In the jade-carved palace with its ornate railings, the five-clawed golden dragons coiled around the pillars appeared lifelike. Their piercing eyes silently watched the people below, seemingly filled with compassion for this tragic human drama born of ambition.

Shen Que knelt limply on the ground. The Empress Dowager looked at him and slowly said, “Shen Que, your mother and sister did indeed die because of me. But regarding this matter, I can honestly say I did not do them wrong in the slightest. To prevent them from bearing the crime of murdering a princess, I was willing to be reviled as a poisonous woman for twenty-nine years. I believe I have done everything humanly possible. If you still hate me, I have nothing more to say.”

The Empress Dowager’s words subtly conveyed her disappointment in Shen Que and her lethal intent. The Longxing Emperor, catching her meaning, looked toward Shen Que. Cui Xun also raised his eyes, gazing at Shen Que like cold stars. But Shen Que, whose life hung by a thread, was lost and dejected. The arrogance he had displayed when first entering Penglai Hall was long gone. After a long while, he let out a bitter laugh: “I’ve hated you for twenty-nine years. Now you tell me I’ve hated the wrong person, that everything was my sister’s just punishment, that my mother’s death was caused by my sister’s actions and had nothing to do with you. How can I accept this?”

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager remained silent for a moment, then said, “I didn’t want my sister’s only son to become the son of a criminal, so I remained silent for twenty-nine years. I never expected this would harm you instead.”

Shen Que murmured, “You might as well kill me with one stroke. It would be better than living as a joke.”

Though his words hinted at remorse, he still refused to bow his head and apologize to the Empress Dowager. She sighed deeply: “Shen Que, I can forgive you for conspiring with Jiang Liang and using a cat ghost to harm me, but…” She paused, then finally said through gritted teeth, “I cannot let Mingyuezhu have died in vain…”

Just as she was about to pronounce judgment on Shen Que, someone reported from outside the hall: “Empress Dowager, Duke Jiang requests an audience.”

The Empress Dowager’s father had only two daughters: the Empress Dowager herself and Lady Shen. When the Empress Dowager was crowned Empress, her father was posthumously given the title of Duke Jiang. The Late Emperor had then selected a capable nephew from the Jiang clan to be adopted by the Empress Dowager’s father and inherit the dukedom, thus cultivating a power base of maternal relatives for the Empress Dowager.

Now Duke Jiang, seriously ill, had not attended court for a long time. It was unclear why he had forced himself to come to Penglai Hall today despite his illness.

Though surprised, the Empress Dowager still granted him an audience. Duke Jiang entered the hall, leaning on a cane, breathing heavily. The Empress Dowager exempted him from the ritual prostration. After Duke Jiang thanked both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty, he glanced at the soul-lost Shen Que kneeling on the ground, then respectfully presented a wooden box, saying, “Empress Dowager, these are Lady Shen’s former possessions.”

A eunuch took the box and passed it to the Empress Dowager. Upon opening it, she found a pair of exquisitely embroidered cloud-toed shoes.

Duke Jiang said, “Empress Dowager, twenty-nine years ago, Lady Shen entrusted this box to me. She said these shoes were made for Princess Yong’an’s sixteenth birthday. She also said that if one day her son should offend the Empress Dowager, I must deliver this to you.”

The Empress Dowager stared at the cloud-toed shoes embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, seemingly hearing her past conversation with Lady Shen:

“Sister, Mingyuezhu has shoes made by the Imperial Wardrobe that she can’t even wear out. Your eyesight is poor; you shouldn’t be making them for her.”

“Lingye, in the past, when I made shoes to supplement our family income, you would always look at me eagerly and ask, ‘Sister, when will you make me a beautiful pair of shoes too?’ I’ve kept those words in my heart for many years. Now you’re grown up and don’t need me to make shoes for you anymore, so I thought I’d make up for the shoes I owe you by making them for Mingyuezhu. Even with my poor eyesight, making one pair a year isn’t too difficult.”

She couldn’t dissuade Lady Shen. Afterward, Lady Shen truly made a pair of shoes for Li Ying every year on her birthday. But when Li Ying turned sixteen, Lady Shen didn’t make any. The Empress Dowager found it strange but thought perhaps Lady Shen had forgotten due to her pregnancy and many responsibilities. It was just as well; Lady Shen’s eyesight was deteriorating daily, and she didn’t want her to continue making shoes.

Unexpectedly, those shoes had been made long ago, but by then, Shen Rong was already planning how to kill Li Ying. Out of shame, Lady Shen couldn’t bring herself to give them to Li Ying.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, two tears sliding down her face. Her sister had lived a hard life. Just when she could finally enjoy better days, she was implicated by her daughter and died tragically in the Court of Judicial Review. Her sister’s heart toward her was genuine, as was her heart toward Mingyuezhu. But she loved her daughter too much, which led her astray to do wrong.

Her sister had probably anticipated her fate and, despite being pregnant, still painstakingly made a pair of shoes, all to protect the life of the child in her womb.

The Empress Dowager slowly opened her eyes and said to Shen Que, “Shen Que, I will not kill you, but I will not keep you in Chang’an either. I will exile you to Lingnan, as a final reckoning for my sister.”

Lingnan was one thousand seven hundred li from Chang’an—remote, mountainous, and harsh. With minor officials supervising him there, no matter how capable Shen Que might be, he would have no way to harm the Empress Dowager again.

However, compared to the crimes Shen Que had committed, this punishment was already lenient. At least Shen Que kept his life.

Shen Que neither begged for mercy nor expressed gratitude. He simply allowed the Imperial Guards to take him away without resistance. But before he left, the Empress Dowager suddenly asked him a question: “Shen Que, in your plot to harm me with a cat ghost, were there any other accomplices?”

As the Empress Dowager spoke, her eyes glanced at the Longxing Emperor. The Emperor started slightly, his face turning pale, his eyes seeming to hold a grievance. Shen Que shook his head dazedly: “No, this matter was planned by me alone, with no one else involved.”

Though it was Shen Que who answered, the Empress Dowager kept her eyes on the Longxing Emperor. After a moment, she finally withdrew her gaze and said lightly, “Does His Majesty have any objections to Shen Que’s punishment?”

The Longxing Emperor forced a smile: “Mother’s decision is naturally one that I have no objection to.”

The Empress Dowager nodded. She watched Shen Que being escorted away by the Imperial Guards, then said, “I am also tired. If His Majesty has no other matters, you may withdraw.”

The Longxing Emperor nodded silently. As he rose, the Empress Dowager added, “Cui Xun, stay behind.”

The Longxing Emperor halted his steps. He glanced at Cui Xun, his face showing disgust and hatred. Cui Xun lowered his eyes and said to the Empress Dowager, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Outside Penglai Hall, flowers bloomed in profusion and green trees provided shade, but the Longxing Emperor was in no mood to appreciate this beautiful scenery. He did not return to his own Shenlong Hall but hurriedly went to Hanling Hall, where Consort Hui resided.

After the Longxing Emperor left, only Cui Xun and the Empress Dowager remained in Penglai Hall. The Empress Dowager asked, “Cui Xun, you remained silent earlier. Do you have other thoughts in mind?”

Cui Xun’s raven-like eyelashes concealed his eyes. From the voodoo doll, he had guessed that Lady Shen’s death had another cause. Perhaps the fault lay not with the Empress Dowager but with Shen Rong. So after obtaining irrefutable evidence of Shen Que’s crimes from Xuancheng, he hurried to Penglai Hall. Knowing the Empress Dowager had always been lenient toward Shen Que and might not kill him this time, he had strongly persuaded her to reveal the truth of the past. Even if Shen Que didn’t die, he would be left with nothing to hate, effectively rendering him useless.

In this maneuver, he had factored the Empress Dowager into his calculations. Events had unfolded exactly as he predicted: the Empress Dowager didn’t kill Shen Que, but Shen Que was as good as finished. Pei Guanyue’s faction had lost another major figure. He knew he should quit while he was ahead, but he hesitated.

Cui Xun carefully chose his words and still asked, “Empress Dowager, there is one thing I must ask.”

“What is it?”

“Among practitioners of witchcraft in the world, those with Jiang Liang’s abilities are exceedingly rare; most are charlatans. Shen Rong used witchcraft to curse Princess Yong’an, but before the Princess fell into the Lotus Pond, her health was fine. So, Shen Rong did intend to kill the Princess, but in fact, she was not the true culprit.”

The Empress Dowager looked up, her sharp gaze sweeping lightly over Cui Xun. “Oh? Then, who do you think is the culprit?”

This question already contained an implicit warning, but Cui Xun did not fall silent. Instead, he continued, “Not the Empress Dowager.”

The Empress Dowager hadn’t expected this answer. She asked, “Why not me?”

“The Empress Dowager, even when dealing with Shen Que, who tried to harm her, could still remember old affections and spare his life. How then would she kill Princess Yong’an just for the position of Empress? Is the position of Empress more important than the Empress Dowager’s own life?” Cui Xun’s gaze was calm. “So, it was not the Empress Dowager either.”

The Empress Dowager examined Cui Xun’s pale face without speaking. Penglai Hall was completely silent, with a suffocating pressure permeating the air. Cui Xun kept his eyes lowered in a posture of respectful caution, but his body stood straight as bamboo, without the slightest sign of retreat. The Empress Dowager suddenly laughed softly: “Cui Xun, you are right. Shen Rong did not kill Mingyuezhu, and I did not kill Mingyuezhu. The sorcerer Shen Rong found was indeed a fraud. Mingyuezhu’s fall into the water had nothing to do with witchcraft. And in my life, I have few close relatives. For decades, Mingyuezhu has been my only daughter. Mingyuezhu was so good that even if I had to sacrifice my own life, I would never harm her in the slightest.”

Having obtained the answer he wanted, Cui Xun thought for a moment, then tentatively asked another question: “The manifesto from the Prince of Jiangzhou has spread widely. Since the Empress Dowager had nothing to do with the Princess’s death, why did you bear this unjust accusation?”

The Empress Dowager seemed to see through Cui Xun’s thoughts. She did not answer, but instead said unhurriedly, “Cui Xun, you used to be very clever.”

Cui Xun was slightly taken aback. The Empress Dowager continued, “But recently, you’ve changed. You’ve said things you shouldn’t say, done things you shouldn’t do.” The Empress Dowager wore an expression that was neither a smile nor a frown. “Or perhaps you’ve met some beautiful confidante who has made this vicious dog want to break free of his leash?”

Cui Xun lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembling slightly. He respectfully said, “I wouldn’t dare.”

“You saw how His Majesty looked at you earlier. He detests you,” the Empress Dowager said languidly. “Without my protection, with a reputation like yours, you would inevitably be pushed onto the execution platform and subjected to death by a thousand cuts. If you’re a clever person, you should never again ask what you shouldn’t ask.”

Cui Xun’s thin lips pressed tightly together. He knelt and kowtowed, saying, “Your servant understands your command.”

While the Empress Dowager was talking with Cui Xun, the Longxing Emperor was reclining against Consort Hui Ashina Jia’s leg for a nap. Ashina Jia wore Great Zhou armor, looking valiant and spirited, with the lotus pattern tattooed on her face vivid in color. She gently massaged the Longxing Emperor’s temples. In a state between sleep and wakefulness, the Emperor suddenly said, “Consort Hui, I am afraid.”

Ashina Jia took the Longxing Emperor’s hand. “Your Majesty should not be afraid. I am here.”

“I keep dreaming that Mother deposes me,” the Longxing Emperor said, holding Ashina Jia’s hand. Unlike the silky, delicate hands of noblewomen in Chang’an, Ashina Jia’s fingertips and palms had calluses, characteristic of Tujue women accustomed to using bows and arrows. With her by his side, he seemed somewhat more at ease. He murmured, “I’ve always been carefully trying to please Mother, both as Crown Prince and as Emperor. I’ve been trying to please her. I hope she would look at me once, but in her eyes, everything seems more important than me. My sister is more important than I, power is more important than I, even Cui Xun is more important than I.”

At the mention of Cui Xun, Ashina Jia’s eyelid twitched violently, making the lotus tattoo on her right cheek appear even more vivid and lifelike. Her fingers brushed across the Longxing Emperor’s temples as she said casually, “How could that be? In the Empress Dowager’s eyes, Cui Xun is just a dog. How could he compare to Your Majesty?”

“If Mother only sees him as a dog, why did she go against everyone’s advice three years ago to rescue him from the Court of Judicial Review? Why does she spare his life each time he commits evil?” The Longxing Emperor, with his eyes closed, murmured to himself, “Lotus Gentleman, beautiful as a lotus flower. I hate this man. He has made me a laughingstock of the world. I will surely kill him… kill him…”

The Longxing Emperor’s voice gradually faded as he seemed to fall back into deep sleep. Ashina Jia’s fingers caressed the Emperor’s elegant face. This was her man, her husband, and also her support for the rest of her life.

But in her heart, she kept thinking of another man.

Lotus Gentleman…

No, not Lotus Gentleman, but her own Lotus Slave.