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

After Ji Qing fainted, the room became so quiet it was as if all sound had been removed.

Granny Qin resumed the acupuncture, her hands were very steady.

But I could tell she didn't look well.

Ji Qing's words, "Don't let Shen Lie go to Beijing," were like a knife, lying across the middle of the room.

The worst part is that the knife wasn't even aimed at anyone else.

They're coming for me.

Xiao Lingyi looked at me.

She didn't ask immediately.

This is more terrifying than asking immediately.

She just stared at me, as if waiting for me to stick my neck out to the knife.

I looked down at Ji Qing.

There was still black blood at the corner of his mouth, and his face was ashen, as if he might be taken back into the dead man's account at any moment.

I'm feeling really upset.

You said you were going to faint, so why did you have to mention my father before you fainted?

Not only did he bring it up, but he did so in front of the princess.

This is not a slip of the tongue.

This is like taking my mouth off and smashing it on my head.

Xiao Lingyi finally spoke.

"Shen Lie".

Two words.

It's very light.

But it got even colder inside.

I cupped my hands and said, "Leader of the Southwest Rebel Army."

"I know who he is."

"What is the princess asking?"

Why did Ji Qing tell you not to let Shen Lie go to the capital?

I paused for a moment.

Lying at this time would be too fake, but telling the truth would be too dangerous.

I can only say it's half true and half false.

"Because old grievances in the Southwest have resurfaced. If Shen Lie knows that these old grievances have reached the capital, he will definitely take action."

Xiao Lingyi stared at me.

"You know Shen Lie very well?"

"Everyone in the world knows that Shen Lie hates the imperial court."

"The whole world knows that he wanted to kill the emperor."

"Yes."

"Then why did Ji Qing tell you?"

I looked up at her.

Her eyes were cold.

It's not the kind of anger that comes from being fooled.

Rather, it's a calmness that comes from having already seen the cracks but not yet deciding whether to pry them open.

I replied, "Because I am investigating old accounts in the southwest."

"Is that the only reason?"

"That's all I can say for now."

Xiao Lingyi smiled.

It's very light.

"Is that the only answer?"

I lowered my head.

"If I give a random answer now, the princess may not believe me. If I give the whole answer, I may not live past tonight."

Are you threatening me?

"Your subject dares not."

"It's not that you're afraid, it's that you're too good at avoiding the important issues."

She is absolutely right.

Now I not only know how to avoid the difficult and focus on the trivial, but I also know how to avoid death and seek survival.

Xiao Lingyi walked to the window.

The area outside the courtyard had quieted down. The bodies of the assassins were dragged away by the guards, and the bloodstains on the ground were wiped away by Qiu Tang and her men.

The princess's residence acted as if nothing had happened.

But some things can't be wiped off.

For example, Ji Qing's statement.

For example, the name Shen Lie.

Xiao Lingyi, with her back to me, said, "Shen An, I won't ask you anything you dare not answer now."

I didn't feel relieved.

Because she must have an even more difficult sentence coming up next.

Sure enough, she turned around.

"But from today onwards, whatever you find that involves the Empress Dowager's old cases, the old grudges in the Southwest, Aunt Lan, Ji Qing, and Shen Lie, you must tell me."

I said, "What about His Majesty..."

"Father, that's where your relationship with your father lies."

She looked at me.

"This place is the battleground between you and me, a test of life and death."

The Book of Life and Death.

That's a very good word.

It's so good I can't argue with it.

I cupped my hands in greeting.

"Your subject understands."

"You don't understand."

Xiao Lingyi took a step closer.

"Shen An, I can tolerate my mother's affairs for eleven years, but that doesn't mean I can continue to tolerate them. My father forbids me from investigating, but if you also keep it from me, then I will investigate myself."

She paused.

"Don't blame me when many people die."

These words made my heart sink.

The princess wasn't trying to scare people.

She has that ability.

She had the Princess's residence, the former Empress's subordinates, palace ladies-in-waiting, proper etiquette and status, and a heart that had been suppressed for eleven years.

If she really investigates on her own, it will cause quite a stir.

The bigger the commotion, the faster they die.

I sighed.

"Princess, it's not that I don't want to tell you. It's that I don't want you to become part of the purge."

"I have been for a long time."

She spoke very calmly.

It's like they'd thought this through long ago.

I looked at her, and suddenly didn't know what to say.

Xiao Lingyi added, "You just said that grievances should be overturned and blood debts should be settled."

"Yes."

"Then remember that."

"I remember."

"Regardless of whose name is ultimately on the list of debtors."

She looked at me.

"Including my father, and also Shen Lie."

My heart tightened.

She still handed the knife to me.

I paused for a moment, then said, "Including everyone."

After saying that, neither of us spoke again.

The only sound in the room was the faint sound of Granny Qin applying acupuncture to Ji Qing.

Not long after, Gu Xingzhi arrived with the imperial physician.

There were two imperial physicians in total.

There are also four interior defenders.

As soon as the imperial physician entered, he looked at Ji Qing first, then at Granny Qin, his expression somewhat hesitant.

Granny Qin sneered, "If you can save the person, then don't look at me."

The two imperial physicians immediately bowed their heads to examine the pulse.

Gu Xingzhi walked to my side.

"His Majesty's oral decree."

Xiao Lingyi also looked at him.

Gu Xingzhi said, "Ji Qing must live. People can stay at the Princess's residence temporarily, but the Imperial Guards must remain. The imperial physicians will conduct daily follow-up examinations, and the statements will be jointly recorded by Shen An, the Imperial Guards, and the Princess's residence."

Recorded by three parties.

An emperor is still an emperor.

With just one sentence, Ji Qing was transformed from being secretly kept in the princess's residence into a temporary guard recognized by the palace.

At the same time, it also bound me, the princess, and the imperial guards together.

No one can ask this to me alone.

No one can hide alone.

No one can kill alone.

Xiao Lingyi did not object.

"Can."

I also bowed.

"Your subject obeys the decree."

Gu Xingzhi glanced at me.

That glance was very faint.

But I think he knew that Ji Qing had just mentioned Shen Lie.

He may not hear it.

But he certainly knew that something was wrong in the room.

Gu Xingzhi suddenly said, "His Majesty also asked when Lord Shen will enter the palace to report back."

My heart skipped a beat.

"I will go shortly."

"His Majesty said there's no rush."

I was taken aback.

Not urgent?

This is even more creepy.

Gu Xingzhi continued, "His Majesty wants you to go to the Censorate first to appease Qian Rong. The news that Ji Qing is alive should not be spread for the time being."

I understand.

The emperor wanted to use Ji Qing's life as a pretext to lure out those who wanted him dead.

We also need to keep things stable on Qian Rong's side.

If Qian Rong knew Ji Qing was alive, he might continue vomiting; if he thought Ji Qing was dead, he might change his story.

This situation has become a two-sided affair once again.

I asked in a low voice, "Commander Gu, does Qian Rong know that Ji Qing is at the Princess's residence?"

"have no idea."

"How many people in the palace know?"

"Those who need to know know."

well.

That's as good as saying nothing at all.

I glanced at Ji Qing.

He was still unconscious.

The imperial physician and Granny Qin were arguing in hushed tones about the prescription.

One person said the medicine was too strong, while the other said that if the person was about to die, not using strong medicine would only lead to death.

It sounds like Granny Qin is more likely to save people.

I took my leave from Xiao Lingyi.

She didn't ask me to stay.

He simply said, "Shen An."

"Your subject is here."

"If Shen Lie really decides to go to the capital, what will you do?"

This question has come up again.

I looked at her.

"bar."

"Can you stop them?"

"have no idea."

"Why are you stopping me?"

I remained silent for a moment.

"Because if he goes to the capital now, many people will die."

"Including Father Emperor?"

"Including himself."

Xiao Lingyi looked at me for a long time.

"When you say this, it doesn't sound like you're talking about a traitor."

My heart tightened.

She didn't ask any further questions.

She simply turned around and returned to Ji Qing's bedside.

I know she has already written it down.

Stepping out of the princess's villa, Ah Liu was not there.

He guarded the gate of the Censorate.

Only Yan Xiaoyi was by his side.

He glanced at me.

"She suspects you."

"You noticed?"

"She practically asked you if you were Shen Lie's son."

I sighed.

"Could you please speak more quietly?"

Yan Xiaoyi looked around.

"Nobody's here."

"Where's the wall?"

"Walls don't talk."

I think there are no surprises in Beijing, only arrangements.

"In the capital, even walls might not be necessary."

Yan Xiaoyi thought for a moment.

That makes sense.

We boarded a carriage and headed towards the Censorate.

I leaned against the car wall and finally felt a little sleepy and rolled over.

But all I could think about was Ji Qing's words.

Don't let Shen Lie go to the capital.

How did Ji Qing know that Shen Lie was going to the capital?

Will they find out when the accounts are settled?

Or has something already been done in the southwest?

Just then, a soft sound came from outside the carriage.

"Young Master."

I suddenly opened my eyes.

Yan Xiaoyi also looked up instantly.

A hand handed in a piece of paper from outside the carriage curtain.

His hands had calluses from old knives.

Xu Sandao's men.

There was only one sentence on the paper:

Master Sandao has disappeared; it seems he went to the palace.

My fingers tightened.

The drowsiness vanished instantly.

Xu Sandao went to raid the palace.

What I feared most came to pass.