Always thinking the eldest prince was inadequate for great use, yet despite being so terrified his not-very-sturdy body trembled, he still tried to protect him.

This scene, even many, many years later when he was no longer a youth, would make him lose himself in thought for a long while whenever he recalled it.

Perhaps the regret and guilt that could never dissipate from his heart also began condensing from this moment.

Hereafter, falling into eternal damnation.

No matter how clever the young Superior Minister’s schemes, he couldn’t calculate he’d become deeply trapped due to this mistake, unable to extricate himself ever again. He only knew all this was caused by his design. Though he absolutely had no intention of killing Zhao Ji, it was an undeniable fact that because he suggested sending the square sky gu, Fu Su was implicated.

But why did this single-minded eldest prince insist on shouldering all blame? If he, an outsider, took all the fault, it would be so much better, okay?

The young Superior Minister had no time to think more. He also directly knelt behind Fu Su, saying unhurriedly, “This gu was chosen by this subject. Unrelated to the eldest prince.”

“No!” Fu Su was furious to death, feeling his young attendant reader was truly wooden-headed. So what if he chose it? Without his approval, how could this square sky gu possibly reach before the Empress Dowager? Anyway, it was all his responsibility—why drag another person down? Moreover, protecting subordinates was his duty. Though Fu Su wasn’t very old, he knew that as an enlightened lord, he couldn’t possibly push responsibility onto others for everything.

The young Superior Minister calmly defended, “Your Majesty, the eldest prince indeed sent this gu, but no poison was applied to it. Please Your Majesty discern clearly.”

Fu Su also realized his earlier admission was obviously from being scared confused. He quickly remedied, “Father King, this son absolutely dares not plot against the Empress Dowager. Please Father King discern clearly.”

“Hmph!” King Zheng of Qin coldly snorted but didn’t rebuke Fu Su.

Fu Su prostrated on the ground, sweating like springs under the nearly suffocating pressure. He didn’t know if Father King was too furious to bother with him or too heartbroken to speak further.

Compared to Fu Su who suddenly experienced this drastic change, the young Superior Minister who’d had all night’s psychological preparation was much calmer. He’d already analyzed the King of Qin’s feelings toward Zhao Ji. To say the king had no feelings for this mother would be deceptive. But to say feelings ran deep would be even more deceptive.

If truly deep mother-son affection, Zhao Ji wouldn’t be confined in Yong Palace, never leaving once in ten years, the king never visiting her once. Their mother-son affection had probably long been completely worn away when Zhao Ji entangled with Lao Ai, willingly bearing children for him, even plotting the throne for him.

That the King of Qin still hadn’t established an empress probably stemmed from Zhao Ji’s influence—extremely distrusting women, even rarely stepping into the rear palace except for procreation.

The king’s current anger was probably more about someone touching his authority.

He hadn’t wanted Zhao Ji to die, yet Zhao Ji had died, even implicating the heir he’d carefully cultivated all along.

Bamboo scrolls and pottery fragments lay everywhere on the ground. But the King of Qin had already passed the initial violent fury stage—reason should have somewhat returned. This matter had one most untenable flaw the king should now have thought through clearly.

That was Fu Su absolutely had no motive whatsoever to kill Zhao Ji.

So the young Superior Minister’s heart settled. Raising his head toward the King of Qin sitting behind the desk with expression like still water, he earnestly requested, “This subject has deep doubts about this matter. May I view the Empress Dowager’s body?”

Pin-drop silence inside the warm pavilion. Fu Su’s suppressed breathing sounded even more unsettling. The young Superior Minister forced himself to stare directly at the King of Qin’s icy gaze, never retreating.

Perhaps after a long while, perhaps only after an instant, the King of Qin slowly stood, descended the steps, and turned toward the screen behind the warm pavilion.

The young Superior Minister quickly also stood. Seeing Fu Su rising somewhat awkwardly, thinking he’d knelt too harshly earlier, he couldn’t help reaching out to support him. After seeing him stand, he politely withdrew his hand.

Perhaps due to emotional turmoil, Fu Su’s forward steps stumbled somewhat, but not daring to delay, he strode toward the screen.

Because Xianyang City only had hot summers among all four seasons, the warm pavilion was where the King of Qin deliberated except during summer—spending most of the year here. Sometimes when state affairs were too busy, the King of Qin also rested in the warm pavilion. So besides the outer hall for deliberating with ministers, behind the screen connected to an extravagantly built sleeping hall.

Today, on the soft couch in this sleeping hall lay a woman with pale complexion—none other than Empress Dowager Zhao Ji of Qin who’d died suddenly.

Upon seeing, Fu Su couldn’t help stopping his steps. Having grown up in the deep palace, even when the Junior Superintendent punished erring palace servants, they wouldn’t soil his eyes before him. So calculating carefully, besides his mother consort vaguely seen in childhood memories, Fu Su was only seeing a corpse for the second time.

The young Superior Minister, upon rounding the screen, strode directly before the soft couch. He also knew propriety and didn’t touch the other, but from half a chi’s distance, carefully examined her.

By now the eastern sky had shown fish-belly white. Though many lamps and braziers were lit inside the hall, they still couldn’t drive away that chill rising from the heart’s depths.

Zhao Ji’s exquisite makeup remained on her face, but in such bright hall, one could already see clearly the wrinkles she tried hard to conceal, plus the wisps of white hair at her temples. Of course, most shocking was her pale complexion and the congealed black blood overflowing from her lip corners.

The King of Qin’s patience was limited. After just a few breaths, he asked in a low voice, “Can you discern anything?”

“This subject sees three points.” The young Superior Minister nodded, also unceremoniously speaking frankly. “First, the Empress Dowager’s expression is wrong.”

“How wrong?” Fu Su had now also recovered. Knowing he couldn’t expect Father King to converse with his young attendant reader, he stepped forward to stand beside the latter.

“Even the most powerful poison has onset time. The Empress Dowager neither cried out loudly nor had twisted expressions. It’s like… like she already knew she was taking poisoned wine.” The young Superior Minister also knew saying this would anger the King of Qin, but still after considering, honestly stated his judgment.

Sure enough, the chill inside the sleeping hall intensified several degrees. The young Superior Minister quickly continued, “But this doesn’t mean the Empress Dowager voluntarily drank poisoned wine.”

“Is it because of point two?” Fu Su perceptively continued.

“Point two is this purple clam hairpin on the Empress Dowager’s bun.” The young Superior Minister pointed with his finger, drawing both others’ gazes here before continuing, “Just observing the Empress Dowager’s makeup and robes and accessories she wore, the thought invested isn’t difficult to see. While towering cloud buns paired with hair crowns are standard combinations, even if the Empress Dowager loved this purple clam hairpin extremely, she wouldn’t hastily insert the purple clam hairpin into her bun without first removing the hibiscus crown.”

Hearing this, Fu Su’s eyes brightened. “This means…” He didn’t dare finish speaking, fearing Father King would think he was making excuses for himself.

“And see this purple clam hairpin’s insertion angle.” As the youth spoke, he demonstrated on his own hair. “This subject sees calluses on the Empress Dowager’s fingertips—right fingertips thicker than left, from years of playing qin and habitually using the right hand. Even inserting her own bun, it should be inserted in the right bun. Yet this purple clam hairpin is inserted in the Empress Dowager’s left bun. This means… at the time, a second person was in the hall. And this person very possibly is the suspect.”

Fu Su held his breath. The young Superior Minister didn’t say this purple clam hairpin might have been inserted by a maidservant for the Empress Dowager, because they’d both seen the gift list—this priceless pair of purple clam hairpins was sent into Yong Palace together with the square sky gu. Before this, the Empress Dowager had never seen this pair of purple clam hairpins.

Wait, a pair? Just as Fu Su thought this, he heard the young Superior Minister continue, “And point three—the gift list clearly wrote this was a pair of dragon-phoenix purple clam hairpins, but now there’s only one. Please Your Majesty thoroughly investigate. If the other dragon-shaped purple clam hairpin isn’t in Yong Palace, then it may possibly be in the suspect’s hands.”

The young Superior Minister’s deductions were all reasonable. His still-clear and tender voice echoed inside the sleeping hall, actually restoring the King of Qin’s usual wisdom. When he looked again at Zhao Ji on the soft couch, his gaze carried undisguisable disgust.

Seeing all this, the young Superior Minister quickly lowered his head. Everything he said was truth, yet not without guiding implications.

The Empress Dowager lived alone in seclusion ten years—why still dress so colorfully and exquisitely, letting someone so ambiguously insert a hairpin, without saying more it already made imaginations run wild, okay!

Seeing the King of Qin’s irritable anger transferring toward others, the young Superior Minister quietly tugged Fu Su’s robe corner, signaling him to admit fault.

Fu Su also immediately knelt again admitting fault, attitude sincere, reflecting that sending the square sky gu to the Empress Dowager was overstepping, but swearing to heaven he absolutely had no intention whatsoever of harming the Empress Dowager.

The King of Qin also didn’t believe he had this courage, but more or less had developed a grudge in his heart. Finally, he had him go back under house arrest, copying one hundred portions of “Canon of Yao,” “Counsels of Gao Yao,” and “Tribute of Yu”—whenever finished copying, house arrest would be lifted. The young Superior Minister received no punishment—unknown whether because Fu Su shouldered all responsibility for this matter, or because his deductions had merit.

But this crisis was safely passed. When the young Superior Minister followed Fu Su out of the warm pavilion one after another, he breathed a huge sigh of relief.

By now, the sky had brightened. Birds chirped in groups flying across the azure sky. Though deep winter, there was some feeling of vibrant life. The young Superior Minister leisurely thought—after this, the two were even. These coming days helping him finish copying books, he should be able to find an excuse not to be attendant reader anymore, right?

Just as this thought passed through his mind, the young Superior Minister discovered Fu Su walking before him swaying unsteadily. He immediately walked two quick steps to support his arm.

Feeling the other pressing almost all his weight over, the young Superior Minister froze, seeing Fu Su’s face pale, forehead covered in sweat, dripping down his cheeks in large drops.

Just wanting to mock whether the other was scared stupid, the young Superior Minister smelled blood.

The warm pavilion’s floor was covered in pottery shards. When Fu Su knelt earlier, his mind was shocked—he hadn’t the mind to notice, happening to kneel directly on pottery pieces.

His robes were also black—couldn’t see any abnormality. But his knees—touching them got a whole hand of fresh blood.

The young Superior Minister wiped his hand with a handkerchief, understanding belatedly. Earlier seeing Fu Su kneeling there constantly shaking wasn’t from fear at all, but pain.

That made sense—otherwise this eldest prince would be too pathetic.

Thinking thus, the young Superior Minister’s impression of eldest prince Fu Su improved slightly more. His hand supporting Fu Su’s arm also became sincere.

Fu Su thus also relaxed—first, he truly couldn’t hold on anymore; second, he felt his young attendant reader’s attitude subtly changed. Perhaps sharing tribulations, the barrier between them had considerably melted through this ordeal.

The two thus harmoniously walked out of the warm pavilion’s corridor. Gu Cun waiting outside froze slightly upon seeing, only then discovering his eldest prince actually had difficulty walking. He quickly rushed forward. But Fu Su gripped the young Superior Minister’s hand tightly, not letting him leave, while quietly instructing Gu Cun on various matters.

Since under house arrest, some things couldn’t be done, some people couldn’t be seen.

The young Superior Minister heard Fu Su not avoiding him at all, methodically instructing Gu Cun on matters needing doing one by one. Rare that in such brief time, he thought so comprehensively.

From the warm pavilion to the place outside the palace for boarding carriages wasn’t far, but because Fu Su’s knees were injured, he walked rather slowly—enough for Fu Su to finish explaining what needed explaining.

“At least let this subject apply medicine for the eldest prince before going.” Seeing his eldest prince about to dismiss him, Gu Cun quickly frowned with worry.

“No matter. Superior Minister Gan is here.” Fu Su said very naturally, righteously instructing, “You go quickly. Can’t delay even a moment.”

Gu Cun could only leave with frequent backward glances. After all, some matters only he, this Junior Superintendent, could handle—other eunuchs either lacked rank or weren’t sufficiently trustworthy. But before leaving, he still gave the young Superior Minister a pleading look, entrusting him to care well for their eldest prince.

Besides several guards standing there like posts, no one else remained. The young Superior Minister could only support this noble eldest prince onto the carriage, escorting him back to Gaoquan Palace all the way.

After sitting down, Fu Su ordered young eunuchs to fetch injury medicine while himself removing his robes. Looking at the young Superior Minister standing aside somewhat not knowing what to do, he smiled and sighed, “You suffered implication today. Won’t keep you here—go back and rest well.”

But the young Superior Minister didn’t move, even though he knew his best choice now was turning to leave—moreover, this was the eldest prince personally permitting it.

Yet he just stood there dazed, watching Fu Su remove his long robe. The inner garment at the knees was already soaked with fresh blood, spreading a large blood-colored stain on white fabric—looking shocking. He knew he should politely avert his gaze—see no impropriety. But he still stared there, watching Fu Su also remove that inner garment, exposing knees wounded by sharp pottery into a thousand holes.

The young Superior Minister suddenly could no longer move his feet.

All this was caused by him.

If he hadn’t conceived leaving Fu Su, he absolutely wouldn’t have suggested Fu Su choose some square sky gu to send the Empress Dowager. According to the Empress Dowager’s preferences, casually sending some bronze musical instruments would suffice to perfunctorily pass—these subsequent events wouldn’t have happened. Even if the Empress Dowager couldn’t escape death, it absolutely wouldn’t have occurred so coincidentally, making Fu Su unable to escape blame.

Perhaps the young Superior Minister’s gaze was too burning. Fu Su casually comforted, “No matter. I injured my legs, not hands—won’t delay copying books. Fortunately, Father King put me under house arrest—I gain some leisure.”

The young Superior Minister was silent for a long while, expressionlessly watching the young eunuch gently apply medicine to Fu Su, before cupping his hands to take leave.