At that time, the young Prince Fulu was resting in the manor. His constitution was weak, and after several days of travel, he was exhausted. Yin Zhuli had summoned Ke Tingfeng to examine him and, following the physician's orders, ensured he rested for a full day. Shen Tingjiao was no fool; he understood that this was a precaution against the King summoning him. Ordinarily, he should have entered the palace to report on his mission, but given the perilous situation, he had to feign illness and observe the changing tides.
Shen Tingyao had his own calculations as well. Shen Tingjiao was linked to Yin Zhuli; if he moved against the Prince now, it would inevitably involve Wealthy City. To pull a single hair was to move the whole body—it was far too risky. Even if he killed Shen Tingjiao, Yin Zhuli and Qu Tianji would remain significant threats. Therefore, his priority was to weaken Qu Tianji first. Once the military power was in his hands, Wealthy City, no matter how influential, would be nothing more than a merchant house, incapable of causing real trouble.
By the second day, there was still no summons from the palace. Instead, Shen Tingyao sent an eunuch to deliver gifts of ginseng and deer antler to Shen Tingjiao. Only then did Yin Zhuli relax her guard over her "Ninth Lord."
In the rear garden of the Prince Fulu’s Manor, the sunlight was pleasant.
Yin Zhuli was originally playing a game of Go against herself when He Jian sought her out and filled the empty seat. "It seems there won't be any immediate danger," He Jian remarked. "The King must be conserving his strength to deal with the Qu family. As such, the Great General's troubles are likely far greater than ours." He Jian’s considerations were, after all, more complex than the Prince’s. "Princess Consort, from the current outlook, the Great General shows no sign of wavering. His loyalty to the late Emperor is absolute. If he remains stubborn and clings to his reputation as a loyal official... I fear it will soon be the Ninth Lord's turn."
Yin Zhuli sipped her tea, quietly observing the board. After a long silence, she placed a stone. "He won't. Because he only has Qu Huaishang left as his sole bloodline. Shen Tingyao does not trust Qu Huaishang. If the General does not align himself with the Ninth Lord, the Qu family line will be extinguished within a few years. When that time comes... how could he face the Qu ancestors?"
He Jian looked up at her, but quickly averted his gaze, forcing a smile. "But the Great General has shown no reaction thus far. I am worried..."
Yin Zhuli took a light sip of tea, her voice carrying a hint of a smile. "Mister, you are not a merchant. When merchants negotiate a major deal, they never ask for the price first, because asking reveals a position of weakness. You must wait. Wait until the other party loses their composure and initiates the negotiation—that is when you hold the upper hand." She chuckled softly. "However, the Great General can no longer afford to wait. Today at the earliest, tomorrow at the latest, he will certainly come."
He Jian smiled in agreement, but a chill of trepidation ran through him. This woman acted with such steady precision, calculating every step. She was ruthless even when plotting against her own biological father. In the future, he feared...
Seeing him lost in thought, Yin Zhuli lightly pinched a piece with her pinky finger as she placed her stone, surreptitiously stealing one of his captured pieces. "Mister must be thinking: this woman is truly cold-blooded and ruthless; I must be on guard against her in the future. Is that not so?"
He Jian was startled. The Ninth Lord’s great cause was not yet accomplished, and they desperately needed her help; he could not afford to offend her. "Why would the Princess Consort say such a thing? You and the Ninth Lord have over a decade of history, and now you are husband and wife of one mind. How could I dare harbor such thoughts? I only felt..."
Yin Zhuli took the opportunity of placing another stone to steal another of his pieces. Her smile bloomed slowly, outshining the dimming light of the sky. "Mister only feels that it is a pity for someone like Zhuli to be born a woman. If I were a man, I would surely be no ordinary creature. It is your turn, Mister."
He Jian’s placement of stones lost all coherence. "The Great Boss is truly exceptionally brilliant. I am filled with admiration."
Yin Zhuli remained smiling as she stole yet another piece. "Mister is being affected again. You must be thinking: how can this woman be so overbearing the moment she gains the slightest advantage?"
He Jian was now breaking into a cold sweat. "Princess Consort, please, do not toy with me any longer."
Yin Zhuli said no more—He Jian had already lost the game.
***
Recently, military personnel rotations had been frequent, and the Qu Manor was far from peaceful.
"General, how much longer will you hesitate?" In Qu Tianji’s study, a dozen or so men stood in a row. The lamps were not lit, and though their voices were low in the darkness, they vibrated with irrepressible fury. "Our men have lived through blood and storms. It is nothing for us to risk our lives for home and country, but General—we can close our eyes in peace if we die under an enemy's spear. To die under our own sovereign's butcher knife... how can you ask the brothers to bear such a thing?"
Qu Tianji was usually decisive, but now he wavered. "It is not that I haven't considered it. But once we raise troops, we will no longer be the King's army, but rebels. Even if we enthrone a new lord, in the eyes of the historians, we will be traitors and usurpers!"
"General," Qu Lu, who stood to the left and was one of Qu Tianji’s confidants, spoke in a heavy voice. "Reputation is important, but we are all human; we all have wives, children, and elders. We have spent half our lives sweating and bleeding for Great Xing. In the end, can we not even protect our own families?"
Qu Tianji’s voice betrayed a hint of exhaustion. "Leave for now. I will think on it further."
"General, the opportunity must not be missed! If we wait too long, there will be no turning back!"
***
During the second watch of the night, Yun Tianyi sent someone to fetch Yin Zhuli, saying that a client at Tianyi Workshop wished to see her. When Yin Zhuli entered the rear courtyard of the workshop, she saw the Great General, Qu Tianji. He sat by a round table, holding a teacup in his right hand with an elegant posture. Though he had waited for a long time, he showed no sign of impatience.
Seeing Yin Zhuli approach, he did not even stand. Instead, he greeted her as if he were the host: "Sit."
Yin Zhuli smiled and did not take offense, seating herself naturally at the table. Yun Tianyi served the tea personally, ensuring no outsiders were aware of the meeting.
"Yin Zhuli," Qu Tianji began after a long silence. "I can support the Ninth Lord’s ascension to the throne, but I have one condition."
Yin Zhuli was in no hurry. "It is rare for us to share a table. Let us not discuss other matters yet. Tianyi, have a spread of food and wine prepared. Do not neglect the General."
Yun Tianyi was not so formal with her; he acknowledged the request and withdrew. Qu Tianji raised his eyes to look at her. It had been so long that he had forgotten the exact features of Yin Biwu, leaving only the memory of her composed and cheerful spirit. He had been fooled once before; seeing Yin Zhuli’s current indifferent demeanor always made him wary.
His words remained blunt. "I have nothing to discuss with you. I can help Prince Fulu ascend, but I require a Death-Exempting Gold Plaque. It must guarantee the safety of the Qu clan for generations."
Yin Zhuli held her teacup, pondering for a moment before smiling. "The General’s words are absurd. I am of merchant stock and a mere woman; how could I give the General a promise as heavy as Mount Tai?"
Qu Tianji knew she was still waiting for the right moment, and he couldn't help but sigh at the cunning of merchants. "Great Boss Yin, what exactly do you want? Do not forget: if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold."
Yun Tianyi was extremely efficient, bringing up the wine and dishes in short order. Knowing the tension of the day, he even served the food himself. Yin Zhuli placed a piece of cod onto Qu Tianji’s plate with an apologetic air. "I don't know what you like, but since you've spent years on campaign, I imagine you aren't too particular about food. Please, make do with this."
Qu Tianji stared her down, asking after a moment, "You said you never hated me. Is that true?"
Yin Zhuli’s smile was faint. "I am a merchant. Merchants value integrity; I do not lie."
Qu Tianji seemed intent on piercing through this layer of hypocritical familial affection. "Then why did you marry Shen Tingjiao? And why did you go to such lengths to get close to Huaishang?!"
Yin Zhuli acted as if she had heard a particularly amusing joke, her smile radiant. "The General is too suspicious. I have known my Ninth Lord since I was eight—twelve years of friendship. In all of Chang'an, you won't find another with his beauty. He is a master of poetry, song, Go, and painting. Is it so surprising that I like him?"
She set down her chopsticks and stretched lazily against the back of her chair. "As for the second young master, he and my Ninth Lord happen to share similar interests. Since the General has doubts about this, why not ask him instead of questioning me?" She stood up and lifted the pot to pour wine. "Regardless, the General wouldn't believe me even if I spoke."
The two remained there until the third watch. Yin Zhuli agreed to nothing, making it seem as though Qu Tianji had come for nothing. Yet he understood clearly: this girl was weakening his strength and waiting for the perfect moment. The harder Shen Tingyao pushed him, the angrier his soldiers would become. This anger was like morale, firmly branding Shen Tingyao as their enemy.
And only when he was driven to a dead end, unable to save himself, would he support Shen Tingjiao without reservation, rather than usurping the throne for himself. If one raises a wolf, one must starve it until it is half-dead—just enough to do one's bidding—before feeding it a little, lest it turns and devours its master.
Merchants were, by nature, creatures of calculation.
Shortly after Qu Tianji left, before Yin Zhuli could even walk out of Tianyi Workshop, another person rushed in—it was the second son, Qu Huaishang. Yin Zhuli was quite surprised. "Why are you here?"
Qu Huaishang looked panicked. Before even sitting down, he blurted out, "Has Father discovered that Eldest Brother's death was related to me?"
"Shh." Yin Zhuli raised a finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet, and scolded him in a low voice. "You are too reckless. How can you just blurt such a thing out?"
Qu Huaishang grabbed the half-empty pot of wine from the table and gulped it down before asking, "What exactly did Father say to you?"
Yin Zhuli pressed her hands onto his shoulders, her smile enchanting. "Rest easy, my brother. He is not a muddled man; he didn't mention it at all. Not only does he not suspect it, but even if he knew there was something fishy about Qu Liushang's death, he would absolutely never investigate it! Never!"
Qu Huaishang’s palms were slick with cold sweat. "You don't know Father's character. If he finds out, I..."
Yin Zhuli cut him off. "Are you stupid? You are his only son now, don't you understand? If he really investigated, he could surely find out, but then what? Kill you to pay for Qu Liushang's life?" She chuckled. "Fool, it's impossible. He has to pretend he doesn't know and bury it in his heart forever. So he won't investigate at all. No matter how Qu Liushang died, the dead cannot be brought back to life; he has to protect the one who survived."
Qu Huaishang remained skeptical. Yin Zhuli patted his shoulder. "Don't leave the manor casually at night. Shen Tingyao sees you as a thorn in his side now; you are in danger."
Qu Huaishang was still somewhat dazed. "Zhuli, I'm still afraid. That day, Eldest Brother's blood was everywhere... Since we were children, although he wasn't very close to me, he never treated me poorly. I..."
Yin Zhuli leaned in to look at him; she was an expert at soothing people. "A man is not truly great unless he is ruthless, brother. Look at the General’s current illustrious reputation—who knows how many corpses he stepped over to climb to where he is? So, you only need to remember: the Eldest Son's death was an accident. An accident that has nothing to do with anyone. If there's blame to be had, blame that horse for eating the wrong grass!"
"Nothing to do with anyone?" Qu Huaishang asked in a low voice.
Yin Zhuli’s answer was firm. "Correct. Nothing to do with anyone. Not a single thing!"
***
