In the blink of an eye, Chang’an entered winter, where dripping water turned to ice.

Each morning, Qun Qing would first push open the window, feel her face go numb, then quickly close it again, donning underskirt, padded garments, and official robes—three layers inside and out.

In her room sat a golden basin filled with water mixed with gold powder, soaking paper flower petals. She removed a hairpin to stir the water’s surface, making the petal coloring uniform, the gold powder in the basin glimmering with her movements.

The fragrance of stewed mutton drifted in from the outer room. Qun Cang, dragging his crippled legs, had already set breakfast on the table. Seeing Qun Qing eating with her head lowered, he placed a piece of mutton in her bowl.

Qun Qing looked at the steaming mutton in her bowl, and in a trance returned to her youth. Her father was stern and unsmiling, but would use his rough hands to stroke the top of her head, and feeling her cheeks had grown thin, would place food in her bowl—this was how he expressed his concern.

Qun Qing had not been favored by Shi Yu in her youth. Her father’s severity and restrictions always made her feel afraid, and she occasionally harbored resentment in her heart. But now, only she remained in this world to fulfill filial duties for her father.

Thinking of this, Qun Qing ladled two spoonfuls of mutton broth to mix with her rice and ate the entire bowl bite by bite.

She needed a healthy body to do what she wanted to do.

After tidying up the bowls and chopsticks, Qun Qing said to Qun Cang, “I’m going to buy medicine for you.”

Qun Cang’s legs had festering sores, so these past few days Qun Qing often carried a basket to buy medicine. Seeing she was merely buying medicine, the Crown Prince’s guards stationed outside the residence did not follow her into the medical clinic.

Before long, Qun Qing returned carrying her basket to apply medicine to Qun Cang’s legs.

Her thoughts returned to several days ago.

When she went to the medical clinic to find Physician Li, the black dog kept in the rear courtyard suddenly burst into the clinic’s inner hall and bit people, frightening the patients into retreating again and again.

She had often fed this black dog when she was at the clinic before. It was an elderly dog that even struggled to walk. That day, possessed by some evil, it repeatedly broke free of its chains.

Qun Qing rushed over to embrace it under its ribs. The black dog’s eyes were wide and round, its teeth bared ferociously, its eyeballs covered with a layer of blood red—the sight gave her a very uncomfortable feeling.

The surrounding people formed a circle, watching as this young woman struck the dog’s neck with one palm. Only then did it go limp, still staring with twitching eyes in Qun Qing’s arms—a truly frightening sight.

Qun Qing felt obligated to help Physician Li maintain order in the clinic, so she carried the black dog to the rear courtyard.

Before long, Physician Li also came to the rear courtyard with a grave expression.

Qun Qing looked at the dark substance in the bowl and couldn’t help asking, “Master, what did you feed it?”

Physician Li dragged over a rattan chair to sit down, solemnly touching the dog’s neck as he slowly said, “I fed it a Jade Boiling Pill.”

After returning from Jiangnan Circuit, when Physician Li wasn’t busy, he had been researching Jade Boiling Pills.

“These past few days I’ve taken that box of Jade Boiling Pills to look at, distinguish, smell, and taste them. I also boiled them in water and searched through medical texts. Their nature is extremely warming. If people use a small amount soaked in wine, it can accelerate blood flow and invigorate yang energy.” Physician Li said, “This dog was near death this morning. Thinking to gamble with its fate, I fed it half a pill. It seems the dose was excessive, which is why it became like this.”

Qun Qing recalled the sip of jade boiling wine that Lu Huating had drunk and asked, “Taking an excessive dose of Jade Boiling Pills can cause one to lose their wits?”

Physician Li said, “The main ingredient of Jade Boiling Pills should be tender leaves of weima from the Northern Rong highlands. The fragrant scent is also the smell of weima tender leaves mixed with green tea. Zhongzhou doesn’t grow weima—weima is a Northern Rong product.”

“Northern Rong?”

“When I was young, I knew a traveling physician from Northern Rong. It was he who told me about weima.” Physician Li said, “Legend has it that before Northern Rong warriors fought to the death, they would gather large quantities of weima, grind it into powder, and make it into flatbread to eat, creating an army fierce as tigers and wolves. Thinking about it now, if people consume excessive amounts, they should become frenzied and bloodthirsty like this dog—unhearing of human speech and unafraid of death or injury.”

Unhearing of human speech, unafraid of death or injury…

Qun Qing gazed at the twitching black dog in her arms, feeling a chill in her heart. She finally realized what this dog reminded her of.

In her mind appeared the image of that ferocious white horse that had trampled through the gates of Qingjing Temple.

The Prince of Yan who had broken through the gates, his eyes blood-red beneath his demon mask.

At that time, she had presented proof of identity, revealing herself as Princess Bao’an. The palace city had already fallen. For a powerless princess of the former dynasty, she should have been treated as one who surrendered. But no matter how she begged for mercy, the other party showed no reaction and directly pierced her through with a long sword.

Could the person who killed her have… taken weima?

This thought struck her mind like a thunderbolt. Qun Qing suddenly raised her eyes. “Master, is there any way to determine whether someone has taken an excessive amount of weima?”

When Qun Qing returned carrying her basket, she pondered Physician Li’s words the entire way.

—Consuming weima is different from taking medicinal powder. Weima’s nature is fierce. Besides harming the body, it also leaves residue within. People consuming weima for the first time might develop facial flushing and rashes from the excessive stimulation, like an allergic reaction. But if they had consumed it before, they wouldn’t have this reaction.

—The weima in Jade Boiling Pills is truly scarce, not enough to cause obvious rashes. If Liu Niang, you can wait, I can try to extract it according to methods in medical texts. Weima liquid can be absorbed by gold. I’ll apply it to a piece of gold foil…

Beneath the medicine in the basket lay that piece of gold foil.

Now, after finishing applying medicine to Qun Cang, Qun Qing scooped out the flower petals from the golden basin and pasted these glittering golden petals together piece by piece into a pomegranate flower. After gazing at it for a while, she inserted the flower hairpin into her temple before the mirror.

The mirror reflected her fair face. Her hair had grown longer again. When styled into a bun, an eighth-rank female official could wear a pair of gold hairpins close to the temples to show dignity. She only wore one on one side, giving an agile and graceful impression.

Qun Qing admired herself expressionlessly.

Seeing Qun Cang enter and lean against the doorframe to watch her, she quickly arranged her court attire. “Father, do you understand Prince Zhao?”

Qun Cang looked at her, his expression complex, and slowly said, “In all the vastness under heaven, imperial authority is supreme. No matter how unruly Prince Zhao may be, he is still an imperial prince. Though they may seem to be in the same palace, their status is ultimately different. Thirty thousand commoners could die without equaling the death of one imperial prince.”

He slowly moved to a chair. “Moreover, Li Pan was born with ailments. His leg condition worsened from saving the Crown Prince. As parents and elder brothers, they will always be more tolerant toward a child with defects. Little Qing, be careful in the palace. Don’t act impulsively.”

Qun Qing hummed in acknowledgment.

—

With the arrival of winter, morning court became increasingly difficult.

Minister of Finance Zhang Jun memorialized, “Regarding the Xuzhou silk case, Song Wen was just a scholar without business experience. How could he manage in just two years to acquire nearly all the local silk merchants’ enterprises for himself? There must be more mysteries here. The man just confessed his guilt, then the next day committed suicide in prison out of shame. Was the Court of Judicial Review too hasty in determining guilt?”

Li Pan said, “I wonder if Minister Zhang has reviewed past documents. The silk merchant Zengjia from Suzhou and Hangzhou—those several Xuzhou silk merchants had already been failing years ago.”

The Vice Minister of Justice also said, “The Eastern Hawk Workshop has been raided, the man confessed and submitted to the law. His suicide was because he betrayed Minister Shen’s trust. Minister Zhang need not continue to raise objections.”

Zhang Jun continued, “But Your Majesty, if he was acquiring silk merchants yet still risked opening gambling dens, doesn’t every single matter point to the two words ‘lacking money’? However, when Prince Yan dispatched people to investigate the suspect’s ancestral homes, neither the Shen family nor the Song family showed extravagance. Song Wen was related to the Ministry of War, yet needed a large sum of money but didn’t use it for his own indulgence…”

Li Xuan’s complexion became very unpleasant. To continue this line of accusation would suggest that he, the Crown Prince, was suspected of maintaining private troops.

Emperor Chenming opened his eyes to look at his Crown Prince, seeing him appear aggrieved, and said, “Speak no more of such baseless matters.”

Zhang Jun hurriedly kowtowed to beg forgiveness.

Emperor Chenming sighed, his gaze leaving Li Xuan’s face, and said gently to Li Huan, “The Great Chen Code compiled by Third Son and your Chief Administrator has been reviewed by me. Are some of the punishments perhaps too severe?”

Li Huan said, “Chief Administrator Lu often reminds this son that a state without law cannot be governed, people without law cannot stand. Father Emperor and Elder Brother are benevolent rulers with their own judgment. This son is rather dull and fears acting recklessly as before, so must rely on regulations to govern the people.”

Emperor Chenming appeared thoughtful and spoke even more gently. “You are devoted. The Princess of Yan is with child. You should not run about outside anymore. You shall be the one to implement this code.”

Li Huan hurriedly kowtowed in grateful acknowledgment.

Emperor Chenming spoke with some vexation, “Having just punished the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War is now short of people. The Ministry of Rites should prepare early for the spring examinations—it’s time to bring in new people.”

These words made all the ministers tremble with fear. After court dismissed, Meng Guangshen heard their discussions. “So many people punished in succession. His Majesty’s health has not been good recently, and his mood is also poor.”

“Who can blame it when there’s been no good news lately? Minister Meng captured Cui Hao but let the man die without learning the whereabouts of the private treasury key. Though the Cui family’s wealth is considerable, it’s far inferior to what’s in the private treasury. Not being able to locate this treasury is truly regrettable.”

“This matter sounds familiar, as if there’s a precedent.”

“How so?”

“When the Lu family of the former dynasty fell to ruin, didn’t this exact situation occur?”

“If Emperor Chu Huang hadn’t urgently needed silver to repair temples and Taoist monasteries, how would he have resolved to confiscate the Lu family’s property? When tallying their assets, a minor son not yet of age escaped and took away the key to the Lu family’s private treasury. At the time, Emperor Huang searched everywhere but never found this youth, so naturally that private treasury remained unknown.”

Meng Guangshen’s steps faltered, his pupils contracting. The winter sun hung low over the eaves. He raised his eyes to stare directly at the sun, only then realizing he was still walking on the palace exit path where nothing around him had happened. He gripped his jade tablet tightly, a thin layer of sweat seeping from his forehead.

No one beside him noticed his strange behavior. Meng Guangshen greeted people passing by without showing anything amiss.

“That strategist of Prince Yan’s mansion is too calculating. The law books are seven or eight thick volumes—who knows where he found the time to compile them.”

“Who says otherwise? If this were before, such an action might not have pleased His Majesty, but now, after the Siye Tower incident, His Majesty has tasted the sweetness of thunderous methods. What reputation for benevolence—that was just for recuperation when he first ascended the throne. To truly accomplish things, Prince Yan’s mansion is the steel blade that’s convenient to wield.”

“If the Eastern Palace still advocates the path of温仁, might it lose the sacred heart?”

“Is the Eastern Palace something you can discuss? Watch your words!”

Meng Guangshen saw Lu Huating outside Cheng’an Gate.

Lu Huating stood with Juan Su, waiting for Li Huan as usual.

Even dressed in plain robes, this young civil official had fresh and beautiful features, almost able to transcend the bitter cold of winter.

Their gazes met. Lu Huating’s dark eyes looked back at him, and countless thoughts raced through Meng Guangshen’s mind.

The Siye Tower affair had strangely slipped from control. Now, raising troops in Xuzhou had only just begun when Li Huan suddenly discovered problems in the autumn taxes that others would have difficulty detecting, directly shattering the chess piece that was Shen Fu.

Now, connecting all these matters in a line, he suddenly understood who was manipulating everything behind the scenes. But given Lu Huating’s age and experience, could he truly have such prescience?

Suddenly, Meng Guangshen recalled what Meng Guanlou had said to him.

This son who had been demoted to Songyang had an absurd dream—in the fourth year of Sheng Lin’s reign, Lu Huating became Prime Minister, while he and his son were imprisoned.

Meng Guangshen withdrew his gaze. Returning to his mansion, without even removing his outer garments, he penned a letter and summoned a servant to send it to Meng Guanlou.

Just as the servant was about to leave, he called him back. “Also send a letter to Prince Zhao, telling him to watch Lu Huating closely.”

—

Meanwhile, Qun Qing arrived at the Palace Etiquette Bureau with her case to report for duty. Director Zhu was arranging matters for the investiture ceremony. “Who among you is willing to deliver the invitation to Prince Zhao?”

Qun Qing looked to the side. The surrounding female officials all kept their eyes lowered, gazing at the floor, with no one making a sound.

No one was willing to serve at Li Pan’s bedchamber because this person was absurd and tyrannical. Last time a female official went to Prince Zhao’s bedchamber and encountered Prince Zhao and his favored consort Ruan Shi engaging in daytime debauchery—she had even been struck with a wine cup.

Qun Qing spoke up, “This subordinate will go.”

Director Zhu looked at her with great gratification, while others whispered, “She was recommended by the Crown Prince, so naturally Prince Zhao wouldn’t dare do anything to her. Of course she’s not afraid.”

Qun Qing, carrying the wooden tray, walked quickly through the corridor, having already cast these voices behind her.

Before even entering the hall, she heard wails of grief.

Qun Qing caught the metallic scent of blood. Seeing the scene within the hall, she held her breath: a mother and daughter in foreign dress knelt trembling in the hall, the mother’s hands bound behind her back, her body already soaked with bloodstains, while the daughter embraced her mother, weeping continuously.

In an instant, she remembered what the secret guard from Fang Xie had said about her father’s corpse: kneeling posture, hands bound behind the back. Corresponding with the scene before her eyes, her heart began pounding violently.

Li Pan wore a golden crown, holding a whip in his hand. Having grown hot from whipping, he wore only a single robe. Seeing that the two would not beg for mercy, he said with a smile, “Truly stubborn. Qilang, I’ll ask you one last time—becoming a strategist for my mansion won’t be worse than being at Third Brother’s side. If you’re unwilling, I have plenty of patience for stubborn people.”

Wine sat on the table. Lu Huating sat behind the table with four of Li Pan’s guards standing behind him. He lowered his eyes to look at the blood spattered on his body, then raised them again. “This minister’s monthly salary is sufficient. I will not serve another. If Your Highness is angry, you may direct it at this minister. Why frighten others?”

“Chief Administrator jests. You are an official of the court. If I touched you, wouldn’t I be punished?” Having been refused, Li Pan said to his favored consort Ruan Shi standing behind him, “I’m in a bad mood. You tell me, which should I kill first?”

He drew a dagger from his sleeve and pressed it to the mother’s neck. Though Ruan Shi was frightened, she lowered her head to point at the young girl, forcing a smile. “Your Highness, kill this young one.”

Ruan Shi saw that the daughter was in her prime youth and truly feared that Li Pan might become interested and favor this Western Fan captive, causing her to lose favor.

Who knew the mother seemed to understand her words. She directly pressed her neck forward against the blade, crying out, wanting to exchange her own life for her daughter’s.

Consort Ruan covered her mouth as a spray of blood splashed at Li Pan’s feet.

Li Pan showed momentary surprise. This face beautiful as a woman’s quickly lost expression, and he smiled again as he pressed the dagger to the young girl’s neck, appreciating her expression of despair.

Qun Qing, carrying her tray, walked before Li Pan, interrupting him. “Prince Zhao, this is the ceremonial robe and protocol book for next month’s investiture ceremony.”

Li Pan rose in displeasure, recognizing Qun Qing as the female attendant from the Crown Prince’s side. His gaze grew more profound as his eyes fell on the golden flower hairpin slanting in her hair, ready to fall yet not falling.

Qun Qing lowered her eyes without speaking.

Lu Huating also looked at the flower hairpin by her temple. Such small embellishments on a female official were somewhat improper.

Li Pan stared at Qun Qing, his tone sinister and soft. “It’s gotten a bit cold. Would Ceremony Assistant Qun personally help me put on the robes to see if they fit properly?”

Qun Qing obediently unfolded the ceremonial robe. This was perfect for testing Li Pan with the weima-infused gold hairpin. As she approached Li Pan step by step, a smiling voice called out, “For a Palace Etiquette Bureau female official to serve in such a manner would be improper, wouldn’t it?”

Qun Qing paused. Lu Huating obstructing her at this moment inevitably made her feel somewhat irritated.

Her hand trembled, and the ceremonial robe conveniently draped over the Western Fan girl’s body. Fury erupted on Li Pan’s face.

Qun Qing bowed, her expression calm. “As a Palace Etiquette Bureau official, I should remind Your Highness of proper protocol. Applying private punishment to captives within the hall violates palace regulations. Please spare her, Your Highness.”

Li Pan’s mood was spoiled. He indeed looked darkly toward Lu Huating and said to Qun Qing, “You’re afraid someone will impeach you, aren’t you? This one is soiled. Order the Palace Wardrobe Bureau to clean it. There’s another in the tray—put it on for me.”

“Since Palace Etiquette Bureau officials can serve in dressing people, then they can pour wine. Ceremony Assistant, please come pour wine for me.” Lu Huating said.

Her luck was poor today—running into Lu Huating meant this likely wouldn’t succeed.

Qun Qing set down the ceremonial robe and walked toward Lu Huating.

Lu Huating gazed at her. Qun Qing wore her hair in a high bun and a small-sleeved jacket of green crepe silk. Her complexion was rosy—utterly different from how she had looked leaning against the torture rack that day.

As soon as she approached, his slender fingers lightly flicked, directly knocking over the wine cup, the liquid spilling on her skirt. “Ceremony Assistant Qun, you have behaved improperly. Just deliver what you came to deliver and leave.”

Qun Qing looked at her skirt without making a sound. She picked up the wine vessel, raised her sleeve, and splashed his face with it.

Lu Huating tilted his head slightly. Wine dripped from his jade-like face and eyelashes as his deep black eyes gazed unblinkingly at her.

Qun Qing also gazed at him, setting down the wine vessel. “Ungrateful.”

Behind them, Li Pan actually laughed aloud. Qun Qing’s humiliation of Lu Huating greatly pleased him, to the point where he was willing to let Lu Huating return to change clothes.

Qun Qing walked before Ruan Shi, ignoring her nervous and wary expression. From her narrow sleeve she drew out a jade box, lowering her eyes. “Meeting Consort Ruan for the first time, the Palace Wardrobe Bureau has newly made gold powder rouge. I requested a box and wish to add to your beauty.”

Ruan Shi took it as her making amends for the earlier incident. Her expression relaxed as she glanced at Li Pan, then accepted it with satisfaction.

Lu Huating and Qun Qing left through the door one after the other.

Not until she walked to Consort Lü’s Caihua Palace to prepare for duty did she realize they were actually going to the same place.

“The Chief Administrator doesn’t need to change clothes?” Qun Qing couldn’t help but say.

Lu Huating gave no answer. He merely wiped the wine from his face and walked directly into Caihua Palace. Consort Lü’s clothing attendants Jin Zi and Yin Zi were familiar with him, but Qun Qing was stopped.

Qun Qing waited quietly beneath the window with her case. Through the window she saw Lu Huating sitting across from Consort Lü in conversation. He glanced outside once, then Consort Lü also looked at her, revealing an expression of disgust.

That Consort Lü disliked her was perfectly normal.

Not to mention that it was she who had personally supported Consort Han that day to rival Consort Lü, this time she was sent by the Empress to instruct Consort Lü not to monopolize favor, so naturally she would be detested.

Before long, Yin Zi came out, smiling as she bowed to Qun Qing. “The Lady is still speaking with Chief Administrator Lu. She first entrusts this servant to greet the Ceremony Assistant. There’s also a matter that troubles you.”

Yin Zi passed through the corridor, leading Qun Qing to a storeroom in a side hall. As soon as she pushed open the door, the dazzling pearls and jewels in this side hall nearly blinded one’s eyes. Incense burners, screens, and gold and jade makeup boxes bestowed by His Majesty were piled throughout the cabinets like they cost nothing.

Yin Zi rummaged in a jewelry box, selected two gold-inlaid hairpins, turned and handed them to Qun Qing. “These are rewards from the Lady to Ceremony Assistant Qun.”

Qun Qing asked, “What matter needs me to do?”

Yin Zi said, “That treasure cabinet contains this year’s correspondence documents with the Six Bureaus, all mixed together. They need to be submitted to the Six Bureaus at year’s end. Since you are literate, please sort them out.”

Only then did Qun Qing see the treasure cabinet in the corner.

After speaking, Yin Zi left her alone in the storeroom. Qun Qing pulled out a sheet of paper, thought about it, and put the gold hairpins back.

Meeting for the first time, yet daring to let her stay alone in the palace treasury—this was too strange.

After closing the door, Yin Zi and Jin Zi whispered with laughter. “How hard can it be to drive away a female official? In a while, we’ll call several more people in. Catching her red-handed, forget staying at Caihua Palace—we’ll make it so she can’t remain in the Six Bureaus at all!”

Hearing rustling sounds from inside, their smiles stopped. They hurriedly put their heads together to peer through the keyhole. Qun Qing had already placed the documents in stacks on the floor and was examining them.

She wasn’t organizing documents at all—she was brazenly searching through them.

Her actions completely exceeded their expectations.

Jin Zi’s face gradually paled. Disregarding Yin Zi’s attempts to stop her, she rushed directly inside, breaking their plan. “Who gave you permission to touch these documents? Put them down!”

Qun Qing had already found what she was looking for.

What she sought was the autumn hunt roster, which also brought out a thin sheet of handwritten paper actually related to the Ministry of War.

The autumn hunt was organized by Consort Lü. A Nan Chu spy had shot a cold arrow at an envoy. Those who could attend the autumn hunt were naturally ranked officials of the court—very likely including that “Tian.”

Who “Tian” was in the Palace Administration Bureau who had betrayed her—though she already had suspicions, she still needed evidence for verification.

Just as Qun Qing was about to examine it closely, Jin Zi burst in. She quickly hid the roster among a stack of documents.

Qun Qing carefully observed Jin Zi. Though both were clothing attendants, Jin Zi’s attire seemed somewhat more refined than Yin Zi’s, with hand bracelets and hairpins in her hair hiding traces of wealth.

Qun Qing’s calm gaze made Jin Zi feel somewhat guilty. She pulled at Qun Qing, wanting to accuse her of theft before Consort Lü. Upon reaching the doorway, they encountered someone.

Because Lu Huating often gave rewards to Jin Zi and Yin Zi, Jin Zi trusted him greatly.

Lu Huating lowered his head slightly to enter the storeroom, his dark eyes surveying Qun Qing’s face. “An eighth-rank Ceremony Assistant regulates the speech and conduct of noble ladies. Organizing documents doesn’t seem to be within your duties.”

Qun Qing raised her eyes to look at him. “The Chief Administrator manages princely mansion affairs and enters consort palaces—is that within your duties?”

Lu Huating seized the stack of documents from Qun Qing’s hands.

He looked into Qun Qing’s eyes while Qun Qing watched his hands. As he casually flipped through them one by one, her heart sank. Lu Huating precisely extracted her roster, placed it in his sleeve, then returned the rest to their original positions. He smiled at Jin Zi. “Take Ceremony Assistant Qun to see the Lady.”