Her aged eyes suddenly lit up with brilliance. With trembling hands, she pointed at the woman standing neither servile nor overbearing in the snow and excitedly said, “This woman is a great talent, truly great! This old woman has some slight understanding of Daoist scriptures, and the ‘Way of Immortals Embracing the One’ mentioned in this volume can be called exquisite. Excellent!”

Elder Yang usually didn’t talk much and was known for her self-discipline and propriety. In recent years, as she aged, she became obsessed with studying Daoist teachings in her leisure time, passionately discussing and seeking answers from monks and nuns.

Now that she had spoken such words of praise, the abbess’s words were proven ten tenths true.

Yu Taifu ground his teeth, snatching the scripture from Lord Yu’s hands to examine it himself.

The words he was about to speak in argument were swallowed back down his throat.

Though he didn’t understand Daoist scriptures, he had seen Liu Changning’s handwriting before. The writing on this Daoist scripture was indeed Liu Cangyu’s unique style, strict yet graceful, with the ink still fresh, clearly not prepared in advance.

Resisting the urge to tear the scroll in his hands to pieces, he glared fiercely at the incompetent Lord Yu.

When he raised his head again, his expression had changed. His ability to change faces was comparable to an actor on stage.

He praised Liu Changning in a gentle voice, “Lady Liu is truly talented, not only well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, but also highly accomplished in Daoist teachings. She is indeed broadly learned and knowledgeable.”

After saying this, Yu Taifu stepped forward and kicked the guard kneeling beside him in the chest, angrily scolding, “You lot are imperial guards, yet you are so incompetent! This palace was weary from travel yesterday, and in a moment of carelessness believed your words. We nearly made a great mistake and wronged an innocent person.”

Seeing that today’s scheme had failed and he had lost face, Yu Taifu’s eyes darted around, quickly finding a scapegoat to shift the blame.

Unfortunately, before the Empress could speak, the Long Imperial Consort, who usually didn’t interfere in the affairs of the six palaces, suddenly let out a cold snort.

He brushed the snow off his shoulders and smiled meaningfully, saying, “Yu Taifu has been managing the affairs of the harem on behalf of others, which is indeed hard work. The Taifu is getting on in years, and the affairs of the harem are complicated to begin with. It’s not a long-term solution to have it all fall on one person’s shoulders. The matter of the Empress Consort entering to manage the harem should not be delayed upon returning to the palace. Does anyone have any objections?”

His voice was neither loud nor soft, seemingly just a casual mention, but the ministers standing with bowed heads in the snow had varying expressions.

Yet no one dared to step forward and object. The Long Imperial Consort was clearly using this matter to prepare for the Empress’s personal rule.

In another year, the Empress would reach the age to rule personally. At this time, the Empress’s marriage became particularly crucial. This was putting pressure on ministers with different intentions.

Historically, whenever an Empress ruled personally, she had to reclaim the military tally. Now the noble families were powerful and unwilling to relinquish power. Since the death of the last Empress Consort, the harem had been vacant for two years. The noble families had strongly opposed appointing a new Empress Consort, using the excuse that the Empress was still young.

The palace cannot go a day without a master. The Taifu is old, and has made a muddle of things today. Where there’s one mistake, there will be more.

Today’s incident became the reason, and now no one dared oppose the matter of appointing an Empress Consort! After all, when the harem is in chaos, the country falls into chaos.

Liu Changning raised her eyes, glancing at the man in red clothes not far away. In the crowd, he wore a dark red cotton robe, his demeanor relaxed and his expression languid.

It was just a casual remark, yet it caused the faces of the group of princes and lords to become complex with suppressed emotions.

A smile spread in Liu Changning’s eyes. She had seen his pure innocence when he was moved, had seen his fierce pride when he was angry.

But she had never seen this lazy grace as he maneuvered skillfully in conversation, planning step by step.

She had always liked people with pure and kind thoughts, but her convenient husband’s personality was exactly the opposite.

He had extremely deep thoughts, with purpose behind his every word.

Dealing with such a person should be extremely tiring.

But seeing him so scheming today, not only did she not feel repulsed, but she felt that this was how he should be.

The man with red clothes and black hair, on this pure white snowy ground, casually speaking a few words that left everyone speechless, was handsome and alluring.

Liu Changning’s thin lips curled up almost imperceptibly, a trace of indulgence and doting that she herself didn’t notice sliding across the bottom of her eyes.

But she didn’t know that such a gaze fell into a pair of light blue eyes.

Jing Huan gritted her teeth tightly, her fingers clenched into fists.

The cold and aloof Liu Cangyu of Canglang Mountain, her eyes were now tainted with the mortal world!

That kind of tenderness, he had never received, not even for a moment.

Jing Huan slowly raised her hand, covering a pair of blue eyes filled with murderous intent.

She wanted him dead! Pei Yuanshao deserved to die!

−

In this scheme at Nanhua Temple, the Yu family ultimately did not benefit.

The villain who had plotted against Second Prince Pei Yunzhi was finally revealed to be a eunuch monk in the temple named Wu Sheng.

The monk was lustful. Seeing the handsome prince, although he was impotent, he still became obsessed and couldn’t control himself.

Fortunately, he didn’t succeed. The monk, having violated the temple rules and with nowhere to escape, hanged himself in his meditation room the next day.

Although the Second Prince was not violated, his reputation was still half ruined by this incident.

Yu Taifu’s scheme backfired, leaving him with mixed feelings that need not be mentioned.

The day after the truth was revealed, the Empress’s carriage set off to return to the palace.

――

Dingyuan Marquis’s manor, study.

A heated kang was burning in the room.

Sandalwood incense curled upwards, creating a misty atmosphere.

Dingyuan Marquis Zhou Zheng was trembling with anger. She smashed the celadon brush holder in front of the young woman kneeling before her.

She scolded angrily, “Useless thing! This old woman put aside her face to beg four elderly ministers to catch him in the act in the Long Imperial Consort’s chambers, yet his room was empty. You unfilial daughter, are you trying to completely destroy the face of our Dingyuan Marquis’s manor!”

Zhou Huaijin knelt stubbornly on the ground, her face defiant: “I told mother to go that night, but you insisted on waiting until daylight! You alerted them, how can you blame your daughter!”

“You, you, you!” Zhou Houjun’s lips trembled with anger as she approached, raising her hand to deliver a slap.

“Houjun, please calm your anger. Huaijin has erred, if you wish to strike, strike this humble servant… She is my flesh and blood, if the daughter has sinned, it is the father’s fault…”

Zhou Junfu stepped forward, shielding Zhou Huaijin, his eyes brimming with tears.

The Dingyuan Marquis looked at her old husband, then glanced at her unrepentant eldest daughter, her anger causing her to shatter a vase on the antique shelf.

She stormed out, her sleeves fluttering.

Zhou Junfu wiped away his tears and helped his daughter up, saying gently, “Silly girl, your mother’s anger stems from seeing through your feelings for the Long Imperial Consort!”

Zhou Huaijin’s previously stiff neck suddenly relaxed. She looked at her clear-eyed father and said with difficulty, “How did mother know…”

Zhou Junfu sighed, “The night before last, when you urged your mother to catch the Long Imperial Consort in the act, your tone and demeanor were anxious. How could others not notice? It’s not that your mother won’t help you, it’s… how could someone of her status enter the Long Imperial Consort’s chambers alone to catch him in the act?”

Zhou Huaijin’s eyes suddenly widened, her expression desolate. That night, she had heard with her own ears him with a woman, their passionate lovemaking.

Her heart turned to ashes.

Zhou Junfu, seeing his daughter’s desolate expression, asked reluctantly, “Do you truly like the Long Imperial Consort so much?”

She nodded, “I like him, Father. I love him beyond control! But mother said I must become the top scorer in the imperial examinations before I can ask the Emperor to marry him. With Liu Cangyu in this world, how can I become the top scorer?”

Her eyes were full of despair, a hint of moisture gleaming in them.

Zhou Junfu hugged his daughter tightly, saying lovingly, “Enough! What’s so scary about Liu Cangyu? The title of top scorer will surely be in my daughter’s grasp!”

“But…”

“This year’s chief examiner of the Hanlin Academy is an old acquaintance of your father. He owes your father a promise from years ago. For the sake of my daughter, your father will go and ask that person this one time.”