The Three Kinds of People on the List

After leaving the Gao Family, Di Qingyu went to Zhihua Pavilion.

Drawing on her exceptionally sharp memory, she swiftly wrote down the people and backgrounds she had just seen on xuan paper. Chunzhi and Xialin waited beside her, not daring to make a sound.

Half an hour later, Di Qingyu finally set down her brush.

"Chunzhi, give this booklet to Shao Chi and have him find these people. Give the ones with circles around their names aid in secret. There's no need to win them over or say much. If they ask, tell them they're being supported for the sake of the people of Xiling in the future." These were the strategists who had been loyal to her in her previous life.

"Put the ones with lines drawn under their names under surveillance. Investigate everyone they come into contact with and map out their connections." These were the strategists of those who had stood against her in her previous life, future allies of the second, fourth and seventh princes and the others. Killing them now would be useless; new ones would appear in their place. She might as well uncover every last detail about them.

After a pause, Di Qingyu added another instruction.

"As for those whose names are crossed out, kill them outright." A resolute killing intent showed in her eyes.

The third kind were the wicked officials who would one day oppress the people, sell out their country and commit crimes.

Chunzhi did not understand, but she obeyed.

"Yes."

She took the booklet and glanced through it. She immediately noticed something and ventured to speak up. "Mistress, if you want to fund these humble-born scholars' entry into officialdom, there are not only their travel expenses to consider, but also the silver needed to grease palms at every level. That's no small sum. I'm afraid the silver Noble Consort Gao lent us won't last long."

The people circled in the booklet were all impoverished scholars whose families had fallen on hard times, or who had no connections at all.

Unlike the descendants of great clans and noble families, humble-born scholars had no one to pave the way for them, though their families were still generally better off than ordinary commoners. If even they could not get through to the right people, it would naturally take even more money to grease the wheels.

Di Qingyu understood that too. "It's fine. We must win these people over. As for the silver, I'll find a way."

The shops she had set up earned quite a bit, but supporting so many people was ultimately like trying to put out a cartload of burning firewood with a cup of water.

That was why she had set her sights on the booklet concerning Du Chengji's embezzlement, intending to slaughter every fat sheep listed in it.

"Yes."

By the time Di Qingyu returned to the imperial palace that evening, Jieyu Wei, Wei Xin, had arrived.

"Your servant pays her respects to the Sixth Princess."

This time, Wei Xin had brought a palace maid with her.

Seeing this, Di Qingyu sat in the seat of honor, her expression impassive. She gave a cold snort.

"Your father certainly is fortunate. Even after all that, he managed to turn the tables against the wind and rise to the position of minister of punishments. But I had a hand in it too. Your Wei Family had better not forget what you promised me."

Wei Xin hurriedly bowed her head and said humbly, "Yes. The Wei Family will never forget the Sixth Princess's great kindness for as long as we live."

Di Qingyu regarded her with considerable disdain. "All right, sit down."

"Yes. Thank you, Sixth Princess."

After she sat down, Di Qingyu spoke again. "Wei Xin, I hear quite a few people have visited your family to offer congratulations these past few days. You must have received a great deal of gold, silver and jewels."

Wei Xin, who had only just sat down, immediately stiffened. She hurriedly said, "Your Highness, Father is frugal and incorruptible. Though he accepted those things, he recorded them all in a register. He will certainly return the favors in due course."

Di Qingyu's expression turned cold. "So you don't intend to return the favor you owe me?"

Her meaning was already clear. How could Wei Xin dare refuse? "Yes. Once I return, I'll write a letter to Father. The weather has grown cold lately, and it's time I got some gold and silver together for the New Year."

Clearly, she intended to send gold and silver into Di Qingyu's pockets.

After a few more words of idle chat, Di Qingyu raised a hand to cover a yawn. "I hear you're quite good at painting. The weather is nice today, so paint something for me."

"What would Your Highness like me to paint?" Wei Xin looked up in surprise.

"Paint me sleeping. As it happens, I'm tired. Once I lie down, I won't move for a while."

The corner of Wei Xin's mouth twitched. What did that have to do with the nice weather?

"Yes. I'll make the preparations."

"No need. Come with me. I'll have Chunzhi get everything ready."

With that, Di Qingyu rose and walked toward her bedchamber. Wei Xin hurried after her, and the palace maid behind her hastened to follow as well.

But Xialin unexpectedly reached out and barred her way.

"Stop. This is the princess's bedchamber. No one may enter without permission."

"I'm Jieyu Wei's personal palace maid. I can help."

Xialin's gaze sharpened. "The princess only mentioned Jieyu Wei, not you."

She seemed unwilling to waste words on her and simply blocked the entrance.

The maid frowned, but she did not dare say anything more.

Once they entered the bedchamber, where they were alone, Di Qingyu walked ahead.

"The empress has already planted a spy on you so soon." Wei Xin had seen that she never brought palace maids into her inner chamber; the scene just now had also been an act for the empress to see.

Wei Xin frowned. "Yes. The empress assigned her to me, and I didn't dare refuse. Otherwise, the empress would have doubted whether I had truly sought refuge with her."

"What did the empress send you here to do this time?" Di Qingyu sat on the soft couch and lay down on her side.

"The empress only told me to come win you over and see what plans you had going forward." Wei Xin answered first, then asked in puzzlement, "Your Highness, do you really want me to paint you?"

Di Qingyu closed her eyes and said only, "There's always a chance something will be overlooked. If you put on an act, you must carry it through."

Wei Xin understood at once. She immediately picked up the painting supplies Chunzhi had brought in and began to paint.

"Your Highness, it has not been convenient for my father to disguise himself and come see you lately, so he had no choice but to send me to thank you for saving his life and helping him rise."

Di Qingyu accepted her thanks. "The empress trusts you for now, so stay where you are. If she tells you to harm someone, use your own judgment. But if she intends to harm Noble Consort Gao, you must come and tell me at once."

Wei Xin's eyes showed surprise. "Yes."

She had not expected the princess and Noble Consort Gao to be so close.

Wei Xin picked up her brush and began sketching Di Qingyu's outline. "Your Highness, there's something I don't understand. When you went to distribute congee before the Mid-Autumn Festival, had you already laid a trap for the Du Family?"

Hearing this, Di Qingyu opened her eyes slightly and glanced at the gentle woman before her.

"Since you're asking, you must have a theory. Let's hear it."