Imperial Palace

“Seventh Brother, there’s no need to seek out the Princess Imperial for this matter—it would be useless even if we did! Regarding Wuyan’s affair, she not only harbors resentment against me, but you bear the brunt of it as well.”

“Yes, Imperial Sister indeed looks unfavorably upon me now, but this matter requires someone from the imperial family. Besides her, who else would be suitable?”

As Shuangcheng walked into the courtyard, she heard these words and paused slightly. She hadn’t expected that despite the late hour, Lian Yu would still have summoned a group of people to discuss matters in the courtyard.

Aside from National Uncle Murong Jinghou who hadn’t been disturbed in the night, Lian Jie, Lian Qin, Yan Da, Gao Chaoyi, Si Lanfeng and others had all arrived.

Everyone’s expressions weren’t particularly good, and Lian Yu’s brow carried an especially cold sternness.

Seeing her approach, everyone hastily paid their respects.

She smiled and returned the courtesy, asking Lian Yu, “Am I interfering with your discussion?”

Lian Yu’s expression softened slightly. “No.”

“Everyone disperse. We’ll discuss this again tomorrow,” he commanded.

Everyone withdrew. Lian Yu took her hand and was preparing to go inside when Xuanwu walked in from outside the gate, seemingly with urgent business to discuss. Shuangcheng said, “You attend to your business first. I’ll return to the sleeping quarters to wait for you.”

Lian Yu nodded. “Good. I’ll come find you shortly.”

Shuangcheng left with Xiao Mei, but after a moment’s consideration, she turned back and caught up with them.

“Seventh Prince, Ninth Prince, Prime Minister Yan, please wait.”

Upon hearing her call from behind, Lian Jie and the others immediately stopped. Years ago, several of them had been study companions in their youth. Compared to Shuangcheng, her significance to Lian Yu was incomparable. Now that Lian Yu had acknowledged her, though the two felt somewhat regretful in their hearts due to their past friendship with Suzhen, their attitude toward her was far more respectful than when she was Shuangcheng. The three—Yan Da and the others—were shrewd individuals, and needless to say, they were also thoroughly courteous.

“The inner palace should not interfere in government affairs, but seeing His Majesty troubled, I presume to ask—what matter do you need the Princess Imperial’s assistance with? When I was Shuangcheng, I had little interaction with her, but back when I was still Aluo, I could indeed exchange a few words with her. Perhaps it’s more convenient for women to speak with each other. Seventh Prince, if needed, I can go find the Princess Imperial. I wish to share His Majesty’s burdens.”

Lian Jie was startled, then slowly spoke a few words: “One aspect of Sixth Brother’s new policies is to establish… women’s imperial examinations.”

**Prime Minister’s Residence**

At the front gate of the Prime Minister’s residence, Li Zhaoting looked at her on the ground, his expression finally showing some change. Quan Feitong had already rushed forward, picked her up, and without a word, headed straight into the residence.

“Prime Minister, I’ll need to trouble you to find someone to escort me back to my residence,” Suzhen said, still somewhat conscious, tugging at Quan Feitong’s sleeve.

“Shut up!” Quan Feitong interrupted coldly, his face stern.

Suzhen struggled to maintain consciousness but was too weak to say anything more. The steward led servants from the front courtyard to greet them. “Master…”

Quan Feitong commanded in a deep voice, “Go fetch Doctor Kong, who usually treats my ailments.”

“Yes.” The steward acknowledged and immediately instructed two young servants beside him to go out.

When Quan Feitong carried Suzhen into the bedroom, she had already fallen unconscious. Quan Feitong reached out to feel her forehead and couldn’t help but frown.

He was about to remove her shoes to let her sleep more comfortably when the steward hurried in and whispered a few words in his ear. Quan Feitong glanced at Suzhen and instructed the steward, “Go find two clever maids to attend to her.”

He then said to Li Zhaoting, “Watch over her for me until they arrive.”

Li Zhaoting nodded. “Very well.”

Quan Feitong quickly left with the steward. Li Zhaoting observed Suzhen as she curled up slightly, seeming somewhat cold. Li Zhaoting stood by the bed, his heart cold and hard, making no move to tuck her in.

She was so cold that she curled herself up like a shrimp, yet her lips murmured something.

“Willing to be the southwest wind… that flute… if you don’t want it, I won’t either…”

Hearing this, Li Zhaoting’s eyes showed a trace of strange emotion. He curled his lips slightly. “So you do know I threw that flute away?”

“I don’t want to let go, but there’s someone in your heart… yet in the end, you were still the first to let go…”

Li Zhaoting recalled that night when they were also at Quan’s residence, and how she had cried while drinking daughter’s wine.

Finally, he walked over, bent down to remove her shoes, and covered her with the brocade quilt.

“Haven’t you already gotten close to Lian Yu? What’s the point of saying such things?” he thought coldly.

He didn’t want to pay attention to her, but having promised Quan Feitong to watch over her briefly, he didn’t leave. He prepared to walk away and sit at the table to wait for someone to arrive, when his robe suddenly tightened. Looking down, he saw that she had grabbed his clothing tightly in her hand.

Her hand?!

For some unknown psychological reason, he didn’t immediately pull away.

“Still can’t let go of worry—truly a calamity.”

The voice from outside made him stir slightly. Quan Feitong entered, his smile carrying a rare touch of helplessness, though his gaze fell upon his clothing.

Li Zhaoting made no attempt to dodge.

“She’s been clingy since childhood, and even now hasn’t changed this bad habit. In her dazed state, she grabs onto anyone without looking at who it is.” As he spoke, he gave a slight tug, pulling the robe from Suzhen’s grasp.

Quan Feitong listened without taking issue, sitting down and speaking somewhat lazily: “Let’s not discuss business today. You should head back first. But there’s good news I can tell you—following the clues you provided, we’ve found the person from Huichun Hall from last time.”

Li Zhaoting’s eyes lit up. “That’s excellent news!”

With Suzhen nearby, though unconscious, both men were cautious and didn’t say much more. Li Zhaoting left first.

**Later**

When Suzhen awoke, Quan Feitong seemed to be sleeping soundly.

Suzhen initially wanted to thank him, but seeing their current situation, she only wanted to slap that devastatingly handsome yet wickedly charming face!

He was holding her in his arms, his arm serving as her pillow, her hand resting on his waist—not because she was shamelessly coveting his beauty to such an extent, but because he was gripping her hand and pressing it there.

The key point was that this man was shirtless. If she weren’t still properly dressed, she would definitely kick him to death!

“You’re awake?” As she stirred in his arms, Quan Feitong opened his eyes at just the right moment. Somewhat drowsily, he yawned and rubbed his face against her cheek. “Good, your fever has broken. You must be hungry—I had the kitchen prepare something for you. It’ll be brought over soon.”

Suzhen struggled in his embrace. “Let go. Resume your normal sleeping posture, then we can talk properly.”

Quan Feitong tightened his arm around her waist. Suzhen felt like she was in iron shackles. Though he hadn’t practiced martial arts, he still had the strength of a man in his prime. Hearing this, he smiled with apparent difficulty. “Do you want me to take off my pants too? I only kept them on because you were here.”

Suzhen felt her vision go dark. “I knew it—one can’t speak human words with you.”

Quan Feitong laughed heartily and kissed her forehead.

“Quan Feitong!” Suzhen exploded. “If you keep this up, I’m cutting ties with you!”

Quan Feitong snorted lightly, then suddenly rolled over, pinning her beneath him. Suzhen couldn’t help but panic. Between her and Quan Feitong, things were usually light and playful—she feared most when he became serious.

When someone who usually isn’t serious suddenly becomes serious, it’s always frightening.

She felt coolness on her forehead—the lingering sensation after a high fever—yet sweat beaded on the tip of her nose. Quan Feitong was mere inches above her, his dark, frivolous eyes gleaming with husky passion.

His gaze made her deeply uncomfortable!

His entire lower body was pressing against her… She grew increasingly nervous, deliberately putting on a stern face to stare back.

“Li Huaisu, during the days you were unconscious, do you know what happened?”

He lifted her chin with his fingers. His writing calluses were slightly rough, scraping against her skin like a cat’s tongue as he asked softly.

Burned by the heat of his palm, Suzhen’s heart pounded like a drum, but she suddenly paused. “Several days?”

She looked toward the window and saw complete darkness outside. Somewhat puzzled, she said, “How could it be several days? Just a few hours at most. If it were several days, wouldn’t the people from the Court of Judicial Review come looking for me?”

“You slept for a full three days and two nights. They did come looking for you. I said I wanted to keep you as a guest for a few days. Except for your secretary who refused, everyone else agreed and sent him packing.” Quan Feitong smiled faintly.

Suzhen could imagine what that scene must have been like. These childish fools!

“What exactly happened that you mentioned?” Since she’d been sold out anyway, she might as well focus on other important matters.

“Lian Yu issued an edict in court, saying that the one currently in the palace is Gu Xiluo, and it was Gu Shuangcheng who died years ago. Of course, he didn’t explain why their identities were switched. I only just learned of this matter, but it seems you knew about it much earlier. Lian Yu ordered a retrial of Gu Shuangcheng’s case, assigning it to Xiao Yue of the Ministry of Justice. This time, it’ll be enough to give that Minister of Justice a splitting headache.”

“So all these years, it was actually Gu Xiluo studying under my teacher’s tutelage. This is truly interesting. I’m very curious about the whole story—who altered Gu Xiluo’s appearance, why did Gu Xiluo endure in silence for so many years, and who killed Gu Shuangcheng? But the current focus is that you and Lian Yu have developed problems.”

“Am I right? This Lian Yu is indeed someone who means what he says. I was somewhat puzzled about what happened between you two in the palace that day, and why you collapsed at my residence gate yesterday. Now that these three words ‘Gu Xiluo’ have been laid out, I understand.”

He spoke sentence after sentence with somewhat cruel precision, his gaze abandoning its usual laziness to become sharp as a blade, cutting directly into her pale eyes.

“Quan Feitong, what exactly are you trying to say?”

Suzhen nearly growled the words.

“What I want to say is that you could consider being with me. At the very least, it would deflate Lian Yu and Gu Xiluo’s arrogance, wouldn’t it? Furthermore, I promise you that if after some time you truly still don’t like it, we can return to where we started and be friends again. How about it?”

He looked down at her from above, his gaze pressing and aggressive, with an air of disdaining everything in between—as if love could truly be entered and exited at will, yet also like an authoritative promise: I can indulge you to this extent.

She seemed to see the way her father once looked at her mother.