BDSMST -Chapter 186 Jiang Suisui’s Clever Refusal

Under the night sky, Jingxin Garden was quiet, yet the study was brightly lit.

Gu Yan’s anger gradually subsided under Jiang Suisui’s calm analysis, transforming into a deeper, more vigilant awareness.

“What do you plan to do?” he asked, his voice still tight. “Prince Zhao is narrow-minded and vindictive. If we refuse him outright, he will surely fly into a rage. Woniu Village has grown too prominent; it cannot withstand such a mad dog striking in the shadows.”

“Direct refusal is the worst option, feigned compliance is the middle path,” Jiang Suisui said, placing the blood jade bracelet back into its silk-lined box with a crisp click. “What we must do is the best option.”

She returned to the table, unrolled a sheet of paper, and ground ink by hand.

“First, we need to give him a reason that is unarguable and leaves no room for objection.” She dipped her brush and wrote several lines of neat, delicate script.

It was a reply letter. In it, she first expressed sincere gratitude for the Second Prince’s “concern,” with humble and respectful wording. She then detailed the various physical discomforts of her pregnancy and the doctor’s advice: “rest and protect the child; avoid long journeys.” Finally, she expressed regret in a tone full of pathos, stating that she “wished to help His Highness but is unable to travel.”

The letter left no gaps, painting a vivid image of a dutiful woman who prioritized her pregnancy while still loyal to the imperial family. Even if Prince Zhao felt displeased, he would have no legitimate reason to act rashly. Using the safety of a pregnant woman as leverage would only make him appear cruel and petty, unworthy of a prince.

“This alone isn’t enough,” Gu Yan said, frowning. “This can only delay things temporarily. It doesn’t solve the fundamental problem. He is forcing us to take a position.”

“Exactly. That’s why we must ‘take a position,’” Jiang Suisui said, handing the finished letter to Gu Yan. “Have someone deliver this letter openly and widely to Chief Eunuch Liu’s residence in Jinling. Make sure everyone in Jinling who is paying attention knows: the Second Prince sent envoys to invite me, and I politely declined due to my pregnancy.”

Gu Yan understood the first layer of her plan. It was a public distancing, a clear declaration that Woniu Village had rejected Prince Zhao’s attempt at influence.

“But that’s still not enough,” Jiang Suisui said, producing another sheet of paper. “We cannot simply refuse the Second Prince’s ‘grand gift’ without leaving a record.”

She picked up her brush again, this time to write a detailed report instead of a letter. It was an objective record of how the Second Prince had sent his envoys, what he promised, and what he implied. She added no personal commentary, only faithfully repeating every word spoken by Chief Eunuch Liu. Particularly, she marked the line about the “future position of Empress” with vermilion.

When finished, she carefully folded the paper and placed it in a specially crafted bamboo tube, fireproof and waterproof.

“Gu Yan, I need you to do something,” she said, handing the tube to her husband. “Use your connections to ensure that Cai Yue’s next trip back to the capital is flawless. This must be personally delivered to the Crown Princess in her own words.”

Gu Yan took the small bamboo tube, feeling its weight, and instantly understood Jiang Suisui’s full plan.

This was no mere refusal; it was a precise, ruthless counterstrike.

Through the Crown Princess, the report would ultimately reach the Emperor. The Emperor was naturally suspicious, and most feared the princes conspiring, scheming for the heir’s position. Seeing his son not only attempting to recruit a powerful general but even promising the future Empress seat, how would he react?

He would fly into a furious rage.

Prince Zhao’s clever attempt at testing Jiang Suisui had, in fact, handed the sharpest sword directly to the Crown Prince. And the one delivering it was the very woman he sought to manipulate.

This move was called “killing with a borrowed sword.” It not only demonstrated Woniu Village’s loyalty to the Crown Prince but also used Prince Zhao’s own hands to strike him.

“He thinks we are his pawns, to be placed on his chessboard,” Jiang Suisui said, watching the flickering candlelight, her eyes clear and sharp. “But he doesn’t realize that from the moment he stepped into Woniu Village, he himself became our pawn.”

Gu Yan clenched the bamboo tube, and the pent-up fury in his chest finally transformed into a thrill of satisfaction. He looked at his wife—the same woman who made him anxious even during a simple walk in the courtyard—now facing a web of schemes with unmatched strategic poise and decisiveness.

He leaned over and lightly pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“All as you wish,” he murmured.

The next day, Gu Yan sent the heartfelt refusal letter to Jinling. Upon receiving it, Chief Eunuch Liu’s face flickered through several expressions before he could only snort and accept the outcome. Though reluctant, he found no fault with it.

A few days later, Cai Yue quietly returned to Woniu Village, this time bringing back the Crown Princess’s meticulously completed questionnaire.

Jiang Suisui locked herself in the study and spent the entire day analyzing it. Using the information, she adjusted her medicinal recipes and drafted a detailed plan for the Crown Prince’s daily routines and emotional regulation.

On the night Cai Yue was about to depart, Jiang Suisui handed her the bamboo tube containing the earth-shattering secret.

“You must memorize everything inside, then destroy it. Back at the palace, recite it word for word to the Crown Princess,” Jiang Suisui said seriously. “Speak as if you overheard it by accident and were terrified to conceal it. She must believe this is life-saving intelligence you risked your life to deliver.”

Cai Yue accepted the bamboo tube, sensing the heavy responsibility within, and nodded firmly. She understood that the small cylinder might contain the power to change the entire course of events.

Only when Cai Yue’s petite figure vanished into the pre-dawn mist did Jiang Suisui truly exhale.

The pieces had been placed.

Now, it remained to see how the chessboard of the capital would be shaken.