Chapter 26: Feeding Chun Ya Empty Promises

Chunya hurried into the room, breathless.

"Second Miss, General Mo just came to the manor, but he turned and left halfway. I heard he arrived with a menacing air, and left in an absolute rage."

Chu Yue, who was sipping tea, set down her cup upon hearing this. She let out a sigh of relief and said, "It seems Chu Xi won't be dying after all."

Chunya smiled happily. "Second Miss is truly brilliant. You didn't need to risk Wang Mu leaving the manor to send word to General Mo; the gossip of the commoners on the street alone was enough to spread the news. I wonder if Qian Mengyun is furious now that she knows the secret is out."

Chu Yue, however, furrowed her brows. "Don't celebrate too soon. Do you take those in the Prime Minister’s manor for simpletons? They went to such lengths to get a girl into their home; they won't let her go easily, especially since it was our Marquis's manor that offered her up in desperation."

Chunya tilted her head and sighed. "I still don't know what kind of freakish methods they use in that manor. How could a perfectly healthy person be carried out horizontally after only two days inside?"

Chu Yue gave a mischievous smile. "Whatever the method, I just have to make sure I don't send you in there."

Hearing this, Chunya immediately looked alarmed. "Second Miss, you mustn't be so heartless to your servant. Three years ago, Caiping was the one Qian Mengyun threw into the Eldest Miss's wedding carriage. She must hate her to death now."

At the mention of Caiping, Chu Yue raised an eyebrow. "She is certainly loyal. Seeing her devotion to Chu Xi upon her return, it’s quite something."

Chunya looked curious. "Second Miss, do you think General Mo will ride to the Prime Minister’s manor to snatch her away, or will he head to the palace to demand her from the Emperor?"

This was exactly what Chu Yue was concerned about. She shook her head and said, "I do not know. We have done our part; now we must leave the rest to fate."

Chunya tilted her naive little head and said, "Although you are planning for your own future, Second Miss, you have effectively saved the Eldest Miss. If she manages to return safely, she will have to remember this life-saving debt."

Chu Yue looked at Chunya and smiled. "Whether others remember is irrelevant, but you must remember that everything I do today is for our future. Once I am married and have the Marquis's wealth to rely on, I will find you a suitable husband you actually like. Once you are married, I will arrange a position for him in the manor, and we shall have nothing to worry about."

Chunya blushed deeply at this. "Miss, you shouldn't tease me; I am still young."

Chu Yue laughed. "You are not that young. That is why you must remain one heart with me; only then can we sail through these waters safely."

"I shall be loyal to you, Second Miss, all my life, without a single stray thought," Chunya vowed to her mistress without hesitation.

The grand vision and enticements Chu Yue had painted were proving effective.

Indeed, at the crossroads leading either to the Prime Minister’s manor or the palace, Mo Zixiao hesitated and came to a halt.

Pang Hu rode up. "General, why have you stopped? Are you wavering on whether to seek an audience with the Emperor?"

Mo Zixiao sighed. "Charging into the Prime Minister’s manor to demand a person so recklessly will not work. We must consider a more measured plan."

Pang Hu urged anxiously, "But General, there is no time! The last girl who entered that manor didn't even last three days. We are out of time!"

Mo Zixiao was even more anxious than he was, but he knew that panic was useless. To save Chu Xi, he had to use the right method. This matter involved too much; it was far from as simple as it appeared.

"Let's go. We will head to the Prime Minister’s manor first. We won't go inside, but we will use our presence at the gate as a show of force. I refuse to believe they can remain indifferent. Later, I will enter the palace to petition the Emperor."

With that, Mo Zixiao spurred his horse and galloped toward the Prime Minister’s manor.

His warhorse raced at full speed, and before long, they arrived at the gates.

As fate would have it, Lady Liu was just walking out.

"Madam." Mo Zixiao’s deep, resonant voice was thick with fury as he spat out those two short words, causing Lady Liu to tremble and break into a cold sweat.

"What is the matter, Madam? Is your conscience guilty?" Mo Zixiao’s piercing gaze locked onto her tense and apprehensive face.