When Crown Princess Lu heard the news, it wasn’t late either. The Directorate of Astronomy had just delivered several sheets of red paper filled with miscellaneous details—the birth dates and times of Song Chuyi and Zhou Weizhao that had already been offered to the ancestors, furniture placement positions, auspicious entry times, and such. She had just set them down when Nanny Wu hurried in, both astonished and carrying a hint of excitement as she told Crown Princess Lu: “Your Highness! His Highness Prince Gong has been kidnapped by bandits!”
Crown Princess Lu was holding the red paper with the entry position details at the time. Upon hearing this, she looked up in surprise, almost thinking she had misheard. After a moment, she frowned: “What nonsense are you talking?!”
But Nanny Wu shook her head like a rattle drum, her eyes bright as she looked at Crown Princess Lu, barely containing her laughter: “It’s not nonsense at all! This matter has already spread everywhere. His Majesty has even issued an edict ordering the Ministry of Justice and Imperial Guard to exert full effort to capture the bandits. How could this be false?”
In her heart, from the moment that letter of appeal arrived, Prince Gong had ceased to be a good person. This kind of person—one who could stab their own girl with the most fatal knife then turn around and seek forgiveness as if nothing had happened—Nanny Wu wished him eight generations of bad luck. Now that he truly was this unlucky, it was just like the theatrical plays said: evil people meet evil retribution. Nanny Wu felt quite satisfied.
Lady Lu, who was keeping Crown Princess Lu company, looked up at her face. Crown Princess Lu was frowning, her expression extremely unpleasant. In their youth, Lu Caiwei and Prince Gong had once been a perfect couple, but now these two had become mortal enemies locked in a fight to the death.
She sighed and reached out to grasp Crown Princess Lu’s hand: “His Highness he…”
Crown Princess Lu’s expression was extremely unpleasant. She looked at Nanny Wu, sharp authority filling her eyes: “Go to Qingning Hall!”
She had always known what kind of person Prince Gong was. This so-called bandit kidnapping was complete nonsense!
Lady Lu reached out in some surprise to hold her back: “Your Highness! This matter has nothing to do with you. Don’t wade into these muddy waters…”
Crown Princess Lu had always had an excellent relationship with this sister-in-law. After the Elder Master Lu abandoned his plans and Lu Chonghua voluntarily went far away, her relationship with Lady Lu had progressed even further than before her marriage. Hearing her say this, she shook her head: “Something terrible is about to happen…”
Lady Lu looked at the trace of calm in her brow and felt her heart pounding.
When Crown Princess Lu arrived at Qingning Hall, the shock on Princess Duanhui and Princess Rongcheng’s faces had not yet dispersed.
Princess Rongcheng especially—she was filled with anger and weariness, looking at her mother and grasping her hand with some heartache: “Mother Empress, you’re right. From now on, just consider him dead. Such scum—just consider him dead!” Living a good life wasn’t enough for him; every day he had to do things that made people’s hearts race with fear. In her view, this was all dissatisfaction—dying was what he deserved.
She didn’t know how the brothers who in their youth could be brotherly and harmonious had each become unrecognizable. But now, investigating the reasons seemed far too superfluous. Things had already happened; people’s hearts had changed. When heaven wants it to rain and a mother wants to remarry, no one can change it. Since there was no way to change it, making a painful decision was also good.
Empress Lu raised her hand again to rub her brow: “He is dead.” Then she looked at Crown Princess Lu: “Don’t be alarmed. It’s just as you guessed—this beast…”
This was something Prince Gong would do. Crown Princess Lu sat down beside Princess Rongcheng and remained silent for a long while before finally sighing softly.
Empress Lu no longer brought up this topic. In her words, there was nothing more to say. Whether or not he could be saved depended on heaven’s will. And this heaven’s will naturally referred to Emperor Jianzhang.
Emperor Jianzhang had no other thoughts. Now his mind was solely focused on wanting this unstable factor that was Prince Gong to die.
Crown Princess Lu nodded, unable to say what she felt in her heart. She casually handed the thick stack of red papers sent by the Directorate of Astronomy to Empress Lu: “The birth dates and times have been matched…”
According to Great Zhou custom, the birth dates and times of a soon-to-be-married couple had to first be offered to the Kitchen God and ancestral tablets. If nothing bad happened within three days, the marriage could proceed. Now with Prince Gong’s affair happening, she didn’t know if this counted as something bad occurring.
Empress Lu examined them carefully. There were a few unclear points she specifically asked Crown Princess Lu about before handing them to Chamberlain Xie behind her: “Give these to the Palace Service Bureau. Have them handle things according to what’s written here.” She then asked the Crown Princess: “Has Yong’an Palace been prepared?”
Yong’an Palace in the Eastern Palace had been designated as Zhou Weizhao’s wedding location. The Palace Affairs Bureau had already freshly painted the interior, and the furnishings, bed curtains, and other items had all been newly arranged. By now, it looked quite presentable.
“Everything is quite proper.” A trace of a smile finally appeared on Crown Princess Lu’s pale face: “Weizhao himself is also satisfied.”
After some more casual conversation, Crown Princess Lu took her leave and returned to Mingcui Palace. After sitting for a moment, hearing that Zhou Weizhao had returned to the Eastern Palace, she immediately had Xiangling invite him in and asked: “About Prince Gong’s matter…”
Zhou Weizhao had already picked up the thread: “It was long premeditated. I’m afraid shortly after he went to the imperial mausoleum, he had already made up his mind.”
He told Crown Princess Lu about the deaths of several Imperial Guards, rare severity appearing on his handsome face: “He’s unwilling to be a caged bird and hasn’t planned to leave himself a way out. Killing the Imperial Guards sent to protect and monitor him is slapping Imperial Grandfather in the face. Imperial Grandfather is thoroughly disgusted with him. News of his death will probably be announced after my wedding.”
They had to prevent trouble before it started. While Emperor Jianzhang lived, Prince Gong could forget about making legitimate waves.
But Crown Princess Lu still couldn’t help worrying somewhat: “His fief is in Taiyuan. Do you think he might secretly return to Taiyuan? And then…”
Prince Gong didn’t even want the life of a wealthy idle man and could even abandon his son—saying he had no other schemes would be too false. But all his forces were in Taiyuan. Where could he go now? Aside from Taiyuan, where else could he go?
“Regardless of whether he returns, Imperial Grandfather will send people to Taiyuan.” Zhou Weizhao’s expression was solemn: “We also have the necessity to send people there.”
Crown Princess Lu immediately thought of the Cui family: “You’re right. Since His Majesty has already said he was kidnapped by bandits, then let him never be able to return.”
Whatever feelings she had for him had already vanished when Prince Gong moved against Zhou Weizhao. Now that he had escaped from the imperial mausoleum, his intentions were obvious. From now on, when they met again, they would be enemies.
And toward enemies, given the current relationship between Zhou Weizhao and Prince Gong, it could only be either you die or I live.