The Japanese envoy's request to marry a princess at the pace banquet only happened st night, so Han Zhi might not have had time to react yet. But it didn't matter—Consort Fan and Zhou Weiqi would naturally make him rein in any ambitions for now. With Prince Duan poised to take down the Song family without them lifting a finger, he would no longer risk dirtying his hands.

  Even if Han Zhi was unwilling, he couldn't defy his cunning aunt and his headstrong parents.

  Song Chuyi's lips curled in a cold smile. "Now that I think about it, being young has its advantages. When I was little, I only feared being burned at the stake like Wang Jiu as some sort of monster. Now, I have to guard against people trying to use my marriage as leverage—it's tiresome."

  These people cked originality, always scheming to marry her into their families, as if they believed she'd turn into the ideal obedient wife upon marriage, helping them manage everything from within.

  In her past life, that might have been true for Song Chuyi. She would've even given her heart to Shen Qingrang if he wanted it, probably cutting it out and handing it over.

  But things in this world changed. Having suffered so much before, she had no desire to look back. Now, even the thought of marrying Shen Qingrang—or anyone, for that matter, no matter how respectable and loyal—made her shudder.

  She sighed deeply, the look on her face more like that of a world-weary old woman than a carefree young girl. "Now that Han Zhi is too preoccupied with his own troubles, I can finally free up my hands to deal with Prince Duan's schemes. Otherwise, these annoying flies buzzing around would leave me not knowing which to swat first."

  Her mature demeanor didn't quite match her beautiful, youthful face, giving the impression that she was putting on airs. Zhou Weizhao couldn't help but chuckle. "If others saw you like this, they'd probably mistake you for someone like Wang Jiu. Since this is a new life, why not see yourself as reborn? If you trap yourself in the misery of the past, aren't you imprisoning yourself?"

  Seeing Song Chuyi's slightly bewildered expression, he prompted her further. "As for the 'flies' around you, besides my uncle Prince Duan, there's Han Zhi and Shen Qingrang, both wanting to use your marriage as a tool. I've heard that your father is rather fond of Shen Qingrang?"

  Song Chuyi propped her chin on one hand, gazing at the decorative vase on the table with narrowed eyes. "Did Qingying tell you that?"

  She had long known that Qingying, who had been given to her by First Lady Cui, had originally come from the Empress's household. And anyone from there would certainly see Zhou Weizhao as a master too. Besides, Qingying was closer than usual with Qingzhu, and she was skilled in martial arts. After a while, Song Chuyi realized that there was more to their retionship than met the eye.

  But Qingying had never betrayed her or disclosed anything she was told to keep secret, so Song Chuyi turned a blind eye. After all, she had nothing to hide from Zhou Weizhao. Since their encounter years ago in Tongzhou, he had shown a knack for uncovering the truth, and with his connections from Mount Longhu, what could he not find out?

  "She wants you to help," Zhou Weizhao admitted openly, meeting her gaze. "But I can't really offer much help. The Shen family has withdrawn most of its overt influence. After some close calls, they're probably just aiming to settle down by securing a daughter-in-w like you to bolster their standing. It's said that 'a gentleman seeks the fair dy.' Though their intentions aren't pure, they're hardly hiding it. If you're unwilling, you may need to work through your grandparents. Otherwise, your father might end up unwittingly selling you off."

  Although Song Yi's words carried little weight nowadays, the trouble y in the fact that he was Song Chuyi's biological father. Traditionally, marriage arrangements required the consent of the parents, along with the involvement of matchmakers. If he were to approve a marriage between her and Duke Ying's family, it would undoubtedly take considerable effort to undo.

  Zhou Weizhao didn't want Song Chuyi to be harmed in this way, especially by someone so close to her, who might end up pushing her into a living hell. While such a match might appear splendid and prestigious to some, for Song Chuyi, it would be nothing less than a personal torment.

  Song Chuyi appreciated his concern and, lowering her voice, began discussing the situation with Prince Duan's side, particurly regarding Prince Duan's wetnurse, Qin Shi. "Qin Shi has long harbored resentment against the Princess Consort Duan for framing Lady Rui. And now, if the timing is right, it's likely that Lady Rui is pregnant again... taking advantage of this opportunity..."

  Indeed, Prince Duan had recently sent a report indicating that Lady Rui was expecting her second child. Ordinarily, such news didn't need to be formally reported, especially since the child hadn't yet been born. But given that Prince Duan hadn't had a son all these years, while even Prince Gong, who married much ter, had already fathered a legitimate heir, this was a sore point for him. Compared to the other princes, he was far behind, and even more so compared to the Crown Prince. Out of concern for his lineage, he had informed the Emperor early, making sure everyone knew he was capable of producing an heir.

  However, if something unfortunate happened to Lady Rui's child—especially due to conflict within the household, such as a dispute among the wives—Prince Duan's ambitions would likely come to an abrupt end. Emperor Jianzhang, who had experienced devastating family conflicts in his youth, resulting in the loss of his own brother, often reprimanded officials who failed to maintain harmony within their households. If such trouble arose in his son's household, the repercussions would be even more severe.

  For that reason, despite his affection for Consort Fan and his occasional pses in judgment, the Crown Prince had never entertained thoughts of destabilizing the Crown Princess's or Zhou Weizhao's positions, not as long as Emperor Jianzhang was alive. Even if he were given a hundred chances, he wouldn't dare request an official change in the succession, knowing it would be a fatal move.

  The same principle applied to Prince Duan. If strife between his wives came to light, he would undoubtedly suffer severe consequences. Combined with the Yangzhou incident, which had implicated some of his faction members, he would find himself overwhelmed by both internal and external threats, unable to focus on other matters.

  In such a situation, he wouldn't have the capacity to care whether it was a princess or a noblewoman marrying into Japan, nor to which prince such an alliance might be arranged.

  Since Prince Duan, Noble Consort Xian, and the Ninth Princess were determined to give her no way out, Song Chuyi saw no need to save face for them. She had already severed two of Prince Duan's "arms" in the past; this time, she intended to break his legs entirely, rendering him incapable of meddling from such a distance.