Chapter 84

As the sun gradually shifted southward, noon arrived before long.

After the meal, Tang Jin watched Old Madam Tang’s retreating figure. She hesitated for a moment before hurrying to catch up.

“Grandmother, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

Old Madam Tang set her cane against the edge of the table. “What is it?”

Tang Jin gritted her teeth and spoke rapidly. “My mother is now the side consort of the Xiaoyao Prince’s Mansion. Tomorrow is her birthday, and the Xiaoyao Prince hopes I can bring my family along. At that time, he’ll recognize me as his adopted daughter. Do you have time tomorrow?”

She finished in one breath and watched Old Madam Tang, whose expression barely changed. Worry gnawed at her heart.

If Old Madam Tang refused to agree, Tang Jin would still go—for the original host’s hopes regarding Lady Qian, and because the current situation remained unclear.

But doing so would inevitably hurt Old Madam Tang’s feelings.

Old Madam Tang furrowed her brows and fell silent for a long moment. “What do you think?”

Tang Jin steeled herself. “Grandmother, the past is the past… Besides, Mother has had it so hard all these years.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Old Madam Tang gripped her cane tightly, pain flickering in her eyes. “Your mother has had it hard? When she up and left without a word, it was I who raised you.”

Lady Qian had suffered, it was true. But had she, Old Madam Tang, had it easy?

She had lost two sons, and for over a decade, she had toiled day and night to raise her granddaughter. Only now, after all those years, were things finally looking up. Had her life been easy?

Tang Jin rubbed her brow. “Grandmother, I know how hard these years have been for you. You’ll always be my grandmother. I just think we should look forward.”

She understood the saying well: one who hasn’t tasted another’s bitterness shouldn’t urge them toward kindness.

That was why Tang Jin didn’t demand that Old Madam Tang set aside her prejudice against Lady Qian. She only hoped that both her grandmother and her mother could live well—that they wouldn’t remain trapped in the pains of the past.

Old Madam Tang clutched her cane tighter and lowered her head in silence, lost in thought.

Tang Jin sighed inwardly and rose to her feet.

“Hold on—where are you going?” Old Madam Tang panicked as she saw Tang Jin heading for the door, as if afraid her granddaughter might leave and never return.

Tang Jin paused. “Lingyue and I are going to the Xiaoyao Prince’s Mansion tomorrow. We need to buy a few outfits.”

The prince’s mansion would surely be filled with guests tomorrow. She and Chu Lingyue ought to dress appropriately.

Old Madam Tang rose slowly, leaning on her cane as she approached. As she passed Tang Jin, she glanced at her. “What are you standing there for? Are you only willing to spend on clothes for Lingyue and not on silver for this old lady? Ungrateful girl—now that you have a mother, you don’t want your grandmother anymore, is that it?”

Fine. As her granddaughter had said, life had to move forward.

She hadn’t had it easy, but Lady Qian must harbor her own bitterness. Why should women make things harder for one another?

“Grandmother, you’ve agreed?” Tang Jin asked in surprise. Was Old Madam Tang planning to go with them? She hoped it wasn’t to cause trouble.

Old Madam Tang shot her a fierce glare. “Stop with your petty little schemes, girl. This old lady knows what she’s doing.”

That unlucky granddaughter of hers really deserved a good spanking. She was being perfectly reasonable, thank you very much.

“Grandmother, what are you talking about? Today, I’ll show you proper filial piety. I’ll cover all the silver for the clothes,” Tang Jin said, her heart fully at ease now. She called for Chu Lingyue, and the three of them—the family of grandmother, mother, and daughter—headed out happily together.

As evening approached, Tang Mian spotted the three returning laden with packages. Curiosity piqued, she asked, “Did you all go shopping for clothes?”

At noon, she’d been practicing punches and kicks with Jia Yi when Jia Er had tossed out something about shopping and followed Tang Jin and the others.

She’d only just learned now that the trio had gone to buy new outfits.

Tang Jin nodded with a smile. “Yes. We’re heading to the Xiaoyao Prince’s Mansion tomorrow, so we need to dress formally.”

With that, she took Chu Lingyue’s hand and returned to their room.

Chu Lingyue’s gaze lingered on their joined hands. Her eyes flickered briefly before she regained her usual calm composure.

After dinner, as she watched Chu Lingyue in her new clothes, a flash of admiration lit Tang Jin’s eyes.

She couldn’t help stepping forward to pull her into an embrace. “Darling, you’ve suffered so much.”

Chu Lingyue nestled in her arms, puzzled. “Why do you say that, A-Jin?”

Tang Jin stroked her hair, her spirits high. “From now on, we’ll dress like this every day. I have the silver for it.”

Chu Lingyue nodded and smiled without replying.

She no longer cared whether she wore silk or coarse cloth—comfort mattered most.

But seeing Tang Jin so delighted, she didn’t refuse.

In the courtyard, Tang Mian eyed Chu Lingyue’s splendid attire enviously. “She looks so beautiful. I wish I’d gone along to buy a couple of outfits myself.”

Tomorrow, she was going to the Xiaoyao Prince’s Mansion too—ostensibly as a maidservant, but truly as a hidden guard.

That was why she hadn’t thought to buy new clothes.

Now, she regretted it.

The grand banquet at the Xiaoyao Prince’s mansion would draw plenty of people. If she’d dressed up nicely, who knew—she might even meet someone fated for her.

Too bad she’d have to dress like a servant tomorrow. What young lady would give her a second glance?

Hearing this, Tang Jin chuckled. “If you’ve changed your mind, it’s not too late now.”

Tang Mian instinctively clutched her money pouch and shook her head vigorously. “No, I haven’t changed my mind.”

Clothes cost silver, after all. She wasn’t the type to fuss over appearances.

Still, she ought to dress decently tomorrow. With that thought, Tang Mian hurried back to her room to rummage through her old clothes.

Tang Jin turned her gaze back to Chu Lingyue. No wonder they said fine feathers make fine birds.

Chu Lingyue was always beautiful, but in this outfit, her usual precise movements and aloof expression took on an air of noble elegance.

Seeing Tang Jin staring at her endlessly, Chu Lingyue pressed her lips together. “Let’s tidy up and get to bed.”

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

“Tang Jin, Chu Lingyue—it’s me.”

At the sound of her old compatriot’s voice, Tang Jin hurried to open the door.

“I’ve come to check on your progress. That plan of yours to lure the snake out of its hole… Uh?” Midway through, Qiu Liang caught sight of Chu Lingyue in her finery and paused, momentarily stunned.

Chu Lingyue curtsied as she always did, her etiquette ingrained to the bone, her demeanor poised and graceful.

Tang Jin arched a brow and stepped in front of Chu Lingyue, displeased. “Hey, you’re a married woman—watch yourself.”

Staring at someone else’s wife like that was terribly rude.

Even if it was her old compatriot, it wouldn’t fly.

Qiu Liang frowned unconsciously and pushed Tang Jin’s hand aside. She stared at Chu Lingyue again, her eyes glazing over slightly.

This only made Tang Jin unhappier. “Keep staring, and next time I see Director of the Imperial Academy, I’ll tell on you.”

How had her old compatriot turned so annoying?

Chu Lingyue seemed to grasp something. She stepped forward, linking her arm with Tang Jin’s. “Don’t speak yet.”

Tang Jin held her tongue, though her mind was already brewing a hundred complaints. She’d make sure this henpecked old compatriot learned her lesson.

A moment later, Qiu Liang withdrew her gaze. “So that’s how it is.”

Unable to hold back, Tang Jin asked, “How is what? Give me a good explanation, or I’m definitely telling.”

Qiu Liang pinched the bridge of her nose wearily and spoke slowly. “I’d never noticed before, but Lingyue looks remarkably like the current Empress. I used my physiognomy…”

In the past, Chu Lingyue had worn plain coarse cloth without makeup, her appearance unadorned.

Now, dressed in luxurious finery, she bore seven or eight parts resemblance to Empress Chu. To anyone not intimately acquainted with them, she might pass for the Empress at a glance.

Qiu Liang entered the palace almost daily and saw Empress Chu every few days. Being familiar with her, she could tell them apart easily and had subconsciously never linked the two.

Only now, seeing Chu Lingyue dressed up, did the realization strike her: they were too alike. If Chu Lingyue donned a phoenix crown and mimicked Empress Chu’s style, she could achieve nine parts likeness.

That insight had prompted her to use the physiognomy ability she’d been saving for days.

She’d peered into whether the Prince An’s persistent targeting of Chu Lingyue related to Empress Chu.

And remarkably, she’d guessed right.

The Prince An had this scheme in mind: to swap in a stand-in for the Mother of the Nation, all to achieve some unspeakable goal.

After hearing Qiu Liang out, Chu Lingyue tightened her grip on Tang Jin’s arm. “Director Qiu, do you mean the Prince An intends to use me as an impostor? But how could he be so certain I’d obey his orders?”

No wonder he’d fixated on her, a powerless daughter of a criminal minister with no special traits.

But she didn’t understand—how could the Prince An be so confident she could be manipulated?

Qiu Liang shook her head. “My ability grows weaker by the day; I didn’t see much. For now, I can only confirm he plans to target Empress Chu through you.”

As she spoke, her gaze drifted unconsciously toward Tang Jin.

During the physiognomy reading, besides Chu Lingyue and Empress Chu, she’d glimpsed Tang Jin’s figure.

Perhaps the Prince An’s leverage over Chu Lingyue was Tang Jin?

It was just a guess; she couldn’t be sure.

Chu Lingyue seemed to sense it and looked at Tang Jin as well.

Tang Jin, still reeling from the shock, grew nervous under their stares. “What’s going on? Why are you both looking at me? Do I resemble the Emperor or something?”

Surely this didn’t involve her? That would be too far-fetched.

Qiu Liang couldn’t help laughing. “You’re overthinking it. You don’t look anything like the Emperor. Lingyue resembles the Empress because of their blood ties.”

Tang Jin let out a huge sigh of relief. “Good.”

Otherwise, if she had to impersonate the Emperor, she’d die of fright.

But…

“Darling, what blood relation do you have with the Empress? Are you sisters?”

Chu Lingyue’s expression flickered with daze, then she murmured softly, “The Empress is a few years younger than me, but by seniority, I’m her aunt.”

Her father and Empress Chu’s grandfather had been full brothers—one the eldest son, the other the youngest—with a great age gap between them.

If her father hadn’t coveted the merits of assisting the dragon back then, he wouldn’t have been demoted to commoner status. From imperial kin to criminal convict in a single stroke.

Man proposes, but heaven disposes…

Unfamiliar with the tangled details, Tang Jin thought ahead to tomorrow’s visit to the Xiaoyao Prince’s Mansion and shared her concerns with Qiu Liang. “…We won’t be in any danger tomorrow, right?”

Qiu Liang shook her head again. “I don’t know. To be safe, you should be extra cautious—or better yet, don’t go.”

If Tang Jin truly was the Prince An’s key to controlling Chu Lingyue, the two of them absolutely couldn’t let anything happen.

“But I’ve already promised the Xiaoyao Prince, and…” And what? Tang Jin trailed off. She didn’t know how to explain Lady Qian’s past to her old compatriot.

Chu Lingyue’s arm slipped down to clasp Tang Jin’s hand. She regarded Qiu Liang calmly. “One must enter the tiger’s den to capture its cub.”

Those few words made her resolve clear.