Su Jin looked at Liu Chaoming: “What… does the letter say?”

The wind and rain were dark and dreary. A lantern hung from the eaves, its blazing brightness unable to illuminate Liu Chaoming’s eyes, deep as ink, deep as a well.

He didn’t answer, but simply walked down the steps and handed the confidential letter into her hands.

Su Jin took it and looked, her brow immediately furrowing.

Zhu Yushen had already entered Shu. He would arrive at Jinzhou Prefecture first thing tomorrow morning.

But this wasn’t even the most fatal issue. The fatal issue was that the two hundred thousand troops who had followed Zhu Yushen on the expedition to Annan had already set up camp with the imperial entourage at the border between southern Sichuan and Yunnan-Guizhou. At the same time, Zhu Yushen had also transferred another hundred thousand troops from Minzhou Wei and Yuzhou Wei, stationing them in northern Shu from the Huguang region.

In other words, Shu was now like an airtight iron barrel—not even a fly could escape.

Su Jin’s heart sank heavily.

She was no longer part of the court. She didn’t know and didn’t want to guess why Zhu Yushen had suddenly mobilized three hundred thousand troops.

She only knew one thing clearly: if Zhu Yushen’s purpose was to deal with Zhu Nanxian or Zhu Lin, he definitely wouldn’t make such a grand commotion. After all, the Jin’an Emperor and the legitimate Imperial Grandson were people who had already “passed away.” He would only send people to investigate openly and secretly.

Looking at Shu now, from the Chief Grand Secretary of the Cabinet at the top to the Ministry of Revenue administrator at the bottom, several important court officials were all gathered here. That Zhu Yushen was deploying troops at this juncture meant something major was happening in the court and government.

Whatever was about to happen, as long as it wasn’t directed at Zhu Nanxian, it had nothing to do with her.

Su Jin returned the confidential letter to Liu Chaoming, said quietly, “Thank you, my lord,” and urgently prepared to rush back to the Yunlai Inn.

Liu Chaoming looked at her departing figure. After a long while, he said flatly: “Do you think you can still leave now?”

The cold voice was carried to her ears by the wind and rain, inexplicably stirring a wave of palpitations.

It probably reminded her of being placed under house arrest in Liu Yun’s study years ago.

“What does my lord mean by this?”

Liu Chaoming didn’t answer.

Imperial Censor Li Qiong at the side bowed with clasped hands and said: “Lord Su, right now, you should be serving your sentence in Ningzhou.”

Although Su Jin knew nothing of the current court situation, having been deeply involved in it before, with Li Qiong’s reminder, she understood completely.

Zhu Yushen wasn’t coming for Zhu Nanxian, but what about others?

Besides a sovereign who commanded heaven and earth, the court also had many ministers with unfathomable intentions.

Her appearing in Shu when she should be serving her sentence in Ningzhou, the Xiaozhaorenzong Emperor who should have “ascended to heaven” still living well—each and every one of these could be used as evidence to condemn Liu Yun to capital punishment. Not to mention that behind Zhu Yushen’s back, he had mobilized the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who should only take orders from the emperor alone.

There was no need for Zhu Yushen to order Zhu Nanxian’s execution. As long as someone wanted to deal with Liu Yun, the most direct method would be to force Zhu Nanxian to reveal his identity, spread the news that the Jin’an Emperor was still alive, then let the Yongji Emperor and his thirteenth younger brother have a proper meeting in the airtight Shu. Then Zhu Yushen would naturally realize that three years ago at the traveling palace, apart from Liu Yun, no one else had the ability to rescue Zhu Nanxian from the raging flames of Minghua Palace.

Who in the court wanted Liu Yun dead?

Su Jin suddenly remembered earlier that evening, that Shu Wenlan who had revealed her identity in front of Zhang Zhengcai and all the Shu officials.

At that time, Shu Wenlan had also said: “This official remembers that when Lord Su left the palace that year, it was Lord Liu who convicted you and personally saw you off in the prison cart. Now that Lord Su appears in Shu, what explanation should there be?”

That’s right—her not going to Ningzhou to serve her sentence was also leverage he could use against Liu Yun.

Thinking of this, Su Jin couldn’t help but ask: “Why is my lord on such bad terms with Shu Yu?”

Liu Chaoming saw that in a single thought she had penetrated the entire situation and pointed out the crux of the matter. His eyes moved slightly. Before he could answer, he heard her take a step back and say: “Shiyu has overstepped.”

Su Jin recalled that when she had asked about the Embroidered Uniform Guard earlier, Liu Chaoming had said, “The various matters here are complex and cannot be explained in a few words. You need not ask.”

She shouldn’t have asked.

The night rain fell softly. For a time, neither spoke, each standing silently in their own spot under the corridor.

After a while, Su Jin said: “My lord, Shiyu takes her leave.”

Her heart was concerned with Zhu Nanxian and Zhu Lin. Since Shu Wenlan had revealed at the Reception Temple tonight that she was Su Shiyu, then over at the Yunlai Inn, would someone force Zhu Nanxian to expose his identity? He was someone who valued relationships deeply—she feared someone would use Shuxiang and Lin’er against him.

Though she had bid farewell, she didn’t leave immediately. She thought intermittently about how Liu Yun was in a difficult situation. Leaving aside how he had protected her and saved Zhu Nanxian, just mobilizing the Embroidered Uniform Guard alone was already a capital crime. Back when she had fought him to the death, she still couldn’t bring herself to strike a fatal blow. Now that time had passed and old grievances were best forgotten, she didn’t hope for anything else—only that he could be safe.

So she paused in her steps and added one more sentence: “Take care, my lord.”

Liu Chaoming looked at Su Jin. What he could hint at, he had already hinted. She was so intelligent—from now on, everything would depend on her own fortune. So he replied: “You as well.”

Before Su Jin had even left the eastern courtyard, the military guard who had been stationed at the courtyard entrance earlier came hurrying over, as if he had urgent matters to report.

He already knew that Su Jin was the former Lord Su. Seeing her, he didn’t avoid her at all and said directly: “Lord Liu, Lord Su, I heard something happened at the Yunlai Inn, and someone even died. Lord Shu has already led people there.”

On the other side, after Zhai Di finished reading the urgent letter, his expression was extremely grim. He stepped forward two paces, first presenting the urgent letter to Zhu Nanxian, saying: “Please review this, Your Majesty.”

The contents of the urgent letter were no different from the one Liu Yun had received earlier. Zhu Yushen had mobilized the main army into Sichuan. Regardless of his purpose, with Shu sealed off, they couldn’t escape even with wings.

Zhu Nanxian sat down at the table. How he fared himself wasn’t important—what mattered was Ayu and Lin’er.

Thinking of this, he looked toward Yun Xi, who was kneeling together with the people from Cuiwei Township. After a moment of silence, he said: “All of you, please rise.”

Who would have thought that upon hearing him speak, these people who had known him in the past would bury their heads even lower, some even beginning to tremble.

Zhu Nanxian had no choice but to give up. He couldn’t very well single out Lin’er alone—that would arouse suspicion for no reason.

Over there, Zhai Di had already ordered people to guard the inn properly and remove Lu Dingze’s corpse. Turning back around, he said in a low voice to Zhu Nanxian: “Your Majesty, may I have a word in private?”

Zhu Nanxian nodded and went with him to a guest room to the side.

Zhai Di was extremely meticulous. He personally checked the doors and windows, then summoned two personal guards to stand watch from the outer room before speaking: “Your Majesty, there’s no time to waste. Your subject has a method that can send you out of Shu.”

Zhu Nanxian thought for a moment and asked: “Are you planning to use the pretext of thoroughly investigating the Cuiwei Township mulberry field case, treating all the townspeople in this inn as witnesses, and ordering soldiers to immediately escort them to the capital for trial?”

Zhai Di said: “Your Majesty is wise. That is precisely your subject’s intention. However, since your subject has now publicly executed Lu Dingze and Your Majesty has already entered Shu, I fear he will demand accountability within the next day or two. There’s no time to waste. Your subject will make arrangements now, and Your Majesty should leave immediately.”

But Zhu Nanxian shook his head: “That won’t do.”

Having no one else to entrust matters to now, only Zhai Qiguang could be fully trusted. So he said: “The townspeople in this inn have all recognized me. If I leave with them, I fear my identity will be exposed halfway. I have no attachments, that would be fine, but… there are three people I must entrust to you. Use this plan to ensure their safety first.”

“Three other people?”

Zhai Di was stunned, inevitably becoming anxious. Right now, whose life could be more important than Zhu Nanxian’s?

If His Majesty didn’t leave today, he would likely face nine deaths and one survival later.

He was about to speak to persuade him when unexpectedly, the personal guard standing watch in the outer room suddenly knocked on the door and said in a low voice: “Lord Zhai, outside the inn, Lord Shu has arrived with his men.”