One of the Prince’s attendants had a grudge against Wu Ciyun from Ning Prefecture.
Now that she had fallen into disgrace again, he was eager to trample on her and quickly agreed to the task.
The carriage smoothly headed toward Wu Mansion.
Wu Ciyun was resting with her eyes closed, but suddenly the driver abruptly reined in the horses.
She lost her balance and almost fell forward, but Rong Tan caught her just in time.
Frowning slightly, Rong Tan gently lifted the carriage curtain and before he could ask the driver what was wrong, he saw a familiar figure nearby.
The attendant, knowing Wu Ciyun was returning to the mansion, had taken a shortcut on horseback to block her.
He sat calmly astride his horse, the smugness in his eyes and brows impossible to hide.
Rong Tan detested this man and quietly explained to Wu Ciyun, “A Yun, that’s Prince Rui’s attendant who stopped our carriage.”
Wu Ciyun was not surprised.
She had the driver lift the curtain again and bluntly asked, “Official Liu, why have you stopped my carriage midway?”
“I mean no offense to Lord Wu and offer my apologies. May I ask where you intend to go?”
“Returning to the mansion, naturally.”
The attendant sneered, “Lord Wu, why return to the mansion? If you’re unwell, why not come with me to the palace? The Imperial Physicians there are far superior to those barefoot doctors in the remote parts of Ning Prefecture.”
Wu Ciyun lifted her eyes slightly and said faintly, “I’m going back to the mansion to die. I’ll drink poison tonight, hold my funeral tomorrow, and have my body burned with the coffin. In less than two weeks, I’ll be reincarnated.”
“What?”
The attendant was stunned and frowned. “Are you joking…?”
“Joking? I really am joking.”
Wu Ciyun said leisurely, “After all, I haven’t been having an affair with my master’s concubines. If anyone’s going to die, it’s not going to be me.”
The attendant’s face instantly changed.
He forced himself to look calm and asked casually, “Lord Wu, what do you mean? I don’t understand…”
“You don’t understand? That’s fine. At least your Prince understands.”
Wu Ciyun smiled slightly and ordered the driver, “Turn back to the palace.”
“Wait!”
The attendant realized Wu Ciyun knew something and hurriedly dismounted, running to the carriage.
Before he could speak, Wu Ciyun continued, “I heard Official Liu recently lost a fortune gambling underground. I wonder where that money came from?”
“Duke Protector of the State…”
Sweat dripped from the attendant’s temples.
His attitude was now extremely deferential, forced into a smile.
“I stopped your carriage on the Prince’s orders. Please forgive me and spare my life.”
He had long been secretly involved with Prince Rui’s favored concubine and, abusing his position, had secretly pawned items from the Prince’s treasury, throwing most of the money into gambling.
He didn’t know how Wu Ciyun had uncovered these secrets.
He only knew that if Prince Rui found out, he would surely be doomed.
Wu Ciyun ignored his pleading and instead asked with a half-smile, “Official Liu, how much do you value your life?”
The attendant was at a loss for words.
He tried to think of something he could trade with Wu Ciyun, but came up empty.
“If you trust me, I can be your spy and keep an eye on the Prince’s movements.”
Wu Ciyun scoffed as if mocking his arrogance.
Since she already knew every secret of the Prince’s household, she had long infiltrated the entire mansion. She certainly didn’t need such a foolish spy.
She ignored the attendant outside, lowered the curtain, and told the driver, “Head back to the mansion.”
The driver obeyed.
The attendant was suddenly brushed aside by the speeding carriage and fell awkwardly to the ground.
But he dared not complain; he gritted his teeth, got up, dusted himself off, and pondered how to report back to Prince Rui.
Perhaps venting his anger on the attendant had calmed Wu Ciyun somewhat.
When she returned to the mansion, her demeanor was much more composed.
At least in front of her two younger siblings, her face betrayed nothing.
“Big Brother, what happened to that ugly errand boy from before?”
Wu Liangyu complained to Wu Ciyun, holding a small wooden doll with a broken head.
“My sister broke my things again. I wanted him to fix it for me.”
“Unfortunately, Jia Weizhen went home to visit family a few days ago.”
Wu Ciyun took the doll, examined it carefully, and smiled, “With its head broken off, it can’t be fixed. Big Brother will have the carpenter make you a new one later.”
Wu Liangyu was a bit sulky but obediently agreed.
Children’s moods came and went quickly.
Within a short incense stick’s time, he was playing pitch-pot again with Wu Mingzhu.
Rong Tan hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking, “A Yun, did Jia Weizhen really go home to visit?”
“Yes, he left early this morning.”
Wu Ciyun sipped her tea casually.
“He said he missed his parents, so I sent him home.”
She looked at Rong Tan and asked, “What is it?”
Rong Tan shook his head lightly and said softly, “Nothing. Just asking.”
Jia Weizhen’s parents had died years ago, so it was indeed a home visit.
Wu Ciyun didn’t mind Rong Tan’s awkwardness.
Sitting by the window, watching the two children running around, she said warmly, “You must take good care of them.”
Rong Tan knew she was arranging things for after she left for the Liang Capital.
His heart felt heavy as he pondered whether to keep playing along with Wen Guanyu or push Wu Ciyun to firmly establish herself in the Liang court, so they could reunite sooner.
The first was risky—it could expose his identity.
The second, even if expedited, would still mean a separation of more than three months, considering travel time.
“Although I’m leaving, Su Wuke often stays in the capital, so Prince Rui probably won’t dare act openly. I’ll also leave Ling Tian to help you.”
“So, are we moving to the Su Mansion?”
“No need.”
Wu Ciyun’s eyelashes lowered lazily as she said slowly, “I’ve already discussed it with Su Wuke. Mingzhu and Liangyu will stay at the Duke Protector of the State’s mansion.”
“You don’t need to be too close with the Su family. Just bring Mingzhu and Liangyu to visit every half month.”
Rong Tan didn’t quite understand but nodded anyway.
Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu’s status was still that of her younger siblings, not the biological children of Wu Nanshan.
She convinced Su Wuke by arguing that if others knew their relationship, the two children might be targeted. She also worried the children would be deeply pained if they learned about the massacre of their family.
The System, now fully familiar with Ciyun’s nature, directly asked: [Are you repaying Nanshan’s kindness or using the siblings to control Su Wuke?]
[These aren’t mutually exclusive.]
Wu Ciyun openly admitted, [It’s a win-win situation for me. Why wouldn’t I do it?]
Rong Tan was torn between the two choices and cautiously asked, “A Yun, you and Wen Guanyu… did you know each other before?”
“We were classmates, but that was a long time ago.”
Wu Ciyun thought seriously for a moment.
“About ten years ago. I was still studying at Zhaofeng Academy then.”
“Zhaofeng Academy? You’ve been to the Liang Capital before?”
Rong Tan’s head snapped up, his entire body tensing.
Wu Ciyun glanced at him coldly. “Don’t you know? I’m originally from Liang State.”
“At that time, my family lived in Nan’an. We were merchants trading on the border. But after the family had some troubles, I came to the Sheng Dynasty.”
“So that’s how it is…”
Rong Tan’s tension turned into a deep sense of loss.
Wu Ciyun had been to the Liang Capital, which meant she might have even crossed paths with that fool of an elder brother before.
Perhaps back then, when he knew nothing, he had brushed past her, only to reunite after so many years.
What was Wu Ciyun like as a young girl? He imagined she was shorter then, her cheeks rounder, perhaps even more prone to smile—like a clever, sly little fox.
“Zhaofeng Academy was full of aristocratic children. My family had fallen on hard times, and having never seen much of the world, they often bullied me.”
System: [Never seen much of the world, yet still raking in silver.]
Wu Ciyun sighed helplessly.
“Wen Guanyu was older and didn’t like me. My strategies outperformed his, so he always looked down on me and tormented me. I couldn’t stand it and had to change my name and leave.”
System: [Disliked you so much he tormented you to the point of sharing the same bed?]
Rong Tan was shocked and pained.
He looked at Wu Ciyun’s calm profile, thought of all the hardships she had endured, and nearly broke down in tears.
Wen Guanyu was truly a complete hypocrite! Shameless and utterly despicable!
Wu Ciyun was pleased with Rong Tan’s reaction.
Just as she planned to fan the flames further, A Ming hurried over with news.
“Master, the Grand Tutor of Liang and General Chu Mingyi request to meet you.”
System: […They say don’t speak ill of others behind their backs, but you got caught so quickly.]