The voice came from behind her, yet Qin Chang Ge acted as if she hadn’t heard it. She carefully wiped away her son’s tears before slowly rising and turning to look at the person behind her.

Her eyes suddenly widened.

The person before her was thin as a crescent moon, wearing a sky-blue robe that hung on his frame like a fluttering banner on a slender tree, empty and swaying in the wind. The skin visible at his sleeves and collar was pale as thin membrane, faintly showing the light blue veins beneath. Only his pair of eyes held unrelenting fire burning within, blazing with passionate obsession, as if wanting to burn everything in heaven and earth to ashes.

Qin Chang Ge stared at him in shock… Xiao Chen, this was Xiao Chen? Was this the noble prince who had been jade-like and cherry-blossom fair, lighting lamps and dancing to songs in poetic and wine-flowing elegance? Was this the imperial brother Xiao Chen with his leisurely graceful bearing and noble spiritual essence? Was this the ethereal man who had always been like clear springs, flowing water, moonlight, and beautiful poetry?

The clear spring was running dry, the beautiful poetry was broken, all the lovely legends had passed away, leaving only the poisonous ghostly fire of resentment that burned day after day, completely different from the past.

Qin Chang Ge’s gaze slowly moved down, carefully examining Xiao Chen’s entire form. His clothing was still exquisite and clean, his bearing refined, but who knew if this was because Xiao Jue had visited yesterday and the eunuchs guarding him had just changed his clothes?

However, judging from how Xiao Jue had only been sorrowful without anger yesterday, the people at Anping Palace probably wouldn’t mistreat Xiao Chen. After all, this prince had a reputation for virtue and magnanimity, was famously known as a worthy prince, and was much beloved by the people.

Qin Chang Ge laughed mockingly. The affairs of this world were truly unfair – a generation’s worthy prince had fallen into prison, while she, this sinister and ruthless villain, was riding high on spring winds. It truly made one gnash their teeth in hatred at the thought.

She had tortured an absolute beauty of a man into this emaciated state, like a wandering ghost.

Love and hatred – what terrifying things they were.

Smiling, she raised her hand and said, “Your Highness, have you been well since we last met?”

“Don’t call me Your Highness,” Xiao Chen said coldly. “Thanks to you, the title of Prince Zhao no longer exists.”

“Oh, my apologies, I forgot. But regardless, you’re still His Majesty’s blood brother. Blood ties are something no one can erase.” Qin Chang Ge held her son’s hand, casually brushing past the rigid Xiao Chen’s shoulder as she entered the dilapidated pavilion he was leaning against, plucking a half-withered lotus leaf from the pond to cushion herself against the dust-covered railing.

Behind her, Xiao Chen trembled at her words, his fingers convulsively gripping the railing. He stared at her for a long moment before laughing coldly, “Empress, have you come to demonstrate your power today? Are you and your husband coming to see me one after another to tell me you’re going to remarry?”

He bit down hard on the word “remarry,” his tone full of sarcasm.

Qin Chang Ge rested her chin on her hand, looking up at Xiao Chen, completely ignoring his previous comment and only saying slowly, “Xiao Chen, I’ve discovered that you’re the person who accepted the fact that I’m not dead the fastest.”

“So what?”

“Nothing much, I just used this to confirm that,” Qin Chang Ge stared into Xiao Chen’s eyes, “when the incident occurred, you never entered Chang Le Palace at all.”

Xiao Chen shuddered and fell silent.

“If you had entered Chang Le Palace, if you had witnessed certain facts with your own eyes, you couldn’t possibly have accepted the information that ‘the Empress is not dead’ so quickly.” Qin Chang Ge pressed forward step by step. “Xiao Chen, you didn’t act. Who are you being a scapegoat for?”

Silence.

Extreme quiet, so still they could hear a single petal fall from a flower in the garden behind them.

After a long while, Xiao Chen said extremely slowly, “No one can force me to be a scapegoat.”

“Of course,” Qin Chang Ge replied swiftly, “you volunteered.”

Raising his eyes, Xiao Chen gave Qin Chang Ge an odd look and once again refused to answer.

Qin Chang Ge’s expression gradually darkened. She raised her hand, picked up a fallen leaf blown over by the wind, and slowly crushed it in her palm.

She heard Xiao Chen say quietly, “You venomous woman, after defeating me, you still couldn’t forget to scheme again. In the Taiji Prison that day, when brother and I were drinking together, what trick did you play with that wine?”

Qin Chang Ge glanced at him and said coldly, “You refuse to answer me, so why should I answer you?”

“I don’t need you to answer, I know,” Xiao Chen said coldly. “The poison was on the silver needle, the silver needle for testing wine – you gave it to Yu Hai, didn’t you? You…” He said word by word: “You are so ruthless.”

His tone was full of resentment.

“Thank you for the compliment, I’m deeply honored.” Qin Chang Ge remained unmoved, not even changing her sitting position. “Xiao Chen, you went to drink the wine that was spilled on the ground, didn’t you? You drank it, so you know that wine wasn’t poisoned at all?”

This question didn’t need an answer – Xiao Chen’s expression had already revealed everything. Qin Chang Ge’s face remained calm, but her heart felt slightly cold as she recalled that night in the flickering candlelight of Taiji Prison, when Xiao Jue had left hastily with the pain of being betrayed by his brother, while in the pitch darkness, Xiao Chen, filled with despair, had crawled to the ground trying to drink that “poisoned wine” to commit suicide. This scene of brotherly severance, this plan to cut off emotions by forcing someone into a corner – although Xiao Chen had brought it upon himself, it was ultimately tragic and painful.

Smiling bitterly, Qin Chang Ge stood up, wondering why she had bothered to come here. When water is too clear, there are no fish; when people are too perceptive, they have no companions. Some things – why must they be made so clear? Playing dumb while knowing the truth might make life happier.

Although Xiao Chen hadn’t said anything, for Qin Chang Ge, what she wanted to know and what she didn’t want to know had all become clear.

That mocking smile of his – was he waiting to see the day when she would similarly be cast down into the dust?

Slightly raising her head to look at the southward-flying geese, Qin Chang Ge said clearly and slowly, “Xiao Chen, we’re both intelligent people. What you can do, I may not be unable to do. Don’t laugh too early.”

“What do I have to laugh about?” The ghostly fire in Xiao Chen’s eyes seemed capable of starting a prairie fire. “Whether life is long or short, bitter or sweet, poor or rich, in the end it’s all just a handful of yellow earth. Even if you win for a while, you can’t win forever. Everyone should take care of themselves.”

He smiled sarcastically, extending his hand in a gesture that still held a trace of his former elegant bearing, “Please, I won’t see you out.”

Qin Chang Ge looked at him deeply. Her original intention to suggest he move out of Anping Palace was something she was now too lazy to mention. She took her son’s hand and started walking.

Baozi obediently followed her, but suddenly turned back as they passed by and said, “I heard you harmed my mother?”

Xiao Chen looked at him and said flatly, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, I welcome you to grant me a cup of poisoned wine to avenge your mother when you ascend the throne in the future.”

Baozi snorted disdainfully, “My mother is responsible for her own revenge. What business is it of mine? I haven’t finished speaking yet. I heard you were very good to Father Emperor.”

Xiao Chen’s expression suddenly darkened, and he fell silent. After a while, he laughed coldly again.

Baozi said, “My mother said the grievances of the previous generation have nothing to do with the younger generation. Regardless, you are my uncle, and I seem to have never formally paid my respects to you.”

He bent slightly and said, “Imperial Uncle.”

Xiao Chen trembled slightly, looking at the child before him with even deeper desolation in his eyes. After a long moment, he murmured, “I only hope you resemble your Father Emperor more, and not like your Mother Empress…”

But Baozi had already turned around and left with Qin Chang Ge, who acted as if she had heard nothing.

Only leaving behind that solitary figure standing alone for a long time in the broken pavilion amid the swirling yellow fallen leaves.

After leaving Anping Palace, Qin Chang Ge directly sent her son to the military camp on the outskirts of the capital. Chu Feihuan had no objection to Baozi’s proposal to become a small soldier and immediately gave Baozi a harsh lesson, pulling down the boy who was trying to climb onto his knees.

Baozi protested vigorously against this, clinging to his godfather’s knees and refusing to let go. Chu Feihuan calmly told him that as the lowest-ranking soldier in the camp, constantly climbing onto the general strategist’s knees was extremely absurd. Of course, if His Highness the Crown Prince were to climb up, that would be reasonable. So, Your Highness, please return to Guantang Palace, change into your crown prince’s robes, and then come climb on my knees.

Baozi had no choice but to reluctantly climb down from his godfather’s knees, sadly discovering that he had fallen into his mother’s trap – the sacrifice of being a soldier was really too great.

But a man’s word is his bond. If he tried to back out of something he had agreed to, his mother would probably have ten thousand ways to deal with him. Baozi had no choice but to change into the smallest soldier’s uniform that was still several sizes too big and grab a spear as thin as a chopstick to go stand guard.

Qin Chang Ge and Chu Feihuan acted completely indifferent as they kicked him out of the command tent, then nodded to the empty space. Black shadows flickered, and both the Phoenix Alliance guards and inner palace guards who never left the Crown Prince followed him out.

They would let him suffer hardships, but his safety had to be well protected. In these troubled times, Qin Chang Ge absolutely dared not risk her son’s safety. No matter where Baozi was now, he had a full company’s worth of visible and hidden guards.

Only two people remained in the command tent. Chu Feihuan poured tea for Qin Chang Ge and asked casually, “His Majesty is alright?”

“Mm.” Qin Chang Ge looked away, not meeting Chu Feihuan’s gaze, and focused intently on drinking her tea.

Chu Feihuan raised his eyebrows, his gaze flowing like water over her slightly flushed cheeks. His eyes showed a flash of pain, then he said calmly, “When I saw you didn’t return last night and sent no message, I knew nothing would be wrong.”

Qin Chang Ge’s face burned even hotter, and she hummed vaguely again, burying her face almost completely in her teacup.

Her heart was in chaos, filled with indescribable feelings. Feihuan had received the news of Xiao Jue being assassinated at the same time she did, yet Feihuan hadn’t followed. Had he already anticipated that Xiao Jue would be fine, so he left her the opportunity to be alone with Xiao Jue?

She hadn’t returned all night – what would Feihuan think?

Qin Chang Ge unconsciously traced circles on the rim of her teacup with her finger, thinking about the various emotional journeys she and Feihuan had taken over these two years. Feihuan’s feelings toward her – first rejection, unwilling to drag her down; then for some reason, he had tried to pursue her and hoped to retreat with her to the mountains and forests. After his body and martial arts recovered, logically he should have been able to completely cast aside his initial concerns and wholeheartedly pursue her. Yet his expressions and actions, though still sincere and unwavering, had gained a sense of distance. Sometimes she even felt he was… quietly suffering and conflicted…

While Qin Chang Ge was lost in thought with a hundred turns and twists, Chu Feihuan remained as calm as ever, only saying, “Since things are fine there, there happens to be something here that needs your attention.”

Qin Chang Ge looked up in surprise and asked, “New military intelligence?”

“No,” Chu Feihuan said. “After you left last night, a woman came prowling around outside the military camp and was captured as a spy. When the subordinate reported to me for handling, the woman said she was a close attendant of Princess Wen Chang, named Qi Mo.”

Qin Chang Ge paused and said, “I know her. Why would she come here looking for me?”

Chu Feihuan said, “I was also puzzled. She refused to tell me why she came, only asked you to go to Shanglin, then left. I originally wanted to send someone to the palace to notify you, but the palace gates cannot be opened at night except for military emergencies. I had to wait for your return. Since you’re back, go take a look. I noticed her expression seemed strangely uneasy, so there’s probably truly something wrong.”

Qin Chang Ge frowned and said, “A few days ago, Xiao Jue told me that Wen Zhengting returned to the capital to serve as Minister of Revenue. He once encountered Wen Chang by chance and greatly admired her. When he asked about the princess’s intentions, she was also willing. They’re discussing arranging a marriage for her. Could it be that Wen Chang is getting married and wants me to be her advisor?”

She laughed heartily and said, “Pre-wedding jitters?”

Chu Feihuan looked at her deeply and suddenly said, “Has His Majesty discussed with you about your formal return to the palace?”

Qin Chang Ge was stunned by the question. Chu Feihuan, seeing her expression, smiled bitterly and said, “That day during the Spring Contest Festival, releasing the news of Empress Ruiyi’s return was a plan he and I agreed upon. Once this rumor spread, the Empress had to return whether she wanted to or not – it was only a matter of time, wasn’t it?”

Qin Chang Ge stared at him and said, “Feihuan, you clearly knew… yet you still…”

“Nothing is more important than your safety. As long as it benefits you, I will do it. As for whether the consequences benefit me, I wouldn’t think about it then, and I won’t regret it afterward.” Chu Feihuan said calmly, “Chang Ge, I have no other wishes in this life, only that you be happy.”

He didn’t look at Qin Chang Ge’s expression, the smile at the corner of his mouth as faint as spring water ripples. “I was once clumsy with words and unwilling to say anything to you, only liking to keep my thoughts in my heart to ponder alone. After experiencing that brush with death, during those waiting days, I regretted countless times that I hadn’t had the chance to say so many things to you before you left. Where could I go to bare my heart and express my feelings? During those days, I swore to myself again and again that if there was still a chance, I would never again be indifferent to you. I would share everything with you. I wanted you to know that in cold days, someone would always give you warmth and care. But you only need to listen – whether you truly hear it, whether you respond, whether you want it, all depends on you.”

“Just like these words today, I still don’t want you to answer, don’t want you to burden yourself with worries. I only want you to know.”

Chu Feihuan gently leaned close to Qin Chang Ge’s ear, his voice low like a breeze blowing from a distant seashore.

“Chang Ge, how I once hoped that in this life, I could marry you as my bride.”

“Chang Ge, how I once hoped that in this life, I could marry you as my bride.”

“If I could see you worry about me just once more in this lifetime, this life wouldn’t be in vain.”

…

Qin Chang Ge rode on horseback, swaying back and forth toward Shanglin Mountain, when she suddenly cracked her riding whip fiercely in the air, as if wanting to completely whip away these two sentences that circled in her mind like magic spells.

Her numerous guards around her trembled at her sudden action, staring in bewilderment at their Grand Tutor who had inexplicably shown her power.

Qin Chang Ge snorted and sheepishly put away her whip, deciding to temporarily stop thinking about these troublesome matters. Her intelligence had never been prepared for such emotional affairs.

Ahead, Shanglin Nunnery came into view. Not far away was the Shengning Palace where Empress Dowager Jiang was “maintaining her phoenix body in honor.” Wen Chang liked the quiet of Shanglin and lived here, which also had the meaning of monitoring Empress Dowager Jiang.

Qin Chang Ge’s current status was different from when she was the little palace maid Ming Shuang. Wherever she went now carried an air of stern vigilance. Her personal guard consisted of three thousand men, each carefully selected for their brave and robust qualities. Ever since her last fall into a trap, Xiao Jue now wished that even a single leaf falling on Qin Chang Ge’s head would be shredded to pieces at thirty zhang away. Currently, in all under heaven, anyone wanting to approach Qin Chang Ge’s side with a single sword had no chance whatsoever.

Just as they reached the foot of Shanglin Mountain, the advance scout troops had already spread out for alert. Soon, faint sounds of commotion could be heard, with vague figures moving about, followed by the sound of clashing weapons. Qin Chang Ge raised her eyebrows – this was an imperial garden, how could there be troublemakers? And they dared to fight?

Thinking of Qi Mo’s strange behavior that Chu Feihuan had relayed, she felt vaguely uneasy and spurred her horse forward a few steps, only to be immediately stopped by someone saying, “Grand Tutor, there are enemies ahead, please don’t venture into danger!”

Qin Chang Ge could only dismount with a mixture of tears and laughter, knowing these men all had orders from Xiao Jue – losing her or injuring her would cost them their heads. They were so careful they wished they could wrap her in shields. With enemies ahead not yet cleared, they absolutely wouldn’t dare let her approach. Qin Chang Ge didn’t want to make things difficult for these subordinates, so she had to wait in place, looking up at the tightly closed mountain gate of Shanglin Nunnery, noticing that there seemed to be moving figures there as well.

Fortunately, the commotion ahead soon subsided. Several mounted guards came galloping like the wind, throwing several gray-clothed people heavily to the ground. These people were all extremely fierce – though the force of being thrown from horseback was considerable, they didn’t make a single groan. Qin Chang Ge leaned down for a look and immediately said, “Remove their jaws!”

Those people suddenly opened their mouths, but it was already too late. The well-trained guards snapped their jaws with crisp sounds, following Qin Chang Ge’s instructions to dislocate their jaws and extract poison from between their teeth.

A thorough search followed, revealing several ten-thousand-tael silver notes, a bag of pearls from the South Sea, and travel permits for entering the capital.

Those people glared fiercely at Qin Chang Ge, clenching their teeth with an expression of “you’ll never get secrets from us brothers” – a look of fearless defiance in the face of death.

Qin Chang Ge smiled cheerfully as she looked at their features, pursed her lips, and nodded.

Immediately guards stepped forward, reset their jaws, and without a word, viciously whipped them. Those people rolled about on the ground, unable to help cursing with foul language. After listening for a while, Qin Chang Ge said, “People from Yizhou.”

Those people immediately fell silent as if struck by lightning, but it was already too late.

Qin Chang Ge brushed her sleeves and smiled leisurely, “Interrogation is very troublesome. You hold your breath waiting for me to question you, but I deliberately won’t ask. See, now haven’t you spoken yourselves? Yizhou – there aren’t many wealthy families in Yizhou who can produce a hundred thousand silver taels and South Sea pearls.”

She sneered and pointed her whip at the gate of Shanglin Nunnery.

“Capture every single person skulking around Shanglin Nunnery without exception!”

When Qin Chang Ge entered Shanglin Nunnery under guard escort, the path was lined with captured gray-clothed men. A guard went forward to knock on the door, and after knocking for a long time, the mountain gate finally opened cautiously just a crack. An unfamiliar old woman’s face appeared. Not seeing the large force behind, she only looked suspiciously at the person knocking, frowning as she said, “Who are you? Don’t you know this is an imperial garden? Get out!”

Qin Chang Ge raised an eyebrow from behind, finally understanding why Qi Mo had come looking for her. It seemed Wen Chang had been placed under house arrest. The other party had probably also blocked the route to the imperial palace, so Qi Mo had found an opportunity to go to the military camp to find her. Qin Chang Ge’s identity had never been hidden from Wen Chang, so Qi Mo, as Wen Chang’s trusted confidant, naturally knew that Grand Tutor Zhao was formerly Ming Shuang.

The external guards originally assigned to Wen Chang were probably now also trapped.

Why had Wen Chang been placed under house arrest for no reason, unable even to send out messages? Qin Chang Ge still didn’t know, but she felt it probably had something to do with that old woman at Shengning Palace. Qin Chang Ge showed a cold smile – Empress Dowager Jiang, what trouble are you stirring up now?

The old woman was still chattering and trying to drive people away. Qin Chang Ge stepped forward, pushed aside the guard, and looked the old woman up and down methodically before saying, “Who are you? You look unfamiliar.”

“I’m Princess Wen Chang’s attending nanny,” the old woman said. Seeing her dignified bearing, she didn’t dare be too insolent, but still firmly blocked the door, saying gruffly, “The Princess doesn’t see outside guests. Please leave!”

“Then let me invite you to go back to your grandmother’s house!” Qin Chang Ge grinned at her and kicked out with a snap, sending the old woman flying more than a zhang away. She slid far along the ground and collapsed at the steps of the second gate, moaning and unable to straighten her back.

The black nunnery door crashed against the wall with a tremendous sound. A crowd of men and women immediately poured out from inside, most with unfamiliar faces. Qin Chang Ge didn’t even look as she strode straight in, without turning back as she ordered, “Don’t touch the people I point out, tie up all the rest!”

She casually indicated those she recognized – Wen Chang’s originally loyal maids and nannies who looked aggrieved and frightened. The rest were immediately bound by the guards who pounced on them like wolves and tigers. Qin Chang Ge looked around and asked, “Where are the Princess and Qi Mo?”

A nanny immediately curled her lip and answered, “That vixen is probably somewhere tumbling red waves with someone under covers. Poor Princess has been locked in an underground black chamber…”

“What underground black chamber? Who locked her up?” Qin Chang Ge spun around abruptly.

The nanny immediately shut her mouth, glancing timidly at those bound on the side, mumbling and not daring to speak. Qin Chang Ge stared at her and said sternly, “I am Grand Tutor Zhao Mo Yan of Xiliang, here by imperial command to rescue the Princess. If you delay this matter, I’ll hold you accountable first!”

The nanny was so frightened she fell to her knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly. Qin Chang Ge waved everyone else out, then leaned down to ask, “Where is the black chamber? Is the Princess well?”

“…The Princess has been locked up for several days, but we heard she’s still alive. This old servant doesn’t know where the black chamber is… several maids who originally followed the Princess are all dead, so this old servant didn’t dare inquire… but that nanny tied up with the others is one of their people – they should know.”

“Who are they?”

The nanny pressed her forehead to the ground and said tremblingly, “This servant doesn’t know clearly, only…”

“Mm?”

“This servant vaguely heard that the Princess learned something she shouldn’t have known, and someone wants to kill her to silence her.”