“Princess?”

Seeing me in a daze, Song Langsheng shook the hand he was holding, “What are you thinking about?”

I looked at him as if waking from a dream, stunned for a moment. I wanted to tell him that Cai Mi didn’t seem to be Crown Prince brother’s palace maid, but mine. But then I thought, since I had been inseparable from Crown Prince brother since childhood, it was understandable that the prince consort had confused them. Saying too much would only add to the sadness. I smiled and said, “Nothing, I was thinking… I’m supposed to fake my death to fool the mastermind… that boat, yes, that pleasure boat sank, all the assassins died, Nie Ran survived, but there was another person on the boat at the time, and everyone saw her board with their own eyes.”

Song Langsheng led me toward the alley leading to the mansion’s back door, pondering, “The princess means… regarding Nie Ran, we could say he was skilled in water and martial arts, but if Fang Yachen was also rescued, the illusion of the princess sinking with the boat would also arouse suspicion?”

I casually pushed open the side door and sighed at him, “But she’s currently recovering from her injuries perfectly fine in our mansion…”

Before I finished speaking, I saw Song Langsheng suddenly frown. I followed his gaze and saw a person in the courtyard, wearing an outer robe with disheveled hair, standing in the wind. Who else could it be but Fang Yachen?

I could see that the cloth wrapped around her arm was seeping blood red. I coughed lightly, “Why aren’t you resting properly in the middle of the night?”

Fang Yachen looked at us expressionlessly and asked, “Where’s Han Fei?”

I was startled and looked around to see no one else, “He left. Er, he’s fine, you don’t need to worry.”

Seeing her staring at me unblinkingly with no reaction but her eyes still fixed directly on me, I secretly nudged the prince consort’s elbow, signaling him to say something. Song Langsheng frowned at her and asked, “Fang Yachen, how did you become a woman?”

I: “…”

Fang Yachen: “…”

After I brought Fang Yachen back to her room and carefully explained everything that had happened, she got up without a word and began packing her belongings. I sighed, “Are you really going to look for him? The road ahead is uncertain…”

“No one can predict what will happen next.” Fang Yachen looked at me, “Princess, do you remember what you said to me on the pleasure boat that day?”

I nodded slightly.

Fang Yachen smiled calmly, tying up her bundle, “Then why say more? Letting everyone think I perished in the pleasure boat, that there is no longer Fang Yachen of the Fang family in this world – for me, this is not without liberation.”

She efficiently changed into men’s clothing, bowed to Song Langsheng and me before leaving, too lazy to waste words lest she delay and fail to catch up with her Han Fei.

Song Langsheng stood quietly beside me the whole time.

I lowered my eyes, “I deliberately said all that to induce her to seek out Han Fei. I have my own selfish motives. If I only hoped for their reconciliation, I wouldn’t have let Han Fei take such risks – they could have lived peacefully together until old age.”

Song Langsheng made an “oh” sound.

I said, “I used national righteousness to make her let go of hatred, used cherishing those close to her as reason for her to follow Han Fei through life and death. It seemed like moving her with emotion and reason, but these were all surface efforts – psychological manipulation.”

Song Langsheng made another “oh” sound.

I turned my head impatiently, “Can’t you stop being so perfunctory when I’m feeling guilty and need comfort?”

Song Langsheng hummed and said, “These aren’t the princess’s fault…”

I waited for him to continue.

“The princess’s nature is such – why blame heaven and others?”

“…” I knew he couldn’t spit out anything reasonable.

Song Langsheng said leisurely, “Nothing is perfect. The scales in the princess’s heart already have their bias – how could they waver due to personal emotions?”

I looked at him sideways, “Prince Consort truly hits the nail on the head. Thank you so much for understanding this princess’s inner heart so thoroughly.”

Song Langsheng touched his chin and said seriously, “Actually, compared to your inner heart, I’m more familiar with the princess’s body.”

I nearly choked, looking up sharply. Song Langsheng smiled as he ruffled my hair, turned and left, ignoring my shouting behind him, “What do you mean… familiar… hey, isn’t your word choice a bit inappropriate? ‘Familiar’ refers to being so accustomed to something that you can do it very quickly… wait, does your comment mean that we previously had… Song, are you even listening to me!”

Within a day, news of the canal transport fire had spread throughout the court and beyond.

After the cabinet meeting, the Ministry of Justice was ordered to thoroughly investigate, the Censorate to impeach. Of course, before the truth surfaced, the court sessions were nothing more than the Crown Prince’s fury, the Chief Minister and Deputy Minister putting on a show of diligent investigation, while privately there were occasional rumors, mostly baseless speculation. Those who actually heard some inside information remained silent as cicadas.

On the surface, since it was the Crown Prince who proposed Han Fei as Inspector, and the canal transport was strongly advocated by Han Fei, now that something had happened – Master Han burned to charcoal, disaster relief grain blown to ash – naturally it was the Crown Prince who should be most troubled and worried.

Thinking carefully, Han Fei’s secret overland plan must have been disclosed to the Crown Prince beforehand. He was just putting on a show publicly while naturally having his own calculations privately.

I wasn’t sure if Crown Prince brother knew about my assassination attempt on the pleasure boat. Strictly speaking, the most dangerous person who knew was Nie Ran. With the pleasure boat sunk, Wei Qingheng would certainly demand answers from Nie Ran, then report this matter to the Crown Prince.

So I had A’You give me a simple disguise and personally visited the Wei mansion.

Wei Qingheng showed unusual calm when he saw me, indicating that Nie Ran had indeed informed him of my rescue. However, he first asked about Fang Yachen, suggesting Nie Ran wasn’t very clear about Han Fei and Fang Yachen’s movements.

After hearing my account, Wei Qingheng tapped the table with his knuckles somewhat irritably, “Nie Ran witnessed the entire process on the boat and knows the princess’s identity. This matter cannot be concealed no matter what. The Nie family is the head of the four great families, closely connected with court factions. If he leaks this news, wouldn’t the princess’s plan to fake death and lure out the culprit fall through?”

I said, “I originally thought the same, but there’s one point. Nie Ran doesn’t believe I’m the real princess – he considers me a body double. Think about it, if he really had some plan, he could expose my ‘fake princess’ identity or use this to make a big fuss. Why would he send assassins to kill me? So the mastermind definitely isn’t the Nie faction or their accomplices. Court factional struggles have always been incompatible – if I were on Nie Ran’s side and knew someone wanted to assassinate the regent princess, I would certainly keep quiet, letting the princess and Crown Prince deal with those people while I watched from the sidelines and reaped the benefits. Why would I spread the news?”

Wei Qingheng nodded approvingly, “The princess speaks reasonably.”

I said, “So regarding Nie Ran, I think there’s no need to worry.”

“No need to worry?” Wei Qingheng looked up at me, “I’m afraid the princess has really hit upon something. Since Nie Ran is convinced the princess is fake yet doesn’t expose it, he must be planning something big.”

My heart skipped a beat.

What Nie Ran said to me last night circled through my mind again: “In any case, if you don’t have a death wish, you can’t go back to being that princess’s body double.”

Yes, why was he so certain that my being the princess’s body double posed mortal danger? Looking back now, that confident tone didn’t seem like worry about my unknown future, but more like… he knew something, which was why he repeatedly urged me to leave the capital and guaranteed to protect me.

Seeing me lost in thought, Wei Qingheng comforted, “For them, now isn’t the time yet. The princess just needs to be mentally prepared. You are truly of royal blood – this point alone is enough to thwart all schemes.”

I forced a smile, “About the pleasure boat incident, how will you explain it to the Crown Prince?”

“Does the princess wish to hide your safety from the Crown Prince?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll act as if I don’t know the princess disguised herself as an Imperial Academy student and mixed in on the boat. I’ll tell the rest truthfully. Regarding Nie Ran, I’ll tell him this is the princess’s wish. If the princess’s analysis is correct, he naturally won’t reveal the truth. If he has his own agenda, we’ll wait and see.”

I looked at Wei Qingheng with considerable emotion. His eyes were peaceful and serene – calm, rather – not at all like someone caught in the storms of power. Yet this time he agreed to cooperate with me, and he should know better than anyone what the consequences would be.

The regent princess and an Imperial Academy doctor died on a pleasure boat he had suggested – how would he face the Crown Prince’s fury and officials’ impeachment?

Before the truth came to light, forget about keeping his position as Imperial Academy Chancellor – if he could barely manage to save his life with his abilities, that would already be extremely fortunate.

Wei Qingheng seemed to understand my expression and just smiled, “If this matter gets out, I’m afraid the prince consort will be hard-pressed to escape blame.”

I nodded. Exactly. The princess had sunk to the bottom of the river, yet the prince consort returned home without seeing the princess and didn’t make a sound – if that wasn’t guilt, what was? Most likely you’re also an accomplice, right?

I said, “We’ve already reached an understanding on this aspect, no need to worry about him.”

“Then why should the princess worry about me?” Wei Qingheng smiled, “Since this is a shortcut to uncovering the truth, it would be a pity not to try it.”

Seeing his attitude, I felt relieved and bowed, “Then I apologize to Master in advance and will make amends with wine another day.”

After leaving the Wei mansion, my anxious heart settled somewhat. I wandered around the market briefly before returning.

Of course, I didn’t return to the princess mansion but to a small inn in the eastern part of the city. Since I was supposed to be dead, I couldn’t keep appearing, and this way my movements weren’t so restricted. Song Langsheng had instructed everyone in the mansion to mind their own business – the princess was unwell and resting in her chambers.

In fact, there were basically no law-abiding people in the princess mansion. Spies sent by various factions made up at least half the staff. Han Fei’s little booklet recorded everything clearly, and this certainly included the mastermind’s people. So in consultation with Song Langsheng, we deliberately let those scheming maids discover some clues. When the mastermind learned of these leads, they would be even more certain that their assassins had succeeded.

After Wei Qingheng submitted his memorial and met with the Crown Prince, the cabinet had the Ministry of Justice investigate the Imperial Academy boat sinking case together. Besides the bodies of assassins who had disguised themselves as boatmen that day, they found the floating corpse of a woman disguised as an Imperial Academy student.

This was naturally the fake corpse prepared by the Bureau of Clear Observation to represent me. The body had been submerged for two days and was unrecognizable, barely identifiable as a female corpse. Presumably no one could connect this corpse to this princess – except the real culprit.

In short, we were waiting to see if anyone at court became overly active or conspicuous, in which case they could likely be listed among the suspects.

Unfortunately, things didn’t progress so smoothly.

Just as I was leaning in my inn room drinking plum wine and eating braised pork, Song Langsheng pushed through the door, smoothly took the wine cup from my hand, sipped it, and said, “Someone has noticed something’s wrong.”

“Who?”

“Shen Rong, the new prefect of the Capital Prefecture.”

I frowned slightly.

Wasn’t the Capital Prefecture the same office where I had impersonated myself to save the bun-selling uncle when I first returned to the capital after losing my memory?

I asked, “There’s a new prefect?” Right, after that incident, how could the original mindless one continue?

Song Langsheng said, “The new prefect Shen Rong’s father was the famous Shen Qingtian of Jiangnan.”

Shen Qingtian?

This name sounded familiar.

When I had previously reviewed the dossiers of court officials, seeing this name made my mouth twitch.

“Qingtian” was a nickname the people gave to good officials. Well, this fellow was directly named that – those who didn’t know would probably think he really was some great judge.

Though it seemed about right.

Probably because this name raised people’s expectations too high for him to become a clear-sky judge, creating tremendous pressure. Anyway, from the moment this Shen Qingtian took office, he began constantly trying cases and investigating, handling everything personally, working tirelessly. Not only did he handle new cases sharply and swiftly, but in his spare time he would also pull out old and unsolved cases from the office to study carefully. His rank gradually rose, and more amazingly, in every new position, he could find negligence by his predecessors in old cases, causing originally promoted predecessors to suffer unjustly. Finally, all court officials avoided him by ten feet, until he retired and returned home, restoring some peace to the blood-soaked official world.

I truly couldn’t understand how this fellow managed to retire peacefully.

I nodded slightly, “What kind of person is this Shen Rong?”

Song Langsheng said, “The student surpasses the master.”

I: “…”

At times like this, that saying was definitely not complimentary.

Song Langsheng continued, “Once he took charge of this case, he had people salvage the sunken pleasure boat, discovered the boat was maliciously damaged, found traces of fighting, and through the coroner’s autopsy confirmed that those boatmen all had calluses only on their right palms, clearly not people who had rowed for years, thus deducing this was a premeditated assassination.”

I rested my chin on my hand, “Indeed impressive.”

Song Langsheng also nodded, “He noticed from that female corpse a scar from the right wrist upward…” He looked at me as he said this. I was stunned and rolled up my right sleeve – there was indeed a scar. I couldn’t help but marvel at how meticulous the Bureau of Clear Observation was. Since they were faking it, they had to make it perfect, leaving no flaws for anyone to grab onto.

Song Langsheng didn’t ask where I had found such a corpse that resembled me so closely and continued, “When the princess was eight, she accompanied His Majesty hunting but was accidentally injured by a stray arrow. This incident caused His Majesty’s great fury and implicated many – everyone at court knows of it.”

I said with mixed feelings, “He couldn’t determine the dead person was me based on this alone, could he?”

Song Langsheng shook his head, “Naturally not just this. Princess, did you leave your jade pendant on the pleasure boat?”

I choked. It seemed… apparently… indeed… yes.

Song Langsheng spread his hands to me, “That settles it. Now this Little Judge Shen has urgently reported upward. What do you think the Crown Prince’s reaction will be when he learns that the woman who was assassinated was you?”

I suddenly felt my spine stiffen, “If I don’t show myself now, things will really blow up. With Shen Rong’s interference, I can’t determine who the mastermind is…”

Song Langsheng smiled noncommittally, “That may not necessarily be true.”

I looked up at him, “What do you think?”

Song Langsheng said, “This case was originally ordered to be handled by the Ministry of Justice. Later, because Justice Ministry Vice-Minister Jiang Feng claimed insufficient manpower to investigate the canal transport explosion case, with cabinet approval, the pleasure boat case was transferred to the Capital Prefecture.”

I tried to understand his meaning, “So… you think this Jiang Feng deliberately gave this assignment to Shen Rong because he knew Shen Rong was an official with keen insight, hoping to use him to make all court officials realize that the princess was assassinated?”

Song Langsheng said, “If I were Jiang Feng, in such sensitive times, I would never deliberately transfer such a seemingly ordinary boat sinking case to the Capital Prefecture, lest I gain a reputation for not being diligent in my duties.”

I pondered along his line of thinking and asked, “Whose man is this Jiang Feng? Chief Minister Zhao’s? Or Uncle’s?”

Song Langsheng said, “Jiang Feng is cautious in his dealings and doesn’t seem to participate in any political parties openly – neither Lingnan faction nor Jianghuai faction. However, I checked his files today. When he came to the capital to take the imperial examinations over ten years ago, he was a retainer in Prince Kang’s mansion.”

“Prince Kang?”

That somewhat solitary prince who loved poetry and composition, was skilled in painting and music, and compared himself to Li Bai and Du Fu – Father Emperor’s youngest brother?

I said, “We can’t conclude he’s the mastermind based on this alone, can we? Besides, what benefit would assassinating me bring him? A prince without real power – he couldn’t possibly attempt to usurp the throne, could he?”

“Though he lacks real power, he has the most legitimate status aside from the Crown Prince. Those with real power could use him for their convenience.” Song Langsheng pondered, “Of course, these are just our speculations. We can’t jump to conclusions about the truth.”

I suddenly felt very disheartened. This matter was already complex enough, and now the more I knew, the more confused I became. Was this strategy right or wrong? Just to find out who wanted to harm me, I had to implicate so many innocent people – wasn’t I on the same level as the mastermind?

I rested my chin on the table, “Forget it then. So many people want me dead anyway – finding out who doesn’t really matter.”

Song Langsheng glanced at me and remained silent.

Seeing his strange expression, I said sheepishly, “I didn’t say it was you… why are you looking at me like that…”

Song Langsheng didn’t say anything else, just pinched the flesh on my cheek and said, “A bit reluctant.”

“Reluctant about what?”

“Reluctant to let the princess be harmed.”

I straightened up and slammed the table, “What do you mean ‘a bit reluctant’ to let me be harmed? So you were originally hoping I’d be harmed?”

Song Langsheng laughed once, “Fine, then it’s… very reluctant.”

I turned my head away, “Hmph, perfunctory.”

Song Langsheng said, “Except for me, I won’t allow anyone else to harm the princess.”

This sounded so awkward. But come to think of it, he did have a history of harming me – the Forget-Soul Powder and such, though the one I took wasn’t the one he gave me…

I thought I wouldn’t feel heavy-hearted, but thinking of this, my heart still sank a little.

During these busy days, I had almost forgotten that the Forget-Soul Powder I took was deadly poison. In five more months, I’d kick my legs and roll my eyes white – gone. Instead of properly enjoying earthly delicacies and seeing wondrous mountains and rivers, I was running around for this mess. What was the point?

All to help that bastard Crown Prince brother stabilize his kingdom, and he was still the prime suspect for poisoning me. I mean, wouldn’t this princess be a bit too selflessly great to the point of seeming fake and saintly…

I turned my head back to stare at Song Langsheng’s face, finding it truly handsome, absolutely captivating at all times.

After I died in five months, would the owner of this face feel sad and grieved for me?

A sentence got swallowed back down my throat as I sighed listlessly.

He probably would… no matter what, there should be some gradual affection over time, right? Not just because of guilt, right? Right.

Song Langsheng messed up my hair, “I just pinched your face once – why did your expression suddenly become so rich and varied?”

I forced a smile, “My thought process just went off on some wild tangent.”

Song Langsheng: “…”

Finally, he accompanied me for tea and plum wine, straightened his robes, and said he had to attend to official business. I asked what official business. Song Langsheng said, “The Crown Prince wants me to identify the body.”

To identify whether this corpse belonged to this princess.

“So will you say it is or isn’t?”

Song Langsheng said, “To act, one must act thoroughly.”

“So you’re going to hold that already rotting corpse and cry, saying ‘Princess, how could you leave me like this, why didn’t you wait for me, who was it, who killed you, I will never forgive them’?”

“…”

“Can you produce tears? Should I prepare some chili for you to secretly bite into?”

“…”

Seeing his tendency to grind his teeth, I quickly waved my hand, “Alright, you can go now. Remember to prepare your emotions on the way…”

Halfway through speaking, I was pulled into an embrace. Song Langsheng gave me a big hug and said in a low voice, “If I had been a step later, that corpse might not have needed to be fake. Just thinking of this, I don’t need to prepare any emotions.”

My nose tingled.

Song Langsheng released me, smiled, and without another word, secured the door for me before leaving leisurely.

I touched the area over my heart, feeling an indescribable discomfort, but that discomfort didn’t seem pure – it also felt somewhat comforting.

So I was definitely emotionally twisted.

I sat alone drinking for a while when something suddenly flitted through my mind. I called toward a corner of the ceiling, “A’You.”

My female shadow guard jumped down with a whoosh, “What are the princess’s orders?”

“Just now… did you hear everything I said with the prince consort?”

“Yes.”

“You also saw us embrace before parting?”

“Yes.”

“Could you please automatically disappear from the room when the prince consort and I are alone together in the future?”

“For the princess’s safety, no.”

“…”

“In such situations in the future, I will automatically ignore it. The princess needn’t be embarrassed.”

“…So even when we’re embracing and beyond, kissing and beyond, intimately close, you’ll still dutifully stand guard?”

“I will not fail in my mission!”

“…”

I rubbed my eyebrows. It seemed this issue needed gradual guidance. “Where’s A’Zuo? On the roof?”

A’You said, “He went to the Imperial Academy.”

Oh right, I had ordered him to investigate the situation at the Imperial Academy.

With Fang Yachen missing and me missing too, the Imperial Academy couldn’t possibly remain calm. According to what the assassins said that day, there was still a spy at the Imperial Academy who knew my identity and provided intelligence. I wondered who this spy was and what moves they might make.

Also, Lu Lingjun and the others were still looking for me. I really didn’t know how anxious they’d become after hearing about the female corpse being found.

I guiltily touched my nose bridge. I really owed these half-classmates a great deal. When this was over, I’d definitely treat them to a big meal as an apology.

Just as I thought this, there were two knocks at the window.

A’You said, “A’Zuo is back.”

I said, “Come in, there’s no one inside.”

A’Zuo climbed through the window.

As soon as he entered, he came before me, stood straight, and nodded, “Princess, something happened at the Imperial Academy.”

I asked in surprise, “What happened?”

“A student died in his dormitory.”

My instinctive reaction: silencing a witness?

“Which dormitory?”

“Guangwen Hall.”

My heart darkened. As expected, it was someone around me.

“What’s his name?”

A’You didn’t even blink, saying coldly, “Lu Lingjun.”