The eunuch was adamant and seemed ready to take action. Chang Lili had no choice but to abandon her search for iron materials and go to the palace to see the emperor. She found Xiao Shuer there as well, with Bai Mei behind her holding a soft armor.

Xiao Shu'er asked, "Chang Lili, do you recognize this soft armor?"

Chang Lili blinked: "The Princess is still so fond of joking. There are thousands upon thousands of soft armors in the world. How would I know them if they didn't pass through my hands?"

"How dare you argue before the Emperor!" Xiao Shu'er shouted angrily. "The blacksmiths in the palace have confirmed that there is a type of iron material inside the soft armor that only you possess! It was a gift from your elder brother, an extremely rare crystal sand iron that is impervious to swords and spears!"

Xiao Shuer grabbed the soft armor and threw it in front of Chang Lili.

Chang Lili picked it up, stroked the soft armor, and murmured softly, "I never expected it to be here..."

"You admit it?!" Xiao Shu'er asked urgently.

“I am guilty.” Chang Lili raised her head. “The crystal iron that His Majesty bestowed upon me was stolen within two days of entering the manor. It was because I did not protect it well that it was lost. I was afraid that His Majesty would blame me, so I kept it a secret and did not report it.”

"You're lying!" Xiao Shu'er shouted, completely lacking in decorum.

"Shu'er," the emperor called to her, "whether it's lost or not, we'll find out by sending someone to investigate."

The emperor summoned the chief steward to lead men to search the general's residence.

Xiao Shuer was confident of victory and stared at Chang Lili with an arrogant air.

Chang Lili lowered her head, her thoughts in turmoil.

The timing of the iron loss was too coincidental; someone must have heard rumors and hidden the item, making it impossible for the search party to find it.

The chief steward returned empty-handed: "Your Majesty, the General's Mansion has no crystal iron."

"How could there not be?"

Xiao Shu'er didn't believe it, and neither did the emperor, who thought it was just an excuse.

“The Three Pages Sect’s assassination attempt failed, so they must have taken precautions. Hiding the iron materials is perfectly normal for them,” Xiao Shu’er said. “Brother, General Meng has been investigating them and knows they are secretly training soldiers. How could he not know their stronghold? Moreover, it seems very unusual that General Meng knew nothing about the assassination attempt during the ancestral worship ceremony. If the general has any dealings with them…”

Chang Lili interrupted Xiao Shuer: "Your Majesty, the general is loyal to you and has been busy with the Three Pages Sect, but they are too cunning, which is why we can't find any trace of them."

Xiao Shu'er retorted, "Who doesn't know his abilities? The real problem is that they can't find anything out. Why are you so eager to defend him? Doesn't that mean you have something to hide?"

Xiao Shu'er guessed right this time; Chang Lili really did have something to hide.

She knew exactly where the Three Pages Sect's stronghold was.

"Enough!" The emperor's anger was barely concealed. "Chang Lili, I entrusted the iron materials to you. Whether they were lost or not, you are implicated! Attempting to cover it up only makes your crime more serious. Guards, throw her in jail! Execute her in three days!"

Chang Lili tried to explain for Meng Yuxiu, but the emperor wouldn't listen to her. With a wave of his hand, the eunuchs on both sides stepped forward and dragged her into the prison.

Xiao Shu'er smiled with satisfaction.

The prison was dark and damp, and the smell made Chang Lili feel nauseous. She fanned herself, sat on the stone bed in frustration, and silently looked up at the sky.

If she had known it would implicate Meng Yuxiu, she would never have agreed to Aunt Lu's request to forge the soft armor.

Who took those iron materials?

Meng Yuxiu?

Chang Lili couldn't understand it. She was annoyed, had a headache, and supported her forehead as she lay down on the stone bed, where she drifted off to sleep.

Aunt Lu's sword strike was extremely vicious. Xiao Lingshou rashly stepped forward to block it and was unconscious for a day before waking up. The first thing he saw was the emperor!

He suppressed his astonishment and struggled to his feet to pay his respects. The emperor pressed down on his shoulder and said, "Imperial Physician, this sword strike almost damaged your heart. If the bleeding hadn't been stopped in time, even if you had survived by chance, you would have suffered from angina in the future. I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Xiao Lingshou's face was paler than usual, and his voice was hoarse and weak: "To take a sword in exchange for Father's safety is a very worthwhile thing, and I am very happy."

The emperor was pleased and carefully examined his only remaining offspring, whose appearance and temperament bore some resemblance to his own in his youth.

This is his child...

Xiao Lingshou, unaccustomed to this atmosphere, slowly broke the silence: "Father, has the leader of the assassins been captured?"

The emperor's face turned cold, and he waved his sleeve, saying, "She's cunning. Those useless cowards under her command can't even be caught."

Xiao Lingshou remained noncommittal, lowering his eyelids to conceal the strangeness in his eyes. He comforted the emperor with a few words, and slowly, the emperor also expressed his suspicions about Meng Yuxiu and the matter of Chang Lili.

"Her?" Xiao Lingshou paused slightly.

The emperor narrowed his eyes: "You disagree?"

“Punishment is necessary, and I have no objection, but…” Xiao Lingshou paused for a moment, “Chang Lili’s forging skills are extremely high, beyond what blacksmiths can achieve. Rather than killing her, we should make the most of her value by locking her up in prison and drawing blueprints to make weapons.”

If anyone else had said those words, they would have been dragged away and punished by the emperor long ago. Xiao Lingshou had just saved him, so he would be patient and think carefully about what he was saying.

What he said is a good idea. It's a real pity that all those strange and wonderful ideas of Chang Lili have been lost.

"That being said, if there is no punishment for the ancestral worship incident, it will only embolden the Three Pages Sect. In that case, anyone will be able to bully me."

"Father, please hear what I have to say. I secretly investigated the whereabouts of the Three Pages Sect and found one of their strongholds in Baiyue Tower, a restaurant. I went there once by chance, and the manager's identity was unknown. After careful investigation, I found that he was related to the Three Pages Sect."

Xiao Lingshou spoke with absolute certainty, clearly very confident. The emperor was overjoyed: "Good! You have indeed not disappointed me. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, it would be best to capture the traitor tonight."

The emperor issued an edict, and the guards obeyed. They immediately dispatched men, and as soon as it got dark, they attacked from the four directions: east, south, west, and north.

Inside the restaurant, Guo Yan and Meng Xin were discussing the reasons for the failure and how many people had been injured or killed. They planned to give them a proper burial and, if possible, take their belongings back to the border, so that their souls could return to their homeland.

"ah!"

A scream rang out in the silent night. Mengxin and her group's expressions changed. They picked up the weapons on the table and looked out through the half-open window. The guards were densely packed together.

"We've been discovered."

Guo Yan's face was grim. She made a hand gesture, indicating that there were people all around. It would be better for everyone to gather in one place and launch a surprise attack, which would increase their chances of escape.

Everyone agreed. Mengxin went around to the door, opened it, and rushed out.

They attacked together, and at first they had a chance to survive. But as more and more guards surrounded them, Mengxin was slashed in the back and was about to die.

"The Emperor has decreed: capture them alive!"

The head servant reminded him, and the guard sheathed his sword, struck the man on the head with the hilt, knocking him unconscious, and threw him to his companion.