Dawn broke, candles guttered.

Winter jujubes and tangerines covered the offering table. Ni Su sat on a cushion counting them one by one—exactly three hundred winter jujubes, eighty-one tangerines.

Not one missing.

The beast pearl sat in the middle of the bowls and plates, covered in incense ash. Ni Su picked it up and wiped it clean with a handkerchief. She supported herself with one hand on the table edge to stand. Her legs were severely numb. She paused for a moment before slowly walking out of the room.

She was concerned about Qingqiong and slowly walked to the connecting corridor opposite, lightly knocking on the door a few times. Qingqiong didn’t respond from inside. She pushed the door open and entered. A mound bulged on the bed.

He lay motionless under the blanket. Ni Su remembered that in Yongzhou, when his father died, he had been like this—forcing himself to sleep day and night, longing to dream of the Netherworld after falling asleep.

Ni Su said nothing. She turned and left, closing the door again.

The cold morning wind stung her cheeks painfully. Ni Su forced herself to rally her spirits, wash up, and dress. She normally didn’t like using cosmetic powder, but seeing in the bronze mirror that her complexion was truly quite poor, she clumsily applied some powder and lip rouge.

Food must still be eaten.

Even if she didn’t eat, Qingqiong still needed to eat.

Ni Su opened the medical clinic’s main door. Outside, pedestrians passed back and forth before her eyes, hurrying about. The ground was extremely wet. Ni Su closed the main door and walked toward the food stall selling breakfast.

“Sister Ni!”

A’Fang, waiting at the food stall for hot pancakes, turned around and saw her. “What filling do you want in your pancakes? I’ll treat you!”

Ni Su reached out to pat her head. “No need. I’m buying a lot. The money your father gave you—save it.”

“Is it that strange brother at your house who eats a lot?”

A’Fang asked.

“He’s not a strange brother,”

Ni Su corrected her. “His name is Qingqiong—’battle blood wipes my sword, this sword breaks the azure vault’ Qingqiong.”

“Battle blood…”

A’Fang didn’t quite understand this verse. She could read but hadn’t studied much. “What poem is this?”

“A general’s poem.”

“Ah, then that strange brother’s name sounds quite nice.” A’Fang said.

The stall owner at that moment wrapped a hot pancake in oil paper and handed it to her. She blew on it but didn’t leave. Instead she said to Ni Su: “Sister Ni, shall we go watch the excitement together?”

“What excitement?”

“Miss doesn’t know yet? Those people arrested by those killing gods from the Bureau of Forbidden Night the other day—they say they’re releasing them today!” The stall owner chatted while frying pancakes.

“Releasing them?”

Ni Su realized—it was He Zhongping and the others.

“Last night was extremely unsettled! That Vice Hierarch of the Lotus Flower Sect, Zhang Xin’en, was truly audacious—killed two court officials in one night! Didn’t even spare Her Ladyship’s father!”

From those eating wonton soup under the oil cloth shelter nearby, discussion reached Ni Su’s ears.

“Isn’t that right? Last night during curfew, the commotion outside was considerable. I heard Commissioner Pan and that Master Ding were together when they died. That Zhang Xin’en just killed them without hesitation…”

“In one night, heaven changed several times. It seems His Majesty’s illness also became severe.”

“Miss, how many pancakes?”

The stall owner called out. Hearing no response, he raised his head. “Miss?”

“Five.”

Ni Su was distracted.

Why Zhang Xin’en? Where did this Lotus Flower Sect’s Zhang Xin’en come from? Wasn’t it him? Pan Youfang and Wu Dai—didn’t they die at his hands?

The stall owner handed over five pancakes. Ni Su immediately stuffed them into A’Fang’s hands and gave her some money. “A’Fang, please help me deliver these pancakes back to Qingqiong. He’s ill. Just call to him from the connecting corridor, leave the pancakes on the table. Thank you.”

A’Fang still had a pancake in her mouth. Seeing Ni Su finish speaking and immediately run off, she didn’t have time to ask anything more.

The stone pavement of Nanhuai Street had been ground uneven by passing carriages and horses. Melted snow water pooled in the crevices. She didn’t care that her shoes and socks were soaked by muddy water. Her ears were full of the howling cold wind.

Outside Diqian Gate, before the main entrance of the Bureau of Forbidden Night, Ni Su pushed through the crowd and saw those doors slowly opening. Officers of the Bureau of Forbidden Night in black robes emerged from inside. Following them were several young men in simple robes walking out. Each bore injuries on their bodies. Though their clothing and caps were disheveled, they were spirited, their postures upright.

“Please return our belongings to us.”

He Zhongping stood before Zhou Ting.

“You…”

Chao Yisong stepped forward about to speak but was stopped by Zhou Ting. “Return them.”

“Sir, those literary collections cannot…”

“I said, return them.”

Chao Yisong could only have people bring out all the items confiscated from these people’s homes and return them.

“He Zhongping, acting like this, Guangning Prefecture won’t want you to work there again.”

Chao Yisong couldn’t help saying.

But He Zhongping laughed. “If they don’t want me, so be it. If being an official means I cannot speak truth, cannot act for the people, why would I do it?”

He held his bundle and turned. The roadside was packed with commoners watching the excitement. As he descended the steps, meeting their scrutinizing gazes, after a moment he suddenly took books from his bundle, tearing page by page, scattering them page by page. “Everyone, I invite you to read Lord Zhang’s poetry and prose. Please remember him as a person. I also want you to see his view of Xu Hexue. We’re not blindly exonerating this person who died sixteen years ago. We only want the truth. Don’t you want it too?”

“Today I walk out of here alive, and I will still speak truth! I will still question, still debate!”

“Even unto death.”

The young men who walked out with him also opened their bundles in the street, taking out books and tearing them page by page. “Yes! We will still question, still debate!”

“Exactly who wants us to keep silent? Exactly who fears we’ll reopen this case!”

Though it wasn’t snowing, paper pages like snow filled the sky, dancing in the air.

They drifted with the cold wind and gently fell—some landing on the ground, soaked by muddy water; others landing on people, gathered into their palms.

The attached testament was a general’s entire life.

It touched people’s memories, making them recall that the general executed by lingering death for treason sixteen years ago had also once earnestly protected Great Qi’s territory and Great Qi’s people.

A youth’s body, boundless achievements.

People suddenly remembered—when he died, he was only nineteen years old.

“Miss Ni…?”

A sudden call made Ni Su come back to her senses. She turned her face and amid the crowd, her eyes met He Zhongping’s.

“Why is Miss Ni here?”

He Zhongping immediately walked toward her.

Ni Su smiled at him. “To see you all.”

“Master He, I’m happy for my elder brother to have such a devoted friend as you.”

“I… don’t deserve these words,”

Hearing her mention Ni Qinglan, He Zhongping still felt somewhat pained. “I harmed Brother Jiming. But because of Brother Jiming, I better understand what kind of person I should be.”

He mocked himself. “Though someone like me, the officialdom may not tolerate. Not only did I accomplish nothing, I even invited prosecution.”

“Yet I admire you all.”

Ni Su said.

Hearing this, He Zhongping started.

Ni Su looked at him and said earnestly: “I must also thank you all.”

She bent down and bowed. “Truly, thank you.”

“…Miss Ni?”

He Zhongping hastily gestured. “Why this?”

“I once knew someone. His life was honorable, yet he bore injustice that couldn’t be washed away. I asked him if he had resentment, if he had hatred,”

Ni Su straightened. “He told me he still wished to place hope in those in the world who dare carry firewood for others—though I die, there will be those who come after.”

“You all have shown me why he had no resentment or hatred. Because in this world there are people like you—your blood is warm, your hearts are warm. He was willing to carry firewood for others, and you all are willing to carry firewood for those who carry firewood.”

“The justice and righteousness in this world is an inextinguishable fire. Even if not in law, it exists in people’s hearts.”

“This person you speak of—I very much want to know him.”

He Zhongping said.

“You already know him.”

Ni Su bowed to him again, then walked past those scattering book pages, against the tide of people, toward the Bureau of Forbidden Night.

“Ni Su.”

Zhou Ting saw her and walked down the steps.

Ni Su bowed to him. “Young Commander Zhou, I want to ask you something.”

“Speak.”

Zhou Ting noticed she had applied powder and lip rouge, but her eyes still couldn’t hide her exhaustion.

“Last night, who killed Pan Youfang and Wu Dai?”

Zhou Ting pressed his lips together. “Ni Su, don’t ask.”

“What does ‘don’t ask’ mean? It wasn’t Zhang Xin’en, was it?”

“…These matters don’t concern you.”

“They concern me.”

“How so?”

“I ask for my late husband.”

Hearing just this one sentence, Zhou Ting gripped his sword hilt tightly. Meeting her gaze, his principles didn’t permit her to inquire about court affairs. But hearing her mention her late husband, Xu Jing’an, Zhou Ting was silent for a long while before saying in a low voice: “Ni Su, regarding this matter, you can consider it as our doing.”

“You all?”

Ni Su pressed. “You all—not one person, is that right?”

Zhou Ting didn’t know why she asked this way, but he still nodded. “It was us.”

Not just one person.

Then it wasn’t him.

If it wasn’t him, then he wouldn’t need to use magic to draw Pan Youfang and Wu Dai’s soul fires into the Netherworld. He also wouldn’t disappear without trace…

Ni Su suddenly lowered her head, staring at her sleeve.

The sleeve edge was empty—there was no wisp of pale mist clinging to her.

She suddenly realized—

If he wasn’t the one who killed those two, and his purpose for returning to the mortal world had already been achieved, would the Netherworld no longer give him time? Had he already…

Ni Su raised her head. Dense cold mist, the sky canopy gray.

Had he returned?

Returned to be a star?

Ni Su’s chest filled with bitter emotions, her eyes moistening. At this moment, she didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.

“Ni Su…”

Zhou Ting wanted to comfort her but had no handkerchief on him. He could only find words to say to her. “Now His Majesty is gravely ill. Though unconscious, vindicating General Yujie still presents some difficulties.”

“Why?”

“Duke Luguo is still searching for the Consort’s niece. He’s determined to use this to restrain Prince Jia.” Once Duke Luguo found that Miss Wu and confirmed the matter of Prince Jia framing the Consort, there would still be hope for the child in the Consort’s womb. At least before the Consort’s child was born, Prince Jia couldn’t ascend the throne.

“Duke Luguo also wants to win over Wang Gong,”

Fearing Ni Su didn’t know who Wang Gong was, he explained: “Wang Gong is Palace Command Chief Commander. The three divisions of Imperial Guards are all in his hands. He seems to also want to delay, like Duke Luguo, until after the Consort gives birth.”

Though Wang Gong was willing to let Prince Jia enter the hall, he still hadn’t decided whether to honor Prince Jia as heir apparent at this time.

“Moreover, Tan Guangwen’s indictment only mentions Wu Dai, not Pan Youfang. They’ve already destroyed most of the evidence. Now to overturn General Yujie’s case and convict Pan Youfang, we must have Duke Luguo’s confession.”

“But Duke Luguo is imperial kin. Without a strong reason, we cannot easily detain him, much less interrogate him.”

“But what if,”

Ni Su raised her face. “I file charges against him?”

Zhou Ting started. “…You?”

“I’ve been to the Court of Judicial Review once. I know the rules there. Officials cannot beat the Petition Drum to redress grievances, but I am a commoner. I’m also a survivor of the Jing’an Army.”

Ni Su wiped her face and said calmly: “I am Master Ni’s widow. I am a witness from the Jing’an Army. I will go to the Court of Judicial Review and file charges that Prince Nankang and his son colluded with Wu Dai and Pan Youfang to kill our Great Qi’s Jade Commander General and kill those thirty thousand soldiers of the Jing’an Army.”

“This way, you can interrogate him, can’t you?”

“…Have you forgotten the intimidation rods of the Court of Judicial Review?”

Zhou Ting didn’t know why this frail woman insisted on placing herself in danger time and again. His heart couldn’t suppress its trembling.

“I haven’t forgotten.”

Ni Su looked at him. “But I’m not afraid. As long as you interrogate him, use all your methods as Vice Commander Zhou to pry open his mouth, everything will be worth it to me.”

“I promised him I would seek a clean posthumous name for him. I must also seek an unblemished honor for the Jing’an Army.”