Legend?

Ruyi’s expression turned somewhat strange: “What legend?”

If it were anyone else, Zhou Tingchuan would be too lazy to open his mouth, but since Ruyi asked, he looked left and right, then leaned in and spilled everything: “When His Majesty was still a prince, he fell gravely ill and seemed on the verge of death, but then he encountered our lord’s descent into the world. On the day our lord was born, stars fell upon the city like floating light. It’s said that when the wet nurse carried His Majesty into the courtyard and he saw the starlight, His Majesty was cured without medicine.”

“The astrologers said our lord was an auspicious sign for the imperial family, bringing prosperity to His Majesty’s fortune. As the astrologers predicted, as our lord grew older, His Majesty’s fortune improved more and more, eventually surpassing several other excellent princes to claim the throne.”

Zhou Tingchuan spoke while smiling, not believing it in his heart.

Most legends in this world are nothing but lies fabricated by those in power to consolidate their authority and status. This one about their lord was probably just to shut up the gossips.

But the girl listening across from him showed not a trace of mockery or contempt.

Her long eyes narrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.

Zhou Tingchuan blinked: “Miss, you don’t believe it, do you?”

Ruyi raised her head, her lazy and indifferent expression unchanged as always: “How could I?”

She continued listening to the commotion in the main hall.

He Zeyou, who had been dragged away, was soon dragged back.

His earlier anger and grievance had been completely worn away on the stone floors of the forbidden palace, leaving only terror. Upon reaching the imperial presence, he immediately prostrated himself: “This subject knows his crime!”

The sovereign waved his hand, his expression softening somewhat: “Enough, what grievance do you wish to report, beloved minister? Speak carefully now.”

With Minister Shen at his side, this was a genuine inquiry.

However, He Zeyou only kowtowed repeatedly: “This subject was momentarily confused today, offending Lord Shen and disrupting the government court. This subject is willing to accept twenty court beatings to apologize to Lord Shen. Furthermore, this subject will not keep those shops on Scripture Street either, giving them all to Lord Shen. Please have Lord Shen show mercy!”

These words made Shen Qiyuan appear even more like someone who bullied others using his position.

Yet the sovereign was very satisfied: “That you can think this way brings great comfort to my heart.”

He Zeyou: “…”

Shen Qiyuan spoke expressionlessly: “The Ningyuan Marquis disrupted the court and should apologize to the Lin’an magistrate’s office – it has nothing to do with me. As for the shops on Scripture Street, they never belonged to the marquis in the first place and should naturally be returned to the Liu family. What do you mean by giving them to me?”

He Zeyou’s heart burned with hatred.

He had thought that with his achievements, even if he couldn’t win this lawsuit, he could at least drag Shen Qiyuan down with him. He never expected that this usually strict and impartial sovereign, upon encountering Shen Qiyuan, would become completely unreasonable, not even giving him an opening.

In his anger, he couldn’t help but reassess Shen Qiyuan as a person.

This man never attended morning court and rarely appeared at various tea parties or polo matches, which was why he didn’t know him well. He hadn’t realized that his position in His Majesty’s heart was even higher than those favored ministers like Yuncheng and Haiyan.

If he insisted on helping Liu Ruyi, then there was no hope for the shop matter.

He Zeyou’s entire spirit deflated.

As the sovereign listened, he suddenly said, “Is this a Liu family member the witness you mentioned earlier?”

Shen Qiyuan bowed: “Precisely. This subject has brought her here; she awaits summons in the side hall.”

He Zeyou was startled, speaking with some panic: “She’s just a country woman – why did you bring her here, my lord? What if she offends His Sacred Majesty?”

Shen Qiyuan said calmly, “It’s not to bring charges against the marquis. The marquis may rest assured.”

Oh, that’s good then.

He Zeyou breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next instant, he realized his reaction was somewhat inappropriate and laughed dryly: “What charges could there be against me? Lord Shen must be joking.”

Shen Qiyuan paid him no further attention.

The sovereign pondered: “I initially granted a month for Minister Shen to solve that case of stolen treasures from the forbidden palace. Minister Shen must have results.”

“Yes.”

Shen Qiyuan spoke formally: “This subject requests that Lord Zhuo and Lord Lin from the Ministry of Justice, Commander Xu of the Imperial Guards, scribes and recorders, along with witnesses Lady Liu and Lady Zheng, enter the hall to present the case.”

“Granted.”

Above the forbidden palace, dark clouds had originally filled the sky, but suddenly a wind came, autumn sun breaking through, spilling golden light upon the yellow tiles and red walls.

High ministers and imperial clan members serving as witnesses all wore their court robes, filing in one by one. Shen Qiyuan stood in the center of the great hall, his jade ornaments silent, his ceremonial tassels dignified.

“Gentlemen, please listen: The forbidden grounds, entrusted with our Sacred Lord’s safety and connected to our subjects’ hearts, are therefore protected by tens of thousands of elite soldiers and hundreds of loyal servants, patrolling inside and out day and night without rest, thus maintaining fortress-like security. Yet now there are petty criminals with treasonous hearts who have disrupted the established patrol system, stolen rare treasures from the forbidden palace, smuggled them across the river for sale, filling their private coffers.”

The high ministers in the hall erupted in uproar. Lord Zhuo from the Ministry of Justice couldn’t help but slam the table: “This is outrageous! Who would so betray imperial grace?”

Shen Qiyuan looked toward Xu Houde, who remained unmoved by the eight winds at his side: “There have been failures in the forbidden palace patrols – did you notice, my lord?”

Somewhat surprised to be looked at, only then did Xu Houde sense trouble. He stepped forward and bowed to His Majesty: “Your Majesty, this humble subject is guilty. Recently, the Empress has been unwell, and mindful of sibling affection, I stationed myself only near the central palace, neglecting other areas. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”

Ruyi stood in the corner at the back of the hall. Looking past layers of official caps and luxurious robes, she caught sight of Shen Qiyuan’s slightly mocking smile.

She raised an eyebrow.

She had never seen Shen Qiyuan like this before. The crimson purple official robe made his neck appear snow-white, and the teardrop mole under his eye looked gentle, but his entire being was like an Emei needle – sharp and keen, not concealing its blade’s light.

“Lord Xu says he neglected other areas, but that may not be so.” He took the ledger Zhou Tingchuan handed him, opened a page, and gave it to the palace attendant. “The palace patrol records show that guard rotations at the Guangchu Pavilion have been unusually frequent these past four months, far exceeding previous patterns.”

Xu Houde maintained his righteous expression: “The Guangchu Pavilion houses the forbidden palace’s treasures, so naturally, guards must be rotated more frequently to ensure absolute security.”

“How coincidental – the previous guards made no errors or omissions, yet after the frequent rotations began, forbidden palace treasures started appearing on the black market.” Shen Qiyuan looked at him. “How do you explain this, my lord?”

Xu Houde knelt and kowtowed to the sovereign: “This matter is this humble subject’s dereliction of duty. This humble subject willingly accepts punishment.”

The sovereign deeply loved the Empress, and she had only this one brother. Dereliction of duty – for others it might mean demotion or exile, but for him it was inconsequential. Xu Houde had long calculated this.

However, Shen Qiyuan said: “My lord, this is not dereliction of duty.”

Xu Houde was stunned and turned to look at him.

Shen Qiyuan stood beside him, his features cold and hard: “My lord is greedy. Imperial grace and favor still seem insufficient; you covet the wealth of a hundred cities. Establishing black markets, trafficking rare treasures, bribing corrupt officials – every deed defies His Majesty, betrays the Empress, and cannot be redeemed even by death.”

Like thunder on level ground, the entire hall erupted in chaos. The sovereign’s face darkened, Xu Houde became both panicked and angry, yet he alone stood in place, polished but not worn down, rising noble and brilliant as morning clouds.

Qingyi stared wide-eyed, unable to help murmuring: “To think there are still such upright and indomitable people in this world.”

He turned his head and noticed Ruyi was also watching Shen Qiyuan, saying involuntarily: “Miss, you think so too, don’t you?”

Ruyi withdrew her gaze from his straight, lean waist, smiling and about to respond, when her elbow was suddenly grabbed roughly, followed by a sharp, piercing pain penetrating the back of her neck.