Do You Trust Me Now

Cui Zilu?

Upon hearing that name, Luo Zhao was genuinely astonished.

Her phoenix eyes widened, the light streaming through the window lattice reflected in her pupils, making them glitter with surprise.

Even the jumble of emotions from before was temporarily pushed to the back of her mind.

Luo Zhao truly had not expected Gu Chengyin to appoint Cui Zilu as the new Chief Female Official.

In her original calculations, she already had someone in mind for the position.

That person was Gu Xiaoli.

After all, her cultivation was right there: half a step into the Nascent Soul realm, with spiritual power capable of shaking heaven and earth.

So, in terms of strength, Gu Xiaoli was extremely well suited to take over as Chief Female Official.

But after thinking it over carefully, Luo Zhao realized that Cui Zilu was actually quite suitable as well.

Not because of her abilities, nor because of her cultivation, but because of what she represented.

After all, the position of Chief Female Official had never been something one could assume simply by being powerful.

Ability and political skill were merely the most basic requirements.

Why had Shangguan Yunying been able to become Chief Female Official?

Was it because her abilities were exceptionally outstanding?

No.

Luo Zhao answered the question without hesitation in her heart.

Shangguan Yunying’s abilities were indeed remarkable, but in the vast divine capital, it was not as though there were no women more capable than her.

The reason Shangguan Yunying had been chosen, and the reason she had remained in that position for years, was because she was the eldest daughter of the Shangguan family and Shangguan Yuan’s only biological daughter.

That was the decisive factor.

As long as Shangguan Yunying served as Chief Female Official, the Shangguan family would automatically become half of the Crown Prince’s faction.

They did not need to openly take a side or make a public declaration. The mere fact that Shangguan Yunying was Chief Female Official was enough.

That was the true weight of the position.

And the same logic applied to Cui Zilu.

Cui Zilu was the legitimate daughter of the Cui family and Cui Shifan’s only biological daughter.

If Cui Zilu became the new Chief Female Official, then the Cui family would likewise automatically become half of the Crown Prince’s faction.

The influence that would have on the imperial court would be far greater than anything Gu Xiaoli could provide.

After all, this was the position of Chief Female Official. It placed greater emphasis on the court than on personal strength.

No matter how high Gu Xiaoli’s cultivation was, she represented only herself.

But Cui Zilu represented the entire Cui family.

The Cui family’s stance, its disciples and protégés, and every ounce of influence it wielded in court—

all of it would tilt toward the Crown Prince’s faction because Cui Zilu had become Chief Female Official.

That kind of significance was something personal martial strength could never match.

And most importantly, Cui Shifan had originally intended to form a marriage alliance with the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Marrying Cui Zilu to Gu Chengyin would have been equivalent to binding the Cui family to the Crown Prince’s faction.

The old fox had simply handled it cleverly. He had not openly declared his allegiance, but had instead attempted to achieve the same goal through a marriage proposal.

That way, he could advance or retreat as needed. Even if something truly went wrong with the Crown Prince’s faction in the future, Cui Shifan could still claim that it had merely been a matter of marriage between their children and had nothing to do with their political stance.

However, after the imperial decree had granted the marriage, the matter had been forced to a temporary halt.

The legitimate daughter of the Cui family could not possibly openly be made someone’s second wife.

And so, the bond that had only just begun to form between the Cui family and the Crown Prince’s faction was severed just like that.

But Heaven always leaves a way out.

If Cui Zilu became Chief Female Official, it would be tantamount to a marriage alliance between the Crown Prince’s Palace and the Cui family by another means.

Not through marriage, but through the position itself.

Once Cui Zilu became Chief Female Official, the Cui family would automatically be bound to the Crown Prince’s faction.

The effect would be no weaker than Cui Zilu marrying Gu Chengyin—if anything, it would be stronger.

A marriage alliance might still be based on private affection, but serving as Chief Female Official was an official appointment.

It meant that the legitimate daughter of the Cui family was serving at the Crown Prince’s side. Nothing could make the Cui family’s position clearer than that—not even a marriage alliance.

From that perspective, Cui Zilu could be said to be the most suitable candidate. She might even be more suitable than Shangguan Yunying had originally been.

“I have no objections. Cui Shifan should agree as well. It’s just that… what about Father Emperor?”

Luo Zhao voiced the concern weighing on her mind.

Clearly, whether Cui Zilu could become Chief Female Official would ultimately depend on whether Emperor Luo agreed.

After all, the imperial decree granting the marriage had been intended to separate the Cui family from the Crown Prince’s Palace.

When Emperor Luo had betrothed Lin Qingyan to Gu Chengyin, one purpose had been to weaken Gu Chengyin’s influence. The other had been to eliminate the possibility of a marriage alliance between the Cui family and the Crown Prince’s faction.

Because Gu Chengyin was marrying Lin Qingyan, Cui Zilu could no longer conveniently marry him as well.

It was a matter of appearances. Cui Shifan could never send the legitimate daughter of the Cui family to become someone’s second wife.

But she could become Chief Female Official.

Luo Zhao silently added that thought in her heart.

That old fox Cui Shifan might no longer be able to form a marriage alliance, but that did not mean he would refuse to let Cui Zilu become Chief Female Official.

Chief Female Official was a proper official position. She was the female official closest to the Crown Prince, and in terms of dignity, the position was no less respectable than a marriage alliance.

What was more, a marriage alliance meant marrying only one man—Gu Chengyin. Becoming Chief Female Official, however, meant standing directly beside the Crown Prince.

In the long run, this arrangement would only be more advantageous for the Cui family.

But would Father Emperor agree?

Emperor Luo had used the marriage decree to push Cui Zilu away from Gu Chengyin precisely because he did not want the Cui family to grow too close to the Crown Prince’s faction.

Now, allowing Cui Zilu to become Chief Female Official would be equivalent to pulling back the person he had deliberately pushed away.

Would Father Emperor simply stand by and do nothing?

Gu Chengyin, however, was not particularly worried.

The situation was different now.

If this had been the old Luo Zhao, then even if she agreed to let Cui Zilu become Chief Female Official, she would have demanded a heavy price from him.

Because even if Cui Zilu became Chief Female Official, she still would not listen to Luo Zhao. Most likely, she would listen to Gu Chengyin.

Although this Crown Prince’s possessiveness was not as openly displayed as Lin Qingyan’s, he absolutely would not tolerate someone at his side turning their heart elsewhere.

She could tolerate Cui Zilu becoming Chief Female Official. She could even tolerate Cui Zilu harboring a little interest in Gu Chengyin.

But Luo Zhao would certainly make sure that, first and foremost, Cui Zilu was her Chief Female Official. Anything else would come second.

The Luo Zhao of today, however, naturally no longer had to be so conflicted or troubled.

She had even offered an entirely new strategy.

Gu Chengyin’s gaze fell upon Luo Zhao’s face.

A trace of the blush left behind by her earlier fantasies still lingered on her cheeks, like peach blossoms in spring that had yet to fully fade. Though paler than before, they remained captivating.

Her eyes glittered. Within them was something rarely seen.

Unreserved trust.

“Your Highness, do you trust me now?”

At those words, Luo Zhao blinked.

Did she trust Gu Chengyin now?

Of course she did.

Luo Zhao reached that conclusion without the slightest hesitation.

The answer came so naturally, so inevitably.

It was as though she had asked herself the question countless times already and had long since known the answer, merely waiting for the right opportunity to say it aloud.

From the moment Gu Chengyin had drawn her into his arms, from the suffocating sensation that had made her whole body tremble—

she had already trusted him.

Not the Crown Prince’s trust in his Grand Tutor.

Not a woman’s trust in a man.

But the trust of the most obedient little puppy in its master.