The bamboo winnowing basket in her arms suddenly grew heavy as the soft flower branches brushed across the back of her hand.

Zhao Wan’s heart pounded like a drum. She stood at a loss for what to do. After a long while, she lifted her head, only to see that Shen Xi had already sat down at the stone table in the courtyard leaning on his walking stick, his gaze distant, lost in thought about who knows what.

Before long, Su Jin arrived. Accompanying her was Seventh Uncle, the steward from the Su residence, who was carrying medicinal herbs brought from the Imperial Medical Academy.

Shen Xi’s gaze fell on Su Jin’s fingers wrapped in fine cloth. His heart sank as he asked: “Did Zhu Zhaowei make things difficult for you?”

Su Jin originally didn’t want to answer this question, but she also knew that nothing could be hidden from him. After instructing Seventh Uncle to hand over the medicinal herbs to Shen Liubo, she nodded: “Yes. The Su family that once adopted me has fallen into decline. A younger sister from the household came to the capital to find me, traveling the same route as an Assistant Horse Director from the Court of Imperial Stud. They lost horses along the way, and Zhu Zhaowei blamed this on me. But the matter is settled now.”

However, Shen Xi knew that though she spoke of it lightly, this matter wasn’t so easily resolved. Hearing her mention the Court of Imperial Stud in her words, he asked: “Did Zhu Zhaowei also mention having me assume my post soon?” Without waiting for Su Jin to answer, he said with detached calm: “That’s fine. Living at the Zhao residence is ultimately improper. Better to move to the Directorate of Imperial Stables sooner. I hear it’s in the suburbs of the capital, raising a thousand horses with endless green grass—always better than being confined to one corner.”

Zhao Wan came forward to serve tea, calling out: “Lord Su, Lord Shen.”

Su Jin expressed her thanks, watching as Shen Xi picked up the teapot to pour tea for her. After thinking for a moment, she said: “It would be good for you to move to the Court of Imperial Stud. Tan Zhaolin has recently returned to the capital. I’ll have him accompany you and Sixth Uncle there. In any case, I often rest in the palace, where the Golden Guard protects me.”

The cup filled with water. Shen Xi pushed the teacup in front of Su Jin and poured another cup for himself: “By the looks of it, Zhu Zhaowei is already anxious and irritable. You shouldn’t be going to the Ministry of Justice at this critical juncture.”

Su Jin understood Shen Xi’s meaning.

As soon as Zhu Zhaowei came to power, before his position was even secure, Great Sui was already plagued by internal troubles and external threats. Previously he only focused on seizing the succession, so he could plan strategies calmly and unhurriedly. But now all the major affairs under heaven had surged before him alone. Unable to attend to everything, he inevitably became anxious to completely eliminate the Eastern Palace faction. This could be seen from the case of the lost horses at the Court of Imperial Stud.

If Su Jin was promoted to Vice Minister of Justice and gained control over the power of punishment at this critical moment, Zhu Zhaowei would probably not be able to sleep soundly a single day without killing her.

Su Jin said: “I know. But right now, you, me, and His Highness—whose life isn’t hanging by a thread? Zhu Zhaowei controls the Ministry of Personnel. He will inevitably use the single-month and double-month selections to install his own people in various ministries and courts. Only by going to the Ministry of Justice can I restrain Zeng Youliang and use the authority to interrogate cases to control the Feathered Forest Guard. If we survive this period, you and I will have a chance to catch our breath. Otherwise, when summer arrives and Zhu Zhaowei’s Fengyang Army arrives, if we cannot rescue His Highness before then, His Highness will truly lose his life.”

But you’re all alone—how can you survive this period?

Shen Xi’s lips moved, but he didn’t say these words aloud, because he knew that Su Jin’s current choice was the only path to survival she could fight for while facing this situation alone. If he were in her position, he could only do the same.

Shen Xi lowered his eyes to look at his teacup, momentarily speechless. After a moment, he suddenly said: “Su Shiyu, let me—”

Before he could finish speaking, Seventh Uncle, who had been guarding outside the secondary residence, hurried in and said to Su Jin: “My lord, Guard Tan sent someone to say that the young miss encountered trouble at the city gate. He requests that you go take a look.”

Su Jin was stunned for a moment before realizing that the “young miss” Seventh Uncle mentioned was her nominal younger sister Su Wan. She couldn’t help but frown: “What trouble occurred now?”

“I heard she collided with a princess consort’s carriage, nearly causing the princess consort’s carriage to overturn. The officials who went to receive her are currently demanding accountability.”

Hearing this, Su Jin was about to ask which princess consort when Zhao Wan beside her, seeing her expression, said softly: “Lord Su, the one returning to the capital today should be the Twelfth Prince Consort, formerly the eldest Miss Qi from the Qi family, Qihuan.” She paused, then continued: “A few days ago, fourth Miss Qi, Qiling, mentioned this matter to me and invited me to go welcome her together. I… couldn’t get away from here, so I didn’t accept. But I heard that Sister Qihuan just finished her postpartum confinement. This time returning to the capital, she brought the young prince with her. We must hope the young prince wasn’t injured.”

Hearing her say this, Su Jin said to Shen Xi: “I must go take a look.” She added: “Zhu Zhaowei ordered you to assume your post after the Qingming Festival, on the second day of the third month. I’ll have Tan Zhaolin come on the first.”

Shen Xi looked at her silently. After a moment, he only offered a reminder: “Zhu Zhaowei doesn’t know your background. Your sister, he certainly cannot fake. But this Assistant Director surnamed Qiu from the Court of Imperial Stud—you must be careful.”

Su Jin nodded and hurriedly left.

Shen Xi watched her board the carriage from the courtyard gate, then watched the carriage and horses disappear into Vermillion Bird Lane. He stood silently for a long time before returning to sit by the stone table with his walking stick, not going back to his room.

Zhao Wan came to collect the teacups. Seeing that Su Jin’s tea was still full, she couldn’t help but blame herself: “It was Awan’s negligence. Just as Lord Su was about to leave, I noticed his hands were injured. Awan shouldn’t have made the tea water so hot.”

Shen Xi lowered his eyes, the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye gleaming faintly. He said quietly: “You’re not to blame.” Then added: “Blame me.”

He set the wooden walking stick aside, bent down, and picked up a flower branch from beneath the apricot tree. Slowly he drew two horizontal lines crossing each other on the ground.

Seeing this, Zhao Wan asked: “Does Lord Shen wish to write? Awan will fetch brush and ink for you.”

Shen Xi rested his chin on his hand, silently gazing at the two horizontal lines on the ground for a long while. His peach blossom eyes suddenly curved, and he actually smiled as he said: “Long without deep thought, my mind has grown dull. If I rely further on brush and ink, won’t all the cleverness of this lifetime be completely wasted?”

Then he tossed the flower branch aside and said inexplicably: “The Court of Imperial Stud is the Court of Imperial Stud. The Vice Minister of Revenue manages the Son of Heaven’s finances—not a single coin falls into one’s own pocket. Now there is no Son of Heaven in the court, so nothing could be better than raising horses.”

Vermillion Bird Lane wasn’t far from the Zhengyang Gate post station. The carriage ride took less than half an hour. Inside and outside the post station, Eagle Guards were already standing watch. Not far away, an elegant carriage had overturned on its side—presumably the Twelfth Prince Consort Qihuan’s.

Su Jin looked toward the inside of the post station and recognized quite a few faces. Besides fourth Miss Qi, Qiling, the Shu siblings Shu Wenlan and his sister were also there. Among them, a woman wearing luxurious robes with refined and elegant features must be Qihuan.

Su Jin walked over and first paid her respects to Qihuan, then apologized: “I heard my younger sister was reckless and disturbed the Princess Consort’s carriage and horses. I wonder if the Princess Consort and the young prince were injured?”

Qihuan was exceptionally well-mannered and courteous. She shook her head slightly and said: “Lord Su is too courteous. This consort’s injury is nothing serious. Rather, your younger sister seems to have twisted her arm. Lord Shu has a physician with him who was about to examine her, but she…” Qihuan glanced toward a corner of the post station and only said: “It would be better if Lord Su personally went to persuade her.”

Su Jin followed her gaze and saw a man and woman kneeling in the corner. The man wore coarse cloth garments and had plain features. The woman beside him, wearing a lotus-colored dress with delicate eyebrows and eyes, must be Su Wan.

Su Jin walked up to Su Wan and looked her over. After vaguely discerning a resemblance to Master Su in her appearance, she turned to ask the post station superintendent beside her: “What exactly happened just now? Tell me in detail.”

The superintendent said: “In reply to Lord Su, earlier Assistant Director Qiu’s horses became frightened while he was driving them back to the capital. They collided with the Twelfth Prince Consort’s carriage, causing it to overturn. The Princess Consort was injured, and the young prince was frightened to tears. The horses the Court of Imperial Stud was returning to the capital have already been taken away by the Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud. Lord Shu’s physician has already examined the Princess Consort and young prince. Now we’re just waiting for either the Twelfth Prince or someone from the Ministry of Justice to come take Assistant Director Qiu away. It’s just that your sister…”

Su Jin nodded slightly, turned to look at Su Wan, and asked coolly: “What are you doing kneeling here?”

The Su family of Qizhou was not a great household. Su Wan had grown up in the residence and had never witnessed such a scene.

With imperial relatives and high officials standing all around, she was already scared out of her wits. Yet hearing this elder brother she had heard so much about but never met still so calm and composed, she timidly raised her eyebrows to glance at Su Jin and called out: “Third, Third Brother.”

Su Jin frowned slightly, only then remembering that she had been ranked third in the Su family. She made a sound of acknowledgment: “Come back to the residence with me.”

Who would have known that upon hearing these words, Su Wan’s hands clutched tightly at her dress hem. She bit her lower lip hard and suddenly kowtowed to Su Jin: “I beg Third Brother to save Ajiu!”

“Nonsense!” Su Jin said angrily. “He first lost horses, then drove horses that collided with the Princess Consort’s carriage, injuring the Princess Consort and frightening the young prince. He deserves punishment. What logic is there in recklessly trying to save him?”

Su Wan raised her head slightly from the ground, tears already welling in her eyes: “But Brother Qiu is Awan’s savior. He lost the horses because we encountered bandits—it was to save Awan. Today the horses were frightened because one of the injured horses disrupted the herd. In the end, these were all unintentional mistakes. Must he really forfeit his life for this?” She added: “Then Awan also bears fault in this matter and should forfeit her life along with him.”

“In one’s position, one must fulfill one’s duties. Though he has the merit of saving you, he also has the fault of losing horses. But merit and fault cannot offset each other. Even if he forfeits his life for this, it would not be an injustice.” As Su Jin spoke, she stopped wasting words with her. She immediately looked toward Tan Zhaolin, who was waiting outside the post station, and said: “Zhaolin, carry her onto the carriage and bring her back to the residence.”

Just as Tan Zhaolin acknowledged the order, a voice suddenly came from outside the post station: “The Twelfth Prince arrives—”