The palace was currently bustling with activity. The banquet was arranged in the open space at the center of the imperial garden. This area was extremely large – above, the bright moon and clear stars could be glimpsed, while fragrant flowers surrounded them. It was truly delightful.

Court officials took their seats one after another, chatting in small groups as the scene became lively.

Soon, Lian Jie, Lian Qin, and the Huo Chang’an couple arrived successively. Some officials actively approached them for warm greetings. Before long, a group of eunuchs and palace maids carrying ceremonial items arrived, followed by the Princess, the Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter Gu Shuangcheng, honored guest Miss Miao, and the imperial consorts, who took seats at various positions below the main table. Lian Yue accompanied Huo Chang’an to greet Murong Ai at her table, joking around with her. Wuyan’s seat was right beside Murong Ai’s. She remained silent, only lowering her head to drink.

Li Zhaoting methodically responded to officials on both sides, occasionally glancing at the table across from him.

Among all this, only the seat bearing Li Huaisu’s nameplate was not occupied by the person herself.

Xiao Zhou looked at Wuqing and said frantically: “What time is it now? Is that bastard coming or not? She said not to come but then said she would. Now she’s neither requested leave nor actually come – is she seeking death?”

Wuqing also frowned deeply. Just then, they heard eunuchs loudly announce: “His Majesty arrives, the Empress Dowager arrives – kneel!”

A sharp “hiss” suddenly pierced her eardrums. Suzhen jumped and looked outside to see Quan Feitong mounted on a horse, his white clothes shimmering.

The horse he rode was tall and spirited, sturdy and beautiful, with glossy black coat without a single stray hair. Though Suzhen knew nothing about horses, she could tell this was a fine steed.

She was greatly surprised, having thought Quan Feitong would have grooms drive a carriage to the palace. She hadn’t expected him to personally ride this treasure horse over.

Looking at Quan Feitong, a phrase naturally came to mind: the bearing of an immortal. Though she had no romantic thoughts about this scoundrel, everyone loves handsome men, so her face warmed slightly.

Quan Feitong happened to look her way. Suzhen naturally couldn’t let him know she was ogling his beauty, so she reached out to touch the horse to divert attention. The horse snorted loudly and gave her a cold look with an expression that said “dare touch me and see what happens.”

Suzhen was thoroughly deflated. Quan Feitong’s lips curved with amusement as he reached out: “With me here, Little Fairy won’t hurt you.”

Hearing its master call its name, the black horse was delighted and whinnied happily – completely different treatment from what it gave Suzhen.

Little—Fairy? So this horse was female?! No wonder… Suzhen finally found some comfort but hesitated: “We’ll ride together?”

This meant the two of them would be pressed together.

“You think I’m a corrupt minister, a corrupt official – would I be embarrassed not to have three to five good horses in my residence?” she asked again.

Quan Feitong leaned down, his gaze showing some malicious difficulty: “Tsk tsk, you think I want to ride with you? All my horses are skittish with strangers. If you ride alone, you’re guaranteed to fall. Want to go to the stables and try each one? I’m magnanimous – I don’t mind.”

He smiled and said to the black horse: “Darling, would you like to let this young lady ride you?”

Little Fairy seemed to understand his words, rearing up on her hind legs with a fierce “neigh,” looking extremely vicious. Suzhen silently wiped the dust kicked onto her face and had no more objections: “Come, Third Master, let’s ride together – proper resource allocation is more environmentally friendly.”

Quan Feitong’s lips curved slightly as he reached out and lifted her up. Suzhen landed securely in front of his chest, and the two rode off together.

Led by the steward, dozens of servants from Quan’s residence held lanterns in escort, all three main gates wide open. Those lanterns were like stars, and as they rode past, it was as if stars accompanied them all the way. The night breeze was gentle, lightly touching their bodies. Every pore felt refreshingly comfortable and moving. Suzhen couldn’t help but cry out in delight.

“Actually, wouldn’t being with me be quite nice?”

Just as she was somewhat intoxicated, Quan Feitong’s voice suddenly sounded overhead.

Still pillowed against someone’s chest and getting sentimental – how ridiculous! Suzhen quickly moved forward, but Quan Feitong followed suit, bringing his scent of pine-like clarity with him. She felt somewhat embarrassed and turned her head helplessly: “Third Master, could you please stop teasing me?”

Quan Feitong frowned painfully: “Which eye of yours saw me joking?”

Suzhen: “Damn, keep pretending.”

Quan Feitong suddenly sneered coldly: “You think I’m not telling the truth because you’ve never seriously considered getting close to someone like me, even discussing marriage, right?”

Honestly, Suzhen couldn’t tell when Quan Feitong was serious and when he was joking. Only the attacks he gave her in cases were real.

But looking at his expression now, it certainly didn’t seem like joking. But wasn’t that strange? What virtue or ability did she have to move him? And besides—

He was absolutely right – their positions and standings made it fundamentally impossible.

She still remembered those three innocent lives on his hands in the Mo Chou case – he killed them just to use their bodies as substitutes for Wu Niang and the others!

“You think I don’t know about that mess between you and Lian Yu? You really think my words with Lian Jie that day were sowing discord? The one who’s been hiding deep all along is Lian Yu. Which emperor doesn’t have blood on his hands? It’s just that patricide and usurpation are truly rare in history! But all my accounts are in the open, while his are buried deep.”

She felt shocked and angry: “You’re talking nonsense!”

Quan Feitong’s mockery intensified: “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not – you’re the Great Zhou’s Chief Judge. You can thoroughly investigate it yourself.”

Suzhen’s mind was in chaos when she saw him suddenly pull out a gold plaque from his robes, saying with a deep smile: “Quan Feitong requests audience with His Majesty. The late Emperor’s token is here – I may ride directly into the palace. Let us pass.”

Only then did Suzhen realize they had galloped to the palace gates. Quan Feitong was indeed a trusted minister of the late Emperor. The city guards respectfully received the gold plaque, briefly examined it and held it high to return, ordering soldiers to open the gates.

The most precious gift an emperor could bestow on a favored minister was never gold or silver treasure, but this kind of freedom to enter and exit the imperial city, to see the dragon without removing weapons.

She was about to ask if he had evidence when he had already pulled the reins and spurred his horse forward, racing into the vast night and deep palace.

In the imperial garden, everyone was performing the kneeling ceremony.

“Everyone rise.” Lian Yu nodded, his gaze sweeping over those below, darkening somewhat. Xiao’an’s gaze was sharp as she spoke lightly: “Oh, Premier Quan and… Chief Li didn’t come?”

She glanced at Yan Da with slight severity. Court officials requesting leave had to report to the Premier. Yan Da shook his head: “Neither Premier Quan nor Chief Li requested leave.”

Lian Xin stood up anxiously: “Mother, aren’t the Criminal Investigation Bureau people coming? Chief Li must be… sick. Wuqing, don’t you think so?”

Wuqing bowed to Xiao’an and Lian Yu: “Indeed, she’s very… severely ill.”

Lian Xin saw him speak while quickly glancing at her, her heart leaping. She suddenly thought these days of being confined in the palace had been worthwhile, feeling sweet inside.

Xiao Zhou had already taken up the conversation: “So Chief Li sent us to come and apologize to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager—”

“Wait!”

Before she could finish, they heard horse neighing. She jumped in fright as Quan Feitong and Suzhen dismounted one after another at the imperial garden entrance. Quan Feitong handed the reins to a eunuch and entered the banquet with Suzhen.

Xiao Zhou felt shock and anger, secretly looking toward the platform to see the Son of Heaven had already descended the steps.

Lian Yu walked before Quan Feitong, smiled slightly and said: “I thought Premier Quan was like Chief Li – sick, severely ill, unable to come.”

As he spoke, his eyes swept coldly past Suzhen.

Suzhen was truly both shocked and delighted – delighted that Lian Yu was at least acknowledging her, shocked that his gaze was no different from how Little Fairy had glared at her.

Quan Feitong saw everyone looking over, laughed heartily and bowed: “Your subject greets His Majesty.”

“Your subject isn’t sick – Chief Li is the one who’s sick. He slept most of the day at my residence. I was delayed caring for him, which is why we’re late. I hope His Majesty will forgive us.”

At these words, the astonished gazes originally divided between Suzhen and Quan Feitong all shifted – not toward Suzhen, but concentrating entirely on Lian Yu. Xiao’an also immediately frowned.

Everyone knew Li Huaisu’s relationship with the Son of Heaven was no longer what it once was due to poor case handling. Li Huaisu had chased the imperial carriage for several consecutive days after court sessions but to no avail. Everyone expected this drama to continue, but unexpectedly, he had switched to Premier Quan’s camp. Such public favor-currying was still rather bold. Even Huang Zhongyue, originally tonight’s main character, felt embarrassed to seek attention and first assessed the current situation.

Beside Li Zhaoting, Xiao Yue quietly laughed and asked: “Lord Li, has Premier Quan taken a disciple?”

Li Zhaoting smiled and made a shushing gesture: “Lord Xiao, discussing such things now might be inappropriate.”

Lian Yu lived up to expectations, turning to look at Suzhen and asking: “Chief Li is sick? Tell me, how did you end up at the Premier’s residence, troubling Premier Quan?”

Suzhen groaned inwardly – she knew Quan Feitong wouldn’t be so kind as to bring her here. One sentence collected principal and interest!

The air seemed frozen, Lian Yu’s entire being radiating bone-chilling coldness, yet he looked at her with a smile while asking.

She felt guilty, her gaze moving downward to see his hands clenched into fists. She dared not look further and immediately raised her head. She had absolutely no doubt that if her answer didn’t satisfy him, such a common romance novel scenario – him reaching out to strangle her – would definitely happen to her.

Of course, she wasn’t the female protagonist. The king wanted to strangle a traitor.

“Answer me!”

Lian Yu shouted sternly. Suzhen simply threw caution to the wind and replied: “Your Majesty, your subject doesn’t know how I got to the Premier’s residence. Your subject fainted in the palace today and woke up there.”

This was the truth! As Suzhen spoke, she glanced at Lian Yu. His expression remained grim. Then Quan Feitong smiled: “Your Majesty, I have camaraderie with Huaisu. Caring for a colleague is proper. Please don’t blame Chief Li. Tonight I came not only to celebrate Your Majesty’s success in the Minzhou cases, but also to request something.”

Quan Feitong finally showed some humanity. Suzhen relaxed slightly as Lian Yu looked toward Quan Feitong: “Please speak, Premier Quan.”

Quan Feitong smiled slightly: “Your subject requests Your Majesty grant a marriage to fulfill the long-delayed union between your subject and Miss Gu.”

These words were like oil hitting a simmering pot. Lian Yu immediately changed expression. Gu Shuangcheng left her seat and knelt before Lian Yu: “No, Your Majesty…”

Suzhen was shocked, then delighted: “Wonderful! Great joy, congratulations!”

Her voice was unusually loud, nearly drowning out Shuangcheng’s voice.

Thank you for reading. See you next chapter.