Xiao Yi, of course, was not so easily dismissed. "Lord Shen, do you mean to refuse to clear Eldest Miss Cui’s accounts?"
"The Shen family’s foundation is deep; surely you’re not begrudging such a small matter?"
Lord Shen cast a glance at the ledger, his demeanor unhurried and composed. Through his frequent dealings with Cui Yunchu, his shamelessness had grown considerably.
"The Shen family’s foundation is deep, indeed—but it’s meant for me to marry and raise a family, not to pay off the Prince’s debts. My future wife is greedy for wealth; I’m not even sure that foundation will be enough to win her hand. I may yet have to borrow from you, Prince."
"…"
Xiao Yi’s mouth twitched.
Lord Shen continued, "Besides, she earned all this through hard work. If I made her return it, I imagine I’d end up being scolded. Since Your Highness Prince An is already married to Princess An, at worst you’d sleep on the streets. But I haven’t wed yet. Do you intend to leave me to die alone in my old age?"
With that, he turned and strode off ahead.
Xiao Yi stood there, clutching the ledger, his expression a tangled mess of emotions.
His face shifted several times, finally settling into a look of weary exasperation.
"What a family of miserly misers."
…
The morning court proceedings went smoothly, with no disturbances and a swift conclusion.
But no sooner had Lord Shen stepped out of the great hall than someone blocked his path. "Lord Shen, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager requests your presence."
Lord Shen’s eyes flickered, just as a hand slapped his shoulder from behind.
His Highness Prince An narrowed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "I’m quite curious, Lord Shen. How did you convince the Empress Dowager back then?"
Lord Shen glanced sideways. "Your Highness is curious? Why not come along and listen?"
The Crown Prince, trailing a step behind, chimed in, "Lord Shen has a point. Brother, since you have nothing better to do, why not accompany Lord Shen to pay respects to the Empress Dowager?"
Prince An shot him a frosty glare.
You always have to stick your nose in.
The Crown Prince’s smile had barely faded when Prime Minister Cui’s voice suddenly rang out, "Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I have a matter I wish to discuss with you."
"…"
No need to guess—it was certainly because of Prince An’s earlier wild talk.
The Crown Prince’s smile faded as he followed Prime Minister Cui away.
Prince An lowered his voice and said to Lord Shen, "The only thing that could concern the Empress Dowager is probably that person at Anshan Temple. Lord Shen, be careful—don’t let fire burn back on you."
Lord Shen raised an eyebrow. "Thank you for the warning, Your Highness Prince An."
With that, he followed the eunuch to the Empress Dowager’s Changshou Palace.
…
On the other side, after the Crown Prince explained the whole story, Prime Minister Cui finally believed that he had indeed not maintained a concubine outside the residence.
But upon hearing that Prince An had been driven out by his own daughter and forced to sleep on the streets, his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
More than anything, though, he felt relieved.
Prince An’s deep affection for Cui Yunfeng eased the tension in his heart.
After that matter was settled, the Crown Prince brought up official business. "In a few days, Yunli will return to the capital. Prime Minister, have you made any arrangements for his position?"
Cui Qingyuan frowned but said nothing.
He knew what Tang Qingwan had in mind, but getting Prince An to willingly give up his post in the Ministry of War was no easy task.
"I have already cast Yunfeng out of the family, so I have no say in the affairs of Prince An’s household. But Yunli is my own son, and I will do everything in my power to secure his future."
The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, his gaze profound.
After a long pause, he said, "Prime Minister’s love for his daughter is truly admirable."
Cui Yunfeng, though seemingly cast out, was in truth living the most carefree life of all. She bore no burden, free from the rise and fall of the Cui and Tang families.
Not even Tang Qingwan worked as hard as she lived so freely. Even Cui Yunli, the eldest son, likely held less weight in Prime Minister Cui’s heart than Cui Yunfeng. The expulsion was a facade; the true intention was to protect her.
He didn’t want Cui Yunfeng caught between the difficulties of choosing between Xiao Yi and the Cui family.
"If we can’t go through Prince An," the Crown Prince said, "the only way to secure a position in the Ministry of War is through the Ministry of Personnel’s selection examinations in one month."
Prime Minister Cui furrowed his brows. "His Majesty is certain to have plans of his own. Tampering with the Ministry of Personnel’s selections likely won’t be possible."
"Not necessarily," the Crown Prince said calmly. "The person His Majesty trusts most is Lord Shen. Even the Ministry of Personnel’s selections can’t escape his hands."
Prime Minister Cui looked baffled. "The Shen and Cui-Tang families have never gotten along. How could he ever help the Cui family?"
"You can’t do it, but Elder Cousin can."
The Crown Prince’s words left Prime Minister Cui stunned, his mind momentarily blank.
"Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, what do you mean?"
The Crown Prince smiled faintly. "It seems you pay very little attention to that daughter of yours."
He summarized the matter briefly. Prime Minister Cui listened in silence, his expression unmoved for a long time.
He couldn’t help but recall Cui Yunchu’s strange behavior not long ago.
She had spoken of marrying, choosing her own husband, only to let it fizzle out. And then there was that incident at Prince An’s residence, where Lord Shen killed Gu Xuan by mistake while saving her. It had struck him as odd at the time, but he never imagined...
The Shen family. How had she become entangled with someone from the Shen family?
"Prime Minister Cui, His Majesty grows ever more dissatisfied with me. Since you can’t bear to part with Cui Yunfeng, you have no other path left."
Lord Shen was the only way to break into the Ministry of War—and only Cui Yunchu could walk that path.
Cui Qingyuan sat there for a long time. Even after the Crown Prince left, he remained still, staring at the teacup on the table, lost in thought.
"Sir, your tea has gone cold. Shall I pour you a fresh cup?" The shopkeeper’s voice finally jolted him back to reality. He pushed the cup away. "No need."
With that, he rose and left.
Cui Qingyuan suddenly realized how little he knew about this daughter—far too little, pathetically so.
When had she crossed paths with Lord Shen?
Cui Yunchu had always been unruly. From the start, when Prime Minister Cui heard she was pestering the Crown Prince, Prince An, or the sons of some noble household, he would punish her upon her return to the manor.
At first, he was furious, believing she had disgraced the Cui family—just like her concubine mother.
Later, because of Old Madam Cui’s favoritism, he grew to dislike her. Unless it was a major issue, he simply ignored her, letting her do as she pleased.
And now, she had become involved with the son of the Shen family.
"Lord Prime Minister." The butler, seeing Prime Minister Cui return with a dark face, approached cautiously.
Cui Qingyuan went straight to the study and ordered coldly, "Bring the Eldest Miss here."
The butler’s heart leaped, and he acknowledged the order before hurrying off.
When the butler arrived at Chuyuan, Cui Yunchu was sitting among her piles of gold and silver trinkets, counting coins with a gleeful smile, completely casting aside the irritations and entanglements of the previous day.
That was her way—as long as a knife wasn’t at her throat, she could bounce back quickly.
Cui Yunchu lifted her head from the heap of gold, jade, and silver, caught sight of the butler’s drooping expression, and felt a sudden jolt.
How familiar. That look, that expression.
She scratched her head but couldn’t recall any recent scandal she might have caused.
"Xing’er." She called over Xing’er and asked, "Have there been any new rumors outside lately?"
Was the old man about to have her to account for something he’d heard again?
Xing’er shook her head. "No, none."
"Right," Cui Yunchu said. She had been so well-behaved lately—no seducing men, no stealing other women’s fiancés. So what was this all about?
"Butler Liu, could you stop hanging your head and give me a clue?"
“……This old servant does not know either. The Lord Prime Minister’s expression was unusual when he returned from outside, and he sent me to summon the Eldest Miss.”
The root of the trouble still lay outside.
Cui Yunchu truly could not think of anything she had done to displease the Lord Prime Minister.
“Your words are quite tactful. ‘Summon’? I’d say ‘being dragged over’ is more like it.”
Butler Liu, “……”
