In the heavy rain.

The hundred officials held umbrellas and entered the palace early as usual, preparing for morning court.

Who knew that halfway there, they saw someone blocking the middle of the road.

It was none other than the head eunuch of the Ceremonial Directorate, Qin Qi.

Qin Qi held a whisk, calling out in a high-pitched voice: “His Majesty’s dragon body is unwell. Court is suspended for today. All officials, please return.”

Suspended?

The hundred officials looked at each other, all finding it somewhat unbelievable.

Qin Qi couldn’t be bothered to look at them and hurried toward Qianqing Palace.

Reaching the entrance of Qianqing Palace, he took the umbrella from the little eunuch behind him, threw down the phrase “wait here,” and walked toward the person kneeling in the rain.

“Your Highness, please take care of your health.”

Zhao Yishi looked up to see it was Qin Qi and smiled at him. “I’m fine.”

Qin Qi looked at his lips, purple from cold, his heart aching terribly.

When the late emperor was alive, this grandson was his favorite. Forget punishment kneeling—he couldn’t bear even to speak harshly to him.

After many twists and turns, Qin Qi lowered the umbrella and said in a low voice: “Your Highness, there’s a situation in the north. His Majesty has been sitting in silence for an hour. Please endure a bit longer.”

Zhao Yishi stiffened, not a trace of joy on his face, but rather a hint of worry flashing through his eyes.

What you fear most is what comes.

He raised his hand and cupped his fists toward Qin Qi. “Eunuch Qin…”

“It won’t do, absolutely won’t do.”

How could Qin Qi bear the Crown Prince’s courtesy? “Your Highness rest assured, if this old slave has any means, I’ll certainly try to persuade His Majesty.”

Zhao Yishi gave a desolate smile. “Eunuch has worked hard.”

“Look at what Your Highness says. This old slave will go now.”

Qin Qi hastily rose and hurried to the eaves of Qianqing Palace. He threw down the umbrella, brushed off the rain droplets on his body, and stepped across the threshold.

Inside the hall.

The new emperor still sat upright before the desk, his expression grave. Beside him were two memorials.

One memorial came from the Northern Territories, one was an urgent report from General Bu—both personally delivered to His Majesty’s hands by Qin Qi.

Qin Qi sighed inwardly. Actually, the new emperor had it hard too.

Back then, the new emperor was like the Crown Prince kneeling outside now—which matter could he truly decide? Wasn’t everything the late emperor’s decision?

The late emperor pressed urgently on the Zheng family case, summoning the new emperor to his presence daily to admonish him.

The new emperor’s legs weren’t good—kneeling down was difficult, getting up even more difficult.

Just then, the Three Judicial Offices sent evidence. That evidence looked fine from every angle, so the case was settled. Who could have known…

“Your Majesty.”

Qin Qi cautiously called out. “It’s time for the morning meal.”

The new emperor didn’t blink, only let out a long, turbid breath and lowered his head, his hand slowly pressing against his forehead.

In this instant, Qin Qi felt an inexplicable sympathy for him.

Less than two months on the dragon throne, and already he had to announce to the realm his past mistakes. Throughout history, which emperor had experienced this?

The Zheng family were all loyal martyrs who died so miserably. The common people would only pour all their resentment onto the new emperor, saying he was incompetent, saying he was foolish.

When history books were written with meticulous brushwork, this event would be recorded in vivid detail. How many would carefully examine the rights and wrongs within?

Thinking this, the words he’d planned to say in persuasion couldn’t come out no matter what.

Qin Qi silently retreated several steps, hiding his body in the shadows.

…

The separate courtyard.

The side gate.

Xie Zhifei listened to Zhu Qing’s report, then lowered his head to give a few more instructions.

Zhu Qing nodded, put on a rain cape, mounted his horse, and disappeared into the vast rain.

Xie Zhifei held an umbrella toward the inner quarters. Through the rain and mist, he saw Yan Sanhe standing under the eaves with her hands clasped behind her back.

She was waiting for him.

The irritable emotions Xie Zhifei felt because Huairen hadn’t yet left the palace lightened considerably.

He walked forward, closed the umbrella, and stood beside her. “Something to say?”

Yan Sanhe looked up at him. “Xie Zhifei, what if my intuition is wrong?”

“If it’s wrong, it’s wrong. What of it? Besides, when have you ever been wrong?”

Xie Zhifei lowered his shoulder and lightly bumped her. “Anything else?”

“No.”

“I do.”

Xie Zhifei: “Announcing the Zheng family’s wrongful case to the realm—besides the reason about the warhorses, are there any other private motives?”

“Yes!”

Yan Sanhe pointed toward the direction of the palace, a fire kindling in her dark eyes.

“I want to tell those people with overwhelming power that not everything can be covered up with one hand, even if you’re the supreme ruler. And also…”

She paused, her voice softening. “We promised Wu Shunian.”

You silly girl, why do you take all responsibility on yourself?

The one who made the promise was clearly Pei Mingting.

Xie Zhifei looked at her thin shoulders, deeply hiding his heartache and worry in his dark eyes.

“Tell me, why would he do this?”

Xie Zhifei began probing imperceptibly.

“Huairen was right. The Zheng family were all loyal martyrs, and the old general was on the battlefield. If he did this, wasn’t he afraid word would reach the old general and affect the entire battle situation?”

No one answered.

The person beside him stood quietly.

Xie Zhifei didn’t really expect to hear an answer from her.

The reason he repeated the question was to subtly remind her—

Did she truly not care if her identity was exposed by continuing the investigation? Did she truly not care about life and death?

Foolish girl, that you can do this much for the Zheng family means they didn’t raise you in vain.

Suddenly, his arm tightened.

Xie Zhifei turned his head to find Yan Sanhe’s expression unusually tense. “What is it?”

“Something’s wrong!”

“What’s wrong?”

“The warhorses are wrong.”

Xie Zhifei was somewhat confused. The warhorses had been wrong all along, listless the whole time. Why was she bringing this up now?

“Xie Zhifei, let me ask you—the Zheng family’s wall collapsing, what does that signify?”

Did that even need asking?

“It signifies the Zheng family case has wrongful elements.”

“Then the warhorses being listless, what does that signify?”

“It signifies the Zheng family…”

Halfway through, Xie Zhifei suddenly couldn’t continue.

The warhorses had no connection to the Zheng family. What connected them was warfare and Old General Zheng.

“After that old horse died, Hua Kingdom’s warhorses began having problems one after another. That old horse was Old General Zheng’s mount. Horses understand human nature…”

Yan Sanhe’s chest rose and fell slightly.

“Bu Liu said this horse refused food and drink for several days because of Old General Zheng’s death. Could there be a possibility…”

“What?” Xie Zhifei’s voice suddenly tightened.

Yan Sanhe forced out the words one by one: “That Old General Zheng’s death also has something suspicious about it?”

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Xie Zhifei suddenly coughed violently.

He coughed earth-shatteringly, as if frightened by something, unable to stop at all.

Yan Sanhe tried to reach out to pat his back, but he brushed her away.

He turned around, hand against the wall, clutching his chest. After quite a while, he finally recovered. When he looked up again, his pitch-black eyes were filled with tears from coughing.

“Yan Sanhe.”

His voice had become very hoarse. “Where do you think the suspicion lies in Old General Zheng’s death?”

“I can’t say exactly.”

She had only suddenly thought of it just now when Xie Zhifei said that the old general was on the battlefield—if he exterminated the entire Zheng household, wasn’t he afraid word would reach the old general and affect the battle situation?

Connecting this to the warhorse matter…

“Xie Zhifei, have you considered one thing?”

“Tell me.”

“Before the old general died, could he have already known his family had been exterminated?”

Xie Zhifei’s pupils instantly contracted. He bent over and coughed himself into oblivion again.