Chapter 20
The autumn rain lingered, pattering against the glazed tiles, casting a hazy mist over the entire capital.
Since that night's subtly witty "tea conversation" with Tang Pu on the top floor of "Yun Jian Ge," Cui Yunshu had been lost in deep thought. She sat by the window, watching the curtain woven from raindrops, unconsciously turning a warm, white jade chess piece in her hand.
Tang Pu's appearance was like a pebble thrown into her carefully laid-out chessboard, creating ripples that were far greater and more complex than she had anticipated.
He is a double-edged sword.
Sharp and powerful, enough to sever the claws extended by the Second Prince; but equally, fraught with unpredictable danger. His eyes, which seemed to see through everything, gave her, for the first time, a subtle sense of crisis—a feeling of being seen through.
"Thinking about the young prince of the Prince An's mansion?"
The voice of her mother, Madam Song, came from behind her. She placed a steaming bowl of ginger tea next to Cui Yunshu. "It's damp and cold outside. Drink this bowl to ward off the chill."
"Nothing can be hidden from Mother." Cui Yunshu came back to her senses, took the ginger tea, and felt the warmth spread from her fingertips to her heart.
She didn't hide anything, but instead laid out her confusion and considerations to her most trusted ally. "Mother, do you think... we can use Tang Pu?"
Madam Song sat down opposite her daughter, her gaze fixed on the rain outside the window, her eyes deep and wise. "It can be used, but it must be used with caution. The Prince of An's Mansion has always been neutral and does not get involved in factional strife; this is the foundation of their existence. Tang Pu's actions this time, seemingly to help you, are actually... also helping himself."
"Help him himself?" Cui Yunshu asked, puzzled.
"In the current court, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince's faction are irreconcilably at odds. My son, do you really think the Prince An's Mansion can remain unscathed?" Madam Song sneered. "When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? The Second Prince is ruthless and cruel. If he truly gains power in the future, the first thing he will do is to eliminate 'neutral' forces like the Prince An's Mansion, which hold military power but refuse to submit. Tang Pu is a smart man; he sees this better than anyone else. His help to you, seemingly for you, the 'Ice Princess,' is actually for the Cui family behind you, and for the Crown Prince, whom the Cui family is aligned with. He is placing a bet on the future of the Prince An's Mansion."
Song's analysis coincided with Cui Yunshu's guess.
“Therefore, he is a knife that can be borrowed.” Cui Yunshu’s eyes gradually brightened. “The Second Prince has many followers and acts without restraint. Relying solely on our own business strength is ultimately like throwing an egg against a rock. Tang Pu’s intervention can become our strongest shield, an umbrella that can protect us from open and covert attacks.”
"He's an umbrella, but also an eye," Madam Song warned. "He'll help you, but he'll also investigate you. Shu'er, you have too many secrets, and your actions are too... unpredictable. Cooperating with him is like asking a tiger for its skin."
“I understand.” Cui Yunshu put down her teacup, her eyes no longer showing any hesitation, but instead displaying the resolute determination of a chess player before making a move. “But in the current situation, we have no peace of mind. Rather than being passively attacked, we should take the initiative and invite the tiger to our aid. Even if there are risks, it is worse than sitting and waiting for death.”
Looking at the composure and courage in her daughter's eyes that far exceeded her age, Madam Song nodded with satisfaction: "Good. Now that you've made up your mind, go for it. Remember, no matter what, your mother will always be behind you."
With her mother's support, Cui Yunshu felt much more at ease. She knew it was time to meet the "ally" who had offered her an olive branch.
Three days later, an invitation issued in the name of "Princess Ice and Snow" was quietly delivered to the Prince An's residence.
【Cloud Pavilion, Top Floor Private Room】
The private rooms on the top floor are the most private and elegant places in the entire "Cloud Pavilion". Ordinary guests, even those with the highest level of membership cards, are not allowed to set foot in them.
Today, Cui Yunshu changed out of her elaborate dress and wore only a light white, narrow-sleeved long gown that allowed for easy movement. Her long hair was tied up high with a jade hairpin, making her look capable and spirited. Instead of brewing tea, she set up a chessboard by the window, where the black and white pieces were already halfway through their battle.
When Tang Pu appeared at the door, she was holding a white chess piece, deep in thought.
“Your Highness has arrived at just the right time,” she said without rising, glancing at him and gesturing for him to proceed. “My game of chess has reached a stalemate. I wonder if Your Highness could offer some guidance?”
Tang Pu's gaze swept across the chessboard before settling on Cui Yunshu's calm and composed face. He smiled, sat down opposite her, and unceremoniously picked up a black piece from the chess box, placing it on the center point of the board.
"Miss Cui's chess game is too aggressive; she only knows how to attack but forgets to defend. If this continues, even if she can conquer cities and territories, she will inevitably face trouble at home and lose sight of the bigger picture." His words were ambiguous.
"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness." A genuine smile finally appeared on Cui Yunshu's face. "It seems that I made the right choice in inviting Your Highness today. What I lack in this game is a 'general' who can protect my rear."
She stopped hiding and testing him, instead placing the white piece back in the chess box, leaning forward slightly, and looking directly at him with burning eyes, she said bluntly, "Young Prince, let's cooperate."
A hint of expected surprise flashed in Tang Pu's eyes; he hadn't expected her to be so direct. "Oh? How does the Princess intend to cooperate?"
“It’s very simple.” Cui Yunshu held up two slender fingers. “You, me, we have a common enemy.”
She gently moved a black piece on the chessboard and continued, "The Second Prince's faction is suppressing my business. On the surface, it's because they can't stand seeing the Cui family's success. But in essence, they are weakening the power behind me and diminishing the Crown Prince's potential sources of wealth."
“I need a shield to protect my business empire and block the open attacks from officials and the hidden arrows from the common people. And you, Your Highness, with the power of the Prince of An’s Mansion and the Emperor’s favor, are the most suitable candidate for this shield.”
“In return,” she placed another white piece next to the black piece, “twenty percent of the future profits of ‘Cloud Pavilion’ and all my properties will be sent to the Prince’s residence monthly. At the same time, my business network can also serve as your eyes and ears, providing you with any information you need.”
She was in charge of business operations, conquering territories and earning real money.
He remained in the shadows, responsible for providing protection, clearing obstacles, and ensuring the safety of the rear.
Clear division of labor, clear division of responsibilities, shared benefits, and shared risks.
She spoke clearly and logically, not at all like a thirteen-year-old girl, but more like a shrewd politician discussing national affairs with allies.
Tang Pu's heart was once again filled with turbulent waves.
He looked at the young woman before him, and in her clear eyes shone a light he had never seen before, a light he called "ambition" and "wisdom." Her insight into the current situation, her analysis of interests, and her grasp of human nature were all frighteningly accurate.
He had initially thought he was the hunter in control of the entire situation. But now, he realized that he seemed to have been used as a "hound" by the other side.
This feeling, far from being repulsive to him, instead aroused his stronger curiosity and desire to conquer.
He remained outwardly calm, simply picking up his teacup and taking a small sip, while his mind raced with calculations.
His agreement to cooperate was inevitable. It not only aligned with his established strategy of "protecting the Crown Prince and resisting the Second Prince," but it was also his only opportunity to thoroughly investigate Cui Yunshu and uncover all her secrets.
What exactly does her phrase "three years later" mean?
Where did she get her strategic thinking and insight that far exceeded her age?
And her massive business plans, the strategic materials she secretly stockpiled that far exceeded commercial needs... What kind of shocking secret is hidden behind all of this?
He needs to figure it out.
"The princess's proposal sounds very tempting." Tang Pu put down his teacup, a cynical smile on his face. "However, a 20% profit seems a bit low. When I make a move, it won't be cheap."
“Then thirty percent.” Cui Yunshu increased the amount without hesitation, as if the staggering wealth was nothing more than a string of numbers in her eyes. “I can’t go any more. You should know, Your Highness, the bigger this business I expand, the more money I will need.”
"Deal." Tang Pu readily agreed.
He knew that money wasn't the point. The point was that from this moment on, he had a legitimate identity that allowed him to intervene in all her plans and observe her every move at any time.
A tacit verbal agreement, where both parties harbored their own ulterior motives, was thus reached.
To show his "sincerity," Tang Pu immediately offered his first pledge of allegiance.
“Since it’s a collaboration, I’ll start by giving the princess a small gift.” He leaned forward, his voice low. “According to my informants in the Second Prince’s residence, Master Zhang has already set off south to contact officials in the Jiangnan region, especially the textile bureaus in Suzhou and Hangzhou.”
"Their plan is to buy up all the top-quality raw silk and satin on the market at high prices before winter, under the guise of 'procurement by the imperial court.' On the one hand, it's to stockpile winter clothing materials for the women of Consort Wang and the Second Prince's faction; but the more important purpose is to monopolize the supply, so that your upcoming 'Mirror Flower Romance' cosmetics and silk business will be left without ingredients and die in the womb."
This is an extremely ruthless and underhanded tactic.
If it were anyone else, they would probably be completely flustered upon hearing this news.
However, Cui Yunshu's face remained completely expressionless after listening. She simply listened quietly, and a barely perceptible smile even flickered in her clear eyes.
It was as if this was exactly what she had been waiting for.
"Thank you for the information, Your Highness." She picked up the black piece that Tang Pu had placed in the center position, gently stroking it, her voice calm and even. "I really like this 'gift'."
Tang Pu looked at her confident demeanor, his curiosity growing. Faced with such a deadly situation, she showed no sign of panic. Could it be... that she already had a plan in place?
What he didn't know was that Cui Yunshu not only had a plan, but also intended to take advantage of the "east wind" sent by the Second Prince to teach them a lesson and let them know what it truly meant to... undermine their foundation.
The first official collaboration between the male and female protagonists unfolded amidst this atmosphere of testing and scheming.
After leaving the Cloud Pavilion, Tang Pu did not return directly to his residence, but instead rode his horse to the highest star-gazing tower in the capital.
He stood on the rooftop, looking down at the brightly lit city below, the evening breeze blowing his robes, making them flutter.
He recalled every conversation and every exchange of glances with Cui Yunshu, and his desire to explore became more intense than ever before.
"Tie Niu," he called out without turning his head.
The figure of Tie Niu, the commander of the personal guards, appeared behind him like a ghost: "What are your orders, Young Prince?"
"From today onwards, increase manpower and keep a close watch on Miss Cui's every move, 24 hours a day." Tang Pu's voice was particularly clear in the night wind. "I not only need to know who she met and what she said, but I also need to know the flow of funds and the arrival and departure of every batch of goods in and out of all the shops under her name. No detail should be overlooked."
"Yes!" Tie Niu accepted the order, then asked with some confusion, "Young Prince, haven't we... already formed an alliance with her?"
Tang Pu turned around and looked at the brightly lit mansion belonging to the Cui family in the distance, a complex smile curving his lips.
“An ally, and also…prey.” He muttered to himself, “I want to see just how much of a surprise this seemingly docile little fox can bring me.”
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