The distractions in Cui Yunchu's mind were once again cast aside by the gold, silver, and jade before her.
She reached out to touch this piece and that, suddenly feeling that her earlier sorrow had actually been quite worthwhile.
After all, it was a fact that Cui Qingyuan didn't truly care for her, and that wouldn't change because of a little wooden horse. But guilt—guilt could earn her plenty of gold and silver.
Her eyes crinkled with a smile. "Good Yunfeng, when I get back, I'll have that old geezer carve you a few more little horses."
"...Elder Sister."
The "old geezer" her elder sister referred to was their father, the reigning Prime Minister.
Cui Yunfeng stared, dumbfounded for a moment, then started comforting herself: At least Elder Sister hadn't called him "that old bastard" like she used to at first. That was already an improvement. She couldn't expect too much from her elder sister.
With that thought, Cui Yunfeng's smile returned.
Come to think of it, her elder sister had never really addressed their father in private; it was mostly "Prime Minister Cui" this or that.
The two sisters had endless things to talk about. Cui Yunfeng ordered the banquet to be set up in her own courtyard, and they ate and chatted together.
"Elder Sister, when do you plan to celebrate your birthday this year?"
Cui Yunchu replied, "That depends on what birthday gift you plan to give me."
"I have to give another one?" Cui Yunfeng was shocked. "I'm almost broke."
Cui Yunchu shot her a glare. "Stupid girl, just ask your husband for it. If that doesn't work, go to the palace and ask your mother-in-law. She's definitely rolling in wealth."
"..."
"That... doesn't seem right." Consort Liang had already been very kind to her; compared to the Empress, she was practically a fairy of a mother-in-law.
Robbing Prince An's treasury for her elder sister was one thing, but robbing the palace treasury was going a bit too far.
"By the way, now that I think of it, Cousin's month-long confinement period should be about over. In a few days, let's go together to the Crown Prince's residence and visit her."
Cui Yunchu nodded. She had no objections.
Cui Yunfeng said, "I've wanted to visit Cousin for a long time, but just thinking about the Empress annoys me. I'm also worried that because of my status, she might make things difficult for Cousin."
Cui Yunchu responded with vague "mmhmms," her head lowered, fully focused on eating.
"Elder Sister, why don't we join forces and get rid of her?"
Cui Yunchu stopped chewing, lifted her head, and stared blankly at Cui Yunfeng.
Cui Yunfeng blinked. "What's wrong?"
Cui Yunchu took a sip of water, swallowed her food, and said, "Today, I finally understand what 'one takes on the color of one's company' means. The sages spoke nothing but the truth."
The power of being immersed in a certain environment was just too strong.
As the two chattered about this and that, Eunuch Liu from Prince An's side arrived. "Princess Consort, greetings to Eldest Miss Cui."
Cui Yunfeng put down her chopsticks, her expression turning cool. "What is it?"
She still had a score to settle with Xiao Yi.
Eunuch Liu spoke with great respect. "Reporting to the Princess Consort, the banquet has ended, and all the guests have left. However, among the male guests, a maidservant found a sachet. Judging by its style, it seems to belong to Eldest Miss Cui."
Cui Yunfeng frowned. Her elder sister's sachet—how could it have ended up among the male guests?
Cui Yunchu was, after all, an unmarried young lady. If it fell into a man's hands, it would be most inappropriate, even though she didn't have much of a reputation to begin with.
"Where is the sachet?" Cui Yunfeng asked.
Eunuch Liu said, "There were many female guests in attendance today, and we were afraid of misidentifying it. The sachet is still in the front courtyard. This old servant was sent to bring Eldest Miss Cui to identify it and see if it is indeed hers."
Cui Yunchu finished the last bite of her meal and felt for her waist. It was indeed missing.
"Perfect. It's getting late anyway; I should be heading back to the estate. I'll make a little detour to pick it up along the way."
How could something that was properly fastened to her waist have fallen off? Cui Yunchu was a bit puzzled as well.
Xing'er led the servants of Prince An's estate as they carried the table full of gold, silver, and treasures out of the mansion. Cui Yunchu strutted at the back like a magistrate confiscating property.
"Alright, Yunfeng, no need to see me off. I'll come visit you again when I have time."
Cui Yunfeng suppressed her reluctance and nodded, parting ways at the arched gateway.
Eunuch Liu led Cui Yunchu to the front courtyard.
The courtyard was very quiet, as if the earlier clamor had never existed. Cui Yunchu frowned and asked Eunuch Liu, "Where is my sachet?"
"The maidservant was waiting here just a moment ago. She's probably slipped off somewhere to slack off. Eldest Miss Cui, please wait a moment. This old servant will go find her."
"Alright, go ahead." Cui Yunchu made a move to find a spot and sit down.
Eunuch Liu glanced at Cui Yunchu, then at the wide-open main hall door, before turning and leaving the area.
Cui Yunchu leaned against a corridor pillar, squinting in the sunlight. Suddenly, Xing'er nudged her. "Miss, miss, look over there—isn't that gold?"
Cui Yunchu turned her head to where Xing'er was pointing.
In the grass very close to the main hall door, a solitary gold ingot lay there.
"..."
Who could be so careless as to drop a gold ingot?
Cui Yunchu immediately looked around left and right. Xing'er mirrored her expression perfectly. Seeing that no one was around, the mistress and servant dashed toward the gold ingot.
Xing'er picked it up and handed it to Cui Yunchu. "Good girl, when we get back, I'll reward you with a few copper coins."
Xing'er was speechless. Her mistress was really stingy.
"Miss, is there another one?"
Cui Yunchu looked again. This time, it was on the steps leading into the main hall.
That spot was particularly conspicuous. Even if a guest had accidentally dropped it, wouldn't the cleaning servants have noticed it?
Even Xing'er sensed something amiss. The pair stood side by side, both scratching their chins in the exact same gesture.
"Miss, do you think this might be a scheme by His Highness Prince An to get back at you for falsely accusing him?"
"How is it a false accusation? That invitation was clearly intercepted by him."
Xing'er nodded. "Then maybe we shouldn't take that gold ingot. Who knows what's hidden inside that main hall?"
They had already taken quite enough from Prince An's estate today.
"You're right, but leaving it behind... I feel like my conscience wouldn't sit well with it."
Xing'er was at a loss for words.
Cui Yunchu thought for a moment and said to Xing'er, "I'm guessing Prince An doesn't dare to do anything to me."
Xing'er said, "Your servant thinks so too."
Cui Yunchu made a quick decision and handed the gold ingot to Xing'er. "You hold onto this. I'll go get that one. If anything happens, you go find Yunfeng immediately and call for help."
Xing'er nodded firmly. "With your servant here, miss, you can rest assured."
The mistress and servant stood like soldiers about to go into battle, carrying a resolute, death-or-glory determination.
Cui Yunchu lifted her skirt, crept up the steps as stealthily as a thief, and picked up the gold ingot.
She weighed it in her hand repeatedly, her face breaking into a wide grin. This was so heavy—it was worth several months' worth of her allowance.
Tossing the ingot to Xing'er, Cui Yunchu craned her neck to peek into the main hall. If this was a trap, there couldn't be only two gold ingots, or the cost of plotting against her, Cui Yunchu, would be too low.
She muttered softly, "Any more? If not, I'll be on my way."
The hall seemed to be empty and silent. Cui Yunchu raised an eyebrow and was about to leave when a round object suddenly rolled—roll, roll, roll—into her line of sight.
Then it rolled under a table in the main hall.
That object was very round, very bright, crystal-clear and smooth, emitting a faint glow.
Cui Yunchu almost drooled. If she wasn't mistaken, that round object was a night pearl—something she had seen but never touched before.
She remembered that both Yunfeng and Qingwan each had one—a luminescent pearl that felt warm to the touch and emitted a soft glow in the darkness. It was a tribute from a foreign land, bestowed by the Emperor upon Cui Qingyuan, who then gave them to the two.
It must be incredibly valuable. How many shops could it buy?
The gold ingot in Cui Yunchu’s hand no longer held any appeal. Her eyes were fixed on the table, and she called out to Xing’er outside, “Go find Yunfeng and tell her to come rescue me.”
“…Miss—”
Before Xing’er could finish, Cui Yunchu had already dived inside.
She lifted the tablecloth. There, alone in the corner, lay a round, softly glowing night pearl. Cui Yunchu’s eyes narrowed with delight. “Don’t be afraid. Your master is here to take you home.”
She reached out her fair, delicate hand. The moment her fingers touched the pearl, it shot away as if it had sprouted legs. Instinctively, she tried to grab it, but her head slammed into the table with a loud thud.
Luckily, it didn’t hurt.
Her gaze locked onto the pearl as she stood up and bent over to chase it.
The pearl raced around the room for a good half circle before finally colliding with a soft couch and stopping. Cui Yunchu chuckled. “Where do you think you’re going now? Got you.”
She snatched it up in a flash, only then noticing a nearly invisible thread tied to the pearl—so fine it was like a strand of hair, completely unseen unless you looked closely.
Cui Yunchu froze, then slowly traced the thread upward.
A long, slender hand with elegant knuckles gradually came into view. The thread was looped around his index finger, and as he moved it gently, he slowly reeled her in.
“……”
Cui Yunchu felt, at that moment, like a dog chasing after a meat bone.
