The towering palace walls stood as imposing as ever.
The sun hung high in the sky, and the air shimmered with scorching heat haze.
“Your Highness, here are the autopsy records and the coroner’s testimony.” Qin An handed the scrolls to Zhao Huairen with both hands, her expression grave. “Your Highness, you must be careful.”
Taking the scrolls, Zhao Huairen reassured her. “Don’t worry. The key witness is already on the way.”
What witness?
A flicker of confusion passed through Qin An’s eyes.
Her phoenix eyes lowered slightly, Zhao Huairen did not explain who she meant by the witness. Instead, she held the scrolls and walked alone toward the vermilion palace gates.
…
The white marble steps gleamed with blinding light from the sun, and even the copper xiezhi beasts flanking the coiling dragon path had their horns softened by the heat, listlessly reflecting distorted waves of hot air.
The sun blazed fiercely outside Xuanzheng Hall.
After a few steps, fine sweat beaded on her fair forehead.
“Your Majesty, this is already the fifth day,” the Hejia Princess said. She wore moon-white mourning clothes, her complexion poor, but her voice sharp and resounding. “Dali Temple refuses to order an arrest, and without finding the real culprit, my husband cannot be laid to rest.”
This year’s midsummer heat was exceptionally oppressive.
Five days without burial… the body must have already begun to stink.
The emperor on the dragon throne furrowed his brows, feeling a wave of nausea in his stomach. His fingertips tapped lightly twice on the gilded armrest. Li Dequan, standing at his side, immediately offered a cup of iced mulberry and chrysanthemum drink, but the emperor waved it away.
“Your Majesty!” the Hejia Princess cried mournfully. “My husband was the top scorer in the imperial exams personally selected by Your Majesty that year.”
Liu Zhengkang felt his head ache from her shouting. He raised his hand in a gesture of comfort, then glanced sideways at Li Dequan beside him and asked, “When will Minister Zhao arrive?”
“In response to Your Majesty,” Li Dequan bowed and reported, “By my calculations, Lord Zhao should have already entered the palace by now.”
“Mm.” The emperor gave a light hum, his gaze falling once more on the two adversaries in the hall.
Others could not see the undercurrents.
But seated high on the throne, how could he fail to notice?
It was nothing more than strife between the two factions. This time, however, Prince Gong had struck ruthlessly. To drag Brocade Embroidered Tower out from behind the Crown Prince, he had not hesitated to use Shi Yun Si as a sacrificial pawn.
They said Jingde resembled him the most.
Such ruthlessness truly made one’s hair stand on end.
Shi Yun Si had been his childhood study companion, after all… and yet he could bring himself to do it.
Meng Shuting stood in the hall with a stern face, betraying no clues on the surface, but a thousand thoughts flashed through his mind.
If Zhao Huaijin could resolve this matter perfectly as stated in his letter, then everything afterward would proceed smoothly according to plan.
But… if Zhao Huaijin failed, then push him out first, and clear the way for Zhe’er next. At worst, they would shut down Brocade Embroidered Tower. It would hurt, but the Meng family could withstand the blow.
The Hejia Princess’s eyes seemed dipped in poison as she stared fixedly at Meng Shuting. “All suspects should be interrogated. Even a prince breaking the law is equal to the common folk—why should Minister Meng’s son be exempt from punishment?”
“In the assassination of the Vice Minister of War… Dali Temple has yet to reach a conclusion, yet the Princess has already decided my son is the culprit.” Meng Shuting narrowed his eyes and said gravely, “Such divine foresight—could it be the thief crying thief?”
“You old—” The sound of Zhao Huairen’s footsteps entering the hall cut off the Hejia Princess.
The scarlet official robes were striking and bold.
The woman’s gaze was calm, her steps steady and resolute.
Zhao Huairen stopped in the center of the hall, clasped her hands, and touched her forehead to the ground. “This minister Zhao Huaijin pays respects to Your Majesty.”
“Rise.” After the emperor spoke, he glanced at Li Dequan.
Understanding the cue, Li Dequan stepped forward half a pace and announced in a loud voice, “Your Majesty summoned Lord Zhao today to inquire whether there is any progress in the assassination of the Vice Minister of War five days ago.”
Though ice basins stood at the four corners of the hall, they could not dispel the early summer swelter. The scent of dragon saliva incense mixed with mint oil was stirred by the through breeze into a strange, cloying sweetness—like cold pork left under the incense table for sacrificial rites.
Zhao Huairen’s sense of smell was innately sensitive; her brows furrowed slightly, a flash of disgust passing through her phoenix eyes that went unnoticed. “In response to Your Majesty, after receiving the order, this minister immediately began investigating the case.”
“But…”
“Enough!” The Hejia Princess cut her off at the word “but.” “In five days, with Lord Zhao’s abilities, the truth should have been brought to light long ago.”
Her thin lips pressed into a straight line, Zhao Huairen turned to her. “Thank you for the praise, Princess, but this minister does not possess the abilities you describe.”
“Does not possess those abilities.” The Hejia Princess suddenly laughed, her fingertips digging into her palm. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Zhao Huairen and Meng Shuting. “The Crown Princess and the Zhao Heir are cousins. By that logic, Minister Meng should be the Heir’s great-uncle?”
Seeing the genuine obsession and reluctance in Liu Lingyang’s eyes.
Recalling the filth she had uncovered at the Shi mansion, Zhao Huairen pressed her thin lips together, thinking—humans were such absurd and bizarre creatures.
Her thoughts paused only for a second before Zhao Huairen knelt on one knee, cupped her hands toward the emperor, and said, “The Princess is the widow of the deceased and closely tied to the case, so this minister followed her lead and began the investigation with the Meng mansion.”
“This minister is guilty and has not found the true culprit.”
“But regarding the Princess’s suspicions of the Meng family, this minister may be able to alleviate them somewhat.” With that, Zhao Huairen raised the scrolls above her head.
Liu Zhengkang coughed twice. “Bring it forward.”
“Yes!” Li Dequan responded, stepped in front of Zhao Huairen, took the scrolls, and presented them respectfully to the emperor.
The rustling sound of turning pages.
In the silent hall, it rang out especially harshly.
Watching the emperor’s expression, the Hejia Princess clenched her fists. For some reason, sweat began to bead faintly on her back—
She had a vague premonition.
Zhao Huaijin could break this deadlock perfectly.
With a soft “click,” the emperor closed the scrolls, frowned at Zhao Huairen kneeling in the hall, and said, “The coroner’s testimony and your conversation with them, the autopsy records—what do these have to do with the Meng family?”
Zhao Huairen lowered her gaze to the green bricks, her voice clear and cool. “Both the autopsy records and the coroner’s testimony prove that the assassin who attacked Vice Minister Shi had martial arts skills far superior to this minister’s.”
“But as for Meng Sanlang’s martial arts,” she said, looking toward Meng Shuting on the other side, “Minister Meng should know more details regarding your son.”
This Zhao Huaijin truly knew how to bring up the sore point. A flush of shame crossed Meng Shuting’s face as he answered truthfully, “Your Majesty, my unworthy son lacks both talent and virtue, let alone martial arts surpassing Lord Zhao. He probably couldn’t last even one move against Lord Zhao.”
The emperor’s fingertips tapped on the scrolls, offering no comment.
Seeing the situation tilting the other way and recalling Prince Gong’s instructions before entering the palace, the Hejia Princess gritted her teeth. “With enough silver, hiring a killer is the simplest thing.”
“Even if he didn’t act personally, the coroner’s testimony alone cannot clear Meng Shuzhe of suspicion.”
If the culprit could not be brought to justice.
Then, at least—drag Brocade Embroidered Tower into it.
“The key point is that Meng Sanlang sneaked out of the Meng mansion at the exact time Vice Minister Shi met his end?” Her gaze fixed, the Hejia Princess raised her voice. “If he had nothing to do with it, why doesn’t Minister Meng dare reveal his whereabouts?”
Meng Shuting’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he faced the Hejia Princess’s questioning, momentarily at a loss for words.
Didn’t Zhao Huaijin have a way?
Was that scroll all there was?
“Minister Meng refuses to answer—could it be a guilty conscience?” The Hejia Princess curled her lips, like a viper flicking its tongue.
His vermilion official robes trembled faintly; a drop of sweat slid into Meng Shuting’s eye, stinging painfully.
In just a few breaths.
It felt like years had passed.
The air was so still that a falling needle could be heard, when suddenly the copper clepsydra in the corner jammed on a silver bead, emitting a soft “click” in the dead silence.
This faint sound was like a death knell signaling the end. Meng Shuting bit his tongue in frustration, about to speak—
“Imperial Brother! Your younger brother has urgent matters to report.” Liu Zhengyan strode into the hall, his voice greasy from being compressed by fat.
The Hejia Princess frowned tightly, full of doubts at Liu Zhengyan’s sudden appearance. Imperial Uncle Yan never meddled in worldly affairs, only indulging in flowers and moonlit snowscapes—why had he suddenly entered the palace with urgent matters?
“In this sweltering heat, what brings you to the palace?” Liu Zhengkang knew his brother’s character well. He rubbed his forehead and said, “Speak.”
Interrupted by the sudden intrusion.
Meng Shuting caught his breath, but his heart still hung in his throat.
Liu Zhengyan scanned the people in the hall, rolled his eyes, and said, “Imperial Brother, are you troubled over the assassination of the Vice Minister of War?”
Rather than troubled over the Vice Minister.
It was endless strife between the Crown Prince and Prince Gong that vexed him.
After the Ministry of Revenue Vice Minister fell, the two factions balanced out, and the Great Yong court enjoyed a brief stability. His health had improved too, but mere days later—
They stirred up this mess again.
Replacing a Vice Minister of War was easy.
But factional strife would once more roil the court.
Liu Zhengkang propped his head, replying perfunctorily, “Does my brother have some unique insight into the case?”
Just as victory seemed in reach, out popped a Cheng Yaojin. The Hejia Princess knitted her fine brows but was not overly worried.
The Imperial Uncle lusted after beauty and wielded immense power. Years ago, during an imperial investigation, he fancied a mute beauty and planned to seize her by force. But after Zhao Huaijin’s few words provoked him, he accepted a martial challenge instead.
In the end, the beauty was snatched away.
He lost face publicly as a prince.
And the case he handled was overturned by Zhao Huaijin before the emperor.
Though not spread among the common folk, which noble did not know of that archery contest?
Kneeling before the throne should have been humiliating, yet how did Zhao Huaijin manage to look so poised and handsome? Liu Zhengyan sighed inwardly for himself, withdrew his gaze, and cupped his hands toward the emperor. “Imperial Brother, I just heard outside the hall that the Princess and Minister Meng are quarreling over Meng Sanlang’s whereabouts.”
“What, do you know where he went?” Liu Zhengkang glanced at him.
His eyes lit up. “Imperial Brother is truly perceptive!”
The briefly eased tension grew taut again at these words. Liu Lingyang and Meng Shuting both turned to him—their emotions starkly different.
One thought her cause lost.
The other believed victory at hand.
The mastermind, already aware of the outcome, remained impassive, her back straight, her phoenix eyes devoid of ripples.
“That night the Vice Minister of War met his end, I was at Zhaixiang Tower,” Liu Zhengyan paused, then continued. “And I happened to encounter Meng Sanlang.”
“Impossible!” the Hejia Princess almost shouted.
This was completely beyond her expectations.
Meng Shuting’s eyelid twitched as he instinctively looked toward the figure in the hall.
“How is it impossible?” Liu Zhengyan impatiently smacked his lips and pointed to his eyes. “I saw it with my own eyes—could it be fake?”
“He was clearly there that day…” The Hejia Princess bit her teeth hard. She absolutely could not utter “Brocade Embroidered Tower.” Otherwise, the Meng family would counterattack, pinning it all on factional strife, and Shi Yun Si’s death would yield nothing.
One move made.
The situation reversed in an instant.
Seeing Liu Lingyang’s utter disbelief, Liu Zhengyan added fuel to the fire. “If the Princess thinks my old eyes are dim, feel free to ask around Zhaixiang Tower. Plenty of people saw Meng Sanlang, not just me.”
The Hejia Princess clenched her fists, staring at the resolute Liu Zhengyan, feeling as if she had fallen into some inescapable trap.
She had spies planted in Brocade Embroidered Tower.
Meng Caizhe had clearly been there that day.
The Imperial Uncle never joined factional fights—why step forward now to give false testimony?
“Meng Sanlang lacks the skill to assassinate Vice Minister Shi, and the whereabouts the Princess cares about,” Zhao Huairen said, her lips curving slightly, “Lord Yan has just revealed in court.”
The fog suddenly lifted.
In a daze, she saw her true opponent.
The Hejia Princess looked at Zhao Huairen. “You?”
But why?
How could Liu Zhengyan give false testimony for him?
Her long lashes trembled faintly as Zhao Huairen met her gaze, her eyes clear. “What is the Princess talking about?”
