TGPSAC – Chapter 9

Chi Wan looked sincere, but Yu Jiuzhou coldly refused, “There’s no need.”

She had not consented to the acupuncture while she was unconscious. Now that she was awake, she would never allow Chi Wan to come near.

Xia Qu deliberately spoke up to prevent Chi Wan from talking. “Your Highness, Prince Bao’an came yesterday. Chief Administrator Li received him.”

Hearing the name “Prince Bao’an,” Yu Jiuzhou remained composed. There was not a trace of hatred, no outward display of emotion.

Observing her carefully, Chi Wan raised an eyebrow, surprised by Yu Jiuzhou’s indifference. If she had been reborn, how could she feel no hatred for a man like Prince Bao’an?

Then again, someone as mentally strong and high-ranking as Yu Jiuzhou would naturally conceal her emotions. Perhaps she simply hadn’t had time to process it all before.

Xia Qu glanced at Yu Jiuzhou and, seeing no reaction, continued, “Prince Bao’an did not get to see you, Your Highness, and left shortly after.”

Chi Wan asked, puzzled, “What did he want with Her Highness?”

In the novel, Yu Jiuzhou had supported Prince Bao’an. She tested him for a long time, but he put on a good act, only revealing his true intentions after ascending the throne.

According to the timeline, Yu Jiuzhou had not yet decided to support Prince Bao’an.

The scum Fuma was one of Prince Zhongshan’s people. Prince Zhongshan was a popular candidate for crown prince, and he had contributed significantly to her predecessor becoming the Fuma.

It all started when Prince Ying wanted one of his own men to seek Yu Jiuzhou’s hand in marriage. When Prince Zhongshan learned of this, he fanned the flames of the rumors her predecessor had started, causing public opinion to spiral, and even helped her predecessor eliminate the other popular contenders.

Chi Wan thought these men were all a bit sick in the head. Had Yu Jiuzhou even agreed to any of this? They had started competing amongst themselves without her consent.

Xia Qu ignored her, saying nothing.

But Chi Wan had thought of something important. She could use this matter to prove to Yu Jiuzhou that she was not her predecessor.

After all, putting herself in Yu Jiuzhou’s shoes, she knew she would never forgive that scum of a predecessor. As long as the scum remained scum, death was the only way out. But she wasn’t that scum.

Only by first proving she wasn’t her predecessor could she make any progress on the “gaining Yu Jiuzhou’s favor” bar.

Seeing that no one was paying her any mind, Chi Wan spoke up. “Actually, I’ve remembered something.”

Her gaze was fixed on Yu Jiuzhou, her eyes conveying sincerity and frankness. “Among all the princes, Prince Bao’an is the most low-key. But he desires Your Highness’s support more than anyone else.”

The popular candidates for the throne, like Prince Zhongshan and Prince Ying, weren’t particularly enthusiastic about Yu Jiuzhou. They even seemed to think that they would be the future emperor, and that Yu Jiuzhou would have to depend on their goodwill to get by, that she should be the one to curry favor with them.

Chi Wan was reminded of her own situation. As an only daughter, her two male cousins had tried to seize her family’s inheritance and occupy her house. But she had turned around and sold the house right out from under them. They were forced to move out, and they were so angry that the following Qingming Festival, they didn’t even visit her parents’ graves to pay their respects.

They believed only they were qualified to tend to the graves. Chi Wan paid them no mind and went to sweep the tombs herself.

As for these imperial clansmen who had come to the capital to vie for the position of crown prince, they weren’t even Yu Jiuzhou’s first cousins. The current emperor had no siblings; these men were from the lines of Yu Jiuzhou’s grandfather’s siblings, or even more distant relatives.

Just like her two cousins, some of these clansmen thought too highly of themselves and were even plotting against Yu Jiuzhou.

Then, Chi Wan softly stated her main point. “Prince Bao’an has been visiting the Princess’s Residence frequently of late. Outsiders probably already believe that Your Highness has chosen to support him.”

She was, after all, the emperor’s only daughter. Whomever she supported, the emperor would surely give that person careful consideration.

Before Yu Jiuzhou could speak, Xia Qu interjected, “So what? Our princess has never taken sides. She hasn’t stopped any of the other princes from visiting, either. Just because they don’t come, they get to slander the Princess’s Residence for choosing a side?”

Chi Wan’s words put Yu Jiuzhou on alert. This scum had always been a fool. How could she have thought of this? Was she acting on someone’s instructions?

Everyone knew the scum was close to Prince Zhongshan. Ever since he helped her become the Fuma, she had paraded herself around as one of his people, little knowing that Prince Zhongshan only saw her as a pawn.

After learning that Yu Jiuzhou had chosen to support Prince Bao’an, he sent her to assassinate Yu Jiuzhou—the Grand Princess herself.

One had to understand that Chi Wan’s only value to the outside world was her status as the Fuma. Once Yu Jiuzhou was dead, she would be nothing. After the assassination at Xuanyang Temple, Yu Jiuzhou disappeared. The official posts the Marquis of Huai’an’s Residence had barely warmed were all stripped away, and the female scholar of the Hanlin Academy was banished from the capital.

Perhaps the emperor had also suddenly realized that the House of Huai’an was a lost cause and took the opportunity to suppress them, lest they continue to occupy official positions without doing any work.

The Marquis of Huai’an’s Residence had enjoyed its glory for only a short time before falling back into the dust, becoming the subject of endless ridicule.

However, Xia Qu’s words reflected the true thoughts of most people in the Princess’s Residence. It was precisely because of this mindset that they fell into Prince Bao’an’s trap, and in the end, Yu Jiuzhou was left with no choice but to firmly support him.

Yu Jiuzhou’s hand touched the dagger hidden beneath the quilt. She waved at Chun Gui and Xia Qu, signaling for them to leave.

Only the two of them remained in the heated chamber. Their gazes met in mid-air, and Chi Wan found herself inadvertently falling into Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes. They held a kind of tranquility, a gentleness, as if they had witnessed too much and seen through the vanities of the mortal world.

But looking deeper revealed an endless coldness. She looked at Chi Wan as if she were looking at a dead person. Her peach-blossom eyes seemed to be telling a story. Such beautiful eyes should have been bright and captivating, but Yu Jiuzhou was too placid. Gazing into them was like being submerged in a frozen lake in the dead of winter.

Looking into those eyes, Chi Wan’s tone softened unconsciously. “Your Highness, you had everyone else leave. Does that mean you agree with what I said?”

Yu Jiuzhou only glanced at her before shifting her gaze to her throat. At this distance, slitting her throat would not be difficult.

That look alone made Chi Wan want to scoot her butt right off the bed.

She forced herself to remain calm and said, “I just think it would be best for Your Highness to keep your distance from Prince Bao’an.”

“Among the candidates for crown prince, Prince Bao’an is the biggest dark horse. But to the public, he has a noble character, loves the people as his own children, and never acts high and mighty toward the common folk. However, no matter who becomes crown prince, Your Highness will still be the Grand Princess. It is better not to choose than to choose.”

Though Yu Jiuzhou’s expression was cold, her eyes held a thoughtful look. Could this person truly see things so clearly?

Even if someone had coached her on what to say, the change in her demeanor was too obvious. The Chi Wan she remembered had beauty but no brains; the moment she opened her mouth, her lack of learning was exposed. She would even misquote the sages.

Even if she had memorized those words beforehand, the confident aura she projected while speaking was not something this person could possess.

“Do you think that by telling me this, I will not hold you accountable for drugging me?”

Chi Wan froze for a moment, then said with earnest sincerity, “Your Highness, if I told you I’m not the original Chi Wan, would you believe me?”

“Then who are you?” Yu Jiuzhou sneered inwardly. She didn’t believe a word of it.

To her surprise, Chi Wan declared without missing a beat, her expression serious, “I am a lonely soul from this world. Because I adore Your Highness and could not bear to see you hurt by this person any longer, I occupied this body. I only wish to protect Your Highness from the shadows.”

Yu Jiuzhou: “?”