Su Zhen secretly glanced over and saw he was staring at her, his eyes full of hoarse desire.

She mischievously sat further back instead. Lian Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, and in the blink of an eye had pulled her into his arms.

He ravaged her lips wantonly, his hands skillfully exploring her body, even personally removing her shoes. Su Zhen was stimulated to passion and responded by nibbling back. His Majesty soon pressed her down on the soft couch.

He gazed at her deeply, his eyes profound.

Su Zhen became even more aroused. Their way of getting along was very strange – they seemed extremely intimate, yet always carried a trace of inexplicable distance.

“No, I came here for business. Two matters.” Su Zhen embraced his neck, holding up two fingers to make a “two” gesture.

Lian Yu rarely smiled, helping her sit up and letting her lean against his chest: “Speak. What matters?”

Since Su Zhen was entering the palace anyway, she had simply relieved Tieshou of his task, letting him stay to help Little Zhou research medical texts while serving as Wuqing’s third wheel. She recounted Wuyan’s situation, ending with curses at Huo Chang’an. Lian Yu said flatly: “No wonder Huo Chang’an sent me a note.”

“What did he say?” Su Zhen was somewhat taken aback.

“He said Wuyan had arrived at your residence. He would spread word for Wei Chenghui to know that he sent Wuyan away because he doted on her, causing Lian Yue’s displeasure.”

“I was just wondering how someone brought into the residence just days ago was sent out again. So this is how it happened. A few days ago, Imperial Physician Feng returned to the palace saying Princess Imperial was pregnant, and there were already signs. He figured you would definitely meet with me, and I could learn many things from you, so he didn’t want to elaborate.”

Su Zhen didn’t know whether to be angry or praise Huo Chang’an for his conscientiousness. Lian Yu was his former rival in love, but they still needed to cooperate in this matter, and he immediately notified when there were developments.

She said hatefully: “Because Wuyan once liked you, even though he’s decided to let her go, he still has a thorn in his heart.”

“But this person handles things very properly.” Lian Yu picked up her shoes and put them on for her: “I’ll send an imperial physician to examine Wuyan first. We’ll discuss the rest later.”

Su Zhen: “Send Seventh Prince too. He’ll be dedicated and more useful than any imperial physician.”

His Majesty had been slightly frowning, but hearing this, the corner of his mouth tightened as he pinched her face: “What a petty-minded Judicial Commissioner Li.”

Su Zhen: “I’m securing benefits for your brother. I was originally inclined toward Huo Chang’an, but that bastard infuriated me. I want him to see that Wuyan isn’t without people who care for her.”

Lian Yu glanced at her without saying anything, having Ming Yanchu enter to arrange for personnel to prepare the imperial carriage, notify the Seventh Prince, and summon the Chief Imperial Physician to accompany them out of the palace.

Su Zhen felt sweet inside. His willingness to listen to her felt like he was indulging her.

She quietly asked him: “Actually, between your brother and Huo Chang’an, who do you favor more? Given Wuyan’s current situation, shouldn’t we really tell Huo Chang’an?”

“I respect Wuyan’s choice. Li Huaisu, if a man’s heart is no longer with that woman, what good would telling him do? Conversely, if he still has a place for her in his heart, no matter how large or small, he will know about her condition.” Lian Yu looked at her searchingly.

This was how Lian Yu answered her.

On the road, Lian Yu asked if she had other matters. Su Zhen was pondering how to bring up the case, since it was Lian Yu’s heartache.

She hesitated briefly before speaking: “I want to reopen your mother’s case. Do you… agree?”

She was leaning against his chest, and immediately felt Lian Yu’s sudden movement. She was feeling anxious when she saw his gaze deep as a pond, nodding: “Good.”

“Do you love me so much? Thank you.” Warm breath then fell beside her ear.

“But what about Seventh Prince…” Su Zhen blushed, taking a long while to remember the key point.

“I don’t know who the murderer is, or why they would cruelly harm such a woman in the deep palace who could pose no threat to anyone, but Dowager Consort Ai might truly not be the culprit.”

Su Zhen thought to herself, no wonder that old fox Yan Da dared suggest she investigate. She couldn’t help wondering: “So you investigated back then?”

Lian Yu didn’t answer, but Xuanwu, who had been ignored as background, spoke up: “Our master was still young when his mother died, naturally feeling like the sky had fallen. But as they say, newborn calves don’t fear tigers – he went to find Dowager Consort Ai. However, at that time he hadn’t yet been adopted by the Empress Dowager, and being young with little influence, who would let him see the Dowager Consort? But our master has always been extraordinarily gifted, destined to be emperor…”

Su Zhen rolled her eyes: “Eunuch Ming, you speak. Please don’t turn three sentences into three paragraphs.”

Xuanwu: “…”

There was another background figure in the carriage – Ming Yanchu. Recently when going out, Lian Yu always had Baihu outside with Qinglong driving the carriage. Though she was a girl, he no longer let her remain in the carriage.

Ming Yanchu was quite pleased, clearing her throat: “Our master found a way and actually reached the Dowager Consort to speak with her. Master angrily asked if she had done it – such were the palace rumors then. The Dowager Consort replied that she wasn’t worthy of her taking action.”

Su Zhen felt particularly sorry for such a young child suffering, and patted Lian Yu’s head. Xuanwu and Ming Yanchu found this sight painful, as the scene resembled a cat patting a tiger.

Naturally, Su Zhen didn’t know their thoughts, frowning deeply: “She said it, so you believed her?”

Lian Yu’s profound gaze lightened considerably as he pulled down her hand and held it in his palm: “Dowager Consort Ai was very favored then, more than my mother. Unless the emperor was weak, the one thing the imperial family never lacked was children. Even if my mother had a child, it would be very easy for her to kill someone like my mother.”

“She said, ‘If I had killed your mother, how could I have spared you alone? Now I don’t dislike the idea of killing you, but there’s no need to fulfill the real murderer’s wishes.'”

Su Zhen began to understand why everyone believed Dowager Consort Ai wasn’t the culprit. It would be too easy for her to kill Lian Yu’s mother – like killing an ant. There was no need for secret poisoning, which would demean her status and wouldn’t be as satisfying as making her suffer.

Of course, this didn’t mean the person wasn’t killed by Dowager Consort Ai – there might be other reasons.

Lian Yu seemed to understand her mind as well as he understood her body, knowing what her brain was thinking. Before she could ask, he had already spoken: “After being granted the title of Crown Prince, I had someone investigate. Former Judicial Commissioner Liang. Though this old commissioner wasn’t as capable as your father, he was quite astute. He didn’t find the murderer, but discovered one thing – Dowager Consort Ai’s ancestors once had someone skilled in raising poisonous creatures and making poisons, but died from poison backlash. Therefore, family instructions were passed down that descendants must not use poison, or they would face divine punishment.”

Listening, Su Zhen’s brow furrowed so tightly it could tie knots, her questions growing deeper: “If it wasn’t the Dowager Consort, who else could it be?”

Lian Yu: “My investiture happened over ten years later. There were few clues originally, and though some old palace servants remain, overall the palace staff has been replaced twice. That’s the first point.”

Su Zhen, having some knowledge of medicine and having personally examined corpses several times, immediately thought of something: “Second, after ten years, yellow earth and white bones – evidence left on the corpse has probably long been buried by yellow earth.”

Thinking of future exhumation, the coffin’s contents having changed from beauty to pile of rotting flesh and bones – though it was Lian Yu’s mother, this mysterious violent death still made her shudder.

Lian Yu patted her head.

“Master, Judicial Commissioner Li, we’ve arrived.”

The carriage stopped with a creak, and Qinglong’s respectful voice came from outside.

“Once Wuyan recovers, begin the investigation. I also very much want to know what strange events occurred back then, who killed my mother. If we discover it wasn’t Dowager Consort Ai’s doing, Quan Feitong can no longer use this to drive a wedge between me and Seventh Brother.” Lian Yu’s eyes showed cold intent, clearly murderous.

So he had long known the Prime Minister’s purpose! Su Zhen’s gaze was determined: “Your Majesty, this subject will certainly do her utmost to give the deceased justice.”

Ming and Xuan had already tactfully exited the carriage. Lian Yu held her hand, his voice gentler than it had been since his recent change in demeanor: “Go then.”

Su Zhen, thinking of Wuyan, felt sad: “Tell me, how can two people who loved each other so deeply not end up together?”

Lian Yu glanced at her: “You think everyone can tolerate you like I do. Time and again.”

Su Zhen was immediately amused.

“Then I must trouble His Imperial Majesty to continue tolerating this subject until death.”

“With three thousand beauties in the rear palace and new faces constantly appearing, you’re thinking too highly of yourself.”

“Are you implying you’ll treat me like that bastard Huo treated Wuyan?”

“Possibly even more ruthlessly.”

“Too bad I’m not Wuyan. I love you more than I love myself. If you dare fancy someone else, I’ll definitely make you both suffer.”

Now Su Zhen increasingly understood her weight in his heart wasn’t light, so she dared ask and speak boldly. Even if he was as venomous as Little Zhou, she wasn’t afraid, and seized every opportunity to express her love.

“But I’m not Huo Chang’an – I don’t dwell on past affections.” Lian Yu led her down from the carriage while pouring cold water on her enthusiasm.

The Chief Imperial Physician was in another carriage. Before they alighted, he was dragged inside first by Ming Yanchu and others.

When the two entered, Su Zhen saw trouble – Lian Jie had also arrived. This gentleman was completely in a frenzied state, pointing at the Chief Imperial Physician and Little Zhou, sternly saying: “Get away! I will treat her myself.”