The opponents came urgently. A string of fire dragons blazed up in an instant, illuminating the pitch-black Jingshen Palace brilliantly. Faint clamoring voices transmitted over, shouting: “This way, this way—”

“Forward, forward—”

“Consort Xiu and Consort Yu fainted from fright, saying there was a black shadow flashing on the west side—”

While shouting, they were about to barge in.

Feng Zhiwei laughed coldly—whenever one wanted to mobilize forces to search the palace, one had to use assassins as an excuse. However, this search for assassins was too obvious. There were so many palace chambers in this western area, yet they headed straight and precisely for Jingshen Palace.

The palace night watch was divided into three parts: the Imperial Forest Guard guarded the gates, the Changying Guard patrolled the palace, and the Forbidden Army guarded the Emperor and Empress’s main halls. Every night, a prince in charge, a Grand Scholar, and a Secretariat Scholar stood watch, each managing one army, with the prince in charge as primary. So tonight’s “assassination attempt” and palace search would definitely not involve large numbers of guards and soldiers. It should just be a small portion of the Forbidden Army and rear palace eunuchs “claiming to have seen assassins.”

Taking Princess Shaoning out now was already impossible. The opponents came extremely fast—going out now would definitely result in a direct collision. Feng Zhiwei was considering countermeasures when she happened to turn around and stood dumbfounded.

At some point unknown, Nanny Liu had already laid Princess Shaoning on the bed and, with astonishing efficiency, dressed her in the eunuch’s clothes she had brought. From her bosom she took out a small box and opened it—inside were densely packed hidden compartments, each holding different items: adhesive clays in various colors; long and short false eyelashes made from unknown materials; lifelike false skin and artificial moles; as well as small scissors, tweezers, and flat wooden sticks.

Nanny Liu went to work on Shaoning’s face without the slightest hesitation—applying adhesive clay, affixing false moles, fashioning pockmarks, trimming eyebrows. Even eyelashes that were too long were snipped away with swift, practiced motions. Her hands moved so quickly they left the eye dazzled.

This series of disguise techniques was not only masterful but also extraordinarily skilled, making one suspect this nanny practiced disguise on her own face daily. Even Feng Zhiwei stood there stupefied watching, never having imagined that deep within the palace, by Shaoning’s side, there would be a disguise expert no less skilled than Zong Chen.

However, though Nanny Liu’s movements were swift, the opponents came even faster. Here the disguise was only half complete when over there they’d already rushed into the courtyard. A cold male voice said: “Search!”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart tightened. She rushed to Nanny Liu’s front and dragged a screen over to block.

Though they said search, the people on all sides didn’t scatter. They didn’t even go to Gu Nanyi’s location, but headed straight for Feng Zhiwei’s chamber, raising their hands to knock on the door: “Lord Wei, there’s an assassin who escaped to this area. Please rise!”

No sound from within the chamber.

The person outside the door was tonight’s duty Grand Scholar Wu Wenming. Hearing complete silence inside, the corners of his mouth pulled into a cold smile. He raised his voice even higher: “Lord Wei, we are under orders to capture the assassin. Please open the door quickly. If you don’t open it, we’ll have to break in.”

In the palace courtyard, torches crackled and popped. In the silence, a lazy, laughing voice suddenly transmitted from within Jingshen Palace.

“Grand Scholar Wu, is it? Searching the palace for assassins at midnight? How did Grand Scholar Wu see the assassin coming to my place? What was the assassin’s build? What clothing? What weapons? Tell me so I can compare and verify.”

Wu Wenming froze, opened his mouth, and after a long while said angrily: “With so many people mixed together at midnight, the assassin jumping high and low—who could see clearly? Lord Wei, please don’t delay. Quickly open the door!”

The chamber fell silent again for a while, then came Wei Zhi’s cool, lazy voice again: “Don’t I have injuries? Don’t I need to get out of bed and dress? Why is Grand Scholar Wu so impatient? Alas, my Wei Zhi’s personal connections are truly poor. An assassin runs to this injured person’s chamber, yet not a single person asks whether I’m safe.”

Wu Wenming froze again. Only then did he realize he’d been too hasty. Properly speaking, even if searching Jingshen Palace, he should first confirm Wei Zhi’s safety. Even knowing the assassin was fictitious, the act should be performed—otherwise if it reached His Majesty’s ears, he’d inevitably leave an impression of acting rashly.

On second thought, after today, would Wei Zhi still be able to command wind and rain in court? What was there to fear?

“Whether Lord Wei is safe or not, we must see for ourselves.” Wu Wenming calmed down and stepped back. He heard shoes shuffling inside the chamber, thinking Wei Zhi was about to come open the door. But after waiting a while longer, he only heard shoes shuffling but saw no one approaching.

Inside the chamber, Feng Zhiwei had shoes on her hands, shuffling and scraping them on the floor. Nanny Liu was working on the temple hair procedure. Gradually, a small eunuch with narrow eyes, brown skin, and quite a few white pockmarks on his face appeared increasingly lifelike.

Wu Wenming grew anxious in his heart. On one hand thinking, why hasn’t His Majesty arrived yet? On the other hand thinking, I wonder if the military report has delayed Prince Chu. Looking at the sky, his eyes turned cold. With a wave of his hand: “Break down the door!”

“Wait!”

The voice that came was elegant, cool, carrying a trace of aloofness and deadly aura. Two rows of torch dragons swiftly meandered over like flowing water. Neat footsteps trod on the bluestone pavement with rhythmic sounds. Two teams of Changying guards in blue clothes, white armor, and red tassels flowed in successively, swiftly occupying the positions of the small number of Imperial Forest Guards and inner palace eunuchs Wu Wenming had brought, nailing themselves like nails on both sides of the corridor.

Torch flames bloomed outward in clusters. In the center of the light, Prince Chu Ning Yi in moon-white robes and deep black cloak strode quickly forward. Under the torch light, his appearance was as bright and distinct as his clothing colors—raven hair and black eyes, black and coldly condensed, skin crystalline as frost and snow, lips vividly colored, bringing to mind that trace of brilliant flowing red light when morning sun reflects on snowy mountain peaks.

Ning Yi stopped at the base of the steps. Wu Wenming stood on the steps. Clearly Ning Yi was looking up at him, yet somehow everyone felt that Wu Wenming was still being looked down upon—being looked down upon by Prince Chu with a kind of indifferent, mocking gaze.

Meeting such a gaze, Wu Wenming’s heart jumped. His Highness came so fast!

The fingers already pushing on the palace door withdrew very unwillingly. Wu Wenming could only quickly bow to Ning Yi in greeting, but didn’t descend the steps.

“What is Grand Scholar Wu doing here?” Outside, Ning Yi slowly asked.

Inside the chamber, Feng Zhiwei was helping change Shaoning’s outfit. Shaoning wore embroidered shoes on her feet. The eunuch’s robe didn’t reach the ground—the shoes definitely had to be changed. Feng Zhiwei removed her own boots. Nanny Liu took them and pulled out two balls of cotton from inside the shoes.

Feng Zhiwei stared at Nanny Liu’s expression. Nanny Liu’s expression didn’t change. She stuffed the cotton back, then stuffed some more cloth inside—Shaoning was shorter than Feng Zhiwei, her feet even smaller.

Feng Zhiwei silently exhaled a long breath.

Very obviously, this nanny knew about her dual identity.

The conversation outside faintly transmitted in.

“Replying to Your Highness, Consort Yu and Consort Xiu sent palace servants to report that earlier an assassin entered the inner palace’s eight lanes. They watched him go toward the outer hall’s west side. This minister specially came to apprehend him.”

Wu Wenming’s voice was neither servile nor overbearing.

“There are a hundred palace halls on the outer hall’s west side. How can you confirm it’s Jingshen Palace?”

“Only Jingshen is in the due west direction.”

“Who told you the assassin was definitely in the due west direction?”

“…Palace maid Qiong’er from Cuixi Palace…”

“Summon Qiong’er!”

“Your Highness! Capturing the assassin is urgent!”

“Clarifying where exactly the assassin is hiding is what’s urgent! If the palace maid observed incorrectly in her panic and transmitted the message incorrectly, and the assassin isn’t here but went to His Majesty’s sleeping quarters instead, can you bear the responsibility?”

“His Majesty’s sleeping quarters have already had additional guards deployed for protection…”

“Grand Scholar Wu! Your and my duty is only His Majesty’s safety. With an assassin in the palace, you don’t go personally to His Majesty’s sleeping quarters to command the guards, but instead entangle here groundlessly with the injured Lord Wei. What are your intentions?”

“Your Highness!” Wu Wenming, pressed step by step until tongue-tied, grew desperate. Gritting his teeth angrily: “You also aren’t at His Majesty’s sleeping quarters standing guard, but are here entangling with this humble minister!”

Inside the inner chamber, Feng Zhiwei lit sandalwood incense to cover that special scent after intimate affairs. Nanny Liu’s hands and feet swiftly changed the bedsheets.

In the outer courtyard, Ning Yi faced Wu Wenming and laughed coldly.

“That’s because—” Ning Yi’s one sentence shocked Wu Wenming into changing color. “His Majesty sent me!”

“Thud.” A muffled sound, as if someone had been thrown to the ground, followed immediately by a woman’s panicked, trembling voice.

“Greet… greet Your High… greet Your Highness… greet Grand Scholar…”

“How do you know this lord’s surname is Wu?” Ning Yi reacted like lightning. One sentence silenced that palace maid, stupefied Wu Wenming.

“An inner palace maid—how would you know an outside minister scholar?” Ning Yi pressed aggressively, yielding not a step.

“Just now when she reported the assassin, this minister questioned her and learned of it.” Wu Wenming, seeing the situation going badly, quickly explained.

“Grand Scholar Wu seems quite idle.” Ning Yi laughed coldly. “With an assassin at hand and the palace in crisis, you actually have time to personally question a palace maid, actually have time to exchange names with a palace maid!”

Wu Wenming stood tongue-tied, face flushed red. Before he could explain further, Ning Yi gave him no chance to react and directly issued his challenge.

“Someone—” He pointed at the palace maid trembling on the ground. “Strip off her clothes for me, then question her sentence by sentence. I’ve heard that the fewer clothes a person wears, the more truth they speak. This Prince wants to see just how many more lies this lowly woman can tell.”

“Riiip—”

The sound of tearing clothes mixed with a woman’s crying and shouting. In the crying and shouting, Ning Yi said indifferently: “If there are still lies after stripping the clothes, then we’ll just have to strip skin.”

Inside the inner chamber, Nanny Liu gathered up Shaoning’s loose long hair and pinned it up, finding a hat to put on her.

In the outer courtyard, heart-wrenching pleas for mercy arose.

“Spare me… Your Highness… spare me…” That palace maid rolled on the ground, desperately dodging the hands tearing her clothes. She’d long prepared herself to endure torture, but couldn’t bear being stripped naked for interrogation before these hundreds of eyes. Seeing His Highness standing with hands clasped behind his back, expression indifferent, not even glancing at her once, she knew in her heart that if she stubbornly resisted today, forget stripping clothes—truly even skin and bones would be peeled off bit by bit.

Even prepared to die, she couldn’t accept a death of utmost humiliation. In desperation, that palace maid shouted loudly: “This slave didn’t see clearly… this slave only said going west. Grand Scholar Wu asked if it was Jingshen Palace’s direction. This slave… this slave then said yes…”

Ning Yi smiled.

Under the torch light, that smile was almost gentle, yet it was a sinister, cold smile, like a mandala flower blooming so brilliantly it captured hearts—the reason it bloomed so brilliantly as to steal souls was because it bloomed in a pool of blood.

Wu Wenming’s heart went cold.

The last time he’d seen this kind of smile was in the Ministry of Justice’s great hall during the Three Judicial Offices’ joint trial of Wei Zhi. After this kind of smile appeared, Peng Pei had been cornered until he had no retreat.

His fingers trembled.

But Ning Yi had already extended his hand and pointed, shouting violently.

“Seize him!”

The Changying Guards surged forward without hesitation.

Inside the inner chamber, Nanny Liu removed the screen and placed the disguised Shaoning on the floor. Feng Zhiwei quickly stuffed a celadon tri-colored small cup into Shaoning’s bosom.

In the outer courtyard, Wu Wenming was shocked and outraged, saying furiously: “Your Highness, have you gone mad! You dare arbitrarily seize a first-rank senior minister!”

“I dare seize a senior minister with ulterior motives who colluded with assassins to disturb the palace, eating from within while scraping from without!” Ning Yi smiled grimly, pointing toward Emperor Tiansheng’s sleeping quarters to the south, shouting: “The assassin clearly appeared near His Majesty’s sleeping quarters, yet you colluded with this lowly woman, saying the assassin appeared at Jingshen Palace, then taking advantage to come here making unreasonable trouble and wasting time, leaving time for the assassin to act! Your wolfish ambition, plotting regicide—do you still not confess?”

Wu Wenming’s face instantly lost all blood color.

Instantly he understood Ning Yi’s ruthlessness.

Turning the tables, pulling the firewood from under the cauldron!

The so-called assassin was originally fictitious, merely to have a reason to search Jingshen Palace and catch Wei Zhi in the great crime of defiling the Princess. However, Ning Yi’s reaction was ruthlessly decisive. Going all in, he simply created an assassin near His Majesty’s sleeping quarters. Since the assassin was there, the assassin here didn’t exist. His running here to search the palace made his motives suspicious—as if staging a show to “establish an alibi and shirk responsibility.” Then severely interrogating palace maid Qiong’er would reveal he’d instructed her to point toward Jingshen Palace. Even if he could escape the regicide charge Ning Yi pinned on him in the future, a charge of “harboring secret plots with ulterior motives” was inevitable. He might even be pinned with “attempting to frame a meritorious senior minister.” Forget future prospects—even his little life would be finished.

Wu Wenming had come fully prepared with complete confidence. Yet now Ning Yi’s thunderous lightning had bombarded his mind completely blank.

This matter emerged in merely a short quarter hour. He’d come extremely fast, calculating that Ning Yi wouldn’t get news, and even getting news wouldn’t have time to make arrangements. Who’d have thought this person’s resourcefulness was like this!

No wonder he came a step late, yet after arriving acted with such thunderous speed!

The Changying Guards wielding swords and spears surged forward, faces iron-blue without hesitation. These were Ning Yi’s directly commanded personal guards, more suitable to use than the Imperial Forest Guard. And Wu Wenming had brought few Imperial Forest Guards who didn’t dare confront a prince on his behalf. The eunuchs even less needed to be mentioned.

Such a perfect plan—was it truly going to fall short at this final step, even burying himself?

No, there was still a chance to turn the tables!

As long as—

Wu Wenming’s expression turned ruthless.

Ning Yi’s eyes flashed. He shouted violently: “Seize him quickly!”

But Wu Wenming had already violently crashed backward! In the crash, snow-bright light flashed!

Jingshen Palace’s door burst open with a boom.

Wu Wenming waved the dagger in his hand, revealing a cold smile—earlier he’d already held the dagger. While conversing with Ning Yi, he’d silently and soundlessly picked open Jingshen Palace’s door latch. With this crash, the palace door opened.

Ning Yi, you’re ruthless. No matter, as long as I catch Wei Zhi, victory is still undecided!

Jingshen Palace had no rear window, only this one front door. Wei Zhi and the Princess were still inside. Even if they’d already dressed now, it wouldn’t matter. As long as the Princess was there, Wei Zhi was guilty!

He wore a cold smile, turned his head to look into the hall, waiting to see the panicked, hiding Wei Zhi, waiting to hear hundreds of people’s shocked cries, waiting for the aggressive, utterly dominant Ning Yi to be speechless and dumbfounded.

Indeed dumbfounded.

But it was himself.

Where the palace door opened, everything in Jingshen Palace was as usual. Wei Zhi stood to one side in neat clothing with furrowed brows and hands clasped behind his back. On the other side stood a middle-aged woman—judging by her purple robes and blue skirt, a nanny of some status. She also frowned, staring at a small eunuch at her feet, angrily scolding: “You disgraceful thing who lost all face for Yuming Palace!”

That small eunuch prostrated on the ground, seemingly already unconscious. His face faced directly toward outside the hall. In the bright lamplight everyone could see clearly—a round-faced, brown-skinned small eunuch with quite a few white pockmarks.

Wu Wenming’s eyes widened, searching everywhere in the unobstructed hall—where was Princess Shaoning?

Someone said “eh?” in a low voice. “Isn’t this Little Jizi from Yuming Palace? That’s Nanny Liu. How would they be here in the middle of the night?”

Ning Yi raised his eyes to look into the hall, meeting Feng Zhiwei’s gaze. The two people’s eyes collided. Neither showed the tension of just escaping disaster, only showing shallow smiles.

The same type of people, sharing tacit understanding in dealing with the same crisis—that comfortable smile.

Immediately Ning Yi’s gaze turned away, falling on that small eunuch. His eyes flashed, showing surprise, then he looked at Nanny Liu.

Nanny Liu looked at no one. She glared hatefully at that small eunuch once, turned and bowed to Ning Yi: “Your Highness, this old servant requests punishment here.”

“This is Yuming Palace’s Nanny Liu, isn’t it?” Ning Yi said indifferently. “How would you be here?”

Nanny Liu showed an ashamed expression, stammering unable to speak. Feng Zhiwei smiled: “It’s like this. This young eunuch somehow ran into my place tonight. I encountered him and thought he was an assassin, so I seized him for questioning. Who knew he was a cleaning eunuch from Yuming Palace? Just as I was about to let him go, Yuming Palace’s Nanny Liu came searching. When this young eunuch saw her, he actually fainted from fright. Before I could ask them both to return, Grand Scholar Wu ran over. I thought that Nanny Liu and the young eunuch appearing at my place in the middle of the night wasn’t quite proper. If they were punished for this, it would be my fault. So I delayed and hesitated for a while, making Grand Scholar Wu anxious. I apologize.” She bowed to the pale-faced Wu Wenming, then smiled: “But Grand Scholar Wu saying there’s an assassin at my place—that truly isn’t the case. Nanny Liu can testify to this. Or does Grand Scholar Wu think Nanny Liu and this young eunuch are assassins?”

She spoke gently and humbly, yet everyone could hear the sarcastic meaning. Nanny Liu and Little Jizi absolutely couldn’t be assassins. Everyone served in the palace and could easily hear Lord Wei’s explanation—Jingshen Palace used to be an empty hall with always few guards. Recently because it housed the injured Lord Wei, His Majesty had sent over many rewards. Things piled throughout the hall. Wei Daren was an outside minister—the things would eventually be taken out. There were no eunuchs specially assigned to manage and store them. Probably this Yuming Palace eunuch developed a thieving heart because of this. Taking advantage of some excuse to come out, he secretly snuck in wanting to make some profit. Anyway, Lord Wei was recuperating with dull ears and eyes. With so many things, he probably wouldn’t remember them all. Missing a few items wouldn’t matter. But he was caught by Lord Wei. Probably Lord Wei didn’t want to make a fuss and called Yuming Palace’s managing nanny to handle it. He just happened to be caught by Grand Scholar Wu, that’s all.

This sequence of events didn’t need to be explained too clearly. Everyone had their own explanation in their hearts. Moreover, that small eunuch had exposed in his bosom a powder-colored blue and white porcelain cup that seemed to be precisely an imperially bestowed item.

An Imperial Forest Guard squad leader who’d followed Wu Wenming silently tilted his head toward his subordinates, then yielded another bit.

Wu Wenming looked incredulously at the hall interior—where did the Princess go? Why would Nanny Liu be here?

His gaze fell on the small eunuch’s face. Just now hearing someone recognized this eunuch, his heart chilled again, yet a thought still swept through his mind—could it be possible…

“His Majesty arrives—”

A long announcement came, close at hand. Everyone turned around and saw uniform melon-shaped palace lanterns floating over. Under the lanterns was Emperor Tiansheng’s imperial palanquin. On the palanquin, the old Emperor showed a weary expression, quite an aged appearance.

Everyone prostrated in greeting. Emperor Tiansheng didn’t descend from the palanquin. He looked distantly at the hall interior once, waved his hand: “Deep in the night, haven’t even seen a single shadow. What kind of spectacle is this? All disperse.”

With this sentence, everyone froze. No one expected His Majesty wouldn’t ask even one question but directly dismissed the guards. Ning Yi immediately straightened: “Yes.” Without another word, he ordered the Changying Guards to withdraw.

Wu Wenming, seeing Emperor Tiansheng arrive, already felt his heart sink. He knelt limply on the steps, then felt it improper and quickly shifted his kneeling position down the steps, yet felt his legs stiff as wood and unresponsive. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

“Grand Scholar Wu has been bustling about this whole night and must be tired.” Emperor Tiansheng glanced indifferently at Wu Wenming, his tone revealing neither pleasure nor anger. “Still, return to the duty watch room to rest.”

The words weren’t particularly problematic, but that phrase “bustling about” was used quite severely. Wu Wenming trembled his lips, voice shaking and incoherent, deeply bowing his head to the ground: “Yes.”

“You are a civil official, a Grand Scholar of Changwen Hall,” Emperor Tiansheng sat high on his imperial palanquin, face hidden in the palace lantern’s shadows. In the half-light and half-dark, only a mouth opening and closing could be seen, uttering words that were plain yet coldly severe. “Civil officials should maintain an upright heart, serving the sovereign with single-minded devotion, being a model for all under heaven. Constantly diligent in sweeping and dusting, not allowing contamination by worldly dust. Suffering through the cold window for over ten years of study, a belly full of morality and literary talent mustn’t be used in the wrong places. Things like scheming machinations—once tainted, should be avoided like the plague. If unknowingly getting involved beyond your measure, no one can save you—here is a copy of the previous dynasty’s worthy minister Li Wenzheng’s ‘Discourse on Ministers.’ Take it back and read it carefully. When you’ve thoroughly understood it, tell it to me.”

A book slapped down, thrown before Wu Wenming’s knees.

Wu Wenming reached with trembling hands for the book. Though thin, he tried several times but couldn’t pick it up.

Feng Zhiwei and Ning Yi exchanged another glance.

Emperor Tiansheng’s words were quite severe, almost completely tearing apart Old Wu’s face and dignity. Seeming to encourage, seeming to console, seeming to warn, seeming to lecture—in the plainness was infinite pressure and dense killing intent. Yet he’d raised it high and set it down lightly. When it came down to it, it was merely confinement for self-reflection. No one could tell if his meaning was permanent dismissal from office or just a period of cold reception.

Ning Yi lowered his eyelashes, concealing the grim smile in his eyes—of the Cabinet’s four Grand Scholars, two could be counted as his camp. Grand Scholar Wu had originally been promoted by Emperor Tiansheng to use as a check and balance against him. Though Old Wu was incompetent and got involved in factional strife so quickly, Emperor Tiansheng was still willing to give him a chance. Clearly knowing he was guilty, he didn’t plan to punish him heavily—merely fearing the Cabinet would henceforth be completely controlled by himself.

Imperial power balancing techniques had always been thus.

The spring night’s wind grew cooler. Tree shadows rose and fell in waves like countless ghosts hidden in darkness, issuing cold, mocking laughs at the court’s treacherous currents and mutual deception.

“Enough. Everyone go back.” Emperor Tiansheng looked disgustedly at Wu Wenming. Several broad-shouldered, thick-waisted guards came up and half-dragged, half-supported him away. Faintly, the lower hem of Old Wu’s robe was somewhat wet. Where he passed, an acrid stench spread—someone, overly frightened, had lost bladder control.

Feng Zhiwei smiled lightly, muttering: “Truly ‘sneaking into pants with the wind, moistening buttocks silently’…”

She slightly furrowed her brows, thinking the old Emperor was somewhat abnormal tonight. Why wouldn’t he descend from the palanquin? Not descending from the palanquin was naturally best. If he saw the problem with that small eunuch, no one could escape unscathed. But him not descending, not approaching—this also seemed strange.

From afar, Emperor Tiansheng glanced at the hall interior, then said indifferently: “Yuming Palace servants lack discipline. The managing nanny bears responsibility for inadequate teaching and supervision. Penalize three months’ salary. Go to the Internal Affairs Office yourself to receive one hundred lashes.”

Feng Zhiwei started in alarm, wanting to speak but stopped by Ning Yi’s glance. Nanny Liu had already kowtowed with calm expression: “This servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace.”

“Your subordinate servant committed a crime. You have authority to handle it.” Emperor Tiansheng said. “Theft is a great crime. Beat to death with random clubs. Leave no corpse or bones.”

Nanny Liu again responded in a low voice. Feng Zhiwei’s brow jumped. In her heart she vaguely felt something wrong—when had Emperor Tiansheng been idle enough to personally oversee even the punishment of a small eunuch in the rear palace?

Also, his handling of Nanny Liu revealed strangeness.

What did he know?

“Wei Zhi.” Emperor Tiansheng suddenly called her.

Feng Zhiwei stepped forward and knelt: “This minister is here.”

“You’re leading the Ministry of Rites. There’s a matter for you to handle.” Emperor Tiansheng’s gaze was somewhat strange, carrying some anger, some helplessness, some coldness as it circled over Feng Zhiwei. “Princess Shaoning lost her husband before marriage. The abbot of Changde Temple read her fate—she carries inauspicious stars in her destiny. Around age twenty she should encounter a calamity. I’m thinking of resolving her malevolent energy for her, helping her pass through this tribulation. So on West Prefecture Street I’ll establish an imperial temple for her. Let her first take the tonsure to cultivate, temporarily remove her princess title, and bestow the Buddhist name… Yongning.”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart jumped. Her fingers supporting her on the ground curled, touching a handful of damp, cold mud.

Emperor Tiansheng knew the person in the hall was Shaoning!

So he never descended from the palanquin, swiftly driving everyone away.

So he ordered Little Jizi beaten to death with clubs, leaving no corpse or bones—the one about to be beaten to death with random clubs wasn’t this fake “Little Jizi” before their eyes, but the real one still in Yuming Palace, sleeping behind closed doors with disaster falling from heaven!

So he punished Nanny Liu—not punishing her for inadequate servant management, but punishing her for not properly watching the Princess. Yet because Nanny Liu showed resourcefulness in crisis, preserving the Princess’s and the imperial family’s dignity, he didn’t want her life.

So he wanted to send Shaoning out of the palace—this matter couldn’t possibly be concealed forever. With Shaoning leaving the palace, Yuming Palace and those in Jingshen Palace tonight, as well as those related to this matter, would be purged!

But why did he want Shaoning to become a nun? Why establish the imperial temple on West Prefecture Street? Why have her handle this matter?

Feng Zhiwei instantly broke out in cold sweat—for the old Emperor’s increasing cunning with age, for his unparalleled scheming, for his soundless step-by-step arrangements, for his deep love and painstaking care for Shaoning.

Also for herself—Emperor Tiansheng suppressed his fury, arranging to handle this matter for Shaoning in the most gentle way. He was clearly determined to fulfill this daughter.

This was an Emperor with deep reserves and careful schemes, but also a father with meticulous thoughts.

“Wei Zhi.” Emperor Tiansheng looked at her indifferently. “You recuperate well from your injuries. If there’s no problem, return to court early. The spring examinations still need you to preside. Your residence was burned. I’ve already bestowed a new one. The Internal Affairs Office should have already arranged it. Move right in.”

The corners of Feng Zhiwei’s lips showed a bitter smile.

The old man was bargaining with her for his daughter’s sake.

The old fellow knew Wei Zhi was unwilling to ruin his future by marrying Shaoning. As Emperor, he also didn’t wish to painfully lose such talent. Taking advantage of this matter, he simply removed Shaoning’s title and sent her out of the palace. Without the princess title, Wei Zhi marrying the Princess wouldn’t be constrained by regulations. Simultaneously, Emperor Tiansheng also gave her reassurance—the spring examinations would still be presided over by Wei Zhi, representing that she wouldn’t be stripped of office for marrying beneath a princess.

With matters reaching this point, the old Emperor, implicit yet revealing nothing, had already made everything clear, leaving her not a fraction of room.

If she refused again, it would be ungrateful ignorance.

In summary—Shaoning, she was definitely marrying!

Feng Zhiwei’s whole mouth tasted bitter—tonight’s sudden changes in the wind and clouds, continuous ups and downs. Everyone harbored a belly full of good calculations. Only she was the unlucky one!

Yet she could only bow her head deeply: “Your Majesty, this humble minister’s injuries are no longer a problem. At daybreak I can leave the palace and return to court to handle affairs. It’s better to operate the Princess’s imperial temple as early as possible.”

Emperor Tiansheng gazed at her for a long while. His eyes swept with a trace of relief and helplessness, but his tone had already become somewhat kinder: “The Princess’s imperial temple will be near your residence. From now on when she’s not in the palace, you must look after her in various matters.”

Look after… look after… look after in bed? Feng Zhiwei hatefully yanked at the grass on the ground, treating the grass as Shaoning’s face. I’ll yank, I’ll yank, I’ll yank yank yank—

“She won’t look after.”

Suddenly a dry, flat voice transmitted over. The first word was still far outside the courtyard. The last word had already reached before Emperor Tiansheng.

The guards beside Emperor Tiansheng were greatly alarmed, not knowing what person had silently approached so closely. In panic they all turned and drew swords simultaneously. In the darkness, snow-bright blade light connected into rising and falling wave shadows.

A human figure slowly walked out from the darkness, like a jade carving gradually revealing its brilliance from peeling black lacquer, displaying exquisite lines and smooth contours.

Lamplight struck his shoulder, bursting with water-colored radiance.

It was Gu Nanyi.

Emperor Tiansheng, seeing him, relaxed instead. Gu Nanyi had once saved his life. He also knew this person was strange and didn’t hold it against him. Yet he also didn’t order the guards blocking his path to yield. He only leaned sideways from the palanquin with furrowed brows to look at him.

In Feng Zhiwei’s eyes burst enormous delight—Little Dullard was all right?

Gu Nanyi glanced at her, then looked coldly at the hall interior once. Raising one hand, he threw a disheveled man with a thud before Emperor Tiansheng.

Then in a tone even more indifferent and more displeased than before, he said:

“He should be responsible.”