Cui Hualuan hastily stood up from the cushion. The flower ornament on her forehead swayed violently. She braced her hands on the table, somewhat dazed and somewhat hesitant to speak. She knew Song Chuyi was telling the truth. When this young lady looked at her, her eyes were open and frank, concealing nothing. It was precisely because of this that she became even more afraid and anxious. She would rather Song Chuyi directly say whether she liked him or not, so she could at least have some certainty in her heart. But Song Chuyi had clearly said she didn’t know, and also said these matters were not for her to decide—obviously meaning she was leaving it to fate and letting things take their natural course. What she hated most was when matters had no fixed direction and developed naturally.
She forced out a trace of a smile. She had clearly come to probe Song Chuyi’s intentions, but in the end gained nothing and only stirred up complete chaos in her own mind. Steadying herself, she brushed the stray hair that had fallen before her face behind her ear and nodded lightly at Song Chuyi: “I understand.” After a pause, she continued: “I came this time for two reasons—one is to bring some medicinal materials and physicians to see if they could help, and two is that Grandmother specifically asked me to come see you. Huaying’s wedding day is in seven days, and Brother Yan should return first as well.”
Zhou Weizhao was already fine. It was indeed time to return. News from the capital should have come by now as well. Song Chuyi responded softly and personally saw Cui Hualuan out. Upon entering, she saw Qing Ying and Qing Tao standing in the room with rather unpleasant expressions.
Nanny Xu glared at the two of them, then personally came forward to help Song Chuyi remove her cloak, while also advising Song Chuyi: “Miss, don’t take it to heart. The eldest miss, she… perhaps she planted this thought in her heart since childhood.”
Song Chuyi looked back at Nanny Xu with some surprise. She had been quite puzzled before about why Cui Hualuan’s obsession with the Crown Grandson was so intense. Logically speaking, even if Madam Cui had previously revealed such intentions to her, it shouldn’t be enough to make Cui Hualuan do something so improper as to even come inquire about her feelings.
“Since childhood?” She curiously returned to bed, hugging the quilt as she watched Nanny Xu sit down on the footstool: “But wasn’t the Crown Grandson at Longhu Mountain following the Celestial Master in spiritual cultivation during childhood?”
Nanny Xu tucked in the corners of her quilt and touched her hair, nodding: “His Highness was personally sent to Longhu Mountain by Princess Rongcheng back then. It’s said he was very unaccustomed at first. Unfortunately, the Princess couldn’t accompany him for long—she stayed two months then had to rush back to the capital. It was our Princess Duanhui who later brought the eldest miss to Longhu Mountain to accompany His Highness. For the next two years, they went every summer.”
So when Nanny Xu said a thought was planted in childhood, she meant this time. So Mother-in-law had taken Cui Hualuan to Longhu Mountain back then. Song Chuyi hugged her quilt listening to Nanny Xu speak, sighing softly in her heart.
Nanny Xu then asked her: “Both Old Madam and the Old Madam’s intention is that they don’t want you wading into muddy waters. But I’ve raised you since childhood and know your temperament far too well. If you yourself were unwilling, you would have clearly told the eldest miss just now.” Nanny Xu’s face carried a trace of a smile, seemingly somewhat emotional: “Tell Mama honestly—have you truly had this thought?”
Speaking of suitability, Nanny Xu naturally also stood on Ye Jingchuan’s side. Ye Jingchuan was good to both Lianyi and An’an—truly and genuinely he had achieved loving the house and its crow. Because of Song Chuyi, he was exceptionally attentive to Lianyi and her daughter, never forgetting their birthdays each year. Even an iron heart would have softened somewhat, not to mention after such a long time together, she truly felt Ye Jingchuan was good.
But for a couple to live together, one couldn’t rely on a barber’s pole being hot on one end only. Song Chuyi had refused to relent for so long—she knew Song Chuyi’s heart was probably unwilling. Today, hearing what Cui Hualuan asked Song Chuyi, this conjecture became even more certain. She sighed: “Miss, in all matters you must listen more to your elders. You must not just follow your own heart’s desires.”
Song Chuyi had no idea what her own heart’s desires were. She only knew that Ye Jingchuan’s enthusiasm made her feel burned, while Zhou Weizhao in comparison made her feel much more relaxed and at ease. Since her rebirth until now, only at Zhou Weizhao’s side could she have moments to catch her breath—nothing to worry about, no pressure at all.
She leaned against Nanny Xu and sighed an extremely heavy sigh, her voice like a mosquito’s as she nodded to Nanny Xu: “Mama… I wasn’t putting off Elder Sister. I truly don’t know.”
To say whether she liked Zhou Weizhao—she didn’t know at all what liking was now. If she were to tell Cui Hualuan she absolutely harbored no other thoughts toward the Crown Grandson, she inexplicably felt somewhat guilty.
Nanny Xu only felt Song Chuyi was as pitiful as a young kitten who had lost its mother, eyes bewildered not knowing where the path ahead lay. A child raised without a mother—the deficiency in how to love and how to accept love truly couldn’t be made up no matter what.
Ye Jingchuan also couldn’t sleep. He waited for Ye Jingkuan to finish talking with Zhou Weizhao, as he had something he wanted to ask Zhou Weizhao.
But Ye Jingkuan seemed determined to oppose him. Once he started talking, it was endless. What’s more, everything he said was proper business—he had no way to interrupt at all.
Ye Jingkuan wanted him to return to Jinzhong to recuperate. Yangquan was truly too chaotic, and the county yamen wasn’t safe either. Although Ma Yuantong had already been captured, the rebel forces entrenched in the mine mountains hadn’t been subdued yet.
But he didn’t dare easily make this decision. Zhou Weizhao’s body hadn’t fully recovered. Although he had martial skills, he couldn’t use them at all. Even with Qing Zhuo, Han Feng, and even the Imperial Guards protecting him, he still wasn’t at ease: “I keep feeling this matter isn’t that simple. Ma Yuantong stammered and couldn’t explain clearly, only saying Master Ma had contacted that adviser. But that adviser and Master Ma are both dead—dead men tell no tales. Who knows what else is involved behind the scenes, whether there are other traitors? What’s most frightening is if someone behind the scenes wants to use the rebels’ hands to make you die silently…”
Now Lai Chenglong had been severely injured, and the Imperial Guards brought from the capital were limited after all. The backgrounds of these people from the Shanxi Imperial Guard garrison couldn’t be investigated one by one. Ye Jingkuan only felt there were hidden dangers everywhere.
That someone wanted him dead was almost beyond question. Since Ma Yuantong said it was Master Ma’s intention, and Master Ma had some connection with the adviser who came from the Secretariat of the Crown Prince, then the matter had obviously become complex.
Zhou Weizhao coughed a few times, accidentally pulling at the wound on his arm. He frowned and eased for a while before saying: “Since they’re coming for my life, they won’t give up so easily. If not this time, there will always be a next time.”