The murmuring voices at the banquet suddenly grew louder.

Such accidents did occur at great banquets. Palace maids or female officials who encountered such ill omens often ended up punished and demoted.

But this jade statue was particularly different: when Emperor Chenming first ascended the throne, he often could not sleep at night from missing Empress Yuan. The Bureau of Astrology then used dream interpretation techniques to divine and told the Sage that after Empress Yuan’s death, she had been ranked among the immortals and transformed into Guanyin.

Now, at Empress Yuan’s memorial birthday, causing the statue of Guanyin, Holy Mother of Mercy, to break was undoubtedly a great disrespect. The consorts couldn’t help but cover their faces with fans, lamenting that this female official’s career was about to end on the spot.

Qun Qing lowered her eyes, her whole body cold. The upper half of the Guanyin in her hands was solid, while the lower half was hollow. The break was clean at the edges—it should have been cut three-quarters through in advance. When stood upright, being top-heavy, it would naturally break on the spot.

Standing on the other side, Baoshu curved her lips. Qun Qing already had many enemies. The recently disgraced and confined Noble Consort Lü—formerly Consort Lü—would be first to not let her go. She didn’t even need to act personally, only borrow a blade.

In the silence, that slender figure in blue-green hesitated for a moment, placed the damaged half of Guanyin on the table, then picked up the lower half, turned and bowed: “This subject congratulates the Sage.”

Emperor Chenming was so angry he wanted to laugh: “Congratulate for what?”

Qun Qing inverted the lower half of the Guanyin. With a clang, a chess piece fell into her palm: “Inside the jade statue sent by Noble Consort Lü’s lady, a jade chess piece is hidden.”

“What connection does this have?” the Empress said.

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. She continued: “The jade statue’s right hand holds a basket with a fish inside. Just now the inner attendant misspoke—this is not Guanyin, Holy Mother of Mercy, but the Child-Sending Guanyin worshipped among commoners. Folk legend tells of a wealthy merchant in Wenzhou who had no sons for many years and devoutly worshipped the Child-Sending Lady. One day, the Child-Sending Lady appeared in a dream, handed him a chess piece to hold, smiled and said ‘I send you a son.’ Upon waking, his wife was indeed with child.”

“This subject offers congratulations because the Child-Sending Lady sent by Noble Consort Lü has manifested before everyone. This must be Empress Yuan’s blessing—among the noble masters present, someone has happy news.”

Emperor Chenming’s expression eased slightly. Zheng Zhiyi sitting beside him had already listened in fascination, her face flushed red: “Is it truly so miraculous? I have happy news!”

The Crown Prince having an heir was cause for national celebration. In an instant, consorts and close ministers all bowed in succession, voices of congratulation rising one after another.

Surrounded at the center of this wave, Li Xuan’s face showed an extremely faint smile as he held Zheng Zhiyi’s hand. Emperor Chenming could no longer pursue the matter and praised lightly: “You know quite a lot.”

Senior Official Zhu said: “Dianyi Qun is widely read and knowledgeable. In matters of canonical texts, she never errs.”

The Emperor and Empress both nodded.

Qun Qing had already straightened her skirt and retreated to the side. She tightly clutched that cold chess piece in her hand—fortunately, among the miscellaneous items in her sleeve she happened to have a chess piece, otherwise she would nearly have been unable to extricate herself.

The performance at the banquet had already begun.

“Eh? This formation—don’t they usually use fireworks?” Empress Ma’s casual remark made Senior Official Zhu’s heart leap as she glanced at Qun Qing.

Qun Qing said: “We subjects saw lantern dancing techniques among commoners and presumptuously requested the Sage and ladies to observe.”

Before her words fell, the consorts’ exclamations of wonder rang out. Thirty-three palace maids held carp-shaped lanterns above their heads, their steps moving lightly. These points of light quietly floated and flowed in the night, truly like schools of fish swimming in groups through a dark river, or like spirits dancing and shuttling through the night sky of the netherworld.

Using this to commemorate Empress Yuan’s memorial birthday naturally carried the meaning that silence here surpassed sound.

Emperor Chenming gazed at the scene before him for a long time, actually feeling an ache at the tip of his nose.

A young eunuch hurried over to relay a message. Senior Official Zhu said joyfully to Qun Qing: “The Empress’s lady’s grace—she promotes you to regular sixth rank, Office of Records.”

Qun Qing lowered her head in thanks.

Exclamations of wonder reached her ears—those lantern-dancing palace maids had changed formation, using their lanterns to form a giant character for “longevity.”

Li Pan had somehow arrived at the banquet and sneered coldly: “The sentiment is good, but this longevity character is missing a dot—rather disrespectful.”

At his words, everyone in the hall noticed that the longevity character was indeed missing a dot. This was because the palace maid who was supposed to form the “dot” had walked to the wrong position, collided with others, and fallen to the ground.

Hearing this, the palace maid was greatly alarmed and lost her composure even more, crawling and rolling to Emperor Chenming’s presence, all decorum gone, quite disappointing: “Sage, forgive this crime!”

Li Pan was secretly pleased—these fools who had never faced the Sage didn’t even need crimes fabricated for them; they would lose their footing on their own.

However, when the palace maid raised her tear-stained face, Li Pan’s expression froze. Her face was round as the full moon, her features dignified and beautiful. Even the small mole on the tip of her nose was exactly similar to Empress Yuan as a young woman.

Illuminated by moonlight, she was as if Empress Yuan’s fragrant spirit had returned, making one lose track of time.

Emperor Chenming looked at her for a long time, truly unable to speak words of blame, and after choking for a long while said: “No matter.”

This palace maid boldly continued: “We slaves were born in the Yeting Palace. This is our first time facing the Sage. Not expecting the Sage to be so amiable, might we request a favor to release us slaves and our sisters from the palace?”

With a grand wave of his hand, Emperor Chenming agreed. Seeing her joyfully give thanks, he actually produced a laugh from his chest, because in his memory, he rarely saw Empress Yuan looking so happy.

The inner attendant beside Li Pan saw this and knelt in reminder: “Your Highness cannot perform the dance! The Sage already dislikes gentlemen dressing as women. This stratagem can only be used once tonight. If there’s another time, it will seem deliberate—the Sage may think it ugly imitation.”

But Li Pan’s expression was sinister, his whole body trembling: “Who are you calling ugly?”

He had already put on the jacket and skirt, his face made up, looking exactly like a delicate beauty. After days of dieting and arduous practice to reach this point, it was only to use his face’s resemblance to his mother empress to make Emperor Chenming remember her and feel pity for him. However, he had not anticipated that before he even took the stage, someone had already used the move he intended to use!

He looked toward Qun Qing. Qun Qing stood straight, breaking into an extremely light smile.

She then lowered her long lashes, concealing the pleasure in her eyes.

He was after all an imperial prince—no matter how much he resembled Empress Yuan, could he compare to a real young woman? Qun Qing had stroked Empress Yuan’s portraits one by one, deeply imprinting her divine charm in her heart, including her makeup, demeanor, and even the small mole on the tip of her nose. Within the Yeting Palace with its hundreds of servants, finding the most spiritually similar laundress was not difficult.

After several performances, Emperor Chenming called for the banquet to begin. After the consorts and princes started eating, the female officials were allowed to use their chopsticks. Qun Qing sat down. Facing a full plate of delicacies, she only picked up a chopstick of roast goose and placed it in her bowl.

She remembered that both Father and Shi Yuming loved eating roast goose and had once roasted a goose to charcoal black. Unlike the palace roast goose cut into small pieces with crispy skin and tender meat, gleaming with golden-red luster.

Amid the sounds of fireworks, Qun Qing quietly ate the roast goose. Her chopstick-holding posture was dignified and elegant, completely different from that silent, awkward young lady of years past. In the palace for several years, she had changed much. This did not prevent her from keeping them in her heart and properly living through this lifetime.

Suddenly she caught a whiff of citrus scent passing by her side. Qun Qing turned her head.

However, among the fragrant clothing and hair shadows, there was no such person.

Probably the marriage decree had dealt her too great a blow, producing hallucinations. Qun Qing stuffed another piece of roast goose in her mouth.

On the other side, a palace maid bowed and came to Princess Danyang’s side: “The two gentlemen are at Qujiang Pool’s bank, inviting the Princess to admire spring flowers.”

Danyang knew that admiring flowers was false and the matchmaking meeting was true. She gathered her shawl and smiled: “How cold it is outside! Tell them to come in—I’ll invite them to drink wine.”

After a while, the two civil officials Chu Huaiyao and Liu Dan entered one after another and drank with Danyang. These two men drank cup after cup, neither willing to lose face.

Princess Danyang could not hold her liquor. Smiling, she pointed at the two: “You two go wait for me in the side hall.”

Saying this, she swayed and staggered to the east side hall to rest.

Princess Danyang went and did not return. The two civil officials also had flushed faces, growing increasingly heated with wine, their hearts floating and temperaments irritable, unable to sit peacefully.

The two left their seats one after another. Through the carved window of the side hall, they saw Princess Danyang lying drunk on the bed, her skirt trailing, like a blooming peony. The rise and fall of her form actually made their throats tighten.

The two spied on each other, then awkwardly turned their gazes away, afraid their thoughts would be discovered: “This wine is quite strong—no wonder the Princess cannot hold her liquor.”

“Indeed.”

“Brother Liu, I’ll go outside to disperse the wine first.”

“I’ll go too.”

On this side, seeing no one around, Chu Huaiyao circled outside then quickly returned to the hall, his heart nearly jumping from his chest. He pushed open the door to enter the side hall. Not only did the two door-guarding eunuchs not stop him, they soundlessly closed the hall door and extinguished two candles.

Seeing this, Chu Huaiyao felt assured. Not only were his father and Prime Minister Meng secretly assisting, but the Sage had always hoped the Princess would marry soon—he probably tacitly permitted this matter.

Thinking of this, that wine burned his throat even more. Step by step he approached the Princess on the bed. Just as he touched the corner of her skirt, he was forcefully pushed away by someone.

The one who pushed him was Su Run. Earlier, Su Run had seen Princess Danyang leave her seat from afar. After hesitating for a long time, still uneasy, he had followed. Who knew he would see such a scene? Su Run’s ink-jade eyes nearly blazed with fire: “Have you gone mad?”

Chu Huaiyao was very displeased at being interrupted. Grabbing Su Run’s collar, he pushed him heavily away, patiently saying: “My becoming Prince Consort is a matter of time. The Princess is drunk—I came to see how she is. But you…”

“You intended to molest her.”

“Ridiculous. Princess Danyang is not exactly a virgin—what molestation is there to speak of? Among palace nobles, who keeps so many household officers? Have you not molested her? How do you know she’s not pleased?” Chu Huaiyao laughed.

Enraged, Su Run slapped him across the face.

At this moment, Liu Dan also quietly slipped into the side hall. Having received permission from palace maids and eunuchs, he rushed toward Danyang in her brilliant red skirt, afraid that if he were a step late, this predetermined power and position would be seized by another.

Upon entering, he saw Chu Huaiyao and Su Run wrestling together. Shocked, he retreated two steps. About to exit, his path was blocked—from beneath the bed and the doorway, several hidden guards suddenly rushed out, pressing both Chu Huaiyao and Liu Dan to the ground.

The person entering from the doorway wore brilliant red official robes that made his skin appear pale as jade, his lip color crimson. Lu Huating glanced at Su Run, curved his lips, took out a plain handkerchief from his sleeve and tossed it onto him, then bowed to Danyang: “Your Highness, these two men acted improperly toward Your Highness during the banquet. May this subject apprehend them?”

“Chief Clerk Lu, why do you ruin this palace’s marriage prospects every time?” Having soberly heard everything, Princess Danyang’s face pillowed on her sleeve was already streaming with tears. Yet she wiped away her tears with her sleeve and produced a brilliant smile.

Lu Huating looked at those two men: “Princess, this one follows Third Prince in calling you elder sister. Elder sister has traveled north and south—your bearing cannot compare with ordinary ladies. Why fear marriage? Marriage requires true hearts. If one must share a pillow with ghosts, solitude would be better.”

Hearing this, Danyang rose and gave both Chu Huaiyao and Liu Dan a kick to the chest: “Just two cups of thin wine and you reveal your ghost faces. Bind them—this palace will see the Sage.”

Only now did Chu Huaiyao and Liu Dan come to their senses, feeling as if they had been possessed by ghosts: if Princess Danyang had been awake, how would they dare molest her openly? Only now did the two realize—from the eunuchs and palace maids who closed the side hall door, no, from the drunkenness itself, it was all a test. Now caught like turtles in a jar, their faces turned deathly pale as they begged for mercy repeatedly.

But outside came a earth-shaking tremendous sound that made the palace hall tremble, followed by chaotic noises.

“Fire! Quickly fetch water! Prince Zhao’s powder-propelled puppet show exploded!”

Immediately, the surrounding eunuchs and palace maids all rushed out to fight the fire.

The so-called powder-propelled puppet show involved hiding wooden puppet mechanisms within fireworks. After lighting the suspended firework core, the hidden puppets and lanterns would successively unfold and leap out, like a face-changing performance passing before one’s eyes in dazzling succession.

Li Pan had ordered this special firework transported from Jiangnan Circuit. After repeated testing without incident, he performed it at the banquet. At this moment, just as the second puppet bloomed, the cart of fireworks behind it exploded first. A cluster of sparks shot toward the puppet, immediately setting it ablaze with roaring flames that burst forth in succession.

Before the previous puppet could detach, it was pushed out by the next puppet, flying and exploding into the air, carrying flames as it smashed onto the hall roof. Seeping through the wooden structure, sparks fell like rain indoors, spattering onto the noble masters.

Before everyone could react, Li Pan rushed over and tightly embraced Emperor Chenming, the scorching sparks all falling on his back. Only then did the noble masters erupt in chaotic screaming.

Senior Official Zhu nearly fainted. Sensing a shadow flash beside her, Qun Qing immediately grabbed the water bucket in the corner and rushed over to pour it on Li Pan.

She didn’t know why the puppet show had exploded, but she knew that if Li Pan were injured saving the Emperor, even if it were his fault, Emperor Chenming would not pursue it out of pity for his son.

Ordinary people fundamentally could not contend with imperial princes. Everything she had done would be wasted.

Whether from pain or something else, Li Pan’s face was white as a ghost. His whole body dripping water, he twisted around to coldly regard Qun Qing. If not for the Sage at his side, he probably would have already pounced to tear her to shreds.

The inner attendants and Jinwu Guards all rushed into motion. The fire in the hall was quickly extinguished, and close ministers all gathered in one place.

At this moment, a young civil official stepped forward, holding a tortoise shell and addressing Emperor Chenming: “This subject is Yang Chang, Winter Official of the Bureau of Astrology, in charge of divination matters. Before the ceremony, I divined the Li hexagram—the Li hexagram is the fire hexagram, signifying the calamity of fire. This subject adjusted to the opposite palace hall to avoid danger. However, today’s incident still occurred. This subject divined again just now—the Li hexagram regenerated. I fear someone is using aversion victory sorcery to cast curses. Fire brings disaster, positions are incorrect—this aims to attack the Sage’s bright virtue. Judging by direction, it’s a woman, very likely an operative from Nan Chu.”

Aversion victory sorcery had been popular among commoners for several years. Many consorts believed in it and showed fearful expressions.

The Winter Official was merely an insignificant minor official in the Bureau of Astrology, but if bold enough to seize the right moment and curry favor with noble masters, he might gain their appreciation in the future and rise smoothly thereafter. This person’s appearance was tantamount to handing Li Pan a way out. Li Pan was overjoyed. Exchanging a glance with Yang Chang, he promised him high office and generous salary with his eyes: “Just say who it is.”

Qun Qing looked toward this Winter Official. The other party also regarded her with cool eyes: “Whoever Your Highness thinks it is, that’s who it is.”

“Those with improper intentions—just now, Mother Empress in the netherworld must have already given a hint,” Li Pan said while suddenly thinking of something. He quickly beckoned, secretly ordering the eunuch at his side to search for evidence.

At these words, some people couldn’t help but recall the Guanyin statue that had suddenly broken earlier. Though it had been explained away, thinking carefully it was indeed inauspicious.

Before long, that eunuch hurried in, panicked: “Sage, ladies, these items were found in Officer of Records Qun’s residence.”

A horsetail whisk and a peachwood doll fell to the ground, causing everyone to step back half a pace. Then countless gazes all converged on Qun Qing’s face.

Qun Qing also saw that peachwood doll.

Wasn’t this the doll she used to curse Lu Huating when she first became an operative? Had she known it could be discovered, she would have found and burned it along with the diary back then.

Looking back, she saw Ruo Chan bound and brought to the hall, her expression agitated yet aggrieved. Qun Qing removed the cloth from her mouth. Ruo Chan said: “These two items are both this slave’s. This slave was formerly a female Taoist—this horsetail whisk was for praying for blessings and has absolutely nothing to do with elder sister.”

Beside Zheng Zhiyi, Lan Yue also said: “Ruo Chan uses this horsetail whisk—all of us in Qingxuan Pavilion know. It’s absolutely not any aversion victory sorcery.”

“Then how do you explain this item? No one uses this for praying for blessings.” Li Pan touched the peachwood doll with his toe, raised his face, and looked at Qun Qing.

Zheng Zhiyi and Lan Yue exchanged glances. Judging from its shape, this item did indeed look like that inauspicious thing—truly impossible to exonerate.

“Who says no one uses this for praying for blessings?” a voice rang out.

Then a slender hand picked up the peachwood doll from beside Li Pan’s feet.

The close ministers couldn’t help but murmur: “How did Chief Clerk Lu return?”

Lu Huating gazed intently, carefully examining that peachwood doll, then clenched it tightly: “Your Highness, this item was given by this one to Lady Qing for praying for blessings. Look—my name is written on it.”

Saying this, he turned the doll over. Li Pan’s expression changed slightly—on this peachwood doll, Lu Huating’s name was indeed embroidered. The onlooking noble masters covered their mouths, finding it both laughable and absurd.

“What blessing technique uses a peachwood doll? Isn’t the Chief Clerk afraid of early death?” Li Pan said.

“Prince Zhao jests. Have you heard of proxy death techniques? The effigy suffers disaster in this one’s place, so on the battlefield, one can be invincible,” Lu Huating smiled.

“How went the pacification?” Emperor Chenming spoke upon hearing this.

Lu Huating restrained his expression and bowed: “The blessing was effective—the rebellion in three cities has been pacified. Prince Yan sent this subject back first to report the good news to the Sage.”

Emperor Chenming breathed slightly easier, but hearing the sounds of eunuchs busily extinguishing fires outside, his face showed no joy. A Jinwu Guard hurried in to report: “Sage, the cart of fireworks that exploded first has been covered with earth and doused, but that cart of cannons… the specifications violated regulations. They should never have been allowed into the palace.”

Li Pan said: “This prince repeatedly inspected without error—how could there be cannons that violated regulations? Investigate who placed them here. Such persons endangering the palace must not be allowed to escape!”

Lu Huating said: “Second Highness, think again. After all, three thousand seats of regulation-violating cannons and celebration fireworks were all transported on the same ship. The people below might have mixed them up.”

Li Pan suddenly turned his eyes, meeting this young and handsome face, his eyes full of disbelief.

Lu Huating took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it to Emperor Chenming: “Prince Yan’s mansion’s hidden guards discovered a fireworks shop in the city hiding regulation-violating cannons, squeezing out all other fireworks shops in the city. Following the trail, it turned out to be Second Highness’s enterprise. This subject was already worried and intensified inspections, but unexpectedly the incident still occurred. How today’s matter happened, Prince Zhao knows full well, yet still brings up aversion victory sorcery to confuse the truth.”

Everyone was in an uproar. Li Pan wanted to explain but found himself unable to clear himself. Meng Guangshen’s face turned livid, his fingers secretly clenching tight in his sleeves.

After reading the memorial, Emperor Chenming flew into a rage, his hands trembling. Despite Li Pan kneeling to beg forgiveness, he still called out “unfilial son” three times: “Failing to accomplish anything yet excelling at ruining everything! No good at proper matters, yet skilled at accumulating wealth! Are you worthy of my cultivation? Worthy of your mother empress’s dying wishes?”

Li Xuan said: “Father Emperor, this matter requires detailed investigation.”

“If you plead for him, you will also be punished together!”

Great fear seized Li Pan. He knelt on the ground, his whole body trembling, only hearing Emperor Chenming say: “Transmit the order—strip Prince Zhao of his title, demote him to Commandery Prince, confine him in the palace, and he may not leave without orders!”

This imperial prince was basically finished.

“Father Emperor,” Li Pan choked, “Father Emperor, your son is truly wronged…”

Qun Qing watched Li Pan kicking and struggling, bloodstains seeping through his clothing, still being dragged away by the Jinwu Guards, disappearing outside the door. The breath she had been holding tightly in her heart finally slowly exhaled.

Zheng Fu entered, wiping the sweat from his neck: “Sage, the water in the cisterns is used up. Going to and from Qujiang Pool to fetch water also takes a long time. A strong wind is blowing outside. The roofs downwind—some may need to be demolished, otherwise if these sparks spread there, there will be hidden danger.”

Qun Qing thought of something: “Old Chu left underground passages. At the low points of the passages there are also water cisterns filled with rainwater. One can enter from the west side hall of Liangyi Hall, go down, and draw water to fight fires.”

Empress Ma instructed these female officials: “The Bureau of Palace Attendants’ duty personnel are still most capable. Then hurry and lead the way.”

Several female officials lifted their skirts and exited. As Qun Qing passed Lu Huating, she said in a low voice: “Did you switch the fireworks?”

Lu Huating did not look at her, only smiled: “My lady is still not ruthless enough. Being so lukewarm, when will you complete your revenge? This one sends you a gift as congratulations for your new marriage…”

Before he finished speaking, Qun Qing had already brushed past him and exited.

Lu Huating lowered his lashes to look at the peachwood doll in his hand—a silver needle was still inserted in it.