Chapter 126: Old Friends Rarely Meet (Part Three)

"So, you wish to meet Lady Chuxiu?" Prince Mu raised an eyebrow at Nie Peixiao, his phoenix eyes holding an inscrutable expression.

"Indeed. I want to see what kind of woman she truly is." Nie Peixiao made no attempt to conceal his disdain. "She was merely a maid, and I heard she was gifted to Yun Ci by Shen Yu, only to later become the widow of the Marquis of Lixin. And then, the posthumous child never came to be—she miscarried... Seventh Brother, don't you find that suspicious? It is quite possible she was never pregnant at all, merely feigning it to climb the social ladder."

"Oh? And why do you suspect she faked the pregnancy?" Prince Mu asked.

"Are such things rare in the palace? Feigning pregnancy to vie for favor is common enough." Nie Peixiao shook his head. "They say there is no heart more venomous than a woman's. When it comes to schemes, men are far behind. That is precisely why, unless forced, I shall never take a wife, only keep concubines."

Hearing this, Prince Mu countered with a laugh: "And who was it that swore off taking a wife, only to turn around and petition to marry the eldest daughter of the Yun household? Was that not why you were reprimanded by Mother?"

Nie Peixiao paused for a moment, then offered a perfunctory smile: "I have traveled a long way and am weary. Seventh Brother, let me rest."

"You look quite spirited to me; do not try to evade the question." Prince Mu seemed determined to press him. "I am curious to hear why you asked for Yun Xiangrong's hand. I do not believe for a moment you did it to help me win over the Yun family." Both he and Nie Peixiao knew that he had already formed an alliance with Chuxiu; there was no need to marry Yun Xiangrong for such a purpose. Besides, he knew his ninth brother had never shown any interest in marriage. Furthermore, they both knew how much their mother detested the Yun family, so why would Nie Peixiao insist on making the eldest daughter his concubine?

"You must have seen something special in Yun Xiangrong to want to marry her. If you do not explain yourself today, I shall not let you rest," Prince Mu added with a smile.

Nie Peixiao wore a conflicted expression, falling silent as he weighed his options. Should he tell the truth? Admit that he had fallen in love with a woman he had never met, all because of a melody played on the zither? But Yun Xiangrong was already married, and he did not want to tarnish her reputation. He decided against the truth. "Seventh Brother, you may torment me as you wish. If you want to force-feed me wine tonight, I have nothing to say. Do not ask about this again."

Seeing that Nie Peixiao was genuinely troubled, Prince Mu did not insist, but laughingly changed the subject: "The world knows that Prince Cheng, Nie Peixiao, has three great loves, and 'fine wine' is one of them. If I get you drunk tonight, that is hardly torment—it is exactly what you want! I refuse to give you such satisfaction!"

At these words, Nie Peixiao laughed heartily: "Seventh Brother truly understands me!" Two years ago, at a banquet for noble youths, he had openly listed his three great passions, ranking musical arts as the first. When someone later asked where "warfare" ranked, he had replied: "Second only to marriage!"

Since then, it had been rumored throughout the capital that Prince Cheng had three loves—music, fine wine, and beautiful women—and two great hates: marriage and warfare.

Yet, these were the very two things he was forced to endure. Marriage was inevitable; as a prince, he would eventually be compelled to take a wife and have children. Warfare was a matter of circumstance, and in recent years, when he wasn't indulging in hedonism, he had spent significant time in military camps. Especially during the current succession struggle between Prince Mu and Prince Fu, he had fought many battles in the shadows for his Seventh Brother.

Looking back, it had all been worth it. The brother he admired most was finally on the verge of ascending the throne of Nanxi and unifying the north and south. Nie Peixiao only hoped that once his brother was crowned, he would not be pressured too severely into marriage; he still wished to enjoy a few more years of freedom.

Thinking of this, Nie Peixiao smiled at Prince Mu: "Actually, tonight we should both try our hardest to get the other drunk. If I succeed, it is a younger brother’s celebration of his elder; if you succeed, only then will you be able to pry out the truth of why I sought to marry Yun Xiangrong."

"That sounds like a fine idea," Prince Mu replied with a laugh.

Nie Peixiao nodded, then added: "There is no time like the present. Why not invite Lady Chuxiu tonight? As a prince, I have traveled all the way to Fangzhou; is that not reason enough for her to come and welcome me?"

"You have a great interest in Lady Chuxiu?" Prince Mu noted that despite his harsh tone, his ninth brother seemed genuinely eager to meet her.

"Doesn't the world say she caused the deaths of many? The Yun household is now a house of widows; this woman must be quite capable. I wish to see for myself." Nie Peixiao was candid: "I am indeed curious."

Prince Mu knew then that he could not let Nie Peixiao meet her, lest more trouble arise. His ninth brother had been spoiled since childhood and possessed a volatile temper; he was loyal to his kin, but when angered, he was capable of saying and doing anything.

Determined to refuse, and recalling that Chuxiu had previously expressed a desire to keep a low profile, Prince Mu said: "To be honest, when Lady Chuxiu visited earlier, I had already invited her to tonight's banquet. She declined, stating that as a widow, it would be improper for her to entertain guests."

"Improper to entertain?" Nie Peixiao was stung. No one had ever dared defy him; even his Seventh Brother was usually indulgent. Now, a wealthy widow with a tarnished reputation was putting on airs and refusing to see him? "What could be improper about it? She is the matriarch of the Yun family; has she not been in the public eye enough?"

Prince Mu frowned, surprised to find himself defending her: "Though she is the matriarch, she mostly deals with the Yun clan and the household staff. She rarely handles public affairs herself. Your assessment is biased."

This defense only deepened Nie Peixiao's surprise: "Seventh Brother, you are actually speaking up for her?"

Prince Mu, worried that his brother's misconceptions would lead to a feud with the most powerful family in the north and south, sighed. "You misunderstand her. Her poor reputation was something I spread myself—partly to divert attention from the succession struggle, and partly to teach her a lesson."

"You spread those rumors?" Nie Peixiao was stunned.

"I did."

"That is strange. I understand the need to divert attention, but why 'teach her a lesson'? Did she not provide vast sums of money to support your cause?"

Prince Mu sighed, recounting the escape of Shen Yu, and concluded: "I suspect that the marriage between Yun Xiangrong and Shen Yu was orchestrated by Lady Chuxiu to ensure Shen Yu's safety by making him a son-in-law of the Yun family once I succeeded."

So that was it. Nie Peixiao fell silent, his opinion of Chuxiu shifting. He could not say he admired her, but few in this world dared to scheme behind his Seventh Brother's back, let alone a woman. This alone proved she had both courage and foresight.

Moreover, she had risked her life to help Shen Yu. Nie Peixiao himself had a friendship with Shen Yu and had even pleaded for him, but he doubted he would have gone to such lengths. Could there be an illicit affair between them? He dismissed the thought; she had been Shen Yu's maid before being sent to Yun Ci, and Shen Yu had even been the witness to their marriage. He knew Shen Yu to be a man who, though dissolute in his affairs, would never covet the wife of a friend.

Perhaps it was merely gratitude? If so, she was a woman of integrity. A woman who could influence politics, provide massive financial support, and act with such loyalty was indeed remarkable. And as for Yun Xiangrong, marrying a man who was destined to fall from grace—that was a sacrifice of great depth.

"After hearing this, I have changed my view of Lady Chuxiu," Nie Peixiao said. Though arrogant, he was fair-minded. "I respect those who are loyal and righteous, and she has proven herself worthy of respect. However, she must be highly calculating—one cannot be a matriarch otherwise."

"She is indeed far-sighted. As for being calculating, what woman in this world is not?" Prince Mu sighed. "Even Luan Su was, so why should she be any different?"

Nie Peixiao nodded solemnly: "But I still believe there must be pure and innocent women in this world, kind and virtuous. Only such a woman would be worth my love, regardless of her status."

They sat in silence, both lost in the bitterness of their own failed romances. Finally, Nie Peixiao laughed and raised his cup: "Enough, Seventh Brother! Forget her! If she is meant to be yours, she will be. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Tonight, we speak not of women, but of wine. Let us drink until we fall!"