Chen Jiao’s shamelessness was unmatched, as thick-skinned as the city walls.
Ignoring Cui Jue’s cold demeanor, she cleared her throat and tried to win him over with diplomatic flattery.
“In Minzhou, my mother and I received great kindness from Young Master Cui. I have always remembered your generosity…”
Cui Jue had no patience for such empty formalities and cut her off bluntly: “Speak plainly.”
Chen Jiao: “…”
Cui Jue stared at this shameless woman with cold contempt, finding her utterly repulsive.
Her mother had been a courtesan, and she herself had once worked in a pleasure house to survive.
Not only that, but she had even killed a man and buried the body.
The fact that she had managed to evade capture, manipulate Xu Zhao into helping her escape danger, and survive in this chaotic world proved that she was no ordinary woman.
Now, the Prince of Huai’an was forming an alliance with Jiaozhou through marriage, and Cui Jue was well aware of the situation within the Chen household.
If nothing unexpected happened, this woman was most likely the sacrificial pawn in this political marriage.
And yet—she had come knocking on his door, seeking help, using threats to corner him.
The fact that he hadn’t thrown her out immediately was already a great courtesy.
But Chen Jiao knew when to back down.
Realizing he was annoyed, she immediately lowered herself, knelt, and pleaded,
“Please, Young Master Cui, save A-Ying’s life.”
Moments ago, she had been arrogant and imposing, but now, she was kneeling without an ounce of dignity, as pliant as an earthworm.
Cui Jue had never seen anything like this before.
His face remained expressionless, but his voice was sharp:
“The marriage alliance with Jiaozhou was arranged by the Prince of Huai’an. You’re begging the wrong person.”
Chen Jiao met his gaze and spoke slowly, word by word:
“I beg Young Master Cui to save A-Ying’s life. If I can continue staying in the Chen household, I will be useful to you in the future.”
Cui Jue’s cold expression briefly wavered.
Chen Jiao pressed on, offering her allegiance:
“My mother and I are among the few who can approach the Prince of Huai’an. If Young Master Cui is willing to lend a hand, there will come a day when you can make use of us.”
Cui Jue remained silent, his sharp gaze scrutinizing her.
Off to the side, Xu Zhao was astonished.
He had never expected her to bargain for her life in such a way.
Chen Jiao, having committed herself to this gamble, decided to be blunt and escalate her threat:
“Rather than let the main wife’s family scheme against me and send me to Jiaozhou, I might as well bash my head against the wall and die.”
“Either way, I’m dead. I might as well take a few people down with me.”
“If Young Master Cui is willing to protect me today, my mother and I will serve you in the future.”
“If you refuse, I won’t force it. But…”
Her gaze turned sharp as she continued:
“Young Master Cui is still unmarried. I wouldn’t mind offering myself as a concubine and asking my father to approve the marriage.”
“The question is—does Young Master Cui have the guts to accept?”
She knelt on the ground, assuming a humble and submissive posture, yet her words were the boldest threat imaginable.
Even Xu Zhao was left speechless.
As for Cui Jue, he had long been accustomed to the darkest facets of human nature, but this woman—this utterly shameless, ruthless woman—was a first.
She was using herself as a bargaining chip to force his hand.
And if that didn’t work—she would drag him down with her, ensuring mutual destruction.
Her entire strategy was built on one principle:
“If I’m going down, I’m taking everyone with me.”
Incredible.
She was utterly insane—but in a way that made perfect sense.
Cui Jue’s face darkened, his icy gaze locking onto hers.
For a long time, he said nothing.
Chen Jiao, despite keeping her head high, was actually quite nervous inside.
But the thought of being crushed under a fifty-year-old man on her wedding night filled her with such disgust and despair that she decided she would rather die fighting.
No one knew how long the silence lasted before Cui Jue finally spoke—his voice cold and eerie:
“What use do you have to me?”
Hearing this, Chen Jiao knew she had an opening and quickly answered:
“The Chen household has nine wives and concubines. My mother and I are newcomers with no allies. We are at the mercy of others.”
“To be frank, my mother has been living in fear for my sake. If Young Master Cui is willing to intervene, we will pledge our loyalty to you.”
“Even if we are of no use now, there will come a day when we will be.”
Chen Jiao spoke with sincerity, but Cui Jue merely lifted his eyelids slightly, his tone impatient: “I didn’t see you today.”
“Young Master Cui!”
“Go back.”
Chen Jiao still wanted to say more, but Xu Zhao interjected, “Miss Chen, you should return for now. You are a woman of the inner court—staying out too long could cause trouble.”
Chen Jiao fell silent.
Xu Zhao gestured for her to leave, and she had no choice but to stand and depart reluctantly.
Xu Zhao personally escorted her out.
Inside the room, the charcoal brazier crackled occasionally, sending small sparks into the air.
Cui Jue sat motionless, as if lost in thought.
Moments later, Xu Zhao returned, but Cui Jue didn’t seem to notice.
“Wen Yun?”
Cui Jue snapped back to the present, frowning slightly.
“She’s gone?”
Xu Zhao nodded, then grumbled, “I have never seen someone so shameless.”
Cui Jue scoffed and adjusted his sleeves.
“A woman who has lived in a pleasure house is nothing more than a low-class trickster.”
Xu Zhao fell silent for a moment before cautiously asking, “She just threatened you outright—will you actually agree to help her?”
Cui Jue let out a cold snort and said indifferently, “Why not?”
Xu Zhao was shocked.
He immediately warned, “If you get involved, the Zheng siblings will surely resent you.”
Cui Jue cast him a meaningful glance.
“And what makes you think they don’t already?”
Xu Zhao: “…”
Cui Jue seemed to feel a slight chill, so he rose slowly and sat closer to the brazier.
Xu Zhao, however, was full of unease.
Cui Jue rolled up his sleeves, speaking to himself more than anyone else:
“The Zheng family has overstepped too many boundaries. The Prince of Huai’an is displeased with them.”
“This alliance with Jiaozhou is a power move, but Zheng Shi refuses to send Chen Wuniang (Fifth Miss) away.”
“I say—let the Zheng family suffer. The deeper their conflict with the Prince of Huai’an, the better.”
Xu Zhao’s eyelid twitched violently at those words.
At times, he had to admire Cui Jue’s cunning.
The Prince of Huai’an was surrounded by blood-related loyalists.
His sons had grown capable enough to take charge, while his wife’s family, the Zheng clan, held immense influence.
Additionally, he had sworn brothers from past battles, making his inner circle tightly woven.
The political landscape was too intricate for outsiders to intervene.
And yet—Cui Jue had managed to carve out a path in this hostile environment, forcing his way into the Prince’s trusted circle.
His depth of scheming was terrifying.
Xu Zhao quietly lifted his teacup, gazing out the window.
After a long pause, he suddenly muttered, “The twelfth lunar month is approaching… this will be a difficult new year.”
Cui Jue remained silent.
Xu Zhao continued, “It has been over three years since we arrived in Huizhou.”
Cui Jue stared at his hands.
The scar on his thumb was particularly striking.
A mark left by the barbarians’ blade.
A wound that had cut deep into his bones, a reminder of fear he could never erase.
“Xu Zhao, do you regret coming to Huizhou?”
Xu Zhao shook his head, setting down his teacup.
“I… don’t know.”
Cui Jue turned to look at him.
“You regret it.”
“The twelve prefectures of the Central Plains have fallen to the barbarians.”
“The warlords in the south fight endlessly among themselves.”
“The imperial court is in ruins, barely holding itself together.”
“And yet, Huizhou remains detached, only concerned with petty gains…”
Xu Zhao cut him off: “Wen Yun, stop.”
Cui Jue scoffed, “How long has it been since you last led an army?”
That question hit Xu Zhao straight in the heart.
His expression darkened with a sense of defeat.
He had been a military officer in the Central Plains, but due to internal political strife, he was framed and suffered a humiliating defeat in battle.
With no choice, he fled south with a handful of loyal followers, escaping into exile.
It was during his desperate escape that he had crossed paths with Cui Jue—who was also on the run.
They had been fugitives together ever since.
For three years, Cui Jue had plotted and maneuvered, using his intelligence to climb step by step until he secured the position of Assistant Magistrate.
The Prince of Huai’an acknowledged his abilities and, as a gesture of favor, granted Xu Zhao a nominal rank of Commandant—but without any real power.
The Provincial Governor’s office was already filled with loyal insiders.
As outsiders, neither Xu Zhao nor Cui Jue could break into the inner circle.
Xu Zhao, feeling frustrated and unfulfilled, couldn’t help but sink into gloom.
Cui Jue suddenly stepped forward, patting him on the shoulder, and said, “Be patient. One day, the troops of Huizhou will be under your command.”
Xu Zhao’s blood surged with emotion.
He muttered, “As a Han man, I dream every night of marching north.”
Cui Jue clasped his hands behind his back, his wide robe draping loosely over his tall, straight frame.
Standing like an unyielding pillar, he rarely smiled, but this time, a faint trace of warmth appeared at the corners of his lips.
“What Han man doesn’t?”
Yes.
This was the land of the Han people.
Every ambitious young man dreamed of reclaiming the Central Plains, of eradicating the barbarians and restoring their honor.
The room fell into absolute silence, heavy with thought.
One man sought to reshape the nation with his pen, another with his sword.
Both fought for the same belief—to reclaim what was lost.
Meanwhile, Chen Jiao had already boarded the carriage and was on her way back to the estate.
Xu Shi had many questions but, finding it inconvenient to speak openly in the carriage, held back her words.
Upon arriving at Lixiang Courtyard, Chen Jiao personally selected two silver hairpins and two boxes of rouge, along with a silver ingot, and gifted them to Jiang Mama.
Jiang Mama did not refuse, for by now, she understood—they were all on the same boat.
Chen Jiao smiled and said, “You handled this matter beautifully. You have granddaughters, don’t you? I imagine they would love these cosmetics.”
Jiang Mama quickly responded, “Young Miss is too kind. If you ever need anything, just say the word.”
Chen Jiao, satisfied with her loyalty, reassured her, “As long as I remain in the Chen household, you will not be left without reward.”
Jiang Mama bowed deeply, expressing her gratitude.
Xu Shi, unable to hold back any longer, entered the room.
Sensing the need for privacy, Jiang Mama tactfully withdrew.
Once the door closed, Xu Shi pulled Chen Jiao into the inner chamber and lowered her voice anxiously: “Did you see Young Master Cui?”
Chen Jiao nodded.
Xu Shi hurriedly asked, “Will he help?”
Chen Jiao, calm as ever, reassured her, “Mother, don’t worry—this is beyond his control now.”
Xu Shi froze, suddenly remembering how her daughter had handled Jiang Mama before.
Cautiously, she asked, “Did you… do something?”
Chen Jiao nonchalantly hummed in agreement, brushing it off.
“I simply told him that I have admired him for a long time and that I wish for my father to marry me to him—rather than sending me to Jiaozhou.”
Xu Shi: “…”
For a moment, she had no idea how to react.
Chen Jiao patted her mother’s hand reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, Mother. He won’t accept me.”
Xu Shi stared at her, holding back for a long moment before finally muttering: “My child… I never realized your skin was this thick.”
Chen Jiao: “…”
Xu Shi, feeling overwhelmed, sighed, “If we get through this ordeal, we must quickly arrange a proper marriage for you—before others try to claim you for their schemes.”
Without hesitation, Chen Jiao revealed: “I made a deal with Cui Jue. If I survive this, I will work for him in the future.”
Xu Shi was shocked beyond words.
Chen Jiao’s expression turned serious.
“Mother, this household is full of traps. Father cannot be relied upon. We need outside forces to protect ourselves—do you understand?”
Xu Shi opened her mouth, as if to protest, but ultimately said nothing.
Chen Jiao raised a finger to her lips, signaling for silence.
“I have come of age. From now on, I will protect you.”
Xu Shi’s heart warmed at those words.
So this is what it felt like—to be protected by someone else.
She sighed helplessly and muttered, “With that silver tongue of yours, you could charm any man into a daze.”
Chen Jiao arched an eyebrow, but Xu Shi had already moved on.
“Jiang Mama is proving to be quite useful.”
Chen Jiao nodded in agreement.
At that moment, Jiang Mama’s voice called from outside, signaling that it was time to examine their purchases.
Their conversation ended, and they stepped out to admire the newly acquired rouge and powders.
Like any young woman, Xu Shi delighted in trying different shades of makeup.
Chen Jiao, on the other hand, picked up a small jar of yellow fruit-scented balm.
Dipping her fingertip into it, she rubbed a bit onto her wrist and took in the soft citrus fragrance.
The delicate scent lingered in the air, refreshing and pure.
As she breathed it in, memories of her earlier encounter with Cui Jue resurfaced.
That man…
He had ambition.
And in the game of power—a true hunter often disguised himself as prey.
If she wanted to secure a foothold in the Prince of Huai’an’s household, she needed outside support.
Cui Jue was her first target.
So, she had presented herself as prey.
And now, it was time to play the game to win.
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