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

Han Shangfu died in the back corridor of the side hall of Changning.

When we arrived, the person had already been helped to the corridor by two palace maids.

They said they were helping him up, but really they just didn't dare let the body fall to the ground.

She leaned against a pillar, her head drooping to one side, a few specks of white foam at the corner of her mouth, her eyes half-open, as if she had seen something she shouldn't have before she died.

People in the palace are treated with more refinement than those outside.

When someone dies outside, the sound of weeping arrives first.

When someone dies in the palace, the proper etiquette applies first.

Upon Qin Shangyi's arrival, she first dismissed the surrounding palace maids, then coldly said, "Seal the corridor; do not spread rumors."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was very effective.

The palace maids, who had been in complete chaos, immediately quieted down. Some knelt, some retreated, and even their breathing became lighter.

I stood two steps away, looking at Han Shangfu's corpse.

He was in his forties, with a thin face, a slightly messy hair bun, curled fingertips, and a speck of dust on his cuffs.

She was wearing the uniform of a female official from the Imperial Wardrobe.

The clothes are neat.

There was a small tear on the inside of the right sleeve, as if it had been snagged by something.

Xiao Lingyi arrived faster than I expected.

She was supposed to be at Shou Kang Palace to express her gratitude, but apparently, she came directly there as soon as news of Han Shangfu's death broke.

Upon seeing her, Qin Shangyi immediately bowed and said, "Your Highness, this place is unclean; I fear it may offend you."

Xiao Lingyi didn't even look at her.

She looked at Han Shangfu's corpse, her voice cold: "He died on the day I was expressing my gratitude, and you say it was an offense? I have already been offended."

Qin Shangyi lowered her head: "This servant has failed in her duty."

I glanced at her.

She pronounced those four words very steadily.

It was as if they already knew what they were going to say.

Huang Yicheng squatted down, took Han Shangfu's pulse, and examined his eyelids. After a moment, he said, "Your Highness, it seems that Han Shangfu suffered a sudden relapse of an old illness and died from shortness of breath."

Old ailment.

It's an old ailment again.

If there were truly so many chronic illnesses in the capital, the Imperial Hospital should have closed down and apologized long ago.

I asked, "Huang Yicheng, so fast?"

He looked up at me and said, "There is no pulse, no external injury, and white foam at the mouth. It seems like he has stopped breathing."

I nodded.

"You examined me just as quickly."

Huang Yicheng's face was grim.

Qin Shangyi spoke up: "Lord Shen, Physician Huang is a physician in the Imperial Medical Academy and would not make arbitrary judgments."

"I did not say he made a presumptuous judgment."

I squatted down.

"I just feel that the people in the palace die all too properly."

Qin Shangyi looked at me.

I pointed to Han Shangfu's hand.

Why do people with a sudden recurrence of a pre-existing condition have needle marks on the fingertips of their right hand?

Huang Yicheng was taken aback and looked down.

There was indeed a very fine red mark on the pad of Han Shangfu's right index finger.

If you don't look closely, it looks like you've been pricked by a needle.

It's not surprising that people in the Imperial Wardrobe have needle marks on their hands.

But the pinhole is very new.

The new material hasn't completely solidified yet.

Xiao Lingyi took a step closer.

She didn't squat down, but just looked down at him.

"She had acupuncture today."

Qin Shangyi said, "It's not surprising that the female officials of the Imperial Wardrobe are doing needlework every day."

Xiao Lingyi looked at her: "What are Han Shangfu's responsibilities today?"

Qin Shangyi paused.

"Assistant's formal attire"

"Whose formal attire is being coordinated?"

"Lord Shen's thank-you dress."

After those words were spoken, the corridor became even quieter.

Everyone's eyes were unconsciously drawn to my cuffs.

My red dress, damp with tea, still smelled faintly of benzoin.

great.

The dress was designed by Han Shangfu.

Han Shangfu died in the Changning side hall where I was taking calming tea.

My cuffs were soaked with tea again.

If this story were told to a storyteller outside, even they would find it too smooth.

Ah Liu was stopped outside the corridor, and he was so anxious that he kept craning his neck.

Yan Xiaoyi was also outside, seemingly lazy, but his hand was already resting on the hilt of his knife.

I didn't get up and continued to look at the body.

There was a small piece of paper pressed under Han Shangfu's left sleeve.

I reached out to take it.

Qin Shangyi immediately said, "Lord Shen, the bodies of female officials in the palace are not to be touched by officials outside the court."

My hand froze in mid-air.

Xiao Lingyi said calmly, "I will touch it."

She bent down and took the scrap of paper from under Han Shangfu's sleeve.

The paper was thin, with creases along the edges, as if it had been torn from a document.

I took it and glanced at it.

Only a few words remain.

Seek shelter from the wind.

Crown.

Straps.

It's the same type of paper as the "Newlywed Thanksgiving and Wind Shelter Ritual" in my sleeve.

Bai Zhiruo would probably have already started cursing by now.

I looked at Qin Shangyi.

"Was Han Shangfu still discussing ritual procedures before he died?"

Qin Shangyi said, "The Shangyi Bureau was in charge of the Thanksgiving Ceremony today, so it's not surprising that she had scraps of paper on her."

"It's not surprising."

I nodded.

"It's not surprising that she died so soon."

Qin Shangyi finally raised her eyes.

"What do you mean by that, Lord Shen?"

"It's nothing."

I stood up and looked at Huang Yicheng.

"Imperial Physician Huang, if Han Shangfu died from suffocation, what should his mouth and nose look like?"

Huang Yicheng said, "There may be white foam, or the face may turn bluish-purple."

"Her face was not purple."

"Different old illnesses will have different symptoms."

That's a very well-reasoned statement.

It's round like a household account book.

I then asked, "What if one takes an overdose of Albizia julibrissin?"

Huang Yicheng's expression changed.

Qin Shangyi's gaze towards me also darkened.

I laughed and said, "Don't be nervous, Physician Huang. I just almost drank a cup of calming tea and have gained some insights from it."

Xiao Lingyi turned to look at me.

"You drank it?"

"no."

Her expression softened slightly.

I added, "It spilled."

Xiao Lingyi looked at my cuffs.

"Intentional?"

"Slip of the hand."

Ah Liu couldn't help but shout from outside, "Your Highness, the young master's hand is incredibly accurate!"

Yan Xiaoyi pulled him back.

Qin Shangyi's brows furrowed even deeper.

I pointed to Han Shangfu's lips.

"She had foam at the mouth, a calming scent on her body, fresh needle marks on her fingertips, and scraps of ritual paper in her sleeve. And yet, she died right outside the side hall where I was drinking tea. Consort Qin, do you think this is a recurring illness?"

Qin Shangyi was silent for a moment, then said, "Lord Shen, if someone is found dead in the palace, they will not be referred to the Censorate."

"Who gets it?"

"The inner court."

"So, the Imperial Wardrobe itself is investigating its own people?"

Qin Shangyi's expression turned cold: "Lord Shen, please watch your words."

I looked at her.

"I've always been very cautious."

Huang Yicheng said in a low voice, "Lord Shen, Han Shangfu does indeed have a pre-existing condition. The Imperial Hospital has records to prove it."

I laughed.

"Medical records?"

He stopped talking.

I love it when they scare me with my medical records.

Because now when I hear the words "medical record file," it doesn't sound like I'm hearing about a disease anymore.

It's like hearing a tent.

Xiao Lingyi suddenly spoke up: "Han Shangfu doesn't know the Old Palace Needle technique."

Qin Shangyi was taken aback.

"Your Highness?"

Xiao Lingyi looked at Han Shangfu's hand.

"Her left hand has a thin web between the thumb and index finger, and few injuries on the fingertip. She usually uses the flat needle and the double-back needle. The old palace needles from the Empress Dowager's palace require pressing the thread during the needlework, which will leave a slanted callus on the fingertip."

She raised her hand and pointed to Han Shangfu's right hand.

"She didn't."

Qin Shangyi said in a low voice, "After years of disuse, the calluses will eventually disappear."

"It won't fade that cleanly."

Xiao Lingyi's voice was calm.

"I saw Han Shangfu sewing when I was young. She had a steady hand, but she didn't know how to use the old palace needle."

Everyone in the corridor understood.

The old palace needle on Shen An's thank-you dress was not sewn by Han Shangfu.

But Han Shangfu died.

She died after the dress incident.

It was as if someone was afraid she would speak.

It's as if someone wants to pin the blame for this dress on her.

I looked at Qin Shangyi.

"Consort Qin, since Consort Han is not skilled in traditional palace needlework, why was she in charge of my formal attire?"

Qin Shangyi said, "The Imperial Wardrobe is in charge of making formal attire; not everyone needs to sew it by hand."

"So who sewed it by hand?"

She didn't answer.

I smiled.

"You see, the dead can't speak, and neither can the living. No wonder Qingzhang likes the palace."

Qin Shangyi's expression finally changed.

"Lord Shen!"

Xiao Lingyi looked at her coldly.

Was he wrong?

Qin Shangyi knelt down: "This servant dares not."

She said this many times today.

But I found that the more she said she wouldn't dare, the more she seemed to dare to do anything.

Wei Zhi arrived at this time.

The old eunuch walked very quietly, followed by two young eunuchs. He still had that same smiling face, as if the death of someone in the Changning side hall was nothing more than a leaf blown down by a strong wind in the palace.

"Your Highness, Lord Shen."

Wei Zhi bowed.

Xiao Lingyi looked at him: "Does Father Emperor know?"

Wei Zhi laughed and said, "There's quite a commotion in the palace; His Majesty naturally knows about it."

I asked, "What did His Majesty say?"

Wei Zhi glanced at me.

"His Majesty said that since Shen An has entered the palace while ill, then the illness should be thoroughly investigated within the palace."

A thought struck me.

The emperor's words were tantamount to tearing open the cracks in the palace's investigation.

Qin Shangyi's face turned slightly pale.

Wei Zhi added, "His Majesty also said that since Physician Liu is ill, his medical records should also be sent here. Physician Huang, who is present, should also stay. Lady Qin, who is in charge of ceremonial attire, should also stay. Today, no one from the Changning side hall is allowed to leave."

Ah Liu whispered outside the corridor, "His Majesty seems like a good person this time."

Yan Xiaoyi said calmly, "He's always been like that."

Ah Liu asked, "What do you mean?"

Yan Xiaoyi said, "It just looks like it."

I almost couldn't help but laugh.

Wei Zhi heard it, but acted as if he hadn't.

He glanced down at Han Shangfu's corpse and sighed, "It's been a long time since the palace has been this lively."

This doesn't sound like lamenting a dead person.

Like a sigh.

I crouched down and took another look at the tear in Han Shangfu's right sleeve.

There seemed to be something stuck in the crack.

This time, Qin Shangyi did not stop her.

I used a silver needle to pry open the thread and picked out a very small wooden plaque.

The wooden sign was only the size of a finger joint, and its edges were badly worn.

Three words were engraved on it:

Sun Ajin.

Xiao Lingyi's expression changed.

"Aunt Sun."

Qin Shangyi's fingers tightened suddenly.

Although it was only for a moment, I saw it.

Wei Zhi saw it too.

I handed the wooden plaque to Xiao Lingyi.

"Is this Aunt Sun, who retired three years ago due to an eye ailment?"

Xiao Lingyi nodded.

"Her real name is Sun Ajin. She was an embroiderer in the palace when my mother was young."

Hidden in Han Shangfu's sleeve was Aunt Sun's old name tag.

Han Shangfu did not know the old palace needles.

Aunt Sun will meet.

Aunt Sun retired due to illness three years ago, but she is still receiving her pension.

Now that Han Shangfu is dead, Aunt Sun's playing card fell out of the dead man's sleeve.

This line is no longer tangled.

Someone deliberately tangled it up, so that every time you pull it, you cut your hand.

Just then, another eunuch hurriedly entered from outside the Changning side hall.

He knelt on the veranda, his voice trembling.

"Eunuch Wei, a message has come from the palace gates that... that Sun Ajin, a former official of the Imperial Wardrobe who retired due to illness, entered the palace this morning with his old pass."

Xiao Lingyi suddenly looked up.

The color drained completely from Qin Shangyi's face.

Holding the old wooden plaque, I suddenly felt that the lights in the side hall of Changning were even dimmer.

The person who resigned from the palace three years ago due to illness.

I entered the palace this morning.

But her old card was in the sleeve of a recently deceased person.

I looked at Qin Shangyi and asked softly:

"Qin Shangyi, is the person who is sick this time alive or dead?"