“Your Majesty, what did you just say?” Mo Zi tilted her head slightly, bringing her ear forward.

“I’m having you represent the Waterborne Transport Bureau as Chief Pattern-Making Official in this three-day Master Craftsman evaluation to show those under Director Si what you’re capable of, so they’ll stop making petty moves to squeeze you out. If you want to achieve real results in the Waterborne Transport Bureau, you must first subdue everyone above and below. Director Si proposed this matter first. I’m not unaware of his intentions, yet I still agreed. Because this is called going with the flow.” The Emperor was quite pleased with himself.

Mo Zi secretly sighed. What “going with the flow”—this was clearly falling into someone else’s trap, forcing her into a corner.

“May I ask Your Majesty, what is a Chief Pattern-Making Official?” Though hands-on work was her strong suit, she didn’t want to perform for any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

“The skills assessment is divided into several parts. One item involves making an exact replica according to a pattern provided by the Ministry of Works. In previous years, each bureau selected master craftsmen with superior skills to set questions for those taking the examination. This year, the Ministry of Works said you’re someone I personally praised for high shipbuilding skills, and with everyone in the Waterborne Transport Bureau unanimously praising your capability, they agreed to have you lead two other master craftsmen. If I didn’t agree, wouldn’t that be admitting I misjudged you?” Behind his self-satisfaction was actually a concern for face.

“Your Majesty, though Mo Zi manages a small shipyard, I don’t even have a craftsman’s title. How can I examine others?” This didn’t count as deceiving the sovereign, right?

“Girl, you’re being modest.” But the Emperor had inside information. “You broke through three barriers—I won’t mention that. The ship for the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration—I won’t mention that either. At the Dragon Boat Race during the Chongyang Ship Festival, your Red Dogwood dragon boat was outstanding. The Ministry of Works used it as a foundation to design the light and nimble Dragonfly Stern, which will be specially used for reconnaissance at naval bases. Don’t tell me those ships weren’t made by you.”

Mo Zi opened her mouth. To deny would be deceiving the sovereign. “Shipbuilding is one thing; setting questions for people with already extremely high technical skills is another matter entirely. A ship is the collective effort and heart’s blood of everyone at Red Dogwood, not Mo Zi’s achievement alone.”

“Mo Zi, you don’t need to work with your hands, just use your clever brain. Aren’t there two other master craftsmen?” In some matters the Emperor thought quite thoroughly; in others he completely overlooked things.

A young eunuch entered, saying Junior General Xiao Wei requested an audience.

The Emperor delivered a final line to Mo Zi. “If you can set a question that strikes those self-important craftsmen into being as humble as you, I’ll credit you with merit.”

She wanted to muddle through as an official, yet they insisted on picking on her. Mo Zi couldn’t say this and could only retreat sheepishly.

She encountered Xiao the Second outside the door. Concerned about how events were developing, she asked, “Has the General discovered any clues?”

Xiao Wei encountered her outside the Emperor’s study. The feeling was strange again, but he immediately shook his head. “I only know those who framed you died under the blades of the lieutenant and his subordinates, while the lieutenant and his men were killed by some kind of needle-shaped hidden weapon that struck vital points.”

“May I see what kind of hidden weapon it is?” She asked this casually.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Wei took a cloth handkerchief from his chest and actually opened it to show her. “This needle is peculiar. The middle is hollow and long, the head like a sharp stake, the tail with a small barbed hook. Even if it doesn’t strike an acupuncture point, it can rupture blood vessels causing massive blood loss, and once it enters the body, it’s very difficult to extract. The needle is black in color and carries deadly poison. In any case, it’s not a comfortable way to die.”

Mo Zi glanced at it once then looked away. “General, this needle is made by the Qiliu clan of Daqiu, specially used to deal with those who cling to life and fear death.”

“Daqiu?” Cold light flashed in Xiao Wei’s starry eyes. “You’re certain?”

“Naturally. I have national and family enmity with Daqiu. Regarding their methods of killing, I know quite a bit. The poison on the needle only spreads once it enters the blood.” Having said this, Mo Zi turned and left.

Xiao Wei watched her departing figure, lost in thought. Only when the young eunuch urged him did he enter the imperial study.

As soon as Mo Zi entered the Yuan Mansion, she went to see Yuan Cheng. Who knew, when she arrived at his residential courtyard, she found it empty. A guard whose face was somewhat familiar but whose name she couldn’t recall told her the lord was at the Lakeheart Pavilion.

“Lakeheart Pavilion?” In this kind of weather? In this kind of physical condition? Had he read too many books, making everything refined, even choosing a beautiful place to treat injuries?

“Young Master Jin came and forcibly dragged the lord there.” No one in the Yuan Mansion was stupid—everyone knew how to read expressions.

“No wonder.” Mo Zi said these three words and discovered she felt somewhat relieved. Those two usually mocked each other coldly whenever they met. Once she’d grown accustomed to it, she actually felt this was sworn brotherhood.

The Lakeheart Pavilion had a warm fire lit early on this winter day.

One in black, one in white, each holding black and white stones, playing chess.

Physician Hua sat in the middle, tugging his beard, watching intently.

A young child with hair in side buns was fanning the medicine brazier downwind. The medicinal scent was half blown away by the wind and half remained—not bitter but fragrant, enticing deep breaths.

Physician Hua was the first to see Mo Zi enter. “Official Yuan, is there a problem with your mansion’s feng shui? This one gets beaten, that one gets stabbed.”

Yuan Cheng looked toward Mo Zi. After a long moment, “I’m fine.”

Physician Hua made a sound of protest. “Whether there’s something wrong or not, I say. Miss Mo Zi, Official Yuan has been your benefactor several times now. My old lady at such an advanced age—he sends her running back and forth. Not to mention those clichés about repaying kindness, but at least trouble yourself to personally wash rice and make soup to properly care for him for a few days. His injury—to minimize it, it’s like being bitten by a mosquito; to maximize it, one arm was nearly crippled. I’ve done what humans can do. As a physician, I’ve done everything I should. Now it depends on heaven’s will. This old man is accurate in judging people—I see most of heaven’s will rests in the young lady’s hands. Be extremely careful.”

Before Mo Zi could retort, Jin Yin laughed. “Third Sister, this is perfect. His life is in your hands—just torment him to death. I’ll prepare the coffin lid.”

“Physician Hua, please accept the consultation fee. You love listening to storytelling, which this Yuan finds quite good. Just don’t take it out of the teahouse—seeing great waves where there’s no wind.” Yuan Cheng smiled faintly and beckoned Ming Nian.

Ming Nian immediately presented a gift box.

Old Physician Hua didn’t even look at it, saying something about not having a good heart, and left with a huff, taking it with him.

“Mo Zi, when the Emperor kept you behind, what did he say?” Yuan Cheng ignored Jin Yin and asked Mo Zi about proper business.

“You’re not asking what happened in the court hall?” She’d planned to start from the beginning.

Jin Yin placed a white stone. “Someone already reported what happened in that place to him. However, movements in the Emperor’s study won’t spread so quickly.” Discovering Yuan Cheng had surrounded him to death, he removed seven stones in succession and cried out in chaos.

“His Majesty is having me serve as Chief Pattern-Making Official for the Master Craftsman comprehensive examination the day after tomorrow.” Mo Zi explained in detail. “It’s nothing more than those people in the Waterborne Transport Bureau wanting me to make a fool of myself, then impeach me in a memorial. This official position—it doesn’t matter whether I hold it or not.”

“Daqiu’s heart to capture you hasn’t died for a single day. This official position is best kept. Abducting a woman is easy for them. Abducting an official recorded in Great Zhou’s registers is equivalent to provoking the entire Great Zhou dynasty.” He’d schemed everything for her to have an extra layer of protection.

“Third Sister, Second Brother must say something fair. This one rarely does anything meaningful—don’t waste it.” Regarding Mo Zi’s safety—on this point, Jin Yin and Yuan Cheng had consensus.

Mo Zi understood propriety. “I know. I’ll muddle through one day at a time. But the Emperor seems enthusiastic about promoting me. Knowing full well the other side is framing me, he still wants me to compete with them. Wouldn’t it be better to keep a lower profile?”

“It’s no longer time to keep a low profile.” Yet Yuan Cheng’s words were shocking. “The three of us—what we need to do now is let as many people as possible know about us. Where people’s hearts go, all difficulties can be swept away.”

Mo Zi’s heart trembled, somewhat worried, somewhat excited. “By the way, the person who killed the lieutenant seems to have been sent by Daqiu. Xiao Wei showed me the fatal hidden weapon. I’m certain it was made by Daqiu’s Qiliu clan.”

“Hey, can you two be like normal people? After encountering this kind of thing, be scared, complain a bit? Especially Mo Zi—you nearly lost your life. Aren’t you nervous?” Jin Yin really couldn’t help asking.

Mo Zi thought about it and answered him thus: “I was scared, I was nervous. Like with injuries, after experiencing this kind of thing many times, it becomes a habit. Besides, didn’t I get through it safely?”

“Experienced this kind of thing many times, huh?” Jin Yin smiled bitterly. “True enough. We three have had enough bad luck happen to us.”

“No.” Yuan Cheng said.

“How is it not?” Jin Yin first pointed to himself, then pointed to Yuan Cheng, then pointed to Mo Zi. “I’m the unluckiest prince—my birth mother was poisoned to death, and I became a hostage. You’re the unluckiest traitorous minister—fleeing since age five, painstakingly plotting revenge. She’s the unluckiest queen—never enjoyed a day of favor, but has been pursued for her life again and again.”

Mo Zi shuddered. “Stop saying I’m some queen. How much genuine feeling Wu Yanqie has in wanting to marry me, I’ll set aside for now. The royal nobility he trusts almost all want me dead. The title ‘queen’ is truly the greatest irony.”

“It wasn’t Daqiu people who killed that lieutenant and his subordinates.” Yuan Cheng was responding to Mo Zi’s words.

“Huh?”

“Then who?”

Mo Zi and Jin Yin were simultaneously puzzled.

“They wanted to frame you—can’t we frame them in return?” Yuan Cheng answered indirectly.

“You…” Though Mo Zi understood his meaning, “Frame them, and then what?”

“Then the Emperor will make up his mind. Whether it’s direct conflict or covert action, it’s all beneficial and not at all harmful to your Second Brother’s plan to return to Yuling. If Yuling wants to restore the nation, it must have external support. Otherwise going would just be going to one’s death.” Every step Yuan Cheng took was extremely precise. “If my speculation is correct, the day for the Eldest Young Master to depart is approaching.”

“Actually, whether or not the person trying to kill me was sent by Wu Yanqie, you’d make them the scapegoat. However many reasons the Emperor needs to oppose Daqiu, you’ll list them out for him one by one.” Mo Zi suddenly understood.

“This scheme was cleverly devised. The original intent may not have been to take your life, only to ruin your reputation and force the Emperor to remove your official position. Perhaps this was Wu Yanqie’s painstaking care, but unfortunately someone concealed things from him and used his plan to hide murderous intent.” Yuan Cheng spoke with such certainty.

“For your sake, Wu Yanqie spared no effort seeking help from inside agents in Great Zhou. Mo Zi, that guy’s great revenge will soon be repaid.” Jin Yin waved his fan, pushed the chess board aside, and conceded.

“The lieutenant? He revealed a flaw?” Mo Zi smiled, happy for Yuan Cheng.

The person in question, however, was completely indifferent. “It’s still early, but I’m not in a hurry either.”

He had long grown bored and numb to the matter of revenge, only looking forward to and anticipating the person before him and future matters.