Suzhen turned to look and saw Li Zhaoting staring at her coldly, her wrist caught in his grasp. She struggled, but Li Zhaoting—though merely a scholar—seemed to have even greater strength than Quan Feitong. She couldn’t break free at all, something she had never noticed before.

“Let go.”

In terms of ferocity, her level wasn’t low these days either. She was also concise and direct.

“You’re the most trouble-making person I’ve ever met!”

Cold words spat out from his mouth one by one, his eyes clearly showing disgust.

Then he forcefully flung away her hand and walked off without looking back.

Suzhen stared at her aching wrist, which had turned red in a circle. Damn it, so he’d been standing there all this time just to give her a scolding for balance? She spat viciously.

Huguo Temple

Quan Feitong and Chao Huang’s entrance disrupted the wispy tea smoke filling the room.

Dowager Consort Ai had changed clothes, wearing a set of women’s Daoist robes, sitting on a noble consort’s couch sipping tea. Lian Yue sat at her lower right. Seeing them enter, Dowager Consort Ai raised her eyes. “I guessed you would certainly come. The tea is already prepared.”

Indeed, on two chairs across from Lian Yue, tea implements were laid out. Quan Feitong brought Chao Huang to sit down and picked up a cup. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Dowager Consort Ai sighed. “Prime Minister Quan, do you blame me? I didn’t explain beforehand, and I heard your relationship with this Li Huaisu is quite good.”

Quan Feitong smiled slightly, answering peacefully, “This minister serves the Late Emperor and the Seventh Prince. How dare I blame Your Majesty? Which is more important between the Seventh Prince’s cause and personal matters—this minister wouldn’t fail to distinguish. I only hope Your Majesty will grant a few words of explanation about the context, so this minister won’t be too confused. This minister has no other trait except preferring to be a knowing ghost rather than a confused person.”

Dowager Consort Ai’s freshly applied phoenix flower nail polish suddenly slipped on the cup.

She relied heavily on Quan Feitong, but his relationship with Li Huaisu seemed somewhat unusual. She had previously worried about how far he would go for Li Huaisu, so she hadn’t discussed some matters with him. Though Quan Feitong would have reservations, it was a great opportunity. They were about to rise up, and the Gu Shuangcheng matter could perfectly add fuel to the flames, stirring up trouble between Lian Yu and Xiao’an. Now it seemed that though Quan Feitong was displeased, he was clear about the principles of ruler and minister. She finally relaxed her long-suspended heart and spoke directly: “Prime Minister Quan, you truly shouldn’t think this was my doing. I merely went with the flow. Someone else had grasped Li Huaisu’s temperament, and Li Huaisu herself was willing to nod before this could work.”

“Don’t think Gu Nanguang is too simple either. He was the one who actively sought me out.”

When Lian Yue got up to brew tea for her, she suddenly said this.

Chao Huang exclaimed “Ah” and looked toward Quan Feitong. This Gu Nanguang had always given the impression of being timid and introverted. How could he—if this were true, Gu Nanguang’s scheming would not be light.

Quan Feitong merely raised his eyebrows. “Oh, him?”

“He said he had previously visited your residence, originally wanting you to step forward and ‘help.’ He said Gu Xiluo had confessed to him that this matter probably involved Xiao’an and Lian Yu, thinking you would be interested. Who knew you rejected him, so he thought of me.” Dowager Consort Ai stared into his eyes as she spoke.

“Yes, this minister doesn’t particularly like that person,” Quan Feitong answered indifferently.

That day, it happened that Feng Suzhen had come to the Judicial Commissioner’s office to find him and collapsed outside. He had carried her into his bedroom. Soon after, the steward came to report a visitor—that was Gu Nanguang.

Dowager Consort Ai was also well-versed in using people. Regardless of whether Quan Feitong’s answer was true or false, she naturally wouldn’t pursue it, only saying pensively: “Originally everything was going well. Now that Minister Li has been dragged in by Lian Yu, there’s some trouble.”

…

When Quan Feitong and Chao Huang left, seeing no one around, Chao Huang finally spoke: “Elder Brother, regarding Li Huaisu, you must not—”

Quan Feitong waved his hand. “Things have come to this. I won’t interfere anymore. After all, this matter is useful for our great cause. If she truly discovers something major and gets imprisoned or worse, I’ll think of a way then. Besides, there’s still Lian Yu—he shouldn’t let her come to serious harm.”

“Why do you think he dragged Zhaoting into this? To retaliate against me? His mind is heavy. If something really happens, he’s looking for someone to die in Feng Suzhen’s place. Your elder brother rarely misjudges people. Gu Nanguang isn’t cut out for this kind of thing. I’m afraid there’s someone else behind this matter. This time, it might be thorny for Zhaoting.”

Chao Huang was slightly stunned. After thinking, he still said: “Elder Brother, I was thinking—this Lian Yu could tolerate Feng Suzhen in the past precisely because of the novelty. But who would have thought Gu Shuangcheng would turn out to be Gu Xiluo? That was Lian Yu’s true childhood sweetheart when he was Crown Prince. Previously, didn’t Feng Suzhen tell you that the imperial edict to execute the Feng family was issued by the Late Emperor? You said Li Huaisu’s words and behavior didn’t seem like lying. I wonder how Lian Yu managed to keep it from her. But if Feng Suzhen ever finds out, would she let it go? Lian Yu already has Gu Xiluo. Could he still be merciful then? Lian Yu is becoming increasingly formidable. The great cause is important. At this critical juncture, we can’t provoke Lian Yu for his sake.”

“I have my measure. Your elder brother distinguishes very clearly between romantic feelings and the great cause.”

Quan Feitong fell silent for a moment. At this time, a fruit fell on his head. He plucked it from his hair and held it in his palm, staring intently for a moment. Seeing it was quite red and lovely, he suddenly put it in his mouth and took a bite, then threw it away.

Ministry of War Office

Si Lanfeng was very worried. “Teacher, what should we do now?”

Wei Chenghui patted his shoulder. “Don’t panic yet. When court dismissed today, I saw the young master’s eye signals—he wants us to stay steady. There won’t be major problems. Our deployment is almost mature by today. All we need to do now is wait for the young master’s instructions.”

“Yes.”

After Si Lanfeng left, Wei Chenghui picked up an agate ornament from the table, gripping it forcefully.

There were some things he hadn’t told Si Lanfeng. Actually, Gu Nanguang had once sought him out.

This Master Gu had initially approached Quan Feitong but was rejected, so he came to him, hoping he could lend a helping hand. After all, apart from Quan Feitong, he was the second force in the court. Though the smallest of the three factions, he was still not to be ignored. He also wasn’t part of Lian Yu’s loyalist party. But how could he openly assist him? After thinking, he told him to find two people.

One was Dowager Consort Ai, the other was Li Huaisu.

From the young master’s words, he knew Dowager Consort Ai cooperated with Quan Feitong.

Dowager Consort Ai was the person who most hated Xiao’an—perfect. This Feng Suzhen learned from experience, but Dowager Consort Ai could apply pressure. He understood Feng Suzhen’s temperament—she absolutely wouldn’t stand to see people die and was very meddlesome!

It was killing many birds with one stone.

How could this old fox’s daughter not be eliminated! As long as there was opportunity!

The only flaw in this matter was that Lian Yu also brought the young master into the game.

He was somewhat curious about who had killed Lian Yu’s birth mother, and how this chess game would play out. A fierce ruthlessness rose in his heart—Feng Suzhen must die, Lian Yu must be removed, and this empire would be trampled under their feet.

The next day, Suzhen led the Judicial Commissioner’s office into the palace. On the way, Xiao Zhou was deeply pained and indignant. Now it was good—buy one case, get one free, and both were major unsolved cases. She grumbled angrily all the way to the palace.

Lian Yu naturally wouldn’t come personally, but sent Mingyan Chu to handle arrangements. Suzhen was quite vengeful and didn’t give him any pleasant looks. Mingyan Chu maintained a smiling face, leading everyone past layers of courtyards and flowering trees to stand before a section of mottled palace wall.

This entire area was filled with palace maids’ quarters, housing over a thousand palace maids, but this building before them was isolated, with imperial guards standing watch all around.

This was a particularly gloomy place. Whether due to the green shade in front or some other reason, the once vermillion palace gates had long faded to a dismal color. The iron rings on the doors were stained with green rust, and light seemed unable to penetrate the courtyard. This was where Lian Yu’s deceased mother had once lived.

Li Zhaoting was already waiting at the entrance. Unlike her grand procession, he had only brought Xiao Si.

Seeing Mingyan Chu, he politely greeted him. Mingyan Chu slightly restrained the smile he’d shown Suzhen, but returned the courtesy.

At this moment, laughter came from behind.

“Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law!”

Suzhen was already worried sick. Hearing this voice, she didn’t know whether to be angry or amused. Everyone turned around to see Lian Xin rushing over with many palace maids behind her carrying food baskets, and Murong Jin standing far behind with an uncertain expression.

Lian Xin was one thing, but Murong Jin’s presence here was strange. Suzhen pondered.

Behind Murong Jin, more people approached—it was Princess Imperial.

Suzhen knew she had come to gather information for Consort Ai.

Here, Lian Xin had the palace maids open the food baskets, presenting them like treasures: “Brother-in-law, have you had breakfast? Quick, try these—eating them will help with your case investigation.”

Everyone looked and saw three whole baskets of tea eggs. Zhuiming exclaimed and unceremoniously rushed forward with Tieshou to grab several. Lian Xin took one, peeled the shell, and walked to Wuqing with a red face, offering it to him. Wuqing thanked her quietly and accepted it, then went to get one for Xiao Zhou. Xiao Zhou snorted coldly, took an entire basket from the palace maid’s hands, and walked aside.

Suzhen sighed, grabbed one from Xiao Zhou’s basket, and ate it in two or three bites, getting tea broth all over her hands. Li Zhaoting looked extremely cold, frowning as he waited for her. All her emotions had hit rock bottom these days, and she still had to find ways not to implicate this person. Seeing him like this, malice rose within her. She walked up to him and reached out to grab his hand. “Come, come, we’ll have to work cases together from now on. Young Master Li, you and I can’t be so distant.”

Mingyan Chu, standing farther back, couldn’t hear their conversation but watched wide-eyed.

Li Zhaoting looked at her dirty hands, his gaze darkening. Suzhen laughed and said beside him: “You’re so arrogant. If you don’t give me a better attitude, be careful—I’ll tell Lian Yu that I still secretly love you but you covet his Aluo!”

Li Zhaoting was stunned. In that moment of hesitation, Suzhen forcefully grasped his hand and pushed the door open to enter.

Li Zhaoting was furious but hadn’t yet acted when Suzhen had already shut her mouth first. No one had expected that the coveted Aluo and Lian Yu, to whom the secret was to be told, were both inside, along with Xiao’an, Marquis Murong Jing, Yan Da, Lian Jie, Lian Qin, and others.