All the way to the side hall supported by palace maids, Yang Fu continued to shed tears.

Through the blur of tears, Li Huan removed his outer robe but made no other moves.

After a long while, Li Huan actually removed the half-piece gold foil mask covering his face, revealing a pale face. His expression was complex as he said: “My mother once said: between husband and wife, one should treat each other with honesty. Since childhood I’ve been a willful person. Because of this birthmark, no one placed any hopes in me anyway. Whatever I wanted, I took it myself, seized it myself, demanded it myself, regardless of what others said.”

He paused before continuing: “I remember when I was young, Elder Brother fell ill and had me go to Chang’an to present tribute. From atop Tonghua Terrace I saw you once, and I fell for you. But this prince knew you were a princess, impossible to marry a nameless nobody. The more this was so, the fiercer the fire in my heart burned. On the battlefield, all men think of their wives. I had no wife—I thought of you. You can say I’m shameless, but my heart was once genuine and sincere.”

He wiped away Yang Fu’s tears with his fingers and sighed: “If Ying Su hadn’t switched out your poisoned wine today, did you ever consider the consequences?”

Yang Fu heard his tone become serious: “If it were only you and I, we could still journey to the Yellow Springs together. But I still have family and brothers, still have the empire and its myriad people. You at least know to seek revenge for your mother country. If this prince only cared about himself, wouldn’t I be inferior even to you, a young lady?”

Yang Fu grabbed Li Huan’s sleeve, but he made no move, as if he had made an extremely difficult decision: “If you trust me, from now on this prince will still respect you as secondary consort and provide for you at Xianyou Temple. But that reckless youthful passion—let it be buried as something of the past.”

Having said this, a tear also rolled down his face, yet his expression already held a trace of resolute coldness. The soft sleeve withdrew from Yang Fu’s hand. Li Huan did not stay the night, but plunged alone into the rain.

Night rain streamed down along the window lattice.

Yang Fu’s eyes were already red and swollen. She felt an immense emptiness and bewilderment, her gaze despairing—

Having Ruo Chan help deal with Consort Lü, Qun Qing wore a tung oil-treated veiled hat and walked through the narrow passage toward Jinglian Pavilion, unsurprisingly being stopped by Kuang Su.

She pulled out a piece of pastry from her bosom and made as if to hand it to Kuang Su. Kuang Su pointed to the interior room, unmoved.

Inside, a single lamp burned like a bean. Lu Huating was actually still working this late. Qun Qing’s face turned stern: “The Chief Administrator summoned me. Quickly now, don’t delay business.”

Kuang Su was half-believing, but when Qun Qing spoke with both voice and expression severe, her eyes were truly fierce. He brought her into the secret prison.

The candle flame in the inner room flickered for an instant. Lu Huating raised his eyes from official documents, listened for a moment, stopped Zhu Su from going to investigate, and continued writing: “Kuang Su let someone in—dock his monthly salary.”

He didn’t stop Qun Qing because he had revised these Great Chen laws once in his previous life, and facing these documents before him, he couldn’t help but feel drowsy. Secondly, that Registrar Xu refused to confess. If he could use Qun Qing to extract information, it would save him the effort.

Qun Qing removed her veiled hat.

Having come through the rain, she was somewhat wet. She regarded Xu Lin coldly. In just a few short hours, Xu Lin was already disheveled with hair hanging loose, her body covered in wounds large and small.

Qun Qing believed Xu Lin also wanted to see her. Indeed, upon seeing her, Xu Lin’s expression looked as if she wanted to pounce and tear into her: “It was you who, in Princess Bao’an’s name, discussed assassination with me; and in my name, discussed assassination with Princess Bao’an… trapping us both this way.”

Xu Lin said coldly: “That Chu Kingdom’s Princess Bao’an turned out to be worthless, but that aside—how could you possibly have the ‘Sky’ seal?”

Qun Qing’s plain face showed no expression. She merely displayed the triangular seal for her to see: “I truly am ‘Sky.’ After returning to the palace, I received this honor.”

Xu Lin felt deeply absurd: “How could the Master promote a traitorous general to Sky?”

“Answer one question for me, and I’ll answer you.” Qun Qing said, “Was it you who exposed my identity to the Crown Prince?”

A triumphant look surfaced in Xu Lin’s sinister eyes: “That day when you were a little palace maid, coming at midnight with Lan Yue to request registry documents, I grew suspicious. I deliberately hid your registry, then had Director Liu send it to the Lateral Courts, and you indeed took the bait. You do have some cleverness, but you’re too young. Having become an agent, you still wanted to escape unscathed?”

At that time, Qun Qing had been wholly intent on escaping the palace, and had actually alarmed Registrar Xu. Thinking of her own frantic running about for registry documents, Qun Qing felt a surge of bitter emotion in her chest. She let out a cold laugh: “You ask why the Master promoted me to ‘Sky’? Because the Master has changed. Nan Chu’s palace underwent a coup. Crown Prince Zhao was replaced by Ling Yunnuo.”

Unexpectedly, Xu Lin froze. She stared fixedly at Qun Qing’s face, as if wanting to confirm whether what she said was true. Her lips moved: “Nan Chu’s palace had a coup—then what about my Yun’er…”

“What?” Qun Qing didn’t hear clearly.

Xu Lin said: “My daughter is in Crown Prince Zhao’s hands.”

Having said this, she broke down sobbing, as if shattered by this news. She lowered her head and curled up, trembling and weeping, causing the chains to rattle.

Qun Qing stared in shock at the scene before her, the hatred in her chest transforming into some indescribable flavor: “So you worked for Nan Chu because of this?”

Xu Lin tremblingly handed Qun Qing a paper slip. The handwriting on it was childish, already blotted and stained by tears. Qun Qing saw the characters for “Mother” and folded it without reading further. It was hard to imagine that every accomplishment had been to exchange for a slip like this.

“He uses family members as leverage—he’s just stringing you along. When would it ever end?” Qun Qing said. “You’re clever and cautious. You should have made plans for yourself.”

Only after crying did Xu Lin say: “I did make plans.”

“Besides confidential information, assassinations, rooting out traitors, and reporting to the Master, there was one other path.”

Qun Qing was curious about that path.

“I’m an old hand in the Grand Luminous Palace, with high rank. If I could rise to the Ministry of Rites and become a female official of third rank or above, I wouldn’t have to keep killing people.”

“What difference would third rank or above make?”

“Third rank and above can participate in government, providing more military intelligence to the Master. If Great Chen were to attack Nan Chu, there would be opportunity to speak in opposition.” Xu Lin said slowly, “Now that Great Chen has established firm footing, the future paths are nothing more than attack or negotiation. If negotiation, serving in the Ministry of Rites could争取 secure an opportunity to serve as envoy, to see my daughter…”

As she spoke, Xu Lin suddenly coughed up a mouthful of bloody water. Qun Qing’s hand had already reached out. Xu Lin looked at her hand with a complex expression and choked out: “I’m finished. Even before being captured I had contracted lung disease. If not for this hope sustaining me, I wouldn’t have lasted until today.”

“May I ask you for one thing?” Xu Lin looked at the darkness on all sides, slowly raising her arm to produce a seal from somewhere. “I know the lady hates me, but I know I won’t survive. Could the lady transmit a message on my behalf—don’t let Nan Chu know I’ve already fallen. If possible, help me ask about Yun’er.”

Qun Qing took the seal soaked with sweat: “Give me your contacts, and I’ll agree.”

Qun Qing held her breath, extremely quickly pulling out a handkerchief to wrap the seal, simultaneously hearing footsteps behind her.

Xu Lin’s head had already drooped. Zhu Su pressed his fingers against the side of her neck and carefully reported: “Chief Administrator, she took her own life.”

Hearing this, Lu Huating said: “This Registrar Xu was tight-lipped. Interrogated for a full day without revealing her contacts, yet the lady arrives and she commits suicide?”

Qun Qing turned her face, expression calm: “I don’t know what was wrong with her. After just a few words she sought death.”

Lu Huating regarded her sideways. Qun Qing’s complexion was somewhat pale, her breathing also somewhat rapid. As if discovering something amusing: “The lady fears blood, yet dares come here in the dead of night.”

“Registrar Xu was after all someone who betrayed me. I was angry and inadvertently disturbed you. I’ll leave now.” Qun Qing said, but Lu Huating didn’t step aside.

He spread open his palm. Candlelight illuminated his exquisitely beautiful face, dark eyes gazing deeply at her. All around was so quiet the candle flame stood in a straight line.

Qun Qing understood—he wanted her to hand over Registrar Xu’s contacts. Interrogated for so long only to have her swallow the information, unable to account to the Sage.

Lu Huating disliked matters escaping his control, and naturally also disliked opponents growing stronger.

“Give these people to me—they can still help gather information. Otherwise I have no one in the palace, making future cooperation inconvenient.” Qun Qing glanced at his palm but ultimately remained unmoved. “The salary you were docked—I can split half with you.”

“These are Nan Chu agents. Does the lady want to gather a group of agents to work for you?” Lu Huating’s dark eyes regarded Qun Qing with a trace of coldness. “Have you forgotten that your own leverage is still in my hands?”

“The Chief Administrator has never been a chess piece, so you don’t know—these people were originally flesh-and-blood people too.” Qun Qing raised her eyes. “I’m taking these people. The Chief Administrator may make his move, unless you don’t want the antidote.”

Having said this, she looked at Lu Huating twice and broke through the window.

Zhu Su and Juan Su both looked at Lu Huating in astonishment. Lu Huating stood in place, as if lost in thought.

Thinking of the look Qun Qing had just carved into him—bright as a blade.

He turned back around. Rain beat against the window. In the dark night, Qun Qing’s shadow was already gone.

This was but a small matter. In major matters, he absolutely could not yield.

“Dispose of the body.” He said calmly. “Go tell Miss Qing that tomorrow is my birthday. Ask her to meet me at Anding Gate.”—

At dawn, another ceremonial official from the Bureau of Palace Attendants came knocking to deliver two sets of plain official robes to Qun Qing—like female official garments, but even plainer.

Seeing them, Ruo Chan asked curiously: “What kind of uniform system is this?”

“Next year’s spring examinations have been moved up and more hands are needed. Because Consort Lü recommended us, Dianyi Qun and I will go together to the Ministry of Rites to make arrangements.”

Emperor Chenming valued this spring examination—this was probably Consort Lü’s ingratiating gesture. Qun Qing put away the robes and, taking advantage of today’s rest day, slipped out of the palace gates.

Yesterday Wen Su had come with a message saying Lu Huating was celebrating his birthday. She only believed that there was probably some matter requiring her again.

Outside Anding Gate, Qun Qing saw Lu Huating.

Seeing her come out wearing a veiled hat, Lu Huating maintained some distance from her. From the corner of her eye, Qun Qing saw he seemed to be strolling along with her, so she walked directly toward the West Market.

Over there, voices clamored—something seemed to have happened.

“It’s my birthday, and the lady treats me to noodles?” Lu Huating said this but still sat down at a street-side stall.

“Splitting half a year’s salary with the Chief Administrator, I’m not well-off either.” Qun Qing showed no guilt as she took the chopstick holder and ordered two bowls of noodles.

She chose this place because from here one could see clearly what was happening in the clamorous area.

On the ice-covered city wall hung two blood-stained corpses. Common people surrounded those two suspended corpses, pointing and commenting.

Lu Huating said: “Those two exposed corpses are bandits tortured to death by Li Pan.”

Qun Qing raised her eyes to look. The lid of the vinegar jar in her hand suddenly dropped. She hastily withdrew her hand, but half the bottle of vinegar had already poured into Lu Huating’s bowl.

“Does the lady normally eat it like this?” Lu Huating looked at his bowl.

Qun Qing said: “This is Chang’an custom. The Chief Administrator should try it and see.”

Lu Huating’s dark eyes regarded her, smiling faintly: “I ask the lady for one birthday gift: in the crowd are two scouts mixed in, wanting to snatch away the corpses. I want the lady to repel them.”