At three-quarters past the Hour of the Rooster, the evening sun hung sparsely in the west.

The guards at the Vermilion Bird Gate saw a man wearing a veiled hat and dressed in a deep blue robe approaching slowly.

The orange sun cast his shadow long, a solitary figure appearing even more desolate.

On his chest was a flying fish emblem with the eyes of a dragon wide open in anger, imposing and terrifying.

The guards bowed and said, “We pay our respects to Eunuch Gao.” Yet they saw him pass through the Vermilion Bird Gate in silence, mount his horse, and ride eastward.

Passing through the city, the entrances were quiet and deserted.

The black horse stopped outside a teahouse.

By now, dusk had fallen, travelers were returning home, and weary birds were returning to their nests.

The banner outside the teahouse hung crooked, the main door slightly closed, with no customers or tea in sight.

Inside the teahouse, Yu Dai glimpsed Xiaoyan through the door crack.

He hurried forward, opened the side door to welcome him, saying only, “You’ve come.”

Xiaoyan entered through the side door, closed it, and only then removed his veiled hat.

Yu Dai hadn’t seen him for nearly half a year. Seeing him now, he felt that his dark brown peach blossom eyes were still like those of an old friend.

“Your Majesty seems to have grown thinner recently. Though official duties are busy, Your Majesty should take care of your health.”

Xiaoyan slowly turned to look at him, “General Yu has not led troops for a long time, and your temperament has become gentler…”

Hearing this, Yu Dai’s expression became solemn, and he respectfully replied, “Your Majesty ordered me to lead troops south. At present, the army has divided into four routes heading south from the north, toward the Luo River. They have already passed Diecity, and I expect that by winter, when the Luo River is covered in ice and frost for a thousand miles, they will reach outside Qingzhou Prefecture.”

Xiaoyan smiled faintly, “Very good. General Yu has done well.”

Yu Dai secretly let out a breath of relief.

“This time coming to the capital, I’ve also brought newly trained eagles for Your Majesty. Would Your Majesty like to see them?”

Xiaoyan nodded, and Yu Dai led him to the small courtyard behind the teahouse.

In the courtyard stood a locust tree about two men tall. A black-winged, white-headed eagle perched on a branch, about half a man’s height, remaining obediently still.

Seeing the visitors, it only slightly raised its head and half-spread its black wings.

Yu Dai smiled and said, “This eagle is called Haduo, the most loyal messenger of the grasslands.”

Xiaoyan reached out to take the message tube from its talons.

Haduo’s pitch-black eagle eyes rolled about, but it remained motionless, allowing him to remove the message tube.

“Indeed a well-trained eagle…” Xiaoyan lightly stroked the eagle’s feathers, “Uncle has great skill.”

Hearing the word ‘Uncle’, Yu Dai’s anxious heart finally settled.

He laughed heartily a couple of times, “A’Yan, if you like it, I’ll send you another one in a few days.”

Xiaoyan released his hand, his long eyebrows relaxing, “After the new officials are promoted, I intend to go to Wushan Detached Palace. If Uncle could send someone ahead to find Prince Heng’s former people… then my journey would not be in vain.”

Yu Dai cupped his hands and bowed, “Your servant obeys the decree.”

Xiaoyan turned to head back to the teahouse, but suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Yu Dai saw him press his hand to his forehead, his brow furrowed, his expression immediately becoming unpleasant.

He urgently said, “Your Majesty, is your headache flaring up again?”

He reached out to support Xiaoyan, but was evaded by him stepping aside.

Xiaoyan slowed his breathing, stood in place, and waited for a moment before the shocking pain gradually disappeared, “It’s nothing…”

Yu Dai pressed further, “Has Your Majesty consulted the Medical Minister? If the palace physicians are inadequate, this servant can find a doctor outside the palace for Your Majesty?”

The Emperor’s headaches had persisted for several years. Initially, they were not frequent, occurring only once every few months. Now, it seemed they had become more severe…

Xiaoyan looked up at Yu Dai and said, “Uncle need not worry. A mere headache is not a serious matter.”

Yu Dai wanted to persuade him further, but seeing his cold expression, he feared overstepping and so desisted.

Half past the Hour of the Dog, the lanterns in the Imperial Garden were just being lit.

Gu Yi, wearing a plain robe and skirt with four ornamental hairpins, carried a white paper lantern along the stone path, slowly walking toward the palace gate.

She wondered if she would see Xiaoyan again tonight.

As Gu Yi walked, her heart beat faster and faster, thump-thump, as if resonating in her ears.

She stopped on the side of the stone path, with the Vermilion Bird Palace Gate in the distance.

When she would soon see Xiaoyan disguised as Eunuch Gao, she still planned to boldly strike up a conversation with him. She just didn’t know if today’s lantern would happen to catch fire so conveniently.

She looked again at the candle holder in her eyes.

It should… be fine. If she shook it vigorously at the right time, she wouldn’t worry about not being able to light the lantern.

She couldn’t help but smile slightly, looking expectantly toward the palace gate, her eyes as clear as a pool of water, bright and sparkling.

The jade wheel hung high in the sky, the cool radiance increasingly chilly.

Xiaoyan did not appear.

Gu Yi stood until her knees grew numb, pacing back and forth a few steps in place.

The lantern in her hand gradually dimmed, with only a faint glow remaining. A few small flying insects flew into the flame, hitting the white paper lantern with soft thumps.

Gu Yi turned carefully to protect the lantern.

She probably wouldn’t wait for Xiaoyan tonight.

The Palace Discipline Office would soon lock up, and she had to return to Xiu Yidian before then.

She looked far off once more at the long, dark corridor between the towering deep vermilion palace walls, where only the shadows of the two gate guards could be seen.

Gu Yi looked up at the pitch-black sky and bit her lip.

Forget it! It seems she would have to think of another way tomorrow!

At exactly the Hour of the Pig.

Xiaoyan entered the palace through the Vermilion Bird Gate.

He turned unhurriedly through the stone path of the Imperial Garden, heading straight for Tianlu Pavilion.

As he reached the lakeside, a figure stood in the dim lamplight ahead, wearing a blue female official’s uniform.

The silhouette was hunched, seeming somewhat aged.

At this moment, Xiaoyan, disguised as Eunuch Gao, naturally didn’t want any complications. He slipped aside to a rockery, intending to wait until the figure had walked a bit further away before finding another secluded path.

But suddenly he heard an extremely familiar voice, “Nanny Ji, you’ve waited long. Today I had to inventory medicines before leaving the palace, so I came late.”

Judge Xu from the Imperial Medical Academy.

Xiaoyan stopped in his tracks, hearing a woman’s voice, very low, ask, “Why the urgent summons for this servant tonight? What is the matter?”

Judge Xu looked around and spoke in an increasingly low voice, “Xu is leaving the palace tonight and is truly worried. The person entrusted to me by Master Zhao Jie years ago relies on Nanny’s care…” As he spoke, he bowed deeply and remained so for a long time.

Nanny Ji quickly reached out to help him up. “This servant will do her utmost.”

Zhao Jie.

Xiaoyan pondered for a moment and remembered this person.

Zhao Jie, an Eastern Palace assistant official, the Prince’s junior tutor, died an unnatural death.

The person entrusted by the Zhao Jie father and son…

A relative?

Who?

The two figures walked toward the palace gate. When the surroundings returned to tranquility, Xiaoyan emerged from behind the rockery and hurried back to Tianlu Pavilion.

He had never seen Zhao Jie during his time at the Eastern Palace. However, in his childhood, he had once seen Zhao Jie in Cangjun, Jizhou.

How exactly did Zhao Jie die…

Xiaoyan couldn’t help but laugh coldly, his face as if covered in frost.

After the third night watch drum, summer cicadas sang long.

Gu Yi lay on the wooden couch, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

One day left.

She still hadn’t seen Xiaoyan.

Xiaoyan might not select her tablet. If he didn’t come, and she couldn’t see Zhao Wan, would she have to start over again…

After restarting four times, Gu Yi gradually realized a principle.

When it’s time to act, act boldly!

If tomorrow Xiaoyan, according to the plot, went to the main hall of Xiu Yidian.

Even if she had to fake a headache, she would trick him to come over!

At three-quarters past the Hour of the Dragon, Gu Yi got up from the wooden couch, called for Tao Jia, and handed her the leg-massaging stick that she had instructed craftsmen to make yesterday, instructing, “Today is the make-up selection day. Go and give this to Eunuch Lu and Eunuch Gao, and be sure to put in some good words!”

But Tao Jia didn’t reach out to take it, looking confused, and asked, “What does the beauty mean? Today is not the selection day. Why don’t I go to deliver it on the fifteenth of next month?”

Gu Yi doubted she had heard correctly, “What? Today is not the make-up selection day? Wasn’t there a selection on the fifteenth of June? Why isn’t there a make-up day?”

Tao Jia laughed lightly, “Has the beauty forgotten? According to custom, His Majesty only selects tablets on the fifteenth of each month. If one is ‘passed over,’ then one must wait until the fifteenth of the next month…”

According to custom? Which year’s custom is this? It wasn’t like this in her year!

Was the plot messing with her again?

Gu Yi was so shocked her mouth fell open.

Could it be that Xiao Gouzi… was no longer capable…

Seeing this, Tao Jia advised, “Beauty, don’t be anxious. There will still be a chance next month. Do you want to get up now?”

What to do! If Xiaoyan didn’t come to Xiu Yidian today, would she not see tomorrow’s sun again…

She had it so hard!

Gu Yi nodded, “Mm… help me wash up…”

She had to stay calm. There were still several hours. She needed to think of a plan!

Just past the Hour of the Goat, dark clouds suddenly gathered, and a heavy rain fell from the sky.

Eunuch Gao hurriedly passed through the rain curtain, the hem of his blue robe slightly splattered with mud, as he quickly entered Tianlu Pavilion and bowed, “Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant has checked the records of the Female Officials Registry Office, the entry and exit records of various palace departments, and found the list of several female officials recommended by Judge Xu. Would Your Majesty like to review it in detail?”

“Present it.”

Eunuch Gao held the register, bowed, and stepped up the jade steps to present it to the Emperor.

Xiaoyan looked at the few names, from places like Huan Yi Ju, the Imperial Medical Academy, the Ceremonial Office, and others, truly scattered throughout various departments.

Moreover, these female officials were all palace maids of ranks not entering the regular classification system, and all recorded with the surname Zhao.

Zhao Di, Zhao Xue, Zhao Chu, Zhao Wan…

Perhaps Xu Chong had deliberately done this with a purpose.

Zhao Jie and Xu Chong must have been old acquaintances, but why send Zhao family relatives into the palace?

Eunuch Gao lowered his eyes, noticing with a sidelong glance that the Emperor was holding the register, looking down without speaking. He thought to himself, having just demoted Judge Xu, and now investigating his old matters, it doesn’t seem like a good thing, but the Emperor doesn’t seem angry. Could these few female officials have a promising future?

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but tentatively ask, “Your Majesty, if you wish… this servant can summon them for a meeting?”

Xiaoyan closed the register and tossed it aside, “Not necessary.”

Eunuch Gao spoke no more.

He had misunderstood again…

Alas.

In this entire palace, when would there ever be someone who truly pleased His Majesty…

Outside the pavilion, the rain poured heavily, continuing until dusk.

Gu Yi glanced at the densely woven rain patterns outside the window.

It was about this time, she couldn’t wait any longer!

“Let’s go, we’re going to Huan Yi Ju!” she turned and instructed Tao Jia.

Tao Jia frowned in confusion, “Beauty, the rain is falling so heavily. What business do you have at Huan Yi Ju? If you want to retrieve the silk, the palace maids from Huan Yi Ju should deliver it to your door! Why should the beauty go there?”

Time was running out, and Gu Yi had no time for explanations, only saying, “Can’t wait, now is the perfect time to go! Strolling in the garden in the rain has its wild charm.”

Tao Jia could only take an indigo-colored oil paper umbrella to shield Gu Yi’s head, following her step by step toward Huan Yi Ju.

A blue light flashed on the horizon, followed by a clap of thunder.

A loud boom.

One quarter past the Hour of the Pig.