Since entering the palace, this was Yun Chu’s first time leaving the palace.

She remembered that Yu’er and Changsheng loved eating pastries from a particular shop. She deliberately made a detour to buy many, and also purchased some rouge that women liked. After returning to the palace, she would send them to those old dowager consorts as a small diversion.

“Didn’t the Empress Dowager leave the palace to worship Buddha? How is she here?” A voice rang out in the shop.

Immediately after, a man dressed in brocade walked before Yun Chu.

She looked at him coldly—what narrow paths enemies tread! This person was actually the current head of the Gongsun family, Gongsun Ning.

Ever since the empress had died protecting the late emperor, the late emperor had felt guilty toward the empress. That guilty conscience had been transferred onto the Gongsun clan.

Gongsun Ning, such an incompetent fool, had actually been enfeoffed as a marquis by the late emperor and given a substantive court position. From a national uncle with no real power, he had leapt to become a titled noble.

Because the empress was gone and the former crown prince had requested to be deposed and sent to his fief, the Gongsun clan had found themselves a new powerful tree to lean on—the Regent Prince, Chu Rui.

Gongsun Ning was a dog under Chu Rui’s command.

A brainless dog would naturally be released by Chu Rui to bite people.

Yun Chu’s eyes gradually turned cold.

“So the Empress Dowager is buying rouge?” Gongsun Ning approached with a smile. “They say women adorn themselves for those who appreciate them. For whom is the Empress Dowager applying rouge?”

Yun Chu’s face was frosty. “Marquis Yide, please conduct yourself with propriety.”

After speaking, she turned and walked outside.

Gongsun Ning followed. “The Empress Dowager now guards such a vast rear palace alone. Don’t you feel empty, lonely, and cold?”

Yun Chu stepped into her carriage. “That need not trouble the Marquis of Yide.”

“Allow this humble one to escort the Empress Dowager back to the palace.” Gongsun Ning mounted a horse and followed beside the carriage, making conversation with Yun Chu by the carriage window. “The Empress Dowager is only just past twenty this year, in the prime of life, yet wasting away in the lonely rear palace—isn’t that a pity? A woman without a man is like a flower without nutrients—she will soon wither and fade…”

He talked all the way to the palace gates.

Yun Chu descended from the carriage.

Gongsun Ning also dismounted.

“Since the Marquis of Yide has nothing to do, why not escort this empress dowager back to Kangning Palace?”

As soon as Yun Chu spoke these words—

Incredulous light appeared in Gongsun Ning’s eyes.

It seemed his words along the way hadn’t been in vain—he had actually persuaded Yun Chu so easily.

Although Yun Chu’s status was empress dowager, her skin was even more delicate than a young maiden’s. Just thinking about how he would soon have his way, he was so excited his blood boiled.

This was the palace gate entrance—he didn’t dare be too presumptuous.

Bowing at the waist, pretending to be respectful, he walked over. “This minister will support the Empress Dowager.”

Yun Chu raised her left arm and placed it on Gongsun Ning’s hand. “Then I’ll trouble the Marquis of Yide.”

Gongsun Ning’s heart leapt with great joy.

Such a strong and proud person before—after being lonely in the rear palace for so long without a man, hadn’t she also become a wanton woman?

She was even actively seducing him.

His hand began to misbehave, moving toward the back of Yun Chu’s hand.

Just at this moment—

Qiutong at Yun Chu’s side turned cold, shouting angrily, “Bold madman! How dare you defile the Empress Dowager!”

At the same time, she drew the sword from her waist.

Her identity was not merely that of a palace maid, but also a guard, therefore she was permitted to carry blades into the palace.

The sword in Qiutong’s hand reflected cold light as it went toward Gongsun Ning’s arm.

“Ahhh…!”

Only a miserable scream was heard as Qiutong sliced off Gongsun Ning’s arm. Hot blood splattered on Yun Chu’s face.

At the palace gate entrance were court officials leaving the palace and palace servants coming and going. Every single one was shocked, then immediately knelt down with lowered heads, not daring to look around.

“It hurts! It hurts to death!” Gongsun Ning rolled on the ground. When he saw his severed arm on the ground, his entire being shattered. “Lowly servant! How dare you attack! I’ll kill you! Kill you!”

“Guards!”

Yun Chu called out coldly.

“Marquis Yide Gongsun Ning has defiled this empress dowager—his crime deserves death!” She enunciated each word. “Transmit this empress dowager’s edict: Strip him of his title, demote him to commoner status, and execute him after three days!”

“Yes!”

The Yulin Imperial Guards surrounded them and seized Gongsun Ning.

Gongsun Ning roared and bellowed, “This marquis is the Regent Prince’s man! Let’s see who dares arrest me! Let go, release me!”

“So, your defilement of this empress dowager was at the Regent Prince’s behest?” Yun Chu said sternly.

As soon as her words fell, from the side came Chu Rui’s voice. “That this person defiled the Empress Dowager is one thing, but he actually splashes dirty water on this minister. If we wait three days before executing him, wouldn’t that waste three days of grain?”

Gongsun Ning raised his head in disbelief. “Your Highness?”

After pledging allegiance to Chu Rui, to show his loyalty, he had secretly helped Chu Rui kill many from the opposition faction.

He thought Chu Rui would surely help him take revenge.

But instead—

He saw Chu Rui draw a long blade from the waist of a nearby guard.

Then, with lightning speed, he thrust it into his heart.

Just like the day the late emperor passed away, the blade in Chu Rui’s hand had unhesitatingly stabbed into the Regent Princess Consort’s chest.

It was said that the Regent Princess Consort had been pregnant at the time.

A person who could kill even his wife and child—what more him…

Chu Rui pulled the long blade out. Gongsun Ning spat out a mouthful of blood, instantly lost his breath, and became a corpse.

Chu Rui tossed the long blade to his attendant behind him and stepped toward Yun Chu.

His dark-colored official robes were splattered with blood, though it didn’t show much.

“The Empress Dowager has been frightened.” Chu Rui’s voice became gentle. Who could tell he had just killed someone?

“It’s nothing.” Yun Chu wiped her left arm with a handkerchief. “To have someone show this empress dowager disrespect right in the palace—it seems the Yulin Imperial Guards have been negligent. The Regent Prince should pay more attention.”

She spoke coldly, then stepped away.

Only after her figure disappeared down the palace path did Chu Rui withdraw his gaze. He looked at the corpse with disgust. “Chop it into pieces and feed it to the dogs.”

Commander Lin of the Yulin Imperial Guards immediately accepted the order. “Yes, Your Highness!”

Gongsun Ning’s corpse was dragged away. The blood on the palace path was cleaned by palace maids, as if nothing had happened.

“Your Highness, although Gongsun Ning was a scoundrel, at the end of the day, he was still Your Highness’s man.” Commander Lin spoke. “The Empress Dowager severed Gongsun Ning’s arm—that was not giving Your Highness face. Yet Your Highness still…”

Chu Rui spoke coldly. “This prince’s schemes need not be explained to you. Deploy more people to watch Yangxin Hall, the Imperial Study, and Kangning Palace.”

Commander Lin nodded in acknowledgment.

He was the current head of the Lin family. His own elder sister was Chu Rui’s deceased mother consort.

Before Chu Rui promoted him to Commander of the Yulin Imperial Guards, he had been the owner of a martial arts school, struggling to support the clan members through the martial arts school.

Now he had finally made it through the difficult times.

The entire Lin family had returned to court, finally reclaiming their former glory.

Commander Lin deployed additional personnel to monitor the young emperor and empress dowager. After completing this task, he went to the Imperial Study to check on his son.

Because the family had fallen into decline, he had only married one wife and produced only this one son. Though his son wasn’t particularly outstanding, he was his everything. His son had even been personally selected by the young emperor as a study companion and personally taught by Grand Preceptor Xu. His son would surely amount to something in the future.

However, his timing was unfortunate. He arrived during a break, just as a group of children were accompanying the young emperor by the lotus pond.

“Lin Dongdong,” he heard the young emperor speak. “My jade pendant fell into the pond. You—fetch it up for me.”

“Right away!”

Lin Dongdong climbed over the railing and with a splash jumped into the lotus pond.

Commander Lin was completely stunned.