Sometimes, if Huang Zixia hadn’t appeared, many things might have turned out better. But sometimes, without her, perhaps certain truths would never have come to light.

Huang Zixia had always been in good health, but this time, she finally couldn’t fight it off and fell seriously ill.

Even though she and Wang Yun were betrothed, it wouldn’t have been appropriate for her to stay at his home, especially now that their marriage contract was void—her divorce papers were in Shu territory and obviously couldn’t be returned to him, though Wang Yun didn’t seem to mind.

He settled her in a mansion in Yongchang District, where the servants and maids who cared for her all appeared kind, nodding and smiling when they saw her, though they never spoke.

Seeing her apparent confusion, Wang Yun informed her: “They’re all deaf-mutes, so you needn’t try to speak with them.”

She nodded, wondering to herself which of Wang’s properties this might be.

The Imperial Guards were constantly busy, and after the incident with Prince E, the capital was under martial law. The Imperial Guards maintained an even longer watch over the palace, and when Wang Yun occasionally visited, it was only for brief moments before he had to leave again. She recuperated in the mansion until that snowfall had completely melted away and the weather improved considerably. Only then did she feel she could withstand the wind without getting chilled, and could wrap herself in thick clothes to go for a walk.

Walking from the courtyard toward the garden, along the small garden’s corridor walls, large blue bricks had been carved hollow, with thin crystal panels sealed on both sides containing water and various small fish. She walked slowly through the corridor, with verdant osmanthus trees on her left and fish swaying and swimming in the walls on her right—beautiful, yet extremely peculiar.

She suddenly realized what this place must be—it had to be the mansion that Wang Zongshi had arranged.

As she stood staring at a lonely fish trapped within the crystal walls, a smiling voice behind her asked, “Is it beautiful?”

She turned to see Wang Yun standing in the soft sunlight, watching her with a gentle smile on his lips.

She nodded at him, showing a faint smile.

Seeing her pale complexion and still-poor condition, he came over to adjust her cloak, bending down to tell her, “The wind is strong here. Let’s find a sheltered spot to enjoy the sunshine.”

She nodded silently and walked with Wang Yun along the winding corridor, casually asking, “Is this Lord Wang’s mansion?”

Wang Yun nodded, saying, “He now lives near Jianbi Palace, closer to the Divine Strategy Army’s station. This place has been empty since then, and he suggested I bring you here to stay temporarily.”

She asked in a naturally light tone, “What exactly is the relationship between Lord Wang and you?”

Wang Yun paused briefly before explaining, “He’s from a branch of the Wang family. After that lineage’s ancestors relocated, that branch was almost destroyed by warfare. He was captured and castrated, then sent to the palace as a eunuch, later gaining the former emperor’s trust and managing the Divine Strategy Army’s affairs.”

The Wang family of Langya had always maintained their noble dignity, and since Wang Zongshi was now a eunuch, it naturally wouldn’t have been appropriate to acknowledge his ancestral ties. Though the Wang family’s talent had declined over the years, they still maintained a position in court, thanks not only to Empress Wang but also to Wang Zongshi’s contributions. Yet they never mentioned this, and no one at court knew that the most powerful eunuch came from the Langya Wang family.

Huang Zixia said softly, “This is a Wang family secret. You didn’t have to tell me.”

“Since you asked, you should have known I would tell you,” he smiled at her, his eyes full of indulgent affection, “Besides, you’re also part of the Wang family, so you should know.”

She felt somewhat guilty, bit her lip, and gently turned her head away.

The Wang family’s servants were very astute, having already set up chairs and placed hand warmers near the red winter cherries growing at the corridor’s end. The winter cherries had already fruited, becoming even more brilliant after the frost and snow, with white snow dots hidden among the green leaves and red fruits, making even the cold winter seem lovely.

Wang Yun wrapped the gilt hand warmer in brocade and placed it in her arms, saying softly, “Put your hands in to keep warm. You mustn’t catch a cold again.”

She nodded, placing her hands within the brocade.

The sunlight was warm on her body, and after basking for a while, she felt drowsy.

Wang Yun chatted with her intermittently, mostly about the garden’s flowers and plants. She later asked, “Don’t you need to report for duty today?”

Only then did he say, “Lord Wang said he would come to visit the patient later. I worried you might feel uncomfortable meeting him alone.”

Huang Zixia closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, saying, “Not at all, Lord Wang is very kind.”

Wang Yun just smiled, and seeing her apparent fatigue, stood up saying, “Let’s go see if he has arrived.”

They waited in the inner hall for a short while before seeing Wang Zongshi arrive, led by servants.

The bright sunlight from outside shone on him, blindingly bright, making Wang Zongshi appear even more pale and cold, with a sickly, immaculate appearance.

He entered and merely raised his hand to indicate they should be at ease while turning to gesture to a handsome young eunuch behind him to bring something forward.

“I heard from Yun that you like cherry desserts, so I had these specially made. Please try them and see if they taste good?”

Wang Zongshi spoke methodically, personally dividing the desserts onto plates and bringing them to her. Yet despite such kind gestures, there remained a chilling sensation. Huang Zixia dared not meet his gaze, only lowering her head to say, “At this time of year, having cherries is truly unexpected.”

Wang Yun smiled and said, “They’re grown by the hot springs at Mount Li, using black gauze screens and lanterns to regulate day and night. The cherry trees think spring has arrived and mistakenly bloom and fruit. Cherries don’t keep well, and after rushing them here by fast horse, accounting for losses along the way, there aren’t many that can be eaten.”

Huang Zixia exclaimed in surprise, “This is even more precious than Yang Guifei’s lychees were.”

Wang Yun nodded: “The best lychees come from Luzhou in Shu territory. Next May, we can go there together. I hear the lychee trees are beautiful when bearing fruit.”

“Yes, the green leaves and red fruits hang like strings of jewels, making one reluctant to pick them.”

“You’ve been to Luzhou?”

Huang Zixia nodded slightly, saying softly, “There was once a case that happened in a lychee garden.”

Wang Zongshi, listening to their conversation, asked, “Miss Huang, how many cases have you handled to date?”

She thought for a moment, then shook her head saying, “Too many to count.”

Wang Zongshi narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at her: “But I think, among all your cases, besides the one involving your family that left the deepest impression, there must have been one that was the most dangerous.”

Huang Zixia pondered briefly, then nodded: “Yes. The case of Wang Ruo’s disappearance.”

That case involved Empress Wang, the Prince of Kui’s mansion, and the Langya Wang family—various forces were intricately entangled, and if they hadn’t been caught up in their power struggles, she would no longer be alive.

“It wasn’t just good luck, but good judgment. Though you weren’t deeply involved in politics, your instincts were very keen. Most importantly, you have an ability that even the Prince of Kui can’t match. Though he can instantly memorize all complex clues, you can quickly find the most crucial point among them, trace it to its source, and win with a single move,” Wang Zongshi’s voice was very slow, still that icy cold tone, unhurried, detached yet somewhat vague. “When I learned from Yun’s father that you had exposed our decades-long scheme in one stroke, yet emerged unscathed, I knew you were a useful talent. Not because of your deductive abilities, but because of your ability to leverage situations and maintain balance. You maintained the equilibrium using the emperor’s subtle feelings for Empress Wang while standing at the center of this balancing act, completely unharmed—this was partly due to the Prince of Kui’s help, but most importantly, it was your instinct and sensitivity. Even I couldn’t have done this at your age.”

Huang Zixia pressed her lips together in silence for a moment, then finally looked up with a forced smile and said, “Lord Wang overpraises me. Actually, at that time I had lost all my family and felt dead inside, so I didn’t fear death and acted recklessly. I was just stumbling around blindly, and surviving was pure luck.”

“In officialdom, having luck is also a kind of ability. Although you offended our Wang family, when I learned you were Yun’s betrothed Huang Zixia, I still felt that for today’s Wang family, meeting you was also a kind of luck,” Wang Zongshi’s lips showed a faint smile as he slowly said, “When Yun was heading to Shu territory, I told him that if he couldn’t have you, he should destroy you…”

Wang Zongshi’s gaze turned to Wang Yun, who nodded and hesitantly said: “But in the end, I couldn’t oppose you or harm you.”

Countless shadowy memories flitted through Huang Zixia’s mind as she thought of all their past interactions, knowing his words were true, feeling both moved and saddened. After a long while, she managed to say: “I know… I’ve always been grateful for Young Master Wang’s care.”

Wang Yun shook his head with a smile: “Why speak so formally?”

He paused, then asked: “Do you still want to get involved in Prince E’s case?”

Huang Zixia lowered her head silently, saying: “The Prince of Kui previously helped clear my family’s unjust charges. Though I’m no longer by his side, I still owe him a debt of gratitude, and if there’s an opportunity, I should try my best to repay it.”

Wang Zongshi smiled without speaking.

Wang Yun then said: “His Majesty has put Lord Wang in charge of this matter. You still need to recover, but once you’re better, Lord Wang will need your help.”

Wang Zongshi finally nodded slowly, saying: “Indeed. This case is extremely important, and His Majesty is paying close attention. However, I’m not skilled at deduction and investigation, so I’ll entrust everything to you. Tomorrow I’ll speak with the Three Judicial Offices to officially put you in charge of this case.”

She nodded slightly, looking down at the crystal-clear red cherries in the cup, which seemed to mirror the two red beans on her wrist, causing her to unconsciously withdraw her wrist, quietly hiding those two red beans in her sleeve.

In her heart, countless dark clouds swirled hazily, and an inexplicable bitterness finally overwhelmed her until she could barely breathe, her throat choked with emotion.

Wang Zongshi coldly observed her expression and said: “Miss Huang might feel lonely living here alone, and young ladies usually like small trinkets, so I’ve specially prepared a small gift for you.”

True to his love of fish, Wang Zongshi gave her two redfish, kept in a crystal-clear glass bottle, swaying with gossamer-like tails—they were a pair of Agashni.

“These fish are extremely difficult to breed. No one knows how to hatch their eggs, so they’re very rare in the world. But I learned the secret method from a high monk from Tianzhu and bred a batch,” he said as he handed her the crystal bottle, then continued, “The good thing about Agashni is their strong vitality. As long as they stay in water and are fed regularly, they can live over a hundred years. You can keep them as pets, but since the eggs are precious and you don’t know the method, when they lay eggs, please let me know and I’ll come collect them personally.”

Huang Zixia accepted the crystal bottle, stood up to thank him, and said: “You truly are a lover of fish, my lord.”

Wang Zongshi watched the two small fish swimming in the bottle and said slowly: “I hope in my next life, I can be like a fish—unknowing, unfeeling, without memory or recollection, living out a life in shallow waters.”

Huang Zixia was young after all, with a good constitution, so even though she had caught a serious chill, she recovered in just a few days.

Although Wang Zongshi had given her two small fish, Huang Zixia didn’t particularly like fish, and the thought of spending all day indoors staring at them was unimaginable. Wang Yun was too busy to spare much time, and his visits to Huang Zixia were always hurried, making it impossible for him to take her out.

Fortunately, with Wang Zongshi’s message, she had now examined various documents at the Three Judicial Offices, but all the testimonies and descriptions from those present matched what she had seen that night, showing no new developments.

The only consolation was that the Three Judicial Offices still dared not move against the Prince of Kui. Though the case showed no progress, the Prince’s situation remained stable. However, he had now declined all official duties, living in seclusion and ignoring the outside world’s tumult, while the court didn’t know how to handle this matter, still deliberating, the situation at an impasse.

One day, returning from the Court of Judicial Review, Huang Zixia, dressed in men’s clothing, walked slowly back to Yongchang District along the familiar Chang’an streets.

With the New Year approaching, both the East and West Markets were crowded with people. Rumors had already spread throughout Chang’an, making the atmosphere in all districts heavy and oppressive, with everyone discussing this matter.

She entered a roadside tea stall for a drink, hearing countless people describing the tragedy of how the Prince of Kui had driven Prince E to his death. Some embellished the story, some caught in shadows, but everyone said it seemed the Prince of Kui was truly possessed by Pang Xun, ready to overthrow the Li Tang dynasty.

Someone mysteriously said: “In my view, the Prince of Kui must truly be bewitched by spirits. Otherwise, why would Prince E sacrifice his life to expose him?”

Others argued passionately: “The Prince of Kui must be wrongly accused! All these years, whether in Xuzhou, Nanzhao, or Longyou, hasn’t he always fought for the Li Tang dynasty?”

Some claimed inside knowledge: “There’s more to this story, but I dare not say it, even the court dares not speak of it. Do you know the most important point about this incident? Of course, it’s that—when Prince E jumped from the tower, he vanished in mid-air!”

Thus, surrounding the mystery of Prince E’s disappearance, people began arguing about whether it was the former emperor or the founding emperor showing divine presence, whether it was corpse liberation or ascension, whether he had joined the immortals or achieved bodily Buddha-hood…

Seeing the group about to come to blows in their heated argument, Huang Zixia paid her bill and left the tea stall.

Though the weather was cold, many people were shopping for New Year’s goods, making the West Market bustling and prosperous. As she walked, stopping occasionally, she passed by the Yi family’s mounting shop and looked inside. The old man whose painting had been ruined by Zhou Ziqin was still dozing, showing no signs of anything unusual.

Thinking the painting might have been restored, Huang Zixia was about to step in to inquire when someone jumped out and slapped her shoulder: “Chonggu! I’ve finally found you!”

On such a cold day, only Zhou Ziqin could be so energetic and bouncing around.

Huang Zixia turned to look at him, barely believing it: “Ziqin, how is it you’re wandering about every day?”

Chang’an was so large, yet somehow she kept running into him every few days.

Zhou Ziqin smiled proudly: “Of course, it’s because I’m prophetically brilliant! Ah, I went to the prince’s mansion to find you a few days ago but heard you’d left. I didn’t know where to look for you. Then I thought you might come to check if Zhang Ziqian’s painting could be restored, so I’ve been waiting here for several days. It was killing me with boredom, but I finally caught you!”

Huang Zixia smiled wryly: “What a coincidence.” In truth, she had only wandered here by chance. While Zhou Ziqin was still basking in his self-congratulatory prophetic abilities, Huang Zixia asked: “Is the painting fixed?”

“Yes, a few days ago when people from Prince Zhao’s mansion came to collect it, I saw it—there wasn’t a trace of damage, and it looked completely new!”

“How long did it take?”

“Three or four days… I saw old man Yi bring it out on the fourth afternoon.”

“Oh…” she responded, turning to continue walking forward.

Three or four days—it would have been impossible for anyone to dare take the talisman from under the Prince of Kui’s nose and risk-taking so many days to alter the markings on it.

Not far ahead was the Lu family’s incense and candle shop.

She looked up ahead and suddenly saw a familiar figure standing under a tree opposite the Lu candle shop.

Dicui.

She wore a veiled hat, standing under the tree, secretly glancing inside several times, then turned to walk slowly along the wall.

Huang Zixia suddenly remembered seeing Dicui here before. At that time, she thought she had glimpsed someone who looked similar and mistaken them for someone else. But now, she recognized her—even with the veiled hat hiding her face, that figure was unmistakably Dicui.

Zhou Ziqin’s eyes widened, and he whispered in her ear: “Don’t you think… that girl’s figure looks a bit like…”

Before he could finish, Huang Zixia had already quickened her pace to follow.

Dicui also knew she should hide her movements, so she kept walking, heading toward the small alley. When she reached an empty alley entrance, with her in the middle of the alley and Huang Zixia at its mouth, Huang Zixia called out softly: “Miss Lu.”

She trembled, suddenly startled, and ran wildly toward the far end of the alley.

Huang Zixia quickly gave chase, saying: “Don’t panic, I’m Yang Chonggu, the young eunuch from the Prince of Kui’s mansion. Do you remember me?”

Zhou Ziqin also shouted: “Yes, yes, I’m Zhou Ziqin! Zhang Er-ge’s good friend, don’t be afraid!”

Though Dicui heard them, she only hesitated slightly before desperately running forward again.

Huang Zixia, barely recovered from her illness, became short of breath after chasing a few steps, her chest burning with pain, and had to stop, leaning against the wall.

Zhou Ziqin was about to continue the chase, but seeing her clutching her chest and breathing heavily, her face pale and sickly, he worried about her health and quickly stopped to wait by her side.

Dicui, who had reached the end of the alley, saw them stop and slowed her pace, looking back. Seeing they weren’t pursuing anymore, she hesitated for a moment, then suddenly crouched down, picked up a branch from the ground, drew something forcefully on the wall, then turned and ran.

Huang Zixia called out “Miss Lu” in vain, but she didn’t look back again.

Huang Zixia leaned against the stone wall, catching her breath for a while, then slowly made her way forward, supporting herself against the wall.

Zhou Ziqin had already run to where Dicui had drawn, studying what was there. She slowly walked to the alley’s end and looked at the wall.

On the yellow mud wall, the branch had scratched out a whitish mark.

It was a character, “North.” In the lower-left corner of the “North” character, there was a “∟” symbol, which enclosed the left and bottom of the “North” character, leaving the top and right sides exposed.

“What does it mean, this ‘North’ character half-enclosed?” Zhou Ziqin scratched his head and asked.

Huang Zixia looked at it, picked up a branch, and scratched it until it was unrecognizable, almost scraping off a layer of yellow mud, making the original mark completely indiscernible.

Zhou Ziqin turned to ask her: “Chonggu, do you know?”

She said quietly: “Remember? Dicui came from a humble family and probably doesn’t know many characters.”

Zhou Ziqin was confused: “She doesn’t know characters? But… but didn’t she just write the character for ‘North’?”

Huang Zixia just kept walking forward, as if she hadn’t heard.

Zhou Ziqin grew anxious, and quickly ran to grab her sleeve, saying: “No matter what she wrote, such an important matter, we should hurry to tell Zhang Er-ge’s family! Let’s go, let’s go!”

Huang Zixia looked at him and asked: “Do we need to tell them?”

“How can we not tell them! Zhang Er-ge has been searching for her, if we don’t tell him, how can we call ourselves friends? No! Even if we weren’t friends, any passerby should tell him!”

Seeing him so agitated he was almost jumping, Huang Zixia could only say: “Alright, let’s go.”

Surprisingly, Zhang Xingying was at home today.

When he opened the door and saw them, he was both surprised and delighted, asking: “Miss Huang, why have you come to find me? Why… why aren’t you at the prince’s mansion anymore?”

“Oh… I have some matters to attend to,” she answered vaguely, “But you, why aren’t you by the prince’s side today?”

“The prince has been staying in his mansion lately. He told us that since there’s nothing urgent, those who have families in the capital can go home to visit occasionally.”

“Oh.” Huang Zixia and Zhou Ziqin followed him into the courtyard. Looking at the cleanly swept ground and the still pristine water channels, she changed the subject: “Your home is still kept so well.”

Zhang Xingying casually replied: “Yes, it’s good to keep the home clean.”

Huang Zixia asked: “With your father unwell, and your brother and sister-in-law at the candle shop, did you clean this?”

Zhang Xingying opened his mouth, then said: “Yes, yes…”

Huang Zixia looked inside the house and asked softly: “How is your father’s health?”

“He’s alright. Though it can’t be completely cured, after being cared for so long, it looks like he should be getting better.” Zhang Xingying’s face finally showed a cheerful expression.

“That’s good then, elderly people’s health needs to be carefully looked after.” Huang Zixia sat down under the grape trellis in the courtyard. The leafless grape vines left only a few twisted branches entangled on the bamboo frame.

Zhou Ziqin grabbed Zhang Xingying’s hand and asked in a low voice: “Do you know? I just saw Dicui in the West Market.”

Zhang Xingying was stunned, standing there for a long while before hurriedly closing the door and stammering: “Miss Huang and you… you saw Dicui?”

Zhou Ziqin nodded vigorously, saying: “She might have worried we would reveal her whereabouts, so she ran away as soon as she saw us.”

Zhang Xingying stared in astonishment, and after a long while slowly sat down and asked quietly: “So you… you don’t know where she is either?”

“But she should be in Chang’an. I’ve seen her twice in the West Market now,” Huang Zixia said.

Zhang Xingying quickly said: “Then I, I’ll go look for her.”

Zhou Ziqin anxiously said: “She’s still someone the emperor wants to punish, you must be careful. Even the Prince of Kui can’t easily protect you now.”

Zhang Xingying’s face stiffened, and he could only nod repeatedly, saying: “I understand, I’ll go look for her…”

After leaving Zhang Xingying’s house, Huang Zixia and Zhou Ziqin said goodbye at the intersection.

Zhou Ziqin hurriedly asked: “So where are you living now? Where should I go if I want to find you?”

Huang Zixia thought for a moment, and finally had to be honest: “I’m living in Yongchang District, in a place Wang Yun found for me.”

“Wang Yun?” Zhou Ziqin first blinked, then sighed in relief and excitedly said, “See? I knew Wang Yun couldn’t possibly break off the engagement. After all, you’re still betrothed.”

Huang Zixia smiled wryly, nodded randomly, and said: “If you need anything, come find me at the Wang residence by the fourth well in the district.”

After parting with Zhou Ziqin, she headed alone toward Yongchang District. But upon reaching the district gate, she hesitated for a moment, then circled and walked toward the Daming Palace.

Wang Yun was at the Daming Palace gate today, and after making his rounds, he was about to return to his post when he saw Huang Zixia approaching.

He dismounted and walked toward her, smiling: “You look much better today. Have you found anything in the various departments lately? Remember to bring someone with you next time when you go out.”

“With you all here, Chang’an is naturally secure, why would I need to bring anyone?” she said.

Seeing people craning their necks behind him, Wang Yun gestured for her to move aside with him and asked: “What is it?”

She was somewhat surprised: “How did you know I had something to ask you?”

“You wouldn’t seek me out without a reason,” he said, a flash of dimness passing through his eyes, but he quickly smiled again, “Come, tell me.”

In Huang Zixia’s heart, his smile caused a faint trace of guilt to surface. But she immediately bit her lip and asked: “Has His Majesty… given any instructions lately regarding Princess Tongchang’s case?”

Wang Yun pondered: “Since Princess Tongchang was entombed, the palace has avoided mentioning it to comfort His Majesty’s heart. His Majesty should be recovering by now.”

“Hmm…” Huang Zixia appeared thoughtful, then asked, “Has His Majesty mentioned anything about the murderer’s daughter?”

“No, he hasn’t. But there are imperial orders, so the authorities should still be pursuing the arrest.”

Huang Zixia nodded silently. Seeing her expression, Wang Yun lowered his voice and asked: “Have you seen Lu Dicui?”

“I’m not certain yet. But if you’re patrolling the streets, could you keep an eye out?”

“Alright.” He gave just this brief answer without any doubt.

Huang Zixia looked at him gratefully, saying softly: “Thank you.”

“Why so formal?” he looked down at her, his eyes full of warmth.

Huang Zixia felt incredibly guilty and could only lower her head, bid him farewell, and quietly turn to leave.

Sometimes things are strange like that. Huang Zixia could see Dicui twice near the candle shop, while Wang Yun, Zhang Xingying, and Zhou Ziqin could search all over the capital without finding any trace of her.

“Let’s stop searching then. Finding her might not even be good news, it might just bring trouble,” Wang Yun came to tell her a few days later.

Huang Zixia nodded, and seeing water droplets in his temple hair, asked: “Is it raining outside?”

“A light snow melted in my hair,” he casually brushed it away.

Huang Zixia looked at the barely visible snowflakes outside and stoked the brazier fire, saying: “In weather like this, why make a special trip just to tell me this?”

“Because I wanted to see you,” he smiled, his gaze falling on her, studying her for a long while before saying softly, “There’s no progress in Prince E’s case either. You’re running back and forth between various offices, I worry you’re working too hard. Remember to rest.”

Under his gaze, Huang Zixia felt somewhat embarrassed and could only turn her eyes aside to look at the pair of Agashni in the crystal bottle, saying: “It’s fine, sometimes I watch the little fish Lord Wang gave me.”

“You’re not spending all day feeding the fish when you’re free, are you? Let me see if they’ve gotten fat.” He smiled, lifting the crystal bottle to examine it. Then he turned to look at her: “This is terrible, both the fish and you are so thin, is it because of the bad weather and constant snow?”

Huang Zixia couldn’t help but smile, saying: “The snowflakes say, how unfair, since when am I responsible for fish not growing?”

He smiled looking at the small fish in his hand, then smiled looking at her. Seeing the lingering smile on her face, her bright eyes, slightly curved eyebrows, and upturned lips, he felt a gentle sweetness rise in his heart.

He gently placed the bottle on the table and called her softly: “Zixia…”

Huang Zixia raised an eyebrow to look at him.

But he didn’t know what he wanted to say to her, as if he just wanted to call her name as if he just wanted to see how she looked when she turned her gaze to him.

After a long while, he said somewhat awkwardly: “Actually, I didn’t come to talk about Lu Dicui.”

“Oh?” Huang Zixia was slightly surprised.

“The Empress wants to see you.”

Huang Zixia was immediately startled and asked: “Her Majesty wants to see me? What are her instructions?”

“That, I don’t know. The female official Changling came to relay the message. The Empress asked me to bring you to see her.”

In the fine mixture of rain and snow, Huang Zixia followed the palace maid up the steps of Penglai Hall in the Daming Palace.

Empress Wang sat before a screen carved with immortal mountains and pavilions, wearing a sunset purple robe threaded with gold, radiantly magnificent. In all the world, only she could do justice to such resplendent gold and purple colors.

After everyone else withdrew, the vast hall was left with just the two of them, feeling empty and desolate. Huang Zixia saw the wisps of incense rising from the gilt bronze censer, making the hall seem hazy and dreamlike, with Empress Wang’s face appearing as if through clouds, making it difficult to see clearly.

She heard Empress Wang’s voice, flat and without emotion: “Huang Zixia, congratulations on clearing your name and avenging your family.”

Huang Zixia bowed her head: “Thank you for Your Majesty’s attention.”

“I hear that during your time in Shu, you also solved a case involving a courtesan from Yangzhou?”

Huang Zixia’s voice remained steady as she replied: “Yes. A dance instructor from Yunshao Garden in Yangzhou, named Fu Xinruan, died at the hands of her lover Qi Teng after going to Shu. Her sisters Gong Sun Yuan and Yin Luyi conspired to kill Qi Teng in revenge. Now, thanks to Lan Dai’s mediation, they should have kept their lives and been exiled to the Western Frontier.”

“What a pity… These sisters shared such a deep bond, they could have lived normally after their revenge, and everyone could have been at peace, yet you had to wade into these troubled waters.” Empress Wang’s voice took on a hint of ice.

Huang Zixia kept her head lowered, but her slender waist remained perfectly straight as she said calmly: “Between law and human feelings, the law comes first, feelings second. If there are grievances, the courts and officials will handle them. Why should anyone take the law into their own hands?”

Empress Wang stared at her for a long time, slowly stood up, and stepped down from her sandalwood couch.

She stopped in front of Huang Zixia and stared at her for a while. Huang Zixia thought she would be scolded, but unexpectedly, the Empress gave a slight smile and said: “That’s only if they’re lucky enough to meet you, isn’t that right? If you hadn’t gone to Shu this time, do you think anyone would have sought justice for Fu Xinruan’s death? And who could have solved the case of Gong Sun Yuan and Yin Luyi’s joint revenge?”

Huang Zixia said softly: “Heaven’s principles are clear; there is natural justice.”

“Sometimes, I think if you hadn’t appeared, many things might have turned out better,” Empress Wang circled her once, then continued slowly, “But sometimes, without you, perhaps certain truths would never have come to light. And I—happen to need truth right now.”

Huang Zixia bowed deeply to her, silently waiting for her next words.

Empress Wang looked directly at her and said slowly: “At least you once helped me preserve a skull, allowing that poor child to have a complete body.”

Empress Wang’s voice seemed to tremble slightly. Looking up, Huang Zixia saw a faint mist of tears in those distant eyes, though, on her calm face, it seemed almost like an illusion.

Before she could be certain, Empress Wang had already turned her face away: “Speaking of which, you’re most skilled at solving various mysterious cases, and currently, the most sensational mystery in the capital must be Prince E’s suicide, isn’t it?”

Huang Zixia nodded, saying: “Yes… the strange aspects of this case are difficult to grasp.”

“Although everyone in the capital is discussing it, I think perhaps, besides Prince E himself, you might be the only one who knows the truth. After all, now that Lord Wang has taken on this hot potato, he needs to give His Majesty an explanation.” As Empress Wang spoke, she slowly walked to the side. Huang Zixia, unclear about her meaning, hesitated for a moment, and seeing her walking forward without speaking, quickly followed.

After leaving through the back door of Penglai Hall, there was a narrow path winding forward. Changling was waiting at the door, handing one umbrella to her and opening another to shield the Empress.

Empress Wang didn’t even look at Huang Zixia, just lifted her skirt and walked forward. Huang Zixia noticed she wore silver-decorated boots below, realizing she had prepared in advance to take her outside. Fortunately, when she entered the palace today, she had also worn short boots, so she didn’t fear the rain.

The blue stone path was scattered with one or two fallen leaves. In the palace garden, with its mixture of rain and snow, the cold and moisture had driven everyone indoors, leaving the path completely quiet and empty. Huang Zixia followed Empress Wang, continuing forward.

Until steps appeared ahead, and Empress Wang climbed up. She raised her head to look at the magnificent palace before her, only to realize it was the Zichen Hall. Everyone said that entering Zichen Hall required passing through the east and west gallery doors of the front Xuanzheng Hall, which was why entering Zichen Hall was called “entering the gallery,” but she hadn’t known there was such a secret path from behind Penglai Hall.

When Empress Wang led Huang Zixia to the inner hall’s entrance, Changling put away the umbrella and stopped. Without even glancing at Huang Zixia, Empress Wang walked through a small door. Following her in, Huang Zixia discovered it was a compartment with carved flowers on all four walls, very simply furnished with just a small couch and a small table in front of it, holding writing implements.

Empress Wang sat on the couch, casually reclining on it.

Seeing no other furnishings in the room, Huang Zixia could only stand quietly to the side, and seeing Empress Wang silent, she remained composed.

Suddenly, from the other side of the compartment came the sound of light footsteps, followed by Xu Fenghan’s voice: “Your Majesty, the Prince of Kui has arrived.”

The voice was so close, it seemed almost at her ear. Huang Zixia was startled and turned to look around, only to realize the voice came from next door.

The Emperor’s voice came from the side: “Let him in.”

She quietly walked to the carved flower wall of the compartment and discovered that between the carved flowers was a layer of thick, opaque brocade. It seemed that between the compartment and the Emperor’s main hall, there was only one layer of brocade and two layers of carved flowers, with no other barriers, which explained why the sound carried so clearly.

Huang Zixia thought to herself, people said the Emperor was weak in character and poor in health, with most court matters decided by Empress Wang, and it seemed the Emperor had directly authorized her to come here and listen to political affairs at any time—but after Empress Wang had been demoted to Taiji Palace and then returned, the Emperor must have become wary of her, and now this chamber probably Just as she was thinking this, that most familiar voice came from outside, clear and pure: “Your humble brother pays his respects to Your Majesty.”

After not hearing his voice for many days, it suddenly felt like a lifetime ago, leaving her momentarily stunned.

Empress Wang gave her a meaningful glance, then reclined on the couch and closed her eyes to rest.

The voices of the Emperor and Li Shubai carried clearly from next door. Being brothers, they first exchanged some family pleasantries before the Emperor asked: “Seventh Brother’s situation… are there any leads now?”

Li Shubai paused silently for a moment before saying: “Your Majesty has sent Wang Zongshi to investigate this matter, and he has come to question me as well. But I truly have no clue about this, so I couldn’t provide him with any useful information.”

“Hmm…” the Emperor pondered for a moment, then asked, “Now the capital is buzzing with rumors, all very unfavorable to you. Has Wang Zongshi’s investigation revealed any countermeasures?”

Li Shubai said: “Lord Wang has asked me to hand over the Shenwei and Shenwu armies, to silence the endless gossip throughout the realm.”

At these words, the Emperor was momentarily speechless, and the atmosphere grew awkward.

Huang Zixia felt her palms growing damp with sweat. She pressed her head against the carved flower partition wall, thinking that this must have been the Emperor’s instruction, but now Li Shubai was framing it as Wang Zongshi acting on his authority. She wondered whether the Emperor would reveal his true intentions now and whether the Prince of Kui already had a way to extricate himself.

But then she thought, why should she worry about someone as meticulous and calculating as Li Shubai?

Sure enough, the Emperor eventually laughed it off, saying: “Such minor matters, you can discuss them with Wang Zongshi. I won’t trouble myself with them.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Li Shubai said, then after a brief silence continued, “Though I’ve declined many court duties and feel unburdened, I’m still deeply concerned about Seventh Brother’s case. Although Wang Zongshi is Your Majesty’s trusted inner minister, he has never held any judicial positions before. Perhaps it’s not quite appropriate for Your Majesty to put him in charge of this case?”

“I know that for such matters, your former young eunuch Yang Chonggu would have been most suitable,” the Emperor sighed, “But it can’t be helped, he was after all your man, so we must avoid suspicion. Furthermore, the Court of Judicial Review and the Capital Prefecture are both closely connected to you, and no court official dares to make recommendations; the Minister of Justice is Wang Lin, and though I can’t openly deal with him because of his previous involvement with the Empress, he’s already preparing to retire; those old fellows at the Censorate only know how to argue, and are at a loss when faced with such matters. After much thought, I couldn’t find a single reliable candidate among the court officials, so I could only choose Wang Zongshi, who has had little interaction with you. Besides, he’s a palace eunuch, which implies this is a family matter.”

“This is excellent, thank you for Your Majesty’s consideration,” Li Shubai, seeing how much he had explained, understood that the Emperor wouldn’t change his mind, so he dropped the subject and changed topics, “Has Lord Wang sent people to investigate Seventh Brother’s residence?”

“Probably. Recently my mind has been troubled by this matter, my headaches have flared up, and I haven’t had the energy to inquire about it,” the Emperor said, sighing again, “Among my brothers, I valued only you, Seventh Brother, and Ninth Brother the most. Now Seventh Brother has also… ah, why did he take his own life, and why did he say such shocking things before his death, describing you, Fourth Brother, in such a way…”

Li Shubai said quietly: “I believe there must be more to this matter, we just don’t know it yet.”

“I believe that given time, the truth will come to light. I haven’t misjudged you, and I only hope that when the time comes, everyone will understand Fourth Brother’s true heart.”

Li Shubai lowered his eyes to the golden bricks on the floor, only able to say: “Your brother thanks Your Majesty for your trust.”

“However, I still have some concerns. Fourth Brother, the Shenwu and Shenwei troops have been guarding the capital for three years now, and by custom should be rotated. Back then, the Xuzhou troops mutinied due to homesickness from extended deployment, and now you can’t personally handle this—perhaps we should find someone else to properly manage this matter?”

After all the circuitous talk, today’s main act had finally begun. Huang Zixia, in the next room, knew that the Emperor had summoned Li Shubai today primarily to discuss this matter. Now that it had been clearly stated, how could Li Shubai refuse, no matter how reluctant he might be?

Huang Zixia unconsciously gripped the carved partition, feeling the sweat in her palms turning cold.

Li Shubai’s voice came through, measured and unhurried: “Since Your Majesty thinks of the stability of the realm’s people, how dare your brother disobey?”

The Emperor’s previously restrained voice suddenly rose slightly, revealing barely contained excitement: “Fourth Brother, you truly agree?”

“Yes, I naturally dare not disobey Your Majesty’s words,” Li Shubai rose and bowed to the Emperor, “But your brother has an unreasonable request.”

“Please speak freely, Fourth Brother.” The Emperor, seeing him bow, stood up and raised his hand to excuse the formality.

Li Shubai looked up at him and said: “The Shenwu Army and others were rebuilt under your brother’s command by Your Majesty’s order. Changing commanders now only requires Your Majesty’s word. However, your brother has faced two assassination attempts in Shu, and even here in the capital, I sense tigers lurking nearby and cannot feel at ease. I request Your Majesty allow your brother to delay this matter for several months. I will pacify the troops myself, and once everything is calm, then proceed with the transfers. What does Your Majesty think?”

The Emperor’s expression changed slightly, and just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt ill in his chest, and his previously standing body collapsed back into the chair.

Li Shubai reacted extremely quickly, seeing him tilt and about to fall outside the chair, he stepped forward in one motion to support him. The Emperor’s breathing was rapid, his body trembling, and his face pale, with cold sweat visibly breaking out on his forehead.

Xu Fenghan, standing nearby, quickly came forward, took a medicinal pill from a nearby drawer, dissolved it in water, and helped the Emperor drink it.

After the Emperor leaned in the chair holding his head, steadying his breath, Li Shubai slightly furrowed his brow and asked Xu Fenghan quietly: “His Majesty’s headache seems worse than before?”

Xu Fenghan lowered his head and sighed, saying: “The imperial physicians are all watching carefully, and we’ve sought countless famous doctors from outside the palace, but we just haven’t found anyone who can work miracles.”

Li Shubai asked: “How frequent are the attacks now? How often do they occur?”

Before Xu Fenghan could answer, the Emperor said: “Nothing can be done, it’s just an old ailment. This headache… even Emperor Wei Wu had it, and despite all his talent and ability in both civil and military matters, ruling such a vast empire… who could cure him?”

Seeing him speaking with a trembling voice despite his efforts to endure, Li Shubai couldn’t help saying: “Your Majesty must take care of yourself. I think in such a vast realm, there must be skilled physicians like Hua Tuo with miraculous cures. If Your Majesty would just give the order, we could seek out doctors specializing in headaches from all prefectures to come to diagnose together, surely we could find the right treatment.”

The Emperor clutched his head, groaning incessantly. After a long while, he finally said haltingly: “Enough, you may go now.”

Huang Zixia turned to look at Empress Wang but saw her still motionless on the couch, eyes narrowed looking out the window, her expression extremely calm, lost in thought. When she sensed Li Shubai had withdrawn, Empress Wang stood up, pushed open the partition door, and suddenly transformed into a different person, stumbling as she hurried to the Emperor’s side, embracing him with tears in her eyes as she cried out: “Your Majesty, are you feeling any better?”

The Emperor gripped her hand, gritting his teeth in endurance, but large beads of sweat still rolled down from his forehead. Empress Wang held him tightly, caressing his face as she called out: “Your Majesty, please endure it… these useless imperial physicians, what’s the point of keeping them!”

Huang Zixia watched as Empress Wang offered her palm to the Emperor’s mouth, crying: “Your Majesty mustn’t bite your tongue, please bite my hand instead!”

Xu Fenghan quickly pulled her away, saying: “Your Highness is precious beyond measure, how can you be injured? It doesn’t matter if a slave is bitten…”

Huang Zixia stood quietly to the side, looking at the tears on Empress Wang’s face, feeling extremely awkward.

The medicine the Emperor had taken seemed to take effect, and though he still gripped Empress Wang’s hand tightly, his breathing gradually steadied. Empress Wang and Xu Fenghan helped the Emperor up, adding another brocade cushion behind him.

Only then did the Emperor notice that in his loss of control, his fingernails had dug deeply into Empress Wang’s hand, though she had endured it without a sound. He sighed, gently massaging that hand, then turned his eyes toward Huang Zixia, studying her for a long while before asking: “Who is this person behind the Empress… she doesn’t look like Changling and the others?”

Huang Zixia quickly bowed, while Empress Wang said calmly: “She’s a new palace maid from outside, I’m having her accompany me to learn the ways.”

“Oh.” The Emperor didn’t ask further and closed his eyes.

Xu Fenghan carefully asked: “Does Your Majesty wish to return to the inner hall to rest?”

He nodded, lightly patting his leg. Xu Fenghan understood and quickly came to support him, moving toward the rear hall. Though Xu Fenghan was fairly tall, the Emperor was robust, and it was quite difficult for him alone to support him. Empress Wang hurried to help, accompanying him to the rear hall.

Huang Zixia felt cold sweat breaking out on her back.

She finally understood Empress Wang’s purpose in having her come today.

The Emperor’s headache condition had become extremely serious. Not only was his vision impaired, unable to recognize someone like her whom he wasn’t very familiar with, but even walking had become very difficult. This was being kept secret from the eyes within and outside the palace, probably known only to Xu Fenghan and Empress Wang.

And—the reason for keeping it secret was naturally because he still had things to accomplish. With the Crown Prince being young, if the Emperor became seriously ill, the transfer of imperial power would naturally be precarious. And in the Emperor’s mind, who would be the greatest threat to this throne?

While she was still thinking, Empress Wang had already come out from the rear hall and said to her: “Call in the palace servants attending to His Majesty, His Majesty is resting.”

Huang Zixia acknowledged and quickly walked to the hall entrance to notify all the palace maids and eunuchs waiting outside to enter. Outside, the rain and snow hadn’t stopped, and the cold wind invaded her clothes, making the undried sweat suddenly feel ice-cold against her skin, causing her to shiver involuntarily.