That evening, at the Ministry of War offices.

Si Lanfeng and Wei Chenghui conversed by lamplight.

“Did you gather any news from Lian Yu’s side?” Wei Chenghui asked quietly.

Si Lanfeng shook his head: “No news came from Lian Yu or Lian Jie’s side. Li Huaisu seems not to have reported to them. But aren’t things under teacher and the young master’s control now? What does teacher still worry about?”

“It’s under control, but we must be cautious. There was no evidence from back then – what secrets could a few bones hide? Using bones as a test, pretending supernatural powers, seeing who gets scared on the spot for further investigation? Without the young master’s further hints, I don’t really believe she can root out the culprit.”

“Additionally, today in court Feng Suzhen mentioned Feng Shaoqing, as if Feng Shaoqing had a major connection to this matter.”

Si Lanfeng looked over to see the other’s complex expression – both worried concern and disdainful laughter.

He knew this teacher and Feng Shaoqing had deep grudges, so he spoke very carefully to avoid offending him.

His father had also served Prince Jin, having relationships with both Wei and Feng families, but since Feng opposed Li Zhaoting’s succession, he became closer to Wei. Regarding today’s sudden statement by Feng Suzhen that “Feng Shaoqing is not the murderer,” he was also deeply puzzled. From what he knew, Feng Shaoqing shouldn’t have any connection to Consort Yu’s matter.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open. Both men tensed, seeing someone standing outside.

Dressed in night clothes, wearing a hood.

Both were skilled in martial arts and unafraid, and this Ministry of War wasn’t accessible to ordinary people. Indeed, the newcomer slowly removed the hood, revealing a familiar face.

“Young master,” Si Lanfeng’s expression showed some anxiety. “Traveling at this time might attract attention and danger.”

“Tonight’s attention is all on Feng Suzhen, making things easier for me. Besides, my carriage first went to the back courtyard of the Quan residence. Even if someone followed, they’d think I was meeting with Quan Feitong. I stayed outside their door for the time it takes to drink tea before taking small roads here.” The newcomer was very composed.

Wei Chenghui handed him hot tea, smiling: “Little Si, when has the young master’s arrangements ever given you cause for worry?”

Si Lanfeng nodded, then heard Wei Chenghui ask: “Young master came secretly from the palace at night – do you have important news to share?”

At this point, Wei Chenghui had stopped smiling.

Si Lanfeng listened intently as Li Zhaoting sipped his tea and looked at them both: “Today in court, Feng Suzhen mentioned Feng Shaoqing. You must have questions. I came to notify you of two things: First, Feng Shaoqing is connected to Consort Yu’s matter.”

Wei and Si were both shocked, then heard Li Zhaoting say quietly: “Second, Feng Suzhen has discovered something.”

At this moment, the Quan residence study was also quiet but not peaceful.

Besides Lian Yue and Dowager Consort Ai, the current Prime Minister’s honored guests included a short-bearded elderly man of about sixty. He looked imposing with sharp eyes, appearing to be a military general, but was actually a civil official.

A grand civil official.

This was precisely Dowager Consort Ai’s elder brother Qiu Jing, mentioned casually during the Criminal Investigation Bureau’s case analysis and again by Suzhen in court today.

Dowager Consort Ai’s expression was dark.

“What does that Li Huaisu mean? How dare she bring up this palace’s elder brother?”

“Sister, don’t be hasty,” this former Prime Minister smiled slightly. His eyes showed none of a general’s roughness or a scholar’s weakness. “Let’s see if she can point to me as the murderer.”

“I can’t understand this Li Huaisu’s thinking either. Helping us is impossible, but she doesn’t seem to be on Xiao’an’s side either, and she and Lian Yu have fallen out over Gu Xiluo.” Lian Yue said calmly.

Dowager Consort Ai looked at Quan Feitong. Qiu Jing pondered briefly: “Feitong, what do you say?”

“Elder brother, wait a moment,” Quan Feitong responded, his gaze quickly falling on the door. “Chao Huang, bring the person in.”

A person? Who was coming at this time? Both Qiu Jing and Dowager Consort Ai were surprised.

The door was immediately opened. Everyone looked outside to see Chao Huang bringing in a man in common clothes.

This man had no particularly distinctive features and knelt to greet Quan Feitong upon seeing him.

Everyone was even more puzzled.

“He’s an imperial guard from the palace. Tell Her Majesty and the ministers what you know,” Quan Feitong curved his lips slightly and ordered.

“Li Huaisu lied. Not all palace maids from back then died in the later massacre. One person’s sister was mistakenly killed while she happened to be in a neighboring village on business, thus escaping disaster. This humble one is a palace guard who pretended to befriend the squad leader protecting Li Huaisu, drugged one of his men to create illness, and got the chance to serve on duty.”

“Your Majesty means Li Huaisu concealed the palace maid’s situation – the bone examination is fake, identifying people is real. She wants that Song Tingyun to observe these people one by one, then point out the murderer?”

At the same moment, in a late-night palace hall, someone asked a similar question urgently.

It was Left Prime Minister Yan Da.

Xiao’an didn’t speak. Hong Gu beside her explained: “Previously Li Huaisu went to the Imperial Household Department to find Ming Yanchu. We have inner palace monitors there, but they were too far to hear specific details of their conversation, and we couldn’t ask Ming Yanchu about this. But Ming Yanchu immediately ordered people to find coroners from capital offices. His Majesty has always had the morgue heavily guarded, making it difficult to get information, so we secretly observed the coroner angle. After the coroners entered the palace, we managed to bribe one and learned some clues.”

“It turns out that during the examination days later, Song Tingyun’s sister Song Jingxue was also brought to the morgue. But Li Huaisu was formidable, somehow discovering something wrong and pointing out that this Song Jingxue was actually Song Tingyun.”

Yan Da smiled coldly: “So the interrogation three days from now isn’t mystification – she’s confident? Where we don’t know, she actually has a witness. She wants to let that Song Tingyun point out the murderer in front of everyone, leaving the murderer no escape.”

“Empress Dowager, this servant has prepared people. This servant will go—”

“No!”

Hong Gu’s eyes darkened, filled with killing intent, but Murong Jinghou stopped her.

“Though she has support, she doesn’t know we’ve learned this. Besides, she knows this matter runs deep, which is why she chose to expose everything publicly then – probably even His Majesty doesn’t know, but she must have private precautions. If we act rashly, we’ll invite trouble. Moreover, these deaths have some connection to your master, but if this Li Huaisu were smarter, she should realize the greatest connection to this matter is with Dowager Consort Ai or her father’s associates.”

“General, but shall we do nothing?” Hong Gu was alarmed.

“Naturally… not. This time, she thinks she knows everything in advance, but she’s miscalculated!”

Xiao’an, who had been looking down, slowly raised her head. The curve of her lips and the fierceness in her eyes even startled Hong Gu.

At the Ministry of War offices.

“But she’s probably miscalculated – these people are all old foxes this time,” Li Zhaoting said quietly before leaving.

Three days passed quickly.

That morning, many visitors came to the palace, but not for court. Instead, under eunuchs’ guidance, they came to an open area.

Among them were many active officials and retired former ministers. Upon meeting, they were all cordial, especially toward Qiu Jing. Though this former Prime Minister had been removed by Lian Yu, he had undoubtedly been very popular in his time.

But everyone’s eyes carried unease and tension. After all, today wasn’t a school reunion.

What exactly would Li Huaisu do, and what could she accomplish? Everyone harbored calculations.

Soon all officials had gathered, and Li Zhaoting also arrived, standing alone in a corner.

Many wanted to know the arrangements, but no one approached Li Zhaoting to ask specifically, as if they themselves were suspects.

Soon after, Lian Yu’s consorts arrived successively. Even Dowager Consort Ai, Xiao’an, and former consorts of the Late Emperor who had long hidden in palace courtyards or lived outside the palace all came one after another. Soon Lian Yu also arrived with his guards, but Suzhen and the Criminal Investigation Bureau people still hadn’t appeared.

Everyone was whispering when they saw Lian Yu arrive and hurried to pay respects. Lian Yu had been angry in court that day, and today his eyes were unfathomably deep – his emotions unclear, but his extremely cold “Rise” revealed something.

Some knew this was probably related to the Feng Shaoqing matter Li Huaisu had mentioned that day.

“By imperial decree, Your Majesties and Ministers, according to Magistrate Li’s arrangements, for this bone steaming examination, however many people there are, the bones will be divided into that many portions. Please follow the inner palace monitors to various locations to observe the bone steaming examination.”

Amid surprise and speculation, Ming Yanchu stepped forward behind Lian Yu and announced slowly.

As he spoke, he stepped slightly aside. Everyone saw hundreds of inner palace monitors walking forward in formation, surrounded by imperial guards.

“These dozens of bodies, broken into parts, are absolutely sufficient,” Ming Yanchu added.

Everyone was greatly shocked. This bone examination wasn’t concentrated in one place but would separate everyone. This Li Huaisu was even dismembering the dead – rather vicious.

Dowager Consort Ai was right beside Xiao’an. Before leaving, she smiled: “Sister, when alone later, don’t be afraid.”

“I raised His Majesty for many years, while Dowager Sister… I fear someone will come looking for you,” Xiao’an retorted mockingly.

Dowager Consort Ai left with a cold laugh. Quan Feitong glanced at Li Zhaoting from afar, who nodded at him. Qiu Jing beside him was very calm, following the leading eunuch away first.