The moonlight was cool as water. Shaoyao sat on the steps outside the imperial study, chewing on beef jerky. When she was summoned back from the estate, Fu Dong had stuffed a bag of it into her hands.
Ah, she wondered if Hua Hua would bring her meals every day. The food in the palace was so unpalatable she couldn’t bring herself to take a single bite.
Hearing footsteps, she glanced over and raised a hand in greeting.
“Where’s the Emperor Uncle?”
“I put him to sleep.”
“……” Gu Yanxi didn’t ask how she had managed it. In such matters, it was best to let Shaoyao take charge. He sat down beside her, removed his mask, and set it aside. The cool air that greeted him felt refreshing.
“The interrogation chamber hasn’t been used in a long time.” Shaoyao tilted her head and sniffed the faint scent of blood on him. It wasn’t too strong—it seemed Yan Ge hadn’t taken matters into his own hands.
Gu Yanxi glanced at the beef jerky in her mouth. “Why wasn’t this in my food box?”
“Fu Dong gave it to me when I left the estate.” Shaoyao reluctantly handed him two pieces, her heart aching at the loss. There wasn’t much beef jerky left. Hua Hua had said the Hua family was observing a mourning period and wouldn’t make any more until it was over.
Shaoyao’s eyes darted mischievously as she nudged the person beside her. “Hey, Yan Ge, this beef jerky is pretty good, right?”
“Just say what you want to say.”
“Heh, well, since Hua Hua is in mourning, do you think if I begged her, she’d guide me in making it myself?”
Gu Yanxi was also tempted. If possible, he’d love to designate this beef jerky as the standard field ration for the Seven Constellation Bureau. It was compact, filling, and even if it got wet, it could still be eaten—far superior to other dry provisions.
“Just ask her to lend you Fu Dong.”
“But Hua Hua would have to agree. Her maids are all very sensible.”
The Hua family’s servants were truly exceptional. When it came to observing mourning, some masters adhered sincerely, while others did not. Servants were even less strict—sneaking small meals or a bit of meat in private was common. But the Hua family was unique in how strictly both masters and servants observed the rules. The only non-vegetarian food seen in the entire household was eggs, and even those were reserved for the children.
Gu Yanxi nodded, though he knew full well that if Shaoyao made the request, A Zhi would surely agree. At most, the location couldn’t be the Hua residence. He planned to discuss it with A Zhi later, to see if Fu Dong could teach the method to his own household staff, so they wouldn’t have to trouble her people in the future.
He was equally confident A Zhi would agree. That person—who had even given away a lucrative business like ice-making without a second thought—would hardly care about something so trivial. To her, what mattered were those who treated her with kindness, whether family, friends, or even strangers.
Shaoyao chewed noisily on her beef jerky and casually picked up one of the memorials to skim through. “Tch,” she scoffed, “these charges are so perfunctory.”
Gu Yanxi lifted his gaze to the bright moon overhead. With such clear evidence laid out, what need was there to list charges? A swift execution would have been too lenient for them.
“Why not deal with the Yu family directly as well?”
“The Emperor Uncle’s wrath needs an outlet.”
Shaoyao looked up at him. “What about the women of the Yu family…”
“No one will protect them.” There was no reason to, and it was impossible anyway. Unlike the Hua family—who had old ties with the Empress Dowager and were merely collateral targets of anger—the Yu family’s crimes were in a completely different league."Rather than living miserably, it's better to set out on the final journey together - at least we'd have company. Not every family has a Hua Zhi." Shaoyao rested her cheek on her knees while looking at Yan Ge, quietly shifting closer to him. On such a cold night, having someone who made her feel secure nearby was truly wonderful.
Before dawn, the Emperor frowned and opened his eyes. Shaoyao was slumped over the edge of his bed, the black cloak covering her clearly revealing whose it was.
As he sat up slightly, the person sitting upright nearby approached and handed him a cup of warm tea.
The Emperor smiled, took it and drank half the cup before asking quietly, "Why aren't you resting? I won't be dying anytime soon."
Gu Yanxi shook his head and sat down silently nearby, his gaze falling upon the sleeping Shaoyao.
Following his line of sight, the Emperor's expression softened. Like Yanxi, she didn't kneel to him at every turn nor held much reverence. Sometimes she even spoke quite bluntly, yet their eyes held no expectations when they looked at him.
They wanted nothing from him. The Emperor lowered his head with a light laugh - how interesting that such people actually existed in the imperial family, and his family happened to have two of them.
Uncle and nephew sat in silence until the sky began to lighten.
Upon waking, Shaoyao rubbed her eyes and immediately went to check the Emperor's pulse. After a moment, she looked up at the Emperor, then turned to Gu Yanxi. "Yan Ge, I'm hungry."
"..."
Breakfast was served in the Emperor's Haoxin Hall. After a few bites, the Emperor set down his chopsticks. "Yanxi, will you accompany me to court today?"
Gu Yanxi naturally intended to go. He nodded to Lai Fu, who swallowed hard before presenting several memorials to the Emperor.
The Emperor lowered his gaze for a long while before picking them up to read. His consistently calm expression finally broke when he saw the contents of the last memorial - his lips began to tremble, his hands shaking involuntarily. This was his eldest son, the heir on whom he had once poured endless effort to cultivate.
Even if his abilities were lacking, he had hoped the competition with the third prince would spur him to strive harder. Yet the outcome was so devastating.
He had been wrong. When he first realized his eldest son was unfit to be heir, he should have decisively abandoned him and chosen one of his other sons - whether the second or third prince, with proper training they might have been suitable.
But that was his firstborn son! He could still vividly remember his joy at his birth, the satisfaction when holding his tiny hand to write their first character together. No matter how many more times he became a father, he would never experience such feelings again.
The Emperor closed his eyes, his voice hoarse. "Accompany me to court."
"Yes."
As they rose, the Emperor glanced at Shaoyao who had looked up, speaking gently, "Continue eating. Rest well after you finish."
Shaoyao actually wanted to leave the palace, but considering the turbulent times, she suppressed the thought and nodded obediently.
This day was destined to be unsettled.
When Lai Fu shrilly read out the several verdicts one by one, the court fell silent. Thirty-two people were sentenced to immediate execution, Consort Rong was deposed, and the eldest prince was stripped of all titles and placed under house arrest - all handled by the Seven Constellation Bureau!
The Seven Constellation Bureau's authority had reached such heights!
Only then did they suddenly remember that the Seven Constellation Bureau had always possessed such power. They had simply forgotten because the current chief hadn't undertaken any major actions for many years.In such circumstances, no one would be foolish enough to plead for relatives or old friends. Throughout history, two crimes have been absolutely untouchable: treason and regicide. Anyone tainted by these charges would find no room for leniency. They could only be grateful they hadn't been implicated.
The emperor's lips curled slightly, revealing his ruthlessness. "All two hundred forty-seven members of the Yu family are to be executed. Throw their corpses to the wild dogs in the mass graves!"
The officials knelt prostrate, not daring to move an inch, their palms drenched in cold sweat.
"Fu Gang."
"Your general awaits orders."
"Go immediately to the First Prince's residence and arrest all officials and advisors. Hand them all over to the Seven Constellation Bureau's interrogation chamber." The emperor sneered, "I want to know exactly how eager he is for me to vacate my throne for him."
Chen Feng and Gu Yanxi simultaneously accepted the command.
The emperor's hands trembled slightly, his agitation growing. After yesterday's episode, he recognized this as a side effect of the Golden Elixir. He immediately rose to his feet, his wide sleeves sweeping through the air. "Court is dismissed."
PS: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your understanding. I was truly anxious to the point of tears. Hmm, Kongkong has male readers—this book actually has male audience. Shall add "gentlemen" to the address from now on.
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