Chapter 47 All Men Are Dark-Skinned
Yan Jinyue looked up at her, her eyes filled with mockery: "You're the one with the secret, aren't you? You're quite good at turning the tables."
Chu Yunjin couldn't help but want to refute.
She was telling the truth; Yan Cang really had a secret.
His hesitant demeanor always tells a story.
But he was a living, breathing person, not a dry, two-dimensional character from a book, so Chu Yunjin had no way of knowing what this secret was.
And even if she did ask, Yan Cang might not tell her.
However, upon seeing this painting, Chu Yunjin suddenly thought of a possibility—did the Princess Consort of Jin know Yan Cang's secret?
Otherwise, why would she be so certain that she was a stand-in? And why would there be such a painting?
What riddle is she trying to solve?
"Never mind." Chu Yunjin rolled up the scroll and put it back in the brocade box. "I'll ask Yan Cang tonight."
Although Yan Jinyue suspected that Chu Yunjin was a spy, she had no evidence. However, the portrait was clearly right in front of her, leaving her no choice but to think about it.
As she walked out of the manor, she pondered for a moment before speaking: "You said that the Princess Consort of Jin was sowing discord, believing that the Emperor favored someone else, and that you were just a substitute?"
Chu Yunjin nodded: "Mm."
Yan Jinyue frowned and began to let her imagination run wild: "The woman in the portrait is dressed in extremely luxurious clothes, which is indeed the attire of the Crown Princess. Of course, she could also be the Consort you are guessing, but Father has not yet established an heir, so she is definitely not the Crown Princess of the Yong Dynasty—if this woman really exists."
Chu Yunjin thought what she said made sense and nodded involuntarily.
“My brother has been guarding the northwest border for many years, and he deals most with the northern deserts and the western forests.” Yan Jinyue thought for a moment. “The people of the northern deserts dress differently from us. Three years ago, envoys from the northern deserts came to Yong Kingdom. Their appearance and clothing clearly showed that they were from a foreign land, so we can rule out the northern deserts first.”
Her expression gradually changed: "Could it be that my imperial brother had a crush on a noblewoman from Xiling?"
Chu Yunjin was silent for a moment: "You also suspect that I am a stand-in?"
“If the portrait really depicts a real person, then it’s entirely possible.” Yan Jinyue turned and glanced at her. “To be honest, I never understood why my brother would like someone like you.”
Chu Yunjin: "..." What's wrong with someone like her?
"Besides her pretty face, she's neither smart nor obedient, and she doesn't even understand the difference between men and women. She's always chasing after Prince Jin, only bringing shame to my brother." Yan Jinyue listed a whole bunch of her crimes. "I once suspected that my brother was under a spell, which is why he fell in love with a useless woman like you."
Chu Yunjin: "..." This personal attack is a bit too much.
Although she is not the original owner, she is the one being scolded now. Isn't this an undeserved disaster?
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Yan Jinyue frowned. "Do you think what I said is wrong?"
Chu Yunjin raised her hand and touched her nose: "Although what you said wasn't very nice, I can't refute it."
She held Yan Jinyue's hand: "Whether I'm a stand-in or not can be put aside for now, but I'm really not a spy."
"Although I know it's a bit far-fetched to explain my drastic personality change with a dream, I really... I really did wake up in an instant. Just like you said, your brother used to be like he was under a spell, and I think I was under a spell too. Now that we've both returned to normal, we should focus on external threats—"
"You're back to normal?" Yan Jinyue ruthlessly brushed her hand away. "Who knows if you've really recovered or if you've been switched at birth? Besides, my mother is still in the Cold Palace. You think you can just wipe the slate clean? It's not that easy."
Chu Yunjin said, "The Imperial Concubine will definitely be safe and sound. I'm trying to think of a way—"
"Hmph." Yan Jinyue scoffed. "Wait for you to come up with a solution?"
Chu Yunjin felt ashamed.
She really didn't have any good solutions.
With imperial power supreme and palace rules strictly enforced, how could she, as an individual, contend with imperial power?
A look of guilt crossed her face: "Didn't you try to make arrangements for the people in the palace to ensure that the Imperial Concubine eats well and lives comfortably?"
"My brother has already made arrangements in the palace." Yan Jinyue glared at her. "If Mother's days are difficult, do you think you'll have an easy time?"
As they spoke, the two had already stepped out of the palace gates.
Standing beside the carriage, Granny Zhou listened to the Sixth Princess and the Princess Consort exchanging words, their conversation tinged with tension.
She bowed respectfully: "It's one thing for the two masters to quarrel in the manor, but once they leave the manor, they must not show any discord, lest they become a laughing stock for outsiders."
Yan Jinyue stepped onto the carriage using a stool: "Haven't outsiders made enough of a fool of us?"
Chu Yunjin gave Granny Zhou a reassuring look, then bowed and entered the carriage, sitting down next to Yan Jinyue: "Let's get back to the point. You suspect that the person Yan Cang likes is in Xiling?"
Yan Jinyue guessed: "If this woman is a noblewoman from Xiling, and is already married or deceased, then there is a reasonable explanation for why my brother suddenly asked to marry you two years ago."
Chu Yunjin slowly shook her head, feeling that the possibility was unlikely: "Yan Cang said himself that there was no one else, only me."
"A man's mouth is a deceitful devil."
Chu Yunjin's lips twitched: "He is your imperial brother."
“That’s a man too.” Yan Jinyue had long since lost the ability to distinguish friend from foe. “All men are equally corrupt.”
Chu Yunjin paused for a moment, then said, "I have a secret to tell you."
Yan Jinyue looked up: "What secret?"
Chu Yunjin raised her hand and beckoned to her.
Yan Jinyue reluctantly leaned closer, and Chu Yunjin whispered a few words in her ear. Yan Jinyue's eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed, "How is that possible?"
Chu Yunjin said, "I knew you wouldn't believe me."
Yan Jinyue's expression turned serious: "Do you have any evidence?"
“It’s not my job to investigate the evidence,” Chu Yunjin said. “But I have a way to make Princess Ning’an believe what I’m saying.”
Yan Jinyue looked at her suspiciously: "How do you know this secret?"
Chu Yunjin sighed softly: "You keep saying I'm a spy. If I tell you everything, what if you betray me?"
Yan Jinyue looked at her expressionlessly.
Chu Yunjin chuckled to herself, finally managing to turn the tables.
The carriage slowly made its way towards the residence of Princess Ning'an. By the time it reached the gate of the princess's residence, many of the female guests' carriages had already arrived.
Yan Jinyue and Chu Yunjin stepped down from the carriage one after the other.
As soon as Chu Yunjin's feet touched the ground, a sarcastic voice came from beside her: "The Imperial Concubine was just accused and framed by the Princess Consort of Yan and was banished to the Cold Palace by the Emperor. The Sixth Princess rode in the same carriage as the Princess Consort of Yan to attend the Eldest Princess's birthday banquet. The relationship between these two sisters-in-law is really good, even better than that between a mother and daughter."
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