The more he learned about Wu Caiwei, the more the Third Prince admired her, never imagining such a skilled individual could be found among the common folk.
However, he couldn't entrust his life and fortune to her just like that. She claimed a past grievance with Sun Guotang; was it true? For the sake of caution, he dispatched men to investigate her background. Their inquiries stretched from the capital all the way to the southernmost regions, and from there back to Sun Guogong's hometown. When the compiled information was laid before him, he was astonished to discover that this person, who always dressed as a man, was actually a woman.
Upon learning about her history with Sun Guotang, he couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy. He never imagined that someone so astute now had once acted so foolishly.
But as he read one particular entry in the report, he found himself wavering. It stated that the Xu family's wife still occasionally berated her, accusing her of being shameless for still thinking of her former lover after marrying into the Xu family. If it hadn't been for her mother once saving the master's life, they wouldn't have had to endure such compromises.
Her family's second son could find any kind of girl in the city. They would have been overjoyed to welcome anyone as his wife and daughter-in-law, not like now, where their own son had been so deeply hurt.
Wu Caiwei had told him that her trip to the capital was for revenge against Sun Guotang. But in her youth, she had thrown herself at him without reservation. Was it now hatred born from love? What if Sun Guotang softened his stance and spoke kindly to her? Would she betray him? For a time, the Third Prince was undecided and could only have her constantly monitored.
Unaware of the surveillance, Wu Caiwei felt a hint of bewilderment. She distinctly remembered the appreciation in the Third Prince's eyes during their spar, and it wasn't faked. After so long, he hadn't sought her out again.
Especially since she knew the unfolding political landscape. The Third Prince had always been capable, but his weak aristocratic backing made his faction significantly weaker. The Second Prince, on the other hand, had a powerful maternal family and strong support from Duke Sun, allowing him to stand on equal footing with the Crown Prince.
Recently, the Crown Prince's maternal family harbored ambitions of rebellion. The Emperor, angered by this, also grew impatient with the Empress's constant pleas for her family. To prevent the gentry from dominating the court, the Emperor turned his attention to the Second Prince.
Towards the end of the month, an event that would shock the court was to occur. During the annual spring hunt, the Third Prince would assassinate the Crown Prince. The Emperor was greatly dismayed. While he had intended to suppress the Crown Prince, he was, after all, someone the Emperor had meticulously groomed for years, and he didn't wish for him to lose his life, even if he didn't want him on the throne.
The Third Prince was also someone the Emperor had watched grow up. In his eyes, the Third Prince was the most intelligent and learned of all his sons. If not for the Second Prince's prominence, the throne would undoubtedly have been passed to him. Perhaps because he had always hidden his ambition too well, everyone had overlooked it. Although he vehemently denied it, with eyewitnesses and physical evidence, and so many eyes watching, there was no room for denial.
Some suspected the Second Prince had orchestrated it. However, the Third Prince had left the crowd at some point. It wasn't until the Crown Prince was killed that he quietly rejoined the throng. He never dreamed that in the short time he was away, such a situation would arise. Moreover, as everyone looked at him with incredulous eyes, his heart sank, realizing something had happened and it was connected to him.
He couldn't comprehend what had occurred. When the Emperor questioned him about killing the Crown Prince, his astonishment was genuine. He hadn't done it, so why did everyone look at him with certainty? He vehemently denied it, but no one believed him.
Ultimately, the Emperor spared his life, exiling him to guard the imperial mausoleum, forbidding him from entering the capital for the rest of his life. This effectively ended his prospects. The Second Prince naturally became the Crown Prince, with no rivals. After the Emperor's death, he smoothly ascended to the throne as the supreme ruler.
Shortly thereafter, news of the Third Prince's death in the imperial mausoleum spread. By then, he had long been forgotten in the capital. No one paid much attention to his death; their focus was on whether the new Emperor's reign would benefit their families and how to impress him.
Based on her understanding of Sun Guotang from her past life, Wu Caiwei suspected there was more to the story. Especially now, she felt that the eyewitness accounts of the Third Prince committing murder could have been fabricated. For example, finding someone who looked similar to the Third Prince, dressing him in his clothes, and then luring him away to create the illusion that he was elsewhere, committing murder.
Although she hadn't interacted much with the Third Prince, he was quite intelligent and wouldn't have done such a foolish thing in plain sight. It would have benefited him greatly. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, which was why Wu Caiwei had actively sought him out.
Under Wu Caiwei's expert guidance, Lu Zi's martial arts improved by leaps and bounds, and his demeanor and conduct were vastly different. To further train him, Wu Caiwei entrusted him with managing their business affairs. During her free time, she enjoyed strolling through the streets, gathering information, and keeping an eye on Sun Guotang.
With the spring hunt still half a month away, she was confident they would make their move. To that end, she gave several young beggars copper coins and instructed them to keep watch in the alley near Duke Sun's mansion. They were to report any suspicious activity immediately. She had noticed recently that Sun Guotang had been frequently venturing out, heading towards the outskirts of the city. Wu Caiwei, with her keen intuition, sensed something was amiss and decided to covertly follow his carriage one day.
To avoid being detected, she rented a carriage herself, keeping a discreet distance from his. Approximately five kilometers outside the capital, his carriage turned onto a small path. To avoid drawing attention, Wu Caiwei instructed her coachman to continue forward.
After about two li, the coachman stopped. She paid him a sufficient sum and continued on foot, following the direction they had disappeared.
She moved cautiously, hiding and observing as she tracked them to two stone houses at the foot of a large mountain. Hearing the movement, an elder with white hair emerged from one of the houses. He exchanged a glance with Sun Guotang and then silently re-entered.
Soon, a rumbling sound echoed from within the house. If Wu Caiwei wasn't mistaken, it was the sound of a stone slab opening, indicating a hidden passage. She was certain. She strained her ears to listen, but the house became silent, with no further sounds. It was evident they had already entered a secret chamber. The strangeness of the place piqued her curiosity even further, making her eager to explore. However, she knew this was not the opportune moment and patiently waited outside. After about an hour, Sun Guotang finally emerged from within.