Cui Yunchu was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "So you're this generous just to get me married off? Then what else are you planning to give me on top of that?"
"Will I get more than Yunfeng? A third of the Cui family fortune coming to me—would you really part with that?"
She clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head, looking at Cui Qingyuan.
What she wanted was never favoritism, but fairness. What she wanted was always that one portion out of three.
Cui Qingyuan furrowed his brow but said nothing. Cui Yunchu smiled and said, "I'm not just talking about gold and silver. But you certainly couldn't do it."
"And it's not just that one-third of the dowry from the family coffers that you've shortchanged me on."
So even the share she was owed as a daughter—he had shortchanged her on that too.
"If you want it, I can give it to you," Prime Minister Cui said.
"What you'd be giving me isn't a gift," Cui Yunchu said with a smile, though there was no trace of pleasure in her eyes. "You'd just be tilting the portion that rightfully belongs to me over to Yunfeng."
The fairness she wanted was nothing but an illusion built upon the fact that he favored Yunfeng more.
Cui Qingyuan frowned, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out. He watched Cui Yunchu walk away with a smile, her back turned to him, and suddenly realized that it was only today that he truly came to know this daughter of his again.
She was far too perceptive. Those clear, cool eyes of hers merely glanced at you, and it was as if she could already foresee every decision you would make.
Cui Yunchu no longer attended those miscellaneous banquets.
A thick layer of dust had settled over the stacks of books like the Book of Rites piled up in her room. But in recent days, Cui Yunchu had suddenly taken an interest in them, cracking them open almost daily.
It puzzled Nanny Zhang and Xing'er alike.
Cui Yunchu read very quickly—she'd flip through a book in no time. But if you asked her what the Book of Rites actually said, her eyes would go clear and blank. Yet if you asked her about the storybooks, what tales they contained, she could chatter on for ages without stopping.
She shut herself in her room reading the Four Books and Five Classics for days, and when she tried to recall what she'd read, her head felt as empty as her stomach.
"Miss, these books just aren't suited to you. Don't force yourself," Xing'er said.
Cui Yunchu pinched a book between two fingers and frowned. "Indeed, talent is something you're born with."
These past few days, she'd been wondering: if she had been as obedient as Yunfeng from the start—diligently following the tutors after age eight, not causing trouble—would she have become the refined young lady Cui Qingyuan saw in Yunfeng?
But after two or three days of studying, Cui Yunchu knew it was impossible. Her mother's blood was too strong. Heredity. She could never become anyone else.
Her mother had no such blessed fortune, and neither did she have the talent.
For days in a row, Cui Yunchu lay on the soft couch, a book held up in one hand, her legs crossed and toes tapping in a rhythmic beat.
She might lack talent, but she'd still memorized a few lines these past days. Should be enough to fool her future mother-in-law and sisters-in-law after she married.
"Miss!" Xing'er came running in, brimming with excitement. "Someone sent another invitation. They say they found a treasure bowl that spits out gold, and they're inviting our household over to take a look."
Cui Yunchu pulled the book off her face and glanced sideways at Xing'er.
The day before yesterday it was a tree that shook down pearls; today it's a bowl that spits gold?
"Don't listen to his nonsense. If that were real, it would've been confiscated for the imperial treasury long ago. Wouldn't be his turn to show it off." She really took her for a fool, did they? Trying to lure her out with any old tale.
And yet, these past days there had been no shortage of such banquets—there was even talk of a chamber pot said to be worth a fortune.
Who knew if the thing was even made of gold? A piss pot, and now it's precious enough to buy a whole city.
Each banquet boasted a more tempting attraction than the last, but Cui Yunchu hadn't gone to a single one.
Even Xing'er found it strange. "Miss, do you think these officials are stupid? How can they make up such outlandish excuses without being embarrassed?"
"They are stupid," Cui Yunchu tried to curl the corner of her mouth, but couldn't quite manage it.
"And the ones who come up with these excuses are even stupider."
She rolled over and closed her eyes, ready for her afternoon nap.
Right now, she was like a salted fish—eating when full, sleeping when awakened—just waiting for Cui Qingyuan to toss her into some other family's pond.
In the meantime, Cui Yunli made a few perfunctory visits. Cui Yunchu was busy catching up on her studies, and after sitting through a bit of the Book of Rites, Cui Yunli left.
She heard he was busy with the official selection examinations. They must all be quite busy, but either way, Cui Yunchu didn't want to get involved.
The Ministry of Rites' annual official selection exams were fast approaching, and the court officials were in a flurry, each secretly scheming to push forward men they'd groomed for years.
The morning court sessions had been especially lively lately, with ministry officials constantly being pulled aside by various ministers for private talks. It was, for one moment each year, the Ministry of Rites' proudest time.
As for how many bribes changed hands behind closed doors—so long as the emperor didn't investigate, no one else was foolish enough to poke their nose into it. After all, if it got traced back to the Crown Prince or a prince, that would be a disaster.
Like right now, for instance—both the Crown Prince and Prince An had their sights set on the vacancy in the Ministry of War.
Some were already offering congratulations to Prince An, because compared to the Crown Prince's candidate, the emperor seemed to favor Prince An's man.
That voice was loud, drawing the attention of the Cui faction—especially Prime Minister Cui. But he only glanced over and turned away.
"Are you trying to show off?" Prince An shot the man a cold glare, obviously in a foul mood.
He'd already been sleeping in his study for three days over this matter. What was there to congratulate?
The flattery had landed flat, and the official shrank back, embarrassed.
Prince An paced over and stopped beside Shen Xiabai.
Shen Xiabai shot him a sidelong glance. "Did you enjoy your meal at the Cui estate banquet the other night, Prince An?"
"Seems you ate quite well—those dark circles under your eyes. The Princess An never disappoints, does she?"
Xiao Yi's words caught in his throat, then he changed tack. "Well, that's nothing compared to you, Lord Shen. You found a tree that shakes down pearls and a bowl that spits gold, and still couldn't lure her out."
"..."
Xiao Yi twisted the knife deeper. "A woman who loves money as much as she does, and even that couldn't move her—clearly she must really, truly dislike you, Lord Shen."
"I may be sleeping in my study, but that's better than you standing around day after day, thirsting for what you can't reach."
"..."
That day, she'd said she was choosing a husband, and since then, she had indeed refused to see him again.
Shen Xiabai's expression darkened. "I was actually planning to lend you a hand, Your Highness. But it seems you don't need it."
He turned and strode forward, and Prince An immediately raised a hand. "Ah, ah, ah—let's talk this out, let's talk this out!"
The eunuch's shrill voice announced the start of court. The session ended quickly, and the candidates for the Ministry of Rites' selection board were chosen.
Neither the Crown Prince's faction nor Prince An's faction managed to get a single seat on it.
The Crown Prince, as heir apparent, technically had the right to oversee the official selection process, but the emperor remained deeply suspicious of him. Every time the Crown Prince's faction tried to speak up, the emperor coldly shut them down.
The emperor's dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince was an open secret. The only reason the Crown Prince still sat in that position was that he could not easily dispose of him without offending the Cui family.
Everyone could see it plainly.
Prince An strode out of the great hall, and as he passed the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Cui, he still offered a polite bow. "Prime Minister Cui, Imperial Brother."
The Crown Prince's face was grim, and Prime Minister Cui pressed his lips together as he returned the salute. The entire Crown Prince faction was shrouded in a cloud of gloom and despair.
In the end, Prime Minister Cui never went to Prince An to ask whether he might yield the position at the Ministry of War to Cui Yunli.
