Chapter 33: Probing

In the end, Jiang Wu emerged wearing her original clothes. Seeing the questioning look in Chu Ling’s eyes, she claimed the other outfit had looked too ugly on her, so she had simply changed back.

The man’s sharp gaze swept over her and then behind her, making her feel as if he had seen through everything. Already feeling frazzled, Jiang Wu became even more nervous and guilt-ridden. In her desperation, she reached out and took Chu Ling’s hand.

"Let’s go. Let’s look elsewhere; I still want to go on a boat tour."

Although the gesture was stiff and overly deliberate, Chu Ling’s eyes lingered on their joined hands for a moment before he finally stopped pressing the issue and returned her grip.

His touch was light, his calloused hand brushing against the back of hers for a moment. This brief contact provoked a stronger reaction from Jiang Wu than when he used to grip her hand tightly, and she nearly pulled away. Fortunately, Chu Ling stopped quickly, his expression unreadable.

"Let’s go."

Jiang Wu breathed a sigh of relief, though for the rest of the outing, she remained in a daze. Qingyang’s words echoed repeatedly in her ears, even though she hadn't understood a single word of them.

What did she mean by "the truth"?

Because she couldn't make sense of it, various guesses flashed through her mind only to be dismissed, leaving her feeling deeply troubled. It wasn't until they were on the boat on the river that she finally noticed something off about Chu Ling.

He didn't seem very happy.

On the large pleasure boat, aside from the servants guarding the stern, there was no one else—not a single maid or valet.

A belated sense of panic washed over her. The oppressive feeling of being alone with Chu Ling made her regret suggesting the boat trip at all, or at the very least, she should have brought Nian Yin along.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

Chu Ling had already sat down on a chair, his legs crossed in a relaxed, casual manner, appearing more laid-back than usual. With no servants around, he poured himself a cup of the hot tea that had been prepared nearby.

Compared to his ease, Jiang Wu was so nervous that she momentarily forgot how to lie, standing there stiffly. The man didn't seem to insist on an answer, soon gesturing toward the side. "Sit."

Jiang Wu glanced over, and upon realizing he was pointing to the *luohan* bed, her face turned deathly pale. She didn't want to think about what that implied, but the sight of the bed filled her with terror. She wanted to say she would just sit nearby, but one look into Chu Ling’s eyes told her there was no room for negotiation.

Jiang Wu carefully sat down, perched on the very edge of the bed. The bed faced the chair where Chu Ling sat, which only added to her unease.

As if to confirm her fears, Chu Ling leaned forward slightly, his voice sounding like that of an evil spirit.

"A-Wu, do it for me to see."

The man before her looked entirely composed, his dark eyes devoid of excessive passion. He spoke these obscene words as casually as if he were asking someone to play a piece of music.

Jiang Wu’s body went cold, and her eyes began to redden. She felt as if the high-and-mighty man held a rope, with her at the other end, and every time he pulled, she was forced to move. Under his gaze, she felt as if she had already been stripped bare.

She tried to struggle, whispering a plea: "We are out in public. Can’t we do this when we get back?"

This was merely an excuse; in reality, once the lanterns bearing the "Chu" character were raised on the boat, no one would dare approach within a certain radius.

Sure enough, Chu Ling had no intention of rescinding his order.

"Or... shall I do it?" His tone was nonchalant, yet the pressure behind it was immense.

Hearing this, Jiang Wu finally began to move slowly. If she let him do it, she would be completely numb for the rest of the night. She bit her lip hard.

Jiang Wu hated him with every fiber of her being. She despised this kind of intimacy with Chu Ling. Because of her recent apathy, they hadn't done this for a while, to the point where she had almost forgotten about this layer of coercion. If she had known, she would have kept up her act of listlessness.

In her extreme resentment, she decided she would help Qingyang. Whether Qingyang was using her, or whether her words were true or false, it didn't matter. Since she wanted to get rid of Chu Ling, and she wanted to as well, adding herself to the plot made no difference.

By the end of the night, Jiang Wu couldn't bring herself to do it; with that demon watching, it would be a miracle if she felt anything at all. She had to rely on stimulants to continue with him. When she shed tears of humiliation, it was Chu Ling who wiped them away for her.

"It doesn't matter what you are thinking about," he said, his hand, which had been wiping her tears, lingering elsewhere as he spoke. "But for now..."

"Here," he tapped her head.

"Here," he stroked her eyes.

"And here." He touched her heart.

Through her tear-blurred vision, Jiang Wu caught a glimpse of the man’s smile. It wasn't a happy smile; instead, it held a certain sadness and the madness of someone who had broken down.

"Everything is me now, isn't it?" he said, his tone gentle yet terrifying.

As the tears fell and her vision cleared, Jiang Wu looked at the man before her. His deep eyes were like an abyss, and he seemed to be in that abyss—desperate, isolated, and cruel—wanting to drag her down with him.

Jiang Wu finally remembered him asking what she was distracted by earlier.

*So, he is retaliating against me like this?*

*This petty man, this madman!*

***

Chu Ling was always easier to talk to after she had served him in bed. When Jiang Wu suggested visiting the Empress Dowager in the palace, he pondered for a moment before agreeing.

Hearing of her arrival, the head matron by the Empress Dowager’s side came to receive her personally. "The Empress Dowager has been looking forward to your visit, Madam. She’s been wishing for someone to talk to."

Jiang Wu only smiled faintly. She had come with an agenda, so all the way there, she was thinking about how to get information out of the Empress Dowager.

At the entrance to the palace, she happened to run into the young Emperor leaving. The boy was eight years old, handsome with fair skin and red lips, and very likable.

Jiang Wu and her entourage bowed: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Before she could even finish bowing, the young Emperor walked over to help her up. "Aunt, there is no need for such formalities."

He wore a faint smile, possessing a royal dignity despite his youth, but his tone was affectionate and respectful. Jiang Wu knew it was because he revered his uncle, Chu Ling, and was therefore kind to her as well.

It was no wonder Chu Ling could act so lawlessly, and no wonder Qingyang felt so helpless. Even Jiang Wu, racking her brains, couldn't think of a single person in the entire country who could keep him in check.

After she exchanged a few words with the young Emperor, he left. Although Chu Ling held the reins of government, he didn't seem intent on raising the young Emperor to be a puppet; the curriculum he had arranged for the boy was very rigorous. That was what the Empress Dowager had told her before.

The Empress Dowager was indeed happy to see her. She wasn't old, so she didn't stand on ceremony, pulling Jiang Wu along to admire newly arrived treasures.

She told Jiang Wu that when she was Empress, everything followed strict rules. The best things in the palace had to go to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor first, and only then would it be her turn; sometimes, she even had to generously yield things to others while the Emperor humored other concubines.

"But it’s different now," she said with a beaming smile. "Now, in this palace, what I say goes."

That did sound comfortable. If one imagined Chu Ling dead and her son, A-Ye, succeeding, that would be truly wonderful. However, since the one currently enjoying this life was the Empress Dowager, Jiang Wu felt a pang of worry. In truth, she had harbored a slight hope of sowing discord between the Empress Dowager and Chu Ling, but it seemed impractical for now, so she returned to her main objective. She mentioned it as if by chance.

"I haven't seen the Grand Empress Dowager in a long time. I heard she is unwell; is she alright?"

"Hmm?" The Empress Dowager clearly didn't take this to heart. "I don't know. Her palace is watched by my brother’s people. I haven't asked, nor have I gone to see her."

Since ancient times, few mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law had good relationships, especially when power and interests were involved. Seeing that she truly didn't care, Jiang Wu guessed she really didn't know anything.

*If I go directly to the Grand Empress Dowager’s palace, Chu Ling will surely find out, right?*

As Jiang Wu was contemplating what to do, the Empress Dowager suddenly asked, "Sister-in-law, surely you aren't suspicious that my brother did something to her? Or did Princess Qingyang ask you to inquire?"

Jiang Wu was startled.

*Are all the Chus this sharp?* Even this woman, who appeared devoid of schemes and content with her lot, could immediately guess her intentions.

"Not entirely..." Jiang Wu smiled. Since she had been exposed, she could only offer a half-truth. "It’s just... you know your brother’s reputation. I just don't want him to make more mistakes and carry the burden of further infamy."

The Empress Dowager thought for a moment and laughed. "Sister-in-law, rest assured. Today, it’s just the two of us speaking heart-to-heart; I won't tell my brother." She sighed. "I do know my brother’s reputation. People say he is ruthless, but without ruthlessness, how could he protect himself and his family?"

"In my brother’s current position, with so many enemies, it was destined: he is either the Prime Minister who stands above ten thousand, or a treacherous official despised by all, destined for a tragic end. Aside from these two outcomes, there is no other possibility."

The word "family" made Jiang Wu’s heart shudder.

*Yes, that’s right, that possibility exists too.*

The Empress Dowager continued: "If something were to happen to my brother, let alone who in the Chu family could hold things together, even we, a widowed mother and her young son, would be devoured alive by those wolves."

Her point seemed to be at the end, but what truly struck Jiang Wu was the earlier part. Yes, if Chu Ling were truly gone, who could support the Chu family? Who could protect her own children?

Jiang Wu wilted in an instant. Just yesterday, she had been excitedly thinking about working with Qingyang to overthrow Chu Ling, but after a few words from the Empress Dowager, she sobered up.

The Empress Dowager added one last thing: "So, sister-in-law, you and my brother are family. Your lives and interests are tied together. As for Princess Qingyang, if you hit it off, feel free to befriend her, but you must always remember whose side you should be on."

She was clearly younger than Jiang Wu, but her earnest tone and her clear-sightedness made Jiang Wu feel ashamed. She realized once again how useless she was. This trip to the palace hadn't advanced her goals at all; instead, she had been persuaded otherwise.

Before leaving, she was curious and asked, "The Emperor is almost of age to rule in his own right, isn't he?"

It was actually still a while off, but the Empress Dowager understood what she was asking. Logically, the Empress Dowager and Chu Ling should be rivals. She didn't say much.

"The Emperor’s path is for him to choose in the future."

Jiang Wu understood. Whether the Emperor would be content to have an uncle looming over him and live as a wealthy monarch, or whether he would desire real power, was a matter for later. For now, she only wanted her children to grow up safely.

*This woman is much smarter than me,* Jiang Wu thought.

Ultimately, she never found out how the Grand Empress Dowager was faring. Although the Empress Dowager said Chu Ling wouldn't stoop to such things, without seeing for herself, she didn't know what to tell Qingyang.

When she returned to the manor, she happened to run into Chu Jisheng. There had been so much happening lately that she had almost forgotten about this mother-son pair.

*Right! Chu Yan is still in the manor!* Why was Chu Ling ignoring her and coming to torment her every day?

Chu Jisheng had just parted ways with that eccentric old man. Seeing the old man disappear, Jiang Wu called out to him: "Isn't your mother’s illness already cured?"

Mentioning his mother’s illness, a flash of despondency appeared in Chu Jisheng’s eyes. "It’s still recurring."

*Could it be the fatigue from the long journey?* Regardless of her motives, Jiang Wu couldn't sit by and watch Chu Yan suffer. "You really are something. Since your mother is ill, you should properly hire a physician. Why go to that eccentric old man? His medical skills aren't that good."

Chu Jisheng’s expression turned strange. "Don't you know?"

"Know what?" Jiang Wu looked puzzled.

"Old Sun isn't an ordinary physician; he is a master of gu-poison. My mother’s health before she married was managed by him."

Jiang Wu’s eyes widened. She had heard of such gu-insects, but whenever she heard about them, she found them disgusting. *Gu! Aren't those just bugs?* Now knowing that one was nearby, she could almost imagine what the insects looked like, and goosebumps rose on her skin. She couldn't help but shiver in the sunlight.

"How can you trust such deviant paths?" She felt as if Chu Jisheng might be carrying bugs on him, so she involuntarily stepped back twice, adding, "I’ll find you a proper physician. Don't let her condition get worse."

Seeing her back away with a look of disgust and fear, yet still speaking with genuine concern, the coldness in the youth’s eyes softened slightly.

He pondered for a long while before speaking. "Madam Chu."

"Yes?"

"My father... is he not Lord Chu?"

"Huh?"

The sudden topic caught Jiang Wu off guard. She was surprised he would suddenly ask her this, but when she realized what he was asking, her expression of shock became even more exaggerated.

Chu Jisheng continued: "My biological father... Mother said his name was... Zhang Xiu? I think that was the name." He clearly didn't care much about his father.

"Huh?" This time, Jiang Wu’s voice rose even higher. *Not Chu Ling’s? And it’s actually her brother-in-law’s?*

*What kind of earth-shattering gossip had she just stumbled upon?*