Lian Jie sighed: “It reminded me too.”
“Can we do some elimination? I remember when Magistrate Li was taken away by Quan Feitong at the jade mine, Master said there were several groups wanting Magistrate Li’s life,” Xuanwu suddenly said, holding his sword. “Now excluding the obvious Princess of Zhennan, there’s still that old bastard Huang Zhongyue, and also… the Empress Dowager.”
“But the Empress Dowager would never harm His Majesty, yet the Murong family… Murong Ding is quite likely to.”
As he said this, almost everyone nodded simultaneously, because these two were exactly who they had been thinking of. With their influence, dispatching death warriors to eliminate Suzhen wouldn’t be difficult.
Lian Yu remained noncommittal. After a long while, just when everyone was puzzled about what he was contemplating, he slowly spoke: “After Minister Feng’s death, I’ve always had a question in my heart. Regarding Minister Feng’s matter, don’t you find it… rather mysterious?”
“Sixth Brother?” Lian Qin called out strangely, seeming not to understand why he had this sudden inspiration. He looked at Lian Jie—even the usually clever Seventh Brother had a confused expression.
Zhuque, everyone was the same.
Xuanwu especially so—he had offered his analysis expecting praise from the boss, only to have the topic suddenly shift.
Zhuque said: “Master, we subordinates don’t understand.”
Lian Yu’s eyes darkened, smiling coldly: “When Prince Jin died that year, everyone thought the Prince Jin family line had been exterminated. Even if there were remaining remnants, without Prince Jin’s bloodline, they lacked legitimacy. To prevent remnants from inciting Prince Jin and the Princess’s distant relatives to rebel, Mother and I still planted deep surveillance in the places where their clan relatives lived.”
“For over ten years, all remained calm. However, the Princess of Jin suddenly appeared in a county town. Since she hadn’t died and had hidden for years, why suddenly reveal herself now? Did she think we had already let down our guard? No, absolutely not. All these years, our people found no trace of her, which can only prove one thing—she hid very well. She has experts behind her, powerful forces.”
“I understand!” Lian Jie’s eyes flashed bright as he blurted out: “Minister Feng was the Director of the Court of Judicial Review back then—only he could manipulate such substitutions. Naturally we’d first suspect him. Sixth Brother means there’s likely internal strife within the Prince Jin faction, with someone wanting to use our hands to eliminate Minister Feng!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the clever Zhuque immediately said, her face full of alarm: “Cutting grass and removing roots—Master suspects that besides people like Huang Zhongyue and Murong Ding, there exists another force wanting to take Huaisu’s life. And this force comes precisely from the core of the Prince Jin faction her father once served.”
Everyone fell silent momentarily. Over these years, the royalist faction fought openly with Noble Consort Ai and the Quan faction while secretly guarding against Prince Jin faction’s potential counterattack—truly tigers ahead and wolves behind. But Prince Jin had many retainers back then, including formidable talents. After all these years, they couldn’t uncover a trace of clues. Had they already scattered, hidden in the countryside, or were they actually hiding within the court?
Minister Feng’s matter revealed the tip of an iceberg, but then the trail went cold.
Now with Suzhen’s crisis, the threads were extraordinarily complex.
“Sixth Brother, regarding Huaisu’s matter and these black-clothed men’s true identity, how should we continue investigating?” Lian Jie asked again, visibly tense.
Not only because Suzhen was Lian Yu’s most valued person, but also because this likely involved the Prince Jin faction. Whether it was Murong Ding, Huang Zhongyue, or the Prince Jin faction seemed like mountain mist, making things unclear.
Everyone looked toward Lian Yu. This matter was now far beyond merely thorny—each person’s heart felt weighted down like carrying a large stone.
Lian Yu picked up a withered branch from the ground, stabbing it fiercely into the soft soil. Everyone saw the branch sink halfway but didn’t understand his meaning.
“No matter how hard we try, we cannot bury this branch completely, because beneath this mud is stone. After ten years of effort, the Prince Jin faction has established a recuperative momentum. Searching won’t reveal them—defense and preparation for attack are the primary strategies against enemies.”
Ten years ago, Lian Yu was still young. Though Xiao’an and Marquis Murong Jing had formidable methods, dealing with the equally powerful Noble Consort Ai faction had nearly exhausted all their energy. Now Lian Yu had to face both the Quan and Jin major forces, and either side would fight to the death!
Added to this were unpredictable variables like Murong Ding and Huang Zhongyue. With Marquis Murong Jing absent and Huo Chang’an’s fate unknown, Lian Yu had lost his most capable military commander.
But his voice came like misty morning bells—not loud, yet carrying a power that calmed hearts and quickly steadied people. Just like that year when he came from a completely different lower-class world that they looked down upon, yet he successfully became their pillar, the one who led the Great Zhou kingdom from tyranny toward enlightened prosperity.
He ordered no further investigation, focusing on offense and defense.
“This realm and her—I cannot let either come to harm.” His gaze swept over the person not far away competing with Lian Xin for food, then he picked up the branch and drew a circle on the ground.
“Now that the secret of her being alive is no longer secret, after returning to the palace, I will decree—enthronement as Empress, under the identity of Feng Suzhen.” Then he faced everyone and declared this. His words were decisive—both announcement and command.
Everyone was greatly shocked. All knew Lian Yu loved Suzhen, and after so many events, all supported this decision. However, this wasn’t the right time for enthronement.
They still needed the Murong family’s support! Even though Lian Yu had established his inner circle among officials and reclaimed most military power from the Murong family, gradually converting these troops into his own, these soldiers were ultimately still Murong family troops. Though Murong Ding, who had conflicts with many deputy generals, couldn’t command them, there were still many officers willing to listen to Xiao’an.
Not to mention Murong Que—just regarding Marquis Murong Jing’s matter, Xiao’an and Murong Ding would never agree to enthrone Suzhen as Empress!
With Lian Yu’s current military strength and capabilities, even Quan Feitong was wary, undoubtedly surpassing Xiao’an. But the difficult situation was unprecedented since Great Zhou’s founding—this would make his path even more arduous.
Baihu had been standing at the back. Because she had once been unkind to Suzhen, Lian Yu hadn’t kept her by his side for quite some time.
Lian Yu was a good master but absolutely someone who rewarded and punished clearly, even severely. Now returned, she knew Lian Yu’s heart belonged only to Suzhen. Though still harboring admiration, she had corrected her position considerably. However, hearing this, though knowing it would displease Lian Yu, she still knelt to the ground: “Master, please reconsider! This Empress cannot be enthroned at this time!”
Baihu was stubborn by nature—usually only agreeing with Qinglong rarely. But now everyone knelt down, pleading in unison: “Your Majesty (Master), please reconsider! Wait until the realm is stabilized before enthronement—”
Lian Yu tossed the branch: “If no one harmed her, I could temporarily place her somewhere safe, waiting until everything passed before marrying her. But now nowhere outside is safe—she must enter the palace immediately. I absolutely cannot let her follow me without name or status.”
“My decision is final!”
That heavy declaration made branches rustle and winter birds take flight, directly shaking everyone’s heart.
“Yes.”
Everyone started, bowing their heads in agreement. Lian Jie bit his teeth and quietly signaled Zhuque, who cursed inwardly: Damn Seventh Brother, making this old lady be the villain again.
But someone had to be the villain! She seemed the most suitable person.
“Sixth Brother,” Lian Jie suddenly thought of something, “Should we continue investigating the white-clothed man who rescued Huaisu? Perhaps he represents a force favorable to us?”
“No need.” Lian Yu refused.
This person was most likely Li Zhaoting. Since Suzhen hadn’t thought of him, naturally he should respect her thoughts, shouldn’t he?
At this time, Lian Xin bounced over and said to Lian Yu: “Sixth Brother, Susu says the bought food doesn’t taste good and wants you to cook something delicious for her. Look, there’s a noodle stand ahead in the woods where you can borrow a pot.”
Everyone listened with horror, but Lian Yu was unconcerned, actually nodding and glancing at the clearing ahead, then asking indifferently: “Where’s Susu?”
“She went back to the carriage to sleep, told me to call her when it’s ready. Oh, she wants you to make me a portion too, saying it’s my reward.” Lian Xin finished with a grin, then took Lian Yu’s arm and hurried off.
Qinglong followed with men to ensure safety.
Everyone was speechless. Lian Qin said: “Damn, Sixth Brother is definitely the most elite among cooks and has the best culinary skills among emperors.”
As everyone was laughing, Xuanwu’s sharp eyes suddenly said: “Magistrate Li?”
Everyone was somewhat stunned, seeing Suzhen jump down from the carriage and walk toward them.
“Did he tell you about the enthronement?” Reaching them, Suzhen stopped and asked with a slight smile.
“How do you know?” Everyone was greatly surprised. She had just been playing happily with Lian Xin over there, some distance away, impossible to hear anything, yet she had guessed.
“He mentioned it to me before. Just now you all looked deadlocked—what else could be more difficult than this?”
Lian Jie’s expression lifted, suppressing excitement as he slowly said: “Huaisu, you deliberately sent Sixth Brother away—do you want to tell us something?”
Suzhen nodded: “I want to set your minds at ease. I won’t agree to this matter—I’ll make him prioritize the greater situation.”
Everyone had intended to persuade her, but hearing her say this, they didn’t know how to react. The Empress position was the lifelong supreme honor countless women dreamed of. Though not caring about sooner or later, when that moment truly came, how many wouldn’t compete for sooner rather than later?
But seeing Suzhen half-squat on the ground, pointing at the forceful circle there: “The realm is both his ambition and his responsibility.”
Then she picked up the wooden branch Lian Yu had thrown down and drew another circle beside it, but crooked and uneven—truly poor imitation, quite ugly. She said: “I know he loves me, but he doesn’t know that for me, becoming his wife—this stroke is already complete. Why must it be as concubine or Empress? With matchmaker’s words, friends and family witnessing, marriage certificate as proof—I am his wife. I don’t need to announce it to the world, nor do I need phoenix crown and coronation.”
“If in the future the realm is stabilized and he makes me his only Empress and consort, if he dares give it, I dare take it—but that’s a matter for later.”