Li Zhongqian slept deeply and sweetly. When he woke, the room was pitch dark.

The gauze curtains hung low, the light dim.

In the darkness came the soft rustle of silk garments. A graceful figure sat cross-legged before a low table, facing sideways to him, chin propped in both hands, lips slightly curved upward, intently focused on a fragrance box on the table.

It was a gold-inlaid mother-of-pearl box decorated with carved phoenix patterns. The lid was half-open, faintly revealing threads of pale blue light.

The young lady was so entranced that she couldn’t help but gently brush open the lid.

Instantly, soft luminescence poured out like water, filling the room with light as bright as candlelight.

Inside the box was a night-gleaming jade from the Fulin Kingdom, round and lustrous, as large as a pigeon’s egg.

Li Zhongqian sat up and rubbed his shoulder.

“Do you like it?”

He asked with a smile, looking somewhat pleased with himself.

The night-gleaming jade was also called the Bright Moon Pearl. When he saw this pearl, he immediately thought of his sister—her childhood name was Bright Moon Slave, given by Xie Wuliang.

Li Yaoying nodded with a bright smile, her dark eyelashes thick and beautiful: “I like it.”

Jewels and jade were common, but this Bright Moon Pearl was rare for its smooth luster and beautiful shape.

The shimmering light reflected on her snow-white face, already quite lovely, and in the hazy pearl-light she appeared even more beautiful, soft, and enchanting.

Li Zhongqian stared for a moment, as if waking from a dream, his phoenix eyes narrowing as he carefully observed Yaoying.

Yaoying disliked heat, so her black hair was pinned up high, adorned with a peony-patterned green silk crown. She wore a green jewel between her brows, her lips spring-pink, dressed in a cyan-colored gossamer robe thin as cicada wings, underneath which was a five-colored gold-threaded eight-panel long skirt. Over her arms was draped a white silk scarf embroidered with birds and flowers, her delicate brows slightly drawn together, eyes glancing sideways, one hand propped on the low table as she sat there smiling.

She was always like this in private—lazy and casual, sitting if she could avoid standing, leaning against something rather than properly kneeling, her posture completely lacking the grace and dignity expected of a noble lady.

Li Zhongqian had reminded her several times.

Yaoying would be utterly obedient, promising to change each time, but soon she would secretly shift from her kneeling position, either rudely crossing her legs or simply falling back to lean against the armrest in laziness.

When scolded, she would smile carelessly, and properly kneel again, but soon revert to her old ways.

Li Zhongqian doted on Yaoying and didn’t try to correct her.

She was his sister; she didn’t need to suppress her nature.

In his eyes, Yaoying was still an innocent, pampered child, trembling as she followed behind him, asking him to carry her to pick ripe plums from the courtyard trees.

At this moment, looking at Yaoying bathed in pearl light, Li Zhongqian suddenly realized: that without him noticing, his sister had grown up.

She was still casual, sitting cross-legged, but it wasn’t crude at all. In her glances and movements was a perfectly measured, indescribable charm.

Her face was beautiful, her bearing noble, yet deep within she exuded a boneless, bewitching allure.

Moreover, in the prime of their youth, her beauty was fresh and bright. She needed no powder or rouge—just a slight curve of her brows, a smile, and she could make half the young dandies in the capital weak at the knees.

Li Zhongqian’s brow furrowed slightly as he suddenly recalled Xue Wu’s poems.

“Her manner deep, her intent distant, virtuous and true; her skin delicate, her form perfectly proportioned.”

He should have broken Xue Wu’s other leg back then!

Li Zhongqian’s eyes darkened slightly, anger rising within.

Since his teens, he had lived a wild life, frequenting the entertainment districts. He knew what kind of women men found most irresistible, and he knew what Xue Wu and his ilk were thinking.

Yaoying gave Li Zhongqian a puzzled look and asked with concern: “Brother, is your head hurting?”

Li Zhongqian grunted vaguely.

Yaoying lightly patted his arm: “I told you to drink less, but you never listen!”

She called out Chunru’s name.

The palace maid responded by lifting the gauze curtain, bringing hot water and towels to attend to Li Zhongqian’s washing, and lighting the gilt lantern trees in the four corners of the room one by one.

Yaoying carefully put away the night-gleaming jade and ordered the servants to bring food.

She had already eaten but had wanted to wake Li Zhongqian to dine together. Seeing his brows furrowed in sleep, appearing very tired, she had let him rest.

The soup had been kept warm on the stove, the lamb stewed until very tender. Li Zhongqian ate two bowls in silence and then asked about Mondattiva.

Yaoying had already considered this earlier and didn’t tell him about the Brahmin immortality elixir, only saying that Mondattiva couldn’t cure Xie Noble Consort’s madness either.

Li Zhongqian didn’t ask further, instead questioning: “Did he check your pulse? What did he say?”

Yaoying smiled: “The master said I was born physically weak, but with proper care and regular exercise, there’s nothing serious to worry about.”

When Xie Noble Consort was lucid, she had watched over her constantly, caring for her.

She was always kept clean and fresh.

Later, when Li Zhongqian took her under his care, he searched far and wide for famous doctors. Whenever physicians wrote prescriptions, no matter how strange the formula or how expensive and rare the ingredients were, he would find ways to gather them all, having the doctors compound them into pills for her to take.

She had been very well cared for, and her health was much better than when she was young. She could run, jump, and ride horses, and she had grown tall quickly.

Li Zhongqian, still worried, had someone bring Mondattiva’s prescriptions and sat in the lamplight to examine them carefully.

They were just some gentle tonics for strengthening and balancing the body. He read through them all and nodded.

“Mingyue Nu, come here.”

Li Zhongqian dismissed the servants and gestured for Yaoying to sit before him, then said solemnly: “I spoke with Minister Zheng last night and arranged a marriage for you.”

Yaoying was stunned for a long while, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

This was too sudden!

Li Zhongqian was very stubborn about certain things, insisting on finding her a suitable marriage.

She had told him earlier that she was still young and didn’t want to marry.

With a sword always hanging over her head, she had no interest in discussing marriage.

But Li Zhongqian’s attitude was very firm. After much consideration, he had finally settled on the Zheng family.

He had mentioned this before leaving for battle, but she hadn’t agreed then.

Yaoying thought for a moment, still maintaining her decision: “Brother, let’s talk about this in a couple of years.”

She hadn’t yet uncovered the truth about Lady Tang’s suicide and hadn’t found the villain who had poisoned Xie Noble Consort into madness. She really couldn’t spare any attention to choosing a prince consort.

Li Zhongqian reached out to pat Yaoying’s head: “Don’t be afraid, it’s just an engagement for now. We’ll discuss it further when you come of age. Zheng’s third son is from the main wife, of upright character, handsome appearance, and good temperament. He’s well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood, thoroughly familiar with rules and regulations. Though he only holds a minor position at the Court of State Ceremonial now, he’ll surely be promoted soon.”

It was Zheng Jing?

Yaoying was momentarily dumbfounded.

After leaving Pingkang Ward, Xie Qing calmly told her that the young man who had fled awkwardly through the window was the Zheng family’s third son.

Yaoying didn’t remember Zheng Jing’s appearance. At the time, she hadn’t recognized him at all, thinking he was just a scholar visiting a brothel for the first time who, hearing the commotion outside the wine house, had assumed officials were coming to arrest people and tried to escape through the window in embarrassment, only to fall right in front of her.

Recalling Zheng Jing’s disheveled, mortified appearance then, Yaoying couldn’t help but smile.

Who could have imagined that the shy, ordinary Zheng Jing would later rise meteorically to become an all-powerful minister, bold enough to strike the young emperor’s mouth with his tablet?

She leaned against the armrest, shaking with laughter, making all the candlelight in the room seem to brighten instantly.

Li Zhongqian immediately grew alert and frowned: “What are you laughing at?”

Yaoying waved her hand, her tone casual: “Nothing.”

Li Zhongqian’s long phoenix eyes raised slightly. Suddenly he moved closer, grabbed her shoulders, and questioned rapidly: “Little Seven, have you met Zheng Jing? What did he say to you? What exactly are you laughing about?”

Yaoying smiled without speaking, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She didn’t dare tell him about catching Zheng Jing at the brothel—what if he got angry and beat Zheng Jing to death with his hammers?

Li Zhongqian’s face darkened as he considered a possibility, turbulent thoughts churning in his eyes.

“Do you like Zheng Jing?”

Given her reaction, could she have a secret relationship with Zheng Jing?

Yaoying was startled and hurried to explain: “I’ve only seen him a few times…”

Li Zhongqian’s voice turned cold: “So you have met him? How many times? What did Zheng San say to you?”

Yaoying couldn’t help but give him a look, putting away her smile and pushing him back: “Yes, I’ve seen him a few times, but we never spoke.”

He had already decided on the marriage himself, so why was he concerned about these things?

She hadn’t even gotten angry yet—what was he getting worked up about?

Li Zhongqian was silent for a while, knowing he had overreacted, and sheepishly let go.

He sighed and reached out to adjust the scarf that had slipped from her shoulder, his movements careful and placating.

Yaoying kept a stern face and snorted lightly, pulling away the scarf to keep him from touching it.

Li Zhongqian smiled bitterly, holding tightly to the scarf, his voice rough: “Little Seven, remember, don’t be like Mother…”

Don’t give your whole heart to a moment’s youthful passion, like a moth to flame, only to end up with nothing.

Even if you like someone, you must protect yourself—be a little selfish, a little cold.

Don’t foolishly fall head over heels.

Yaoying froze.

Li Zhongqian smiled and didn’t continue.

He didn’t need to be so worried—Little Seven had never been like Xie Noble Consort.

But he still couldn’t help but worry.

Yaoying sighed and gently held Li Zhongqian’s rigid hand.

“Brother, don’t worry.”

She suddenly understood why Li Zhongqian had always been unwilling to marry.

Though he seemed rough and careless, he was quite sensitive.

He had been born when Li De and Xie Noble Consort were most in love. He had witnessed the conflict between Lady Tang and Xie Noble Consort, witnessed how Xie Noble Consort had awakened from her fantasy, grown disappointed, and finally become dead inside. He had witnessed the Xie family’s fall from glory to ruin.

After experiencing all that, he no longer cared about anything.

…

After their small quarrel, Li Zhongqian knew he was in the wrong and agreed not to mention the Zheng family matter for now.

Yaoying breathed a sigh of relief.

Since learning she was Li Xuanzhen’s sister, she had carefully observed and found some things were the same as she knew: Lady Tang had died before her birth, Li De had posthumously honored Lady Tang as empress after ascending the throne, none of the Li family princesses had noble titles except Zhu Lüyun who was titled Fukang, and Li Xuanzhen and Zhu Lüyun were indeed entangled.

But some things were different: Li De had become emperor two years earlier than in her previous life, and in this life, he already had three more sons and two more daughters than before…

Yaoying herself was also a variable.

Now she only wanted to uncover the truth about the conflict between Lady Tang and Xie Noble Consort. She didn’t want to create more complications by involving unrelated people.

…

Eastern Palace.

Li Xuanzhen hadn’t slept all night. When he returned to the Eastern Palace, an attendant reported that Crown Princess Zheng Biyu had waited until midnight the previous night.

He rubbed his brow, knowing Zheng Biyu must have prepared a belly full of advice. Not wanting to hear his wife’s lectures, he turned toward his study instead.

Wei Ming had organized recent intelligence reports into a memorandum for Li Xuanzhen’s review.

Li Xuanzhen read quickly, but halfway through his brows furrowed: “What’s going on with Du Sinan?”

Du Sinan was a rare talent. He had instructed his Eastern Palace officials to find ways to recruit Du Sinan, but after several months, why was there still no news?

Wei Ming answered expressionlessly: “Your Highness, there are rumors in the capital that Du Sinan has already pledged allegiance to the Second Prince.”

Li Xuanzhen smiled: “Du Sinan won’t pledge allegiance to Li Zhongqian. Send people to invite him again…”

He pondered for a moment.

“No, don’t send anyone—I’ll personally invite him to show proper respect.”

Wei Ming’s brow twitched and he looked troubled: “Your Highness, Du Sinan may not have pledged allegiance to the Second Prince… but there’s another rumor in the capital… concerning the Seventh Princess.”

Li Xuanzhen said nothing.

Wei Ming glanced at him and continued: “They say the Seventh Princess admires Du Sinan’s talent and visits him every few days. Du Sinan is overwhelmed by the favor and has already become a servant under her skirts.”

Li Xuanzhen slowly raised his eyes, his phoenix eyes narrow and long, containing an inner gleam.

Wei Ming said: “Your Highness if Du Sinan has truly become the Seventh Princess’s servant, he will certainly be a great threat. We cannot let him live.”

Li Xuanzhen asked coolly: “Is the information reliable?”

Wei Ming nodded.

Li Xuanzhen said nothing more and lowered his head to continue reading the documents.

Wei Ming wasn’t anxious. He bowed and retreated behind the screen.

A moment later, he saw Li Xuanzhen summon his secret guards.

From the quiet study came a flat command: “Kill.”

A simple word, cold and murderous.