That miserable scream was shrill and prolonged. To Yin Zhishu’s ears—his clothes already soaked with sweat, his heart still pounding wildly—it seemed in his daze that he was still in his recent dream, and it was Dong Ruan crying out in anguish.

Startled, he sat up and reached to lift the carriage curtain, but stopped halfway—if this was a trap, the moment he lifted the curtain, he would become the target!

His hand froze at the window. Outside, his guards’ hurried footsteps were already echoing, rushing to surround and protect the large palanquin. The sounds of drawing swords, nocking arrows filled the air. In an instant, they had surrounded his palanquin so tightly that not even water could pass through. His guard captain’s deep, powerful voice called out: “Archers, prepare—”

Before he finished speaking, someone faintly cried out in alarm. With a thud, something seemed to roll down from a height. Then from upwind came the sound of clashing blades, followed by his guard captain’s surprised “Hm?”

Yin Zhishu could restrain himself no longer and stamped his foot on the palanquin floor.

The palanquin stopped. The guard captain approached and bowed before his palanquin. Yin Zhishu said in a low voice: “What’s happening?”

His trusted confidant hesitated, seemingly considering his words, then said: “Your Highness… it appears someone above is being pursued and attacked…”

Yin Zhishu froze, then frowned: “We must not approach places of trouble. Didn’t I warn you about this? Avoid it!”

The words had barely left his mouth when he suddenly remembered—this route had been deliberated over for three days and nights by his strategist before being decided. Changing it carelessly would also be improper. He then noticed that the guard captain hadn’t responded and seemed to have more to say. Growing somewhat irritated, he said: “Why are you hesitating? Speak quickly! Don’t delay the appointed time!”

“Your Highness…” The guard captain’s voice was very low. “The person being pursued… you should take a look and you’ll understand.”

Yin Zhishu’s heart jumped. He opened the carriage curtain a crack and immediately saw at the guard captain’s feet a critically wounded person, covered in blood from head to toe, barely breathing. Moss and roof tiles still clung to his body—he must have been the one who rolled down from the high rooftop just now. Yin Zhishu’s gaze fell downward to the man’s waist, where a partially visible indigo qilin insignia made his eyes flash.

The insignia of Changning Fiefdom!

Lu Zhiyan under attack?

The guard captain smiled bitterly: “If this person hadn’t rolled down, just now I nearly gave the order for a volley of arrows…” He recognized the Changning Fiefdom insignia and dared not say more.

Yin Zhishu hesitated no longer. Under his guards’ protection, he opened the carriage curtain and looked upward. Sure enough, not far away on the rooftops, the archers he had originally positioned stood there dumbly, clutching their bows and standing aside, while Lu Zhiyan and several plainly dressed subordinates were fighting back-to-back in desperate battle, fighting as they quickly fled from his sight. The young prince was already disheveled and quite embarrassed. Their opponents were a group of ruthlessly efficient gray-clad men, all wielding the most ordinary blue steel longswords, yet also skilled with concealed weapons. Their sword techniques were like drifting wind, occasionally releasing flying swords with a flick of the wrist. Lu Zhiyan’s subordinates kept crying out in pain as they were injured.

Yin Zhishu’s gaze sharpened. He suddenly remembered that on his birthday, assassins had also infiltrated the prince’s manor, also skilled with both swords and concealed weapons—seemingly the same style. Who were these people? First targeting himself, then Changning—were they political enemies who didn’t want his power to grow, or were they operatives from Tiansheng?

At this moment, Lu Zhiyan also spotted him. In the midst of battle, he opened his mouth as if to shout something to him. However, his opponent raised a hand and released a lightning-fast throwing dart. Lu Zhiyan’s words were forced back by this dart. He barely managed an iron bridge backbend, the dart grazing his chest and tearing away a piece of his collar, nearly piercing his chest.

This moment was truly dangerous. Watching it made even Yin Zhishu’s hand tremble in alarm. He watched as Lu Zhiyan performed the iron bridge backbend, then flipped backward through the air to break out of the encirclement. He seemed to have sustained some injury, his body swaying as he darted toward the rear side.

With this movement, Changning subordinates followed protectively, and those assassins pursued relentlessly. The guard captain looked at the Prince Regent, waiting for his instruction—should they send people to pursue or not interfere?

Yin Zhishu pondered for a moment—not interfering was impossible. Changning was an ally. If they abandoned him when he was being pursued right before their eyes, the old Prince of Changning would surely mobilize troops to attack Xi Liang. By rights, he should split his forces to assist. But he had always been cautious by nature. Thinking of splitting his forces made him wonder if this might be the enemy’s diversionary tactic? What if his protective forces were dispersed and another group immediately came to attack him? What if the split forces were defeated one by one? Once forces were divided and confusion arose, what if someone found an opening to exploit? Thinking it through, it was better to follow with all his guards. With such abundant and powerful forces, who could touch him unless they mobilized a large army? And in Jincheng, who could mobilize a large army without his knowledge?

After considering everything, this was the safest and most proper method. Looking at the direction Lu Zhiyan and his men were fleeing, they seemed to be heading toward the Flower Goddess Temple. That area could also lead to the palace, though it was somewhat more remote. But that place was open on all sides with nowhere to hide, so there was no need to fear an ambush.

He sat in the palanquin pondering, unable to suppress his questions about those assassins. The incident at the prince’s manor on his birthday had always weighed on his mind like a huge shadow pressing darkly at the bottom of his heart. He even dreamed about trying to figure out who his enemy was. He only regretted that the other side had cut off clues too quickly, leaving him completely without leads. In his position, sensing an enemy but being unable to catch them was more frightening than a nightmare. Now that clues appeared before his eyes again, how could he let them go?

His hesitation lasted but a moment. He immediately said: “Set off! You send a portion of people to pursue first, and I’ll follow!”

The guard captain froze, carefully saying: “The ceremony is supposed to begin at the hour of chen…”

Yin Zhishu waved his hand carelessly. “Looking at that route, even if we take a slight detour, we won’t miss the appointed time. Besides, it’s nothing important.”

Only he in all Xi Liang dared call the emperor’s birthday celebration “nothing important.” The guard captain chuckled and withdrew, waving his hand and calling out: “Change route—”

The large palanquin was lifted and changed direction. The shadow of sunlight flickered past the carriage curtain. Yin Zhishu leaned against the carriage wall in thought. He didn’t suspect Lu Zhiyan in the slightest—he had seen with his own eyes how desperately close to death and embarrassed he was. Moreover, Lu Zhiyan only had those few people with him; it was obvious the attack had been sudden. Lu Zhiyan’s subordinate had been lying at his feet barely breathing just moments ago. He was only thinking about that dream just now, thinking of Dong Ruan, and couldn’t help but reveal a trace of a smile—at the end of this year, after the third anniversary of his imperial brother’s death, he would make his move. Once he ascended the throne, he wouldn’t care what those censors said—he would marry Dong Ruan. Actually, if it weren’t for Ah Ruan saying she felt she had wronged his imperial brother and insisting on observing mourning for three years before discussing matters between them, he would have directly deposed the emperor and proclaimed himself as soon as his power grew sufficient.

It wasn’t too late now…

The large palanquin suddenly stopped. The guard captain called from outside his palanquin: “Your Highness, we’ve reached the Flower Goddess Temple… those people…”

Yin Zhishu put away the smile on his face and lifted the curtain: “What happened?”

The guard captain reported: “We pursued them, but those assassins have already fled…” Just then he saw Lu Zhiyan swaying as he approached, his clothes torn and hanging in strips, looking quite embarrassed, yet still smiling. He handed his sword to a subordinate, clasped his hands toward Yin Zhishu without approaching closely, and said: “Thank you for your assistance, Your Highness. If you hadn’t pursued them, those bastards would have fought me to the death. But now, I’ll be the one fighting them to the death.”

Those who could approach Yin Zhishu’s large palanquin were all trusted confidants, so Yin Zhishu didn’t avoid them. He looked at Lu Zhiyan intently for a while and said: “When the young prince is in difficulty, it’s only right that we help. Is the young prince alright?”

“Not alright.” Lu Zhiyan’s answer made even Yin Zhishu freeze, then he waved his hand: “Your Highness needs to rush to the palace this morning to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday, right? You don’t need to worry about my affairs. Leave a few guards to help me, and I’ll visit you this evening to explain everything clearly.”

He finished speaking without pause and turned toward the already dilapidated Flower Goddess Temple, walking as he called to his subordinates: “Come, let me examine the wounds. Let’s see what their fighting style reveals.”

Yin Zhishu had originally planned to do as he suggested—arrange a few people to stay and be done with it. But hearing this statement, his heart stirred with realization. He regretted inwardly—why hadn’t he thought of this last time? When assassins infiltrated his prince’s manor, they hadn’t injured anyone before escaping and then quickly committed suicide. Although several servants were wounded, no one had thought to examine the wounds. Now thinking about it, some martial arts sects, especially sword-using sects, left very distinctive wounds. For example, the Lingshan Sword Sect’s swords were particularly narrow and thin. They preferred vertical sword strikes, creating wounds that were narrow at the edges and wide in the middle—a distinctive ridge of flesh that was easy to identify. Yin Zhishu was fond of martial arts and especially enjoyed studying various schools’ martial techniques. Being reminded of this now, he thought it necessary to take a look and identify their style.

He immediately hurried down from the palanquin, laughing: “The young prince’s side has suffered severe casualties. How can I abandon you? Let’s go look together. Whatever medicine is needed, I can provide it.”

Lu Zhiyan didn’t stand on ceremony either, smiling as his brow relaxed: “That’s wonderful. Honestly, after being pursued, I deliberately ran toward Your Highness’s procession. Otherwise, who would care about me? Your Highness is truly righteous.”

Being so frank actually dispelled Yin Zhishu’s last trace of doubt. He laughed: “I wondered why it was such a coincidence—turns out you harbored ill intentions and deliberately caused me trouble!” The two men laughed heartily at each other, linked arms, and entered the Flower Goddess Temple together.

The Flower Goddess Temple had once been prosperous with incense offerings, but in the past two years, because Coiling Dragon Street had been rerouted away from the commercial district, it had become somewhat desolate. The small temple was almost entirely visible at a glance inside and out, so there was no fear of hidden people. Even so, Yin Zhishu’s guards still quickly rushed into the temple first, searching inside and out before emerging to nod at Yin Zhishu.

“Your Highness is truly cautious.” Lu Zhiyan smiled. Yin Zhishu shook his head helplessly with a sigh: “These are troubled times…” As he spoke, he bent down to examine the wounds on Changning subordinates. The wounds were narrow in front and round in back. Yin Zhishu made a sound of surprise: “These wounds are peculiar…” But he couldn’t think of anything for the moment.

Suddenly a figure flashed by. Outside the door came the hurried sound of galloping hooves. Yin Zhishu’s guard captain went to meet them, then brought someone in. Lu Zhiyan stood up abruptly in surprise: “Old Qi, what are you doing here?”

The man appeared to be a Changning subordinate, covered in sweat from running. He didn’t bother with formalities and said urgently: “Master, hurry back. Our lodgings have been ransacked. We don’t know what’s missing. You need to personally check the inventory.”

Lu Zhiyan’s expression changed. He turned and bowed to Yin Zhishu, who was already waving his hand: “Young prince, hurry back. I must also leave.”

He knew that someone of Lu Zhiyan’s status, even though far from his home country, would have various documents and information continuously flowing to his territory. There were many things that outsiders couldn’t see. Now that his base had been raided, he naturally needed to rush back immediately.

“Bastards! When I catch them, I’ll skin them alive!” Lu Zhiyan stamped his foot and cursed, then hastily took his leave with his subordinates. Yin Zhishu watched his somewhat embarrassed retreating figure, frowning as he thought about how unsettled things had been recently. He thought he should hurry into the palace. Just as he stood up, he suddenly heard movement overhead.

He looked up in alarm and saw three figures drift down from beneath the ceiling canopy like falling leaves.

Those three came so suddenly that his guards shouted in anger and rushed to surround him tightly, swords and blades pointing outward at the three men.

But Yin Zhishu suddenly said: “Wait!”

He raised his palm, his burning gaze fixed on the three men opposite. Although all three were similarly tall and imposing in bearing, his gaze fell only on the person in the center.

That man was tall and slender, with sharp, intense brows. He wore purple-gold brocade robes casually, his collar wide open, revealing honey-toned skin that was lustrous and full. His pupils when viewed head-on resembled fantastical amber, but from the side showed a faint phantom purple, turning and dazzling like seven-colored gemstones in the sun. Under the reflection of these brilliant eyes, his features did not lose their luster—they were flying and dancing, making one think of all things undulating and vast, of boundless blue sky and green grass.

A man born with peculiar charisma.

According to legend, there was one person who fit this description.

But separated by thousands of miles, how could this person appear here…

Yet with such bearing and temperament, who else could it be?

In an instant, Yin Zhishu’s thoughts raced like lightning. The other party was already laughing heartily: “I’ve long heard that the Prince Regent of Xi Liang has imposing authority over his region. Now seeing you in person…”

His eyes narrowed, and he didn’t continue, but that expression—anyone could guess the dismissiveness in it. Everyone’s expressions turned unpleasant. Then they heard him continue: “…indeed your imposing authority over the region is deserved.”

Everyone collectively swayed back. No one had expected that after such a turn, he would still come out with the same phrase. Just as they were about to relax their expressions, they caught sight of him curling his lip, his eyes rolling over Yin Zhishu, who was surrounded tightly by a heap of guards. They suddenly felt this statement was even more disagreeable than saying something openly mocking.

“Insolent!” The guards immediately shouted in anger.

That man’s eyes turned. He shook his head, not even glancing at the guards who outnumbered them dozens of times. He had the air of “you’re really just taking advantage of someone else’s power and this old fellow really doesn’t think much of you at all and can’t even be bothered to speak with you.” His smile contained several parts arrogance and several parts mockery.

But Yin Zhishu was already smiling—the other party’s speech was contemptuous and direct, his accent somewhat awkward. Clearly the Han language was not his commonly used language. If this wasn’t the person he had guessed, who could it be?

He pushed aside his guards, stepped forward, and bowed deeply: “I did not expect the great king of the grasslands to grace us with his presence. This is truly an unexpected joy!”

Helian Zheng’s eyes flashed. Only now did he look properly at Yin Zhishu, and this time he returned the courtesy honestly: “Jataran Inji, I meet the Prince Regent of Xi Liang.”

Without waiting for Yin Zhishu to inquire or exchange pleasantries, he waved his hand, first signaling for his Three Falcons and Four Leopards to leave. The two men immediately bowed without hesitation and strode out, standing straight at the entrance of the Flower Goddess Temple, facing Xi Liang guards who outnumbered them by thousands. Those spears and short weapons were almost poking the two men’s eyelashes, yet they didn’t move, standing like stone sculptures.

Watching this, Yin Zhishu’s eyes flashed.

Over there, Helian Zheng was already saying unceremoniously: “Your Highness, I have traveled thousands of miles to reach this place. Naturally it was arduous, naturally it was not easy. I must quickly return to my grasslands, so you need not waste time with me on courteous words. Now, I need to speak with you privately. Your people should also leave quickly. I find them noisy.”

After he spoke these words, the faces of the Xi Liang guards all turned purple. They had never seen such an arrogant person!

But Yin Zhishu laughed.

“I have long heard of King Shunyi’s bold and heroic spirit. Now seeing you in person truly wins my admiration.” He smiled sardonically: “The king dares to meet me alone. As host, how could I not dare to meet privately with the king?”

With a wave of his hand, the guard captain called out: “Your Highness!” Yin Zhishu’s gaze turned cold. The guard captain quickly bowed and withdrew with the men.

Yin Zhishu already felt anger rising—the other party had brought only two men, boldly charging through his guard formation, giving orders with prohibitions, imposing in presence. His side had already fallen a level. If he remained surrounded by guards while negotiating with the other party, Xi Liang’s face would be completely lost.

Only now did Helian Zheng’s eyes reveal a smile. In response to Yin Zhishu’s questioning look, he waved his hand and said straight to the point: “Your Highness, today I come to send you a favorable wind that will carry you straight to the blue clouds!”

Here at the Flower Goddess Temple, someone had transformed into wind to send another up to the blue clouds. Over there at Hanyuan Hall, a generation’s empress dowager had already been sent to the heavens by a three-year-old child.

In the hall, Gu Zhixiao was still somewhat dazed, lying on Feng Zhiwei’s shoulder, pointing toward the front. From her appearance, she didn’t intend to leave the palace. Feng Zhiwei’s momentary excitement and heartache had passed, and now she had calmed down. Empress Dowager Dong had been killed; the matter could no longer be reversed. At this point, this throne must be seized whether they wanted to or not. Otherwise, once Yin Zhishu learned of it, no one would be able to leave Jincheng.

Once you killed the first person, you had to keep killing endlessly—kill others, or be killed.

She took a breath and quickly grabbed the owl back into its cage, still handing it to Gu Zhixiao to hold. She placed Empress Dowager Dong’s corpse on the couch, propped it up from behind with bedding, arranged her arm to support a small table on the couch, turned her bloodied face inward—from a distance through the screen, it looked like she was drinking tea. Then she tore down the bed curtain and wiped clean the blood on the floor before kicking open the elderly maid’s acupoint with one foot.

“Come out with us. Do whatever I say.” She wasted no words, just waved the cage in front of the woman’s face, making her body tremble. She quickly nodded.

“Before we leave, you will transmit the Empress Dowager’s decree. Say that recently the palace servants have been serving poorly, gossiping and spreading false tales behind backs—it’s becoming increasingly intolerable. We must take out the ancestral family law to properly discipline them. All palace eunuchs, elderly maids, and palace servants of sixth rank and above from all palaces, except those with duties in the front halls who cannot be spared, must immediately kneel in the square before Jianxi Palace to hear instruction. All others will hear instruction tomorrow after their shift ends. There must be no errors.” Feng Zhiwei listened as the old woman repeated it word for word accurately, then nodded. Her finger flicked and a pill shot into the woman’s mouth. She smiled: “Heart-piercing great tonic pill. One wrong word and there’s no antidote. One wrong facial expression and there’s no antidote either.”

The old woman’s face turned ashen. She kept saying: “This slave wouldn’t dare, this slave wouldn’t dare.” Feng Zhiwei lowered her face, picked up Gu Zhixiao, and went out. As she walked, she made responding sounds in a shrill voice: “Yes, this slave will immediately escort Miss Gu to the front hall.”

Elderly Maid Li accompanied her. At the doorway, she repeated the words Feng Zhiwei had taught her. The eunuchs below looked at each other in confusion—in the past there had been instances of kneeling before palace gates to hear instruction, but those were always eunuchs from various palaces who had made mistakes. There had never been such a decree for all sixth-rank and above eunuchs to hear instruction. Moreover, nothing had happened either. Could it be that today His Majesty had caused such a disturbance that the Empress Dowager had finally become angry and wanted to properly discipline the harem?

All sixth-rank and above palace servants in the entire harem—the Empress Dowager hadn’t specified which ones could be exempt, which meant all the chief stewards from all palaces and chambers must go. This decree sounded strange no matter how one heard it. Some were already secretly speculating whether some master in the palace was about to suffer misfortune.

They guessed and speculated endlessly, but no one thought to question the authenticity of this decree—the Empress Dowager’s most trusted elderly maid was transmitting it, and the Empress Dowager was still in the hall!

No matter how bold or imaginative anyone might be, they couldn’t possibly imagine that Empress Dowager Dong had already died, that the one sitting in the hall was merely a corpse, that the harem was now without a master.

Using Gu Zhixiao’s body to shield her face, Feng Zhiwei accompanied Elderly Maid Li onto the sedan chair that the young emperor had ordered prepared outside. She didn’t plan to go to the abandoned palace to find Noble Consort Mi—there wasn’t enough time. Besides, she had already transferred away the chief steward eunuchs from all palaces. According to custom, once the managers left, the others who had long been strictly controlled would take advantage to relax a bit. Noble Consort Mi’s supervision would necessarily become lax. She would leave this matter to the lurking secret guards.

The two eunuchs guarding the door watched Feng Zhiwei’s retreating figure with suspicious eyes, thinking—hadn’t everyone left earlier? Where did this young man come from? But this wasn’t the time for them to voice their questions—they had to go kneel at Jianxi Palace gate to “hear instruction.”

At this moment, three quarters past the hour of mao.

At three quarters past mao, Yin Zhishu was at the Flower Goddess Temple, first encountering the great king of the grasslands, his steps halted by a single statement.

At three quarters past mao, the Emperor of Xi Liang arrived at the Grand Ceremony Hall. The appointed time had not yet arrived and he had not yet ascended to the hall. In the rear hall, he impatiently drank tea, frequently asking: “Why hasn’t Zhixiao come yet?”

At three quarters past mao, Xi Liang’s civil and military officials had already completed their formation. Lü Rui stood at the head of the military officials on the right, his expression calm but his eyes anxious, his gaze frequently stealing toward the hall entrance. The Prince Regent’s position at the head of the right side was still empty. Everyone thought he was worried about the Prince Regent being late, but they didn’t know Lü Rui wished the Prince Regent would be late forever.

Under his robe sleeves, his palms clenched tightly, seeping with a palm-full of slightly warm sweat. At this moment, both sides were racing against time. Whether Gu Zhixiao or the Prince Regent appeared first at the hall could be said to be the key that determined final victory and Xi Liang’s national fate.

Although the Prince Regent hadn’t appeared on time, at the speed Wei Zhi and Gu Zhixiao should be traveling, they should have already reached the rear hall by now, yet they still hadn’t come.

Before the outcome was decided, his heart felt as if it were being roasted over fire. Three thousand elite guards had already assembled at the side of Yongkang Gate. With just one signal they could rush out to surround the great hall, ensuring that none of the Prince Regent’s trusted confidants who wanted to send messages could escape. But once the elite guards moved, it meant the matter could no longer be reversed. At best, blood would flow like rivers; at worst, they would fail and throw the nation into chaos… These consequences were more than anyone could bear.

In the deep autumn weather, Lü Rui had already silently soaked his heavy clothes with sweat. Amid a tangle of confusion, he suddenly heard bells and drums ring together, shaking the distracted him until he nearly stumbled!

The hour of chen had arrived!

“His Majesty arrives—” The ceremonial eunuch’s penetrating voice reached his ears. Lü Rui instinctively turned to look toward the rear hall. The young emperor pattered out from behind the screen, his expression displeased, with no Gu Zhixiao following behind him.

Lü Rui’s vision went dark. He prostrated himself on the ground, these words rolling through his heart: It’s over!

Several old ministers who had received advance information cast him questioning looks. Lü Rui bitterly and slowly shook his head, while slowly rising with the assembled officials, thinking about what to do if the Prince Regent arrived first—how to explain some matters, how to explain the elite guards assembled at Yongkang Gate.

He felt somewhat wooden as he followed the assembly in singing ceremonial greetings and birthday congratulations, thinking how human calculations couldn’t match heaven’s plans. He had been too trusting of Wei Zhi’s great reputation. Xi Liang’s outer court had Yin Zhishu, the inner court had Empress Dowager Dong—an ironclad unity that even he, after years of management, found very difficult to budge even slightly. Yet he had been mad enough to believe that Wei Zhi, an outsider, could truly detain the Prince Regent and send out Gu Zhixiao.

The Prince Regent not coming now—perhaps it wasn’t that Wei Zhi had found a way to detain him at all, but rather that he had already detected something wrong and was secretly arranging to deal with himself?

Thinking of this, Lü Rui instantly broke out in cold sweat. His mind raced frantically, thinking about how to preserve his strength and break out of the great hall if it really was that worst-case scenario.

In his muddle, many thoughts swirled. He even thought about how to leave the capital. Amid this chaos, he didn’t know what was happening around him. Those ceremonial protocols had long been committed to heart—he could multitask and still follow along.

Suddenly he felt the surroundings quiet down.

It had been quiet before, of course. No one would speak casually on such an occasion. But the ceremonial supervisor’s announcing voice had been continuously ringing. Now that unpleasant shrill voice seemed as if it had been cleaved by a blade, suddenly cutting off. Therefore that silence became particularly obvious.

Lü Rui started in alarm. When he raised his head, he saw the ceremonial eunuch standing at the base of the vermilion steps, mouth agape, staring straight toward the entrance of the great hall. The eunuchs beside him holding registers and cases all wore exactly the same expression, staring at that place.

And above, the originally languid Emperor of Xi Liang had already jumped up, waving his small dragon robe sleeves, shouting loudly: “Zhixiao, Zhixiao—”

Lü Rui whirled around abruptly.

The wide red door of the Grand Ceremony Hall opened all the way to the end. Sunlight from the high heavens poured down without obstruction. Between heaven and earth seemed covered with a layer of brilliantly shimmering gossamer veil. Through the veil, someone in long robes with bound hair came leisurely forward, holding a small girl, their pace light and steady. The surrounding sunlight seemed stirred by that slender, graceful figure, splashing crystalline light that shot into people’s eyes, making them involuntarily squint—

In just that instant of squinting, that figure previously somewhat hazy from being suffused by sunlight was already near, revealing half a refined face and perpetually smiling eyes misty as autumn waters.

Wei Zhi.

The moment Lü Rui saw that face, he suddenly let out a long breath. His whole body seemed to soften, yet he immediately struggled to straighten his back.

He had still come!

He hadn’t walked through the rear hall but openly held Gu Zhixiao and brazenly stormed the great hall!

This was indeed Wei Zhi’s usual style—with gentle wind, execute thunderous deeds!

He was delighted here, but others were displeased. One of the Prince Regent’s trusted confidants, a certain Vice Minister of Rites, was first to react. He stepped forward and shouted angrily: “What person dares to trespass in the golden hall and disturb the great ceremony? How did you get in? Someone, remove him—”

“Shi Zhen! Is this your place to speak!” Lü Rui immediately cut him off, stepping forward with a deep bow: “Is this Marquis Wei? Have you come to congratulate His Majesty on his birthday? This behavior doesn’t conform to propriety…”

Before he finished speaking, Feng Zhiwei had already looked over coldly. When Lü Rui met her gaze, although he knew it was an act, he couldn’t help but freeze. The words he had prepared to say suddenly slipped from his mind.

But Feng Zhiwei had already walked past him carrying Gu Zhixiao, her sleeve brushing by as a paper ball flicked into his collar. Lü Rui pretended to wipe sweat and quietly unfolded it to look. On it were only two words: “Surround hall.”

His heart jumped. He hadn’t expected Wei Zhi had already guessed his arrangements. But did they really have to go all-in and surround the hall like this?

Feng Zhiwei had already stopped looking at anyone, ascending the hall with head held high. Above, the young emperor was quite happy, beckoning Gu Zhixiao: “Zhixiao, come up.”

The emperor had spoken. The eunuchs who had wanted to block them could only stand aside. Below the hall were armed guards, but they had already been replaced with Lü Rui’s people. Receiving a glance from Lü Rui, they acted as if they saw nothing.

Feng Zhiwei smiled and carried Gu Zhixiao straight up to the dragon throne. The young emperor stood on the seat reaching out to receive her. Feng Zhiwei suddenly extended her hand and lifted him down from the imperial throne!

Below erupted in an uproar. An elderly minister watching this scene rolled his eyes and nearly fainted!

“Audacious!” Two armed guards immediately flashed out from behind the dragon throne, horizontal blades raised before Feng Zhiwei.

Feng Zhiwei heard but didn’t listen. Her fingers flicked and two blades flew horizontally, crashing against the massive hall pillars and clanging to the floor. The fan-holding palace maids shrieked and backed away. The young emperor stood dumbly in place biting his finger, then suddenly opened his mouth and wailed loudly.

Amid the chaos, Feng Zhiwei calmly bent down and dusted off the treasure seat that the young emperor’s boots had stepped on. Then she took up Gu Zhixiao.

And placed her properly and squarely on the treasure seat.

All four sides suddenly fell silent.

Those shouting in anger stood with mouths agape, those shrieking stared wide-eyed, those calling out lowly stood rigidly, those about to rush forward had one foot suspended in mid-air not knowing whether to set it down.

An entire hall of people, turned into clay sculptures and wooden carvings by this calm yet utterly audacious action.

Everyone stared up dumbly at the small child on the treasure seat in the hall. She was very calm, sitting there without any awkwardness, one hand resting on her strange cage, the other naturally resting on the flying dragon armrest of the treasure seat.

This posture made people gasp in shock.

After gasping, people gradually began to react. Some began cursing in anger, some began rushing up to block, some showed puzzled expressions, some exchanged glances revealing pleased expressions.

Lü Rui looked up at the child on the treasure seat, a trace of resolute determination flashing in his eyes. He made a gesture toward outside the hall. Immediately someone received the command and hurried away.

The arrow was on the bowstring; it had to be released.

More people had already rushed forward.

“What brazen criminals! To commit such treasonous acts in our Xi Liang’s golden hall! Someone—”

Feng Zhiwei stood in the hall with hands behind her back, watching the bustling crowd, a cold smile hanging at the corner of her lips. Suddenly her hand flipped.

Between her fingers, light flashed.

The person rushing at the very front instantly froze.

Those behind couldn’t stop their momentum and crashed headlong into the backs of those in front, hitting their heads dizzy. Groggily raising their heads, they finally saw a golden lock tablet, shining in Feng Zhiwei’s straight-raised, snow-white palm.

The lock tablet had a special design—dragon head on the left, phoenix tail on the right, with a rarely seen enormous black obsidian in the center. Its color was pure, and at the top under the illumination, it flashed with a phantom purple light, like a supremely majestic dragon eye, looking down sternly from the pinnacle of the golden hall.

Xi Liang honored the water virtue and revered black as supreme. Black obsidian was a commonly used ornament of Xi Liang’s imperial family. But such a large and top-grade black obsidian—everyone was seeing for the first time. For a moment they all stood stunned. Only a few old ministers suddenly made sounds of surprise: “Eh?”

“I believe someone present must recognize this object.” Feng Zhiwei spoke for the first time since entering the hall, her voice clear and cold.

Below, a white-haired elderly minister smacked his lips and said tremulously: “This is the dragon-eye black obsidian that the governor of Youhuo Commandery in the south presented to the late emperor on his fiftieth birthday. It’s said to have been obtained from overseas. There is only one in all the world. The late emperor was very fond of it and personally handled and admired it. He also once…”

“Also what?” Lü Rui immediately asked.

“I also remember this matter,” another old minister said. “At the time, the late emperor was admiring this gemstone, saying this thing was unique in all the world and he wanted to keep it for his descendants. At that time, Noble Consort Mi happened to be pregnant, and the late emperor also said… he wanted to bestow it upon the unborn imperial prince…” He suddenly raised his head to look at Gu Zhixiao on the treasure seat, his eyes going blank.

“This lock tablet!” Immediately another person cried out in alarm. “I’ve seen it! Just one month before the late emperor’s inspection tour, he ordered the Internal Affairs Bureau to forge this lock tablet. The design was personally selected by the late emperor—dragon head on the left, phoenix tail on the right. At that time I was Deputy Director of the Internal Affairs Bureau. When the lock tablet was completed, I personally presented it to the late emperor. The late emperor said when the imperial prince was born, he would engrave the birth date and time…”

These several men were all important ministers and veterans of Xi Liang, truly figures who had helped found the nation and whose every word carried tremendous weight. When these three spoke, everyone’s expressions changed.

Some still didn’t understand what this represented, but most already grasped the meaning within these words. They all looked at Gu Zhixiao on the treasure seat in shock.

Could it be… this child…

The Prince Regent’s trusted confidants all showed anxious expressions, looking toward outside the hall while loudly proclaiming: “Who knows if this thing is real or fake? Everyone, don’t let this person bewitch you! First punish his crime of trespassing in the golden hall!” While quietly gathering near Lü Rui, lowly saying: “Grand Marshal, why hasn’t the prince arrived yet? Do you think about this matter, should we…” The speaker raised his hand in a throat-slitting gesture.

Lü Rui frowned as he stared at the steps above, inwardly delighted that Wei Zhi’s evidence was actually more powerful than he had imagined, while outwardly putting on a worried expression. He slowly nodded: “Yes, something’s not quite right. We can’t let Wei Zhi continue speaking. An envoy from another country has the wild ambition to come to our Xi Liang’s golden hall to point out matters of imperial succession? This is truly absurd. I’ll immediately send people to kill him!”

Everyone nodded. A fierce light flashed in Lü Rui’s eyes. He waved his hand and immediately a large group of guards rushed into the hall. The Prince Regent’s trusted confidants surrounded Lü Rui, all breathing sighs of relief. A military official pointed viciously at Feng Zhiwei in the hall: “Seize that madman spouting nonsense who has affronted our emperor! Pull down that stinking girl who dares sit on the dragon throne and dash her to death!”

“Yes!”

After the unified response, guards flowed like water straight into the hall, quickly standing behind the Prince Regent’s trusted confidants. Those men turned around in shock, repeatedly urging: “What are you standing here for? Why aren’t you hurrying up… Aiyou!”

Hard swords and blades rang out crisply together, all pressing against their hearts. Even Lü Rui’s back had one pressed against it.

The entire hall fell silent again. Everyone was stunned by this rapidly changing situation. Only a few slow-reacting old ministers were still clamoring: “I recognize that thing, it’s real…”

Lü Rui “raged,” shouting sharply: “What are you doing!”

“We’re not doing anything, but we hope our dynasty’s rightful imperial bloodline will be revealed to all under heaven!” Suddenly a man stepped out from the crowd, bowing to the young emperor who had been standing aside in a daze, then bowing neither humbly nor arrogantly to Lü Rui before saying: “Just now, Tiansheng’s Marquis Wei’s actions were indeed improper, but the black obsidian lock tablet he produced seems to truly be our Xi Liang imperial family’s token. In this subordinate’s opinion, whatever it is, let Marquis Wei first speak clearly—how about it?”

“You’re just a minor censor—what are you? Who gave you the right to point fingers!” Lü Rui shouted in rebuke. That man raised his head and ignored him. After Lü Rui cursed for a while, he helplessly turned around and said to the other Prince Regent confidants who were also being restrained: “Don’t worry, just watch. The Prince Regent will arrive soon. These people can’t overturn heaven!” Everyone had no choice but to agree.

Lü Rui wore an expression of frustration, but a smile flashed in his eyes. This man came from humble origins and later rose to the rank of censor with his support. He had always been his secretly loyal subordinate, arranged specifically to emerge at this moment to sing the opposing tune.

He felt pleased inwardly—as long as the Prince Regent wasn’t present, naturally everyone else would follow his lead, making things truly convenient!

But his heart still felt some unease, his gaze frequently sweeping toward the hall entrance—it was the first quarter of chen! He could only hope the Prince Regent wouldn’t arrive on time!

First quarter of chen.

At the Flower Goddess Temple, the two great powers were chatting happily.

Helian Zheng gestured with hands and mouth, discussing with Yin Zhishu the benefits of mutual trade at length, and poured out bitter grievances, saying that although Tiansheng appeared to treat the Huzhuo tribe cordially on the surface, they had actually been constricting Huzhuo’s economic lifeline all along, which was why he sought far rather than near, seeking cooperation with Xi Liang, and so on.

Yin Zhishu listened carefully, occasionally asking a question or two. Though his questions seemed casual, every sentence hit the crucial points. Fortunately, anyone who could reach Helian Zheng and his position was no pushover. Helian Zheng answered seamlessly. Listening, Yin Zhishu also felt it was flawless, but in his heart he still felt Helian Zheng’s arrival was too sudden, harboring vague unease.

This unease expanded even more when he saw the time had already passed the first quarter of chen. After thinking, he suddenly quickly ended the topic, laughing: “Your Majesty, such a major matter cannot simply be settled by you and me standing here at the Flower Goddess Temple for a visit. Why doesn’t Your Majesty first stay at my residence, and we can slowly discuss further?”

“Where are all these troublesome matters?” Helian Zheng raised his eyebrows with a face full of strangeness. “I have no time to stay here with you. I still have a heap of matters in my grasslands. Prince Regent, you should know that my coming is the greatest sincerity. We grassland men—words spoken are like arrows shot; there’s no reason to take them back. I trust you, and you should trust me too.”

Yin Zhishu cursed inwardly. He had encountered a reckless king. Where was the logic of demanding someone express their position in the first round of negotiation? But Helian Zheng stared intensely, truly having the attitude of “if you don’t take a stance, I won’t leave.” Wanting to leave, yet unwilling to refuse, he hesitated and said: “The king’s proposal benefits both our lands mutually—naturally it’s good. But separated by thousands of miles, once trade begins, how can we break through Tiansheng’s strictly guarded borders all along the route?”

Helian Zheng laughed, his gemstone-like eyes flashing with extraordinary brilliance. Thinking to himself that now he could speak at length, he grabbed Yin Zhishu’s sleeve, putting his arm around his shoulder like brothers, pointing toward the distant direction of Tiansheng, and said methodically: “Now, brother, listen to me tell you…”

At the Flower Goddess Temple, the great King Helian held his newly recognized brother and slowly explained to him how to conduct mutual trade across Tiansheng’s borders. In the Grand Ceremony Hall, Feng Zhiwei had already handed the golden lock tablet to several old ministers for authentication.

The last to arrive was an official from the Imperial Household Department’s Manufacturing Bureau. This lock tablet had been forged under his personal supervision that year. The approved blueprint was still there. When taken out for comparison, it matched completely without error.

That official surnamed Zhao finally respectfully handed up the lock tablet and said solemnly: “This is the imperial gold lock tablet forged by the Manufacturing Bureau in the spring of the sixteenth year of Xi’an. Since the nation’s founding, the Manufacturing Bureau has forged only this one object. Authentication is without error.”

Everyone’s gazes fell on Feng Zhiwei and Gu Zhixiao. An old minister coughed and stammered: “Marquis Wei, that is our nation’s golden hall dragon throne. Could you perhaps… come down to speak?”

“My apologies.” Feng Zhiwei smiled graciously as she refused. “This humble one needs to remain in the hall to protect your nation’s majesty.”

As soon as these words left her mouth, although everyone had guessed some things, they still showed expressions of shock. Their gazes all turned to look at the three-year-old girl who had been sitting motionless on the treasure seat.

Gu Zhixiao held her cage, lips pressed together, eyes vacant, staring straight ahead at the empty space outside the hall. Watching her, everyone felt that such a small child could maintain such composure before this stern scene—she truly appeared extraordinary. Meanwhile, the emperor standing dumbly to one side who couldn’t even speak properly seemed somewhat pathetic in comparison.

“What does Marquis Wei mean by this?” It was still that censor who took the lead, playing call and response.

“Your Excellency should ask where this lock tablet came from.” Feng Zhiwei smiled faintly, pointing at Gu Zhixiao as she recounted the story of finding Gu Zhixiao that year at Fengzhou Dock in Nanhai. At the end she said: “You all should have heard of our nation’s Nanhai incident. With just a little inquiry you should know my adopted daughter was indeed adopted at that time. This lock tablet was hanging around her neck then.”

Several old ministers who had seen the lock tablet exchanged glances—that year the late emperor had clearly stated this would be a token bestowed upon an imperial prince. But after the young emperor ascended the throne, they had never seen him produce it. This question had existed in the depths of their hearts for quite some time.

“How can this be proven?” Lü Rui suddenly laughed coldly. “Maybe you stole our emperor’s lock tablet and are using it to swindle people?”

“Yes, yes, you’re an envoy from another country, interfering in our Xi Liang imperial bloodline matters—your intentions are sinister!” The Prince Regent’s faction immediately echoed in chorus.

“Right, I’m just an envoy from another country. For no reason, why would I want to interfere in your nation’s political affairs?” Feng Zhiwei smiled as she looked below. “Why would I run to steal this imperial family gold lock right when your emperor was just born, then wait until three years later to come cause trouble? I’m an envoy with only a few thousand guards around me. I’d run to Xi Liang territory facing hundreds of thousands of troops to stir up trouble? I really can’t think of why. Perhaps this lord, you can tell me why?”

That man choked, and after a long while said viciously: “You know why yourself!”

Feng Zhiwei laughed heartily, patting the dragon throne armrest and sighing: “What good thing is this? I’m not even sitting on it. Would it be worth it for me to risk my life in an enemy country to interfere in imperial succession struggles? You ask me why—now I’ll tell you why. I do this for a mother, so that her painstaking efforts can be rewarded, so that her years of feigning madness and enduring in patience can finally see the light of day, so that she can finally be reunited with her biological daughter rather than passing each other by and regretting it for life.”

She raised her hand, pointing remotely toward before the hall: “Noble Consort Mi, come see your Zhixiao.”

Lü Rui’s body trembled. Everyone whirled around to look and saw, supported by two men, a frail woman slowly approaching through the mottled light and shadow.

She seemed to have tidied herself up. Her clothing was simple and clean. Sunlight illuminated her face—a small, pale face with a pointed chin, making her slender eyes with dark pupils seem even deeper, like bottomless wells when looking at people. At first when she walked over, she seemed somewhat unaccustomed to this atmosphere and setting. But when she stepped over the high threshold of the Grand Ceremony Hall, her steps had already steadied, and when her pupils occasionally turned, sharp light would flash.

Looking at her, everyone felt somewhat hazy. Most of the important ministers present had seen this favored consort of the late emperor. Later hearing she had gone mad, everyone couldn’t help but sigh in their hearts for beauty’s ill fate. Now seeing her again three years later, they all felt she resembled yet didn’t resemble her former self. Similar was the appearance; dissimilar was the determined sharpness in her eyes.

However, looking at her and then at Gu Zhixiao on the seat, they finally noticed they were indeed seventy to eighty percent similar in appearance. Some more careful people even found traces of the late emperor in Gu Zhixiao’s relatively separated eyebrows.

Noble Consort Mi’s first step inside—everyone was distracted by the blinding sunlight and their surging hearts, so they didn’t notice her gaze. Only Feng Zhiwei looking down from above could see clearly. Her first glance fell on Lü Rui.

And Lü Rui had long since lowered his head, looking at his own toes, his sleeves trembling slightly though there was no wind.

Feng Zhiwei’s gaze flashed as she sighed inwardly.

Noble Consort Mi lifted her foot to step over the threshold. From the moment she formally stepped inside the hall, her gaze fell upon the small child on the treasure seat and never moved away again.

She just stood there, head slightly raised, looking at Gu Zhixiao.

Gu Zhixiao held her cage, sitting on the unsupported throne on all sides, looking down at Noble Consort Mi from her height. She was surprisingly calm as well, looking at Noble Consort Mi with a completely unfamiliar, even wary gaze.

The entire hall lost its voice. Everyone had originally thought this scene of reunion would involve wailing tears, pouring rain, embracing and crying in the hall. They hadn’t expected this mother and daughter, separated from birth, gazing at each other across the hall, to be so separately calm and unfamiliar, as if facing strangers.

Feng Zhiwei had originally thought Gu Zhixiao didn’t know her own background and was thinking about how to remind her, when she heard her say softly: “This is my mother?”

Feng Zhiwei bent down and whispered in her ear: “Yes.”

Gu Zhixiao sighed and lowered her eyes, saying nothing more.

But Noble Consort Mi kept staring at her intently, looking from her hair to her toes. Her gaze even lingered notably on Feng Zhiwei’s hand pressing on Gu Zhixiao. Then her eyes flashed and she turned her face away.

She said slowly: “I believe everyone recognizes who I am.”

Several old ministers bowed to her: “Noble Consort Mi.”

“Don’t call me that.” Noble Consort Mi laughed coldly. “I’m not any noble consort. I was stripped of my title by that slut Dong Ruan and imprisoned in the abandoned palace. I’m long no longer the late emperor’s consort.”

All the ministers showed expressions of shame and regret. Noble Consort Mi ignored them, turned around and pointed at Gu Zhixiao: “Although I’m no longer the late emperor’s consort, my daughter is truly the late emperor’s flesh and blood. You’ve allowed an unknown bastard to usurp the throne until now—have you come to this day and still want to close your eyes and plug your ears, calling a deer a horse, allowing our dynasty’s true imperial heir to continue wandering in foreign lands?”

“Just because you say you’re the late emperor’s descendant makes it so?” A Prince Regent confidant said coldly. “Maybe you’re colluding with people from Tiansheng?”

“Reversing black and white is something only you would do.” Noble Consort Mi answered lightning-fast. “You also said I was mad—am I?”

Everyone immediately fell silent again. Noble Consort Mi said coldly: “On the twenty-first of the eighth month in the sixteenth year of Xi’an, I went into premature labor. The palace couldn’t find a midwife. Then Empress Dong rushed over, saying I had offended the palace gods and wanted to move me to another palace, and drove away my chief palace maid Lüfu. After moving palaces, I had complications and struggled until the early morning of the next day before giving birth to the child…”

Everyone vaguely knew about what happened before, but the key details afterward were unclear even to Lü Rui. They all listened intently as she said: “The moment I gave birth to the child, I ordered someone to trip the midwife. As she fell, my chief palace maid Lüfu, who had been hiding under the bed, took advantage to seize the child and rolled into a tunnel holding the baby!”

The hall below erupted in an uproar. Noble Consort Mi laughed coldly: “As soon as I became pregnant, I knew Empress Dong wouldn’t let me go. I also knew early on she might drive away my palace servants and move me to another palace. At that time I had arranged someone by her side who incited her to move me to Miuxiang Hall. I had already arranged for people to dig a tunnel in Miuxiang Hall beforehand. For ten months of pregnancy, the tunnel was dug for ten months!”

The entire hall showed expressions of shock, amazed by this woman’s far-sighted scheming. Feng Zhiwei looked at her deeply. She had never underestimated harem women. The survival lessons of the harem, compared to the imperial court, had always been only deeper, more ruthless, more complex. How could Noble Consort Mi, who had become a favored consort and safely carried a pregnancy, not have such scheming?

She was just somewhat worried about Zhixiao. With such a patient and ruthless mother who had also suffered these years, her mentality must have changed. Could the mother and daughter get along well in the future?

“Lüfu fled that night. I had people arranged to receive her. This was a last resort, but His Majesty wasn’t in the palace. I could only send the child out first, hoping to find her back when His Majesty returned. I didn’t expect later that His Majesty…” Noble Consort Mi closed her eyes, and after a long while said: “What happened after, I don’t need to say more. That slut Dong Ruan, without the child, substituted one child for another. I don’t know where she found a bastard to impersonate the crown prince and serve as our Xi Liang emperor for three years!”

Unable to restrain the poisonous hatred in her heart, before the full hall of court ministers and the young emperor’s face, she called out “slut” and “bastard” repeatedly. Everyone looked embarrassed, unsure whether to scold or not scold. In their hearts they were seventy to eighty percent convinced, yet no one dared be first to acknowledge it. Someone said hesitantly: “Your Highness… according to what you say, when your child was born, you never saw her. How can you be certain that Marquis Wei’s adopted daughter is your daughter and our Xi Liang’s only imperial heir?”

Noble Consort Mi looked at him and suddenly revealed a ghastly smile. Originally her demeanor had been normal, but this smile suddenly generated several parts of sinister air. Set against her pale face and deep red lips, she was like a disheveled woman walking out of midnight thick fog, feet falling on crimson spider lily petals, every step dripping blood, fierce aura imposing.

Everyone shivered with a chill, looking puzzled at her knowing yet mysterious ghastly smile. They watched her reach into her clothing and take out a small box.

Feng Zhiwei was also scrutinizing her. She knew Zhixiao’s body had no obvious birthmarks or moles to verify her identity. She was also very curious how Noble Consort Mi would prove it. Also, why was she smiling so terrifyingly?

The box seemed very tight. As Noble Consort Mi slowly opened it, she said lightly: “I wonder if you all still remember—when the emperor passed, when I went to pay my respects, what did I do?”

Everyone frowned. Several ministers who had been present at the time suddenly remembered something, and strange expressions appeared on their faces.

But one person said quietly: “You threw yourself on the late emperor’s body and bit him.”

The speaker was Lü Rui. Somehow, his complexion was as pale as Noble Consort Mi’s.

Noble Consort Mi slowly turned her head and looked at him very carefully. For an instant their gazes met, the meaning difficult to discern. Then Noble Consort Mi turned her head and smiled without mirth: “Correct. I bit the late emperor.”

Everyone now remembered. At that time Noble Consort Mi had already “gone mad.” Whatever crazy behavior she exhibited was not surprising. She had rushed forward to bite the late emperor’s remains and was immediately pulled away. But that bite had been quite vicious—she seemed to have bitten off a section of the late emperor’s finger. The guards present tried to seize it, but she immediately… swallowed it.

This scene had an extreme impact on people. Those present now clearly recalled that at the time they thought Noble Consort Mi was mad. Although it was disgusting, madpeople doing anything wasn’t surprising. Now knowing she had been feigning madness, and remembering the late emperor’s corpse’s pitch-black, half-rotten appearance, some people couldn’t help but show expressions of wanting to vomit.

Even Feng Zhiwei thinking about it touched the goosebumps on her body—she had never shied from doing anything in her life, but such a thing, even she couldn’t do it.

Thinking of what she was about to do, she felt a chill in her heart—as early as three years ago, this woman had thought of today and had long since bitten off that disgusting finger bone!

But Noble Consort Mi acted as if nothing had happened. She calmly opened the box and took out a section of blackened material—indeed a section of finger bone.

She said lightly: “If anyone has doubts, they can personally go inspect the late emperor’s remains to see if this is the finger bone.”

Everyone showed bitter smiles—go inspect the late emperor’s remains? Was that possible?

Noble Consort Mi held up that section of finger bone and slowly walked up the hall steps, approaching before Gu Zhixiao. She crouched down and said softly: “Daughter… I need a drop of your blood.”

Her tone was not gentle. Gu Zhixiao’s gaze toward her was not warm either. She looked straight at that section of finger bone, showing a disgusted expression, and slowly, in a baby voice yet resolutely said: “My name is Gu Zhi Xiao.”

Noble Consort Mi trembled, pressed her lips together, and this time her tone finally softened somewhat: “Zhixiao…”

Gu Zhixiao extended her finger, but handed it to Feng Zhiwei. A eunuch immediately presented a silver needle. Feng Zhiwei smiled and stroked her hair: “Mm… it will hurt a little, don’t be afraid…” Her hand flashed like lightning. A drop of blood had already fallen on the finger bone Noble Consort Mi held.

Noble Consort Mi half-crouched there, face raised looking at Feng Zhiwei comforting her daughter. Several parts confusion, several parts pain, several parts resentment, several parts unease showed in her eyes—extremely complex emotions. After a long while, she lowered her gaze and quietly carried the finger bone down from the hall.

She held the finger bone and walked a circle around the hall. Everyone personally watched with their own eyes as that drop of blood silently and slowly seeped into the finger bone.

Complete silence.

The silence of confirmed truth.

The silence of shock at this imperial succession struggle finally settling its dust.

The silence of being moved by this woman’s far-sighted, patient, meticulous scheming.

Xi Liang’s true imperial prince turned out to be an imperial princess after all, lost in a foreign land, becoming someone else’s child for three years. Meanwhile, what they had daily proclaimed allegiance to with bows and dances, enshrined on the high imperial seat, was merely a child of unknown origin.

For a moment everyone couldn’t quite process it. Yet several old ministers, already holding that black obsidian gold lock, tremblingly knelt down before Gu Zhixiao.

With this kneeling, gradually more people knelt down.

Finally standing remained only the Prince Regent’s leaderless half of the court. Those people all looked at Lü Rui, waiting for his instruction—whether to resolutely oppose or recklessly take action.

But Lü Rui was in a daze. He suddenly sighed and said to the Minister of War behind him: “The situation is stronger than people. The prince somehow still hasn’t arrived. Should we perhaps…”

“Grand Marshal, you mustn’t—” Just as the Minister of War tried to stop him, Lü Rui had already stepped forward and knocked his head down first.

“We welcome our sovereign’s return to court!”

This shout stunned the Prince Regent’s faction into standing dumbly. Someone was about to curse when they felt the blades and swords behind them tighten, pain at their waist—the curse was swallowed back halfway.

After this cry rang out, several old ministers immediately kowtowed together.

“We welcome our sovereign’s return to court!”

The calls grew louder and louder. The entire hall of people bowed down like falling grass. Those who had been standing gradually could no longer remain standing. Under the compulsion of those swords and blades, their legs went soft and they also knelt down, heads touching the ground, mouths murmuring something unknown.

Feng Zhiwei turned half to the side, moving to the side of the treasure seat. She didn’t look at anyone, only worriedly watching Gu Zhixiao.

Noble Consort Mi leaned against the vermilion steps, tightly clutching that disgusting finger bone, face raised looking at her daughter, revealing a smile both desolate and satisfied.

Gu Zhixiao sat on the unsupported throne on all sides. She too didn’t look at anyone, only firmly holding her cage. Her gaze passed over the prostrate crowd filling the hall, over the high and majestic hall entrance, over the thousand jade steps, over the pure white marble plaza, gazing toward the distant horizon.

There lay the vast grasslands, the blazing red sun, the clearest spring water, pearl-like flocks of sheep, the simple and beautiful Second Palace of Potala.

There lay everything most open, most free, most unrestrained, most fresh in this world.

She had briefly possessed it.

But on her third birthday, she lost it in one morning.

Never to return.

The calls from the bottom of the hall were very loud yet also very distant. In such calls, she vaguely saw the small child carried on shoulders, laughing under the vast blue sky.

The corners of her lips revealed a smile of loneliness that didn’t belong to this age.

In such clamorous calls, in the high golden hall, Feng Zhiwei suddenly heard her clearly and slowly say:

“Father.”