Shen Xiabai rose to his feet and stepped aside. Cui Qingyuan paced in and knelt to pay his respects, keeping his eyes straight ahead.
The Emperor’s tone softened a little, though his expression remained dark. “What matter could not wait until now, my subject?”
Cui Qingyuan’s gaze flicked toward Shen Xiabai.
“Speak freely,” the Emperor said.
“Yes.” Cui Qingyuan cupped his hands. “Your Majesty, do you still remember Prince Chenyang, whom you banished to his fief several years ago?”
At the mention of him, the Emperor’s expression instantly turned strange, his face darkening completely.
“Why bring him up all of a sudden?” The disgust in his voice was unmistakable.
“Several days ago, my men unexpectedly discovered traces connected to him in the capital.”
At this, the Emperor shot to his feet. “What did you say? He has returned to the capital?”
Cui Qingyuan remained composed. “It is only a suspicion. I ordered an investigation in secret, and discovered that this man had been keeping watch on the Ministry of Justice day and night. He was also in contact with the princess imprisoned there.”
The Emperor stared blankly at Cui Qingyuan for several breaths before sitting down again. “Lord Shen, you may withdraw first.”
“Yes.” Shen Xiabai’s gaze passed over Cui Qingyuan, and he was the first to leave.
Only after the doors of the imperial study had closed again did the Emperor speak. “Then how did Xiao Lan die?”
Cui Qingyuan’s back was perfectly straight, his expression unchanged. “Perhaps the culprit realized that I was investigating him and feared that his secret would be exposed. That was why he killed the Second Princess and fled.”
The Emperor fell silent as he stared at Cui Qingyuan. His hands clenched tightly around the armrests, the veins standing out on them.
“So the woman is dead, Prince Chenyang has escaped, and there are no witnesses left?”
“Yes,” Cui Qingyuan replied calmly.
The Emperor suddenly began to laugh. “Very good. Very good indeed. Cui Qingyuan, you truly deserve to have served as Chancellor for all these years.”
He hated him so much that he wished he could simply snap his neck.
……
After Cui Qingyuan left the imperial study, the Emperor glared viciously at his retreating figure and ordered the eunuch beside him, “Go find the memorials Prince Chenyang has submitted recently.”
The eunuch hurried off to search.
The Emperor was deeply wary of Prince Chenyang. Everything concerning him had been sealed away, and retrieving the memorials took considerable effort. After reading through several of them, the Emperor angrily hurled them to the floor.
“Prince Chenyang has been seriously ill and is supposedly on the verge of death. How could he have returned to the capital?”
“Cui Qingyuan, you have some nerve! You actually dared to threaten me!”
“The Empress Dowager is here—”
As the eunuch’s shrill announcement rang out, the Empress Dowager was helped into the imperial study by several palace maids, staggering as she walked.
“Lan’er, Lan’er…”
The Emperor’s eyes turned vicious. “Xiao Lan committed suicide in prison out of guilt. This matter is settled. Mother, do not bring it up again.”
“No, it’s impossible.” Tears covered the Empress Dowager’s face. “How could Lan’er have killed herself? Emperor, she was your sister. Are you truly going to stand by and watch some villain murder her?”
“She deserved to die!” the Emperor roared.
The Empress Dowager flinched.
The Emperor stared at her, a memorial clenched in his hand. “The Chancellor says that Xiao Lan was in close contact with Prince Chenyang while she was imprisoned, and that she was killed by his people.”
“Impossible. His men have not even entered the capital yet. Besides, why would he kill Lan’er? He would never harm her, even if it cost him his own life.”
After saying this, the Empress Dowager met the Emperor’s gloomy gaze, and her heart jolted.
“Lan’er… Was Lan’er killed by Cui Qingyuan?”
The Emperor ground his teeth, murder blazing in his eyes. “This matter ends here!”
“Someone, prepare the decree.”
When Cui Qingyuan reached the palace gates, Shen Xiabai had not yet left. Cui Qingyuan gave him a sidelong glance and was about to board his carriage.
“Chancellor Cui.”
Cui Qingyuan stopped and looked back at him, his voice cold and distant. “Shouldn’t you be returning to prepare for your wedding? What are you doing here?”
“The Second Princess was killed by you.”
“No.” Cui Qingyuan clasped his hands behind his back. “It was Prince Chenyang’s people.”
Shen Xiabai had only heard bits and pieces about Prince Chenyang. Only ministers of Cui Qingyuan’s stature knew the truth of what had happened.
So his guess had been right.
Cui Qingyuan said, “Yunchu was right about one thing. You are a lone official. There are matters you should not involve yourself in.”
Handling this matter had been exceedingly difficult for him. He had been entrenched in the court for more than a decade, with deep roots and powerful influence. The Emperor had wanted to eliminate him for years; one more offense hardly mattered.
Even so, Cui Qingyuan was somewhat displeased. “Lord Shen, your methods are truly impressive. You actually managed to make my daughter do so much for you.”
With that, Cui Qingyuan flicked his sleeve and climbed into the carriage.
As the carriage rolled away, Shen Xiabai said, “I’ll remember today’s favor on Princess An’s behalf.”
Cui Qingyuan lifted the carriage curtain and met Shen Xiabai’s gaze for a moment before letting it fall again.
When Shen Xiabai returned home, he learned that Cui Yunchu had left early that morning.
The traces of the two of them having spent a reckless night together still remained on the bed. Her side of it still carried a faint fragrance.
Shen Xiabai slowly ran his fingertips over the sheets. “Yu Feng, have someone take inventory of the storerooms.”
After Cui Qingyuan left, Cui Yunchu returned to Chuyuan. She did not enter the house, but sat on the steps, gazing toward the entrance.
Xing’er tried several times to persuade her to come inside, but to no avail. In the end, she could only sit beside her.
“My lady, what are you waiting for?”
Cui Yunchu raised a finger to her lips. “Don’t speak.”
Time passed slowly. Then a sudden commotion arose outside the courtyard.
Cui Yunchu immediately lifted her head. At the entrance, a tall and imposing figure strode inside.
It was Cui Qingyuan.
A trace of disappointment crossed Cui Yunchu’s eyes. “What are you doing here?”
Cui Qingyuan looked at her. After a long pause, he said, “The palace has sent someone to deliver an imperial decree. I came to call you personally.”
Cui Yunchu sprang to her feet and hurried outside.
Seeing how eager she was, Cui Qingyuan was still displeased. “Have some decorum. You are a young lady, after all.”
Cui Yunchu looked at him. “It may be a transaction, but thanks to Chancellor Cui’s power and influence, I’ve finally benefited from it for once.”
Everyone from the Cui family was gathered in the main hall. Cui Yunchu knelt beside Cui Qingyuan and listened to the eunuch recite the lofty praises that had little connection to reality. A broad smile spread across her face.
When the eunuch reached the words “the granting of a marriage,” her voice rang out even more loudly than his.
“Your servant gratefully accepts the decree!”
Cui Qingyuan shot her a glance, suppressing the urge to slap her.
The eunuch handed the imperial decree to Cui Yunchu and offered his congratulations with obvious insincerity.
Cui Yunchu paid no attention to his good wishes. She took the decree and left the main hall at once, running toward Songhe Garden.
Old Madam Cui was unwell and bedridden, so she had not come to receive the decree.
The eunuch lowered his voice as he said to Cui Qingyuan, “His Majesty says that since the Second Princess deserved to die, this matter ends here. There is no need to continue investigating.”
“This minister understands.” Cui Qingyuan gave a slight nod. “Everything shall be done according to His Majesty’s wishes.”
The eunuch’s mouth twitched. He bowed and took his leave of the Cui residence.
Cui Qingyuan stood in the main hall with his hands behind his back for a long while.
Then he said to the steward, “Send someone to the Shen residence and ask when they intend to deliver the betrothal gifts.”
The steward acknowledged the order and was just about to leave when a servant came rushing in to report, “Chancellor, Chancellor! The Shen family is coming toward our residence with gongs and drums, carrying boxes decorated with huge red flowers!”
Cui Qingyuan was silent for several breaths before instructing the steward, “Have our household prepare as well.”
The imperial decree had arrived only half an hour earlier, yet half an hour later, the Cui residence was already decked out with lanterns and banners, overflowing with festive cheer.
The common people and officials throughout the capital all marveled at how swiftly the two families had acted.
Cui Yunfeng was resting in the courtyard, carrying her baby, when she heard that her eldest sister would be receiving her betrothal gifts today. Supporting her belly, she hurried back to the residence.
Tang Qingwan received the news as well. She paused in surprise, then immediately smiled and instructed the servants to prepare a carriage.
From beginning to end, Cui Yunchu never once asked how Cui Qingyuan had managed it. She cared only about the result.
