“No, she is. I have evidence. Miss Song, you only need to say one sentence – are you, or are you not?” Suzhen was unusually calm, her tone unusually certain.

Song Jingxue knelt on the ground, her face even paler. She glanced at the corpse not far away and laughed pitifully: “Sir is formidable. Yes, I am.”

Xiao Zhou still had the words “dead end” stuck in her mouth, but everyone heard their hearts skip a beat!

Li Zhaoting’s brow furrowed tightly.

“What’s going on?” Zhui Ming was full of question marks, pressing for answers.

“I have something to ask you.” But Suzhen said nothing more and suddenly pulled Song Tingyun up and rushed out, leaving everyone behind.

That day, Suzhen’s room never opened again. When the Criminal Investigation Bureau and Li Zhaoting went over, they were blocked outside the door by imperial guards, enraging Xiao Zhou.

No one knew what Suzhen wanted to ask Song Tingyun, but though she had been very sharp in exposing Song’s identity, she gave everyone the feeling that her expression carried a trace of eerie fanaticism.

The next morning, in the Imperial Study.

Before court, A’luo came to find Lian Yu, only to see Lian Jie and Lian Qin standing in the courtyard with very ugly expressions, as if they had been severely reprimanded by Lian Yu. She found it strange and wanted to say a few words to show concern, but then seeing Ming Yanchu and the others looking as silent as winter cicadas, she only exchanged a glance with Bai Hu.

Bai Hu shook her head, seeming not to know either.

So she didn’t ask more and went inside.

Lian Yu’s lips were tightly pressed, clearly very displeased, his entire facial lines very cold and hard. He was looking at something in his hand, seemingly a letter. Seeing her enter, he stopped reading, closed the letter, and his gaze softened somewhat: “You’ve come. Let’s go, it’s time for court.”

The harem doesn’t interfere in politics, but the national civil service examinations were already accepting applications nationwide, creating quite a fervor. Compared to before, more than half the officials had truly begun accepting this new examination policy, though some still harbored doubts. Today Lian Yu would discuss this matter in court, and Xiao’an would come with A’luo to advocate once more to reassure people’s hearts.

A’luo nodded, watching him rise, then asked with a smile: “What did Seventh Brother and the others do to offend you? It’s like a schoolmaster disciplining students in childhood.”

“Are you pleading for them?” Lian Yu didn’t answer directly, picking up a cloth from the basin beside him to wipe his hands.

“Just consider it for my sake.”

“Some things they’ve done excessively. Though you mean well, I cannot agree. Otherwise, they’ll become emboldened in the future, coming to you whenever there’s trouble, and you’ll have more problems too.”

A’luo saw his resolute gaze and thought the matter must be serious. Though somewhat displeased, she was still pleased that he was considering her.

Arriving at court, all the ministers had already assembled. Soon Xiao’an also arrived. Lian Yu announced the beginning of court, when someone walked in from the entrance.

“Your Majesty, this subject has something to report.”

The light outside was half-dim and somewhat blurred, illuminating the newcomer in clean, dark red court robes. All the officials were stunned – who dared to be so brazenly late? Even Quan Feitong wouldn’t do such a thing, and he was properly standing in the front row at this moment.

Xiao’an’s expression changed, her voice darkening: “Li Huaisu, do you have any regard for this Great Zhou court, for His Majesty and me? Don’t you see what time it is? Since you’re late, how dare you walk into this court?”

That figure in dark red walked quickly forward – willow eyebrows, sharp face, not tall – precisely that Li Huaisu who often surprised everyone with unexpected situations and had gained extremely high reputation among the people this past year.

She performed the kneeling ceremony to Xiao’an and Lian Yu: “This subject is late, this subject is guilty.”

“But this subject has urgent matters to report. Please, Your Majesty, settle accounts after autumn.”

A muffled laugh came from the front row.

No one else would dare be so presumptuous. The officials almost didn’t need to guess who this person was.

Xiao’an was furious, but of course she wouldn’t take it out on Quan Feitong. Just as she was about to order the guards outside to drive this person away, Lian Yu suddenly rose and asked first: “Speak! If it’s not urgent and important, Li Huaisu, this account need not wait until after autumn – it can be settled on the spot.”

The Son of Heaven had spoken with both grace and威严. Though Xiao’an’s brow was deeply furrowed, she ultimately didn’t call for punishment.

Below, Suzhen rose and reported loudly: “What this subject reports concerns the Consort Yu case.”

Lian Jie and Lian Yu exchanged glances, doubt suddenly appearing in their eyes.

“Continue,” Lian Yu ordered, his brow contracting.

“This subject wishes to perform bone steaming on the skeletal remains previously discovered in the cellar. I request Your Majesty to order that all those who attended the Late Emperor’s palace banquet on the night of Consort Yu’s death must be present, including all the ministers here, including all the consorts in the harem. These bones will tell us who the murderer is…”

“Ministers, perhaps you don’t yet know – to cover up crimes from that year, after Huaisu reopened this case, the murderer slaughtered thirty-four more people. These were all palace maids who shared quarters with Consort Yu and their families. During the investigation, this official and Magistrate Li were ambushed by the murderer and fell into a hidden cellar beneath Consort Yu’s room, nearly losing our lives. But heaven’s net is vast – we also discovered several sets of bones there. The clothes and flesh on these bones had completely rotted away, truly just bones, and these bones also belonged to palace maids who shared quarters with Consort Yu.”

“They were murdered by the killer one after another, dying horribly. Though they can no longer speak, their spirits will tell us the murderer’s name!”

As her words ended, all officials were shocked. This Consort Yu case had been suspended for years, but they hadn’t expected such developments now. Did this Li Huaisu truly have methods to find the murderer?

It was said Li Huaisu was skilled at examining corpses, but at most bones could only show injuries. Could these injuries clearly identify who killed them?!

And if the person who killed Consort Yu back then was truly among these dignitaries, and the roommate palace maids had seen… would such a person act personally? The vast majority wouldn’t – they would certainly send subordinates. The dead probably didn’t even know who ordered their deaths!

This was all mystification. It seemed Li Huaisu intended to point the finger at someone here.

But without real evidence, wasn’t this too absurd?

“Your Majesty, I also hope this case can one day be resolved, but Magistrate Li’s method is too much like child’s play. Without concrete evidence, requiring all the consorts and civil and military officials to waste time and energy accompanying her in this game – I believe it’s inappropriate. Please, Your Majesty, reconsider.”

Indeed, someone stepped forward to speak.

With graying temples and high position – it was Prime Minister Yan Da.

Once he spoke, many court officials agreed.

“Unless Magistrate Li can now present some real evidence, we don’t mind obliging,” Yan Da added.

Lian Yu’s gaze was profound, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, when another person laughed.

“Prime Minister Yan speaks incorrectly. I strongly support Magistrate Li’s proposal. So many people died this time – what’s wrong with trying even the most absurd measures? Perhaps there truly are spirits three feet above our heads.”

Suzhen looked over and clasped her hands: “Thank you, Prime Minister Quan, for speaking up. It’s just… besides Dowager Consort Ai, there’s one person I’d like Prime Minister Quan to bring along.”

Quan Feitong had been smiling with raised eyebrows, looking carefree, but hearing this, his gaze paused slightly as he asked calmly: “Who?”

“Dowager Consort Ai’s elder brother, said to be your sworn brother as well – Qiu Jing.”

Suzhen smiled and spoke slowly.

The officials were shocked again. Qiu Jing had been dismissed by the Late Emperor years ago and had been in retirement for many years. How was he connected to this? But Qiu Jing was Dowager Consort Ai’s brother, and Dowager Consort Ai hated Lian Yu and his mother to the bone, so this wasn’t impossible…

Quan Feitong slowly narrowed his phoenix eyes, staring at Suzhen. After a long while, he said coldly: “Good, very good.”

Xiao’an watched everything, her gaze sinister and extremely complex, as if she too didn’t quite understand what Suzhen was trying to do. She said nothing more. Beside Xiao’an, Hong Gu’s peripheral vision focused on Suzhen, a flash of killing intent crossing her eyes.

Finally, after receiving a reassuring look from Murong Jinghou below, Xiao’an lowered her eyes slightly, but her hands remained tightly clenched.

At this time, Lian Yu still hadn’t responded, but Suzhen looked at Lian Jie and the others, saying word by word: “Feng Shaoqing is not the murderer, nor are his associates.”

Both men’s brows darkened. Ming Yanchu and Xuanwu also seemed shocked, and they heard her continue: “In any case, he’s not the murderer. Anyone could be, but not him.”

Lian Qin was furious, looking at Lian Yu and crying out: “Sixth Brother, she’s not trying to vindicate your mother – she’s trying to vindicate her…”

The word “father” almost slipped out, but fortunately he managed to cut it off, though among the officials, this was probably an open secret anyway, but still had to be avoided.

Hearing this, the court officials were shocked again. How was Feng Shaoqing connected to this?

Wei Chenghui lowered his eyes slightly, his lips slowly curving upward.

Beside Lian Yu, A’luo was full of doubt, staring intently at Lian Yu.

“Your Majesty, please allow this subject’s request.” Below, Suzhen spoke again.

“Li Huaisu, don’t turn my appreciation for your capabilities into disgust. Whether someone is guilty or not isn’t for you to decide – it’s determined by evidence.” Finally, Lian Yu also spoke coldly.

“Why can you do so much for her, but won’t agree to this once for me?” Suzhen suddenly said in a low voice.

This wasn’t just surface meaning. Many people gasped – was Li Huaisu challenging Consort Gu? A’luo’s expression changed. She took a deep breath and lowered her voice: “Your Majesty, please agree to her request. And please see clearly what kind of person she really is.”

“Fine. Three days from now, I’ll gather everyone together. You prove to everyone who the murderer is. If you can’t produce sufficient evidence, then today’s disrespect in court and your dereliction of duty will all be settled together!”

Amid the officials’ rising doubts, Lian Yu threw the memorial in his hand forcefully to the ground, his eyes dark and cold, landing with a sound.

At this moment, Chao Huang also saw the same coldness in Quan Feitong’s eyes. He knew this person disliked such behavior – disliked it very much.