After bidding farewell, Deng Yi took the siblings Chu Zhao and Chu Ke and departed.
Prince Zhongshan did not press them to stay further. He instructed the steward to see them out, then stood supporting Xiao Xun at the entrance of the hall, watching until their figures vanished from sight. Even then, he remained standing motionless.
"Father, was she pleasing to the eye?" Xiao Xun asked with a laugh.
Prince Zhongshan smiled and nodded. "Pleasing, captivating, truly remarkable. If her mother was like her, I can understand why Chu Ling was so unwaveringly devoted."
Xiao Xun hadn’t expected his father to offer such an evaluation, and it didn’t sound like mere jest. He glanced toward the doorway, unable to see what was so captivating about the girl.
Prince Zhongshan shook his head again. "What a pity."
What was pitiable now? Xiao Xun was even more puzzled.
"It’s a pity she doesn’t seem to like us," Prince Zhongshan said with a laugh, looking at Xiao Xun.
Xiao Xun chuckled. "That’s my fault—I shouldn’t have seized Miss Chu."
Prince Zhongshan replied, "If you hadn’t seized her, we wouldn’t have made her acquaintance. Dislike can also be a kind of fate."
Why did it sound as though his father genuinely wished for some connection with Miss Chu? Xiao Xun asked, "Father, have you truly been enchanted by that Miss Chu?"
Prince Zhongshan laughed heartily, clapped him on the shoulder, and leaned on him as he turned. "How long has it been since our household had a joyous occasion? If you don’t marry soon, your old man might have to take another wife himself, just to give everyone a reason to feast and celebrate."
Xiao Xun laughed and said, "That’s fine by me," as he supported his father. The two bantered cheerfully as they headed inside.
Whether that Miss Chu was arrogant, insolent, or deliberately provoking them, it mattered little to the father and son. What could she possibly do? It was they who held sway over the young lady’s emotions and attitudes, not the other way around.
Just as adults find a child’s tantrums amusing, so did they.
……
……
Chu Ke was now furious.
"Are you satisfied now?" he shouted angrily. "Haven’t you caused enough trouble in the capital? Must you offend everyone along the way as well?"
Chu Zhao paid no heed to his rage, not even sparing him a glance. "What do you know? Offending people isn’t necessarily a bad thing."
In her previous life, she hadn’t offended Xiao Xun, yet he had still brought ruin and death upon her family.
Now, despite her disrespectful words, Prince Zhongshan had done nothing to her.
In the end, it wasn’t about words or attitudes—it was about capability and necessity.
Though she longed to kill Xiao Xun and be done with it, she had returned to change her fate, not to perish together with him.
If she killed Xiao Xun, Prince Zhongshan had other sons. She couldn’t possibly single-handedly slaughter all the sons of the Zhongshan royal house.
As long as Xiao Xun didn’t become emperor, that would suffice.
But that wasn’t something she could control.
What lay ahead was a storm that would sweep up countless people, and in that storm, she was truly insignificant.
All she could do now was stay far away from Xiao Xun and draw closer to those who could restrain him—such as Deng Yi.
She glanced back at Deng Yi, who was speaking with two guards. But the moment she looked over, he noticed immediately and met her gaze. His sinister eyes instantly brought back memories of her past life.
She forced a faint smile and quickly averted her eyes.
……
……
With matters as they stood, she could no longer go to the Border Commandery. Chu Zhao had no choice but to return to the capital for now.
Chu Ke was in a foul mood, torn between longing for home and dreading the hardships of the journey. He was brimming with resentment and wanted to berate Chu Zhao, but every time he opened his mouth, she rebuked him instead. Moreover, Chu Zhao was even prepared to resort to violence, and her maid A Le was eagerly rolling up her sleeves, ready to join in. Infuriated, Chu Ke could only bury his head and try to sleep.As night fell, the post station grew somewhat quieter than during the day, though people and carriages still came and went intermittently.
Deng Yi, having finished his meal, stood under the corridor speaking with his subordinates when he noticed several carriages entering. They exchanged warm greetings with the Station Chief before heading toward the stables in the rear courtyard. The Station Chief approached Deng Yi with a smile and bowed: "Lord Deng, the horses and carriage you need for tomorrow are ready. Would you like to inspect them?"
Deng Yi nodded, and the Station Chief promptly led the way to the rear courtyard.
No sooner had he left than A Le, hiding in a corner by the wall, withdrew her gaze and dashed quickly back to the room.
"Miss," she said in a low voice, "Lord Deng has gone to check the horses and carriage."
Chu Zhao was combing her hair before the mirror and asked, "Who did he go with?"
"With the Station Chief, of course," A Le replied, "and his guards as well."
The question struck A Le as rather odd.
Chu Zhao turned to explain: "Was there anyone else? Outsiders, for instance, like someone from the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion?"
The Zhongshan Prince's Mansion? A Le began to understand: "Miss, are you worried that people from the Prince's Mansion might come to seek revenge?"
Of course not, but it was difficult to explain. Chu Zhao nodded: "Yes, so I'm concerned they might be making contact in secret."
A Le nodded. "I understand." With that, she turned to leave.
"A Le," Chu Zhao quickly called her back, "be careful. Don't get caught. Your safety matters more to me than anything else."
A Le felt both amused and touched: "Don't worry, Miss." She then turned and skipped out lightly.
Miss has not only learned to deceive but also to say such sweet words now.
Chu Zhao watched A Le's figure disappear beyond the door. In truth, she was merely speculating. She had always believed Deng Yi had no dealings with the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion—back then, selecting Xiao Xun as Crown Prince had been the Emperor's decision, and Deng Yi was merely the executor. But encountering both Xiao Xun and Deng Yi here in quick succession felt far too coincidental.
Moreover, recalling how Deng Yi had dared to slap Xiao Xun's face even after he became Emperor—
Why had he been so audacious? And why had Xiao Xun endured the humiliation?
Could Deng Yi have played a role in Xiao Xun's ascension to the throne?
That was why, when Deng Yi mentioned going to the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion today, she had insisted on accompanying him—to see if there was anything between them. And when Prince Zhongshan tried to send her and Chu Ke away—well, for some reason, she instinctively felt it was to be alone with Deng Yi, which was why she had refused outright.
Perhaps she was overthinking it.
But in her current situation, she had no choice but to overthink.
...
...
The stables at the post station were even livelier than the front courtyard, with more attendants tending to the horses than the horses themselves—after all, the horses were the backbone of travel here.
Several carriages pulled into the stables, and the horses were led away.
"Lord Deng," the Station Chief halted and said respectfully, "please take a look at this carriage."
Deng Yi approached the carriage, and the coachman standing beside it opened the door. The dim stable seemed to brighten instantly.
Inside, several chests were stacked, all now open, revealing gold, silver, and jewels that glittered dazzlingly in the torchlight.
"This is the Prince's token of gratitude to you," the Station Chief murmured.
Deng Yi studied them carefully, his face shifting between light and shadow, then allowed a slight curve to his lips.
"Truly generous," he said, turning to the Station Chief. "Please convey my satisfaction and thanks to the Prince."
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