Su Zhen’s body trembled as she watched the Imperial Guards quickly split into two sides, making way. Under the torchlight, that familiar face led Xuanwu and Ming Yanchu in hurried steps.

Whenever Lian Yu left the palace, he always wore civilian clothes, but now he wore a black dragon robe with red trim and a golden crown, showing how urgently he had left the palace.

His brow was tightly furrowed, his features sharp as an icy blade.

When the two sides met, Xiao’an trembled all over with rage, yet still forced a pale smile: “Good, very good. Now that Marquis Murong Jing is dead, isn’t His Majesty still outside reorganizing the Murong family’s military affairs? Such swift action – the Dowager Empress just deployed troops, and His Majesty immediately learned of it and rushed here. Your Majesty, your wings have truly hardened.”

“So you can also do without the Dowager Empress and… your uncle.”

“The Dowager Empress wants to kill this cheap woman, and you want to stop me too. With three thousand beauties in the harem, all the world’s beauties are yours – do you really lack this one woman? Must it be her?”

Speaking to her excitement, she almost shrieked, her beautiful face covered with ferocity, no longer retaining any of her former cold nobility.

Lian Yu raised an eyebrow and smiled: “This case was approved by me for her to handle. I should bear the consequences.”

“Mother, your son has never wanted to abandon you. It’s precisely because I value our bond that I’ve always spared Uncle, and I’m also grateful for Uncle’s years of cultivation and care. But when he chose this path for me, did he ever ask how I felt? A kingdom like a painting is my ideal today, but ruling the world was never seven-year-old Lian Yu’s ambition!”

“In your son’s heart, you will always be my mother. But Li Huaisu – you cannot kill her. No matter what, it’s impossible!”

As he spoke, he actually swept his robes and knelt before her, his eyes showing both love and absolute determination. The former was gentle as wind, the latter unyielding.

Awed by the killing intent in his eyes, the Imperial Guards in the courtyard all knelt in unison to show submission.

Xiao’an suddenly froze, unable to speak for a moment, the fierce resentment in her eyes slowly turning to anguished sorrow.

Thinking of what she’d observed these days, realizing it was worry for her brother, Su Zhen, despite being struck by her, momentarily felt only pity for this woman who embodied motherly virtue. Her graying temples flickered in the firelight, as if she had aged ten years in an instant.

“Fine, fine. With you here, they all only obey you. How can the Dowager Empress settle this debt? Back then, the Dowager Empress only learned of it afterward. Your Majesty, you say you still regard the Dowager Empress as your mother, but the Dowager Empress no longer knows how to regard you as her son. Your uncle may have been wrong, but all these years, we’ve devoted our hearts to you… The Dowager Empress loved you even more than Lian Xin, because you were the Dowager Empress’s first child. The Dowager Empress has never been unworthy of you, but regarding your uncle’s matter, the Dowager Empress fears she can never let it go in this lifetime. If you insist on stopping me today, then let our mother-son bond be severed forever!”

Her eyes also showed complete determination. Hong Gu’s eyes were red and swollen. Seeing this, she suddenly leaped toward Su Zhen. This move was too sudden – almost everyone was unprepared. Just as her hand reached Su Zhen’s throat, a long sword thrust diagonally, striking faster and harder, severing her arm in a spray of blood!

“Aunt Hong, if this subordinate had applied just a bit more force, you would have lost this hand. Your martial arts are formidable – it would be a pity if your hand were ruined.”

Xuanwu spoke calmly.

His movements were like lightning, swifter than anyone else’s.

Hong Gu laughed coldly. Her injury was serious, but she didn’t make a sound, only staring intently at Xiao’an, as if with just one command from Xiao’an, she would rush forward again regardless of everything.

Xiao’an laughed heartily, but looked at Lian Yu: “Your Majesty, what a ruthless heart you have. If you hadn’t given prior orders, would your servant dare act so presumptuously?”

“Ah Hong, come here. Follow the Dowager Empress!”

She shouted sternly, her gaze filled with deep resentment.

Hong Gu immediately followed, her hatred for Lian Yu identical.

Murong Qi watched from the side. Finally, she burst into tears and walked before Lian Yu: “Your Majesty, you cannot treat me this way. We two grew up together since childhood…”

“Qi’er, I will take care of you.” Lian Yu said gently, his eyes showing a trace of pity. In her heartbreak, Murong Qi was momentarily mesmerized. Lian Yu suddenly stood up and touched her neck lightly. Murong Qi’s eyelids fluttered, then she fainted in his arms. He handed her to Ming Yanchu, instructing: “Take Consort Qi back to the palace.”

“Yes, this servant understands.” Ming Yanchu quickly agreed.

Seeing the disaster finally averted, the Ministry of Justice people’s hearts, which had been in their throats, finally settled. Little Zhou displayed his bootlicking skills, constantly flattering Lian Yu. In the dim lamplight, Su Zhen’s gaze quietly fixed on Lian Yu.

He stood in profile – she could only see his blurred silhouette, pale and hard.

“Xuanwu, thank you.” She wanted to say something but found herself speechless. Finally, she thanked him through Xuanwu.

Xuanwu replied softly: “Magistrate Li need not be polite. The Empress Dowager was right – if the master hadn’t given instructions on the way here to make an example, this subordinate wouldn’t have dared act so readily.”

“…” Su Zhen didn’t know what to say. Ahead, Lian Yu had already turned to leave, striding quickly into the Imperial Guards.

The disciplined Imperial Guards protected him as he departed. In moments, everyone had withdrawn completely.

“Huaisu, let’s go back.”

Wuqing spoke gently.

But Su Zhen didn’t move, as if she hadn’t heard.

Little Zhou had been cold toward Wuqing and hadn’t spoken to him. Now she pulled him to Su Zhen’s side and gave him a meaningful look. Zhui Ming and the others also felt something was wrong and stepped forward, only to discover Su Zhen was crying.

It had been a long time since they’d seen her cry. Perhaps it should be said that since separating from Lian Yu, she had never cried like this.

Quiet and painful.

She was crying, but not for herself. Anyone could see she was shedding tears for Lian Yu.

Everyone was secretly shocked but didn’t know what to do or say. Just then, they heard her say: “I’ll go back to my room first. Tomorrow we’ll proceed as planned to look for a house and move.”

She spoke and quickly walked into the main hall.

“Huaisu, look, we’ve looked for houses before but never moved. His Majesty told you to retire to your hometown, but no official document has come ordering us to move. Perhaps His Majesty doesn’t really…” Zhui Ming tried to lighten the mood.

“No, we must move from this house.”

Su Zhen’s voice came from the hall, decisive and final.

Everyone looked at each other. Zhui Ming and Tie Shou were extremely worried. Little Zhou frowned deeply: “You all look for houses tomorrow as planned. I’ll go in and check on her first.”

“It’s useless,” Wuqing immediately stopped her, his eyes deep and sharp. “Don’t you understand? She can never be with the Emperor again, and the Emperor is the same.”

“But she can’t let him go.” Little Zhou smiled bitterly.

“Even if she can’t let him go.” But Wuqing said this.

Returning to her own courtyard, Su Zhen didn’t immediately enter her room but leaped onto the roof and sat down.

The sky was starless, moonlight spilling onto the ground in pale whiteness.

She covered her face with both hands irritably, only then realizing her eyes were wet and cool.

In her mind were Marquis Murong Jing’s words before their parting. Magistrate Li, except for two things…

In the Jade Consort case, someone was manipulating from behind.

Someone had probably known the culprit all along, using her hands step by step to expose everything, wanting exactly today’s result.

Though she had tried to conceal it, she ultimately couldn’t escape the calculating heart hidden in darkness.

From the moment she received the fake letter from Yan Da, she had fallen into a chess game.

Perhaps it should be said that from the moment she, as a woman, donned the top scholar’s crimson python robe, she had fallen into the most complex chess game.

Her unintentional actions had become entangled with everyone else’s affairs, never to be separated again.

But he and she were already completely separated. Whether it was her or him, they both knew they could never be together again. For A Luo’s sake, it wasn’t that he was heartless, but toward her, from beginning to end, he had helped her again and again.

She couldn’t count how many times he had saved her.

She had just been celebrating that her father wasn’t the murderer of his mother, so that in future memories, there would still be some joy to find. After all, he owed her. But now, she owed him again. Because of her danger in the tomb, he had already suppressed the Jade Consort case. If not to prevent her from stepping into the whirlpool of the Gu Shuangcheng incident, he wouldn’t have reopened the old case.

People always desperately seek an ending and truth, but always forget that this truth and ending might not be something they can bear.

Originally, having Marquis Murong Jing as the culprit was already enough for him to bear. How could he not avenge his mother’s death? But out of gratitude to the Murong family, he had only reclaimed military authority. Yet Marquis Murong Jing couldn’t accept this outcome…

If he hadn’t stepped forward to protect her, Xiao’an’s emotions could have been vented, and the Murong clan would still be his relatives. But he had taken everything upon himself.

Xiao’an, Murong Qi, and Lian Xin were Marquis Murong Jing’s blood relatives. Yan Da and Marquis Murong Jing had deep friendship.

Now, could the Murong family still be his strongest backing? They wouldn’t help him anymore. And an army without a great general to control it was like scattered sand. Lian Jie was constantly provoked by Quan Feitong and Consort Ai. Lian Qin was closest to Lian Jie.

Quan Feitong, Consort Ai, the Prince Jin faction – if someone struck now…

Thinking of this, she felt as if her whole being would explode. Yes, they were right. She could let him go, but she couldn’t stop worrying about him. Moreover, she bore responsibility in this.

She stood up in a daze, but her body swayed and she fell.

She knew this would certainly be very painful and closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to look—

However, where she landed was human flesh and warmth. She opened her eyes in surprise to see a face covered with a veil.

This person had caught her. Most terrifyingly, this person had somehow arrived silently and stood in this courtyard, while she had been immersed in her own world, completely unaware.

“Who are you?” She called out lowly, struggling free from his embrace.

“Brother, after I leave, remember to spread Young Master Li’s inadequacy secret throughout Huai County. Sister will bring you delicious food when I return. This matter – heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know – but don’t let it leak out and reach Young Master Li’s ears.” The man didn’t forcibly detain her, slowly releasing his hands and speaking softly.

Hearing this, Su Zhen froze completely, motionless, staring deadly at the black-clothed man before her.

“Zhen’er, don’t be sad. All those worth our sadness in this world have already died. Lian Yu ordered the killing of our parents and personally thrust a sword into brother’s heart. Why are you sad for him, hmm?” The man spoke gently, word by word, as if asking her word by word.