Before leaving, You Tong had dressed up specially. Her long, black hair was piled up in a cloud-like bun, adorned with jade and gold hairpins. Her eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes were lightly drawn, her cheeks were lightly powdered, her lips were soft and red, and bright pearls hung from her ears. Every glance she gave was radiant. A beautiful young woman of sixteen or seventeen, with a slender figure and a flowing dress, she was a striking sight simply by standing in the spring sunshine.
Not to mention, she was accompanied by Fu Yu, who had a stern appearance and a dignified demeanor.
The couple walked side by side, and even without showing any arm-in-arm or shoulder-to-shoulder posture, they still gave the impression of a perfect match, like heroes and beauties complementing each other.
Within a short distance of about a hundred steps, many eyes were already fixed on them.
Those curious about the Jintan Temple incident and those disdainful due to old rumors each harbored their own thoughts. Some acted openly, while others observed secretly.
You Tong had once walked calmly through the city's gossip and strange looks, and was not afraid of any kind of pointing fingers, so why would she care about this occasion? She simply ignored them and walked slowly and calmly. If she met someone she knew in the past and the other party was friendly, she would greet them with a smile.
Upon reaching the lakeside, the men turned left and the women turned right.
You Tong took a few steps with Xue Shi by the arm and saw Xu Shu standing in front of the pavilion like a star surrounded by the moon, dressed in gorgeous clothes, dignified and smiling.
Their eyes met from afar, and Xu Shu paused slightly. The women beside her, who had been flattering and laughing, noticed this and looked over as well. They saw a beautiful woman strolling slowly by the lake, her youthful beauty and captivating charm—who was this? How could anyone present not recognize her? After the incident at Jintan Temple that day spread, many people still didn't believe that Princess Rui would rekindle her relationship with Wei Youtong. Now, seeing Wei Youtong attending the banquet with their own eyes, they were all secretly surprised.
However, drawn by the strange atmosphere, the women who had been chatting and watching the lake all turned to look over, some openly and some secretly.
You Tong walked up to Xu Shu, stepping into the midst of those stares.
Then she clasped her hands in front of her body and gracefully bowed.
Xu Shu had been repeatedly instructed by Xu Chaozong for two days, and having already reluctantly agreed, how could she afford to make a mistake now? She immediately smiled and helped him up, acting as if it were a warm welcome, saying, "You've finally arrived. It's a rare treat to come to the capital, so I specially invited a chef from the Imperial Kitchen who specializes in pastries to make your favorite silver thread soft cake, with your preferred sweet flavor." As she spoke, she then took Xue's arm and smiled slightly, "How have you been, Madam?"
She's good at putting on an act in front of others, smiling on the outside but hiding a knife behind her back.
Madam Xue, however, was a gentle person. Thinking back to how You Tong had been driven to despair and committed suicide out of grief, and how the Xu family had relentlessly pursued and bullied her afterwards, she couldn't get over that hurdle in her heart. Her arm stiffened, and she withdrew it without making a sound, saying, "It's all good. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."
Xu Shu didn't take it to heart and invited everyone to sit and talk in the warm pavilion.
...
The scene in front of the warm pavilion was described in just three or four sentences.
Those accompanying Xu Shu were mostly women from noble families, well-versed in the ways of the inner quarters. Even though they found the situation strange, they all restrained themselves, secretly observing the two women entangled in a web of grudges. Outside the warm pavilion, the situation was entirely different for the young ladies—
Previously, when Xu Shu married into the Prince's Mansion, Xu Miao took advantage of the situation to enjoy a great deal of glory.
Although Xu Miao was also the granddaughter of the Grand Tutor, she lacked her sister's shrewdness and had a rather impatient temperament. Back then, she was always jumping around, using You Tong's reputation as a pretext. Even at a banquet at the Duke of Yue's mansion, she didn't forget to slander You Tong, rallying her friends to trample on her, as if she wanted to incite everyone to despise You Tong. How could she be quiet under normal circumstances?
Throughout the year, he would tell almost everyone he met, seizing every opportunity to mock them.
Almost every girl who had some contact with her knew that Wei Youtong was shameless, persistent, and irreconcilable with Xu Shu.
Who would have thought that, under the watchful eyes of everyone, they would be completely unconcerned?
Some people couldn't stand Xu Miao's arrogance and conceit, and couldn't help but secretly tease him, whispering among themselves, only restraining themselves slightly after the banquet started.
But almost without exception, everyone's gaze shifted to You Tong.
You Tong remained calm and composed, having built up enough momentum. Once all the women had arrived and their curiosity had been piqued, he turned his attention to Xu Shu.
The woman sat regally in the main seat, adorned with gold hairpins and jade ornaments, her entire body covered in precious jewels.
Seeing You Tong's expression, she knew what he meant. Her smile was dignified and proper, but her hands, hidden in her sleeves, unconsciously clenched. After all, she was a princess, a person above millions. After marrying into the Prince Rui's mansion, she had long been used to being surrounded by people and being worshipped. How easy would it be to slap herself in the face in front of everyone?
However, since things have come to this, what can be done even if one is unwilling?
Xu Shu gritted her teeth, reached for the jade cup on the table, and then whispered instructions to the maid beside her.
The maid obeyed and quickly went to You Tong's seat to fill his cup with wine.
This commotion was quite eye-catching, and the women around couldn't help but stop their chatter and look over.
Xu Shu raised her cup, slowly circled the crowd, and then said in a gentle voice, "It is truly delightful to host this banquet today and invite you all to enjoy the spring scenery together. I would like to offer this cup to you all first, and hope that we can visit each other more often in the future, so that it can be more lively." After saying this, she drank it all in one gulp.
These words were strange, but the others dared not be negligent and each drank their cups dry.
Xu Shu raised her glass again, this time looking past everyone else at You Tong, and said, "I am truly pleased that you accepted my invitation to the banquet."
"Your Highness is too kind," You Tong said, her clear and melodious voice ringing out in the almost silent hall. She glanced at Xu Shu, then her gaze swept over everyone present, and said, "It wasn't that I refused to attend the banquet earlier, but rather to avoid suspicion. As Your Highness knows, there were many rumors circulating in the capital two years ago—"
She paused slightly, gave a self-deprecating laugh, and said, "They say I was cruelly abandoned, that I harbored hatred out of love, that I not only repeatedly harassed His Highness Prince Rui, shamelessly pestering him, even threatening suicide, but also that I resented the Princess Consort for her treacherous smile and stealing his love, secretly cursing her with many disrespectful words. As the saying goes, 'three men can make a tiger,' if I dared to have any contact with the Princess Consort at that time, and if others spread the word, they would probably say I was vicious and had plotted assassination. I had no choice but to avoid her for now."
Everyone present remembered what happened back then, and when she brought it up herself, they couldn't help but concentrate, wanting to hear the details.
—After all, although he was widely condemned at the time, it was mostly hearsay and rumors; no one had actually witnessed it firsthand. Whether those things were true or false remains a source of curiosity.
The hall fell silent for a moment. When Xu Shu heard the words "a smile hiding a knife, stealing love with a knife," her fingernails involuntarily gripped the jade cup tightly.
But at this moment, she could no longer care.
Seeing You Tong glance over, she could only put on a smile and say softly, "Those are just rumors spread by others, why take them to heart?"
“Gossip is a fearsome thing. The princess may not feel anything because she is outside of it, but I feel very tormented. After all, the capital is only so big, and there are acquaintances everywhere. Who wants to be pointed at, speculated about and talked about for no reason?” She glanced at the crowd with a hint of sarcasm and a sense of vicissitude after having survived many hardships. “How old was I back then? How could I bear those discussions?”
There was a hint of sadness and heartbreak in his voice.
The women present were not heartless. Thinking back to the time when they were condemned by thousands, some of them couldn't help but feel sorry for the victims.
Some kind-hearted and righteous people couldn't help but say, "I felt something was strange at the time. I felt that the rumors were overwhelming and one-sided, which was really vicious and exaggerated, as if someone was deliberately smearing us. Don't be too sad, young mistress. Just get through it. Those who spread rumors will be punished."
"May justice prevail." You Tong smiled gratefully at her, then looked at Xu Shu, "Since there are so many people here today, Your Highness, why don't you say something fair? Did those things really happen?"
Only the parties involved truly know the facts.
Almost all eyes in the hall were on Xu Shu.
Xu Shu felt extremely uncomfortable under the intense gazes and the barbed words from You Tong. She could only show her pain and grit her teeth, saying, "It's all baseless nonsense! I don't know who fabricated it and spread it! If such a thing really happened, how could His Highness and I not know? His Highness heard the rumors before and refuted them himself, but rumors are like spilled water, and he couldn't stop them."
These words immediately sparked whispers among the crowd.
Given Princess Rui's status, if those things really happened, would she let them go so easily?
Now that they've denied it, it's a definite clarification, a definitive statement.
During the previous controversy, some people had doubts, but they were swayed by the opinions of others and dared not question them.
The matter had been left unresolved for a year, and the initial one-sided narrative had faded. While some found it strange in retrospect, there was no way to verify it. Now, Princess Rui's personal denial is irrefutable evidence.
During the meal, people immediately began to whisper among themselves. One said that she had noticed something was amiss and felt that someone was interfering. Another said that she had seen through the scheme long ago, but no one would believe her if she said it. With everyone talking at once, the whole room suddenly became a discerning person, completely forgetting that they had once joked about it.
Gradually, people began to talk about those who spread rumors and stirred up trouble behind the scenes, saying that those people were malicious and despicable.
Xu Shu sat at the head of the table, listening to those harsh and scathing remarks. She felt embarrassed and awkward in front of You Tong, but she had to maintain a dignified smile and even reluctantly agree with others when they spoke to her.
You Tong slowly sipped her tea, glancing at Xu Shu's almost white knuckles, and secretly sneered.
Can't you even stand this much discussion?
When she returns the insults she received from the city, it will be a thousand times, ten thousand times more ruthless than this.
Just you wait and see!
Chapter 45 Testing
Because of the previous groundwork, many people were eagerly waiting to hear the inside story. Even those who did not have the qualifications to attend the banquet at Prince Rui's residence secretly inquired about it. The news spread like wildfire, and the commotion at the banquet gradually reached the capital. Although it did not reach the point of being known to everyone, most noble families and officials had heard the truth.
With her grievances cleared, on the very night she returned home, Madam Xue pulled You Tong aside and couldn't help but cry.
You Tong could only offer gentle words of comfort, suggesting that she spend more time with her mother whenever she had free time.
Fu Yu is still very busy.
After the assassin was captured, he was interrogated thoroughly, and the investigation was followed closely. The Prince Rui's mansion had limited capabilities, and the officials supported by Emperor Xiping were not particularly capable either. In many matters, they still relied on Fu Yu's assistance. Fortunately, this was not an unsolved case. Fu Yu was targeted and, within a few days, he uncovered the Prince Ying and the Wei family's spies hiding behind the scenes. He then reported the findings, along with the evidence and confessions, to Emperor Xiping.
What could Emperor Xiping do?
With the war in the south still raging and Wei Jian holding military power in one region, the court was already preoccupied with its own problems. Even if Wei Jian openly attempted to assassinate a prince, Emperor Xiping would at most only punish a few insignificant people, and would not touch a hair on Wei Jian's head!
When an emperor reaches this point, all he feels is frustration and helplessness.
Unable to confront Wei Jian directly, Emperor Xiping summoned Prince Ying to his side, gave him a stern reprimand, and punished him by confining him to his quarters to reflect on his actions. Consort Zhao was also implicated, her rank being demoted two levels. Subsequently, the chief strategist of Prince Ying's residence was dismissed. Judging from his thunderous rage, it was clear that he would not consider Prince Ying as the crown prince for at least the next six months.
Xu Chaozong took care of all these matters, but Fu Yu only paid attention to one thing.
Assassins are easy to catch, but finding out why they suddenly acted ahead of schedule that day is really not easy. Wei Jian's brother-in-law had already made a quick getaway after the assassination attempt failed. Du He spent a lot of effort to find the source, who was a rather important leader under Wei Jian named Chen Tong. He had been lying low in the capital for a long time under the guise of a merchant, responsible for receiving and transmitting messages, and he was very tight-lipped.
Du He couldn't get him to talk, so Fu Yu had to step in himself to force the truth out.
According to Chen Tong, when he was discussing matters with his superiors that day, someone suddenly broke into the vicinity to investigate. He noticed the commotion and gave chase, but the person had already vanished without a trace. That night, Chen Tong sensed something amiss twice more, but failed to track down the perpetrator, guessing he was being watched. Chen Tong was no innocent man; he was always vigilant and secretly kept watch on other arrangements, also noticing subtle signs of being targeted.
Everyone knew that Fu Yu had gone to the capital, and Chen Tong also knew about their meeting at Liuyuan Garden that day.
Chen Tong had a clear understanding of Xu Chaozong's background. Although he was surrounded by guards like an iron barrel, their ability to gather information was limited. Since the other party was elusive and unpredictable, it was clear that Fu Yu was secretly helping him and had already figured out his plans.
Chen Tong feared that if he acted according to his original plan, he would be outmaneuvered by Fu Yu. Therefore, he had no choice but to make hasty arrangements in order to take Fu Yu by surprise.
However, they ultimately fell short and failed to succeed.
Under severe torture, Chen Tong confessed everything, including the cause and effect of the events and all the details.
Upon hearing the reason, Fu Yu frowned even more deeply.
Although he was proud, he was not arrogant. Qi Zhou's army was capable of supporting a formidable force, and Wei Jian's forces were not all incompetent. With intelligence gathering from both sides, they engaged in both offense and defense. In past military campaigns, although he employed cunning and surprise tactics, he had also been discovered by the enemy several times, finding himself in a precarious situation. Logically, it wouldn't be surprising if Chen Tong noticed something amiss when he sent out spies.
But Fu Yu always felt that something was amiss.
The Fu family was strict in training their troops, producing elite and brave cavalry. Their scouts were also exceptionally skilled, allowing them to rely on their intelligence to minimize the bloodshed of their soldiers.
These spies were all top-notch, even more so than him in terms of keen intelligence, and they rarely alerted the enemy.
Even if a small mistake were made and Chen Tong noticed it once, how could they be so stupid as to reveal anything again?
It was clearly intentional.
If someone was indeed secretly tipping him off, but refused to let Chen Tong see their true identity, who could it be?
Du He was trustworthy, so there was no need to doubt him. The rest were Wei Tianze and a few minor leaders who knew a little about the arrangements—with their abilities, if they really had ulterior motives, they could easily deduce Fu Yu's plans based on the information they had gathered and the arrangements here, and then secretly inform him.
Even though Fu Yu was extremely unwilling, he had to admit that there were unreliable people around him.
These men had all fought alongside him, his father, and his cousin, risking their lives to defend the borders. Several had even fought alongside him, entrusting each other with their weakest point of defense without hesitation—a bond of camaraderie and a debt of life-saving grace. Their friendship was unbreakable, built on shared experiences. During their years in Qizhou, they had never made a single mistake or revealed any wrongdoing. The men remaining in the capital had also helped him secretly switch Zhu Xun from prison and gather intelligence on the palace and high-ranking officials.
The only difference this time is that the opponent has Wei Jian's subordinates.
Fu Yu frowned and pondered, his knuckles tense, his face gloomy.
...
Inside the Wei residence, You Tong also wore a solemn expression, her face slightly tense.
Sitting opposite her was Wei Sidao, still in his official robes after returning from the yamen, his brow slightly furrowed with fatigue. Approaching forty, the man, tempered by the tedious affairs of the court, possessed a rather dignified and composed air. However, compared to others who either wielded great power or enjoyed favor and privilege, his position as a junior official in the Ministry of War was rather awkward—