The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Zhengze wasn't particularly close to anyone in the capital. If you were to say who he interacted with most in the entire capital, besides his master, it would be Jiang Jinshuang.

Although he always called her a "bad woman" and criticized her for her improper behavior, it was still a matter between him and her.

—It's something that others can't say.

"Lord Zhengze, you are still young and have only met a few people. How can you say the three words 'most pleasing to the eye'?"

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly, her tone already qualifying as a warning.

Zhengze replied neither servilely nor arrogantly: "Your Majesty is right. I haven't met many people, but among all the people I have met, Your Highness and my teacher are ranked first."

The Empress Dowager frowned.

From the very beginning, it was regex that was talking to her.

Zhao Yungui remained silent.

It was as if they were tacitly agreeing.

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, her gaze finally landing on Zhao Yungui, who was standing to the side.

Clad in white robes and brocade, she possessed unparalleled elegance.

"Grand Preceptor," the Empress Dowager said coldly, "as Zhengze's teacher, you should still teach him to distinguish right from wrong and not let certain people blind him."

Zhao Yungui's gaze never left Jiang Jinshuang after she appeared.

Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, his long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he finally looked away.

He then bowed slightly towards the Empress Dowager: "Zhengze is mature, simple and kind, and I believe I have raised him well."

The implication is that he agrees with his statement.

The Empress Dowager's face was gloomy, and a dark emotion flashed in her eyes.

Jiang Jinshuang smiled and was pulled aside by Zhengze.

Before long, Xia Yurong changed her clothes and also arrived at the temple's main hall.

She lowered her head, her eyes were bloodshot, and her eyes were filled with tears. Her watery eyes were pitiful and delicate.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager softened her tone: "Rong'er? What's wrong? Why are you crying again?"

"The Empress Dowager..."

As if she had found someone to lean on, Xia Yurong took a few steps forward, grabbed the Empress Dowager's hand, and sobbed softly.

The Empress Dowager asked with concern, "Why are you crying again? Tell me, what happened?"

As she spoke, she glanced at Grandpa Sun beside her.

Seeing this, Eunuch Sun stepped forward, walked to the Empress Dowager's side, and whispered a few words to her.

"presumptuous!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager rebuked her sternly, her gaze fixed on Jiang Jinshuang!
"Zhaoming, you didn't just push Yu Rong into the water once, but you dared to push her again and again in front of everyone! Do you want to defy the heavens?!"

Jiang Jinshuang remained standing upright, a smile playing on her lips: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, but Miss Xia said that I pushed her. I really don't remember, so I had to ask Miss Xia to demonstrate a few more times."

After a pause, Jiang Jinshuang smiled faintly, "Besides, many worshippers saw it at the time, and I didn't intend to hide anything from anyone. Why is Your Majesty so angry?"

"You tried to kill me, but failed. You've repeatedly attempted to harm Yu Rong, and yet you dare to act so arrogantly in front of me? Kneel down before me now!"

Before Jiang Jinshuang could speak, Zhao Yungui stepped forward and blocked her way.

He glanced at the Empress Dowager, then his gaze fell on Xia Yurong.

In an instant, the hall fell silent.

Xia Yurong lowered her head and sobbed, but she seemed to feel Zhao Yungui's gaze from above.

She subconsciously shrank her neck before raising her eyes timidly to look at Zhao Yungui.

"I have met the Imperial Preceptor—"

"Kneel down." Zhao Yungui said coldly before Xia Yurong could finish speaking.

Xia Yurong was stunned for a moment, all the words stuck in her throat, and she was in a panic.

"Grand Preceptor, if anyone should kneel, it should be Zhaoming. What has Yurong done wrong?" the Empress Dowager said coldly.

Zhao Yungui didn't look at the Empress Dowager, but only at Xia Yurong, who was trying to hide behind her.

"Miss Xia spoke disrespectfully to Princess Zhaoming, which insulted the royal family. Later, the important minister Pei was also implicated and seriously injured. His life is now in danger and he has a persistent high fever. Does the Empress Dowager think that Miss Xia is without fault?"

These words were both cold and harsh.

With just a few words, those capital offenses were laid down, frightening Xia Yurong into kneeling on the ground in a panic!

"Your Excellency, Imperial Preceptor! Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, please understand! Yu Rong was pushed into the water by His Highness, and I was terrified that Lord Pei would be injured as a result!"

The Empress Dowager frowned and looked at Zhao Yungui with displeasure: "This is utterly absurd! Yu Rong was clearly the one who was pushed into the water. Does the Grand Preceptor intend to distort the truth just to protect Zhaoming?"

"Miss Xia should know better than I whether the truth has been distorted or who pushed her into the water."

Zhao Yungui coldly interrupted the Empress Dowager, only glancing disdainfully at Xia Yurong, who was kneeling on the ground, trembling.

“Miss Xia, we can no longer rely on your word in today’s matter.”

Xia Yurong hurriedly said, "Many worshippers saw Yurong being pushed into the water by His Highness! If the Grand Preceptor doesn't believe me, he can ask them to testify!"

Zhao Yungui looked at Xia Yurong but did not speak immediately.

That gaze was too cold and indifferent.

Like snow and wind soaked in frost, one can't even find any emotion when looking at her.

“Those men were executed by flogging for attempting to assassinate Lord Pei.”

He said this in a very cold tone, as if it were just a simple gesture.

That makes sense, though. For the Grand Preceptor, who is above all others, this kind of thing is indeed not complicated.

Xia Yurong thought she had misheard. Her eyes widened, and she looked up incredulously to meet Zhao Yungui's gaze, her pupils contracting sharply.

Zhao Yungui looked at her and continued, "After hearing this, the female pilgrims seemed to understand something and said that the situation was too chaotic at the time, and they might have seen it wrong, so they could not be considered witnesses."

As he spoke, Zhao Yungui casually brushed off non-existent dust from his shoulder: "Therefore, Miss Xia, your witness is no longer needed."

Xia Yurong immediately knelt on the ground, trembling with fear upon hearing Zhao Yungui's words.

Emperors are ruthless.

In the past, Jiang Jinshuang protected Xia Yurong too well, so she always thought that "the emperor is heartless" was just a joke.

In reality, those who can establish themselves in this cannibalistic court, and even become pillars of society, are not easy to deal with.

—Zhao Yun is not gone either.

As if belatedly realizing what Zhao Yungui had just said, Xia Yurong's whole body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Zhao Yungui ignored her and coldly said, "Since there are no witnesses, Miss Xia, why don't you try to explain again the questions that Lord Pei raised in front of the lotus pond? I'd also like to know the answers to those questions."

He took a few steps forward.

On the platinum shoes, cloud patterns are subtly embroidered, and white cranes spread their wings.

As if forced back, Xia Yurong was so frightened that she braced herself with her hands behind her back and hurriedly took a few steps back.

Zhao Yungui lowered his eyes, his gaze still devoid of emotion, cold and indifferent.

“Miss Xia, let me remind you, plotting against the royal family will result in the extermination of nine generations of your family.”

Xia Yurong panicked. Her eyes darted around, as if she wanted to say something, but she just opened her mouth and her face was pale.

"Isn't the Imperial Preceptor being a little too biased towards Zhaoming?" the Empress Dowager said coldly, standing in front of Xia Yurong.

She narrowed her eyes, her tone cold and authoritative: "Leaving aside how she pushed Yu Rong into the water the first time, just now, she pushed Yu Rong into the water three times in a row. That's irrefutable evidence witnessed by many pilgrims and monks!" (End of Chapter)