“Qilang’s marriage has no parents to arrange it. Given that his mother nursed Third Prince, this subject has brought it up several times, but he seems extremely uninterested in matters between men and women, repeatedly refusing. He couldn’t have suddenly changed his nature.”

As Empress Ma spoke, she used a dampened cloth to cleanse Emperor Chenming’s face. He opened his eyes to look—the Empress still used old cloths. She placed a forehead protector on him. She was far less meticulous than Consort Lü, her movements somewhat rough, but somehow simple and solid, as if transporting one back to Huaiyuan.

“That Consort Lü hasn’t grown into any devastating beauty either. If you ask this subject, if she herself had firmly refused, could such a shameful matter have occurred?”

Emperor Chenming frowned, and the Empress stopped speaking, serving him as he lay down. “Sage, military affairs are more important. Why not have him go fight with Third Prince first, and punish him after he returns?”

Emperor Chenming said nothing and unknowingly fell asleep. This sleep was surprisingly sound. It wasn’t until dawn’s first light that the Jinwu Guard delivered a wooden tray with material evidence searched from Lu Huating’s person.

On the wooden tray lay a blood-stained bronze fish tally and a golden hairpin.

Emperor Chenming only glanced at it once. Recalling Consort Lü’s accusations, he coldly looked away. But Empress Ma touched with her finger the curling pomegranate flower petals on that golden hairpin and snorted: “Paper flowers—I’m afraid even the palace maids in Consort Lü’s palace wouldn’t use such cheap items.”

The Empress’s casual remark caused Emperor Chenming to lose himself in thought.

He doted on Consort Lü, continuously bestowing gold and silver rewards. Consort Lü also loved wealth—everything she wore on her head and body was solid gold and jade. Indeed, he had never seen her wear paper flowers.

It happened to be a rest day. Emperor Chenming remained bedridden to recuperate. In the afternoon, Li Huan and Xiao Yunru came to attend his illness. Xiao Yunru brought medicinal incense and personally served him: “Prince Yan’s mansion’s Chief Clerk has caused such trouble—it kept your son sleepless all night. But your son always feels there may be a misunderstanding. If the Chief Clerk intended to seize power, he would have long ago married a princess. Why not summon the clothing attendant palace maid Yinzi from beside Consort Lü’s lady for questioning to see what the actual sequence of events was?”

Emperor Chenming had always been lenient with this sensible daughter-in-law. Seeing her pregnant and worried in expression, after much deliberation, he decided to give Prince Yan’s mansion an opportunity to explain.

Before long, the Crown Prince’s sedan chair hurriedly stopped outside the Empress’s palace gate.

Li Xuan had received Ruo Chan’s plea for help early in the morning, learning that Qun Qing had entered the Court of Judicial Review during the night, and had argued with Meng Guangshen.

Meng Guangshen said: “The fault of forced confession must be borne by someone. If Your Highness insists on protecting Lady Qing, either this old man bears it or Your Highness bears it—whom does Your Highness wish to shoulder this?”

“Last night we did not report to Your Highness because we heard the Crown Princess was with child and could not bear to disturb Your Highness’s joy. Congratulations, Your Highness, on having another child, while this old man, for Your Highness’s great enterprise, has already lost one son.” He said coldly, “This old man still hopes Your Highness will not, for personal romantic feelings, disappoint this old man.”

After something happened to Meng Guanlou, Meng Guangshen left to attend to business after speaking. But his words successfully dissuaded Li Xuan. Li Xuan’s sedan chair turned back halfway to the Court of Judicial Review, carrying the cold wind, going first to see Emperor Chenming: “Shouxing, you go check on her.”

He needed to first confirm Father Emperor’s intentions before requesting a favor to protect Qun Qing.

When Li Xuan entered to pay respects, Emperor Chenming was drinking medicine on his own and paid no attention.

After all, the Crown Prince’s decision in handling Prince Zhao and the bandit prisoners had indirectly led to military complications.

Before long, the sound of chains caused Li Xuan and Li Huan to raise their heads.

Lu Huating emerged from the Imperial Prison, wearing shackles, to pay respects to Emperor Chenming.

Before the imperial audience, he had already briefly washed. Though it was said he had been beaten severely during the night, at this moment his cleansed face still bore outstanding elegance. His spine was straight, showing no sign of having been tortured.

However, when kowtowing, fresh blood seeped from both sleeves, causing both Li Huan and Emperor Chenming to stare intently at those spots.

Knowing he had suffered, Emperor Chenming’s expression was complex: “Do you know your crime?”

Lu Huating’s expression remained normal: “This subject knows his crime. This subject did indeed violate regulations by entering Caiye Palace.”

Emperor Chenming’s expression immediately turned unpleasant.

“But this subject swears on his late mother’s reputation that he absolutely had no words or actions that offended Consort Lü’s lady.” Lu Huating continued, “Consort Lü receives the Sage’s favor and sits high above. Civil officials wishing to curry favor with her are countless. Without bribing the servants around Consort Lü, even entering Caiye Palace is difficult—how would this subject dare offend Consort Lü’s lady?”

Li Xuan coldly regarded him: “Empty words are no proof. As an outer minister, violating regulations by entering the rear palace is already wrong.”

Lu Huating’s eyelashes trembled: “This subject has long had someone he admires in his heart and would absolutely not have relations with an imperial consort.”

At these words, Li Huan frowned and quietly reminded him: “What are you saying?”

But under Emperor Chenming’s gaze, Lu Huating bowed again. More bloodstains seeped from both sleeves, blooming into brilliant flowers: “The one this subject admires is the Dianyi female official Lady Qing serving in Consort Lü’s palace. Because she holds official rank, fearing she would be unwilling to marry as a wife, this subject dared not speak plainly. Though violating regulations multiple times to enter Caiye Palace, knowing this would give others leverage, for the sake of seeing her once, it was as sweet as syrup. This subject requests the Sage’s punishment.”

At these words, the hall fell silent as death.

Both Li Huan and Xiao Yunru froze in place, especially Li Huan—his expression twisted, but fearing Lu Huating had his own strategy, his lips opened and closed without daring to speak.

Li Xuan’s expression was stern and cold. He raised his phoenix eyes and struck the ground: “Qilang, don’t speak nonsense! Before the Sage is not a place for your games!”

“Before the Sage, this subject dares not speak against his heart,” Lu Huating said.

“If what you say is true,” Emperor Chenming’s fingers rested on his nose bridge, and after a long while, he said with heavy doubt, “why would Dianyi Qun inflict torture on you, to the point of being caught red-handed by the Jinwu Guard?”

“She wasn’t torturing this subject but came to rescue with acupuncture.” Lu Huating said, “The people from the Ministry of Justice violated regulations by applying torture, forcing this subject to throw dirty water on Prince Yan. If not for Dianyi Qun using a stratagem to escape from Consort Lü’s palace to administer acupuncture, this subject’s life would already be in danger.”

Li Xuan gazed at Lu Huating’s profile, his breathing extremely heavy.

Emperor Chenming’s breathing rose and fell, and he suddenly laughed: “If that’s the case, you two have mutual affection, and Consort Lü has falsely accused you without cause?”

Lu Huating said: “Since it’s a false accusation, it absolutely wouldn’t be without cause. This subject’s case with Marquis Lü Wanhu has been transferred to the Court of Judicial Review. Perhaps Consort Lü’s lady fears being implicated by this case and thus struck first.”

Emperor Chenming heavily set down his bowl on the desk.

Li Xuan said: “Father Emperor, Qilang has always been clever with words and changeable. What he says today is all one-sided testimony.”

“The matter involves Consort Lü’s lady’s reputation—this subject dares not speak half a lie.” Lu Huating said, “The pomegranate flower golden hairpin on this subject’s person is not Consort Lü’s lady’s, but Dianyi Qun’s.”

Li Xuan suddenly choked, his fingers clenching tight. That pomegranate flower trembling on the golden tray on the desk stabbed at his eyes.

On that side, the trembling Yinzi was also brought out. Cuiyu reported: “Replying to the Sage and Princess Consort, this slave just questioned Yinzi about the content of Chief Clerk Lu and Consort Lü’s lady’s conversations these past days. When asked forward, she can answer, but when asked backward, she can’t remember!”

The Empress frowned: “This Consort Lü, relying on the Sage’s favor, knows neither heaven’s height nor earth’s thickness…”

At this moment, Zheng Fu entered: “Sage, Consort Lü’s lady says she feels unwell and is kneeling outside requesting an audience with the Sage.”

Emperor Chenming had reached the limit of his patience and said to Lu Huating: “Seeing that you’ve been alone all these years, it’s rare you have someone you admire. Since you’ve petitioned before me, I shall grant you a favor. If your bandit suppression campaign this time goes smoothly and you can offset your crime with merit, I shall bestow marriage on you two. The matter of Consort Lü ends here. The entire palace must not mention it again. If idle gossip spreads, I will severely punish without exception!”

The expression on Lu Huating’s jade-like face paused slightly, then he immediately kowtowed in gratitude: “Since the Sage has investigated the truth, this subject requests the Sage release Dianyi Qun from the Court of Judicial Review as soon as possible. Until she is released, this subject’s heart cannot rest easy for a single day.”

Li Xuan only felt somewhat dizzy, his phoenix eyes staring directly at Emperor Chenming: “Father Emperor, Dianyi Qun was formerly a female attendant in the Crown Princess’s palace. We have never heard of her being close with Chief Clerk Lu. Isn’t bestowing this marriage too hasty?”

“Shut your mouth,” Emperor Chenming said coldly. “You are my Crown Prince. With such exposed thoughts and such indecisiveness, how can you shoulder the nation’s heavy responsibility? Prepare yourself—go north to manage the disaster relief.”

Being rebuked in public, a look of desolation flashed through Li Xuan’s eyes, yet he could not show his distress. He stared fixedly at Li Huan, then turned toward Lu Huating, his face growing even paler.

“Think you can weaken the Eastern Palace’s power this way? This palace does not agree,” Li Xuan said softly in Lu Huating’s ear as he passed him on the way out.

“I don’t agree either.” Seeing Lu Huating about to leave, Li Huan grabbed his arm, demanding an explanation: “Marrying an operative into Prince Yan’s mansion—what are you thinking?”

Touching the sticky bloodstains, Li Huan quickly released his hand. Hearing this, Lu Huating only raised an eyebrow and leaned close to his ear: “What are you to me?”

Qun Qing had thought she would await trial, but unexpectedly on the second day, palace attendants pulled open her cell door and released her to leave on her own.

Ruo Chan waited outside holding two bundles, quietly informing her she need not return to Consort Lü’s palace: “The Sage said Consort Lü lost decorum before the御throne, demoted her to Noble Consort, confined her to Caiye Palace, and also demoted Yinzi to the Yeting Palace.”

Qun Qing was not surprised.

This outcome had been within her calculations from the moment she gave Consort Lü her strategy during the night.

Shouxing also followed along, but for some reason only silently escorted them to the Bureau of Palace Attendants before bowing and departing.

The female officials in the Bureau of Palace Attendants all looked at her strangely, saying “congratulations” with their mouths.

Qun Qing looked through the documents from recent days, not knowing what there was to congratulate. The Bureau of Palace Attendants would soon be preparing for Empress Yuan’s birthday celebration. The palace temples and monasteries would all participate—the scale was extremely large, and she had also registered her name. As long as Emperor Chenming still held feelings for Empress Yuan, Li Pan would not receive true punishment.

She still needed to make some preparations.

Qun Qing saw Zhu Su in the outer area. Zhu Su handed her two items: “The Chief Clerk instructed these be delivered to Lady Qing.”

Lu Huating did indeed keep his promise, returning Lin Yujia’s confession to her. Qun Qing read the contents clearly and quickly hid it in her sleeve. This way, in future cooperation, she would not be controlled by this person.

But beneath that was an imperial decree.

Qun Qing unfolded it to look once, then held it before her eyes to look at it against the light, her upturned eyes producing several traces of bewilderment.

She hadn’t read it wrong, had she? A marriage decree.

Her name and Lu Huating’s name were listed together on the marriage decree, making her feel blood suddenly rush to the top of her head.

“Where is Lu Huating?” she asked Zhu Su.

Zhu Su didn’t quite dare raise his head to look at her expression: “The Chief Clerk went south with Prince Yan to suppress bandits. The Chief Clerk said in three days he will return to wed the lady.”