Zhu Minda arrived faster than expected.

Worried about Zhu Nanxian’s safety, he had more than ten elite Feathered Forest Guards clear the way, forcibly tearing open a breach through the Eastern City Military Commission that came to intercept them, rushing all the way to the city’s south.

Not to mention that Zhu Nanxian was Zhu Minda’s full brother whom he had watched grow up from childhood, more importantly, Zhu Nanxian held command of the Northwest troops. If he died, the Northwest military authority would fall to others, and the Seventh Prince would have no more worries. At that time, even if Zhu Minda smoothly ascended the throne, the Seventh Prince would have the strength to lead troops to seize power.

Zhaohe Bridge looked as if it had been washed in blood, with severed heads and dismembered limbs on and under the bridge.

Not a single person left alive?

Zhu Minda felt all the blood in his body rush to his head at once. He asked sternly, “Who did this?”

Four people knelt below. Before he arrived, Tan Zhaolin had already removed the outer garment from inside his armor and given it to Su Jin. Although it was somewhat large, at least she had changed back into men’s clothing.

Zhu Nanxian lowered his eyes. “I did.”

“You?” Zhu Minda laughed coldly. “How capable you are—could this Palace not know? Without the Golden Guards at your side, where did you summon heavenly troops and divine generals to kill so many people?”

His gaze swept past Zhu Nanxian and fell on Su Jin. He smiled again, his voice even colder. “This Palace is also curious—how is it that every major incident in Yingtian City lately cannot be separated from the eighth-rank Magistrate Su of Yingtian Prefecture?”

Su Jin knelt prostrate on the ground, head bowed in silence.

Zhu Minda dismounted and looked at Zhu Nanxian kneeling beside Su Jin with clenched teeth. Knowing that his near-death experience this time must be inseparable from this magistrate, he said furiously, “Answer!”

“In reply to the Crown Prince.” Before Su Jin could answer, Liu Chaoming, kneeling on her other side, clasped his hands and bowed toward Zhu Minda. “Magistrate Su came here with this subject.”

Zhu Minda’s gaze swept over and fell on Liu Chaoming. He said coldly, “What does the Left Chief Censor mean by this?”

Was he reminding him that back in the palace’s front garden, Lord Liu, representing the Imperial Censorate’s position, had already bought Su Jin’s life from the Eastern Palace?

Zhu Minda could least tolerate coercion, yet he had to consider the long term.

He secretly swallowed his anger and instead asked Zhu Nanxian, “On the way here, this Palace heard that you took a fancy to a maidservant at Chamberlain Ma’s estate and carried her off. Where is that maidservant? Isn’t she with you?”

Zhu Nanxian pressed his lips together. “The journey was too dangerous. I let her go.”

“Let her go?” Zhu Minda could no longer tolerate the three’s vague words. A murderous air surged between his brows. “In this dark night, deep alleys silent and deserted, where could a mere weak woman go? Did she sprout wings and fly away?” He paused, then turned to look at Su Jin. “On the contrary, Magistrate Su appears here inexplicably, appearing in this place inexplicably—one cannot help but become suspicious.”

As he spoke, he suddenly noticed the clothing on Su Jin’s body.

Something was wrong. These garments were oversized, clearly not hers. In other words, before his arrival, Su Jin had changed her clothing.

But what exactly was the reason that required Su Jin to change her clothes before she could be seen?

Zhu Minda narrowed his eyes slightly. It was as if two strings had been plucked in his mind. The strings were about to connect and emit a ringing sound, but at this moment, the sound of scattered footsteps came from the other end of the long street.

Zhu Minda turned to look. It turned out to be Shen Xi bringing the officials who had been drinking at the Ma estate’s full-moon celebration, coming here to find him. The two at the front were Minister Zeng Youliang and Secretary Zeng Ping from the Ministry of Personnel.

Shen Xi led the officials in bowing to Zhu Minda. He also glanced from the corner of his eye at Su Jin and Zhu Nanxian kneeling at the other end. Gauging the situation slightly, he raised his face and smiled at Zhu Minda. “The Crown Prince must reward this subject handsomely this time.”

Zhu Minda thought he was claiming credit for identifying the trap set at the Ma estate and nodded slightly. “Mm, you should indeed be rewarded.” Then his gaze swept over everyone as he said slowly, “Everyone may rise.”

Shen Xi patted his knee, cupped his hands toward Zhu Minda again, and smiled. “Your Highness misunderstands. This subject’s merit this time is great. Not only should Your Highness reward me, the Thirteenth Prince should reward me even more.”

Zhu Minda furrowed his brow. “Speak plainly. Don’t be cryptic.”

Shen Xi acknowledged and raised his eyebrows toward Zhu Nanxian. “May this subject ask the Thirteenth Prince—did Your Highness take a maidservant from Chamberlain Ma’s estate?” Without waiting for Zhu Nanxian to answer, he stepped aside. “Take a look at who this is.”

From behind Shen Xi walked out a maidservant, black hair brushing her shoulders, graceful in figure.

Zhu Nanxian froze, staring blankly at Shen Xi.

Shen Xi’s expression was calm, but his eyes looked directly into Zhu Nanxian’s, as if reminding him as he asked, “Is this the one you just carried off?”

Zhu Minda’s gaze swept toward Zhu Nanxian. “Is it her?”

Zhu Nanxian fell silent for a moment, then lowered his eyes. “Yes.”

Shen Xi said, “The Thirteenth Prince really doesn’t know how to cherish beauty. In this deep night and long alleys, how could you let a young lady walk alone? Fortunately, she ran into this subject. Otherwise, if some scoundrel had seen her, wouldn’t Your Highness have painfully lost your beloved?”

As his words fell, the maidservant walked gracefully to Zhu Nanxian’s presence, softly called out, “Your Highness,” and then bowed to him.

Zhu Nanxian couldn’t help but glance at Shen Xi. He saw Shen Xi, while Zhu Minda wasn’t paying attention, wink at him. He had no choice but to respond with “Mm” and extend his hand to help the maidservant up.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Minda felt slightly relieved and said, “That’s good. Since you like her, then investigate her family background. As long as she’s of good character, first take her to your estate as a concubine.”

Zhu Nanxian stood with lowered eyes. After a long while, he only said one word: “Good.”

Zhu Minda looked at Su Jin standing silently to the side and said earnestly to Zhu Nanxian, “When Mother Empress passed away that year, you observed mourning for her for three years, then went to lead troops in the Northwest for five years—you’ve truly been delayed terribly. At the beginning of last year, your sister-in-law selected two concubines for you and sent them to your estate. I heard that as soon as you returned this year, you sent them away? What kind of behavior is this? After all, you’re an imperial prince, this Palace’s full brother. If you don’t marry soon, the whole world will laugh at us. This Palace has already asked your sister-in-law to help with the selection. After today’s matter is concluded, you’ll return to live in the Eastern Palace. Your sister-in-law will naturally bring people for you to see. If you like any of them, if not as principal wife, you can first take them as secondary consorts, hmm?”

Zhu Nanxian’s throat moved up and down. For a moment, he couldn’t speak.

He really wanted to turn his head and look at Su Jin standing right beside him, but he understood that even such a small movement might harm her.

Throughout Zhu Nanxian’s life until now, he had always expressed his feelings directly, frank and straightforward.

However, at this moment, he clenched his hands tightly into fists, forcefully suppressing everything in his chest, and for the first time in his life, answered with restraint and without expression, “I will follow whatever Imperial Brother decides.”

Actually, Zhu Minda’s words had two layers of meaning. One was because Zhu Nanxian truly should get married, but more importantly, Great Sui practiced the enfeoffment system. Only by marrying could Zhu Nanxian be formally enfeoffed.

The Seventh Prince had now bullied his way right up to the dignified Crown Prince’s head. If he didn’t quickly cultivate the Thirteenth Prince’s influence and develop him into his own right and left arms, future troubles would only multiply.

At this time, another large group of people came marching from the other end of the long street.

Zhu Minda looked sideways. Besides the Feathered Forest Guards he had brought, there were also Wei Zhang’s Embroidered Uniform Guards. Most surprisingly, the one at the front was actually the Fourteenth Prince, Zhu Mixiao.

Zhu Minda sneered inwardly. The Seventh Prince was hiding and not showing his face, but unexpectedly, this busybody fool had been attracted.

The Fourteenth Prince, Zhu Mixiao, was the son of the current Imperial Noble Consort. Though young in age, his arrogance was high. Taking advantage of the fact that the late Empress had passed away and his birth mother was now the head of the harem, he regarded himself as half a legitimate prince. His ambition to seize the throne could be called obvious, but unfortunately, his abilities were too small.

After Zhu Mixiao greeted his two imperial brothers, Zhu Minda asked indifferently, “What are you doing here?”

Zhu Mixiao raised his eyebrows. “Imperial Brother’s question is quite unfriendly. This imperial brother heard that the Thirteenth Imperial Brother was in trouble and specially rushed here in the dead of night to rescue him.” He looked toward Zhu Nanxian, as if greatly relieved. “Fortunately, the Thirteenth Imperial Brother survived this great calamity. Only then can this imperial brother return to sleep soundly. Unfortunately, while this imperial brother sleeps well, someone in the palace will be unable to sleep night after night.”

His words pointed directly at the Seventh Prince.

Zhu Nanxian had found him annoying since childhood, feeling that even one more sentence with him was a waste of breath, and naturally ignored him.

Zhu Minda said, “You came to rescue the Thirteenth, and this is how you came—empty-handed?”

Zhu Mixiao said apologetically, “Eldest Imperial Brother’s criticism is correct. Coming empty-handed is indeed improper. But alas, this imperial brother has no troops or horses under his command.” As he spoke, he clicked his tongue twice, his gaze sweeping from Liu Chaoming to Wei Zhang, then to Shen Xi. “Besides, where would Imperial Brother need me? The Imperial Censorate, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Justice behind the Vice Minister of Revenue—the court offices with the greatest power are all in Imperial Brother’s hands. Truly awe-inspiring.”

Hearing these words, Zhu Minda’s heart tensed.

That’s right—how did the Embroidered Uniform Guard come to be here?

Thinking this, his gaze swept to Wei Zhang. In the depths of the long street, Wei Zhang stood in his flying fish robe, hands clasped behind his back, his face carved like a blade showing no expression, cold and taciturn.

Such a person should never take orders from anyone.

It was precisely because of this that the Emperor had made him Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

But why had he rushed here tonight to join forces with the Feathered Forest Guard against the Eastern City Military Commission blocking their path?

Setting aside whether the Embroidered Uniform Guard had actually come to help him, even if they had, what would Father Emperor think if he found out? Would he think his power was too great, that before even ascending the throne, he was already reaching for the imperial seat?

The more Zhu Minda thought about it, the more alarmed he became. In this battle with the Seventh Prince, he had already secured victory. But with the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s arrival, the scales that had tilted toward his side had been completely crushed.

Thinking of this, Zhu Minda disregarded Zhu Mixiao’s mocking expression and immediately said to Wei Zhang, “May this Palace ask Commander Wei, from where did you receive news that allowed you to arrive here so timely?”

Wei Zhang’s face still showed no particular expression. He cupped his hands and said, “In reply to the Crown Prince, the Judicial Office was investigating the scholar riot case and, fearing further incidents, placed informants throughout Yingtian City. When unusual activity occurred here tonight, this general came.”

Though this explanation was passable, everything was ultimately too coincidental.

Zhu Minda wanted to think more carefully but had no clear leads. Having mentally reviewed tonight’s events once through, he decided to investigate from the beginning and asked Wu Yusheng, Commander of the Feathered Forest Guard, “Have you searched the Ma estate from top to bottom? Was there anything suspicious?”

Wu Yusheng cupped his hands. “Yes.” He immediately raised his hand in a gesture, and Feathered Forest Guards behind him brought out three people.

Su Jin raised her eyes and looked, her heart greatly shaken.

These three were the Sister Yuan’er, the nanny, and the old steward she had seen in the rear courtyard of the Ma estate.

Wu Yusheng said, “In reply to Your Highness, your subordinate has followed Your Highness’s instructions and found these three people in the rear courtyard of the Ma estate. They all claim to have seen the maidservant taken away by the Thirteenth Prince.”

Zhu Minda nodded slightly and suddenly raised his hand pointing at Su Jin. “Then you three go and identify whether the maidservant previously taken away by the Thirteenth Prince is this person.”

Hearing these words, the three people responded in the affirmative.

The nanny and the old steward saw Su Jin’s face clearly by the Feathered Forest Guards’ torchlight. In trepidation, they bowed again to Zhu Minda and answered, “In reply to the Crown Prince, it is precisely this person.”