He never dared underestimate this young lady before him who looked as gentle and elegant as a cat. He also often saw this cat bare its claws and fangs. When she set her mind to accomplish something, that matter would likely not fail. This was truly a matter of personal talent. Song Chuyi possessed eyes and wisdom more formidable than others.
But making a move against the Chen family so quickly was truly somewhat beyond his expectations. He looked at Song Chuyi’s distinct black-and-white cat-like eyes and asked again softly: “Elder Chen is the second minister after all. A centipede doesn’t cease wriggling even after death. His Highness the Crown Prince also won’t watch with open eyes as his most powerful arm is severed at your hands.”
Lai Chenglong was a very perceptive person. From miscellaneous intelligence reports he could discern the Eastern Palace’s attitude toward the Song and Cui families. The Eastern Palace wanted to win over the Song family, but the Song and Cui families were like slippery fish—impossible to grasp, never taking a clear position. Yet the Chen family was already firmly bound to the Eastern Palace, completely unable to break away. His Highness the Crown Prince now valued power increasingly heavily, making it even more impossible to abandon such a helpful ally as the Chen family.
Song Chuyi had been standing too long and was somewhat tired. She pointed to the stone table not far from the moon gate and sat down together with Lai Chenglong. Seeing Hongfa standing solemnly with several Imperial Guards surrounding them in the middle, she thought for a moment then told Lai Chenglong honestly: “Since I’ve set this trap, I have certainty it will succeed. Uncle Lai, what of it if you’ve discovered my elder brother and Lord Fang are close? In this court, complex relationship networks are plentiful, and people playing both sides are numerous too, isn’t that so?”
Song Chuyi’s mouth had always been eloquent. Lai Chenglong had long been prepared to deal with it. Following Song Chuyi’s words, he nodded: “What you say is correct. I know you’ve always been someone who doesn’t release the hawk without seeing the rabbit. But there’s still one thing I don’t understand—what role does Lord Fang play in this matter?”
Fang Xiaoru was after all Elder Chen’s disciple. This was something the entire officialdom knew. What method had Song Chuyi used to make Fang Xiaoru willing to risk universal condemnation, betray his teacher and ancestors, and ultimately turn his weapons against Elder Chen?
Thinking thus, he asked it aloud: “Could it be Lord Fang isn’t afraid of having no foothold in officialdom in the future?”
Song Chuyi smiled. Seeing Qing Ying bring up hot tea, she asked him softly: “Has Uncle Lai forgotten Wang Ying? Wang Ying was someone you personally ferreted out. If you still remember Wang Ying, you should remember he was Lord Fang’s in-law. His daughter-in-law was Lord Fang’s legitimate eldest daughter. They and Lord Fang were united by a common bond, all taking refuge under Elder Chen’s patronage together. But in the end, the ones who came out to bear this black pot together with Zhang Tianhe were also them. If Elder Chen had needed to make a choice at that time, he would probably have thrown out Lord Fang together without hesitation, don’t you think? Since you and I both understand this principle, Lord Fang isn’t stupid either.”
Song Chuyi’s ability to calculate people’s hearts had advanced another level. Lai Chenglong felt somewhat chilled to the bone. Calculating it, his daughter’s age wasn’t much different from Song Chuyi’s. But his daughter was still at an innocent and carefree age, still anxious and uneasy about marriage. Yet Song Chuyi already dared meddle in court politics and stir up winds and clouds. This was truly too incredible.
Great intelligence approaching the demonic—this might not be a good thing. Lai Chenglong involuntarily associated it with the fate reading Master Yuanhui and Master Yuankong had done for Song Chuyi a while ago. They all said she had a star-illuminated destiny, indicating bloody calamities. Looking at it now, it was exactly so. Wherever Song Chuyi went, people almost certainly met with disaster.
Lai Chenglong asked the question he’d been most curious about all along: “But you’re walking so close with His Highness the Grand Imperial Grandson. Does His Highness also know you’re working to deal with the Eastern Palace’s important ministers?”
Although the Eastern Palace had established its footing before Emperor Jianzhang, and Emperor Jianzhang was also someone who liked stability and valued old ties, the most difficult position under heaven to occupy was still this position of crown prince—one person below, ten thousand above. It was still better to grasp a few people wholeheartedly devoted to oneself. Elder Chen was after all utterly loyal to the Eastern Palace, placing all his bets on the Eastern Palace. As half a master of the Eastern Palace, Zhou Weizhao had no reason to be completely unaware of Song Chuyi’s actions, yet he could actually still choose to endure?
“Uncle Lai actually came to find out His Highness the Grand Imperial Grandson’s attitude this time, right?” Song Chuyi smiled with curved eyes and brows: “Hasn’t His Highness already said? Since those assassins’ mouths can’t be pried open, there’s no need to pry them.”
Lai Chenglong was indeed troubled about how to report on this assignment. The things he’d investigated were not few. Many clues pointed directly to the Eastern Palace’s Liangdi Fan and the Xingyang Fan family. But whether or not to report this upward truly made him feel troubled.
His Majesty now clearly felt annoyed that the Crown Prince’s hand reached too far. But His Majesty did indeed truly favor this Grand Imperial Grandson Zhou Weizhao. If he reported truthfully, the Crown Prince would certainly suffer a setback, but the reputation of brothers turning against each other would also be enough to stain His Highness the Grand Imperial Grandson with unpleasant rumors. He was truly somewhat conflicted.
Now that Song Chuyi spoke thus, he didn’t know whether it was because what Song Chuyi usually said never failed to come true, or because of Zhou Weizhao’s special treatment of Song Chuyi—that day on the road when Miss Song Six nearly fell from the carriage and was almost trampled to death by a crazed horse, His Highness the Grand Imperial Grandson hadn’t even regarded his own injury and had first rescued her. He would first believe Song Chuyi’s words.
“Then according to Sixth Miss’s meaning, my trip here is just to smooth things over?” Lai Chenglong looked toward her with some scrutiny.
His status was different from Ye Jingkuan’s. He was Emperor Jianzhang’s confidant, loyal only to Emperor Jianzhang. This was why he was so troubled this time about how to report the matter upward. Although he wanted to continue being a confidant before Emperor Jianzhang, he also didn’t want to offend that future one too severely. After all, he was still young and couldn’t ignore the future. Those secret police chiefs who bit people everywhere like mad dogs—not one had a good ending. He wouldn’t degenerate to become like them.
“How could it be smoothing things over?” Song Chuyi smiled, her eyes flashing with starry points of light: “You were injured rescuing His Highness. Moreover, the bandit chief Ma Yuantong was also personally captured by you. As for those assassins, that their mouths can’t be pried open isn’t your fault. Previously at the hunting grounds that time, didn’t those assassins also ultimately reveal nothing? His Majesty has his own measure in his heart.” His Majesty also wouldn’t want to continue learning more about that son Prince Duan’s ambitions. He was after all someone who valued old ties.
Lai Chenglong knew Song Chuyi spoke correctly. He sighed and stood up: “I knew nothing could be hidden from you. But since I have means to know about your elder brother’s private dealings with Fang Xiaoru, others might not be unable to know either. You should also make preparations.”