Hearing her amusing description, Lian Yu’s lips rarely curved upward again. He paused and said, “When I had you think about your father’s matters, I wasn’t asking you to check official records at the Personnel Ministry – I looked into that long ago.”
“The Personnel Ministry’s records are crude and reveal nothing.”
“That’s why I had you recall whether your father ever specifically mentioned any enemies to you. Since this informant could think to send letters to various officials and was so familiar with everyone’s residences,” he sneered coldly, “it’s definitely not a grudge formed after your father’s retirement. It must be someone connected to the court. This person might have resigned and returned to seclusion, or might still be at court. Does he take everyone for fools?”
In terms of insight, Lian Yu was a hundred times sharper than her. While Suzhen was shocked, she suddenly gained another layer of understanding – he cared about her safety… She took the opportunity to cultivate feelings, gripping his hand tightly. Lian Yu glanced at her without saying anything, but tightened his grip on her hand.
“But,” Suzhen said, “my father never mentioned any of this to me. I didn’t even know he’d been a high official. Since I can remember, he lived settled in Huai County, doing small business trading calligraphy and paintings. Though not wealthy enough to be the richest in the region, we lived comfortably without worries about food and clothing.”
“Did he frequently associate with anyone in particular?” Lian Yu suddenly asked, a trace of darkness flashing in his eyes.
He was leading to questions about Prince Jin’s faction. Suzhen’s mind was sharp and immediately understood, not exposing this, “The common people of Huai County.”
This wasn’t deceptive – it was the truth. As for his occasional travels and whom he might meet, she didn’t know.
By now, some things were beginning to surface. Prince Jin’s faction, the informant, the one who reported treason to the late emperor – behind this seemed to be three groups of extremely dangerous people. Were these three groups acting independently, or did they have some connection?
Lian Yu, as the ruler, was very sensitive to matters of treason. Though he’d agreed to let her overturn the case, he didn’t necessarily truly believe the Feng family was innocent. Therefore, Prince Jin’s faction and such matters could wait for detailed investigation later. The three weren’t necessarily connected. She’d better separate the three and first focus on the informant. She also understood this person, or this group, was very dangerous.
“Last night, everyone and I went through all the materials. He was an official during the period when your grandfather and the late emperor were governing together. Your grandfather died over a year before he was already serving at court, then experienced the first two years of the late emperor’s reign. Having served two dynasties, he knew no fewer than a hundred officials.”
“Most of these people have already retired. Finding them would be extremely troublesome. Those still serving at court number over ten, including Lord Huang who impeached me that day, several officials from the Six Ministries, Minister Yan, Minister Wei…”
She searched her memory of the materials, continuing her account.
Lian Yu stopped walking, “Right, the scope is too broad. If your father never gave you any hints, there’s no way to begin searching.”
“Fine, what can that dog brain of yours think of! Leave this matter to me too. You just manage the courthouse cases properly and be a competent judicial official.”
He reached out to pat her head. Suzhen slapped his hand away, “Fine, fine, fine – underestimate me! I had a part in solving the Minzhou case too.”
Seeing her slightly proud expression, Lian Yu raised an eyebrow, “You fooled me completely – were you quite pleased with yourself?”
Suzhen saw his expression suggesting he was about to pursue the matter and quickly tried to escape.
She was quickly caught. He pinched her chin, his expression slightly stern, “Tell me, why did you lie to me then?”
“Who solved the case wasn’t important anyway. As long as the people’s grievances could be redressed, that was enough. I wanted to see if you’d stop liking me because of it.”
Lian Yu was stunned. For a moment, he truly had the urge to strangle her!
When the two reached the hall, they inevitably received ambiguous looks from everyone, but this time, everyone finally ate a harmonious meal together.
During the meal, Suzhen warmly poured wine for Lian Jie and Lian Qin, coaxing them to talk. She knew these two were important to Lian Yu. Since she wanted to be with him, she had to do certain things.
Lian Jie said he had to escort Wuyan out of the capital that afternoon and didn’t dare drink much. He’d come back another day to drink with her until they were thoroughly drunk.
Hearing this, she was delighted and wanted to follow, but thinking that Wuyan’s departure without saying goodbye meant she didn’t want to be sentimental, she decided against it. She asked Lian Jie to help convey a few words, telling Wuyan she must come back to visit next year.
Lian Jie readily agreed. Having business to attend to, he bid farewell first.
Suzhen became rather curious about how Lian Yu had reconciled with these two.
After the meal, she whispered with Lian Qin, who told her with a dark expression that Lian Yu had arranged a family feast in the palace under Murong Zhen’s name, saying he understood everyone’s good intentions very clearly. Today he was using food and wine to represent his feelings – whoever left first would mean past matters weren’t held against them.
At first, everyone was courteous but stiff. As dishes kept being added, Lian Yu praised how excellently prepared the food was, having all the kitchen officials from the Imperial Food Bureau and Imperial Kitchen come to receive rewards. With all these palace servants watching, when the Son of Heaven enthusiastically served food and poured wine for the Empress Dowager, princes, and generals, they could hardly refuse to eat. It would look bad for everyone if word got out. So except for Murong Zhen who helped serve food, everyone ate until their bellies were round and bulging, eventually ready to burst from overeating. Later, everyone left one by one. Being people of status, they had no choice but to make peace with Lian Yu.
Suzhen laughed until she clutched her stomach.
When leaving, Lian Qin pulled her to the door and said quietly, “When he served us food, the Empress Dowager and General are elders and couldn’t do such lowly things, but Seventh Brother and I gave Sixth Brother tit for tat, frantically piling food on him. He ate much more ruthlessly than us last night. I heard from Xiao Chu today that he went back to the palace and vomited all night.”
“Today after court, he knelt at the Empress Dowager’s place for two hours. Though she’s his mother, he’s the emperor and didn’t need to do that at all. I’m telling you this hoping you understand.”
Suzhen could no longer laugh. She stood for a long time before going back inside.
If she’d still lacked confidence these past days about how to compete with that person, now she completely understood. Only four words: regardless of everything.
Afterward, Lian Yu indeed stole time from his busy schedule to take her to the villa.
On the road, Lian Yu reviewed memorials on the small table. Suzhen also took a batch of official documents and began writing directives to be sent to provinces nationwide – if local authorities discovered wrongful cases, they could petition.
Having slept poorly yesterday, after writing for about half an incense stick’s time, her eyelids began fighting. She struggled desperately to stay awake, continuing to write furiously.
Qinglong and Baihu were driving outside, while Ming Yanchu and Xuanwu attended inside, all covering their mouths and chuckling softly. Lian Yu glanced at the atrociously ugly characters on the documents across from him, reached over to tap the table in front of Suzhen, and sternly scolded, “If you’re tired, sleep. Otherwise you’re only half as effective.”
Suzhen nodded, put down her brush, and walked over to sit beside him. She positioned herself and unceremoniously pillowed her head on his lap.
“You really know how to enjoy yourself.” Lian Yu looked at her somewhat disdainfully but didn’t stop her.
Suzhen raised an eyebrow and smiled, hugging his waist tightly, feeling incredibly comfortable.
Before long, Lian Yu picked up a memorial and knocked her head with it, “Be still. If you keep fidgeting, get off me.”
“Lian Yu, I really like you so much. What should I do?”
Suzhen automatically ignored his words, burying her head in his firm lower abdomen and murmuring softly.
Lian Yu, being who he was, naturally wouldn’t pay attention to such feminine sweet talk. In a moment, Ming Yanchu and Xuanwu nearby looked at the atrociously messy writing on the memorial and shook their heads secretly, once again turning to cover their mouths.
Suzhen was truly tired and slowly closed her eyes. Hazily, she felt a thin blanket fall over her and a hand gently patting her back as consciousness grew increasingly dim…
But she couldn’t enjoy it for long. The carriage suddenly stopped, and a ray of light penetrated, making her eyes slightly sting with pain.
She jolted awake, finding the light before her darkened as Lian Yu gathered her in his arms, one hand covering her eyes.
“What’s the matter?” Lian Yu asked in a heavy voice, seemingly addressing someone outside.
“Reporting to Master,” came Baihu’s somewhat anxious voice from outside the curtain, “someone came from Seventh Master’s side. There seems to be urgent news.”
“Bring them over.”
“Yes.”
“Your Majesty,” soon another man’s voice joined from outside the curtain, “something serious has happened with Miss Wuyan.”
Huo Mansion.
Before the midday meal, Chanying Qiang returned from outside, hurrying into Huo Chang’an’s presence and reporting something in low tones.
Huo Chang’an was practicing calligraphy at his desk. Hearing this, he threw down his brush and sneered coldly, “Excellent indeed. Continue investigating. See if that person will go again tomorrow. See what they’re really up to.”
“Yes.” Chanying Qiang acknowledged and hurried out again to carry out his orders.
Though he’d left the battlefield for years, his habit of martial practice after the midday meal remained unchanged over many years. After lunch, having placed the recently rather sleepy Lian Yue on the bed, Huo Chang’an went to the martial arts hall. Shirtless, he selected a long spear from the weapon rack. Just as he raised the spear shaft and was about to demonstrate his skills, Ji’er Zhang hurried in and handed him a letter.
“At the villa where Huaisu once stayed at Huo Mansion, must meet immediately.”
This handwriting… his brow furrowed tightly. After a moment, he put on his clothes and rode out of the mansion with Ji’er Zhang.