Ye Yaming’s eyes immediately brightened.

She knew this matter was extremely delicate. To ensure no traces could be found, they would need to plan meticulously, possibly taking years to set everything in motion.

But if Lu Guanyi had already placed his pieces, things would be much easier.

She said, “Madam Shi is cunning and calculating, and she’s in her rural hometown; Lu Guanyu is now with your father at the border. Only the Chu siblings are active pieces that can be easily manipulated by Madam Shi to act on Lu Guanyu’s behalf. So the key to leveraging this situation lies with the Prince of Zhennan’s household. Have your pieces there track the Chu siblings’ movements and investigate the Princess of Zhennan’s temperament.”

She paused, then added, “As for what to do next, we’ll plan according to the situation.”

She and Lu Guanyi understood that they could only take things this far for now.

Lu Guanyi would soon join Lu Zhongyong’s forces, where Lu Guanyu was also stationed. As the saying goes, “An open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to prevent.” In a border military camp, if someone wanted to harm you, they would have countless opportunities.

Similarly, Lu Guanyi worried about Ye Yaming’s safety, fearing the three Chu siblings would latch onto her like rabid dogs. Those three were capable of anything. Of all things, one should never provoke rabid dogs.

So they either had to bide their time or strike decisively to eliminate the three Chu siblings and Lu Guanyu in one blow. To achieve the latter, they could only wait for the right opportunity.

Lu Guanyi nodded. “I’ll leave these people to you. Feel free to instruct them as needed.”

He stroked Ye Yaming’s back, filled with remorse. “It’s all because of me that you’ve been dragged into this trouble.”

Ye Yaming had no regrets.

Where in the world could one find perfect circumstances? Even if she hadn’t married Lu Guanyi but someone else, she would have had different troubles.

After a month of marriage, she found Lu Guanyi’s appearance, temperament, approach to matters, logical thinking, and even his performance in bed entirely to her liking. She felt that even in modern society, she couldn’t find someone more suitable than him.

For such a man, dealing with some troubles that came with his identity was hardly an issue. When it came to handling people, she had never feared anyone.

But she couldn’t say it like that.

She gave him a playful, reproachful glance. “It’s good that you know. In the future, you must treat me well, harbor no wayward thoughts, and not even look at other women—I can be quite jealous.”

Amid their newlywed bliss, Lu Guanyi already loved her to his core. How could he resist her coquettish manner? He lowered his head and sealed her lips with his own.

A gust of wind extinguished the red candles, leaving only an intimate atmosphere in the room.

…

Meanwhile, in the Prince of Zhennan’s mansion, the Princess emerged from her son’s quarters with a face full of exhaustion and sorrow. She walked unsteadily back to her room and collapsed onto a soft couch.

Her maid and attendant helped her change clothes and wiped her hands and face with a handkerchief.

Accompanying her, Matron Jiang gently massaged her temples, secretly sighing while offering quiet comfort, “The young master will get better, Your Highness. Please ease your mind. You must take care of yourself. Only when you are well can the young master be well.”

The Princess shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks one by one. “Matron, you and I both know that Zhao’er…”

At this point, she finally couldn’t hold back any longer. Even covering her mouth desperately with her handkerchief couldn’t stop her from crying out loud.

Back then, even though Chu Yuhua had only forced half the bowl of medicine down the child’s throat, it had caused significant damage, compounded by the shock. Her son had fallen gravely ill afterward.

Over the years, imperial physicians had been treating him, but they could only keep him alive. His body remained extremely weak, and even the slightest cold could be life-threatening. At eleven years old, he should have been accompanying his parents to social events and gaining worldly experience. But the Princess didn’t dare take him out.

Today, when they went to attend the banquet, Chu Zhaohua saw that the weather was fair and went for a walk in the courtyard. Unexpectedly, he caught a chill and developed a fever by evening.

The Prince of Zhennan had drunk heavily and fallen into a thunderous sleep immediately upon returning to the mansion. As for the three Chu siblings, it was already good enough that they weren’t causing trouble—how could they possibly care for their half-brother? Thus, only the Princess was left to busy herself with summoning physicians and brewing medicines, staying by her son’s side the entire time.

Half the night passed. After taking his medicine, Chu Zhaohua finally fell asleep, and his fever subsided somewhat. Only then could the Princess take a brief rest.

“Matron…” she suddenly opened her eyes and grabbed Matron Jiang’s hand. “Tell me, if something happens to Zhao’er, what should I do?”

Her son’s health was so fragile that the physician had warned her long ago that any passing cold could take him away, and she should prepare herself mentally.

Watching her child suffer daily from illness pained her like a knife twisting in her heart. Sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder if keeping him in this world of suffering was too selfish of her.

Years ago, Madam Shi had schemed to bribe her maid to put medicine in her food, not only causing her miscarriage but also rendering her infertile. If her son were gone, what would be the point of staying alive in this man-eating Prince of Zhennan’s mansion?

Matron Jiang was startled by her words.

Inauspicious talk was forbidden around the Princess; not even the slightest hint of such thoughts was permitted.

Now that the Princess herself had disregarded the taboo and spoken such words, Matron Jiang had an ominous premonition.

She quickly clasped her hands together and prayed to the air: “All deities, ghosts, and spirits passing by, please do not listen to my mistress’s ramblings. Her words just now shouldn’t be taken seriously. I beg you to bless our Third Young Master with health and safety.”

She then instructed the maid: “Quickly go to the courtyard, light three incense sticks, and scatter some rice and water.”

The maid hurried to the courtyard.

Matron Jiang also took the Princess to burn incense and pray to Buddha, offering more prayers.

Whether due to the imperial physician’s skill or the midnight prayers taking effect, Chu Zhaohua’s fever did not return in the latter half of the night, giving the Princess some relief. However, as the high fever subsided, Chu Zhaohua’s symptoms turned into a cough.

The Princess kept vigil by her son’s bedside day after day, her heart aching as if cut by a knife.

…

The next day, Lu Guanyi explained to Ye Yaming about all the pieces he had placed and how to contact them. He also summoned the intermediaries who communicated with those people to meet Ye Yaming.

He instructed them: “My wife and I are one. You should treat her as you would treat me. Feel free to report anything to my wife; her words are as good as mine.”

These people all worked in various positions and had never met Ye Yaming before. They had only heard that the eldest young master had married a merchant’s daughter, and they had privately felt indignant on his behalf—given the young master’s status and appearance, he should have married a legitimate daughter from a noble family. That Duke Weiguo’s household and Madam Shi had done him great harm.

But after hearing Lu Guanyi’s words, their attitude toward Ye Yaming changed, and they respectfully bowed to her one by one.

The couple also received news that Chu Zhaohua had fallen ill the previous night.