But Quan Feitong raised his finger to his lips. “Your Majesty, Lian Yu is shrewd and has postponed the Shuangcheng case. Even if you’re anxious, even if we could take advantage of the Gu Shuangcheng case that might bring down the Empress Dowager, we must still wait for the Consort Yu case to conclude.”

“Why is this?”

“My intuition tells me that this case’s result will likely cause great trouble. Of course, this case must be solvable, and it definitely cannot be something Your Majesty did.”

Dowager Consort Ai’s expression changed slightly. “Solve the case? Is there really someone who can solve it?”

“Who knows? That depends on Li Huaisu. She often can work miracles, but of course, this time it’s hard to say. Everyone looks like they could be the murderer – everyone who has rolled around in power struggles, would they easily show flaws? Your Majesty, I’m also very curious about who it really is.”

In the Imperial City, at Empress Dowager Xiao’an’s sleeping quarters.

Lamps flickered continuously in the hall.

Two men hurriedly entered the hall under palace maids’ guidance.

“The wind is picking up. Councilor Yan, Brother, I’m always worried.” Xiao’an suddenly stopped Hong Gu’s shoulder massage, stepped down from her soft couch, and stood beside the two men.

Murong Jinghou looked at his sister with loving eyes. Though she no longer looked as she did years ago, in his heart, she was still his little sister. “Don’t worry. Brother will protect you to the end.”

But Xiao’an’s eyes reddened.

How many years had it been since this Empress Dowager had red eyes? Hong Gu looked at her with concern.

Yan Da said slowly: “Your Majesty need not worry. No matter what, this fire won’t burn Your Majesty. After all… the innocent are naturally clear.”

His tone was very deep when he said the last sentence.

Then he continued: “But the urgent matter is that we must root out one person. His Majesty said he once saw three people.”

“Feng Shaoqing’s remaining associates?” Xiao’an’s gaze suddenly darkened.

“This subject insists it was that witch Dowager Consort Ai who did it. His Majesty is more concerned about Feng Shaoqing’s group, but while this fire seems like it won’t burn Your Majesty, everyone knows that Consort Yu’s death brought Your Majesty great benefits. We can’t rule out people fanning the flames.”

“Prince Jin’s faction hides very deeply. Your Majesty and His Majesty have searched for years. Only last year did someone discover traces of Prince Jin’s consort, but then lost track again. This woman isn’t dead, so the beast she carried back then certainly isn’t dead either. But when we investigated further, there were no clues at all.”

“So we must find this person, while also preparing to take action against another person at any time.”

Murong Jinghou, who hadn’t spoken much, immediately asked: “Feng Suzhen?”

“Mm.” Xiao’an smiled coldly, then glanced at Yan Da. “What does Councilor Yan say?”

“This subject has nothing to say. It should be so,” Yan Da replied coldly.

At this moment, Li Zhaoting was walking out of the morgue.

In Suzhen’s absence these past days, he had been very conscientious, going to the morgue daily as if trying to find more evidence.

He seemed somewhat tired, pressing his temples.

The imperial guards stationed outside the room watched as he walked toward the tree-lined path, seemingly wanting to get some fresh air.

The palace had many shaded areas. He walked back and forth like taking a stroll for a long time before stopping in front of some shrubs, as if finally relaxed.

Occasionally imperial guards patrolled by, and palace servants hurried past. Overall, this place was quite quiet, yet not particularly secluded.

He suddenly said softly: “Have you come?”

“This place is good indeed – too quiet would arouse suspicion. I’ve been near you these past few days, but had concerns and didn’t dare speak rashly. The imperial palace is full of people everywhere, and you’re Quan Feitong’s capable assistant who also encountered danger during the case. The emperor inevitably has people watching.”

Someone actually responded from the shrubs behind him.

He hummed in acknowledgment. “Very good. We cannot fail at the crucial moment.”

The person behind continued asking: “Since you can’t leave the palace now to contact Wei Chenghui and the others, how will that matter be arranged?”

“It was arranged before entering the palace. Someone will handle it.”

“The people I lent you last time?”

“Yes.”

“You indeed plan everything with backup plans. But this case has almost no evidence – can Zhen’er solve it? In my view, she probably doesn’t have confidence either.”

“When necessary, I’ll give her further hints. If things are too rushed, she might become suspicious, which wouldn’t be good.”

“Alright, then you handle it. I’ll leave first.”

“Wait, Shaoying. There’s something I want to ask you.”

“What?”

“How did she lose her finger? Was it because last time you captured Lian Yu and she desperately tried to save him?”

The person laughed. “Since you’ve guessed, why ask?”

“She still doesn’t know that Lian Yu is our Feng family’s enemy. Moreover, if you hadn’t been unwilling to be with her initially, she wouldn’t have fallen for Lian Yu. After all, Your Highness, aren’t you the real culprit? Why blame her? Or are you actually blaming me for letting him escape? I want him dead more than anyone, but Zhen’er is my own sister – I can’t watch her come to harm.”

Li Zhaoting said calmly: “I don’t blame you. Lian Yu’s life isn’t that easy to take. Didn’t you say that at the time he created a diversion, making you think all his people were there, not knowing he secretly had another team? He was seriously injured then. When your people pursued him, they could have captured him, but that team hidden nearby saw and came. Lian Yu guessed that you went to great trouble and wouldn’t kill him immediately. You indeed wanted to bring him back to Huai County to apologize before your father’s spirit. That team was originally meant to track you – given any opportunity, they’d rescue him while wiping you all out. So even if Feng Suzhen hadn’t saved him, you probably couldn’t have killed him later. But of course, it wouldn’t have been easy for Lian Yu to kill you either.”

“Thank Your Highness for understanding. I wonder what Your Highness wants to say about my sister’s matter?”

“I once said that if she would leave, I would fulfill the marriage contract someday. But she wouldn’t listen. Actually, even if she didn’t know my identity, my openly helping Quan Feitong was also revenge for the Feng family.”

Feng Shaoying also replied calmly: “She thinks Quan Feitong goes too far in some matters and doesn’t agree. Besides, what good would it do if you married her? If you don’t like her, she doesn’t want it. You’ve known her so long – don’t you understand her temperament?”

“No, I now think I don’t understand her as well as I imagined, just as she doesn’t understand me. But considering your father’s and your sake, I plan to resume our engagement. After all, this case will be very troublesome for her. I should give her compensation. Don’t worry – since I’ve said it, in the future, if our great cause succeeds, I certainly won’t treat her poorly.”

“Then I thank Your Highness.”

After a long silence, Feng Shaoying finally said: “I also fear the case result will impact her too greatly. If she also learns about Lian Yu’s matter, she won’t be able to bear it. You are, after all, someone she’s thought about for years. Being able to care for her in the future would certainly bring her joy.”

“Do you think my treating her this way is somewhat cruel?” Li Zhaoting also paused before speaking slowly.

“Yes, but I agree with it.”

Li Zhaoting laughed. “You’re as ruthless as I am. No, perhaps you’re worse. You watched her stay with Lian Yu without stopping her. You know clearly why.”

“Yes, I hoped to use this to threaten Lian Yu, so I planned that kidnapping. But if I had told her early on that Lian Yu was our Feng family’s true enemy, could she have endured until now? Once she showed any wrong emotions that Lian Yu noticed, wouldn’t Lian Yu kill her? Look, when she was exposed as the Feng family orphan, if Lian Yu hadn’t forcibly suppressed the matter and even granted a marriage, could she have lived until now? I’m her brother – no matter how ruthless, I still have to consider her life. But Your Highness, when father received Fu Jingshu’s letter that day, learning the court’s death order was coming, he didn’t want to implicate friends but couldn’t bear to let his most beloved daughter be buried with him. He asked you to take her away – how did you respond? You refused, fearing that if discovered, it would hinder your plans with Wei Chenghui. If Hong Xiao hadn’t seen I couldn’t live and been unwilling to survive alone, and having grown up with her with deep affection, willing to die in her place, could she have lived?”

“Your Highness, in ruthlessness, I don’t compare to you. But of course, she’s my sister, and you never liked her anyway. So even though your willingness to take her is from compensation, I’m still grateful.”

“Put the blame for what comes next on me. That way, you can act without any qualms. Because if I, as her brother, am more ruthless and cruel to her, what can’t you do? At least it’s not taking her life.”

After these words, there was no more sound.

Li Zhaoting knew he had left. He had been mocked thoroughly but felt no anger. This person was right.

Compassion was only momentary for him. He was very clear that he wouldn’t be soft-hearted in what came next. Even if it were Gu Xiluo whom he loved, he could still act. How much more so with her?

“So you’re here.”

As he was thinking this calmly, someone called softly. He looked up to see the person they’d been discussing waving at him from not far away.