Chao Huang’s expression was somewhat complex as he glanced at Suzhen, but still went to handle the matter immediately.
Though she was grateful, Suzhen still helplessly shrank back: “Third Master, can’t you just talk without all the physical contact?”
Quan Feitong chuckled: “Secrets naturally require shoulder-to-shoulder whispering. Have you ever heard anyone shouting secrets loudly?”
There were two people Suzhen didn’t much argue with—one was Little Zhou beside her, and the other was also beside her: this Third Master.
When two more officials passed by, glancing at her with strange, scrutinizing looks before hurrying past, Suzhen wanted to ask if she was wearing her underwear outside or had sores on her face. Though the entire Ministry of Justice both feared and dreaded Quan Feitong, Wuqing and Little Zhou almost simultaneously inquired: “Does Minister Quan know what happened? Has our master caused trouble again?”
Quan Feitong habitually touched his nose without directly answering, instead saying something else: “Even if Chao Huang goes to ask, it’s probably useless. From what I can see, among those who know something’s amiss, none seem to be my people.”
Wuqing signaled Tieshou and Zhuiming with his eyes. They immediately intercepted two court officials to question them, but returned empty-handed.
Indeed, soon Chao Huang returned, frowning: “Big Brother, Zhaoting and the others have arrived. But he, Minister Liang from Personnel, Minister Zhu from Rites, and many of our people don’t know either. I didn’t continue asking.”
Quan Feitong asked again: “What about the emperor’s side?”
“I see Murong Jinghou, Si Lanfeng, Gao Chaoyi and others seem normal. Yan Da, Lian Jie and others haven’t arrived yet.”
“What about Huang Zhongyue, Cai Beitang and others? And Wei Chenghui?”
“The Huang and Cai duo haven’t arrived. This Grand Secretary Wei did come, but you know—the old fox is always cunning and loves acting mysterious. Can’t tell anything.”
Quan Feitong frowned deeper, sneering coldly: “At least currently, two of the three factions seem normal. How very strange.”
At this moment, Leng Xue quietly pulled Suzhen aside: “For now, listen to Quan Feitong—don’t attend court today.”
Suzhen had a criminal record—returning home without gifts, only wounds, making everyone deeply worried she’d caused some trouble. More troubling, even she didn’t know what.
“This minister will go see. You stay put.” Quan Feitong wasted no words, taking Chao Huang up the long stone steps into the Golden Throne Hall.
On the way up, encountering Li Zhaoting, Quan Feitong instructed: “Today’s atmosphere is quite unusual. Since you and she are old acquaintances, perhaps she’ll listen to your words. Have her return home first.”
Li Zhaoting agreed, walking down with mild concern on his face: “It’s probably about yesterday’s inner palace incident spreading. It’s nothing. Our side already knew, so naturally we’re not surprised.”
Suzhen had been considering whether to leave, but being decisive by nature, hearing this created some hesitation—after all, being spoiled and frequently absent wasn’t good.
At this moment, a palace eunuch hurried out announcing: “His Majesty is about to arrive. All officials stand ready.”
Glancing at Suzhen, he shrilled: “Sir, what are you dawdling there for? Quickly follow this slave—His Majesty is coming!”
Li Zhaoting smiled slightly: “I’ll go ahead.”
Seeing this, Suzhen told Wuqing and others, lifted her robe hem slightly, and also hurried forward—that determined posture like an agile little frog.
Little Zhou comforted everyone: “It’s fine. Let’s wait in the side hall first.”
If something happened, she should receive news.
Leng Xue and others felt slightly relieved, only Wuqing’s eyes held some dark condensation, indescribable and unclear.
In the Golden Throne Hall, though some officials whispered and conferred, the subsequently arriving Yan Da, plus Lian Jie and Lian Qin who emerged with Lian Yu from the inner hall, all appeared normal. Soon several more officials hurried in, and like usual, court began under solemn, serious atmosphere. Suzhen thought she’d indeed been overcautious.
After sitting, Lian Yu glanced at her lightly, his lips holding a faint smile. But immediately after, he seemed to notice something, his gaze flickering slightly: “Do ministers have memorials to present? If so, present them. If not, continue discussing previous matters of streamlining provincial officials, restructural frameworks, and southern flood relief measures.”
“Your Majesty,” Minister of Revenue Huang Zhongyue stepped forward quickly: “This minister has a memorial to present.”
“Speak.”
“Your Majesty, last night this minister received secret intelligence that in the previous Feng family treason case, the Feng family wasn’t completely exterminated. A Feng family orphan still roams free, and according to reports, this beast is hiding in our very court—none other than the current top scholar, Capital Magistrate Li Huaisu!”
This three-dynasty veteran minister’s voice rang like a bell, like an iron hammer striking a massive bronze drum, echoing through the ornate, gold-decorated palace hall.
Striking directly into everyone’s hearts, scattering their souls.
Immediately after, another official stepped forward: “Your Majesty, this minister also has a memorial. This minister also received secret intelligence about Li Huaisu being a Feng family orphan.”
“Your Majesty, this minister has a memorial!”
“Your Majesty…”
“This minister has a memorial…”
“This minister received secret intelligence…”
In moments, like a parade, seventeen ministers consecutively stepped forward, solemnly reporting the same content as Huang Zhongyue.
Their voices echoed endlessly in the Golden Throne Hall, lingering like music!
“What…”
“Magistrate Li is actually a woman? A woman as official—isn’t that like a hen crowing at dawn?”
“Li Huaisu is a rebel’s descendant, a Feng family orphan?”
“So the Feng family remnant isn’t dead! She must be plotting to harm His Majesty and overthrow our Great Zhou!”
After a frozen silence, like oil hitting a hot pan, though Lian Yu said nothing, all officials were in uproar—left and right conferring, expressions varied: shock, doubt, anger—all displayed magnificently.
Suzhen had imagined hundreds of ways her identity might be revealed, but never in court, before all officials, accused by Huang Tianba’s uncle.
How did Huang Zhongyue know her identity?!
Could he have discovered she was the one who incriminated his nephew, then secretly searched for evidence against her, following clues to uncover her secret?
But she’d hidden it well—how could he easily discover it?
Could there be this old schemer’s confidant in her residence? Were Little Zhou or Wuqing truly someone’s spy, overhearing her conversations with Leng Xue?
But they didn’t seem like it, really didn’t. Or as she’d fantasized, had one of them deceived her?
Or had someone who knew her secret leaked it… but only two people in the world knew: Leng Xue and Li Zhaoting. Leng Xue had accompanied her since childhood. Li Zhaoting—she’d known him over ten years, he’d helped her several times. How could he harm her? No, it couldn’t be them, shouldn’t be them.
Who was it? How was the secret leaked? Had father’s forged identity somehow been flawed, discovered by someone with ulterior motives? That dull hammer seemed to strike her skull, leaving no time to think. Her lips moved slightly but seemed frozen as everything spun before her eyes. Left eye twitching for material loss, right eye for disaster—indeed… She swallowed, trying to meet all officials’ gazes fearlessly.
Particularly watching Li Zhaoting.
What to do now?!
But the first familiar person to look at her was Quan Feitong, standing in the front position. His dark eyes scattered some surprise and amusement, but more was deep complexity she could hardly fathom. He quickly glanced at Li Zhaoting.
She more urgently searched for Li Zhaoting’s gaze, yet dared not look too openly. She didn’t care about others’ looks—she needed to find some guidance in his eyes on how to avoid implicating him.
Over ten years of feelings weren’t trivial. He might not love her, but to her, his safety was as important as the Feng family case.
Unfortunately, Li Zhaoting didn’t look at her. He slightly turned sideways, seeming to observe her while pondering something, their gazes not meeting.
She had no more time to seek information from him, couldn’t even feel angry at Huang Zhongyue’s slight smile or the shrewd malice in his murky old eyes.
The gazes falling on her head were like torrential rain—violent, cold, and piercing. She breathed deeply and looked up. On that high phoenix throne, on either side of the emperor, Qinglong and Baihu’s expressions were like those officials’—shocked and strange.
And Lian Yu had somehow risen, hands tightly gripping the armrests. His thin lips were taut, eyes narrowed to slits, like sharp, cold blades cutting into her—a feeling beyond description: shock, rage, coldness, or something else.
Suzhen only knew she was alarmed, shivering from her very depths.
If she could somewhat read Quan Feitong’s gaze, Lian Yu’s was completely incomprehensible. She only felt it very strange because in it, she saw killing intent.
So this was his reaction to learning her identity.
But murderous intent was something she’d never imagined among her hundreds of guesses.
Suzhen smiled to mask her fear and tension, trying to meet his gaze as calmly as possible, as if returning to that day’s palace examination, waiting for him to decide her entire fate.
But her hands trembled uncontrollably.
Finally, even the fearful officials fell silent, the surroundings again deadly quiet. The emperor’s voice came coldly from the throne: “Li Huaisu, come forward and tell me—who exactly are you? Do you recognize that minister with your identical surname standing in the hall!”