Who else but Lian Yu could be holding Li Huaisu?

Everyone was furious. Suzhen made a face at them. Lian Qin was so angry he tore at his hair, but Lian Yu said: “You all withdraw first.”

In the end, they were dismissed. Leaving the gate, Lian Qin grabbed Lian Jie’s shoulder: “What should we do? Sixth Brother still says he knows his responsibilities, but this…”

Feeling something was amiss, he looked at Qinglong, White Tiger, and Xuanwu: “Why aren’t you suddenly nervous anymore?”

“We were anxious earlier, and Li Huaisu was deliberately provocative. Now thinking carefully, the master has his own sense of propriety in handling affairs,” Xuanwu said, his gaze straightening as he looked toward Lian Jie.

Lian Jie nodded: “Indeed so. However, this matter still needs discussion with Wuyan, Ming Chuyan, and A Gu. At this point, only Wuyan and she can divert Sixth Brother’s attention.”

Everyone felt a chill and nodded one after another.

Going up to the roof to chat was meant to avoid awkward situations. Suzhen hadn’t expected to end up being carried back to the room by Lian Yu and tucked back into bed.

Lian Yu still sat on the bed’s edge, looking at her indifferently.

She couldn’t help feeling embarrassed: “Wouldn’t it be better to chat outside?”

“It’s cold outside, bad for your injuries,” Lian Yu explained matter-of-factly. “I currently don’t plan to do anything to you. If I really wanted to do something to you, I could do it whether on the roof or anywhere else.”

Suzhen was greatly embarrassed, her face immediately heating up. Looking at Lian Yu, she saw mockery in his eyes, yet he slowly reached out to tuck in her blanket properly.

Her emotions became extremely complex with this gesture, no longer feeling any joy from the moment she recognized who he was.

She had thought she could gain some old affection, perhaps three or four parts of support.

Beyond being enemies, he was still her friend—a very good friend.

She looked up at him. The person before her was elegant and handsome, refined and graceful—impossible to connect with that pockmarked, bad-tempered, cold and hard little beggar from that day.

“Stone, have all the sores on your face healed…”

She couldn’t help but blurt out. Only after speaking did she realize she had actually reached out, almost touching his face. Startled, she quickly withdrew, but it was too late—her hand was already grasped by Lian Yu.

Suzhen was both panicked and alarmed. She had wanted to tell him she liked Stone, considering him a very good friend…

Lian Yu’s gaze was instantly bright and compelling. He forcibly gripped her hand and guided it to caress his face. Suzhen felt as if burned by fire, feeling that hand leading hers over every inch of skin on his face—smooth and warm.

“Those disgusting sores were caused by medicine I asked the imperial physicians for before leaving the palace.”

The calluses on his palm rubbed against her skin… she heard his deep voice slowly explaining.

Why would he do that? Suzhen was startled, almost asking aloud, but he was enemy, not friend. How could she soften her heart? She finally stopped herself, only saying quietly: “For the sake of our past friendship, can’t you let me leave?”

This was no longer the Guixiang House where she’d lost consciousness—it was some unknown compound. She vaguely understood that Lian Yu intended to imprison her here. Not only could she not restore Li Huaisu’s identity, but even her freedom would no longer be her own.

Lian Yu’s heart sank as he raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly.

He had already seen that she couldn’t remember what happened five years ago. No matter—his appearance had changed.

But she dared to speak nonsense, saying she liked him.

He knew she harbored ill intentions.

A Luo had also spoken about not accepting that only men could be officials.

His sister Lianyue had said it, and even Wuyan had said it.

But the one who actually did it was only her!

He was angry at her boldness, but more than that, he was wildly happy—simply because she was a woman.

In their past interactions, she had been the domineering one. He originally didn’t want her to remember that past, lest she become proud and no longer fear him—taming and controlling her would be difficult.

But ultimately, he deliberately brought up the past.

Hoping she would trust him and tell him the truth about coming to the capital for examinations. Hoping she wasn’t an enemy but had other difficulties. Hoping she would no longer be so disgusted by him. Hoping to close the distance between them.

But she only used that past as a bargaining chip, not out of concern, not asking about his affairs.

He threw off her hand: “Since you want to use our past relationship to negotiate prices, then I’ll tell you clearly—at most, that can buy you your life. If you want to regain freedom, give yourself to me.”

Suzhen was stunned: “What are you saying…”

Lian Yu’s lips curved upward, but his gaze held a hint of viciousness: “Didn’t you say you liked me?”

“I admit I lied. But at least now, I thought we were friends.”

Suzhen bit her teeth. This time, she chose to tell him the truth. Because he wasn’t just an enemy and emperor—he was also a friend.

“If we’re friends, then tell me why you took the imperial examinations and why you approached me.”

Lian Yu reached out to grasp her chin.

But Suzhen could only smile bitterly. The truth? How could she tell him the truth?

Enduring the pain in her jaw, she steeled her heart: “I didn’t approach you for political purposes. Why I took the examinations—someday I’ll tell you, but not today. Your Majesty, since you dared make me the top scholar then, don’t you dare keep me by your side now?”

But Lian Yu laughed: “Provocation won’t work on me, and I won’t force you. I never force women and won’t break that precedent with you. If you want to regain freedom, exchange it for what I want. If you want to return to court, please me. Whether to share my bed or not—you have one night to consider. Have Tiger give me your answer.”

Suzhen stared blankly as he got up and left.

Why was he so persistent? When Zhaoting found her so distasteful, was she worth his affection?

Share his bed… She gripped her collar tightly, her whole body trembling. How had it come to this? What should she do?

That same evening, at the Prime Minister’s residence.

Quan Feitong smiled: “I’ll give you time. I’ll go out first.”

“It wouldn’t be proper for Shuangcheng to go to Zhaoting’s residence, so I had to borrow Senior Brother’s place. I’m troubling Senior Brother again this time.”

Li Zhaoting bowed his head in salute. Quan Feitong waved his hand and strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.

The room instantly became quiet and intimate, candlelight illuminating the woman’s beautiful face—it was Shuangcheng.

She frowned slightly, but her gaze remained clear and bright: “Zhaoting, what urgent matter made Senior Brother’s palace contacts notify me so urgently?”

Li Zhaoting looked at the slightly flickering candlelight, then slowly focused on Shuangcheng: “I once promised you a lifetime alliance, to protect you well. Now that you’re deep in the palace, I can do nothing and still need you to risk coming out.”

Gu Shuangcheng shook her head and smiled: “I once agreed to spend my life with you, but after much deliberation, I ultimately went back on my word, unable to return your affection. It was I who wronged you. Just tell me whatever it is. My current situation may not allow me to help, but if I can, I’ll go through fire and water without hesitation.”

“I want to ask Shuangcheng to put in a good word and have His Majesty show mercy to Li Huaisu, sparing his life.”

Gu Shuangcheng was shocked: “Why would His Majesty sentence Li Huaisu to death?”