Along the edge of the situation (End)

The residence of Princess Rongshu.

"Tell me, are you still going to cooperate?" Chen Zhuangmu was prepared for his silence, but she didn't expect him to explode like that.

"Cooperate! Why shouldn't we cooperate?!" Zhao Yi said, his eyes still blazing with anger, and walked up to Chen Zhuangmu, asking, "Why didn't you tell me you were planning to take this step?"

"It's not too late for you to know now!" Chen Zhuangmu said stiffly.

Zhao Yi squatted down as she spoke, her face framed by a curtain, so that she could see all the hardships and sorrows in his eyes. "You want me to say something?"

He smiled and said, "My princess, you didn't even tell me. I had a plan, and I was thinking... never mind, let's not talk about it anymore. Let's think about what to do next."

"What are your plans?" Chen Zhuangmu asked.

Zhao Yi waved his hand, "It's not possible to say now."

"You just asked me to discuss this with you, but now you're not talking to me anymore. I think we should just call it a day."

“I’m testing the waters. I don’t know how things will turn out, but can I tell you what I’m doing?” Zhao Yi asked, looking up.

Seeing that Chen Zhuangmu finally nodded, he quickly said, "I'm investigating my father's case, and I'm also keeping an eye out for whether I can sneak into Xiao Zhong's residence to investigate."

Before Chen Zhuangmu could speak, he hurriedly continued, "You are a very opinionated person. I'm worried that I might disrupt any plans you have. Besides, I'm planning to follow the clues and try to find the person who killed my father."

These words silently vanished from her lips, leaving her momentarily stunned and unable to react.

When Chen Zhuangmu's worried expression met Zhao Yi's eyes, he thought it seemed to carry a hint of heartache.

The sudden thought made his ears burn, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud. But in an instant, an idea flashed through his mind, and he squatted on the spot as if stunned.

Just as he was about to look up at her again, trying to compose himself, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, its fingertips touching his neck.

The cool fingertips touched his skin, and all the noise in the world paled in comparison to the sound of his heartbeat. It was completely different from the time he applied medicine in the pit.

But he couldn't put his finger on what was different.

"How have you been coping these past few years?"

His fingertips trembled.

Such a move seemed too abrupt to her, so she withdrew her hand and placed it on her knee, clenching her fist tightly.

"I'll just pass by casually." He stood up and sat down in the chair next to the veil.

"Princess, why do you want to announce this in the palace?" Zhao Yi finally voiced the question that had been posed at the beginning.

Chen Zhuangmu was prepared from the start. "My mother must have been wronged. I want to investigate this matter openly and honestly, and clear my mother's name in front of everyone. Moreover, I feel that if I investigate secretly like this, I will definitely miss important evidence."

No matter how righteous she sounded, he still couldn't understand. "Isn't the result the most important thing in this matter? If you say it now, it will only make Xiao Zhong more suspicious. Where will you find evidence then?"

“It’s different, it’s different. It’s different in my eyes. I want to prove it to them. Even if I tell them this, they can’t stop me!” Her words were full of determination and strength, which was what she was determined to do.

“This will make the matter even more difficult to proceed. How can you be so sure that the case can be overturned?” Since this has already happened, Zhao Yi thought it would be better to talk about the facts.

"Can I trust you?" Chen Zhuangmu looked him in the eye and asked earnestly.

The conversation took abrupt turn, but Zhao Yi quickly followed up, "From today onwards, I will answer any questions you may have without reservation."

She spoke with the same seriousness, meeting Shen Zhuangmu's gaze without fear. Suddenly, she smiled, a smile that was a mixture of relief and helplessness. "My uncle told me that the night before my mother's accident, Xiao Zhong found him and wanted to conspire with him to harm my mother."

"He was attached to the Grand Commandant at the time, but now the Grand Commandant's entire family has been raided. Taking advantage of this opportunity, my uncle sent people to search the Grand Commandant's mansion clean, but they found nothing."

"Even during later questioning, the Grand Commandant knew nothing. It's impossible that Xiao Zhong acted alone this time..."

She frowned, deducing step by step.

“Using what we know to guess the unknown is uncertain, but we haven’t made full use of the known clues yet.” Zhao Yi had said quite a bit so far, swallowed hard, and continued, “We can be certain that he is not a member of the current dynasty, so his name and place of origin must be fake.” He took a sip of tea.

Chen Zhuangmu's eyes lit up, and she continued, "We can find the people from the Ministry of Revenue at that time and see if we can get any clues."

"right."

These simple words seemed to possess a magical power, dispelling Chen Zhuangmu's momentary anxiety. She had enough information—not too much, not too little—to pinpoint who was involved in the matter.

That's why she had the confidence to say that in the main hall, but what she actually did was different from what she had envisioned.

She was expected to be determined and full of energy, but as several hours passed, her words in the main hall were repeatedly imprinted in her mind, leaving her with a sense of loss.

But she believed that doing so was the right thing to do. She wanted everyone to know that her mother had been wronged, and that their attempts to stop her could not change that fact.

Zhao Yi noticed the sculpture-like figure with its furrowed brows and deep in thought. He poured her a cup of tea, blew on it gently, and handed it to her.

"Give."

Chen Zhuangmu took it, saying, "Thank you."

The slightly hot tea emitted wisps of steam that enveloped her eyelashes.

Time passed slowly, but everyone accepted this order, and no one urged them to hurry up.

The fallen leaves on the ground were blown back to the branches by the wind, but as the branches swayed, the leaves rustled twice and drifted to the next patch of land.

"Actually, I don't know much at all. A lot of what I said before was just bluffing to deceive you."

Chen Zhuangmu smiled and said.

"I know." Zhao Yi's lips also relaxed into a smile. "Before, I thought you were easy to deal with and that I could just give you a quick fix. I didn't expect you to stick around like this."

"Who's blaming you?" Chen Zhuangmu frowned upon hearing this.

"It doesn't matter who blames whom," Zhao Yi said, looking at her.

The room was getting dark, and time seemed to move slowly, but it never waits for anyone.

Chen Zhuangmu stood up and said, "I have to leave work early today to go to the palace to see my uncle and the others." She looked somewhat helpless. "I'm going to get scolded when I get back."

Zhao Yi burst out laughing. "Just listen to this."

"Do you want me to take you? You're in too much danger right now," he asked again.

"No need, I'll go back and have Li Chu come with me, she'll be here soon."

"Okay, sure."

The two of them waited for Li Chu at the door, and then went back to their respective places after she arrived.

Chen Zhuangmu was alone in the carriage, trying to sort out her chaotic feelings, but she didn't think about how to make excuses. If it were the old her, she would have thought of a reason before making a big fuss.

I can't say whether I'm tired or what, but I just don't want to go through the same kind of trouble I did when I was a child.

Upon arriving at the palace gate, the palace servants, seeing that it was Princess Rongshu's carriage, hurriedly allowed it to pass. They stopped the carriage and walked inside.

Chen Zhuangmu really didn't know how to face the emperor, so she went to Kunyi Palace first.

At this moment, the Empress, who was busy in the palace, heard from a palace servant that the princess had returned, and she happily ran to the courtyard.

He touched the child's arms and legs thoroughly, asking, "Are you hurt?"

Chen Zhuangmu held the Empress's arm and reassured her with a smile, "Don't worry, I'm not hurt. Everyone in the world knows that you and my uncle favor me, how could they dare to hurt me?"

She knew this was a lingering effect from when the Empress came to the palace years ago. Back then, her uncle had less power than he did now, and assassinations were frequent, including a coup attempt. Since then, she had been constantly on edge.

Even though things are better now, I can't forget it.

"When did you learn to say such things?" The Empress took Chen Zhuangmu's arm and led her into the palace. "Don't learn such glib talk from Hong Ning. I heard about your situation today and knew you were coming, so I specially had your favorite dishes made."

The Empress pressed the heavy curtain onto the stool, stood up herself, and said, "Your uncle must be very angry. He didn't have lunch with me today. You'd better think about how to explain this to him later."

Shen Zhuangmu saw everything the Empress said and her worried expression. It was as if she was being warmly enveloped, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh dear, what's wrong?" Seeing Chen Zhuangmu wipe away her tears, the Empress sat down with heartache and gently stroked Chen Zhuangmu's face. "This is nothing. You said those things in the palace today. You have a long road ahead of you. You can't shed tears just because your uncle said that."

Chen Zhuangmu shook her head, hugged the Empress's waist, and snuggled into the Empress's arms. "I cried because of you. You are so good to me."

“We are one family,” the Queen said.

The scene of the two being both moved and worried was witnessed by Yu Hongning, who had just arrived, and she retreated back into the hall to look at the sun in the sky.

Why is the sun still setting in the west? My sister is even acting cute now.

Yu Hongning, feeling mischievous, signaled to the palace servants not to announce her arrival. She crouched low and tiptoed into the hall, approaching the two of them.

With a "whoosh!", she pounced on their backs.

But the two of them didn't move. The Empress looked at her with a critical eye, as if she were an idiot. Chen Zhuangmu pushed herself out of the Empress's arms, embarrassed, and blushed from her cheeks to her collarbone.

She wasn't scared at all; Hong Ning kept telling her to do embarrassing things, and she didn't want to mention it either.

"Why is the sun still setting in the west today? And why is my sister acting all cute?" Yu Hongning

The Empress pushed Yu Hongning far away, saying, "You know your sister is embarrassed, yet you still say it?"

After saying that, she looked at Chen Zhuangmu's face, which was as red as an apple, and burst into laughter.

"Your Highness, Princess, Princess," a person from the hall bowed and said, "It's time for dinner."

So they tidied up and went to the front hall for their meal. The Empress thought she would go with them, but she saw the two girls talking shyly to each other, and pretending nothing was wrong when she looked over.

"A child grows up and is no longer under his mother's control," the Empress said as she walked.

As if her secret had been revealed, Yu Hongning immediately fell silent.

“Your aunt has already left, please continue,” Chen Zhuangmu urged her.

"Could you check for me when the Imperial Medical Academy's assessment is this year?"

"Is your sweetheart studying medicine?" Chen Zhuangmu asked, scrutinizing him.

“What sweetheart? I don’t have a sweetheart.” Yu Hongning’s eyes widened. “I’ve been… never mind, it’s inconvenient for me to be in the palace, so please help me find someone.”

"Do I still need to convey this to your sweetheart?" Chen Zhuangmu looked at her with amusement.

"I'll tell you later. Okay, sister, let's go eat something delicious." Yu Hongning took Chen Zhuangmu's arm and dragged her away.

"Sister, you seem to have lost weight again."

You're mistaken.

As they walked, Chen Zhuangmu stopped and grabbed her arm: "Hong Ning, please spend more time with Han Feng."

She couldn't concentrate during this time, but even now that she has time, she doesn't dare to go, afraid of seeing the hatred in her eyes.

Yu Hongning grasped her hands with both of hers and said, "Don't worry, sister, I go there often. You and Hanfeng... it's still early. You two can have a good chat later."

Chen Zhuangmu smiled but said nothing more.

The two of them walked slowly behind, neither wanting to walk ahead of the other. But the incident started because of Shen Zhuangmu. She grabbed Yu Hongning's hand and shielded her behind her.

The two of them went to the Funing Palace and saw the Emperor and Empress looking at them. They were so frightened that they didn't dare to dawdle and strode over to sit on the stools.

The meal was utterly tasteless to Chen Zhuangmu, and the Empress kept piling food into her bowl, making her want to cry.

The emperor kept his head down and ate without ever looking up. Soon, he finished eating, took the food handed to him by his attendant, washed it, stood up, left Shen Zhuangmu with the words "Go to the Imperial Study after you finish eating," and then left.

Even after the emperor had gone far away, Chen Zhuangmu still hummed in agreement. With the emperor gone, it was as if the air itself had become thicker. Chen Zhuangmu ate very quickly, sustained by one thought: "The sooner I die, the sooner I'll be reborn."

Winter days are always so cold, so pure, as if without a trace of impurity. The dim sky is cloudless, and stepping outside, the cold air hits you, washing away all your worries.

After bidding farewell to the Empress and Yu Hongning, Chen Zhuang walked alone on the road. In the deep blue of the lush greenery, she seemed like a phantom, so slender and aloof.

"Mother," Yu Hongning swallowed what was in her mouth, "Why do I feel like my sister and father are looking more and more alike?"

A seemingly ordinary remark terrified the Empress, turning her face deathly pale. "Don't talk nonsense! They don't look like them at all!"

He murmured again, "They don't seem like it."

The Funing Palace was not far from the Imperial Study, so she dressed in her finest clothes without anyone accompanying her. When Eunuch Fu saw that it was her, he quietly opened the door and led her inside.

The emperor was standing in front of the desk in the imperial study. Hearing the sound, he turned his head and saw a worried look on Chen Zhuangmu's face.

I got even angrier.

"Where were you all this time?!"

Don't you know the consequences of those words?

"Are you a child? Look at the mess you've made!"

As soon as he spoke, the emperor's anger became uncontrollable, veins bulging on his face, and he had no choice but to reach out and calm himself down.

The tea on the table was filled to the brim with a bowl by Chen Zhuangmu, who then presented it to the emperor, saying, "Uncle!"

The emperor took the bowl with a disgruntled expression, drank half of it in one gulp, and then slammed it down on the table with a "thud!" causing the tea in the bowl to spill out.

"Come, come, tell me what you plan to do? What were you thinking at the time?" the emperor asked, staring at her.

The words that had slipped out in front of Zhao Yi now seemed stuck to his lips.

"Speak," the emperor said, his tone softening.

"My mother was wronged, so of course I must investigate openly and honestly." After saying this, Chen Zhuangmu couldn't help but purse her lips, and two tears slid down her cheeks, but she dared not cry and hurriedly wiped them away with her sleeve.

"How pathetic." The emperor glanced at her disdainfully, then said, "Do you understand the purpose of your trip? Is the outcome more important, or the superficial process?"

“Both are important.” Chen Zhuangmu raised her head. “Uncle, my mother will agree with me.”

"What nonsense are you spouting? Tell me what you plan to do?"

After talking for so long, she came back to the same point, stammering, "I...I haven't...I haven't decided yet."

"What did you say? You haven't decided yet?!" The emperor glared angrily, when suddenly a willow branch was presented to him.

"I broke it off when I was passing by a tree," Chen Zhuangmu said, holding up a willow branch.

"Besides, I'm currently studying the mechanical paintings of the previous dynasty. Someone like Xiao Zhong is definitely suspicious and cautious. I went to his house a few days ago and felt something was off. Maybe the evidence is hidden in his house." Chen Zhuangmu became more and more certain as she spoke, and the willow branch was unknowingly hidden behind her back again.

"Could I hit you?" The emperor glanced at her helplessly. He was just angry at first, but now seeing her looking completely unrepentant and even boasting, his anger seemed to have dissipated.

"I should have known better than to understand, your personality... sigh." The emperor shook his head as if he had lost all his strength, a forced smile on his face, and said, "You were the one who dared to point your sword at a treacherous minister when you were only twelve years old. I was saved by you."

"You mean that time when I was a teenager?"

The emperor just smiled and said, "Have you forgotten? When you were twelve, there was a coup d'état."

Chen Zhuangmu suddenly realized and said, "So that's how it is. You lied to me before, saying they were looking for you to discuss something."

“That was to comfort you.” The emperor shook his head. “More or less. There were soldiers surrounding you three or four times over, and you took advantage of your short stature to barge in, pointed at the leader, and said a lot of things.”

Chen Zhuangmu smiled sheepishly, "I was just taking advantage of my power. Besides, I was so scared that I ran straight into your arms and cried."

"Ah. Just now, I saw flashes of what you did as a child, and I realized you've changed a lot. Do you remember when someone in the palace bullied you, you burned down her palace?" the emperor said with a smile.

“I remember.” Chen Zhuangmu wasn’t really keen on talking about her childhood mischief. “It was Consort Yun’s palace. She bullied me, and I was so angry that I burned it down when no one was in the palace.”

The emperor nodded. "This character is excellent. It is a blessing bestowed upon you by Heaven, for you persevere through dangers and obstacles with your heart set on moving forward."

"Uncle, you...you're not scolding me anymore?" She looked at the emperor in disbelief.

"What's the point of scolding you? Will you change?"

"You've pledged your life to this for two months now, so put your heart and soul into it. Take ten more bodyguards with you; I'm too busy. The responsibility of overturning your mother's case will fall on your shoulders."

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Zhuangmu felt her heart sink, and could only breathe lightly through the gaps in her heavy burden.

"By the way," the emperor said, his probing gaze fixed on Chen Zhuangmu, "what's going on between you and Zhao Yi?"

"Uncle, are you having someone spy on me?"

"What do you mean by 'surveilling' you? Were you two hiding from everyone?"

Chen Zhuangmu wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

“We are now in a cooperative relationship,” Chen Zhuangmu said, blinking her eyes.

"..."

Even now, seeing a resemblance to her childhood self in her, the emperor couldn't bear to scold her. He inquired, "After you said those things in court, did you two meet again afterward? What did he say?"

After thinking for a moment, Chen Zhuangmu picked out the main point to say to the emperor: "He said that although I am impatient, he supports me."

"You better keep your eyes open in everything you do, understand?"

"I heard you."

"Alright, get back." The emperor waved his hand.

Chen Zhuangmu breathed a sigh of relief, swallowing her suspicions.