Chapter 67: The Cui Family

Cui Wangshu lowered her gaze. She actually had to go back, but Jiang Chenbi had just pulled her through the streets, giving her a feeling that she, too, was free.

She didn’t like the Cui Family, neither the atmosphere nor the people.

“Don’t want to go back?” Jiang Chenbi noticed the flash of disgust in her eyes.

Cui Wangshu hummed in affirmation and explained, “All that false courtesy and playacting.”

In her daily dealings with court officials, she wore her mask longer and longer each day, until it nearly fused with her true self. “Home” should have been a warm harbor where she could remove the mask and rest.

But the Cui Family was full of scheming and infighting. Beneath those human skins lurked ancient foxes, even more repulsive than the intrigues of the court.

Jiang Chenbi hummed thoughtfully and asked, “Will you be punished if you don’t go back?”

Cui Wangshu had never tested it, but she knew it wouldn’t be any more pleasant than taking a whipping. She said, “Perhaps.”

If she could, she wanted to stay with Jiang Chenbi to see in the New Year. This was the first year they had crossed together; there would be a second, a third, many years—a lifetime.

Jiang Chenbi winked her right eye. “Do you usually bring guards when you go back in previous years?”

Cui Wangshu frowned slightly. “I’ve never brought one, but I can.”

Jiang Chenbi curved her lips into a smile, held up the mask she had bought for Cui Wangshu earlier, and compared it to her face. She deliberately lowered her voice and said solemnly, “This subordinate will always protect the Minister’s safety.”

Then she lowered the mask, revealing a face with curved brows and laughing eyes. “How about it? I’ll go back with you.”

Cui Wangshu stared into those eyes brimming with amusement, her breathing unconsciously lightening. “You don’t need to go this far for me.”

Jiang Chenbi frowned and stepped forward, poking at the spot over Cui Wangshu’s heart, feigning anger. “What do you mean ‘don’t need’? Just accept it obediently. There are plenty more things I’ll do for you in the future.”

Cui Wangshu’s face paled for a moment. She lifted her hand to grasp Jiang Chenbi’s finger that had poked her wound, forcing a helpless smile. “Alright. I just don’t want the Cui Family to dirty your eyes.”

Jiang Chenbi didn’t notice her momentary unnaturalness. “Over these years, I’ve seen far dirtier things. The Cui Family is nothing.”

Cui Wangshu’s lips curved into a gentle, faint smile. “Alright.”

She gently pulled the other woman into her embrace. The two savored this moment of tranquility, the sound of each other’s prolonged breathing in their ears, the other’s heartbeat thumping against their chests—as if they had already accompanied each other for a lifetime.

In the evening, Cui Wangshu changed into a set of dark clothes, her long hair pinned up with a white jade hairpin. This fully revealed her exceptional features.

She stepped down from the carriage, followed by a woman dressed as a guard wearing a mask.

As they crossed the threshold, the butler respectfully said, “Eldest Miss.”

Cui Wangshu nodded slightly and headed into the mansion.

The woman behind her cradled a sword in her arms, her ponytail tied high—neat and sharp.

After passing through the corridor, as they neared the main hall, they heard voices conversing inside. Cui Wangshu’s eyes darkened slightly, and she curved her lips into a polite smile.

When she entered, the conversation in the room halted. All eyes turned to her in unison. Cui Daoyuan sat in the seat of honor and said in a deep voice, “Why are you so late?”

Cui Wangshu lowered her gaze. “I was delayed by official business.”

Cui Daoyuan hummed and said no more, but another voice carried a barb.

“Truly the court favorite. Even spending New Year’s Eve with your elders has to come second.”

The speaker was the young master from her third uncle’s branch. The third branch had the most descendants in the Cui Family. Cui Changting had nearly been adopted by Cui Daoyuan back then, so he had always harbored inexplicable hostility and jealousy toward Cui Wangshu.

The Cui Family was vast and powerful, with tangled branches like knotted roots. But the mightiest was the main branch—Cui Daoyuan’s line.

Cui Daoyuan himself was the Cabinet Prime Minister, his father-in-law the Rongguo Duke of Great Zhao, and the daughter he had raised the youngest Minister of Great Zhao, overseeing the Ministry of Rites of the nation.

Young in age, with dazzling achievements—a dragon and phoenix among people.

How could this not make Cui Changting jealous? Why did Cui Wangshu get the endless resources of the Rongguo Duke’s Mansion and the Cui Family, while he had to scramble with his brothers for the scraps she disdained?

If only he had been adopted by Cui Daoyuan back then—now he would be the one enjoying all this, not this woman who always looked down on everyone.

He had drunk some wine earlier and, emboldened by it, couldn’t hold back his sour words toward Cui Wangshu.

Cui Wangshu merely glanced at him once before looking away, as if he were insignificant, not even worth a proper look.

Over the years, Cui Wangshu had grown accustomed to men’s jealousy. They envied that a woman like her could reach this position, believing that if they had her family background, they would have climbed even higher long ago.

“Official duties are busy, but not as leisurely as you.”

Cui Wangshu glanced at him sidelong. Her cool voice echoed coldly in the main hall, flat and emotionless—yet it only fueled hatred. That air of having everything under control!

Cui Changting shot to his feet, pointing at Cui Wangshu. “If not for your great-uncle, you are—”

Whoosh—

A flash of cold light, and Cui Changting’s face drained of color. He swallowed his unfinished words, staring tensely at the sword blade hovering just an inch from his chest.

The woman in guard attire, masked and radiating chilling menace, stood at Cui Wangshu’s side, her sword pointed at Cui Changting.

Cui Daoyuan frowned, his expression displeased, but he said nothing, merely staring coldly at Cui Changting.

Cui Wangshu shifted slightly, blocking in front of Jiang Chenbi. She raised her hand to gently press down Jiang Chenbi’s sword, her lips holding a cold smile. Her gaze swept coldly over the crowd as she warned in an icy tone, “My guard is young. Surely no one minds?”

The crowd fell silent, their gazes shifting on Cui Wangshu—evidently surprised by her unusually tough stance this year. For a mere guard, she had actually turned on them.

Cui Daoyuan said coldly, “Enough. It’s New Year’s Eve—what’s all this racket? Third Brother, if you can’t discipline your son, don’t blame Wangshu for doing it for you.”

“Big Brother, I’ll discipline him properly.”

Cui Wangshu pulled Jiang Chenbi behind her and met Cui Daoyuan’s scrutinizing, probing gaze head-on. Cui Daoyuan narrowed his eyes and looked away. “Since everyone’s here, let’s start the banquet.”

Because of Cui Changting’s outburst earlier, the banquet atmosphere was somewhat tense. Over the years, the Cui Family members had lorded it outside thanks to Cui Daoyuan and Cui Wangshu’s positions in the court. But human nature was complex.

They relied on the halo of the Cui father and daughter, yet envied their achievements. They dared not provoke Cui Daoyuan, so they targeted Cui Wangshu. Elders feigned ignorance to indulge their children, the young ones played dumb and mocked with sly words, spreading rumors and slander.

At first, they worried about retaliation from Cui Wangshu, but she turned out to be a soft target, so they grew bolder.

No one expected the father and daughter, who had previously brushed things off lightly, to strike back in such unison today. Unsure of their intentions, the crowd hesitated.

It felt like dogs lording over the house while the master was away, thinking themselves the masters—only for the master to frown, scaring them into wetting themselves.

Cui Wangshu watched them all fall deathly silent, timid and cowed, without their usual arrogance. She couldn’t help but curve her lips into a cold sneer.

A bunch of fools.

The banquet ended in this frigid atmosphere. Afterward, Cui Daoyuan summoned Cui Wangshu to his study.

Looking at her, he asked strangely, “Though I’ve indulged you repeatedly, I thought you’d had enough of your wild ways after all these years. How can you even… Will there be any women left by your side in the future?”

Cui Wangshu: ?

What was that? What women?

Seeing her puzzled expression, Cui Daoyuan narrowed his eyes. “That guard of yours. You truly have nothing with her?”

Cui Wangshu then realized he meant her and Jiang Chenbi. With a helpless smile, she explained, “Father, I’m not so depraved as to prey on those around me.”

“I’ve just felt that over these years, they’ve grown too brazen—especially lately, with issues cropping up in the court because of Song Yu. I’m worried they might be colluding with outsiders, so I made a fuss over it.”

Seeing the clarity in her eyes, Cui Daoyuan relaxed his furrowed brow. “Good, as long as that’s the case.”

Over the years, too many named women had reached his ears. Previously, Cui Wangshu had even brought her lifesaver back to the mansion, so seeing her intimate actions with the guard today had made him wonder if her debauchery extended to her subordinates now.

“Have you dealt with those who impeached us?” Cui Daoyuan lifted his gaze and asked.

Cui Wangshu nodded. “All handled cleanly.”

Cui Daoyuan stroked his long beard and stared at her. “You’re growing more capable by the day.”

Cui Wangshu met his eyes and smiled faintly. “It’s not that Daughter is skilled; it’s that Father is. Those people had no real backing to begin with. Seeing they’d truly angered Father, they naturally retracted their claws. Daughter merely borrowed Father’s prestige.”

Cui Daoyuan snorted coldly, but his expression was pleased. Cui Wangshu curved her lips and seized the moment. “Father, I’d like to return to my residence tonight. I have some official business unfinished.”

“What business is so urgent that you can’t rest on New Year’s Eve?” Cui Daoyuan frowned suspiciously.

Cui Wangshu kept her composure. “It’s the jewelry cooperation with the Yuan Kingdom. The Ministry of Revenue asked me today if I could review it again—they’re worried the mine activity might affect relations between our countries.”

The cooperation with the Yuan Kingdom was indeed crucial, and it was reasonable for the Ministry of Revenue to approach Cui Wangshu. Cui Daoyuan pondered and said, “Mm, go back then.”

“Yes.”

As soon as she stepped out the door, Cui Wangshu saw Jiang Chenbi waiting outside. The eyes beneath her mask sparkled with mischief, like a little fox.

Cui Wangshu curved her lips, about to approach her, when a male voice came from behind. “Won’t Eldest Miss stay in the mansion tonight?”

The smile that had just lifted on Cui Wangshu’s lips chilled again. She turned expressionlessly, subtly blocking Feng Gan’s line of sight to Jiang Chenbi, and said coldly, “Do I need to remind you what to ask and what not to?”

Feng Gan lowered his gaze and stepped aside. “This subordinate was presumptuous.”

Cui Wangshu glanced at him and walked away. Jiang Chenbi’s meaningful gaze lingered on Feng Gan for a moment before she followed Cui Wangshu.

Feng Gan narrowed his eyes, staring thoughtfully at Jiang Chenbi’s somewhat familiar silhouette.

On the carriage.

Jiang Chenbi smiled at Cui Wangshu and teased, “Little Minister Cui is radiant and moonlit—plenty must harbor secret affections for you, hmm?”

Cui Wangshu frowned. “What?”

Jiang Chenbi’s tone carried an acidity she herself hadn’t noticed. “That Feng Gan—one ‘Eldest Miss, I was presumptuous’ after another, but he hasn’t skimped on actual offenses. And yet Little Minister Cui speaks to him so gently.”