Empress Dowager Nian cracked melon seeds as she spoke. “Anyone with sense knows how to protect their own child. The Emperor is not foolish—he knows to guard Consort Yan. Even if he cannot protect her, Consort Yan herself should know to be careful. If between the two of them they still let this dowager’s grandson come to harm… that would be their own incompetence, and this dowager need not feel distressed.”

Duanwen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She went over to nestle beside Empress Dowager Nian, saying softly, “Mother Empress is far too accepting of things.”

Even when the late Emperor passed, Empress Dowager Nian had not mourned for long. At most she had placed a blank piece of wood in her chamber, set up an incense burner, and kept it as an offering. Usually one could not even see a trace of sorrow on her face, much less any concern about matters.

Sometimes Duanwen felt that Mother Empress lived far too carefree and heartless.

Empress Dowager Nian half-closed her eyes. Hearing Duanwen’s words, she only hummed softly after a long while.

“If one cannot accept things, isn’t that just making difficulties for oneself?”

Rather than dwelling on vexing matters every day, it was better to act carefree as if nothing had happened—at least then she could be more at ease. Especially in this harem, whoever took things to heart was making trouble for themselves.

Duanwen seemed to understand a little. She rolled her eyes for a moment, then sat to one side without making a sound.

When Gu Chaobei brought Shen Guiyan to the Northern Palace, he did not observe all the usual tedious formalities but went straight in, knelt properly, and called out, “Mother Empress.”

Shen Guiyan knelt as well, feeling that today this address of “Mother Empress” sounded somewhat different from usual.

Was it because Gu Chaobei was too serious?

Empress Dowager Nian paused, looking down to see Gu Chaobei’s eyes—the expression in them remarkably resembled the late Emperor’s.

“Really, you usually have no proper manner, but today you’re suddenly like this—this dowager is not quite accustomed to it.” Averting her slightly reddened eyes, Empress Dowager Nian frowned. “What is it?”

Gu Chaobei smiled faintly. “This son has heard that for a period in the harem, high-waisted ruqun palace attire was fashionable—a style Mother Empress initiated.”

High-waisted ruqun—not cinched at the waist, with a wide and comfortable lower hem. It had become popular in the harem because Consort Nian favored it back then, and the late Emperor had also greatly admired it, so many consorts loved to wear it.

Hearing this, Empress Dowager Nian paused slightly, looking at Gu Chaobei. “Why bring this up out of nowhere?”

Gu Chaobei pressed his lips together, gazing deeply at Empress Dowager Nian without speaking.

From his expression, Empress Dowager Nian understood what he wanted to say. This child had probably been unable to restrain himself and had investigated his own origins.

Sighing softly, Empress Dowager Nian drew a wooden hairpin from a box beside her and held it, looking at the Emperor with a smile. “Both of you rise. Doesn’t Yan girl still have a child in her belly? Everyone knows to protect their own children—that’s an innate instinct, nothing particularly moving about it.”

Shen Guiyan felt somewhat confused listening. She stood up, and Duanwen came down to pull her aside. “Mother Empress and Imperial Brother have matters to discuss. Duanwen will chat with Consort Yan at the entrance.”

Gu Chaobei turned his head to look over and nodded. “Do not leave the Northern Palace grounds.”

“We won’t. Imperial Brother, rest assured.”

With them present, Gu Chaobei and Empress Dowager Nian could not speak freely. Shen Guiyan had a belly full of questions that she could conveniently ask Duanwen.

Last time she had asked halfway, and Duanwen said she didn’t need to know so much. Now if she wanted to know, it should be permissible, right?

She felt that in that earlier moment of eye contact between the Emperor and Empress Dowager Nian, many secrets had already thawed.

“Do you know what kind of palace attire Imperial Brother mentioned?” Duanwen looked at Shen Guiyan with a smile.

Shen Guiyan shook her head. She had hardly ever entered the palace, so naturally she wouldn’t know.

“Come, I’ll show you. Mother Empress’s palace still has one piece preserved in a chest in the back courtyard.” Duanwen pulled her along, continuing as they walked. “I was worried all along whether you might also suffer misfortune, but unexpectedly you were quite clever and came through safely, so I don’t need to worry about my little imperial nephew.”

Covering her belly, Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together. This child of hers was quite resilient too. After that one episode of pain, when the imperial physician said the pregnancy was unstable and she rested for several days, there had been no further disturbances—everything was stable.

Duanwen pulled her to the Northern Palace’s back courtyard, entered a storeroom-like chamber, rummaged around for quite a while, and dragged out a set of palace attire to show her.

“It’s like this.”

Shen Guiyan’s heart skipped a beat. The palace attire had a tie below the chest, and the area below that was extraordinarily wide. She suddenly realized that if one wore such palace attire, even at ten months pregnant, probably no one would be able to tell.

“They say this style of palace attire was only popular in the palace for seven months. After seven months, Empress Dowager Nian fell gravely ill and never wore this attire again. Gradually the palace no longer had this style either.” Duanwen looked at Shen Guiyan. “Do you understand now what Imperial Brother’s words meant?”

Shen Guiyan instinctively reached to cover her own belly.

The claim that Gu Chaobei was the son of a palace maid serving Empress Dowager Nian, the claim that Empress Dowager Nian and Minister Gu did not get along—it was all probably false, wasn’t it? Drawing in a sharp breath, Shen Guiyan finally understood why Empress Dowager Nian had always remained secluded in the harem without taking action, and where Gu Chaobei’s confidence to directly confront Empress Dowager Wen came from.

Counting it all up: Empress Dowager Nian was Gu Chaobei’s birth mother, Minister Gu was Gu Chaobei’s adoptive father, the Minister of Revenue, the Southern Camp Military Affairs Officer, and many black-clad people she didn’t know about were all part of Gu Chaobei’s forces…

Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together. Tomorrow’s morning court would truly have a good show to watch.

In Empress Dowager Wen’s eyes, she held military authority and moreover had the Grand Empress Dowager backing her. Yuwen Changqing and Scholar Fu were her left and right arms, and the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Forest Guard and others all followed her orders, so she could control half the realm.

But what if Yuwen Changqing also turned against her?

From the moment Gu Chaobei ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Wen seemed to have been on the passive side, only she herself had never noticed. Even if one didn’t know the inside story, Shen Guiyan would have thought Gu Chaobei’s struggle against Empress Dowager Wen was simply overestimating his abilities.

But after hearing Duanwen’s words and knowing Yuwen Changqing’s position, Shen Guiyan understood. This game of chess Gu Chaobei was playing—from the moment he learned the truth, he had laid it out step by step, just waiting for the day to close the net and completely remove from the court the screen that even the late Emperor had been unable to eliminate.

However, there was one point. Today when he angered the Empress Dowager, she could still massacre Xiuzhuang Palace. If one day the Empress Dowager discovered that His Majesty was actually Empress Dowager Nian’s biological son and moreover the one who killed the Sixth Prince, what then?

Shen Guiyan furrowed her brow, forming an idea in her mind.

The Emperor only emerged from Empress Dowager Nian’s palace at dusk, leading Shen Guiyan by the hand as they departed.

It seemed he had said everything that needed saying. Gu Chaobei appeared much more relaxed, though between his brows remained a trace of lingering worry, as if concerned whether tomorrow would go smoothly.

“Your Majesty.” A woman dressed in consort-rank palace attire stood on the palace path ahead, smiling and waving toward them.

Both Shen Guiyan and Gu Chaobei looked up, momentarily dazed, as if seeing Consort Zhuang. But looking more carefully, the person was Consort Shen.

Shen Hanlu had been released from the Cold Palace by Empress Dowager Wen. She had probably suffered considerably—her entire person had become more restrained. After waving, she came forward to pay respects, very obediently. “This consort greets Your Majesty.”

Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together and likewise paid her respects. “Consort Shen.”

“Sister need not be so formal—just take care of yourself.” Even her voice had become much gentler. If not for her unchanged face, Shen Guiyan would have thought this wasn’t her.

Gu Chaobei glanced at her. “If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave first.”

“Your Majesty, take care.” Shen Hanlu actually did not try to detain him. Not only did she bow respectfully, but she even raised her head to smile at Shen Guiyan in a friendly manner.

Had she taken the wrong medicine? Shen Guiyan pressed her lips together, returned the courtesy, and continued walking forward with Gu Chaobei.

“You need not concern yourself with others. Yan’er, these next few days just wear palace maid’s clothing and stay by my side. Aside from my words, you need not listen to anyone else.” Gu Chaobei turned his head to look at her and smoothly removed the gold token from his waist. “I will not let you leave my sight, but just in case, you should still carry this.”

Having already lost Consort Zhuang and learned that lesson, Gu Chaobei would absolutely not allow Shen Guiyan to come to harm again. Shen Guiyan accepted the token and fastened it at her waist, squeezing his hand with a smile. “This consort will do everything possible to protect herself and protect the child. Your Majesty, rest assured.”

She carried blood debts from Consort Zhuang and from Sixi’s family—her life was far too valuable to easily give away.

In the Eastern Palace, Empress Dowager Wen was having difficulty sleeping. Late at night she summoned Scholar Fu and Yuwen Changqing into the palace.

“Has there been anything unusual in court recently?” Empress Dowager Wen asked Scholar Fu.

Scholar Fu cupped his hands. “Empress Dowager, this old minister was just thinking of reporting on recent court matters. Minister Gu seems intent on forming factions for personal gain, drawing in many people to push through the new policies. At today’s morning court, as soon as His Majesty approved, the decrees were already formulated by afternoon and are being piloted in the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Revenue, completely disregarding the Empress Dowager’s intent to obstruct—his heart is truly condemnable.”

Empress Dowager Wen’s expression darkened as she snorted coldly. “This dowager has long felt something was amiss—as expected, there was trickery. What a Minister Gu! When he was caring for the imperial princes on behalf of the late Emperor, he probably already harbored ambitions. Now seeing the time is ripe, he wants to instigate His Majesty to oppose this dowager. Hmph.”

“Yuwen, why do you keep silent?” After thinking for a while, Empress Dowager Wen turned to look at him.

Yuwen Changqing stroked his chin. “There’s nothing to worry about on the military camp side. This minister still commands one hundred thousand troops stationed in the capital and can transfer forces from nearby military garrisons at any time.”

Empress Dowager Wen pondered for a moment. “National Uncle Wen still holds scattered military authority, and then there’s this dowager’s father—in another two years he should retire and return home, and he still holds authority over two hundred thousand troops. This dowager trusts you most, General Yuwen. Who else do you think can be promoted to serve as marshal?”

Yuwen Changqing lowered his eyes and smiled. “Speaking of candidates, before returning to the capital, this minister became acquainted with someone who could truly help National Uncle Wen.”

“Oh? Who?” Empress Dowager Wen became interested.

“The Empress Dowager should be somewhat familiar with him.” Yuwen Changqing smiled. “He is also of the Shen family—his name is Shen Guiwu.”