“Stop!”

“Stop!”

Two shouts rang out simultaneously—one young, one aged; one with gentle tone, one slightly hoarse.

In the alarmed cries, Feng Zhiwei snatched at the wine cup. With a crash, the cup fell and shattered on the ground, a few drops of ice-cold wine falling uselessly on her fingertips.

But Ning Yi had already released her hand with a bitter laugh, staggering backward. His head tilted back as he fell. Feng Zhiwei lunged forward and caught him. Her hands trembled as she tried to check his breathing, yet for a moment didn’t dare.

Her fingers hung suspended in mid-air. Only then did the wine drip down slowly, landing with a “plop” like startling tears.

In the vivid deep red, Feng Zhiwei’s face was deathly pale. She suddenly raised her head.

Opposite her, many people had appeared at some unknown time—the Tiansheng Emperor, Consort Qing supporting him, several cabinet ministers, and Shaoning. Apart from Consort Qing and Shaoning who smiled faintly, the rest watched the scene in the hall with strange expressions.

The Tiansheng Emperor leaned on Consort Qing’s arm, looking deeply at Ning Yi once, then at Feng Zhiwei. His eyes held not much regret, sorrow, or anger, but rather a sense of relief.

“Your Highness!” Grand Scholar Hu cried out in alarm, about to rush forward. Realizing his impropriety midway, he quickly turned around and fell to his knees before the Tiansheng Emperor with a thud. “Your Majesty! You must not believe the slander of petty people…”

“Oh?” The Tiansheng Emperor glanced at him sideways. “What petty people?”

Grand Scholar Hu was stunned. He only knew that last night someone had secretly reported Prince Chu’s crimes. His Majesty flew into a thunderous rage and issued an edict overnight to deal with Prince Chu. Greatly alarmed, he gathered important ministers of the Prince Chu faction to plead for mercy. His Majesty was noncommittal, only saying he wanted to personally come to Prince Chu’s mansion to watch that rebellious son receive punishment. He had followed along, thinking all the way how to plead. Unexpectedly, upon entering the mansion, he saw this bizarre wedding hall, then witnessed such an earth-shattering scene.

Old Hu thought about the difficulties along the way, how heaven had finally failed their painstaking efforts. In an instant, tears streamed down his aged face. Choked with emotion, he couldn’t speak.

“You’re truly loyal to Sixth Son.” The Tiansheng Emperor suddenly sighed lightly. Grand Scholar Hu was startled. He had just raised his head in alarm, wanting to explain, when the Tiansheng Emperor waved his hand. He showed no anger. Looking at Ning Yi’s deathly pale face in Feng Zhiwei’s embrace, that relieved, reassured expression appeared again on his face.

Then he said: “Why are you crying? The person isn’t dead.”

Everyone gasped “Ah?” in unison. Feng Zhiwei said nothing. Her hand pressed beneath Ning Yi viciously pinched the soft flesh at his waist, then twisted.

She struck hard, yet Ning Yi showed no reaction. Either he could endure it extremely well, or the wine still contained medicine that temporarily knocked him unconscious. However, when he woke, he would surely see a large purple bruise at his waist.

Just now, Feng Zhiwei had been so alarmed her heart nearly stopped beating. She didn’t even dare check his breathing. But holding him in her arms, with Ning Yi’s wrist pressed against her hand, she immediately felt his pulse beating.

Her heart dropped from its height back into her chest cavity. Settling back in place, it still felt painful—all because that instant just now had startled her spirit. Her unhealed old injury was affected. She barely managed to swallow down a mouthful of bloody sweetness.

The cabinet ministers were now both surprised and delighted. They all turned to look at Ning Yi. The Tiansheng Emperor coughed a few times and said: “Sixth Son is still loyal. I’ve tested him successfully. Though the wine contained medicine, the antidote was in the spout. It naturally dissolved when pouring the wine. He’ll be fine after being unconscious for a while.”

Then he paced a few steps and said in a heavy voice: “Last night, someone came to secretly report on Prince Chu. I was very angry at the time, but when I investigated afterward, I discovered it wasn’t that matter at all. I thought to go along with the scheme to observe that person’s character and also test Prince Chu’s loyalty. Now, I’ve finally witnessed both.”

Feng Zhiwei lowered her eyelids, hiding the complex emotions in her eyes.

Last night, the so-called evidence that mysterious person snatched from her—some of it was fake.

Since she had once shown those items to Ning Cheng in the capital garrison prison, how could she not guard against someone targeting them? The bamboo tube and brocade pouch inside the pillow—though they appeared the same—had actually been switched long ago. The bamboo tube actually contained an ordinary memorial of thanks. The person who wrote it wasn’t the murderer of the Crown Prince. The medicine in the brocade pouch was just ginseng tonic pills. As for the fragments—only the fragments among the three items were real, crystal statue fragments from Ning Yi’s birth mother. She hadn’t found a suitable replacement yet and hadn’t had time to switch them.

Precisely because of this, she wasn’t certain about the Emperor’s edict. If that crystal fragment was recognized, Ning Yi might still be hated by the Emperor.

But she also had doubts in her heart. If based solely on that fragment, the Emperor should have secretly become angry and dealt with this son in secret. He absolutely wouldn’t be so embarrassed to explode in fury and announce it to the world—how would such a reason for fury be written?

So she came, wanting to see what was really happening.

Yet she was scared half to death by these people with their endless scheming.

Judging from the Emperor’s expression, that fragment hadn’t caused trouble for Ning Yi either—either Ning Yi had found a way to switch it, or after hearing Ning Cheng relay those items, Ning Yi immediately took countermeasures. He sent people to remake his birth mother’s crystal statue and place it back, so when the Emperor sent people to examine it, they confirmed it was all false accusation and frame-up.

Calculating the time, Feng Zhiwei knew switching the fragment was impossible. It must have been the latter.

In her arms, Ning Yi’s breathing gradually calmed. Feng Zhiwei looked at his slightly pale face, a chill rising in her heart—the Emperor wanted to test this son’s loyalty, so he deliberately went along with the scheme and issued an edict of death, right? Ning Yi guessed his father’s lingering suspicions, so he also went along with the scheme, generously facing death to completely dispel the Emperor’s doubts through this opportunity, right?

This pair of deeply scheming, suspicious father and son!

And by dragging her into this move, Ning Yi’s heart must also resent her—he didn’t know that some of the evidence had already been switched by her, didn’t know she was forced last night. In his view, he had been vigilant early on and thus avoided today’s disaster, while she naturally remained that person with sinister intentions plotting to kill him.

“Someone has harbored malicious intentions all along.” The Tiansheng Emperor suddenly spoke, his expression cold. “In the Great Cheng orphan case seven years ago, I already had doubts. Why did the Jinyu Guard have no movement for so many years when Xin Ziyan could investigate it so quickly? Why was it that only when the Commander went on a distant assignment and temporarily handed Jinyu Guard to Prince Chu did this long-suspended Great Cheng orphan case immediately get resolved? Not until he came last night with false accusations did I confirm—there truly was a petty person hidden beside me, betraying my years of trust!”

Everyone showed shocked expressions—so last night’s informant targeting Prince Chu was actually the Jinyu Guard Commander whom His Majesty most trusted!

Feng Zhiwei kept her head lowered, her mind racing rapidly. The mysterious person last night was the Jinyu Guard Commander? Why did he get involved in killing Ning Yi? Was what the Tiansheng Emperor said about his protection of Great Cheng orphans true or false? Did he have any connection to Great Cheng, or rather to Xue Futu?

“That ungrateful wretch who disregarded his lord’s grace!” The Tiansheng Emperor swept his sleeve, unable to restrain his furious roar. “Even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I will kill you!”

He fled?

Feng Zhiwei frowned.

The Tiansheng Emperor seemed unable to bear his rage. After his outburst, he coughed incessantly. The ministers hurriedly apologized and consoled him. Everyone knew a great disaster had been averted. All showed relaxed, joyful expressions. Only Consort Qing and Shaoning stood woodenly in place, their expressions grim.

Last night, the Jinyu Guard Commander secretly reported, mentioning contraceptive pills. The Tiansheng Emperor naturally questioned Consort Qing. How could Consort Qing let this opportunity pass? She immediately collapsed crying in his arms, claiming how she was forced by Prince Chu’s coercion, forced to take contraceptive pills after entering the palace, and how fearful she had been, living in terror day after day. She cried all night—plaintive and gentle, pear blossoms in rain—determined to nail this great crime onto Ning Yi. The Tiansheng Emperor naturally flew into rage. Consort Qing was overjoyed that Ning Yi could never recover. Who knew when the Imperial Medical Bureau returned from verifying the medicine, they said the medicine was merely ginseng tonic pills.

The situation immediately reversed. Consort Qing had earlier insisted that what Ning Yi gave her was exactly the medicine brought by Jinyu Guard. Now wanting to retract was too late. At that time, the Tiansheng Emperor’s expression was grim as he stared at her for a long while, yet ultimately said nothing and left with a flick of his sleeve. She brazenly followed. The Emperor ignored her. This was the first time since entering the palace Consort Qing received such cold treatment. Her heart couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

She knew that though the Tiansheng Emperor was lustful, his heart held an unshakeable principle—the harem must not interfere in politics. Lady Ning in earlier years came from an influential family. How could he let others follow his own path to claiming the throne? So he always kept tight control over the harem. No matter how favored a consort, she must not presumptuously discuss court ministers or politics. So though she deeply hated Ning Yi, without complete certainty, she never dared act rashly against him.

She thought she finally found an opportunity, only to discover it was a trap!

Consort Qing stood dazed, her eyes churning. Though the Emperor still leaned on her arm, with a woman’s sensitivity she felt that trusting affection in his heart had diminished. From now on, she would find it difficult to regain the Emperor’s meticulous protection.

Thinking this, her heart grew slightly cold. Looking again at the kneeling Feng Zhiwei and unconscious Ning Yi—both with beautiful, seemingly harmless faces, yet only she knew most clearly their wolf-like nature. Who in the world could survive as the common enemy of these two?

She had already lost the Emperor’s protection. If they didn’t die today, she would die tomorrow!

Things had reached this point—there was no room for waiting for the right moment. It was merely breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats, staking everything on one throw!

Consort Qing’s fingers beneath her sleeves clenched tightly. A fierce gleam flashed through her eyes.

“Today’s commotion is over, so be it.” The Tiansheng Emperor wearily waved his hand. “Withdraw the troops outside. Someone, send Prince Chu to the inner chamber to rest properly. And you, Zhiwei…” He gazed at Feng Zhiwei with slight smile. “Sixth Son said you two are deeply in love. Now it seems he didn’t deceive me. Today’s wedding feast was rather absurd. Another day I’ll arrange it grandly for you both.”

Ning Yi was joyfully carried to the inner chamber by servants. Feng Zhiwei made a sound of surprise and raised her head, opening her mouth. With the storm just passed, only now did she remember—this black-hearted prince, killing several birds with one stone, had actually used this matter to make her his Princess Consort!

The imperial edict was issued, the status determined. At this moment, before all the ministers, refusing the edict was truly not the right timing, especially with the malicious Consort Qing at her side.

She opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing. The Tiansheng Emperor smiled and waved his hand, turning to leave.

“Your Majesty! She cannot marry!”

For an instant, Feng Zhiwei almost thought she herself couldn’t help but speak out in refusal. After a moment’s daze, she realized that female voice belonged to Consort Qing.

The Tiansheng Emperor turned back in astonishment. Consort Qing had already rushed forward, falling to her knees at his feet with a thud.

“Your Majesty…” She panted slightly, grasping the Tiansheng Emperor’s robe hem. Her face showed alarm and timidity, yet she didn’t immediately speak, only transmitting infinite terror through her eyes to the Tiansheng Emperor.

The Tiansheng Emperor was about to become angry, but seeing her frightened, delicate expression, his heart stirred. When his voice emerged, it had softened somewhat, though still with some impatience: “What is it?”

“Your Majesty…” Consort Qing sobbed. At the peak of the Tiansheng Emperor’s patience, she opened her mouth at exactly the right moment. “…The Grand Consort cannot marry Prince Chu! The Grand Consort is a Great Cheng remnant!”

“What?”

Amid low gasps of surprise, the Tiansheng Emperor’s eyebrows twitched. After a moment’s daze, he angrily said: “What nonsense are you speaking? Are you bringing up old matters again? Back then, Lady Feng already proved Zhiwei was her daughter. You still want to rehash old accounts!”

Feng Zhiwei’s eyes flashed as she stared at Consort Qing, rapidly thinking of countermeasures. Only she knew that at this moment, Consort Qing wasn’t rehashing old accounts—she was truly showing her dagger after exhausting all schemes.

“How would this consort dare rehash old accounts…” Consort Qing clutched the Tiansheng Emperor’s leg, tears and snot flowing together. “…Your Majesty, this consort was indeed confused for a moment last night and gave false testimony, but not for herself. Last night, the Jinyu Guard Commander secretly found this consort, saying he suspected the Grand Consort was truly the Great Cheng remnant, but His Highness had feelings for the Grand Consort and always protected her. Every time the Commander wanted to investigate the Grand Consort, His Highness intentionally or unintentionally obstructed him. The Commander worried His Highness was blinded by feminine beauty and ignored the nation’s foundation. He wanted to first restrain His Highness and asked this consort to help… Your Majesty, this consort worried someone disregarded the greater good, someone harbored wolf-like ambitions, secretly plotting to endanger our Tiansheng realm and endanger our virtuous sage Emperor… so this consort… This consort erred, but erred in… loving Your Majesty too much…”

The hall fell silent. Everyone stared wide-eyed listening to Consort Qing’s tearful accusations. Her crying voice was soft and delicate, faint and distant—neither making people feel noisy and annoyed, nor arousing pity from the heart. Each word seemed written in blood.

Feng Zhiwei drew in a cold breath. At this moment, she couldn’t help but admire this woman. Her quick reactions and acting skills had reached perfection. So quickly she sensed her unfavorable situation and struck first. Her words clearing herself—concocted in haste—were actually seamless!

Who wouldn’t be moved?

She raised her eyes to glance at the Tiansheng Emperor. Sure enough, the Emperor’s face had darkened, the muscles on his cheeks twitching minutely as if thinking rapidly, still unable to fully react. But hearing that last sentence, his eyes warmed—clearly already moved.

After a long while, he asked in a heavy voice: “If you had compelling reasons, why didn’t the Commander explain to me clearly? Why did he flee?”

“This consort doesn’t know…” Consort Qing sobbed. “…Perhaps he actually had selfish motives and merely deceived this consort…”

“Then him saying the Grand Consort is a Great Cheng remnant might also be deceiving you!”

“Your Majesty!” Consort Qing raised her head. “He gave this consort evidence!”

Feng Zhiwei’s eyebrow twitched—evidence? Where would evidence come from? In the thirteenth year of Changxi during the Great Cheng remnant case, Xue Futu and Mother had used substitution tactics, mixing truth with fiction, already directing all evidence toward Feng Hao. Now even they themselves had no evidence of her identity. Consort Qing had some?

“Oh?” The Tiansheng Emperor’s eyes focused. “Bring it forth!”

Consort Qing raised her head. For an instant, she saw vigilance and suspicion in the Emperor’s eyes. Her heart went cold—once this evidence was produced, she herself would be stained with suspicion. As an inner palace consort knowing so much would also be guarded against by the Tiansheng Emperor. But her enemies were these two people before her eyes. As long as today’s lethal strike killed them, she would still have opportunities to slowly regain the Emperor’s heart in the future.

No breaking, no establishing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

She naturally knew that if this trump card failed to kill Feng Zhiwei, she herself would truly have no retreat. But she had confidence in herself and confidence in what she held!

“Your Majesty.” She gritted her teeth. A trace of cold smile surfaced at her lips. Glancing sideways at Feng Zhiwei, she slowly drew from her bosom a small apricot-yellow package. The package looked somewhat old, as if kept for many years, but the material was very fine. One could vaguely see fine hidden dragon patterns. The edges bore dark traces, somewhat resembling old dried blood.

Feng Zhiwei’s heart skipped a beat.

“Your Majesty, please look.” Consort Qing unwrapped the brocade package, smoothing it flat. Everyone’s gazes focused. Originally thinking something was inside the package, only now did they discover the small package itself was a silk handkerchief.

Apricot-yellow brocade, edges with phoenix patterns. The lower right corner of the handkerchief bore the characters “Made by Yuechen Palace,” exquisitely embroidered.

“Yuechen Palace was the palace of the late Great Cheng Emperor’s Noble Consort, also the consort who allegedly bore the last prince of Great Cheng. On the day the imperial palace was breached, this consort hanged herself in the palace.” Consort Qing said softly.

“So what?” The Tiansheng Emperor didn’t see any significance, frowning as he questioned her.

Consort Qing’s lips held a cold smile. She flipped the handkerchief in her hand, holding it at an angle toward the sunlight. “Your Majesty, look again.”

The Tiansheng Emperor leaned forward a step. Squinting his aged eyes, he looked for a long time before vaguely seeing a row of small silver thread characters, barely visible in the center of the handkerchief.

“Xinchen year, … Gengwu month, Bingzi day, beloved daughter’s birthday, Yuechen Palace’s Qing.”

The month of the birth date had been stained by blood and could no longer be seen.

“Your Majesty…” Consort Qing’s sinister voice drifted into the Tiansheng Emperor’s ears. “The Great Cheng orphan was actually a daughter!”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart jolted. The Tiansheng Emperor whirled around sharply. The ministers’ faces drastically changed.

The cabinet ministers vaguely knew about the original Great Cheng orphan case. Back then when the Great Cheng Noble Consort gave birth, no one knew if it was male or female. At first, Jinyu Guard’s target was this Grand Consort Feng, but later through various investigations, they found the wet nurse from Yuechen Palace and Feng Hao’s birth date golden lock, finally confirming someone had deliberately created confusion and misled them. The heir was a prince, ultimately falling on Feng Hao who was executed.

Could it be that all the truth and fiction, twists and turns, were actually someone leading them by the nose into a maze?

Everyone’s gazes turned to Feng Zhiwei. Lady Feng had only one son and one daughter, and directly admitted to the crime of sheltering the Great Cheng orphan. If Feng Hao wasn’t the heir, then wouldn’t that mean…

“Your Majesty!” Feng Zhiwei’s expression didn’t change. She calmly knelt forward one step. “This consort knows nothing, but this consort only wants to ask Consort Qing one question—where did this handkerchief come from? Is it truly an artifact from the original Great Cheng palace? The embroidery method hiding characters within this handkerchief seems to be the legendary ‘Hidden Thread Random Rapids’ technique. As far as this consort knows, this technique is the unique skill of the Xiliang Song and Dance Guild. Xiliang dancers are renowned throughout the realm. Wearing dance costumes made with this needlework adds mysterious, illusory beauty—Your Ladyship comes from Xiliang. You must be quite skilled?”

“The Xiliang Song and Dance Guild is divided into four types: dance, skill, craft, and art—each independent and unrelated.” Consort Qing gave a cold laugh. “When this palace was in Xiliang, I was the most noble pure-entertainer dancer, focusing exclusively on dance with no leisure to learn skills. Grand Consort, you’d better not waste effort trying to frame me.”

“This consort doesn’t know who is trying to frame whom.” Feng Zhiwei said lightly. “When Your Ladyship entered the palace, you also brought quite a few old sisters from Xiliang. None of them studied dance. Presumably some were proficient in skills, crafts, and arts? Oh, speaking of idle matters, I heard the courtesan Xianyun of ‘Zhongfang Tower’ also comes from Xiliang. Besides dance, her embroidery work is exceptional. She often sends embroidered items to the harem. Has Your Ladyship used her things?”

Consort Qing’s face changed. Xianyun was naturally not a simple courtesan. The “Rouputuan” faction’s power was in the pleasure quarters—she was merely a secret agent. She hadn’t expected Feng Zhiwei knew even this. This was threatening her—I also know your background.

“Xianyun’s embroidered items are used by all palaces.” Consort Qing said coldly. “But what does this have to do with the Great Cheng remnant case? Grand Consort, what exactly are you trying to achieve by dragging things east and west?”

“Just wanting to…”

“Enough!”

A low shout interrupted the two women’s verbal sparring. The Tiansheng Emperor finally became angry. The old Emperor’s face was grim, wheezing as he breathed. His gaze swept back and forth between the two with gloom, full of anger and suspicion.

Angry at only today discovering this consort’s formidability and scheming. Suspicious that the touching scene at Ning’an Palace that had moved his heart years ago was merely a multi-year deception.

Feng Zhiwei closed her mouth, tensely considering her next response. That Consort Qing held this item was something she hadn’t anticipated. Driven into a corner, she couldn’t lose composure. So she didn’t defend herself, only consistently dragging Consort Qing into murky waters. Rather than urgently seeking non-existent evidence to prove she wasn’t a Great Cheng descendant, better to attack people’s hearts first. As long as the Emperor also became suspicious of Consort Qing, then this consort’s accusations would naturally not stand.

She was calculating how to drag Consort Qing down when she suddenly heard a very soft voice transmission.

“Bump into Consort Qing.”

This voice sounded extremely familiar. Feng Zhiwei’s eyes brightened.

The Tiansheng Emperor stared coldly at the two, opening his mouth: “Someone—”

“Consort Qing Your Ladyship you truly have a viper’s heart this consort merely didn’t agree to your request back then to help you contact external officials so you harbored resentment always everywhere trying to catch this consort’s vulnerabilities under heaven there is no land that doesn’t belong to the king within the seas there are no subjects who don’t belong to the king what exactly do you want do you really want to take this consort’s life to accompany you then—” Feng Zhiwei suddenly jumped up. A long string of words bombarded everyone into dizziness, stunning the approaching guards into stopping. While everyone was dazed, she leaped extremely fast. With an arrow’s speed, she charged straight toward Consort Qing’s chest.

Consort Qing never expected the deep and wise Feng Zhiwei would suddenly explode like a shrew. Startled, her instinct was to use martial arts to strike Feng Zhiwei’s crown. Suddenly remembering her martial arts couldn’t be casually revealed—she mustn’t fall for Feng Zhiwei’s trick—she hastily withdrew her hand.

This all happened in a flash. Her moment of hesitation meant she couldn’t react in time. With a bang, Feng Zhiwei had already collided with her chest, knocking her back three staggering steps. Her hand released. The handkerchief immediately left her grasp.

The instant the handkerchief left her hand, a strange wind suddenly arose in the hall.

This wind came peculiarly, sweeping along the ground, rolling up an air current. It caught the falling handkerchief, sweeping it across the hall with a swoosh, fluttering and tumbling straight to the steps below.

Below the steps stood guards, attendants, and the personal nannies of Consort Qing and Shaoning.

The handkerchief tumbled about, floating down before one person’s feet.

“Grab that handkerchief—pick it up for me—” Consort Qing’s shriek came from within the hall. That person crouched down and quickly picked up the handkerchief.

“Bring it up, bring it up!”

That person hurried up the steps to deliver the handkerchief. Just reaching the hall entrance, her gaze intentionally or unintentionally fell upon the handkerchief. Suddenly she made a surprised “eh” sound.

Then she blurted out: “Ah, isn’t this the handkerchief the Princess lost before?”

This cry startled everyone again. They turned to look. In the sunlight, that kind-faced middle-aged nanny wore an expression of surprise. She was precisely Nanny Chen who had raised Princess Shaoning from childhood.

This person was a palace veteran, mild-mannered and never meddlesome. For many years, she had served the Princess with utter loyalty. Even the Tiansheng Emperor treated her with courtesy. Everyone recognized her. Hearing this cry, all were stunned.

“What did you say?” The Tiansheng Emperor whirled around sharply.

Shaoning stared wide-eyed, completely unable to react. She looked at Nanny Chen in shock. Even Consort Qing was stunned.

“Your Majesty.” Nanny Chen realized her slip and quickly knelt. “This old servant was improper. This old servant saw the handkerchief the Princess lost many years ago and was surprised in her heart…”

“The Princess’s lost handkerchief?” The Tiansheng Emperor interrupted her words. Even his voice had changed. “Quickly explain clearly to me. What’s going on?”

“Your Majesty.” Nanny Chen kowtowed. “This old servant also isn’t clear about what’s happening. I just remember seeing this handkerchief. Your Majesty should remember—this old servant was already serving in Your Majesty’s princely mansion before you founded the nation. At that time, the Princess had just been born. You were leading troops abroad. After the former Empress gave birth to the Princess, she hemorrhaged severely. The mansion was in chaos with insufficient staff. This old servant was summoned into the mansion to serve the Princess at that time. Soon after entering the mansion, Your Majesty founded the nation. When this old servant accompanied the Princess to the capital, I inadvertently discovered this handkerchief. At the time, I casually stored it in a trunk. Later it disappeared. This old servant thought that with the long journey and many people with various hands, some light-fingered maid must have stolen it. After searching unsuccessfully, I let it go. I never expected to see it here today…”

The Tiansheng Emperor stood dazed, murmuring: “How can this be…”

Never mind his confusion—even Consort Qing and Feng Zhiwei couldn’t immediately react. Feng Zhiwei vaguely felt that a long-brewing earth-shattering plan was about to launch at this moment. She herself was both inside and outside the scheme, yet had been arranged without any knowledge.

Several cabinet ministers with keen senses also felt this was no longer within the scope of the Great Cheng remnant case. It seemed about to involve imperial secrets. They wanted to leave but didn’t dare. All exchanged glances with bitter expressions.

“Why would this handkerchief be with the Princess…” The Tiansheng Emperor was still bewildered. He didn’t doubt Nanny Chen—this was a servant who had followed him before he became Emperor. Besides, this nanny had no need to lie.

“Your Majesty…” Nanny Chen seemed to suddenly remember something. She opened her mouth, wanting to speak but stopping. The Tiansheng Emperor saw this and waved his sleeve: “Grand Scholar Hu, all of you withdraw first. Consort Qing, Shaoning, and the Grand Consort—retire to the inner hall. I have words to ask Nanny Chen.”

The ministers felt as if granted amnesty and quickly left. Consort Qing was unwilling to kneel unmoving. The Tiansheng Emperor irritably kicked near her knee. She had no choice but to stand, pulling the dazed Shaoning who refused to leave, hurrying into the inner room.

Feng Zhiwei walked slower by a step. Turning around the screen, she vaguely heard Nanny Chen say lowly: “Your Majesty… this old servant suddenly remembered a strange matter…”

She touched her own face, looked at Shaoning’s face. Her heart pounded wildly.

The secret of these two extremely similar faces—would it finally be revealed today?

At this moment, her feelings were extremely strange. Like seeing a vast scheme laid long ago, wrapped in dense fog, distantly enveloping her, yet not allowing her to personally unveil it. All her life she had controlled situations, overturning clouds and rain, yet for the first time felt controlled by others.

This feeling was unpleasant.

In the inner hall, guards filled the four corners. She and Shaoning and Consort Qing faced each other. Consort Qing’s eyes were sharp. Shaoning was utterly bewildered.

Then she saw the sharpness gradually scatter, the bewilderment slowly become vacant.

Many of the guards on all sides slowly closed their eyes, still standing in place.

Feng Zhiwei was startled and whirled around sharply. Ning Yi in light robes and loose belt, hands behind his back, emerged from the inner room.

Feng Zhiwei circulated her qi—nothing unusual. It seemed Ning Yi’s released drug had no effect on her current constitution.

But why would Ning Yi drug these people unconscious now? What arrangements had he made in this inner hall specifically used to receive honored guests that he could so easily knock these people unconscious without their knowledge? Did he want to kill Consort Qing now? Wasn’t he afraid of causing trouble?

Feng Zhiwei suddenly felt something strange about this room. She looked around on all sides. Her eyes fell on the crossbeam overhead. The luster emanating from that wood quality was somewhat strange. She vaguely recalled a type of extremely rare Snow Mountain Feather Wood mentioned in one of Zong Chen’s rare books. Remembering the legendary uses of this wood quality, her heart suddenly skipped.

“Don’t worry. They’ll wake soon and won’t even realize they were knocked unconscious.” Seeing her expression, Ning Yi showed no unease, saying lightly: “If I wanted to kill Consort Qing, I wouldn’t choose now. I just want to say a few words to you.”

He stood opposite her, looking deeply at her face. He had always liked to carefully examine her face before, yet today Feng Zhiwei felt he looked with particular intensity, as if wanting to see through this layer of disguise on her face, penetrating into her flesh and even her soul.

The inner room was very quiet. Outside the half-rolled curtain, a branch of crabapple’s dark fragrance floated. From the outer hall came murmuring low voices, scattered and fragmentary like crushed flowers drifting outside the curtain, not knowing in which household’s unsettled pond they would be swept next instant.

“Zhiwei…” Ning Yi’s sigh seemed to resound from very far away. “I truly wish I could only see this sallow face of yours for this lifetime.”

Feng Zhiwei touched her face. Ning Yi was the first person to see her true appearance with his own eyes. All these years, he had made no answer to this, shown no questions. Could it be he also guessed something?

The voice from the outer hall suddenly rose slightly—it was the Tiansheng Emperor’s tone. “What? You’re saying on Wangdu Bridge when the Princess cried and chaos erupted, then you discovered the handkerchief, after which the handkerchief suddenly disappeared… then you felt the Princess was a bit strange? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Then came Nanny Chen’s weeping, low explanations. “…Just felt something was a bit different. Her eyes seemed wrong. Originally the Princess’s eyes had misty water vapor, like shrouded in fog. Later it suddenly lost that layer of moisture, became especially bright and spirited… But the Princess was still so young. Children change greatly as they grow. This old servant didn’t dare be certain… At that time when the Princess was crying, this old servant was right beside the Princess’s carriage. In the chaos, I just felt wind sweep past and suddenly tripped. My heart felt strange. After the chaos passed, this old servant climbed onto the Princess’s carriage to check on her and discovered this handkerchief beneath her. Not long after, it disappeared… But how could such matters be spoken of carelessly… Begging Your Majesty’s punishment…”

The intermittent weeping came through. Inside the room, two people listened quietly. One’s face grew paler and paler. The other’s eyes grew darker and darker.

Those barriers already arranged in fate continuously tore at their lifelong entanglement.

Whatever hope existed was immediately extinguished, like candlelight flickering in the dark night, unable to withstand worldly wind and rain.

What divine hand, across distant years and infinite space, manipulated this lifetime’s entanglements coming and going, until today, splitting open a chasm that could never be crossed.

The sky gradually darkened. No one lit lamps. Outside the window, falling flowers lay silent.

The low weeping gradually ceased. The Tiansheng Emperor said nothing for a long time, clearly also shocked speechless by what Nanny Chen said.

Going out now—the best timing.

Feng Zhiwei’s fingers in her sleeves clenched and released, released and clenched. She wanted to avoid taking such a path, yet ultimately it changed to a helpless sigh.

After a long while, she straightened her back and lightly took a step forward.

Her sleeve was grasped.

“Zhiwei, I finally obtained you with such difficulty…” Ning Yi closed his eyes, murmuring lowly.

Having exhausted all efforts, finally obtaining her, obtaining this irreplaceable status—in the blink of an eye, he would watch this status become a flower in the mirror, moon in the water, flowing like water from between his fingers, unable to be grasped.

“Your Highness.” Feng Zhiwei’s back was straight as a ramrod. The pallor between her brows was covered by rouge, leaving no trace. “Whether to expose it or let it become a meeting—both are up to you.” She turned back with a strange smile. “I don’t mind dying together with you.”

Ning Yi remained silent. His long eyelashes cast faint arc-shadows beneath his eyes—part weariness, part desolation.

Due to Consort Qing’s accusation, he and Zhiwei’s fates were now actually tied together. If Zhiwei didn’t take this path, then there was no other path.

Yet he immediately smiled faintly.

Was there truly no other path?

Just not yet the right time.

If she wanted to embrace him and roll toward the cliff, he would rather withdraw midway and abandon her, first weaving a net below the cliff.

She was full of grudges and determination to sever ties. He longed to transcend life and death to possess more.

He wanted this peaceful realm, and more—wanted her to exist safely and securely within this peaceful realm. He didn’t dare die before her, only because he needed to watch her walk through step after step of crisis to stand before him.

If he weren’t there, in this stormy realm—who would give her the final retreat?

Bearing that faint smile, he slowly released his fingers.

Go then.

If you want to overturn the realm, I’ll wait to catch it.

Feng Zhiwei didn’t look back. She passed through the screen and emerged. In the main hall, Nanny Chen still knelt, her face full of alarm. Feng Zhiwei looked into her eyes—part gratitude, part slight chill.

Decades of dormant waiting, all for today’s preparation. So many people’s painstaking efforts—how could she fail them?

Even if it made her heart slightly cold.

“What are you coming out for?” The Tiansheng Emperor’s mood was vexed. Seeing her, he was momentarily stunned.

“Your Majesty.” Feng Zhiwei slowly knelt at his knee. She raised her head, looking carefully at the Tiansheng Emperor. In her eyes, clouds and waves surged, dark currents rolled, as if hiding endless unspeakable thoughts. The Tiansheng Emperor met her gaze. His heart jolted. In a trance, he recalled that year at Ning’an Palace, before dying Lady Feng’s sickbed. This girl had also looked at him with such an expression—lips pressed together, posture somewhat timid, wanting to draw near yet unable. Her eyes held infinite childlike admiration, exactly like looking at her own father.

Father…

Thinking this, his heart suddenly stirred.

“Your Majesty…” Feng Zhiwei prostrated at his feet, saying softly: “Do you still remember the thirteenth year of Changxi at Ning’an Palace?”

“I remember…” The Tiansheng Emperor looked at her in confusion. “Your mother asked me to take good care of you. I agreed to her naturally won’t forget. But if you’re Great Cheng…”

“Your Majesty.” Feng Zhiwei seemed not to hear his words, still in that soft tone. “I also remember… Not remembering those words, but remembering when Mother made me lower my head and what she said in my ear…”

She changed her self-address to “I.” The Tiansheng Emperor didn’t notice. He stared at Feng Zhiwei in confusion, not understanding what she wanted to say.

“She told me… not to easily reveal this face, but if there’s an opportunity, I must let Your Majesty see this face with your own eyes. She said…” She sobbed softly. “At that time, Your Majesty would understand her painstaking efforts…”

“What face…” The Tiansheng Emperor retreated a step, leaning on the table as he stared at her. The aged Emperor at this moment still didn’t understand what was happening, yet felt his heart in chaos, as if an earth-shattering change was about to occur before his eyes.

Feng Zhiwei stood up. She took out a handkerchief, picked up the teapot on the table and poured some water, dampening the handkerchief. Slowly she wiped her face.

The ginger-yellow makeup on her face naturally couldn’t be washed away so easily with just water, but before pouring water, medicine to dissolve the disguise was already tucked between her fingers.

The ginger yellow slowly washed away, gradually revealing skin as pure and crystalline as the bright moon. The long false eyebrows were removed, exposing eyebrow shapes straight and dark blue, edges slightly upturned, like wild geese spreading wings across the vast sky. The deliberately raised nose returned to normal, making one feel this height was the truly exquisite beauty. Clearly only a few places were changed, yet immediately that originally detestable sallow face one didn’t want to look at twice suddenly became gentle, elegant, graceful, and incomparably beautiful.

But what truly shocked wasn’t that dust-washed radiant beauty.

But rather the meaning the face itself represented.

The Tiansheng Emperor suddenly retreated a step, emitting a long cry of alarm. His throat made a strange gurgling sound. His face flushed red. Feng Zhiwei quickly stepped forward to pat his back lightly. The Tiansheng Emperor struggled for a long while before coughing up a mouthful of thick phlegm. Feng Zhiwei’s hands were quick and eyes sharp, using the spittoon to catch it. She also used her own handkerchief to wipe his mouth. Every movement was extremely natural. That face leaning close before the Tiansheng Emperor—the old Emperor stared dazedly, eyes confused, looking about to faint.

How could Feng Zhiwei let him faint at this moment? Her fingers intentionally or unintentionally touched his pulse point, withdrawing at first contact. The Tiansheng Emperor’s flush receded. After a long time, he finally found his voice. “Your face… your face…”

“Princess—” Nanny Chen kneeling on the ground suddenly shrieked hoarsely, her whole body trembling. “You… you…”

She seemed too shocked, actually forgetting she was before the Emperor. Like sleepwalking, she stood up and walked straight toward Feng Zhiwei. Staring blankly at her face for a long while, she suddenly reached out to lightly touch her face. Feng Zhiwei smiled bitterly and reached to block. Their fingers crossed. Nanny Chen seemed to finally realize what she had done, stepping back in alarm.

Feng Zhiwei covered her face and sighed. The Tiansheng Emperor sat down heavily in a daze, lost in thought. After a long while, he suddenly slapped the table and roared lowly: “What’s going on! Explain clearly! Otherwise today we all die together!”

“Your Majesty!” Feng Zhiwei dropped to her knees with a slap, her misty water vapor eyes gazing mournfully at the Tiansheng Emperor. “Your Majesty is brilliantly perceptive—can’t you guess? Zhiwei didn’t know the details, didn’t dare presume to guess, but Zhiwei can only tell you—Mother said everything she did was to preserve Zhiwei’s life. As for the so-called Great Cheng remnant case, she never participated!”

“You’re saying, you’re saying…” The Tiansheng Emperor’s eyes stared straight at her, words coming with difficulty.

“Your Majesty, back then there was indeed a Great Cheng remnant, but they switched into Your Majesty’s palace!” Feng Zhiwei raised her face, tears streaming down. “That year when the capital was established in the Imperial Capital, Your Majesty brought your wife and children to the capital. At Wangdu Bridge, the Princess cried, causing chaos. Afterward, the Imperial Astronomy Bureau divined ill omens. Wangdu Bridge was therefore abandoned—Your Majesty should understand now. That crying and chaos were merely arrangements by someone with ulterior motives! Only to switch people!”

“The greatest hiding place is in the court. What place is safer than staying by Your Majesty’s side?” Feng Zhiwei suddenly prostrated herself, crying aloud. “The child who was switched out was thrown in the wilderness… saved by chance by my mother. Knowing this matter involved grave importance, that someone in the palace must be secretly plotting, before that person surfaced, she didn’t dare let me show myself publicly. For so many years, she exhausted painstaking efforts only to preserve my life… In the end, in the end…” She cried until her whole body convulsed, sobbing unable to form words.

The Tiansheng Emperor looked at her face, then looked at Nanny Chen’s terrified expression. After a long while, he said in a dreamlike light voice: “…Then why didn’t she tell me until death…”

“Someone didn’t give her a chance to speak…” Feng Zhiwei wept lowly. “…She suspected back then it was the Jinyu Guard Commander who switched them. When she was imprisoned in Jinyu Guard’s secret dungeon, she dared not say more, fearing if she rashly revealed it, I who was still outside would be murdered. She exhausted all efforts to obtain Your Majesty’s protection for me, married me far to the grasslands, wanting me far from the Imperial Capital, wanting the grasslands to protect me… She feared the palace courts, didn’t dare let me return to the treacherous palace, feared I would die in that place where people are killed silently like cutting grass. She wanted me to live freely across vast seas and skies… She told me when there’s opportunity to tell Your Majesty—she loved you, also loved Zhiwei. She wanted Zhiwei to live this lifetime freely and safely… Please forgive her… being selfish this one time in her life…”

She wept mournfully, speaking in low tones. She seemed to explain nothing clearly, yet everything was within those words. This kind of blank space, this desire to speak but pausing—it was more effective than any urgent proof. The Tiansheng Emperor looked at that face like iron evidence. The doubt in his eyes had already faded.

Yet he had doted on Shaoning for over twenty years, giving all his love to this daughter. At this moment, to accept that Feng Zhiwei was his daughter while Shaoning was the secretly switched Great Cheng heir—for a time, it was truly impossible to accept.

Feng Zhiwei and Nanny Chen kneeling on the ground watched his expression. Both hearts settled somewhat. Regardless, as long as they could plant the seed of doubt, from now on the shadow of the Great Cheng heir would no longer easily fall on Feng Zhiwei.

Feng Zhiwei lightly tilted her head. Their gazes met and immediately turned away.

In each other’s eyes was admiration for the other.

Feng Zhiwei admired how Nanny Chen willingly played servant for decades lurking by Shaoning’s side, all for today paving her escape route.

Nanny Chen admired how Feng Zhiwei, clearly unaware of this arrangement beforehand, could instantly connect all matters, weaving lies nearly seamlessly. Even Lady Feng’s thoughts were woven to move the heart.

The middle-aged nanny lowered her eyes. A strange expression swept through them.

Under all heaven, only she and one other person had always been waiting for this day.

Great Cheng’s founding Emperor and Empress—the brocade pouch’s three stratagems, the final one.

Six hundred years ago, the founding Great Emperor with heaven-reaching ability foresaw the life-and-death crisis of the Great Cheng heir six hundred years later. Therefore, he prepared three stratagems in the brocade pouch to help the heir turn danger into fortune, meet difficulty and find blessing.

These three stratagems—one helped people rise rapidly, from the hand of Divine Jade Empress: the “Zhuoying Scroll.”

Zhuoying—three nearly absurd questions established Feng Zhiwei’s unparalleled reputation as a national scholar, helping her enter Tiansheng officialdom, ascending smoothly all the way.

The other two were for preserving life, from the hand of the founding Great Emperor. Unlike the playful Empress, the deep and wise Changsun Wuji acted without any scruples.

So Feng Hao was arranged early for the fate of substitute death.

So even Shaoning with Princess status could be taken as a substitute.

Feng Hao played his role in the thirteenth year of Changxi. Shaoning was Feng Zhiwei’s final barrier.

For this day, someone had prepared for twenty-one years.

The hall was silent as death. The Tiansheng Emperor sat there lost in thought, his expression beyond description. Too many things happened today that were too overturning. Even an Emperor accustomed to seeing storms was confused, not knowing what to do.

From the inner hall suddenly came chaotic footsteps. Someone rushed out in panic. The three turned their heads to see Shaoning with disheveled hair, pale face, supporting herself on the screen, eyes staring straight at the people in the hall.

She looked at the father who doted on her, looked at Nanny Chen who had been with her day and night for years, viewing her as a mother.

“You… what were you… just saying?”

Her voice was hoarse. The first word when she opened her mouth actually made no sound. Her eyes floated with iron-blue terror like countless whistling arrows piercing from all directions toward the three people in the hall. All three turned their faces away.

“What switching people? What… substitution?” Shaoning’s nearly desperate eyes fixed deadly on Feng Zhiwei’s face.

Except for a pair of different eyes, it was like another Shaoning standing before her.

The two standing together made one even more dazed, feeling like seeing twins.

The Tiansheng Emperor stared dazedly at these two faces. Looking carefully, those two people’s features weren’t completely identical, but somehow made people feel they were alike—so alike that for an instant he wondered if perhaps this substitution was also a misunderstanding. Perhaps back then the Empress actually gave birth to twin daughters.

“Not right!” He suddenly said. “Even if there was substitution, how could the Great Cheng heir so resemble Shaoning?”

Feng Zhiwei quietly frowned. This was precisely the greatest flaw. But she also understood Xue Futu’s arrangement back then—without using two identical faces, when revealed later, how could there be such great impact? How could the Emperor be made to believe Feng Zhiwei was the true Princess?

Only that face he had grown accustomed to seeing for over twenty years could make him accept Feng Zhiwei most quickly.

But she didn’t speak to try explaining. After all, she was both inside and outside the scheme. The true mastermind of these arrangements was Nanny Chen.

“Your Majesty—” Nanny Chen indeed spoke. “You’ve forgotten that former dynasty’s Noble Consort and the late Empress—they were originally twin sisters! This old servant once heard the late Empress say their family produced twin children generation after generation. Sometimes even female cousins resembled each other…”

The Tiansheng Emperor’s face changed.

The late Empress passed away early. He had long forgotten this matter. Only now did he remember it seemed to be true.

It was precisely because the Great Cheng remnant resembled Shaoning that there was that day’s bold substitution!

“But…” He still had unresolved doubts in his heart. Everything seemed plausible yet vague, as if shrouded in mist. Below, Shaoning used those earth-shattering eyes to gaze at him. Facing this daughter he had always doted on, even the suspicious, iron-hearted old Emperor’s heart couldn’t help but soften.

Some things—he didn’t wish to happen.

He remained silent for a long while, then suddenly slammed the table hard!

“Audacious slave!” He glared furiously at Nanny Chen, expression angry. “You dare deceive your master with a slave’s status, deceive your lord with lies!”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart jumped—where was something wrong?

Nanny Chen was also frightened, her whole body trembling. She raised her head in alarm to look at the Tiansheng Emperor. Her head just lifted when she immediately lowered it again rapidly, prostrating herself. “Your Majesty’s clear judgment! This old servant absolutely dares not deceive the lord! This old servant’s words—every sentence is true! This old servant only saw that handkerchief and then…”

“Your meaning is that because the Great Cheng remnant and my Princess look similar, they were substituted. The Princess was left outside while the Great Cheng remnant was raised as Princess by my side.” The Tiansheng Emperor said sinisterly. “But who knows—perhaps there was no substitution at all. Because the Great Cheng remnant too closely resembles Princess Shaoning, you dare deceive heaven and cross the sea, openly identifying the Princess as false?”

Feng Zhiwei glanced at the Tiansheng Emperor. She thought the Emperor seemed both ill and old with poor mental faculties, but when it came to his most beloved daughter, he was still surprisingly sharp and clear.

This was testing Nanny Chen!

“Your Majesty…” Nanny Chen still wore that timid appearance, kowtowing and sobbing repeatedly. “…This old servant merely spoke what this old servant saw back then. What Great Cheng remnant, what heir—this old servant served in the Ning imperial family for over twenty years, following from the late Empress to the Princess. This old servant never understood these matters…”

The Tiansheng Emperor looked toward Feng Zhiwei.

Feng Zhiwei knelt forward one step, saying calmly: “Your Majesty, only after Mother passed away did Zhiwei vaguely learn some of what happened back then. Zhiwei never hoped to be acknowledged by Your Majesty, never coveted this Princess position, but some people won’t let go. Zhiwei merely seeks self-preservation.”

She kowtowed. “Back then in Mother’s small courtyard at the Qiu mansion, beneath the main hall floor, there’s a letter Mother left for Your Majesty. Mother instructed Zhiwei to inform Your Majesty after this matter emerged. Zhiwei hasn’t read that letter. Please, Your Majesty, send reliable people to retrieve it.”

The Tiansheng Emperor remained silent, tilting his head. Immediately, light footsteps sounded overhead, quickly departing. Feng Zhiwei listened to those footsteps, secretly alarmed. She thought no wonder Ning Yi never dared move against the Emperor. Too many experts surrounded him, both openly and secretly. No one was confident of killing with one strike.

Soon, slight sounds came from the roof tiles again. A gray shadow swept past, handing a wooden box to the Tiansheng Emperor. The Tiansheng Emperor hurriedly took the letter and read it. He examined the letter carefully for a long while, then closed his eyes without speaking.

His silence brought even greater pressure. In the hall remained only four people’s breathing—fine and tense. The quiet in the air was like a tightened string. With the slightest pluck, it would snap.

At this moment, two people plus one soul challenged the Tiansheng Emperor’s will, trust, and familial affection. Victory meant complete reversal. Defeat meant eternal damnation.

Feng Zhiwei calmly lowered her head, considering whether if the Tiansheng Emperor still couldn’t believe, her Xue Futu forces on the periphery could kill those eight supreme experts at the four eave corners in time. After killing them, how she should escape the Imperial Capital.

Nanny Chen slowly moved her fingers, gripping a handful of golden needles inside her sleeve.

Shaoning stared with wide unblinking eyes at the Tiansheng Emperor, tears still undried in her eyes.

After a long time, the Tiansheng Emperor slammed the letter heavily on the table!

Feng Zhiwei’s eyes flashed. Her shoulders tensed slightly.

Nanny Chen’s golden needle slid to her fingertips!

Shaoning’s eyes burst with joy!

“Someone—” The Tiansheng Emperor drew this cry out long, suspending the three people’s hearts impossibly high, unable to descend.

“Bring a silver bowl! A dagger!”

Feng Zhiwei’s shoulders relaxed.

Nanny Chen withdrew her golden needle.

Shaoning’s eyes widened in astonishment. After thinking, her face turned deathly pale.

The Tiansheng Emperor was still half-believing, half-doubting. So ultimately, he resorted to that age-old method—blood recognition.

Leaving the final decision to ancient verification methods.

The palace attendant carefully delivered several items. No one dared look before turning and leaving.

This wasn’t the imperial palace with fewer formalities. Never mind the attendants who should be serving constantly—even the ministers waiting below the steps had heard seventy to eighty percent. Now witnessing the most bizarre case since the nation’s founding about to unfold before their eyes, all worried about their own lives. How would they dare make a sound?

Several ministers also had pale faces, deeply regretting why they had followed to Prince Chu’s mansion today.

“All of you come in.” The Tiansheng Emperor on his seat sighed wearily with exhaustion. “Such a great matter can’t be hidden from heaven, earth, or you. My heart is in chaos. Come give me some ideas.”

Several ministers entered with lowered heads. Hu Shengshan and others were all Prince Chu faction members. They knew that at this moment, due to Consort Qing’s initial accusation, Feng Zhiwei’s fate was actually already linked with His Highness’s. Regardless of truth or falsehood, from the perspective of gains and losses, they must muddle through this crisis first.

“Your Majesty.” Old Hu looked at those two faces, also feeling somewhat confused. He bowed and said: “Your Majesty, we truly did hear some… Speaking of this matter, each side holds their own view. With the matter long past, both sides lack witness testimony. It truly cannot be traced. So this minister believes… better to recognize kinship through blood, letting bloodlines prove it.”

“No!” A sharp shriek pierced the silence. Everyone trembled. Turning their heads, they saw Shaoning stagger forward, throwing herself at the Tiansheng Emperor’s feet, desperately clutching his knees.

“Imperial Father! Father! Why blood recognition? Why? Just because those two people said a few casual words, you don’t believe me anymore? You don’t believe Zhao’er anymore? I’m your daughter, your daughter! Don’t treat me like this! Don’t treat me like this!”

Her face was snow-white, eyes scattered. She desperately gripped the Tiansheng Emperor’s robes like a drowning person grasping a life-saving straw, refusing to let go.

“Your Majesty, don’t easily believe petty people’s words—” Another mournful cry. This time, Consort Qing rushed out, clinging to the Tiansheng Emperor’s other knee. “The Princess and Your Majesty share blood ties, years of father-daughter affection. How can they be insulted by such lowly people’s absurd words? How could the Princess be a Great Cheng remnant? Look clearly—she’s your daughter, your daughter!”

The entire room filled with their crying and shrieking. The Tiansheng Emperor, shaken by them until dizzy, his face flushed red. Looking at the two women prostrate at his knees crying and making scenes, his heart felt like it was stuffed with ignited straw—hot, painful, and suffocatingly uncomfortable.

“Enough!”

The sudden roar startled the two. The Tiansheng Emperor’s face was iron-blue as he pushed them away one by one, saying coldly: “I haven’t reached a conclusion yet. What are you crying about! Since you claim to be my daughter, why don’t you even dare do blood recognition?”

Both women were stunned. Consort Qing’s face changed. She hastily wiped her tears and forced a smile: “Yes, this consort was confused.” She pulled Shaoning up with one hand, giving her a meaningful look. Shaoning’s face showed grief and indignation, yet she finally stopped crying. Biting her lip, she thought for a moment, then gave a cold laugh and strode to the silver bowl.

The Tiansheng Emperor’s face was cold. Using the dagger, he cut his fingertip and dripped one drop of blood into each of the two bowls.

Consort Qing personally rolled up Shaoning’s sleeve. With her back to the Tiansheng Emperor, she intentionally or unintentionally blocked his view. Her finger moved, applying a pale yellow medicinal powder on Shaoning’s fingertip.

From Feng Zhiwei’s angle, though she couldn’t see, from Consort Qing’s movements she could guess something.

Beside her, Nanny Chen knelt quietly, a cold smile at her lowered lips.

Shaoning and Feng Zhiwei each dripped blood into the silver bowls. Everyone simultaneously held their breath. That fine thread-like breath was drawn out long. The more barely perceptible it was, the more people couldn’t help seeking it. Once occasionally captured, it was like a sharp needle stabbing the heart’s tip.

Two silver bowls sat before the Tiansheng Emperor. Everyone lowered their heads, yet from the corners of their eyes, gazes burned intensely.

The dynasty’s greatest strange case suddenly occurring before their eyes, about to witness the conclusion at this moment—in the breath-holding silence, everyone’s hearts pounded like drums.

The blood in the silver bowls began slowly moving. On the left was Feng Zhiwei’s. On the right was Shaoning’s.

Consort Qing watched with complete composure, a trace of cold smile at her lips.

She wasn’t afraid.

Among the strange medicines she possessed was a type of Blood Coagulation Powder that could make any blood in the world coagulate. This was originally obtained through great expense, kept for future need. Unexpectedly, it was first used on Shaoning.

This strange medicine—unless someone from the Medical Sage family Zong family was present, who else could solve it? The Zong family’s heir in the outside world, Zong Chen, wasn’t currently in the Imperial Capital!

At this moment, low gasps arose. The Tiansheng Emperor’s eyeballs froze—in the bowl where Feng Zhiwei dripped blood, the fresh blood slowly moved, gradually combining, finally silently forming into one large blood pearl, the boundary no longer distinguishable.

Consort Qing’s face changed, yet she wasn’t too panicked. She anticipated that since Feng Zhiwei dared verify blood, she must have a way to pass. But as long as Shaoning also passed, today Feng Zhiwei and Nanny Chen’s claims would still be doubtful. With the Tiansheng Emperor’s suspicious nature, she would still have a chance!

Everyone at this moment gasped, astonished and puzzled, turning toward Shaoning’s bowl.

Ning Yi had appeared at some unknown time, standing by the screen, watching all this with a complex expression.

Fresh blood moved in the silver bowl. Though slower than Feng Zhiwei’s, clearly it also showed a trend toward merging.

The Tiansheng Emperor’s expression became even more tense than before—from his heart’s depths, he naturally hoped more that Shaoning was his daughter.

That fresh blood flowed slowly yet continuously approached. Watching it about to touch together, between the two drops of blood remained only a hair-thin gap.

Consort Qing’s lips curved up slightly.

Shaoning exhaled a long breath. Tilting her head, she glared fiercely at Feng Zhiwei.

The Tiansheng Emperor showed a trace of relief. Yet this trace of relief was soon drowned by thick confusion.

The ministers’ expressions were quite spectacular. Some had already begun wiping sweat.

Just when almost everyone began to feel both relieved, confused, and uneasy—

The moving blood drop suddenly stopped!

Stopped before that thin gap!

That gap so fine as to be nearly invisible—everyone thought it would immediately be submerged. Yet that bit of silver persisted distinctly, dividing the two drops of blood into the Chu and Han boundary!

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the blood to advance one more fraction. Just one fraction would do. Yet no matter how forcefully gazes willed it, that thin line remained like a vast sea, separating people’s hopes, standing immovable.

The Tiansheng Emperor’s body went soft.

Shaoning opened her mouth as if wanting to shriek, yet her voice suddenly disappeared. She stared blankly at the silver bowl for a long while, then suddenly her body went soft. She collapsed to the ground.

Nanny Chen lowered her eyes. Only she never once raised her eyes to look at the two silver bowls, as if the outcome had long existed in her heart.

Consort Qing’s face instantly turned deathly pale. Yet immediately, an unwilling gleam flashed through her eyes. She leaned against the table. Her fingers extending from inside her sleeve silently pressed toward the table’s underside.

As long as hidden force surged out, the silver bowl’s bottom shook—these two drops of blood would still touch together!

Her fingertip had just touched the table’s underside.

Someone suddenly strolled forward, very naturally walking past her. Passing by, his sleeve brushed out. Consort Qing immediately felt her elbow go numb. Her fingers hung down powerlessly.

She turned her head and saw Ning Yi’s gaze sweep past lightly.

Seemingly bearing a smile, yet beneath the smile, cold as a blade.

Consort Qing’s heart went cold. In that instant, she felt danger. Her own life was at stake. She quickly retreated three steps.

Ning Yi had already calmly walked past, bowing to the Tiansheng Emperor, saying lowly: “Congratulations, Imperial Father. The truth is finally revealed today…”

The Tiansheng Emperor jolted. Somewhat dazedly, he raised his head. Ning Yi supported his arm, expression sighing. “Imperial Father, human hearts are ghostly realms with endless schemes. They even dare switch imperial heirs. Presumably, someone lay dormant preparing for over twenty years, only to cut off your bloodline during this troubled autumn, overturn our dynasty’s foundation, alienate our imperial family’s father-son affection. Fortunately, the sage Son of Heaven has myriad spirits’ protection. Naturally, there will be a day when heaven’s clarity shines.”

The Tiansheng Emperor heard that phrase “cut off your bloodline, overturn the dynasty’s foundation.” His expression changed slightly. Ning Yi whispered in his ear: “Imperial Father, permit your son this bold speculation—Your love and regard for Shaoning is known throughout the realm. The previous dynasty had precedent of an Empress. If your son died today under treacherous schemes, Tenth Brother has no heart for the throne, Seventh Brother suffers some misfortune… Then after your ten thousand years, who else could the ministers recommend? If Shaoning were truly your bloodline, that would be one thing. But if not… Then our Ning family’s ten-thousand-year foundation would truly be bloodlessly returned to Great Cheng hands… What a brilliant scheme…”

He spoke these words softly and gently. Yet the Tiansheng Emperor’s face changed repeatedly. Ning Yi’s words truly struck his deepest fears. By this point, the seed of doubt had been planted. Believing or not believing—neither could be lightly overlooked.

He gritted his teeth and raised his head.

“Someone—” He pointed at Shaoning, saying hoarsely: “Take the Princess… no, Shaoning… no, Ning Zhao…” He opened his mouth. He himself was confused. After a daze, he steeled his heart. “Take her back to the palace! First detain her in Quiet Studio! Without imperial edict, not allowed out one step!”

“No! Imperial Father! No! No!” Shaoning seemed to wake from a nightmare. Hearing this, she immediately leaped up frantically, breaking free from the approaching attendants’ support and lunging toward the Tiansheng Emperor. “Imperial Father, Imperial Father—I’m your daughter—I’m your daughter—”

She shrieked hoarsely, tears streaming down. Her disheveled hair dampened by sweat and tears stuck to her cheeks. Her eyes were crazed and weak like a dying small beast. She spread both arms in near despair, wanting to throw herself into her father’s embrace, as if only by being held like that could she be saved in her hopelessness.

The Tiansheng Emperor waved his hand.

“Cha.”

The arriving attendants crossed their spears horizontally before him, forcibly holding Shaoning outside the crossed double spears.

This heartless, cold action froze Shaoning’s entire movement. She remained like that with arms spread, eyes staring, tears flowing, pressed before the spear points, looking straight ahead.

Her gaze, lifeless, slowly turned a circle. She looked at the Tiansheng Emperor who closed his eyes and turned his head. She looked at Ning Yi kneeling at the Tiansheng Emperor’s knee, watching her with indifference. She looked at Consort Qing, unable to care for herself, face iron-blue. She looked at all the ministers whose eyes dodged. She looked at Nanny Chen who kept her head lowered, avoiding eye contact with her. She looked at Feng Zhiwei with complex expression and distant eyes.

She finished looking at everyone. She didn’t receive the help she wanted. This hall bustled with activity. This hall gathered people who commanded the realm. This room held many of her relatives. Yet when it came down to it, everyone abandoned her.

“Ah—”

Shaoning suddenly threw back her head, emitting a heart-rending shriek.

Rather than calling it a cry, better to call it a desperate wail full of abandoned fury. Hearing it, everyone’s hearts jolted, feeling as if all the blood in their bodies was also pierced by that cry and flew out.

Before the cry ended, Shaoning’s body went soft. She had already fainted.

The Tiansheng Emperor sighed deeply, waving his hand. The attendants swiftly carried Shaoning away.

The room returned to deathly silence. After a long while, the Tiansheng Emperor wearily stood up. He looked at Feng Zhiwei. For a moment, he seemed not to know how to face her. After hesitating a long while, he said: “You… find time to enter the palace more.”

Feng Zhiwei lowered her head in acknowledgment. She knew today’s information was too complex and impactful. The old Emperor hadn’t yet reacted. All dispositions relied purely on instinct. Seeing he hadn’t dealt harshly with Shaoning showed he was still doubting, still couldn’t pass the emotional barrier. And she was still in the testing period.

Ning Yi supported the Emperor’s arm, carefully escorting him out. The Tiansheng Emperor looked at him, then at Feng Zhiwei. Suddenly, he drew in a breath. After a long while, with difficulty, he pointed at Feng Zhiwei and said to Ning Yi: “Yi’er… you…”

Ning Yi raised his eyes, looking at Feng Zhiwei.

His eyes were deep, seemingly containing nothing, yet seemingly containing everything.

From that year at the Qiu mansion’s icy lake first meeting, when the woman in the lake raised her face, a mystery had existed in his heart. He had also tried to probe the truth, yet never found the way in. The only certainty was she couldn’t be his sister.

No reason. Just intuition.

Yet that shadow always shrouded his heart. Never arriving for a day, never dispelled for a day. But when it truly arrived this day, only then did he discover it wasn’t merely a shadow. It was a mountain lying horizontally between them.

He drew in a breath, feeling his chest and diaphragm ache, as if that mountain had somehow pressed down on his heart. Shattered stones fell everywhere, grinding until blood dripped.

Yet he was smiling. Like the woman opposite, smile graceful.

She bowed to him, gentle and beautiful. Her long eyelashes fell, covering her already misty, incomprehensible eyes. “Elder Brother Prince Chu.”

He gazed fixedly at her.

Slowly, he bowed.

Smiled.

“…Yes, younger sister.”

However earth-shaking and circuitous the daylight, when night came, it was still peaceful.

Peaceful night, with some unpeaceful additions—the Tiansheng Emperor sent many guards, nominally to protect Feng Zhiwei because her status was now different.

Feng Zhiwei felt—probably the surveillance possibility was greater, right?

Nearly the third watch, she still hadn’t slept. In the study, lamp flames flickered faintly. She was waiting for someone.

Exactly at the third watch, wind sounded overhead. Then walnut shell fragments fell rustling.

Feng Zhiwei caught a piece of walnut shell, sniffing it. She felt this walnut’s fragrance didn’t seem very strong. Could it be Xiliang walnuts were poor quality? She couldn’t help but frown.

Amid falling walnut shells, the young master of Tianshui’s Azure elegantly descended, posture graceful, bearing beautiful—unfortunately, the background was walnut shells, not peach blossoms.

Feng Zhiwei’s smile brightened halfway, then abruptly stopped.

Someone else followed behind him.

Nanny Chen.

This nanny at this moment no longer showed any trace of daytime servant timidity and caution. Her demeanor was composed as she smiled at her, expression dignified and noble, eyes spirited and gentle. Feng Zhiwei suddenly felt that face was also likely disguised. Beneath the mask must be an extraordinarily beautiful face.

Seeing this person, her feelings were complex. Yet she still respectfully bowed. “Greetings, Nanny.”

“You needn’t call me that anymore.” Nanny Chen smiled. “From today, Nanny Chen is already dead. Just call me Madam Zong.”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart jumped. Speculation became fact. Indeed, she was from the Zong family. Hearing this tone, her status in the Zong family wasn’t low either.

“What virtue or ability does Zhiwei possess to deserve Madam Zong’s condescension to the enemy camp, performing menial service for twenty years, only to save me today…” She looked at Madam Zong with emotion, sighing softly.

“I came not because of the Zong family’s relationship with Xue Futu, but because years ago I once owed a favor to Noble Consort Shu.” Madam Zong smiled slightly. “Today, all the servants at Prince Chu’s mansion were silenced tonight. Nanny Chen is finally dead. I’m also free.”

Feng Zhiwei bowed deeply, yet couldn’t help but question: “Madam, Shaoning is actually still the Tiansheng Emperor’s daughter, isn’t she? My resemblance to Shaoning was truly because… Noble Consort Shu and the Tiansheng Empress were twin daughters?”

“Even if they were twin daughters, it’s impossible for their children to resemble each other to this degree.” Madam Zong smiled. “The so-called claim that their family had sisters resembling each other generation after generation—that was also my nonsense. The Tiansheng Empress passed away many years ago. Her natal family declined. How would the Emperor still remember these matters?”

“Then…”

“Have you heard of Emperor Chengqing’s revenge story?” Madam Zong’s eyes flowed with expression. She smiled. “Back then, to take revenge, Emperor Chengqing found someone in the common people who resembled him. He had that person accompany him growing up. Over long years, using exquisite facial modification arts, comparing against his own face, bit by bit he changed that person’s face until it was identical to his own…”

The candle flames flickered faintly. This woman spoke of six-hundred-year-old imperial secrets in a mysterious tone, making one’s heart chill. Yet Feng Zhiwei had already reacted, suddenly gasping: “Shaoning’s face…”

Madam Zong’s tone was as light as discussing weather. “We found an infant in the common people who resembled you. Because children change greatly, every year your mother secretly sent me a portrait of you. I stayed by Shaoning’s side. With our Zong family’s methods, this was easy. She wouldn’t even feel pain.”

Feng Zhiwei only felt from fingertips to heart’s tip somewhat cold. She thought of those deep palace nights, behind deeply hanging curtains, sleeping Shaoning drugged unconscious. In the dim bronze mirror, someone comparing against her portrait, using transcendent medical arts and supreme skillful hands, bit by bit modifying her appearance. Suddenly, she recalled ghost stories like “Painted Skin”—eerie, chilling.

She also recalled that year at Jingshen Palace when Shaoning lost her chastity in her own bed. In the emergency, it was precisely Nanny Chen—Madam Zong—who rushed to the scene and immediately disguised Shaoning. At that time, those methods were brilliantly shocking. She had already suspected she was from the Zong family. She hadn’t expected the reality was more horrifying than she imagined.

“So the so-called Princess crying on Wangdu Bridge—that wasn’t real either?”

“Of course.” Madam Zong smiled. “What person came? What substitution? If substituting, it wouldn’t have been then. That commotion was something I created. The Princess’s crying was also fake. All for today’s lie to be woven more seamlessly.” Her eyes were charming. “But the Imperial Astronomy Bureau’s later calculation of ill omens was truly quite accurate. Wasn’t it indeed ill omens?”

“The similar infant from common people…” Feng Zhiwei suddenly recalled her earlier words. Only now did she react something was wrong. “Could it be the real Shaoning…”

“Dead.” Madam Zong said indifferently. “As soon as I entered the mansion, she died. Newborn infants haven’t developed yet. Appearances are hard to distinguish. That was the most suitable time to switch people.”

Feng Zhiwei retreated a step, collapsing into a chair. At this moment, even she couldn’t react—she originally thought Xue Futu used methods to make her appearance identical to Shaoning’s, prepared for the critical moment when identity was exposed to boldly switch with the Princess. She hadn’t expected even the real Princess had already been killed long ago!

“The real Princess couldn’t possibly resemble you.” Madam Zong said. “Emperor Chengqing’s passed-down extraordinary modification arts, though more refined after six hundred years, still must be built on a foundation of similar facial features and bone structure. The real Princess, though your maternal cousin, inherited her father’s appearance—not similar at all. So we decisively killed her and found a child whose features and eyes resembled you.”

“Going through so much trouble… why not simply switch me into the palace courts at the start?” Feng Zhiwei said dazedly. “Wouldn’t that be more convenient?”

“If you were in the palace courts, protecting you wouldn’t be convenient. Plus, there’s another reason.” Madam Zong said. “You must be tempered outside, not pampered into an imperial flower. The Great Cheng Nine Heavens Divine Art’s vestige in your body requires experiencing life-and-death trials in the world to achieve great accomplishment. That art is extremely domineering. Without tempering and dispersal, before age twenty, you would die from body explosion. If you switched into the deep palace, where would you experience life-and-death trials?”

“So you’d rather bit by bit modify Shaoning’s appearance, only so one day I could be replaced…” Feng Zhiwei held her head, thinking whoever conceived this plan—wasn’t their heart a bit too black, brain a bit too complex?

“Originally, there was no need to go through such trouble making them identical, but someone likes perfection.” Madam Zong said helplessly. “When Emperor Changsun left the three stratagems in the brocade pouch, he said someone created a fake lotus that was exposed. He also wanted to make a true-false princess with mixed reality and fiction. Let false become true and true become false. See who can expose it? Also properly grind the brain of that boy who dares seize his family’s realm.”

Feng Zhiwei groaned—forget true-false princess. Both princesses were actually fake!

“Today’s blood recognition…”

“Having prepared so many years, how could we lose at blood recognition?” Madam Zong’s smile contained pride. “Under heaven, is there medicine our Zong family can’t use? Is there anyone who can manipulate medicine before our Zong family?”

Feng Zhiwei looked at her, knowing she should thank her in her heart, yet couldn’t help feeling waves of chill. This woman acted entirely by her own preferences. To repay a favor, she could disregard noble status and perform menial service for years. Yet after years of living with Shaoning like mother and daughter, she could also strike without hesitation. Her hidden endurance and ruthlessness had reached the peak.

“When Consort Qing accused you today, I was listening, thinking of solutions. Fortunately, Master Gu arrived. I had him roll out the handkerchief, taking the opportunity to bring this matter to light.” Madam Zong said. “But I also didn’t expect this handkerchief would be suddenly produced by Consort Qing. This was indeed the handkerchief that wrapped you back then. The night Xue Futu carried you fleeing, this handkerchief disappeared. I don’t know how it appeared in Consort Qing’s possession. I suspect it’s related to Xue Futu’s traitor back then. Be careful investigating.”

Feng Zhiwei bowed in acknowledgment, then said: “Now it seems that Jinyu Guard Commander is quite suspicious.”

“Yes.” Madam Zong said. “Thinking back now, only by becoming this leader of darkness could that traitor back then possibly evade Xue Futu’s pursuit. No wonder we never found him.”

Feng Zhiwei was puzzled in her heart, not understanding why, having become a traitor and understanding Xue Futu, he hadn’t continued striking all these years, yet still thought of helping her. For a moment, she couldn’t figure it out. She heard Madam Zong say: “My mission is complete. I must return to Shannan’s Zong family. Your climate has formed. Zong Chen will also gradually withdraw from Xue Futu. Hereafter, be careful yourself.”

Feng Zhiwei bowed to see her off, watching that woman’s back calmly melt into darkness. For a moment, emotions surged in her heart. She didn’t know what to say.

Behind her suddenly came warmth. Gu Nanyi’s scent clean as green duckweed enveloped her, smelling comforting. Feng Zhiwei’s spirit was still somewhat dazed, absentmindedly yielding slightly: “Don’t make trouble.”

Young Master Gu wouldn’t heed her. Like an octopus, he held her, carefully sniffing her faint fragrance: “I exerted effort. I want a reward.”

Feng Zhiwei was astonished. Since when did the young master learn to ask for rewards? She couldn’t help wanting to turn her head to see if this person was still Gu Nanyi. Helplessly, she was held too tightly. Heat pressed from behind. She worried this person with no sense of restraint would strangle her to death. She could only say reluctantly: “Fine, a reward. What do you want? First let me go.”

“No.” Young Master Gu always took pleasure in verbally refusing her. He still held her tightly. “Warming you up.”

Feng Zhiwei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was nearly summer already. Still needed warming? So close—she truly instantly broke out in a sweat. She wanted to struggle and tell him to stop fooling around. Young Master Gu suddenly pointed at her chest: “Here is very cold.”

Feng Zhiwei stopped.

Heart cold. He was saying her heart was cold.

In this world, one person, clearly covering his eyes, could forever see into her heart’s depths, knowing her joy, happiness, sorrow, and grief.

Behind her, Young Master Gu held her and suddenly began gently swaying. Rocking and rocking, rocking and rocking—like rocking a doll. Feng Zhiwei at first felt very comfortable being swayed by him. Then she realized—when she was small and crying, he seemed to have rocked her like this too. So he was coaxing her like coaxing a child.

Thinking this, she felt both angry and amused yet also somewhat bittersweet and moved. She turned around and patted his face, saying gently: “I’m fine…”

Who knew Young Master Gu was also leaning down at that moment, seemingly wanting to come closer to speak. Feng Zhiwei’s face turned this way, meeting his face directly.

From the half-open window, a gust of wind happened to blow in, slightly lifting the gauze curtain between them. Feng Zhiwei only felt the white gauze brush past and warmth at her lips. Something warm and soft instantly brushed across her lips.

In that brush, her body trembled. Then she realized what it was and quickly tried to retreat. Her lips suddenly hurt—Young Master Gu had bitten the edge of her lip.

Young Master Gu didn’t care about propriety between men and women. When Feng Zhiwei’s lips brushed over, in that instant of soft fragrance—it was like startling lightning striking down, cleaving his tranquil world to shake entirely. Like white lightning sweeping through lush spring colors, soul-capturing stunning beauty. His mind went blank. Suddenly, the seawater from that year in Xiliang surged in—on that moonlit night beneath the jade sea, he had also experienced such an entrancing moment.

Not encountering, not missing. One chance meeting, losing one’s heart.

He wouldn’t let go again. He grasped her shoulder, deeply bending down to kiss.

It was negative electricity meeting positive electricity. It was icy sea meeting volcano—instantly melting into flowing water, merging into her fragrant world. In that world, her soft tongue like a sprite, alarmed, wanted to flee away. He clumsily yet persistently tried to capture it. In one retreat, one advance, he felt her cheeks burning, warm and smooth, scalding to his heart’s bottom.

Eternally still blood suddenly surged up like sea tide impact, layer upon wave, crashing until he actually seemed about to faint, flying to cloud’s peak. In such faintness, he thought almost happily—boiling… this is called boiling.

He panted slightly. With peerless martial arts, his hand actually went soft.

Feng Zhiwei hastily broke free and retreated, backing three feet to the window. She turned her face slightly, trying to hide the flush on her face. She and Gu Nanyi weren’t having this kind of contact for the first time. But just now she clearly felt compared to that time in Xiliang’s sea, today’s Gu Nanyi had lost that time’s innocence and probing, becoming more fervent and determined. She even felt that moment his surging like boiling, seeming also about to ignite her.

Secretly alarmed, she turned her head away, forcing a smile: “Brother Gu, this, men and women shouldn’t…”

Gu Nanyi seemed not to hear her words at all. He stared fixedly at her, suddenly extending both hands: “Zhiwei, reward…”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart jumped. In an instant, she had already foreseen what he would want. Her instinct was to divert the topic.

Gu Nanyi had already said it.

“I only want you…” His extended hands embraced heaven and earth. In heaven and earth was only one her. “Happy.”

Feng Zhiwei stood dazed there.

She stood dazed, looking at the man opposite who finally opened his arms to embrace everything yet was unwilling to step out of her barriers. They had accompanied and guarded each other for eight years. He would also use countless more groups of eight years, waiting for her happiness.

After a long while, the mist in her eyes that never dispersed slowly gathered, forming into a full arc.

With a plop—a tear fell.