In the heart of the majestic palace, in a remote and desolate place, a woman cried mournfully all night. Her cries sounded like a bloodstained accusation and a resentment towards her fate, sending chills down the spines of anyone who heard them.

Qin Ji and Wei Tingsi stood on the wall of the Cold Palace. The vines and branches that had not been tended for many years had already stretched out of the palace wall, obscuring their figures from the view of the world.

"Did you kill Sun Qi?" Qin Ji's voice was unusually cold when he asked this question. The crickets hidden among the vines seemed to sense the chill and jumped away.

Wei Tingsi was not good at lying, nor did he know how to hide anything. He rarely used schemes in his work, not because he couldn't, but because he didn't need to. He nodded and said, "Yes."

Qin Jiyuan still held onto hope that it wasn't him, but upon hearing this unrepentant reply, his heart sank. He said with exasperation, "You are in charge of the troops, don't get involved in this. The Emperor has capable ministers to assist him, just lead the troops well."

Wei Tingsi remained silent, not because of Emperor Mingde.

"You!" Qin Ji looked at him like that. He was the child he had raised by hand, so how could he not know what the boy was up to? He was helpless and angry, and he was also worried that if Emperor Mingde found out, he would think too much. Seeing that all the power in the court was concentrated in the hands of the emperor, he felt a headache coming on.

If others commit crimes, they have their families to back them up. But his family wants to get rid of him at all times. He is in such a difficult situation, yet he doesn't know how to avoid danger and seek good fortune. Instead, he keeps running to places of trouble. How can he not worry?

"Don't meddle in matters of flooding. The Emperor has so many capable ministers; one more or one less makes no difference. Just be a good soldier." In Qin Ji's eyes, being a simple, honest minister, even a soldier, was fine, as long as it saved his life.

Upon hearing this, Wei Tingsi nodded again. He didn't consider it meddling in Shushu's affairs, and what did other people's business have to do with him?

Seeing that he nodded quickly, almost without thinking, Qin Ji knew that this disciple would definitely not stay obediently in the military camp. He wanted to persuade him with earnest words, but the crying suddenly stopped.

After the crying stopped, a faint voice came on the wind: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please save this humble concubine. This humble concubine knows she was wrong."

"I do not compete or fight, yet there are always people who want to step on me to get ahead. Tell me, where did you learn about the hydrangea?"

Wei Tingsi and Qin Ji exchanged a glance, both showing surprise. The person who had come was actually the Empress.

Because of the distance, ordinary people would not be able to hear the conversation between the Empress and Consort Wu, but Wei Tingsi and Qin Ji were not among them.

Consort Wu knelt amidst the broken stems and arms, utterly terrified and distraught after losing her unborn child. She could only weep and plead, “Your Majesty, it was the Imperial Concubine who told me that the hydrangea was the Emperor’s unresolved issue, and that if I used it, I would gain his favor. Your Majesty, everything I said is true. Please, Your Majesty, spare me. I will never dare to do it again.”

The Empress slowly turned around after hearing this, seemingly not very interested in knowing the truth. "If you don't want to say, I won't force you." With that, she walked past the dilapidated flowerbed. The reason she had come here under the cover of night was simply to find out who was manipulating things behind the scenes. Now that she was certain she couldn't find the answer in this pawn, she had no intention of staying any longer.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this humble concubine truly tells the truth." Consort Wu stumbled to her feet and chased after the Empress, but before she could even move her feet, a flying dagger pierced her heart. Even in her dying moments, she remained in a posture as if she were about to take a step.

The Empress was alone with Lu Fushou and Zhiliu, but she seemed unafraid of the hidden hand as she walked step by step on the moss-covered, bumpy path. The bamboo around her was incredibly dense, with countless stalks growing around her. A gust of cold wind blew by, and the bamboo leaves rustled as they rubbed together.

“Your Majesty, Consort Wu’s words may not be wrong,” Zhi Liu said softly, supporting her.

The Empress glanced back at the road that was no longer visible. There was no Consort Wu chasing after her; she must have already been taken to the underworld by the ghost messengers. She chuckled softly, “In His Majesty’s eyes, no woman in the world can even share her misfortune.”

It sounds like self-deprecation, and it's incredibly heartbreaking to hear.

Zhi Liu and Lu Fushou exchanged a glance and fell silent. The reason why Consort Xin suffered a miscarriage back then was because of these three flowers. Because they were associated with these three words, not only did they not get a good outcome later, but they also caused the Emperor and Empress to have a rift.

By the dim moonlight, their gazes fell on the Empress's aged profile, and the two felt a pang of heartache. Since entering the palace, the Empress had always been proud, and she and the Emperor had been devoted to each other for more than ten years. Recalling that incident from many years ago, the two sighed inwardly. The most helpless thing in the world is that the person you love is a devoted lover, and the object of that devotion is not you.

The Empress came and went in a hurry. Wei Tingsi and Qin Ji exchanged a glance, then flew over and landed not far from Consort Wu. The murderer had already left. Qin Ji pulled the short sword from Consort Wu's chest. "No markings, ordinary forging technique, and another unsolved case."

Again? Clearly, there have been multiple serial murders in the palace, with methods similar to those used to kill Consort Wu. The motives are vague yet targeted.

The Empress was clearly here just now, yet no one attacked her. If Qin Ji hadn't already noticed this strange occurrence, he would have suspected that the Empress was the one who killed her.

"Master, have you checked the Taihe Hall?" Wei Tingsi asked.

Qin Ji nodded, his expression grave. "I've investigated."

"Where else in the palace remains to be investigated? Does the Empress know who is behind this?" Wei Tingsi asked immediately. The target was not the Empress, nor did it seem to be the Emperor, nor did it seem to be the Empress Dowager. He fell into deep thought.

"I've investigated everything. The Empress knows no more than I do. I'm certain this matter is related to Empress Yide. I sensed it ten years ago. There must be other things I don't know about what happened back then." Qin Ji placed the short sword in Wu Meiren's hand, making it seem as if she had pulled the sword out herself before she died, and said, "Let's go back. This person is hiding too well. It will be a while before she comes out."

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