Episode 4 plot introduction

The Chu Dynasty's counterattack gradually extended from trivial matters in the palace to undercurrents in the court.Xiao Xun found that she no longer relied on him as wholeheartedly as before, so he began to speed up the marriage.While showing goodwill to the Chu Dynasty, he also used the relationship between the Xiaonan Palace and the palace to exert pressure, hoping that the marriage grant would become an unchangeable fact as soon as possible.The Chu Dynasty knew that if he directly resisted the order, it would only leave Xiao Xun with the leverage to attack the Chu family.She could only find a gap between the emperor's order and her father's safety, neither allowing the marriage to happen nor allowing Chu Cen to be charged with disobedience.

Fu Jiu followed the Chu Dynasty's instructions and continued to trace Xiao Xun's men, and found that several forces in the capital were surrounding the Chu family.In addition to Xiao Xun, there are also people in the Xie family who are paying attention to the news in the General's Mansion.Xie Yanlai was still just a concubine of the Xie family at this time. His status was awkward and he was not conspicuous among the powerful.The Chu Dynasty had limited knowledge of him in his previous life, but he realized from some details that this man was not an ordinary child who could be manipulated by others.When she and Xie Yanlai had their first real confrontation, neither of them spoke clearly, but both could tell that the other was hiding something.

Chu Chao took advantage of an outing to deliberately let Xiao Xun's people think that she was still worried about her marriage, but in fact, he secretly contacted channels that could send the news to the border.She wanted her father to know that Xiao Xun's goal was not just to marry her, but to use her to control the Chu family's military power.Fu Jiu was worried that the operation would be too risky and advised her not to get involved personally.However, Chu Chao understood that in his previous life, it was precisely because he knew nothing that Chu Cen was allowed to bear all the risks alone.Now that she is back, she can no longer hide behind her father.

The appearance of Xie Yanlai added another layer of change to the situation.He is cynical on the surface, but is actually very sensitive to the cold looks and calculations of the powerful in the capital.The Chu Dynasty saw in him a struggle similar to his own: one was the daughter of a general who was treated as a pawn, and the other was a bastard who was despised by the family.After the two had a brief contact, Chu Chao did not trust him immediately, but remembered his astuteness.Xie Yanlai also became interested in Chu Chao's sudden vigilance and began to pay attention to the changes between her and Xiao Xun.

Xiao Xun did not notice that Chu Chao had turned his attention to the larger chess game.He still thought that as long as he stabilized her, he could use the Chu family to smoothly ascend to power.Chu Chao returned to his mansion and received a response from the border direction, confirming that Fu Jiu's channel was available.She finally had her first initiative.In Episode 4, the Chu Dynasty no longer just avoids marriage, but begins to make plans to contain Xiao Xun; Xie Yanlai's thread also quietly enters her destiny, and the two people who should not be side by side are slowly getting closer under the undercurrent of power.

The Chu Dynasty then used the pretext of sorting out the dowry to dig out the old things sent by Chu Cen one by one.Those bowstrings, riding whips and military tokens from the desert reminded her again of her father's situation at the border.She knew that what Xiao Xun was really afraid of was not herself, but the military power in Chu Cen's hands that could guard the border.If his father is forced to go to Beijing, the frontier army will lose its most stable backbone.The Chu Dynasty asked Fu Jiu to bring an old token back to Yunzhong County, along with a secret code that only the father and daughter could understand, reminding Chu Cen not to trust the imperial summons.After the arrangements were made, she appeared in front of Xiao Xun as usual, and even took the initiative to ask about the wedding system.Xiao Xun saw that she seemed to soften and her expression finally relaxed, but Chu Chao remembered every word he said in his heart, and also clearly remembered the flaw in his eagerness to get married.