Nian Chujiu dipped her fingertip into the water in her cup and drew several circles on the tabletop, clearly laying out the current power structure within the imperial palace.
The Empress Dowager’s faction. The Empress’s faction. The Imperial Consort Zeng’s faction.
As for the Lin family, they had largely fallen from prominence. However, the Fourth Prince, Dongli Changxing, born to Imperial Consort Lin, had begun to stand out and enjoyed considerable favor from Emperor Guangqi.
Meanwhile, Gu Ruying of the Gu family in the palace had given birth only a princess. With such a weak foundation, she could not stir up much influence. As a result, she could not attach herself to either the Empress or Imperial Consort Zeng, let alone catch the Empress Dowager’s attention.
Gu Ruying’s ability to align herself with Imperial Consort Lin was already a sign of the latter’s favor.
“So the Gu family’s intention to remarry into another household is really the Lin family’s idea.” Nian Chujiu tapped forcefully on the circle representing the Lin family. “The Lin family may seem insignificant right now, but if they join forces with the Gu family and devour our Nian family, they’ll rise to power. In my previous life… I mean, according to the dream’s warning, the Lin family eventually controlled more than half of the new dynasty’s salt, iron, and grain transport industries. The people who held the nation’s economic lifeline in their hands were the Lin family.”
That was why, in her previous life, neither the Empress’s son nor Imperial Consort Zeng’s son, despite fighting each other to the death, ultimately ascended the throne.
Instead, Dongli Changxing, the Fourth Prince born of Imperial Consort Lin, reaped the benefits and became the new emperor.
Gu Jiangzhi rode the Lin family’s coattails all the way to the top. Every one of them climbed the ladder to glory step by step on the corpses of the Nian family.
One day, this blood debt would be repaid in full, principal and interest included.
Usually carefree and outspoken, Yin Ying was nevertheless a shrewd woman. The more she listened, the heavier her heart became. Her brows knitted tightly together. Several times she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She wanted to say, How can a dream be taken seriously? Yet another voice within her whispered, What if? What if it’s all true?
“Mother, I’m just as new to the capital as you are. There’s no way I could know these political dynamics in advance. Fortune-telling couldn’t reveal this. If you don’t believe me, send someone to a teahouse, tavern, or even a discreet broker tomorrow and spend a little money asking around. See whether what I said is true.”
“Then you still shouldn’t marry someone doomed to die young!” Yin Ying’s voice was hoarse, tears filling her eyes. “This Dongli Changan you mentioned, whose son is he?”
“Imperial Consort Lin’s second son. The younger full brother of Fourth Prince Dongli Changxing.”
“What?” Yin Ying shot to her feet, eyes wide in disbelief. “The Lin family! He’s also Imperial Consort Lin’s son? The Lin family is plotting to swallow up our Nian family. They’re wolves and tigers! And you want her to become your mother-in-law?”
What kind of twisted logic was this?
Facing her mother’s near breakdown, Nian Chujiu’s face broke into a cold, sharp smile.
“The Lin family covets our wealth. Then I’ll make sure they can see it but never touch it. They’ll gain nothing!”
The Lin family. The Gu family. Neither would have an easy life in this lifetime.
Besides, if her memory was correct, Dongli Changan only had a few months left to live.
Yin Ying slowly sat back down and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were red with tears.
“My poor Jiaojiao… my poor child.” She grasped her daughter’s hand, her heart aching, yet she could no longer bring herself to say no.
Indeed, compared to life and death, love meant very little.
Her daughter’s stubborn determination was for the Nian family’s safety. If she kept stopping her, she would only become a burden. In the future, her daughter would stop confiding in her and shoulder everything alone. From this moment forward, she had to treat her daughter’s dream as reality.
After sorting through her tumultuous emotions, she heard Nian Chujiu continue: “He’s the only short-lived prince available. Because of his poor health, Emperor Guangqi never used him for a political marriage. Among all the adult princes, his household is the cleanest. He doesn’t even have a single concubine or bedchamber maid. If I marry him, I’ll be his legitimate primary consort.”
If he lived, she could borrow his influence. If he died, she would still be a prince’s consort. A guaranteed win either way. Not a bad deal.
Moreover, only by marrying an invalid prince would Emperor Guangqi refrain from suspecting the Nian family of harboring ambitions.
In this way, the Nian family could seep into the foundations of the empire like spring rain soaking into parched earth, silent and unnoticed, yet steadily establishing roots that no one could shake.
By that time, no one would be able to crush the Nian family as easily as stepping on an ant.
A dark fire ignited in Nian Chujiu’s eyes. She had already decided. As long as she planned carefully, she would definitely marry Dongli Changan.
Right now, her one-sided determination to marry him had nothing to do with romance. Of course, she had another profound reason to marry him. He possessed something she wanted. And she was determined to get it.
Mother and daughter sat together beneath the flickering candlelight, repeatedly reviewing and refining plans for their family’s survival.
When Yin Ying finally rose to leave, her heart was heavy. She walked slowly along the corridor, her steps somewhat unsteady. Her daughter’s calm yet ruthless analyses and plans still echoed in her mind. She knew her daughter was right. And precisely because she was right, the future seemed all the more terrifying.
Nanny Li carried a lantern and gently comforted her. “Please don’t worry so much, Madam. Our young lady has always been blessed.”
“That’s true. Even the fortune-teller said so.” Comforted somewhat, Yin Ying let out a long breath, as if expelling all the fear and unease that had accumulated throughout the night. Before she had fully finished exhaling, she looked up and saw a man in black brocade leaning casually against a pillar at the end of the corridor.
“Jinen?” Yin Ying’s eyelids twitched. For some reason, she had a bad feeling that this son of hers was about to cause trouble.
This was her third son, Nian Jinen. His features were almost identical to Nian Chujiu’s, though sharper and more masculine. He had always been the sibling who loved arguing with his little sister the most. His unusual quietness over the past two days had already been worrying.
Sure enough, Nian Jinen stepped forward, bowed, and said gloomily, “Mother, I spent some silver to bribe a few people and had that bastard Gu Er’gou beaten badly.”
“Huh?” Yin Ying’s temples throbbed. Pressing a hand against her chest, she took a deep breath and asked, “Was it handled cleanly? You didn’t leave any evidence behind, did you?”
Nian Jinen froze. He had been expecting a scolding. He stepped forward quickly to support her arm and accompanied her down the corridor at a leisurely pace.
“Don’t worry, Mother. I know where the line is. Under the law, the punishment for what Gu Er’gou did was twenty strokes anyway. I simply went through several intermediaries and slipped some silver to the officer supervising the punishment today, making sure those twenty strokes were delivered properly.”
“Good.” Yin Ying lowered her lashes slightly, a secret sense of satisfaction rising in her heart. If not for maintaining her dignity, she would have liked to beat him herself.
She lightly patted her son’s hand. “Since it’s already done, I won’t say anything more. Just be careful in the future and don’t give anyone ammunition against you. And when something happens, discuss it with your father… or your sister.”
“With my sister?” The moment he heard that, all the resentment of being “left out” surfaced again.
Pouting, he complained angrily: “But Sister takes Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Brother along when she’s planning big things and never includes me! I’m her full-blooded brother, while those guys are only cousins!”
“What nonsense!” Yin Ying rolled her eyes and poked him on the forehead. “Which one of them isn’t her real brother? Isn’t it a good thing that everyone loves Jiaojiao? You only have yourself to blame. You always teased and provoked her when you were younger. Eight out of ten times, you’d make her cry, even if you were only pretending. The others grew up with her and spent all their time together. Of course they’re closer now when problems arise. And you’re jealous of that? Who can you blame but yourself?”