After speaking, he got up and opened the door. Si Lanfeng was still waiting outside for orders. Seeing the door open, he glanced inside and respectfully asked, “Young Master, is there anything else you need Lanfeng to handle?”
Li Zhaoting said, “Go find a high-ranking female official to attend to things here.”
Si Lanfeng thought for a moment and said, “The highest-ranking ones would be the four executive female officials of the Palace Supervisor Bureau—Directors of Food, Treasures, Furnishings, and Clothing. Which one does the Young Master want?”
“I heard that when she feigned death before, these people also prepared her burial. That works. Director of Food… no, that won’t do,” Li Zhaoting pondered briefly, “The other three—go inquire and see which one has stronger capabilities. Also have her bring two skilled palace maids.”
“Yes.”
Si Lanfeng left with the order. Shortly after, he brought back Director Guo from the Treasury Bureau. When Director Guo saw Suzhen on the sickbed, she was startled, not expecting to encounter this Magistrate Li again.
Li Zhaoting glanced at her. She was alarmed and lowered her head, only hearing him say, “Take good care of her. When medicine comes, attend to her first. I’m going out to handle some matters.”
“Yes.” Director Guo naturally didn’t dare neglect this, immediately agreeing. For a moment she didn’t know if this was fortune or misfortune—the Young Master had already left with his people.
Outside the courtyard, Wei Chenghui and others were still waiting. Seeing Li Zhaoting emerge, Wuliang spoke first, “Just now this poor monk’s disciple was rash. Young Master, please don’t take offense. This poor monk will certainly punish him severely and discipline him strictly when we return.”
Li Zhaoting said, “Sir speaks too seriously. A good master is still a good master, but disciples can’t all necessarily inherit the master’s legacy.”
Mao Hui hung his head in terror. Wuliang humbly nodded—Li Zhaoting’s words criticized Mao Hui but also praised him.
Wei Chenghui said, “Young Master is a man of his word. This old man will immediately send people to escort Feng Suzhen and the Lian brothers out of the palace. Young Master remembers the Feng family’s kindness, so Feng Suzhen’s matter ends here. But regarding the two Lian brothers—should we follow my son’s earlier suggestion to have people follow them, then immediately arrest them when the one-month period Young Master promised expires?”
“Teacher is thorough. Handle the Lian brothers’ matter as you suggest, but release them tomorrow instead. As for Feng Suzhen, her injuries haven’t healed—keep her in the palace for now while I make further decisions.” Li Zhaoting patted his shoulder and said indifferently.
Wei Chenghui’s expression changed slightly. Wei Wujun was startled and wanted to speak but was stopped by a glance.
“Today’s discussion about border matters ends here. Tomorrow Teacher, Sir, Wuya, Wujun, and several generals come to the Imperial Study again.” Li Zhaoting continued.
“Yes.” Everyone replied in unison.
“Since you’re busy, I’ll go back first.” Aluo lowered her eyes slightly, touching her neck and speaking indifferently.
Li Zhaoting nodded and instructed Mei’er, “Take good care of Miss’s neck wound when you return. Famous physicians from the capital have taken residence in the Imperial Medical Academy—you can ask for the best medicine there.”
“Yin’er, you go back first too,” he said.
Miaoyin said, “I’m somewhat acquainted with Magistrate Li after all. I’d like to visit her.”
Li Zhaoting’s gaze moved, “Fine.”
As Aluo was leaving, Mei’er still stood there dazed, eyes wide, as if finding Li Zhaoting’s actions quite incomprehensible. For instance, he didn’t drive Feng Suzhen out of the palace. For instance, Feng Suzhen had clearly injured Miss, yet this Minister Li clearly loved Miss so much…
Li Zhaoting seemed to see the somewhat timid questioning in her eyes. As if seeing nothing at all, he only ordered the guards, “Go bring the female official from the Food Bureau.”
He then coldly instructed the two palace maids Director Guo had brought to assist, “Go take out the flatbreads from the hall.”
“Yes, Young Master.” The two palace maids curtsied and quickly went.
Hearing this, Aluo stopped in her tracks!
Li Zhaoting glanced at her peripherally, his gaze deepening slightly, but said nothing.
Soon, eunuchs from the Imperial Kitchen brought medicinal soup. The palace maids relayed that Director Guo personally came out to receive it, just as her nemesis Chef Xiao was hurrying over with lowered head for an audience. Li Zhaoting threw the flatbread in his hand at her face, “Is this the food your Imperial Kitchen makes for palace masters?”
The Imperial Kitchen had both male and female staff, with female directors responsible for the female family members’ food. Chef Xiao’s face stung from the hit, but she didn’t dare cry out. She tremblingly raised her head, meeting Li Zhaoting’s cold smile.
Her heart filled with terror, knowing the matter was exposed, yet she was greatly confused by this flatbread. Miaoyin naturally remained silent, but little Luzi, who had been standing properly behind them, suddenly said, “This couldn’t possibly be something sent from the Imperial Kitchen. The Imperial Kitchen said the Young Master forbade sending food and water—Magistrate Li has had nothing to eat or drink…”
His voice lowered under Li Zhaoting’s darkened expression.
“Forbade food? How is it that I have no memory of giving such an order myself?” Li Zhaoting sneered, his gaze fierce as if about to shoot arrows.
Chef Xiao was so frightened she fell to her knees, repeatedly kowtowing, “This servant deserves death, this servant deserves death. Young Master once said before palace servants that this Magistrate Li was stubborn, and also shouldn’t… shouldn’t drink water or eat food. This servant can’t remember the exact words, but that was roughly the meaning. Even the guards weren’t allowed to relay messages for her. There are no walls in the palace that don’t leak wind—when palace servants spread this around, this servant assumed the Young Master didn’t want meals sent until Magistrate Li admitted her errors…”
“Did I give orders to the guards, but did I give orders to you palace servants? Did I give orders to you?” Li Zhaoting sneered again, his gaze slowly sweeping over the eunuchs and palace maids on duty at the side hall. Everyone trembled under his cold stare, kneeling on the ground with heads nearly touching the floor.
“Since you spread these words, what use are such loose tongues! Each person receives one hundred rod strikes. Throw the dead ones outside the palace. Those who survive forfeit two months’ wages.” Li Zhaoting said coldly.
Anyone who had spent time in the palace knew what one hundred rod strikes meant—survivors would be severely injured if not dead. The joy they had just received from their previous mistress instantly turned to despair. Everyone wailed and kowtowed begging for mercy, but Li Zhaoting only pointed to little Luzi, “You receive twenty strikes.”
Guards quickly came to arrest people. Chef Xiao was so terrified she dared not breathe, knowing her turn was coming. But she absolutely couldn’t say what shouldn’t be said—in this deep palace, the gamble was not fearing death. Once you survived, then—at this moment, Aluo approached and spoke softly, “Zhaoting, I know the person inside is your childhood friend. What I’m about to say you might not want to hear, but if it were me, I might understand like Chef Xiao did, thinking you had forbidden Feng Suzhen’s meals. This Aunt Xiao has treated me well in the past—I boldly ask you to show mercy.”
Li Zhaoting stared at her for a long time, finally stroking her hair, “Your words I never dislike hearing. Why use ‘boldly’ to distance our feelings? Since she has shown you care, fine. For your sake this time—twenty strikes, just to teach her a lesson.”
“Thank the Young Master, thank Miss. This servant will certainly be cautious in words and deeds hereafter.” Chef Xiao, having received pardon, repeatedly kowtowed and thanked Aluo as well.
Aluo’s previously tense expression also relaxed slightly—he still cared most about her.
But she didn’t say many soft words to him, only saying, “I’ll wait for you in my bedchamber tonight. Take good care of her first.”
Li Zhaoting agreed. She then said to Miaoyin, “Miss Miao, let’s go together. Since Miss Feng is unwell, she should rest well. Your kind intentions can wait for another day to visit.”
Miaoyin was startled. Seeing Li Zhaoting nod slightly, she said, “Fine.”
The two walked without words until reaching the Imperial Garden, where Aluo stopped and looked at Miaoyin with a half-smile, “Miss Miao is a good person, but it’s better to avoid making wedding clothes for others or lifting rocks to drop on your own feet. Some people appear harmless on the surface but are deeply scheming… I was Lian Yu’s childhood friend, yet wasn’t my love still stolen? And whose childhood friend is this person—you’re not unaware. Though childhood friendship isn’t romantic love, sometimes it inevitably evokes pity and blurs boundaries. Is this really a good thing?”
After speaking, she left with Mei’er. Miaoyin remained motionless for a long time. Fifteen whispered behind her, “Miss, this Gu Xiluo is no good person, but her words aren’t entirely unreasonable either.”
When Li Zhaoting entered the room, Director Guo had already fed Suzhen medicine, wiped her face and hands, changed her into clean clothes, and the palace maids had cleaned the room spotlessly. Seeing this, Li Zhaoting praised, “Well done. From now on, Miss Feng’s quarters will be under your care. You may withdraw for now.”
“Thank Young Master for the praise. This servant will certainly do her utmost to serve Miss well.” Director Guo curtsied, directing the palace maids to take out the changed clothes and dirty water from the copper basin, then properly closed the door.
Li Zhaoting sat by the bed again.
Last time, she had pulled his hand to touch her belly. Now, he hesitated a moment, then slowly reached over, gently placing his hand there.
He had kicked her earlier.
When Lian Jie was examining her, he had asked if her internal organs were injured. Lian Jie had looked at him with murderous intent but answered no.
No injury—he breathed a sigh of relief.
…
The fragrance of food wafted into her nose in waves. Suzhen slowly opened her painfully sore eyes.
She didn’t want to wake up. Her and Lian Yu’s child was probably gone.
Though she harbored deep hatred wanting to tear Wei Chenghui apart and stab Li Zhaoting, she had lost the desire to continue living.
But life still had to go on—she still had to seek revenge, even though she was too exhausted to have any strength left.
She weakly turned her head to look at the dim lamplight by the bed. Was it night already? The table was laden with things—a dazzling array of the palace’s most exquisite dishes.
Though hungry, these didn’t attract her. Her gaze almost immediately drifted to the figure standing by the window at the table.
A blue robe, tall and graceful—it was him! Was it him…
Had she died too!
Her heart filled with wild joy. She almost immediately pushed off the covers and ran behind him, extending her arms to embrace him tightly.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I used to make you angry often, but don’t leave me again. You know I can’t live without you.” She held him desperately tight.
His body trembled slightly, then he took her hands and slowly turned around.
“I’m not angry with you, but you can’t be so willful in the future. You can stay in this palace. I’ll fulfill your wishes from all these years—marry you and give you a…” He suddenly stopped.
Because he saw her gaze had also suddenly changed—from infinite joy to cold disgust.
“Why did you deceive me? Why are you wearing this blue robe?” She hadn’t heard what he was saying at all, only tilted her head and questioned word by word, so agitated her body trembled slightly.
Li Zhaoting suppressed his temper, “I bathed and changed clothes, casually put on casual wear. What does the color matter?”
But he suddenly realized what she was really saying.
“You thought I was Lian Yu? Are we so alike that even you, who’ve known me since birth, could mistake us?!” He sneered, gripping her shoulders.
“Yes, I never noticed before how similar you are to him—this build, these features. No, your faces aren’t actually alike, but this feeling… No, that’s not right either. He was so good, and you…” She laughed.
That urge to grab her neck and strangle her bit by bit surged over him again. The compulsion to seal and gag that mouth of hers churned within him! But something in his heart slowly brightened.
She said they were similar, that she would mistake them, that she might think she loved one person when actually her heart had never forgotten another.
He and Lian Yu were cousins after all—naturally they had similar qualities.
Suzhen shook off his hands, warily retreating slowly, then noticed the cold sternness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by deep complexity, though his lips curved slightly upward.
She didn’t know what he was calculating, only that this person was frightening, strange, too scheming. She had known him so many years, yet he had been secretly planning everything she didn’t know. He could kill without blinking.
Lian Yu was also scheming, but never toward her.
Someday, she would repay him with a blade for her little lotus seed.
Thinking coldly, she walked to the table and sat down, lowering her head to eat and drink heartily. After eating to recover some strength, she would take Lian Jie and the others and leave this cursed place!