The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 193 - The General

Zhou Weizhao had never once considered Chen Mingyu seriously. Although even Empress Lu and the Crown Princess had initially viewed Chen Mingyu favorably, he didn't know why, but his first impression of her had been unpleasant.

He recalled his first encounter with Song Chuyi. Hidden behind a curtain, he only knew that a young girl had disrupted Prince Duan's plans and uncovered a thief who nearly destroyed the escort agency. He hadn't known what she looked like until that first glimpse in Tongzhou. She looked exactly as he had imagined—like the cat he'd raised at Mount Longhu. Mischievous and always high-spirited, the cat would carry on unrepentantly after getting into trouble, never attempting to feign innocence or seek forgiveness.

Chen Mingyu was the opposite, always putting on a friendly and generous facade. Even when she did something wrong, her expression never changed. That time, she pushed Sixth Miss Song forward to protect herself, fearing she'd be implicated. Yet afterward, she shifted her face so quickly, hiding everything away. That kind of cunning unsettled him. Even though he knew he might need a calculated Crown Princess to survive in the cutthroat Eastern Palace and protect his mother, he found her presence unnerving.

After what had happened at the hunting grounds, he knew he could never feel any goodwill toward her, even for Lord Chen's sake—someone who repaid kindness with treachery was far more dangerous than a straightforward villain.

So when Song Chuyi asked him, he voiced his decision without hesitation: "If Lord Chen insists I marry someone from the Chen family, he'll be sorely disappointed."

Song Chuyi's eyes curved with genuine delight as she smiled. "That's wonderful. Since Your Highness has no interest in her, why not arrange her marriage sooner rather than later? That way, you won't need to worry about her ever becoming your Crown Princess."

Zhou Weizhao slowly but firmly shook his head. "I'm afraid this matter is not so easily resolved. Not only is Consort Fan interested in you, but she's also not ready to give up on Miss Chen. Yesterday, Old Lady Chen brought Miss Chen into the palace to meet Consort Fan."

In other words, Consort Fan's shortlist of potential brides for Zhou Weiqi included both Song Chuyi and Chen Mingyu.

Consort Fan had made shrewd choices, selecting the most beloved granddaughters of prominent ministers, each from powerful families. Her intentions were crystal clear.

Making any move against Chen Mingyu now would likely alert Consort Fan and Zhou Weiqi. Song Chuyi wasn't one to ignore the situation; after a moment's thought, she shelved her plans for now, turning her mind to other matters.

She couldn't act against Consort Fan, Zhou Weiqi, or Chen Mingyu just yet, but that didn't mean she couldn't handle some other pesky nuisances. It was just a matter of rearranging priorities.

For instance, Shen Qingrang was a fly that had been buzzing around for too long.

Lady He was timid and conflict-averse, but Shen Xiaohai was different. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared approach Song Yi, even knowing that the imperial reward Song Chuyi received was highly unusual and potentially meaningful. This time, even Old Lady Song's firm rejection likely wouldn't deter him.

Unless she completely shattered his expectations, he'd eventually find a way to meddle again.

"What a shame." She looked at Zhou Weizhao, openly revealing her devious intentions. "I thought Miss Chen and Young Master Shen made quite a fitting pair. Both are ruthlessly ambitious. They'd probably live very harmoniously together."

Zhou Weizhao stifled a cough, momentarily at a loss for words. After a pause, he looked at her with amusement and asked, "And now? What sort of scheme do you have in mind?"

Unlike the typical noble son raised on the Four Books and Confucian virtues, Zhou Weizhao had been raised on Mount Longhu, more like a Daoist than a nobleman. His master taught him only one guiding principle for life: follow what brings peace to your heart.

Since people had already pushed her this far, not retaliating would be against that principle. Besides, Zhou Weizhao felt Song Chuyi had every reason to be angry. She was constantly hounded like a rabbit chased by hungry wolves. Who wouldn't be infuriated?

Song Chuyi didn't respond immediately. She turned instead to Qingying, who had just entered the room, and instructed her, "When you leave, tell Ma Changjiang and the others to keep a close watch on Young Master Shen's recent activities."

Song Chuyi understood Shen Qingrang all too well, both in this life and the last. He was never satisfied. When he couldn't get what he wanted, he pursued it endlessly; once he got it, he was quick to move on to better things. Having been humiliated and turned away by Old Lady Song, he'd likely find a way to vent his frustration by indulging in vices—frequenting tea houses and taverns, just like most of the idle playboys in the capital.

Qingying eagerly agreed, finding Shen Qingrang even more loathsome than Chen Mingyu. He was like a fly, constantly buzzing around, yet during the hunting grounds incident, he had fled as soon as he heard about Song Chuyi's "unlucky fate." How could someone like that be worthy of her hand in marriage? Seeing Song Chuyi's disgust toward him was proof enough that he wasn't a good person. Now that Song Chuyi seemed ready to deal with him, Qingying couldn't have been happier.

"Since I can't do much about Miss Chen for the time being, surely Your Highness won't refuse me another favor?" Song Chuyi sighed. "With so many flies buzzing around, if I don't take care of some of them soon, I won't be able to live in peace."

This comparison... Zhou Weizhao couldn't help but smile at her exasperation. Turning his tea cup thoughtfully, he asked with a grin, "So, what kind of help are you looking for?"

"It won't take much effort," Song Chuyi replied quickly, clearly having prepared her plan. "Since Shen Qingrang wants a wife of high status and influence, I'll find him one. But Your Highness knows my connections are better suited to dealings with common folk; when it comes to matters like these, I'm not equipped. To find Shen Qingrang a suitable, high-status bride, I'll really need Your Highness's help."

Her plan was to find a bride for Shen Qingrang who was indeed noble, but not the devoted, loyal woman she had once been. Instead, someone who would give Shen Qingrang a taste of what it was like to live with a fierce wife—a real test of patience and endurance.

And it would show Shen Xiaohai that not every noble lady was a suitable match for Duke Ying's household.