“Yes! It’s good that Your Highness disdains her… This minister likes her very much. I heard that Your Highness drove Changning out of the Long Imperial Consort’s mansion some days ago. Liuguang hereby thanks the Imperial Consort for this favor.” Jing Huan bowed to him with a serious face, her eyes filled with mockery.

Pei Yuanshao clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking, a flash of violence passing through his eyes.

The corners of his lips curved upwards slightly, and he coldly examined Jing Huan before saying in a cold voice, “Jing Lord, as a woman, isn’t it ridiculous to speak of ‘favors’ before a man like Ziyuan? She may be full of talent, but what does that have to do with me? And what connection could it possibly have with you? That person prefers the body of a man in bed. You…”

Pei Yuanshao glanced meaningfully at her lower body, suddenly laughing, “If the Jing Lord were to become a man, it wouldn’t be too late to speak of ‘favors’!”

Jing Huan suddenly raised her head, her full lips curving into a smile, and said maliciously to Pei Yuanshao, “Your Highness’s words have indeed enlightened Liuguang. It’s not difficult to gain her love, one only needs to spend a night with her. With that person’s personality, she would surely… hmm…”

The two were extremely close. Pei Yuanshao lowered his gaze, his dark eyes fixed steadily on her. His lips curved into a very slight arc as his slender hand caressed the red whip coiled at his waist.

He mocked casually, “Lord Zhennang Wang is too vulgar! This palace cannot compare. It’s a pity, I’ve never liked such filthy words, they offend my ears.”

He paused, his eyes like swords, caressing the red whip at his waist: “This palace has a bad temper. Who knows which day, because of your reckless words, I might subject you to whipping. Why doesn’t the Jing Lord make a guess, which is faster – your lightness skill or this palace’s whip?”

Jing Huan remained noncommittal, expressionless, her light blue eyes flickering, obscure and unclear.

――

Although the ministers were extremely curious about Liu Cangyun’s policy essay, at this moment both the Long Imperial Consort and the Zhennang Wang looked displeased.

Everyone had to stand properly to one side, listening to Elder Yang interrogate the more than twenty Han Lin scholars before the hall.

But no matter how much questioning, nothing was gained.

Pei Yuanshao covered his mouth and yawned, walking to the front of the Han Lin scholars, and said to the Empress: “Is the Imperial Consort tired?”

The Empress blinked and nodded unconsciously.

“Little sister is young. Since you’re tired, let’s end for today. What does it matter if these dog-things don’t speak?”

“Although the blowdart technique can kill silently, it has one limitation – the user must be within six feet of the victim. The examination hall is heavily guarded, not even a bird can fly in. The only ones who could possibly act are the patrolling Han Lin scholars in the examination hall and the candidates in adjacent booths.”

Pei Yuanshao paused, raising his eyes to sweep over the trembling Han Lin scholars kneeling on the ground, and said sternly: “Since someone wanted to act without anyone knowing, it would be easier for a Han Lin scholar to expose themselves. This palace privately thinks that a candidate in an adjacent booth would be more secretive. Order someone to investigate, and perhaps the truth will come to light. Han Lin Wu, do you think what this palace says is correct?”

Suddenly called out, Wu Qing’s heart skipped a beat, and she raised her head trembling. Apart from a look of panic on her face, there was no trace of guilt.

She lowered her head and kowtowed:

“This humble official is stupid, may Your Highness forgive me.”

Pei Yuanshao narrowed his eyes and chuckled lightly: “Oh? This palace remembers you were responsible for assigning candidate numbers in this metropolitan examination. If the poisoner was a student in the booth adjacent to Liu Cangyun… you would be hard-pressed to escape blame! The Han Lin scholar better think carefully, the crime of deceiving the monarch is punishable by execution of nine generations of the family!”

Wu Qing’s legs shook, her heart crying bitterly.

She closed her eyes, prostrated herself forward, and looked at the Imperial Consort in terror: “This matter has nothing to do with this humble official, may Your Highness investigate clearly, please investigate clearly!”

Pei Yuanshao stepped on her chest with one foot.

His expression unchanged, he crouched down, his lips at her ear, and said softly: “Han Lin Wu, think of your young daughter and elderly mother at home. Is it worth being charged with deceiving the monarch today? No matter who your master behind the scenes is, targeting her… this palace cannot let it go this time! If you want to conceal…”

He applied force with his foot, and Wu Qing felt a pain in her chest, her sternum cracking.

Her eyes filled with shock and fear, tears covering her face. She crawled forward two steps, sideways hugging Elder Yang’s leg, and said: “I confess! I confess!”

“It was… it was Zhou Lin Shi who instructed this humble official… This matter was masterminded by the husband of Lord Dingyuan, Zhou Lin Shi…”

In her youth, Wu Qing had a relationship with Lin Mian, the son of the Minister of Revenue. She had promised that when she became the top scholar, she would go to the Lin family to marry him. Unfortunately later… she failed the exam, and he was forced by his family to marry into the Dingyuan Marquis’s household, becoming strangers from then on.

For so many years, he had never sought her out!

A month ago, he came to her door, only asking her to arrange an exam booth for a candidate.

How could she harden her heart to refuse the deep affection from years ago under the flowers and moon? In a moment of confusion, she did this thing.

Wu Qing wept bitterly, regretting her actions.

Lord Dingyuan was stunned for a moment, could only silently kneel before the hall, white hair suddenly growing at his temples.

――

The unsavory matters that occurred in the metropolitan examination, because they involved students’ scores, were not spread outside.

The several Cabinet Elders, powerful court ministers, and the Three Excellencies and Six Marquises all kept their mouths shut.

Only on the second day, during the court session in Taihe Hall, Lord Dingyuan offended the imperial will, was stripped of his title, and demoted to commoner status. His daughter Zhou Huaijin, lacking in talent and conduct, was forbidden from entering official service.

Han Lin Wu Qing made errors in compiling classics, deemed unfit for the Han Lin position, and the Empress allowed her to retire to her hometown.

――

After court, Pei Yuanshao returned to his mansion. As the carriage passed through Jinsa Street, it was stopped by someone.

Cries of supplication grew louder and louder, shrill and piercing: “We beg Your Highness to right the wrong done to this commoner’s daughter!”

“This commoner’s daughter has been wronged! Alas, we are born poor and have nowhere to appeal our grievance! With nowhere else to turn, we can only stop your carriage!”

“We’ve heard Your Highness cares for the people… When there’s an injustice that’s hard to appeal, surely Your Highness can right the wrong for the people…”

…

Liu Zheng, Liu Xia, and Liu Tianshi stopped the Long Imperial Consort’s carriage.

Their cries of grievance grew more and more mournful, one voice drowning out another.

Pei Yuanshao’s hand holding the teacup suddenly shook.

This voice… he seemed to have heard it somewhere before.

The voice was shrill and thin, vibrating his eardrums… it seemed like…

The horse-woman hesitantly asked for instructions: “Your Highness, should this slave drive them away?”

Pei Yuanshao rubbed his aching forehead and ordered: “Have Hong Lian investigate. This palace is weary!”

Since that day when he had broken off relations with that person, he hadn’t slept well for ten days, feeling out of sorts all day. He was mentally exhausted!

The horse-woman respectfully complied, dismounting.

With a black face, she finally persuaded the three people blocking the road to leave after much difficulty.

As she leaped back onto the horse, a gust of bewitching wind blew.

The wild wind lifted the corner of the carriage curtain, revealing the nobly dressed person inside.

Because the carriage’s owner could save Liu Dong’s life, Liu Tianshi stared with bloodshot eyes, his gaze fixed firmly on the carriage not far away.

As the curtain lifted, his originally dejected eyes suddenly widened, his lips trembling, and he said in disbelief with a hoarse voice: “Yuan… Yuan Yuan… Shao.”

The carriage drove into the street, leaving two wheel tracks on the ground.

Liu Tianshi came to his senses, breathing heavily, and stumbled after the canopied carriage, shouting with all his might: “Yuan… Yuanshao!!! Stop… stop…”

“I am your… uncle… Liu Tianshi, Liu Zheng, Liu Changning… Your Highness!”

“Do you want to know… back then… Liu Changning… the truth about Liu Changning’s death in Xiqiao Village!!! The fire!…”

On the street, the steed let out a neigh, and the carriage stopped in place.