Chapter 123: One Wave Settles, Another Rises (Part II)

The deceased is Ming Cui, the second son of the Right Prime Minister of Nanxi? Chuxiu found the name very familiar and suddenly recalled that he was the one who had gone to Zhuihong Pavilion to search for people, only to be dismissed by Yun Ci in a few words. Later, after Shen Yu arrived in Fangzhou, he had inadvertently mentioned that Chacha had also ended up following this man.

How could Yun Xian accidentally beat him to death? And for a woman from a brothel? The more Chuxiu thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Yun Xian had been away from home for nearly a year and a half, managing business in Jingzhou and representing the Yun family at necessary occasions. He had always been prudent; how could he have been so reckless?

"Is the news reliable?" Chuxiu still found it hard to believe.

"It is certainly reliable. The news came from the Jingji Prison; the Third Master has been locked up there for several days. The Ming clan has submitted a memorial requesting his sentencing, but Emperor Nie is currently holding it back," replied the steward, Yun Zhong.

Hearing this, Chuxiu felt there was no need to look at the letter Yun Zhong had presented. She knitted her brows deeply, her heart sinking...

Yun Xian was now the only remaining bloodline of the old Marquis and the primary pillar of support for the Yun estate; he absolutely could not suffer any further mishaps. Moreover, she had already been splashed with enough filth, taking the fall for the deaths of Xia Yanran, Yun Qi, Zhuoyan, and Wen Xian. If Yun Xian were to die as well, it would be impossible to prevent the world from believing this was another ruthless maneuver by "Lady Chuxiu."

For public or private reasons, she could not sit idly by while this happened to Yun Xian! The more she thought, the more powerless she felt. Although Emperor Nie had already issued an edict of abdication, King Mu had not yet ascended the throne, and Emperor Nie remained the sovereign of the nation, while Ming Zhen remained the Queen and the Ming clan the imperial in-laws. Whoever lost a Ming Cui would not be able to swallow such a grievance.

Chuxiu secretly speculated that the Ming clan dared to make a scene and demand Yun Xian's execution because they wanted to use this as a bargaining chip to negotiate other conditions with the Yun clan. Therefore, Yun Xian’s life would not be in immediate danger. However, Chuxiu had no intention of letting the Ming clan get their way—all because of Ming Ying.

Let it be attributed to the lingering resentment of a woman! She had been able to let go of the past when Helian Qi abandoned her, but she could not swallow the insults she had suffered from Ming Ying, nor the scar-covered arms she bore. Ming Ying had even spat in her face! And not just once!

The Ming clan likely did not know that Lady Chuxiu was Hanchu, did they? If they knew, would they still have the face to cause such trouble? She hadn't expected that while she hadn't gone to settle scores with Ming Ying, they would bring the trouble to her doorstep themselves! It was just a pity that she was no longer that powerless woman from the brothel back then!

Chuxiu gritted her teeth and said to the steward, Yun Zhong, "I know about this matter. Go and report it to the Grand Mistress." After she finished, she turned to Zhuying and Zhuyang behind her and said, "Let’s go! To the Prince Mu’s mansion!"

*****

Due to the delay caused by Yun Xian’s affair, Chuxiu arrived nearly half an hour later than expected. When she reached the Mu mansion, Prince Mu was in the small courtyard practicing archery, hitting the target with every shot. Chuxiu waited for a long while before the Prince seemed to notice her, greeting her with a faint, inscrutable smile: "The Lady has arrived."

"Your Highness." Chuxiu smiled indifferently. "First, I must congratulate you on your victory and for achieving your heart’s desire."

"Achieving my heart’s desire, you say?" Prince Mu repeated, a flash of dejection crossing his face before he returned to normal. He said to Chuxiu, "It is thanks to your support. Within three years, I will surely return half of the Yun family’s assets in full."

"Three years? So soon?" Chuxiu shook her head. "Why must you be so rigid? Since my Yun clan invested to support you, we never intended to ask for the money back. In the future, once you ascend the throne and unify the two nations, it will be enough if you can show mercy to the Yun clan."

Prince Mu took a deep look at Chuxiu and replied with a smile, "Have I not already shown enough mercy to the Yun clan? At the very least, I have been merciful enough to you, have I not?"

Chuxiu felt a stir in her heart, knowing he was implying something, and hurriedly said, "You are a magnanimous person who does not hold a grudge against those beneath you; it was my recklessness." She decided to be blunt: "The young Marquis is inextricably linked to the Yun clan both publicly and privately. He is not only related to Xiangrong... but he is also a benefactor of mine. Given this, how could I sit by and watch him die?"

"At any rate, you have won completely now. I have paid with my reputation and suffered a barrage of criticism. Can you let this matter go?" Chuxiu deliberately softened her tone, unconsciously taking on a feminine grace that outsiders would never associate with the iron-willed matriarch of the Yun clan.

Watching Chuxiu in this state, Prince Mu was momentarily dazed. He had almost forgotten that the woman before him had only just celebrated her nineteenth birthday, and that he, while on the road to relieving the siege of Jingzhou at the time, had let his steward handle the gifts on his behalf.

A nineteen-year-old woman... and one from a lowly background... Prince Mu suddenly thought of Luan Su, and of his ninth brother—Prince Cheng, Nie Peixiao. He remembered that a few years ago, his ninth brother had admired Hanchu for a time, had mentioned her exceptional zither skills in his presence, and had even composed a poem titled "The Red String Breaks" upon hearing of her death, which had been quite popular at the time.

He had never had the chance to tell his ninth brother that Hanchu was still alive and had married into the Yun clan. Perhaps it was his own selfishness; he had fallen in love with a woman of low status and had been unable to possess her, so he did not wish to see his ninth brother follow the same path. After all, Hanchu was already married and had become the widow of the Marquis of Lixin...

Thinking of this, Prince Mu sighed with a smile. Recalling Chuxiu's earlier question, he replied, "Why should I let it go? If I haven't, what would you do, my Lady?"

Chuxiu put on a troubled expression, pondered for a moment, and said, "Then I would have no choice but to boldly disturb Consort Luan and ask her to intercede. After all, the Yun clan is her maternal family, and I am still her sister-in-law."

Upon hearing this, a flash of gloom appeared on Prince Mu’s face, but he quickly smiled: "You are very clever, knowing to speak to me directly this time. To be honest, had you gone to Luan Su behind my back, even if I had granted her request, I would not have spared the Yun clan afterward."

He would rather be stabbed to his face than tolerate underhanded maneuvers behind his back.

Prince Mu’s words caused Chuxiu to breathe a sigh of relief! It proved her approach was correct! First, be honest and confess, then mention her relationship with Luan Su, and most importantly, know how to endure humiliation temporarily and take the initiative to bow one's head. After all, the person before her was a man, and the strategy of "overcoming strength with softness" still worked; Prince Mu also "preferred softness to hardness."

Chuxiu gently stroked her forehead and gave a wry smile: "If I have spoken to this extent and you still refuse to let it go, I would have no choice but to forcefully break into the Marquis of Wenchang’s mansion to save them..."

Prince Mu finally let out two hearty laughs, sounding quite satisfied: "You only care about saving the Eldest Miss of the Yun family and her husband, Shen Yu? Will you not save the Third Master of the Yun family as well?"

Had the news already reached Prince Mu’s ears before she could even ask? Chuxiu steadied herself: "I hadn't had the chance to bring it up yet..."

"You have a hearty appetite, my Lady. One visit, and you want to save three lives." Prince Mu asked with deep meaning: "Then why did you not mention the Third Master of the Yun family first?"

This time, Chuxiu answered without hesitation: "Because the Third Master is not in immediate danger of death; the Ming clan respects the prestige of the Yun clan and will not act rashly. I suspect the Ming clan will propose certain conditions. As long as I sit still and do nothing, the Ming clan will come to me themselves."

"Clap, clap." Two sounds echoed as Prince Mu clapped his hands and laughed: "Worthy of being the matriarch of the Yun clan. You have hit the nail on the head."

Chuxiu shook her head: "If the Marquis were still alive, would the Ming clan dare to be so presumptuous? It is only because they bully us as a household of widows, and our business has plummeted, that times are not what they used to be..." She intentionally mentioned the business to let Prince Mu understand that the Yun family’s current difficulties were due to their support for him.

"I also admire the Marquis of Lixin; it is indeed a pity that he died young." Prince Mu said this sincerely, then added, "As for the business, you may hold on for another two or three years, my Lady. Once I find the treasure of the Dragon Vein, I will naturally return the money I have borrowed."

The treasure of the Dragon Vein? The treasure left behind by the royal family before the Great Xi Dynasty split? He had not expected that after more than eighty years of North-South division, Prince Mu would actually find the Dragon Vein treasure! In that case, his promise to return the funds to the Yun clan was not empty talk.

Chuxiu hurriedly flattered him: "It seems that you are indeed destined by heaven to unify the North and the South. You have even found the Dragon Vein!"

This remark pleased Prince Mu greatly. He finally revealed a seductive smile and said to Chuxiu, "For the sake of your words, my Lady, I will take charge of the Third Master’s imprisonment. Moreover, before I was titled Prince and left the palace, I was often tripped up by Empress Ming Zhen. Now that ten years have passed, it is time for Ming Zhen to taste what it means for 'the wheel of fortune to turn every ten years'."

He did not stop smiling as he continued, "The world says I am petty and vengeful. If I don't give the Ming clan a bit of bitterness, wouldn't I be living up to my reputation in vain? Just watch, the Ming clan’s good days are over, and Ming Zhen will not sit on the position of Empress for much longer."

Chuxiu was overjoyed. Why had she not thought of this connection? Since Prince Mu had never been favored, Empress Ming Zhen must have disliked him! She blamed her own impatience for forgetting that there was such a secret to exploit!

In this way, Yun Xian’s matter was considered resolved! But remembering the faces of the father and children—Ming Cheng, Ming Cui, and Ming Ying—Chuxiu couldn't help but ask: "Was the Third Master’s imprisonment a frame-up by the Ming clan? As far as I know, the Third Master is not a reckless person, nor is he a dissolute playboy; how could he get into a brawl over a brothel woman?"

"It was not a frame-up." Prince Mu stated the facts: "At the beginning of this year, a woman of the Jiang tribe arrived at the Xihua Pavilion and became the most popular figure in the Jingzhou pleasure quarters within six months. The Third Master of the Yun family frequently went to support her. Later, he caught Ming Cui molesting her and, in a fit of rage, played the hero to save the beauty, only to end up beating Ming Cui to death."

Prince Mu’s words were layered with meaning as he looked at Chuxiu: "However, Ming Cui’s corpse was indeed horrific. Not only was he covered in wounds, but he was also bleeding from the seven orifices and looked hideous, as if he had been poisoned."

A woman of the Jiang tribe, Yun Xian’s heroic rescue, and Ming Cui’s horrific state of death... Chuxiu mentally connected the dots and felt there was a link between the three. As she thought, she didn't even realize she had become distracted and lost her composure in front of Prince Mu.

Prince Mu, however, had no intention of speaking further, leaving Chuxiu to her silent contemplation.

After only a moment, Chuxiu suddenly understood the implication of Prince Mu’s words: "Thank you for your guidance. I understand now."

So, the Fourth Concubine, Luan Qing, had gone to Jingzhou and fallen into the life of a courtesan... Then this matter was not simple. Was Ming Cui beaten to death by Yun Xian’s accidental blow? Or was he poisoned to death by Luan Qing? It was up for debate!

However, since Prince Mu was willing to help, it seemed that both Yun Xian and Luan Qing would be safe from death. As Chuxiu breathed a sigh of relief, she did not forget to cautiously probe: "As for the matter of our Eldest Miss and young Marquis Shen... what do you think..."