"Dulan Chronicles" is a book in the genre of human geography. Chuzheng flipped through it, finding nothing special.
Unable to understand it herself, Chuzheng had to ask for help: "What’s in this book?"
Changsun Hang: "..."
Changsun Hang curled up in the corner without any image, and when he heard Chuzheng’s question, his pupils slightly contracted.
"I... don’t know."
"Don’t know?" Chuzheng’s tone turned a bit colder: "You don’t know even though you’ve hidden it so well?"
"I really don’t know!" Changsun Hang couldn’t help but raise his voice, anger mixed with fear.
It was only at this moment that Changsun Hang understood in his heart that this woman had changed. It wasn’t because she was playing hard to get.
She had completely changed into another person.
Chuzheng stared at Changsun Hang for a few seconds: "Then who does know?"
Changsun Hang was reluctant to say, but if he didn’t speak, he might not survive here, so for the sake of his life, he had no choice but to speak.
"My... maternal grandfather. He asked me to keep it!!"
Changsun Hang’s maternal grandfather... could it be the Kou Family that Yann Qin mentioned?
Chuzheng let out an "oh", her expression showing no fluctuation, revealing no true emotion.
Chuzheng lowered her head to glance through the book momentarily, rolled it up, and tapped Changsun Hang’s shoulder with it: "Third Prince, I hope you won’t speak frivolously about today’s events."
"..." As soon as I leave, I’ll have someone arrest you!!
Before Changsun Hang could even finish this thought, the woman in front of him suddenly grabbed his chin, forced his mouth open, and something was thrown in.
Changsun Hang’s pupils dilated sharply, wanting to spit out the object.
Unfortunately, the grip on his chin was too strong, and the object slid down his throat.
As the force on his chin relaxed, Changsun Hang immediately began to retch: "What did you make me eat!?"
"Poison," Chuzheng said quite seriously, tapping her palm with the book: "Just in case."
Changsun Hang: "!!!"
"So you’d better behave, Third Prince. Your life is in my hands. If I’m displeased..."
Chuzheng spread her five fingers and clenched them in the air.
Changsun Hang instantly felt as if his whole body was being cut by knives, his body went limp, and he completely collapsed on the ground, even losing the strength to shout.
Chuzheng, of course, hadn’t used any poison.
She had merely given him a candy to frighten him.
This man valued his life greatly, and having frightened him like this, she believed he wouldn’t dare to do anything.
Chuzheng walked off with the book in a grand manner.
Back at Jinxiu Pavilion, Shi Yi had just finished handling the errands Chuzheng had given him and placed the items he bought on the table.
Chuzheng casually handed the items to him: "Eat."
Shi Yi: "??? "
You asked me to buy it, and now you want me to eat it?
Seeing him not taking it, Chuzheng pressed him into a chair and leaned in slightly from behind.
The unique fragrance of a girl wafted in, making Shi Yi’s body suddenly stiffen, forgetting to stand up.
Slender, fair fingers unwrapped the oil paper-wrapped item: "Hurry and eat."
Look at how thin you’ve become.
Anyone who sees you would think I was mistreating you!
Shi Yi didn’t know what expression to put on, sitting there frozen.
"Do I need to feed you?"
"Miss, this isn’t..."
Both spoke simultaneously, and as they turned toward each other, they were already so close that their noses almost touched.
Shi Yi’s breath caught, his pupils reflecting the face so close, and the sound at his ears faded away, leaving only the accelerating rhythm of his heart.
The light from outside the window fell in, casting the silhouettes of the two onto the ground, seemingly merging together.
In Shi Yi’s moment of distraction, Chuzheng closed the remaining distance completely.
Shi Yi’s pupils shrank violently, but before he could react, that light touch had already moved away.
The next second, Shi Yi stood up sharply, looking at Chuzheng in a state of fear.
Chuzheng: "..."
Was that really necessary?
What kind of expression is that!
Shi Yi quickly turned and disappeared from the room, the ’ssss’ sound of the trees outside the window accompanying the silence inside.
Chuzheng supported herself with one hand on the table, picking up a piece of pastry with the other and popping it into her mouth.
After a while, she remarked meaningfully: "It’s really sweet."
-
As night fell.
Chuzheng disguised herself thoroughly, ensuring Shi Yi couldn’t discover her, then left the house.
During the day, she had already asked Ying Xiang to investigate the location of the Kou Mansion, and Chuzheng snuck in under the cover of darkness.
The people in the mansion were all asleep, and after searching for a while, Chuzheng finally found Changsun Hang’s maternal grandfather.
Chuzheng dragged the man out of bed.
Kou Da was clearly a skilled person, but was easily subdued by Chuzheng.
Kou Da was mostly shocked when he saw who it was in front of him.
"Third Princess Consort... what... are you doing?" The Third Prince is his grandson, meaning this woman was his granddaughter-in-law.
Yet here she was, sneaking into his place in the middle of the night and even using force...
Could something have happened?
Kou Da’s mind raced with questions, yet there was no one to give him answers at this moment.
Without a word, Chuzheng tied up Kou Da.
"Third Princess Consort, what are you doing!?" Kou Da raised his voice a bit, refraining from calling for help because it was his granddaughter-in-law.
"I have something to ask you." Chuzheng’s tone was calm.
"..."
Is it necessary to do this just to ask questions?
Chuzheng took out the book and placed it in front of Kou Da: "Do you recognize this book?"
Kou Da’s gaze fixed on the book, his facial muscles tensing instantly, pupils narrowing, lips pressing tightly.
This book...
How could it end up in her hands!?
"So, you do recognize it." Chuzheng concluded carelessly: "Would you mind telling me what purpose this book serves?"
Her voice was very calm, as if she were negotiating with you.
However, when you met her eyes, you’d realize it wasn’t a negotiation at all, but a threat.
Kou Da inexplicably shivered.
Kou Da swallowed hard: "Third Princess Consort, I don’t recognize this book. What are you doing? Let me go!"
Chuzheng threw the book in front of Kou Da, a soft "thump" sounded.
The girl tilted her head, speaking unhurriedly: "How do you think I got this book from your grandson?"
Kou Da: "..."
In recent years, his interactions with Changsun Hang were infrequent, so to outsiders, their relationship seemed typical.
The book was given to Changsun Hang by his mother, for him to keep safely.
Kou Da believed he had done so discreetly, but who would have thought it would appear before him so suddenly, leaving him unprepared.
-
The Dulan Chronicles appears to be a travelogue focusing on human geography, but it’s actually a ledger.
The ledger records the sordid affairs of many individuals within the Imperial Court.
If such a document were handed over, a number of people would be implicated.
If not handed over, whoever possessed the ledger could benefit greatly.
Since acquiring this ledger, Kou Da naturally hadn’t turned it in and instead kept it to himself.
Over the years, he appeared to live frugally, with little official rank.
But in reality, he lived quite well, and his status seemed irrelevant as ultimately, others would still have to listen to him.
This explained why the otherwise incompetent Third Prince could ultimately overthrow Yann Qin.
With his grandfather’s backing, it became much easier.
Even after revealing this, Kou Da wasn’t particularly afraid, merely sighed as if regretting: "Third Princess Consort, why do you need to do this?"
And why else would I, if not for my card.