A glimmer of light beneath the iceberg

The war fought without gunpowder in the imperial court had an outcome that, like the cold rain of late autumn, silently seeped into the entire capital.

Although the Ming Prince was not released from confinement and was still under house arrest in his residence, he had been restored to the status of a prince, which in itself was a strong signal.

The fact that Prince Heng was temporarily stripped of his military power as a prince of nine pearls and forced to contemplate in seclusion further stirred the ambitions of countless forces that were secretly observing.

The Prince Heng's mansion seemed to have become deserted overnight.

In the past, even though Zongzheng Hengyu was cold and intimidating, generals and officials would still come in droves to pay their respects and ask for instructions on military affairs. Now, however, only squads of Imperial Guards stood silently and solemnly guarding outside the mansion, cutting off all communication between the inside and outside.

The plaque bearing the inscription "Prince Heng's Mansion" hanging high above the ground exuded a desolate chill under the sunlight.

Inside the mansion, however, the atmosphere was not as gloomy or anxious as outsiders might have imagined.

Zongzheng Hengyu removed his heavy armor and changed into a set of dark-colored casual clothes, which made him appear even more upright. His face looked a bit thinner, but he showed no signs of dejection.

He was sitting by the window in his study, a black jade chess piece between his fingers, and a complex chess game in front of him.

Outside the window, fallen leaves fluttered in the air, but inside it was so quiet that the only sounds were the occasional crisp sound of chess pieces landing on the chessboard and the faint crackling of silver frost charcoal burning in the bronze incense burner with animal heads.

Yan Cheng walked in silently, handed over a cup of freshly brewed hot tea, and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, news has come from the palace that His Majesty has indeed reviewed all the military pay disbursement records of the Ministry of War for the past three years, especially those related to our Northern Army. Several generals who were once close to us have also been privately summoned by His Majesty."

Zongzheng Hengyu placed a piece on the board, his voice calm and even: "As expected. That letter from the 'Old General of Zhenbei,' though clumsy, precisely struck at Father's deepest suspicions. It would be strange if he didn't investigate."

He picked up his teacup, the rising steam blurring his cold, handsome features. "Have our people all been settled?"

"They have all followed His Highness's prior instructions, either hiding themselves, being transferred from key positions, or proactively providing some insignificant 'clues' to guide the investigation," Yan Cheng replied, his tone filled with absolute confidence.

"However, the forged evidence presented by the Ming King was indeed extremely well-made, especially the Northern Barbarian seal and the handwriting in the army, which were almost flawless. If we didn't know the inside story, I'm afraid..."

“The Night Hawk Pavilion has been operating for over ten years, so they must have some hidden skills.” Zongzheng Hengyu interrupted him, a cold glint in his eyes. “Clowns will only ever play these underhanded tricks. Let them be smug for a few days, it won’t hurt.”

His gaze returned to the chessboard, his fingertips tracing the cold pieces: "Keep a close eye on Zongzheng Mingchen's residence. Even if a fly flies in, we must know whether it's male or female. And... we can't let our guard down at Prince Zhao's residence either."

"Yes!" Yan Cheng responded sternly, then paused and added, "Your Highness, what about... Miss Jiang's side? There seem to be some unidentified spies outside the Prime Minister's residence as well."

Zongzheng Hengyu's hand holding the chess piece paused almost imperceptibly for a moment, then he said expressionlessly, "No need to interfere. If that old fox, Prime Minister Jiang, can't even protect his own daughter, then he's wasted his time in this position." His tone remained cold, but it no longer carried the impatience and indifference he usually did.

Yan Cheng quietly withdrew, and the study returned to silence. Zongzheng Hengyu did not continue the unfinished game, but got up and walked to the window, gazing at the old ginkgo tree in the courtyard whose leaves were almost all gone.

His father's suspicion, the Ming King's counterattack, and the Zhao King's indifference were all within his expectations, or even deliberately allowed to proceed to this point.

Only... that variable.

Jiang Wanzhi, who is eccentric in her words and actions, sometimes cowardly and sometimes audacious, yet always delivers crucial intelligence at critical moments.

He was used to placing everyone and everything under precise calculation and control, and Jiang Wanzhi was the only piece on his chessboard that could roll around on its own.

…………

Meanwhile, at the Prime Minister's residence, in the Wanzhi Pavilion.

Jiang Wanzhi was indeed a little uneasy, not entirely because of the commotion in the court that she had only overheard bits and pieces of, but more because she seemed to be inexplicably starting to worry about that big villain.

"Miss, do you think... His Highness Prince Heng wouldn't really... have been successfully framed by those bad people?"

As Chun Tao combed Jiang Wanzhi's hair, she couldn't help but mutter under her breath, her face full of worry, "Although His Highness is a bit cold and a bit scary, he is a good marshal! Without him, Lin'an City would be finished!"

Qiuju, who was making the bed, came over when she heard this and whispered, "That's right! Those officials who spoke ill of His Highness must be Ming Wang's men! How could His Majesty believe them? He even stripped His Highness of his military power... Isn't this self-destructive?"

Jiang Wanzhi looked at her reflection in the bronze mirror, her brows furrowed, and her mind was in turmoil.

Pshaw! Why should I worry about him? He's the ultimate villain! He's going to kill me someday!

Isn't it better for him to be unlucky right now? Maybe then he won't have the energy to keep thinking about tormenting me.

But another voice whispered in rebuttal: But he did save Lin'an! And it seems he didn't do anything to me?

Two conflicting thoughts clashed in her mind, causing her to irritably scratch her freshly combed hair.

"Oh dear, Miss! Your hair is all messed up again!" Chun Tao exclaimed.

"So what if things are in chaos!" Jiang Wanzhi grumbled irritably. "You two, stop nagging. How can we speculate about matters of state? Didn't Father say that everything will be judged fairly?"

Even so, she couldn't help but prick up her ears, hoping to get some more gossip from the maids.

Unfortunately, Chuntao and Qiuju didn't know much more than her, and they kept repeating the same things: "Your Highness is wronged," "King Ming is wicked," and "Your Majesty is blind to the truth."

This agonizing curiosity and a vague, inexplicable concern led Jiang Wanzhi to make a decision that even she found somewhat outrageous!

Is she going to take a stroll around the vicinity of Prince Heng's residence?

Yes! Just taking a stroll! Getting familiar with the layout of Beijing!

It's absolutely not to check if the villain is still alive! Absolutely not!

Having dismissed the maid with an excuse, Jiang Wanzhi changed into a relatively inconspicuous lotus-colored dress and, without any attendants, secretly slipped out of the Prime Minister's residence through the back gate.

The sun was shining warmly, and people were coming and going on the street, seemingly unaffected by the turmoil in the imperial court.

Relying on her memory, Jiang Wanzhi slowly made her way towards the Prince Heng's residence. The closer she got, the more she could feel an invisible solemnity and oppression.

Pedestrians seemed to subconsciously avoid that area, and even the vendors' cries had become much less frequent.

She could see the majestic mansion and towering vermilion walls in the distance, as well as the armored and expressionless Imperial Guards outside the walls.

The gates of the Prince's Mansion were tightly shut, and the area in front of the gate was deserted, with only flags fluttering forlornly in the wind.

Wow! This setup is like guarding a serious criminal. Jiang Wanzhi thought to herself: It seems the Emperor is really angry this time!

She dared not get too close, pretending to be picking and choosing at a small stall selling silk flowers on the opposite street corner, but her eyes kept glancing at the entrance of the Prince's Mansion.

There was no sound from inside. Could he really have been tortured?

No, no, he's his own son after all. So, is he supposed to be reflecting on his mistakes by facing the wall?

What kind of mistakes would someone as cold and aloof as him make? He'd probably be plotting how to kill the Ming King!

As she was lost in thought, suddenly, the side door of the Prince Heng's mansion creaked open a crack from the inside.

Jiang Wanzhi's heart leaped into her throat, and she almost dropped the silk flowers in her hand. She quickly lowered her head, using the stall's canopy to shield herself, but couldn't help peeking out again.

A young eunuch dressed in the clothes of a servant of the Prince's mansion walked out quickly with his head down, carrying a food box in his hand, as if he was going to buy something. He looked around and then walked in another direction.

Just as the side door was about to close, Jiang Wanzhi's eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of something flashing by inside!

Deep in the courtyard, beneath the golden old ginkgo tree, a tall figure dressed in dark casual clothes stood with his hands behind his back, looking up slightly at the sky.

Although it was far away and only a blurry profile was visible, Jiang Wanzhi was almost certain that it was Zongzheng Hengyu!

He seemed alright, not as haggard and disheveled as one might have imagined, and certainly not wearing shackles or chains.

He stood there quietly, all alone, a stark contrast to the imposing guards outside the door. The sunlight outlined the hard contours of his face, inexplicably revealing an indescribable sense of aloofness and loneliness.

In that instant, the door closed. It separated the inside from the outside, and also blocked Jiang Wanzhi's view.

She stood there, stunned, as if something had gently bumped into her heart. A sour, astringent feeling, a slightly unpleasant sensation.

See, see, they're perfectly fine, they can even stand and enjoy the scenery, what are they worrying about!

She tried to comfort herself with her usual silly attitude, but found that it didn't seem to work this time.

The solitary figure standing in the courtyard, intertwined with the image of him fighting bloody battles and commanding thousands of troops, created a stark contrast, quietly widening the already ingrained stereotype of him as a "villain" in her mind.

She silently put down the silk flowers, lost all interest in browsing, and slowly turned to walk back to the Prime Minister's residence.

Perhaps... the author didn't reveal the whole truth in the original book?

This was the first time she had thought about this question so seriously.

At least on the battlefield, he did better than anyone else. But now he seems a bit pitiful?

The moment the thought crossed her mind, she was startled!

Pah! Pah! Pah! Jiang Wanzhi, wake up!

Sympathizing with the villain is the first step to disaster!

Don't forget that your ultimate goal is to survive!

But that lonely, dark figure lingered in her mind.

Even though everything here is just a book world, these paper figures seem to be far more complex than she imagined.

Jiang Wanzhi returned to Wanzhi Pavilion with a heavy heart. The inexplicable unease and the lonely figure in black robes were like clinging vines, wrapping around her heart tighter and tighter...

She tried to distract herself by reading storybooks, eating sunflower seeds, or even idly counting the window lattice, but found it all to be ineffective.