When Suzhen returned to her room with the palace women, she unexpectedly found people waiting in the courtyard. Mingyan Chu, Xuanwu, and Qinglong were all standing properly, each holding a jar of wine in their hands. It looked like they had been waiting for some time.

That mysteriously dressed purple-clad youth wasn’t there.

Seeing Suzhen return, everyone’s faces showed joy.

“Finally we’ve waited for Miss Zhu’er to return from the Princess’s palace,” Mingyan Chu said with a beaming smile.

“Mm, lies need to be properly maintained too.” Suzhen nodded. Knowing who she was, they didn’t find this name awkward – stranger even than “Madam Quan” – but whether it was him or his people, they all only used this name.

Mingyan Chu felt somewhat embarrassed and laughed dryly twice: “These are fine wines and vintage brews that His Majesty specifically instructed us servants to bring over. Please accept them, miss.”

“A gift of thanks for lying without making Consort Gu unhappy?” Suzhen asked bluntly.

Mingyan Chu was choked up. Xuanwu and Qinglong exchanged glances – fortunately, this kind of difficult task was usually handled by Mingyan Chu. But Mingyan Chu was still Mingyan Chu. After pausing, he still smiled without diminishment: “Miss, you jest. This is just His Majesty’s kind intention. This is the palace’s finest maiden’s wine. Where would you like it placed, miss?”

Suzhen looked on lightly. Logically, they could have just sent some eunuchs to deliver the wine – there was no need for these three to make a trip. Moreover, though they were waiting, they could have simply put the items down and waited. Holding them like this throughout the exchange actually made them quite precious indeed.

When Mingyan Chu and the others returned to report, Lian Yu had already escorted Aluo back to her chambers. Lamps were lit in the imperial study as he discussed military matters with Lian Jie, Lian Qin, and Si Lanfeng.

Though it was only one-third of the military force, Lian Jie and Lian Qin still disagreed with handing troops over to Murong Ding. This person’s temperament was too violent, and now with “patricidal” hatred, his antagonistic relationship with the Murong family’s deputy generals would likely cause great trouble in the future.

Currently, with the military power in their hands and Si Lanfeng, the Assistant Minister of War, helping to manage it, things were still manageable – these were truly Lian Yu’s personal troops.

Yet Lian Yu still insisted on his view. First, now that discord had grown between him and the Murong family, handling it this way would allow Murong Ding and Marquis Murong Jing’s deputy generals, who also disliked this arrangement, to check and balance each other, preventing major chaos.

Second, it would allow them to quickly penetrate the grassroots level, win hearts, and gradually shift the soldiers’ loyalty from the Murong family to the imperial guard.

Hearing this, Lian Jie and the other realized his far-reaching considerations and no longer insisted, both saying they would follow sixth brother’s judgment.

Si Lanfeng had been receiving increasing trust recently. As Lian Jie’s man, Lian Yu not only placed him beside Wei Chenghui as Assistant Minister of War to constantly monitor this so-called neutral minister who controlled heavy troops, but now also involved him in managing the Murong family soldiers.

Si Lanfeng had been listening carefully throughout. Hearing this, he immediately reported that Wei Chenghui’s side still showed no unusual activity, seeming unwilling to get involved in factional struggles, mostly waiting and watching while protecting himself wisely.

Lian Yu nodded. The conversation was flowing when he suddenly stopped talking, stood up abruptly, and said “Come in.”

At that moment, Mingyan Chu and the others were preparing to announce themselves outside the courtyard. When they entered, their faces still showed surprise – they hadn’t expected his senses to be so sharp.

They paid their respects, but his gaze fell on their hands without speaking.

Everyone immediately felt a sense of oppressive breathlessness.

Because Li Huaisu had returned the wine untouched!

“What did she say?”

After silent moments, his low voice finally sounded.

Mingyan Chu opened his mouth with a pained expression: “Replying to Master, she said this wine was a blessing she didn’t deserve and wasn’t worthy to drink.”

“Did you tell her this was wine from the new cellar?”

“We did.”

“Oh.”

Lian Yu made a light “mm” sound and sat back down.

“Mingyan Chu, this is aged maiden’s wine, isn’t it? Just smelling the wine fragrance makes one restless,” Lian Qin, who usually enjoyed a few cups, stood up with a greedy expression, sniffing, “Sixth brother, seventh brother, shall we drink while we talk?”

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Lian Yu sit down, then extremely quickly stand up again, walk to Mingyan Chu, snatch the wine jar, and smash it hard on the ground!

Immediately, the room filled with wine fragrance that rushed into everyone’s nostrils.

Everyone was shocked. Lian Qin swallowed his words back into his throat. Lian Yu said nothing, consecutively smashing the jars in Xuanwu and Qinglong’s hands on the ground before stopping.

“Lanfeng, you may go first. We’ll discuss military matters later.”

He looked up to give instructions.

“Yes,” Si Lanfeng sensed he wanted to discuss private family matters and knew it wasn’t convenient to stay longer. He tactfully took his leave immediately.

Before leaving, he glanced at the wine on the ground, thinking this “she” was probably the Consort Gu that his young master had always been concerned about. Besides the crucial military information from earlier, this could also be reported.

The door closed again. Lian Jie and the other exchanged glances, then made eye contact with Xuanwu. Xuanwu was overwhelmed, and along with Mingyan Chu and the others, they all watched their gloomy-faced master with tingling scalps.

“Did she say anything else? For instance, wanting something?” He clasped his hands, speaking with some menace.

“This…” Everyone found it difficult. Li Huaisu truly hadn’t said she wanted anything, but Xuanwu remembered something and quickly said: “Master, there is one more thing. She said she wanted to see—”

Before he could finish, Lian Yu lifted his robes and strode out quickly.

Seeing this, he cried out in alarm and hurried to follow: “Master, she doesn’t want to see you. She said the palace days are lonely and asked if she could see the Princess more often?”

Lian Yu stopped at the doorway. He didn’t move for a long time. About a quarter-hour passed before everyone heard him say quietly, “Fine.”

The atmosphere seemed somewhat awkward. No one spoke first, fearing to displease him. After a while, it was Xuanwu who fearlessly spoke first: “Master, why use a battle-axe to kill a chicken? This time we three don’t all need to go together, right? Could we just send a eunuch to relay the message—”

Lian Yu quickly cut him off: “You go make the trip and tell her.”

Xuanwu looked indignant!

After Xuanwu left, Lian Yu sat back down to work. He didn’t speak, only looked at memorials.

Lian Jie and Lian Qin wanted to slip away several times, but Lian Yu hadn’t told them to leave.

It seemed he had completely forgotten they were still there.

But taking leave at this moment – no one wanted to, fearing that with one misstep, they’d become a convenient target for venting anger.

Qinglong and Mingyan Chu also stood properly to one side.

During this time, only the main culprit Zhuque, who had returned and was still being punished with kneeling outside, came in and wailed: “Master, my legs are about to break from kneeling. Can I stop kneeling now?”

Lian Yu didn’t even look up, saying coldly: “You’ve reminded me. Kneel until they break. Come beg for mercy after they’re broken.”

Zhuque stared wide-eyed and dejectedly walked back out, kneeling properly again. Lian Qin looked at Lian Jie with a mournful expression, even more afraid to speak. Lian Jie had given up struggling and silently sat down to drink tea.

After another incense stick’s time, the night watch was called outside – it was already halfway through the seventh double-hour, well past dinner time. Lian Qin’s stomach was rumbling with hunger, but Lian Yu was still buried in memorials, completely oblivious to him. He wanted to cry but had no tears. Just then, Xuanwu pushed the door open: “Master, mission accomplished.”

Lian Yu made an “mm” sound with no other words. Xuanwu also returned to Mingyan Chu’s side to starve together.

After quite a while longer, he seemed to suddenly remember something and called out: “Master, this subordinate forgot to report one thing. She said, if it’s convenient for you, please come to her place.”

Lian Yu slowly raised his head with a serious expression: “What did you say?”

Though he seemed to be asking, he didn’t wait for an answer and had already pushed back from his desk and strode quickly outside.

Lian Qin walked up to Xuanwu, both relieved and still somewhat angry: “You blockhead! Such an important matter, and you kept it to yourself for so long before saying anything.”

“I think Xuanwu was also scared by Master,” Qinglong also sighed with relief. He wasn’t speaking for Xuanwu but was also callously laughing back.

Xuanwu raised his eyebrows: “You think I really forgot? I deliberately held back from saying it. You two lords have only missed one meal, but we’ve already missed two.”

“Master didn’t eat today either and wouldn’t let us eat. Now, great revenge is achieved.”

Everyone looked at each other. Just then, the door was pushed open again as Zhuque dragged her legs in painfully: “I just saw the demon head leave. Let me rest a bit. When you go eat, bring some back for me.”

Lian Jie and Lian Qin laughed until they bent over. Finally, Lian Jie asked: “What quarrel did sixth brother have with Consort Gu?”

Lian Qin also perked up his ears.

“It’s not that consort – it’s Feng Suzhen,” Mingyan Chu and the others exchanged glances and answered simultaneously.

Lian Jie and the other could no longer laugh.

After a long while, Lian Jie sighed: “You should also put your minds at ease. Sixth brother harbors guilt toward her, but this guilt will eventually be exhausted.”

Suzhen waited for some time without anyone coming, so she had the palace women bring dinner.

She calculated in her mind – if he didn’t come, what should she do? There was just one last thing left. Unexpectedly, just as she picked up her bowl, she heard the palace women outside saying: “His Majesty arrives.”

She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to open the door when Lian Yu had already pushed it open and entered.

In the winter day, his smooth, full forehead was actually covered with a layer of sweat.

His gaze was extremely deep and intense as he stared at her without speaking.

Suzhen pointed to the space in front of herself: “Would you like a bowl?”

Lian Yu still didn’t speak but quickly came forward and picked up the bowl with both hands. Suzhen was stunned – that was what the palace women had just filled, very hot. She had withdrawn her hand after one touch, yet he didn’t seem to mind the heat.