Qin Sang received the secret edict and said hesitantly, “Your Majesty, this subject will certainly follow Your Majesty’s decree with my life, but Lord Liu is unfathomably deep. Even if he makes a move, this subject may not be able to detect it. What actions can be considered acts of rebellion? This subject is truly dim-witted. Please instruct me clearly, Your Majesty.”

Zhu Nanxian said, “You need not discern. You only need to wait.”

“Wait?” Qin Sang still didn’t understand.

“Wait for the northern frontier warfare to subside and Zhu Yushen to return to the capital for debriefing. At that time, reveal the contents of this secret edict to Shen Qingyue or Su Shiyu. What constitutes ‘acts of rebellion’—those two will have their own judgment.”

Hearing this, Qin Sang finally understood.

For Zhu Nanxian, what Liu Chaoming had done didn’t actually matter. What mattered was what he could do in his current position.

This secret edict was an emperor’s suspicion and intent to kill.

Qin Sang asked, “Your Majesty has walked this path together with Minister Shen and Minister Su, trusting each other completely. Since you’ve established this secret edict, why not immediately inform them of its contents so they can prepare early?”

Zhu Nanxian replied, “Shen Qingyue is extraordinarily intelligent. Since even I have begun to suspect Zhu Yushen and Liu Chaoming based on past traces, his doubts must be no less than mine. Given his past temperament, he should have come to discuss countermeasures with me long ago, yet he’s made no moves until now. Why?”

“Your Majesty means… the Fourth Prince Consort?”

“Shen Jun is only one reason.” Zhu Nanxian said. “More importantly, in the current northern frontier, only Zhu Yushen can hold it. For both family and nation, I shouldn’t and won’t move against Fourth Brother at this time. Qingyue deeply understands this as well. People’s livelihoods are difficult, Ministry of Revenue affairs are heavy. If I tell him now that I’ve left such a secret edict, it would only add to his troubles without any benefit.”

“What about Minister Su? Your Majesty doesn’t tell her because you fear she’ll be distracted on her diplomatic mission?”

The door of Jinshen Hall stood open to the bright daylight before dusk arrived.

Zhu Nanxian gazed at this brilliant sunlight: “The reason she walks the path she does today, ultimately, is because Liu Yun guided her.”

Zhu Nanxian knew that to Su Jin, Liu Chaoming was always different.

He was her guide, the person she most respected. To some extent, he was the only one who shared the same convictions as her. Not to mention Old Censor’s deep friendship with Chancellor Xie, and his repeated acts of saving her.

Zhu Nanxian didn’t want Su Jin to be forced too early into the agonizing position of severing gratitude and struggling with impossible choices because of him, because of their opposing positions—though he knew very clearly what her answer would be.

He could forge her into steel, but he didn’t want her, or Qingyue, to live in constant vigilance and unrest simply because they followed him.

He was still too benevolent.

Qin Sang said, “Thank you for clarifying, Your Majesty. This subject now understands Your Majesty’s deep intentions. I will carefully keep the secret edict and the Cuiwei sword and wait for the appropriate time to deliver them to Ministers Shen and Su.”

On this day, dusk came exceptionally early. When Liu Chaoming walked out of the Zhengwu Gate, the sky had already darkened.

The various palaces and towers began lighting lamps. Outside Zhengwu Gate, a eunuch climbed a tall ladder, but the pole in his hands slipped. The lantern hanging from one end of the pole fell with a “pop,” landing precisely beside Liu Chaoming’s boot.

Had it been slightly off, it would have struck the Left Censor-in-Chief himself.

The palace servants witnessing this scene all fell to their knees in terror. The lamp-lighting eunuch scrambled and slid down the tall ladder, knelt at Liu Chaoming’s feet, and kowtowed: “Beg Lord Liu’s forgiveness, beg Lord Liu’s forgiveness.”

Liu Chaoming looked coldly at this eunuch and said nothing.

At this moment, Chief Eunuch Le of Zhengwu Gate hurried over, scolded the lamp-lighting eunuch: “Blind thing!” Then apologized to Liu Chaoming, “This servant has been lax in supervision. These newly entered palace lamp-bearers are clumsy and nearly offended Lord Liu. Your Lordship must not blame them.”

Liu Chaoming didn’t respond and lifted his foot to leave.

“Lord Liu.” Eunuch Le called again, snatching a wind lantern from a nearby eunuch’s hands and hurrying to catch up. “Is Your Lordship leaving the palace on official business? Your Lordship works so hard—this servant will hold the lamp for you.”

From Zhengwu Gate outward stretched a long path, with the offices of various departments and bureaus on both sides. Beyond Zhengwu Gate lay the vast expanse of Xuanyuan Terrace.

Night fell abruptly. Upon reaching the deserted Xuanyuan Terrace, as Eunuch Le held the lamp and walked, his lips didn’t move, yet his voice emerged from between half-closed lips and teeth: “Lord Liu, Eunuch Wu asked this servant to deliver a message to you.”

“Speak.”

“Earlier in Jinshen Hall, after His Majesty finished speaking with Commander Liang of the Prefectural Guards, he asked everyone to leave and kept only his personal guard, Commander Qin.”

Liu Chaoming’s steps paused.

“Eunuch Wu says that since ascending the throne, His Majesty has been somewhat guarded against him. He doesn’t know what His Majesty intends by today’s action. He asked this servant to tell Lord Liu that you might be able to guess. He also said,” Eunuch Le glanced at Liu Chaoming’s expression here, “if Lord Liu guesses His Majesty’s thoughts, to inform this servant as well so he can prepare early.”

With no one around, Liu Chaoming stood in the cool wind and evening mist, his eyes as still as a rare piece of cold jade.

He turned his head and silently gazed at the majestic halls and palace towers directly behind him, curled his lips, and suddenly laughed once.

Eunuch Le quickly asked, “Lord Liu has guessed it?”

Liu Chaoming’s expression was blank: “His Majesty drafted a secret edict.”

Hearing this, Eunuch Le was shocked and horrified.

When an emperor drafts a secret edict, unless it concerns the heir apparent and state altars, it can only mean he intends to kill.

The new Emperor was young and had no heirs. Should anything happen to him, the throne would rightfully pass to the Seventeenth Prince. Thus, the secret edict should have nothing to do with succession, which meant—he wanted to kill someone?

Eunuch Le shivered: “Can Lord Liu guess the content of the secret edict? Who is it related to?”

Liu Chaoming looked at him with extreme indifference: “Go tell Wu Chang yourself. At least it has nothing to do with him.”

With that, he walked toward Chengtian Gate without looking back.

With Su Jin promoted to Minister of Justice, one Vice Minister position became vacant. Though this was the first round of official promotions during the Jinan era, appointments and dismissals for important positions of fourth rank and above required careful consideration. The Ministry of Personnel deliberated all day without reaching a conclusion and finally decided to leave the Left Vice Minister of Justice position vacant. During Su Jin’s diplomatic mission, the Imperial Censorate and Court of Judicial Review would, according to the provincial and county jurisdiction map, share some of the Ministry of Justice’s key duties.

On the night of the eleventh day of the ninth month, Wu Jizhi had just brought the newly transcribed summary of the Three Judicial Offices’ provincial and county criminal case allocation for Su Jin to review when someone pushed open the public hall door. It was none other than Right Vice Minister of Justice Fang Huai.

Upon seeing Su Jin, Fang Huai first showed surprise, then smiled: “Minister, you depart on your diplomatic mission tomorrow, yet today you still work through the night at your desk in the public hall—you put us to shame.”

Su Jin said, “There’s nothing else to do. Just this matter of having case files jointly reviewed with the Imperial Censorate and Court of Judicial Review after I leave—ultimately, it troubles two brother offices, so it’s proper to review once more.”

Fang Huai nodded. This person never put on airs. Seeing Su Jin reviewing case files so earnestly, he said to Wu Jizhi nearby, “I almost forgot to congratulate you on your promotion to Bureau Director of the Ministry of Justice.”

Wu Jizhi replied, “What words are these, Lord Fang? This subordinate only benefits from Minister Su’s and Lord Fang’s favor. Moreover, it can hardly be called a promotion—there are many more capable than this subordinate.”

Fang Huai sighed: “Indeed, each generation produces talented people.”

Fang Huai’s sigh had its reasons.

Yesterday when the Ministry of Personnel’s directive came down, in the Imperial Censorate alone, two seventh-rank Investigating Censors, Yan Xiu and Zhai Di, were simultaneously promoted to fourth-rank Vice Censors-in-Chief.

The former Vice Magistrate of Yingtian Prefecture, Zhou Ping, was transferred to become Left Vice Minister of the Court of Communication. Because Minister of War Gong Quan had labored for years and was too aged to continue, the former Bureau Director He Xian was promoted to Right Vice Minister of War, while the Left Vice Minister position was filled by Chen Jinsheng transferring from the Five Chief Military Commissions.

Besides this, due to the court’s shortage of military generals, Zhu Nanxian decided to take Jinwu Guard Commander Zuo Qian along on this personal campaign to the northwest, appointing him as deputy general. Zuo Qian already held the third-rank title of Huaiyuan General; now he was granted the higher second-rank title of Zhaoyong General—his prestige was unmatched for a time.

These were all important appointments and dismissals. As for changes among officials below fourth rank, with the new Emperor’s ascension, the old order was thoroughly renewed. How many were Shen-Su loyalists need not be stated.

As Fang Huai and Wu Jizhi stood waiting with bowed hands, Su Jin finished reviewing the case files.

She closed them and stood: “Done.” Looking at the sky outside the window—only the xu hour—she smiled: “Usually our Ministry of Justice is the busiest of the Six Ministries, yet at this juncture, we’re the first to have free time.”

“Hardly free time? Minister should rest well—tomorrow you must depart on your mission,” Fang Huai said.

Wu Jizhi said, “Since Minister has finished reviewing, this subordinate will deliver a copy of this provincial and county criminal case allocation summary to the Imperial Censorate.” After speaking, he paused and asked, “Or should Minister personally deliver it?”

Hearing this, Su Jin froze momentarily, then immediately grasped the meaning in Wu Jizhi’s words.

On this journey to Annan, if quick, it would take several months; if slow, one or two years before she returned. Everyone in the palace knew she and Liu Chaoming were close friends, but Liu Chaoming had a reserved, stern, and taciturn temperament. If she deliberately went to bid farewell, they would inevitably have nothing to say. But if she could find a reason to go over and casually say “take care,” it would be much more natural.

In the past, Su Jin would definitely have taken the case files to the Imperial Censorate herself. But after the Baiping Mountain incident, she had developed reservations.

She didn’t know whether that thought that suddenly arose in her heart in the mountain darkness—when she saw Liu Yun come searching for them regardless of life and death—that thought shocking enough to stun her, was real or false.

But Su Jin wasn’t someone who couldn’t see clearly. Since such doubts had arisen in her heart, she wouldn’t do anything that exceeded collegial friendship, lest it be bad for everyone—even though Liu Chaoming treated her no differently than before, the same business-like manner, the same solemn severity.

Su Jin said, “Lord Liu and I meet daily, and Ministry of Justice affairs constantly trouble him. If I go over now, he’ll probably find me annoying.” She handed the case files to Wu Jizhi. “You deliver them for me.”

Wu Jizhi acknowledged, then added, “The memorial for His Majesty is also written. Does Minister wish to personally present it at the imperial desk?”

Su Jin thought for a moment: “Give it to me.”

She took the memorial and was about to leave when Fang Huai behind her said, “Minister Su, when I returned from the Ministry of Revenue earlier, I heard that Minister Shen and Minister Luo both went to the Ministry of War, and His Majesty seems to be there as well. If you go to Fengtian Hall, you probably won’t see him.”

Su Jin nodded once: “Good, I’ll go to the Ministry of War.”

These days Zhu Nanxian had been so busy he had no time even to sleep or eat. Aside from daily meetings, Su Jin truly hadn’t managed to see him privately more than a few times.

Yesterday she finally had free time. She had just reached the terrace when she saw Liu Chaoming leaving Jinshen Hall from afar. When she approached, she saw Zhu Nanxian also emerge from Jinshen Hall. He glanced in the direction Liu Yun had gone, removed the Cuiwei sword from his waist, and handed it to Qin Sang.

So she stood silently by the jade balustrade of the terrace for quite a while. As dusk gradually fell and the cool wind rose, she turned back.

She wasted a moment of leisure to see him.

When Su Jin arrived at the Ministry of War, the clerk guarding the hall saw her and hurriedly bowed, asking, “Has Minister Su come to see Minister Gong?”

Now promoted to Minister of Justice, she truly ranked among the Seven Ministers. Combined with her relationship with Zhu Nanxian, she could truly be said to be second only to one, above ten thousand.

Su Jin said, “I’ve come to see His Majesty. Is he here?”

“Yes, yes.” The clerk answered. “Minister Su, please wait a moment. This humble one will go announce you.”

Su Jin thought and said, “No need. This official will wait a bit. They won’t deliberate all night.”

The clerk acknowledged and bowed to guide her: “Minister Su, this way please.”

She had come from the Ministry of Justice without taking the main entrance, walking from the middle courtyard behind the public hall toward the side hall, passing through a bamboo grove. On this frosty ninth-month night, the emerald bamboo remained verdant and undefeated. A cool wind brushed past with rustling sounds. Su Jin followed the lamplight along the small path and raised her eyes to see another person being guided by a clerk with a wind lantern at a fork in the path.

Reflected in moonlight and lamplight, that person wore a black cloak, eyebrows and eyes cold as frost.

Su Jin fell silent for a moment, then stepped forward first and performed a bow: “Lord Liu.”

She was now Minister of Justice, equal to him in second rank, ranking among the Seven Ministers—she need not perform this bow. But in her heart, she always held such respect for him.

Liu Chaoming nodded slightly and said nothing.

The two guiding clerks merged paths, one ahead and one behind, each holding lanterns, guiding the two to the side hall entrance. One clerk said, “This humble one must announce Lord Liu’s arrival to His Majesty. Shall I also announce Minister Su?”

Su Jin said, “Announce us together then.”

The clerk had just left when suddenly a commotion could be heard from outside the Ministry of War’s main hall, accompanied by a woman’s sobbing.

Su Jin and Liu Chaoming both frowned simultaneously. This was the重地 of the Six Ministries offices—how could there be a woman here?

A nearby clerk, seeing this disturbance had disturbed the two ministers, hurried forward to explain: “Lord Liu, Minister Su, earlier this evening, the daughter of the former Marquis of Loyalty and Courage Zhu Xun, Princess Zhu Hele, entered the palace requesting an audience with His Majesty, saying she wanted to clear the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s name. Later, somehow hearing His Majesty was at the Ministry of War, she came and knelt outside. She holds princess status, and we… are all men. We didn’t dare order guards to take her away.”

Liu Chaoming said, “Hasn’t anyone notified the Court of Imperial Clan?”

“We did, but the Seventeenth Prince happened to be absent today. The two Dowager Consorts, because His Majesty departs on campaign tomorrow, are leading the noble ladies in prayers and we dared not disturb them.”

Just then, the commotion outside grew worse. A clerk hurried in from the hall entrance: “Minister Su, the Princess heard you came to the Ministry of War and is clamoring to see you. What do you think?”

Su Jin thought for a moment: “This official will go see.”

With that, she bowed to Liu Chaoming and lifted her foot toward the hall entrance.

Liu Chaoming had originally paid no attention to this matter. The hall entrance was several steps from where they stood. Su Jin’s figure merged into the blazing lamplight—though slender, she didn’t appear weak.

He shifted his gaze to the dark bamboo grove in the night, hearing Su Jin’s voice mixed with the surging bamboo sounds: “What business do you have with this official?”

Zhu Hele slowly raised her head. Through her blurred tears, she made out Su Jin’s face, and suddenly hatred appeared fully on her face.

“It’s you! It must be you who brought calamity to the nation and harmed my father!”

As her words fell, she drew something from her sleeve. In the dark night, cold light flashed as she raised a dagger and stabbed toward Su Jin.

The guards were far away, the surrounding clerks unprepared—they couldn’t intercept in time. For a moment, only cries of “Minister Su, be careful!” rose one after another.

But how could Zhu Hele, a weak woman raised in the inner chambers, harm Su Jin?

The instant the cold gleam stabbed toward her, Su Jin had already grasped Zhu Hele’s wrist, twisted her hand back, and shoved her forcefully outward, causing her to fall to the ground.

As the dagger clattered to the floor, several guards rushed forward and restrained Zhu Hele.

Su Jin looked down at her from above and asked in an icy voice, word by word: “Who gave you the courage to dare attack this official?”