Inside the hall.

Emperor Qizhen stood before an enormous screen, his inscrutable gaze fixed on the exquisite pattern adorning it.

On the screen, purple hydrangeas had been embroidered with golden thread, stitch by stitch, creating lifelike blooms. Beside the flowers, several white birds spread their wings, appearing exceptionally refined. If one gazed at it long enough, one would feel as though transported into the scene itself.

Ji Yunshu had been standing in the hall for quite some time, utterly obedient, waiting quietly.

When that person didn’t speak, she didn’t speak either.

She simply kept her head lowered, looking at her somewhat shabby cloth shoes, thinking that if she wore them for another two months, the soles would likely wear through with holes. It seemed she should replace them, otherwise when the winter month arrived, she would develop chilblains from the cold.

She was just pondering whether she should buy expensive ones or cheap ones? With carved patterns or plain? Should she go to East Street or West Street to buy them…

“Ahem, ahem…”

Emperor Qizhen coughed twice.

This completely disrupted her train of thought, and she immediately returned to her proper state, playing the role of a “guilty official” about to receive punishment.

Emperor Qizhen turned sideways to look at her, pointing at the exquisite screen beside him and asking, “Do you recognize this screen?”

“I do.”

“Tell me about it.”

“It came from the hands of the craftsman Lu Zhan.”

“What else?”

“The painting on the screen has been acclaimed as a ‘sacred painting.’ The egrets in the painting are lifelike, possessing the reputation of being revered by all birds. It’s said that this was Lu Zhan’s final masterpiece. After this, he withdrew to the mountains and forests, never creating another excellent work.”

Emperor Qizhen seemed unsatisfied with her answer. His finger lightly tapped on the egret on the screen as he said, “This painting is called ‘From Cultivation.’ Lu Zhan was a close friend of mine when I was young. Before he withdrew from the world, he gifted this painting to me. Not only that, but he also gave me a few words of advice.” After a brief pause, he continued, “To govern the state and harmonize the family, without cultivation there can be no empire, without foundation there can be no attribution.”

I don’t understand this old talk.

Speak plainly.

Ji Yunshu bowed, lowering her head even further, and said, “This subject is foolish and humbly requests Your Majesty to clarify.”

In Emperor Qizhen’s view, she was clever and intelligent, knowledgeable about heaven above and earth below—how could she be foolish?

She was clearly pretending to be stupid on purpose.

He didn’t expose her pretense and explained the meaning: “These three sentences mean that to govern, harmonize the family, and pacify the empire, one must cultivate the heart, cultivate the body, cultivate virtue, and cultivate character, without regard to race, region, ability, rank, or size… If this can be achieved, the state and empire can naturally be pacified.”

“What Your Majesty says, this subject finally understands, but… does ‘without foundation’ include gender?”

“They all say you’re exceptionally intelligent. I had only just finished speaking, and you’ve already struck at the heart of the matter with one statement.”

“This subject was merely confused in her heart, so she couldn’t control her mouth and asked the question.”

Emperor Qizhen smiled, though his smile carried deep meaning. He took a memorial from the desk and handed it to her. “This was delivered this morning. Take a look.”

She accepted it and opened it to read.

In the memorial, every line detailed how Ji Yunshu had deceived the sovereign this way and that, and committed insubordination this way and that.

The final conclusion: deceiving the sovereign and committing insubordination!

Emperor Qizhen’s expression grew stern. “You asked whether ‘without foundation’ includes ‘without regard to gender.’ I tell you, it does not. Since ancient times, from the founding of the Great Lin Dynasty, only men have galloped across battlefields and worn official caps with plumes. Never has there been a woman who could involve herself in politics or cases, much less a woman serving as an official at court.”

Though his voice was aged, it was extremely resonant.

It echoed throughout the hall, overwhelming the heart and soul.

Ji Yunshu closed the memorial, gripping it tightly in her hand.

She remained silent!

Emperor Qizhen pointed with his large hand. “The memorial submitted states that you have deceived the sovereign and committed insubordination! But I want to hear you say it yourself—how have you deceived the sovereign? How have you committed insubordination? Speak truthfully, without concealment.”

Ji Yunshu bowed her head and said firmly, “This subject has indeed deceived the sovereign but has not committed insubordination.”

“Oh? Then do explain!”

She stood in place, her lowered gaze still revealing a cold detachment. After a moment, she raised her hand toward the hair bun gathered atop her head, grasped the cool, smooth silver clasp, and gently pulled it out.

As the silver clasp separated from the crown, the hair that had been neatly bound up began to fall down, bit by bit.

The silver clasp dropped from her fingertips to the floor, making a crisp clinking sound as it trembled.

At the same time, three thousand strands of dark hair cascaded down, reaching her waist.

The appearance of a young scholar instantly transformed into the refined and unworldly appearance of a woman.

Though her face didn’t possess beauty capable of toppling kingdoms and cities, it radiated the quality of jasmine in early summer—clean as a painting, with natural grace.

Emperor Qizhen was shocked.

Just minutes ago, he had still thought the memorial’s claim that Ji Yunshu was female was utterly ridiculous, but now, even if there were countless other explanations, none would be sufficient to dispute that Ji Yunshu was indeed a woman.

He seemed somewhat unsteady on his feet, staggering back several steps.

Ji Yunshu knelt on the ground and said, “This guilty official entered the capital with a female body, took on the ‘Capital Case of Lin,’ and repeatedly collaborated with the Court of Judicial Review and the Capital Administration on cases. This constitutes deceiving the sovereign. However, the actions this guilty official undertook were done with loyalty above all else, absolutely without any act of insubordination. I acknowledge deceiving the sovereign but do not acknowledge committing insubordination.”

Her attitude was resolute!

Emperor Qizhen took a long time to recover: “I was truly confused to have even appointed you as Director of the Bureau of Punishment. That occurred within just one day.”

“This guilty official should not have accepted the official position of the Bureau of Punishment, but when Your Majesty bestowed it publicly, if this guilty official had declined, it would have been defying the imperial decree. I could only accept it. I knew I had committed the crime of deception. If Your Majesty wishes to impose punishment, I have absolutely no complaints.”

“You certainly admit it quickly!”

“This guilty official’s female identity was unknown to Prince Rong. If Your Majesty wishes to punish, this guilty official will bear full responsibility.”

Emperor Qizhen swept his large sleeve. “There’s no need for you to make excuses for him!”

“Every word spoken is absolutely truthful.” She kept her head lowered, her dark hair falling from both sides of her shoulders, draping on the floor.

Emperor Qizhen was furious, glaring at her. “From when you made that deal with me to open the coffin at Lin Mountain, I should have had your head severed. But you are indeed talented, and I emulated the former emperor in recruiting and accepting worthy people, which is why I couldn’t bear to execute you. Now you’ve assisted Jingrong, your contributions are undeniable, so I appointed you to the Bureau of Punishment, hoping you would serve the court loyally. But if this exposing memorial hadn’t been submitted, would you have continued to deceive me?”

“This guilty official had no other choice.”

“Not ‘no other choice’—your crimes overflow to the heavens! Now all the civil and military officials at court have their eyes fixed on this. How can I keep you?”

She cannot be kept!

She didn’t want to struggle or explain either.

If they want to arrest her, then let them arrest her.

Emperor Qizhen had always been guarded against clever people like Ji Yunshu, especially such an intelligent person who had repeatedly made deals with him—first the coffin opening at Lin Mountain, then the soldiers from Qujiang.

Such a person should never have been kept.

But considering Ji Yunshu’s talent, he had kept her until now, thinking to make use of her in the future.

Damn it, but it turned out this person was a woman.

The more Emperor Qizhen thought about this, the angrier he became.

“Someone come.”

Guards entered.

He ordered, “Imprison her in the Ministry of Justice prison. Without my order, no one is permitted to visit.”

“Yes.”

The guards pulled Ji Yunshu to her feet.

She was very cooperative, only raising those cold, heavy eyes to say one sentence: “This guilty official still has one thing to say.”

Emperor Qizhen looked at her.