On this day of Grain in Ear, it was a rest day with no court assembly, so there was no need to rush.

Near the Imperial City, dawn had already broken. Zhu Minda dismissed the Feathered Forest Guards and ordered Zhu Nanxian and Shen Xi to follow him to the Eastern Palace.

In the distance, the palace maids of Fengtian Hall were extinguishing the lanterns, climbing long ladders and using bamboo poles to hook them down. The lanterns hanging under the eaves were taken down one by one, and from afar, it looked as if stars were falling one by one.

Zhu Minda glanced sideways at Zhu Nanxian following behind him and asked, “Those Embroidered Uniform Guards—were they brought by Liu Chaoming?”

Zhu Nanxian made no response.

Zhu Minda snorted coldly and said, “Zhu Zhaowei has wanted to kill you for more than just a day or two. He’s been plotting for a long time to set up this trap, and the secret guards he invited must not be ordinary people. The Southern District Military Commissioner’s office is just a bunch of roughnecks—how could they contend with them? Moreover, the severed heads and limbs at Zhaohe Bridge had clean, decisive cuts. Apart from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who else could have done it?”

Having said this, he paused in his steps, clasped his hands behind his back, faced the depths of the palace buildings, and slowly asked, “That Su Jin—she’s a woman?”

Zhu Nanxian also suddenly stopped in his tracks. His hands clenched tightly, but he forcibly suppressed the astonishment that suddenly arose in his heart, not revealing a trace of emotion.

Zhu Minda glanced at him with considerable surprise and said lightly, “Not bad. You’ve made progress.”

As early as when Shen Xi had produced a maidservant out of thin air, he had guessed that Su Jin was a woman. Recalling that she had changed clothes that night, and before that, in the side room of the Palace Front Garden, the Thirteenth Prince had fought desperately to keep the door closed for her.

Zhu Nanxian had grown up by his side—could he not detect the abnormalities that others couldn’t see?

If there weren’t some enormous secret to hide, given the Thirteenth Prince’s character, how could he have agreed to that marriage arrangement in front of so many people?

Zhu Minda glanced at Shen Xi again: “You knew too?”

Shen Xi said with complete seriousness, “I didn’t know, but now that brother-in-law asks like this, this humble minister feels as if enlightened.”

Zhu Minda knew he was playing games again and couldn’t be bothered with him.

Thinking further, although Shen Qingyue had used sophistry to provide cover for Su Jin, he truly hadn’t misjudged the man.

This Su Jin was truly clever. She had immediately guessed Shen Xi’s purpose and forcibly turned herself into a witness, splashing all the dirty water back onto the Ministry of Personnel under the Seventh Prince’s command.

With such a transformation, she became a chess piece in his hand that he must protect.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t care whether Su Jin was male or female—in any case, she was just an insignificant ant. Thinking of this, Zhu Minda instructed Shen Xi, “Although you managed to smooth over tonight’s situation with your nonsense, the guards and servants of the Ma residence number many who know the truth. Whether Su Jin is really a witness to the Seventh Prince’s plot to harm the Thirteenth Prince, whether she really came out of the Ma residence with the Thirteenth Prince or was brought out by Liu Yun’s Censorate patrol officials—anyone with intent need only inquire a little to discover the discrepancies. You should straighten out your story, and according to this story, deal with those who know what they shouldn’t know. Kill them. Not one living witness can remain.”

Shen Xi’s eyes froze slightly, and he answered in a low voice, “Yes.”

Zhu Minda pondered inwardly that although the Fourteenth Prince was a fool, he was best at stirring trouble between two sides. He had personally witnessed this evening’s great drama, and would later tell the Seventh Prince. The Seventh Prince appeared gentle and kind, but was actually sinister and meticulous—not someone to be trifled with.

Once these few days passed and the scholar examination fraud case was concluded, he and the Seventh Prince would still have a hard battle to fight.

Therefore, he must plan thoroughly and in detail.

Lost in thought, they had already arrived at the Eastern Palace. On this early summer morning, the palace gardens of the Eastern Palace were lush with vegetation, flourishing and radiant. Before even reaching the main hall, they saw a woman in palace dress with golden hairpins hurrying toward them. Her figure was graceful, her appearance breathtaking, and beside her right eye, like Shen Xi, she had a beauty mark—this was none other than Crown Princess Shen Jing.

Dark circles showed under Shen Jing’s eyes, suggesting she had waited for Zhu Minda all night. She came forward, performed an elegant curtsy, and asked, “Why were you gone so long?” Then, glancing at Zhu Nanxian following behind Zhu Minda, she asked with concern, “Was the Thirteenth Prince injured?”

Zhu Nanxian shook his head and said, “Imperial sister-in-law, please be at ease. I’m fine.”

The worried expression between Shen Jing’s brows did not diminish. She was about to have someone prepare water and food when Zhu Minda raised his hand to stop her.

He turned around and said slowly to Zhu Nanxian and Shen Xi, “You two, kneel down.”

Zhu Nanxian was accustomed to this. His knees hit the ground and he knelt straight down.

Shen Xi shrugged at Shen Jing and knelt beside Zhu Nanxian.

Shen Jing had grown up with Zhu Minda as childhood friends, and from youth had been most fond of these two younger brothers. Seeing their exhausted appearance after a sleepless night, she couldn’t help but gently persuade, “Your Highness, let’s forget it this time.”

Zhu Minda drew a heavy breath and said, “One recklessly courted death, and the other attempted to deceive heaven and cross the sea. If not for the sake of your face, I should punish them even more severely.”

Shen Xi blinked at Shen Jing, as if persuading her: “Second Sister, I’m fine. Brother-in-law is in a foul mood today—having me and the Thirteenth Prince kneel for just a few hours is truly a light punishment. You didn’t see—earlier at Zhaohe Bridge, Liu Yun was injured and nearly bled dry, yet brother-in-law didn’t even glance at him once, did he?”

Shen Jing was slightly shocked and turned to glance at Zhu Minda. Zhu Minda’s expression turned cold, and he said nothing.

Shen Xi continued with a grin, “Brother-in-law, Lord Liu is a descendant of the Liu family, the sole disciple personally trained by Old Censor Meng. Even the Emperor usually can’t bear to punish him. Take the North-South scholar case—he remonstrated together with me. I had my leg broken, but he only had morning court suspended for a month. This time you’re putting him through such hardship—isn’t that rather inappropriate?”

Zhu Minda knew that these words from Shen Xi were actually asking about his attitude toward Liu Chaoming.

He couldn’t be bothered to hide anything from Shen Xi and spoke frankly: “Liu Yun is different from you. How you think, I can see perfectly clearly, but Liu Yun is a person whose thoughts run too deep—one cannot help but guard against him. I don’t know who summoned the Embroidered Uniform Guard tonight, but since Wei Zhang was at Zhaohe Bridge following his Left Censor-in-Chief to kill people, the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s arrival must be inseparably connected to Liu Yun.

“Today should have been a complete victory, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s arrival stirred things up until both sides suffered losses. If it were anyone else, I would have ordered them cut to pieces long ago. Precisely because he is Liu Yun, the Chief of the Imperial Censorate, I only established a show of authority.”

Seeing his candor, Shen Xi asked directly, “Brother-in-law, then do you believe the Embroidered Uniform Guard was truly summoned by Liu Yun?”

Zhu Minda said, “Yes, and no.”

He clasped his hands behind his back and said leisurely, “Liu Yun is a person of indifferent temperament. For him, nothing would be better than remaining outside of disputes. This is also why Father Emperor values him so highly. If that day he hadn’t used the Imperial Censorate’s position to buy Su Jin’s life from me, today he wouldn’t need to be involved in this storm. Therefore, behind the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s arrival, there must be someone else.”

As he spoke, he smiled with curved lips: “It’s not hard to guess either. Among the nineteen princes in the palace, this person is not the Seventh Prince—if it were the Seventh Prince, my position as heir apparent would already be his. Nor is it the Fourteenth Prince—the Fourteenth Prince is too stupid, and Wei Zhang is no fool; how would he choose him as master? Among the remaining princes, one wants to hide in the shadows and bide his time? But his ambition is so great that he even wants to subdue Wei Zhang—sooner or later he’ll jump out.”

Shen Xi looked utterly admiring and said, “Brother-in-law is truly a divine person.” As he spoke, he made a gesture of complete prostration.

Zhu Minda snorted coldly and said, “Put away your flowery airs.” Having spoken, he softened his voice and changed to say, “A’Jing.” He placed Shen Jing’s hand, which was still looking worriedly at the two princes, in his palm and patted it, then walked toward the hall entrance.

Once Zhu Minda and Shen Jing’s figures disappeared into the hall, Shen Xi patted his knees, got up, and gave Zhu Nanxian a push, saying, “Hey, you’re not really going to kneel for two hours, are you?”

Zhu Nanxian ignored him.

Shen Xi said again, “Don’t worry. Your imperial brother listens to my sister most of all. Later, once the pillow talk blows through, he’s guaranteed to soften. Since childhood, hasn’t it always been this way?”

Zhu Nanxian still ignored him.

Shen Xi’s eyes curved as he struck at the heart of the matter: “Thirteenth Prince, is Su Jin really a woman?”

Zhu Nanxian’s body shook, and he raised his eyes to stare at him.

Shen Xi raised his eyebrows and said, “This Su Jin is truly extraordinary.” He gave Zhu Nanxian another push and instigated, “Well then, I’m going to find her now. Do you want to come along?”

Zhu Nanxian was stunned for a moment. He also stood up and said in a low voice, “I’m not going. This prince is returning to his residence.” With that, ignoring Shen Xi, he walked straight out of the Eastern Palace.

Shen Xi plucked a foxtail grass from the roadside and stuck it in his mouth to chew, displeased with his indifferent attitude. Unable to resist provoking him, he said, “That’s fine too. You should indeed return to your residence and reflect properly. Otherwise, when the day comes that you’re assigned a marriage and all matters are beyond your control, won’t you be utterly despondent?”

Liu Chaoming didn’t know where he should take Su Jin.

He had originally wanted to send her back to the Capital Bureau, but thinking again, that place was a den of dragons and snakes—how could a woman manage there?

He also considered taking her to the Imperial Censorate, but Zhu Minda must have already guessed she was a woman. If the Eastern Palace sent someone to take her away, what should he do then?

For the first time in his life, Liu Chaoming felt so indecisive. Thinking this way and that, he couldn’t help but look toward Su Jin.

She was lifting the carriage curtain to look outside.

The outer robe she wore was still Tan Zhaolin’s—coarse hemp cloth clothing that was truly an eyesore.

He wondered how she had gotten through these years on her own.

The minor official finished applying medicine to Liu Chaoming’s wound, and the driver stuck his head in to ask, “Lord Liu, return to the palace?”

Liu Chaoming shook his head slightly: “Return to the residence.”