She suddenly wanted to see him quickly, but she’d have to wait until tomorrow’s court session.

“Miss, may this servant come in?” Outside the door came Ming Yanchu’s careful voice.

Suzhen had already changed into her dress, her gaze falling on the bed where last night’s torn clothes had vanished. Feeling slightly puzzled, she answered: “You may enter.”

When Ming Yanchu entered, he held a bowl of steaming hot soup, saying softly: “His Majesty also prepared soup for Miss. Please eat before leaving.”

Suzhen smiled, remembering his “abuse” from last night, thinking this must be normal food. Was he also feeling that last night was wrong? She sat down and began drinking heartily. After a few sips, she finally couldn’t help asking: “Eunuch Ming, what is this soup? Why does it have such a bitter, sour medicinal taste?”

This time, Ming Yanchu didn’t answer.

Suzhen never hesitated when facing important matters. Ming Yanchu disguised it too well, still smiling, but she caught the flash of complexity in his eyes. Though she knew Lian Yu wouldn’t harm her, she still put down the soup bowl and asked alertly: “Please tell me, what exactly is in this bowl?”

“It’s medicinal cuisine to prevent pregnancy, from the palace’s old imperial physician, with gentle and mild medicinal properties that won’t harm the body in the slightest…”

Finally, Ming Yanchu sighed and answered quietly.

Suzhen’s mind went completely blank for a moment. After a long while, she asked with a smile: “Would you like to tell me that it also tastes better than common folk’s abortion medicine, and after drinking it, the aftertaste lingers?”

Yes, she was inexperienced in matters of love, while he was not limited to her alone—naturally he understood these things. So she had forgotten to think about whether they might have children. In fact, she wasn’t prepared to have children either, but he absolutely didn’t want them.

So he had made her drink the medicine without a word, then had Ming Yanchu tell her what it was.

Was giving everything the price of her vindication? Did what he wanted differ completely from what she wanted? She sought a lifetime together, but was he really planning only three years? After three years when he tired of her, would they have no further connection?

So he repeatedly emphasized that if she were replaced by another woman, she wouldn’t be far from death. Because if he no longer loved her, he would kill her? Send her and her parents and brothers to their deaths together?

She knew he loved her, but not as much as she thought he did, right?

Only by never being surpassed could she achieve all her aspirations?

Lian Yu, what am I to you in your heart?

She asked herself.

Ming Yanchu remained silent beside her. He knew very clearly when to speak and when not to.

Suzhen glanced at Ming Yanchu. So she had overthought it, and Ming Yanchu had too. What nonsense about her being White Tiger’s master—she was just an ordinary person, no different from his other women, perhaps even inferior. She laughed quietly: “Eunuch Ming, I indeed shouldn’t presume upon his favor.”

She lowered her head and drank all the remaining medicinal soup, finally wiping her mouth and turning the bowl upside down—not a drop of liquid remained.

“Thus… Eunuch Ming can complete his mission. Huaisu will leave first. Tomorrow I will attend court as usual. Please tell His Majesty that serving the ruler for the people, Huaisu will not disappoint him.”

“Thank you, Miss.” Ming Yanchu answered in his thin voice. Hearing her speak of her promise and remembering Lian Yu’s instructions, he called after her: “Miss, His Majesty has one more instruction.”

“Please speak.” Suzhen had reached the door and turned back to ask coolly.

“His Majesty orders that the agreement between him and Miss cannot be told to anyone, especially not the Empress Dowager, Seventh Prince, and Ninth Prince.”

Suzhen’s ears rang. What did he mean by this? Was this his warning to her again that if she were truly replaced by someone else, his promise wouldn’t count? Nor would it need to be announced publicly?

“Fine.” She answered with clenched fists, turned and strode out.

“Miss, these clothes and jewelry—His Majesty instructed that you take them…” Ming Yanchu called out anxiously.

“No need. I don’t need them. Please thank him for me.”

Suzhen’s voice came from far outside the door, sounding hoarse and unclear.

Ming Yanchu took the empty bowl and walked out silently.

Passing through the upper floor, the innkeeper and his wife warmly greeted him. Earlier, following Lian Yu’s instructions, he had given them a reward of one hundred taels. The room and food for the night cost only half a tael of silver, so naturally the innkeeper couple were delighted.

The woman asked: “When will the gentleman and his wife come again? Just send someone to give word, and this humble woman will immediately have the room cleaned spotlessly.”

Ming Yanchu smiled politely: “This servant thanks the lady on behalf of my master. They may come, or perhaps they won’t come again.”

“This…” The woman sighed. She was quite fond of that young gentleman—not in a romantic sense, just pure affection. The innkeeper was displeased: “Hey, if you keep this up, I might start finding that young lady familiar too.”

“You dare!”

Ming Yanchu smiled silently and got into a carriage in the back alley.

Qinglong was driving in front. Inside the carriage, Xuanwu and White Tiger attended at his sides. He placed the bowl on the small table before Lian Yu, reporting: “This servant has handled everything as instructed by Master.”

Lian Yu sat in the center, not replying, his gaze falling coolly on the empty bowl. “How is she?”

“Not well. She also refused the rewards Master bestowed.”

Ming Yanchu thought for a moment before finding what he considered a suitable word to describe it.

Lian Yu said nothing. After a long while, he finally spoke: “Xuanwu, send word to the Imperial Guards that they need not go confiscate the residence.”

“Little Chu, go to the Court of Judicial Review later to relay a message. I don’t care what she thinks—the agreement was something she agreed to herself. That sort of thing… whether she’s willing or not, it will be unavoidable in the future.”

Xuanwu’s body shuddered, Ming Yanchu’s face turned red and green, and he looked miserable as he agreed. Today this Judge Li probably already disliked him greatly—how could he possibly voice this instruction about the unavoidable intimate relations?

White Tiger looked at the bowl on the table and lowered her eyes.

Ming Yanchu remembered something that seemed strange and asked quietly: “What agreement did Master actually make with Judge Li? That even Seventh Prince and Ninth Prince cannot be told?”

Xuanwu and White Tiger looked at each other, both gazing at Lian Yu with some surprise and suspicion.

Lian Yu’s eyes darkened. “Little Chu, you’re talking more and more.”

His voice was like cold ice, immediately frightening them all into silence.

After a moment, Lian Yu asked Ming Yanchu whether Miaoyin and Gu Shuangcheng had returned to the palace.

Ming Yanchu hesitated slightly: “Miss Miao was furious. She seemed to be acquainted with Li Zhaoting. When he came over to greet her, Miss Miao appeared to have private relations with him and left together. Miss Miao was in her anger and forbade us from following. Since Li Zhaoting is after all a court official, there shouldn’t be any danger on the surface, so we let them go. Miss Gu has been escorted back to the palace and was given a flower lantern.”

Lian Yu: “What a Young Master Li.”

Xuanwu asked quietly: “Master, this Li Zhaoting… do you need us to handle him?”

His eyes showed killing intent. Lian Yu’s gaze was also extremely cold. He remained silent for a long time while everyone waited anxiously. Ming Yanchu was about to speak recklessly when Lian Yu spoke first: “Before last night, I also considered killing him, but now, that’s not possible. Wait until we confront Quan Feitong directly, then move to bring him down. This person is also a character.”

He raised an eyebrow coldly. Everyone looked at each other. Ming Yanchu frowned and asked: “Is Master afraid Judge Li will be unhappy?”

Lian Yu didn’t answer.

But the three immediately understood his meaning. They wanted to kill this man because he was Quan Feitong’s right-hand man and also Feng Suzhen’s former lover. But once this man died, Feng Suzhen…

Everyone felt an indescribable feeling, but Lian Yu had always been decisive. They heard him give cool instructions: “Little Chu, when you go find Li Huaisu later, also tell her that I have cases for her to handle. First, clarify what happened in the palace the day of Wuyan’s incident. The Empress Dowager’s and Eldest Princess’s visit seemed ordinary, but since she noticed the Eldest Princess’s strange expression, there might be a reason. Second, have her investigate clearly whether her father Minister Feng had any private grudges with any court officials in the past. Since she has hidden so deeply in court, concealing herself from everyone, the mysterious person who revealed her identity this time must have extraordinary background. This person is extremely dangerous—we must find them!”

“Tell her that tomorrow after court, she should return to the Court of Judicial Review first. I will bring people to find her and discuss matters with her.”

“Yes.” Ming Yanchu quickly agreed.

After returning to the palace, Lian Yu went directly to Murong Xi’s sleeping quarters to ask whether the invitations could be sent out and to discuss tomorrow’s family banquet arrangements. The others found Qinglong to discuss Feng Suzhen’s situation together.

Qinglong’s brows were tightly furrowed. “Do you think we should risk our lives to advise Master once more, asking him to reconsider Feng Suzhen’s matter?”

This time, Ming Yanchu and Xuanwu’s opinions were highly consistent. Ming Yanchu simply remained silent, while Xuanwu directly threw a sentence over: “The result would be that you’ve already died for your country while Feng Suzhen still isn’t dead. Useless. Do you think Master hasn’t thought deeply about this? That day in the palace, he had already planned to drive her away and be done with it. But last night, he went to find her and spent the night with her… This is Master’s decision. Since we’re loyal to Master, all we can do is keep a close eye on Feng Suzhen and not let her do anything detrimental to Master.”