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

I almost fell asleep when the imperial carriage entered the palace.

It's not that I'm careless.

When a person reaches a certain point, their brain will shut down on its own.

I was holding a sealed box in my arms, inside which were two missing pages from a booklet and half a tattered letter.

This thing is harder than a pillow, and it's also more deadly than a pillow.

Gu Xingzhi sat outside the car without saying a word the whole way.

When he doesn't speak, he's like a cold piece of iron hanging on a cart shaft.

I lifted the curtain and glanced at him.

"Commander Gu."

"explain."

"Why did Your Majesty allow the princess to be present as well?"

"His Majesty's meaning."

"I know it's His Majesty's will, but I ask why."

Gu Xingzhi turned to look at me.

"Do you think I would know why His Majesty is like this?"

"Aren't you the commander of the Imperial Guard?"

"The Commander of the Imperial Guard is not a mind reader for His Majesty."

I thought about it.

Also.

Besides, if Gu Xingzhi were truly a roundworm, the emperor would probably have killed him long ago.

The imperial carriage stopped outside the side hall.

Wei Zhi was already waiting.

When he saw me get out of the car, his gaze first fell on the sealed box in my arms, and then on my face.

"You've worked hard, Lord Shen."

I cupped my hands in greeting.

"I am still alive."

Wei Zhi smiled.

"It's good that you're alive."

These words have sounded very comforting lately.

In the side hall, Emperor Xiao Jingheng sat behind his desk.

Princess Zhaoning, Xiao Lingyi, stood to one side.

Today she was dressed in a plain palace gown, with few ornaments in her hair, and she was as cold as a jade sword sheathed.

She saw me, her gaze lingered for only a moment before falling on the sealed box.

"Found it?"

I bowed.

"Two pages were found, along with half a letter. One page is still missing."

Xiao Lingyi's fingertips twitched slightly.

The emperor looked at Wei Zhi.

Wei Zhi descended the steps, took the sealed box, and glanced at the seal again.

"The seal of the Deputy Censorate, bearing the seal of Lord Zhao. There is also a private seal held by Lord Shen."

The emperor said calmly, "Open."

The sealed box is opened.

Two old papers and a half-finished letter were placed on the emperor's desk.

The hall fell silent immediately.

I could hear the candle flame popping softly.

Xiao Jingheng first looked at the missing pages.

His face was expressionless.

But I saw his finger pause when he flipped to the line "The Empress once checked this account".

Just once.

But that's enough.

he knows.

He at least knew that the late empress had investigated this account.

Xiao Lingyi took a step closer, her voice very soft.

"Father, may I see this?"

The emperor did not answer immediately.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became even colder than before.

After a moment, he said, "Look."

Xiao Lingyi picked up the tattered letter.

She read very slowly.

When she saw the line "If I do not return, I will make friends with the old friends of Zhaoning," her breathing visibly became erratic.

This was the first time I'd seen her lose her composure.

Even if it's just for a fleeting moment.

She looked up at the emperor.

"Father, is Zhaoning my title?"

The emperor replied, "Yes."

Who are the former officials of Zhaoning?

The emperor remained silent.

Xiao Lingyi asked again.

Who are the former officials of Zhaoning?

Her voice was still cold.

But there was a hint of interrogation in the coldness.

The emperor looked at her.

"Lingyi, it is not advisable to make hasty judgments before this matter is thoroughly investigated."

"Has the Empress Dowager investigated this account?"

The emperor remained silent.

Xiao Lingyi said softly, "Father, you only need to answer yes or no."

The silence in the hall made me want to back away.

As a foreign official, I find it dangerous to hear about matters between father and daughter.

Especially since the father is an emperor and the daughter is a princess.

I feel I should become a pillar of the palace.

Ideally, it would be the kind where you wouldn't get beheaded.

After a long pause, the emperor said, "Yes."

Xiao Lingyi's face paled slightly.

She looked at the tattered letter.

"So, the Empress Dowager didn't stop the investigation back then only because she was seriously ill?"

The emperor's voice deepened.

"Orderly ceremony."

"Did I ask the wrong question?"

"You asked too soon."

Xiao Lingyi smiled.

It's very light.

"Your mother has been dead for eleven years. Is it too early for me to ask?"

The emperor's gaze finally turned cold.

"Zhaoning".

He used his title to pressure her for the first time.

Xiao Lingyi lowered her head.

"Your subject has been disrespectful."

That's what she said, but she didn't back down.

Holding my body, which felt like it was about to fall apart, I stood to the side and suddenly realized that I wasn't the one in the hall who looked most like an assassin.

She is a princess.

She didn't have a knife.

But every word she uttered felt like a knife to the emperor's heart.

The emperor looked at me.

"Shen An, where did you get the missing pages?"

I explained in detail the Qian family ancestral hall, the death of Qian Zhong, the hidden compartment in Madam Qian's dowry chest, and the attack on the inner courtyard.

I didn't embellish it.

Because these things are already greasy and sensational enough.

When it came to the fact that Madam Qian was willing to testify, Wei Zhi sighed softly.

After listening, the emperor's gaze fell on the tattered letter.

"Did Qian Rong hide these pages in his wife's dowry chest?"

"Yes."

"Would Mrs. Qian be willing to testify?"

"The agreement has been signed."

"Where is Qian Rong?"

"He is temporarily detained at the Censorate. I will continue the trial upon my return."

The emperor glanced at me.

"Can you still hold on?"

I really want to say I can't hold on any longer.

But it's no use saying it.

"I will do my best."

Xiao Lingyi suddenly spoke up: "He hasn't slept for two days."

I was taken aback.

The emperor looked at her.

Xiao Lingyi remained calm.

"If Father wants him to continue the investigation, at least have the Imperial Hospital prescribe him some sedatives. Otherwise, even if he dies at his desk, the Yongning case may not become any clearer."

My heart warmed.

Although these words sound like they're afraid I'll ruin things, rather than that they show concern for me.

But it's already quite an achievement that the princess would say a word for me in front of the emperor.

The emperor said calmly, "Wei Zhi."

Wei Zhi bowed.

"Have the Imperial Medical Academy prepare a sedative soup for Shen An."

I quickly replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Actually, I get scared whenever I hear the words "wake-up soup" now.

Last time, Xu Shen's meatballs were so bitter that I almost questioned the meaning of life.

But if the emperor bestows hardship upon you, you must accept it, no matter how bitter it may be.

The emperor looked at the missing page on the table.

"Keep these papers in the palace."

My heart skipped a beat.

coming.

I took a step forward.

"Your Majesty, the original can remain in the palace. But please allow the Censorate to keep a copy with the seal."

The emperor looked at me.

"Are you afraid I'm hiding evidence?"

These words made the hall feel even colder.

Wei Zhi's eyelids twitched.

Gu Xingzhi stood by the door, his gaze falling on me.

I lowered my head and said, "I fear the evidence will be lost again."

"Could it be lost even in the palace?"

I remained silent for a moment.

"His Majesty himself has said that even those around him are not necessarily clean."

After saying that, I realized I might really be confused.

But since it's already been said, we can only wait for the thunder to strike.

The thunder didn't fall.

Xiao Jingheng looked at me and actually smiled.

"You remember it clearly."

I lowered my head.

"I only keep accounts."

The emperor stopped laughing.

"The rubbings were kept by the Censorate. The originals were sealed in the palace and guarded by the Imperial Guard."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xiao Lingyi put down the tattered letter and suddenly said, "Father, this letter cannot simply be sealed away."

The emperor looked at her.

"What do you want?"

"Your subject wishes to investigate the former officials of Zhaoning."

"No."

Two words.

It's very light.

There was no room for negotiation.

Xiao Lingyi's face turned pale.

"Father."

"You are a princess, not an imperial censor."

"But that's a letter from Mother."

"It is precisely because it concerns your mother that you are not allowed to investigate."

Xiao Lingyi's fingers slowly tightened.

I stood to the side and suddenly felt like I was trapped between two doors.

On one side is the emperor.

On one side is the princess.

It's difficult to drive on either side.

At this point, it's best to keep quiet.

Unfortunately, I cannot.

Because the broken letter was brought by me.

I bowed and said, "Your Majesty, if the former officials of Zhaoning are related to the late Empress's old case, I'm afraid I won't be able to avoid them when I investigate the Yongning case."

The emperor looked at me.

"You want to investigate too?"

"I do not wish to."

This is the truth.

I have absolutely no desire to investigate the late empress's old case, the old accounts of the Southwest military pay, or my mother's death.

All I want to do is sleep.

But I continued, "But the tent has already dragged me to the door."

The emperor looked at me for a long time.

Finally, he said, "You investigate."

Xiao Lingyi looked up.

The Emperor said, "Zhao Ning must not investigate without authorization. If it is necessary to find former palace personnel, Shen An should submit a memorial to inquire."

I:"……"

it is good.

It's me again.

The princess couldn't investigate, and the emperor didn't want the princess to investigate directly, so he put me in the middle.

I'm like a shield.

It's still a double-edged sword.

Xiao Lingyi looked at me.

Her eyes were cold.

But not to me.

It's about the matter itself.

"Lord Shen."

"Your subject is here."

"Tell me first if you find any former acquaintances from Zhaoning."

The emperor looked at her.

Xiao Lingyi did not avoid the question.

I bowed my head and said, "Your subject is acting in accordance with the imperial decree."

That's a very slippery statement.

Don't offend anyone.

Of course, no one was appeased.

Xiao Lingyi withdrew her gaze.

The emperor handed the missing pages and the incomplete letter to Wei Zhi.

"seal up."

Wei Zhi carefully put it away.

The emperor suddenly asked me:

"Shen An, you've seen these missing pages. Do you think the Shen family army in the Southwest was wronged, or guilty?"

My heart sank.

They finally asked me.

I lowered my head.

"I only saw on the account that the amount of silver received by the Shen family's army was actually insufficient."

"So you think Shen's army is innocent?"

"The account only stated that the military pay was insufficient, but did not state that Shen's army was innocent of its subsequent actions."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

The emperor's gaze deepened.

Xiao Lingyi also glanced at me.

I continued, "The injustices should be redressed, and the blood debts should be settled. These two things cannot be confused."

After saying that, I felt a heaviness in my heart.

Because it's not just talking about Shen's army.

It's also about my father, Shen Lie.

If he was wronged back then, the debt should be repaid to him.

But if he later kills innocent people, he cannot erase all the injustices simply because they were wronged.

The emperor looked at me.

"You're quite discerning."

"I dare not say I can distinguish them clearly," I said. "I am only afraid of making a mistake in the accounting."

The emperor remained silent for a long time.

"Step down."

I bowed and took my leave.

As she left the hall, Xiao Lingyi suddenly whispered:

"Shen An".

I stopped.

She looked at me.

"Don't let this letter get lost again."

I said, "Princess, rest assured, the original is in the palace."

Her voice was even lower.

"What I'm saying is, don't let the person who wrote the letter die in vain."

I was speechless for a moment.

We can only offer our hands in gratitude.

"I have done my best."

Stepping out of the side hall, the sunlight shone on my face.

But I didn't feel warm at all.

Because I know that from this moment on, the Yongning case is no longer the Yongning case.

It has already reached out a hand and touched the old tent in the southwest.

He then reached out his other hand and touched the body of the late empress.

And I stood in the middle.

He had no knife.

Only accounts.