Consort Yin was very satisfied with Miss Fang.
Her family background and character were beyond reproach.
Lord Fang was the Right Chief Censor of the Censorate, a second-rank official position wielding real power. However, there was still the Left Chief Censor above him, so he wouldn’t appear too prominent.
Miss Fang was Lord Fang’s youngest daughter, a precious pearl raised in the palm of Lord Fang and Madam Fang’s hands. Though spoiled since childhood, she was still well-educated and reasonable, with impeccable behavior.
Originally, such an excellent young lady could never have married into a prince’s residence to be a stepmother.
However, she had unexpectedly learned that this Miss Fang actually admired Yi’er… So naturally, the marriage talks proceeded extremely smoothly.
“Yi’er, this Miss Fang is more suitable to be Princess Consort than that previous Miss Tan.” Consort Yin lowered her voice. “If one day it truly comes to that step, the Fang family will also be a great help to you…”
Chu Yi frowned, cold light floating in his pitch-black eyes. “Didn’t I tell Mother Consort that she no longer needs to interfere in my marriage matters?”
“Just because you said it means I must listen?” Consort Yin’s expression also changed as she said angrily, “Look at how old you are. Which prince your age still hasn’t married? You have two children while unmarried—you’ve already become a laughingstock to many. If you keep refusing to marry a princess consort, do you know what people will say about you?”
These words—Chu Yi had heard them too many times.
Father Emperor would say them, Mother Consort would say them even more, the Empress Dowager, the Eldest Princess, court officials… Almost everyone who could speak to him had said them.
Having heard it so much, he no longer cared.
He had originally thought about marrying a princess consort for the sake of the two children.
But the children rejected this from the bottom of their hearts, and he himself was unwilling.
If so, why force it?
If Yun Chu lived very happily, then he didn’t mind being alone for life.
But these years, she had been in the Xie family…
Even if the entire imperial family opposed it, even if he became the target of everyone’s criticism, as long as she nodded, he was willing to defy all conventions.
“If Mother Consort insists on this, then I can only disobey the imperial decree.”
Chu Yi, disregarding Consort Yin’s furious expression, turned and left Changqiu Palace.
Just as he walked onto the palace corridor, he encountered Prince Gongxi coming toward him.
As soon as he saw Chu Yi, Prince Gongxi’s expression darkened somewhat, but it was quickly replaced with warmth.
He quickly stepped forward, patted Chu Yi’s shoulder, and said with a smile, “I heard from Eunuch Gao beside Father Emperor that Third Brother is about to marry Miss Fang as his princess consort?”
Chu Yi’s expression was bland. “Has Second Imperial Brother planted informants in the Imperial Study?”
Prince Gongxi’s smile stiffened. “Madam Fang and Miss Fang have gone to Changqiu Palace to pay respects many times. This is something everyone in the palace knows—there’s no need to specially plant informants.”
“Madam Yu and Miss Yu often go to Consort Hui’s palace. Looking at it this way, is Second Imperial Brother about to marry Miss Yu as a secondary consort?” The light in Chu Yi’s eyes didn’t carry the slightest ripple, yet the words he spoke made Prince Gongxi choke hard.
The Yu family was his maternal grandfather’s family. Going to the palace to pay respects to his mother consort was perfectly normal—what did it have to do with marrying a secondary consort?
He suppressed his anger and said as gently as possible, “Regardless, this elder brother only waits to drink Third Brother’s wedding wine. I still have matters to attend to, so I won’t keep you company.”
He walked away with his hands behind his back.
After a few steps, he looked back at Chu Yi.
A few days ago, Chu Yi had invited over ten important ministers for a late-night discussion. According to the scouts’ reports, they talked until nearly midnight.
Third Brother had never associated too closely with court officials. Moreover, the Yin family had always been low-key and honest. Therefore, he had never considered Third Brother a rival.
But now…
Prince Gongxi smiled. If Third Brother insisted on entering the game, then he would temporarily exit it.
Let’s see Third Brother and Crown Prince fight like dogs—whoever wins would be qualified to be his, Chu Mo’s, opponent.
Chu Yi’s eagle eyes were sharp as hooks.
He was still investigating the matter of Prince An’jing’s rebellion and assassination attempt from last time. But when he traced to a certain point, the clues broke off. All the severed leads were piled on his desk. He had suspected Prince Gongxi’s residence, but severed leads couldn’t serve as evidence.
He arranged for people to continue investigating, but they couldn’t get to the bottom of it.
If the person in the shadows was truly his Second Imperial Brother Chu Mo, then the palace would probably soon be swept up in a storm of blood.
Chu Yi didn’t leave the palace directly but went to the Imperial Study.
Fortunately this time, there were no consorts in the Imperial Study. After Eunuch Gao announced him, he was allowed to enter directly.
“You’ve come at just the right time.” The Emperor was in a good mood and said with a smile, “I was just about to have someone draft the imperial decree for the bestowed marriage. The wedding will be set for three months from now—how about that?”
“Father Emperor, your son has no thoughts of marrying at present.” Chu Yi went straight to the point. “Please retract your command, Father Emperor!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Emperor sneered coldly, “After winter, you’ll be twenty-six. The longer you wait, the fewer aristocratic families will be willing to marry their legitimate daughters to you. This Miss Fang is your best choice right now!”
Chu Yi raised his eyes and said word by word, “Marriage is about forming good relations between two families. If one party is unwilling, it forms resentment instead. Please reconsider, Father Emperor.”
“Since ancient times, marriage has been by parents’ command and matchmaker’s arrangement. When is it your turn to be unwilling?” The Emperor picked up the jade seal and stamped it directly on the imperial decree. “This marriage—you must have it whether you want it or not!”
Chu Yi’s falcon-like gaze fell on the jade seal.
For the first time in his life, he felt the supremacy of imperial power.
He suppressed his emotions and said, “Lord Fang dotes on his youngest daughter—this is famous throughout the capital. If Miss Fang suffers grievances in the prince’s residence, Lord Fang causing trouble for your son is one thing, but I fear that Lord Fang might impeach Father Emperor on trumped-up charges.”
“Audacious!”
The Emperor flew into a rage and threw his writing brush at Chu Yi’s face.
This son of his was formidable at suppressing bandits and also formidable at angering people, showing no regard for paternal or imperial authority.
Lord Fang was the Right Chief Censor. The Censorate supervised all officials below and impeached the emperor above.
The Emperor indeed had some concerns in this regard.
He sneered coldly, “If Lord Fang is dissatisfied with this marriage, there are plenty of opportunities for him to find me. It’s not your turn to speak.”
Chu Yi lowered his eyes.
In other words, Father Emperor would care about Lord Fang’s attitude. Then this matter would be easy to handle.
He rode his horse back to the residence. Just as he arrived at the prince’s residence gate, Chengxu came forward and bowed, saying, “Your Highness previously had this subordinate investigate the He family matter. This subordinate has finally found some things.”
Chu Yi dismounted. “Speak.”
Chengxu glanced at the guards and soldiers standing at the prince’s residence gate and said in a low voice, “It’s related to Madam Xie.”
Chu Yi immediately strode into the prince’s residence. Only when they reached the study did he signal Chengxu to speak.
“The He family’s only remaining legitimate son, He Xu, recently exposed Xie Shi’an’s identity at the palace gate and disappeared in the chaos. After Your Highness gave the order, this subordinate arranged for a squad of soldiers to search. After searching for nearly half a month, we finally found He Xu’s corpse.” Chengxu raised his head. “This subordinate expended considerable effort to discover that before He Xu died, he was with Steward Chen who serves beside Madam Xie.”
Chu Yi’s brow darkened.
Xie Jingyu’s death was related to Yun Chu.
Xie Shi’an’s identity being exposed was also related to Yun Chu.
He Xu’s death should also have been by Yun Chu’s hand.
What exactly had the Xie family done to make Yun Chu, someone originally so pure and kind, violate her nature and do such things?
The only thing he could be certain of was that Yun Chu thoroughly hated the Xie family.
Chu Yi said, “You personally go and erase all evidence cleanly.”
Chengxu shook his head. “Even if the Court of Judicial Review investigates, they can at most trace it to Chen Defu. Even if they suspect Madam Xie, they won’t find any evidence.”
Chu Yi’s thin lips pressed into a tight line.
Their first meeting was at a banquet at the Yun residence.
When flowers filled the capital and spring was beautiful, at the Yun family’s spring banquet, he saw the Yun family’s legitimate eldest daughter. At that time, she was only six years old, while he was eleven.
In his memory, the six-year-old her had a round face, a chubby chin, big round eyes, and wore a goose-yellow dress, hiding among the blooming winter jasmine flowers.
When he was mourning alone, she suddenly appeared in his field of vision.
He would forever remember her clear eyes, the grass in her hair, the mud on her face, the dog in her arms… The dog was dirty, and she was also dirty…
That little girl from back then who knew nothing of the world had grown up over time, becoming so cautious.
Even when his people investigated, they couldn’t find anything.
He felt relieved.
Chu Yi picked up his brush and wrote a letter. “Deliver this to the Fang residence immediately.”