Beginning from the reign of Emperor Taizong, she had served four successive rulers, presiding over foreign wars and offering counsel on domestic governance, accumulating incomparable merit throughout her lifetime. The Grand Empress Dowager of the Jiang clan, a sage and benevolent figure revered across the realm, had thus passed from this world.

On the day her spirit was escorted from the palace, the entire capital was draped in white mourning cloth. The procession of common people weeping as they followed her cortege stretched for dozens of li.

Though following her dying wish, no grand state funeral was to be held after her passing, her status had nonetheless been supremely exalted, and the matter was of great consequence — certain mourning rites were indispensable. After deliberation at court, it was decided that beside the mausoleum of Emperor Taizong, several independent halls modeled after the sleeping chambers of the Penglai Palace would be constructed. These were named the Hall of Peaceful Repose and would serve as a temporary resting place for her spirit. Li Hui’er, the Commandery Princess of Ningfu, who had been raised by Jiang Shi’s side since childhood, also graciously declined the kind intentions of the Prince of Duan and his wife, and went before Empress Dowager Shangguan in tearful supplication, begging to be permitted to go and observe a year of mourning vigil.

Empress Dowager Shangguan greatly admired this gesture and agreed at once.

On this drizzly, overcast late spring morning, while the sky had not yet fully brightened, a plain white carriage bore Li Hui’er out of the capital, making its way slowly along the muddy roads toward the imperial mausoleum.

Deep in the night, Cui Xuan descended into the underground prison of the Southern Bureau.

The dungeon saw no daylight throughout the year — dark, damp, and stale, with a nauseating stench of excrement, pus, and rotting blood hanging in the air. Walking down the narrow corridor inside, one could see both sides of the iron-barred cells packed with prisoners.

Among these people, there had been no shortage of high officials who once wore silver and purple — men of wealth and rank. Yet the tides of officialdom rise and fall, and fortune can turn in an instant. Once a person became a prisoner here, no matter how glorious their former days, very few would ever leave alive.

Those disheveled and filthy prisoners — some stared blankly at the sound of approaching footsteps, without reaction; others crowded to the front of their bars, desperately thrusting their grimy hands through the gaps, crying out their wrongful imprisonment. In the flickering lamplight, those sounds were shrill and harrowing, as though rising from the depths of purgatory.

This was the first time Cui Xuan had descended to the dungeon since becoming Commander of the Southern Bureau.

Yet this place was not unfamiliar to him.

Long ago — though in truth, not so long — it was right here that he had spent his days when he was first brought to the capital.

Only then, he had been a prisoner at the mercy of others, subjected to cruel torture, helpless as a lamb before the slaughter. And now, he had transformed entirely — wielding absolute authority, having become the master of this place.

With cold, indifferent eyes, he walked past the outstretched hands on either side, until he reached the innermost cell, where he stopped outside the door.

This was the torture chamber, its iron door firmly shut. Seeing that he seemed disinclined to enter, the prison warden eagerly lifted the viewing slot on the door for him.

He leaned in and looked.

A figure was bound to the torture post by iron chains, head hanging lifelessly, wild hair covering the face, motionless. The body was covered in bloodstains from the brutal torture — a sight too wretched to behold.

“Lips sealed tight. Just passed out. No matter what torture is applied, not a single word. Not one.”

The warden glanced at his superior’s expression and spoke with careful deference.

The person bound to the torture post inside was the Supervisor of the Western Garden.

Just days after Grand Empress Dowager Jiang passed away, the Emperor had received another secret report from an informant.

Again from the Supervisor of the Western Garden.

In his possession might be a secret list of contacts, containing the names of at least a hundred individuals.

Those people were all trusted men who had been promoted and employed by the Jiang clan in years past. Starting from the founding Marquis of old, through Jiang Hu, and on to Jiang Yi — across many large and small campaigns, they had earned military merit and risen to mid- and high-ranking military posts, their positions scattered throughout various armies. After the upheaval of the thirty-ninth year of Xuanning, some of them had been purged. But a considerable number still served in the military forces of the capital or in various regions.

They shared one common trait: loyalty to Grand Empress Dowager Jiang.

“From the Jiang clan, one can summon half the armies of the realm.” These words spoken in years past were by no means idle talk.

Now, though Jiang Shi had died, if those whose names appeared on that list were not eliminated, how could the Emperor rest easy?

Li Chengyu had made his decision on the spot — no more waiting. He ordered Cui Xuan to immediately arrest the Supervisor of the Western Garden and obtain that list.

The man had been captured without difficulty, and every place that could be searched had been searched, yet after several days nothing was found. The same here. No matter what torture was inflicted, the Supervisor of the Western Garden kept his teeth clenched and said nothing.

The warden, seeing his superior peering through the viewing slot with a contemplative expression, feared he was dissatisfied with his own handling of the matter and hastily added: “Commander, rest assured. Give this subordinate two more days — I refuse to believe I can’t get something out of him! I’ll resume the interrogation right now!” He called out to his men and was about to go in.

“There is no need to continue the torture for now. A man like this does not fear death. If he truly dies like this, I’ll have no way to account for it before His Majesty.”

Cui Xuan spoke suddenly.

The warden quickly assented.

Cui Xuan’s eyes flickered briefly. He took one last look at the Supervisor of the Western Garden inside, then turned and strode out of the dungeon without delay.

……

After Li Hui’er departed the capital, her party traveled for several days through unrelenting rain and dreary weather, until at last they arrived at the riverbank at the entrance to the imperial mausoleum.

Beyond the great river ahead lay the grounds of the imperial mausoleum.

For the coming year, this would be where she would spend her days.

She felt not the slightest reluctance.

On the contrary — this was her own wish.

Moreover, there was now an important secret hidden on her person.

It was a list of contacts.

Over the years, the Supervisor of the Western Garden had quietly verified one by one the usable individuals listed on it.

The Grand Empress Dowager had at last given her approval.

The Supervisor of the Western Garden now wished to transfer it to Jiang Yi.

He could only hope that the day would never come when it would need to be used. But if, by some misfortune, that day truly arrived, only Jiang Yi would be able to resurrect this thing that had been sealed away for so many years and make it serve its original purpose.

But at precisely this moment, the Supervisor of the Western Garden had come under close surveillance and could no longer risk sending something so important out of the capital.

What she must do now was act in his place — deliver this secret beyond the gates.

She was the most suitable person, and the only one.

No one would ever think that the contact list was now in her hands.

All her life, she had so admired her imperial aunt. She had wished she possessed that woman’s courage, that woman’s bearing.

But she had never imagined that one day, she herself would be entrusted with a responsibility of such magnitude.

The imperial mausoleum lay just ahead.

Once she arrived there, the many eyes and ears so densely spread throughout the capital would no longer be present. She would find a way, biding her time, to send the list out.

She felt nervous and excited, yet not the slightest bit afraid.

She knew this was the opportunity Heaven had given her.

After days of continuous rain, the river had swelled greatly. The carriage mounted the bridge and, amid the unceasing sound of rushing water at her ears, moved steadily toward the opposite bank.

Just as the carriage was about to descend from the bridge, Li Hui’er suddenly heard the sound of galloping hooves approaching rapidly from behind.

Very quickly, that group of riders overtook them and moved ahead, blocking the road.

Li Hui’er’s heart leapt with sudden dread.

The newcomers appeared to be of considerable authority. The attendants that Empress Dowager Shangguan had assigned to accompany her offered no resistance whatsoever and brought the carriage to a halt. Then the carriage door was opened. She saw a young man standing before the carriage, his two dark and piercing eyes shooting a gaze directly at her.

She stiffened.

It was Cui Xuan!

It was said that since he had taken control of the Southern Bureau, he had eliminated his rivals with ruthless methods — methods that even surpassed those of his predecessor, Shen Yang.

Even she had heard of this.

She instinctively clenched her fists slowly. She watched as he looked her over from head to toe and said nothing, then made a gesture. Two elderly women climbed into the carriage, bowed to her in a manner that appeared respectful, said “Your Ladyship, forgive the intrusion,” and immediately began to search.

The elderly women first rummaged through Li Hui’er’s personal belongings, opened her clothing chests, and shook out each garment one by one, checking inside and out. Finding nothing, they then began to search her person.

In that moment, Li Hui’er did not know where she found the courage. Her voice trembling with fury, she demanded: “Commander Cui, what is the meaning of this? I am acting on the orders of the Empress Dowager to go keep vigil for the Grand Empress Dowager. How dare you treat me with such disrespect?”

Cui Xuan turned his face to one side, expressionless, as though he had not heard a word.

The carriage door was shut. The two elderly women, both possessed of great physical strength, had one hold Li Hui’er to prevent her from resisting while the other began to search her body. Her hair was undone, her garments removed, every inch of her body examined — even her inner bodice was not spared.

After the search, nothing was found.

The elderly women descended from the carriage and reported in low voices to Cui Xuan.

Cui Xuan fixed his gaze on the carriage, walked up to it, drew his sword, used the blade to lift open the carriage door, and leveled the sword directly at Li Hui’er’s throat.

Her hair loose and disheveled, her garments only haphazardly draped about her — she had not yet had time to put herself in order. She stiffened, lifted her face, and found herself meeting the dark, deep-set eyes of the young man opposite her.

“Where is it? Where have you hidden it?” He looked down at the poorly-clothed young girl beneath his sword, his voice cold.

Li Hui’er finally recovered from the immense humiliation of moments before. Holding back the tears of rage that threatened to burst from her eyes, she summoned her courage and said, word by word: “Cui Xuan, I do not know what item you speak of! Since you once knew my imperial aunt, you must not be an entirely evil person. I counsel you only this: it is not too late to pull back from the edge of the cliff.”

Cui Xuan exerted a slight pressure on his sword-gripping hand. The blade edge cut the tender skin of the girl’s neck. A thread of bright crimson blood slowly seeped from the pale wound in her snow-white skin.

“Speak!”

His eyes held not the slightest trace of feeling. His hand applied pressure once more.

The blood seeped faster.

Very soon, the front of her garment was soaked by the blood trickling down. In the sharp pain, even though she did not wish to show weakness before this villain, tears began to flow uncontrollably down her face, and her thin, frail shoulders began to tremble slightly.

“Cui Xuan, just you wait! If my imperial aunt knew you had treated me like this, she would never let you off!”

She choked on a sob, closed her eyes, and remained perfectly still.

Cui Xuan’s eyelids twitched. He stared at her for a moment, then slowly sheathed his sword. After a brief deliberation, he closed the carriage door, ordered the carriage to turn around, and proceeded by a different route.