The Crown Prince pressed a hand over his racing heart, staring fixedly at the man bound on the ground—Left Qin, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard. After Yu Xiang's earlier exposure, even if it had been Fu Gang as the commander, he wouldn't have been surprised.
Gu Yanxi strolled over and looked down at the silent, unresisting figure. "Knowing there are Chao Li Tribe members among the Imperial Guard, the Seven Constellation Bureau remained steps away, leaving the Crown Prince unprotected. As deputy commander, you failed to notice such a glaring flaw—what am I to say about you?"
Left Qin remained silent.
Gu Yanxi turned to Fu Gang, who had returned upon hearing the commotion. "Continue the investigation."
"Yes." Fu Gang's gaze at the deputy commander was venomous. He never would have imagined that the usually taciturn and reliable Left Qin would be the traitor. Not long ago, they had fought side by side, trusting each other more than their own brothers.
This night was destined to be sleepless.
The mutiny in the Northern Camp failed to sway the overall situation. Qu Qi swiftly took control, with the Eighth Bureau assisting in rooting out the spies. They then contacted Zhu Ling, who mobilized descendants of the Chao Li and Daqing to turn the capital upside down. All night, the sound of hoofbeats echoed.
When Hua Zhi awoke, the surrounding silence gave her a fleeting sense of peace—until the sharp pain in her shoulder yanked her back to reality.
"Young Miss, you're awake?"
The familiar voice made Hua Zhi smile instantly. "How did you get into the palace? This breaks palace rules."
"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible." The sudden voice startled Hua Zhi. She turned too quickly, wrenching her wound and contorting her face in pain as she hissed through gritted teeth.
The Empress Dowager approached and sat on the bedside, pressing her to lie back. Dabbing Hua Zhi's forehead with a handkerchief, she chided gently, "Following rules is good, but no one would blame you for being willful just this once."
"Your Majesty and His Highness are considerate, but I fear my self-control is too weak. If I grow accustomed to willfulness, it's better to abide by the rules from the start."
The Empress Dowager sighed. "The royal family owes you too much."
Hua Zhi dared not accept such words. She smiled faintly and said, "You may not know, but initially, the Grand Tutor insisted on entering the Palace of Blessings and Longevity. Had the Seven Constellation Bureau not been highly skilled, he would have died by an enemy arrow. As for me, every step felt pushed by an unseen hand—where to go, what to do, none of it was my choice. How can there be any debt to me?"
The Empress Dowager shook her head noncommittally but said no more. Some things were better left unspoken; understanding was enough.
Silence stretched. Hua Zhi glanced at Nian Qiu, who understood immediately and brought over tea. "Young Miss, let me help you drink some water."
The Empress Dowager chuckled softly, her eyes sweeping over the master-servant pair before she stood and walked to the doorway. There, she saw another maid striding briskly with a silver tray. She watched as the two attendants tended to Hua Zhi flawlessly—a single glance from Hua Zhi, and they knew her needs. Though they catered to her every whim, when she refused to eat, even the timid Fu Dong (who still avoided eye contact) would stubbornly hold a spoonful of food until Hua Zhi reluctantly opened her mouth. Such bonds between master and servants—it felt like just yesterday she had witnessed similar devotion in her own life...After Fu Dong left satisfied with the empty bowl, the Empress Dowager spoke, "If one day you discover that the maid you trusted completely was actually sent to take your life, what would you do?"
"I would accept it," Hua Zhi replied frankly, knowing exactly what the Empress Dowager was alluding to. "But I wouldn't consider it my fault. Decades of trust and affection couldn't change her original purpose—this isn't my heartlessness, but hers. Why should I torment myself over someone else's cruelty?"
"Wouldn't you feel anger or sorrow?"
"I would. That's precisely why I would make sure she loses everything she holds dear."
The response was so resolute that the Empress Dowager fell silent for a long moment. Yet it made perfect sense—Yu Xiang was the betrayer. Why should she end her own life because of a traitor? Wouldn't that be granting the betrayer's wish?!
Yes, this was the truth.
Finally releasing the pent-up frustration, the Empress Dowager let out a long sigh. She needed to endure a few more years—she couldn't collapse like this.
"Attendants."
A palace maid immediately entered upon hearing the summons.
"Keep Yu Xiang under strict watch. Don't let her take her own life."
"Yes."
Hua Zhi quietly sighed in relief. Anyone facing such a situation would struggle to comprehend it—what mattered was that the Empress Dowager didn't dwell on it obsessively.
The doorway darkened as Gu Yanxi strode in. He first paid his respects to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager rose. "I was just about to inspect the damage at the Palace of Blessings and Longevity. Keep watch here—it's almost time to change the medicine."
"Yes."
After seeing her off, Gu Yanxi sat down and carefully embraced Hua Zhi, avoiding her wound. "Won't leaning like this hurt your injury?"
"I just ate—lying prone is uncomfortable." Hua Zhi nuzzled against him. "Is everything over now?"
"The capital has stabilized. Don't worry about these matters anymore."
"I'm a bit concerned about Shaoyao. There's been no news from the south."
"That's actually good—it means Shaoyao isn't acting rashly but waiting for the right opportunity." Gu Yanxi kissed her forehead. "Shaoyao has matured considerably. She'll be fine."
Hua Zhi hoped it was true. She relaxed completely in the man's embrace. How wonderful it felt to have no worries, to no longer need to struggle desperately. She could almost see a leisurely life beckoning from the near future.
"Staying in the palace isn't appropriate. I'll return home after the medicine is changed."
"Your wound has reopened multiple times—you need complete rest. Stay in the palace for some days." Gu Yanxi firmly rejected her suggestion. "The Palace of Blessings and Longevity is uninhabitable. I'll invite Grandmother to stay here, so no one can gossip about you."
"There's no need..."
"I've already sent word to the Hua family that you're safe. Don't worry."
Hua Zhi glared at him, wishing he'd let her finish speaking. But Gu Yanxi remained unmoved—this matter wasn't open for discussion. He needed to keep her closest to him to feel at ease.
Pouting, Hua Zhi fell silent. Fine then, she'd stay in the palace.
A smile surfaced in Gu Yanxi's eyes. Glancing at the water clock, he instructed Nian Qiu—who was practically bowing at the waist—to bring the medicine. Declining any assistance, he let A Zhi rest against him as he gently blew on and applied the medicine, dab by careful dab.No matter how gentle his movements were, they still caused pain. Every time he heard A Zhi's sharp intake of breath and the instinctive trembling of her body, he wanted to stop. But the thought that doing so would only prolong A Zhi's suffering made him quicken his pace instead. This cycle repeated itself, and sometimes he truly wished A Zhi would lose consciousness so she wouldn't feel anything.
Yet he was also profoundly grateful that Hua Zhi remained conscious, for at least it proved the wound hadn't worsened. That had been his greatest fear, and fortunately, the worst-case scenario hadn't occurred.
PS: Seriously though, three chapters got trimmed down to two and a half again, leaving barely any content. Ladies, can you hear the footsteps of the final chapter approaching?
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