Outside the palace gate, Zhao Yishi wore vermillion robes with a crown, embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons.

This was an heir apparent’s attire, signifying another step closer to that position, but Zhao Yishi felt inexplicably heavy.

The Zheng Family walls collapsing—if it was man-made, it should be thoroughly investigated by the Ministry of Justice; if it was heaven’s will, the Imperial Observatory should divine good and ill fortune.

Why would His Majesty summon him, the Crown Prince, to the palace?

Zhao Yishi instinctively detected a trace of fear.

Entering the palace, he saw Pei Xiao in the distance following behind an attendant, limping along.

As they passed each other, their eyes met. Pei Xiao silently mouthed two words: Be careful!

Zhao Yishi smiled bitterly in his heart.

His Majesty raiding the Du Family, approving Zhu Yuanmo’s request—all signs indicated he was step by step replacing the Late Emperor’s former ministers.

His actions weren’t at all like his former weakness. On the contrary, he was very methodical and decisive.

From this it could be seen that His Majesty’s seventeen years of servility before the Late Emperor were actually seventeen years of biding his time.

Entering the Imperial Study, Zhao Yishi kowtowed in respect. Rising, his gaze swept the room and discovered Imperial Observatory Vice Director Liu Hecai standing deferentially to one side.

“Has the Crown Prince heard of the Zheng Family matter?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, I’ve already heard.”

“What does the Crown Prince think?”

“This son has no opinion. Everything is for Your Majesty to decide.”

The new Emperor’s eyelids lifted. “Lord Liu?”

Liu Hecai quickly turned, looking at Zhao Yishi. “Your Highness, just now this subject cast divination. The hexagram shows inauspiciousness.”

Zhao Yishi: “Lord Liu, to which matter does the inauspiciousness correspond?”

Liu Hecai: “The Zheng Family walls collapsing.”

Zhao Yishi’s heart skipped a beat, momentarily unable to catch his breath.

“Crown Prince, perfectly good walls won’t collapse, perfectly good bells won’t fail to sound—most likely there are grievances involved.”

The new Emperor’s gaze was deep. “I still want to hear your opinion.”

Zhao Yishi pondered for a moment. “Reporting to Your Majesty, back then the Zheng Family case was jointly investigated by the Three Judicial Offices and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The evidence was ironclad…”

“Is the Crown Prince’s meaning that the Imperial Observatory divined incorrectly?”

Zhao Yishi was stunned, having no choice but to change his words helplessly. “…Ironclad evidence may not necessarily be without error. Just have the Three Judicial Offices investigate again carefully.”

“This case was personally supervised by the Late Emperor. The Late Emperor’s corpse is still warm, yet you want me to overturn a case the Late Emperor investigated…”

The new Emperor’s expression turned severe. “Crown Prince, what great filial piety!”

Zhao Yishi looked at the new Emperor incredulously. A sense of humiliation surged through his meridians. He had no choice but to kneel. “This son’s opinion isn’t important. Please Your Majesty decide.”

“Crown Prince.”

A cold smile curved the new Emperor’s lips. “I too am in a difficult position.”

Zhao Yishi steeled himself. “Your Majesty, this matter can be discussed later. It’s just that the common people’s loose tongues must be stopped first; the Zheng Family’s surrounding walls also need remedial measures.”

“The world’s loose tongues can’t be stopped just because you want to stop them.”

The new Emperor looked down at him, eyes sinister.

“Crown Prince, you’ll reside in this palace. Think for me—is family affection greater than state law, preserving some face for the Late Emperor? Or is state law greater than family affection, making me an unfilial son?”

Zhao Yishi clenched his fists tightly. “Yes!”

To the side, Liu Hecai at this moment wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

Rumors had long circulated that when the new Emperor was Crown Prince, the Late Emperor despised him terribly. Now that he’d ascended to the throne, he emulated the Late Emperor, finding fault with the Crown Prince at every turn, suppressing and manipulating him in every way.

So the Crown Prince was wrong from left and wrong from right, having extremely difficult days.

Alas, looking at it now, these rumors were actually true.

…

Xie Zhifei waited until dusk without receiving any directive from the court.

On the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s end, they too were completely in the dark. Commander Feng Changxiu said nothing, simply playing dead.

And the second-in-command Cai Si reportedly still hadn’t emerged from the palace.

A leader found Xie Zhifei. “Third Master, what should we do? We can’t keep surrounding this place forever.”

Xie Zhifei thought about it. “Five Cities and Embroidered Uniform Guard each leave five brothers to patrol around the Zheng Family residence. Change shifts every three hours—arrange the personnel yourselves.”

The leader smiled obsequiously. “Third Master is still the most straightforward!”

Straightforward my ass!

“Zhu Qing, arrange the patrol personnel!”

“Yes!”

Having arranged everything, Xie Zhifei turned around and discovered Bu Liu still standing motionlessly behind him. He quickly waved his hand. “Go back.”

Not only did Bu Liu not leave, he stepped forward and hooked Xie Zhifei’s shoulder, dragging him to an unpopulated area.

“Young master, is there something wrong with the Zheng Family case?”

With such obvious omens before Bu Liu’s eyes, if he still couldn’t discern something, he’d be stupid.

Xie Zhifei had confessed his background to him but hadn’t confessed about the Zheng Family case.

With people all around and his spirit in turmoil, he said: “You go back to the military camp first. Later, when I find time, I’ll explain everything to you properly.”

“Not later—explain now.”

Involving the Zheng Family matter, Bu Liu was more anxious than anyone. One hundred eighty lives—if there truly was a problem, he couldn’t sleep.

“Isn’t there anything at the military camp?”

“What could there be?”

Bu Liu was dismissive. “Even if there is, there’s Zhang Kui…”

“Boss, Boss…”

Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.

Zhang Kui jumped from his horse and walked to Bu Liu’s side, whispering in his ear.

Bu Liu’s expression suddenly changed. “Third Master, I have urgent business. Leaving first.”

Seeing his expression was wrong, Xie Zhifei asked: “What is it?”

Bu Liu waved his hand without saying another word, mounted his horse, raised his whip, and galloped away.

Something happened at the military camp?

Someone rebelled?

The Tatars attacked?

Xie Zhifei stared at his retreating back disappearing into the dusk. Just about to withdraw his gaze, he saw Pei Mingting leading dozens of monks approaching in a grand procession.

Reaching the vicinity, the monks crossed over the ruins, found an open space in the Zheng Family residence, sat cross-legged, and began chanting sutras.

They chanted the Rebirth Sutra, fast and urgent, making Xie Zhifei’s hair stand on end.

“Who told you to summon them?”

“I did myself.”

Pei Xiao turned his head and saw Xie Zhifei’s face was abnormally pale. “What’s wrong? Where don’t you feel well?”

“Tired.”

“Damned if you’re as tired as me!”

Pei Xiao rubbed his waist. “Made me kneel for two full hours—nearly broke my back. I really don’t know how Huairen endured it before.”

“Where’s Huairen?”

“Summoned to the palace.”

Pei Xiao covered his mouth, voice muffled: “Xie Wushi, I’ve figured it out—this newly appointed one doesn’t trust anyone’s words. Even harder to serve than the Late Emperor. A ruthless character.”

Xie Zhifei looked at him coldly. “Say less irrelevant words. Come with me to the vil—”

“I’m not going.”

Pei Xiao directly interrupted. “I need to supervise them…”

“Not going won’t work.”

Xie Zhifei grabbed his collar and dragged him forward. Pei Xiao was pulled along. “Damned killer, I told you I’m not going to the villa.”

“Why not?”

Xie Zhifei turned to look at him. “Usually, aren’t you the one who runs to the villa most diligently?”

“I…”

Seeing he couldn’t hide it, Pei Xiao’s face fell. “I’ve been hurt in the heart by that shit-stirring stick.”

These words were like a thunderbolt, splitting Xie Zhifei’s soul in two halves.

One half was: Mingting likes the shit-stirring stick?

The other half was…

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Say earlier?

Pei Xiao’s face filled with fury. “Young Master Pei has no face to save!”