Gu Yu Chen spoke slowly: “It should be the Crown Prince.”
And this assassination attempt wasn’t just targeting him, but also Prince Chu.
It’s just that Prince Chu must have received advance information, which is why he wanted to leave at the same time.
“So you were just collateral damage, mainly targeting Prince Chu?”
Song Shiyue speculated that if it was the Crown Prince’s doing, it should be out of revenge, because Prince Chu had disrupted his affairs at the Star Plucking Tower yesterday.
Gu Yu Chen nodded, “It should be. His purpose towards me was more about testing.”
But what did the Crown Prince want to test? Whether he knew martial arts?
All these years he had never revealed it in front of others, even during fights or falling from horses, he would rather get injured than expose himself.
Why did the Crown Prince want to test him? Did he receive some information and become suspicious of him?
Gu Yu Chen thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out where he might have slipped up to make the Crown Prince suspicious of him.
Song Shiyue said, “Could it be because of what happened at the Star Plucking Tower that made him dissatisfied, and he just wanted to teach you a lesson?”
At the Star Plucking Tower, they had greatly humiliated the Crown Prince.
“That’s also possible.”
No matter what, he would have to be extra careful from now on.
Eastern Palace, Crown Prince’s study.
“You said the fourth prince and Gu Da Shao were assassinated?”
“Your Highness, that’s correct. It happened shortly after you left.”
The one answering was the Crown Prince’s personal attendant, Eunuch Wei.
The Crown Prince was furious, “Someone is trying to frame me.”
His leaving midway was too coincidental. It inevitably made people suspicious.
“Why did Mother choose this time to question me about Linghui’s matter?”
He had only just learned about Linghui falling into the water yesterday; it wasn’t that he intentionally ignored it.
“It should just be a coincidence.”
But it was too coincidental!
However, the Crown Prince was the Empress’s legitimate son, so it definitely couldn’t be that the Empress was scheming against the Crown Prince.
“She must have been used by someone. It’s just that the person behind this planned everything too precisely.”
They even anticipated that the Crown Prince would leave midway.
“Investigate the people around Mother.”
The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes – it couldn’t be anyone other than those few brothers of his.
But they’ve overreached this time.
“How seriously is Gu Yu Chen injured?”
“It seems quite serious – he fainted immediately.”
“Hmph! That kid doesn’t know what’s good for him. The troubles he’ll face in the future will only increase.”
After cursing for a while, the Crown Prince still ordered gifts to be prepared.
“I’ll visit the Gu Mansion tomorrow – first to apologize on Linghui’s behalf, and second to take the opportunity of visiting his injury to show that tonight’s assassination has nothing to do with me.”
“Your Highness is absolutely right. It’s better to win the Gu family over.”
Eunuch Wei had served the Crown Prince for many years, could speak frankly before him, and was truly loyal to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince waved him away, thinking alone about who would want to frame him.
Gu Mansion, Ruifeng Courtyard.
Since Gu Yu Chen was injured, Song Shiyue gave him the bed and slept on the couch herself.
But neither of them could sleep, so Song Shiyue simply picked up her blanket and went to sleep on the floor by the bed.
Gu Yu Chen saw her troubled expression and knew she had something to say.
“I don’t think tonight’s assassination was done by the Crown Prince – it’s too obvious. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to make himself the first suspect.”
“Hmm, thinking about it calmly, that’s true.”
But Prince Chu’s expression at the time clearly showed surprise – it couldn’t have been arranged by himself.
It should be someone trying to kill two birds with one stone – no! Three birds.
The Crown Prince, Prince Chu, and him.
“The waters in Jing City are getting murkier.”
Murky or not, they were already in it – it remained to be seen whether they could emerge unscathed.
Song Shiyue brought up the events of the day again. “Gu Yu Chen, I encountered the legitimate eldest son of Guang Ping Hou today.”
“Song Zhengyi?”
“Exactly!”
Song Shiyue recounted her chance encounter with Song Zhengyi to Gu Yu Chen. “If he agrees to let me treat Madame Song, I’ll have an opportunity to investigate my origins.”
Whether it proves true or not, at the very least it’s a chance to eliminate possibilities.
Gu Yu Chen studied Song Shiyue’s face carefully in the faint candlelight.
“He really said you resemble Madame Song?”
“Yes, he emphasized it was Madame Song from her younger days.”
Gu Yu Chen hadn’t expected Song Zhengyi to initiate conversation simply because of a resemblance.
“The current Guang Ping Hou, Song Yao, inherited his family’s legacy, relying on his ancestors’ achievements to succeed the old Hou’s title. I heard there was quite some turmoil in the Hou Manor back then regarding the succession.”
Song Shiyue’s eyes sparkled. “Was it because of the Hou Manor’s Dowager?”
“Indeed.”
The current Dowager of Guangping Hou Estate is the old Hou’s second wife, with whom he had one son – the Estate’s Third Master.
When the old Hou was still alive, he suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed and unable to speak before he could petition the Emperor to establish an heir.
The Dowager took advantage of the situation to push for her own son to inherit the title, causing numerous disputes.
Ultimately, it was the current Hou Manor’s Madam, née Zhao, who with her maternal family’s assistance helped Song Yao secure the title.
“Song Yao has performed commendably since inheriting the title, living up to both his ancestral legacy and his in-laws’ support.”
This information was new to Song Shiyue, who had only studied the family tree.
“I’ve heard that Madam Zhao fell ill from exposure after childbirth and has been bedridden for years. If not for her powerful family background, she might have already…”
As Gu Yu Chen spoke, a sudden thought occurred to him.
“The Marriage Certificate records your birthdate as the first year of Jingren, March twenty-seventh, the day of Summer Begins.”
“Correct – that’s the day my master found me.” It was her birthday.
Gu Yu Chen became so excited he tried to sit up, aggravating his injuries and making him grimace in pain.
“What are you doing? Lie back down properly – don’t make my rescue efforts go to waste.”
Her sharp tongue remained unchanged, masking her concern.
Gu Yu Chen didn’t know if he’d grown accustomed to it, but her words actually sounded pleasant to his ears.
“I just realized – you might truly be the Qianjin of Guangping Hou Estate.”
Song Shiyue’s voice carried a hint of excitement. “Evidence?”
“I once heard someone mention that Madam Zhao suffers from madness. In earlier years, people overheard her saying her daughter wasn’t hers.”
How could a daughter she bore not be hers?
Now thinking about it, she might have been swapped.
“The timing of Zhao’s illness coincides exactly with the summer of Jingren’s first year.”
Song Shiyue stared at Gu Yu Chen, her mind racing with thoughts.
They say mother and daughter share a connection – could Zhao have discovered early on that the infant in swaddling clothes had been switched?
Her desire to meet Zhao grew urgent.
“Don’t celebrate too soon.”
Gu Yu Chen felt compelled to temper her expectations. “In noble households, the dirty secrets of the inner quarters come in all varieties. If you truly are a Song daughter, who was behind what happened back then? For what purpose? And who else was involved?”
Gu Yu Chen paused before continuing, “Song Yao is no fool. They say he was quite fond of Zhao originally, yet he never investigated whether her claims were true. Doesn’t that suggest he knew?”
If that were the case, why would he have his own biological daughter swapped, abandoned, or even killed?
Song Shiyue frowned. Could it be that Zhao had wronged Song Yao, and constrained by the Zhao family’s power, he took secret revenge?
“I don’t want to think about it anymore. All assumptions must be based on the fact that I am Guang Ping Hou’s daughter.”
“Even if you aren’t, Guang Ping Hou’s years of inaction are still worth examining.”
“If they aren’t my biological parents, then it’s none of my business.”
Not my problem, not my concern.
“But what if you really are Guang Ping Hou’s legitimate daughter?”
“Then they’ll repay everything they owe me!”
If she truly were Guang Ping Hou’s legitimate daughter, none who had harmed her would escape retribution—not even her own father.
Song Shiyue radiated coldness and killing intent. Gu Yu Chen couldn’t help but sigh—this girl had suffered a bitter fate indeed.