Song Chuyi’s heart remained uneasy. Even Lai Chenglong, sitting across from her, detected something amiss and furrowed his brow as he asked, “Have Master Yuanhui’s words been making things difficult for you lately?”

Come to think of it, that made sense. After all, Great Zhou revered Buddhism and believed in Taoism. Master Yuanhui’s earlier prophecy at the hunting grounds about Song Chuyi’s impending bloody disaster had come true, and now bringing it up again made it even harder for people not to believe. For a young woman to bear the reputation of being a “lone star that brings calamity” – no matter how noble her status – she couldn’t possibly remain unaffected.

Song Chuyi shook her head, steadied herself, and looked at Lai Chenglong. “Now that Jia Yingxin and Xu Liang have both fallen, many people must have been trying to curry favor with you lately, haven’t they?”

The first to rush forward was Minister Wang, who wholeheartedly tried to win over his in-law the Li family first, but actually wanted him to help cover up matters from Xibei, fearing someone would continue investigating that connection in the northwest.

Lai Chenglong remained noncommittal, smiled slightly and said, “Your maternal uncle must be very busy lately.”

Yang Xuan’s private smuggling of warhorses had left the northwestern army with almost no horses available. But cultivating a new batch of warhorses wasn’t something that could be accomplished in a day or two. With Han Zhengqing obstructing from within, Cui Shaoting’s role as Commander-in-Chief of the Three Borders in Xibei could be described as fraught with difficulties at every step.

However, Song Chuyi and Cui Shaoting had both anticipated this long ago. The Tatars’ covetousness toward Great Zhou wasn’t just a matter of one or two days. If not for the disastrous defeat at Tongzhou a few years ago, the Tatars would have likely launched a major offensive against Great Zhou’s borders that very year. Later, after Cui Shaoting became Commander-in-Chief of the Three Borders and began extensively reinforcing city walls and training troops, the Tatars developed apprehensions.

Their bribery of Yang Xuan to purchase large quantities of warhorses was done with the intention of going to war. At the earliest this year, at the latest next year, warfare would definitely erupt at the northwestern border.

“So matters at home can’t continue to burden my maternal uncle with worry.” Song Chuyi held her head high and met Lai Chenglong’s gaze directly, frank and open without dodging or avoiding. “Although Fan Liangdi and Prince Dongping still wish to win over the Cui clan and the Song family, their new strategist Master Yuanhui doesn’t seem to be very fond of the Cui and Song families.”

The Cui clan produced talented people in abundance, the Song family had Song Chengru at its helm, and moreover these two families had marriage ties and their relationship had grown increasingly close these past few years. Yuanhui would never allow the future emperor to be influenced by these two families, so before he wholeheartedly assisted Prince Dongping, he would first want to eliminate the Song and Cui families.

Though it seemed like an ant trying to shake a tree, Song Chuyi knew that with Yuanhui’s capabilities, he could do it. This person was extremely scheming and masterful at playing with power. He appeared to be just an ordinary enlightened great monk, but even the abbot of Huangjue Temple was merely his puppet.

Old Master Song had once entertained thoughts of killing him to eliminate future troubles, but Song Chuyi had dissuaded him. Because Yuanhui himself was also a martial arts master. It was said that in his youth he traveled east to Japan and single-handedly challenged the three great masters of the Tsuchimikado clan while remaining undefeated. After returning to Great Zhou, he originally resided at Shaolin Temple in Fujian. When Japanese pirates invaded, he alone led disciples from the Discipline Hall and killed off four hundred ronin. Even General Yu, who was proficient in martial arts and military formations, addressed him as master.

Such a person who excelled at scheming and possessed martial arts skills, who was now a favored guest of Emperor Jianzhang and had already established prestige among the common people – simply wanting to kill him wouldn’t work. They would have to think of another method.

Come to think of it, he was even more difficult to deal with than Prince Dongping. That he was willing to assist Prince Dongping was Prince Dongping’s fortune. It was he who chose Prince Dongping, not Prince Dongping who could summon him.

Lai Chenglong thought Song Chuyi wanted to assassinate Yuanhui and shook his head disapprovingly. “He’s not easy to deal with.”

Those who practiced martial arts were always particularly sensitive to danger. When His Majesty received Yuanhui and Yuankong, he had attended at their side. Yuanhui possessed that kind of unsettling dangerous aura about him.

“He’s not easy to deal with, but it’s not impossible to deal with him either.” The corner of Song Chuyi’s mouth curved up in what could be considered a smile as she toyed with the chess pieces placed on the stone table. “His Majesty believes in Buddhism, but His Majesty is even more fond of the legend of the Queen Mother of the West bestowing the elixir.”

Yuanhui represented the Buddhist faction, but Great Zhou wasn’t only favorable to Buddhism among the common people. On the contrary, comparatively speaking, whether upper nobility or lower commoners, all were more intimate with Taoism. This was why the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain wielded such profound and significant influence.

Lai Chenglong was somewhat surprised. This little girl truly dared to think and say anything. Her meaning was that she wanted to use Taoism to suppress or even topple Yuanhui?

But Yuanhui was an extremely scheming person – catching him in a compromising position would be extremely difficult.

Before he could voice his refusal, Song Chuyi had already stood up, lightly turning around to face the already frozen lake. Through the thin layer of ice, she could see the completely crimson goldfish gathered together, all swimming about, still full of vitality.

“Uncle Lai need not worry. I know you also don’t want to become involved in the Crown Prince succession disputes, much less wish to offend Prince Dongping.” Song Chuyi’s voice remained as calm as ever. “It’s just that I will soon depart for Jinzhong. If Yuanhui wants to make a move against me during this time, the road to Jinzhong would be the best opportunity. I merely wish to borrow a convenience from you.”

Lai Chenglong couldn’t help but let out a gentle sigh of relief. Song Chuyi was right – he indeed had no intention of offending Prince Dongping. The situation with the Crown Prince remained unclear. Although the Grand Heir had established a firm foothold, Prince Dongping was equally formidable. At this time, he did not wish to take sides.

If she only needed him to lend some people to protect her safety, that wouldn’t be difficult at all.

“Lending manpower is easy enough to arrange. You already have several experts at your side.” Lai Chenglong thought of a solution for her. “I’ll use the pretext of dispatching people to Jinzhong to investigate a case and send several trusted Imperial Guards out, having them look after you along the way.”

Qing Ying also unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Song Chuyi had described Master Yuanhui as somewhat frightening, and seeing Song Chuyi treating him as such a formidable enemy, she herself had become somewhat afraid. Now that this god of death, the Imperial Guard, was willing to help, she naturally felt much more at ease. Otherwise, she had been considering persuading Song Chuyi to seek help from the Grand Heir.

Song Chuyi nodded, accepting Lai Chenglong’s approach, then looked at him with furrowed brows. “There’s one more matter where I hope Uncle Lai will help. I want to know the recent movements of Duke Yingguo’s household and Marquis Wuning’s household.”

Shen Xiaohai had always been one who wouldn’t descend unless there was treasure to be had. That he could be ruthless enough to marry someone like Tong Shao – who had lost her chastity before marriage and was physically disabled – back home to be a clan matron showed that now that the path through marriage alliances was blocked, he would definitely think of other ways to achieve success and advancement.

Otherwise, no matter how absurd Tong Shao might be, she shouldn’t have run to the Empress’s palace to lodge a complaint at this time.