Gu Chusheng took the paper with the date and location from Wei Yun's hand, carefully examining the time written on it without saying much.
After Wei Yun was released from prison and successfully took over all the reserve forces of the Wei family, it didn’t surprise Gu Chusheng that he could access the Emperor’s itinerary. The reason Gu Chusheng still relied on Wei Yun now was precisely because of these resources held by the great noble families—resources he could never possess.
Back then, the feud between the Emperor and the Prince of Qin was a matter of life and death. When Gu Chusheng’s father fell upon the Emperor’s sword, the Emperor left nothing for the Gu family. If Gu Chusheng hadn’t gritted his teeth, entered the palace, voluntarily surrendered all of the Gu family’s hidden forces, donated their entire fortune, and handed over the Prince of Qin’s posthumous child, even he wouldn’t have survived.
Everyone believed his father had angered the Emperor by advising the Prince of Qin, but few knew the real reason the Gu family provoked the Emperor’s wrath was his father’s concealment of that child.
Now, though Gu Chusheng had survived, his path to officialdom was no different from that of an ordinary scholar. Without attaching himself to a powerful noble family, he had no chance of advancement.
Wei Yun waited as Gu Chusheng scrutinized the timing.
For Gu Chusheng to bring a lawsuit to the Emperor, timing was crucial.
The Emperor was still protecting Yao Yong, and no one knew just how much tolerance His Majesty had for him. If the Emperor considered abandoning a city and disregarding its people a trivial matter, then Gu Chusheng’s lawsuit would be a futile sacrifice of his own life.
This lawsuit had to be brought skillfully—it had to be known throughout the land—only then could Gu Chusheng’s life be spared.
After a long moment of consideration, Gu Chusheng finally said, “The first day of the new year.”
On the first day of the new year, the Emperor would ascend the altar to perform sacrifices. With crowds gathering to witness the event, this was indeed the most opportune time for maximum exposure.
Wei Yun nodded, though unease still lingered in his heart. Gu Chusheng, noticing his expression, understood his concern. “Are you worried that pressuring His Majesty like this might provoke his displeasure?”
Wei Yun looked up at him. “We’ve already forced His Majesty’s hand once.”
To secure Wei Yun’s release from prison, Chu Yu had knelt before the Palace Gates, half-pleading, half-coercing the Emperor. If Gu Chusheng were to publicly bring a lawsuit now, the Wei family could no longer intervene.
Gu Chusheng remained silent. Wei Yun stood and said, “Let’s tentatively set this date. I’ll think it over further.”
Gu Chusheng acknowledged with a nod, then added, “I’m not well-versed in the affairs of the capital. Might I trouble the Marquis to assign someone to brief me in detail?”
Wei Yun gave a faint hum and glanced at Wei Xia. “You stay.”
With that, Wei Yun left alone, deep in thought about what to do next.
For years, the Emperor had favored Yao Yong extravagantly—not only because Yao Yong was a weapon against the noble families but also because His Majesty genuinely believed in Yao Yong’s competence. Skilled in self-promotion and eager to claim credit and seize power, Yao Yong was far removed from the front lines, leaving the Emperor with only battle reports to judge his performance. Though the Emperor suspected discrepancies, it was difficult to assess the truth accurately.
If Yao Yong claimed ten parts of merit, the Emperor likely credited him with seven, unaware that in reality, the man might not even deserve three.
Now, Wei Yun’s plan was first to sow doubt in the Emperor’s mind about Yao Yong’s incompetence and deceit. Then, he would have Song Shilan coordinate on the battlefield to force Yao Yong into repeated defeats, shifting all blame onto him. This would inevitably stir the Emperor’s suspicions. With Wei Yun’s agents within Yao Yong’s ranks fanning the flames, discord between ruler and subject was certain to arise.When they reached Heaven's Guard Pass, they would have Chu Linyang and Song Shilan collaborate to set up Yao Yong. Once the pass was lost, the Emperor—who already considered Yao Yong incompetent—would inevitably reprimand him harshly. Then, by having informants hint that the Emperor intended to kill Yao Yong and bring Wei Yun out of retirement, Yao Yong would have no choice but to rebel.
With Heaven's Guard Pass breached and Yao Yong in revolt, while Song Shilan and Chu Linyang avoided the conflict, the only usable general left would be Wei Yun.
At that point, they could demand provisions, expand the army, and legitimize the Wei family's soldiers who had pretended to flee from the frontlines, turning them into proper troops. Even if the Emperor saw through it, he would be powerless to stop it.
Everything afterward had already been arranged—Gu Chusheng's role now became crucial. If they couldn't plant this seed in the Emperor's mind, all their subsequent efforts might be in vain.
He could simply have Gu Chusheng bring a lawsuit to the Emperor. After all, he didn’t expect this case alone to topple Yao Yong—it was merely a fuse, meant to make the Emperor aware of Yao Yong’s deceit. Whether Gu Chusheng lived or died wouldn’t matter much.
But he couldn’t do it.
He wasn’t one of those cold-blooded, scheming politicians. Gu Chusheng was now a righteous official who had saved the people of Bai City. Even if his motives weren’t pure, he hadn’t done anything wrong—Wei Yun couldn’t just stand by and watch him walk to his death.
Moreover, if Gu Chusheng deliberately exposed this case, an Emperor who was biased to the extreme might twist it into believing it was a trap set by others to frame Yao Yong. After all, Yao Yong had spent years charging into battle for the Emperor, offending many noble families.
So this matter shouldn’t be handled too deliberately. It shouldn’t be them actively informing the Emperor—it should be the Emperor passively finding out.
But how to make the Emperor aware?
Wei Yun racked his brain, and suddenly, he thought of someone.
It was just a vague idea, but he hurried to Chu Yu’s room. She was writing when he rushed in, and she couldn’t help but ask with concern, “What’s wrong?”
“Sister-in-law,” Wei Yun said seriously, “how is your relationship with The Eldest Princess?”
Hearing this, Chu Yu relaxed slightly. Her gaze returned to her paper as she replied calmly, “Tell me what this is about first.”
Wei Yun briefly explained his thoughts. After considering it, Chu Yu nodded. “I understand. I’ll go to The Eldest Princess’ residence right away.”
“You and The Eldest Princess…”
“We’re not exactly close,” Chu Yu admitted. “But if it’s something that would displease The Crown Prince, she’d probably be all too happy to do it.”
In her past life, The Eldest Princess had relentlessly suppressed The Crown Prince. Now, having only saved Wei Yun once, she likely hadn’t had her fill yet.
Wei Yun also had a rough idea of what had happened while he was imprisoned and asked in disbelief, “But it was just some romantic scandal—why would The Eldest Princess go so far?”
At this, Chu Yu’s gaze drifted meaningfully toward Wei Yun. He immediately tensed and instinctively corrected himself, “But what The Crown Prince did was truly dishonorable! The Eldest Princess’ actions were completely justified!”
His quick amendment satisfied Chu Yu somewhat. Studying his face—still youthful but undeniably handsome—she thought for a moment before advising, “Xiao Qi, in the future, don’t ever casually betray a woman. Not for her sake, but for your own.”Wei Yun was slightly taken aback. Chu Yu spoke earnestly: "For most women, love is their entire life. When you think about how much a person's life can be ruined, imagine the extent of revenge she might seek."
"And what about you?" Wei Yun blurted out, inexplicably picturing Gu Chusheng's face in his mind. Chu Yu gave a light laugh: "If I could take pleasure in battling with someone like The Eldest Princess does, of course I'd want to grind their face into the dirt. But if destroying that person comes at too great a cost," her eyes filled with disdain, "is he even worth it?"
Hearing this, Wei Yun inexplicably felt relieved. He exhaled and looked at Chu Yu seriously: "Sister-in-law, don't worry. If I like someone, I'll treat her exceptionally well—only her. I would never let her down."
Seeing Wei Yun's earnest expression, Chu Yu was momentarily stunned, suddenly feeling a twinge of envy for his future wife.
Who had Wei Yun married in her previous life?
Chu Yu pondered, slowly recalling a name—Princess Qingping.
This Princess Qingping was the eldest daughter of Prince De, renowned for her extraordinary beauty. It was said she excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, with particular skill in medicine—a true talent and beauty. Not only was she beautiful, talented, and powerful, but her virtue was also highly praised. In her previous life, while Wei Yun was off conquering lands, she had opened charitable clinics and personally treated patients, earning widespread acclaim.
Thinking of such a person meeting Wei Yun, Chu Yu felt quite reassured, yet there was an inexplicable reluctance. After some thought, she realized it was probably akin to a father's feelings when marrying off his daughter.
Once Wei Yun married, he would practically be someone she had raised. The Wei family suddenly having a new mistress did bring a sense of loss.
Yet Chu Yu understood—this day would come eventually. So she adjusted her mood and smiled. "When Xiao Qi finds someone she likes, I'll be sure to pass on your words."
Wei Yun listened to Chu Yu, first pausing in surprise, then feeling a wave of confusion.
The person he liked?
These words strung together suddenly felt distant and bittersweet.
He couldn't quite place this emotion, so he simply nodded out of habit, murmuring, "Alright."
Chu Yu didn't dwell on the topic. After briefly discussing their approach for the visit to The Eldest Princess's residence, she changed clothes, ordered someone to prepare a visiting card, and set off.
Just before she left, Wei Yun hurried after her, anxiously saying, "I forgot to tell you—when dealing with The Eldest Princess, you must be very careful."
Chu Yu looked puzzled. Wei Yun said seriously, "If she hosts a banquet, don't stay. Come back early."
Chu Yu nodded blankly, then added, "But I'm going to ask for her help. Wouldn't it be improper to leave if she invites me to stay?"
Wei Yun hesitated, then gritted his teeth. "Fine, just this once. Go ahead."
Chu Yu said nothing. Sitting in the carriage, she pondered Wei Yun's words, finding them oddly unsettling.
Why did a simple visit to The Eldest Princess's residence feel like entering a dragon's pool and tiger's den?
Author's Note:
Everyone, go to sleep first. The second update isn't quite right—I'm still revising it.
Mini Theater:
Wei Yun: "Matters of romance shouldn't be this complicated, right?"
Chu Yu gives him a sidelong glance.
Wei Yun: "The Eldest Princess is absolutely right! She did well!"
Chu Yu: "Hmm, your survival instincts are impressively strong."
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