As he spoke, he saw Li Zhaoting’s eyes suddenly brighten!

“You said the guard reported that her palace eunuch seemed to hand a visiting card to Miaoyin’s maid?” he asked almost fiercely.

“Young Master…” Si Lanfeng saw his murderous expression and momentarily forgot himself, the old address slipping out. After a moment, he nodded as if awakening, “Correct.”

“Given Miaoyin’s character, she wouldn’t refuse to help…”

Li Zhaoting suddenly fixed his gaze on Ji’er. Ji’er was terrified, thinking he was again considering her life. All her fantasies about the emperor, all her ambitions of rising to power, turned to fear as she kept crying, “Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare my life!”

“Bold servant, you’re clearly hiding something else!” Li Zhaoting smiled coldly, then whispered instructions to Si Lanfeng.

Si Lanfeng’s expression changed continuously, showing obvious surprise, and quickly left with his men.

Inside the hall, the Jin Prince Consort now led the consorts out—she had thought Li Zhaoting was handling business and should be allowed to finish, but seeing the strange and solemn situation outside, she couldn’t help coming to investigate.

“Your Majesty, what’s happening?” She glanced at the cowering, trembling servant girl on the ground who seemed familiar. Aluo frowned, Wei Wulei grew suspicious, looking at Ji’er several times, wondering what this maid was involved in again after several days. Miaoyin was also very puzzled, while other consorts were even more confused. But Li Zhaoting said, “I’m handling some matters. I’ll explain to Mother later.”

“Continue with the palace arrangements,” he swept his gaze over the consorts and commanded sternly.

Seeing his serious expression and that he stood aside as if waiting for something, the Jin Prince Consort realized it was a major matter and could only wait. The other consorts dared not inquire further.

During this time, Li Zhaoting occasionally glanced at Aluo. Though Aluo’s thoughts were complex, she would immediately nod in response, making others quite uncomfortable. Wei Wulei secretly gritted her teeth.

Soon, Si Lanfeng returned with his men, handing something to Li Zhaoting while whispering, “Your Majesty had this subordinate search the Empress’s palace and that servant’s room. As Your Majesty predicted, we found this under the latter’s bed.”

Li Zhaoting quickly opened the item.

—Miss Miao, please forgive me for still using the old address. Today, finding myself as your fellow imperial consort was something I never could have anticipated. Using this address feels like yesterday still. Though we have no deep friendship, your righteousness rivals any man’s, and your assistance on several occasions fills my heart with gratitude. Wuqing is my old close friend who visits recently and tells me of court matters, knowing you are troubled by the Wei family. I have a plan—if you find it somewhat acceptable after reading, you may present it to him. Since ancient times, though matters may be hard to destroy, profit can break them. This plan involves three steps following the principle of advancing by retreating: first, establish a new position and falsely appease the Wei family while placing you outside the situation. Observing court affairs, since civil and military have always been separate, this vacancy can be justified by improving efficiency…

The middle section he had already implemented and knew by heart, so he quickly skipped to the end, which read: Though we are both imperial consorts, I have no intention of competing with you. With each incident, I understand more deeply that the Empress and you are whom he truly loves. To me, he is merely a childhood companion. I send this letter hoping to ease his troubles—though he doesn’t like me, I still care for him—and to repay your kindness, as you have always helped me with no way to repay you. Beyond this, I have one request: please inquire about where Lian Yu is buried. I truly wronged Yu in this life. If I could learn where his bones are laid to visit and pay respects, perhaps it would ease some pain. Zhen respectfully submits.

Reading these final characters, Li Zhaoting’s eyes grew hot.

A cold flame burned in his eyes as he fixed them on Ji’er. Ji’er was now so terrified she could barely speak, only instinctively saying, “This servant deserves death for falsely claiming the Empress’s credit. I beg Your Majesty to spare…”

“You indeed deserve death.” He raised the visiting card high, saying sternly, “This card was found in your room! You didn’t steal the Empress’s credit at all—it was the Noble Consort’s!”

“Now I understand.” He suddenly laughed coldly, “The Empress knew the Noble Consort was confined and would definitely have servants seek help from Noble Consort Miao, so she ordered you to watch around Noble Consort Miao’s palace. If you discovered her servants going there, you’d intercept them while she intervened. The Noble Consort knows you from the laundry bureau, but her servants don’t recognize you.”

“Indeed, you waited for the Noble Consort’s servant. By coincidence, I happened to visit Noble Consort Miao that day. The Noble Consort’s servant, fearing my blame and seeing my guards, fled. You were clever, secretly pretending to be Miaoyin’s maid to lead him away, and he actually gave you the card.”

“After reading the contents, you knew the opportunity couldn’t be lost. I don’t know whether you later gave this to the Empress or kept it, whether she instigated you to find me or it was entirely your own idea afterward, and now seeing your scheme exposed, you’re pushing blame onto your mistress to gain her protection and save your life. But regardless, you deserve to die!”

Ji’er saw the murderous intent in his eyes, along with an indescribable grief that made him appear even more fierce—far from the refined young master she usually saw. A chill rose from her feet as only a few words remained in her mind: He will kill me, he will definitely kill me…

But she completely failed to understand the emperor’s meaning. She looked blankly at the card in his hand, her whole being in chaos. Clearly… clearly it was the Empress’s maid who found her. She had never been to Noble Consort Miao’s palace. What about the Noble Consort’s servant, what visiting card? How could this thing be in her room…

She trembled, trying to explain, but only saw him raise his foot. A gust of wind struck her forehead, her head throbbed with pain, and she immediately fell to the ground.

“Watch her carefully. I want her to endure all the palace’s tortures before ending her life.”

But in her ears, only this cold voice remained, so soft.

The Jin Prince Consort and others were shocked. Standing at a distance, they couldn’t hear what the two had said, not knowing why Li Zhaoting had suddenly erupted in such fury against a palace maid. The Jin Prince Consort was just calling “Your Majesty” when he strode over and spoke to Aluo: “I love you. Even though you repeatedly persecute and harm her, I turned a blind eye. But openly and secretly… you’ve gone too far. If we speak of birth, she is my betrothed wife from childhood. I’ve given you everything—can’t you show her some tolerance?”

“Gu Zhiluo, I’m truly disappointed in you.”

Aluo didn’t know what had happened between him and Ji’er, never imagining that this man who loved her deeply would one day publicly attack her without leaving her any dignity, his mockery and ridicule so obvious. She felt something clutching at her heart, making it sink lower and lower… Her heart ached dully, so painfully that standing there with reddened eyes looking at him, she couldn’t speak a word.

He had always been tender and loving toward her. How could, how would… She looked at him stubbornly with red eyes, waiting for him to regret.

“Excuse me, where should this large lantern be hung?”

Everyone was shocked by Li Zhaoting’s sudden outburst, but this shock was immediately interrupted by someone emerging from inside.

Li Zhaoting hadn’t expected Suzhen to be here.

She wore the most ordinary palace dress, completely without luxury, her sleeves actually rolled up and tied with ribbons, apparently for convenience while working to prevent them from slipping down.

Her hair bore no ornaments, simply tied in a bun. Sweat covered her brow, strands of hair stuck to her forehead. She held a large lantern, the huge red object covering half her face from her abdomen upward. She had been smiling and asking everyone lightly, but seeing him, she immediately stopped.

Li Zhaoting’s heart ached watching her. Which of his other consorts looked like this?

He remembered each time he said he would treat her better, much better.

Yet he kept pushing her into such situations.

Because he never spoke up for her, anyone could bully her, treat her like a servant, make her do servants’ work. And she always, could only stubbornly endure time after time.

Even if she was wrong, she was right—toward Aluo, he accommodated everything, even Aluo’s affair with Lian Yu, he could tolerate and forgive. But with her, his eyes seemed unable to tolerate any grain of sand, whether it was her relationship with Lian Yu or Quan Feitong.

“Young Master, if you insist on restoration, forgive me for only being able to accompany you this far. It’s not that I’m disloyal, but now the realm is peaceful and prosperous under a wise ruler. If I helped you wage war, though I might repay Prince Jin’s great kindness, I would betray the people, making my life meaningless. Born from humble roots, I cannot forget my origins. Though you may blame me, the duty between ruler and minister I dare not forget. Whether in the first half of my life or the second half, I have already given you the most precious thing in my life.”

That year under the osmanthus tree, that person raised his cup to him with a slight smile.

It wasn’t prostrating on the ground that showed loyalty. Only now did he truly understand, amid the falling blossoms, that cup of mottled vicissitudes.

A scholar dies for his confidant—the most precious thing.

The first half of his life: exceptional wisdom, steadfast protection; the second half: his beloved daughter, childhood companions, forever together.

One Feng Suzhen was this minister’s life’s teachings.

One Li Huaisu was this girl’s ten years of graceful youth.

She wasn’t a refined lady, but she was a woman who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. She wasn’t love at first sight, but she was years and time, morning and evening, year after year.

She wasn’t a painted beauty, much less a confidante, but she was the ink of his brush.

“Though he doesn’t like me, I still care for him.”

If that time he kicked her, he knew he also feared her injury; at the laundry bureau rescue, he knew he also loved her not too little. Today, he no longer knew how to describe the sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy feelings in his heart. It turned out that over these years, she had long become part of his body. He just hadn’t known it.

He didn’t know if it was still not too late.

He slowly walked before her and reached out to take the large lantern from her hands.

“I…” After one word, he suddenly stopped, not knowing what to say, though clearly there was so much he wanted to say.

“You’re finally willing to see me. I begged you for so many days, yet you’re always so heartless.” She finally looked up at him and spoke softly.

Like a windless lake surface, such a calm voice.

“I hate Lian Yu to my bones. You needn’t ask Miaoyin. Even if you asked her, I couldn’t possibly give her Lian Yu’s remains. But I can give them to you.” He looked at her for a long time before speaking again.

She seemed somewhat surprised, then looked at him with a half-smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

He paused, then spoke once more.

“If you want to bury him, to hold memorial services, I can accompany you in everything, as long as you… are still willing to be with me.”

His hands clenched slightly in his sleeves. Even as a former court criminal and fallen prince, this was his first time in life begging someone. He waited for her answer.