“What’s wrong?” Chu Li said in a deep voice. “Is there something inappropriate?”

“No,” Mingyuan quickly replied, still speaking coldly with his trademark expression. “Also, Your Majesty initially said Princess Wanfu would only stay at this minister’s home for three months. Now three months have passed – can this minister throw her out?”

Chu Li frowned and said: “She still refuses to return to Great Qin?”

“She refuses,” Mingyuan said in a deep voice. “This minister sent people to escort her back twice, but she ran back midway both times. Last time Le Song personally escorted her and had already delivered her back to Great Qin, but it was still useless. In this minister’s opinion, Prince Qin simply doesn’t want to restrain this sister of his.”

Chu Li extended his slender fingers to gently massage his temples and said: “You handle it. Send her to whoever’s turn it is and have them watch her carefully. Don’t mention this name in front of me again in the future.”

“This minister understands,” Grand Marshal Mingyuan said. “Next is Lord Lin Mubai. This minister will notify him immediately.”

“Also,” Mingyuan thought for a long while before finally saying in a deep voice: “There’s bad news to tell Your Majesty. This minister hopes Your Majesty will prepare mentally.”

Chu Li was startled upon hearing this. He slowly raised his head, his sharp gaze fixed on the face of this most trusted minister, remaining silent.

Mingyuan cleared his throat and said in a deep voice: “Xue Changge just returned to Shengdu. I received a secret report from Shengdu.”

Chu Li’s expression was somber, showing no discernible emotion. He held the white jade teacup in his hands, his expression calm, his voice gentle as he said lightly: “Continue.”

“Over a month ago, a sandstorm occurred at the edge of the Longya Desert. All ten centuries we sent were wiped out – only fourteen men returned alive. They searched in the desert for over twenty days and found nothing.”

The air was still. White smoke curled up from the incense burner in the corner, permeating the great hall with its fragrant aroma. The young emperor’s expression was very calm, without the slightest ripple, as if he had heard the most ordinary news, completely unmoved.

Mingyuan thought for a moment and said in a deep voice: “Last night we discovered traces of the Qi Crown Prince in the southern part of the city. We killed over fifty of his subordinates, but unfortunately he escaped. According to captured servants, the Qi Crown Prince’s warship was sunk at sea by Prince Jinan, but he was rescued by a fisherman’s daughter. Later, that fisherman’s daughter was captured by him and imprisoned, and has already perished in that night’s fire. The previous letter must have been fake.”

Chu Li’s expression remained unchanged, calm and unruffled as he said lightly: “Then how do you explain that jade pendant?”

“Please forgive this minister’s bluntness, but when Your Majesty was in dire straits in Eastern Qi, Qi’an saw your jade pendant more than once. With Eastern Qi’s skilled craftsmen, creating a perfect replica would not be difficult.”

“Then how did he know I had given it to someone?”

“This…” Mingyuan thought for a long while and said: “He must have learned it from its owner. Your Majesty also knows that Miss Zhuang’s relationship with the Qi Crown Prince was extraordinary. Moreover, Xue Changge and the others witnessed Miss Zhuang being swept away by the sandstorm with their own eyes. Even if she survived by chance, there would be no reason for her to come to Southern Chu.”

“No need to say more.” Chu Li shook his head and said in a deep voice.

“Your Majesty,” Mingyuan frowned, his tone rarely showing some urgency. “This subordinate doesn’t want Your Majesty to be deceived…”

“Enough,” Chu Li said. “Am I still someone easily fooled and deceived at this point? I understand this matter. You may withdraw.”

“Your Majesty!”

“Withdraw.”

The great hall gradually quieted down. The sunlight outside was very bright. Chu Li wore a deep purple brocade robe with long coiling dragons embroidered in fine thread on the sleeves. Sunlight quietly fell upon him, casting faint shadows on the black floor of the great hall. Birds outside chirped crisply, their voices like melodious, winding flutes. His features were handsome and sharply defined, full of a king’s boldness and grandeur. His eyes, weathered by worldly experience, were like bottomless deep pools that no one could ever fathom the hidden depths within. Yet these wise eyes now gradually closed, his brow deeply furrowed, making one almost guess what fierce brilliance might flash within those eyes at this moment.

Chu Li slowly leaned back in the reclining chair, his gorgeous brocade robe trailing on the ground, one slender leg propped on a small footstool. Sunlight streamed through the slightly open window cracks, casting mottled traces on his body.

In the vast, silent great hall, with its entirely wooden floors and structures, the man’s shadow suddenly seemed so desolate and cold.

That afternoon, Chu Li remained in the great hall, maintaining that same position without moving, without speaking. No one knew what he was thinking, except for that young Grand Marshal of the empire standing outside Ronghua Palace.

He gazed at the western sky, saying slowly in a clear, light tone: “If it really is you, if you really escaped, then please don’t come back.”

At dinnertime, servants knelt outside the Weiyang Hall door, heads bowed respectfully as they said: “Your Majesty, the gift of singing girls sent by Lord Song Luyang is now outside the door. They have been examined by the matrons of the Grooming Courtyard. How should they be arranged? Please give your instructions.”

After an unknown amount of time, the person deep within the great hall finally reacted. He seemed somewhat confused, his voice slightly rising with puzzlement as he said: “Song Luyang?”

“Yes,” the servant said. “The former Lord Song of the Hanlin Academy. He departed for the south to take up his post this morning. The gifts he sent have been recorded in the inner court accounts – five parrots, two domesticated dolphins, ten century-old sea turtles, and sixteen singing girls. However, one appears unable to bear the fatigue and has been sleeping since entering the palace. She still hasn’t awakened. A physician has examined her – there’s nothing seriously wrong, no illness, just exhaustion.”

The great hall once again fell into silence. The person inside seemed to have fallen asleep, completely forgetting about them. The sun gradually set, and those kneeling outside the hall dared not even breathe heavily, just waiting quietly.

Time passed minute by minute. The sound of meal preparation came from the imperial kitchen, and finally there was the sound of a chair moving in the great hall.

The young sovereign had an upright bearing in his fine brocade clothing. The setting sun shone through the wooden door with its rolled-up pearl curtains, creating a dark red halo around him that seemed somewhat decayed. The emperor walked to the doorway, his gaze lightly sweeping over the lead maid and the group of dancing girls behind her with bowed heads. Those women were all somewhat nervous, their necks snow-white and trembling slightly, their thin shoulders quivering lightly. Their garments were very transparent – through the fabric one could even see the two points of cherry red on their full breasts.

In the last row of dancing girls, one woman lay on her side on the ground. She seemed to have been supported by someone just moments ago, then roughly pushed down when they heard him approaching. At this moment her hair was scattered across her face, making it impossible to see her features clearly. Only her slender neck was visible, covered thickly with nauseating rouge.

“Is she the one who’s been sleeping?”

The sovereign’s voice suddenly rang out, low and deep. Though not particularly cold or stern, it sounded so indifferent and distant, like an unreachable mountain.

“In reply to Your Majesty, yes, she has been in deep sleep since morning.”

“Send her to Baiding Hall – it’s more suitable for sleeping there.” Chu Li said lightly. “As for the others, select unmarried imperial guards in the palace and arrange marriages as appropriate.”

“Yes, this servant obeys.”

The emperor’s gaze swept coldly over everyone, finally passing once more over the woman lying unconscious on the ground, then he turned his head indifferently and slowly departed.

The young emperor’s figure finally disappeared at the end of the corridor. Suddenly, low weeping sounds came from among the women. Their dreams of flying up to become phoenixes had been shattered in one morning – no wonder they were heartbroken and in tears.

“Enough, stop crying. His Majesty personally arranging marriages is such an honor. Anyone who dares cry again will all go to the laundry as slaves.”

All the women immediately fell silent and stood up to follow behind the palace maids.

On the carved balustrade, an exquisite white jade teacup sat quietly. One sharp-eyed woman immediately noticed this was what the emperor had been holding just moments ago. Delighted, she reached out her hand, but the moment her fingertip barely touched it, a crisp cracking sound rang out. The teacup immediately shattered into pieces and crashed to the ground.

“How dare you! You actually damaged imperial property!”

“It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me!” The dancing girl was shocked and quickly explained: “I only touched it lightly – I didn’t break it.”

“Still dare to lie! Drag her away!”

Wolf-like guards suddenly rushed forward and dragged away the woman who was still struggling, crying, and explaining. From afar, her piercing cries echoed throughout the entire Weiyang Hall.

This was the most commonplace occurrence in the imperial palace. No one would shed a tear for it – only those dancing girls who had just entered the palace were secretly alarmed.

Under the setting sun, that snow-white jade cup was covered with a layer of red light, actually looking as if it were stained with blood.

When Qing Xia awakened, the sky had already darkened. The room was pitch black, with only cold moonlight streaming coldly through the window cracks. She lay on the cold wooden bed, her eyelids seeming to weigh a thousand pounds, her back wound burning with pain, her mouth dry, her limbs weak. Supporting herself on her elbow, she leaned against the bedpost and slowly sat up.

Those two maids had truly been heavy-handed. They had added fifty percent more to the amount that would make an ordinary person sleep peacefully, using it on someone who had lost excessive blood and was seriously injured. If Zhuang Qing Xia’s body hadn’t undergone drug training by Zhuang Dianru in her early years, she might have lost her life today to this inferior incense.

Of course, Qing Xia knew none of this. Her memory only extended to the moment she fainted at the brothel’s back door. She looked around in all directions, frowning in confusion, not knowing where she was or how long she had been unconscious. Worried about Qi’an’s conspiracy, she forced herself to stand up with great effort, struggled to take two steps, and pulled open the room door.