My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

That night at the Watergate ended with three cars involved.

Wei San was loaded into one vehicle.

A vehicle was loaded with Qinghe old clothes, false confessions, and fake knives.

There was also a vehicle carrying Ah Liu, who was almost falling apart.

Ah Liu sat in the car, holding the evidence booklet, his eyes glazed over.

On the way back to Chengpingfang, he didn't say a word.

This is rare.

Even when he's scared half to death, he can still manage to squeeze out a few words like, "Young master, shall we run away?" or "Young master, I still want to live."

But tonight, he was as quiet as if he had been given a calming potion.

I lifted the curtain to look at him.

"Is he still alive?"

Ah Liu slowly turned his head.

"Young master, I feel alive, but not entirely at ease."

"Why do I feel uneasy?"

"I saw two knives tonight. One was yours, and the other was also yours. But the knife that wasn't yours had your name engraved on it."

As he said this, his face scrunched up.

"This is outrageous! I haven't even had my name engraved on my own shoes, yet they've already engraved it on your knife."

I was feeling really down, but what he said almost made me laugh.

But I couldn't really laugh.

The fake knife is now sealed in the evidence box.

The shape of the knife is similar to that of "Returning to Sheath", and the inside of the handle is engraved with "Shen An".

If it hadn't been intercepted by us at the water gate, but instead retrieved by the Ministry of Justice from a canal outside the city three days later, along with Fang Liu's old clothes, the scraps of paper from the southwest, and Wei San's false confession, the case would have been solved.

I don't even need to argue.

Because the evidence was excessively complete.

It was as complete as the Ministry of Revenue's disaster relief ledger.

The more complete it is, the more it looks fake.

But many people in the imperial court didn't care about the truth.

They only care whether it works or not.

When we returned to Chengpingfang, it was still dark.

The lights in the courtyard were still on.

Qiu Tang had already sent people to reseal the disassembled inner robe, the old disaster relief cloth pieces, and the scraps of paper from the southwest in Chengpingfang.

Zhou Xian also returned.

He hadn't slept all night, and his whole body was covered in dust and dirt, making it impossible to see the dignity of the Minister of Rites.

I had someone pour him tea.

He held the teacup, his fingers trembling slightly.

I glanced at him.

"Lord Zhou, what exactly happened with the palace robes?"

Zhou Xian raised his head.

He probably knew that if he didn't make things clear tonight, he would have a hard time getting away unscathed.

"When the prince consort entered the palace to express his gratitude after his wedding, he wore court robes made by the Ministry of Rites on the outside and a formal undergarment bestowed by the inner court on the inside."

"Who bestowed it?"

"According to custom, the Imperial Clothing Bureau of the Inner Court is responsible for making the clothes on the Emperor's orders, and the eunuchs in charge of ceremonies deliver them to the Prince Consort's residence. The Ministry of Rites only approves outer garments and does not handle palace robes."

I frowned.

"Not touching it?"

"I won't touch it." Zhou Xian shook his head. "The Ministry of Rites is in charge of the national ceremonial procedures, and the Imperial Wardrobe is in charge of the inner court's clothing. Especially clothing bestowed by the emperor, officials outside the court have no right to inspect it."

I looked at the fake knife on the table.

"So, if there's a problem with the palace robes, I can't investigate?"

Zhou Xian remained silent for a moment.

"According to the rules, we can't investigate."

That sounds like a death knell.

If there's a problem with the external server, I can still get Zhou Xian, Qiu Tang, and the princess's maidservant to help me fix it.

The palace robes were different.

That was sent from the palace.

The emperor bestowed clothing upon him.

If I were to dismantle it, it would be disrespectful.

If I don't take it apart, how will anyone know what's sewn inside?

Old disaster clothes, poison needles, fake knives, fragments of travel permits, and even a page from a collection of human clothing.

Ah Liu whispered from the side, "Young master, can't you not wear it?"

Zhou Xian instinctively said, "No."

Ah Liu glared at him.

Zhou Xian then realized that he wasn't entirely clean either, and lowered his voice.

"When the imperial son-in-law enters the palace to express his gratitude, he must wear the clothes bestowed upon him. To refuse to wear them is to disobey the imperial decree and be disrespectful."

Ah Liu muttered, "Wearing this might kill me, not wearing it might also kill me. This clothing is worse than torture."

I glanced at him.

"You're right."

Ah Liu was immediately flattered.

"Young master, can you remember that?"

"cannot."

Why?

"You could easily lose your head."

He immediately stopped talking.

I asked Zhou Xian, "When will the palace robes be delivered?"

"Originally, the Shangyi Bureau should have sealed the chest three days before the wedding, and then Eunuch Wei or the Director of Ceremonies should have delivered it to Chengping Ward."

"Four days left?"

"According to the wedding date, it's four days."

I looked at him.

"But Du Heng said before he died, 'The grand wedding, palace robes, Your Highness.'"

Zhou Xian's face turned pale.

"Is he referring to a problem with the palace robes?"

"Or they want us to think there's something wrong with the palace robes."

"The official register..."

I picked up where he left off.

"It could also be on the palace dress line."

Zhou Xian closed his eyes.

The fright he experienced tonight was probably enough to write an entire "Ministry of Rites' Handbook on Avoiding Disaster".

I got up and walked to the table, taking out the fake knife that Minato had used.

After the fake knife was wiped dry, the blade turned a dark black, which did indeed resemble the "sheathed" knife.

But upon closer inspection, there are differences.

My "Return to Sheath" blade has a slightly thin back and no markings on the hilt.

The handle of this fake knife has an extra groove, as if it were for hiding something.

I scratched it with my fingernail, and the groove popped open.

There was a small piece of thin paper inside.

Ah Liu let out an "Ah".

"besides?"

I look at him.

"You think settling accounts would involve giving away fake knives or nothing at all?"

The thin paper had been soaked in water, and the writing had blurred halfway through.

But you can still see a few words.

Change into palace clothes.

Shangyi Bureau.

Old order.

I placed the tissue paper under the lamp.

Zhou Xian leaned closer to look, and his expression changed again.

"Old order from the Imperial Wardrobe".

"What do you mean?"

"Some garments in the Imperial Clothing Bureau are not made anew each time, but are modified according to old orders. The old orders will record the size, material, collar, and sleeve length."

"Can palace robes be made using old orders?"

"Yes. If the wedding is urgent, the Imperial Clothing Bureau will first take the old standard sizes and then make alterations according to the individual."

I chuckled.

"That's so convenient."

Zhou Xian remained silent.

convenient.

It's so convenient.

The Ministry of Rites could lend me old disaster-stricken clothes to alter into my wedding inner robe.

The Imperial Clothing Bureau can also borrow old items to alter my palace robes.

If someone tampered with the old order, the palace robes would have been problematic from the moment they were made.

I asked, "Who is in charge of the Imperial Wardrobe?"

Zhou Xian shook his head.

"I am not familiar with matters of the inner court."

Ah Liu whispered, "Then let's find Eunuch Wei?"

I didn't say anything.

Of course, Wei Zhi can be found.

But Wei Zhi was a person close to the emperor.

How much does the emperor actually know now?

He knew part of my identity.

I know that the accounting will be partially cleared.

He used me as a test piece, a sure way to find a way out.

If the palace robes really lead to the inner court, is the emperor trying to investigate along the way, or is he also using them to test me?

This is a difficult question to answer.

Thinking too much gives me a headache.

A very soft sound suddenly came from outside the door.

It wasn't a knock.

It sounded like someone tapped the window frame with their knuckles.

Ah Liu immediately shrank his neck.

I'm used to it.

Fewer and fewer people in this world use the proper channels.

"Enter."

The window was pushed open.

Gu Xingzhi stood outside, his black clothes damp with night dew, his expression as cold as if he had just cut a shadow from the palace wall.

Ah Liu looked completely blank.

"Commander Gu, are you sure you can't use the door next time?"

Gu Xingzhi glanced at him.

Ah Liu immediately lowered his head.

"The younger one didn't ask."

Gu Xingzhi entered the room, his gaze first sweeping over the fake knife, old cloth, and thin paper on the table.

He glanced at it only once and said, "His Majesty knows about the water gate incident."

A thought struck me.

So fast?

Also.

If anything in the capital could be faster than a fire caused by clearing accounts, it would probably be because the Imperial Guards knew about the bad news.

I asked, "What did His Majesty say?"

Gu Xingzhi said, "He didn't say."

"Then what is Commander Gu doing here?"

"Let's see if you're dead or not."

Ah Liu whispered from the side, "That's a pretty sincere greeting."

I glared at him.

Gu Xingzhi ignored A Liu and only looked at the thin piece of paper.

"The Imperial Wardrobe Bureau transferred an old order last night."

My eyes narrowed.

Which one?

"The prince consort wore the old single-layered undergarment as part of the proper rites."

"Who adjusted it?"

"Qin Shangyi, a female official in the Imperial Wardrobe."

"By whose orders?"

Gu Xingzhi looked at me.

"Old practice."

It's the same old story.

The old practices are a good thing.

It's so good that you don't even need to ask the living; you can just follow the rules left by the dead.

"Does His Majesty know?"

"Now I know."

"What about before?"

Gu Xingzhi did not answer.

I understand.

You might not have known that before.

Or rather, such trivial matters, which were common practice in the inner court, would not all reach the emperor's desk.

The most terrifying place in the palace is here.

Not every order to kill requires the emperor's permission.

Often, just one old precedent, one old order, or one box that shouldn't have been moved but was touched is enough to kill someone.

I asked, "Whose side is Qin Shangyi on?"

Gu Xingzhi said, "People from the Imperial Wardrobe."

This answer is very much in line with Gu Xingzhi's style.

I rubbed my temples.

"I asked her if there was a clearing-up committee behind her."

Gu Xingzhi said, "We're investigating."

"Could we fasten the palace robes first?"

"no."

Why?

"His Majesty ordered it to be delivered."

The room fell silent.

I looked at Gu Xingzhi.

"His Majesty knew there might be something wrong with the palace robes, yet he still sent them?"

Gu Xingzhi calmly said, "If we don't send it, we won't know what the problem is."

I smiled.

well.

An emperor is still an emperor after all.

His first reaction to a piece of clothing that could potentially kill me wasn't to burn it, but to bring it to me so I could try it on.

A dead move is used to explore the path.

These four words are absolutely right about him.

Ah Liu's face turned pale when he heard this.

"Commander Gu, is His Majesty ordering our young master to risk his life to inspect the clothes?"

Gu Xingzhi looked at him.

"You can wear it for him too."

Ah Liu immediately shut up.

I looked at Gu Xingzhi.

When will the palace robes be delivered?

"Chen Shi (7-9 AM)".

I was taken aback.

"today?"

"today."

"Isn't it three days before the wedding?"

Gu Xingzhi said, "His Majesty has changed it."

I almost laughed out of anger.

The emperor made the changes with great ease.

The Ministry of Rites moved up the wedding date.

The palace robes were also prepared in advance.

The timetable of my life is probably on the emperor's desk, and he can turn it to whichever direction he wants.

Gu Xingzhi continued, "Wei Zhi personally escorted him."

"Does Your Majesty have anything else to say?"

"have."

"What?"

Gu Xingzhi looked at me, his tone flat.

"His Majesty said that since Shen Anruo didn't even dare to accept a single piece of clothing, there was no need to investigate the accounts."

I remained silent for a moment.

Then he laughed.

"Your Majesty is truly adept at persuasion."

Gu Xingzhi said, "There's one more thing."

"explain."

"There are no surprises in the palace, only arrangements."

He said that.

But listening to it now feels even colder.

I looked at the fake knife on the table.

Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Revenue, Qinghe, South Gate, Water Gate, Imperial Clothing Bureau.

Every step felt like an accident.

But when you put them together, it's all part of a plan.

The question is, who orchestrated this situation – the Accounting Committee or the Emperor himself – to see who makes the first move?

I asked Gu Xingzhi, "Does His Majesty trust me?"

Gu Xingzhi said, "His Majesty only trusts that you can make a problem with the clothes."

Ah Liu whispered, "Is this what you call a letter?"

I sighed.

"His Majesty already considers them quite trusting."

Before leaving, Gu Xingzhi left behind a small porcelain bottle.

"Calming Incense"

I was taken aback.

"For me?"

"For you, or for the person who is wearing the clothes."

After saying that, he climbed out the window and left.

Ah Liu looked out the window and finally couldn't help but ask, "Don't these guards know how to open the door?"

No one answered him.

I picked up the small porcelain bottle.

The porcelain bottle is very light.

The pill inside rolled around.

The palace robes were delivered at Chenshi (7-9 AM).

Wei Zhi personally escorted him.

The emperor knew there was something wrong, but he still made me take the case.

If the Clearing House Society wants to make a move on the palace robes, today is their best chance.

I looked out the window at the sky turning white.

The night was almost over.

But the truly crucial clothes were just about to arrive.