Zheng Zhiyi’s expression was anxious. Lan Yue gripped her shoulder. Emotionally, Lan Yue naturally wanted to believe Qun Qing, but Qun Qing had been at Qingxuan Pavilion for too short a time.

If she truly had ulterior motives, lurking beside Liangdi, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on Han Wanyi or something similar, implicating them—wouldn’t they be left completely in the dark?

The Jinwu Guards had just left when they returned: “Miss Qing is right at the hall entrance!”

Two tall guards half-dragged, half-carried a palace maid into the hall.

Instantly, all eyes in the hall focused on Qun Qing.

Her frame was slender, her bones upright. Seen from afar, the skin of her face and neck was blindingly white. The soft, light fabric of serving maid attire gave her a graceful appearance.

But up close, seeing her features and eyes clearly, she was merely a dutiful young woman.

Qun Qing hadn’t deliberately returned late.

At the time, seeing Juan Su guarding the shrine entrance from inside, she had instructed Su Run to activate the secret passage mechanism—he would exit through the door while she escaped through the underground tunnel.

However, this secret passage was a defensive fortification built by Chu kingdom nearly a hundred years ago. The nearby exits were either rusted shut or blocked and entangled by tree roots, making the hidden doors impossible to open.

She had to walk all the way to the vicinity of Yuyan Palace before returning to the surface, but that was already very far from Hanyuan Hall. By the time she returned, much time had elapsed.

She had rushed frantically but was still brought in by the Jinwu Guards.

The carpet in the center was empty, with only her standing alone, facing the jade steps and imperial seat in the distance. The Emperor and Empress in ceremonial crown and robes had indistinct faces but imposing authority.

Currently, Qun Qing could clearly feel the gazes from people on both sides: Zheng Zhiyi’s confusion. Lan Yue’s gravity. Li Xuan’s coldness. Bao Zhu’s smugness. Yang Fu’s regret. Her gaze swept over faces with various expressions, searching for Lu Huating.

Those magnificent black eyes, across the crowd, stared directly at her without blinking, containing neither joy nor anger. Because he was more focused than anyone else, they emanated an obsidian-like cold light.

The story Su Run told had been like a bolt from the blue. Whether Lu Huating, like her, had returned to three years ago, or whether he had—like legendary extraordinary people—experienced a “prophetic dream” glimpsing the future, what could be roughly determined was that he already knew she was a spy, and between them existed mortal enmity.

This being the case, the faint malice and entanglement she had sensed from him during their previous encounters finally had an answer.

She didn’t hate Lu Huating, entirely because she hadn’t died directly by his hand. If it were someone who had actually killed her, like Li Huan—just thinking the name could evoke disgust. If she could kill him, she would have acted long ago.

Presumably Lu Huating felt the same way toward her.

He hated her.

But Lu Huating hadn’t killed her directly. Presumably for safety’s sake, he had wanted to recruit her under the guise of seeking worthy talent, to observe and test her. In the end, she had burned this possibility to nothing. This hall’s silence was his retaliation.

—Some things, like rats and cats, spiders and mosquitoes, are born adversaries. Placed in any other position, it doesn’t quite fit—only as natural enemies are they in their element.

Various coincidences made Qun Qing suddenly recall that statement.

The stagnant air in the hall transformed into tremendous pressure, like Buddha’s five fingers forming a mountain, pressing down from both shoulders, demanding she kneel in submission. Feeling that heavy pressure, amid surging emotions, she smiled at him with extreme faintness, like sword energy brushing flowers.

She wasn’t afraid, nor would she kneel.

—Then they would be enemies.

Because of her subtle expression, ripples appeared in Lu Huating’s cold, congealed eyes. And because of these ripples, Qun Qing’s blood boiled hotly.

Qun Qing bowed toward the imperial seat: “This servant Qun Qing pays respects to Your Majesty and Your Highness.”

Qun Qing’s responses were steady and clear, showing no signs of panic. The Empress summoned patience: “Where did you go? Why didn’t you return for so long?”

Qun Qing said: “This servant was called by a former master from the Yeting Court, Palace Instructor Eunuch Jin. Thinking Lan Yue was still attending Liangdi, I ran an errand for him. Though I ran back, I still delayed the banquet’s opening.”

As she spoke, she was still somewhat breathless. Zheng Fu, standing beside the Emperor and Empress, craned his neck to look and, seeing it was this unlucky young woman again, couldn’t help sighing: “Do you think a mere palace maid has the ability to make everyone wait? Do you know what just happened?”

“This servant doesn’t know.”

“Han Wanyi nearly had a miscarriage!” Chen Pin said, then generally recounted what had just occurred.

Zheng Fu came down and used his whisk handle to dust Qun Qing’s sleeves. Seeing nothing fell out, he meticulously examined both her hands and even smelled them before saying: “Your Highness, she indeed has no osmanthus on her person, nor osmanthus scent on her hands.”

Qun Qing sneered inwardly.

In the previous life, this Han Wanyi had framed Yang Fu. This time, someone had caught the scheme and redirected it toward her. She organized her thoughts and replied: “This servant begs the Empress to investigate clearly: If osmanthus flowers were placed in Lady Wanyi’s plate by this servant, wouldn’t it be better to do so without anyone knowing? Why would I leave obvious evidence in Liangdi’s hair, providing others with a handle?”

The Empress glanced at Emperor Chenming and saw he had his eyes closed, resting his mind, seemingly vexed and unwilling to question further.

Bao Zhu turned toward this servant who had fooled her repeatedly, saying resentfully: “What does that prove? You pinned flowers on Liangdi—harming Liangdi. Using flower-pinning as an excuse conveniently obtained osmanthus. Disappearing for so long—perhaps you were removing the scent from your hands. Otherwise, osmanthus is extremely fragrant—having personally pinned flowers, how could you leave no scent at all? Being too clever backfired. Your Highness the Empress needn’t speak further with her—send her to the Criminal Bureau for interrogation.”

Zheng Zhiyi grew anxious: “Criminal Bureau? Are you sick? My serving maid—is it your place to dismiss her in a few words?”

“Liangdi, watch your words.” Qun Qing stopped her. Bao Zhu was settling personal grudges—she could distinguish this. “What Miss Bao Zhu said is biased. Osmanthus isn’t only found at Qingxuan Pavilion.”

She continued: “I trouble Eunuch Zheng to exit the hall, turn right, and break off a branch of golden osmanthus from the osmanthus tree beside the corridor.”

As for what flowers and trees were in the palace, aside from the Planting Bureau, few people probably paid attention. She had actually noticed and was now ordering around the Emperor’s inner supervisor! The consorts whispered among themselves, yet couldn’t help their curiosity about how things would develop.

Emperor Chenming ignored the commotion. The Empress was indecisive. Zheng Fu was good-natured and quickly ordered a young eunuch to break off a branch, placing it on a wooden tray and bringing it before her: “What does Miss Qing say?”

Qun Qing didn’t reach out to touch it, only saying: “I request Eunuch Zheng smell it—what is the color like, what is the scent like?”

“The color is orange-yellow. As for the scent, naturally it’s sweet and fragrant.”

Qun Qing turned toward the screen: “This servant asks the physician: what affects pregnant women mainly—the petals, stamens, or pollen?”

The physician paused, then answered: “Osmanthus pollen is actually a medicinal ingredient with blood-dispersing effects, so what cannot be consumed should be the pollen.”

“Good.” Qun Qing looked straight ahead. “This servant requests that plate of osmanthus cake be presented, and the osmanthus from Liangdi’s hair be taken for comparison.”

This comparison naturally fell to Zheng Fu.

He carefully examined both samples and reported to the Empress: “The osmanthus in Lady Wanyi’s plate is lighter in color, with thinner petals, fainter fragrance, and smaller size—clearly different from palace osmanthus. Looking at it, it indeed resembles Liangdi’s hair flowers.”

What was going on? Empress Ma was completely confused. Wasn’t this a confession?

Qun Qing reminded: “I request the Eunuch open the petals and examine the pollen.”

Zheng Fu had a sudden realization. After comparing, he said: “Liangdi’s hair flowers have almost no pollen inside. Flower fragrance comes from pollen—no wonder there’s no scent.”

Qun Qing bowed once: “If this servant wanted to harm Lady Wanyi, why wouldn’t I use osmanthus blooming vigorously in the palace, but instead use these remnant blooms with sparse pollen and virtually no blood-dispersing effect? Liangdi’s hair flowers are light in color, faint in fragrance, small in size, with almost no pollen—that’s because when attending the banquet, Qingxuan Pavilion’s osmanthus was still in bud. This servant personally used warm water to coax them open!”

The hall first erupted, then became silent as death. Countless eyes looked at this Miss Qing, feeling her speech was like playing strings on a zither—crisp and resonant, sometimes slow, sometimes urgent, tugging at hearts, making them want to hear her speak more.

Zheng Fu said: “Then the flowers in the plate…”

“The flowers in the plate are indeed Liangdi’s hair flowers, but such a tiny amount of pollen has virtually no effect. Presumably someone picked up flower branches that fell from Liangdi’s hair, intending to muddy the waters. This person acted on impulse, creating holes everywhere in the scheme.” As Qun Qing spoke, she swept her gaze to the side.

Lu Huating hadn’t raised his head, but hearing this, he smiled—appearing in an excellent mood.

“Who’s so wicked? Really too much!” Juan Su slapped his thigh and felt Lu Huating pass him something under the table. He casually took it, looked down, and saw a bare osmanthus branch. Cold sweat immediately poured out.

Lu Huating pointed discreetly into the distance. A serving maid beside Princess Yan, seeing Juan Su look over, nodded in greeting.

Serving maids didn’t dress distinctively like their mistresses—they had regulated clothing, hairstyles, and ornaments, making them easily confused with each other. Just now, she had been entrusted to blend into the consorts’ area amid the chaos and sprinkle osmanthus into the plate!

Juan Su was drenched in sweat, frantically hiding the osmanthus branch.

Zheng Zhiyi said: “Mother Empress, you see? Just because my serving maid returned late, others used it to make an issue! Mother Empress, please let Miss Qing stand up.”

Empress Ma sat rigidly upright, under great pressure.

She lacked investigative ability. Calling the Jinwu Guards to arrest someone was merely to quickly find an explanation for the matter, lest Han Wanyi truly miscarry and the Emperor’s fury have no outlet.

But she hadn’t expected this palace maid to be so eloquent, actually taking control of the situation.

From inside the screen, Xiang Mao’s voice came hesitantly: “Empress, our Lady Wanyi picks out things like raisins and dried walnuts when eating—she certainly didn’t ingest osmanthus either. It seems truly unrelated to osmanthus—it’s still the incense’s fault.”

“Can’t you give a straight answer?” The Empress was annoyed.

After all this questioning, they’d circled back to the starting point. The longer time dragged on, the more confused it became, making her middle palace appear muddle-headed and incompetent.

She looked at Qun Qing and said stiffly: “Since you say the osmanthus was to muddy waters, then tell me—what was the purpose?”

Qun Qing remained silent.

“Now you won’t speak.” The Empress said. “Everyone has a mouth and can cry injustice…”

Qun Qing said: “This servant believes that Lady Wanyi and the fetus’s condition is more important than anything else right now.”

“Does this palace not understand that principle?” After this nice-sounding empty phrase, the Empress said: “The physician has already done her utmost. If others don’t quickly determine the cause and give Han Wanyi an explanation, what help can they provide?”

Qun Qing said: “This servant knows acupressure techniques and can examine Lady Wanyi. If useful, it’s much better than kneeling here.”

The Empress froze.

Everyone else froze too.

Bao Zhu’s heart immediately plummeted. She never imagined Qun Qing would take an alternative approach—a servant from the Yeting Court actually knew medical arts?

Having received permission, Qun Qing brushed off her clothes, rose, and walked behind the screen.

Lu Huating stared at that retreating figure, remaining silent.

If she had the same experience as him, returning from four years in the future, she should know that Han Wanyi’s dragon heir absolutely could not be saved.

Having just escaped danger, there was no reason to wade into muddy waters again to save someone.

“Chief Administrator, you’ve overfilled the wine.” Juan Su held his breath, but Lu Huating didn’t stop pouring. The wine filled without overflowing, sloshing back and forth. Just when it seemed about to spill, it never did.

Lu Huating gazed at the mirror-like wine.

Preserving a pregnancy by pinching acupressure points—such a miraculous thing had never existed through the ages. Gambling with heaven was his hobby, but didn’t seem like something Qun Qing would do. Unless she truly didn’t know about events four years hence…

The physician had been guarding by the couch and, seeing Qun Qing, stood up warily.

On the couch, Han Wanyi’s pale face and cracked lips looked like she had already fallen asleep under the medicine’s effects, though her brows were still knitted from pain.

The blood stains scattered on her hanging skirt had dried—ominous. Her other maid knelt beside the bed, continuously using hot cloth to wipe the fresh blood flowing down her ankles.

Qun Qing watched for a while, then took hold of Han Wanyi’s skirt hem, looking at the bloodstains on it, even smelling them.

The physician and maid exchanged strange glances.

Qun Qing also used her fingernail to scrape at the congealed blood on the skirt.

“What exactly are you doing?” The physician was horrified. “If you’re examining her, why not observe, listen, inquire, and take her pulse?”

“Under heaven’s diagnostic methods, each has its own path. This is my diagnostic method—please don’t speak further.” Qun Qing glanced at her coldly, only then kneeling beside the couch and grasping Han Wanyi’s ice-cold hand. “Reporting to the Empress, from Lady Wanyi’s bleeding, it doesn’t resemble miscarriage cases this servant has seen before.”

“What do you mean by that?” The Empress’s puzzled voice came from outside the screen.

“I mean the situation isn’t severe—there’s great hope of recovery.” Qun Qing forcefully pinched Han Wanyi’s pressure point at the tiger’s mouth. The woman on the couch’s brow twitched.

“You can’t use such force!” the physician said quietly. She could see clearly—Qun Qing hadn’t even taken a pulse, just randomly pinched Han Wanyi’s hand a few times, quite forcefully at that.

Just as she was about to intervene, Han Wanyi slowly opened her eyes, the dark pupils beneath her lashes looking at Qun Qing.

Qun Qing also looked at her, bowed, then turned and walked out from behind the screen.

“So fast?” The Empress was surprised.

“Replying to Your Highness, it was only a folk remedy to try anyway.” Qun Qing said.

Before the Empress could be disappointed, she heard the physician’s voice from behind the screen, almost chasing Qun Qing’s steps: “Your Highness, the bleeding has stopped. From now on, careful rest is all that’s needed.”

The Empress finally showed joy: “Heaven be merciful—good that it’s alright! Rest lying down for a while. Find a soft sedan chair requiring six carriers to steadily carry Han Wanyi back to her palace for rest. Be extremely careful.”

The hall filled with congratulations, but only Qun Qing’s face remained utterly calm.

The wine in Lu Huating’s cup stopped, not spilling a single drop.

He raised his eyes to look at Qun Qing’s face: her lashes lowered slightly, their shadows falling on her cheeks, seemingly tired, making her face even whiter—white to the point of near transparency.

He selected an apricot from the fruit plate, wiped it clean, and traced an arc to toss it into her lap, saying: “Miss Qing hasn’t eaten or drunk since the banquet began—she looks ready to collapse.”

Qun Qing caught the apricot but didn’t raise her head.

The apricot was cold, heavy, and slightly damp in her palm.

In a flash, other consorts followed suit, tossing peaches, apricots, and fruits onto her spread skirt: “Eat loquats first—loquats are most delicious these days.”

“Loquats still need peeling—pears satisfy hunger better.”

“Miss Qing, eat my peach first—I’ve tasted it, guaranteed sweet. After eating, turn your face so this palace can see what you look like.”

With Han Wanyi turning from crisis to safety, the banquet atmosphere relaxed. For a moment, they actually imitated the ancient custom of admirers throwing fruits at someone, all tossing fruits toward Qun Qing. Qun Qing caught them at first, then simply ignored them.

The Empress sighed: “You needn’t kneel anymore. Quickly rise and eat. You’ve been wronged today. Zheng Fu, bring her a plate of soft snow団cakes to tide her over first.”

But Qun Qing still knelt in place, saying weakly: “Your Highness, this servant remembers something.”

“Speak.” The Empress had developed some patience with Qun Qing.

“It’s been over ten days of continuous rain—this counts as abnormal celestial phenomena and by law can request the Astronomical Bureau’s calculation. Also, since Lady Wanyi has been unwell ever since seeing Princess Bao’an, and today the pregnancy became unstable.” Qun Qing looked straight at Bao Zhu. “This servant believes we can also have the Astronomical Bureau examine whether Princess Bao’an and Lady Wanyi have conflicting natal charts.”

No one could trample her without paying a price.

Hearing this, Bao Zhu’s face instantly turned white. Having one’s natal chart conflict with a favored consort carrying a dragon heir—with this accusation placed on her head, if anything happened to Han Wanyi in the future, they would blame Princess Bao’an. Moreover, this Han Wanyi had originally wanted to harm them. Qun Qing’s move was tantamount to placing a knife in her hand.

Bao Zhu begged: “Your Highness, please judge wisely…”

But Empress Ma said: “You’re right—why didn’t this palace think of that?”

Today’s events were confusing and mysterious. Not only had they delayed the autumn banquet, but everyone had watched quite a show. Investigating endlessly without conclusion—just like that snow orchid fragrance and osmanthus—perhaps it was actually Han Wanyi’s own poor health? If left unresolved, where would the imperial family’s dignity rest?

But Qun Qing had provided an excellent reason to conclude the matter on the spot.

The Empress didn’t let Bao Zhu speak, summoning the Astronomical Bureau on the spot, then looked down at Qun Qing, her tone much softer: “I heard Zhiyi grows fresh flowers in the palace—was that your idea?”

Qun Qing said: “Liangdi heard that the Empress reduced palace garments and headdresses to fund the Western Fan military expenses. Wanting to share Your Highness’s concerns, this servant came up with this idea.”

“Very good.” The Empress smiled. “You, child, are eloquent and calm in crisis, protecting Han Wanyi’s pregnancy. This palace wishes to give a reward. I wonder if Your Majesty…”

She turned to look at Emperor Chenming. Eyes closed, he nevertheless spoke. His voice was slow and heavy, each word extremely deliberate: “Promote her to first-rank palace administrator. Henceforth she shall assist Liangdi closely, serving devotedly in all matters great and small.”

Palace administrator!

The Empress froze. Lan Yue was also stunned. Because even in consorts’ palaces, palace administrators were extremely rare.

First-rank palace maids held too high a rank—outranking seventh-grade female officials, able to override noble ladies and command an entire palace’s affairs. And noble ladies usually wished to keep supreme authority in their own hands.

That Qingxuan Palace now had a palace administrator meant only one thing.

Zheng Zhiyi was young—if she occupied a high position, she needed someone stronger to helm for her. Henceforth Qun Qing would be the female attendant supporting her, guiding her from behind, and when necessary, handling difficult matters in front. Zheng Zhiyi alone couldn’t dominate the rear palace, but adding a palace administrator, she could stand in opposition.

The Emperor harbored thoughts of making Liangdi the Crown Princess.

Heavens! If not at the palace banquet, Lan Yue would have already jumped up.

Qun Qing used her shawl to bundle a pile of fruits and returned to Zheng Zhiyi’s side, picking up the snow ball cake and wolfing it down. Lan Yue patted her back, looking at her with tenderness so extreme it was chilling: “Eat slowly—there’s more if that’s not enough.”

Qun Qing’s stomach felt somewhat better with food in it. Finding it a bit sweet, she noticed that apricot had been warmed by her grip. She held it to her lips but somehow didn’t bite down.

Li Xuan glanced at Qun Qing and said: “Lan Yue, bestow wine—don’t let her choke to death.”

The main drama hadn’t even started, yet she had already performed a whole act first.

Just as he was thinking this, military reports and the Grand Astrologer from the Astronomical Bureau arrived one after the other: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the battle report has arrived!”

Emperor Chenming had been distracted all evening precisely because he was concerned about the Western Fan war. Now his eyes suddenly opened. He eagerly took the battle report for a glance, then left his seat and walked behind the western screen: “Tell everyone to begin the banquet. The Astronomical Bureau matter—the Empress can handle it.”

The Emperor was diligent. Tables, chairs, brushes and ink were all prepared there—it was where Emperor Chenming temporarily handled state affairs. Amid slowly rising strings and bamboo music, a crisp sound was heard—Emperor Chenming had thrown the military report on the ground.

Li Xuan’s heart sank. Shouxi watched his expression: “Your Highness, this secret decree…”

Li Xuan shook his head and leaned back in his chair, his expression heavy: “The opportunity has passed.”

By this appearance, his second imperial brother Li Pan, who had gone to Western Fan to quell the rebellion, had certainly suffered defeat—and a crushing one at that.