“I think this competition can be divided into two groups – one being Princess Imperial and Consort Wei, and the other being we few. Princess Xin can serve as witness.”

After Miao Yin spoke, everyone tensed, and Lian Yue and Wuyan’s expressions changed slightly upon hearing this, but they quickly returned to normal.

Suzhen thought to herself that this Prime Minister’s daughter was indeed extremely perceptive. Judging from Lian Yue’s expression, she seemingly didn’t know the specific entanglement between Lian Yue and Wuyan. This could be considered a secret of the Great Zhou royal family, impossible to share with outsiders, but she had observed the undercurrents between the two in the prison that day.

She stood up and said: “I withdraw. Please continue your discussion, sisters. Huaisu has no standing to be here.”

“Why not? If you’re also a woman, if you also love the Sixth Young Master, then it’s relevant. Does Minister Li dare say otherwise?”

Miao Yin intercepted her, her eyes sharp, hitting the nail on the head.

Murong Xi suddenly stood up: “No wonder I’ve been feeling uneasy – you’re actually a woman, and His Majesty treats you…”

She didn’t want to continue speaking and gave a slight cold laugh. Lian Yu had always been good to Wuyan, and Wuyan was her great enemy. All these years, she had never mentioned A Luo, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know about A Luo’s matter. Shuangcheng was A Luo’s sister – how could Lian Yu not have thoughts? Now there was another troublesome Miao Yin, and Lian Yu was also interested in this Huaisu. Otherwise, yesterday he couldn’t have carried her up to the rooftop in full view of everyone, setting her heart at ease!

“The Great Zhou has laws – women whose fathers and brothers have no official rank or merit cannot be selected as consorts,” Lian Yue sipped her tea, her thick eyelashes lowering as she smiled: “To approach the Son of Heaven, this is indeed a good method. Such boldness and courage are beyond ordinary people.”

How could Suzhen not hear the barbs in her words? Lian Yue was born of a concubine but deeply won Xiao’an’s heart, yet Xiao’an didn’t like her after learning she was a woman. She looked at Miao Yin and replied seriously: “I already have someone in my heart – it’s not His Majesty. I’m not the Sixth Young Master’s woman. Between us, it’s only ruler and minister.”

Everyone saw that she enjoyed great favor. Not to mention the emperor’s status, Lian Yu himself was an elegant gentleman. Looking at her ordinary appearance, they were all shocked that she could say such words, standing up one after another in astonishment.

But since she could speak such words, it didn’t seem like joking.

Suzhen smiled self-mockingly and was about to leave when she happened to raise her head, and her steps could no longer move an inch – if the courtyard was full of women, then outside the courtyard gate were almost all men. All the men staying at this courier station.

Lian Yu had somehow led people over.

It turned out Miao Yin had more guests.

She took a deep breath but still couldn’t stop her heart from turning cold.

For a moment, she didn’t dare look at Lian Yu’s expression, but even that fleeting glance of the coldness in his eyes and the mockery at the corner of his mouth made her feel like falling into an ice cave.

Turning her head slightly, she saw Quan Feitong looking at her with what seemed like a smile, and Li Zhaoting’s gaze clearly showed a trace of surprise.

Miao Yin also hadn’t expected to be caught at this exact moment. She had originally wanted to establish her reputation through genuine competition and show Lian Yu that she was worthy of him.

This result was unexpected. People always have selfish motives – if she said she wasn’t secretly pleased, that would be lying. She also disdained to do hypocritical things, but she felt it necessary to explain: “I invited His Majesty, the princes, and all the ministers to also serve as witnesses.”

But these words seemed unheard, as a sudden austere chill enveloped the entire courtyard, covering everything.

Lian Qin kept signaling to Lian Jie with his eyes until they nearly twitched, but Lian Jie had no reaction. Finally, he could only spread his hands with an extremely ugly expression.

Everyone paid their respects to Lian Yu. Without a word, he merely waved his hand slightly to let everyone rise. He strode to the women’s table and slowly sat down, casually picking up an empty teacup before finally speaking amid the deathly silence.

“You may all withdraw first. Regarding Court Judge Li’s Minshan case, I have matters to discuss with Court Judge Li.”

The words carried a hint of malice, and people instantly dispersed.

“Kneel!”

Another command. Suzhen obeyed and knelt before the man in front of her: “Stone, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend in public. I thought we were at least friends…”

“What? I order you to observe ruler-minister etiquette, and now you finally remember that between you and me, it’s not only ruler and minister?”

Lian Yu was further provoked by her words, that flame at the tip of his heart igniting. He sneered and asked back, raising his cup to drink tea. The freshly brewed scalding liquid quickly burned his mouth. He flung his hand, and the teacup flew straight toward Suzhen’s face. This wasn’t Suzhen’s first time encountering such a situation. She panicked for a moment but didn’t dare dodge. That day in the imperial study, she didn’t dare, and now she dared even less.

She needed to give him somewhere to vent his anger!

She watched helplessly as the cup approached her face but was suddenly knocked down by something. Only warm tea splashed on her face, stinging but not enough to disfigure her – she was stunned, discovering Lian Yu held several pickled green apricots in his hand, and one such thing lay on the ground.

He ultimately hadn’t been truly vicious to her. He sat in front, his tall, slender body wrapped in white brocade robes with blue bamboo embroidered at the collar. His face was iron-blue as he stared intently at her, floating light in his eyes carrying murderous intent. But he just sat there quietly, except for several sour apricots rolling between his fingers. A sweet taste suddenly surged from her throat, and she suddenly felt that having the teacup smash into her face would have been more bearable.

“So the letter you sent me already foretold this. I was still wondering if you’d finally grown a conscience. Li Huaisu, being too calculating really isn’t good.”

Lian Yu spoke with a smile, pulling a note from his chest and throwing it on the ground.

Suzhen swallowed and slowly picked up the letter – it was what she had written overnight before tossing and turning to sleep, having a servant deliver it to him.

“If I ever offend you again in the future, as long as it doesn’t violate national law, for the sake of our past friendship, could you overlook my small offenses? Regarding my family’s case, if it’s unjust, would you permit me to overturn it and ensure fair, unbiased treatment, truly loving your subjects?”

He later had Baihu send back a note.

The note contained nothing else, only a few brief words: “Read and approved.” The handwriting was vigorous and bold, penetrating the paper.

Wuyan had already married him as wife. Now that she knew this lady was determined to abandon her past connection with Huo Chang’an, she couldn’t interfere further. Besides, between her and Lian Yu there were already thousands of mountains and rivers.

Perhaps she ultimately didn’t love him.

She suddenly thought this, though her eyes stung.

But she had to leave herself a way out, so she wrote that letter.

“Who is he?”

Lian Yu released his grip, scattering the apricots in his hand, and suddenly stood to ask.

“There’s no one…”

He coldly interrupted her: “The person you called out to in your dream – who is he?”

“No one.”

“Good. Don’t let me find out who he is.”

“Even if there really is someone, would you do such despicable things?”

Suzhen asked hoarsely. Lian Yu watched her chest rise and fall, so nervous and cautious, and suddenly laughed: “Li Huaisu, I, Lian Yu, truly don’t need you specifically! So fickle, so sentimental – you’re no longer the Li Huaisu I knew.”

Suzhen asked quietly: “So will you go back on what you wrote in the note? You also definitely won’t approve overturning my family’s wrongful case?”

“You have someone in your heart. Since you don’t love me, you previously submitted to me only to overturn the case – that truly wronged you. Finally, you can’t bear it anymore. My taking Miao Yin gave you a good excuse.”

“All this time, since I was just degrading myself, since ruler-minister is what you want, then I’ll fulfill your wish. Rest assured, I won’t go back on what I wrote. Regarding your family’s case, I still say the same – as long as your family is wronged, I’ll permit you to overturn it.”

“Is there only you in this world who cannot be replaced? But don’t you find your own behavior despicable?”

“However, who that person is – truly don’t let me find out.” After Lian Yu spoke coldly, he finally stopped lingering, turned and left without looking back.

Suzhen slowly rose. In her letter, she had said “my family,” not the Xia family.

Finally, she had fulfilled her filial duty and righteousness toward Wuyan.

“I actually don’t love Lian Yu. I’ve loved Zhaoting for so many years – how could I suddenly change? Just because someone is very, very good doesn’t mean you should like them, right…”

She murmured, something suddenly sliding from her throat. She spat on the ground, quietly watching the tea leaves on the ground turn red and dark. Supporting herself against the ground, she stood up, picked up the green apricots one by one, put them in her chest, and quickly left the courtyard.

She walked back to her room to find many more guards outside the corridor, all looking at her coldly and sternly. She figured Lian Jie and Lian Qin had sent them – what made Lian Yu a king was precisely that kind of bearing.

She pushed the door and entered. Leng Xue was waiting for her inside. Seeing her enter, his expression changed as he touched her hair: “Zhen’er, are you alright? Why is your complexion so pale?”

Suzhen smiled and shook her head: “Maybe I caught a chill. I’ll write a prescription for you in a moment – please get me some medicine.”

Leng Xue nodded, then asked worriedly: “There are suddenly many soldiers outside, saying they’re protecting your safety, but they don’t look like it with their threatening manner. Do you know what’s happening?”