Qin Chang Ge’s alarm bells rang loudly in her mind. Without time to think, her fingers holding the tray flipped, pulling Princess Wen Chang’s elbow sleeve!

Princess Wen Chang was watching the deposed empress when her elbow was suddenly pulled. The wine cup in her hand immediately tilted, striking the wine pot on the tray with a clang. Qin Chang Ge immediately let go, and the wine pot along with the tray tumbled onto the dress of Princess Xiang, who was toasting Princess Wen Chang. With a clanging sound, the wine pot fell to the ground, wine splashing everywhere. Princess Xiang startled and instinctively tried to jump away, not realizing that Qin Chang Ge had already stepped forward and intentionally or unintentionally stepped on her skirt hem.

With her trailing long dress caught, Princess Xiang immediately lost her balance, screaming as she fell straight toward the deposed empress.

At the same time, the deposed empress’s scream also rose.

She cried out, “You—” Before she could finish, Princess Xiang’s momentum carried her helplessly, her whole body falling backward.

Behind her was the entrance of Longevity Palace, the threshold of Longevity Palace. Because it was too high and had once caused the Empress Dowager to trip, it had been sawed off. When the deposed empress fell, she fell outside the door.

As she fell, her hands waved wildly, trying to grab something to steady herself. She grabbed Princess Xiang’s chest clothing, pulling her down together. With a ripping sound, a beautiful water-red palace dress with gold thread cloud patterns was torn with a large gash, revealing her apricot-yellow brocade embroidered mandarin duck bodice and snow-white fragrant shoulders, all dazzlingly exposed to everyone’s view.

Everyone in the hall cried out in alarm and stood up, all crowding forward, but with so many people, you stepped on my dress while I knocked over your wine cup. Oriole calls and swallow cries mixed with the tinkling of ornaments, creating complete chaos. Only Qin Chang Ge, who was closest and had been calmly waiting for this moment, pulled Princess Wen Chang as both cried out in “alarm” and rushed forward to help. In the “confusion,” Princess Wen Chang kicked the wine pot that had fallen to the ground, which slid right under Qin Chang Ge’s feet as she reached to pull Princess Xiang. She immediately slipped, her body lurching as she too fell onto Princess Xiang.

Princess Xiang, having suffered this sudden disaster, was already dazed. Having her clothes torn in such a grand occasion under everyone’s gaze made her want to die of shame and anger. Now with Qin Chang Ge colliding with her, one misfortune following another with no time to react, plus Qin Chang Ge deliberately adding some force, immediately pushed the two who were already about to fall to the edge of the front steps down a bit further.

And below were the long white marble steps.

All three tumbled down the steps together!

Qin Chang Ge didn’t care about Princess Xiang—in fact, she had already fainted from fright. After rolling down two steps, the ties on her dress caught on the corner of a step and stopped her. But the deposed empress was still rolling down. Qin Chang Ge stretched out her arm with all her strength, grabbed her hand, and the two rolled down together.

Heaven and earth turned upside down, light and shadow became confused. Wind whistled in her ears, and cries of alarm came from the distant high towers, sounding vague and distorted, as if echoing in the clouds. In those scattered fragments of five-colored confusion, the mortal enemies of past and present lives, in an impossible and strange posture of mutual support, rolled down the jade steps together.

The jade steps were covered with red felt, but she could still feel sharp pains from her back being repeatedly struck. Qin Chang Ge didn’t care about these things, only staring intently at the deposed empress’s eyes during the intervals of tumbling.

The deposed empress, strangely, didn’t faint or scream again. Throughout this tumbling fall, she, like Qin Chang Ge, calmly, profoundly, with exploration yet absolute certainty, gazed into the depths of the other’s eyes.

The two looked at each other as they tumbled down.

Though it seemed long in description, it was actually only an instant.

When they reached the last step, Qin Chang Ge sighed and extended her finger.

The governing vessel, “Brain Gate acupoint.”

With one finger strike, the deposed empress trembled lightly, and the ghostly light in her eyes suddenly scattered completely.

“If you’re going to be a madwoman, do it thoroughly,” Qin Chang Ge pressed close to her ear, looking like a loyal servant desperately protecting her mistress.

She said softly, “Some heavenly secrets, when known unintentionally, will shorten one’s life. I’m saving you.”

Another slight tremor, and in the moment she closed her eyes, the deposed empress’s gaze flickered like struggling starfire, showing a trace of clarity, but immediately became muddy and dim, like a candle flame swaying and extinguishing.

From now on, she was truly mad.

Or perhaps she had been before, but that kind of madness that escaped worldly affairs might have instead opened some spiritual awareness that ordinary people’s confused minds possess. Thus, she had ghostly knowledge of things she shouldn’t have known.

Only, she was forever destined to lose to Qin Chang Ge.

Exhaling lightly, Qin Chang Ge relaxed, only then feeling that her back was already soaked with sweat. She had probably sustained some wounds from the impacts, and the sweat stung them, causing waves of skin-piercing pain.

So this was Empress Dowager Jiang’s intention.

If the deposed empress recognized her, others might dismiss it as mad ravings, but the Empress Dowager definitely wouldn’t.

If the deposed empress had said “It’s you!” Empress Dowager Jiang would have spared no effort to pursue her. Even if she wasn’t afraid, the path to uncovering the truth would inevitably become much more troublesome.

Fortunately, her naturally keen intuition helped her solve this problem—the deposed empress’s scream was covered by Princess Xiang’s scream.

Actually, the deposed empress’s scream came first, Princess Xiang’s second—but Qin Chang Ge had anticipated the enemy’s moves and acted extremely quickly without anyone noticing. All this happened in an instant. The deposed empress’s scream had just begun when Princess Xiang also screamed as she fell toward her. To others’ ears, the two screams occurred simultaneously. To others’ eyes, the deposed empress’s scream was because Princess Xiang had fallen onto her.

But… Qin Chang Ge sighed slightly. Had Empress Dowager Jiang heard that word the deposed empress had called out earlier?

At this time, the guards of Longevity Palace, the people in the hall, and the Imperial Guards outside Longevity Gate had all been alerted. The officials kneeling outside Longevity Gate to congratulate the Empress Dowager’s sacred birthday craned their necks from afar. Xiao Jue’s dragon robe swept as he strode down quickly. When he arrived, the deposed empress had just fainted, and Qin Chang Ge was struggling to support herself, trying to get up from her injuries.

Almost without realizing what he was doing, Xiao Jue had already bent slightly, his gaze quickly surveying Qin Chang Ge’s entire body. He extended his hand toward her to help, frowning, “Are you hurt? How could you be so reckless?”

Though his tone was cold and his words reproachful, the concern in his voice was still audible. Qin Chang Ge looked up in surprise to see scattered golden evening sunlight falling on the Son of Heaven’s shoulders in his crowned dragon robe. His backlit silhouette was handsome and sharp, and under his thick black brows, his narrow dark eyes flowed with treasure light like flowing gold.

His gesture of extending his hand was like waiting for a long-separated reunion.

Her gaze swept past that hand, then looked at the palace relatives and Imperial Guards who had rushed over. Qin Chang Ge lowered her eyes, slowly crawled up, and prostrated herself, repeatedly begging forgiveness.

The hand extended in mid-air stopped there somewhat awkwardly, paused for a moment, then slowly withdrew. In his sleeve, he clenched it into a fist, loosened it, clenched again, loosened again… After doing this three times, he suddenly turned around, ignoring Qin Chang Ge entirely, only angrily ordering, “Someone come! Send the Jiang woman back to Cold Spring Palace!”

At this time, Princess Wen Chang, who had draped her own cloak over Princess Xiang and followed behind, had also arrived. She too blamed herself greatly, saying she had accidentally caused the disaster and begging the Empress Dowager and Emperor to punish her.

The palace servants of Longevity Palace tremblingly came forward to help up the deposed empress. Xiao Jue didn’t look at anyone, coldly saying through gritted teeth, “Why should elder sister blame herself? This has nothing to do with you—find imperial physicians to examine her, and assign a team of guards to increase protection of Cold Spring Palace. The Jiang woman brings misfortune; when she appears, disaster follows. For the stability of the harem, she needn’t come out again in the future.”

He coldly glanced at the sallow-faced Princess An and the stiff-expressioned Empress Dowager Jiang, the meaning in his expression self-evident.

Empress Dowager Jiang stood straight on the steps, staring at the people in the scene. She wanted to explode but had no reason to, so angry her body trembled slightly, but she forced herself to restrain it. The red coral tassels hanging from her phoenix-through-peony pearl-inlaid double-wing crown swayed finely like water waves, their flowing brilliance concealing her angry and gloomy eyes.

Xiao Jue continued, “Have the imperial physicians examine Princess Xiang and this palace maid as well. Elder sister was also frightened. Jin’Ou Palace is nearby—go to your palace together. Rest in the palace tonight and return tomorrow. The banquet here at the Empress Dowager’s is not yet finished. Everyone continue. Consort Shu, take good care of things.”

Consort Shu came forward and responded. Eunuchs brought soft sedan chairs. Princess Xiang had now been carried down the jade steps and had woken up. When she opened her eyes and saw behind Xiao Jue, her eyes reddened and she began to cry, “Cousin…”

Qin Chang Ge was startled and looked back to see that at some point, Yu Zixi in red robes and magnificent brocade had entered Longevity Gate and was leaning against a huge golden urn decorated with coiling dragons and dancing phoenixes in front of the hall, his eyes flowing, smiling ambiguously.

No wonder this girl looked familiar—she was actually Yu Zixi’s cousin. There was indeed some resemblance. But hadn’t this fellow claimed to be an orphan whose parents had died? Where did this cousin come from?

Seeing his cousin call out, Yu Zixi smiled slightly, first bowing to the Empress Dowager and Xiao Jue, then saying, “Please forgive this subject’s impropriety. I truly heard my younger sister’s cry of alarm outside Longevity Gate. Out of sibling concern, I entered the inner hall without permission, exceeding my authority.”

Though he spoke of exceeding authority, his expression showed no concern whatsoever. Xiao Jue had always known the strange and willful nature of this only non-surname prince. He was clever and cunning but didn’t love power or making connections. He had no dealings with most court dignitaries, spending his days wandering the streets with his personal troops and beloved dogs. As an enfeoffed prince, he should by rights leave the capital for his fief, but he stubbornly insisted on staying in the capital. For this, he was constantly attacked by censors, but no matter how they attacked, they could only say he didn’t follow court regulations—they couldn’t say he harbored treasonous intentions for the throne, because he had refused the excellent fief Xiao Jue had granted him. As a titular prince without territory or subjects to govern, he had only prestigious status but could never have a chance to contend for the world. He governed his household with military law, and his guards were all elite and fierce, but all came from beggar and rogue backgrounds—Qin Chang Ge had already experienced this.

Even Xiao Jue and the previous life’s Qin Chang Ge didn’t know what Yu Zixi actually liked or cared about.

Yu Zixi had never been constrained, at most giving this emperor some face. Those who attacked him, Yu Zixi treated like barking dogs. When in a good mood, he’d listen as if to jokes. When in a bad mood, if he met them on the street, Yu Zixi would point and tell his pack of sleek, low-growling dogs, “Prime Minister, that’s your brother—go fetch his two taels of meat!” Thus in the grand streets of the magnificent capital, where carriages flowed like water and horses like dragons under the gaze of countless people, vicious dogs would chase wildly, censors would flee like wolves, chickens would fly and dogs would jump, creating utter chaos, while Yu Zixi and his beggar subordinates, along with that pack of dogs named after court positions, would watch the show with great interest and enjoyment.

Countless censors impeached Yu Zixi for disgracing official dignity, and countless officials clutched their torn pants while complaining tearfully to Xiao Jue. Xiao Jue would only issue edicts of reprimand. Yu Zixi was even happier, accepting the edict and closing his doors to “reflect,” playing dog-training games in his mansion. After “reflecting,” he remained unchanged. Xiao Jue actually turned a blind eye to him—as long as he didn’t go too far or harm Xiliang’s politics and national dignity, what did it matter if he caused trouble? Someone like him who relied on no one and acted willfully as a “lone wolf” was more reassuring than those ministers who appeared submissive on the surface but secretly formed networks and conspiracies.

Of course, this was imperial thinking that couldn’t be spoken to others. But years ago, Qin Chang Ge had said, “Prince Jing’an is a wise man.”

By opposing everyone, he had no true enemies. By not joining the complex undercurrents and various factions, he had built his personal troops to rival a thousand armies. He was a lone wolf but not an isolated minister. Being an isolated minister inevitably meant being swept away by certain tides—there were many examples of those who couldn’t be won over facing extermination. He didn’t involve himself in politics but worked hard for self-preservation. Those who wanted to recruit him had no chance, and those who wanted to destroy him had equally no chance.

Xiao Jue was reassured about him. Their friendship forged through battlefield life-and-death struggles wouldn’t be affected by mundane etiquette. He now said, “It’s good you’ve come. The Princess isn’t an outsider—she’s always regarded you as a younger brother. If you’re worried about your sister, go along together.”

Yu Zixi smiled charmingly, “Your Majesty’s benevolence is as vast as the sea. Zixi is grateful.” He bowed slightly, then turned and secretly winked at Qin Chang Ge.

How could Qin Chang Ge flirt with him when Xiao Jue was staring with an unfriendly expression? They each took soft sedan chairs to Jin’Ou Palace, and even Qin Chang Ge was given one. Xiao Jue stood with hands behind his back before the hall, watching her leave with some difficulty, only feeling his heart heavy and dark like the gloomy sky with its layered clouds. Yet he didn’t know what had caused this melancholy mood.

The sky was dark and gloomy, threatening snow. Gray clouds with dark red edges accumulated layer upon layer on the horizon. A setting sun, gray and lightless, was half-hidden behind clouds. Late-returning northern geese flashed like black lightning through the cloud layers.

Wind rose from the ground, swirling up the remaining branches and fallen leaves in the not-yet-swept gardens, spinning and dancing, adding a rare touch of desolation to the magnificent Jin’Ou Palace standing quietly in the wind.

The palace servants had received word and were all kneeling at the palace gate—a large crowd. It was said that after Princess Wen Chang left the palace, the Palace Affairs Bureau had petitioned Xiao Jue about whether to redistribute the remaining Jin’Ou Palace servants to various duties. Xiao Jue had refused, angrily asking the bureau chief: “Do you want the Princess to pour her own tea and sweep her own courtyard when she occasionally returns to the palace?” This frightened the chief into not daring to say another word before withdrawing. Thus all the original Jin’Ou Palace servants remained, not one missing.

Qin Chang Ge and Princess Wen Chang exchanged glances, both thinking of that tampered golden crossbow.

Qin Chang Ge said softly, “When you left the palace initially, did anyone see you bring the box with the golden crossbow?”

Princess Wen Chang shook her head, answering in a low voice, “Only Qi Mo packed it. That box was already hidden, and when brought out, it was placed inside a large box and loaded onto the carriage. After I left, my bedchamber was locked. No one should know I took the golden crossbow to the temple.”

After this brief exchange, they immediately stopped talking. Entering the hall, they had imperial physicians examine Princess Xiang’s pulse. Before they could look at Qin Chang Ge’s injuries, Yu Zixi had already approached, smiling, “Princess, your maid is quite clever. I like her.”

Princess Wen Chang naturally knew his character and smiled, “Is that so? Thank you for Your Highness’s appreciation of my maid.”

Raising his eyebrows, Yu Zixi smiled smugly, “Princess, you have so many maids here—you wouldn’t miss one. How about giving her to me?”

“Amitabha,” Princess Wen Chang recited a Buddhist prayer. “How can Your Highness say such things? Buddhism teaches that all beings are equal. Maids are also people, not objects—how can they be given back and forth? I am a practitioner and dare not do such things that blaspheme religious teachings.”

“That’s truly a pity,” Yu Zixi glanced at Qin Chang Ge repeatedly, his gaze raking over her entire body like hooks. “The Princess is devoted to Buddhist studies with single-minded sincerity—I dare not force the issue. But Princess, I feel this maid of yours isn’t someone who sincerely practices Buddhism. Aren’t you afraid of wronging her beautiful youth by confining her to that cold mountain ancient temple with its green lamps and yellow scrolls?”

“Oh? Not sincere in practicing Buddhism?” Princess Wen Chang was surprised. “What makes Your Highness say this?”

“She molested me,” Yu Zixi made another shocking statement, his expression extremely resentful, almost ready to grab a handkerchief and sing Dou E’s grievances with tears streaming. “Think of me, a pure and innocent man, an ignorant youth, who has grown to this age without ever touching a girl’s hand. Throughout the capital, who doesn’t know that I, Yu Zixi, am rigorous, proper, honest, and virtuous? Yet I was taken advantage of by this maid, my jade-pure reputation soiled. Whenever I think of this matter, I must rise from bed, pace around my room, weep in the middle of the night with incomparable grief. My losses are so severe, my pain so intense—Princess, you must give me justice!”

Pure and innocent man… ignorant youth… rigorous and proper… honest and virtuous… All the maids and eunuchs in the hall bit their lips hard, afraid of letting out a laugh that would anger this demon king. To think someone in this world could be so shameless—what an eye-opener!

Princess Wen Chang was also somewhat overwhelmed by Yu Zixi’s complete reversal of right and wrong, holding her forehead and frowning, “Prince Jing’an, I truly sympathize with your ordeal. To think you… a pure man, cough cough… an ignorant youth, was taken advantage of by my maid—it’s truly hard to believe. Ming Shuang, is this true?”

Qin Chang Ge glanced at Yu Zixi and came forward to kneel, “This servant doesn’t know Your Highness and only learned Your Highness’s identity today. Even with ten times the courage, this servant wouldn’t dare molest Your Highness’s precious body.”

“You didn’t?” Yu Zixi cast a sidelong glance that didn’t look like denouncing a molester but rather like seductively flirting. “That night, in the forest, you touched my…”

He smiled ambiguously and deliberately didn’t continue, but all the maids in the hall blushed.

Their eyes secretly glanced toward Qin Chang Ge, wondering whether they were shocked by her boldness and shamelessness or envious of her boundless good fortune.

Qin Chang Ge widened her eyes, “Where does this come from?” She looked at Yu Zixi again, was stunned, stepped back, looked again, and suddenly understood, “Oh…” After thinking, she shook her head again, “No, that’s still not right. How is it possible?”

She was muttering to herself here, leaving everyone confused. Yu Zixi was also bewildered, blinking, “Huh?”

Qin Chang Ge looked innocent, “Just now I did remember—this servant once went down the mountain to buy things, passed through a forest, and did see a young man wearing very little clothing, sleeping under a red lantern. This servant had just left the palace and hadn’t seen much of the world. I only remembered hearing the purchasing eunuch say there was a kind of ‘flower-selling’ young man who had no fixed place to receive customers, so they wandered out at night, using red lanterns as markers to attract customers. The prices were quite cheap. When I saw him, I thought he must be this kind of young man. I pitied him in my heart, thinking that unless life was extremely difficult, what family’s son would come out to do this business? He did speak… provocatively to me. Seeing he was still young and looked just like my early-deceased younger brother, I felt affection and touched his face, only thinking of him as my brother with no improper thoughts. I left afterward. Speaking of it, I only went to that forest once, so just now I wondered—could the person I saw have been Your Highness?”

Yu Zixi smiled ambiguously, “What do you think?”

Qin Chang Ge said solemnly, “But this servant thought again—impossible. What kind of person is Your Highness? A noble of our Xiliang, with precious, magnificent, and illustrious status, traveling with carriages like dragons and attendants like clouds. Moreover, a pure young man as spotless as jade—everyone in the capital knows Your Highness is rigorous, proper, honest, and virtuous, never even having touched a girl’s hand. How could you possibly be so lacking in self-respect as to sleep alone under a solitary lamp in such a filthy place, looking like a wild prostitute with disheveled clothes and provocative words? These two people absolutely couldn’t be the same person. Even thinking of connecting Your Highness with that man would be deeply disrespectful. So the more I think about it, the more confused I become.”

In the quiet hall, someone made a “gulp” sound—presumably unable to suppress it any longer and stifling a laugh in their throat.

This was truly using his own methods against him… forcibly blocking Yu Zixi back with his own shameless self-praise.

If Yu Zixi continued entangling, he’d be hitting himself with rocks, admitting to being a “wild prostitute.”

Yu Zixi stared unblinkingly at Qin Chang Ge, smiling ambiguously. After a long while, he said, “So you’re saying I remembered wrong?”

Qin Chang Ge smiled gently, “Your Highness manages countless affairs daily. Occasionally misremembering such trivial matters is only natural.”

“Hmm…” Yu Zixi thought for a moment, covered his mouth and yawned, saying lazily, “Perhaps…”

He drew out this word very long, but Qin Chang Ge suddenly heard an extremely thin voice near her ear saying, “Little girl, tell me—how did your delicate jade hand happen to touch the Jiang woman’s Brain Gate acupoint?”