As the distance shortened, An Jiu clearly distinguished twelve individuals approaching.
Upon entering, they split into four groups, searching various areas for something unknown.
Three per group – one martial master above the sixth rank and two below – An Jiu found this formation familiar, reminiscent of the Crane Control Army.
Peering through a crack, she spotted silver cranes embroidered on their robe hems.
With the Crane Control Army now divided, their insignia alone couldn’t determine if these were Chu Dingjiang’s men. An Jiu considered capturing one for questioning but quickly dismissed the idea. Such a secretive organization would surely have tight-lipped members. Rather than risk exposure by trying to force information, following them seemed wiser.
Having made her decision, An Jiu chose to trail the group with relatively higher martial arts skills. Generally, greater skill meant higher rank and more knowledge. She wasn’t concerned about detection, as her spiritual power surpassed their strongest.
The group conducted a silent, thorough search of the study. About the time it took to drink two cups of tea, they had nearly turned the entire room upside down.
They paid particular attention to the imperial edicts, spreading each yellow document across the table.
After examining all the edicts, one man asked, “What if we can’t find it?”
The others remained silent for a moment before the tall, thin one replied, “We keep looking.”
“Chief, it’s just one edict. They could have easily taken it. We might be wasting our time,” another complained. “Who knows what His Highness is thinking? With things so urgent, why worry about some edict? Ascending the throne is what matters!”
An Jiu’s heart sank. Had Chu Dingjiang’s plans failed?
“Without the Second Prince dead and the edict found, it remains a threat. The Second Prince-“
Before he could finish, the night was suddenly pierced by deep, prolonged bell tolls, awakening all of Bianjing.
“The Emperor has passed!” the speaker exclaimed, his voice joyful.
An Jiu felt increasingly uneasy. They seemed to be the Crown Prince’s men, and their delight at the Emperor’s death suggested the palace was now under the Crown Prince’s control.
“Wait!” The tall, thin man wasn’t so optimistic. “His Highness hasn’t fully grasped the Second Prince’s strength. Even if the Emperor truly passed, the mourning wouldn’t be announced so quickly. This way, the Second Prince’s supporters won’t dare act rashly.”
“So do we keep searching for the edict?” another asked.
The tall man pondered. “If His Highness didn’t order the death knell, it must be the Second Prince… Could the Emperor have named him heir? Whatever the case, we have our orders. We continue the search.”
They had been sent to find a secret edict the Emperor had given the Second Prince in the past six months, unaware of its contents. If it truly named an heir, chaos would erupt in the palace immediately.
The men meticulously combed through every book and paper in the study, leaving nothing unchecked.
An Jiu quietly retreated, heading for the Hua residence.
The Hua family supported the Second Prince, so Mei Jiu and Mei Yanran should be there. Finding them would provide more information.
Only now did An Jiu realize why Chu Dingjiang had delayed telling her how to contact him at any time. She grumbled, “So much for fighting side by side. What nonsense.”
The Hua residence’s main gate was tightly shut with heightened security, but such defenses couldn’t stop An Jiu.
Infiltrating the compound, she made straight for Mei Jiu’s quarters. Passing a small garden, she spotted two familiar figures.
Hua Rongjian sat by a small pond, casually tossing food to the fish. Mei Ruyan sat on a stone stool not far behind him, with two black-clad men standing at her back.
At first glance, one might assume the two men were Mei Ruyan’s subordinates. But An Jiu noticed their tense muscles, hands gripping sword hilts, eyes constantly darting to Mei Ruyan. They were watching her.
“Mei Ruyan,” Hua Rongjian spoke without turning, his tone casual as if making small talk, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“What, am I not allowed to leave?” Mei Ruyan replied coldly.
“That depends on my mood.” Hua Rongjian set the fish food on a nearby table and stood, walking to Mei Ruyan. He bent down, gripping her chin to force her gaze upward. “Did you give the memorial to your master?”
Mei Ruyan pressed her lips tightly together, her phoenix eyes fearlessly meeting his gaze.
From her angle, An Jiu couldn’t see Mei Ruyan’s expression, but she saw Hua Rongjian’s faint smile. His grin, lazy yet tinged with cruelty, looked sinister as the flickering lantern light cast shifting shadows across his face. An Jiu was stunned, remembering how Hua Rongjian had been a playful youth when they first met, his smile as warm as the morning sun. In such a short time, he seemed to have become a different person entirely.
“Was it worth it?” Hua Rongjian released her, his expression returning to normal. “That memorial was written by my father to protect General Ling. It was never submitted to the Emperor. Can your master bring down the Hua family with a mere scrap of paper? How naive.”
Mei Ruyan’s jaw showed red marks, but she smiled alluringly. “If it’s such a worthless document, do you know why I took that particular one?”
Hua Rongjian looked down at her. “Do tell.”
“Because that memorial contained the most content about Ling Ziyue. Someone could use it to forge Grand Tutor Hua’s handwriting, creating a false correspondence between him and General Ling. It could show him encouraging and deceiving the general to attack Liaodong’s Xijin Prefecture.” Mei Ruyan explained with glee. “Similarly, one could imitate Grand Tutor Hua’s words plotting to overthrow the dynasty. Think about it – if evidence of Grand Tutor Hua eliminating loyal officials and coveting the throne fell into the Song Emperor’s hands, what would happen?”
Regardless of which emperor ascended, the Hua family would face catastrophe.
If the Crown Prince took the throne, he wouldn’t need such evidence. The Hua family’s support of the Second Prince was treasonous enough for him to legitimately deal with them. If the Second Prince succeeded, how would he use this leverage? With such damning material against a family of overwhelming merit and influence, he could find justification to destroy the Hua clan at any time. Whether the evidence had flaws no longer mattered.
It was an unsolvable dilemma. Even knowing about it now, there was no better way to prevent it.
“The Hua family is already in a precarious position. Just a gentle push…” Mei Ruyan’s delicate finger lightly poked Hua Rongjian’s waist as she smiled radiantly. “And it all comes crashing down. Instead of worrying about me, you’d better think about your way out.”
“No need for your concern.” Hua Rongjian’s lips curled up as he ordered the two men, “Kill her.”
An Jiu was shocked by Hua Rongjian’s complete transformation, while also hesitating whether to save Mei Ruyan. Though An Jiu disliked her, Mei Ruyan hadn’t truly harmed her. However, Hua Rongjian was considered a friend, and Mei Ruyan’s actions gravely endangered the Hua family. Moreover, Uncle Chu seemed to care deeply about the Huas…
After some deliberation, An Jiu decided not to interfere in their grudges.
Hua Rongjian returned to his previous spot by the pond, staring blankly at the water’s surface.
An Jiu watched for a while, but he remained motionless.
Could learning of his birth mother’s murder and his father’s involvement have affected him so deeply? He had seemed to come to terms with it just days ago.
A man’s thoughts were hard to fathom. An Jiu avoided him and continued to Mei Jiu’s quarters.
The room was lit. Mei Jiu sat reading by the lamp, while Mei Yanran sewed across from her. Mother and daughter appeared quite harmonious.
An Jiu stood outside for a moment before silently entering through the window.
Mei Yanran glanced alertly toward the window but saw no one, mentally chiding herself for being overly cautious.
An Jiu settled in like a ghost, pondering how to announce herself.
“Hi, I’m here.” Or maybe, “Long time no see!”
Neither seemed quite right. After much consideration, she simply gave a light cough.
Mei Yanran turned, her hand nearly drawing her sword before relaxing upon recognizing An Jiu.
Mei Jiu was delighted to see her. “Ah Jiu, you’ve left the island? Does this mean Meihua Village is safe?”
“Mm-hmm.” An Jiu looked her over. “Weren’t you poisoned? Why do you look even plumper?”
Mei Jiu’s cheeks flushed as she stammered.
Mei Yanran answered for her, “Jiu’er is with child.”
An Jiu’s mouth gaped as her gaze fell to Mei Jiu’s abdomen. Her loose clothing hid any potential bump. “How many months?”
“Almost four,” Mei Jiu replied softly.
A few months ago, Hua Rongtian was still sleeping in his study, and now suddenly the child was four months along. An Jiu nearly asked if it was Hua Rongtian’s, but quickly remembered Mei Jiu’s steadfast virtue. If something untoward had happened, she likely would have drowned herself already. With this in mind, An Jiu refrained from asking such an inappropriate question in front of the expectant mother. However, she did say something even more tactless: “If you ever separate from Hua Rongtian, you must take the child with you. A child can live without a father, but not without a mother.”
Mei Jiu’s expression darkened. Her encounter with Hua Rongtian had been a drunken accident, not born of love. She felt uncertain about the future.
Mei Yanran showed little reaction, calmly changing the subject. “Did you come here for a reason?”
“Yes, what’s the current situation in Bianjing?” An Jiu asked.
Mei Yanran explained, “The Crown Prince is in the palace, seemingly holding the upper hand, but that’s not the full picture. The Second Prince’s troops largely control the areas surrounding the palace. The Crown Prince is trapped inside with limited information. If not for that Grand Eunuch in the palace, he wouldn’t have lasted this long.”
“Grand Eunuch?” An Jiu vaguely knew of such a person. “The Transcendent State expert who serves the Emperor?”
Mei Yanran nodded. “If the Crown Prince ascends this time, this eunuch will have served three generations of monarchs. Because he remains in the palace and rarely engages in combat, no one knows his true strength. We only know he entered the Transcendent State at least fifteen years ago.”
Transcendent State masters were exceptionally rare. The Second Prince likely had no one but Chu Dingjiang who could match such power. This meant if the Second Prince wanted to claim the throne, he’d first need to deal with this Grand Eunuch. And who could do that but Chu Dingjiang?
An Jiu grew restless. “Where is the Second Prince now?”
“I don’t know, but listen.” Mei Yanran paused, drawing attention to the death knell ringing outside. “With the bell tolling, the conflict between the Crown Prince and Second Prince will erupt within a day or two. The Second Prince must enter the palace to mourn, and the Crown Prince will surely seize that opportunity to strike. It all depends on how he manages to enter the palace.”