Su Zhen glared at him angrily.

“Quan Feitong, let me go—”

Before she could finish, he bent down and directly blocked her lips and tongue. She kicked, hit, and bit him. He pressed against her and kissed roughly. Both breathed heavily, but neither made a sound.

After a long while, Quan Feitong released her, somewhat frivolously wiping the blood from his lip, looking with satisfaction at Su Zhen’s also slightly swollen lips: “I originally thought you no longer had emotions – turns out you can still get angry and bite people?”

“Let him go, Li Huaisu. Let him go.” His tone was half commanding, half coaxing.

Without a word, Su Zhen viciously kicked his foot and turned to leave. Quan Feitong winced in pain but couldn’t very well beat her. He could only let her cool off first – what karma. He sighed again in his heart, but his eyes showed some satisfaction.

“Big Brother.”

He sat down supporting his forehead, hearing a voice from behind the rockery.

Soon, Chao Huang and the steward emerged from there, both wearing expressions of mutual bewilderment. Chao Huang fearlessly said: “Big Brother, have you been abstinent too long? A dignified Prime Minister, over just one woman, acting like a rooster seeing a hen – isn’t that beneath your dignity? Do you need me to find you some beauties?”

“You’re asking for death – are you deliberately trying to ruin my wedding ceremony?” Quan Feitong glared at him. Chao Huang laughed heartily.

“Come with troops early that day. The entire court will come to observe the ceremony – I want Lian Yu to only be able to watch helplessly, unable to do anything.” Quan Feitong spoke calmly again, finishing his earlier unfinished instructions.

Soon after Su Zhen returned to her room, the door was pushed open without ceremony.

Quan Feitong walked straight in, grasped her hand, and said: “Didn’t you want to meet my teacher? Come, I’ll accompany you.”

Su Zhen didn’t want to deal with him. She put on her shoes intending to sleep some more, but just as she got under the covers, he lifted her up, bedding and all.

“I’ve already sent word to the old man. If you don’t go, I’ll have to carry you like this. After all, they’re elders – it’s not good to keep them waiting.” His chuckling laughter reached her ears.

Su Zhen was exasperated, glaring fiercely at him before struggling up: “I’ll go.”

“Such a good girl.” Quan Feitong tapped her nose and led her out the door.

Master Tingyu and others – Su Zhen had heard Consort Feng mention them when she was studying, so they weren’t unfamiliar. She knew they were great scholars of the age with extraordinary learning. “They’re people beyond worldly concerns – how did they come to stay at your place?”

“The old man cast divination and said great events would occur in the capital, concerning the dynasty’s fate, so he wanted to stay and observe before leaving.” Quan Feitong spoke somewhat carelessly.

Su Zhen paused. After a long while, she raised her eyelids: “Are you planning to act soon?”

Hearing this, Quan Feitong laughed heartily, quickly kissing her forehead: “What should I do – I want to bully you again.”

Su Zhen kicked his foot again. The two laughed and played as they reached the back courtyard.

Unexpectedly, several old gentlemen sat in the courtyard chatting. The courtyard was quiet and secluded, with blue, gray, and white robes complementing each other – one table, three chairs, tea steam curling up. Additionally, a chess game was set on the table.

Su Zhen didn’t dare be negligent, bowing her head in salute: “This junior greets the three gentlemen.”

All three of Master Tingyu’s group looked over and rose to return the courtesy, showing no airs whatsoever. One even personally helped her up: “Miss, no need for such formality.”

“We’ve long heard of the young lady’s deeds and greatly admire them.”

Su Zhen raised her head and saw the white-robed elder before her had a gaunt appearance with intelligent, clear eyes. She knew this must be Master Tingyu and quickly bowed again: “Master Tingyu.”

She was somewhat surprised that Quan Feitong had truthfully told everyone her identity. Beside her, Quan Feitong raised his eyebrows at her.

Master Tingyu’s eyes showed appreciation: “Good child.”

He then made a slight “eh” sound, suddenly pulling her to one side and carefully examining her face in the sunlight several times. All around, Mingjing and Shiyu were greatly surprised – Master Tingyu never acted so improperly. Quan Feitong also became suspicious and was about to inquire when he heard Master Tingyu ask quietly: “Miss, might this old man borrow your birth date and time?”

Su Zhen didn’t understand but didn’t hesitate, telling him her birth date and time as requested.

Master Tingyu nodded, took three copper coins from his chest, walked to the flower bed, cupped his hands, cast the coins from his palms, then picked up a twig from the ground and began drawing in the dirt. After drawing, he cast the coins again, repeating this six times…

Finally, he dropped the twig and looked down at the patterns of varying lengths in the earth.

Though Su Zhen didn’t understand numerology, Consort Feng had been quite knowledgeable about it. Having been exposed to it since childhood, she knew this was the Zhou Yi six-line divination method – Master Tingyu was casting a hexagram, apparently for her. She couldn’t help feeling somewhat alarmed and held her breath. Quan Feitong walked to her side, also slightly frowning.

Master Tingyu’s expression looked very strange, his eyes fixed intently on the patterns as if somewhat incredulous. This made Shiyu and Mingjing extremely surprised, and they walked over.

Finally, Master Tingyu turned back, his gaze falling on Su Zhen: “Miss, from your physiognomy, your life encounters are extremely peculiar – continuous tribulations but also continuous benefactors. You’re destined for three wood connections, with immeasurable nobility, yet two are death gates with only one showing life. However, your forehead shows murky darkness with turbid qi moving about – this is a sign of great evil, severing noble qi. This old man therefore cast a hexagram using your birth details – indeed, it’s a life-and-death catastrophe. This tribulation is extremely strange, forming a chain pattern – if you don’t die in the first tribulation, you’ll face a second, until… death.”

Su Zhen only trembled slightly at first but was very calm at the end. Quan Feitong frowned deeply, bowing: “Student will take her back to rest first. Your joke has quite frightened her.”

Master Tingyu sighed: “Go then.”

Quan Feitong immediately pulled Su Zhen’s hand to leave the courtyard. Su Zhen only had time to hurriedly say thanks before being dragged and pulled away.

“Why are you leaving so hastily? I haven’t properly said goodbye—”

But Quan Feitong scoffed: “Thank him for what? I shouldn’t have brought you if I’d known! The old man just can’t stand seeing me happy. I’m getting married and there’s not a single blessing – nothing but nonsense.”

“Even if it’s nonsense, isn’t he helping you?” Su Zhen laughed. “Look, he said three wood connections – what other ‘wood’ do I know? Just one Mu San. Three wood, Mu San – three wood is you!”

“I really suspect you had your teacher say nice things for you?”

Quan Feitong was pleased with these words, his eyes brightening slightly as he ruffled her hair: “You go back to your room first. I have some matters to handle, then I’ll find you.”

Su Zhen was very cooperative, not clinging to him, disappearing again in a flash. This left him quite disappointed: “Little heartless thing.”

He muttered softly, then turned back toward Master Tingyu’s courtyard. That hexagram!

“Master,” but before entering the courtyard, he was called.

Quan Feitong was impatient: “Why have you returned?”

Behind him were Chao Huang and the steward.

“We came back to report to you,” the steward’s expression was quite complex. “We just received word…”

“Something happened at the Ministry of Justice!”

“The Ministry of Justice?” Quan Feitong was surprised. “How so?”

“Big Brother,” Chao Huang answered, relating the entire matter.

The steward quickly asked quietly: “Master, should this matter be reported to Magistrate Li—”

Quan Feitong swept his robes and walked: “Tell her! This isn’t ordinary – if I don’t tell her today, when she finds out later she’ll certainly blame and resent me.”

In the room, Su Zhen looked calmly at the silent woman in the bronze mirror.

Master Tingyu’s words slowly flowed through her mind. She suddenly smiled.

She took out two small paper packets from her chest – one yellow, one white. She knew that on her wedding day with Quan Feitong, from imperial relatives above to court ministers below, all would come. He and Gu Xiluo would come too! Inside were two packets of medicine she’d prepared according to her father’s prescriptions – that man who was skilled in literature, martial arts, medicine, divination, and astrology.

Last time at the villa she’d used the numbing drug. There remained one packet of poison and one packet of… feigning-death drug.

Should she give that packet to his beloved woman? After silent contemplation, she opened the poison packet and scattered it in the air. The powder immediately became dust, floating slightly in the sunlight streaming through the window.

She remembered her early days in the capital when Gu Shuangcheng was accused of using deadly poison to murder an imperial consort. Back then, she probably never imagined this scene would repeat itself one day. Unfortunately, Huo and Yan couldn’t come drink at her wedding feast. Life’s encounters were truly interesting.

Just then, urgent footsteps suddenly came from outside. She quietly put the feigning-death drug back in her chest.

The door was immediately pushed open.

Outside, Quan Feitong frowned deeply with a serious expression. Her heart lurched as she couldn’t help asking: “What’s wrong?”

“You must promise to remain as calm as possible when you hear this news. Can you do that?” he said word by word.

Su Zhen’s heart felt inexplicably blocked – a feeling she hadn’t experienced since leaving the villa, these days having only one clear goal, except for some unexpected things Quan Feitong brought.

“The Ministry of Justice caught fire late last night. Your guards Tie Shou and Zhui Ming, plus former steward Uncle Fu, all died in this accident. The report just reached the Ministry of Justice, Yan Da, and myself.” Quan Feitong frowned, speaking slowly.

Su Zhen only felt her head buzzing, everything going dark before her eyes. Fortunately, Quan Feitong was prepared, taking several large steps to hold her tightly.

He said quietly: “It probably wasn’t an accident. Your two guards weren’t ordinary martial artists.”

But Su Zhen was obviously not focused on this. She just struggled frantically, her eyes completely red: “I want to go see, I want to go back and see…”

“Alright, I’ll accompany you.” Without hesitation, Quan Feitong supported her trembling form that could barely walk, carrying her out.