The Ministry of Rites was suffering from a severe headache, as was the Imperial Observatory.

As people began withdrawing from Saixian Tower one by one, Minister Zhu glanced at Zhu Yao and pulled her aside, asking softly: “What exactly is going on?”

Zhu Yao hesitated, looking around before saying: “Father, you weren’t home these past two days, so I didn’t tell you. That little girl just now—I met her on the street. She said she was separated from her sister. I thought it improper for a little girl to be on the street alone, so I took it upon myself to bring her back to the estate.”

“Then how did she end up here?”

“She said her sister’s name was Liu Yunyan and that she came to participate in this courtesan competition, so I brought her along, thinking we might run into her.”

“Is that all?” Minister Zhu continued questioning.

Zhu Yao’s beautiful eyes were utterly sincere as she nodded: “I know nothing else.”

Minister Zhu naturally trusted his daughter. He wanted to ask more but hesitated, merely glancing in the direction of the third floor.

His gaze fell precisely on the warm pavilion where Li Shiyan and Luo Yang were located.

Zhu Yao discerned her father’s meaning.

Although the two families had already broken off the engagement, Minister Zhu had seen with his own eyes how much Zhu Yao had liked Li Shiyan before. Now that the two young people had encountered each other here, as a father he inevitably felt some worry.

After all, the Li and Zhu families had now formed a grudge.

If his daughter’s passion for Li Shiyan reignited, wouldn’t that be a slap in the face of him, Zhu Tingzhi?

Zhu Yao took a deep breath and said: “Father, I should stop disturbing you now.”

Minister Zhu nodded: “Good, go back first so your mother won’t worry.”

“Mm.”

The situation at Saixian Tower was extremely chaotic right now. Minister Zhu still had many matters to handle, so he could only have someone escort Zhu Yao back to the estate first.

The Imperial Observatory officials also left.

But the Marquis of Kangding still had to clean up a mess—the drunk Li Shiyan.

Minister Zhu walked to the Marquis of Kangding’s side, his expression ugly. He snorted and said: “Marquis, you’d better properly discipline your precious son. Coming to Saixian Tower to drink in broad daylight and getting himself drunk—how impressive! This loss of face has reached such heights!”

“…” The Marquis of Kangding’s expression stiffened.

The relationship between the two families was now like fire and water.

Li Shiyan had made a fool of himself getting drunk—the Marquis of Kangding couldn’t save face either!

So he could only keep his mouth shut without rebutting, then brought people up to the third floor and angrily pushed open that warm pavilion.

Unexpectedly, Li Shiyan and Luo Yang were still inside drinking…

The Marquis of Kangding’s face turned green!

Li Shiyan held up a wine pot, one foot planted on the table, his face flushed red. In a daze, he said to Luo Yang sitting across from him: “Come on, us brothers will keep drinking. Today nobody’s leaving—we won’t go home until we’re drunk!”

Luo Yang’s head was half-drooping on the table. His eyes blearily looked at Li Shiyan standing across from him. Grinning drunkenly, he waved his hand and said: “Can’t do it, can’t drink anymore. I… I still have to… have to go be a pavilion chief.”

“What pavilion chief! You should hurry up… and join me. I’ll have my dad give you… give you a high position. Tell me, what do you want? A great general or a vice minister? Tell me, what… what do you want to be?”

“Haha, then I…” Luo Yang stood up unsteadily, nearly falling, and said with a chuckle: “I want to be a great general. I want that Wen bunch to see clearly that I, Luo Yang… am no worse than them!”

“Good, then you’ll be a great general!”

The two clinked cups and drained them in one gulp!

After downing a pot of wine, Li Shiyan turned his head and saw the Marquis of Kangding. His eyes suddenly lit up as he grinned: “Hey, Father, when did you get here? Perfect… I have something to tell you.”

He swayed over, draping one hand on his father’s shoulder while pointing at Luo Yang with the other: “Father, you have to do your son a big favor. Him—he’s your son’s best friend. You absolutely must give him a great general position. Father, you’ll agree, right?”

“Simply… simply lawless!” The Marquis of Kangding was furious.

He pushed Li Shiyan away with one motion.

“Someone, take them back for me.”

Several young servants responded and came forward.

They seized the two drunkards and left Saixian Tower.

**Wen Estate**

Wen Che and Wen Yu had originally planned to go to Saixian Tower today as well, but the Court Administration Department had urgent business, so they went to handle that instead. They had just returned to the estate when they heard something had happened at Saixian Tower.

The young servant who came to report explained the whole sequence of events.

Wen Yu clenched his fist in fury: “Su Ziluo first secretly ordered people to assassinate me, and now he’s been so despicable as to try to poison my father. This time I absolutely cannot let him off.”

He ground his teeth!

Back then, his own life had nearly been lost at Su Ziluo’s hands. He never expected the other party to become even more arrogant!

How could he endure this?

Wen Che, however, remained silent.

He seemed to be pondering something.

Wen Yu’s face darkened as he asked the young servant: “Where’s my father?”

“The master has gone to the Court of Judicial Review. Lord Huang, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, said he wanted to ask the master some questions.”

“Questions?”

“Yes, he’s already gone.”

“Quickly prepare a carriage—I’m going over now.” Wen Yu waved his wide sleeve.

The young servant responded and was about to prepare the carriage when, after just a few steps, he was stopped by Wen Che: “No need.”

Wen Yu didn’t understand: “Elder Brother, Father is at the Court of Judicial Review right now. We need to go.”

“Father will handle this matter well. If we go, we’ll just add to his troubles.”

“But…”

“Just wait at home.”

Wen Che’s attitude was resolute and brooked no argument.

Wen Yu was helpless. He waved his hand to dismiss the young servant, then frowned and asked Wen Che: “Brother, I just don’t understand. Now Su Ziluo has already begun targeting our Wen family so openly and brazenly—how can you still sit still?”

“What else then?”

“Su Ziluo first sent people to assassinate me, and now he’s harmed Father. We should immediately enter the palace and report this matter to His Majesty.”

“Do you have evidence? Right now it’s still unknown whether Su Ziluo actually poisoned the wine. If you rashly go to see His Majesty like this, it’s tantamount to seeking death. Ah Yu, you’re a smart person—don’t be too impulsive when encountering anything.”

“Thud!” Wen Yu slammed the table, completely unable to understand his intent. “Elder Brother, when did you become so spineless? Again and again! Must someone in our Wen family actually die before we act?”

Wen Che remained as calm and unhurried as before.

As if everything was under his control!

Making him impossible to read!

He said: “In this matter, first wait for the Court of Judicial Review to handle it. If it truly was Su Ziluo’s doing, even if he has countless schemes to escape guilt, I won’t let him off. But if it’s unrelated to him, we fundamentally can’t touch him.”

“Meaning… we can only wait like this?”

Wen Che’s eyes darkened slightly as his gaze turned toward the outside: “Otherwise, are we going to snatch someone from the Court of Judicial Review?”

Eh! Wen Yu was at a loss for words!