In the past, Consort Cen had been falsely accused of adultery and took her own life at the former site of Yanhe Palace. Her body hung from the rafters for five days before anyone discovered it. Ever since then, Yanhe Palace had been said to be haunted.

When Zhu Zhaowei and his party arrived at Yanhe Palace, they immediately heard eerie laughter and curses coming from inside.

Listening carefully, who else could it be but the mad Imperial Noble Consort?

The old palace hall had been turned into complete chaos. The Imperial Noble Consort squatted in the middle, pointing at Consort Cen’s memorial tablet and laughing shrilly: “I told you long ago that there were ghosts in the palace but you didn’t believe me. Blood debts must be repaid in blood. For all those things you did, since you couldn’t taste the consequences yourself, you became a vengeful spirit and burrowed into her belly.”

No lamps were lit in the old hall. A thin shaft of moonlight spilled down from the clouds, illuminating the Imperial Noble Consort’s powder-covered face in a ghastly pale light.

As she spoke, she stood up and walked forward, clutching Consort Cen’s memorial tablet and laughing wildly for a while. Then she collapsed to the ground, and as if possessed, suddenly stopped laughing. She cursed angrily: “She’s also an evil person! She harmed me, so she’s pregnant with an evil spawn, pregnant with a demon! She definitely won’t die a good death. She’ll go to the Hell of Tongue-Ripping, she’ll be thrown into boiling oil, she’ll—”

Though her words didn’t explicitly say who “she” was, in the current imperial harem, only Consort Qi was pregnant.

Hearing these words, Zhu Zhaowei commanded in a deep voice: “Go gag her mouth and carry her back to Chonghua Palace.”

Two guards responded and came forward, seizing the Imperial Noble Consort from both sides. Seeing that she continued spewing hateful curses, they had no choice but to gag her mouth and forcibly drag her away from Yanhe Palace.

Zhu Zhaowei looked at the disheveled interior hall and said coldly: “Still not going to clean this up?”

Though he didn’t look at anyone while speaking, behind him were only officials from the Court of Imperial Clan and the Imperial Guards, with only a few low-ranking palace patrol guards idle.

The patrol guard captain had been lost in thought. Hearing these words, he hastily responded: “Yes.” He led several subordinates into the old hall.

The old hall was dark and lightless. Only the patrol guard captain had a torch, which he set up on a stand. Half doubtful and half uneasy, he glanced back at Zhu Nanxian’s figure.

A palace patrol guard squad consisted of twelve people total, working in shifts of six. However, ever since they encountered this person on Changliu Road, he had been silently following them.

Now with people missing in the imperial harem and rumors of ghosts, his squad had somehow gained this extra person who kept his head lowered without making a sound. It truly sent chills down one’s spine.

Zhu Nanxian, worried about being exposed by the firelight, kept to the shadows while cleaning up.

In the eastern corner of the old hall, a long table had been overturned on the ground. He lifted it upright. Unexpectedly, a young patrol guard beside him picked up an incense burner to place on the long table. As he crouched and rose, by the moonlight he happened to meet Zhu Nanxian’s gaze, getting a clear look at half his face hidden under the helmet brim.

The young patrol guard froze instantly. The incense burner in his hands fell to the ground with a loud “clang.”

The patrol guard captain, fearing that the Seventh Prince would rebuke them, was first to scold: “What are you doing?!”

But the young patrol guard continued staring at Zhu Nanxian in a daze.

Just as Zhu Nanxian formed his hand into a blade-strike, deciding to fight his way out, the young patrol guard suddenly snapped back to reality. Flustered, he replied: “No—nothing, this subordinate stumbled.”

The patrol guard captain said irritably: “Be more careful!”

Before the old hall was finished being cleaned, someone came from outside to report: “Your Highness Seventh Prince, patrol guards near Lan Garden have found the Twelfth Prince!”

Zhu Zhaowei’s pupils constricted: “Where?” He asked again: “Have they found the Thirteenth Prince?”

“In reply to Your Highness Seventh Prince, they have not found the Thirteenth Prince. The Twelfth Prince and two Eagle Guard lords were bound in a side room at Lan Garden. They seem to have been poisoned and cannot be awakened no matter how they’re called. One of the Eagle Guards had his armor and helmet stripped off. The patrol guards at Lan Garden said that when they first searched Lan Garden, they were stopped by an Eagle Guard Commander whose face they couldn’t see clearly. They speculate… perhaps the Thirteenth Prince exchanged clothes with the Eagle Guard and is wearing his black armor.”

As these words were spoken, Zhu Nanxian and the patrol guards finished cleaning the old hall and withdrew past Zhu Zhaowei through the palace gate.

Hearing this, Zhu Nanxian guessed that these guards must have sent someone to report as soon as they discovered Zhu Qiyue, and in their haste had overlooked the other patrol guard bound in the woodshed who had exchanged clothes with him.

However, since they had found Zhu Qiyue at Lan Garden, even if they were momentarily distracted by the Twelfth Prince’s poisoning, they would soon thoroughly search Lan Garden.

The time left for himself was running out.

Over there, Zhu Zhaowei was already saying: “Pass the order down—immediately have the Eagle Guards conduct an internal inspection! Once they find the Thirteenth Prince, they must safely escort him back to the Eastern Palace!”

“Yes!”

Zhu Zhaowei added: “Why hasn’t Wu Yusheng arrived yet?!”

Another guard who came to report said: “In reply to Your Highness Seventh Prince, the guard who went to summon Lord Wu said that Lord Su stated that the case of the former Crown Prince’s murder involves state and social foundations, and he must have Lord Wu finish writing his testimony before coming.”

Zhu Zhaowei said angrily in displeasure: “Two princes—one poisoned and one missing—and Su Shiyu still has the nerve to mention state and social foundations? Completely putting the cart before the horse, utterly detestable!” He added, “Does Wu Yusheng have no brain? The imperial harem is in such chaos, and the Ministry of Justice is a den of wolves and tigers? Can’t he get out?!”

Zhu Nanxian knew why Zhu Zhaowei insisted on having Wu Yusheng come.

Because he wanted to have this Imperial Guard force that only obeyed him seal off the entire imperial harem, even the entire palace. He wanted to set up an inescapable net in these layers upon layers of palace walls, making it impossible for him to escape even with wings.

However, the patrol squad he was following had been personally ordered by Zhu Zhaowei to accompany him. Unless Zhu Zhaowei gave the order, if he left on his own initiative, it would definitely arouse suspicion.

Just as Zhu Nanxian was thinking of a solution, his sleeve was suddenly tugged gently. The young patrol guard beside him who had already recognized him suddenly cried “Ouch” and crouched down: “Brother, when I was moving things just now, something seems to have jabbed my lower back. Could you help me take a look?”

Under the patrol guard captain’s suspicious gaze, Zhu Nanxian nodded and lowered his head to crouch down. He heard the young patrol guard say in a voice only the two of them could hear: “This lowly one will provide cover. Your Highness, leave quickly.”

Zhu Nanxian calmly lifted the back of his clothes and replied in a low voice: “You will die.”

The young patrol guard smiled briefly: “Your Highness once saved this lowly one’s family.”

Hearing this, Zhu Nanxian raised his eyes to look at the young patrol guard’s face, but it was completely unfamiliar.

Actually, it wasn’t strange that he didn’t remember. Years ago, this young patrol guard’s older brother had served in the Eastern Palace and broke a glass jade vase that Emperor Jingyuan had bestowed upon Zhu Minda. For such an offense, an imperial harem guard could be beaten to death at worst. Fortunately, he was discovered by Zhu Nanxian who had returned to the palace first. In Zhu Nanxian’s view, such a vase was really nothing rare. Seeing that guard kneeling and begging for mercy was truly pitiful, so he said: “This is nothing. Just say that this prince broke it.”

After all these years, Zhu Nanxian had long forgotten this matter cleanly. He never expected that someone would remember it as a life-saving grace and keep it in their heart all along.

After saying this, the young patrol guard suddenly fell to the ground, clutching his stomach and rolling around: “Oh no, it hurts so much, I’m dying, am I poisoned? Are the things in the old Yanhe hall poisonous…”

With his shouting, the remaining five patrol guards were all startled. They couldn’t help but raise their torches and all come over to check. The patrol guard captain even scolded: “Keep your voice down, be careful not to disturb His Highness.”

Zhu Zhaowei had already been disturbed. Hearing “the things in the old hall are poisonous,” the two guards stationed outside Yanhe Palace hurried inside to report.

Thus, while everyone’s attention was diverted, Zhu Nanxian silently stepped back once, then again, finally retreating to the corner. He quickly turned around and once more walked toward the palace exit.

Not long after Zhu Nanxian left, several guards hurried from the inner palace and prostrated themselves at the steps of Yanhe Palace, saying in trepidation: “Your Highness Seventh Prince, we lowly ones—we lowly ones found another patrol guard in the woodshed at Lan Garden, but he was wearing Eagle Guard black armor. Like the Twelfth Prince, he was also poisoned. We lowly ones guess that perhaps the Thirteenth Prince exchanged clothes with him…”

“Useless!” Before the guard finished speaking, Zhu Zhaowei interrupted.

Hearing these words, the patrol guard captain outside Yanhe Palace seemed to think of something. He suddenly looked up and around—where had that patrol guard who had been following them, silent and wordless, gone?

The young patrol guard on the ground was still crying out in pain about being poisoned, but the patrol guard captain had completely realized what happened.

His expression showed great alarm. He also fell to his knees at the steps, stammering: “Re—reporting to Your Highness Seventh Prince, just now in this lowly one’s patrol squad, there was one person—one person this lowly one didn’t recognize.”

Zhu Zhaowei stared at him without speaking, a storm already brewing in his eyes.

The Deputy Commander of the Feathered Forest Guards scolded on his behalf: “Since there was someone you didn’t recognize, why did you let him follow your patrol squad?!”

“We encountered him halfway. Later, when Your Highness Seventh Prince had us follow to Yanhe Palace, that person… came along together.”

The storm in Zhu Zhaowei’s eyes intensified.

That’s right. Earlier when he saw these patrol guards on Changliu Road, he had felt something inexplicable. So this inexplicable feeling actually came from his familiarity with Zhu Nanxian’s silhouette.

This meant that from beginning to end, Zhu Nanxian had been following right beside him?

Zhu Zhaowei felt all the blood in his body rush to his head. Enraged to the extreme, he unexpectedly calmed down instead.

He swept his gaze around, walked without a word to the young patrol guard still rolling on the ground, personally crouched down and lifted his clothing. He saw that the lower back where he claimed to have been injured didn’t have even a single scratch. So he stood up expressionlessly and said: “Someone come.”

“Present!”

“Kill him.”

The blade flashed like daylight. Vivid blood spurted out. Illuminated by moonlight, it seemed to shroud this dark night in red mist.

Zhu Nanxian walked rapidly. Changliu Road was about to end when he saw a figure flash ahead—Wu Yusheng was arriving from the front palace with several Eagle Guards.

Zhu Nanxian silently retreated to the side and knelt.

Wu Yusheng was hurrying to see Zhu Zhaowei and didn’t notice that kneeling by the roadside was the very Thirteenth Prince that Zhu Zhaowei had searched the entire palace for without finding.

Unfortunately, this oversight didn’t lower Zhu Nanxian’s anxious heart much.

Now that the Feathered Forest Guard Commander had arrived, the main gate Gongxuan Gate connecting the imperial harem to the front palace must have already been secured by Zhu Zhaowei’s people.

But he had to leave through Gongxuan Gate—at dusk, when Shen Jun came to exchange code words with him, his phrase “the Eastern Palace has only one main gate” was hinting to Shen Jun about his own plan.

The imperial harem exits were already heavily guarded. The main gate had Shen Jun as support. Only the main gate offered hope.

Thinking of this, Zhu Nanxian quickened his pace even more. Walking to the Gongxuan Gate corridor, he saw a flash of red robes—Shen Jun, carrying her red-tasseled spear on her back, was indeed waiting for him.

Seeing Zhu Nanxian approach, she shifted her steps and walked half a pace ahead of him, saying in a low voice: “The two people guarding ahead have been replaced by Wu Yusheng with his own men. I’m afraid they won’t obey my orders. If there’s no other way, I’ll have to fight. You take the opportunity to leave first. They won’t dare hurt me. If someone pursues you, I can block them for a while.”

Zhu Nanxian said: “Good. Thank you, Third Sister.”

Shen Jun added: “Right now the entire palace is about to go under martial law. At the front palace, I’ve already sent someone to inform Su Shiyu and Zuo Qian about the unexpected situation here. They will definitely respond to help you. Unfortunately, I cannot accompany you to the front palace. Be careful in all things.”

Zhu Nanxian said “Mm.”

As they spoke, they reached Gongxuan Gate. The two Feathered Forest Guards standing at the gate cupped their hands toward Shen Jun: “Reporting to Fourth Prince Consort, we subordinates are under orders from the Seventh Prince—tonight, no one is permitted to leave the imperial harem.”

Shen Jun said: “What, you’re going to stop even this general?”

“We naturally wouldn’t dare stop the Fourth Prince Consort. However, this patrol guard behind the Fourth Prince Consort probably cannot leave without authorization.”

“Insolent!” Shen Jun scolded. “This patrol guard was once someone from my Fourth Prince Manor. This general is taking him back to the manor tonight to see the Fourth Prince.” Then she said to Zhu Nanxian, “Don’t mind them. We’re leaving.”

Saying this, she stepped forward to Gongxuan Gate, but saw those two Feathered Forest Guards cross their long spears together, actually stopping both Shen Jun and Zhu Nanxian.

Without another word, Shen Jun unshouldered her red-tasseled spear. The spearhead struck upward from below at the crossed spears. She quickly said to Zhu Nanxian: “Go!”

Zhu Nanxian took advantage of the moment the spears were knocked apart and strode quickly through the narrow opening, slipping past sideways.

The two Feathered Forest Guards had recognized him. Seeing him about to leave, they immediately dropped their long spears and simultaneously reached for Zhu Nanxian’s shoulders from behind.

Zhu Nanxian spun around to dodge, grabbed one person’s hand and twisted it inward. With a “crack,” he actually broke the man’s wrist bone.

The man’s brow furrowed sharply. He was about to cry out when Shen Jun, who had caught up, struck his chest horizontally with her red-tasseled spear, forcing him to swallow his cry back into his chest. Instead he coughed up blood.

Shen Jun took advantage of the momentum to retract her red-tasseled spear. The shaft slid through her palm as she whirled with flying steps. The tail of the spear flicked upward slightly and struck the other person’s throat, preventing him from crying out as well.

People in the palace quarters had already heard the sounds of fighting and were rushing this way.

Zhu Nanxian gave Shen Jun one final nod and hurried into the deep night.

When Wu Yusheng encountered Zhu Zhaowei, Zhu Zhaowei was leading a group of people rushing toward Changliu Road.

Wu Yusheng knew the situation was urgent. He dispensed with the ceremony of asking forgiveness and cupped his hands toward Zhu Zhaowei. Following at his side while walking toward Gongxuan Gate, he lowered his voice and said: “Reporting to Your Highness Seventh Prince, this subordinate has already ordered the Feathered Forest Guards to secure all gates of the front palace. Additionally, I’ve assigned people to keep close watch on Su Shiyu and Zuo Qian. Even if the Thirteenth Prince can escape the imperial harem, without those two responding to help him, he presumably cannot escape even with wings.”

This was the first time tonight that Zhu Zhaowei had heard the three words “Su Shiyu.” He was truly enraged to the extreme, grinding his teeth: “Doesn’t Zhu Nanxian care about Su Shiyu? Let him run all he wants. This prince will definitely settle this account with his Ministry of Justice Assistant Minister Su!”