“Whether it is or isn’t, we’ll know once we investigate.” Song Chengru tapped the table sarcastically, drawing everyone’s attention: “This matter still needs to fall on the Cui family.”
Jin territory was after all Prince Gong’s fiefdom. Having been operated by Prince Gong for over ten years, the officials large and small within had deep connections to Prince Gong. None could be trusted, much less should be trusted. When Zhennan Prince arrived there, he would certainly be completely in the dark. At present, they could only rely on the Cui family.
The Cui clan had extended through Jin territory for who knows how many generations already. When Prince Gong first went to Jin territory, he naturally tried his utmost to win them over. He even promised official positions to several Cui family sons, but all the Cui family sons refused.
Since gentle methods didn’t work, naturally he had to switch to hard ones. But the Cui family happened to be the local tyrants of the area. Whether in prestige or power, they were already deeply entrenched, not something that could be shaken in a short time.
By the time things dragged on, the Cui family married Princess Duanhui, and he became even more subdued—the Cui family went straight around him to curry favor with his father instead. Marrying the daughter of Emperor Jianzhang’s full younger brother, a daughter raised from childhood at the Emperor and Empress’s knees, was enough to demonstrate the Cui family’s attitude.
The Cui family was not to be trifled with, so Prince Gong simply stopped bothering. But if things had gone smoothly… originally that matter with Ma Yuantong in Yangquan should have been able to make the Cui family suffer an unprecedented major setback. If not complete clan annihilation, it should have severely damaged their vitality.
But somehow that matter was quietly covered up without a sound. Great clans like the Cui family had exceptional vigilance. Since then, they had constrained their family members even more strictly, and he never found another opportunity to strike.
Most officials in Jin territory probably wore the same pants as Prince Gong. If Prince Gong died, that would naturally be good—no one would expose them, and they would happily continue as court officials without bearing the crime of rebellion.
But if Prince Gong was still alive, even if they wanted to remain loyal to the court, it probably wouldn’t be possible—after all these years, their weaknesses had long been in Prince Gong’s hands. If they didn’t cooperate when the time came and Prince Gong exposed all these matters, they would be despised by both sides.
Song Chengru made his decision: “Eldest, go back and have your wife send an invitation card to the Princess Consort’s residence, inviting the Princess Consort over for a visit.”
But at present, both Cui Yingshu and Cui Shaoting, who had the most say in the Cui family, were not in the capital. Song Chengru frowned tightly.
Master Qingfeng reminded him: “Just inviting the Princess Consort can only mobilize the Cui family. This matter still requires informing His Highness the Grand Heir.”
Everyone naturally looked toward Song Chuyi.
Song Chuyi felt a moment of uncertainty. That slight unnaturalness was only a momentary thing, then she immediately regained her composure and gently nodded her head.
Others might not notice, but Song Yan understood Song Chuyi’s temperament best. After Song Chuyi left the room and turned onto the covered walkway, he caught up and took her hand—though Song Yan was growing older day by day, having depended on each other since childhood, their sibling affection had always been deep, so such intimate gestures still occurred frequently.
Song Chuyi turned to look at him. When he had just returned, she had looked at the tiny bundle that was Song Yan, worried whether he could grow up safely. But unknowingly, the small child who once needed her constant worry and whom she wished she could protect under her ribs had grown into a youth whose brows and eyes radiated determination and clarity.
She finally smiled, walking forward with him while asking: “Have you packed everything?”
The closer her wedding date approached, the closer Song Yan’s departure date became. Though she had long made up her mind, she inevitably felt reluctant.
Song Yan nodded. Once they entered Song Chuyi’s courtyard, he propped his chin and looked at her: “Did you quarrel with brother-in-law?”
Song Chuyi’s hand reaching for the teapot paused slightly, a trace of confusion appearing in her beautiful eyes.
She actually couldn’t say clearly whether it counted as a quarrel or not—Old Madam Song’s words, she had truly taken them to heart. Perhaps she really was being overly sensitive, once bitten by a snake, fearing ropes for ten years. Thinking about Old Madam Song’s words, she tossed and turned at night unable to sleep. Just as she had once been troubled by Ye Jingchuan’s affection, she had always been uneasy and passive about Zhou Weizhao’s devotion too. Before Zhou Weizhao, she had never thought about truly loving someone again. The price of loving someone was simply too heavy. Last time, she had given her heart to the wrong person. The result was not only joy ending in vain, but her own flesh and blood gradually growing cold in her arms.
That bone-chilling coldness and despair she could never forget in all her life, therefore she constantly feared falling to the same end as before.
It wasn’t that Zhou Weizhao wasn’t good to her. On the contrary, he truly treated her too well. But the better he treated her, the closer the wedding date, the deeper the unease in her heart became. In this world, more heartbreaking than not obtaining something was obtaining it and then losing it.
She now had even less room for retreat than in her previous life. In her previous life, she had no schemes, only a passionate heart that crashed into a wall. When the pain was extreme, she knew to let go. By the moment of her death, her feelings toward Shen Qingrang were actually beyond love or hate. But Zhou Weizhao was different. Zhou Weizhao was someone she had opened her heart to and come to love again after experiencing all sorts of lies and deception.
The weight of these two was different. If Zhou Weizhao also betrayed her, then she might truly go mad.
Having understood all this, when she saw Zhou Weizhao at Chongyin Workshop last time, she was much more distant than usual. And Zhou Weizhao, counting the days, hadn’t appeared for several days now—in the past, Zhou Weizhao would definitely find ways to come see her, just as he said, he couldn’t wait.
Song Chuyi was just about to speak, tugging at the corner of her mouth, when she heard Qing Ying knocking at the door.
Qing Ying walked in with light steps, her face wreathed in smiles, saying joyfully to Song Chuyi: “Miss! His Highness has arrived!”
Zhou Weizhao had come together with Princess Duanhui. The Song family was somewhat caught off guard. Song Chengru had already led Song Ren and a group of male family members out to greet them.
When Song Chuyi and her brother arrived at Ningde Courtyard, Princess Duanhui had already been there for quite a while. Yulan smiled as she lifted the curtain for them, softly reminding them: “Old Master sent word, specifically summoning you to come.”
After all, Cui Yingshu wasn’t present, and Song Chengru couldn’t very well meet with Princess Duanhui. Song Chuyi smiled to show she understood. Upon entering, she indeed saw Princess Duanhui keeping Old Madam Song company in conversation.
First Madam Song had already stood up and gone outside to arrange the evening banquet.
Princess Duanhui beckoned to Song Chuyi. Since only family was present in the room now, there was nothing to avoid. She asked: “Prince Gong has already reached Wu’an?”
Song Chuyi nodded. Seeing Princess Duanhui’s serious expression, she shared her and Old Master Song’s speculation: “We still need to ask Maternal Grandmother to urge Second Uncle and Third Uncle to quietly investigate.”
The Cui family had both shops and escort agencies under them. Gathering intelligence was an extremely convenient matter for them.