Chapter 45

The summer night breeze, carrying heat, filled the palace. Yet, the Imperial Study remained remarkably cool.

The sandalwood desk was large and heavy, with several memorials lying on it, and the ink in the inkstone not yet completely dry.

Xie Qi sat upright behind his desk, dressed in a dark-colored casual robe with dark gold dragon patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. Unlike the flamboyant court robes, it exuded the majesty of an emperor.

His sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards to his temples, his eyes were deep-set, his nose was high and straight, and his lips were clearly defined. Compared to three years ago, he was still outstandingly handsome, with a tall and straight posture and a back as straight as a pine tree. Even when he was sitting casually, he exuded the aura of an emperor who was in charge of planning and strategizing.

When Mo Qi reported that there were many members of Prince Duan's faction at the Shen family's wedding banquet, Xie Qi's lips curled into a very faint sneer. The smile did not reach his eyes, but instead carried a hint of cold mockery.

“Shen Wei and his men are quite bold,” he said in a deep, pleasant voice, yet with a chilling undertone. “They know that Prince Duan intends to win over the Imperial Guards, yet they still do not avoid suspicion.”

His hand, resting on the table, had distinct knuckles, and his fingertips bore thin calluses from years of holding a pen. His fingertips were long and clean, and he was tapping them casually with slow movements. "The Imperial Guards do not tolerate disloyal individuals. In that case, all the Imperial Guard officers who attended the wedding banquet today shall be dismissed and investigated."

Mo Qi bowed his head and accepted the order, "Yes, Your Majesty."

However, after receiving the order, Mo Qi did not immediately retreat. He simply stood there with his hands at his sides, his posture slightly stiff. He glanced at His Majesty quietly, then lowered his eyes again respectfully.

Rumors circulate that His Majesty is a diligent and enlightened ruler, whose decrees are clear and effective, making him a rare and wise monarch, but also a ruthless one. His former concubine, Lady Jiang, in order to clear his name and eliminate treacherous officials, did not hesitate to commit suicide in the Hall of Supreme Harmony to demonstrate her resolve. However, after His Majesty ascended the throne, he not only failed to posthumously honor Lady Jiang, but also rarely mentioned her.

But Mo Qi knew that His Majesty had never opened a harem. Inside the imperial bedchamber, there was an unnamed memorial tablet. He vaguely guessed something, but dared not delve into it, much less believe it.

Today, he accompanied Eunuch Tian to the Shen residence to deliver the imperial decree. Following behind the eunuch, he secretly investigated the identities of the guests attending the wedding banquet as instructed by His Majesty.

Just as he was about to look away, a figure entered his field of vision. Although the woman was kneeling with her head bowed, he still felt a strange sensation welling up inside him.

As His Majesty's most trusted bodyguard, his greatest skill was reading people and observing their expressions, which was also what His Majesty valued most about him. Therefore, he had unwavering faith in his intuition.

So he hid in the alleyway beside the gate of the Shen residence. When the woman came out, he saw her face clearly and was stunned on the spot.

The woman's eyebrows and eyes bore a striking resemblance to the deceased Jiang family member, with seven-tenths resemblance!

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and carefully examined the woman. Her features were more resolute than Jiang's, and her temperament was more reserved; clearly, they were two completely different people.

But he just felt something was off...

"What else is there?" Xie Qi frowned slightly, impatience flashing in his eyes, his voice a few degrees colder than before.

Mo Qi took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, lowered his head, and said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, I saw someone at the Shen residence today."

Xie Qi lifted his eyelids and glanced at him, "Who is it?"

Mo Qi clenched his fist. "It's a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the late Madam Jiang."

The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the imperial study seemed to freeze.

With a "snap," the vermilion brush rolled from Xie Qi's fingertips and fell to the ground, but Xie Qi was completely unaware. His hand, which had been casually resting on the table, suddenly clenched, his knuckles turning blue and white from the force.

The calm on his face shattered instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"What did you say?" After a long while, Xie Qi finally found his voice, which was terribly hoarse and trembling slightly, completely different from his previous cold and dignified demeanor.

Mo Qi's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly lowered his head, reporting the findings of his investigation in a fast and clear voice: "The woman's name is Li Wan, and she is the fiancée of Lu Liang, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards. She has a very similar appearance to Madam Jiang, but her temperament is different. I was quite shocked at first, but after going back to investigate, I learned that she had been living in a small border village and only recently came to the capital with Lu Liang."

After Mo Qi finished speaking, the hall fell into an eerie silence once again.

The candlelight illuminated Xie Qi's face, blurring his features, but one could clearly see the redness spreading from his eyes until his entire eye sockets were red.

Mo Qi glanced at it, then hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to say another word, and simply stood quietly to the side.

"Lu Liang... and the Imperial Guard officials who went to Shen Prefecture today, summon them to the Imperial Study for an audience with me first thing tomorrow morning."

Finally, Mo Qi heard His Majesty's voice again. His back was soaked with cold sweat. He accepted the order and withdrew silently.

The palace doors were gently closed. Xie Qi slowly leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, turned his head, rested his elbows on the armrests of the dragon throne, supported his temples with his slender fingers, and a drop of salt water disappeared at the corner of his lips under his large palm.

Suddenly, a man's low, choked sob echoed in the empty study, which soon turned into a self-deprecating, bitter laugh.

Even though he knew it couldn't be her, he stubbornly refused to give up even the slightest hope.

The next morning.

As Lu Liang stepped onto the bluestone pavement and entered the Imperial Guard's office, two dark figures swept over like ghosts.

It turned out to be an extremely skilled imperial bodyguard.

Their faces were expressionless. They neither asked questions nor allowed any arguments. With their iron-like hands gripping Lu Liang's arm, they dragged him straight into the depths of the palace.

Lu Liang's arm was being squeezed painfully, but he dared not utter a sound. The imperial guards always obeyed only the Emperor's orders; to resist was to defy the imperial decree, a crime punishable by death. He could only stand stiffly, letting the other man drag him along.

Not only him, but several of his colleagues were also being held by the guards. Their faces were ashen, their lips pressed tightly together. They all knew that this was no small matter and that a great disaster was about to befall them.

The palace walls stood majestically, and the morning mist gradually dissipated.

Lu Liang and the others lowered their heads and walked heavily into Hongde Hall. Once inside, they knelt down in unison, their foreheads pressed against the cold floor, their voices trembling almost imperceptibly: "Your Majesty, we pay our respects."

The hall remained silent for a long time without any response. Lu Liang could clearly hear his own heartbeat. He dared not look up, but he could clearly feel an extremely strong gaze upon him.

A moment later, a calm and steady voice rang out, "Do you know why you have been summoned here today?"

It was His Majesty. Lu Liang's heart tightened. This young emperor had only been on the throne for three years. He lived a secluded life, his temperament unpredictable, possessing a composure and ruthlessness far beyond his years. He secretly raised his eyes and caught sight of the bright yellow figure on the throne. He hurriedly lowered his head and exchanged glances with his colleagues. They all saw confusion and fear in each other's eyes.

The men shook their heads in unison, their voices even lower: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, we do not know."

The person at the head of the table chuckled lightly and casually raised his hand.

Immediately, a dragging sound came from outside the hall, accompanied by heavy breathing and suppressed groans, making everyone's heart tighten. Lu Liang and the others subconsciously looked up and saw two guards dragging a blood-covered person into the hall. The person's clothes were soaked in blood and tattered, and his face and body were covered in blood and flesh.

All of them are Vice Commander Shen, who just got married yesterday!

Lu Liang's pupils contracted sharply, and he felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back and trickled down his spine, icy cold.

The other colleagues were also frightened; some couldn't help but gasp and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

Eunuch Tian stepped forward and said, “Upon investigation, it has been found that Deputy Commander Shen has formed cliques for personal gain, harbored treacherous intentions, and is disloyal to His Majesty and unjust to the court! Such a traitorous minister deserves to die a thousand deaths!”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Lu Liang and the others, his tone growing increasingly stern, "You and Deputy Commander Shen are both members of the Imperial Guard. Do you really know nothing about his actions?"

"I do not know! I truly do not know!"

Lu Liang and the others pressed their foreheads to the floor, denying everything.

Xie Qi remained silent on the throne.

Lu Liang's head slammed heavily to the ground, his fingers, which were braced against the ground, were deathly white. Lu Liang tried to explain, his voice trembling. But the person at the head of the table spoke slowly.

"Whether you know it or not isn't up to you to decide; we'll have to investigate to find out." Xie Qi raised his hand. "Put him in jail for now, and no one will be released until the matter is cleared up!"

Lu Liang's heart sank completely. On the way to prison, his first thought was of his elderly mother and younger sister. They had been struggling to make ends meet in the small border village, finally hoping for his success, but now, before they could enjoy any of it, he had fallen. How could he not hate them! At this moment, he was filled with regret. He shouldn't have brought Awan to the capital. If he had left her on the border, at least she could have taken care of his mother and younger sister.

Just then, he suddenly remembered that in the palace earlier, His Majesty's gaze seemed to have been fixed on him. That gaze was calm and unwavering, not like anger or suspicion, but rather like... scrutiny and investigation.

The thought was fleeting; the most pressing issue at the moment was that the road ahead was uncertain, and he had no idea what awaited him.

The next day.

Lu Liang did not return all night, and Li Wan was very worried. Early in the morning, she hurriedly headed towards the Imperial Guard's office.

It was still early, and the vermilion gates of the Imperial Guard's office were tightly closed. As soon as Li Wan reached the entrance, she saw several women standing to the side, their expressions anxious and uneasy, whispering to each other.

They all looked somewhat familiar; she was the same person she had seen at the Shen family's wedding banquet. Li Wan's unease deepened.

As the sun rose higher, the gates of the government office finally creaked open, and a man dressed in the uniform of an imperial guard stepped out. He glanced at the crowd in front of the gate and said, "Please follow me into the government office and wait. Someone will answer your questions."

Upon hearing this, the crowd was initially taken aback, but then a glimmer of hope arose within them, and they all followed the guards inside. Li Wan walked along in the crowd, her steps somewhat heavy.

The guards led them to the main hall of the government office. The hall was spacious and solemn, with a small table at the front and a carved chair behind it.

Half an incense stick later, a series of steady footsteps came from outside the hall, approaching from afar, carrying an invisible sense of oppression. Li Wan raised her head and looked towards the door.

Footsteps stopped at the door, and a man dressed as a commander of the Imperial Guards walked in.

The sunlight was blocked by the man's tall figure, and his face was clearly visible in the shadows.

The moment she saw it clearly, Li Wan's blood boiled, and her heart pounded so hard it was deafening.

How could it be him? How could it be him?

Li Wan froze on the spot, her fingertips suddenly clenching the hem of her skirt. Her gaze was fixed on the person, her pupils slightly contracting. Suddenly, she realized what was happening, hurriedly lowered her eyelids, and quietly moved to hide herself behind a woman with a rather broad build.

Xie Qi strode in, and almost the instant he entered, his gaze locked onto her.

In that instant, he suddenly realized that people you know extremely well don't need to recognize each other by their faces. A glance, a subtle movement, or even the feeling you get when you see her are more accurate than her face.

Three years ago, he began to doubt her identity. Her sudden change in temperament, the letters from unknown sources, and her seemingly precognitive abilities all made him feel that she was not the Jiang Feiwan he knew. Her last words before her death further confirmed his suspicions.

Over the past three years, he had considered countless possibilities, but his greatest wish was that she could live a good life somewhere else.

However, fate was kind to him, and she was sent back to his side.

His gaze lingered on her for a long time. She was dressed in a simple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with her hair in a simple bun. Her face looked somewhat haggard, but the contours of her eyebrows and eyes, the slightly pursed lips when she lowered her head, and the stubbornness hidden in her bones were exactly the same as the one in his memory.

Xie Qi felt a pang of sadness, then quickly looked away, concealing the emotions in his eyes, and walked to the desk to sit down, his movements steady.