Having made up her mind not to bring up this matter with Zhou Weiqi and damage the harmony between mother and son, she used other words to deflect him: “I’m thinking about how to add some troubles for them over there. Although ultimately we still need to look at your father’s wishes, surely we can’t truly let him accomplish this matter? If he really succeeds, his prestige will only rise even higher.”

Zhou Weiqi didn’t take up the conversation. Previously he had already discussed this matter with Qian Ying, a group of advisors, and the people from Huangjue Temple. Speaking of it, if Zhou Weizhao succeeded in quelling the rebellion, it would indeed greatly help Zhou Weizhao’s prestige. But ultimately Zhou Weizhao was the Eastern Palace Grand Heir, the Crown Prince’s son. If he achieved merit, it was equivalent to bringing glory to the Crown Prince’s face as well. Never mind anything else, at the very least the Crown Prince would absolutely not wish for Zhou Weizhao to encounter problems, because if he had problems, the Eastern Palace would also suffer.

After a while he cautiously consulted with Fan Liangdi: “Father has never liked him, but in this matter, we’d best still not interfere. Once this matter produces some mishap because of our interference, I fear Father won’t be pleased.”

Fan Liangdi also knew this point. She wasn’t stupid. Although the Crown Prince had been furious at the time, he still sent people everywhere to collect news about Yangquan to send to the Crown Princess—from that she already knew this point. She smiled and looked at Zhou Weiqi: “Foolish child, if even you can understand this reasoning, how could I not know it? What I mean is, once this matter is finished, if the Yangquan rebels harbor resentment and in a moment of impulse want to mutually destroy each other and kill this Grand Heir who ruined their plans… that would truly be something no one could help. Who told them the person going to handle this matter was Zhou Weizhao?”

Zhou Weiqi’s eyes brightened slightly, but he was also somewhat hesitant: “But we have no one we can use in Jin region. We mustn’t be too clever by half at that time.”

The matter of Huangjue Temple’s Master Yuanhui had taught Zhou Weiqi a principle—that in all matters one must think thrice before acting. Before having complete certainty, one absolutely mustn’t make a move. Even with complete certainty, one couldn’t act on emotion, as this made it too easy to fall into others’ traps.

Fan Liangdi smiled charmingly, though her somewhat pale face showed full color. She looked tenderly at her son, rarely failing to display that harsh expression: “Do you still not trust Mother in handling affairs? Rest assured, I’ll always handle things properly and thoroughly.”

Let Zhou Weizhao go with no return. The reputation he established for the Eastern Palace would ultimately only benefit the Crown Prince and Zhou Weiqi.

Zhou Weiqi hesitated for a while, but ultimately still nodded and looked toward Lady Fan: “Mother, these past few days when I’ve gone to pay respects to Imperial Grandmother, I’ve encountered Miss Chen several times. Looking at Imperial Grandmother’s intentions, she clearly wants to…”

She wanted to bring Chen Mingyu and him together, but he couldn’t muster the slightest interest in Chen Mingyu. Originally he wasn’t enthusiastic about feminine charms to begin with. What he valued was the family background and assistance behind them. Although Chen Mingyu had the Chen family as backing, compared to the Song and Cui families, it was somewhat insufficient. He always wanted to obtain the very best.

This time, however, Fan Liangdi didn’t follow his words, but instead advised him: “This is a good thing. You should interact more with Miss Chen, come to know each other’s temperaments and personalities. It will be more convenient for getting along in the future.”

Song Sixth Miss had only been in Jin region for a few days, yet Fan Liangdi’s tone had suddenly changed. Zhou Weiqi was somewhat shocked. Turning his thoughts, he immediately thought of this month’s spring examinations—Elder Chen was this session’s chief examiner. Right now was when his influence was rising with the tide. The Chen family’s threshold was nearly trampled through, yet the Chen family members dared not be ostentatious, keeping very low profiles. Whatever gifts came were sent back where they came from. Elder Chen, from the very day he was appointed chief examiner, had already moved into the examination grounds, precisely to avoid this dirty water that might splash on him.

If Elder Chen performed well as chief examiner this session, naturally he would advance another level. Moreover, these scholars would all need to acknowledge their connections once they entered officialdom in the future. As chief examiner and master, Elder Chen would be the first door—he would gain countless assistance.

No wonder Mother was telling him to interact more with Chen Mingyu. His heart stirred, yet he still worried about the Cui and Song families: “Didn’t Mother say before that the Cui and Song families were both better choices than the Chen family?”

Master Yuanhui had long advised him to put his thoughts entirely on the Chen family he could already grasp firmly. If it weren’t for Fan Liangdi persuading him to win over the Song and Cui families, he had always felt the Chen family was a good choice.

“This moment differs from that moment. People grow eyes precisely to look forward. If others look down on us, there’s no point in us constantly sticking to them. Moreover, the Song and Cui families truly aren’t easy to deal with…” Fan Liangdi’s words took a turn: “You should already know about the water bandits at Qiyuan Town. They say Song Sixth Miss happened to encounter water bandits who were suppressed by Navy Commander Huang Yiping and Commander Zhou, but where in this world are such coincidences? Don’t you know what kind of person Huang Yiping is? He’s sworn brother to Fujian Governor-General Guo Huaiying, and Guo Yantang’s relationship with Zhennan Prince’s household is even more obvious… Most likely Song Sixth encountered water bandits on the road, and the Grand Heir specially asked the Ye family to have Huang Yiping and Commander Zhou take action. Otherwise, how could water bandits who for so many years stuck like adhesive plaster be so easily torn completely clean? Since the Grand Heir could already do this much, it’s clear Princess Duanhui has pressed the Cui family firmly onto the Grand Heir’s side.”

Zhou Weiqi lowered his head. He had only learned afterward that this matter was related to those people from Huangjue Temple. What they said about Song Chuyi being an inauspicious lone star wasn’t something Master Yuanhui made up—it was true. This person being alive created too many variables. It would still be best to eliminate future troubles completely.

At the time he had thought Song Chuyi would surely die, after all, what Huangjue Temple had contacted were famous water bandits—even the wife and children of the Zhenjiang Prefect had died at their hands. But unexpectedly Song Chuyi still escaped disaster. Instead the water bandits met misfortune, their entire den completely wiped out in one swoop. So it turned out Zhou Weizhao had helped.

He sneered: “Earl Changning’s household and the Cui family are this impatient to place their bets?” Did they really think he, Zhou Weiqi, was dead, looking down on him?

Fan Liangdi stirred the ashes in her hand warmer. Hearing this, she lightly drew up a cold smile: “Whether they place bets or not is their business. Wait a while longer—if Zhou Weizhao dies, I’d like to see what else they can do. Therefore you needn’t worry about the Cui and Song families now. Once Zhou Weizhao is dead, if they’re willing to eagerly send their daughters to your side then accept them. If they’re unwilling, then don’t. In any case they can’t escape their ties to the Eastern Palace. Without Zhou Weizhao, it can only be you.”

Hearing her speak so decisively, Zhou Weiqi’s brows showed slight hesitation. Though he also wanted Zhou Weizhao dead, right now Fan Liangdi didn’t have someone as useful and at hand as Han Zhi…