Before long, the palace maid Yu Kui returned.

On the golden tray in her hands rested a crimson wedding gown.

The style of the wedding gown was not elaborate—it lacked the gold-threaded phoenix embroidery and jade-and-pearl embellishments one might expect. Only the hem and wide sleeves were adorned with hibiscus flowers, blooming one after another.

Zhu Nanxian said to Su Jin, “This was my mother’s wedding gown. Today, I give it to you.”

Long ago, when Zhu Jingyuan entered Yingtian Prefecture and married the late Empress, the Great Sui had not yet been established. Zhu Jingyuan said he wanted to spare no expense and hire the finest embroiderers from Jiangnan to embroider a phoenix in gold thread on the wedding gown and adorn it with Eastern pearls, but the late Empress stopped him. She said that with wars still raging across the land and expenses needed everywhere, they should not be extravagant on her account. She spent half a year embroidering vast expanses of hibiscus flowers on the hem and wide sleeves of the wedding gown using dark crimson thread.

The hibiscus flower is also called *zhujin*—the character *zhu* being his surname.

Su Jin gazed at the wedding gown before her.

It was an exceptionally pure shade of crimson, yet it possessed both the delicate brilliance of bright red and the restrained depth of deep red—gentle yet magnificent.

It was rather amusing, actually. Though she was a woman, she had rarely worn proper skirts in her life thus far.

After Chancellor Xie passed away and she left Shu alone, she had only dressed as a woman twice: once at the Ma residence two or three years ago, and once this past March when Zhu Nanxian left the palace and she disguised herself as Qiling’s maidservant to help him escape. Both times had been life-or-death situations, done out of necessity.

Zhu Nanxian continued, “Physician Fang Xu says your body still needs a month of recuperation. I’ve calculated it—in a month it will be the Little Spring of October. We’ll choose an auspicious day for our wedding.”

The wedding gown before her shimmered like spring itself.

Looking at it, Su Jin felt she had never worn such beautiful clothing in her entire life.

She had always known that Zhu Nanxian treated her well—well to his very bones—but this was the first time she felt somewhat overwhelmed by his favor.

Su Jin lowered her eyelids and said softly, “This is too precious.” She added, “A gentleman repays kindness in kind. Your Majesty gifts me the late Empress’s lifelong treasure, yet I have nothing of equal value to give Your Majesty in return.”

“How can you say you have nothing?” Zhu Nanxian said. “Your jade pendant has long been in my possession, has it not?”

He sat down beside the bed, looked into her eyes, and said with utmost seriousness, “Moreover, I promised you that all the suffering you’ve endured, all your past regrets and grievances—from now on, I will make amends for them all. This wedding gown is nothing, and you need not think about repaying me. During these days you lay unconscious, I’ve thought it through very clearly: I ask nothing else in this life, only that you be safe.”

After saying this, Zhu Nanxian instructed Yu Kui, “Put away the wedding gown for Minister Su. When she recovers, she will keep it herself.”

After Yu Kui withdrew, Zangyi, who stood nearby, glanced at Su Jin’s pale complexion and asked, “Your Majesty, the kitchen has prepared ginseng soup. Shall I serve a bowl for you and Minister Su?”

Zhu Nanxian replied, “I don’t need any. Serve a bowl for Minister Su.”

In a moment, Zangyi brought up a bowl of ginseng soup. Zhu Nanxian personally took it, saying, “Let me do it.”

Zangyi stepped aside and watched as this Emperor, who had been attended to his entire life, scooped up a spoonful of soup, let it cool to the right temperature, and then fed it to Minister Su. Only then did she realize that caring for someone was something that could come naturally without instruction.

Su Jin asked, “I haven’t yet had a chance to ask Your Majesty—after Hu Yuanjie was injured, what happened with the diplomatic mission to Annan?”

Zhu Nanxian had not wanted to trouble her with court affairs, but knowing that if he didn’t explain, she would likely worry day and night, he said, “That Hu Yuanjie is a man who knows which way the wind blows. On the second day after returning to the palace, he personally wrote a letter to the Emperor of Annan, claiming he had encountered a landslide on the return journey and, thanks to you and Liu Yun coming to his rescue, had barely survived.”

Su Jin thought for a moment and said, “But the bandits he encountered last time were deliberately arranged by Zhu Zhaowei. This landslide was no accident either. The Emperor of Annan is the ruler of his nation, not some ordinary person. With his nephew repeatedly meeting with misfortune in the Great Sui, he will certainly send people to investigate. Hu Yuanjie may use these excuses to placate the Emperor of Annan, but we cannot—otherwise, it would be beneath the dignity of a great nation.”

Zhu Nanxian said, “Indeed. Afterward, the Court of Judicial Review investigated the root cause of the Baiping Mountain explosive incident. In the audit memorial submitted by Liu Yun to the Imperial Censorate, he attached a request document stating that this matter could be explained externally as an ‘accident’—claiming that the saltpeter and sulfur were part of a military shipment under Zhu Zhaowei’s supervision. During transport to the northwest, due to careless storage, they ignited and exploded, causing rockfalls and mudslides in the mountains. I reviewed this document carefully. Liu Yun handled the discrepancies in the details quite properly, so based on the explanation in this document, I wrote a personal letter to the Emperor of Annan. The Emperor of Annan has replied, and the matter is now settled. However, with your current injury, the candidate originally scheduled to be sent to Annan in the ninth month needs to be reconsidered.”

Su Jin asked, “Does Your Majesty have a suitable candidate in mind?”

“It’s not that I don’t have any,” Zhu Nanxian said. “I’ve carefully considered Liu Yun from the Imperial Censorate, Qian Yueqian, Shu Wenlan from the Hanlin Academy, Shen Qingyue from the Ministry of Revenue, Zou Liren from the Ministry of Rites, and Zhu Yiheng—all could probably handle it. However, I’ve never been at ease with Zhu Yiheng, so I cannot entrust this matter to him. Qian Yueqian is his man, so by the same reasoning, he cannot be given this important responsibility. Shu Wenlan’s health is too frail; he cannot endure the hardships of travel. Zou Liren was indeed the top scholar in the third year of Jingyuan’s reign—talented, to be sure—but he lacks the resolute vigor an envoy should possess, falling somewhat short in capability. It would be fine to send a young seventh-rank censor, but given that Hu Yuanjie has repeatedly encountered mishaps, sending an unknown nobody would make the Great Sui appear insincere. So, choosing from among them, only Shen Qingyue and Liu Yun remain.

“Neither of these two can be spared. Shen Qingyue oversees the Ministry of Revenue. With current state affairs requiring funds at every turn, we cannot do without him. Just considering the military provisions and funds for the northwest—if not for him, I wouldn’t know how to resolve it. We can even less afford to lose Liu Yun. Since the beginning of this year, court affairs have been difficult. The peach blossom floods in Huguang in the third month, the disaster relief in Shanxi in the fifth month, the corruption case in Kaifeng Prefecture, the resettlement of refugees around Ganzhou—not one of these was handled without him resolving it properly.”

Reaching this point, Zhu Nanxian couldn’t help but smile. “Now that I’ve managed court affairs, I truly understand why Father Emperor valued Liu Yun so highly. The court is short of talent. A capable minister who can bring order to the realm like this is rare even in a hundred years.”

Su Jin said, “Your Majesty need not worry about the envoy matter. I feel I’m already much better. With more time to recuperate, I should fully recover.”

Zhu Nanxian said, “I am being selfish, wanting to keep you by my side. Moreover, the envoy must depart in the ninth month, and we are to be married in the tenth month.”

He squeezed Su Jin’s hand and handed the empty bowl to Zangyi, saying, “Bring water.”

So His Majesty truly intended to change clothes here?

Zangyi was quite flustered. She had served in the Eastern Palace years ago, but when the Emperor favored his concubines—no, when he favored a high-ranking and powerful minister—what were the proper protocols and procedures?

She wracked her brain for quite a while, quietly acknowledged with a “yes,” then carefully asked, “Your Majesty, shall I prepare bathwater for Minister Su?”

Hearing this, Zhu Nanxian looked puzzled. “Didn’t she just bathe?” Then, realizing what Zangyi was implying, he fell silent for a moment before saying, “That won’t be necessary.”

After washing up, Zhu Nanxian extinguished the lamp and lifted the bedding to climb onto the bed.

As soon as he entered the covers, he brought a surge of gentle warmth, but rather than lying down, he propped himself up against a pillow at his back.

Su Jin asked, “Your Majesty, aren’t you going to sleep?”

Zhu Nanxian replied, “If I lie down, I’m afraid I won’t be able to restrain myself.” He reached out to embrace her, still sitting up, and his voice came through the darkness, deep and pleasant. “This is already quite good.”

Su Jin smiled quietly in his arms.

She truly was very tired and weary. Pillowed against his chest, enveloped by his warm breath that seemed to wrap her in security, she soon fell asleep.

Zhu Nanxian had thought he would spend the night in conflicted restlessness, but unexpectedly, after Su Jin fell asleep, listening to her steady breathing and inhaling the crisp scent from her hair, he too fell into deep slumber before long.

With their hearts at ease, they slept through the night without dreams.

When they woke the next day, it was already bright outside.

They had slept from the hai hour of the previous day until the mao hour of the next—a full five time periods.

Opening his eyes, Zhu Nanxian discovered that at some point he had lain down and was now lying on his side, holding Su Jin in his arms.

She was still asleep, her lashes trembling slightly from the light streaming through the window. Her complexion was much better than the night before.

He raised his hand to shield the beam of light falling on her cheek, wanting to hold her tighter but fearing he might wake her and disturb her rare, sound sleep.

Just then, someone knocked on the door outside.

“Your Majesty, are you awake?” It was the voice of the eunuch Ma Zhao.

Zhu Nanxian frowned. Court had been suspended today. Unless something major had occurred, these eunuchs would not dare to wake him.

“What is it?” Zhu Nanxian glanced at Su Jin sleeping peacefully in his arms and responded.

“Your Majesty, we’ve heard that early this morning, two emergency military reports were simultaneously delivered from the northwest and the northern frontier—both eight-hundred-li urgent dispatches.”

Hearing this, Zhu Nanxian was greatly shocked. Both the northwest and northern frontier were at war—these were the two places he worried about most.

“Your Majesty.” Su Jin in his arms had awakened at some point. After a moment of silence, she said, “Your Majesty, don’t worry yet. First, find out what the urgent reports contain.”

Zhu Nanxian nodded, sat up, and reached for the dragon robe placed nearby, saying, “Someone come, dress me.”

In total, four people served in the Gardenia Hall of Weiyang Palace. They had all been waiting outside the partition. Hearing Zhu Nanxian’s command, Yu Kui and Zangyi pushed open the door and entered. Ma Zhao and another eunuch knelt in the outer chamber, heads bowed to the ground, not daring to look up.

As Zhu Nanxian fastened his collar, he asked, “What did the urgent reports say?”

“Your Majesty, this servant doesn’t know. The urgent reports arrived at the Ministry of War during the yin hour. The people from the Ministry of War immediately went to Minghua Palace to see you, but when Eunuch You couldn’t find you, he sought out the Seventeenth Prince. The Seventeenth Prince is now waiting for you in the main hall of Weiyang Palace. He ordered this servant to wake you no matter what.”

Ma Zhao paused here, then continued, “The Seventeenth Prince also said that of the two urgent reports, the one from the northwest was sealed with dark crimson wax. This morning, Lord Gong from the Ministry of War saw it and in his distress actually coughed up blood. Yet he still insisted on entering the palace, determined to see Your Majesty in Fengtian Hall.”

Zhu Nanxian’s expression completely changed.

Having practiced martial arts since childhood and served as a military commander, he knew all too well when dark crimson wax should be used.

Since the founding of the Great Sui Dynasty, it had been used only once—that time, when Qiongzhou Guard was massacred and the northern frontier lost three cities.

“Transmit my decree: immediately summon Liu Yun from the Imperial Censorate, Gong Quan from the Ministry of War, Shen Xi from the Ministry of Revenue, Luo Songtang from the Ministry of Rites, Chen Jinsheng from the Chief Military Commission, Zuo Qian from the Jinwu Guard, Shi Fei from the Huben Guard, and Yu Guangzu, Commander of the Northern Encampment, to see me at once in Fengtian Hall. As for the Ministry of Justice…” Zhu Nanxian paused slightly. “Have Fang Huai come.”

Ma Zhao acknowledged and withdrew to carry out the command.

Zhu Nanxian finished changing his robes, quickly washed up with the water Zangyi had prepared, walked to the bed and squeezed Su Jin’s hand. “Don’t worry. Let me go see. If it’s truly urgent, I will certainly have someone inform you.”

Yu Kui brought out the morning meal. Seeing that Zhu Nanxian was about to leave, she bowed and asked, “Will Your Majesty not take breakfast?”

“No need.” Zhu Nanxian frowned and strode out of the Gardenia Hall.

Su Jin watched Zhu Nanxian’s retreating figure, her mind replaying Ma Zhao’s words once more.

Two urgent reports had come from the northwest and the northern frontier respectively.

The northern frontier was the battlefield between the Great Sui and Northern Liang, commanded by Zhu Yushen. Recently there had been news of victories. For an eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch to arrive with no good news from Gong Quan meant either a defeat or something had happened to Zhu Yushen.

As for the northwest, that was where the Chili forces had mobilized for attack.

She had heard that in the seventh month, Shen Xi had resolved the issues of military provisions and funds, and Zhu Xun and Mao Zuofeng had both set out for the northwest from different locations. It was said that their march was swift, with the vanguard arriving in mid-eighth month.

If everything had gone so smoothly, even if they encountered a surprise attack, they should have had means to respond. Why would they have needed to use dark crimson wax?

“Yu Kui, dress me,” Su Jin said, thinking of this. “I must go to Fengtian Hall.”

Yu Kui replied, “But Minister, you’ve only just awakened. Such exertion would be bad for your health.”

Su Jin said, “If I don’t go see for myself, I’ll likely worry myself even sicker.”

Seeing her determination, Yu Kui went to the wardrobe to fetch her official robes. While helping her dress, she said, “Minister, at least eat breakfast and take your medicinal soup before you go.”

By the time Su Jin had changed into her official robes and arrived at Fengtian Hall, the eunuchs and guards who had been stationed outside were already kneeling in rows on the ground.

As Su Jin approached, a thunderous sound suddenly erupted from inside Fengtian Hall—as if something had been smashed to pieces on the floor. Immediately after came Zhu Nanxian’s furious roar: “Have him executed!!”