Song Chuyi couldn't quite pinpoint her feelings upon seeing Zhou Weizhao. She hadn't expected him to send her a letter, let alone one containing such crucial, confidential information about Lai Chenglong and Ye Jingkuan. If not for the connection between Lai Chenglong and Cui Shaoting, she and the entire Cui and Song family would now be like fish on someone else's chopping block, unaware of when a fatal blow might strike them.

  She sat down across from Zhou Weizhao, noticing that the Chongyin Pavilion had a pce like this—four walls painted in pure white with scattered red plum blossoms. Simple yet artistic, it made one feel as if they were surrounded by a winter ndscape, evoking a refreshing crity.

  "Did Your Highness know that Lai Chenglong had already sent me a letter?" Song Chuyi asked directly, pcing her hands on her knees and staring at Zhou Weizhao with a clear, unflinching gaze. If Zhou Weizhao had known about Lai Chenglong's letter and sent his message merely to py along, she would be less troubled. That kind of favor she could eventually repay. But if he hadn't known...

  The thought barely formed when Zhou Weizhao shook his head, furrowing his brow as he replied, "Lai Chenglong sent you a letter as well?!"

  His shock was genuine; he had no reason to deceive her. Song Chuyi couldn't quite identify the surge of emotions within her but nodded slowly. "He has a close friendship with my uncle... but what he told me was vague, only a few ambiguous hints. I was barely able to piece together the plot against my uncle before I received Your Highness's letter."

  She still didn't fully understand the situation, especially regarding who was truly behind it all.

  "To uncover so much in just two days from Lai Chenglong's cryptic hints is impressive," Zhou Weizhao remarked, as composed as ever, as though nothing in this world could truly unsettle him. "I only began to piece things together after Jingkuan's hints, combined with the surge of reports to my grandfather and Yang Xuan's proposal for open trade. All in all, it took me a week to crify the situation."

  Silence fell between them as Song Chuyi stared at the slow, curling smoke rising from the incense burner shaped like a qilin adorned with floral patterns. After a while, she asked softly, "Then Your Highness must also realize that this matter is intricately connected to the Eastern Pace. If I truly expose them, are you not afraid?"

  Zhou Weizhao's gaze was as clear as a newborn's. "I recall telling you before that the Eastern Pace needs a loyal minister like Grand Secretary Chen, but I don't need a Chen family woman to embellish it. My stance remains unchanged. While the Eastern Pace requires competent ministers, it doesn't need those who act on their own accord and overstep their bounds. He seems to have forgotten that I must address Princess Duanhui as Aunt, and your uncle as my uncle-in-w."

  Song Chuyi found herself blushing under his too-clear gaze and instinctively turned her head to avoid his eyes. It took her a moment to grasp the depth of Zhou Weizhao's words.

  This affair was a rash move by Grand Secretary Chen, partly to gain influence beyond the borders and partly out of resentment toward the Cui and Song families for the Crown Prince's goodwill toward them. So, he aimed for a clean sweep, considering it time to reinforce his position now that the Crown Prince was secure.

  However, since Zhou Weizhao could infer Grand Secretary Chen's actions from subtle clues, it was unlikely that others in the Eastern Pace were unaware. Yet everyone else remained silent—Consort Fan likely reasoned that, since they weren't directly involved, she'd wait and watch which family would suffer. If Grand Secretary Chen succeeded, she'd have no hesitation in making Chen Mingyu as Zhou Weiqi's principal wife. But if the Cui family survived, she'd likely value the Cui and Song families more highly.

  Old Lady Song was right; to the noble families, other people's lives held little weight compared to their own. The lives of those unreted to them could be trampled underfoot, and even those reted to the royal family, like Princess Duanhui, were no exception.

  Fortunately, Zhou Weizhao was different. Song Chuyi didn't know why, but she felt a sense of relief, and the tension in her face softened as she offered Zhou Weizhao a faint smile. "Then I'll have to trouble Your Highness once again."

  Having someone aligned with her thoughts was a comfort, and she felt far more at ease talking to him than to even Song Chengru.

  Zhou Weizhao shook his head. "If he dares to make one move, he'll make another, and each time he'll reach further. Human greed knows no bounds. Now that he's tasted success, if he can bring down the Cui and Song families, he'll just as easily turn to support the other side to eliminate me if I don't comply... Politicians never speak of loyalty—only benefits. And I happen to be someone who cannot promise him immense benefits."

  At the very least, he wouldn't give up Yangzhou and the outlying territories. That's why he had advised the Crown Prince not to interfere in the repcement appointments in Yangzhou. Emperor Jianzhang had already expressed disapproval of the Crown Prince's involvement there, and if the appointees were all from the Crown Prince's faction, he would inevitably bel him as power-hungry.

  He tapped the table and gazed at Song Chuyi, his eyes sharp yet free of malice. "So, I'm considering my own interests as well."

  As the legitimate heir of the Eastern Pace, he'd been named the Crown Prince's successor since birth, with no other path before him. Whether he liked it or not, any failure would mean his death.

  Song Chuyi met his eyes directly, speaking slowly, "I want to go to the northwest."

  After careful thought, she realized that the men of the Song and Cui families would be under intense scrutiny, making them unsuitable for such a mission. Sending others wouldn't ensure the quick thinking and trust Cui Shaoting required. As a young woman, if she stayed behind closed doors for a few months, the Song family could expin her absence without much suspicion.

  Zhou Weizhao didn't hesitate to shake his head. "Dismiss that idea at once. As clever as you are, no one is faster than a sword. Cui Shaoting's defenses are tight. The moment you set foot in the northwest, you'll be in grave danger."