Shocking! The actress was dragged to the regent's bedchamber every night.

Chu He shook her head, "I don't know, but she should be alright now."

As soon as the words were spoken, both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Yu Chen didn't return until evening. After having dinner with Su Wuli, he went to the study, saying he had something important to discuss.

Su Wuli was half asleep when she realized she was being held in a man's arms.

The next day, before dawn, Yu Chen got up.

Su Wuli was still asleep. He glanced at her from the bedside and reached out to brush the stray hairs from her forehead.

Her eyelashes twitched, but she didn't wake up.

Yu Chen then withdrew his hand, turned around, and left the room.

When we arrived at the palace gate, the morning light was just beginning to peek through the upturned eaves.

The civil and military officials were already lined up on the left and right sides.

Seeing Yu Chen approaching, everyone bowed their heads and made way for him.

Gu Mingyuan stood in the line, his gaze secretly falling on Yu Chen before quickly looking away.

He awkwardly adjusted the collar of his court robe.

Yu Chen walked past him, the wind from his robes ruffling Gu Mingyuan's sleeves.

Gu Mingyuan's hand trembled slightly as he gripped the scepter.

Yu Chen stood at the very front, just a few steps away from the throne.

At the eunuch's command, the young emperor Yu Linxi walked up and sat on the dragon throne.

His hand rested on the armrest, his fingers gently caressing the faucet.

She glanced at Yu Chen subconsciously, then looked away.

His throat moved, but no sound came out.

Yu Chen raised his head and looked at the young man on the dragon throne.

His gaze wasn't heavy, but Yu Linxi's back straightened unconsciously, and his fingers withdrew from the dragon head, hanging down at his sides.

The eunuch in front of the imperial carriage announced, "If you have something to report, speak now; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Yu Chen slowly spoke, "I have something to report."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shadow Falcon walked in from outside the hall.

He stood before the palace, bowed to the Emperor, and then unfolded the booklet and began to read.

"The Vice Minister of Revenue embezzled disaster relief funds and formed cliques for personal gain..."

Each of these cases is written down clearly, specifying the date, the person for whom the money was received, what was done, and what benefits were gained.

"The Ministry of Works official embezzled funds from the river construction project and disregarded human life..."

The dike was built with substandard materials, and it breached during the flood season the following year, flooding countless villages and killing countless people, Yingjun recited them one by one.

Every time he called out a name, someone was pulled out of the queue.

He knelt on the ground, removed his official hat, and stripped off his court robes.

"I'm innocent! I'm innocent..."

Some people cried, some cried out for justice, and some collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

Some people kowtowed desperately, their foreheads hitting the gold bricks, and blood splattered into the cracks between the bricks.

But no one dared to help, and no one dared to plead for them.

Gu Mingyuan stood in the middle of the line, listening to the names ring out in his ears one by one.

His fingers clenched into fists inside his sleeves.

Yu Chen stood in his seat, his face indifferent.

Shadow Falcon suddenly stopped reading.

"Gu Mingyuan, Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices," Yingjun read out the name. "He formed cliques for personal gain, used women to curry favor with superiors, abused his power for personal profit, and sold official positions."

Gu Mingyuan's knee hit the gold brick.

His official hat was removed, his court robes were stripped off, and he knelt on the ground, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

He wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

He looked at Yu Chen's back; that dark figure was so heavy and oppressive that it made him feel suffocated.

The officials on both sides of the hall lowered their heads; no one dared to look in that direction, and no one dared to utter a sound.

I'm terrified that I'll be next.

The rustling of court robes stopped, and the crowd stood there like wooden stakes nailed to a stone slab.

Some people had sweat seeping from their foreheads, which trickled down their temples, but they dared not wipe it away.

Someone's fingers were trembling inside the sleeves of their court robe.

Yu Linxi sat on the dragon throne, listening to the names being read out one by one by Yu Chen.

His fingers tightened on the armrests of the dragon throne, his knuckles turning white.

These people are all targeted.

"The Regent." His voice was soft.

In this vast hall, it was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool; the ripples were swallowed up before they could spread.

"How come I don't know about these lists?"

Yu Chen glanced at him but said nothing.

"Shouldn't this be handed over to the three judicial departments for joint trial? These people... I need to think about it some more."

Yu Linxi's voice wasn't loud, but it had the clear, youthful quality that was unique to him.

Yu Chen looked up at him.

Yu Linxi raised his chin slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

His hands clenched tightly on the armrests of the dragon throne, trembling slightly.

"The emperor is young and cannot see through people's hearts; he is easily deceived."

Yu Chen's voice was not loud, and he continued slowly and deliberately.

"I have verified the evidence against these people and have taken care of it for Your Majesty, so that Your Majesty will not have to worry."

No one in the hall dared to make a sound.

Yu Linxi's chin was still raised, and the corners of his mouth were pursed white.

His eyes met Yu Chen's, staring intently at him.

After looking for a moment, he slowly leaned back on the dragon throne without speaking or nodding.

His hand drooped down from the armrest and rested on his knee, his fingers still trembling.

The beads on his crown fell down and covered his eyes, so no one could see his expression.

Yu Chen withdrew his gaze.

Shadow Falcon continued reciting.

After reading it, he closed the folded book and handed it to Yu Chen.

Yu Chen then presented the document, which the eunuch accepted with both hands and presented to Yu Linxi.

Yu Linxi's gaze fell on Yu Chen's face, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Yu Chen didn't look at him, but turned to face the officials.

"Take him away."

As soon as he finished speaking, the warriors outside the hall filed in, the sound of their armor clashing echoing sharply and jarringly in the hall.

Gu Mingyuan was pulled up from the ground and dragged out, his legs dragging along the bricks and stones, leaving a faint white mark.

The others were also taken away one by one, and no one dared to struggle, yet they still cried out for justice.

"I'm innocent! Spare my life!"

Yu Linxi sat on the dragon throne, looking at the empty space. The beads on his crown covered his eyes, and no one could see his expression.

His hands were on his knees, and his fingers were still trembling.

The palace guards dragged the last person away, and the hall fell silent. Yu Chen turned to face the assembled officials.

Those who had their heads bowed lowered even further; some held their breath, while others quietly wiped the sweat from their foreheads onto their sleeves.

No one knows whose name will be read in the next booklet, and no one knows if their own name is in that booklet.

Just as everyone was tense and waiting for the verdict, Yu Chen suddenly spoke.

"Court adjourned."

All the officials breathed a sigh of relief, knelt down, and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

Yu Chen and Ying Jun walked out of the main hall one after the other.

The morning light streamed in from outside the palace gates and fell upon him.

The gold thread on the court robe shone brightly under the light.

After the court session ended, the officials filed out in single file, their steps much faster than when they arrived. No one spoke, and no one whispered to each other.

Walking behind Yu Chen, she slowed her pace considerably, not daring to make a sound.

……

at night.

Su Wuli came out of the bathroom with her hair half-dry.

Back in the bedroom.

Yu Chen was leaning against the couch, holding the book she had only flipped through a few pages of during the day.

He had already taken a bath and changed into a dark-colored undergarment, the collar of which was open, revealing a section of his collarbone.

Su Wuli walked over and sat down in front of the dressing table.

The bronze mirror was polished to a shine, reflecting her face and his shadow leaning against the couch.

She picked up a comb and ran it from the top of her hair to the ends.

The man's reflection in the bronze mirror suddenly moved.

It seems the book has been put down.

Even without turning around, Su Wuli could sense the person walking over and standing behind her.

The next second, he snatched the comb from his hand.

"I'll do it."

He ran his fingers through her hair, combing it from root to tip.

The pressure was just right, not too light or too heavy, to straighten the tangled hair without pulling or hurting the scalp.

As he combed her hair, his fingers paused on her shoulder.

He then went around her shoulder and hooked the tie at the neckline of her inner garment.