The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 96 - Eastern Inducement

Colluding with the enemy and betraying the country—these were the two things that Emperor Jianzhang despised the most, punishable by death.

This eight-year-old girl from the Changning Marquis's Mansion knew how to kill people and leave no way out for others.

Zhou Weizhao suddenly raised the bamboo tube in his hand, and the clever little ink monkey, which had been spinning its eyes around while perched on the pen holder, quickly scurried back inside.

"Ever since the matter with Qi Shengyuan, I found it strange why the marquis would entrust such a significant task to a girl of your age. Now it seems he truly has an eye for talent," Zhou Weizhao set the bamboo tube upright on the table. "I just find it a bit odd; you seem remarkably clever."

Song Chengru and Old Lady Song had both said that being too clever at a young age could lead to unpredictable consequences.

Song Chuyi lowered her head and didn't respond.

"Some secrets that even the Jinyiwei might struggle to uncover seem to flow from your lips as easily as if they were common knowledge, unhindered by time or place. Could it be that heaven has favored you?" Zhou Weizhao looked straight at her, his gaze hinting at inquiry. "Or is it that the Old Marquis and Old Lady Song have really devoted themselves to your education?"

Song Chuyi waved for Qingtao and Hongyu to leave before turning her attention back to Zhou Weizhao.

"I heard that Your Highness spent seven years at Longhu Mountain. I wonder if you've come across any strange tales during that time?" Song Chuyi calmly walked to his desk and met his gaze fearlessly. "I've encountered a few unusual occurrences."

Yes, no matter how clever one was, some things couldn't be explained merely by intelligence, such as knowing about personnel assignments far away at the border—some things even Song Chenru might not know. Yet, she did, and this would certainly raise suspicions in the future.

Zhou Weizhao looked at her with interest for a while before nodding with a smile. "Let's hear it."

"I had a dream," Song Chuyi pondered for a moment and then recounted her previous life's experiences, mixing truth and fiction, and then curved her lips into a slight smile. "That's how it is. Your Highness guessed correctly; no one is born with knowledge of the world. I merely benefited from that dream."

She was smiling, but it wasn't necessarily out of joy. After a fleeting moment of sadness in her eyes, it was mixed with relief.

Such complex emotions, just like that somewhat frightening intelligence, shouldn't belong to a little girl.

Zhou Weizhao suddenly extended the bamboo tube in his hand toward Song Chuyi from a distance. "Here's a little gift for you."

The ink monkey was rare and worth its weight in gold, yet he offered it as casually as if he were handing over an ordinary rabbit.

Song Chuyi hesitated and didn't reach out to take it.

"Don't worry, I won't charge you anything extra," Zhou Weizhao urged it a little closer, seemingly in good spirits. "As for the dream you mentioned earlier, I believe you."

Finally receiving a word from this difficult character, Song Chuyi let out a sigh of relief and reached out to accept the bamboo tube.

"Alright, now let's continue discussing the Tatar invasion," Zhou Weizhao settled comfortably into his chair, looking across the desk at Song Chuyi. "Xingfu has operated in the court for many years, aided by Prince Duan, and holds considerable power. Just relying on this godson, the Inspector General, won't be enough to take him down. Do you have any other strategies?"

This was also why Prince Duan had been able to easily secure additional guards and budgetary support last time, and why he could leave the capital for his fief without difficulty later on.

After all, Xingfu is a favorite of the emperor and has the emperor's trust.

Song Chuyi lowered her head as if thinking for a while, then smiled with confidence.

Whenever she smiled, two small dimples appeared on her cheeks, accentuated by her little sharp canine teeth, adding to her charm as a little girl.

"This Inspector General is not a person of high moral integrity. Since he can seek favor from Xingfu for power, he can certainly seek refuge with others for survival. As the head of the Directorate for Ceremonial Affairs, the crimes Xingfu has committed are too numerous to count... All His Highness needs to do is find the most damning piece of evidence, and that will be enough. Moreover, I learned in my dream that Xingfu has been in correspondence with the Tatar Grand Tutor. If these letters come to light, even the gods wouldn't be able to save him."

She was smiling, yet her words were all aimed at bringing someone to ruin.

Zhou Weizhao finally felt that his intuition was somewhat absurdly accurate; it seemed his master hadn't been entirely misleading him. He had known that this Sixth Miss was extraordinary, and it was proving to be true.

"After all, he has served the Emperor for decades, and the Emperor is someone who values old friendships. If he later remembers the good times...," Zhou Weizhao tapped his fingers on the table, "wouldn't that be disastrous?"

"Do you remember that Miss Chen from last night?" Song Chuyi tossed out her final card. "She is the legitimate granddaughter of the Vice Minister and was nearly killed by the Tatar soldiers with her brother in a villa. Last night, I already hinted to her about the picture book drawn by the Inspector General... I believe Old Master Chen will have the right judgment."

Old Master Chen is in charge of the Censorate, and when the Inspector Generals swarm in, their accusations could easily drown Xingfu. Even if the Emperor decides to spare him out of nostalgia, he wouldn't be able to remain unscathed.

Considering all this so thoroughly, it's no wonder she could negotiate terms with Ye Jingchuan, leading him to willingly agree to help her rescue someone.

Zhou Weizhao nodded, then turned to discuss Song Chuyi's situation. "Since the person you saved needs to avoid your elders, it shows that your family may not be as harmonious as it seems. You appear to act more freely than other young ladies, which suggests your grandparents must value you highly. Why do you still have things you need to hide from them?"

"This is what I need Your Highness's help with," Song Chuyi said briefly, but her meaning was clear. "Because I had such a peculiar dream, I also know a lot of secret matters within the inner residence. Since you understand me so well, you should also know that I have a stepmother, right?"

Many things do not need to be explained in detail; just touching upon them is sufficient.

Among the stepmothers in the capital, the reputation of Lady Li has always been top-notch. However, it turns out there are secrets that cannot be shared with outsiders.

So, the claim that her grandmother personally took her in to raise her may not necessarily be entirely true.

The window rattled in the wind, and Qingtao and Hongyu had already knocked on the door several times in worry.

With the conversation reaching this point, Zhou Weizhao called them in.

"Miss, Nanny Xu said that the Heir (Song Ren) and the eldest young master are looking for you," Hongyu observed Zhou Weizhao's expression; seeing no unusual reaction, she relaxed significantly compared to before.

Song Chuyi then bid farewell to Zhou Weizhao. Upon exiting, she saw the little Taoist who had guided her earlier swiftly glide into the room.

She faintly heard him mention the gathering of Tatar soldiers.

It seemed that someone had caught wind of the news and wanted to capture both Ye Jingchuan and Zhou Weizhao here in one fell swoop...

Uncertain whether this matter was related to Song Ren and Song Jue looking for her, Song Chuyi didn't dare to delay and went straight to the main hall to meet Song Ren.