Meng Tinghui awkwardly stepped out of her carriage and saw that Shen Zhili was already standing at the entrance of the lane, smiling as she waited. She quickly moved forward several steps, saying with a smile: “It’s been many days since we last met, and all you do is tease me with that sharp tongue of yours. How would I dare avoid seeing you?”

Shen Zhili folded her hands inside her sleeves, tilting her chin slightly upward. The creamy ivory hairpin in her high topknot gleamed like fireflies in the night, softly luminous and eye-catching. The tips of her red-and-white phoenix-headed shoes peeked out from beneath her long skirt, accentuating her graceful figure. She narrowed her eyes, smiling, looking Meng Tinghui up and down several times before languidly saying: “Official Meng, that purple official gown suits you so well, I’m quite envious.”

It had been nearly half a year since Meng Tinghui had been appointed to the Drafting Office, but the two of them had not met privately like this. Meng Tinghui had been so busy these past months that she hardly thought of socializing. Hearing these words now, she immediately felt embarrassed and hastily explained: “How can I respond to such words? Others may not know, but don’t you understand me? Among all the female officials at court, you’re the only one I’m close to. How can even you start testing me now?”

Shen Zhili let out a light laugh, pursing her lips before saying: “A few days ago, I sent a visiting card to your residence, inviting you to watch a play with us tonight, but you didn’t even send a reply!”

Meng Tinghui frowned and turned to her servant: “Did Lady Shen send a card to our residence?”

The servant quickly bowed and said: “Someone did come from the Shen residence, but my lady has been busy with the new jinshi matters at the Ministry of Personnel these past few days. How could I dare disturb my lady’s official duties…”

Shen Zhili waved her hand at the servant. “All right, all right, no one is going to punish you!” Then she turned to Meng Tinghui and said: “Though you now hold a high position and should prioritize court affairs, you can’t completely neglect social interactions, can you? Do you know how many noble ladies and young misses have come to me saying they want to invite you for tea or to view lanterns… Even those female jinshi who received your favor in this examination all wish to meet with you privately!” She paused perfectly, observing Meng Tinghui’s expression, and after a moment continued with a smile: “But I told them that esteemed Official Meng’s face is more valuable than the heavens, and only an imperial edict from the Emperor himself could move you!”

Meng Tinghui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her words and simply said: “You tease me so, but do you know that I haven’t even had time to sleep these past few months!” She lowered her eyelashes in thought, realizing that the female members of the noble households in the capital were not to be taken lightly, and added: “Next time there’s something enjoyable, I will make time to attend!”

Shen Zhili nodded with a grin. “Then this humble official thanks Official Meng for giving me this face…”

Remembering that Shen Zhili had mentioned going to see a play tonight, Meng Tinghui asked: “Are there plays to be seen in the southern part of the city? I never knew…”

Shen Zhili suddenly fell silent, pursing her lips for a moment before saying: “It wasn’t in the southern city. Earlier, during the lantern lighting, we came back from the east side after watching. I first escorted the young lady of the Gu family home, and was just on my way back, only a few streets away, when I encountered you.”

Meng Tinghui felt a slight shock internally, but maintained her composure outwardly, saying with a faint smile: “I thought the young lady of the Gu family is already thirteen this year. Why would she need your carriage to return home?”

Shen Zhili’s cheeks reddened slightly. She looked up at Meng Tinghui and gently chided: “You’re asking when you already know the answer!” Then she sighed and said in a low voice: “I just wanted to find another opportunity…”

Meng Tinghui felt a pang in her heart but didn’t know how to respond.

From her outside perspective, she could see that Gu Qin had no romantic interest in Shen Zhili whatsoever. With Gu Qin’s stubborn nature, how could he harbor such feelings for Shen Zhili whom he had watched grow up since childhood? Even if Shen Zhili were to pour out her tenderness, it probably wouldn’t move him in the slightest.

She suddenly recalled that piece of peach wood that Di Nian had carefully kept in his bosom when they were in Qingzhou. She felt even more sorry for the two of them. To desire something but be unable to attain it—there was perhaps nothing more heartbreaking in this world.

Shen Zhili turned and suddenly asked: “It’s late at night. What are you doing here?”

Meng Tinghui was momentarily taken aback. Facing Shen Zhili who had been so open-hearted with her, she couldn’t be equally candid. The thoughts she had been calculating in her mind, compared to Shen Zhili’s sincere heart, were so sordid and dishonorable that she couldn’t possibly voice them to Shen Zhili.

She raised her hand to tuck her hair, smiled, and said: “I need to discuss a matter about drafting an imperial edict with Minister Xu.” This lie came out so naturally, without a trace of hesitation, that even her expression didn’t change.

Hearing this, Shen Zhili immediately became somewhat embarrassed and hurriedly said: “So it’s such an important matter, yet I’ve delayed you with all this idle talk! I’ll return home now, you go quickly.”

Meng Tinghui nodded slightly, watching as Shen Zhili turned away. She then called her servant back, got into the carriage, and continued into the lane.

As the carriage curtain fell, the smile vanished from her face.

She closed her eyes briefly, feeling a growing disgust with herself.

Even with Shen Zhili, she couldn’t speak what was truly in her heart. And this deed she was about to commit—was it right or wrong?

Benefiting the people… benefiting the people… How far had she strayed from her original intention? But in the court, if one didn’t want to be trampled into the mud, one had to make oneself as sharp as a blade. It was so easy to speak loftily about benefiting the people, but if one couldn’t even stand straight and firm, such talk was nothing but an absurd notion.

In the distance, she could see the horizontal plaque of Liao’s residence with lanterns swaying in the night breeze on both sides. The carriage slowly came to a stop.

She opened her eyes, exhaled softly, and lifted the curtain.

The first year of Jingxuan saw a brilliant display of new talent in the imperial examination. The six female jinshi who had advanced alongside men genuinely impressed the court officials, who hadn’t expected that Meng Tinghui’s reform of the examination system would truly yield women whose scholarship could rival that of men.

However, just a few days before the Qionglin Banquet, Meng Tinghui submitted an impeachment memorial during the morning court session that shocked and stunned all the civil and military officials. Even the recent discussions about appointing positions for the female jinshi were forgotten. The talk of the entire capital suddenly shifted, with everyone focusing on Meng Tinghui’s public impeachment of Right Vice Director Xu Ting, waiting to see what would happen next.

The revelation that Xu Ting had privately exchanged letters with former official Hao Kuang, repeatedly criticizing policies of the current Emperor that didn’t align with his wishes, immediately caused the Western faction officials who had previously supported Xu Ting to fear for themselves. They worried that they too might have some weakness exposed. Even the Hanlin Academy scholars and Imperial Academy students, who usually commented on everything, remained quietly observing from the sidelines this time.

The Censorate, however, drew its sword directly. Led by Chief Censor Liao Congkuan, a group of censorial officials submitted memorials accusing Xu Ting of forming factions, being disloyal, and committing great offenses against the Emperor. They requested that the Emperor dismiss Xu Ting from his position to rectify the court atmosphere.

There were private rumors in the city claiming that Meng Tinghui was a shameless person who had used some unknown method to dig these letters out of a dead man’s tomb in order to force Xu Ting to admit guilt and resign.

Though such slanderous remarks about Meng Tinghui were countless, the dozens of private letters from Xu Ting were irrefutable evidence. Court officials all believed that the Emperor would surely send him to the Censorate prison to be judged. Even Xu Ting himself had already submitted a memorial admitting guilt and was staying at home, not going out.

This shocking wave rose thousands of feet high, and even those who dared not ask about political struggles knew that the elder statesmen of the Western faction were truly going to collapse this time.

At the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, the weather grew increasingly hot, making people irritable.

Cao Jing hurried as if on wings, passing through the side gate toward the Remonstrance Bureau.

Inside was already a clamor of voices, the sound of commotion extending beyond the vermilion walls and emerald willows, making him even more anxious. He was almost running with his robes flying behind him.

As soon as he entered the main gate of the Remonstrance Bureau, the people inside saw him and immediately fell silent, then exclaimed: “Minister Cao!” “Minister Cao, you’ve finally returned!”

Cao Jing couldn’t hide the urgency in his expression and grabbed someone to ask: “Has the Emperor’s edict come down?”

The person nodded hurriedly. “Sir, look!” From another direction, someone else rushed over with a hastily copied sheet of thin paper.

Cao Jing snatched it, almost tearing the paper, and lowered his head to read.

Everyone held their breath waiting for him, their expressions uneasy.

After reading, Cao Jing’s mouth twitched slightly a few times. His expression was not pleasant as he crumpled the paper and asked the crowd: “Is this truly what was transmitted from the Council of State?”

Everyone nodded.

He lowered his eyes, clutching the paper even tighter.

“Dismiss Xu Ting from the positions of Minister of the Right and Vice Director of the Chancellery. Appoint Xu Ting as Grand Scholar of the Tianrui Hall and Imperial Attendant.”

Cao Jing stood rigid for a long while before finally dropping his hand, sighing heavily in his heart.

…Well played, Your Majesty, truly well played!