When he returned, Jin Chao had already coaxed Chang Suo to sleep.

She was leaning against the small bed with her eyes closed. She must have already washed up, her dark hair loosely tied into a bun. She wore no pearls or jade ornaments; normally she felt too young to command respect and would wear more mature accessories. Without makeup, she appeared somewhat childlike.

Her cheeks were plump and pink as if covered with a layer of velvet light.

He didn’t call out to her but quietly sat down. Thinking she would be uncomfortable sleeping in that position, he gently lifted her into his arms, letting her head rest against him. Red marks had formed on her face from where she had been resting, and she was sleeping deeply. Chen Yan Yun silently gazed at her for a long time.

When Gu Jin Chao awoke, she felt herself being placed on the bed. Her body was steadied first, then the arms holding her withdrew. It must be the Third Master Chen returning… She drowsily opened her eyes, remembering she had just put her son to sleep, and quickly grabbed the withdrawing hand: “Chang Suo…”

“He’s sleeping soundly, he’s fine,” Third Master Chen said softly.

Only then did Gu Jin Chao fully awaken. She pulled Chen to sit down: “Your conversation with the Duke of Zheng today, was it about Zhang Ju Lian?”

Chen Third Master uttered an affirmative sound. Just as Gu Jin Chao wanted to ask more, he stood up and said, “I’ll wash up first and then come back.”

Gu Jin Chao could only swallow her words, calling for a maid to bring hot water.

When Third Master Chen had finished preparing for bed, he saw her still half-sitting, waiting for him. Despite being tired, she was forcing herself to stay awake by reading, her eyes blinking drowsily. She closed the book when she saw him approach. Chen Third Master lay down beside her, ready to sleep, when she caught his arm.

“I still need to ask you something… Your plan to deal with Zhang Ju Lian, how great are your chances of success?”

The maid had tiptoed out after extinguishing the lamp, and Gu Jin Chao could barely make out the profile of his face.

Though his eyes were closed, his hand accurately pressed her head down: “Enough, you’re so tired, you should sleep.”

Gu Jin Chao’s forehead touched his chest, feeling slightly embarrassed. She grabbed his large hand and pinched it hard, feeling that Third Master Chen was beginning to keep things from her again as he had before. He showed no reaction to her feeble strength, continuing to keep his eyes closed with an attitude of ‘I’m sleeping, do as you please.’

Gu Jin Chao simply leaned her entire body against him. “…Chen Yan Yun, I won’t sleep until I get answers.”

He opened his eyes and sighed. Gu Jin Chao only called him by his full name at times like this. He had no choice but to turn on his side and pull her into his embrace. “Fine, ask… but I may not answer.”

“Have you arranged for Duke Zheng to help you? Will it come to armed confrontation in the end?”

Duke Zheng held an important position in the Left Military Command, and he also had private troops. Gu Jin Chao guessed that Third Master Chen sought out Duke Zheng because he anticipated needing military power. That was no small matter! One wrong move could be life-threatening.

Chen Third Master looked at her in the darkness. He slowly stroked her hair, not wanting to lie to her. “Force will be necessary when the time comes.”

“Is it inevitable? Can it be avoided…”

Gu Jin Chao knew very well that once military power was involved, it would become a life-or-death matter.

Chen Third Master merely said softly, “That’s not for me to decide.”

She thought to herself that this was indeed true and that she shouldn’t ask such questions. She knew that if such matters went wrong, one would be crushed to powder and scattered to the wind; there was no room for feminine mercy. Gu Jin Chao held his hand, hesitating for a moment: “If it’s too dangerous, you could seek self-preservation…”

Chen Third Master shook his head with a smile: “Jin Chao, if you hunted a tiger, and the tiger told you it would forget everything and not harm you if you released it back to the mountains, would you believe it?”

Of course, she wouldn’t believe it. Neither would Zhang Ju Lian and Third Master Chen would not back down.

Gu Jin Chao’s heart still harbored this vague hope.

He had her lie down properly. The night was quiet, and Gu Jin Chao could only hear his gentle, deep voice.

“Jin Chao, you once said you foresaw my death. Tell me now what scenario it was…”

Gu Jin Chao had explained to him about helping Ye Xian with the palace coup and mentioned he might die. But that event had been altered, and now she couldn’t help him. It was laughable, really—back then she could help Ye Xian, but now when she truly wanted to help Third Master Chen, she couldn’t.

Gu Jin Chao forced a smile: “Are you afraid of death too?”

“Of course, I fear death,” he smiled as well. “Who doesn’t fear death? But I won’t die. I still need to wait for you to give birth to a little Jin Chao, and I need to teach little Jin Chao’s brother to read and write. If I can’t fulfill what you once asked of me, wouldn’t you resent me in your heart?”

Hearing him speak this way, Gu Jin Chao felt somewhat reassured. Since he could still jest, perhaps the situation wasn’t as frightening as she had imagined…

Third Master Chen tightened his arm around her waist and sighed: “Alright… even if you don’t sleep, I must. I have court tomorrow.”

Gu Jin Chao felt a bit embarrassed, realizing she had indeed disturbed his rest. “Go ahead and sleep.” She settled against him without moving further.

After she fell asleep, Chen Third Master opened his eyes and gazed at her quietly.

Afraid that he would still want to look, but would never be able to see her again.

The meticulous plan he had arranged was about to begin. If anything went wrong, being ground to dust and scattered to the wind would be a merciful end.

All of this remained to be seen.

…

Zhu Jun An wore a slightly thin robe with his court attire over it. The weather had turned hot early, but even dressed this way, he wasn’t cold.

Sitting high above, he could observe the expressions of every civil and military official. The Commander of the Imperial Guard had once taught him: “Look at those who raise their heads to look at you—they must be officials who have been promoted less than three years ago. Those who lower their heads have all served for more than five years. The high-ranking officials, however, look straight ahead, neither servile nor arrogant…”

Looking now, he found this to be true.

Newly appointed Ministers and Vice Ministers all sat with heads properly raised. While senior ministers like He Wen Xin and Academy Director Gao Zan kept their eyes downcast, staring at the gold-brick floor. What was so interesting about that floor? It was so shiny one could see the reflection of silver on it—if they wanted to see their reflections, why not look in a mirror at home? Why come to court?

Officials like Zhang Ju Lian and Chen Yan Yun gazed straight ahead. No matter who stepped forward behind them to present a memorial, they never turned to look.

Ye Xian, standing at the far end, was the same, though even more extreme. He could doze off while standing; the Dowager Consort had once said he lacked proper decorum, and that was the truth.

Zhu Jun An knew why he dozed off-court affairs were so boring. With every one passing time staring at the golden bricks, how could one not doze?

Finally, when no one else presented memorials, the Chamberlain began to lead the closing ceremony.

However, Minister Li Ying of the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward at the last moment: “Your subject has a memorial to present.”

His voice echoed emptily through the hall. Zhang Ju Lian and Chen Yan Yun remained motionless.

Zhu Jun An instructed the Chamberlain to signal for him to continue.

Li Ying spoke slowly, “Your subject accuses the Hejian Salt Commissioner of forcibly abducting a commoner’s daughter and plotting to murder others. Later, fearing exposure, he falsely accused Lord Liu of misconduct. His misdeeds are numerous and utterly despicable! If he is allowed to escape punishment, it would truly be unbearable!”

Li Ying’s voice was firm, and as the hall was spacious, his words seemed to resound with startling clarity.

Those who had been looking down at the golden bricks raised their heads. All the court officials displayed expressions of great surprise.

This Li Ying—could he be courting death? Months had passed since these events; why bring them up now? Was he not afraid that Zhang Ju Lian would be enraged and strike back lethally?

If this was merely impulsiveness, it was extreme indeed.

Zhang Ju Lian’s body stiffened, his lips tightly pressed together as he glanced sideways at Chen Yan Yun. Li Ying was one of his subordinates.

Chen Yan Yun also seemed not to understand what was happening, furrowing his brow. His eyes signaled that he too was unaware of this development.

Zhu Jun An asked with curiosity: “Minister Li, you neither serve in the Ministry of Justice nor the Court of Judicial Review or the Censorate. How is it that you, as Minister of Revenue in charge of treasury matters, concern yourself with these affairs?”

Li Ying replied calmly: “The reason I speak is because these officials occupy positions without fulfilling their duties, and no one dares speak clearly! No one dares to address these matters. Today, I insist on speaking—I not only accuse Zhou Hu Sheng, but also submit separate memorials against Minister of Justice He Wen Xin, Chief Justice He Ying Ting, and the Left and Right Censors of the Censorate… for knowing the truth but failing to report it, for sheltering and indulging wrongdoing, making them accomplices! I also submit a memorial against the current Grand Secretary Zhang Ju Lian, who together with Chief Justice He Ying Ting fabricated embezzlement charges against Lord Liu, solely to exonerate Zhou Hu Sheng, leaving Lord Liu nowhere to turn!”

“Zhang has served Your Majesty for many years and should have accumulated great merit, yet now he abuses his power, manipulates affairs, and forms factions for personal gain! With such despicable conduct, how can he continue to assist Your Majesty’s enlightened rule!”

By the end, his tone had become even more impassioned.

Zhang Ju Lian was initially very angry, but toward the end, he lowered his eyes and became calm.

He had been accused before, but such accusations had always been intercepted before reaching the Emperor. There were always some pedantic old scholars in court who worried about the state and the people, who would step forward to speak—and these people usually died the quickest!

Before Zhu Jun An could speak, several of the officials Li Ying had named stepped forward, all having memorials to present.

This turn of events was too sudden. Li Ying’s words were what many had thought for a long time but dared not say. The more timid officials were already sweating profusely. The entire Huangji Hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Zhu Jun An gestured for the several officials wanting to speak: “Don’t speak yet; wait until I’ve clarified matters.”

He turned to Li Ying and asked: “You say Liu Xin Yun was wronged and Zhou Hu Sheng is truly guilty. Do you have any evidence?”

Zhang Ju Lian’s eyebrow twitched.

“Of course I do, Your Majesty,” Li Ying stated firmly. “Someone personally overheard Lord Zhang and Lord He discussing this matter in private, and the details were crystal clear.”

Zhu Jun An nodded but didn’t mention his accusations against others: “Since you have evidence, and if Zhou Hu Sheng is truly guilty—you should simply take men to arrest him. If you can’t mobilize people from the Court of Judicial Review or the Censorate, then borrow the use of my Imperial Guards and Divine Machinery Battalion!”

He called out to a eunuch: “Summon the commanders of both battalions to me!”

Upon hearing this, the officials from the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate were too frightened to speak and hastily knelt.