The four-nine city.

Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Feng Changxiu stood outside the Imperial Study, awaiting the Emperor’s summons.

Inside the Imperial Study, Ceremonial Directorate’s attending Grand Eunuch Qin Qi presented a name list.

“Your Majesty, this lists all participants in the Three Thousand Camp rebellion. Please review it.”

“No need.”

The old Emperor’s gaze was like congealed frost. “Just tell me—whose orders did the two ringleaders follow?”

Qin Qi wiped sweat from his palms. “All confessed, saying Prince Han.”

“Is there evidence?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, ironclad evidence.”

The old Emperor’s lips twitched slightly before he lightly spat one word: “Execute!”

“Yes!”

“Where has Bu Liu reached?”

“General Bu led the army departing overnight. At most seven or eight more days until reaching Jinling Prefecture.”

“Send someone with my secret order.”

The old Emperor’s lips curved. “Not one left alive.”

Qin Qi’s heart thumped. “Yes.”

“Summon Feng Changxiu.”

Moments later, Feng Changxiu stood in the Imperial Study with lowered head. Having gone two full days and nights without closing his eyes, his eyes were filled with red veins.

“Replying to Your Majesty, Prince Han’s manor’s shadow guards—one hundred sixty-seven people—have all been exterminated.”

One hundred sixty-seven?

What did this beast intend?

The old Emperor’s expression was terrifyingly dark.

Feng Changxiu presented over ten sheets of paper before the Emperor. “Your Majesty, please look.”

The old Emperor examined each page extremely carefully. Having read the final page, his large palm slammed heavily on the paper.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had hundreds of methods to pry open a person’s mouth.

Those dozen-plus pages recorded in detail how Prince Han Zhao Yanjin had schemed to assassinate the Crown Prince and Grand Grandson and stage a military uprising.

Having read it, could the old Emperor not be enraged?

“Has the missing advisor’s origins been investigated?” he asked.

“Replying to Your Majesty, this subject discovered some clues.”

Feng Changxiu: “This person’s original name was Dong Chengfeng, later changed to Dong Xiao. In the twenty-ninth year of Yuanfeng, he served as Liangzhou Prefecture magistrate. In the thirty-first year of Yuanfeng, he resigned from office and disappeared without trace.

Six years ago, Prince Han met him during a hunt. The two conversed congenially, became close friends. He’s remained by Prince Han’s side all these years.”

His voice fell. The old Emperor’s brows slowly knitted.

Feng Changxiu observed the Emperor’s expression.

“Besides this, this subject also discovered two secrets. The first is that Dong Chengfeng’s recommendation letter to assume office in Liangzhou came from…”

He paused, gathering his breath. “…came from the hands of deposed Crown Prince Zhao Lin.”

Emperor Yonghe suddenly lifted his eyelids, two fierce, sharp beams shooting from his eyes.

“There’s another secret. Someone once saw him traveling in company with a female physician surnamed Shen.”

“Surnamed Shen?”

Emperor Yonghe’s hand resting on the dragon table slowly clenched into a fist.

Feng Changxiu glimpsed this from the corner of his eye and could only steel himself. “This subject investigated further. That female physician surnamed Shen was from that year… that year…”

“Smack—”

The Son of Heaven’s fist came crashing down.

Feng Changxiu was so frightened he quickly dropped to his knees, not daring to say another word.

…

Five Cities Military Commission.

The haggard-faced Xie Zhifei drew a porcelain bottle from his robes, poured out a black pill, placed it in his mouth, tilted his head back, and swallowed it dry.

Bu Liu had led troops to Jinling Prefecture.

Jinling was Prince Han’s fief. The Emperor’s action meant raiding Prince Han’s home base.

This was the only matter in two days that gave him some comfort. Everything else hung at his throat.

Just then, Zhu Qing entered. “Master, news just came from the Pei family.”

“Speak quickly.”

“Miss Li has been saved.”

“Ah, Bodhisattva’s blessing.”

Xie Zhifei pressed his hand to his chest, his face showing an expression of coming back to life.

Among all matters, this troublemaker most tugged at his heart. If something truly happened, there’d be no way to explain to Yan Sanhe.

“Master, though saved, there’s a lingering effect.”

“What?”

“Her womb was injured. Future childbearing will likely be difficult.”

“How difficult?”

“Imperial Physician Pei said only thirty percent hope.”

Xie Zhifei’s fingers gripping the table edge, knuckles white.

Originally the troublemaker’s personality was strange—looked impossible to marry off. Now it was even better—even harder to marry.

“Life saved is good. Childbearing or not, we’ll discuss later.” Worst case, he’d support her for life.

Just as these words fell, Zhu Qing’s expression changed, saying lowly, “Master, someone’s come.”

The arrival was actually Han Yong.

Seeing him, Xie Zhifei’s heart sank straight down.

His relationship with Han Yong had always been submerged. Him suddenly finding the Military Commission meant nothing good.

Han Yong entered the room without a single wasted word.

“His Majesty just ordered a city-wide manhunt for Prince Han’s advisor Dong Xiao. All name lists of those who left the city before the lockdown are at the Northern Office. They’ll be reviewed one by one next. Also, the Shen family has been surrounded.”

Xie Zhifei’s eyes bulged, almost immediately reacting by placing his hand on Han Yong’s body, pressing firmly several times.

“How should I thank you?”

“Thank me for what? Just take it easy.”

With that, he turned and left.

Many things needed no explanation. When Third Master asked him to investigate Tang Jianxi’s whereabouts, his intuition told him something was wrong.

Once Han Yong left, Xie Zhifei’s eyelid twitched incessantly.

Manhunt for Dong Xiao—within reason;

Reviewing those who left the city—also within their expectations;

These they’d already arranged for in advance. There shouldn’t be problems.

“But why was the Shen family surrounded, Zhu Qing?”

At Third Master’s question, Zhu Qing immediately became alert. “Could it relate to Shen Duruo?”

Does it relate?

Why would it relate?

Xie Zhifei sat in the grand master chair, his mind spinning like a wind-fire wheel. Before reaching any conclusion, he heard someone calling him louder and louder.

“Third Master, Third Master, Third Master!”

It was Zhu Yuanmo.

Xie Zhifei’s intuition warned trouble. Elder Brother Zhu was always composed. Shouting desperately like this was unprecedented.

While pondering, Zhu Yuanmo ran over drenched in sweat. Seeing Xie Zhifei, he said nothing, just grabbed his hand and pulled him outside.

“Elder Brother Zhu, what’s this about…”

“Come quickly with me!”

Zhu Yuanmo ran until his throat smoked with heat. “Can’t explain in a sentence or two. You’ll know with one look.”

What can’t be explained in a sentence or two?

Xie Zhifei twisted his head to glance at Zhu Qing: Follow quickly!

Three people sprinted all the way to the city tower. Zhu Yuanmo pointed toward the palace city direction, saying “Third Master, look quickly,” then collapsed on the ground.

At this moment, approaching evening, the sky darkened.

In the dim sky circled a mass of black things.

Being distant, Xie Zhifei felt somewhat uncertain. “What is that?”

Zhu Qing’s eyesight was excellent. He exclaimed, “Master, it’s crows.”

Crows?

Circling above the palace city?

Xie Zhifei turned to look at Zhu Yuanmo gasping roughly on the ground. After a long while he found his voice:

“Elder Brother Zhu, this…”

“This phenomenon appeared one cup of tea’s time ago.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s voice trembled. “Miss Yan said crows are wronged souls.”

Wronged souls flew above the imperial palace?

Xie Zhifei asked with a pounding heart, “This, this… what does it signify?”

Zhu Yuanmo braced his hands against the ground and climbed up, lowering his voice to minimum. “Third Master, do you recall that fallen star?”

“…”

Xie Zhifei’s heart immediately pounded like drums, hands and feet ice-cold.

—