TGCFNM -Chapter 464 Can’t Stand Them

Chu Ling didn’t understand things like the quality of jade or its patterns, so she simply sat down and looked at Wan Sanjin. “So there are so many interpretations for this jade pendant?”

“I remember my brother saying that in the past, when encountering high-quality jade, it was enough to just polish it until it was translucent. But over time, some people started liking carving all sorts of patterns on it to show off their status,” Wan Sanjin explained, handing the broken jade pieces to Chu Ling. “The quality of this jade is good, but if it appeared in the palace, then it would be considered ordinary. Even jade casually given as a gift by the emperor was often sourced from official tributes outside.”

Chu Ling understood—tributes were always of the finest quality.

“But if a lady of the palace personally gave it to her own attendant as a reward, then such a gift would make sense,” Wan Sanjin continued. “Anyway, it’s impossible for it to belong to any consort.”

Ghost Scholar reminded her, “If it has patterns, it must be from a higher-ranked palace maid.”

Chu Ling spoke up, “Then according to Wan Sanjin’s reasoning, the patterned jade would belong to a higher-ranked palace maid, right?”

Wan Sanjin nodded. “That should be the case.”

Chu Ling temporarily put away the broken jade and brought up other matters. “The evidence I found in the bedchamber included a large piece of cloth with a blood-written text, a porcelain bottle, and a secret letter. I haven’t opened them, but I’m certain that evidence was placed there temporarily…”

“…And decades after the Empress passed away, all this evidence suddenly appeared overnight. That means someone has been using us as pawns.”

Chu Ling hadn’t intended to say this, but under the current circumstances, it was best not to have too high expectations for Fu Qingyu.

Especially since that person might hold even greater power in the future, so they needed to protect themselves.

Wan Sanjin’s expression didn’t change much, but he asked Chu Ling, “Why didn’t you look at that evidence, Sir?”

“To see if I can avoid this trial,” Chu Ling’s eyes narrowed slightly. “This trial isn’t trivial. If I actually participate, it means I’m taking Fu Qingyu’s side.”

Since she was unwilling to see Heir Xiao become the new emperor, naturally she wouldn’t want Fu Qingyu to become emperor either.

“Shi Lanyu is Chu Yue’s matter. I suspect Master Fu already knows,” Chu Ling said, frowning slightly. “Of course, all of this is just my speculation.”

“What I mean is, if Chu Yue really can foresee the future, then finding some evidence would be very simple. And since she, as the daughter of a disgraced minister, cannot appear publicly, she can use my hands to uncover evidence to help Fu Qingyu and legitimize his status.”

In her new life, what Chu Yue wanted was still the position of Empress.

“So Sir says Chu Yue won’t reveal your identity for now because she wants to use you…” Wan Sanjin gasped. “And you’re bound to be used, because all of this is part of her plan.”

“When the day comes that I’m useless, that will be when she closes the net,” Chu Ling said, fully aware of this, so she had to avoid getting involved in the Empress’s case.

“Can we contact Chu Rou? She hasn’t appeared for a long time,” Chu Ling asked.

Wan Sanjin nodded. “Tianxia Zhi certainly can, but Sir, what are you planning to do?”

“Fu Qingyu wants to fight for the throne, and his first rival is Xiao Lengjue,” Chu Ling said, looking at Wan Sanjin. He gestured for her to speak freely, so Chu Ling continued: “Chu Yue will help Fu Qingyu, Chu Rou will help Heir Xiao, so these four are the real rivals.”

“They’re all royalty. Their fights won’t cause disasters, but the collateral damage—people like us—might lose our lives. So, let them fight,” Chu Ling said.

Su He thought for a moment. “Don’t meet them in person. I’ll write a letter, saying Chu Yue threatened us to help Fu Qingyu and accidentally let slip something about revenge… Whether they believe it or not isn’t our concern.”

Chu Ling nodded, finding it workable.

Wan Sanjin also agreed, so Su He went off to prepare the letter.

Chu Ling looked at the slightly dazed Wan Sanjin. “Master Wan, you’re not upset, are you?”

Wan Sanjin looked at Chu Ling and spoke seriously, “My lord, Qingyu has changed. He’s eager to seize power and has no time to care about anything else. And the trust he speaks of—it’s more about temporarily not having anyone he can rely on. We’re not his friends; we’re simply useful to him.”

Chu Ling thought it best not to let Master Wan be too sad, and said after a moment, “He doesn’t bear ill will toward us. It’s just that, in his position, he has no choice.”

Wan Sanjin gazed distantly at the sky. “My lord, tell me—back then, when he nearly risked his life to save me, was it because he knew my identity, or because he saw I was about to die?”

Chu Ling paused, unsure of what to say.

“So, my lord, I’ve figured it out. Nothing is more important than the safety of my Wan family. Even if you were to use the Wan family, I would part ways with you.” Wan Sanjin said earnestly.

Chu Ling was momentarily stunned, then slapped him on the shoulder. “Use the Wan family for what? To make me chancellor?!”

Wan Sanjin ducked, holding his head. “That won’t happen. You just want money, my lord—that’s easy.”

Chu Ling suddenly felt her hand itch no more. “Fine, then I want money.”

“Then I want to ask you something, my lord,” Wan Sanjin moved farther away. “Why were you crying back then?”

Chu Ling sighed deeply. “I cried for the evidence I found. I cried for how terribly Empress Hexiao died. I cried… for what the palace maid ghost told me.”

“Master Wan, death is a conspiracy, investigation is a conspiracy, and yet they still talk about the deep love between the emperor and empress—isn’t it ridiculous?” Chu Ling asked.

Wan Sanjin was silent for a moment. “My lord, it’s fine to talk nonsense within the Wan family. Outside, it could cost you your head.”

Chu Ling smiled and looked at Wan Sanjin. “Master Wan, this matter is even bigger than we imagined, involving even more people… So why did your brother get involved?”

“And what about you, my lord?” Wan Sanjin asked.

Chu Ling exhaled deeply. “I used to want to come to the capital to see, to see the so-called noble families, the so-called royal family, to see whether, in their eyes, the lives of ordinary people even matter. To see when the rotten court will undergo a major purge, and whether the fragile, worm-infested Great Zhou can be reborn after a change of leadership.”

That’s why she and the Master came—to accelerate the process with their own hands, to settle the succession struggle quickly.

But after learning certain things, she wanted to participate even more.

“And now, I just can’t stand them. I only feel happy when I stir everything into chaos,” Chu Ling said, hands on her hips.

Wan Sanjin couldn’t help but laugh. “Then my brother is probably just making a fortune from the chaos.”

“Master Wan, tomorrow let’s pretend to be sick together,” Chu Ling suddenly said with a smile.

Wan Sanjin became interested. “Then what, my lord?”

“Then… we go find the secret base Chu Yue set up,” she said.

Chu Ling had figured it out. Although the book said the secret armory she reported was fake, by retracing Chu Yue’s previous moves, she could roughly pinpoint a location and find the base Chu Yue arranged.

Since Chu Yue still wanted to become empress, and wasn’t like Chu Rou who only thought about love, she would definitely have planned meticulously, just like in her previous life.

And what Chu Ling had to do was uncover everything.

Leave nothing behind!