Leaving the courier station, the two headed for a teahouse.

Speaking of drinking tea, Li Buyan had a bellyful of complaints.

Many people in the teahouse discussed Lu Shi, but every single one praised him like he was a flower.

If she hadn’t known his actual deeds beforehand, she would have had the false impression that this Lu Turkey really was an unprecedented and unparalleled great incorruptible official.

“If I have to listen to people praise him like this anymore, I’m going to vomit. So disgusting.”

Yan Sanhe’s expression was calm. “However disgusting it is now, that’s how satisfying it’ll be when we strip away his mask.”

“Then I’ll endure it!”

…

Li Buyan didn’t need to endure.

Because today the teahouse was discussing someone else—Xie Daozhi’s youngest son, the dandy Third Master Xie.

“Did you hear? Third Master Xie got promoted—to Commander-in-Chief!”

“How old is he? He doesn’t have the qualifications, does he?”

“Isn’t it all thanks to his powerful father?”

“What’s the use of reaching high office when he’s a short-lived ghost who won’t live long?”

“Why live that long? People like him eat delicacies from land and sea, drink fine wines, sleep with tender courtesans—they’ve enjoyed everything.”

“Unlike us common folk—we can only grope our wives on the kang. No flavor at all.”

“Hahaha…”

Amid the laughter, Li Buyan moved her lips to Yan Sanhe’s ear. “They left in such a hurry yesterday—it must have been for this matter.”

Yan Sanhe nodded, dipping her finger in tea and writing the character “Sun” on the table.

Third Master Xie’s promotion was most likely this person’s doing.

As for the purpose, it was naturally to elevate his own chess pieces while the Prince of Han was away from the capital. After all, the Emperor was no longer young.

“Such a pity!”

Li Buyan said sarcastically, “That pretty face doesn’t look like a Commander-in-Chief.”

Yan Sanhe: “What does it look like?”

Li Buyan sneered coldly. “Like a popular male courtesan whose services go for five thousand taels per night.”

Yan Sanhe laughed.

This girl was still indignant on her behalf!

…

They sat until their legs went numb at the teahouse, drank a bellyful of water, and heard a bellyful of Third Master’s romantic affairs. About Lu Shi, they only heard a few scattered sentences.

Yan Sanhe wasn’t discouraged.

Lu Shi’s matter had been causing a stir for several days, while Third Master’s promotion was fresh and hot news.

This world was one dynasty succeeding another, and naturally each day’s excitement succeeded the last.

After sitting for over an hour, she and Li Buyan left, deliberately passing by the Lu residence. They saw both vermillion doors tightly closed with not a shadow at the entrance.

Was it because he’d recovered and gone to court, so the Imperial Medical Bureau and Embroidered Uniform Guard no longer needed to visit?

Returning home, Tangyuan greeted them, chattering while helping Yan Sanhe change clothes and wash up about how Steward Xie had sent old ginseng for Li Buyan’s injuries.

Yan Sanhe listened with her ears while gazing out the window in a daze.

Steward Xie couldn’t have known about Li Buyan’s injury, and couldn’t have sent things here on his own initiative—it must have been Xie Zhifei’s instruction.

She touched her neck, saying very softly to Li Buyan, “I’d be a fool if I still couldn’t see clearly.”

Li Buyan took a bite of her pear, thinking to herself that she wouldn’t want a man like Xie Zhifei even as a gift.

When he likes you, he hints obscurely.

When he doesn’t like you anymore, he also hints obscurely.

Damn it, not straightforward at all.

“Tangyuan, chop those two ginseng roots into pieces and feed them to the dogs.”

“Don’t listen to her, Tangyuan.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t even blink. “Have the kitchen add them to soup. Tonight we’ll nourish our Miss Li.”

…

The two ginseng roots nourished Li Buyan until her nose bled. Meanwhile, Yan Sanhe took advantage of these two idle days to methodically review the several people surrounding Tang Zhiwei.

Through this review, Tang Zhiwei’s every word and deed during her lifetime vividly entered her mind.

For two full days, Yan Sanhe stayed home without going out.

On the third day, before dawn, she woke Li Buyan. The two changed into men’s clothing and headed straight for the Lu residence without even eating breakfast.

Yan Sanhe hadn’t forgotten—today was the day Lu Shi attended court. She wanted to observe this man’s every move from the shadows.

Walking to the vicinity of Lu Shi’s residence, the sky was just growing light.

Li Buyan found a large tree and had Yan Sanhe climb up, while she herself lightly leaped onto the wall.

That day they’d deliberately passed by Lu Shi’s residence to find the best observation position.

Before long, the vermillion doors creaked open and two sedan chair bearers carried out a sedan chair.

After a while, Steward Lu Da helped Lu Shi step over the half-height threshold.

Lu Shi stopped before the sedan chair, raised his head, straightened his chest, and adjusted his official robes with his hands, then adjusted his official hat.

Lu Da lifted the sedan curtain to help him board.

Throughout the entire process, no one spoke a word, yet Yan Sanhe in the tree and Li Buyan on the wall watched with hearts pounding—

Lu Shi was wearing crimson robes again!

…

Who wouldn’t feel their heart pound at that sight?

When a censor wore crimson, it meant they were about to impeach officials. The civil and military officials were frightened into silent worry: who would be today’s unlucky target?

Imperial Grand Prince Zhao Yishi was also walking in the procession to court. He turned his head and saw that flash of crimson, his eye twitching.

He deliberately slowed his pace, waiting for Lu Shi to draw near.

“Your Highness.” Lu Shi bowed to Zhao Yishi in greeting.

“Great Elder need not be so polite.”

Zhao Yishi gave a perfunctory gesture of support. “Has your health improved?”

Lu Shi laughed heartily. “Your Highness’s concern honors this old minister—I have recovered.”

Zhao Yishi looked at his crimson robes. “Recovery is good. These past few days, His Majesty worried so much over Great Elder’s illness that he could barely eat.”

“The Emperor’s grace is boundless!”

Lu Shi’s voice choked with emotion. “What virtue or ability does this old minister possess to merit His Majesty’s concern?”

At this moment, countless eyes looked over. Zhao Yishi steadied his presence. “Great Elder, let us proceed to court!”

“Your Highness, after you!”

…

The court of the Hua Kingdom convened in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Before the Emperor arrived, on normal days the civil and military officials would already be chatting quietly among themselves.

Today’s Hall of Supreme Harmony was silent as the grave. Everyone stood with eyes on nose, nose on heart, afraid bad luck would fall on their own heads.

Yet today the Emperor was late, very late. Several officials with unclean records and timid natures grew so anxious they nearly foamed at the mouth.

“His Majesty arrives!”

Emperor Yonghe, dressed in bright yellow, slowly emerged from the inner hall supported by an attendant’s hand. The officials quickly knelt in greeting, calling out long life three times.

Emperor Yonghe sat on the dragon throne, his gaze falling on that crimson figure. After a long silence, he finally spoke: “All my beloved ministers, rise.”

The officials scrambled up from the ground, sneaking glances at Lu Shi before continuing their eyes-on-nose, nose-on-heart stance.

Lu Shi stepped forward with a solemn expression. “Your Majesty, this minister has a memorial to present.”

Emperor Yonghe waved his hand. “Old Censor, you’ve just recovered. Rest today—present your memorial tomorrow.”

“This old minister thanks Your Majesty for his deep kindness, but duty compels me—I dare not wait until tomorrow.”

Lu Shi stepped forward, pulling an impeachment memorial from his robe. “Today this minister impeaches the same target—Grand Eunuch Yan Ruxian.”

Hearing this, the officials thought: has this old censor been addled by illness? Yan Ruxian’s household has already been raided—what’s there left to impeach?

Emperor Yonghe’s expression also changed slightly. “What does Minister Lu impeach him for?”

“This minister impeaches him for interfering in the Spring Examinations and secretly manipulating the futures of scholars throughout the realm.”

As these words fell, the entire hall became so silent you could hear a pin drop!