“Xiao Zhou!”

Wu Qing moved swiftly and quickly caught up with Xiao Zhou on the street.

Xiao Zhou sneered coldly but continued walking forward. Wu Qing leaped through the air, landing in front of her to block her path.

“Good dogs don’t block the road—get out of the way!” she said coldly.

But he suddenly reached out to embrace her. On the busy street, people looked on in surprise. Xiao Zhou was both shocked and furious: “Let go! Believe it or not, I’ll kill you!”

“Then kill me.” Wu Qing smiled faintly. Seeing her palm strike toward his chest, he didn’t dodge but quickly reached out to press two acupoints at her waist.

“You…” Anger froze on Xiao Zhou’s face, but she couldn’t move. However, her palm strike was also heavy—Wu Qing’s mouth corner seeped with threads of blood.

He wiped it with his hand and held her tighter.

“I’m sorry. It would be better if we could both be simpler. You investigated my background, didn’t you? My… well, my sect suffered massacre, so I’m wary of everyone. I don’t know your specific identity either. I really like you in my heart, but our pasts destine us never to be together, because we don’t trust each other. Lian Xin is simpler. She and I… have no burdens.”

“I know I’m not a good person and don’t deserve you. Let’s just end it here.”

As he spoke, he held her tightly without moving. The crowd flowed around them, but the two stood still in this world.

“Kill me or torture me—if it makes you feel better, I absolutely won’t say another word.”

Finally, he slowly released her, looking at her deeply, but his eyes held complex self-mockery.

Xiao Zhou stared at him motionlessly, then delivered a fierce slap.

Wu Qing didn’t dodge, only smiled.

“Don’t hurt Lian Xin. Not liking her is one thing, but if you hurt her, I will… kill you.” She stared at him, her eyes carrying deep coldness as she slowly spoke these words.

Then she suddenly turned and quickly walked away.

Wu Qing didn’t move, staring at her retreating figure until it disappeared, then turned to leave.

Returning to his courtyard, Lian Xin had already left. He narrowed his eyes and walked toward Chao Huang’s quarters. Previously, while supposedly executing a mission, he had secretly gone to a distant county town, but regarding the mission, he needed to report to Chao Huang. He just didn’t know if Chao Huang was in today.

On the way, he encountered the blue-clothed constable and nameless female constable who had previously assisted Suzhen in the jade concubine case. The two greeted him warmly—they were now under his command. During his time working here, he had gained much, winning over a group of people.

Of course, Chao Huang was very displeased with this.

“Why don’t you rest here for a while? I’ll escort you back to the palace later.” Arriving at Chao Huang’s courtyard, just as he was about to enter, he heard the other’s voice.

This voice wasn’t like usual—it was quite gentle. He didn’t immediately enter, stopping to observe slightly.

Looking, he was somewhat surprised—was that Lian Xin inside?

Lian Xin was currently slightly tipsy, sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard. When she left, her heart was heavy with frustration, so she drank half a jar of wine. Halfway home, she encountered Chao Huang returning from outside.

Seeing her condition, Chao Huang helped her inside.

“Don’t bother with me.” Lian Xin waved her hand and tried to leave.

Chao Huang frowned and reached out to pull her back: “Why did you come here to drink?”

“It’s none of your business!” Lian Xin struggled hard, calling out impatiently: “Are you annoying or not? Get lost!”

Chao Huang saw her face flushed red with wine. Though she was scolding, her appearance was charming and lovely. His heart stirred, and he couldn’t help bending down to kiss her. He was quite infatuated with this willful princess, thinking her temperament similar to his own, but the imperial family had previously refused his marriage proposal.

Lian Xin was somewhat drunk but not completely intoxicated. Seeing his rudeness, she immediately became angry and slapped him, but Chao Huang caught her hand. Chao Huang was also startled, cursing himself for being confused—Lian Xin had the imperial family behind her!

This wasn’t something he could overstep now. Only when future great plans were accomplished…

He quickly released her, bowing his head: “This general was confused. Princess, please forgive me.”

Lian Xin was shocked and angry. She had wanted to strike again but took a breath and finally lowered her hand, glared fiercely, turned and left.

Chao Huang was somewhat surprised. He had planned to take a few hits from her to collect later, not expecting her temper to be unlike usual.

Seeing Lian Xin leave, Wu Qing quickly slipped behind a tree, his eyes deepening slightly.

At the Wei residence.

Behind his desk, Wei Chenghui looked at his son entering and asked: “How did it go?”

“Following Father’s instructions, it’s been handled.” Wei Wujun replied.

“Good.” Wei Chenghui nodded, but Wei Wujun frowned: “Father, why hasn’t the Emperor taken that Gu Xiluo back to the palace after all this time? We clearly sent the letter, but this Gu Xiluo shows no reaction—isn’t she doing anything?”

Hearing this, Wei Chenghui sneered before saying: “Lian Yu nearly risked his life to save Feng Suzhen in Huai County. Not taking Gu Xiluo back isn’t too strange. No matter—we have follow-up moves. Since you’ve handled it, that’s good.”

In the palace, Suzhen looked at the wine pot on the table, took a breath, poured some out but didn’t drink, bringing it to her nose to smell with a satisfied expression. Behind her, Lian Yu was changing clothes, removing his dragon robes and putting on ordinary robes. His hands were busy, but his eyes hadn’t left her much.

“Why not drink? Not much is fine—I can still let you have a cup or two.” He smiled slightly.

“I can’t bear to drink it. These are fruits from my family’s osmanthus tree, aren’t they?” Suzhen turned to ask him.

Lian Yu’s gaze deepened as he hummed agreement: “When I saw them, I secretly ordered them taken. Osmanthus fruits don’t ripen much in winter—it’s quite fortunate.”

“When this matter is settled, when I bring you before all the people to grant you your position, I’ll take you back to see them and retrieve the wine you told me about buried under the tree. I haven’t been able to do much for you, so I don’t dare take that wine without permission.”

“Lian Yu, when you quell this turmoil, we’ll go back and dig up the wine Father brewed to celebrate. A peaceful realm was his lifelong wish.”

The two looked at each other, speaking almost simultaneously, then both pausing in surprise and smiling at each other. Lian Yu came over, lifted her to sit on his lap, took the wine cup and fed her half, then drank the rest himself.

He then lifted her again, pressing his forehead against hers: “Take a nap with me.”

Suzhen knew he was busy with official duties and didn’t sleep much at night. Feeling somewhat sorry for him, she reached up to caress his face: “Alright.”

“Magistrate Li,” at this moment, Ming Yanchu’s voice came from outside: “Zhuque has returned.”

“I understand, Eunuch Ming. Please go about your business.” Suzhen immediately replied.

“Very well.”

Ming Yanchu left outside. Suzhen looked at Lian Yu apologetically: “Zhuque is back. I need to see her about something. You rest first—I’ll come keep you company in a while.”

As she spoke, she slipped from his embrace. Lian Yu raised his eyelids: “When did my people become yours to command freely?”

Suzhen raised an eyebrow: “Your things are all mine. Never mind just Ming Yanchu—this entire harem belongs to me.”

Lian Yu was amused by her shameless words and didn’t ask more about women’s matters. Watching her leave, the joy in his eyes gradually faded, showing deep, thoughtful contemplation.

…

Except when executing missions, Lian Yu’s Four Attendants usually took turns leading inner guards on duty to protect his safety. This was the second barrier after the palace’s forbidden army. Today it was Zhuque and Baihu.

Suzhen passed through the main courtyard of the sleeping quarters and went outside to indeed find Zhuque had returned, head down, staring at the ground in a daze.

She walked over and, under Baihu’s surprised gaze, took her hand and walked outside.

“Magistrate Li, what are you doing?”

On the way, Zhuque said nothing until Suzhen stopped by a small lake outside the palace, and she slowly spoke.

The golden flower patterns at her eye corners trembled slightly.

“Xiao Zhou, did you, Lian Xin, and Wu Qing have any trouble?”

Zhuque had been looking at her expressionlessly but trembled slightly at these words. Being naturally calm, she then said: “You guessed it all, and Master allowed you to know.”

“Don’t blame Master.”

“Mm, I understand.” Suzhen nodded. “He originally placed you by my side to see whether this new magistrate was trustworthy. After all, though the position isn’t high, the matters it oversees aren’t small—they relate to people’s livelihoods.”

Zhuque also nodded: “You understand clearly. That puts my mind at ease. I’m sorry.”

Suzhen shook her head: “You were just following orders.”

“What about you all—” she asked again, worried that following Lian Xin out had caused unpleasantness.

“Nothing happened. The Princess is always Master’s sister. I know my own difficult nature, but I would never truly harm her. Don’t worry.” She smiled self-mockingly.

Suzhen felt pained and gripped her hand: “That’s not what I meant. I’m naturally worried about her, but I’m also worried about you.”

Hearing this, Zhuque paused, then squeezed her hand back: “I’m fine. It’s just that with Wu Qing… well, it ends here.”

“We’re the same type of people—unsuitable together. He brought it up first. That’s how it is.”

She smiled with raised eyebrows. This was the first time Suzhen saw her eyes redden, if only for a brief moment.

She and Wu Qing ended just like this, without warning, just as they had begun. This was something Suzhen never could have imagined. She blurted out: “I’ll go find Wu Qing!”

“No,” Zhuque almost immediately objected. “Since he’s made his decision, your going would be useless. Besides, what meaning would something you persuaded him back to have for me?”

Her eyes showed gratitude but also determination: “Now in these troubled times, this is actually good—I can focus wholeheartedly on protecting Master and you.”

Zhuque left first. Suzhen stood for a long time before leaving. She knew Zhuque wasn’t as carefree as she claimed—her heart truly ached. She walked with her head down, but halfway, someone suddenly rushed from the side to block her path. She was startled at first, but knowing that within a certain range centered on Lian Yu’s sleeping quarters, everything was secretly blockaded with no outsiders able to enter, she relaxed and looked up.