This courtyard even had a lake dug into it. Song Chuyi was sitting in a pavilion with curtains rolled up on all four sides. When she saw him, she called out with a beaming smile, “Uncle Lai.” Occasionally, frog croaks came from the surroundings. Lai Chenglong sat down across from her, the murderous aura on his person unconsciously diminishing considerably, and asked her, “It’s so late—why aren’t you going home? What are you looking for me for?”
Although Great Zhou had no curfew, ordinary men still didn’t dare go out freely late at night, let alone a young lady from a noble family like Song Chuyi.
Qing Ying and Qing Tao came in to set the table. In a moment, the table was filled with pastries and delicacies. Lai Chenglong glanced over and froze—almond tofu pudding, spicy shredded tripe, stir-fried field frogs, flower mushrooms with duck webs… all were things he loved to eat.
He had been in the Embroidered Uniform Guard for so long, always being the one who knew every detail about court officials’ matters big and small. But this was the first time someone understood him so well. A gust of wind blew past, and he felt goosebumps rise all over his body.
Cui Shaoting was right—this niece of his was not an ordinary girl. No, where was she just not ordinary? She was clearly like a ghost or spirit. He knew many others’ private matters because he had the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s people at his disposal. But this young girl Song Chuyi—how did she know others’ preferences? Even down to which sweet dessert, which late-night snack? He couldn’t help but recall how Luo Gui had grabbed his horse at the bottom of Lion Tower and mentioned Miss Yingchun… Thinking carefully, there really was such a person. When he had gone to pull Jiang Hong out of a brothel, Jiang Hong’s favorite courtesan seemed to be called by that very name.
Song Chuyi smiled slightly as she watched Lai Chenglong’s changing expression, unhurriedly taking a thin booklet from Qing Ying’s hands and offering it to him.
“What is this?” Lai Chenglong didn’t take it. Both eyes stared at her intently like sharp arrows, as if it were some terrible flood or savage beast. He unconsciously forgot that the girl before him was his good brother’s niece. He also couldn’t treat this young lady as an ordinary young lady. No ordinary young lady could be formidable to this degree—calculating without error, pressing forward step by step. It seemed there was nothing in this world she couldn’t accomplish.
Song Chuyi wasn’t angry. She tilted her head, revealing a faint smile: “Don’t worry, Uncle Lai. You’ve helped me so much, and you’re my uncle’s good friend. I would never harm you. On the contrary, I’m here to help you.”
Help him? He was a dignified Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, now a trusted confidant before Emperor Jianzhang. What help would he need from a little girl? He found it somewhat amusing and naturally asked the question with a laugh.
But Song Chuyi didn’t laugh. She placed the booklet on the table and pushed it forward, lowering her eyebrows and eyes in an utterly proper and serious manner, asking him softly: “After going to Yangzhou this time, Uncle Lai just discovered you don’t have many people you can use at your side, right?”
Lai Chenglong’s spine stiffened. Indeed, it was only when he reached Yangzhou that he discovered that Jiang Hong and the others he usually ordered about—not one had followed him. They all happened to have this or that matter that Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin had reassigned them to. Although Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin didn’t know what he was going there to do, they just didn’t want him to have useful people at his side, didn’t want him to handle his assignment well and gain even more of Emperor Jianzhang’s favor.
“If it weren’t because you had no trusted confidants at your side, Uncle Lai wouldn’t have been in such a difficult position in Yangzhou, ultimately only catching a few small fry to deliver as results. Much less would you have only dared to write me such an ambiguous letter before going to Yangzhou, isn’t that right?” Song Chuyi’s gaze fixed on the bowl of white, tender almond tofu pudding on the table, her words coming fast and urgent: “This can only explain one problem—Uncle Lai doesn’t have complete control over the Embroidered Uniform Guard with complete ease. Chen Xiang stayed in the Embroidered Uniform Guard for six years before and cultivated far too many people. Even though a batch was implicated at the hunting grounds, inevitably there are still remnants who hide deeper and are more capable. Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin—these two people should have caused you quite a bit of trouble, right?”
Lai Chenglong thought of Luo Gui waiting at Lion Tower. Looking at it now, this was no coincidence at all, nor was it because Luo Gui had investigated his whereabouts beforehand—his whereabouts couldn’t be investigated. Who would dare risk their neck to investigate the whereabouts of someone from the Embroidered Uniform Guard? If discovered, wouldn’t they be courting death? This must mean Song Chuyi had already set her sights on Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin long ago.
When did it start? From when Jia Yingxin and Xu Liang interfered in Wang Ying’s affairs and took over Lion Tower? Or even earlier?
Lai Chenglong finally let out a sigh. The hand pressing on his sword hilt also quietly relaxed. He reached out with his chopsticks to take a piece of duck web. At Lion Tower he hadn’t touched a single dish, but now he was somewhat hungry.
After eating unhurriedly, he finally opened the booklet for a glance. Just that one glance was all he needed before he immediately snapped the booklet shut and tucked it into his bosom, asking Song Chuyi: “What is this?”
“I know Uncle Lai doesn’t like Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin—these two stones blocking the road.” Song Chuyi still wore a smile, but the words she spoke weren’t amusing at all: “I don’t like them either. Since they want to stick their feet into everything… then let’s just leave those feet behind.”
A cold wind swept in, blowing up all the curtains around the pavilion. Lai Chenglong keenly glanced around before steadying himself to ask her: “You’re giving me this booklet because you want to bring them down?”
“I’m only offering Uncle Lai a suggestion. How exactly to proceed still depends on you.” Song Chuyi’s eyes were clear, openly and honestly meeting Lai Chenglong’s gaze: “Whether you want to continue being held back by these two incompetents, or truly become like Minister Lu of the previous dynasty—a Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard with real power in hand and authority on all sides—that all depends on you.”
Lai Chenglong suddenly found himself liking this little girl, even though she was somewhat frightening. But when interests aligned, such an exceptionally shrewd and clear-headed accomplice was still very much worth liking.
“In here are all the people they’ve planted in the Feathered Forest Guard, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Golden Militant Guard?” Lai Chenglong wasted no more words, asking her directly: “Is the list reliable?”
If it was reliable, then Xu Liang and Jia Yingxin would be completely finished in their hands this time.
“On this point, Commander Lai can rest completely assured—one turnip, one hole, absolutely none will escape.” Ma Wangkun, who had been waiting at the side all along, anxiously interjected, afraid Lai Chenglong wouldn’t believe them: “This is the result of us brothers investigating for over a year—guaranteed to be correct. When they gave the money, where they gave the money—we can tell you all of it!”