After being reborn, the aloof prime minister was once again forced by a tyrant.

Pei Yuning's smile remained unchanged; she merely tilted her head slightly, revealing a perfectly timed look of confusion: "Cuilan? Which Cuilan? I don't know what Brother Qinglan is talking about. I haven't even left the palace these past few days; I know nothing about what's happening outside."

"Cuilan is Consort Xian's personal maid. You sent her to bribe court officials with silver. When the matter was exposed, you killed her to cover it up and framed Consort Xian."

Pei Yuning frowned slightly, revealing a hint of aggrieved reproach: "Brother Qinglan, what are you talking about? What silver? What court officials? Ning'er doesn't understand. What does the incident involving Consort Xian's maid have to do with Ning'er? Has someone been gossiping about this to Brother Qinglan?"

Xie Qinglan didn't speak. He just looked at her quietly, and his gaze made Pei Yuning feel like he could see right through her.

"Brother Qinglan, are you still angry with Ning'er because of the 'Entangled Silk' incident?" Her voice trembled slightly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. "You hit Ning'er that day, and I know you must have been very angry. But have you ever thought about why Ning'er would do such a thing?"

She raised her eyes, tears welling up in them before finally rolling down her cheeks one after another: "Actually, it was my brother who gave you the 'Entangling Silk' curse. He felt that your achievements were too great and that you might one day usurp his throne, so he wanted to get rid of you while you were on a mission to Beishuo. He wrote to me, saying that you, Brother Qinglan, would eventually destroy the Nanyue kingdom, and asked me to help him."

"He is Ning'er's elder brother and also the Emperor of Nanyue. Ning'er has no choice. Ning'er doesn't want to hurt Brother Qinglan, but Ning'er dares not disobey the imperial decree. I didn't say it before because I was afraid Brother Qinglan would think that Ning'er was shirking responsibility. But now Ning'er has to speak out—Ning'er doesn't want Brother Qinglan to misunderstand her anymore."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Xie Qinglan with teary eyes, like a wronged little animal, pitiful and helpless.

Xie Qinglan stared at her for a long time, so long that Pei Yuning thought she had succeeded. Then he spoke.

"Pei Yuning, stop pretending."

Six words, spoken in a calm tone, yet they made Pei Yuning's tears pause for a moment.

"The matter of 'Entangling Silk' may indeed have been instigated by Pei Nanchi. But bribing court officials to exert pressure and try to send me back to Nanyue—that was definitely something you wanted to do yourself. Pei Nanchi only wanted me to die in Beishuo."

Pei Yuning's tears were still on her face, but the grievance in her eyes was gradually fading, revealing the cold reef beneath.

She paused for a moment, then spoke again, her voice no longer the weak, tearful tone of before, but a calm, almost defiant one: "It really wasn't Ning'er. Brother Qinglan, do you have any evidence? What makes you so certain?"

Xie Qinglan's lips curved slightly. It wasn't a smile, but rather a cold, condescending understanding.

"Since you're not in the imperial court, you probably don't know what kind of person I was when I was in Nanyue. Others say I'm vindictive and autocratic, and that's absolutely true."

He took a step forward, the hem of his moon-white robe brushing against the cool gold bricks. "I don't need your admission, nor do I need anyone's testimony. Evidence is for others to see, and what I believe in never needs verification—because I have absolute confidence in my own judgment."

Pei Yuning's expression finally changed. She watched as Xie Qinglan took out a small white porcelain bottle from his sleeve. The bottle was plain and unadorned. He placed the bottle on the table, and the porcelain made a crisp, light sound as it touched the wooden surface.

"Regarding the 'entanglement' incident, I only slapped you once. How could you be so ungrateful?"

"A life for a life. But I won't kill you—"

His voice paused for a moment, and he gently tapped the porcelain bottle with his fingertips. "I personally prepared this medicine when I was in Nanyue. I am the only one in the world who knows the formula. Without an antidote, it will lie dormant in your body, flaring up every seven days. When it flares up, it feels like a thousand ants are gnawing at your heart, a living hell, but it will not be fatal, nor will it leave any trace. Even the Imperial Hospital cannot detect it. If you do not believe me, you can have someone test it."

Pei Yuning stared at the porcelain vase, her whole body trembling. She wanted to back away, but her legs felt like lead, rooted to the spot.

Xie Qinglan had already walked up to her.

"No—Brother Qinglan, you can't do this to Ning'er." Her tears welled up again, this time not in a fake way.

Fear and despair surged up her spine, tearing her voice to shreds. She grabbed Xie Qinglan's clothes, knelt at his feet, looked up, tears blurring her makeup, her eyelashes clinging wetly, her nose red, and her lips trembling.

"Have you forgotten? You used to love Ning'er the most. Ning'er lost her mother when she was little, and her father passed away. It was Brother Qinglan who raised Ning'er. You said you would always protect Ning'er."

"Ning'er didn't mean to hurt you, Ning'er really had no choice. Ning'er knows she was wrong, she really knows she was wrong. Hit me, scold me, punish me however you want—please, don't make me take this medicine."

She became more and more anxious as she spoke, tears streaming down her chin, soaking a small patch of Xie Qinglan's pale white dress.

Xie Qinglan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He took a step back and pulled out the hem of his robe.

He bent down and grabbed Pei Yuning's chin with an astonishingly steady grip. His fingertips were like iron clamps holding her chin, allowing no resistance whatsoever. With his other hand, he flicked open the lid of the porcelain bottle, stuffed the pill into her mouth, and lifted her chin to force her to swallow it.

Pei Yuning clutched her throat and collapsed to the ground. The bitter taste slid down her esophagus, cold and heavy, like a pebble sinking into her stomach.

She coughed violently twice, tears still streaming down her face, but the expression on her face had changed from resentment to hatred.

She looked up at Xie Qinglan's departing figure, then suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse and strained: "The poison was given by Pei Nanchi, and he's the one who ordered me to kill you. If you're so capable, go back to Nanyue and settle accounts with him. What are you doing putting on airs here!"

Xie Qinglan didn't turn around. He walked to the palace entrance, paused slightly, and the sunlight filtering through the crack in the door outlined his profile with a cold, aloof look: "I will settle Pei Nanchi's scores myself. As for you—behave yourself from now on, and you can still live a good life."

He pushed open the palace door and stepped over the threshold. Behind him came Pei Yuning's furious roar: "Xie Qinglan! Stop right there! Stop right there!"

When Xie Qinglan returned to Tingxuexuan, the setting sun had already bathed half of the courtyard's crabapple blossoms in its glow.

He first took off his tear-stained outer robe in the corridor and handed it to a little eunuch beside him before standing still for a moment.

The iron clappers on the eaves jingled in the evening breeze, making the inexplicable weariness in his heart even heavier.

Cuilan's death was ultimately because of him—if Pei Yuning hadn't wanted to use the court officials to drive him out of Beishuo, that palace maid would probably still be working peacefully in the Xianfei Palace, instead of being strangled to death in the woodshed and bearing the stigma of committing suicide out of fear of punishment.

He summoned Gao An and said in a calm tone, "Go and find out who else is in Cuilan's family. Send some silver over and have someone give her a proper burial."

Gao An paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Watching Xie Qinglan turn and go into the house, he suddenly realized that this Lord Xie, who appeared as cold as ice on the surface, actually possessed a warmth that even he himself refused to acknowledge.

The Imperial Study.

As Xiao Jingyuan was reviewing memorials, a shadow guard silently landed in the hall, knelt on one knee, and reported the commotion from Tingxue Pavilion in detail.

"What was he doing at Chang Le Palace?"

"Lord Xie and Consort Ning were talking in the hall, their voices very low. I could only vaguely hear Consort Ning crying and calling out, 'Brother Qinglan,' 'You used to love Ning'er the most.' About an incense stick later, Lord Xie came out, looking as usual. After that, there was the sound of things being smashed in the hall. Consort Ning cried and cursed in the hall for a long time until her voice became hoarse."

Xiao Jingyuan's hand gripping the vermilion brush tightened suddenly, the tip leaving a deep ink dot on the folding paper. He leaned back in his chair, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the dragon pattern on the edge of the imperial desk, his knuckles gradually turning white.

Chang Le Palace. Pei Yuning.

He remembered clearly that in his previous life, when Xie Qinglan was imprisoned in Lanyue Pavilion, the only person he cared about was Pei Yuning. He threatened him with Pei Yuning's life, and he dared not commit suicide.

He couldn't tell whether his concern stemmed from romantic love or sibling affection.

But this did nothing to stop the jealousy churning in his chest, almost overflowing his throat.

The shadow guard knelt below, waiting for a long time without receiving a reply from His Majesty. He secretly raised his eyes and saw that on Xiao Jingyuan's face, which was as cold as an iron plate, his eyes were churning with barely suppressed jealousy and irritation. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to look any longer.

"Ling Feng!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Ling Feng leaped down from the roof beam in an instant and knelt before the table.

"Issue my decree."

Xiao Jingyuan's voice still sounded indifferent and businesslike, but Ling Feng could hear the anger beneath it. "Consort Ning is unwell. Chang Le Palace will be sealed off from today. She is to rest and recuperate in peace. No one is allowed to visit her."

"Yes." Ling Feng responded and withdrew.

Xiao Jingyuan sat behind his desk, staring at the open book in front of him for a long time, but couldn't read a single word.

He suddenly stood up, paced around the hall a few times, walked to the window and then walked back, repeating this several times.

He couldn't lock Xie Qinglan up—in his past life he dared to lock her up, but ended up locking her to death; in this life he didn't dare, and even slamming a door made him slink back and apologize.

But if he can't imprison Xie Qinglan, can't he imprison Pei Yuning? Once the doors of Chang Le Palace are locked, no one is allowed to enter or leave.

Xie Qinglan wants to go see her again to reminisce? No way!

Xiao Jingyuan grabbed the black cloak draped over the back of the chair and strode out of the imperial study.

The folded paper can be approved tomorrow, but the vinegar will turn sour if left overnight.