Zhou Weizhao had never been someone who couldn’t control his emotions. His sudden killing intent toward Han Zhi, his desire to help Young Madam Fan from behind the scenes—honestly speaking, it wasn’t entirely motivated by self-interest. But very quickly he understood that Song Chuyi was right. The Crown Prince’s obedience to Elder Madam Fan had become habitual. Nowadays, he would only take medicine if Elder Madam Fan personally fed it to him. Under such absolute trust, without long-lasting patience, he might not be able to strike successfully in one blow. For now, the only option was to endure.

Although his mother, Crown Princess Lu, came from a distinguished family and though she lacked nothing in gentleness, goodness, respect, frugality, and humility, she had been suppressed by Elder Madam Fan to the point where even breathing was difficult. During the hardest years, the Crown Princess had even cried herself unconscious while holding the young him before Zhang Tianshi, begging Zhang Tianshi to take him to Longhu Mountain.

While cultivating with his master on Longhu Mountain, he had more than once seen letters his mother wrote to his master. In the letters, she said there was no need to teach imperial tactics, no need to exhaust efforts training him as an heir apparent. She only wished for him to live safely and joyfully throughout his life, and if possible, to never enter the capital again.

But he had never been willing to accept that. He was the legitimate imperial grandson of the direct line, born with auspicious signs and designated by Emperor Jianzhang as His Highness the Imperial Grand Heir. Why should he retreat until there was nowhere left to go, allowing his mother to sink in the Eastern Palace?

This was the first time Song Chuyi had detected emotional turbulence in him. But that trace of turbulence lasted only an instant. The aura around Zhou Weizhao’s body once again tended toward calm and steady composure. That slight trace of malevolent energy seemed to have never appeared.

Even reborn as she was, she couldn’t achieve such impassiveness with her emotions. This Imperial Grand Heir, though he hadn’t been able to enjoy the advantage of delighting the Crown Prince and Emperor Jianzhang at their knees like Zhou Weiqi from childhood, had nevertheless established a firm foothold in just a few short years. He had even imperceptibly eroded Zhou Weiqi’s advantages before the Crown Prince and Emperor Jianzhang bit by bit until nothing remained. Now, even if the Crown Prince still favored Elder Madam Fan and Zhou Weiqi, he had never again entertained thoughts of changing the Imperial Grand Heir.

Zhou Weizhao nodded, reaching out to pour Song Chuyi another cup of tea. He asked her softly: “On this trip to Huangjue Temple, did you come for Madam Fang?”

Song Chuyi had never concealed from him her intent to move against the Chen family, and she had already put it into action. Without hesitation, she nodded: “The bait has been scattered sufficiently. Minister Fang has been terrified for several months because of the performance evaluation matter. If we drag it out further, he probably won’t even be in the mood to celebrate New Year. That he’s willing to have Madam Fang come probe this time shows his heart already distrusts Elder Chen.”

If he still had his previous trust in Elder Chen and his rationality, he should have been able to guess that after the Song family extended goodwill toward Madam Fang, the Ministry of Personnel’s difficulties during the performance evaluation were merely a method of both carrot and stick to win him over. Unfortunately, after the Wang Ying incident, he could no longer maintain absolute trust in Elder Chen and the Chen family. Add to that the old fox Song Chengru’s extremely measured handling, which left Fang Xiaoru completely unable to see clearly that Song Chengru merely wanted to teach him a lesson, to frighten him a bit.

Zhou Weizhao smiled. Qing Zhuo came forward to tell him: “Master Yuankong wants you to go hold the ritual implements.”

Every year when the Bodhisattva manifested, the ritual implements were requested by officials personally sent by the court’s Bureau of Astronomy or Ministry of Rites. This time, because he was present, this task naturally fell to him.

Ye Jingchuan had been pestered by the Cui sisters, Ye Yunxiu, and Ye Yunyi to help retrieve kites. Later, when Zhou Weizhao and Song Chuyi were talking, he couldn’t insert himself into the conversation, making him particularly irritable. At this moment, hearing that a young novice monk had come from the front to request their presence, he hurriedly came to urge: “Don’t make everyone wait in vain. Without requesting the ritual implements, Master Yuankong can’t lecture on the sutras, and the following ceremonies can’t be conducted either!”

Zhou Weizhao raised his eyebrows and stood up, nodding to Song Chuyi. Just before leaving, he turned back to tell her: “If Han Zhi wants revenge, the greatest possibility is that he’ll find someone who can help him take revenge and pledge allegiance to them. As for those who will always stand in opposition to that group, thinking it over, besides myself there’s also Prince Gong. Prince Gong hates the Han family to the bone. Han Zhi isn’t stupid enough to seek his own death. Once he thinks it through, nine out of ten times he’ll come seek allegiance with me.”

But Han Zhi also knew that with his status, gaining Zhou Weizhao’s trust would be too difficult. Therefore, he would certainly first accomplish some things to prove his own value. At least for the next year or two, he wouldn’t emerge to stir up any storms.

The cold wind blew past, scattering plum blossoms all over the stone steps below. Song Chuyi understood that Zhou Weizhao was telling her there was no need to have Ma Changjiang and the others continue following Han Zhi. She nodded gently. Ma Changjiang and the others could indeed now be freed up for other tasks. Following Han Zhi was a waste.

After Zhou Weizhao left with Qing Zhuo and Han Feng following the young novice monk, only then did Ye Jingchuan feel somewhat uneasy again. He had often seen Song Chuyi before, but when he didn’t yet know his own heart, he hadn’t felt this constrained, anxious, and as though days were passing like years. He racked his brain trying to say a few words to prove his feelings to Song Chuyi, yet felt this would be far too abrupt. Careful and cautious, he didn’t quite know what to do.

Even Qing Ying and Ziyun noticed something was amiss. They exchanged glances, both revealing hints of amusement in their eyes.

Fortunately, Ye Jingchuan’s awkwardness didn’t last too long. Just as he had prepared his words, he saw Cui Huayi burst out from the plum grove in a flash, wearing her wind hood as she rushed into the pavilion and embraced Song Chuyi fully. She chattered away like a myna bird whose tongue had been cut, making it even more talkative.

“Hurry, hurry!” Cui Huayi pushed Song Chuyi from behind, still holding in her hand a plum blossom branch in full bloom: “The Princess Consort is looking for you! She says Yuqing has been found.”

When they returned, Yuqing was kneeling on the ground trembling. First Madam Song couldn’t even be bothered to attend the sutra lecture. She was watching as Nanny Qiu interrogated Yuqing about exactly where she had gone and whose favors she had accepted that gave her the audacity to leave the young miss alone on the mountain.

Yuqing was so frightened her eyes were rimmed red, her face tinged with pale blue-white. She looked tearfully at the First Madam seated at the head position and kept shaking her head. Upon seeing Song Chuyi enter, she actually rushed forward to clutch Song Chuyi’s legs, crying for help: “Young miss, please save me! I merely wanted to come down to find help. In my panic, I took the wrong path… I truly wouldn’t dare leave the young miss alone on the mountain… I also didn’t know how Young Master Wei just happened to also go to the back mountain so coincidentally—”

Nanny Qiu swept her aside with one motion, her expression very unpleasant: “Took the wrong path? Taking the wrong path led you all the way to the mountain gate at the front?!”

Clearly she had been preparing to escape. There was a stack of banknotes hidden in the insole of her shoe!

Song Chuyi followed the First Madam’s outstretched hand and sat beside her. Unhurriedly, she smoothed out her skirt, glanced lightly at Yuqing, and instructed Nanny Qiu: “Go see who led her to the mountain gate, and ask thoroughly.”