Wuqing looked at her appearance—not hysterical, but she had never been so serious, so grief-stricken, so wronged, yet also so certain and so proud. He found himself unable to speak for a long time!

“Zhen’er…”

“Shut up!” Suzhen looked at him coldly, telling him about how Lian Yu had not ordered the execution of the Feng family but that Xiao’an had borrowed pretexts to issue the command, and how Wei Chenghui had leaked the whereabouts of the Princess of Jin.

She also told him about Leng Xue and Xiao Zhou’s situation.

As her lips moved, Wuqing’s gaze kept flickering and changing, showing no joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness—as still as a pool of stagnant water. Suddenly he frowned, then closed his eyes. When Suzhen finished speaking, he still kept his eyes closed, remaining silent for a long while.

She continued, “Brother, regarding Leng Xue and Xiao Zhou, you must send people to investigate. If the two groups from the Wei family that night didn’t notice or discover them, they very likely are still alive. What you did wrong can’t be undone—Zhuiming’s life, Huo Chang’an’s life, we siblings will repay them in the underworld someday, or in our next life. But I beg you, help me save Lian Jie and Lian Qin. They are Lian Yu’s brothers and also my friends, but I have no voice before Li Zhaoting. Since you’ve exerted effort for him, perhaps he’ll listen to you.”

Wuqing slowly opened his eyes, “Xiao Zhou is the girl I like, and Leng Xue is also my brother. Though he’s Quan Feitong’s pawn, I will certainly try my best to save them. But the Lian brothers… I won’t help you.”

Suzhen’s heart plummeted like falling into an ice cellar. She was stunned for a long time before speaking, “Why? Lian Yu isn’t our enemy—why won’t you save them from death?”

“He personally knocked me into the sea. If not for my fortune, I would have died long ago. Moreover, he says it wasn’t him who issued the order then—who can be certain? Yan Da? Yan Da is his man. Even if I capture Yan Da alive now and force him to confess, would that old dog admit it? You believe him, but I don’t! Wei Chenghui deserves death for leaking whereabouts, and whoever ordered the killings also deserves death! There’s also Xiao’an, Yan Da, oh, and Lian Xin!” He laughed coldly, his eyes full of cruelty and viciousness.

“Brother, Lian Yu indeed intended to spare your life then. He could have added a few more sword strikes to finish you, yet he kicked you into the sea—what does this show? He did it so his mother and brothers wouldn’t continue entangling with the Feng family. After all, no matter how great his power and ability, he couldn’t constantly guard against them. Besides, he still thought father was the murderer of his mother then. Though I also hate how he hurt you, the fact that he could consider father’s contributions to the people during his official service shows, I think, the greatest magnanimity of a ruler. But why do you count Lian Xin among them too? I also hate Xiao’an, but Lian Xin…”

His cold and heartless response was something Suzhen had never expected. He had changed his name to Wuqing—he truly had no feelings left. But perhaps as he said, with his experiences and her thoughts, who could persuade whom? Even so, she still had to speak with him bit by bit.

“Zhen’er, don’t look at me like that. You have your reasons, I have my position. You didn’t witness our parents being killed, nor were you severely wounded and nearly drawing your last breath. Let’s end this conversation here. You only need to know that as long as your brother lives, that dog thief Wei Chenghui absolutely cannot harm you.”

His gaze shifted, as if calculating something, “I’ll ask Li Zhaoting to keep you in the palace. This way, that old thief’s reach can’t extend here, and he absolutely won’t dare move against the emperor. You’ll be temporarily safe.”

Suzhen’s heart was filled with sorrow and anger, but hearing this, she was shocked and almost immediately spoke out, “I absolutely will not stay in the palace.”

“Zhen’er, I know that in these two years, you’ve accomplished many remarkable things as an official handling cases, but this isn’t the time for you to act impulsively. You must listen to your brother—” Wuqing stepped forward.

Seeing him approach, Suzhen suddenly shouted, “Stop right there!”

“Brother,” she slowly knelt down, her expression showing the resolve of someone making a final gamble.

Wuqing was startled and wanted to step forward to help her up, but was deterred by the fierce intensity in her eyes. He knew what a stubborn person she was! Seeing this, Suzhen smiled, “I don’t care about your position—I only speak of my wishes. You don’t trust Lian Yu, but I do! I understand this person. Brother, you see what’s good about me, yet he was willing to give up his life for me. With his status and position, what woman couldn’t he have? Yet he did this for me—what can’t I do? You know Li Zhaoting despises me. Since childhood, only I regarded him as something, but he never regarded me as anything.”

As she spoke, she seemed to see across space the figure of someone smiling gently at her. She took a breath and continued, “I have no weight at all in his heart—he won’t pay any attention to my words. I beg you, help me obtain the lives of the Lian brothers. Lian Yu is dead, Huo Chang’an is dead, Zhuiming is dead too. In this world now, only you can I turn to. If you still consider me your sister, help me with this favor. If not, fine—today we sever our brotherhood. From now on, you are no longer my brother Feng Suzhen. And my life and death have nothing to do with you.”

Wuqing had been listening quietly, but hearing this, his eyes suddenly filled with a trace of blood-red. He looked at her almost in disbelief, then laughed aloud, “Feng Suzhen, do you know what you’re saying?”

“For those two people who have no relationship to you, two people who didn’t necessarily hold you dear in the past, you treat your blood brother this way? The same blood flows in your veins as mine…”

“Also, severing brotherhood—that’s what men do, Zhen’er. Zhen’er, what is there you wouldn’t dare to do now?” He spoke while looking up and laughing, but heard this sister reply, “What defines a woman, what defines a man? The things you do, the things you have the ability to do—I can do too. When they debate politics at court, I’ve never been afraid. If the country needs it, I can go to the battlefield just the same. Why can’t I sever ties with you? You’re a man—don’t be as hesitant as we women. One word—do you agree or not?”

She raised her head, confronting him resolutely.

Wuqing stared at her fixedly, watching a streak of blood seep from her knee. His breathing became rapid and agitated. This man’s eyes even reddened slightly. After a long while, he forcefully swallowed and said through gritted teeth, “Fine, Feng Suzhen, you’re ruthless. I agree! You can bear to cast aside me as your brother, but I can’t let go of you as my sister.”

He turned and walked away as he spoke.

Suzhen smiled as if she were crying. How she wished she didn’t have to coerce him with sibling affection, didn’t even need to ask him—because Huo and Zhuiming had died because of him. She had always valued loyalty in life, yet repeatedly faced situations where loyalties couldn’t be balanced.

She had enjoyed so many carefree years, now she was repaying it a thousandfold. She had never done anything bad in her life.

Seeing he was about to step out of her sight, she called to him, “Brother.”

“What?” He stopped, his voice cold.

“There’s one thing you don’t need to ask Li Zhaoting about.” She said slowly.

“What?” Wuqing was obviously stunned, turning around almost immediately.

“I won’t stay.” Suzhen stood up with some difficulty.

“Are you mad? If you leave this palace and Wei Chenghui wants to harm you secretly, even with my three thousand constables, if there’s the slightest negligence, I might not be able to protect you.” He said in a deep voice.

“What about you? You’re also a child of the Feng family.” Suzhen frowned slightly. Despite everything, he was her blood brother—no matter how much she hated and was angry, she couldn’t help worrying about his safety.

Wuqing sneered, “You still worry about this brother of yours?”

Seeing her knit her brows at him, his anger subsided somewhat, and he softened his voice, “You needn’t worry. Other families favor sons over daughters, but you resemble mother, so father favored daughters over sons, unwilling for you to bear burdens from childhood. One mountain cannot hide two tigers—Wei Chenghui and father never got along. Though I only learned today that Wei Chenghui leaked the Princess of Jin’s whereabouts, I’ve always been wary of this man and instructed Li Zhaoting not to reveal my identity to him. Therefore, I remain Wuqing, no longer Feng Shaoying. He has no reason to move against me.”

Suzhen nodded, “That’s good then.”

But Wuqing said sternly, “Don’t talk about me! Why won’t you stay? What time is this? I know you don’t want to remain in this sad place, but now you must stay! Only when you’re safe can I seek revenge without worries!”

Suzhen looked at this only relative in the world, slowly walked before him, and grabbed his hand. Wuqing didn’t understand her meaning, but she pressed it to her abdomen, “Brother, I’m carrying Lian Yu’s child.”

Wuqing was as if struck by lightning, immediately pulling his hand away from her belly. He raised his hand, almost about to strike Suzhen’s face. Suzhen looked at him quietly. After a long moment, he shouted with red eyes, “Don’t call me brother!”

After saying this, he strode out.

Suzhen returned to sit by the bed, quietly waiting for news from her brother.

In the imperial bedchamber, Li Zhaoting had been extremely busy after receiving a secret report from a guard.

With eunuchs preparing ink, he wrote over ten letters for household retainers and guards to distribute. When Prince Jin was executed along with his entire household, some officials who had been friendly with him quietly resigned and returned to hermitage. Now was the perfect time to recall them, including Huang Zhongyue, who was nominally in Quan Feitong’s camp but had actually surrendered to him. Previously, when Quan Feitong was defeated, neutral faction ministers were almost entirely imprisoned in the camps. As a key minister of the neutral faction, though Huang Zhongyue currently had no subordinates or colleagues at court, he had quite important influence among local officials. Though each new emperor brings new officials, local officials cannot be entirely replaced—the country still needs to function. Even injecting new blood to consolidate power would come later.

Wuqing’s arrival somewhat startled him.

“You haven’t seen each other for ages—this reunion is rather quick.” He smiled.

Wuqing’s expression was stern, not immediately responding. Finally, he knelt fully down, “Shaoying won’t beat around the bush—I seek one favor from the Young Master.”

The two had known each other for years. Though there was a difference in status, Wuqing rarely addressed Li Zhaoting as “Young Master,” and Li Zhaoting wanted him to treat him as a friend—much less perform such kneeling before the coronation.

What kind of person was Li Zhaoting? He set down his brush and smiled, “Let me guess what you’ve come to ask of me. Your sister sent you to seek the lives of the two Lian brothers, right?”

Wuqing helplessly tugged at the corner of his mouth, “For the sake of Shaoying contributing a small part to the Young Master’s ascension, I hope the Young Master will grant this.”

Li Zhaoting said, “Shaoying, I cannot agree to this matter. Even if your father came personally to ask today, I couldn’t agree. What I can promise you is not to execute them with the death by a thousand cuts that Wei Chenghui proposed, but parading them through the streets before beheading is absolutely unavoidable.”

“Don’t tell me they’re innocent—were the hundred lives of my household not innocent?” The smile in his eyes gradually disappeared, leaving only cold, sharp edges and piercing killing intent.

Wuqing understood Li Zhaoting—courteous and refined, warm and tolerant were only surface appearances. In terms of ruthlessness and decisiveness, Li Zhaoting’s bones held no less than Wei Chenghui’s, only his methods were somewhat more presentable.

He nodded, “Good, I understand.”

“Tell your sister that my tolerance is limited. Everything now is for your father’s and your sake. Shaoying, you should understand that your father’s kindness to me was exhausted when he abandoned assisting me—I just haven’t forgotten it. He and Wei Chenghui don’t get along, yet I’d rather offend a loyal minister with heavy troops to save her. If she still isn’t satisfied with this friendship, it will bring misfortune.” His voice was cold as if from a land of ice and snow, full of sarcasm and mockery.

Wuqing slowly stood, “Changing death by a thousand cuts to immediate beheading—Wuqing still thanks the Young Master on behalf of my sister. Wuqing takes his leave.”

After all, their statuses were different—they were no longer as before. Wuqing had no great resentment, and Li Zhaoting had indeed stepped back. He still had to deal with Wei Chenghui and couldn’t overstep.

“Go then.” Li Zhaoting lowered his head to continue writing, not glancing again.

Suzhen had actually guessed that Li Zhaoting’s agreement was unlikely, but when Wuqing returned and described the result, her heart still plummeted heavily.

But she knew Wuqing had done his best. No matter how much Wuqing hated the Lian family, he was definitely not someone who would go back on his word or deceive others.

“Rest in the palace for now. When your body recovers somewhat, I’ll immediately petition Li Zhaoting to take you away and send you out of the capital to hide in some remote place. You’re severely wounded and not yet healed—rashly leaving now, you won’t travel fast on the road. If Wei Chenghui makes any moves, it would be troublesome instead. Be careful in everything, but if anything happens, send the eunuchs and palace maids from your hall to report to the Six Gates—I’ll immediately rush into the palace. Don’t think too much about Lian Yu’s matter. You’re pregnant now—be extremely careful in everything and don’t let anyone discover this.” As he left, he looked at her deeply and whispered instructions.

“I understand, brother. Go ahead. As soon as there’s news of Xiao Zhou and Leng Xue, immediately send someone to the palace to notify me.” Suzhen nodded, watching him leave.

“Good, I’m going out now to investigate news of those two.”

Finally, his figure disappeared. Suzhen paced back into the room and began calculating in her heart.

Lian Jie and Lian Qin probably couldn’t be saved. Her nose stung, but this wasn’t the time for sentiment. If she remained in the palace out of emotion, she’d end up unable to protect even the child.

Brother was right—she needed to heal her injuries quickly and leave the palace soon! Brother didn’t care about her child, but he knew that if this child were lost, she would go mad!

But before leaving, she absolutely had to see those two!

During his lifetime, Lian Yu had used strategy to withdraw the main force—there were tens of thousands of troops here. She had to find a way to locate them. If she used Lian Yu’s flesh and blood to reignite war and battle Li Zhaoting, only the people of Great Zhou would suffer. She couldn’t do that, but perhaps she could borrow some military strength to deal with Wei Chenghui.

She absolutely had to avenge her parents and Lian Yu! This man was also a cancer of Great Zhou—she had to eliminate him!

Lian Jie might know where this army had withdrawn to!

Thinking this, her extremely grief-stricken spirit perked up slightly, and she suddenly felt thirsty and hungry. Just as she was about to go out and ask palace servants to bring food, she saw Xiaosi leading several people hurrying toward her.

What those people carried… made her heart jump. They were carrying medical bags. Right, given the urgent situation then, Li Zhaoting had first used Lian Jie. Now Lian Jie had long been imprisoned!

Xiaosi’s sharp eyes had already seen her and immediately called out sarcastically, “Feng Suzhen, the Young Master ordered me to bring several famous physicians from outside the palace to treat your injuries. You should be grateful.”

Suzhen suppressed her inner alarm and looked at him coldly, “My injuries are no longer serious, and I’m preparing to leave the palace. What are you? At most you’ll be a steward of the Imperial Household Department in the future—that’s a eunuch. By what right do you strut before me? Get lost!”

“You… you…” Xiaosi stopped in his tracks upon hearing this, so angry he could hardly speak. Finally, he spat viciously, “You still think you’re the former Miss Feng? Bah! Just wait and see—I’ll report to the Young Master immediately. You all, come with me!”

Seeing everyone turn to leave, Suzhen breathed a slight sigh of relief. She knew Xiaosi’s temperament well—only this provocation could drive him away! Given Li Zhaoting’s disgust toward her, and with the busy preparations before coronation, remembering to have someone treat her was already great “kindness.” Even if Xiaosi reported, Li Zhaoting probably wouldn’t care. But she couldn’t wait until her injuries healed to leave the palace—she had to leave immediately. Otherwise, once exposed… cold sweat broke out on her back.

When Xiaosi returned to “report,” Li Zhaoting was dining with Aluo in the imperial garden. He had originally been handling affairs in the hall, but when Aluo came at noon to dine together, he stole some leisure time and brought her out to eat lunch in the pavilion.

The two were serving each other food, quite romantic. In their tender moment, he pulled Aluo to sit in his lap. But Xiaosi came running over angrily to report, making him furious. He suddenly threw down his chopsticks, released Aluo, and without a word got up and strode toward the side hall.