The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 120 - Anger

Only upon seeing Zhou Weizhao did Song Chuyi feel a hint of warmth seep into her heart, calming her icy nerves. She let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The hidden room Zhou Weizhao had arranged was tastefully decorated, its walls painted a cool, snowy white. At the center hung a painting of autumn frost by Xiwei, with continuous mountain scenes painted along the other three walls. A thick wool carpet covered the floor, and in the middle stood a square rosewood table with cloud and bat motifs, topped by a bowl-sized peony in red, yellow, and white—its lush blooms impossible to look away from.

In the center of the white fox fur rug sat Zhou Weizhao, who couldn't help but chuckle when he heard Song Chuyi's sigh. "So, you do know how to be afraid."

Song Chuyi knelt gracefully, taking a sip of the freshly poured tea on the table as she kept her gaze fixed on him. "How convenient it was for Your Highness to suddenly appear as my savior. If Qingzhuo hadn't shown us the way, Han Zhi would've had me torn to pieces."

She had dressed plainly to avoid drawing attention, as usual, in a blue robe embroidered with golden bamboo along the hems, paired with a frosty white skirt trimmed in gold. Her only adornment was a gold pin, giving her a fresh, understated look, like a gardenia in bloom.

Outside, there was a cacophony of rummaging sounds, mingled with the cries of women and children pleading for mercy. Song Chuyi clenched her handkerchief tightly, her brows knitting in concern.

Remaining composed, Zhou Weizhao noted her worry and spoke softly. "Relax. If I didn't have at least this much capability, your people would have long been aware that the ordinary little house next door hid a secret."

Indeed, Ma San and Ma Yongfu had been coming and going for two years, yet had never noticed anything unusual about the seemingly average neighboring household. Considering this, Song Chuyi relaxed slightly, though she cast Zhou Weizhao a discerning look.

Though Ye Jingchuan had been busy these past two years, so had Zhou Weizhao. The Emperor's favor ensured that even his assignments in the field avoided disaster-stricken areas, directing him instead to the prosperous region of Jiangnan. There, he encountered affluent, miserly salt merchants and found himself embroiled in the scandal surrounding the Zhang family at the Yangzhou Weaving Bureau.

He'd always exuded an enigmatic presence, but after two years of experience, he now carried an aura of gravitas that made him even harder to read.

"I heard Qingzhuo and Hanfeng mishandled things," Zhou Weizhao commented, tapping his fingers on the table as he looked at her. "No wonder you went to your uncle for help."

Knowing about Han Zhi's scheme to abduct Song Chunning and the ambush she had arranged in retaliation left Song Chuyi with a sense of unease. Lowering her eyes with a faint smile, she murmured, "Your Highness sees through everything so clearly that I sometimes think you, like me, have lived two lifetimes."

"Not everyone is so fortunate," Zhou Weizhao replied, unperturbed, watching as Hanfeng placed a lotus-shaped box on the table. "Yours was a gift from above, whereas mine is merely effort and vigilance."

He paused, then continued openly, "You're aware my mother and his are at odds. Given that, how could I not be prepared? Han Zhi has only a few trusted people around him, and I've had eyes on all of them for years. Eventually, something useful emerges."

The tension between the Crown Princess Lu and Consort Fan was no secret—one backed by the Empress and the other by the Crown Prince. They had vied against each other relentlessly for years. But ultimately, the Crown Prince was still the Empress's son and chronically unwell. It was unthinkable that she would jeopardize her son for her niece. Consort Fan, as the Crown Prince's concubine, held more favor than the Crown Princess Lu, which was how Zhou Weizhao ended up being sent to Mount Longhu.

Recalling the power struggles involving Han Zhi, Zhou Weiqi, and the others, Song Chuyi couldn't help but feel a trace of concern for Zhou Weizhao.

Han Zhi was on the verge of losing his mind with rage. After two months of careful surveillance, today was supposed to be the day he finally netted the big catch. But when he pulled in the net, there wasn't even a minnow, let alone the big fish.

Standing in the middle of the small courtyard, his face darkened with fury as he all but snarled orders to Wei Yanxi. "Our people had eyes on this place every moment. It was just a matter of minutes—are you telling me they sprouted wings and flew away? Search the place! Dig down three feet if you have to, but find them!"

Wei Yanxi's sharp eyes quickly spotted a dog hole and footprints on the wall. He immediately sent men to split up and give chase, then led another team inside to search every corner meticulously. They found plenty of tools and supplies, but not a single useful letter or document.

Han Zhi's gaze fixed on the red wooden door separating the two houses. He beckoned Wei Yanxi over, pointing toward it. "Search next door too, and send someone to question the neighbors about these two households. Weren't they supposedly seen arriving in a carriage? There's no way they could've disposed of it so quickly. Check the carriage for clues."

But even when he personally led the team to turn the neighboring house upside down, they found nothing—not even a cockroach. The disturbance had terrified the elderly women and children next door, who wailed incessantly about taking their grievances to the authorities.

As for the carriage, it was spotless—a rented vehicle whose driver had long since vanished, leaving no trace of the passengers' identities. Whoever had planned this escape had even covered that detail.

Han Zhi was still unwilling to give up. The house next door was separated by only a single wall, making it the perfect escape route. No matter how simple it appeared, the people inside could be hiding a clever ruse. Even if they had no direct involvement, a few gold coins might have persuaded them to turn a blind eye. He and Wei Yanxi tore through the place once more, bringing in the neighbors from across the street to verify whether any unfamiliar faces had shown up.

The neighbors, trembling, confirmed there were no strangers, stating repeatedly that they knew the residents well after living opposite them for years, and there couldn't possibly be a mistake.

Seething with frustration, Han Zhi felt a murderous impulse. After assigning Wei Yanxi to watch for so long, they finally had a lead—only to lose everything at the critical moment. He couldn't accept it. With a fierce kick, he overturned the long table in the courtyard, casting a dark, menacing look at everyone around him.