Madam Huo, Princess Lian Yue, entered the palace the next day.

After paying respects to Xiao’an, Xiao’an sighed and said, “When you have time, go see your sister. That Lian Xin really gives me headaches—she throws tantrums every few days. When asked what’s wrong, she refuses to say. A few days ago she kept leaving the palace to run wild, so I punished her with confinement. These past two days, seeing her listless, I even lifted the palace restrictions, but she still looks half-dead. If she could be like you even a little, I would be at peace.”

Lian Yue smiled and said she would go see what trouble her sister was causing for the old ancestor.

Xiao’an waved her hand and said, “Go then.”

Lian Yue didn’t hate Xiao’an as much as her birth mother Consort Jin did. Though she also feared this woman, she had some admiration for her, and because she was Huo Chang’an’s aunt, she was particularly respectful on the surface. Consort Jin had left the palace years ago to recuperate at a suburban palace, ostensibly for rest but really to avoid mutual animosity with Xiao’an—either I can’t help but eliminate you, or you can’t help but eliminate me.

Lian Yu and Lian Jie had deep brotherhood, making it impossible for them to act, so they went their separate ways, but conflict would probably arise sooner or later.

She frowned slightly, deciding not to think about such things for now, and went to Lian Xin’s chambers.

Lian Xin was destroying potted plants and flowers, crushing them all over the floor.

She couldn’t help but laugh, and Lian Xin, seeing it was her, ran over to hug her arm, saying, “Sister, you’ve finally come. I’m so bored I could die.”

“If you’re bored, go out of the palace to play,” Lian Yue reached out to pinch her nose. “You’re not Sixth Young Master’s consort or a sister-in-law—you have much more freedom.”

“Where else can I go?” Lian Xin sighed. “It’s not like other women who have other places to go. This heavily guarded place is my home. Truth be told, I’m not as free as a consort—look how much freer Wuyan is than me.”

“How so?”

“She left the palace, went home—well, probably made an excuse to find my Sixth Brother. I deliberately told her the other day that I just can’t stand seeing Li Huaisu getting close to my Sixth Brother…” Lian Xin suddenly fell silent, but saw Lian Yue didn’t seem to pursue what she said after, but was slightly shocked, her expression showing surprise mixed with fierceness. She couldn’t help but wonder, “Sister, what’s wrong with you?”

Lian Yue almost instantly returned to normal and smiled, “Nothing, just didn’t expect that Wei Wuyan would do such a thing.”

“Sixth Brother has many women. You think he’s like cousin, who only has you? Cousin treats you… tsk tsk, that’s incredibly good.”

Lian Xin said this and called out softly several times.

Lian Yue saw the undisguised jealousy in her eyes, but unlike usual, she found nothing amusing about it. Her heart only surged with waves of hatred, thinking this woman was truly stupid to the extreme.

Last night, Huo Chang’an had Ji’er Zhang return to the residence to report that he was leaving the capital for a walk, without specifying where, only mobilizing some guards. She had thought he was visiting old subordinates—occasionally former soldiers would invite him to their residences for drinks.

But now it seemed very likely that Wei Wuyan had left the capital and Huo Chang’an had followed her!

It was all this woman’s fault!

She no longer comforted her and hurriedly said goodbye. Lian Xin didn’t mind—this princess was now completely absent-minded. As she walked a few steps, she turned back and smiled, “Xin’er, I’ve been quite melancholy lately too. If I weren’t already married, I’d really want to do some wild and reckless things to vent.”

Lian Xin’s eyes immediately brightened, “What things? Tell me!”

Lian Yue slowly covered her mouth, “I misspoke. If you did something inappropriate, wouldn’t I be to blame? Then the Empress Dowager and His Majesty would surely blame me.”

How could Lian Xin let this go? She walked in front of her, “I won’t act rashly. Good sister, just tell me. Even if I really did something, I wouldn’t implicate you—it’s not like you told me to do it.”

Lian Yue, seeing her take the bait, smiled slightly and said, “Nothing really, just feeling inspired by the Minshan Prefecture Magistrate Huang’s case. If the various ministers can’t gather evidence to bring him to justice, I really want to go teach that man a lesson myself.”

Lian Xin nodded vigorously, her eyes brightening greatly, “Exactly! That corrupt official is too detestable. I heard Mother Empress say this case involves pivotal neutral faction veteran ministers in court, so Brother might not find it convenient to deal with him. That Gao Chaoyi who went there might just be putting on a show. If I went, I’d definitely kill that corrupt and lawless dog official.”

Lian Yue smiled without saying more and took her leave.

Leaving the palace, she ordered her guards and maids, “To Chuhe Prefecture.”

Her personal maid was startled, “Madam, why go to Chuhe Prefecture?”

Lian Yue looked distantly ahead. Lian Yu went to Chuhe Prefecture, so Wei Wuyan would naturally go there to pursue him, not to mention Huo Chang’an!

…

That same evening, another carriage quietly left the imperial city, heading in the opposite direction from Lian Yue’s carriage.

At the suburban inn, after two days of rain, the weather cleared.

Shuangcheng gathered her bundle and stepped out the door she hadn’t left for two days.

The guards outside were startled to see her luggage suggesting a long journey, “Miss, where are you going?”

“Minshan Prefecture.”

Shuangcheng’s lips parted slightly. The soldiers were even more shocked, and several immediately said in unison, “Our master ordered Miss to wait here for his return. Please don’t make things difficult for us.”

Under the vast sky, everything seemed like ink wash painting in Shuangcheng’s eyes. She said softly, “Everyone in this world makes things difficult for me—why should I make things easy for you?”

The lead captain gestured to the guard beside her, intending to risk offense by restraining this woman and asking the Emperor’s forgiveness later—this young lady’s safety was personally entrusted by His Majesty. But suddenly, silver light flashed, and the woman already held a dagger to her throat, her gaze ice-cold and intimidating, “If you can’t escort me to Minshan Prefecture, then I’ll go myself. But if you try to stop me, I’ll kill myself immediately. See if you can explain that when he returns.”

Everyone was greatly alarmed. Shuangcheng smiled inwardly like a trembling flower, “Lian Yu, when you return from Chuhe Prefecture and learn I’ve gone to Quan Feitong’s side, will you be nervous? Will you come find me? I don’t want to make things difficult for you, but I absolutely refuse to watch you fall in love with a substitute, even if she’s only my substitute.”