Chapter 50

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Gu Yan Fei couldn’t help but think of herself.

In her previous life in the Yaoling Realm, she had neither father nor mother and was taken in by her master at the age of five.

Her master once calculated her fate and told her that her destiny was plagued by the “Seven Kills” star, rendering her forsaken by Heaven’s Dao. From birth, she was abandoned by the natural order. What ordinary people could achieve in a year required her ten years, and even a hundredfold effort could barely make up for the inherent flaws in her fate. She could never compare to those blessed as “children of fortune,” beloved by the Heavenly Dao.

Thus, even though she possessed a rare heavenly spiritual root, her cultivation journey was fraught with difficulties. Despite giving her all, it still took her nearly two hundred years to grasp the chance to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Yet, she was ultimately dragged down by the inner demons of her past life, perishing during her Heavenly Tribulation and finding herself back in this small world.

Everything had to start anew…

As these thoughts swirled in her mind, a faint yet complex expression crossed Gu Yan Fei’s face—equal parts amusement, pity, and wistfulness.

Come to think of it, weren’t they both in the same boat?

However, her musings didn’t soften her approach on the chessboard. Piece by piece, her black stones aggressively conquered swathes of white stones without the slightest mercy.

“…” Chu Yi stared at her with a puzzled expression, thrown off by the mix of mockery and sympathy in her gaze. Between his fingers, the white stone he held danced nimbly, flipping from his index finger to his little finger, and then back between his index and middle fingers.

Finally, he placed the stone lightly on the board. The chessboard shifted with that single move, transforming the game’s dynamic. The once fragmented black stones now stretched seamlessly into a formidable line, evenly matched against the white.

Gu Yan Fei gazed at the balanced board before her, her lips curling into a faint smile. Her calm eyes were deep and inscrutable, like the still waters of an unfathomable pool. She reached into her sleeve and retrieved a small porcelain bottle, white with delicate blue floral patterns, placing it gently on the table.

“If the young master ‘needs’ to appear unwell,” she said evenly, “just take one pill. For the next month, your pulse will show signs of blood deficiency, weak and frail, as though you were born with a chronic condition.”

Pushing the small bottle toward Chu Yi, she paused briefly and added with a subtle smile, “My medicine won’t harm the body.” She thought to herself, At least he has good judgment.

Chu Yi chuckled softly, as though he had seen through her thoughts. His response carried a double meaning. “Naturally.”

His dark, jade-like eyes sparkled faintly, and the slight curve of his upturned eyes arched into a playful crescent.

Their earlier three chance encounters had already convinced Chu Yi of Gu Yan Fei’s extraordinary skill and cunning. That was why, during their meeting at Jing Wang Manor, he had deliberately sought her out in the carriage to exchange a few words.

Working with someone clever was truly a pleasure. The two exchanged knowing smiles, their eyes filled with shared amusement. Chu Yi casually picked up the porcelain bottle, tipped a pill into his mouth, and swallowed it without hesitation, his throat moving lightly as the pill went down.

Gu Yan Fei couldn’t help but stare, momentarily speechless. Watching his every move, she smiled wryly, thinking to herself, This guy really dares to eat anything, doesn’t he? Yet, his unreserved trust brought her unexpected delight, and it showed plainly in her radiant smile. Her black eyes shimmered with joy, a warmth so vivid it felt like standing in the spring sunlight despite the winter chill.

In that moment, she felt an odd kinship with him. They were the same—both cast aside by Heaven’s Dao, yet both unwilling to resign themselves to their fates. After all, the Heavenly Dao wouldn’t endlessly favor someone, not even its chosen ones. And it wouldn’t reject someone forever either.

They were not without hope.

Gu Yan Fei’s smile deepened as she picked up another black stone. As the stone fell into place on the board, it felt as though something unseen had settled between them, a silent and unspoken understanding lingering in the air. The cold wind stirred the half-lowered bamboo blinds, making a soft rustling sound. Outside, three or four half-yellowed sycamore leaves swirled lazily in midair before drifting to the ground.

A young servant dressed as an attendant leaned close to whisper something to Chu You. Just as he was about to step into his carriage, he froze mid-motion and abruptly looked up. His gaze locked onto Chu Yi, standing at the second-floor window.

For a moment, the uncle and nephew stared at each other silently, neither looking away. Behind Chu You, Yuan Zhe noticed his pause and softly called out, “Your Highness?”

Chu You remained motionless, his head tilted as he continued to gaze at the second-floor window. His voice was calm, yet carried a trace of gravity. “It’s Chu Yi.”

In the vast capital, only a select few could address the Crown Prince so directly by name without hesitation.

Yuan Zhe’s heart skipped a beat as he followed Chu You’s gaze upward. His eyes fell on a strikingly handsome yet unfamiliar face beside the bamboo blinds. The soft winter sunlight poured gently over the second-floor window, illuminating the blinds. Beyond them, a faint silhouette of another figure sat opposite Chu Yi—a graceful, shadowy presence.

Though Yuan Zhe couldn’t see the woman’s face clearly, the glimpses of her elegant posture and delicate profile through the gaps in the blinds were enough to reveal her beauty. After observing for a moment, Yuan Zhe turned back to Chu You and asked, “Your Highness, now that the Crown Prince has returned to the capital, has he attended court or taken up his duties?”

“No,” Chu You replied, shaking his head. His sharp, hawk-like eyes glinted coldly in the sunlight, like the edge of a blade. His voice grew icy. “Though the Emperor seems inclined to push for it.”

Yuan Zhe’s expression turned serious as he lowered his voice. “This is something we absolutely cannot yield on. The Emperor is testing the waters. If he gets his way now, the next step will be declaring the Crown Prince.”

He sneered, his tone laced with disdain. “The Crown Prince left for Nan Yue at the age of ten. Do you think those people would have raised him properly to become a threat to their kingdom? He’s probably been utterly ruined by now. Look at him—back in the capital for barely a moment, and already indulging in leisurely outings with a beauty. It’s disgraceful!”

Yuan Zhe let out a derisive chuckle. “They say the Crown Prince was born with some kind of chronic weakness. No talent, no virtue, and poor health—how could he ever shoulder great responsibility?” His final remark carried an air of smug judgment, as though he were critiquing the empire itself.

Chu You withdrew his gaze and narrowed his long eyes, deep in thought. Though close in age, he had never had much interaction with Chu Yi. The Crown Prince had lived with his father in the Eastern Palace from a young age, and they had only seen each other during major celebrations. Later, Chu Yi had been sent to Nan Yue as a hostage, remaining there for eight years.

Since Chu Yi’s return to the capital last month, Chu You had seen his nephew only three times: once on the day of Chu Yi’s return to the palace, a second time at the Empress Dowager’s Shoukang Palace, and now today.

He couldn’t see through this nephew.

Yuan Zhe hesitated for a moment before cautiously adding, “The Crown Prince may be incompetent, but he is still the Emperor’s only son. Your Highness may have underestimated the situation by allowing him to return to the capital alive.”

If Chu Yi had perished on the journey back, they could have avoided a great deal of trouble.

Chu You remained silent, his thin lips pressed into a tight line, his eyes dark with gloom.

Sensing his unease, Yuan Zhe probed further. “What does Your Highness think?”

After careful consideration, Chu You spoke slowly, weighing each word. “Chu Yi is either hiding his true self very deeply or he is extraordinarily lucky.”

The thought of what had transpired in Danyang City still puzzled him, as if he were wandering through an impenetrable fog. From the moment Chu Yi set foot within the borders of the Jing Dynasty, Chu You had ordered his men to hunt him down, but Chu Yi managed to evade every attempt. Knowing Chu Yi’s path back to the capital would inevitably pass through Danyang City, Chu You stationed forces there, confident they would capture him. Danyang was his territory, and Magistrate He was his man. If Chu Yi set foot in Danyang, there would be no escape.

Yet, his meticulous plan had gone awry. The Nan Yue people stirred up chaos in Danyang, setting fire to the magistrate’s office and throwing the entire city into upheaval.