After an autumn rain, the capital city grew several degrees colder.

In normal years, the Twelve Directorates would have already begun preparing winter garments for the nobles at this time.

However, given this year’s circumstances, with the Twelve Directorates leaderless, no one dared make any rash moves.

Qin Qi, the attending eunuch of the Ceremonial Directorate, had quite a headache.

Though he had temporarily replaced the position of Chief Eunuch Yan Ruxian, he still hadn’t been officially appointed, so handling certain matters lacked proper authority and justification.

But duties were duties—someone had to do them. If the nobles were even slightly dissatisfied and complained to the Emperor, the one who would ultimately face questioning was still him.

Qin Qi mentally prepared his speech and hurried to the Imperial Study, only to be stopped by a young palace attendant just as he reached the entrance.

Qin Qi pointed inside, but the attendant waved his hands twice, signaling him to return at a different time.

Qin Qi put on a stern face and coughed once.

The attendant, mindful of his current standing before the Emperor, quickly leaned close and whispered, “Half the Imperial Medical Academy is inside.”

Half the Imperial Medical Academy—that must be about the old censor’s matter, and the old censor was connected to Yan Ruxian…

Without another word, Qin Qi nodded to the young attendant and swiftly departed.

Inside the Imperial Study, lamps blazed brightly.

On the dragon throne, Emperor Yonghe furrowed his sword-like brows, looking at the people before the imperial desk. “Imperial Physician Pei, you tell me!”

Pei Yu wore a troubled expression. “In response to Your Majesty, this subject’s diagnosis matches that of all the other physicians. Lord Lu’s body is severely depleted. His pulse is floating, chaotic, and tight, and moreover he has…”

“Imperial Physician Pei, I don’t want to hear your lengthy discourse. You need only tell me—how many days until Lord Lu can attend court?”

Pei Yu quickly knelt and kowtowed. “This subject… is incompetent.”

Already a large group was kneeling on the floor. Imperial Medical Academy Director Zhao simply prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to raise his head.

How could he dare?

A common cold that couldn’t be cured after half a month—if word got out, he’d have no face left!

The only one still standing was Old Imperial Physician Shen.

The old physician was advanced in years with deep seniority. The Emperor gave him some measure of respect, leaving him to be questioned last.

Without waiting for the Emperor to speak, Imperial Physician Shen tremblingly knelt down on his own. “Your Majesty, this old subject is incompetent!”

The Emperor’s tiger-like eyes half-lowered, gazing at the mass of people on the floor, his expression so bland it was impossible to discern that his anger had actually reached its peak.

“Since you’re incompetent, then you should be punished. All members of the Imperial Medical Academy will have three months’ wages withheld, the Director for half a year. If there’s no progress in the old censor’s condition after half a month, then don’t blame me for not preserving past courtesies.”

Upon hearing this, Director Zhao turned deathly pale and nearly fainted, with words nearly escaping his lips—

Your Majesty, when the King of Hell wants someone at the third watch, he won’t keep them until the fifth watch! Not to mention the Imperial Medical Academy—even immortals couldn’t save him!

“All of you, withdraw.”

“Yes!”

The imperial physicians all acted as if they’d been granted amnesty, retreating one after another. The elderly Physician Shen, despite his age, tucked his head and retreated faster than anyone.

“That old codger…”

Emperor Yonghe, furious to the extreme, instead let out a faint laugh.

At this moment, a young attendant came in to announce, “Your Majesty, Minister Feng requests an audience.”

“Summon him.”

Brocade Guard Commander Feng Changxiu hurried to the imperial desk, first performing his obeisance, then drawing a stack of papers from his robes and presenting them to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, please review these.”

“What is it?” Emperor Yonghe glanced at him indifferently without accepting them.

“In response to Your Majesty, this subject has examined each piece of evidence that Lord Lu submitted. This is the report of the verification.”

“I don’t want to look. You speak.”

Feng Changxiu stole a glance at the Emperor’s expression and steeled himself. “The evidence is conclusive, not a single error.”

The Emperor seemed to have anticipated this. His expression didn’t change in the slightest, and even his tone remained indifferent. “What about the results from the Three Judicial Offices?”

“This subject, following Your Majesty’s command, only conducted a secret investigation. As for what the Three Judicial Offices have uncovered, this subject doesn’t know, but…”

Feng Changxiu changed his tone. “The Brocade Guard’s investigations don’t make mistakes.”

Don’t make mistakes—meaning everything Old Censor Lu impeached Yan Ruxian for was true, item by item, matter by matter.

Only now did Emperor Yonghe show some anger on his face.

Feng Changxiu stepped forward and said in a very soft voice, “Your Majesty, the Brocade Guard also uncovered some other matters.”

The old Emperor sharply raised his head.

Feng Changxiu lowered his voice even further. “Eunuch Yan… also interfered with at least two sessions of the spring imperial examinations.”

The old Emperor’s eyelid twitched. “Do you have solid evidence?”

“This subject has currently found half the evidence. The other half is still being investigated, but within ten days at most, the truth will come to light.”

“Too bold, far too bold!”

The old Emperor, being of military background, slammed the desk so hard it thudded loudly.

Feng Changxiu dared not continue, only waiting for the Emperor to gradually calm himself.

Actually, the other half of the evidence didn’t need to be found. With just the half they currently had, the Brocade Guard could easily pry open Yan Ruxian’s mouth.

If Your Majesty would hand Yan Ruxian over to him, he could dig even deeper. Perhaps he could even thoroughly investigate the matter of the palace debauchery.

The Emperor quickly calmed down. “In your view, how should this matter be handled?”

Though Feng Changxiu had risen to the position of Brocade Guard Commander, it wasn’t through a little cleverness alone. Even if he had ten plans in mind, he dared only reveal one.

“The matter is grave. This subject dares not speak freely. I await Your Majesty’s decision.”

Emperor Yonghe silently regarded him for a long while. “The matter of the spring examinations ends here. Don’t investigate further.”

Feng Changxiu’s heart jolted in alarm.

Not only was he not ordering a deeper investigation, he was even stopping the current inquiry…

Was Your Majesty planning to protect Yan Ruxian?

“I’m not trying to protect him.”

Emperor Yonghe rubbed his forehead. “The spring examinations involve the scholars. The moment I see those scholars making trouble, my head aches.”

“This subject also has headaches from those scholars—can’t beat them, can’t scold them, and yet each one doesn’t know how high heaven is or how thick earth is.”

Feng Changxiu gauged the Emperor’s expression while testing the waters. “Then when this subject returns… I’ll erase the matter.”

From the Emperor’s mouth came a very light sound, “Mm.”

“This subject takes his leave.”

“Go.”

Feng Changxiu bowed and departed. As he stepped over the threshold, hearing no movement behind him, he couldn’t help turning back for a quick glance.

The old Emperor sat upright in the dragon throne, his tiger eyes half-open and half-closed, his imposing frame as silent as distant mountains.

Feng Changxiu dared not look further and quickly stepped over with his other foot.

The vast Imperial Study fell empty. The old Emperor suddenly opened his eyes, sat in silence for a long while, then called out, “Someone come. Summon the Imperial Grand Grandson.”

“Yes!”

The young attendant outside acknowledged and hurried to fetch him.

The old Emperor rose. His personal attendant quickly came forward to support him. “Your Majesty, you…”

“I’m going out for some fresh air.”

Emperor Yonghe glanced at him indifferently. “Don’t alarm anyone.”

“Yes!”

The attendant deliberately slowed his pace, following neither too close nor too far behind the Emperor. Walking along, he suddenly sensed something wrong—this path led to…

At that moment, a sharp-eyed guard at the door had already spotted him and came rushing over.

“Your Majesty?”

Emperor Yonghe pointed at the vermilion door ahead. “Is he inside?”

“Yes.”

“How is he?”

“In response to Your Majesty, apart from barely eating or drinking and losing much weight, everything else about Eunuch Yan remains as usual.”

The guard read the Emperor’s expression. “Your Majesty, would you like to go in and see?”

Emperor Yonghe nodded and was about to step forward when suddenly he heard heart-wrenching sobs coming from inside the vermilion door.

The guard’s face went white. He quickly said, “When Eunuch Yan occasionally feels sorrow, he cries for a while.”

He still has the face to cry?

Emperor Yonghe flicked his sleeve and turned to stride away.