Old Madam Chen’s spirits grew increasingly despondent. Although Old Master Chen had softened his harsh words afterward with a few words of comfort, that feeling of being on tenterhooks continued to plague her at every moment. As soon as she closed her eyes, she would hear Old Master Chen chiding her: “After all these years, you still haven’t learned how to be a proper mistress of the household.”

Old Madam Chen truly felt wronged. Ever since she’d been old enough to understand, she had studied household management and learned everything a mistress should know. She had always considered herself quite proficient—there had been nothing for anyone to criticize about her all these years. Yet after spending so many years together with Elder Chen, she had never known that the husband who had always shown her trust and never spoke a harsh word to her actually viewed her this way. In his heart, she had never been a qualified mistress of the household.

She had once taken pride in how her husband never concerned himself with the life or death of his concubines, and felt quite smug that he showed no interest in whether the Third Branch was merely serving as an insignificant minor official in some remote backwater county. But it turned out that all of this came with a price to pay.

Now she was paying a grievous price for these behaviors. At this point, even if she wanted to shirk responsibility and claim she had never deliberately slighted the Third Branch, it wouldn’t work—relations with the Third Branch had deteriorated far too badly. Deep down, she vaguely knew that it was indeed her decades of consistent coldness toward the Third Branch that had provoked such deep resentment from them.

Nanny Liang pushed open the window slightly. A cool breeze drifted in from outside, bringing refreshing air to the stuffy cabin. She walked respectfully to Old Madam Chen’s side to comfort her: “You shouldn’t worry too much. After all, you and the Old Master have so many years of affection between you. The Old Master was just terribly angered—give it a few more days, and once his anger subsides, the matter will pass.”

Since Old Master Chen had said he would have the grand-aunt come to take charge of the inner residence, there was no reason for him to change his mind. Old Madam Chen understood Elder Chen’s temperament all too well. Hearing these words, she could only slowly shake her head.

Just then, Huazhi poked her head in and shot a meaningful glance at Nanny Liang. With a sigh, Nanny Liang went out, and when she returned, her expression carried some complexity. She bent down and spoke softly in Old Madam Chen’s ear: “Old Madam, our boat has stopped at the dock. There’s a monk who asked the boat workers to pass on a message, saying he’s already waited for us a full four or five days. He specifically wishes to request an audience with you.”

Old Madam Chen was astonished. After a moment’s hesitation, she repeated the question: “A monk? Where is this monk from?”

They were heading to Jinling, and the boat had stopped at a dock halfway there. Old Master Chen had already been invited away by local officials for drinks and tea—how could a monk suddenly appear wanting to see her? Old Madam Chen was utterly perplexed and didn’t dare make decisions on her own.

Nanny Liang nodded, lowering her voice even further: “It’s Master Yuanjue from Huangjue Temple. He says he wishes to see the Old Master.”

Old Madam Chen’s heart skipped a beat. Master Yuanjue from Huangjue Temple—why would he want to see Elder Chen for no good reason? Old Madam Chen pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: “Then have him come aboard first. When the Old Master returns, we’ll report to him and ask for his opinion.” After the failed conspiracy with Huangjue Temple against Song Chuyi back then, Old Master Chen had mentioned they could join forces with Huangjue Temple. Since Old Master Chen had said as much at the time, and Old Madam Chen had indeed had dealings with Huangjue Temple, she didn’t refuse.

However, she didn’t meet with Master Yuanjue alone. The household situation was no longer what it once was—she was no longer as confident and self-assured in her actions as before. Later in the evening, when attendants carrying lanterns escorted Old Master Chen back aboard the boat, Old Madam Chen listened to the sounds of the river waters for some time before instructing Nanny Liang to make a trip to Old Master Chen’s quarters.

Upon seeing Yuanjue, Old Master Chen recalled that Huangjue Temple had once served Prince Duan and later connected with the Eastern Palace—their power was extraordinary. He had previously instructed Old Madam Chen to cultivate relations with them if necessary. Now that they had come knocking on their own, he naturally had no reason to refuse.

Yuanjue stood in Old Master Chen’s spacious cabin and softly intoned a Buddhist prayer. Following Master Yuankong’s instructions, he spoke very transparently and clearly: “His Highness and Her Ladyship naturally do not wish for His Highness the Grand Prince to return and cause trouble for them.”

Yuankong had gauged his thoughts very precisely, even understanding his decision to distance himself from Zhou Weizhao due to being too close to the Song family. Old Master Chen remained noncommittal, extending his hand to gesture for Yuanjue to sit. After pondering for a long while, he said: “But His Highness and Her Ladyship did not instruct me to handle this matter.”

Perhaps feeling guilty, or perhaps because they felt the Chen family could no longer serve them after submitting that memorial demanding punishment, Fan Liangdi and Prince Dongping had both been quite cold toward him.

“Surely Old Master doesn’t expect these people of superior status to bow to you first and extend their hand?” Yuanjue sat across from Old Master Chen, responding according to the words his senior brother had taught him before coming: “If you still wish to be part of the Eastern Palace faction as before, you need an opportunity to rebuild that rapport. Isn’t what’s before you the perfect opportunity? Besides, we all know very well that your current predicament is inseparable from the Song family. Song Sixth Miss used the opportunity of stepping on you to elevate the Song family in one leap to become the number one household beside His Highness the Grand Prince, apart from the Zhennan Prince’s manor. Are you willing to accept this? The Jinling Ministry of Revenue is such a suitable place for retirement. If you’re willing to accept it, then the Song family has truly done a good deed.”

Old Master Chen was indeed unwilling—not only unwilling, but even if Fan Liangdi and Zhou Weiqi hadn’t come to him, he had already planned to find a way to drag the Song family down from the clouds as well.

He considered this, bowing his head to toy with the Buddha’s hand citron on the table, asking somewhat distractedly: “Then I wonder, what might the masters need that I could help with?”

Just as Senior Brother Yuankong had predicted, Old Master Chen was already inseparable from the Eastern Palace. If the Eastern Palace made a request, he would certainly help as much as possible. This was the opening. Yuanjue still replied in his steady, measured way: “We only need Old Master to provide some convenience. Old Master, you have extensive connections and many subordinates. If you would just lift a finger slightly, our task would be much easier to accomplish.”

To kill the current Grand Prince—this was no small matter. Old Master Chen smiled ambiguously and looked up at Yuanjue: “Why doesn’t the Master wait another two days? Such a major matter—I need two days to think it over.”

Naturally Yuanjue had no reason to refuse. As long as Old Master Chen was willing to help, let alone waiting two days—he’d be willing to wait ten days.

Old Master Chen leaned back against his chair, gazing out the boat window, though there was actually nothing to see. Yet he stared as if entranced. After a very long while, he finally instructed the steward who had been waiting outside to invite the gentlemen advisors over.

This was an opportunity. Whether to retire peacefully in Jinling, living out his days in mediocrity among the masses, or to rise again in glory and kill all those under heaven who had wronged him—it all depended on this one chance.