Morning court.

Qianqing Palace.

A palace attendant swept his whisk and called out shrilly, “Those with memorials, step forward. Those without, court is dismissed.”

Bu Liu, dressed in full military attire, suddenly stepped out of line, walked straight to the front, lifted his robe, and knelt on both knees.

“Your Majesty, this subject has a memorial.”

“Present it.”

A palace attendant took the memorial and carried it before the new Emperor. The new Emperor looked down and his corpulent body shook violently.

After a long while, he pointed at the memorial. “Take it for the Crown Prince to see.”

Zhao Yishi took it, his gaze sweeping over a few lines. Suddenly he raised his eyes and said sternly, “General Bu, the wise do not speak of strange forces and spirits. How dare you!”

“Your Highness, it’s not that this subject is bold, it’s…”

Bu Liu irritably scratched his head. Even though he’d rehearsed this hundreds of times beforehand, he still found it hard to say.

“…That horse was Old General Zheng Yu’s mount. Years ago the old general saved this subject’s life, so all these years I’ve been caring for his horse.

Yesterday when the old horse died, shortly after, all the war horses of the Bu Family Army collapsed.

This subject called several veterinary officers and outside physicians—even Imperial Physician Pei from the Imperial Medical Bureau—but couldn’t find any cause.

This subject heard that yesterday afternoon the Zheng family’s wall inexplicably collapsed, so, so that’s why…”

“Your Majesty—”

Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud Li Jian rushed out like a gust of wind, falling to his knees with a thud beside Bu Liu, his face mournful:

“At a quarter past the hour of Yin this morning, the Court of Imperial Stud’s twenty thousand war horses all inexplicably collapsed. We also can’t find the cause.”

With these words, not only did the entire Qianqing Palace fall deathly silent, even the air seemed to freeze.

News of the Zheng family wall’s sudden collapse had spread throughout the capital’s forty-nine wards overnight. For a perfectly good wall not only to completely collapse but even to collapse by one corner wasn’t easy.

Too suspicious.

That very night, some timid officials placed a Diamond Sutra beside their pillows.

Fine then—before the wall collapse had any explanation, now came news that war horses had all collapsed, and they collapsed after Old General Zheng’s mount died.

This, this, this…

Quite a few civil officials’ legs had already started trembling.

At this exact moment, Bu Liu turned his head to ask Li Jian, “Are your horses showing sad expressions?”

Li Jian nodded like a pecking chicken. “Yes, yes, yes—they look very sad.”

Bu Liu: “Listless appearance?”

Li Jian: “Yes, yes, yes.”

Bu Liu: “They also eat grass and drink water, but won’t get up. Even whipping them doesn’t work.”

Li Jian: “Yes, yes—whip them hard and they just whimper and cry. It’s quite pitiful.”

With each sentence these two spoke, the civil and military officials’ hearts sank another notch.

During the late Emperor’s lifetime, he had originally planned to personally lead the expedition, even having the Crown Prince’s grandson marry early for this purpose.

The Ministry of War had been preparing for this campaign since last October. Just after New Year’s, provisions had already been transported north in succession. Although the late Emperor was gone, this battle with the Tatars was imperative.

Everything was ready—but the war horses collapsed? What did this mean?

That was still secondary.

There was something even more critical.

Hua Kingdom had three Courts of Imperial Stud—one in the capital’s forty-nine wards, one in Gansu in the west, one in the northern territories. These three locations raised war horses for all of Hua Kingdom’s military.

Now that the capital’s horses had problems, what about Gansu and the north?

If the Gansu and northern horses also had problems, things would be serious.

Hua Kingdom had four enemies—East Yi to the east, Southern barbarians to the south, Western Rong to the west, and Tatars to the north. Among these four enemies, if even one took advantage to invade…

The civil and military officials dared not think further, all raising their eyes to look at the new Emperor on the dragon throne.

A layer of dense sweat appeared on the new Emperor’s forehead, his gaze falling on Zhao Yishi. “What is the Crown Prince’s view on this matter?”

Zhao Yishi took a deep breath, his hands clasped tightly together inside his sleeves.

“First, Your Majesty should send people to the other two Courts of Imperial Stud to investigate the situation. Second, we need to confirm whether the horses’ decline is truly related to the Zheng family.”

The civil and military officials nodded in agreement. These words were pertinent and practical—these two matters were the urgent priorities.

The new Emperor’s gaze shifted toward the Minister of War.

The old minister quickly stepped forward. “This old subject will immediately dispatch riders at full gallop…”

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty…”

The old minister’s words were interrupted by the messenger eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonies.

The eunuch rushed to the front, kneeling hastily. “Your Majesty, the Three Great Camps report that their war horses have problems—overnight they all can’t stand up.”

The new Emperor said sternly, “What is the cause?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, no cause can be found.”

The entire Qianqing Palace once again fell deathly silent.

The Three Great Camps were Hua Kingdom’s most important military force. Whenever great enemies attacked or troops were dispatched for campaigns, these three camps were usually mobilized.

Bu Liu’s Bu Family Army belonged to the Three Thousand Camp among them.

If the Three Great Camps’ horses all had problems, this was equivalent to Hua Kingdom’s sky collapsing in an instant!

Overnight, both the Capital Garrison and the Court of Imperial Stud’s horses had problems. Could it be that all this was truly related to that old horse?

Could it be that the Zheng family’s blood case truly had problems?

At this moment, the old Minister of War fell to his knees with a thud, wailing, “Your Majesty, this matter concerns the nation’s fortune, concerns the realm! You must make a decision quickly—we cannot be careless, cannot delay!”

With the four words “nation’s fortune and realm,” everyone’s hearts skipped a beat.

The new Emperor could no longer maintain composure and said sternly, “Crown Prince, what do you think the next step should be?”

Zhao Yishi looked back at the new Emperor quietly, slowly lowering his eyes as he declared loudly:

“Replying to Your Majesty, tracing all these strange events to their source, they all point to the Zheng family. This subject believes we should reinvestigate the Zheng family case thoroughly.”

The new Emperor said coolly, “The Crown Prince truly has courage—this case was decided during the late Emperor’s time.”

“This subject grew up at the late Emperor’s side. To this subject, the late Emperor was not only a sovereign, but an elder, and even more the peerless hero in my heart.”

Zhao Yishi raised his head. “From childhood he taught me that before family, nation, and all under heaven, everything else can be set aside.”

“Well said—’family, nation, and all under heaven!'”

The new Emperor clapped his large palm. “This matter is entrusted to the Crown Prince, to reinvestigate the Zheng family case together with the Three Judicial Offices.”

Zhao Yishi: “This subject receives the decree.”

New Emperor: “Old Minister?”

The old Minister of War: “This subject is here!”

New Emperor: “The two Courts of Imperial Stud in the west and north—quickly dispatch people to investigate.”

“Yes!”

The new Emperor’s gaze slowly swept across everyone. “Ministers, the matter of the war horses concerns the nation’s fortune. All ministers please speak and act with caution.”

Civil and military officials: “We subjects obey the decree.”

New Emperor: “Cabinet ministers, the Ministry of War, and the Directorate of Astronomy—accompany me to the Imperial Study to discuss important matters.”

A palace attendant quickly swept his whisk, calling out shrilly, “Court is dismissed—”

Zhao Yishi was the first to walk out of Qianqing Palace. Walking down the steps, the Three Judicial Offices people wanted to follow him but found they couldn’t keep up with the Crown Prince’s pace at all.

Ah, why walk so fast—we haven’t discussed how to investigate the Zheng family case yet!

Zhao Yishi crossed the Golden Water Bridge, his gaze coldly rising. Shen Chong, who had been waiting on the other side of the bridge, quickly ran over.

“Your Highness?”

“Tell Third Master—tonight bring Miss Yan to see me at the boat!”

Miss Yan?

Shen Chong’s heart jumped slightly. “Yes!”