Fu Lingchuan stared at her, his eyes gleaming with intensity: “What is Changle trying to say?”

“One thought leads to heaven, another to hell,” Feng Miaojun spoke softly, yet each word carried the weight of a thousand pounds. “Elder Cousin has achieved great merit through hard work and possesses superior intelligence. If you could assist at court, New Xia’s prosperity would soon follow. Otherwise—” she sighed lightly, “this bit of sibling affection between us will be gone.”

Changle wanted him to surrender power! Fu Lingchuan gave a cold laugh, his face already showing resentment: “Can’t Changle see the current situation? The real threats to New Xia are the Yan Kingdom, the Hu Yan family, and those treacherous aristocrats in Wusel City! Yet you’re focused on competing with me—aren’t you afraid of opening the door to thieves?”

She sat up straight: “I’ve said all I needed to say. Elder Cousin, please leave.”

Fu Lingchuan stared at her unblinkingly for a long while before standing up and departing with a sweep of his sleeves.

Leaving White Horse Lake, Fu Lingchuan still felt a knot of anger in his chest that he couldn’t dispel.

What was wrong with marrying him? Naturally, they could share power. Yet Changle refused, insisting on opposing him at every turn, constantly fighting for authority. She even resorted to using the power of the aristocratic families!

Those were a pack of ambitious wolves. Without him, they would turn on her in an instant.

Why couldn’t this woman understand?

Fu Lingchuan exhaled heavily, still feeling irritable in the cold night wind.

Before he could board his carriage, the sound of hooves approached from the distance. A rider galloped up, dismounted, and bowed to him, presenting a sealed letter with both hands:

“Sir! This news about the Yu Linlang case—the chief steward instructed me to deliver it immediately.”

Fu Lingchuan had ordered that any clues about the Yu Linlang case, regardless of significance, be brought directly to him for personal review. The fact that his subordinate delivered this to him in person could only mean they had discovered an important lead that couldn’t be delayed even a moment.

He opened the letter, which contained only a few sentences. The handwriting was somewhat distorted, clearly indicating that the person who wrote the intelligence didn’t consider it particularly important:

“Yu Linlang has a preference for men and was involved with a young page. Yu Gengqing berated him severely and beat the page into disability. Fearing for his life, the page fled.”

From the content, Yu Linlang’s sexual orientation seemed to have no connection to the case. But as soon as Fu Lingchuan read it, his expression changed dramatically. His fist clenched tighter and tighter until he finally smashed the carriage shaft beside him with one punch!

Judging by his reaction, this matter seemed even more serious and infuriating to him than Zhao Yun’s conspiracy with the Hu Yan family.

The rider dared not speak, only lowering his head further.

“It was her!” Fu Lingchuan suddenly looked up, veins bulging on his forehead and bloodshot eyes. “The assassination attempt on Yu Linlang was orchestrated by her! She’s trying to move against me!”

Which “he” or “she”? Fu Lingchuan was known for his composure and steadiness; others had never seen him lose control like this or heard him roar in such a manner. Fu Lingchuan’s aura radiated outward, the powerful pressure forcing the rider to step back before asking: “Sir, shall I return to camp and report, to gather troops?”

Fu Lingchuan’s eyes were wide with rage, his glare filled with murderous intent: “Get lost!”

The rider dared not linger and quickly mounted his horse and fled.

Fu Lingchuan remained where he stood, his handsome face now distorted. He took several deep breaths, struggling to calm himself. However, feelings of shock, rage, and despair overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

He had misjudged earlier.

The most likely person behind Yu Linlang’s assassination attempt was Changle!

In recent days, she had frequently summoned Yu Linlang to the palace to paint and even took him to Flying Waterfall Villa, clearly showing him great favor. Yet Yu Linlang preferred men!

Had Changle discovered that Yu Linlang also liked men and, in a fit of anger, ordered his assassination?

With her cunning, she could have other calculations beyond venting her anger: everyone knew of her fondness for Yu Linlang, so no one would suspect her as the true culprit. Instead, wouldn’t he, Fu Lingchuan, consumed by jealousy, seem the more likely suspect in the assassination attempt?

After all, who in the entire royal court didn’t know of State Preceptor Fu’s feelings toward the Queen?

Recalling how Changle had rushed from White Horse Lake to the Yu residence upon learning of the assassination attempt, her face full of concern, Fu Lingchuan felt a chill in his heart.

But what truly cut him to the core was Changle’s betrayal!

Was she so determined to bring him down that she would frame him and set him up? How could she—after all his admiration and protection for her, his unwillingness to move against her!

She had treated his good intentions like dirt!

Yet these suspicions were mere conjecture; he had no concrete evidence and couldn’t confront her—

Most crucially, even with evidence and the ability to confront her, what then? She was the sovereign of a nation—who could punish her?

Fu Lingchuan suddenly turned around. He hadn’t yet departed, and from where he stood, he could see the shimmering waves of White Horse Lake.

She was still there.

Thinking of that woman who could manipulate men with just a slight frown or gentle smile, his eyes slowly turned red.

The kitchen had prepared the sweet soup that Feng Miaojun had specifically requested—sweet potato, red dates, and job’s tears sweet soup. A bowl of this in winter warmed both heart and lungs.

However, she had barely finished half a bowl when a maid entered to report: “State Preceptor has come seeking an audience again.”

He’s back? “Let him in.”

Soon after, Fu Lingchuan followed the maid into the pavilion.

Outside, it was the twelfth lunar month, with freezing temperatures, but at White Horse Lake, the night breeze was mildly cool and refreshing.

“Why has the State Preceptor returned?” Feng Miaojun smiled. “The sweet potatoes are excellent today. Would you like a bowl?”

Fu Lingchuan nodded without hesitation: “Yes.”

Feng Miaojun had only been making a polite gesture and didn’t expect him to accept. She instructed the maid: “Go and bring another bowl.”

As the maid left, Fu Lingchuan said: “Shortly after I departed, evidence of the Hu Yan family’s collusion with Yan arrived. Such an important matter cannot be delayed, so I thought it best to bring it to Your Majesty immediately.” With that, he took out a letter from his robe and handed it over.

Feng Miaojun glanced at him, but it was her attendant who stepped forward to receive it, opening it before his mistress.

Fu Lingchuan slightly lowered his eyes, concealing the cold gleam within them.

The attendant opened the letter and respectfully spread it out for Feng Miaojun to see.

She scanned it at a glance, her delicate eyebrows furrowing tightly: “Yu Linlang prefers men—what connection does this have with the Hu Yan family’s collusion with Yan?”

Fu Lingchuan’s lips curled upward: “None.”

His smile was full of malice, yet his eyes flashed with a cold light. Feng Miaojun suddenly understood and called out loudly “Stop him!” while quickly retreating.

Her movements were nimble and agile, almost reaching the wall in a single step. The space was too confined for maneuvering, and seeing Fu Lingchuan’s sinister smile, she feared he had other plans. Therefore, escaping the pavilion to confront him in an open area seemed most prudent.

Climbing through a window would be cumbersome; her most direct and swift choice was to break through the wall.

However, just as her fingertips were about to touch the wall, her body suddenly froze, and her steps came to an abrupt halt!

This was certainly not of her own volition.

Feng Miaojun was greatly alarmed to find herself unable to continue running. Instead, she slowly stood upright, facing Fu Lingchuan, with her hands lowered.