The study fell into silence.
Chu Ruoyan watched as Cao Yang clutched his head without speaking, her heart aching with sympathy. "Uncle, is it possible that Yuan Peng was acting under someone else's orders...?"
"Impossible," Cao Yang rasped. "He's from Yangzhou. Back then, his father was gravely ill, and he carried him all the way to the capital seeking treatment. But a thief stole all his silver. It was Second Brother who gave him the money to save his father and allowed him to fulfill his filial duties. After that, he served Second Brother loyally, never taking orders from anyone else..."
Chu Ruoyan’s mood grew heavier. Wu Sui’s words were clear—Yuan Peng was the one behind it.
And since Yuan Peng only obeyed Imperial Son-in-law Cao, the mastermind behind the scenes was obvious...
"Cao Yi!" Cao Yang suddenly called out.
Cao Yi hurried forward. "What are your orders, my lord?"
"Go to the Princess’s residence and summon your Second Master. Tell him I have urgent business to discuss!"
His tone was resolute, but Chu Ruoyan quickly interjected, "Uncle, won’t confronting him directly alert the enemy?"
After all, behind the Imperial Son-in-law stood Princess Ansheng...
Cao Yang fell silent for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh. "Don’t worry. Once he steps in here, he won’t be leaving."
After years presiding over the Ministry of Justice, he had this much awareness—though he never imagined he’d one day use it against his own kin...
Chu Ruoyan bowed deeply. "Thank you, Uncle."
Yet the expected confrontation never came. Cao Yi soon returned with a report: "My lord, Second Master says Princess Ansheng has been suffering from a cough lately. He’s busy preparing pear and fritillary bulb soup and can’t spare the time. He suggests discussing matters during the family banquet..."
Slap!
Cao Yang slammed his palm on the table, veins bulging on his forehead. "That bastard!!"
But Chu Ruoyan seemed thoughtful. "Is the Imperial Son-in-law very devoted to Princess Ansheng?"
Cao Yi glanced at Cao Yang and, seeing no objection, answered, "To put it mildly, Second Master dotes on the Princess. He’d carve out his heart for her if she asked."
"Then could it be that the Princess—"
Before she could finish, Cao Yang cut her off. "Absolutely not. Princess Ansheng once admired the Grand General and was close friends with his wife, Madam Xie. Besides, you don’t know her character. Though born into royalty, she has the heart of a bodhisattva. When Xiangzhou and Huaiyang suffered droughts years ago, she emptied her coffers to aid the victims and even established schools in the capital for the displaced children. Even the late Emperor once said, ‘Ansheng is the finest steed of our house—pity she was born a woman!’"
Chu Ruoyan’s brows twitched in surprise. She hadn’t expected the Princess to be so remarkable.
She abandoned further speculation. "Since Imperial Son-in-law Cao has agreed to attend the banquet, we’ll wait until then. But in the coming days, Uncle, please be extra cautious."
Cao Yang stiffened. "You think Second Brother would move against me? Impossible!"
His certainty was unshakable, but Chu Ruoyan, recalling Yan Shu, shook her head slowly. "Uncle, everyone makes choices. His regard for you may not match yours for him. It’s better to be prepared."
A long silence followed. Just as Chu Ruoyan thought he wouldn’t respond and turned to leave, he finally spoke. "If that’s the case... perhaps we should turn this to our advantage..."
Meanwhile, at the Princess’s residence.
Princess Ansheng reclined languidly on a daybed, weakened by her persistent cough.
Imperial Son-in-law Cao entered with a bowl of pear and fritillary bulb soup. "Your Highness, the soup is ready. Will you take some?"
The Princess gave a faint nod.
He scooped a spoonful, blew on it to cool it, then carefully brought it to her lips. After she swallowed, he dabbed her mouth with a clean handkerchief, his patience unwavering throughout.
After finishing half the bowl, the Princess murmured, "Earlier, I heard servants say your elder brother summoned you. Was it urgent?"
A flicker of tension crossed his eyes, but his voice remained tender. "Nothing important, just trivial matters."
She sighed in relief. "Good. With Yan Xu gone and Yuan lost to us, Imperial Son-in-law, you’re all I have left. Promise you’ll stay by my side, always."
His gaze softened like still water. "Of course, Your Highness. This servant will never leave you."
Once outside, the elderly steward, Uncle Cheng, rushed over. "My lord, the Cao family’s messenger has been dismissed, but they seemed to already know..."
"Shh!" The Imperial Son-in-law raised a finger. "Don’t disturb the Princess. Let’s speak outside."
In the courtyard, Uncle Cheng whispered urgently, "Today, Lady Chu visited the Cao residence and spoke privately with Lord Cao for half an hour. Soon after, he demanded to see you in a rage. You know how he’s avoided contact all these years to prevent suspicion—this is clearly an interrogation! And Lady Chu was once wed to the Third Young Master of the Yan Family. She must be acting on their behalf, probing for information through the Caos!"
The Imperial Son-in-law was silent for a moment. "Were the loose ends taken care of?"
"Rest assured. Though Wu Sui remains missing, Yuan Peng followed your orders and hanged himself three days ago! With him dead, even if Wu Sui resurfaces, he can’t implicate you. But you must hold firm against Lord Cao. His methods are..."
A faint, pained smile touched the Imperial Son-in-law’s lips. "Uncle Cheng, you’ve watched me grow up. You know I could never deceive my elder brother."
Uncle Cheng’s frown deepened, but then the Imperial Son-in-law added, "But don’t worry. I can’t die yet. I promised the Princess I’d stay with her..."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted back toward the room, brimming with tenderness. But when he turned back, his eyes turned icy. "I won’t break my word. So, for my brother... he’ll have to endure a little hardship."
Uncle Cheng, after all, had also served the Cao family. Hesitantly, he asked, "My lord, what do you intend?"
"Don’t fret. He’s my brother. I won’t treat him as I did Yuan Peng. I only mean to... inconvenience him temporarily, to keep him from interfering." His voice sharpened. "But the Yan Family—they harmed the Princess. They won’t escape unscathed."
Uncle Cheng’s eyes widened. "But Yan Xu’s entire line is already dead!"
"Yan Xu’s eldest grandson, Yan Wenjing, still lives."
Each word dripped with venom.
A chill ran down Uncle Cheng’s spine. Sure enough, the next moment, the Imperial Son-in-law commanded, "Uncle Cheng, proceed as planned."
The next morning.
On his way to court, Cao Yang’s carriage was struck by a spooked horse. His head slammed against the wall, and he collapsed unconscious.
"Miss, you should’ve seen it—blood everywhere! They say when they carried him back to the Cao residence, even the unshakable Madam Cao broke down in tears. The Duke and his wife have rushed over. Will you go see him?"
Yulu’s face was etched with worry, but Chu Ruoyan shook her head. "No. With so many attending to him, Uncle will be fine."
Once the servants left, a figure in red dropped from the rafters. "Little Blind One, you and Cao Yang played quite the act. What’s it called?"
Chu Ruoyan shot him a frosty glance. "‘Ceiling-Dwelling Gentleman.’"
A jab at his habit of sneaking in instead of using the door. Young Master Lang chuckled, fanning himself. "Ah, Little Blind One, spending too much time with Third Yan has made you sharp-tongued. Have you ever seen a ceiling-dweller as handsome as me?"
Chu Ruoyan watched as he struck a rather self-satisfied pose and couldn't help but rub her forehead in exasperation. "Alright, Pavilion Master, let's get down to business. With my uncle now bedridden, those on the other side will undoubtedly act even more recklessly. Have the arrangements I discussed with you earlier been properly settled?"
