master, Third Master, and the household guests, then looked at Song Chuyi: “Tomorrow you’ll add to your fourth sister’s dowry. Don’t you dare run outside again.”
Song Chuyi agreed. The next day she indeed rose early, carrying a box, and went first to Ningde Courtyard.
Old Madam Song was chatting and laughing with Xiang Mingzi. Upon seeing her arrive, she first asked whether she had eaten, then placed her gaze on her box: “What are you giving your fourth sister to add to her dowry?”
Song Chuyi lifted the lid of the box carved with intricate patterns, revealing the two-layered openwork box inside. The bottom was covered with a full layer of pearls, and above was a rose-gold crown for binding hair. The gold pieces were beaten so thin and bright. There was also a twisted-wire five-ring lotus bracelet.
Old Madam Song became increasingly satisfied with Song Chuyi—she wasn’t blind to the little schemes Song Chumi had been harboring these days, and she believed Song Chuyi could see them too. Yet Song Chuyi could still be this generous, which was truly rare.
With this rarity, she believed that no matter where Song Chuyi went, she would be able to live well in the future.
Just then Song Chumi came to kowtow to Old Madam Song. Her face was flat and expressionless, without any trace of a new bride’s bashfulness. Instead, she had a completely defeated appearance, as if her heart had turned to dead ashes.
Old Madam Song unconsciously frowned. Seeing Third Madam beside her, restless and anxious, looking as if she could faint from fright at any moment, her heart softened again. She stared fixedly at Song Chumi for a long while, and only after a long time did she slowly exhale: “In the future you’ll be an adult. When encountering matters, you must not only think of yourself, but also consider your parents more. For your sake, they haven’t had it easy either.”
Third Madam’s eyes immediately reddened. Only when raising children does one understand parental kindness. She didn’t hope for Song Chumi to remember any kindness from her—she only hoped that Song Chumi would be well in the future, and she would be content.
People began arriving successively. Old Madam Song had Xiang Mingzi and Song Chuyi accompany Song Chumi back to her room to wait for the young ladies coming to add to her dowry. She wanted to instruct Song Chumi with more words, but in the end said nothing.
The first to arrive was Shen Huiyi—her mother was the matchmaker, so it stood to reason she should indeed arrive earliest. She had also put away her formerly arrogant manner and, smiling broadly, presented her dowry-adding gift before turning to pull Song Chuyi along to chat.
When she came, she had already received instructions again. Although Duke Yingguo’s manor had also generally received the hunting decree, Song Chuyi had additionally received bestowed clothing. Regardless of what this distinction meant, in others’ eyes it was the foremost honor. He Shi had pulled her aside with a thousand reminders and ten thousand exhortations, telling her she absolutely must not be willful again: “If you treat her as sister-in-law, when she has such glory, there are only benefits for you, no detriments. Thinking this way, what is there for you to compete with her about?”
She now also felt that He Shi’s words made sense. Facing Song Chuyi, she could actually lower her status now. Like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, she recounted everything she’d been doing recently: “I went to the stables to practice riding with Elder Sister Chen and Elder Sister Han. Elder Sister Chen looks delicate, but actually rides better than anyone—”
Song Chuyi had always placed the Shen family in the position of a weasel. Shen Huiyi’s sudden show of goodwill made her feel even more that this was a little weasel. Only when she heard Chen Mingyu’s name did her brows unconsciously tighten slightly.
Elder Chen’s position now was clearly different from Song Chengru’s. He was extremely eager to take on Zhang Yuan’s case, naturally wanting to act as the foremost person before the Crown Prince. But previously his relationship with Zhou Weizhao could also be called close. Yet this time, disregarding Zhou Weizhao’s intentions, he blindly catered to the Crown Prince. Was he truly only loyal to the Crown Prince, or did he feel Zhou Weizhao was unreliable and wanted to change whom he relied on? After all, besides the Crown Prince’s Grandson Zhou Weizhao, the Eastern Palace also had Zhou Weiqi.