Old Lady Chen immediately recalled hearing about the Shuntian Prefecture mobilizing st night to arrest some criminals. She looked thoughtfully at Chen Mingyu and asked, “You mentioned earlier that Her Majesty the Empress stopped by the Taiji Hall on her way?”

  What a coincidence. Today, Princess Rongcheng also reportedly entered the pace. Stroking Chen Mingyu’s smooth, glossy hair, Old Lady Chen mused, “You didn’t happen to see the princess in the Empress’s pace, did you?”

  Thanks to her recent efforts, Old Lady Chen’s subtle hints and fttery had begun to pay off. The Empress no longer considered Song Chuyi her first choice for the position of Crown Princess Consort. Instead, the Empress was entertaining the idea of arranging a match between Song Chuyi and Ye Jingchuan.

  After all, with the te Princess Duanhui’s connection to the Cui family, they already had a firm stance. The Song family was a useful ally, but if they could interpret the Empress’s intention and marry Song Chuyi into the Zhennan Estate, the Crown Prince would indirectly gain the support of the Chen, Song, and Cui families—an advantageous and risk-free arrangement.

  For years, the Empress had mastered the art of pying the fool to catch the tiger. Such a golden opportunity was too tempting to pass up.

  Chen Mingyu shook her head, surprised. “It’s strange that the princess didn’t first visit Qingning Hall to meet the Empress but went to Taiji Hall instead…” Her eyes widened as if she were beginning to grasp something.

  Old Lady Chen seemed to catch on as well. She pursed her lips, pulled Chen Mingyu closer, and gently instructed, “Never mind. It’s none of our concern. Just focus on doing your part.”

  Meanwhile, rumors spread that the sister of Consort Fan had caused the Crown Prince to faint after visiting the Eastern Pace, though the reason remained unclear. The Chen family, as always, pyed both sides, staying aligned with both the Crown Prince and Prince Dongping.

  With the situation still uncertain and the Crown Prince yet to regain consciousness, caution dictated that they proceed steadily and deliberately.

  However, the news at noon unsettled Chen Mingyu. She hadn’t expected that Princess Rongcheng’s pace visit was reted to an assassination attempt orchestrated by Noble Consort Xian. The attempt had failed, injuring both Song Chuyi and the Heir Apparent in the process. Furrowing her brows, she looked at Old Master Chen and Old Lady Chen with unease. “At such a critical moment, His Highness still went to Princess Rongcheng’s residence with her… Their retionship seems anything but ordinary.”

  Old Master Chen, however, was unfazed. He paid little attention to matters of romance or sentimentality. Even if Song Chuyi weren’t involved, he reasoned, once Chen Mingyu married the Heir Apparent, there would always be other women in his life.

  Wise men focus on the bigger picture; only children obsess over immediate gains and losses.

  Casting a disapproving gnce at Chen Mingyu, Old Master Chen said, “His Highness isn’t someone who acts without calcution. He wouldn’t abandon the Song family over something as trivial as Yuan Hui’s nonsense. Besides, all this talk of evil spirits and fateful destinies—whose fate is stronger than the Heir Apparent’s? He was personally blessed by the Daoist master of Longhu Mountain and has the protection of the Three Pure Ones. Why would he care about such superstitions?”

  Old Lady Chen understood Old Master Chen’s point and added, “You must remain patient. We don’t yet know how things will turn out. Even if, one day, things don’t go your way and you have no choice but to serve alongside Song Chuyi, will you really let that stop you from fighting for your pce?”

  Chen Mingyu lowered her head, her eyes reddening. How could she compete with Song Chuyi? Miss Song was young yet mature beyond her years, sharp-minded, and had already earned the Heir Apparent’s favor. Their bond seemed unshakable.

  Old Master Chen sighed. Despite keeping this girl by his side every day, she still couldn’t escape the petty worries and sensitivities of her gender.

  He shook his head and remarked to Old Lady Chen, “I find the Crown Prince’s illness rather peculiar. I heard that while the Crown Princess has been by his side all this time, Consort Fan, who used to be inseparable from him, hasn’t been allowed near him for days.”

  Even this detail revealed something unusual. In the past, it was unthinkable for the Crown Princess to take on the role of tending to the Crown Prince during his illness. The Crown Prince had always preferred Consort Fan’s company. Since he was young, he’d treasured Consort Fan as if she were a rare gem, but never before had she been so excluded.

  With the Eastern Pace’s position stable and the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne seemingly inevitable, his only obstacle was his poor health. Even the cautious pace physicians and attendants quietly murmured about his life expectancy being short.

  For those seeking to secure long-term prosperity, it was only natural to begin aligning themselves with the next viable heir. The Crown Prince’s declining health marked him as a setting sun. With only two sons, the future emperor would undoubtedly be one of them…

  Old Lady Chen shook her head with some concern. “I’ve never heard of a time when Consort Fan wasn’t allowed to care for the Crown Prince. And now, her family has angered the Crown Prince to the point of making him ill. No matter how you look at it, this is a votile situation.”

  It was best to stay away from votile matters. Take this incident, for example—if something truly happened to the Crown Prince, wouldn’t the Empress bear an unrelenting grudge against the entire Fan family? Even the Prince of Commandery would suffer the consequences. If the Chen family had firmly taken a side earlier, it would now be a very awkward position to be in.

  Old Master Chen agreed wholeheartedly. Stroking his beard with an air of wisdom, he sighed and said, “Let’s hold off for now. As you’re doing now, maintaining a good retionship with the Empress won’t lead to any missteps. After the spring imperial examinations next year, we’ll reassess…”

  At the mention of this, not only Old Master Chen but also Old Lady Chen showed a hint of joy on their faces. “Selecting talent for the nation is a serious matter. Once this is properly handled, we won’t need to tread so cautiously anymore,” she said.

  By then, even if the Song and Cui families were to join forces, the Chen family wouldn’t be seen as weak. Old Master Chen, visibly pleased, stood up and let the maidservants help him into his robe. “I’ll head to the study hall. Xiaoru is waiting for me. We’ll have dinner together, so don’t wait for me.”

  Old Lady Chen nodded and personally escorted him to the door. Turning back, she noticed Chen Mingyu sitting silently, her eyes reddened. The tear-streaked blush on her forehead made the beauty mark between her brows stand out even more vividly, making her appear pitiful and delicate. Who could bear to scold her further?

  Softening her tone, Old Lady Chen took her hand and guided her back to the couch. With a faint smile, she said, “You’ve shown so much improvement tely, so why act foolishly at such a critical moment? Do you think Noble Consort Xian’s actions were really aimed at Princess Rongcheng? Even if you gave her ten times the courage, do you think she would dare y a hand on the princess?”