Her body shot out with full force like a cannonball, whistling through the air in a streak of blue. In an instant, she crashed toward Ning Yi. He seemed not yet to have reacted – seeing her hurtling toward him so recklessly, he instinctively reached out to catch her, saying: “Let me explain—” Before he could finish these few words, Feng Zhiwei had already arrived. While still airborne, her wrist trembled, and a black flash appeared – a thin, long trail of light coiled directly toward Ning Yi’s throat. The air in all directions seemed to distort from the hissing vibration. The fierce wind swept people on both sides scrambling away, their faces shocked by this merciless attack.

At that moment, Ning Yi’s back was against the ship’s rail. As the people moved aside, they all stood opposite him, only seeing Feng Zhiwei’s back figure arrive in an instant. Seeing Ning Yi enveloped by the light and shadow, anger flashed in their eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, a hand lifted, and the crossbow glinted darkly.

The arrow broke through the air. Unlike Feng Zhiwei’s furious, wind-whipping attack, the sound of this arrow breaking through air was sharp, like a fine needle, penetrating the protective energy on all sides, instantly cutting through.

However, in combat situations, hesitation means the difference between life and death. Though the arrow point was sharp, it was a moment too slow, unable to break through the seamless momentum. The light flashed bright then dark, blood splattered.

“Thud.”

Feng Zhiwei crashed heavily into Ning Yi.

Between the two of them, a streak of vivid rainbow suddenly sprayed forth, exploding above the ship’s rail, before everyone’s eyes.

“Crack.”

The ship’s rail could not withstand such force and abruptly shattered. As Ning Yi fell backward, he fiercely grabbed Feng Zhiwei’s sleeve. The two entangled together, tumbling down.

“Thud.”

Another muffled sound – the sound of bodies hitting the mudflat without any cushioning.

Gu Nanyi, who had been covering his chest and leaning against the rail, suddenly rushed over, kicked down the barrel containing Gu Zhixiao with one foot, then jumped off the ship himself.

His sky-water blue robes flashed at the ship’s edge and disappeared, leaving several drops of blood falling through the air.

After the muffled sound came silence.

Everyone stood frozen on the ship like clay sculptures, lost in shock at these breathtaking, lightning-fast changes. From when Feng Zhiwei attacked Ning Yi to when Gu Nanyi followed them off the ship – it was all within a few breaths, yet everyone felt a sense of disorientation as vast as seas turning to mulberry fields. In one instant of shocking change, the situation completely reversed, like watching a tall building stand firm then collapse without trace in a flash.

Too shocking, creating an unreal feeling. People looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

The Second Prince also stood frozen there. From the moment he saw blood explode between Ning Yi and Feng Zhiwei, he had been stunned, still maintaining an expression of half-open mouth, staring blankly at the gap in the ship’s rail.

He had originally thought that method would merely sow discord, never expecting these three truly had such turbulent undercurrents – they seemed to harbor deep resentments. His impression had been that Wei Zhi was ruthless and decisive, but seeing it now, he was even more ruthless than imagined. No wonder in the great victory at Baitou Cliff, he had been captured by Da Yue yet still returned.

He had remained in a position very difficult to attack, protected by layers of people, with more than a dozen standing in front and behind him, surrounding him impenetrably. Now he could only glimpse that direction through gaps between people. Hearing no sound from below, not knowing the current state of those two mortal enemies, he felt unbearably itchy.

For someone whose conspiracy has succeeded not to view his achievement – that was very difficult.

The Second Prince thought a moment and waved his hand.

The people in front of him parted, protecting him as he strode forward.

At the gap in the ship’s rail, someone tried to block his way first. The Second Prince laughed and cursed: “Fool, blocking me like this, how can I see?” He pushed the person aside with one hand, then said: “The ship is high. After people fall down at this distance, no one can reach up to hurt me. You protect me from behind, be careful of those few struggling desperately on the ship.”

“Rest assured, Your Highness, those few are all stunned.” A subordinate laughed, using his chin to point at Ning Cheng and the others who were still frozen in shock. Another subordinate very carefully held a shield in front of the Second Prince’s heart, in case someone below wasn’t dead and might attack him.

Several women came over. The first removed her face covering and wiped her sweat, revealing a charming smile suitable for both anger and joy. She laughed coquettishly: “Your Highness’s plan is still the best, making enemies destroy each other. Otherwise, if we sisters faced that Gu Nanyi, we’d surely have to leave our lives behind. Look, Xue’er is even injured.”

The Second Prince, in a very good mood, smiled wickedly and leaned his head over, saying: “Injured on the forehead? Shall I blow on it?” While pursing his lips to blow, he smoothly pinched the woman’s snake-like waist, causing her to laugh coquettishly and push him once before immediately sticking to him like taffy. Several women surrounded him with delicate laughter. The Second Prince laughed heartily, embracing beauties left and right while others tactfully retreated to the side with smiles.

The Second Prince, holding beauties, leaned against the broken ship’s rail and looked down to see Feng Zhiwei pressing down on Ning Yi’s body in the mudflat below. Both their weapons had been knocked aside. Gu Nanyi had landed slightly farther away, with Gu Zhixiao who had crawled out of the barrel hugging him and wailing loudly.

The Second Prince’s eyes lit up. He waved his hand, making a gesture toward the reeds outside.

The soldiers who had been surrounding the reed marsh immediately threw their torches into it. Fierce flames burned brightly, several fire dragons encircling from the edges of the reed marsh on all sides.

The Second Prince kept one hand on the ship’s rail. As he waved, his hand briefly left the rail.

In that very instant.

“Thud.”

Behind him, several women suddenly raised their feet in unison, kicking his buttocks!

Several women with excellent martial skills suddenly kicked out with great force. The Second Prince was at the edge of the ship’s rail. Immediately crying “Ah!” his body toppled. In his panic, he desperately tried to grab the ship’s rail beside him, but Xue’er, who had been nestling in his embrace, sneered and held his hand.

The shield blocking him was knocked aside. The Second Prince cried out as he fell.

On the mudflat.

Feng Zhiwei, who had been pressing down on Ning Yi, suddenly flipped up!

From bottom to top, cold light shot out like a meteor with trailing tail, like a magnificent flying dragon soaring up from the ground.

The flying dragon raised its head, heading straight for the falling body.

“Slash.”

The long sword entered from the front heart and exited from the back, using the tremendous momentum of the fall to pierce the Second Prince completely through. A fountain of blood shot three zhang high!

With another splat, it sprayed across the ship’s hull, painting a vivid red streak across the deep black surface. It slowly trickled down along those water-soaked wrinkles, like a shattered map of rivers and mountains.

Feng Zhiwei sneered coldly in midair and withdrew her sword. Her face was covered with blood spots, looking rather terrifying, yet she didn’t even wipe them. Sneering coldly at the Second Prince’s wide, already glazing eyes, she grabbed his collar and heavily slammed his falling body onto the mudflat.

The Second Prince crashed down with a thud, struggling and writhing in the mud. Blood gurgled from the hole in his chest, yet his eyes remained wide open throughout.

Feng Zhiwei flicked her sword tip. Several drops of fresh blood quickly slid down the groove and fell on the Second Prince’s face. The long sword gleamed as before, reflecting her vast, rippling gaze.

A dark smile curved at the corner of her mouth.

“Didn’t expect I’d dare kill you just like that?”

Crouching down, she patted the Second Prince’s face with the flat of her sword blade, saying calmly: “But I had to kill you – for the humiliation Shaoning suffered, for the chronic illness Nanyi was left with.”

She calmly wrapped the sword around her waist and walked away indifferently.

In the distance, whistling sounds arose. On the water surface, ships of the Jianghuai naval fleet faintly appeared. On shore, thunderous hoofbeats approached. The soldiers of the Second Prince’s forces who had been surrounding the reed marsh turned their heads in confusion, only to see uniform red tassels like leaping flames, pulling open deep red waves on the horizon. Iron armor gleamed brightly, a dark mass stirring up clouds of dust.

The Second Prince lay on the ice-cold, slippery mudflat, the reeds beneath him uniformly crimson. He lay with wide eyes and splayed limbs, using his glazing vision to watch the high, distant blue sky and white clouds above, continuously rotating in his blurring sight, spinning faster and farther, like those beautiful dreams that had just been written in the smile at the corners of his mouth moments ago.

He saw several delicate laughs at the bow, several women resolutely jumping down. They quickly walked to Ning Yi’s side and bowed in respect to him. He struggled to turn his head, yet didn’t even know what he was trying to do by turning it.

There was a cold robe hem slowly brushing across his bloodstained cheek. His breathing quickened – he recognized whose robe this was.

The hem moved, and his brother who concealed his brilliance and harbored deep schemes half-crouched down, lowering that elegantly beautiful face to look at him so calmly, with an expression like viewing a stranger’s corpse by the roadside.

Then he leaned even closer. The magnificent, cool aura descended coldly over him. In an almost intimate posture, he bent to his ear, his voice light and cool.

“…You used yourself as bait to lure me, and I too could use myself as bait to lure you… If I weren’t alone here giving you confidence, how would you dare come in person? If I hadn’t acted out falling from the ship, how would you dare approach the rail?… Those who deceive others will themselves be deceived… my Second Brother.”

The Second Prince looked at him, his eyes full of despair and regret – despair at the险险险 of human hearts and mutual deception, regret that it would have been better not to play this game of catching a turtle in a jar, but to have genuinely incited the Huwei Great Camp to counterattack the Imperial Capital and fight openly. Even death would have been more comfortable than this moment of setting a trap only to be trapped, lying on this ice-cold, muddy ground, turning the final moment of his life into a joke.

“Help me send my regards to Third Brother.” Ning Yi walked away indifferently. “I think he must still be waiting for you underground, waiting to repay you for the false accusations of those years.”

The Second Prince lay ignored on the slippery mud, his bloodstained eyes wide open. Hot wind swept up by flames from all around pressed toward him. In the firelight, those lifelong enemies who had gone before him came with sinister smiles. His fingers weakly spasmed and clawed at the mud, grasping only a handful of desolate wind, unable to reach the hem of that person’s robe. As he sank lower beneath the sky receding farther and farther, before the final weightlessness and submersion, he murmured:

“Those who play with conspiracies… will die by… conspiracy…”

“Ning Yi… I’ll also be waiting… for you.”

The mumbled words were scattered by wind carrying the smell of burning, drifting between heaven and earth. Who knows whether that departing person heard them or not.

Crackling fires rose on all sides. The reed marsh was already burning, flames spreading extremely fast. Fast boats approached from afar. The Second Prince’s subordinates on the ship took quite a while to react. Not daring to continue fighting, they jumped ship to escape, joining the assassins who had been ambushed underwater, trying to swim out. But on this side, the reed marsh was already sealed by a line of fire; on that side was vast water. Before they could swim far, the naval fleet’s fast boats arrived. After a round of capture, most of these people couldn’t escape.

On the mudflat, Gu Nanyi, who had been honestly playing dead, honestly waited until the Second Prince stopped breathing before rolling over and getting up. He pushed away Gu Zhixiao who had covered him with snot and tears, frowning as he brushed mud from his clothes, casually tossing away the bright blue short arrow between his fingers.

Gu Zhixiao stretched out her hands, kneeling on the muddy ground, staring blankly at him. Her small face was completely covered in filth, smeared into a mess by tears. Combined with that bewildered, shocked expression unable to process what had happened, it didn’t inspire laughter but rather pity.

Young Master Gu, who had only been concerned with tidying himself, finally stopped after she maintained that posture for a full quarter hour. He thought about it, feeling that perhaps, maybe, probably, he should give his daughter an explanation.

Then he turned his head to look around on all sides and saw the Second Prince’s corpse. Suddenly remembering that Feng Zhiwei had said not to let small children see too many cruel things, he assumed he understood the source of the little girl’s shock. Belatedly, he reached out, turned Gu Zhixiao in another direction, and raised his hand to cover her eyes.

Feng Zhiwei, who had been about to walk over, saw this scene and couldn’t help choking. She thought to herself: What’s the use of covering her eyes now? But she saw that Gu Zhixiao’s wooden state seemed finally to be thawed by her heartless father. Awakening, she suddenly slapped away her father’s hand and grabbed it to bite down hard.

“Ouch.” The formidable Young Master Gu cried out in pain for the first time in his life – not from pain, but from shock.

He stared blankly at Gu Zhixiao. The child bit down hard on his hand, revealing stark white teeth, a pair of not-too-large but especially bright eyes glaring viciously at him, with a gaze like a wolf cub’s.

Gu Nanyi frowned, not understanding how his usually quite well-behaved daughter had turned into this. He raised his hand to reclaim his hand from the wolf’s mouth. Unexpectedly, the little wolf cub bit with extreme force, teeth sinking deep into the flesh. It wasn’t that he couldn’t reclaim it, but he feared using brute force might pull out those tender little teeth.

Those few teeth had only just grown in with such difficulty – better forget it.

Young Master Gu let go of his hand and let her bite. He didn’t feel pain anyway; he’d always been numb to pain.

When he let go, Gu Zhixiao released her bite. She stared blankly at him for a while with her mouth open, then suddenly threw herself at him, small fists falling like raindrops.

“You’re bad! You’re bad! You played dead! You played dead and scared me!”

Young Master Gu was almost knocked back into the mud by her collision. He turned his head to glance at the relentlessly punching little girl, feeling somewhat troubled, and looked back helplessly at Feng Zhiwei.

Feng Zhiwei had originally been coming over to check whether Young Master actually had any injuries. Seeing this scene, she stopped. She knew the temperament of the young Miss of the Gu family – raised on the grasslands, mixing with people like Hua Qiong and Helian Zheng, influenced by their bold style. Plus having been designated as some living Buddha by herself, worshipped by the grassland people, if not tyrannical, she was certainly a little overlord. Today, being kept in the dark and scared half to death, how could she let it go?

Feng Zhiwei also found this girl somewhat troublesome. Gu Zhixiao had Hua Qiong’s decisiveness but was also influenced by Gu Nanyi, not as warm and kind as Hua Qiong, with an indifferent personality. When she got angry, Feng Zhiwei admitted she lacked the influence to handle her. She simply turned around – the foot she had already stepped forward changed direction and ran away.

Young Master Gu stared blankly at her fleeing back, then looked at the little girl in his arms who kept wiping tears and snot on his hands. Suddenly he felt – all women are scoundrels.

Good-tempered, or rather temperamentless Young Master Gu felt trouble and dissatisfaction for the first time in his life. Slowly turning back, he glanced at his still-gesticulating daughter, reached out, grabbed her by the collar, lifted her up, and prepared to take her back to the ship for proper education.

Gu Zhixiao’s round body swayed in Young Master Gu’s hand, punching and kicking…

Watching that father and daughter return to the ship, Feng Zhiwei tore off a strip of her clothing and beckoned to Ning Yi.

Ning Yi smiled at her and slowly extended his wrist.

His wrist bore a horizontal cutting knife wound, quite deep. Feng Zhiwei pressed hard with her fingers on the wrist pulse point, lowered her head to carefully wrap the cloth strip, binding it tightly in three layers before saying: “Was it necessary to act so convincingly? When that blood spurted, even I was startled.”

Her tone carried low reproach. The firelight leaping from the distant reed marsh illuminated her lowered forehead. Her entire facial contour reflected a layer of fine golden light, making her eyelashes appear even longer, her nose more prominent, and her lip line gentler – in the deep red flickering wind, a flower blooming unfading.

Against the backdrop of the reed marsh in uniform flames of flickering deep red, her lowered profile was delicate and tender, the force of her fingers resting on his wrist pulse gentle.

Ning Yi gazed deeply at her, smiling as he used his fingers to brush away a bit of mud on her forehead, saying softly: “If I didn’t perform this act, you would have had to. I think it’s better if I do it.”

Feng Zhiwei fell silent. She had indeed been prepared to cut herself at that moment. Ning Yi had moved faster than her, using the cover of her body to strike like lightning, urging forth his vital force to spray blood flying. Only this had convinced the Second Prince.

In that situation, there had been no time to coordinate the performance at all – it relied entirely on their mutual understanding and reaction. When blood appeared on his side, Feng Zhiwei had immediately crashed him down. The two coordinated seamlessly, forcibly deceiving everyone.

As for Gu Nanyi, he had already received Ning Yi’s instructions during the intense battle. When the crossbow arrow shot over, he flipped and caught it between his fingers. When he turned again, everyone saw him “hit in the chest by a poisoned arrow.” As for why Young Master Gu was willing to listen to Ning Yi – it was because Ning Yi hadn’t said any persuasive words at all, only hurriedly stating: “Zhiwei needs you to act being struck by an arrow.”

Any words prefaced with “Zhiwei needs” would meet no objection from Young Master Gu, so he played along. After all, he had already practiced acting in Jin Siyu’s Pu Garden back then; his technique was fairly proficient.

But while his acting could fool others, it couldn’t fool Feng Zhiwei. With his veil on, others couldn’t sense whether he was in pain or not, but Feng Zhiwei could tell from the slight movement of the veil exactly what was happening. To avoid him giving himself away, she simply didn’t rush to his side but instead rushed toward Ning Yi, directing everyone’s attention to Ning Yi.

As for her and Ning Yi – coordinating performances required no prior script.

Feng Zhiwei’s gaze swept over those several women quietly waiting for Ning Yi. These were inner agents Ning Yi had planted among the Second Prince’s people. Even she hadn’t thought of it initially. They had fought Gu Nanyi with full force. The Second Prince had guarded against everything yet never imagined that what ultimately killed him would be the helpers he himself had invited.

Who were they? How did Ning Yi employ them? Feng Zhiwei didn’t ask Ning Yi, but suddenly remembered that night at Shuyu Manor – Consort Qing nestling in Emperor Tiansheng’s arms, finding her way to the hot springs with familiarity. She had come from Xi Liang as a dancer, from the same place as these women. Originally, Consort Qing had been presented at Noble Consort Chang’s birthday banquet by the Second Prince… Most likely, the Second Prince had always thought Consort Qing was his person, never realizing that when the veil lifted, that beauty’s bright, alluring eyes were looking in another direction.

For so long, for so long, Ning Yi had been extremely patient and imperceptible, slowly tightening the net for capture.

Those caught in the net remained utterly unaware.

Feng Zhiwei slowly drew her hands into her sleeves, turning her head to look at the flames encircling the reed marsh on all sides, a faint alarm in her eyes – like ash trails of snakes stretching a thousand miles, anyone with such depth of scheming, whether enemy or friend, inevitably inspired wariness.

Her slowly turning, contemplative posture, against the backdrop of deep red and scorched green, appeared fixed and somber, like a white stone statue gazing at the mortal world from the water’s edge. Ning Yi, standing before her, seemed completely oblivious, only smiling as he gathered up her slightly disheveled hair.

In the distance, the fire势 intensified layer by layer, pressing closer.

In the late spring of the fifteenth year of Changxi, someone broke their boats and bridges in a desperate gamble, ultimately seeking their own end and failing at the final moment. What they called their grand ambitions in life crashed against the thousand-zhang cliff that person had long prepared, like the brilliant fire flowers of the ten-li reed marsh – clamorous and soaring in that moment, instantly becoming smoke and ash.

The trap-setter was himself trapped; the encircler was himself encircled. Ultimately accompanying that marsh of reeds to become scorched ash – next spring when reed tips sprout, those playing reed flutes would already be unknowing passersby.

In the official history of the Tiansheng imperial house, regarding the Second Prince’s end, it was written: “In the fifteenth year of Changxi, the Prince died of sudden illness.”

A mere nine characters coldly recorded the death of Tiansheng Dynasty’s eldest prince.

When Ning Yi had returned to the palace to report to Emperor Tiansheng that the Second Prince had ambushed a great army at Lihu Reed Marsh, and after being surrounded by the Changying Guard and Jianghuai naval forces refused to surrender, ultimately throwing torches into the reed marsh and self-immolating, Emperor Tiansheng had listened in silence for a long while before finally waving his hand and saying: “So be it.”

One phrase of “so be it,” and that was how the aftermath of an imperial prince was settled.

It was merely another round of purges, another round of demotions, another round of promotions and relegations. All of this was controlled by Ning Yi on a basis that wouldn’t too severely disturb the court situation – the Second Prince’s treason case involved the Changning Domain, unlike with the Crown Prince and Fifth Prince. This was a secret that temporarily needed to be covered and not fully exposed. Though the Changning Domain had improper intentions, their rebellious intent was unclear. The court still needed to prepare; now was not a good time to tear off the facade.

After the Second Prince’s death, the Ministry of Works position he had temporarily held went to Ning Yi. The Ministry of War and Ministry of Personnel were managed by the Seventh Prince. Emperor Tiansheng was still playing his balancing games, giving the most important Ministries of Personnel and War to the Seventh Prince to balance Ning Yi.

No one understood why, watching his sons fall one by one, he still didn’t establish a Crown Prince, allowing them to fight to the death like this. Even Feng Zhiwei couldn’t quite understand what the Emperor was thinking.

However, she had no mind to guess at imperial statecraft and began a new round of busyness – one month after the spring examinations came the palace examination.

Six ministries and three departments lined with officials in ceremonial dress; a vermilion edict proclaimed the scholars’ examination. After a flurry of activity, filling in the rankings and announcing results, the top three first-class scholars – the principal graduate, second place, and third place – were granted “presented scholar” status. The principal graduate was awarded the position of Hanlin Academy Compiler; second and third place became Hanlin Academy Editors. The second class of thirty received “presented scholar background”; the third class of sixty-six received “same as presented scholar background.” After the court examination, they were respectively appointed as Junior Academicians, Department Directors, Secretaries, Judicial Commissioners, Prefects, County Magistrates, and such positions.

After the palace examination it was already May. According to custom, there should be a Qionglin Banquet. Feng Zhiwei had been extremely busy these two months, both responsible for the spring examinations and palace examination matters, and supervising the construction of the imperial temple. She often slept at the government office. Now she wanted to claim illness to avoid it, but unexpectedly Emperor Tiansheng would not allow it. Later she vaguely heard from palace servants that apparently Princess Shaoning had whispered to His Majesty that after this round of palace examination matters ended, Princess Shaoning would leave the palace to live at the imperial temple.

Hearing this, Feng Zhiwei could only smile bitterly, thinking: You’re about to come pester me every day, and you won’t even let me off this last night in the palace?

That evening, Qionglin Garden was decorated with lanterns, brocade stones paving paths, willows framing rainbow bridges, ceremonial cannon fire filling the sky – wealthy and elegant. The Four Offices and Six Bureaus, together with the Ministry of Rites, Guanglu Temple, Shangbao Office and various personnel were ceaselessly busy. The pear garden teaching office also sent lead disciples to add to the festivities. When Feng Zhiwei arrived, before her grand sedan chair had even stopped, she could hear the lively commotion inside.

Qionglin Garden was not far from the Cabinet’s Haoyun Pavilion for deliberations. As she arrived, she saw Ning Yi from afar coming out of Qionglin Garden, leading a group of ministers toward Haoyun Pavilion. Seeing her, Ning Yi smiled slightly, though his smile carried some other meaning. Hu Shengshan, following behind him, squinted at her, suddenly laughed heartily, and quickly walked away.

Feng Zhiwei was completely baffled, not knowing what mysterious game these people were playing. Having no way to follow and ask, she had no choice but to enter the garden first. All along the way, newly successful scholars came forward to pay respects. With Feng Zhiwei’s current status, she counted as the “teacher” to all of them. Maintaining her dignity, she smiled and nodded all the way.

Suddenly she heard someone at her ear say: “Greetings, Dean.”

Hearing this form of address, Feng Zhiwei’s false smile became slightly more genuine. She turned with a smile: “Young Qian has come too.”

The visitor was indeed Qian Yan, a Qingming disciple who had hosted Feng Zhiwei at a banquet back then. He had achieved sixth place in the second class. Qingming had produced several presented scholars this time, including one third-place scholar. Previously these people had all visited Wei Manor to see Feng Zhiwei under the pretext of calling on their examination supervisor, receiving Feng Zhiwei’s earnest teachings about “loyal service to country and grateful remembrance of imperial grace” and such.

Now Qian Yan looked at Feng Zhiwei with a smile, though his eyes were slightly strange. He said: “My lord, the banquet has not yet begun. This student has a question to consult with you. I wonder if we might speak privately?”

Feng Zhiwei paused, looking around at the scattered groups of people on all sides. She pointed to a secluded flower pavilion: “Over there then.”

Qian Yan nodded. The two went one after the other. Feng Zhiwei pondered what matter he had to find her about now. Looking at his expression, it was quite grave. Behind her, Qian Yan’s steps were hurried, seeming rather tense.

The two reached the flower pavilion – a spacious structure facing the lake on three sides, with an artificial hill behind it draped with wisteria. They stood by the railing pretending to observe fish. Feng Zhiwei said calmly: “What is it? Speak.”

“My lord,” Qian Yan said, “Do you know where Ni Wenyu went?”

Feng Zhiwei froze. Ni Wenyu was that Qingming student who had been enticed to violate Shaoning that night at Jingshen Hall. For such a grave crime, naturally he wouldn’t be left alive – his bones had probably long since soundlessly turned to ash.

“Wasn’t he sent to penal servitude?” She instantly recovered her composure. “I’ve been busy recently and haven’t paid attention to that person’s whereabouts. What about it?”

Qian Yan extended his hand, holding two items between his fingers – one gleaming brightly, one dark and blackened.

The gleaming bright one was an exquisite ankle bracelet – fine gold thread strung with top-quality tourmaline, priceless, still attached to a small gold plate engraved with the two characters “Yuming.”

The dark and blackened one was a small copper plate, already deformed by fire, with someone’s birth date and time vaguely visible on it.

Seeing that ankle bracelet, Feng Zhiwei’s heart tightened.

“Ni Wenyu had an old mother. Recently she came to the capital to find her son, saying that in the past he had sent her money, but recently there had been no news. Unable to survive in their hometown, she came to seek refuge with her son. The old woman searched in the capital for a long time. Somehow, she actually found… the imperial cremation grounds in the suburbs. Who knows how she got in – among a pile of porcelain jars, she obtained these two items. This ankle bracelet – who knows whose it is, but this copper plate was a protective amulet Ni Wenyu’s mother had obtained for him, with his birth date and time. It couldn’t be wrong… That old woman brought these things to the academy to demand the Dean compensate her for her son. I happened to encounter her… and stopped her…”

Feng Zhiwei stared at that ankle bracelet, inwardly crying bitterly – originally Ni Wenyu, being greedy, had kept the Princess’s ankle bracelet. At that time Ning Yi left first, and she dealt with Ni Wenyu’s matter. Anxious to quickly send Shaoning away, and worried about Gu Nanyi’s health, she had been frantic to leave the palace to treat his injury and had actually overlooked removing this ankle bracelet. Later, remembering, she had sent someone to look. The cremation grounds had replied that burned bones were mixed together and impossible to identify, and were buried deeply at intervals. Thinking it impossible for anyone to enter there and find anything among so many ashes, and being busy with affairs, she had put the matter aside. Who would have thought Ni Wenyu’s mother would have such determination as to actually find her son’s ashes and dig out this deadly object!

The gold wire and tourmaline flashed brilliantly in Qian Yan’s hand, like eyes flickering in the night. Qian Yan, from an official family, naturally understood what kind of person could use such a thing. His palm was also sweating. He asked Feng Zhiwei in a low voice: “My lord… this thing… how could it be with Ni Wenyu? Could it be… he…”

Feng Zhiwei suddenly raised her palm vertically, signaling him to be silent.

Qian Yan was startled into silence, looking around anxiously.

Feng Zhiwei turned her head, slowly looking toward the artificial hill.

“Who’s there! Come out!”

A flash of killing intent appeared in her eyes.

Whoever it was, passing behind this artificial hill, seeing this object, hearing these words – they would likely be unable to escape being silenced.

All around was complete silence, only high and low tense breathing, with faint rustling sounds somewhere.

Feng Zhiwei laughed coldly. Her sleeve swept out, lifting the vines on the artificial hill. Just as Feng Zhiwei was preparing to strike and drag the person out, her hand extended in midair suddenly froze.

Behind the artificial hill, between the lifted vines—