Dawn—that darkest hour just before daybreak.

In Xiliang, this was called “drum-beating time,” because it was when drums sounded in the palace to rouse the emperor, so it was also called “heavenly drums.”

The drums rumbled, yet Longzhang Palace still stood quietly in the darkness, like its master, sleeping and unawakened. Wind crept in through the window lattice, brushing past purple-gold curtains with jade hooks and bright pearls. Behind the bright yellow gauze canopy, the gold-embroidered dragon and phoenix pillows and brocade silk bedding gleamed brilliantly, with a figure’s silhouette faintly visible, body rising and falling like beautiful mountain ranges.

Xiao Jue wearily turned over, lazily not wanting to get up—having suffered insomnia until the third watch last night, sleeping less than two hours left him extremely tired. Hearing those disturbing drum sounds, he wished he could take an awl tomorrow and pierce the drum skin for satisfaction.

A slender jade arm, smooth as powder and grease, gently reached over, fingertips painted with enticing red nail lacquer, accompanied by a woman’s coquettish soft voice, her sweet murmurs flowing through the dark sleeping chamber filled with scattered fragrance, utterly soul-stirring: “…Your Majesty…”

Frowning, he brushed away the woman’s restless lotus arm. With eyes closed and half-asleep, Xiao Jue mumbled, “Chang Ge, stop fooling around!”

The snow-white jade arm suddenly stiffened, the delicate busy fingers twisted into an odd posture, frozen in mid-air.

Xiao Jue’s eyes flew open.

…What had he just said?

Turning around abruptly, he met the woman’s startled eyes. Her charming face showed complete panic, lips trembling as she grabbed for clothes wanting to get down and beg forgiveness, yet unwilling to give up, deliberately exposing her snow-white skin and exquisite curves, hoping to move and bewitch the emperor.

His expression turning cold, Xiao Jue grabbed the bedding and yanked it hard.

“Ah!”

The woman’s pitiful delicate cry—her body was dragged and flipped off the bed by the pulled bedding, her forehead striking the bed corner with a bang, unable to get up for a moment.

Looking down coldly from the bed, Xiao Jue’s narrow, brilliant eyes were deep and frigid. “Concubine Qian, I ordered you to sleep in the outer hall, yet you dared climb onto the imperial bed!”

Concubine Qian, being treated this way by the emperor on her first summoning to the sleeping chamber, was already terrified senseless. Meeting the emperor’s gaze felt like being doused with ice and snow. Her heart and courage shattered as she vaguely recalled that absolute taboo long whispered about in the palace. Frightened until her limbs went numb, she rolled over on the cold floor and knelt, ignoring her swollen forehead and naked state, desperately kowtowing for forgiveness. Tears fell drop by drop, spreading water stains on the bright golden brick floor.

“Get out!”

Disheveled and sobbing wretchedly, Concubine Qian was dragged and hauled out by the eunuchs. Xiao Jue collapsed heavily back onto the bed, eyes wide open with no trace of sleepiness.

“Dong.” The second drum sound rang out, deep and powerful.

Piercing through sky layers and clouds, corridors and deep halls, passing through streets and alleys, manor courtyards, entering the ears of those deeply sleeping, insomniac, and completely sleepless.

Qin Chang Ge was one who hadn’t slept.

Standing in the courtyard with hands behind her back, looking up at the pitch-black sky where nothing could be seen, Qin Chang Ge appeared very elegant and refined—though she really wanted to sleep.

Unfortunately, no choice—one’s word must be kept.

“When dawn drums sound, we might as well get drunk together.” This phrase was meant for Wen Zhengting, meaning: at dawn when the heavenly drums sound, let’s meet again.

Wen Zhengting understood, so he was willing to let her off at the wine feast.

After a while, a heavy thud came from atop the wall.

Someone had fallen from the wall.

Qin Chang Ge turned around to see Master Wen rapidly scrambling up from the ground, quickly dusting himself off and straightening his clothes, not wanting her to see his embarrassing face-plant in the dirt.

Qin Chang Ge remained silent.

Why climb the wall?

Though I bolted the door—you could have knocked…

How could you be so blockheaded, seeing the door locked and deciding to climb the wall?

Qin Chang Ge looked at him innocently, smiling. “Brother Wen has such refined interests—is the night view better from atop the wall?”

Frantically cleaning himself up, Wen Zhengting struggled to maintain dignified composure, laughing. “Brother Shen jests.” One hand secretly gripped the torn hem of his outer robe.

Qin Chang Ge pretended not to see, stepping forward enthusiastically to take Wen Zhengting’s hand. “Brother Wen graces us with his presence, bringing brilliance to this humble dwelling. Come, come, sit inside, sit inside…”

Wen Zhengting didn’t know whether to accept or not. Just as he reached out his hand, he hurriedly grabbed his robe again, looking flustered.

With a laugh, Qin Chang Ge let go, too lazy to continue teasing. She casually sat at the stone table in the courtyard. “Since Brother Wen finds the room stuffy, let’s stay here. Whatever you want to ask, hurry up—next time, I might not answer.”

Wen Zhengting smiled awkwardly but couldn’t help sitting down as well. The unremarkable-looking man before him had a casual demeanor and concise speech, yet naturally possessed noble qualities and subtle dominance. Like one long in high position, his casual actions carried natural authority that inspired respect and prevented defiance. Though he considered himself an arrogant scholar who laughed at princes and didn’t necessarily regard high officials and nobles highly, somehow he dared not be presumptuous before this man.

However, the doubts weighing on his heart still needed to be asked. He thought for a moment but didn’t know how to begin.

Qin Chang Ge had already smiled and helped him out: “You want to ask what relationship I have with Empress Ruiyi?”

Staring blankly at Qin Chang Ge, Wen Zhengting’s hand went into his sleeve, gently gripping that paper slip he’d treasured for years. Long ago, on that day of flying white waves and laughing spring flowers, that day of soaring discourse and laughing proudly among peers atop Li Mountain—on that day his wild, triumphant laughter was completely shattered by a paper slip passed from a cloth-dressed woman behind brocade curtains. Since then, that soft paper had accompanied him traveling across lakes and seas. During those days of wandering the world and viewing magnificent scenery, his former narrow-mindedness and arrogance were gradually washed clean by grand landscapes. Occasionally his wild nature would flare up, but touching that paper slip, he would unconsciously restrain himself considerably.

On many quiet nights, dwelling in mountains or traveling, with solitary lamps flickering, he had countless times taken out that paper slip, his gaze repeatedly sweeping over that handwriting.

That handwriting didn’t seem like a woman’s—its character was elegant and strong, its brushwork unrestrained, with stern intent emerging between iron strokes and silver hooks.

Having seen it so often, that handwriting was deeply etched in his memory, never to be forgotten.

Just like today, in that side hall, when this man calling himself Shen Wuxin wrote that long couplet, shocking him.

Just as there couldn’t be two identical faces in the world, there couldn’t be two people with identical handwriting either.

Who was he?

Qin Chang Ge had long anticipated this oversight. Wen Zhengting had seen her handwriting and she’d already prepared a response. As they say about lying—one must mix three parts truth with seven parts falsehood to create confusion that defies detection—as Master Jin said, Sir Wei’s killing technique.

“To be honest, I’m a woman disguised as a man.”

Wen Zhengting was stunned, then heard her continue: “You suspected because of the handwriting, right? Back then, when Empress Ruiyi was writing couplets in the brocade pavilion, I was a maid attending to ink and brush. Seeing Her Majesty’s handwriting, I greatly admired it and boldly requested some of the Empress’s calligraphy. Her Majesty was magnanimous and didn’t refuse despite my lowly status. Afterward, I studied it daily and practiced constantly. Over time, I learned Her Majesty’s style—I have some talent in this area.”

Her tone suddenly turned mournful, sighing: “Later I married into Huainan and had Rong’er. My late husband unfortunately died, leaving us without means of support. With no choice in my desperate poverty, hearing that Prince Zhao welcomed scholars broadly, I had to disguise myself to seek patronage. Today seeing your strange expression when looking at the couplet, I knew you were suspicious, so I invited you with words to explain clearly here. Please, considering our orphaned mother and child’s tragic helplessness, keep this secret. Wuxin thanks you in advance.” She gave a slight bow.

Wen Zhengting immediately jumped back, stammering: “Ah… no need, no need, I wouldn’t dare… don’t worry…”

Qin Chang Ge had already straightened up, blinking. “Since you know my identity, it’s inconvenient to keep you here longer… Please return, and I hope from now on you can treat Wuxin as usual. Given your noble character, I naturally needn’t worry about my identity being exposed. Thank you in advance.”

She went to open the door, smiling with a bow. “A man and woman alone—I dare not detain you longer. Please, please.”

Wen Zhengting was ushered out of the courtyard in confusion.

Walking far away, looking down to see moonlight gradually fading, he suddenly said: “That’s not right. What did she mean? A few words to dismiss me, and hint that if her identity is exposed, it’s because I broke my word and talked too much. From now on, for my reputation’s sake, I’ll have to help cover and conceal her identity… I’m also stupid, knowing it couldn’t possibly be the late empress, yet insisting on asking… Now I’ve become her accomplice… Damn! That crafty woman!”

He angrily kicked a tree beside him.

But heard a ripping sound.

His robe, already torn with a large gap, split all the way to his waist from his movement, the two pieces hanging comically behind his hips.

Wen Zhengting cried out, weeping: “How terrible! This disgraces scholarly dignity…” He covered his backside and walked a few steps, suddenly frowning and muttering: “Not right… still not right… Besides, no matter who else we might hide this from, we can’t hide it from His Highness. His Highness has shown me great kindness—we should repay with sincere hearts… His Highness is benevolent and will surely sympathize with her as I do, and won’t harm her…”

His plan decided, seeing someone approaching from afar, he quickly fled.

A’Zhang, an early-rising kitchen helper carrying water, saw from afar a tall black shadow dragging two strange wing-like things, covering his rear and hopping and bounding as he disappeared into the darkness. Greatly startled, he dropped his water buckets with a crash, soaking half his pants leg but not noticing, shouting: “Monster!”

The next day, news of mountain spirits and demons appearing at drum time spread shockingly throughout Prince Zhao’s Manor.