Zhou Weizhao only heard about this matter several days later. He had been busy these days receiving letters. Many people from the Eastern Palace wrote to ask what attitude he should take regarding Elder Chen’s matter. Currently, memorials impeaching Elder Chen were coming to court like snowflakes—Third Master Chen had written a blood letter in prison, accusing Elder Chen of accepting more than two hundred thousand taels of silver from Zhou Chengfang to sell examination papers. The Chen family wanted him to go out and take the blame as a scapegoat. He was unwilling in his heart, and also felt he had wronged His Majesty and all scholars under heaven. Then he committed suicide in prison out of fear of punishment.
The person was dead, but the blood letter remained. This was a case where the dead could not testify. Elder Chen was firmly nailed to the pillar of shame for life by this blood letter written by his own son’s hand. Even later when both Zhou Chengfang and Lu Bingyuan vehemently denied ever giving him silver, it couldn’t save him—whose words could be more credible than those of his own biological son? Moreover, all under heaven now believed that Elder Chen was a great corrupt official.
Without any hesitation, he showed these letters to Song Chuyi and asked her what she thought of Elder Chen’s fate.
At that time, Ye Jingkuan was not present. That rascal Ye Jingchuan had become increasingly unrestrained these past days, disappearing without a trace day after day. After indulging him for a while and seeing that not only did he not improve but became even worse, Ye Jingkuan also couldn’t tolerate it anymore. That morning, upon hearing news of his whereabouts, he went out early to catch him. Song Chuyi felt somewhat guilty about this matter. In fact, she not only felt guilty toward Ye Jingchuan—these days she also felt ashamed facing Cui Hualuan. Every time she saw Cui Hualuan, she wished she could take a detour—that word “good” she had uttered to Zhou Weizhao made the four words “circumstances beyond my control” she had said to Cui Hualuan seem like a joke.
Previously, she truly had never harbored any thoughts about what might happen with Zhou Weizhao. When her family viewed Zhou Weizhao as a terrible threat, she had no particular feelings either, thinking her family’s concerns made perfect sense. She had also tactfully declined all of Empress Dowager’s probing. But in just this short half year, she had decided to bind her future life together with Zhou Weizhao. This made her feel that she was both unreliable in her word and extremely fickle.
Now hearing Zhou Weizhao mention serious matters, she reacted much more slowly than usual. After carefully considering for a while, she said, “Though there is Third Master Chen’s blood letter, the whereabouts of the silver cannot be found. Elder Chen refuses to admit anything unto death. Pushing out Old Madam Chen for being lax in household management and unfair to the illegitimate son to quell the rumors might also be somewhat useful. But the usefulness is limited. His reputation is ruined. Even if he truly didn’t accept anything, his son did after all. Moreover, the evidence in that trunk of Third Master Chen’s is complete.”
Speaking of this, Zhou Weizhao couldn’t help but feel regretful about Third Master Chen’s brain. He didn’t know what Third Master Chen was thinking, actually keeping these things. If it were someone else, shouldn’t they have burned them immediately?
Song Chuyi sighed when mentioning Third Master Chen. “He’s a muddled person.”
Yes, Third Master Chen was a muddled person. He had already muddled through decades of life. In everything he did, he liked listening to what others said rather than thinking with his own brain.
Perhaps he thought that since the receipts were kept anyway, no one would go rummaging through his study. Perhaps he felt the essays he wrote were too good to throw away. It was also possible that after Elder Chen’s incident, he had been busy rushing about and had no time to worry about those things—in fact, he probably forgot all about them, because in the end it was Third Madam Chen who gathered those things to take away. Having Minister Fang, who understood the Chen family so well and designed such a flawless trap according to each person’s habits, was truly the Chen family’s great misfortune—and their great fortune.
Song Chuyi stood beside watching Zhou Weizhao reply to the letters one by one. She stood up wanting to excuse herself, but was called back by Zhou Weizhao’s voice.
“Tomorrow we go to Taixu Temple. You’ll come along too, won’t you?” He looked at Song Chuyi with curved eyes and brows, carrying an intense, pure, comforting youthful spirit that didn’t have a trace of any unpleasant qualities. “I’ve heard that the pine waves on Taixu Temple stretch for miles with magnificent grandeur, and that the Master’s cultivation is profound. It would be a pity not to go.”
Song Chuyi didn’t really care about what pity or not. Having seen many beautiful sceneries, she had no particular expectations for beautiful scenery. But she had always been devout toward gods and spirits, almost to the point of bowing at every temple she encountered—probably those who were reborn all particularly appreciated Heaven’s kindness, and could only place this gratitude upon gods and Buddhas. Therefore, she had already decided to go. Hearing this, she nodded. “That day, my uncles will accompany Commander Lai to escort Your Highness there. Grandmother said it just so happens we should also hold a Taoist ceremony, so we’ll go together.”
Zhou Weizhao nodded. Master Taibai was difficult to see. This old man’s temperament was even more eccentric than his own master’s. His master had written saying he personally sent a letter to Taixu Temple, but Master Taibai had never replied even once. Not even willing to give his master face, Master Taibai was truly an extraordinary person.
The Cui family could request his services once—they probably wouldn’t be willing to just let go like this. Thinking this far, he imperceptibly glanced at Song Chuyi again—Old Madam Cui probably still wanted to bring Song Chuyi to see Master Taibai because of Song Chuyi’s fate.
He smiled, thinking that if the person before him was indeed fated to be a lone star bringing misfortune, that would actually be fine—at least she wouldn’t be as miserable as in the previous life. That she could live well was always better than never being able to speak again.
Song Chuyi was bewildered by his smile. She couldn’t hold back and asked him, “Why does Your Highness laugh?”
Zhou Weizhao didn’t hide it from her. He simply restrained the smile on his face, revealing a seriousness. “I was thinking, if you are indeed a lone star bringing misfortune, I would be much more at ease. I only hope you live long and well. As for whether you are a calamity star or a fortune star, it’s actually not that important.”
No, actually it wasn’t important at all.
Song Chuyi’s eyes instantly reddened. She hadn’t expected Zhou Weizhao to speak this way. Every sentence knew how to strike at the softest place in her heart. She said she wasn’t afraid, but as a lonely wandering ghost who relied on Heaven’s grace to gain new life, how could she not believe in fate? Now Zhou Weizhao looked at her so calmly and devoutly, saying he only hoped she would live long and well, not caring at all whether she was a lone star bringing misfortune. She finally wanted to face this true heart squarely.
She thought, perhaps she could try—try forming a long-term alliance with this person before her and walking forward together. As long as he didn’t betray her, she would also stay by his side long and well, killing gods if gods blocked the way, killing Buddhas if Buddhas blocked the way.
She wanted to try exchanging true heart for true heart. If it could be exchanged, naturally everyone would be happy. If it couldn’t be exchanged… she lowered her head thinking, in any case she would never let herself sink to the state she had been in during her previous life.