Ch.14 Killing Three Birds With One Stone
Chu Yu sat by the lantern, holding a silver bob with a b.u.t.terfly decoration in her hands. She examined it closely: the tip of the bob was very sharp, sharp enough to pierce one’s heart.
From the first day she arrived in this time period, she had carved a mark on the edge of her bed every day with this silver bob. Now, there were already ten marks.
After staring at it for a long time, Chu Yu slowly turned her wrist, sending the tip of the bob into the flames in the lantern. Pulling it out after a while, she looked at it closely again, then dipped the tip into water, and wiped it dry.
She repeated this process several times.
The sharp tip of the bob glinted with cold light. Hesitating, Chu Yu held the bob in her left hand and aimed it at her right hand for a couple of minutes, then finally picked an angle, and drew it down swiftly.
The sharp silver point cut the tender flesh of her palm; bright red blood quickly flowed out from cut, which was a little longer than one inch. Chu Yu pressed on her wound with a silk handkerchief and shouted, “Come! I, the Princess, have been injured!”
Of course, what happened next were maids hurrying over, then the summoning of the doctor on the palace. Chu Yu let him fiddle with her wounded hand freely. Although she had a painful expression on, there was a hint of smile in her eyes.
Even though the problem with her accent and p.r.o.nunciation has been miraculously solved with the changing of her body, Chu Yu had tried secretly and realized that her handwriting problem had not been resolved. She had practiced calligraphy when she was a kid in her before life, but that had been a long time ago, and now her handwriting was despicable. If she came upon any situation where she needed to write, it would probably be unavoidable for her to slip.
Handwriting was different from her normal behavior; she could easily deny the change in her behavior and never admit to it, but her handwriting would be left on paper, a true and irrefutable evidence.
Chu Yu understood that once she started managing affairs, it would be unavoidable to write. Decisive and keen, before anyone had the chance to suspect her, she hurt her right hand herself, absolving a huge risk with a tiny cost. With that, she could perfectly and justifiably let others write for her.
She was still very careful with her plan. She cleansed the tip of the bob before cutting herself, to prevent infection from the wound. She also drew the bob along the lines on her palm, so although it would seem like a serious wound, it would heal very quickly, and there wouldn’t be much of a scar left.
Originally, Chu Yu disliked things like self-mutilation, and could have pretended to seek pleasure for a longer time, imitating the Princess of Shanyin’s handwriting through the process. But after learning about the thing with Huan Yuan, she realized that she couldn’t delay. After all, she wasn’t the real Princess of Shanyin, and she didn’t even know who else besides Jiang Yan partic.i.p.ated in Huan Yuan’s plan. Probably some other male concubines in her palace. Although she told Yue Jiefei with a smile that a scholar’s revolt is never done within three years, if many united together, she still couldn’t just dismiss it lightly.
Since she couldn’t control the big situation with confidence, she needed to resolutely take action.
After her wound was bandaged, Chu Yu summoned Rong Zhi.
Looking at the layers of white gauze wrapped around her hand, Chu Yu sent everyone else away, only leaving Rong Zhi with her in the room. She went straight to the point: “I intend to send Jiang Yan out of the Princess’ Palace. What do you think?” Rong Zhi really wasn’t the best choice, but since Chu Yu had heard his words, which seemed to be defending the Princess of Shanyin, she reckoned that Rong Zhi was on her side.
Even though she still felt uneasy, with logical thinking, she decided that Rong Zhi could be a useful helper for now.
Rong Zhi didn’t do any superficial courtesies either, and asked directly, “How?”
“Recommend him, and give him a position.” Chu Yu had the answer in mind long ago.
Rong Zhi’s eyes flashed: “Only Jiang Yan?”
“No.” Chu Yu let out a playing smile. She read out five or six names; but Huan Yuan was not included.
Rong Zhi tilted his head in thought. After a short while, he smiled, “Killing three birds with one stone. Since the Princess had already made the best decision, why still ask my opinion?”
The two gazed at each other, both seeing the subtle smile in the other’s eyes. Suddenly, there was a wonderful knowing feeling between them.
Chu Yu’s idea was basically separation. Since Huan Yuan and Jiang Yan were the masterminds behind the plan, she was going to separate the two. She would release Jiang Yan to freedom; doing this would not only decrease Jiang Yan’s hostility towards her, but would also cut off the contact between him and Huan Yuan.
Jiang Yan’s leaving would be a tremendous blow to Huan Yuan. It would eliminate half of his power. In addition, by sending some other possibly partic.i.p.ating male concubines away, all his helpers and coordinators would be gone. There would be no way he could continue his plan.
The third benefit was, that not only did Jiang Yan gain his freedom, he even marched towards a glorious career with Chu Yu’s recommendation. This was undoubtedly hinting at the other male concubines in the palace, that they also had the hope to become so. As a result, there would be even less people helping Huan Yuan. With a foreseeable future, who would gamble with him?
They would only fawn on her more; some might even not hesitate to betray Huan Yuan for their liberty.
This move would kill three birds with one stone, very smart and cunning. This was Chu Yu’s well thought out idea, but with just some disclosure, Rong Zhi understood all of it. His keenness and understanding were remarkable.
Chu Yu couldn’t help but praising him in her heart, but a strong caution and alertness also rose in her heart: what she had been thinking about for so long, Rong Zhi understood thoroughly with just a slight mention. This youth was too smart, smart enough to make her afraid.
If he did the same as Huan Yuan, it would be impossible for her contend with it so easily.
Forcefully suppressing this warning feeling, Chu Yu thought for a moment, then asked: “I have summoned you to ask you, who do you think I should recommend Jiang Yan to? Objectively speaking, he is a talented person.”
Hearing this, Rong Zhi looked at Chu Yu with surprise, “The Princess is really going to recommend this person?”
Chu Yu was even more surprised than him. “Of course. Will I, the Princess, go back on my words?”
Rong Zhi stared fixedly at Chu Yu, as if wanting to see clearly if she was sincere or not. After a moment, he laughed: “The Princess is really different from before. If it were the original princess, even if she used this strategy to estrange the group on the surface, she would still definitely get rid of Jiang Yan in secret, not to mention recommending him to an official position.”
Chu Yu’s heart beat crazily. But she was calm on the outside: “Me changing to being like this, is it good or not good?” Chu Yu had not expected that she would expose such a big loophole; but then she thought that Rong Zhi didn’t have any evidence, so she relaxed slightly. Even if she knew the original style of the Princess of Shanyin, she still wouldn’t be willing to kill people just to not show a flaw.
Rong Zhi smiled, “Hard to tell if good or not good. Before, the Princess is very meticulous and never leaves any chances for anyone, decisive and never merciful, but a little short of generosity. Today, the Princess seems to be more soft-hearted, but so much different in manner. Jiang Yan attempted to revolt, but the Princess not only didn’t see it as a challenge to authority, but even gave him a future. Although the Princess has connived him, this magnanimity, Rong Zhi can’t help but admire.”
Chu Yu couldn’t help her face growing hot. Although she couldn’t say she had a favorable impression of Rong Zhi, and she’s even on guard with him, being gazed so genuinely by such a beautiful youth and being said to be admired, Chu Yu’s heart still skipped a few beats.