In the Pipa Hall, Lin Zhaoqing held a red-hot branding iron, hesitating to put it down.

Only when it cooled to a dull grey did the commander of the Jie Fan Guards smile faintly and turn to Chen Ji. “Each time I see young Doctor Chen, it seems I witness a miraculous escape from danger. This is the first time I’ve encountered someone who can come and go as they please in this Imperial Prison’s Pipa Hall. I am impressed.”

Chen Ji, still tied to the wooden frame, remained composed. “Perhaps I was never truly in a desperate situation?”

Lin Zhaoqing burst out laughing. “That makes sense.”

He casually tossed the branding iron into the brazier, untied Chen Ji’s ropes himself, and gestured outwards with his arm. “Please, it’s late, and His Majesty is waiting.”

Chen Ji rubbed his wrists and looked down at his bare feet.

He raised his foot and looked at the Jie Fan Guard next to him. “Please help me put them on.”

Lin Zhaoqing’s smile remained unchanged. “Young man, has no one taught you not to make enemies carelessly?”

Chen Ji calmly replied, “I only know that if someone throws a punch, you can’t just let it go easily, or another punch will surely follow.”

Lin Zhaoqing scrutinized Chen Ji carefully. “You’re somewhat different from when you were in Luocheng.”

Chen Ji nodded. “One must always change.”

The next moment, Lin Zhaoqing actually knelt down and helped Chen Ji put on his boots.

As he helped Chen Ji with his boots, he said without looking up, “Lord Chen, ‘face’ is the cheapest thing in this world. Me helping you with your boots might even become a good story in the future.”

Chen Ji said earnestly, “Lord Lin, you certainly know how to adapt to circumstances; you are bound to achieve great wealth and high status in the future.”

After putting on his boots, Lin Zhaoqing stood up and clapped the dust from his hands. “I am merely easing His Majesty’s worries. Please proceed.”

A young eunuch led Chen Ji through a long, dim corridor. Behind them, Lin Zhaoqing stood tall, with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression fading into the gloom of the Pipa Hall.

This time, they didn’t enter the palace through the Meridian Gate but through the West Glorious Gate.

The young eunuch led Chen Ji through the Imperial Wine Cellar, the Wuying Hall, and the Huangji Gate. Moonlight cast Chen Ji’s shadow leisurely upon the vermilion palace walls.

Chen Ji looked up at the eaves-beasts on the corners of the roofs, feeling as if he had traveled a thousand years to mistakenly arrive here, and after much struggle, he had finally learned how to coexist with it.

Seeing him glance around, the young eunuch nervously said, “Lord Chen, please do not look around.”

Chen Ji smiled. “Looking won’t hurt anything.”

The young eunuch paused, surprised. Then, lowering his head, he continued to lead the way with small, quick steps and spoke no more.

The two walked one after another through the dim forbidden palace grounds. Only the Renshou Palace was brightly lit, with smoke coiling within. Even standing several yards outside, waiting by the hall, they could catch the faint scent of sandalwood.

When Chen Ji arrived outside Renshou Palace, he saw the Crown Prince, in his ceremonial robes, kneeling before the Tablet of Filial Piety, refusing to rise. Behind the Crown Prince stood several imperial officials, summoned to the palace overnight, each waiting in their vermilion official robes.

When Chen Ji appeared, everyone turned their gaze towards him, then turned back, standing with their hands clasped.

The young eunuch whispered to Chen Ji, “Lord Chen, please await the imperial decree here. You may not enter the hall without a summons.”

Chen Ji nodded and cupped his hands in a bow. “Understood.”

At this moment, the vermilion main doors of Renshou Palace stood open. Those outside could hear an imperial official declare loudly from within, “Your Majesty, the laws of our Great Ning strictly forbid private possession of crossbows and heavy armor. Now, someone has openly used crossbows right under the Son of Heaven’s nose. This is an act of treason, and the culprits must be found, their families confiscated, and they must be executed.”

Another person spoke, “The Imperial Guards are the forbidden army of His Majesty; carrying weapons and abandoning their posts without authorization is also an act of treason! The principal offenders, Chen Wenren and Chen Ji, should be immediately beheaded.”

Someone argued, “Chen Ji is merely a minor flag officer; what does this have to do with him?”

Chen Ji recognized the voice. It belonged to Chen Lizun, the head of the Chen family’s main branch.

But then the debater said, “Chen Wenren and others have been apprehended by the Five City Garrison and brought to justice. They have confessed that the actual leader of the garrison under Li Xuan was Chen Ji! Your Majesty, I implore Your Majesty to make a sacred judgment and behead Chen Ji and Chen Wenren publicly as a warning to others!”

From beginning to end, the one on the imperial throne calmly sat with closed eyes in meditation and said nothing.

Just then, Grand Secretary Chen, seated on an embroidered stool with lowered eyelids, said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the matter of the crossbows is very far-reaching. It would be better to first find the conspirators. As this old minister understands, Prince Fu was also in the Eight Great Alleys at the time. He could be summoned for questioning.”

With just this one sentence, the murderous intent suddenly shifted from the Chen family to Prince Fu.

Everyone’s heart tensed. Grand Secretary Chen was the Crown Prince’s tutor. Now, pointing his sword at Prince Fu, this was no longer a simple investigation into treason, but a struggle for succession.

Grand Secretary Hu, across from him, lifted his eyelids, glanced at Grand Secretary Chen, and then lowered them again.

Emperor Ning, seated cross-legged behind the gauze curtain, his expression obscured, said, “Summon Prince Fu.”

Wu Xiu announced loudly, “By Imperial Edict, Prince Fu is summoned for an audience!”

About an hour later, a young man in a black robe with a diagonal collar entered the palace with a young eunuch. On his lapel, a round floral pattern of chi dragons was embroidered in silver thread.

Strangely, the tail of the round dragon pattern on his robe was entwined with honeysuckle vines, and even the chi dragons on his body had their eyes closed.

As the young man passed Chen Ji, he winked at him.

Then he quickened his pace, entered the hall, and prostrated himself on the ground. “Your humble subject bows to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty’s reign be eternal, the state stable, your virtue align with the cosmos, and your life last ten thousand years…”

Emperor Ning interrupted, “Enough, enough.”

Prince Fu’s voice abruptly stopped.

Someone questioned, “Your Highness Prince Fu, were you in the Eight Great Alleys today?”

Prince Fu honestly replied, “Yes.”

Another person pressed, “What were you doing in the Eight Great Alleys?”

Prince Fu looked up and smiled. “What else is there to do in the Eight Great Alleys? Of course, listening to music and watching plays.”

Grand Secretary Chen slowly began, “Your Highness Prince Fu, did you see anyone using crossbows?”

Prince Fu honestly replied, “Yes, I did.”

Grand Secretary Chen further asked, “And did you see whose people were using the crossbows?”

Prince Fu shook his head. “No, I didn’t. The moment I saw someone using crossbows, I immediately ran away.”

Grand Secretary Chen asked again, “If it had nothing to do with you, why did you run?”

Prince Fu’s expression was earnest. “I was afraid Grand Secretary Chen would pin the blame on me.”

Zhang Zhuo, across from Grand Secretary Chen, lowered his head. His shoulders trembled slightly.

Emperor Ning unhurriedly asked, “Prince Fu, who do you think hid the crossbows?”

Prince Fu quickly replied, “The Wang family.”

Emperor Ning calmly said, “You answered quite straightforwardly, but how do you know it was the Wang family?”

Prince Fu lowered his body. “Reporting to Your Majesty, I guessed.”

A Censor next to Grand Secretary Qi suddenly asked, “May I ask, Prince Fu, is Furuixiang in the outer city your property?”

Prince Fu again honestly replied, “Yes, Furuixiang was something I set up when I had nothing better to do. My original intention was just to earn some money.”

The Censor speculated, “To my knowledge, Furuixiang has been at odds with Heji for years, and folk rumors say Heji has always suppressed Furuixiang. So, could it be that you, wanting to annex Heji’s assets, sought to kill Wang Huan amidst the chaos?”

Prince Fu looked up at the Censor, then at Grand Secretary Chen and Grand Secretary Qi, finally turning to face the gauze curtain and proclaiming loudly, “Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject does not have such audacity. Following this incident, your subject immediately sent all twelve principal culprits of Furuixiang to the Five City Garrison to confess their crimes and submit to the law. The silver earned over these years, totaling seventy-four thousand one hundred and ten taels, has also been sent to the Imperial Treasury and is currently being counted by the Directorate of Ceremonial.”

Grand Secretary Chen said in a hoarse voice, “Prince Fu trying to cut off his tail to survive now might be a little too late.”

Prince Fu said loudly, “Grand Secretary Chen, why not first investigate the origin of the crossbowmen? It wouldn’t be too late to make a decision then. You say I took the opportunity for revenge, but I believe it was the Wang family killing to silence witnesses.”

Grand Secretary Chen casually said, “It seems Prince Fu already knows that the two crossbowmen committed suicide by poison, leaving no witnesses.”

Chen Ji stood outside Renshou Palace, listening firsthand as the Qi and Chen families twisted black into white. Everyone with discerning eyes knew the crossbows likely had nothing to do with Prince Fu, but this dirty water had to be splashed onto Prince Fu.

The Censor next to Grand Secretary Qi pressed further, “Prince Fu, do you have anything else to say? Can you prove your innocence?”

Everyone looked at Prince Fu. Prince Fu rolled his eyes and said brazenly, “Anyway, it wasn’t me. If you gentlemen can prove it was me, I will confess and submit to the law.”

Grand Secretary Hu suddenly opened his eyes and reprimanded, “How can you be so disrespectful before His Majesty!”

Prince Fu no longer knelt. He shifted his body and sat cross-legged on the smooth, mirror-like lapis lazuli bricks. He slapped the ground with both hands and wailed, “Father Emperor, please seek justice for your subject! Your subject has always been law-abiding; how could I have done such a thing?”

Renshou Palace fell silent. Everyone watched Prince Fu’s antics, their expressions complex.

Grand Secretary Hu suddenly spoke, “All of you keep saying that Prince Fu was the mastermind behind this, but do you have any evidence? Tonight, not only was Prince Fu present, but also a group of Imperial Guards. Why not summon the Imperial Guards for questioning as well?”

Emperor Ning shook the Sanshan Bell in his hand.

The next moment, Wu Xiu’s voice came from within Renshou Palace, “Summon Imperial Guard Ensign Chen Ji to the hall!”

Chen Ji lifted his robe and walked past the Crown Prince. He stepped over the threshold and prostrated himself on the ground. “Your humble subject Chen Ji bows to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty’s reign be eternal, the state stable, your virtue align with the cosmos, and your life last ten thousand years…”

In an instant, everyone’s gaze fell upon his back.

From behind the gauze curtain, Emperor Ning slowly asked, “Go on, why aren’t you continuing?”

Chen Ji, prostrate on the ground, honestly replied, “Your humble subject only just learned these few lines.”

“Nonsense,” an imperial official next to Grand Secretary Hu stepped forward and said, “Chen Ji, do you admit your guilt?”

Chen Ji replied, “Reporting to this esteemed official, I do not.”

The previous official from the Ministry of War loudly stated, “Chen Ji, you and your group, as forbidden imperial guards, engaged in armed private combat among the common people. What crime is this?”

Chen Ji did not answer.

Another person cupped his hands towards the gauze curtain and said, “Your Majesty, I request severe punishment for Imperial Guards Li Xuan, Qi Zhenzhuo, Chen Wenren, and Chen Ji, as a warning to others.”

“Li Xuan, Qi Zhenzhuo, Chen Ji, Chen Wenren, and others brazenly disregarded state law. They should be flogged one hundred times and exiled to Lingnan!”

“Chen Liqin, Chen Lizhi, and Qi Xianshu, for failing to properly discipline their sons, should also be severely punished!”

Amidst the wave of condemnations, Chen Ji made no attempt to defend himself.

At this moment, Zhang Zhuo suddenly spoke, “Chen Ji, I ask you, why did you Imperial Guards go to the outer city and engage in private combat with street ruffians?”

Chen Ji replied, “Your subjects discovered someone hiding crossbows in the market and thus went to quell the rebellion.”

The Vice Minister of War angrily retorted, “Nonsense! Who authorized you to deploy official troops without permission? Why would quelling a rebellion need you?”

Chen Ji replied again, “Reporting to this esteemed official, the Imperial Guards did not deploy without authorization; your humble subject was acting under imperial decree to quell the rebellion.”

The Vice Minister of War was clearly stunned. Everyone looked at Chen Ji. Even Chen Lizun had not expected Chen Ji to answer this way.

Acting under imperial decree to quell rebellion? How could it be an imperial decree?

Such words must not be spoken lightly!

The Vice Minister of War asked in a strained voice, “What decree? Whose decree?”

Chen Ji said, “By His Majesty’s verbal decree, the Imperial Guards were dispatched to the Eight Great Alleys to quell the rebellion and apprehend the rebels.”

The Vice Minister of War’s expression was aghast. He never imagined Chen Ji would dare to tell such a colossal lie.

Chen Lizun, standing nearby, urgently said, “Chen Ji, stop spouting nonsense.”

The Vice Minister of War furiously reprimanded, “Still daring to deceive the Emperor? How utterly audacious! Your Majesty, I request that this boy be taken to the Meridian Gate and beheaded publicly!”

Just at this moment, the one behind the gauze curtain slowly spoke, “It was an imperial decree issued by me.”

In that instant, everyone turned their heads to look at the softly swaying gauze curtain, but could not discern the expression of the person behind it.