Let’s talk about how last night Mao Qiang discovered Mu Chun eavesdropping against the wall. Although Mu Chun reacted quickly and used urinating as an excuse, how could he deceive the spymaster Mao Qiang?

Mao Qiang pushed open the door, covered his mouth, blew out the lamp, and struck Mu Chun’s neck with one palm, knocking him unconscious and efficiently controlling him.

According to Embroidered Uniform Guard methods, they would mostly silence him permanently. But Mu Chun wasn’t an ordinary person – five days ago he had called Mao Qiang “Uncle”!

When Mu Chun slowly awoke, the sky was already bright.

He found himself sleeping in Mao Qiang’s bed and was immediately shocked. Throwing off the covers, he saw he had slept fully clothed. Aside from some pain in his neck, other parts were unchanged, which relieved him.

Hearing movement from the study, Mao Qiang walked into the bedroom.

Mu Chun was about to cry for help when Mao Qiang warned, “You’re no longer the young master of Marquis Xiping’s residence. You’re one of my Embroidered Uniform Guards and must obey superior orders. Act as if you know nothing about last night’s events.”

Mu Chun actually hadn’t clearly heard how Mao Qiang and Ji Gang planned to deal with Hu Shanwei, but the more serious Mao Qiang became, the more curious he grew:

“Hu Shanwei is just a commoner girl who can’t even kill a chicken. She finally escaped the family that abused and exploited her and tested into the palace as a female official. Why do you target a woman?”

Honestly, Hu Shanwei appeared silent on the surface but secretly tested for female officialdom. This kind of enduring strength and secretly planning major moves to escape difficulties greatly impressed Mu Chun. He vaguely felt that Hu Shanwei was like him.

He seemed to see another version of himself.

Mao Qiang said, “This is Embroidered Uniform Guard classified information. You don’t need to know the reason.”

Mu Chun laughed coldly, “You just said I was one of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, but now you won’t even tell me the reason. You don’t consider me one of your own at all. Why should I keep secrets for the Embroidered Uniform Guard? I’m going to tell – I’ll tell the Empress, tell the Emperor, I’ll let everyone in the world know how the Embroidered Uniform Guard deals with an innocent, defenseless woman.”

Mao Qiang wanted nothing more than to strangle Mu Chun on the bed.

He regretted attending Marquis Xiping Mu Ying’s banquet that day. The banquet was for the Emperor’s former adopted sons who were still alive – fewer than ten remained. Everyone was deeply moved, and even cautious men like Mao Qiang couldn’t help drinking several extra cups. Mu Ying saw the atmosphere was perfect and took the opportunity to propose sending his son to work for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, “at your complete disposal.”

What regret!

A moment of soft-heartedness, unable to refuse Mu Ying to his face, agreeing to let this world-destroying demon king Mu Chun join the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Mu Ying couldn’t control his son and passed the problem to the Imperial Academy. The Imperial Academy passed it to the Emperor, who passed it back to Mu Ying – who could stand the Imperial Academy Chancellor coming to complain every few days? Anyway, you manage what you birth yourself. Mu Ying didn’t even go home that day and immediately set up a “Feast at Hongmen,” passing the problem to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Why did I agree? Mu Ying seemed honest and obedient from childhood, unsmiling, but was actually the most “cunning” among all the adopted sons.

Mao Qiang couldn’t kill Mu Chun and had to negotiate with him. “What do you want?”

Mu Chun was someone who would open a dye shop if given three colors. “First, you write off the three rod strokes I owe and can’t beat me again. Second, you tell me why you want to harm Hu Shanwei. Third, you can’t target Hu Shanwei anymore.”

If Mu Chun dared make demands, Mao Qiang dared counteroffer. “I can clearly tell you – I don’t want to kill her. I only want to prevent her from entering the palace as a female official. As for the reason, it involves Embroidered Uniform Guard military and state affairs. You’re currently just a foot soldier in the Embroidered Uniform Guard without qualification to know. Besides, the reason won’t be hidden long – someday you’ll understand I’m doing this entirely for the greater good.”

“Second, Ji Gang’s use of peach blossom powder to force Hu Shanwei out of the palace has blown up, even alarming Imperial Noble Consort Hu of Yanxi Palace. Don’t think your shouting can save Hu Shanwei. Given the Palace Administration Office’s usual thunderous methods, Hu Shanwei won’t die but will lose a layer of skin. It depends on who can’t withstand severe punishment first under torture – Ji Gang or Hu Shanwei.”

Mu Chun interrupted, “You think I’m a three-year-old? Tomorrow when the palace gates open, I’ll go find Palace Administrator Fan and tell her this was Ji Gang’s doing and has nothing to do with Hu Shanwei.”

Mao Qiang smiled, “Really? Do you think you can step half a foot outside the Embroidered Uniform Guard office tomorrow?”

Mu Chun crossed his arms, “This is your territory – I can’t get out tomorrow. But the day after, or the day after that? Don’t think you can keep me under house arrest forever.”

Mao Qiang said, “By the day after tomorrow, Hu Shanwei will probably have been unable to withstand severe punishment and confessed with her signature, or been driven mad. Besides, you have no proof or evidence – the Palace Administration Office won’t believe you. You don’t even know my motive.”

Having lived in the palace for seven years and regularly entering to pay respects to the Emperor and Empress, Mu Chun deeply understood palace rules. Mao Qiang’s words were cruel but correct.

In the palace, there were almost no unsolved cases – either find the truth or push someone out to take the blame. A female official with no foundation but the greatest suspicion was the most suitable scapegoat.

Mu Chun sweated for Hu Shanwei but remained stubborn verbally, “What about Ji Gang then? If Ji Gang can’t withstand severe punishment, or if the Palace Administration Office finds evidence against Ji Gang, he’ll at least face death by a thousand cuts.”

Mao Qiang paused, then said quite confidently, “Ji Gang won’t implicate me.”

Mu Chun mocked, “Ji Gang only followed orders. You’re certain he’ll die for you without implicating you – but unfortunately, though Ji Gang is utterly loyal to you, you’re watching him go to his death with open eyes.”

Mao Qiang felt a pang in his heart but showed no change in expression, “Such a stupid, careless subordinate who can’t handle even the smallest matters properly – let him die. What’s to regret?”

Mu Chun wouldn’t give up and added, “Believe it or not, from now on, you’ll never find such a loyal subordinate again.”

Mao Qiang’s jaw trembled, and he said quietly, “This is his fate.”

Mu Chun reached out his right hand and patted Mao Qiang’s shoulder, “I have a way to both save Ji Gang and quickly calm the incident so the Palace Administration Office stops pursuing it. But my condition is that you can never touch a hair on Hu Shanwei’s head.”

Mu Chun whispered a few words in Mao Qiang’s ear.

Mao Qiang was skeptical, “Are you sure this will work?”

Mu Chun smiled, “Who in this palace, inside or out, doesn’t know I’m the most unreliable person? It’s perfectly normal for an unreliable person to do unreliable things.”

Mao Qiang felt that like everyone else, he had misjudged Mu Chun. This famous world-destroying demon king wasn’t as simple as he appeared on the surface.

Following Mu Chun’s strategy, Mao Qiang quickly dragged him into the palace to the Palace Administration Office, pushed Mu Chun forward and said, “Tell Palace Administrator Fan yourself what good deed you did yesterday!”

Mu Chun said, “Palace Administrator Fan, Medicine Official Ru, I did it all. I originally just wanted to play a prank to scare Hu Shanwei, so I forced Ji Gang to secretly sprinkle peach blossom powder in her food and drink. The peach blossom powder was mixed with lots of finely ground snowflake sugar – sweet as silk. Eating too much causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.”

Palace Administrator Fan didn’t believe it and asked, “Why did you want to scare Hu Shanwei? When she entered the palace, you clearly gave her a pair of shoes and were very good to her.”

Mu Chun seemed to find a kindred spirit and clapped his hands, “Exactly! I helped her and was good to her, but she never smiled at me. Occasionally when we met on palace pathways, she’d only nod. When I tried to chat with her, she always made excuses, said a few perfunctory words, then hurriedly left. Palace Administrator Fan, don’t you think this hurts one’s feelings? So with new and old grievances, I wanted her to suffer a little.”

Hu Shanwei was studying palace regulations – inner court officials must not associate with outer court officials or face beheading. Having just entered the palace, how dare she respond to Mu Chun’s overtures?

“New and old grievances?” Palace Administrator Fan asked, “You had previous conflicts with Hu Shanwei?”

Mu Chun asked, “Do you remember last month when I entered the palace to pay respects to Her Majesty the Empress, she granted me a seat but I dared not sit?”

Palace Administrator Fan nodded, “You said you accidentally fell from your horse and hurt your buttocks.”

Mu Chun shook his head, “Not so, not so. I was standing and reading for free in the Hu family bookshop when Hu Shanwei used the excuse of mopping the floor to drive out customers. I was injured by the mop in her hands and hurt for three days before recovering.”

Everyone was speechless. Medicine Official Ru couldn’t help asking, “You’ve practiced martial arts since childhood, and Hu Shanwei is a gentle, refined woman. How could she injure your… honored buttocks?”

Mu Chun told the sad tale of how he climbed a ladder to read books on the shelf for free, Hu Shanwei was mopping and knocked over the ladder, and he fell from the air directly onto the mop head in Hu Shanwei’s hands.

“…Being injured by a girl is embarrassing to mention, so I lied about falling from a horse. In my lifetime, only two people have ever injured me – one was my father, the other was Hu Shanwei. My father is my father – I dare not resent him. But this revenge against Hu Shanwei must be taken. She made my buttocks bloom like flowers, so I wanted her to taste what blooming buttocks feel like. Peach blossom powder clears heat and promotes bowel movements without harming people – it was most appropriate.”

Palace Administrator Fan asked, “Since you wanted revenge, why did you also help her?”

Mu Chun grinned, “I’ve always been clear about gratitude and grievances – revenge for revenge, kindness for kindness. I read for free in their bookshop for most of half a year without buying a single book. She never said anything and let me stand and read for free as long as they weren’t closing. I helped her not only because I pitied her abuse by her stepmother, but mainly to repay her kindness.”

Both Palace Administrator Fan and Medicine Official Ru had entered the palace in the third year of Hongwu and served the court for ten years. They understood this world-destroying demon king Mu Chun’s unrestrained nature – this was indeed a “good deed” he could accomplish.

Medicine Official Ru frowned slightly, “Peach blossom powder is medicinal material for clearing heat and promoting bowel movements, but some people are naturally sensitive to it. Just smelling it makes them sneeze and break out in rashes all over. If accidentally ingested, severe cases can be fatal.”

Mu Chun was startled and asked, “Did Hu Shanwei fall ill?”

Medicine Official Ru said, “You nearly killed this term’s top female scholar.”

After dawn, the female officials who felt unwell last night had almost all recovered. Only thirteen-year-old Shen Qionglian still had intermittent high fevers, her whole body covered with red rashes. Only then did the female officials learn that Shen Qionglian was always sensitive to things like catkins and flower pollen.

Mu Chun said, “It’s all my fault. I’ll never dare again. I’ll go apologize to that top female scholar. Her medicine costs, supplements, and everything will be paid by me.”

Palace Administrator Fan said, “Even Imperial Noble Consort Hu was nearly frightened.”

Mu Chun quickly said, “I’ll go to Yanxi Palace to apologize immediately.”

The case erupted at midnight and was solved at dawn – the Palace Administration Office’s thunderous methods were truly well-deserved of their reputation.

Ji Gang was carried out. Before he “left,” he had been carefully “dressed up” – his body wiped clean, hair neatly combed, his beaten buttocks treated with medicine, and changed into fresh clothes. Only his face was somewhat pale.

Of course, the pulled-out fingernail couldn’t be reattached. Under the white gauze, blood faintly showed through.

Even in this miserable state, Ji Gang still hadn’t confessed, much less implicated Mao Qiang.

Seeing Ji Gang like this, Mu Chun felt lingering fear, thinking how fortunate he had come in time. Otherwise, if the Palace Administration Office got no results from Ji Gang, with Imperial Noble Consort Hu of Yanxi Palace demanding an explanation and the Empress blaming them, the Palace Administration Office would inevitably have to use the same punishments on Hu Shanwei.

Mao Qiang tested Ji Gang’s breathing – fortunately, he had only fainted from pain.

Mao Qiang said coldly, “Thank you for Palace Administrator Fan’s mercy.”

How could Palace Administrator Fan not hear this was sarcasm? She didn’t fear the Embroidered Uniform Guard and smiled faintly, “Master Mao is too kind.”