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

Just as Han Feng finished mentioning that there was another person named Lin Ping'an in the Imperial Clan Court, the wooden door on the west side of Changning Palace suddenly opened.

Everyone turned their heads at the same time.

The two guards drew their swords first.

Yan Xiaoyi didn't pull it out.

Because his knife was already in his hand.

Xiao Lingyi walked out from behind the door.

Her dark riding outfit was covered in dust, and the left sleeve was torn open. She was dragging a young man in his twenties along with her.

The man wore the blue robe of a minor official from the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs.

Her hands were tied behind her back with curtain cords.

There was also a newly formed bump on his forehead.

Xiao Lingyi pushed him to the ground.

"Don't pull it out."

"It is I, the Empress."

Han Feng sheathed his sword.

"Where did Your Highness go?"

"I've been locked up."

"Who locked it up?"

She looked at the fake Wei Zhi on the ground.

"he."

Lin Ping'an, Chen Ping, Shen Shiqi, and the fake Wei Zhi all used the same face.

Now that face is pressed against the side of the medicine cabinet.

Hearing Xiao Lingyi's words, he only raised his eyes once.

"Your Highness misunderstands."

"You said the Western pharmacy has some of the Empress Dowager's old belongings."

Xiao Lingyi said, "After I go in, you lock the door."

"They even had incense lit from outside."

"If it weren't for the old ventilation duct in the Western pharmacy, I would probably be sleeping in there tonight."

I asked, "Where does the airway lead?"

"Former Ritual Utensils Room of the Imperial Clan Court".

She kicked the young man on the ground.

"When I arrived, he was burning something."

The young man immediately replied, "I was merely following orders to sort through old papers!"

Xiao Lingyi threw half a charred piece of paper in front of him.

"It's very hot."

"Name."

"Sun Er".

"The name reported by the Zongzheng Temple is Lin Ping'an."

"That's the name of a minor official."

What is meant by "official title"?

"The name given to me after I entered the government office."

"Who gave it to you?"

"The Office of the Directorate of Imperial Clan Affairs".

"Who handled it?"

"Chen, the Registrar."

Full name.

"have no idea."

"You don't even know who you work for?"

His name was Chen Zhubu.

If the accounting committee ever runs out of manpower, they can just hire a few more people with the surname Chen, and that should be enough to fill all six ministries.

Xiao Lingyi took out a small official's token from his waist.

Clerk of the Ceremonial Office of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs.

The cards are real.

When did you get this name?

Three months ago.

"What was it called before?"

"Sun Er".

Place of origin.

"Southern County of Qingzhou".

Who else is in the family?

"no."

"How long have you been dead in the tent?"

I had someone retrieve the supplementary register of the Qingzhou granary.

Bai Zhi was checking the medicine accounts in the outer hall.

Hearing that someone was being questioned, he came in carrying a booklet.

"There are eleven Sun families in Nanxian County, Qingzhou, with two members surnamed Sun."

"The seven people are still in their hometowns."

"Both of them actually died of illness."

One person was transferred to the salt field.

"The last person did not have a birth year."

Which one are you?

"The last one."

"Where's the proof?"

"They said yes."

"Who said that?"

"The person who deals the cards."

Bai Zhi asked, "An old injury?"

"no."

"parents?"

"They're all dead."

"The name of the village?"

"I forgot."

"Neighborhood?"

"I forgot."

Bai Zhi closed the booklet.

"Sun Er may not even be your name."

The young man's expression changed.

"impossible."

"Why not?"

"They checked it in the old registers."

"Who showed you the old books?"

"Chen, the Registrar."

"The complete book?"

"Read only one page."

He didn't change from Sun Er to Lin Ping'an.

It's more likely that someone of unknown origin will first be taught to be Sun Er, and then be swindled into being Lin Ping'an.

Do you know him?

The young man glanced at it.

"Lin Ping'an".

The two of them looked up at the same time.

Ah Liu stood by the door, holding Yan Xiaoyi's knife.

"Young master."

"Um."

"Can two people share this name?"

"able."

Bai Zhi said, "Silver can also work."

She picked out a thin layer of paper from under the minor official's plaque of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs.

A monthly allowance ticket was hidden inside the card sleeve.

The collection point is not Zongzheng Temple.

When Wei Zhi was serving as Chen Ping in the inner treasury, he also received silver from the second counter.

However, the two collection times overlap.

At Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Lin Ping'an of the Zongzheng Temple received his monthly allowance.

At 3:45 AM, Chen Ping of the Imperial Treasury received the miscellaneous rewards.

It takes at least half an hour to walk from the Imperial Clan Court to the Imperial Treasury.

Therefore, Lin Ping'an is not a name that someone changed once.

It is a set of procedures that can be lent to many people at the same time.

Anyone who needs to enter the Imperial Clan Court should become Lin Ping'an.

Whoever needs to enter the inner treasury should become Chen Ping.

The same dead person's file can be used to create many different faces in different government departments.

I asked the young man, "Have you seen any other Lin Ping'an?"

"no."

"When do you receive your monthly allowance?"

"The tickets are kept in the ceremonial room."

"Someone collected it on my behalf."

"Who?"

"have no idea."

"Who usually gives you errands?"

"Wooden box".

"What wooden box?"

"On the first and fifteenth of each month, a wooden box will be placed in the third old cabinet in the ritual implements room."

"There are documents inside that need to be delivered."

"Where to send it?"

"uncertain."

"Who put it there?"

"have no idea."

There's no need to even see the messenger.

"What should we burn today?"

"Etiquette draft"

"What etiquette?"

"His Majesty……"

Xiao Lingyi said, "Speak."

"The palace ceremonies after His Majesty's passing."

Han Feng's face instantly darkened.

The term "Da Xing" was used only after the emperor's death.

The emperor is still lying in the inner palace.

Although I sleep more than I'm awake.

"Who gave permission to burn it?"

"The note in the box."

Why burn it?

"They said the old draft was no longer needed."

"Why wouldn't you need it?"

"The new ones have already been sent out."

"Where to send it?"

"The main hall of the Imperial Clan Court".

Han Feng immediately sent people to seal off the Imperial Clan Court.

The young man said urgently, "I only deliver paper!"

"I did not harm His Majesty!"

"What was written on the paper you gave me?"

"I didn't see it."

Why not watch it?

"rule."

"Whose rules?"

"Chen, the Registrar."

"Where is Registrar Chen?"

"They only spoke from behind the curtain each time."

I looked at Xiao Lingyi.

"How much did Your Highness see him burn?"

"A dozen or so."

"How much did you seize?"

"This half."

"What about the others?"

There's something else under the brazier.

Xiao Lingyi had the brazier from the west side of the ceremonial ware room brought over.

Bai Zhi poured the ash into a copper plate.

First, use a thin knife to separate the layers one by one.

Most of the paper was charred black.

Only the edges and the deepest folds still retain the characters.

"Tonight at midnight."

"Changning Palace".

"A pre-existing condition suddenly flared up."

"The Imperial Medical Academy's treatment was ineffective."

"The Emperor has passed away."

This is not an ordinary etiquette draft.

It's news of a death.

The cause of death has already been written.

Even the Imperial Hospital's treatment was deemed ineffective, and that was already written down.

If the emperor were to die tonight, all the formalities would simply require his seal.

Even if he doesn't die, someone will make this piece of paper real.

Bai Zhi picked out another corner from the ashes.

There are two names on it.

Princess Zhaoning.

Censor Shen An.

I looked at the two fragments of characters.

"They even wrote down how we died?"

Xiao Lingyi said, "I am not in a hurry."

"Find them all first."

The young man huddled on the ground.

Suddenly he said, "I really don't know."

"The box is only for burning old manuscripts."

"I didn't write the new draft."

Who wrote it?

"The Imperial Clan Court's Ritual Office".

"Who sent him to the palace?"

"A eunuch."

"What's your name?"

"Wei Zhi".

Wei Zhijia lay outside the door.

Wei Zhiyi was tied to the side of the medicine cabinet.

The person who could deliver the paper could also be a third Wei Zhi.

I had them both brought in.

Wei Zhijia was carried on a stretcher.

The fake Wei Zhi was being held captive by Han Feng.

It was their first time meeting face-to-face.

Wei Zhijia stared at the other person for a long time.

"You are not Chen Ping."

The fake Wei asked directly, "How did you know?"

"Chen Ping's left ear is half an inch short."

"You only have a knife wound behind your ear."

"Then who am I?"

"This servant does not know."

"You don't even know who replaced you."

"What right do you have to acknowledge me?"

Wei Zhijia coughed for a long time.

"At least this servant...remembers his own name."

The composure on the fake Wei Zhi's face finally cracked a little.

This person can admit that he is Chen Ping.

I can admit that I am Shen Shiqi.

He was even willing to be Wei Zhi.

But he may not know the earliest name.

I asked, "Where was the first place you had memories of?"

"have no idea."

"Who taught you Shen Shiqi's Book of Wounds?"

"have no idea."

"Who gave you Lin Ping'an's secrets?"

"have no idea."

"Who gave you permission to wear Wei Zhi's face?"

"have no idea."

With each "I don't know" he said, his voice grew colder.

It's like if it's cold enough, it can freeze these blank spaces.

I said, "Then I won't choose for you yet."

"remember."

Han Feng summoned the clerk.

I said, word by word:

"This person is alive."

"He is now using Wei Zhi's identity to enter Changning Palace."

He has used the names Chen Ping, Lin Pingan, and Shen Shiqi.

"The old name is pending."

"The offenses shall be recorded according to the actual acts committed."

The fake Wei Zhi suddenly looked up.

"Shen Shiqi is the name of a soldier in the Southwest Army!"

"Is it yours?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember joining the army?"

It's written in the register.

"I asked you if you remember."

"Then it will have to wait for verification."

What he fears most is not that we say he's fake.

Even the identity he was willing to acknowledge was only written as pending verification.

Xiao Lingyi walked to my side.

"The Imperial Clan Court has just reported back."

"A new manuscript has been found in the main hall."

Is it complete?

"whole."

"What did you write?"

"Tonight at 1:45 AM."

"My father passed away in Changning Palace."

"I have trespassed into the Forbidden City with the intent to seize power, and have been imprisoned in the Princess's residence."

"You colluded with the southwest, took advantage of the chaos to murder the emperor, and were executed at the palace gate."

Ah Liu gasped.

"What about the younger ones?"

Xiao Lingyi said, "It's not you."

Ah Liu breathed a sigh of relief.

Are you disappointed?

"no."

"I just feel that they are not meticulous enough in their work."

The new manuscript is not just about dead people.

It also describes how living people should shut up in the future.

The emperor died.

The princess was imprisoned.

The two most likely people to open the account, one was imprisoned, and the other was killed.

Pei Shen suddenly asked, "Who is overseeing the state?"

Xiao Lingyi said, "It wasn't written."

"Who will act as regent?"

"No, not at all."

Pei Shen looked at the pile of ashes.

"They're not in a hurry to decide who will sit there."

"They're just eager for His Majesty to die first."

I understand what he meant.

This news of death was not intended to pave the way for anyone to ascend to the throne.

It's to get everyone vying for the position moving at the same time.

The identities of the forty-one dead individuals allow them to return to their respective storylines.

Someone sealed off the palace gates.

Someone changed the military order.

Someone burned the medicine tent.

Each person still only does a small part.

In the end, anyone can say that the world is in chaos on its own.

The Zongzheng Temple staff quickly delivered the complete new manuscript.

The news of his death was stamped with the official seal of the Imperial Clan Court.

There is a blank line below.

All that's left is to fill in the time of the imperial edict.

Bai Zhi felt an indentation on the back of the paper.

Turn it over and lightly brush it with charcoal powder.

Beneath the indentation lies a line of unpainted characters.

I looked at these eight characters.

They knew that Feng Ying had left behind the dregs of the medicine.

They also knew they had to suppress his name first.

The person is already dead.

The next step is to let him continue to be just an unknown eunuch.

I closed the complete death notice.

"Tomorrow doesn't wait."

Xiao Lingyi asked, "What is it?"

"Open the accounts tonight."

"Where to?"

"Start with Feng Ying."

"Open up two more Wei Zhi positions."

I looked at the emperor on the bed.

"The news of His Majesty's death has been written."

"We have to let the entire court see it first."

"Is he dead or not?"