Bound by the imperial edict, the guards ultimately did not dare let Xiao Lan enter the palace.
Meanwhile, as soon as Lord Gu returned home, the household steward hurried over to report, “My lord, someone from the Cui residence came by just now and said they had a gift for you.”
Lord Gu frowned deeply. “Who sent it?”
“An aide close to Prime Minister Cui.”
Lord Gu had the steward bring the gift inside. It was a long, rectangular brocade box, exquisitely wrapped and clearly very valuable.
Why would Prime Minister Cui send him something at a time like this? Who in the capital was unaware that the Gu family’s fortunes were waning?
Puzzled, Lord Gu opened the box—only to become even more bewildered.
There were no gold or silver treasures inside, only an ordinary booklet. Even the writing on its cover looked freshly done.
Lady Gu happened to be there with soup for her husband. She leaned over to take a look as well. “My lord, why would Prime Minister Cui send you a booklet?”
Lord Gu did not answer. He opened it himself.
The ink was new, and the handwriting was vigorous and forceful.
“Former Minister of Personnel, Lord Xu, retired and returned to his hometown. He died of illness halfway there at the age of forty-one.”
“Former Vice Minister of Rites, Lord Zhou, was corrupt and took bribes. After retiring and returning to his hometown, he met an unexplained violent death halfway there at the age of thirty-six.”
And so on.
As Lord Gu turned the pages one after another, cold sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his hands trembled.
Lady Gu was terrified. “My lord, this is an outright threat.”
Was he telling them that if they left the capital, he would certainly send people to kill them?
Was he taking revenge for what had happened to his daughter years ago?
Over the years, Prime Minister Cui had never mentioned the past. Lady Gu had thought he had forgotten it—or that, for the Empress Dowager’s sake, he had chosen to let bygones be bygones and not pursue the matter.
Lord Gu’s hand trembled slightly. “No. It is both a threat and a warning.”
The booklet was thick. It recorded the names of countless officials who had retired and returned to their hometowns, only to end up buried in the wilderness. Every one of them was a living example.
He understood perfectly well that the moment he left the capital, he would become a fish on the chopping block, at the mercy of others, with his life or death decided by fate.
Lady Gu said, “My lord, what are we to do? Prime Minister Cui will certainly seek revenge for what happened back then. And over the years, you and our son have offended no small number of people by relying on the Empress Dowager. They certainly won’t let us leave in peace. If we depart now, wouldn’t that be no different from walking straight to our deaths?”
Lord Gu clenched the booklet tightly and comforted her. “Don’t worry. We’re not leaving.”
Shen Xiabai and Cui Qingyuan had already displayed the blades in their hands. How could he wash his neck clean and offer it to them?
“But if we don’t leave, will His Majesty agree?” Lady Gu asked.
Lord Gu said nothing, his brows drawn together as he pondered.
Shen Xiabai and Cui Qingyuan’s actions were too closely aligned. When had the two of them joined forces?
Did His Majesty know?
Because of the enmity between the Shen and Cui families, no one at court would ever connect the two. That was why Lord Gu was so shocked.
Even now, he could not help wondering whether this was merely a coincidence.
At the Cui residence, the steward pushed open the door and closed it again before walking quietly to the desk.
“My lord, the item has been delivered to the Gu residence as you instructed.”
Cui Qingyuan was lifting his sleeve with one hand and holding a brush in the other, entirely focused on the unfinished painting beneath his hand. At the steward’s words, he merely gave a faint acknowledgment.
The steward continued, “There has been no movement from Lord Gu’s side for now.”
Cui Qingyuan slowly raised his head. “Has Eldest Miss returned?”
“She has,” the steward replied, frowning. “Eldest Miss is unharmed, but the servant who accompanied Lord Shen left with blood on him.”
“They went to the princess’s residence?” Cui Qingyuan asked in an unhurried voice as he continued painting.
The steward glanced at the painting and nodded. “Lord Shen ordered the culprit who killed Nanny Zhang to be executed. He also had an imperial physician treat the Second Princess’s ear ailment.”
“An ear ailment?” Cui Qingyuan looked up again.
The steward told him everything he knew. “The soldiers from the Court of Judicial Review blocked the Second Princess’s courtyard and shouted outside, but the Second Princess refused to come out. In the end, Lord Shen ordered them to break down the door by force.”
“Lord Shen said that the Second Princess couldn’t hear them and must have fallen ill.”
Cui Qingyuan gave a brief laugh. “Was he treating her injury, or inflicting one?”
The steward froze for a moment. Cui Qingyuan finished the final stroke and set down his brush.
“With such methods, can she really manage it?”
There was a hint of worry and concern in his voice.
“Go to Chuyuan,” Cui Qingyuan ordered. “Eldest Miss left the residence without permission and disobeyed my command. From today onward, confine her to the ancestral hall. She is not to leave without cause.”
“Ah?” The steward was stunned.
“Go, and tell the people guarding the ancestral hall that the weather is cold. They are to prepare everything she needs and serve her carefully.”
The steward acknowledged the order and left. Not long afterward, another servant came knocking.
“My lord, someone from the palace has arrived. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager wishes to invite Eldest Miss to the palace for a visit.”
Cui Qingyuan put down his brush, straightened his sleeves, and walked outside. The chief eunuch serving the Empress Dowager was waiting in the courtyard.
“This servant pays his respects to the Prime Minister. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has issued an order summoning Eldest Miss to the palace for questioning.”
Cui Qingyuan said, “My daughter is unruly, so I have ordered her to kneel in the ancestral hall.”
“Then please have someone call her out,” the eunuch said. “Her Majesty is waiting.”
Cui Qingyuan replied, “I’m afraid that won’t be possible for the next few days. I have ordered my daughter to copy scriptures and pray for the ancestors of the Cui clan. She has only finished half the scriptures, and stopping now would be inauspicious for the Cui family. Please inform Her Majesty the Empress Dowager of my respects. Once my daughter has finished reciting the scriptures, I will certainly send her to the palace to keep Her Majesty company.”
The young eunuch stared at him in disbelief. “Prime Minister, this is an order from Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. Do you dare disobey?”
The young eunuch invoked the Empress Dowager, and Cui Qingyuan’s gaze instantly turned cold. His icy, authoritative presence made the eunuch grow timid.
He bowed and said, “This minister is terrified. I must trouble Eunuch to convey my respects to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
The young eunuch was speechless.
How had he failed to see even the slightest sign of fear on Cui Qingyuan’s face?
“I never heard before that the Prime Minister was such a believer in ghosts and spirits,” the eunuch pressed.
Cui Qingyuan slowly straightened from his bow. His gaze was cold and impatient. “You know that now. Return to the palace and deliver your report.”
With that, he turned and left the eunuch standing alone in the courtyard.
“Someone see Eunuch out.”
His voice was resonant and powerful, deep with unquestionable authority.
The young eunuch watched his retreating back, unable to suppress the fear rising in his heart. He took a step backward and did not dare say another word, following the servant away instead.
Only after leaving the Cui residence and boarding the carriage did he let out a long breath. He lifted the curtain and looked back at the imposing Cui family estate.
“As expected of the Cui family!”
The reputation of this centuries-old clan, whose power dominated half the court, was certainly no empty boast.
On the carriage ride, Shen Xiabai held Cui Yunchu in his arms and comforted her for quite some time.
From childhood until now, Cui Yunchu had encountered one unfair situation after another. Nine times out of ten, she had swallowed her grievances in silence.
Nanny Zhang’s death had left her utterly heartbroken. Now, someone’s actions had stirred a faint warmth in her heart. For a time, she did not know whether she ought to grieve, or feel fortunate and joyful.
She stood in the room, feeling that Chuyuan was unbearably quiet. No one would ever again chatter in her ear, urging her to marry and have children, or offer her one ridiculous scheme after another.
No one would ever again kneel on the floor to coax her into a smile, loudly declaring, “Greetings to the Princess Consort.”
No one would ever again mention her concubine every three sentences.
Though she was foolish, she still hoped that Cui Yunchu would have a good life—that she would find fulfillment, enjoy both fortune and prosperity, and have wealth and power.
Cui Yunchu knew that she simply didn’t want her to return to the life she had once lived. It wasn’t only that Cui Yunchu had grown weary of it; Nanny Zhang had, too.
But her fate had been ill-starred. She had endured hardship, only to pass away before she could see better days.
