Chapter 1210: Entering the Game Personally [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
"When...how will you repay..."
When Cui Hui regained consciousness, she vaguely heard someone speaking beside her, but the voice was very low and intermittent, making it difficult to hear clearly. She tried to hear clearly, but the voice stopped speaking again, and the world returned to silence.
In her hazy vision, she seemed to see sunlight filtering through the window.
She subconsciously tried to determine the time.
When she was fully conscious, the dappled golden light streaming through the window was no longer reflected in the sunlight, but rather in the bright moonlight. She belatedly realized that a figure was sitting upright beside the bed: "Zhishan..."
The voice was so soft it was barely audible, and it was only thanks to the person's exceptional hearing that they could not have noticed: "Miss Cui has mistaken me for someone else."
This person's voice has a frivolous tone.
Cui Hui suddenly woke up with a start: "You—"
The newcomer raised his hand and pressed down on Cui Hui's shoulder, saying slowly, "Your body is still too weak; you cannot make any big movements."
Cui Hui didn't care about any of that: "How did you get in?"
Are you out of your mind?
What if Choi Ji-sun finds out?
A smile crept onto the newcomer's lips, and in the candlelight and shadows, he seemed even more lewd than a lecherous rogue, as if he might pounce on someone and make a lewd move at any moment. In short, he was no decent person: "What are you afraid of? I dare to come and meet the Lady because I am absolutely certain that your husband will not notice anything amiss."
His words carried an even stronger sense of immorality.
Cui Hui's lips twitched violently twice, but she couldn't bear it any longer and looked away. There was no other reason than that Liao Jia's face stirred within her an impulse to uphold justice and punish evil: "That's too risky. Cui Zhishan is far more shrewd and vigilant than you imagine."
This time, she dragged the entire Cui family down with her.
This indirectly forced Cui Zhi to choose between her and her family.
Liao Jia smiled meaningfully.
"Miss Cui underestimated herself. Little did she know that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. No matter how shrewd and vigilant an old fox is, when it comes to love, he is empty-handed. If he can't win, he can't win. Even if he knows it's a honey trap, he will still lose."
Choi Ji-sun is a typical example.
How could he not know that Cui Hui's return this time was suspicious?
However, his reconciled married life over the past two years has led him to repeatedly comfort and console himself, gradually causing him to become more biased.
Moreover, Cui Hui had indeed not taken any action before.
Cui Hui retorted defiantly, "The charms of a beautiful woman? Me, a middle-aged woman?"
In her mind, she held some weight in the heart of the Cui family head, but not as much as the entire family. Cui Hui's bargaining chips were the former matriarch of the Cui family and the birth mother of the next head of the Cui family. Because of these identities, the Cui family wouldn't allow her to be humiliated. However, nothing is absolute. If the losses outweighed the bargaining chips, and the Cui family abandoned Cui Xiong, Cui Hui could also be abandoned.
Unless the next clan leader is not Cui Xiong, all the bargaining chips are worthless.
Therefore, while she was in prison, she had no idea that Cui Zhi would come, nor that he would break ties with Mei Meng for her sake.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Miss Cui, why should you belittle yourself?"
In this relationship, the head of the Cui family was the passive party.
At this point, Liao Jia couldn't help but joke, "You were unconscious for three days and four nights after you came back from prison. If it weren't for some things that just couldn't be delayed any longer, the person you would have seen when you opened your eyes would have been him..."
Cui Hui was astonished: "So long?"
"You almost didn't wake up."
Cui Zhi has looked visibly haggard these past few days.
More than a dozen renowned physicians from various families were unable to treat Cui Hui, so Cui Zhi had no choice but to use his connections in the Southwest branch of the Gods' Society to seek out local medical practitioners to examine Cui Hui. The Southwest Continent was unlike the Northwest; the Kangguo Medical Bureau provided extensive assistance to folk healers, summarizing key points for the Physician Temple's examinations and sharing them free of charge, and regularly publishing medical records and diagnostic manuals by renowned physicians. Under these circumstances, the number of local medical practitioners increased year by year, whereas this place had none.
Physicians can only enter the temple by fighting alone.
With a small number of people, it's even more difficult to get people to come out of retirement.
Even the Cui family would find it difficult to find a skilled physician to save the person within a few days, and even if they did, it might not be effective. Cui Zhi was almost in despair and at one point placed his hopes on the ethereal gods and Buddhas.
Cui Hui's expression shifted: "He even went to burn incense and pray to Buddha?"
Liao Jia said, "Yes, but gods and Buddhas can't save people."
The one who could save lives was his backup plan—
This itinerant physician, traveling and practicing medicine without affiliation to any power, was solely dedicated to healing and saving lives. The Cui family spent a fortune to hire him, but no one suspected that this physician was specifically chosen for Cui Hui.
Thinking of the diagnosis given by the physician, Liao Jia felt a lingering fear and said with relief, "This was too risky. You almost... If anything had happened to you, not to mention the lord, your father, Cui Xiao, would have fought me to the death..."
Mei Meng never even considered torturing Cui Hui.
To torture a woman in order to restrain and force back the powerful clans led by the Cui family—regardless of whether this was feasible or not, even if it were effective, someone as proud as Mei Jinghe would never do it.
So, why did it happen again?
Because Cui Hui directed and acted in it himself.
Unlike Liao Jia, who was terrified afterward, Cui Hui, the person involved, remained calm: "How can one win even half a move without getting involved?"
Her only bargaining chip is herself.
It is both a chess piece and a chess player.
She took the initiative to conspire with Liao Jia to devise a plan.
Liao Jia has been secretly sowing discord and stirring up trouble over the years.
It was also his tireless efforts that gradually alienated Mei Jinghe and his minister, whose relationship was originally quite harmonious and solid. In addition, Miao Ne, a confidante, blindly supported the king's position and subtly undermined Mei Meng's loyalty. When Mei Meng dared to speak frankly, she flattered her and acted in a way that perfectly reflected her "king's die-hard fan" persona. Through this inside-outside collaboration, she gradually incited the king to become dissatisfied with Mei Meng.
From slight dissatisfaction to doubt, from quantitative change to qualitative change.
Although Mei Meng was aware of the situation, she was unable to catch Liao Jia.
In addition, conflicts between the King, Mei Meng, and the powerful clans are becoming increasingly frequent. Previously, the King and Mei Meng were on the same side, cooperating to maintain a balance and restrain the powerful clans. They constantly refined, compromised, and cooperated amidst these conflicts. The mission of Cui Hui, Miao Ne, and Liao Jia is to disrupt this delicate balance among the three parties.
They sowed discord between Mei Meng and the King, pushing the King to the side of the powerful families.
Mei Meng, having lost her allies, was the first to be eliminated!
The rest is much easier to clean up.
The power of the ruler alone was certainly not enough to suppress the powerful families, so she had to rely more on the maternal relatives' camp, namely Miao Ne.
Thus, Miao Ne had the possibility of completely replacing Mei Meng.
To achieve this ideal situation, we still need a spark.
Cui Hui lit it for him!
Taking what others like is truly a powerful tool for manipulating people's hearts.
This weapon can also easily forge tokens and falsely convey orders.
Finally, after destroying the evidence, how can Mei Meng prove that she didn't instruct Cui Hui to be tortured? Even if she had a mouth full of mouths, she couldn't explain herself!
It's true that my life hangs by a thread, and it's true that I can't cultivate.
Who would dare gamble with the life of the former mistress of the Cui family, whom Cui Zhi was protecting?
No one dared to do it, except for Cui Hui himself.
"Are Father, Brother, and I also pawns of Mother?"
A third voice came from inside the room.
Cui Hui's expression changed slightly, her heart pounding instantly. But after recognizing the person, she quickly regained her composure—it was Cui Mi, not Cui Xiong, so there was no need to panic. She calmly admitted, "Yes."
The Cui Mi in front of us had secretly run back.
He received news of the upheaval in the capital of Qi Kingdom and the arrest and imprisonment of his birth mother, Cui Hui. Seeing the future in such chaos, he felt restless and anxious. He left a letter to Shen Tang to ask for leave and rushed back day and night, without disturbing anyone along the way.
To his surprise, upon arrival he heard Cui Hui personally admit to numerous schemes. Even though he was mentally prepared, his mind was still in turmoil.
His tone carried a hint of resentment.
"Has Mother gotten what she wanted now?"
Cui Hui shook his head slightly: "The outcome is still undecided."
The fact that the outcome is still undecided means that there are still many variables.
Cui Mi asked, "How can one say that the universe is already established?"
Cui Hui made a startling statement: "Wait for the king to win her over and buy her off."
Cui Mi: "..."
When it comes to courage, his mother is second to none.
Although Cui Hui did not name names, Cui Mi could tell that the "she" his mother was referring to was Shen Zhongli, the alias of Shen Tang.
Cui Hui plotted to win over Shen Tang to the emperor.
Isn't this outrageous?
But believe it or not, this plan is actually feasible!
Mei Meng's elimination and the king's shift towards the aristocratic families' camp did not mean that Mei Meng was willing to become a puppet manipulated by them. The king's heavy reliance on Miao Ne, a trustworthy relative by marriage, was a necessary step in consolidating military power and using him to win over military commanders and counterbalance the aristocratic families. To succeed in this endeavor, the candidates for her handouts needed careful selection.
Shen Tang's disguise in the Qi Kingdom is so fitting!
Apart from Cui Zhi, no one knew the relationship between "Shen Zhongli" and Kang Guoqishan. On the surface, it was Cui Hui who bestowed favors upon "Shen Zhongli," giving her the opportunity to realize her ambitions. Although the Cui family provided the territory, this territory was riddled with problems that she was left to deal with.
It's less a favor and more a form of making things difficult for them.
Compared to the Cui family, "Shen Zhongli" was closer to Cui Hui.
Cui Hui was also Miao Ne's future mother-in-law.
A woman, would she trust her divorced ex-husband more, or would she be more biased towards her own flesh and blood? From a worldly perspective, Cui Hui's choice was almost predictable. The biggest flaw in this scheme lay with Cui Zhi; once he betrayed Cui Hui and revealed Shen Zhongli's true identity, Cui Hui would lose everything.
Would Cui Zhi do that?
He wouldn't, and he would even help cover it up! She was absolutely certain of this when he appeared in prison and took Cui Hui out.
Cui Hui's scheme was not necessarily a pipe dream.
Cui Mi understood the crux of the matter, lowered his eyes and head.
Looking at the future that was now completely settled, a restless and anxious heart gradually calmed down: "May Mother's plans be flawless."
Cui Hui gave his youngest son a sidelong warning.
"Er Mi, don't say things you shouldn't." She and Cui Zhi weren't an ordinary couple. If Cui Mi dared to tell on them today, one of his parents would have to die to save the day. A smart child would pretend not to know anything, instead of being presumptuous. "Understand?"
Cui Mi gave a slight smirk: "My son knows."
Cui Hui's life was saved, but the mental damage would require a long period of rest and recuperation to heal. It was not advisable for Cui Mi and the other two to disturb him for too long.
He and Liao Jia left one after the other.
"Thank you, sir!"
Cui Michong and Liao Jia bowed deeply.
In the many chaotic futures he foresaw, his mother, Cui Hui, wouldn't always survive. Even if her death didn't affect the final outcome, Cui Mi still greedily hoped that his family could be reunited—why settle for incompleteness when completeness is possible?
Liao Jia cannot stay here for long.
Before leaving, he suddenly asked a question.
"If Lady Cui were to perish this time, what negative consequences would there be?"
Cui Mi's heart skipped a beat, but he pretended to be oblivious, maintaining a calm expression. Liao Jia, on the other hand, feigned ignorance, as if not testing him but asking casually, "It's always a good thing that the person is still alive."
Liao Jia arrived quietly and left without a sound.
As Cui Hui awoke, Cui Mi also noticed the graying hairs at his temples. In just a few days, he had become noticeably more haggard—a transformation almost impossible for a scholar with such profound cultivation. Cui Mi's eyes involuntarily reddened.
"The son has met his father."
Cui Zhi was somewhat surprised that his youngest son would come.
"Have you seen your mother?"
"Yes, Mother just woke up. Although she seems to be in relatively good spirits and even talked to her son quite a bit, she is still just an ordinary person. This must have been a great loss of energy, and I don't know how long it will take for her to recover." Cui Mi hesitated, "I'm afraid it might even shorten her lifespan..."
The last sentence left Cui Zhi speechless for a long time.
The doctor's instructions kept echoing in my mind.
[Your wife endured hardship and displacement in her early years, which led to chronic illnesses and affected her lifespan. Now, she has suffered further torment from verbal abuse, causing severe mental trauma. Although she has been fortunate to be rescued this time, she will require careful recuperation in the future…]
Are there any potential risks?
The physician told him the truth.
He tactfully added: "The Cui family should be mentally prepared."
Scholars and warriors alike might be severely weakened by this ordeal, spending years bedridden, let alone Cui Hui, whose children are already engaged. In these chaotic times, she's not young. Cui Zhi suppressed his emotions: [Is it possible to save her?]
[If your wife could cultivate, perhaps she could completely eradicate her chronic illness and be reborn... After all, she has the potential.] The advice offered by the medical practitioners was simple, direct, and effective, but also difficult to achieve; it wasn't something that could be accomplished simply by having enough national fortune.
The physicians in the medical field understand, and Cui Zhi understands even better.
He also knew of one exception!
Mei Meng, Mei Jing He!
Having just fallen out with Mei Meng, Cui Zhi naturally wouldn't seek her advice. Even without contacting her, he had his own ways of finding out the situation—Mei Meng was the deputy head of the Southwest branch, and had been thoroughly investigated by the branch before even joining. Her life story, aside from the relatively brief account of her early years in Xiaocheng in the Northwest, was much more detailed about her time fleeing to the Southwest with her brother…
Cui Zhi went to check this information overnight.
The result was not satisfactory.
Because Mei Jinghe, upon becoming the deputy secretary, began to destroy and erase all information related to himself, and even if some remained, it was mostly false or vague, Cui Zhi dared not attempt to do so rashly.
"I'll take care of your mother's affairs. Just focus on your own business. As for Shen Zhongli..." Cui Zhi paused, then a thought struck him, "Your mother has suffered such injustice; the King should offer some kind of response..."
Cui Mi's scalp tingled instantly.
He still feigned ignorance: "Make amends to Mother? The Cui family is wealthy and powerful, they have everything they need, who cares about her flattery?"
Cui Zhi reprimanded him neither too harshly nor too lightly.
"Ermi, don't say things you shouldn't say."
If Mei Meng cannot break through, then the only option is to target the King. Mei Jinghe has guarded against so many people, but he has never guarded against her.
Cui Mi: "..."
Why don't we just say you two are a couple?
This is incredible!
|ω`)
It's been raining all day in Xi'an, yet there are still so many people at the Tang Dynasty Never Sleeping City!
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