Volume One, Chapter 18: Growing Eight Hundred Cunning Schemes

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Nanny Wu held the list of Xu Zhiyi’s dowry, meticulously registering each item at the government office. It took nearly two hours just to cross-check the shops and land ownership. By the time she finished, it was nearly noon.

Rubbing her aching old back, Nanny Wu felt all the more certain that this task should not have fallen to her. After some thought, she climbed into the carriage.

“Nanny Wu, are we returning to the Xu residence now?”

Nanny Wu considered for a moment. “No, first we must go to Prince An’s mansion!”

Qi Xizhou was still weak. When Nanny Wu entered, he cast her a faint glance.

“What is it? Didn’t I tell you to stay with Miss Xu?”

Nanny Wu wanted to kneel, but Hai Qing swiftly steadied her.

“Nanny Wu is old; the master has long exempted you from such formalities.”

“Your Highness, this servant feels uneasy about something and wishes to hear your opinion.”

Qi Xizhou fell into his usual silence.

Nanny Wu then recounted in detail how Xu Zhiyi had instructed her to retrieve the dowry and store it in a private treasury, and how she had gone to the government office today to register everything.

As Nanny Wu spoke, Qi Xizhou’s brow furrowed deeper. He chuckled softly.

“Does Nanny Wu find something amiss?”

Nanny Wu glanced uncertainly at him.

“Although I was ordered to watch over Miss Xu, it seems meddling in the dowry is beyond my place... I suppose it’s my own weakness.”

A trace of amusement appeared in Qi Xizhou’s cold eyes.

“She’s already achieved her goal, and only now do you come to report? Too late.”

Xu Zhiyi had said she would borrow his influence to bolster her power, a mere offhand remark—but in reality, she wielded his people without restraint.

This naturally made Xu Huaian wary of him and deterred any further schemes.

There has never been precedent for a husband’s family interfering with a bride’s dowry, yet Xu Zhiyi accomplished it effortlessly without a single soldier or weapon.

Moreover, she was still only the prospective princess.

Nanny Wu wiped the sweat of fright from her brow and trembled as she spoke.

“Your Highness, please don’t be angry. Your servant was negligent. Miss Xu spoke earnestly, and I did not think much of it. What should be done now?”

Qi Xizhou no longer looked at her and waved his hand.

“Since I have sent you to the Xu residence, naturally you must obey Miss Xu’s orders. It’s nothing serious—go back.”

Qi Xizhou found himself strangely anticipating the days after Xu Zhiyi’s marriage.

Even a seasoned woman like Nanny Wu was deceived by her innocent and harmless appearance.

One could hardly predict when Xu Zhiyi might sell them all out—and Nanny Wu would still be cheerfully counting the money for her.

They say a cunning rabbit has three burrows; Xu Zhiyi may well have eight hundred wits!

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Interesting!

Hai Qing handed Qi Xizhou a cup of warm water.

“Master, I still don’t understand why Miss Xu would do such a thing. Once she’s princess, who would dare lay a hand on her dowry?”

Qi Xizhou looked at Hai Qing with complex feelings.

Great—another fool sold out by Xu Zhiyi without realizing it!

He was too tired for words, pain throbbing faintly in his wound.

“Why warm water? Go get another cup.”

Hai Qing scratched his head, feeling insulted by Qi Xizhou’s earlier look, as if he were a simpleton.

He firmly refused Qi Xizhou’s request.

“No! Miss Xu ordered that during your recovery, you must not drink alcohol, tea, or eat stimulating foods!”

Seeing Qi Xizhou’s sullen expression, Hai Qing stepped forward cheekily.

“Master, I think Miss Xu might really like you! That night, she even sneaked a touch!”

Qi Xizhou ignored him. Hai Qing pointed to the spot where Xu Zhiyi had touched him.

“Three times in total! I counted!”

“Get lost!”

The jade cup smashed against the doorframe, shattering.

Hai Qing was clueless but sensed his master’s mood was growing more unpredictable.

Sent out, he obediently waited in the hallway, muttering to himself.

“Who could stand living with a master so moody? Ah, the princess will have a hard time.”

The Chen family physician, carrying freshly brewed medicinal soup, glared at him unhappily.

“From my perspective, Your Highness is just experiencing pre-marriage jitters. The closer the wedding, the worse it gets. You’d better stay out of the prince’s sight lately.”

Qi Xizhou, trained in martial arts from youth, was sharp-eared and sharp-eyed.

The two seemed to think he couldn’t hear them, chatting idly by the window.

His handsome face darkened like ink.

He was a man who stood unmoved before armies—would he truly fear marriage?

Ridiculous!

Still, the army was full of rough men, and Northern girls were unfamiliar to him.

He felt a bit uneasy but certainly not afraid.

Images of Xu Zhiyi’s clear, cunning eyes and her injuries surfaced in his mind, and he clenched his fists silently.

“Hai Qing, go to the Xu residence and keep a close watch on Miss Xu. If there’s an emergency, kill first, report later!”

Hai Qing exchanged a glance with the Chen physician, suppressing a smile.

It seemed the prince truly cared for Miss Xu!

“I’m on it!”

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The Chen physician stepped inside and handed Qi Xizhou the medicine bowl.

“Your Highness, if I may speak frankly, you really shouldn’t continue taking this medicine.”

Qi Xizhou sipped slowly, silent.

The physician sighed deeply, speaking as if to himself.

“Do you not know how much harm it does to your body? If you fail to recover, won’t it affect your heirs? A good girl married in, yet she’ll have to live a widow’s life!”

“Pfft—”

Qi Xizhou spat the medicine onto the physician’s face.

Squinting, he said, “I know what I’m doing. Leave!”

The physician wiped his face with his sleeve, shrugged, and stepped out.

“Fine, I’m just speaking my mind. If the princess despises you later, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself!”

Qi Xizhou was well aware of the medicine’s dangers.

But with the emperor still vigorous and the twelfth prince an infant, he would not allow anyone to threaten the throne.

The crown prince had married years ago, but his consort remained childless, likely out of fear of the emperor’s suspicion.

As a powerless royal son, even surrendering military power, he remained a thorn in the emperor’s side.

Yet if he became chronically ill, weak and useless, at least the hundred thousand troops of Anyang would be safe.

Qi Xizhou knocked his numb legs with a bitter smile.

Who says a tiger doesn’t eat its own cub?

With crippled legs, the emperor’s mercy would decree his return to the capital.

Publicly praised, privately chastised.

A commander fallen, leaderless troops—perfect chance for the emperor to install someone he trusted to lead the Anyang army.

But when one cannot even trust one’s own son, who can truly be trusted?

Enough. After years of war, he was indeed weary.

Taking this chance to withdraw from court intrigues was no bad thing.

The crown prince had visited twice, bluntly stating his position.

Until the crown princess bore a legitimate heir, Qi Xizhou dared not take a concubine, pressured by the prime minister’s household.

All stood on a razor’s edge; one misstep meant ruin.

Careful planning and cautious action were the only paths forward.