A figure flashed, and Tie Ci had already blocked in front of the Mountain Dean. She was knocked back with a stumble, nearly spitting up blood.

The Mountain Dean looked up and saw the dagger at her waist. He suddenly reached out and pulled it, then turned and lunged toward Lady Zhu, who had been restrained and thrown to the ground.

The snow-bright dagger reflected Lady Zhu’s shocked and desperate eyes.

With a ding, Tie Ci flicked out a stone, knocking away the dagger.

For a moment the forest was deathly silent, with only night insects chirping chaotically.

Lady Zhu suddenly began to laugh.

Her laughter was crisp, giggling like silver bells echoing above the forest, making everyone’s skin crawl.

She laughed and pointed at Tie Ci, saying: “Speak! Why aren’t you speaking anymore? Empress Xiao… you keep saying Empress Xiao, but why don’t you say who Empress Xiao was supporting at that time? Why don’t you say who we went through all these machinations, killing and scheming, ultimately for?”

Tie Ci remained silent.

“Because you don’t dare say! You can’t say! If you did, the biggest beneficiary of this whole affair, the real culprit, would become yourself!” Lady Zhu laughed wildly. “When that time comes, all the promises Master He made to you—see if they still count!”

Tie Ci sighed.

Lady Zhu stopped laughing and stared at her, saying eerily: “Honestly, I both admire and despise you. Because you’re both clever and stupid! I don’t know what you were thinking—Zhu Yi gave you that truth, couldn’t you just go with the flow and accept it? You had to get to the bottom of everything!”

She sneered: “You want me to confess, right? Fine, I confess. Lady Rong and I killed her. But do you want to know who directly gave us orders at that time?”

Tie Ci smiled bitterly and helplessly.

She didn’t know, but could guess.

Otherwise, why would she have struggled and hesitated, scribbling like a ghost all night?

He Zi slowly turned his head to look at her.

For an instant, his eyes were deep black, as if they had absorbed all the darkness of the night.

“…I don’t know anything about Empress Xiao or Empress Dowager Xiao. I only know that back then, the one who gave me the defense maps and personally gave me orders was a young eunuch from the palace. Though now he’s no longer a young eunuch.” Lady Zhu smiled. “Now he’s the steward of Chongming Palace, a favored person by His Majesty’s side.”

Tie Ci closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

After the Mountain Dean had enlightened her that night, she knew there were still several clues that hadn’t been explained clearly. Following them down, the more she traced, the more alarmed she became.

After asking He Zi that final question, she knew she had encountered one of the most difficult choices of her life.

The matter pointed to Empress Dowager Xiao, which actually meant pointing to Father Emperor, since their interests were aligned at that time. Empress Dowager Xiao’s scheming had the purpose, at least mainly at that time, of eliminating Prince Tang and Prince Lu, and supporting the unremarkable Father Emperor to ascend the throne.

It was very possible that Father Emperor had a hand in this matter.

I didn’t kill Boren, but Boren died because of me.

Traced to the end, the murderer was myself.

With such a truth placed before Mr. He, could she still expect him to put down his hatred and emerge from seclusion to assist her?

She had thought about it—forget it, don’t dig anymore. Stop here.

Revealing the truth would really hurt too many people.

How would the disciples face their master and themselves in the future? They were also deceived.

As for the master, having finally accepted the pain of the suicide note through long years, must he also face the deeper pain that his beloved wife actually died wrongfully and bore a bad reputation?

As for herself, all previous efforts would be wasted.

And the dead were already dead. No matter what, preserving the living was most important.

That night, squatting in the courtyard drawing on the ground, struggling and thinking, when she stood up, she had already made up her mind to give up.

However, walking to the edge of Liuxiang Lake and seeing the rippling lake water, she once again remembered the struggle underwater at age three.

She remembered the assassinations she had once encountered, and even framing attempts.

If she had died in those times, perhaps the murderers, to shirk responsibility, would have pinned some unspeakable crimes on her too?

Why should that innocent woman be secretly murdered and still have to bear those unspeakable burdens?

Why should she be the one who deserved to be sacrificed?

Just because others needed her to be sacrificed?

…

She slowly turned around, walked before He Zi, and bowed deeply to the ground.

“Sir asked me to help find the truth, and now I have found it. Grace, duty, grievances, and revenge—please decide for yourself in the future, sir. As for the agreement between you and me, just… forget it.”

After completing her bow, without looking at anyone, she turned and left the forest.

At the edge of the forest, someone was waiting.

Her heart jumped, originally thinking it was Rong Wei, until she saw the person cough and realized it was Rong Pu.

She was in low spirits now and didn’t want to say anything. She nodded and was about to walk around Rong Pu.

Rong Pu said softly: “Just now Rong Wei wanted to come over, but I had people lead him away.”

Tie Ci said nothing.

Rong Pu gazed at Tie Ci.

This woman had the brightest and strongest will in the entire world.

People seeking profit and avoiding harm had almost become human nature.

Only she was different.

When everyone else would make that most correct choice, she faced it head-on, with iron-like robes that wouldn’t be broken by fierce winds.

This was what made people’s hearts surrender, the unsurpassable Crown Princess.

This was the greatest reason he stood here in the middle of the night, despite his frail body, braving the wind to wait for her.

Unable not to admire, unable not to respect.

Tie Ci was in low spirits and couldn’t perceive others’ feelings at this moment. Even if she could, it would only make her more depressed.

I really wanted not to say it too!

I just couldn’t help myself!

How despicable!

After cursing herself a few times, she felt a bit better. She nodded and was about to leave when Rong Pu said softly: “If Master He is unwilling to help you anymore, it doesn’t matter. Afterward, I will work hard to bring the academy under my command… my command, not the Rong Family’s…”

Tie Ci stopped, and after a long moment, laughed.

She said: “Minister Rong, I’m very grateful for your intentions, but do you think you can really cut ties with the Rong Family?”

Before Rong Pu could answer, she pointed toward the forest again: “If you say you can cut ties, then go prove it now. Go tell the Mountain Dean and the others that Rong Luchuan might be the only disciple in this matter who isn’t clean. He originally didn’t agree to write the suicide note that way—why did he change his attitude after one night? Was it because that night, he discovered his own wife was the murderer, and then chose silence for her?”

Rong Pu was slightly stunned.

He didn’t know about this detail, but since Tie Ci hadn’t mentioned it explicitly just now, she was leaving room for the Rong Family.

After a long moment, he took a breath and shook his head: “Your Highness, there’s no need for me to say it. The Mountain Dean and the others were just deceived by their closest people. Once they come to their senses, they’ll easily figure it out.”

“Heartless people find it easier to rise to power. You see, the Mountain Dean is in such a sorry state right now, while Rong Luchuan is already the Chief Minister.” Tie Ci smiled and patted Rong Pu’s shoulder. “I advise you—don’t be kind.”

She walked away with fluttering robes, never looking back.

No matter who it was, gaining her trust wouldn’t be that easy.

She was, after all, surnamed Tie.

…