Chapter 291: Chapter 268 Delayed Letter

Chu Yu left a month ago, and the sound of leaf flutes would still occasionally echo throughout the estate. The faint and piercing melody was so melancholic and persistent that, after listening for a while, it even gave the illusion of heart-wrenching sorrow.

Not only did he play daily and frequently, but he also played in different places, making it impossible to avoid the sound.

However, no one dared to object to the person playing the leaf flute; it wasn’t as though they had a death wish. If he wanted to play, let him play. At most, they would plug their ears and not listen.

Rong Zhi leisurely sat amidst the chrysanthemums, and he took a newly steamed crab, methodically cracking open the shell with his extremely agile fingers. In the blink of an eye, the crab meat, white as jade, was exposed. He dipped it in the ginger vinegar set before him on the long table, then slowly brought it to his mouth.

After a bite of crab, Rong Zhi picked up his cup and took a small sip of the warm yellow wine. He appeared composed, his calmness making every colorful thing in the world seem to dim, and his solitary air made even the garden’s golden chrysanthemums lose their hue.

After autumn is the best time for chrysanthemums and fat crabs. However, with wine but no company, crabs but no friends, chrysanthemums but no kin, a person drinking, eating, and admiring alone ultimately felt somewhat desolate and chilly. In the past, being alone did not feel like much, but after spending the last three years with Chu Yu, now that she had abruptly left, Rong Zhi finally felt a tinge of blandness.

Having eaten a few more bites, Rong Zhi wiped his fingers with a silk handkerchief and habitually played the leaf flute for a while before picking up the documents beside him and seriously reviewing them.

He read very quickly, almost ten lines in a single glance, yet every word entered his eyes and heart, meticulously calculated in the time it took to breathe, flashing through his mind like a bolt of lightning.

It didn’t take long for Rong Zhi to finish going through the pile of documents over an inch thick. But he did not stop to rest. After a brief pause, he reached into his bosom and took out a secret letter that had just been delivered that morning.

After carefully wiping his fingers again, Rong Zhi opened the envelope and unfolded the letter to read it slowly:

The contents of the letter were quite ordinary, nothing more than a record of what Chu Yu had eaten, worn, and done in the past two days, her conversations and laughter with others, and even the trivial detail that she had eaten half a bowl more of rice at noon–it omitted nothing.

All the details were neatly transcribed on paper, then delivered to Rong Zhi through special channels.

Different from the efficiency and speed with which he had read the documents, Rong Zhi read this particular letter very slowly, almost chewing over every word in his heart. From these records, he could imagine Chu Yu’s every word and action.

A leisurely smile spread across his lips as Rong Zhi silently planned out Chu Yu’s itinerary.

This letter only detailed events from the journey, sent from en route, but calculating the time, by now they should have arrived at Luoyang.

“If Chu Yu knew that one of your hands continued to hover over her head, I wonder if she would be angry?” a voice came from the entrance of the garden. Without turning around, Rong Zhi knew who the visitor was, even without distinguishing the voice.

The only person who could approach him without detection was this one individual in the whole world.

Rong Zhi folded the letter, returned it to the envelope, and carefully placed it back into his bosom; then he smiled slightly and said, “It doesn’t matter. She might get a little angry, but she will soon realize that, given my nature, it is impossible for me to let her go without concern. Once she understands, she will be too lazy to be angry.” After all, she had already been angry several times over similar matters; one more time wouldn’t hurt.

Years ago, when Chu Yu first arrived in Luoyang, he had planted a chess piece by her side, the steward responsible for managing every minor task in Chu Yu’s household–a steward who had the appearance of a simple and honest man but was actually an extremely capable and shrewd individual among his subordinates. For years, from Luoyang to Ping City, and now back to Luoyang, following Chu Yu and Huan Yuan, the steward had not revealed the slightest flaw.

The steward remained by Chu Yu’s side as Rong Zhi’s eyes and played the role of protector as well.

Knowing Rong Zhi’s temperament, Guan Canghai no longer antagonized him. Enticed by the aroma, he had come over and after making small talk, he unceremoniously walked over, sat down opposite Rong Zhi, and picked up a tied-up crab from the pot, deftly cracking it open to eat.

Rong Zhi ignored him, just focusing on sorting out his thoughts. The steward had been one of his key subordinates, and sending him to protect Chu Yu was surely ensuring her safety, but it also hindered the subordinate’s career advancement. Those who had been his peers were either holding significant official positions in the court or grasping wealth amounting to tens of thousands, yet only this person had even been delayed in starting a family.

After a moment of contemplation, Rong Zhi decided that once this period passed, he would call that person back to take up his post. Once the situation in Ping City settled down, he could go to Luoyang with peace of mind, as by then he would no longer need a subordinate to look after things for him.

However, by that time, Chu Yu would know the truth and would probably be angry with him for a while, right?

With plans in mind, thinking about Chu Yu’s possible reaction, a faintly amusing smile appeared at the corner of Rong Zhi’s mouth.

Just wait until the situation in Ping City settles down.

For now, Feng Ting would have to take the initiative and launch an attack on Tuoba Hong, forcing Tuoba Hong to abdicate. Once Tuoba ascended the throne, he would officially get involved in the politics of Northern Wei, under the guise of assisting the government. Feng Ting needed some more time to prepare, and Rong Zhi was not in a hurry, slowly waiting and organizing his own subordinates.

However, from autumn to winter, as several snowfalls covered Ping City, Rong Zhi finally began to feel a trace of doubt and unease. He had sent people to inquire with Feng Ting several times about the right time to move against Tuoba Hong, but the answer he always received was to wait a little longer.

Wait a little longer.

Wait a little longer.

With all advantageous situations in their hands, what exactly was Feng Ting waiting for? Was it a concealment of unspeakable secrets, or a deceit with ulterior motives? Or perhaps, her real target was not Tuoba Hong, but him instead?

Rong Zhi would not let down his guard simply because he shared the same bloodline as Feng Ting. Fratricide was not strange to him, but he did not think Feng Ting would move against him because she lacked the capability to do so.

Not to mention the person currently in control of Ping City’s military power was his subordinate–even if Feng Ting had military power, he and Guan Canghai together could go anywhere and break through any obstacles.

If she could not destroy him with one strike, she would have to confront his counterattack.

Feng Ting should be very clear about this. Although her tactics were not as good as his, she had been living in the palace for so many years, and with Guan Canghai’s guidance, she couldn’t be that foolish.

…There should be no problem.

…But why then did an unsettling shadow loom over his heart, lingering and refusing to leave?

Rong Zhi’s thoughts were slightly disturbed. To be on the safe side, he went over the arrangements in the court again, finding no oversights. He chided himself for being overly anxious. As he pondered, his hand subconsciously rose, his sleeve brushing against his chest, and he suddenly realized what was missing…

The letter.

Since Chu Yu had left, a secret letter written by the steward would arrive every three days, reporting on Chu Yu’s daily life, but the latest letter had been delayed by two days and had not yet arrived.

He had originally thought that the snowfall of winter might have delayed the letters’ delivery, and a two-day delay from Luoyang to Ping City was still within an acceptable range. But when he combined this with the current situation, he came to a conclusion that made his heart plummet into an abyss!

That arrow hidden in the darkness, it was not aimed at him, nor was it in Ping City, but rather… in Luoyang… at Chu Yu.

Chu Yu!