◎Palace Servants Who Extinguish Lights – Beat Them to Death◎

Without palace lanterns to light the way, only moonlight remained in the courtyard. The cold, pale moonlight fell coolly on Xie Heng’s figure as he walked alone through the withered courtyard’s long corridor. Luo Wanqing watched silently, actually feeling somewhat distressed.

She stood in that patch of darkness, looking down at her palm. Earlier, he had wanted to bandage it for her. When he took out the handkerchief, she had already sensed something was wrong.

Not to mention that her carrying Xie Heng’s handkerchief outside would be too conspicuous.

Even if she hadn’t used Xie Heng’s handkerchief, the way a bandage was wrapped differed between doing it oneself and having someone else help. Now that she and Xie Heng had gone to the imperial study together and returned with her hand professionally bandaged, no one would suspect Xie Heng had helped her wrap it.

She just hadn’t wanted to go against Xie Heng’s intentions, so she had planned to let him finish bandaging it and then remove it after leaving the courtyard. But unexpectedly, just after Xie Heng had wrapped it, he realized the issue and removed the handkerchief himself.

She didn’t know whether it was good or bad that Xie Heng had figured it out himself, only feeling that there was always this stifling feeling in her chest.

She kept thinking that Xie Heng shouldn’t be this kind of person.

He should be the young master who could draw his bow against Zheng Bikui in the great hall and release the arrow without hesitation, who never admitted defeat when confronting others, not someone who would wrap a handkerchief and then silently unwrap it again.

He shouldn’t bow his head to anyone, yet he kept bowing his head for her.

She felt somewhat distressed, but there was no time to think further. Zhang Yiran was outside, and she needed to quickly have Zhuque go to the imperial study to wait for Xie Heng.

She dusted off her clothes, straightened her garments, and quickly walked out of the room.

Zhang Yiran was still in the great hall. After the earlier incident, no officials dared approach him now. Only Zhuque sat beside him, cracking melon seeds and chatting.

Luo Wanqing walked over to the two, patted Zhuque’s shoulder, and said quietly, “Zhuque Envoy, Young Master wants you to wait for him at the imperial study.”

“Oh, alright.”

Seeing Luo Wanqing return, Zhuque didn’t think much of it. She put down the melon seeds and turned to bid farewell to Zhang Yiran: “Minister Zhang, let’s chat another time.”

With that, Zhuque stood up to leave. Luo Wanqing looked around and confirmed with Zhang Yiran: “Minister Zhang, you need to stay at the Supervision Department tonight. If you wish to leave now, I’ll escort you out.”

Zhang Yiran nodded upon hearing this and had no desire to stay longer, so he stood up: “Good, thank you, Xiniang.”

When Luo Wanqing was escorting Zhang Yiran out of the palace, Xie Heng had just reached the entrance of the imperial study. Even before reaching the main gate, he could hear Li Zong cursing inside: “A bunch of bastards! Do they think I’m about to die? Daring to cause such a scene in the great hall…”

“Your Majesty.”

Without waiting for a palace servant to announce him, Xie Heng stood at the doorway and spoke directly: “Your humble servant has come as commanded. May I enter the hall?”

Hearing Xie Heng’s voice, Li Zong’s cursing immediately stopped.

After a moment, the door opened. Xie Heng handed his lantern to a nearby maid and stepped inside.

The room had a charcoal fire burning. Li Zong had already changed into casual clothes and was sitting at his desk, fuming.

As Xie Heng entered and was about to bow, Li Zong raised his hand, quite irritably: “Don’t kneel. Tell me,” Li Zong looked up at Xie Heng, “when you went to Jiangnan, did you know about Luo Qushu’s case?”

“I did.”

Xie Heng replied calmly, speaking truthfully: “This case occurred during the period when your humble servant and Minister Zheng were simultaneously investigating salt cases. The Supervision Department was present. By regulation, all cases should only be finalized after the Supervision Department interrogates prisoners and confirms confessions and evidence. However, before the Supervision Department could interrogate Luo Qushu, he committed suicide in prison. The Supervision Department examined the scene and wounds – it was indeed suicide. Though there were suspicious points, without evidence, we didn’t investigate further.”

Listening, Li Zong frowned: “So, what do you think are the chances of what Zhang Yiran said being true?”

“Your Majesty should know in your heart.” Xie Heng raised his eyes, calmly reminding: “Your Majesty should remember that the information connecting the Xuantian Box to Luo Qushu was confirmed by Zheng Biyue.”

Hearing this, Li Zong paused.

Originally, Zheng Biyue had led Liu Xiniang into a trap out of jealousy, only to be countered by Liu Xiniang. Liu Xiniang had extracted many clues, including the whereabouts of the Xuantian Box. Xie Heng had reported this truthfully. It was precisely because of this that he hadn’t used Liu Xiniang’s life to appease the Eastern Capital nobles’ anger, giving her a chance and letting her handle the special case of retrieving the Xuantian Box from Jiangnan.

At the time, he hadn’t thought deeply about it. Now, with Li Guiyu causing this scene, connecting the dots, he understood – where could there be such coincidences?

The Zheng family investigated and discovered Li Guiyu, then immediately found that Li Guiyu’s fiancée’s father was selling salt illegally. Then Luo Qushu died in prison, and the Luo family was exiled to Lingnan.

Without Zheng Biyue confessing about the Xuantian Box clues, he would probably have only thought the Zheng family wanted to marry Li Guiyu and found an excuse to destroy his fiancée’s family. Now that Zheng Biyue had provided information about Luo Qushu, the cause of Luo Qushu’s death became somewhat complex.

The matter was done unsightly, but Li Zong didn’t particularly care.

Whether Li Guiyu knew or participated didn’t matter – it was just a merchant. As long as it was done cleanly, that was enough. After all, the Xuantian Box had reached his hands, and now Li Guiyu had also broken with the Zheng family.

Which prince didn’t have some methods? He didn’t mind these things. What was important was that the person be smart, proper, and able to maintain the imperial family’s reputation. As for the truth…

A mere commoner – if they died, they died. What was so important about that?

Now that it had become such a mess, he felt slightly annoyed, only analyzing: “So it seems Guiyu actively boarded the Zheng family’s ship? He knew early on that Luo Qushu might have the Xuantian Box in his hands, so he told Zheng Pingsheng first. Zheng Pingsheng, for this item, found an excuse to imprison the man and forced him to death in jail?”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. Li Zong gave a mocking laugh and cursed the fool under his breath.

Xie Heng listened quietly. Li Zong took a breath, then realized the pressing matter. He looked at Xie Heng thoughtfully: “What should we do now? Does Heng’er have any ideas?”

“Your Majesty is asking about whom?”

Xie Heng maintained his usual cold demeanor, showing no emotions. Li Zong thought for a moment and said slowly, “Naturally, about this case.”

“With so many people listening today, the case must certainly be handled.” Xie Heng considered carefully, testing: “What does Your Majesty think of handing it to Zhang Yiran?”

“Hand it to him?” Just thinking of Zhang Yiran made Li Zong’s anger flare: “Won’t he investigate it to the very bottom? Should I dismiss a minister for such a commoner?! And if he truly investigates thoroughly and it involves Guiyu, what about the imperial family’s face?”

“Exactly,” Yang Chun, nearby, while pouring tea for Li Zong, spoke considerately: “Though Elder Zheng did some foolish things, he’s still an old friend who grew up with Your Majesty and has some loyalty to you. Not to mention the distant past – right now, the Grand Empress Dowager’s Peach Blossom Garden…” Yang Chun lowered his voice, reminding quietly: “Isn’t finished yet.”

Hearing this, Li Zong’s expression softened slightly. Xie Heng glanced and understood Li Zong’s intentions.

He lowered his eyes, saying calmly: “Precisely because Minister Zhang investigates thoroughly, we should let him investigate.”

Li Zong was somewhat puzzled upon hearing this. Yang Chun was also quite surprised. Both looked over, and Xie Heng explained: “After he investigates, the evidence, confessions, and documents are all submitted to Your Majesty. How to use those things, how to judge the case…”

Xie Heng looked up at Li Zong: “Doesn’t that all depend on Your Majesty’s intentions?”

Evidence could disappear, black and white could be reversed, and Li Zong could also hold another handle for dealing with the Zheng family, extracting more benefits.

Li Zong understood Xie Heng’s meaning, satisfaction showing in his eyes as he nodded: “You’re right. Let Zhang Yiran investigate thoroughly. I will weigh the pros and cons and give the best result.”

Speaking thus, Li Zong couldn’t help but smile: “Among the younger generation, you’re the most worry-free. Look at all of them – they won’t even let me have a peaceful Lantern Festival.” Li Zong became somewhat unhappy again: “That bastard Zheng Bikui – if you hadn’t forced him to kneel today, I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

He couldn’t kill him, couldn’t severely punish him either.

But if he ignored it, everyone would follow suit, and he would lose all face.

Fortunately, Xie Heng had timely drawn his bow, or he wouldn’t have known how to resolve the situation.

The more Li Zong thought about it, the more he felt Xie Heng handled matters efficiently, his heart full of satisfaction.

Hearing the praise, Xie Heng didn’t say much, only responding familiarly: “Your humble servant merely has Your Majesty at heart, fulfilling a subject’s duty. Everything was already decided in Your Majesty’s heart – I merely borrowed your humble servant’s mouth and hands.”

“Speaking in official language again.” Li Zong smiled, changing his form of address: “I regard you as my son – why do you need to learn these things?”

“Sovereign and father, sovereign and father – sovereign comes before father.” Xie Heng spoke, but his tone softened somewhat, gently saying: “Your humble servant dares not overstep.”

“Right now you’re just in a good mood – what don’t you dare do?”

Li Zong glanced at him. Xie Heng didn’t respond.

Li Zong thought for a moment, put down his tea cup, and beckoned to him.

Xie Heng walked forward and half-knelt before Li Zong.

His tall frame, even when kneeling, reached Li Zong’s chest. Li Zong looked at the young man before him, his eyes showing paternal love. He raised his hand to rest on Xie Heng’s head, like the most ordinary elder: “Lingshu, I’m not joking with you. You’re the child I love most. I remember you used to have a proud temperament – you should remain so in the future. As long as I live one day, I’ll protect you for one day. Don’t be afraid, understand?”

Xie Heng’s form trembled slightly. Hearing Li Zong’s words, his voice became somewhat hoarse.

He seemed extremely moved, lowering his head: “Your Majesty’s paternal heart – Lingshu understands.”

Hearing Xie Heng’s words, Li Zong smiled, patted his shoulder, and said warmly, “You’re tired too. Get up and rest first.”

“Yes.”

Xie Heng kowtowed in salute, then stood up. Just as he was about to take his leave, Xie Heng seemed to suddenly remember something.

He turned around, looking at Li Zong, seeming to consider his words: “Your Majesty, there’s one more matter.”

Li Zong and Yang Chun looked up, puzzled, then heard Xie Heng say quietly, “Earlier, your humble servant checked today’s banquet performance schedule. There was no dance by the Third Prince. The Third Prince told the protocol officials he wanted to give Your Majesty a surprise, so he temporarily added this dance piece and bribed palace servants to extinguish the lights. Now your humble servant has already had the protocol officials and the servants who extinguished the lights arrested. Do they need to be dealt with?”

Hearing this, Li Zong was startled. He suddenly realized what Xie Heng was reminding him of, and his expression gradually grew cold.

Xie Heng didn’t speak explicitly, but everyone present understood.

Li Guiyu, a prince who had just returned to the palace, could temporarily add a dance piece, and most importantly, could command palace servants to extinguish lights.

Extinguishing lights – what a dangerous thing. Today it was a dance offering, but what about tomorrow?

Li Zong understood, his expression becoming stern as he nodded: “I know. You go back first.”

Xie Heng bowed his head and turned to leave.

Walking in the night, he heard Li Zong instructing Yang Chun in the imperial study: “Send all these people to the Yanshan Palace. The palace servants who extinguished the lights – fifty heavy blows with the rod. Beat them to death if necessary.”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Xie Heng: “Had a fight with my wife, in a bad mood, need to find somewhere to vent.”

Zhuque: “Young Master, Zheng Bikui hit your wife.”

Xie Heng: “If he doesn’t kneel, he dies.”

Zhuque: “Li Guiyu is stealing your wife.”

Xie Heng: “Wait for death.”

Zhuque: “Zhang Yiran says he has a childhood engagement with your wife.”

Xie Heng: “…Li Guiyu, he says he has a childhood engagement with Luo Wanqing. Do you want to consider killing him?”

Li Guiyu: “Why don’t you kill him?”

Xie Heng: “I’m a relatively kind person, I don’t kill.”

Li Guiyu: “What a coincidence, me too.”

Zheng Bikui: “If you won’t kill, I’ll kill.”

Triggers Zhang Yiran’s protective skill – Liu Xiniang.

Zheng Bikui, dead.

Xie Heng & Li Guiyu: “See, I told you this person couldn’t be killed.”