The sudden summoning of imperial heirs, who already had their own residences, to live in the palace was itself an unusual and strange occurrence.
The reason given—to facilitate preparations for the provincial examinations and to accompany Princess Shuofeng on her travels—is rather far-fetched.
Now, even Xiao Qi, Xiao Ba, and Xiao Jiu have been summoned to live in Qinghui Palace, and this strangeness has grown larger and larger like a snowball.
The reason why the third and fourth brothers were so uneasy was that they couldn't understand the reason for doing this.
If the goal is to foster closer relationships among the imperial heirs, there's no need to choose this critical juncture.
Seeing Qin Zhaoyue's carefree demeanor, the two of them simultaneously recalled the private instructions their eldest sister, Qin Zhaoqiong, had given them before departing for the Northern Frontier:
If Fengjing is unsure about something, he may ask Xiaoliu for his opinion.
The meaningful implication clearly suggests that this seemingly eccentric sixth sister is more complex than she appears.
And then, recalling her unexpected audience with the emperor in the imperial study before the disaster relief efforts…
The two elder sisters' gazes would always involuntarily drift toward the sixth sister, with a look of inquiry and scrutiny.
Why……
Qin Zhaoyue sighed inwardly and swallowed the delicious soup in her mouth.
This person is so focused on what they're doing while eating.
Suddenly, she raised her head and looked up at her third and fourth older sisters at the head of the table.
Her large, clear eyes darted around, precisely catching their gazes before they could fully withdraw.
A sly smile suddenly appeared on her lips, her voice clear and slightly lazy.
"Do you two sisters think this table full of imperial food isn't delicious enough, and you have to stare at my peerless beauty to eat?"
"Or are you two just biased? Do you have to look at me sideways to find the dishes on the table?"
"Take my advice, sister. Get treatment early if you're sick. The sooner you get better, the better."
"Pfft..." Xiao Jiu, who was drinking soup, couldn't help but choke and cough.
Stunning beauty...Sixth Sister is really confident...shameless!
Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba also stopped what they were doing, staring wide-eyed at Sixth Sister, then at the frozen Third and Fourth Sisters.
Qin Zhaowan's silver chopsticks, which were holding a goose breast, hovered in mid-air and suddenly stopped.
Looking at Xiao Liu's innocent yet irritatingly smiling face, her gentle and dignified expression remained calm, but the knuckles of her fingers gripping the silver chopsticks turned slightly white from the force.
The veins on the back of his hand were faintly visible, and his fist, hidden beneath the wide sleeve of his left hand, was already clenched tightly.
Qin Zhaoshu tightened his grip on the spoon and narrowed his eyes.
At that moment, the two sisters were experiencing the same thought: their hands were itching to punch someone!
Both of them looked away, their emotions churning as they reached for food, but the tips of their chopsticks trembled almost imperceptibly.
It seemed as if he had dropped it too hard, and it hit the celadon porcelain plate with a crisp clang, scattering the delicious food in front of him into a mess.
"Hey! Don't waste food even if you can't finish it! Every grain is hard-earned!"
...
In the backyard of Qingjianzhai Bookstore, the shopkeeper, Shen Yuanzhang, was unconsciously picking at the pickled goose feet on the plate with his bamboo chopsticks.
He usually drinks two ounces of wine around noon, and today he also has the newly released Golden Wind and Jade Dew wine, which was introduced after the start of autumn.
But now it has lost its flavor, leaving only a spicy burning sensation in the throat.
I have no taste for food, and my mind is in turmoil.
Chengyuan was uprooted overnight, and the four leaders of the Nine Gates disappeared without a trace.
News came in the early morning that a corpse was being carried out of the back door, which was very likely the head of the Boss, God of Wealth.
Dozens of shops were shut down by the government, and without exception, they were all secret strongholds planted in Fengjing by the four major families.
The intelligence network, built up over many years, had its countless tentacles severed by a swift blade.
With communication cut off and access blocked, the operation became more difficult than ever before.
Fortunately, communication between him and his superiors was only one-way, and last night he made a decisive move to urgently send the two secret contacts who could directly contact him away from Fengjing.
In the oppressive stillness, the light distorted slightly in the deepest shadow of the corner of the room.
A figure, whose aura almost blended into the darkness, silently appeared and knelt on one knee.
"My lord, 'Mr. Bamboo' and 'Smelly Copper' have both been dealt with."
Shen Yuanzhang's fingers, which were holding the wine glass, paused almost imperceptibly for a moment before returning to normal, and he squeezed out a very soft "hmm" from his throat.
There should be no risk of exposure in the short term, but this also means that Shen Yuanzhang is practically blind and deaf in the vast city of Fengjing.
Instead of feeling any relief, my heart was shrouded in an even heavier gloom.
I thought of that absolute order from above that had no room for doubt and had to be carried out...
"How is the situation with Wang Chong?"
"Your Honor, Wang Chong was publicly flogged one hundred times for lending money at exorbitant interest rates."
In addition to the punishment, the verdict also included confiscating his family's property and compensating the victims; therefore, he survived and is currently in the Jingzhao Prefecture prison.
"Is there...sole confinement?"
"No, the Jingzhao Prefecture concluded dozens of cases, large and small, in a single day. The prisons were overcrowded, with several people sharing a cell."
Wang Chong mingled among them without any special guard or unusual behavior.
"What about the female scholar he mentioned in his intelligence report?"
"They are still in the pharmacy and have not left."
Shen Yuanzhang remained silent.
He picked up his wine glass, the amber liquid swirling gently, reflecting the deep undercurrents in his eyes.
He tilted his head back and drank the remaining wine in his glass in one gulp. The spiciness went straight to his lungs, but it couldn't dispel the chill in his heart.
The losses suffered by the aristocratic families in Fengjing this time can only be described as devastating.
However, what was severed were mostly the peripheral "hands and feet," while the real "brain" remained undamaged.
Rebuilding a new intelligence network is not difficult, but it takes time.
What he lacks most right now is time!
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