Chu Zhao didn’t continue practicing calligraphy. She took Xiao Yu to the Empress’s treasury to see what gifts could be selected.

Though Chu Zhao had spent much time away since becoming Empress, gifts due to the Empress had never been lacking. During festivals and her birthday, civil and military officials from various provinces and commanderies, aristocratic families and great clans, all sent presents.

Of course, compared to the Emperor’s treasury, this place was still somewhat empty—after all, Chu Zhao had only been Empress for a few years.

“Sister Chu,” Xiao Yu sighed similarly. “Come pick from my place too—I have so many, many things.”

Everything left behind by his parents, the late Emperor, and the previous Empress Dowager all belonged to him.

Chu Zhao smiled. “We don’t need that many. I’ll select one gift, and then A’Yu can bestow them with a piece of your calligraphy—that will be a treasure that can be passed down through their family.”

Xiao Yu nodded with a smile, then breathed a sigh of relief. “Fortunately I haven’t been idle these days. Master praised my calligraphy as getting better and better.”

“That’s good,” Chu Zhao also sighed in relief. “Though no one cares about His Majesty’s calligraphy quality, if His Majesty writes well, it also brings honor to my face.”

Xiao Yu laughed heartily. “I must bring Sister glory and distinction.”

He vaguely remembered that in childhood, his mother’s favorite thing was when his imperial grandfather praised him, and being able to make his mother happy was also his greatest joy.

How wonderful—though Mother was gone, he still had someone he could please, someone who could be pleased by him.

Compared to Chu Zhao and Xiao Yu chatting happily, A’Le seemed somewhat distracted and showed little interest in selecting gifts.

“Sister Chu,” Xiao Yu whispered to Chu Zhao, “A’Le doesn’t actually care about Miss A’Tang.”

The distracted A’Le immediately heard this and snorted. “I do care! Your Majesty, don’t speak nonsense!”

Xiao Yu stuck his tongue out at her and hid behind Chu Zhao’s back.

Chu Zhao laughed. “A’Le just has too many things she wants to prepare.” She looked at Xiao Yu. “And you—have you finished today’s schoolwork?”

Xiao Yu grinned. “Not yet—”

Chu Zhao reached out and tapped his forehead. “Then hurry and go.”

Xiao Yu covered his forehead, laughing as he ran outside.

Chu Zhao then called to A’Le. “Let’s go. We won’t select gifts today—let our A’Le rest her mind first.”

“Miss,” A’Le complained, “I’m not tired.”

At this point she sighed and tugged at Chu Zhao’s sleeve.

“Miss, I’m worried about you. Miss A’Tang is marrying—what will you do in the future?”

Chu Zhao stopped walking.

Xiao Yu, who had already walked outside, also stopped.

Seeing him stop, the eunuchs who had come to respectfully greet him also all stopped, deliberately holding their breath to remain silent and still.

A woman’s laugh came from inside the treasury. “What are you thinking? Why are you thinking about me marrying?”

A’Le shook her sleeve vigorously. “Miss, I’m being serious. Miss A’Tang has found someone she likes and is marrying. What about you? Will you be Empress for your whole life?”

Chu Zhao smiled. “A lifetime is very long.” She withdrew her sleeve. “Who knows? Perhaps—”

A’Le asked puzzled, “Perhaps what? Perhaps what? Miss, tell me.”

Chu Zhao only smiled without answering, clasping her hands behind her back as she swayed outside.

Perhaps she would marry too.

She stepped through the palace door to see Xiao Yu standing to the side. He grinned at her and pointed upward. “Sister, it’s time for lunch. Why don’t we eat first, then I’ll do my schoolwork?”

“Don’t even think about it,” Chu Zhao put on a stern face. “I’ll check your work in a bit. If it’s not done, you don’t get to eat.”

Xiao Yu took off running. “Must do schoolwork quickly, or go hungry—”

With his rapid footsteps, a group of eunuchs also jogged along, surrounding him.

Chu Zhao smiled, then seeing A’Le emerge with a determined expression, still wanting to ask, she lifted her skirt and ran off too.

A’Le felt both amused and exasperated, also running to chase after her.

In the spring palace, it was as if butterflies danced lightly.

Xiao Yu entered the bedchamber, and four or five eunuchs immediately swarmed forward—some bringing tea, some holding hand towels, some fanning, some holding incense, surrounding Xiao Yu in service yet not obstructing his path.

“Your Majesty, the imperial kitchen sent new pastries,” a eunuch said, presenting them. “This servant had them carved into little animals.”

Xiao Yu glanced at the plate and casually picked up a soft white pastry shaped like a rabbit with red eyes, tossing it into his mouth.

“Not bad, well done,” he said. “Little Xu is very thoughtful.”

The eunuch called Little Xu said happily, “As long as Your Majesty is happy. If Your Majesty likes it, this servant likes it.”

Xiao Yu said, “I like it.”

Though his mouth spoke of liking, his eyes held not a trace of joy. He sat in his chair, watching the eunuchs busily but orderly arrange his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

In this imperial city—no, everyone in the world was trying to please him, and he could please everyone in the world with just a casual word.

But they weren’t pleasing him—only the Emperor.

Only Sister Chu was different. In Sister Chu’s eyes, he wasn’t the Emperor—he was A’Yu.

If there were no Sister Chu, there would be no A’Yu in this world.

Sister Chu absolutely would not leave. Sister Chu would not marry. Sister Chu would always stay with him.

She must stay with him.

—

After returning, Chu Zhao didn’t need to do schoolwork, but she didn’t get to eat lunch on time either.

Ding Dachui and Counselor Yin brought the latest news about Merchant Yu.

“You actually managed to find something,” Chu Zhao was somewhat surprised.

Ever since Zhong Changrong narrowly escaped harm and after Liang Qiang’s secret report, the Imperial Guard had been secretly investigating, but they were always one step behind. The Yunzhong Commandery side showed no problems no matter how they investigated. On the capital side, because Merchant Yu hadn’t returned for so long, his family had sold their shop to search for him, then disappeared. Even the neighbors had moved away, replaced by new people.

Chu Zhao wasn’t surprised by this result.

Anyone capable of such deeds, once they sensed something wrong with Merchant Yu and the failed attempt on Zhong Changrong’s life, would naturally erase traces promptly.

Actually, at first she wasn’t surprised because she’d experienced that previous life and knew the Liang family had harmed Uncle Zhong, with Xiao Xun as the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

But in this life, Liang Qiang had defected to attack Xiao Xun. If it really was Xiao Xun’s arrangement, and Xiao Xun himself was about to die, why would he let Liang Qiang live?

“Merchant Yu did small business and didn’t interact much with the capital’s major merchants, but he was amiable, which left an impression on the wharf laborers,” Ding Dachui said. “Our team member pursuing the investigation found a bit of information about Merchant Yu from a laborer’s casual remark.”

“When Merchant Yu left the capital two years ago, he carried a bottle of wine, calling it ‘immortal’s brew’ gifted by an immortal,” Counselor Yin continued. “We speculate this should have been farewell wine, perhaps given by his master.”

“So we investigated all the wine shops, tea houses, and even aristocratic family banquets in the capital during those few days,” Ding Dachui said.

This was no easy task—this was searching for a needle in a haystack. Chu Zhao looked at them.

“We found the needle,” Counselor Yin said, producing two thick ledgers with the words “Lotus Pool Pavilion” on them. “During those few days, Merchant Yu frequented several wine shops. At one of them, Liang Qiang was also there.”

The capital was so large, and there were only so many famous wine shops. People meeting was inevitable, but when people did meet, it was never merely coincidence.

Chu Zhao looked at the ledgers without speaking. These were Lotus Pool Pavilion’s reservation draft ledger and account books.

“Liang Qiang had just been enfeoffed as Roving General at that time. These young gentlemen hosted a banquet for him,” Ding Dachui said. “We’ve already investigated those families and haven’t found any problems yet.”

“Merchant Yu doesn’t appear in the ledgers. An old woman selling flowers at the wine shop remembered him because he accidentally bumped into her. To apologize, he took a bunch of flowers from her and paid her double. The old woman never forgot this kind person,” Counselor Yin said quietly, while thinking to himself that clearly if one was working as someone’s agent, one shouldn’t try to be a good person—

“He wasn’t trying to be a good person,” Ding Dachui said. “He was merely crafting the appearance of a good person, an honest person, an ordinary person. This was behavior to conceal his true identity. One can only say that once something is done, it will inevitably leave traces.”

Counselor Yin agreed, then said, “We only know that both Merchant Yu and Liang Qiang were at Lotus Pool Pavilion at that moment, but we haven’t discovered any contact between them.” He pointed at the ledger. “We’re carefully investigating all the guests at the pavilion that night, but—so much time has passed, there will likely be omissions.”

Chu Zhao smiled faintly. “There will definitely be omissions, because some establishments have private guests and won’t leave any records.”

Counselor Yin nodded. His concern was precisely this. Moreover, they couldn’t actually arrest and interrogate all the master and servants of Lotus Pool Pavilion. These ledgers were stolen by them—they feared alerting the enemy.

“Then let’s continue striking the grass that’s already been disturbed,” Chu Zhao said. “Summon Liang Qiang.”