“Yes, and speaking of it, I’ve met your father.” Lian Yu didn’t seem as surprised as she was, only adding this comment casually.

Suzhen quickly calculated, then shook her head rapidly. “No, this isn’t right. My father resigned from office and went into seclusion shortly after the Late Emperor ascended the throne. The Criminal Investigation Magistrate position should have changed hands. But you were born after the Late Emperor’s ascension, meaning my father had already resigned for several years. Why would he suddenly appear at that year’s birthday banquet?”

“The Late Emperor loved Consort Ai. As I mentioned, he once favored Seventh Brother becoming Crown Prince, but many ministers supported my Mother Empress’s legitimate son as Crown Prince. Some ministers suggested my Mother Empress choose a son from another consort to adopt – this was win-win, and many consorts were willing at the time.”

“To silence gossip, the Late Emperor had your father’s court friend Fu Jingshu invite your father to the birthday banquet.”

“The more I hear, the more confused I get. Silencing gossip – what does this have to do with my father?”

Lian Yu stared at her and raised an eyebrow slightly. “Don’t you know your father had another skill besides examining corpses?”

Suzhen’s heart skipped a beat. “Sweet-talking people?”

“Fortune-telling.”

Lian Yu said these two words with a half-smile.

“If he could tell fortunes, the Feng family wouldn’t have only me left!” At this point, she dropped her smile, her tone as cold as his.

“Oh?” Lian Yu remained noncommittal, but his gaze was profound, seemingly disagreeing.

In terms of presence, Suzhen admitted defeat – even a thousand troops couldn’t match him. His gaze made her heart tremble with fear.

“Back when he was still serving in court, Great Zhou faced a great drought. We nearly had to buy grain from neighboring countries. The rain that the Imperial Observatory couldn’t predict, he predicted.” He smiled as he spoke.

“The Late Emperor claimed to miss Minister Feng, but actually wanted him to publicly divine whether Seventh Brother was capable of great responsibility.”

The more Suzhen heard, the more shocked she became. She truly hadn’t expected Feng Meiren to have such connections with the court!

She knew her father was as clever and cunning as a fox, but she hadn’t expected him to have such abilities, and he had never told her about any of this!

Learning more about her father was naturally good for her, but because his “heroic” deeds didn’t relate much to the case, Lian Yu’s interest in discussing them wasn’t high. He changed the subject: “After I left, I looked for the way back, but someone threw stones at me from behind. So I put down the bowl, went into the brush, and gave those two a good beating.”

Suzhen could guess with her feet who had thrown the stones. Her emotions were thus diverted, and she had a drop of sweat on her forehead. “Your two brothers’ methods are really… distinctive.”

“This time you weren’t afraid they’d hold grudges?” she asked casually.

“I shouted about where these little eunuchs came from. They couldn’t beat me and were too embarrassed to reveal their identities and lose face.”

“Later, I saw what seemed like a eunuch walking by outside. Afraid of being discovered and getting in trouble, I quickly went out to grab my things and left. After walking a distance, I found the gift my mother gave me was missing, so I went back to look for it, which delayed me some time. By then, Consort Ai had already come to where we lived and left.”

“That’s all I can say about my end. I hope it helps with solving the case.”

Suzhen’s mind was still picturing Lian Yu disciplining those two monkeys Lian Jie and Lian Qin, and her mouth corners unconsciously turned up. She didn’t expect the conversation to end so suddenly, but having no intention to stay longer, she immediately said, “If there’s progress in the case or any difficulties requiring consultation… I’ll send someone over.”

“Fine.” Outside of case matters, he also returned to being concise. Perhaps it should be called indifference, and also distance.

Suzhen naturally wouldn’t seek boring rejection. Just as she was about to turn around, remembering something, she suppressed that impulse to rush out the door.

“Do you have any thoughts on this case? Or rather, do you have any suspects in mind?” she asked.

“Your ‘or rather’ and ‘perhaps’ are especially numerous,” he curved his mouth corner with some mockery. “If I could find out who the murderer is, would you still be investigating the case today? If I could spare the mental energy to handle these matters now, would I be here telling you all this? Who told you to wade into these muddy waters? Since you’ve done so and gotten your head wet, wash it clean. This person hiding in the shadows must be caught.”

“I’ll let you out.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll leave without your instruction!”

She bit her lip, but ultimately didn’t slam the door shut. What would be the point of this tantrum? It would only make everyone think they were still entangled.

Let it be. Fortunately, she asked everything at once – otherwise, it would be torture for everyone!

But everyone clearly knew what had happened inside. Especially Bai Hu’s suspicious gaze made Suzhen want to beat her up like Lian Yu disciplining those two bear children Lian Jie and Lian Qin.

But thinking was just thinking, imagining was just imagining. She did nothing and led the Criminal Investigation Bureau members away.

“Magistrate Li?”

Who knew that at the door, she would be called back.

She looked over – it was Xiao’an, with Yan Da and Murong Jinghou following behind. It was Xiao’an who had spoken.

She hurried forward to pay respects. Xiao’an leisurely said “Rise,” and Suzhen was about to take her leave when Xiao’an asked, “Aren’t we going to discuss the case?”

Suzhen bowed: “Your Majesty, His Majesty just instructed this subject that the Empress Dowager’s health is important, and case matters must not disturb Your Majesty.”

“This subject has urgent duties and takes leave first.”

Her words were very respectful. Xiao’an didn’t rebuke her, only curved her mouth corners slightly. “That’s truly a pity. Though His Majesty mentioned this to me, this matter was wrongly blamed on Dowager Consort Ai by many in the palace back then. Now is the time to clear Dowager Consort Ai’s name. I was thinking of inviting her, Councilor Quan, and Magistrate Li over as well, for everyone to discuss together.”

Suzhen immediately felt a headache coming on, and indeed saw several figures walking in from outside the courtyard – precisely Dowager Consort Ai, Quan Feitong, and Li Zhaoting, not one missing.

“Sister, I thank you. I’m just waiting to see Magistrate Li’s capabilities.” Dowager Consort Ai walked forward. She seemed to have just heard Xiao’an’s words, her red lips opening and closing with graceful laughter.

“I wouldn’t dare.” Suzhen cursed inwardly – every one of them was so composed, as if nothing was wrong, all seeming to say, “I’m not the murderer.”

Xiao’an seemed to welcome her investigating this case because the prime suspect was Dowager Consort Ai, but she also didn’t want to see her solve the case. She clearly remembered that Xiao’an had bet on her losing.

“Since this is the case, Your Majesty, perhaps we should leave first to let Magistrate Li quickly begin her work?”

Someone spoke, intentionally or not, helping her out of the situation.

Before Xiao’an and Dowager Consort Ai, Suzhen didn’t dare interact too much with Quan Feitong, but she quickly glanced at him. The two hadn’t seen each other since that day at court. The familiar gratitude rose in her heart, but he seemed unwilling to acknowledge her and avoided her gaze.

She felt uneasy but couldn’t show anything.

“Very well, we’ll leave first and await good news from Magistrate Li and Magistrate Li. Magistrate Li, I hope you won’t disappoint me.” Dowager Consort Ai looked at Li Zhaoting with a half-smile. Li Zhaoting bowed and replied, “Yes, this subject will certainly assist Magistrate Li in handling this case fairly and not fail Your Majesty’s expectations.”

Suzhen noticed a slight change in Xiao’an’s eyes, and Murong Jinghou soothingly patted his sister’s shoulder.

Her doubts grew heavier. Dowager Consort Ai had bet on her losing, yet seemed to place her stakes on Li Zhaoting. If she were the murderer, would she dare act like this? But when false becomes true, true becomes false – with truth and lies mixed, she might not necessarily not be the murderer! The murderer might be among these two people, or might be a palace maid, or even Yan Da, or someone else entirely—

She actually had reservations about the palace maid theory. If someone had bribed a palace maid, that was possible, but after sharing a room for seven or eight years, if it were killing from jealousy, why wait eight years to act?

And if it were Yan Da, what would be his motive? To frame Dowager Consort Ai on behalf of the Empress Dowager and eliminate this enemy?

But that bowl of soup, being one of Consort Yu’s final foods, given Lian Yu’s caution and cunning, it was impossible he hadn’t had the old magistrate thoroughly investigate it.

She carefully observed Yan Da’s expression. He was particularly alert and almost immediately noticed her looking over, but he showed no panic whatsoever, instead meeting her gaze directly.

She couldn’t be certain he was the murderer, but she could at least be sure of one thing – he didn’t regard her as he had that day at the Yan residence. His eyes showed a trace of disgust.

Perhaps it should be said that no one here had any good feelings toward her.

She seemed to have offended both Councilors?! She sighed silently and took her leave.

She had only taken two steps when she encountered two more unexpected visitors.

A’luo and her maid Mei’er. Mei’er carried a food basket in her hands.

A’luo seemed somewhat surprised to see so many people here, but then humbly greeted Xiao’an and Dowager Consort Ai. Xiao’an said calmly, “Didn’t you just recover? Why not rest more? Does the palace really lack this bit of soup you’re bringing?”

A’luo hurriedly replied, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern. A’luo’s health is fine now.”

“Replying to Your Majesty, His Majesty specifically instructed this morning that Miss must not overwork herself, but Miss wouldn’t listen. Your Majesty’s teaching is correct.” Mei’er respectfully added, but her peripheral vision clearly fell on Suzhen.

Suzhen left silently. Her mind alternated between all the people in the case and a voice in her tightly strung, about-to-explode head saying: They sleep in the same bed, eat in the same room. You are the witness to their sincere love. You are the witness to their sincere love.

Next chapter, two people will leave the palace.