I was choked by this mouthful of tea until my face turned red and my ears burned.

The various ministers all turned their heads to cast concerned glances at me, and the Crown Prince even rose to pat my back and help me catch my breath: “Is Imperial Sister feeling unwell somewhere?”

“No… cough, nothing seriously wrong.” Actually quite seriously wrong.

Under such circumstances, suddenly hearing Nie Ran’s name, my entire heart felt like it had been punched.

That’s right, I had actually forgotten – Premier Zhao was precisely Zhao Yanran’s father, which meant he was now recommending his own son-in-law. I no longer had the luxury to consider what machinations lay beneath this move. Those court struggles and schemes – if he got involved, someday…

In any case, this absolutely could not be allowed!

My heart heated up, and I blurted out: “Premier Zhao shows no concern whatsoever for avoiding suspicion of favoritism.”

Premier Zhao said mildly: “What does the princess mean by this?”

“I heard that your esteemed daughter is to marry the heir of the Nie family. How are the wedding preparations proceeding?”

Premier Zhao maintained a calm expression and said extremely slowly: “Thank you for the princess’s concern. The marriage with the Nie family has been postponed. It’s only because my daughter is too willful and capricious. This old minister failed to educate his daughter properly. Better not to mention this matter.”

A tide of melancholy suddenly rose in my heart. The marriage was postponed? Why? Unfortunately, I couldn’t pursue the question now, and shouldn’t even show too much surprise: “Since this is Premier Zhao’s family matter, this princess won’t inquire further. When Premier Zhao recommends Young Master Nie, what are your reasons?”

Premier Zhao looked at me thoughtfully, seeming to ponder my question, or perhaps just wondering why I would ask such a thing. My heart felt uneasy, but I heard him say: “Since Young Master Nie entered office through the imperial examination, he has served as Prefect of Suiyang for over three years. Marquis Xia Yang has mentioned to this old minister the heir’s experience in handling affairs. Now that there’s this vacancy, though it may not be ideal, this old minister merely suggests it. If there are more capable candidates, this old minister will naturally support them.”

Anyway, he had covered all angles in his words. This Cabinet Premier was indeed an old fox.

I nodded noncommittally, my thoughts still dwelling elsewhere. The Crown Prince probably felt this matter couldn’t be decided quickly, so he waved his sleeves at the various ministers, dismissing them.

He dropped that domineering expression from his face, sat beside me and picked up his cool tea, saying: “If Imperial Sister hadn’t spoken up, that assignment would probably have fallen to that Nie Ran.”

I felt slightly guilty: “Is the Crown Prince dissatisfied with him?”

“Setting aside his capabilities, if he successfully handles this matter, Zhao Gengnian will likely take the opportunity to bring Nie Ran into the Cabinet. Sigh, then wouldn’t the Cabinet be entirely under the Zhao family’s control…”

I said: “Don’t we still have our uncle…”

The Crown Prince said: “Sister, when you bring him up now, are you mocking him or mocking me…”

I was mocking myself.

He refilled my tea and asked with concern: “Has Imperial Sister’s health recovered?”

“If I weren’t well, I wouldn’t have entered the palace to wade into these muddy waters.”

The Crown Prince scratched his head and glanced at me: “Look at how you put it. During the time Imperial Sister was away, I didn’t dare openly search for you, both fearing something had happened to you and fearing something really had happened to you. I spent every day anxiously worried about being exposed regarding the fake princess matter. That day when the prince consort said he’d found you, you don’t know how I…” He became somewhat excited and stopped mid-sentence, only gripping my sleeve tightly, “In any case, your safe return is better than anything…”

The warmth rising in my heart was about to overflow from the corners of my eyes.

He was Princess Xiangyi’s most beloved younger brother, His Highness the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. Even if I had forgotten, how could I not sense that bond thicker than water?

I looked at him with some gratitude, then heard him continue: “This way, finally someone can help me share those complicated governmental affairs…”

Me: “…”

“Imperial Sister, that day you clearly went to Jade Dragon Manor first to prepare a surprise for the prince consort’s birthday celebration, but why did you disappear when everyone arrived? Where did you go for so long? The imperial physicians said you suffered severe injuries – was someone trying to harm you?”

Birthday celebration? Surprise? I hadn’t expected there to be such a past. Why had the prince consort never mentioned this? Could it be his emotional trauma was too great? Cough, as for why I was injured… harm…

I hesitated whether to tell the Crown Prince the truth. If I came clean, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t fly into a rage and have Nie Ran dealt with.

Forget it, forget it. In the end, I was reluctant to do so. That’s about all the spine I had.

“The reason I didn’t return was simply that I couldn’t remember I should return.” I paused, “Why I disappeared, naturally I don’t remember. Those days I merely lived in a small village, then later was pursued and killed, narrowly escaped death, and was coincidentally found by the prince consort…”

The Crown Prince stared at me in shock: “Imperial Sister means…”

“Actually, I lost my memory.”

By the time I had calmly finished telling that long, abbreviated version of the story omitting Xu Fang, the Crown Prince already showed signs of being so frustrated his lungs hurt.

So he kept me there fussing over me like parching beans, asking after my health and warmth, and I couldn’t even leave.

In the end, I could only use fatigue as an excuse before he reluctantly let me go.

However, before leaving, I asked one more question about the personnel plans for dispatching someone to Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The Crown Prince suddenly realized: “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I nearly forgot. I was anxious to find you precisely because of this matter. Imperial Sister, looking at all the civil and military officials in court, apart from the Lingnan faction there’s the Jianghuai faction. No matter who we send, the result will be the same. You understand, don’t you.”

I said: “There must be some honest officials loyal to Father Emperor.”

The Crown Prince shook his head: “Those honest officials are shrewd and practical. With the current unstable political situation, they naturally protect themselves wisely. Who would still dare stand out to oppose Zhao Gengnian or National Uncle Li? Even if they’re inclined toward us, either their reach is too short or their positions too low to matter much. They simply lack the resolve to handle crises.”

After this big roundabout explanation, I felt even more dizzy: “Who exactly does the Crown Prince have in mind?”

The Crown Prince smiled: “It’s… Han Fei from Imperial Sister’s mansion.”

I felt the Crown Prince’s smile was somewhat… that, but I was too lazy to argue. Perhaps the truth really was what he misunderstood. I asked: “What abilities does he have to contend with those two factions’ powerful ministers?”

The Crown Prince straightened his expression: “He could brave universal condemnation to expose his mentor’s crimes. What he upholds is nothing more than the character for ‘law.’ Only such a person, no matter what external forces he faces, can act according to his own conscience. This is the strongest weapon against those factions.”

I hadn’t expected him to be such a person. “Isn’t this type of person most easily eliminated by treacherous villains?”

The Crown Prince laughed heartily, “But he’s Imperial Sister’s person. Who would dare make a move against him?”

I touched my nose tip with some guilt and changed the subject, “You mentioned exposing his mentor’s crimes… was that the Fang Liang case?” I had just seen it in the old case files today and vaguely remembered Han Fei was the witness in that case.

The Crown Prince said: “Correct. Imperial Sister, you actually still remember. The chief judge for that case was precisely the prince consort.”

“Since the Crown Prince feels Han Fei is capable, I have no objections. I’ll give instructions when I return to the mansion. He probably won’t refuse.” That fellow looked like staying one moment longer with this princess would make him moldy. How could he possibly refuse? He’d probably start packing as soon as he heard.

Hearing this, the Crown Prince immediately brightened: “Then I’ll trouble Imperial Sister.”

On the way back to the mansion, I filtered through everything I’d seen and heard in the palace today, feeling there really was quite a lot I needed to remember. When passing the Court of Judicial Review, I roughly calculated the time and had the carriage stop, thinking to go in and observe the Court of Judicial Review that handled criminal law and major cases. Of course, mainly I was curious about what it would look like when the prince consort, tender as grass, tried cases.

The Deputy Minister here was extremely familiar with me upon seeing me, leading me around, then bringing me to the reception office study to serve tea, saying “Minister Song is still hearing a case in the front hall, please wait, Princess” before busying himself with other matters. I figured I must have frequently wandered around the Court of Judicial Review in the past to create such a weak sense of presence. Of course, this casualness was better than nervous formalities.

This was Song Langsheng’s study. I perked up and wandered by the bookshelf, but aside from case files there were only law books – really tedious. It was hard on him with his strange temperament, spending all day with these criminal law classics. A perfectly good person would be driven to develop some quirks.

I was about to sneak out when my sleeve accidentally brushed against something in the corner of the bookcase.

It was an old fan.

I casually picked it up to examine. The fan ribs carried a faint, elegant sandalwood scent, with a silk fan surface – not a vulgar object. I opened the fan and saw one side bore only four large characters: “Better to forget each other.” The brushwork was flowing and elegant, with only the character “Lang” written at the signature spot. Turning to the other side, there was a painting of bees gathering nectar from flowers under the bright sun, very simple.

What I found strange was the gap in the middle of the fan surface – a long tear, as if someone had damaged it and then mended it later.

Really a familiar-looking fan.

I closed the folding fan and tucked it into my sleeve, then walked directly through the corridor to the side door of the front courtroom, looking through the screen at Song Langsheng hearing the case in the hall. He wore crimson official robes with wide white sleeves edged in blue, which made his face appear like beautiful jade.

Perhaps because of the court’s solemnity, his expression seemed very stern, his gaze so sharp it was somewhat intimidating. Not giving the defendant below much chance to catch his breath, a few brief words actually left the person speechless. By the time they reacted, all their arguments seemed as pale as excuses, and when even the criminal had no strength left to advocate for themselves, the case’s outcome was sealed.

This was the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review of Daqing. To achieve “determining law through emotion” and “punishment fitting the crime,” ensuring “no wrongful imprisonment.”

Looking at the prince consort in the hall, so completely different from his usual self, hundreds of flavors rose and churned in my heart – both familiar and unsettling.

Song Langsheng calmly picked up a command token, his voice stern and proper: “According to law, one hundred strokes of the rod, four years of penal servitude, continued service after completing the sentence.”

The sound of the command token hitting the ground was like a lock, unexpectedly opening some box deep in my memory.

The same person, the same posture, pronouncing a sentence of exile and demotion on Fang Liang, who was then Grand Marshal, standing below in the court.

That day, after leaving the courtroom, I was already waiting in the study when Song Langsheng entered. I angrily said: “Minister Song, this princess already instructed you not to move against Fang Liang rashly. How could you so carelessly determine his guilt?”

Song Langsheng said: “Fang Liang’s accepting bribes is fact. This subordinate merely judged according to law, absolutely without carelessness.”

I said: “His corruption is true, but wasn’t it for his own benefit? You can go look at his residence – it’s not even as good as a county magistrate’s! What he sought was nothing more than staying in that position longer and more securely. What he did was genuinely beneficial to the country and people!”

Song Langsheng said coldly: “This corruption affected tens of thousands of common people. Such eternal sin absolutely cannot be forgiven.”

I slapped the table with one hand: “One Fang Liang implicates the entire Crown Prince faction. How many people will fall because of one Fang Liang? Do you know how deep these court waters run?”

Song Langsheng looked at me intently, then said plainly but forcefully: “Those who govern consider gains and losses, weigh what is appropriate for short and long term, while those who uphold law neither bend justice nor let evil escape. The princess has her position, this subordinate has his position. This subordinate and the princess were never on the same path to begin with. Why does the princess waste her breath?”

Perhaps it was his poor tone, or perhaps I was truly enraged. When I caught sight of that folding fan on the table, I instinctively grabbed it and tore it forcefully. Song Langsheng saw this and quickly stepped forward to snatch it from my hands, but used too much force and sent me sprawling heavily to the ground.

Seeing me knocked down, he realized he’d caused great trouble and reached out to help me up.

But I forcefully shoved away his hand and said: “Does it hurt that the fan your beloved gave you was damaged? Minister Song, don’t be anxious to get angry yet. In the future, this princess will do many more things that pain your heart. You’d better just endure it!”

A moment of dizziness, fragments of the past flashing by.

I stood in place for a long time, unable to help but smile bitterly.

The first time I recovered scattered memories belonging to the princess, it was actually such a scene.

How terrible.

Author’s Note: Yeah~~ Now I really have no saved manuscripts~~

Alright, because many people are questioning some issues, let me clarify once more:

This story is not NP, absolutely 1v1. Those male favorites and such – those who know me understand it’s for plot needs.

The prince consort in this story is a good person, but may not be as he appears on the surface.

Many plot points haven’t emerged yet, don’t jump to conclusions~ Don’t choose the wrong side, hehe, don’t hit me~~~

So, if you like this story, I want to hear your thoughts and suggestions, so… I want to receive long reviews (covers face).

Loving readers will get more benefits~~~

Of course, for those who really can’t write them, I hope for continued support with all kinds of flowers~~~ kisses~~~