The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 45 - Planning

Song Chengru had been established in the court for over sixty years, experiencing both the ups and downs of officialdom and the intrigues among the nobility. He understood all too well the consequences of getting involved in factional struggles.

Even if one was fortunate enough to follow the right person and bask in the glory of their achievements, what would it matter in the end? Just like the Marquis of Jinbei and the Marquis of Huai'an, who were once celebrated for their military achievements and honored with titles, yet their sons couldn't even protect their lives.

And if one was unfortunate enough to follow the wrong person, the outcome would often implicate their entire clan.

From the day he became the head of the Song family, he never considered putting the family in danger. It wasn't just about Prince Duan in Fujian; even if the Noble Consort Song gave birth to a prince, he wouldn't risk the entire Song family for the throne.

However, the tree desires calm but the wind will not cease. Even if he didn't provoke others, others would still target him.

He carefully analyzed the situation and could roughly match Song Chuyi's dream with reality. In her dream, Song Jue would be in trouble, and the Noble Consort would die suddenly, all because they were caught off guard.

But now, they had forewarning and no reason to sit and wait for death.

Old Lady Song thought for a while and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. "Yes, I almost let myself be led by the nose."

She mentioned the unusually warm attitude of Lady He and recalled how Old Lady Su had insisted on talking about the Noble Consort Song in the palace. It was only because of the incident in the garden that she didn't get a chance to continue.

Song Chengru asked Song Chuyi for her opinion on the matter.

"His Majesty and the Empress have a deep bond, having grown up together. When the Crown Prince was born, His Majesty had just ascended the throne, which was considered a good omen. Therefore, the Crown Prince was established early on... His position should be unshakable unless something unexpected happens."

But there were indeed some unexpected events.

The Crown Prince was kind and intelligent, favored by the current emperor, but his health was extremely poor, having been a sickly child since birth.

In the previous life, although the Crown Prince's health was not good, he lived steadily. If he hadn't been assassinated, he might have lived to ascend the throne.

Song Chengru increasingly enjoyed talking with his little granddaughter. Her words were always precise and to the point, spoken frankly and clearly, without creating confusion.

He became interested, tapping his fingers on the table, and suddenly asked her, "In your opinion, how should Grandfather respond? Should I write a memorial as Zhang Tianhe suggested... or pretend not to know?"

Song Chuyi thought for a moment and shook her head. "What would Grandfather write in the memorial?"

Song Chengru's lips curled into a slight smile, his well-kept beard twitching.

"The military funds in the northwest were stolen? But the funds are still intact and have already passed Shizuishan Prefecture, haven't they? If Lord Zhang suggests writing a memorial, why should you be the one to write it?" Song Chuyi pointed out the impracticality without hesitation. "You have been focusing on the household register and the minting of new coins at Baoquan Bureau, not the northwest military funds. This matter was handled by Uncle Ji. If you know more than he does, what would His Majesty think? What would the censors think? What would Uncle Ji think?"

Song Chengru looked at Song Chuyi, eyes filled with surprise, almost unable to resist applauding.

Song Chuyi remained calm and continued, "Moreover, Prince Duan clearly wants to win you over. If he fails, he will have other plans. Currently, he is still Prince Duan. If you submit a memorial accusing him of misconduct, who would believe it? What evidence do you have? What witnesses? Without any, you would be accused of slandering a royal relative and offending Prince Duan. And since Prince Duan once tried to win you over, the Crown Prince might not fully trust you in the future."

Of course, if Song Chengru were part of the Eastern Palace faction, he would have to inform the Crown Prince to prepare early.

But Song Chengru wasn't. He had survived from the previous emperor's reign to the present by never aligning with any faction. Whoever became emperor, he would serve loyally. This was perhaps the best way to protect himself.

This little girl, just over seven years old, talked about these matters as calmly and naturally as other girls discussed makeup, as if they were trivial.

Old Lady Song felt both proud and sad. She thought, what Song Linlang couldn't achieve, this little granddaughter surely could.

"The Eastern Palace has been established for many years and may have defenses against Prince Duan's actions. Perhaps Old Lady Su's self-reporting of Eldest Master Su was also orchestrated by the Crown Prince... Grandfather, the urgent task now is to restrain our family members." Song Chuyi frowned slightly, with a hint of worry. "In the previous life, Prince Duan targeted my elder brother. Now that my elder brother has gone to Qingzhou, they might target other family members."

Prince Duan was very skilled at manipulating people. In her previous life, he first targeted Song Jue, catching the Song family off guard. Later, he used the Su family as a link to win over the Song family. If the Song family agreed, the confessions of the assassins who attacked Song Jue would be entirely different, pointing directly at the Crown Prince's faction. If the Song family didn't agree, they would be accused of embezzling military funds, just like in the previous life...

Song Chengru and Old Lady Song exchanged a glance, immediately understanding the deeper meaning.

Yes, at this time, everyone in the family must be on high alert.

"When you enter the palace tomorrow, remember to mention this to the Noble Consort," Song Chengru said to Old Lady Song, his expression serious. "She is a sensible child and will know what to do."

Old Lady Song agreed and asked if they should hold a banquet after the New Year. Many noble families had sent invitations to the Song family before the New Year, and it wouldn't be good not to respond.

But given the current situation, holding a banquet might not be appropriate. It could also provide opportunities for those with ulterior motives.

"Let's wait and see. Even if we decide to hold one, it can be done during the Lantern Festival," Song Chengru thought for a moment and reminded Old Lady Song, "The matters of the inner residence should not be taken lightly. I heard you reprimanded the eldest and second daughters-in-law, which was very appropriate. Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. You have been too lenient with them, otherwise, how could they cause trouble with the servants attending to the girls? Fortunately, it happened with Xiaoyi..."

He thought for a moment and found it odd. Why would someone as intelligent as Song Chuyi have trouble dealing with a stewardess and a head maid?

Did she really not notice their misconduct, or was she using someone else's hand to eliminate them?

He glanced at his upright little granddaughter, his eyes filled with a cold light.