If she hadn’t overheard today’s conversation between the Emperor and Li Shubai, how could she have known that the Emperor had stripped away his pretense toward Li Shubai and harbored murderous intent? How could she have known that Li Shubai’s situation had become so precarious?

The carriage traveled westward, stopping near the Kaiyuan Gate.

A crowd had already gathered there, everyone looking up at the city wall, engaged in heated discussion. Amid the clamor, Huang Zixia got off the carriage and raised her head toward the towering walls of Kaiyuan Gate.

Wang Zongshi watched coldly as she walked toward the city wall, then pushed the carriage door closed.

Huang Zixia walked step by step toward the front. On the city wall next to the tower, an elderly man stood above. In the howling winter wind, he stood at the height of the wind’s path, screaming with all his might: “Duke Kui plotted treason, and murdered his brothers—heaven and earth cannot tolerate this!”

Huang Zixia slowly walked two steps closer, silently raising her head to watch him from behind the crowd. Although the old man’s face was contorted and his voice had become unbearably hoarse, she could still clearly recognize that this was Zhang Xingying’s father.

“My son Zhang Xingying, as a guard of Duke Kui’s mansion, had long detected Duke Kui’s treasonous ambitions! He refused to aid tyranny, firmly rejecting collaboration with such deranged criminals! Now that treacherous Duke Kui has been exposed and captured, there are still those in his household attempting to aid him. My son, wanting to serve the country loyally, tried to arrest these remnant conspirators, but who knew he would fail at the last moment, falling victim to others’ schemes. Now that he’s dead, it brings glory to the Zhang family! It brings honor to our ancestral name!”

Huang Zixia listened to his hysterical screaming, remaining motionless amid the shocked discussions of those around her, feeling only that the sunlight behind Zhang Weiyi was so bright she could barely keep her eyes open.

She felt dizzy and could only look away from him.

She saw someone in the crowd not far away turn to look at her—it was Zhou Ziqin. His face was full of shock, panic, and disbelief. After seeing her, he hesitated, then tried to squeeze through toward her, but the crowd was too dense and his steps were blocked. He could only look at her from afar before quickly turning back to watch Zhang Weiyi on the city wall.

“Heaven has opened its eyes, our current Emperor is virtuous, all common people only wish to eliminate these demons early and restore peace and harmony to our Great Tang…” At this point, his voice became broken and inaudible. The wall guards, seeing his words becoming increasingly inappropriate, had already grabbed his arms and were trying to drag him down.

Huang Zixia stood motionless, watching the chaos above, seeming to see again that day at Xiangluan Pavilion when Duke E Li Run bitterly reproached Li Shubai.

Different people, same words, almost identical circumstances.

The surrounding discussions buzzed like a swarm of bees, rising chaotically in her ears—

“So Duke Kui was planning rebellion?”

“Who says otherwise! Duke Kui first killed Duke E, and now his close guard died trying to stop him, sadly failing at the last moment, ah…”

“I said Duke Kui was possessed by Pang Jun, wanting to overthrow the Great Tang empire, but you wouldn’t believe me before!”

“The Emperor is wise, and Duke Kui has been controlled, but who are these people in his household still struggling in their death throes?”

“Must be those eunuchs and such, what a pity about Duke E and this Zhang family son being so loyal to the country and people, yet they were killed like this!”

“If you ask me, there’s solid evidence of Duke Kui murdering his brother, such an inhuman person deserves death!”

“Well, before Duke Kui was possessed by Pang Jun, he did contribute to the state, and our current Emperor is benevolent, how could he just kill him?”

“Even if the death penalty can be avoided, there must still be punishment, either stripped of rank to become a commoner, or banished, or imprisoned, otherwise how can the empire accept it?”

Hearing these public opinions around her, cold sweat began to seep from her back. For a moment she felt disoriented, not knowing where she was, whether on that day at Qifeng Pavilion or below Kaiyuan Gate’s tower.

Suddenly hearing the surrounding crowd scream in unison, with some women and children’s voices particularly sharp and tragic, Huang Zixia seemed completely numb. She only opened her eyes wide, watching helplessly as Zhang Weiyi on the city wall broke free from all the soldiers trying to grab him, and in a mad cry, leaped down without hesitation.

It happened as quickly as lightning.

Huang Zixia’s mind went blank for a long while.

The entire world suddenly flashed black, then changed to white. After a long time, a vast grayish-yellow slowly surged up, gradually dyeing the colors back in front of her.

She stood woodenly, motionless among the panicked and scattered crowd.

Some people pressed forward to see the commotion, while others ran back in fear, seemingly afraid to smell the blood. Some shouted: “He’s dead, dead so terribly, his brains have come out!” While others held crying children, quickly trying to comfort them quietly.

Only after the chaos had mostly subsided, with just a circle of people around the corpse remaining, did Huang Zixia stiffly walk forward. The crowded people, seeing her terrible expression, fearfully made way, secretly guessing that she must know the person inside.

Huang Zixia walked into the crowd and found Zhou Ziqin crouching beside Zhang’s father’s corpse, dazed. Seeing her approach, he stared at her blankly before taking off his outer garment to cover Zhang Weiyi’s face, then stood beside her, speechless for a long while.

Seeing this, the surrounding people gradually dispersed.

The Capital Prefecture’s people finally arrived. Since Zhang Weiyi had jumped from the city tower to his death in full public view, the case was simple and all the surrounding people could testify. Therefore, the Capital Prefecture’s people only briefly recorded the witness accounts. The leader happened to have met Zhou Ziqin several times before, so he pulled Zhou Ziqin aside and asked quietly, “Ziqin, I heard this matter is related to Duke Kui?”

Zhou Ziqin froze for a moment, but finally nodded and said, “Yes… Old Zhang did denounce Duke Kui before his death.”

“What did he say?” he asked again.

Zhou Ziqin frowned in thought, but finally shook his head and said, “Everything happened so suddenly, and I was emotionally affected, I can’t remember the specific words… you can ask other onlookers around, after all, several hundred or thousand people heard Old Zhang’s words.”

The Capital Prefecture person naturally knew he didn’t want to repeat the evil words about Duke Kui, so didn’t force him, but cupped his hands in respect and said, “In that case, I’ll go inquire with other witnesses first.”

The Capital Prefecture’s coroner had already set up white cloth and cooling parasols, beginning to examine Zhang’s father’s body on the spot.

“Death from falling from height confirmed without a doubt.” The coroner made his initial conclusion and then asked Zhou Ziqin to come over and inspect. Zhou Ziqin, having encountered two tragic events today, was unusually silent, briefly examining with him again, confirming death from falling. The head was crushed beyond recognition, the neck vertebrae broken, and death was instantaneous.

“So many people watched him jump down with their own eyes, is there any question about the cause of death?” The coroner said, signing his name on the autopsy report.

Someone else said, “The cause of death is clear, but the reason for jumping from the city tower, that’s hard to say… should we write it in the statement?”

The leader shook his head and said, “It’s difficult to write, I think we should go back and ask for instructions first.”

Zhou Ziqin turned back to look at Huang Zixia in a daze but saw that her previously blank face had already become calm.

She slowly said, “Ziqin, go ask how Old Zhang got up onto the city tower.”

Zhou Ziqin responded and walked toward the tower stairs. Soon he returned, spoke briefly with the soldiers searching Zhang Weiyi’s belongings, then took one of the tokens and showed it to Huang Zixia, saying quietly, “He used this token to go up.”

Huang Zixia looked and saw it was a token from the Prince’s military forces, naturally belonging to Zhang Xingying.

She raised her hand to take the token and look at it, saying quietly, “This thing should have been carried by Brother Zhang… how did it end up in Old Zhang’s hands?”

“Could it be… Old Zhang got it when he went to identify the body at the mortuary?”

“Such official items would certainly have been safeguarded or sent to the Prince’s mansion by the mortuary, they wouldn’t have left them on the body,” Huang Zixia thought again and shook her head, saying, “No, this short time isn’t enough for Old Zhang to go from Puning District to the mortuary and back to Kaiyuan Gate near Puning District.”

Zhou Ziqin hesitated, asking quietly, “You mean… before Brother Zhang died, this token was already with Old Zhang?”

Huang Zixia nodded slightly, her voice hoarse: “Yes, it was probably prepared in advance… if Brother Zhang failed and died, Old Zhang would go up on the city tower to publicly announce this matter—in any case, it had to raise a huge storm, there could be no escape.”

Zhou Ziqin couldn’t help stepping back in shock, but his throat seemed to be gripped by someone, unable to say anything.

“I don’t know what virtue Duke Kui has that’s worth the other side being so ruthless… and what connection does Old Zhang have with us, why did he also have to be involved?” She murmured, slowly turning around, saying, “Let’s go, things have come to this, each step will only lead to more desperate circumstances.”

Zhou Ziqin couldn’t help catching up with her, asking, “What do you plan to do next? And what does… the Prince plan to do?”

Huang Zixia stopped, sighed, and said, “Don’t ask, Ziqin. The forces we face are too terrifying, I now only worry… everything I value will be drawn into this whirlpool, everyone I care about will one by one involuntarily become pieces used against me…”

Zhou Ziqin silently stared at her, his hands clenching and unclenching, finally, he said with difficulty but extreme solemnity, word by word: “But I will stand on your side. No matter what everyone in the world is saying, no matter how many people betray you, Zhou Ziqin will always believe in Huang Zixia.”

Huang Zixia’s eyes instantly turned red, the heat in them uncontrollable, about to burst forth. She tilted her head back, breathing deeply, and after a long while, finally suppressed the rapid beating of her heart, struggling to control her breath, saying softly: “Thank you. Huang Zixia will never disappoint Zhou Ziqin either.”

In the street outside the city wall, Wang Zongshi’s carriage was still waiting for her.

He sat upright in the carriage, silently watching her, not saying a word. Only after the carriage started moving did he leisurely ask, “What are your thoughts?”

Huang Zixia lowered her head and pondered briefly, asking, “Sir Wang already knew of this news, if you wanted to stop it then, perhaps… there was still time.”

“How could I have thought of something you didn’t think of?” His lips curved into a half-smile as he glanced at her, then said, “Besides, what connection do I have with the Zhang family? If not for you, why would I care?”

“Thank you for Sir Wang’s love and care, Zixia is deeply grateful.” She said with lowered eyes.

The carriage body swayed slightly as it moved, and through the window, Huang Zixia saw the young man on horseback outside, his delicate profile occasionally raising a hand carelessly to touch the drooping tree branches above his head, his face full of innocence.

Seeing her looking outside, Wang Zongshi said, “His name is A’ze. I found him over ten years ago, at that time I still liked to affect refined airs, and named him Yunmengze, but now I feel A’ze rolls off the tongue better.”

Huang Zixia asked, “Sir Wang, you hold the prestigious position of Deputy Commander of the Divine Strategy Army, wielding great power at court, yet you only have this young servant constantly by your side, don’t you find it inconvenient?”

“Doing things personally makes life worth living, otherwise what’s the point?” He lifted his eyelids and continued, “Besides, what matters do I have? Although I received the Emperor’s order to investigate Duke E’s murder case, now that His Majesty doesn’t ask about it, I have no way to proceed, everything has fallen to you now.”

Hearing his methodical words and seeing his impassive expression, Huang Zixia said nothing more and withdrew her gaze from A’ze.

Wang Zongshi smiled slightly and suddenly said, “Since we’re already accompanying the Buddha to the West, it wouldn’t hurt to give you one more grand gift.” He lightly tapped the carriage wall, instructing the driver: “Go to Xiuzheng District.”

The driver responded and immediately turned the horses around, heading south.

Huang Zixia asked, “Sir Wang, are you taking me to see Duke Kui?”

He didn’t answer, just leaned against the carriage wall, resting with his eyes closed.

The carriage traveled from north to south through most of Chang’an, entering Xiuzheng District. It stopped just as they were approaching the Imperial Clan Court pavilion.

Wang Zongshi pushed open the carriage door, gesturing for her to get out: “Enter through the right side door.”

Huang Zixia complied, entering through the side door. The guards outside the small door tried to stop her, but Huang Zixia gestured toward Wang Zongshi’s carriage, and they let her pass.

After several days, the plum blossoms by the river bend had bloomed even more brilliantly, lush and vibrant, glowing like clouds at sunset.

Huang Zixia walked slowly through the grove toward the small building where Li Shubai was staying, stepping onto the corridor that hung over the water. Her footsteps echoed gently, lingering in the air.

Just as she reached the corner of the corridor, she rounded a tree of radiantly blooming plum blossoms and saw Li Shubai standing in the corridor watching her.

The sky was as blue as azure, the water as clear as a mirror, with plum blossoms blooming on both banks above and reflected below. The entire world was draped in brocade, and as a gentle breeze passed between them, these magnificent flowers swayed and trembled in clusters, dropping petals like snow.

They gazed at each other across a heaven and earth of falling flowers. Though it had only been days since they last met, it felt like a lifetime ago.

His elegant and noble bearing remained unmarred, and his slightly melancholic eyes and the purple mirror-flower silk he wore, like the mist and haze of this moment, instead gave him an even more understated charm.

She had grown thinner, and the recent days of rushing about and torment had left her visibly pale and haggard. The spring-water blue clothes she wore seemed too heavy for her frail form.

He walked toward her, passing through the snow-like falling flowers, and gently took her hand.

He said, “Zixia, spring is still young, you should wear more clothes.”

She hadn’t expected these to be his first words upon seeing her again, and could only softly respond “mm,” feeling tears already welling up in her eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders, holding her for a while. All around them was the sound of flowing water and endless falling flowers. Petals dotted the water’s surface, creating countless ripples, one circle not yet faded before another spread out, the curved patterns round and continuous, never ceasing.

After a long while, Li Shubai finally released her gently, took her hand, and led her inside, saying, “You’ve been rushing about exhausted lately, encountering all sorts of changes, while I’ve been here enjoying leisure, unable to help you, I truly feel guilty.”

Huang Zixia shook her head and said, “Your Highness’s difficulties far exceed mine, I just… just rush about aimlessly, with no clue where to begin.”

Li Shubai shook his head slightly and smiled, raising his hand to pour her a cup of tea, and passing it to her. He held the teacup with three fingers, silently gazing at her, and asked in a low voice, “You’ve seen how the situation has developed, far beyond my control. If I were to ask you again now to leave the capital and avoid this trouble, would you be willing?”

Huang Zixia looked at his fingers, this way of holding the cup was deeply etched in her memory. The emerald tea and secret-colored porcelain cup, held by his three white, slender fingers—when they first met, she hadn’t seen his face but had first glimpsed his hand through the carved lattice of the carriage cabinet, like the color and grace of spring water and pear blossoms.

At that time, she could never have imagined there would be such a day.

Could never have imagined that she, who had been awkwardly dragged out from under the seat, would one day become the person closest to him in this world, holding hands through wind and rain as their world teetered on the brink of collapse, never abandoning each other.

So she shook her head and only asked, “If I distance myself from the storm, waiting in calm waters, can you guarantee you’ll emerge unscathed, not leaving me waiting in vain?”

Li Shubai gazed at her deeply, and after a long while, slowly shook his head and said, “I dare not guarantee that.”

The corners of her lips turned up in a smile that, though difficult, was incomparably firm, and she said, “Then, I’ll stay here. At least I can be closer to you.”

Li Shubai silently raised his hand, gently stroking her temple hair, saying, “Actually, I don’t want to let the wind and rain assault you.”

Huang Zixia raised her hand to cover the back of his, and asked softly, “Do you know… about Zhang Xingying’s matter?”

Li Shubai nodded slightly: “I already know.”

“Then, do you know about Zhang Xingying’s father… Zhang Weiyi, jumping to his death today from the Kaiyuan Gate city wall?” Huang Zixia asked again.

Li Shubai’s eyes remained undisturbed, only faintly “mm” -ing, saying, “I heard that before his death he denounced me for trying to overthrow the court, it seems the world’s prejudice against me may grow even deeper.”

Huang Zixia was shocked and asked urgently, “This happened not long ago, and I came directly here by carriage from Kaiyuan Gate, how does Your Highness already know?”

“Mm, I have my sources of information,” Li Shubai said, then pondered for a moment before nodding and saying, “It truly is a fine move. Seventh Brother’s death makes it impossible for me to stand firm in court, while the death of the Zhang father and son makes the common people fully accept the notion that I am possessed by an evil spirit. It seems my years of effort and great merit ultimately cannot withstand his assault.”

Huang Zixia said, “The many voices of the world are easily led. If he can use this, naturally we can too, and even use it to counter-attack.”

But Li Shubai only smiled slightly and said, “Such petty tricks are easily exposed upon investigation. Apart from those parasites who hope for chaos and the foolish masses who readily believe rumors, the greatest beneficiary would be the source of those rumors. So while the other side can use this, we absolutely cannot rashly employ it.”

Huang Zixia nodded, then frowned and said, “However, Your Highness must also know that now the various military governors are showing signs of movement, I worry…”

“The matter of Military Governor Li Yong of Zhenwu?” Li Shubai said carelessly, “Don’t worry, he comes from a merchant background, when commanding troops his subordinates aren’t loyal to him, what influence can he achieve?”

Huang Zixia looked at his expression and said anxiously, “If His Majesty blames you for this, fearing a connection between you and the various military governors, you’ll have to bear yet another crime!”

“I’ve already borne many, one more doesn’t matter,” Li Shubai, fearing she would worry too much, changed the subject, saying, “During this time, I’ve thought about various matters, but the one thing I can’t figure out is how Seventh Brother disappeared before us that day at Xiangluan Pavilion.”

“His disappearance must have involved some clever mechanism. But the key is the person behind the scenes who directed this play and made him disappear. I believe that person must also be the murderer who orchestrated the deaths of Zhang Xingying and his father, after all, such identical methods really cannot help but be connected.”

As Huang Zixia spoke, she raised her right hand, pressed against the scroll pattern of her hairpin, and pulled out the jade pin inside. She used the hairpin to draw a fine line on the small table in front of her, then placed her finger at the end of the line, saying, “Now we have reached this point, and tracing back to the source, it should start from the earliest—”

Her finger traced back to the beginning of the line, stopping there: “The death of Princess Qile.”

But Li Shubai shook his head and said, “No, it should start from four years ago, when I went to Xuzhou.”

Huang Zixia nodded, but then shook her head again, saying softly, “Or perhaps, it started more than ten years ago, the day the late Emperor passed away.”

Li Shubai nodded, and she made a light mark at the beginning of the line: The day of the late Emperor’s death, the small redfish.

Then, to the first notch: Xuzhou, Pang Jun’s rebellion, the talisman.

The third notch: Late summer last year, Princess Qile’s death.

Events spiraled downward rapidly, happening more and more frequently.

The fourth notch: Winter Solstice last year, Duke E’s disappearance.

The fifth notch: First day of the New Year, Duke E’s death.

The sixth notch: Today, the deaths of Zhang Xingying and his father.

And beyond these major events, Huang Zixia added countless small ones—

Master Shan’s small redfish, the dagger from Empress Wu’s time, the late Emperor’s calligraphy bestowed on Zhang Weiyi years ago…

She held the jade hairpin, silently looking at the faint line drawn on the table and the increasingly dense notch marks on it, just looking, thinking about what each point represented was enough to make one shudder.

Li Shubai also lowered his eyes to quietly look at that line, seeing how the trace of that line was like an arrow drawing ever closer, now right at their eyebrows.

His eyelashes, which concealed his gaze, trembled slightly as if struck by an invisible arrow. He couldn’t help but close his eyes for a moment before remembering something and asking, “How did you get in here today?”

“Wang Zongshi brought me, he said he wanted to give me a grand gift.”

“Is our meeting considered a grand gift?” He raised his eyes to look at her.

Huang Zixia thought for a moment, about to speak, when Li Shubai had already raised his hand to stop her.

He took a nearby handkerchief, dipped it in tea, and wiped away that faint white mark in one stroke. Huang Zixia still didn’t understand his meaning and was about to ask, when she heard light footsteps outside as someone walked onto the corridor over the water.

He raised his chin slightly, gesturing for her to hide inside, then poured her tea into his cup, using the handkerchief to dry her teacup and place it upside down on the tea tray.

The footsteps drew closer, and a familiar voice came: “Your Majesty, the corridor near the water is slippery, please be careful…”

Huang Zixia, hiding by the window in the side room, naturally recognized this as the voice of Xu Fenghan from the Emperor’s side. And the person he was accompanying was, of course, the current Emperor.

Over a dozen people passed by the window in front of her, their footsteps jumbled, and she instinctively drew herself in, lightening her breathing.

Li Shubai rose to welcome them at the door, and the Emperor, looking at the surroundings, said, “Fourth Brother, this place truly has extraordinary scenery, how do you find living here?”

Li Shubai replied, “Watching flowers fall while sitting, listening to springs while lying down, the magnificent scenes here are beyond words.”

The Emperor nodded and lightly touched his arm, saying, “Such scenery is indeed wonderful. Today I came specifically to have a cup of tea from you.”

“This humble brother wouldn’t dare.” Li Shubai said, inviting him to the seat of honor and personally preparing tea. When selecting teacups, his hand smoothly passed over the one Huang Zixia had just drunk from, taking another for him.

The Emperor maintained a gentle expression throughout, smiling as he held the tea, but only lightly sniffed it under his nose, saying, “All things in the world are interconnected. Fourth Brother’s brilliant mind makes you outstanding in everything, even the taste of your brewed tea is more lasting than others.”

“Your Majesty flatters me, it’s just that the serene surroundings bring out the tea’s true flavor,” Li Shubai said impassively. He lowered his eyes to look at the tea in his hand, which contained half a cup of Huang Zixia’s tea. Though he was typically fastidious and never touched others’ things, now, seeing the Emperor wouldn’t drink the tea he had brewed, he slowly drank the tea she had drunk.

The Emperor smiled and looked up at Xu Fenghan. Understanding his meaning, Xu Fenghan withdrew with the group to the outside of the building, keeping their distance.

After the footsteps faded away, the Emperor finally spoke, saying, “Now that we’re alone, let’s be closer, Fourth Brother can just call me Big Brother.”

“This humble brother wouldn’t dare,” Li Shubai immediately declined.

“What is there to be afraid of, can there be no brotherhood in the imperial family?” The emperor put down his teacup and sighed lightly, “Of our dozen or so brothers, some died young, some passed away in their prime, until now since my ascension to the throne, only you, me, and Ninth Brother remain… I never imagined that the misunderstanding between you and Seventh Brother would come to this…”

Seeing the Emperor choked with emotion, unable to continue speaking midway through his grief. Li Shubai said faintly, “Your Majesty misunderstands me. Though Seventh Brother and I had misunderstandings due to others’ instigation, it certainly wouldn’t lead to any irreconcilable hatred.”

The Emperor gazed at him pensively, saying slowly, “Yet everyone says that day on the mountain behind Xiangji Temple, you killed Seventh Brother in public… Everyone present can testify for Duke E, proving you killed him.”

Li Shubai lowered his eyes to look at the teacup in his hand, remaining silent.

“Fourth Brother, Seventh Brother always respected and loved you, and you two had the most harmonious relationship, but what did you do to make Seventh Brother, who trusted you most, willing to sacrifice his own life to publicly point out your crimes?” His voice was low, strongly suppressing his grief, “Fourth Brother, and what exactly are you trying to do that would make you disregard even Seventh Brother’s life?”

“Does Your Majesty mean to say that you believe this humble brother plotted against Seventh Brother?” Li Shubai asked quietly.

“I don’t want to, am unwilling to, and dare not believe it!” He said with furrowed brows, his voice filled with anguish, “But at Xiangluan Pavilion, I witnessed Seventh Brother’s bitter reproach of you with my own eyes; your killing of Seventh Brother at Xiangji Temple was witnessed by hundreds of Divine Strategy Army soldiers, how can you expect me to believe you?”

Perhaps due to being too emotionally agitated, after saying these words, the Emperor’s breathing became labored.

“This humble brother only wishes to ask Your Majesty one thing,” Li Shubai put down his teacup and said calmly, “That day at Xiangluan Pavilion, when Seventh Brother jumped from such a high pavilion in public, naturally there would be no chance of survival, so why did a person who was already dead appear again on the mountain behind Xiangji Temple?”

The Emperor’s expression suddenly turned ugly, covered with a layer of gloom. He stared at the calm-faced Li Shubai before him, saying slowly, “Perhaps the spirits of our ancestors in heaven protected him, allowing him to escape death.”

“Your Majesty is the ruler of the nation, do you also believe in these supernatural tales that deceive ignorant villagers?” Li Shubai’s gaze was clear, his tone like the current wind over water, flowing water and still clouds, “In truth, a person, whether commoner or royal relative, has only one life, and absolutely cannot die twice. So, if Seventh Brother’s bitter reproach and suicide at Xiangluan Pavilion were true, then the person everyone saw me kill at Xiangji Temple certainly wasn’t Seventh Brother; and if the one who died on the mountain behind Xiangji Temple was Seventh Brother, then the one who denounced me for trying to overthrow the empire at Xiangluan Pavilion certainly wasn’t Seventh Brother—Your Majesty, wouldn’t you agree?”

Though his voice was so gentle and soft, the Emperor frowned deeply, raising his hand to press his temples, leaning back against the armrest behind him, gritting his teeth, and closing his eyes.

“Your Majesty’s wise judgment, if you wish to condemn this humble brother, then I must ask, what exactly is my crime? Did this humble brother force Seventh Brother to his death at Xiangluan Pavilion, or was I witnessed killing Seventh Brother at Xiangji Temple—which one, exactly, is my crime?”

The Emperor’s forehead veins bulged, and after a long while, he squeezed out a few words through his teeth: “What… difference is there between these two crimes?”

“There certainly is a difference,” Li Shubai said unhurriedly, pouring him a second cup of tea, his voice as clear and slow as the flowing spring outside the window, “If Your Majesty condemns me for forcing Seventh Brother to suicide at Xiangluan Pavilion, then Seventh Brother soon appeared at Xiangji Temple, so this charge cannot stand; if Your Majesty condemns me for killing Duke E at Xiangji Temple, then who was it that slandered me with their death at Xiangluan Pavilion? How do we know this isn’t another case of slander through death? Therefore, this case must be investigated and examined further.”

Having said this, Li Shubai looked at the Emperor’s extremely ugly expression across from him, and even showed a faint smile: “Your Majesty, it seems there are too many questionable points in Seventh Brother’s death, I certainly cannot blindly pay for Seventh Brother’s life like this.”

The Emperor pressed his hand against the couch, slowly squeezing out the words: “What do you… want?”

“Though this humble brother is unworthy, in this vast world, there should be one or two who believe in me. Though I am here awaiting execution, Your Majesty must give the world a convincing crime. Otherwise, the people of the world will surely see through the truth, and then, I fear it will cause discussion throughout the court and common people, only adding to the trouble.” He said faintly, then fell silent, only looking at the Emperor before him, waiting for his response.

In the quiet room, the wind suddenly rose outside the window, gathering scattered flowers, and creating gentle ripples.

Letting the flowers fall like snow, he sat before the Emperor, his posture unchanged, not even his expression changing, still that same melancholic calm.

The Emperor’s face grew even uglier, even taking on an iron-blue color. He pressed his temples, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, his body even trembling slightly uncontrollably.

Seeing him in such pain, Li Shubai rose to help massage his temples, saying, “Your Majesty is unwell, why personally visit this humble brother? Simply sending someone to summon me would suffice.”

The Emperor pressed his head and groaned softly, batting away his hand that had just touched his temples, weakly calling out, “Fenghan—”

Though his voice was soft and lacking breath, Xu Fenghan, who should have been keeping his distance outside, immediately rushed in. Seeing the Emperor’s condition, he quickly took out a medicine bottle from his sleeve, giving the Emperor two pills to take with water.

Li Shubai watched coldly from the side, waiting until Xu Fenghan helped the Emperor sit back against the couch before walking to Xu Fenghan’s side and asking quietly, “His Majesty is unwell, why didn’t you advise against him leaving the palace?”

Xu Fenghan’s face was bitter as he said, “Your Highness Duke Kui, His Majesty cares about you and has long wanted to summon you to inquire about this matter. However, everyone in the palace advised His Majesty that since you are under house arrest here and public resentment is high, it would be inappropriate for His Majesty to visit. Therefore, His Majesty came to see you without telling anyone in the palace, truly showing brotherly affection—how could this old servant stop him!”

Li Shubai looked at the Emperor pressing his forehead and frowning on the couch, sighed lightly, and said no more.

Only after the Emperor’s headache had passed did Xu Fenghan carefully ask, “Your Majesty, shall we return to the palace?”

The Emperor nodded with barely perceptible movement.

Li Shubai bowed calmly: “This humble brother respectfully sends Your Majesty off.”

Huang Zixia held her breath, and even after the Emperor had been gone for a long while, she couldn’t move.

Only when Li Shubai came into the side room and sat beside her did she finally let out a long breath, feeling that her back had become slightly damp with sweat?

Li Shubai lightly patted her shoulder, saying quietly, “His Majesty has murderous intent, you should hurry back to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Huang Zixia raised her hand to grip his arm, asking with a trembling voice, “What about you?”

“I already said, I am here awaiting execution, sitting and waiting for death,” he raised his hand to grip her palm in return, gently intertwining their fingers, his face showing that faint hint of a smile again, “If I run away, then everyone under heaven will say I am the murderer who killed Duke E, and even if I save my life, what meaning would there be in living with my reputation tarnished and Seventh Brother dying mysteriously?”

Huang Zixia gazed at his serene yet determined face, and couldn’t help asking, “Is truth more important than life?”

Li Shubai couldn’t help but laugh, raising his hand to stroke Huang Zixia’s forehead hair, asking with a smile, “How can the world’s number one female detective ask such a question?”

Huang Zixia bit her lower lip, nodding silently, saying, “You’re right… no matter what the truth is, no matter how powerful the forces behind the scenes are, what I can do is always only to seek the truth, to give peace to Duke E who lies beneath the ground.”

“Besides, how this truth turns out is related to my safety, isn’t it?” He smiled as he gazed at her, then shook his head somewhat regretfully, saying, “Actually, being by Wang Yun’s side would be a relatively safe choice for you. After all, the power you face now is a hundred times stronger than you imagine.”

“I’m not afraid. When I left Shu and headed north to Chang’an alone, following your footsteps, I had already thought about it then—” Huang Zixia rested her chin in her hand, leaning against the window watching the flowers fall like snow, then turned back to look at Li Shubai, looking at his deep eyes gazing at her, saying slowly, “Once I took that step, in this life, I could never turn back.”

A natural marriage into a noble family, a peaceful and uneventful life, spending the latter half of her life as a wife and mother… everything was abandoned forever the moment she mounted that Fusha horse and galloped north.

From then on, her life would take another path. The mist and haze lay before her, her feet sometimes treading on fragrant grass, sometimes on thorns. When the clouds and mist cleared ahead, there might be a cliff or a smooth road—

However, whatever she faced, she would face it with her head held high, unafraid even of ten thousand difficulties and a thousand dangers. Because this was the path she chose. Because on this path, the one she accompanied all the way was Li Shubai.

She still remembered last year’s red leaves like flowers seeing her off from mountains and rivers, brilliant and dazzling. And now as she truly sat beside Li Shubai, the flowers were falling like snow.

“No matter what, at least today we are together, you, me, and countless blooming flowers. At least these times haven’t been wasted.”

“Are you satisfied with this gift?”

In the returning carriage, Wang Zongshi asked her impassively.

Huang Zixia bowed her head to him in thanks, saying, “Yes, Zixia thanks Sir Wang.”

If she hadn’t heard today’s conversation between the Emperor and Li Shubai, how could she have known that the Emperor had stripped away his pretense toward Li Shubai and harbored murderous intent? How could she have known that Li Shubai’s situation had become so precarious?

Although Li Shubai had temporarily defused the danger by using their tactics against them, as long as someone wanted to pursue it, there would always be excuses. Now that the court and common people had been incited, and people were full of doubts about Li Shubai, adding crimes to his name would be the simplest thing.

As if seeing through her thoughts, Wang Zongshi asked, “Do you know why His Majesty personally came to see Duke Kui today?”

Huang Zixia didn’t answer, only raised her eyes to look at him.

“I told you before, now all the military governors are showing signs of movement, and though the Divine Strategy Army is sufficient to control Chang’an, the regional garrisons can only be controlled by Duke Kui. Now His Majesty is seriously ill, the Crown Prince is young, in such circumstances…” he said to this point, narrowing his eyes to gauge her expression, “I wonder what His Majesty’s current attitude toward Duke Kui is?”

The roads of Chang’an were smooth, the carriage only swaying slightly as it traveled. Huang Zixia sat silently upright, only saying briefly, “His Majesty… seems eager to resolve this matter.”

Wang Zongshi examined her expression, and seeing she had no other words or expressions, finally said, “Don’t worry, even though he is the emperor, there are many things that aren’t up to his whims.”

Huang Zixia nodded silently, saying, “Yes.”

“Moreover, there are many angles to work with behind this matter, not just His Majesty can act, you, me, and even…” Wang Zongshi’s gaze looked back toward Xiuzheng District, then unhurriedly said with a half-smile, “Many people will seize the opportunity.”