Chapter 1147: Artemisia (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Splash splash—

Cui Mi was preparing to pay his respects to his father when he met his elder brother on the way.

As they walked into the inner courtyard, they heard a loud commotion as something was overturned. This was followed by a question laced with suppressed anger: "Cui Zhishan, do you have the guts to repeat yourself? What family does the fiancée you arranged for Da Xiong come from? Do you think I have no temper?"

The Cui brothers exchanged a glance.

Just as she was hesitating whether to sneak away and give her parents space to argue, Cui Hui's suppressed, low voice came from inside the house: "You two, get in here too. What are you doing sneaking around like this?"

The Cui brothers had no choice but to bite the bullet and step into the courtyard.

I first bowed respectfully to my parents, then quickly glanced around. Everything in the hall seemed normal, except that the desk in front of my father had been overturned, with a pile of books scattered haphazardly on the floor. My mother stood in the center of the mess, while my father sat silently.

Cui Xiong forced a smile and said, "Since Father and Mother still have things to discuss, I won't disturb you any longer. You can continue your conversation."

Right now, all I want to do is get away from the battlefield.

He wasn't afraid of things escalating, because they couldn't afford to argue.

My mother is straightforward, but her enthusiasm can sometimes get too much and she can become irritable. My father is the complete opposite; it's said that nothing has ever made him lose control since his childhood. It was always like this before; whenever the couple had a conflict, it was always my mother who started the argument, while my father listened quietly.

Cui Xiong felt fortunate about this.

This is much better than those couples from other prominent families who are sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams.

At that time, the naive Cui Mi said that the two of them would separate sooner or later.

Why did the father, who loved the mother dearly, divorce her?

Because they can't get into an argument.

Cui Xiong was dumbfounded: [Isn't it a good thing that we can't start arguing?]

Dou Ding Cui Mi said in a wise and mature tone: "[It's not all good things. Mother argued with Father because she wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with him, but Father remained silent like a block of wood, which only made Mother angrier.]"

Why is this happening? Cui Xiong couldn't understand it at all.

Cui Mi said: "I don't know, that's what my maternal grandmother said."

As a child, Cui Xiong didn't understand, but now that he's a teenager, he understands to some extent the problems in his parents' relationship. However, as a son, he can't overstep his bounds and give his father any advice.

Seeing the couple arguing again, Cui Xiong was at his wit's end.

It wouldn't take more than two times before the father would drive the mother away again.

Cui Xiong wanted to slip away, but Cui Hui would never allow it.

"Big Bear, you stay here! Why are you running away!"

These words were like a nail that pinned Cui Xiong to the ground, making him dare not take another step. He shrank back and knelt down.

"Does Big Bear know which girl your father has arranged for you?"

Cui Xiong honestly replied, "Uh... I know."

Cui Hui sneered: "The daughter of the You family."

Cui Xiong lowered his head even further: "Mmm..."

"What 'hmm'!" Although this outburst was deliberately orchestrated by Cui Hui, her eldest son's reaction infuriated her. He was a carbon copy of Cui Zhishan beside him. "The king has male favorites, and the You family is the daughter your father arranged for you to marry. You are his own niece! You Cui family father and son, no, three generations of grandfather and grandson, are going too far!"

On the surface, it certainly seems outrageous.

The ex-wife's lover's niece is going to marry her son.

Her in-laws had looked down on her for years because of her low social standing and the perceived mismatch between her and the Cui family. Yet, they turned around and arranged for their own son to marry into a newly wealthy family that had risen to power through male favorites. Even if Cui Hui was of humble origins, she was still of good birth. The You family, on the other hand, was a poor, down-on-their-luck commoner who climbed into the king's bed through a handsome and talented man, achieving great success and elevating their entire family to prominence. Did they think she was any more noble than her?

Her former father-in-law and mother-in-law would never have looked up to Ms. You.

Ultimately, it was because she looked down on her son.

I just find her disgusting.

It would be suspicious if Cui Hui didn't cause a scene.

She had only been acting, using the opportunity to settle personal scores and criticize the Cui family and Cui Zhi's entire family. However, she went too far and became emotional, turning her act into reality. All the grievances she had suffered in the past erupted at this moment, and tears streamed down her face. Cui Zhi and his son were truly panicked.

"Ke Wu, let me explain."

"Mother--"

Cui Hui shoved aside the eyesore Cui Zhi, covered his expression with a handkerchief to avoid giving himself away, and said sarcastically, "Explain? What misunderstanding is worth the Cui family head condescending to explain to a commoner like me? It disgusts me! Are you humiliating my son, or are you humiliating me? In short, I do not agree to this marriage!"

Cui Zhi opened his mouth, about to agree.

How well did Cui Hui understand him?

Fearing that going too far would ruin the plan, she interrupted Cui Zhi, turned her back to the man, and said self-deprecatingly, "Heh, what's the use of me refusing? You three surnamed Cui are from the prestigious Cui family, while I, surnamed Cui, am just a commoner. What right do I have to interfere in your marriage schemes? Never mind—"

Cui Zhi said, "This is just a delaying tactic."

Distrust was written all over Cui Hui's face.

Cui Zhi patiently explained, "I have absolutely no intention of belittling you or Hou Bai! The Cui family has a complicated relationship with the royal family, and there are many entanglements of interests. They have tried to plant spies there more than once, but have failed before. If we refuse again this time, I'm afraid we will be trapped and overthrown, which would be detrimental to the Cui family. I've only agreed verbally to appease them for now."

"It's better to keep people under your watchful eye than to be on guard day and night."

It wasn't a real marriage, just an engagement.

Cui Zhi said calmly, "The You family has a shallow foundation."

A shallow foundation means that it can be easily uprooted if necessary in the future. The royal family intervened in Choi Xiong's marriage, but they also didn't want the Choi clan to use marriage to win over allies; arranging a queen from a humble background with a sensitive identity was quite normal. For both the Choi clan and the royal family, it was a power struggle: one side offered a title whose fulfillment was uncertain, while the other offered only a woman from a humble family.

If things really collapse in the future, what sacrifices can be made?

Cui Xiong's wedding was postponed for two years.

The queen suffered zero losses; she didn't even lose a royal princess, but rather the niece of one of her male favorites.

As for the daughter of the You family who was used as a pawn in the game?

Since the You family was eager to offer the person up and insisted on getting involved in this mess, the Cui family and the royal family naturally had no concerns.

When a chess player plays a game, does he consider whether the pieces are willing to play?

"Complex relationships? How complex are they?"

Cui Hui pretended not to understand, acted arrogantly and jealously, and spoke in a sarcastic and unpleasant manner.

But I was actually sweating bullets inside.

If the current daughter of the You family hadn't been a different person, she would probably have died an unexplained death—yes, she would have died, either by the royal family or by the Cui family. Back then, her former in-laws didn't just verbally refuse to let her into the family; they actually sent people to quietly eliminate Cui Hui.

He made his move more than once.

Cui Hui knew about it twice.

The number of those secretly intercepted by Cui Zhi is countless.

To aristocratic families, the lives of commoners might not even be worth as much as those of a first-class maidservant; they weren't even worthy of being treated like playthings. Cui Zhi suffered like a submissive wife in front of her, but he showed no mercy to others. He truly meant what he said!

Cui Zhi had no doubts and continued to reason with him, appealing to his emotions and logic: "Because the Cui family placed their bets on the king back then."

Of course, it's impossible to go all in at the beginning.

At that time, the princess who had just been enfeoffed had few capable men in her fiefdom, so she approached Cui Zhi with a jade pendant. Cui Zhi, feeling guilty, helped her and introduced many young men from small households who were affiliated with the Cui family. After observing for a while, he found that the fiefdom was well-managed.

Princess Wang sent Mei Meng over again to discuss negotiations.

This means they hope the Cui family will invest more.

After Cui Zhi's assessment, he discovered some clues.

What truly convinced the Cui family to place their bets were the royal seal in the princess's possession, the warrior Qi Cang who, for reasons unknown, had pledged allegiance to the princess, and the princess's promise. The Cui family saw a profit in this, so there was no reason not to participate. If they didn't take advantage of this opportunity now, how much weight would it carry if they waited until later to add to their already splendid fortune? The Cui family had consistently held the upper hand in the cooperation, but as the Qi state expanded its territory, successively annexing several neighboring countries and absorbing local power, the Cui family's influence diminished.

In layman's terms, the king now had the confidence to challenge them.

Of course, the two sides won't really break off relations; that would only result in mutual destruction, ultimately benefiting the wolves and tigers who have been eyeing them for so long.

Cui Hui understood the reasoning. She had grown up under the care of uncles and aunts in the bandit stronghold, and the things she had seen were not clean. As the head of the clan, Cui Zhi's duty was to ensure the continuation of the family and to live with dignity in chaotic times. However, she wasn't here to reason with them today: "Where has the pride of the Cui family as the head of a prominent clan gone? With such a large family and great wealth, are you still unwilling to give up these things?"

Every word was sarcastic and veiled, venting grievances.

Although Cui was able to "compromise" and agree to marry You, she was extremely harsh on her. The grievances she suffered over the years became her moral capital to attack You now, and she used them without any hesitation.

Others might not buy into this, but Cui Zhi definitely will.

Seeing that her tone had softened, Cui Zhi handed her a handkerchief to wipe away her tears: "Things aren't that simple. Being the head of a powerful family is just an empty title; we cooperate with other families more. If the Cui family really falls into a hopeless situation, other families will simply cut ties with us. In this world, what are permanent allies? The Cui family is large and powerful, but it can't afford to support a retinue that can fight against the army of a nation."

Previously, the royal family was controlled by the Choi family.

Now that the king is gradually consolidating military power and winning over the generals, it wouldn't be difficult for him to slaughter the Cui clan from top to bottom. The reason he hasn't done so yet is that the Cui clan also holds a weakness in the generals' group. Military campaigns require not only manpower but also supplies and provisions.

The king has troops.

The Cui family has grain and forage resources.

Neither side was confident they could stabilize the situation after the falling out, so they could only continue to work together and find a new balance. Continuing to cooperate and achieve mutual benefit is always better than risking mutual destruction.

This marriage was a gesture of appropriate concession from the Cui family.

The fact that the wedding date wasn't set immediately was because the royal family was giving Lady Choi some leeway.

Cui Hui sniffed, composed himself, and began to empathize with Lady You: "In that case, isn't Lady You pitiful?"

Cui Zhi: "..."

He said indifferently, "It's just the norm for aristocratic families."

“It also depends on fate,” Cui Xiong, who had been silent all along, said. “If there is truly no fate, my son will do his best to ensure her safety.”

It wasn't that Cui Xiong had any affection for the Lady You; he was simply trying to appease his mother and didn't want to leave a negative impression of being harsh and heartless. In fact, Cui Xiong was a qualified heir.

Cui Hui exhaled a breath of stale air.

He waved his hand helplessly: "Don't tell me about these things."

Cui Xiong said, "My mother is kind-hearted."

Of the three men, only Cui Mi remained silent.

He not only saw his own future scenes shift erratically, but also his brother's future teetering between life and death. Too many past experiences and lessons had taught him that interfering in someone else's cause and effect meant bearing that person's fate, and in severe cases, even paying a greater price.

For example, he intended to help someone avoid the pain of having their leg severed, but ended up causing that person to suffer the agony of being beheaded. A classic case of "I didn't kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me." Human hearts should not be filled with greed. It is better to go with the flow, like the changing seasons and the alternation of mountains and rivers.

The real Lady You was an ordinary noblewoman, but the current Lady You manipulates her brother, treating him like a dog.

He knows everything, but he can't say anything outright.

Life is short anyway, so it's better to make the most of your limited time than to live a mediocre and dull life.

This incident allowed Cui Hui to openly and legitimately interact with Lady You.

Miao Ne took what Cui Hui handed her: "What is this?"

Cui Hui said: "Related to the Cui family."

This would allow Miao Ne to quickly rise to power and gain the king's trust.

Miao Ne wanted to become the king's most trusted confidante, surpassing Mei Meng; she needed to achieve merit. Liao Jia hadn't arrived yet, and the two had no foothold in Qi State; to quickly gain merit, they couldn't go through normal channels. Cui Shi was covered in flabby flesh; cutting her into pieces wouldn't kill her.

When Liao Jia arrives, he will definitely cause chaos in every household!

Cui Hui had already decided which family to target first.

She's been the matriarch of a prestigious family for so many years, and she's kept track of family genealogies and lineages for no reason. She's very fortunate!

Miao Ne frowned: "Is it safe for you to come see me?"

She too came from a prestigious family. Although the Miao family was merely a small border clan before Shen Jun dealt with them, they embodied all the vices of aristocratic families and knew all too well the true nature of their leaders. Could Cui Zhi be an exception? Miao Ne even suspected he wanted to kill her.

Yes, if she were the head of the Cui clan, she would do the same.

Cui Hui said, "After all that commotion, we're safe now."

Who can blame her for being a soft-hearted and empathetic "mother-in-law"?

Only one thing—

“This child, Da Xiong, can you spare his life? As for the rest, consider it a lesson before his coming-of-age ceremony.” Cui Hui still felt sorry for the child. “Teach him what the wickedness of the human heart is.”

Miao Ne said, "Lady Cui has great confidence in me."

Cui Hui: "..."

How could we not have confidence?

He dared to go to Gao Guo alone and confront Mei Jinghe.

Now that she's in the shadows while Big Bear is in the open, won't she be played to death?

at this time--

Liao Jia was on his way at breakneck speed.

at this time--

Gong Xichou was squatting on the ground looking at something.

A tiny, meat-like thing is growing inside a cricket pupa.

After catching up on her sleep and regaining some energy, Shen Tang woke up to find Wu Hui and the others still not looking at her. If the mountain wouldn't come to her, she would go to the mountain. Like a ghost, she floated unsteadily out of the tent.

As a result, they got lost.

It's not her fault; the new camp layout was completely unfamiliar to her.

They tried to find the temporary canteen but ended up in the wounded soldiers' camp instead.

Although it was called a wounded soldiers' camp, it actually housed refugees rescued from the great fire in the capital of Gao Kingdom. Six days had passed since the fire was extinguished, and the camp had gone from being overwhelmed to operating in an orderly manner. Those with minor injuries had already been sent out, and most of the seriously injured were out of danger. Shen Tang's expression blended in quite harmoniously with the rest of the group.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted someone I knew.

"Gongxi Chou!"

She patted the other person on the shoulder from behind.

Gong Xichou had already sensed Shen Tang's presence: "You're back?"

"Who am I? How could I not come back?" Shen Tang craned her neck to get a closer look, but immediately shrank back in disgust, saying, "Tsk tsk, how old are you, still playing with insects?"

Gong Xichou scoffed.

"My brother let me play this..."

"High Priest?"

Gong Xichou threw down the stick and said dejectedly, "He told me... told me to go and collect these insects in the middle of the night."

"Then?"

Why is there so much resentment?

Gong Xichou: "These bugs came out of my anus..."

Shen Tang: "...Whose asshole?"

︿(￣︶￣)︿

I wonder if anyone has ever tried pagoda-shaped candy?