Chapter 125: Thunderous Fury

After Jiang Li left Jiang Yuanbai's study, Jiang Yuanbai did not summon her again.

For the time being, a tentative peace had settled over the household.

Ye Mingyu was also staying in the guest quarters, not far from Jiang Li's courtyard. Although Xue Huaiyuan was now an elderly man, it was impossible for Jiang Li to house him directly within the Jiang family residence. She had no choice but to let Ye Mingyu share living arrangements with Xue Huaiyuan. Fortunately, they were close by, allowing her to check on him at any time.

Upon hearing the news, Jiang Jingrui rushed over. As soon as they met, he blurted out impatiently, "Jiang Li, I've heard all about what you pulled right in front of the Chang'an Gate! If I'd known, I would've gone to join in the excitement! With so many people involved, and given how furious your father was beforehand, I never expected you to talk him around with just a few words. Not bad at all! I really underestimated you before; you're getting more and more capable."

Having not seen him for many days, Jiang Jingrui remained entirely unchanged, showing no sign of personal growth. Jiang Li asked him about some recent occurrences within the Jiang family. Finding nothing out of the ordinary other than Jiang Yu'e entering the Marquis of Ningyuan's estate, she felt reassured and dismissed him.

Tong'er walked into the courtyard and immediately voiced her indignation upon entering the room, "Mistress, just now at the courtyard gate, I saw a few shady-eyed people peeking inside. Mingyue and Qingfeng also mentioned that from the afternoon until evening, quite a few strange people have been lurking around our courtyard. This must be Ji Shi stirring up trouble again. She really never rests! We've only just returned to the estate, what on earth is she trying to achieve?"

Such bizarre surveillance was something only Ji Shuran could orchestrate within the entire Jiang mansion. Jiang Li smiled faintly and said, "Let her be. I don't have the energy to deal with her right now. Besides, if she wants to find out anything, whatever can be known has already spread outside, and whatever cannot be discovered can't be found out from me either. Pay her no mind and let's get to an early rest. Traveling all this way has been exhausting."

She climbed onto the couch, and within moments, the room was plunged into darkness.

The lights in Fangfei Courtyard went out early, and Jiang Li fell asleep quickly, yet elsewhere in the Jiang mansion, certain people found themselves unable to sleep.

As Ji Shuran gently pounded Jiang Yuanbai's back, she said with a worried expression, "Master, what has gotten into Li'er this time? No matter what she used to do, her disturbances were always contained within the mansion. Now she's acting out outside the gates, and who knows? People might end up pinning the blame on you, Master."

Jiang Yuanbai frowned. He had taken Jiang Li's words to heart that day. If anything had truly persuaded him, it was the fact that the matter involved the Li family. For the Li family to have made a move this early—if they truly were the ones pulling strings behind the scenes—Jiang Li's course of action currently appeared to be the best choice. Furthermore, with Jiang Li coming forward, the public optics would look considerably better no matter what.

Reflecting on this, he waved his hand dismissively and said, "You needn't concern yourself with these matters; I have my own plans."

Ji Shuran's hands, which were kneading his shoulders, tightened slightly. She could hear the softening of Jiang Yuanbai's tone. Just what had Jiang Li said to him to make him change his perspective so quickly? One had to remember that earlier, in Wanfeng Hall, Jiang Yuanbai had flown into a rage over this very issue.

However, she was clever enough never to press him on matters he was unwilling to discuss. Consequently, Ji Shuran did not pursue the topic further, but instead pivoted to another subject: "Master, actually, I wouldn't mind other things, but this time Li'er has brought a mad county vice-magistrate back into the estate. That in itself might be overlooked, but today I heard some gossip. They say Li'er treats that mad vice-magistrate like a close family member, caring for him with utmost attentiveness, personally serving him food and drink. Some people even say... say she shows him more concern than she does you, Master."

"Nonsense!" Hearing the final sentence, Jiang Yuanbai slammed his hand on the desk and stood up, "Utter rubbish!"

Ji Shuran quickly placated him, "Master, please calm down. I merely heard others speaking thus. Li'er has always been gentle and kind-hearted, so showing concern for that pitiful magistrate is naturally only right. It's just that I don't understand—maidservants could easily handle such tasks. Why must Li'er, as a young lady of the Jiang family, attend to these things personally? Did this mad magistrate perhaps know Li'er in the past? For Li'er to get herself entangled in this Tongxiang case out of the blue, could there be some hidden story behind it?"

Jiang Yuanbai's chest heaved violently. It took him a long time to calm down, his gaze shifting uncertainly as he sank into deep thought.

Seeing this, Ji Shuran said nothing more, a trace of triumph flashing through her heart.

Even when she first learned of the matter, she had harbored suspicions of her own. Despite Jiang Li always projecting a gentle, magnanimous, and steadfastly kind demeanor, Ji Shuran had lived long enough to perceive the inner coldness and detachment hidden within Jiang Li. The reason she could so easily pick up and put down matters concerning the Jiang family, appearing entirely indifferent, was because she always treated the Jiang family with the detachment of a "guest." That was why Jiang Li bore all the unfair treatment dealt to her by the Jiang family without much resentment.

By nature, Jiang Li was a reserved and aloof person who avoided self-inflicted trouble. She merely maintained a facade of superficial respect even toward her biological father, Jiang Yuanbai, let alone a complete stranger. Yet the reports brought back indicated that Jiang Li displayed boundless patience toward Xue Huaiyuan, attending to his daily life and meals personally without delegating to servants, meticulous in every minute detail—treating him with far greater warmth than she did her own father.

This was simply too suspicious. Unfortunately, no matter how hard Ji Shuran investigated, she could not unearth a single clue as to why. Still, there was no need to rush. This point alone was enough for her to make a great fuss. For instance, by bringing it up to Jiang Yuanbai—hadn't it planted seeds of doubt in his mind?

Moreover, preoccupied as Jiang Li currently was with the Tongxiang case, she certainly would not have the bandwidth to deal with her. Such intense intimacy with Xue Huaiyuan must conceal some hidden truth, and she was determined to uncover it.

When that day arrived, it would spell Jiang Li's doom.

...

Early the next morning, Jiang Li rose well before dawn.

After breakfast, she intended to visit Ye Mingyu's courtyard to check on Xue Huaiyuan. Before she even had the chance to step outside, Baixue entered and announced, "Mistress, someone has come to report that Young Master Ye Biao has come to see you."

Ye Shijie? Before Jiang Li could seek him out, he had taken the initiative to visit the Jiang mansion. Jiang Li instructed, "Very well. I will go and see him."

Upon arriving at Wanfeng Hall, she found only Lady Jiang conversing with Ye Shijie. Neither Jiang Yuanbai nor Ji Shuran was present. Seeing her, Ye Shijie greeted, "Cousin."

Jiang Li returned the greeting, "Cousin Shijie."

Lady Jiang said knowingly, "Second girl, your cousin has come to the estate with some things to discuss with you. You two siblings go and talk first; I am growing weary and will return to my quarters."

Whether due to the Xue family case casting a lingering resentment toward Jiang Li within Lady Jiang's heart or not, her attitude toward Jiang Li remained lukewarm. Taking note of this, Ye Shijie kept silent.

Jiang Li mindlessly brushed it off. Once Lady Jiang had departed, she said, "Cousin, Uncle Mingyu is also staying in the estate. I was just about to head over there. Since you've arrived, let's go visit him together."

"Alright," Ye Shijie replied.

The two of them walked together toward Ye Mingyu's courtyard.

"I've heard everything that happened in Xiangyang. Thank you for your help with the ancient fragrant silk," Ye Shijie said as they walked.

"It's nothing," Jiang Li smiled. "Though my surname is Jiang, my mother's surname was Ye. Helping the Ye family is only right. Besides, had you not gone to find the Office of Weaving in Yanjing City, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly. You shouldn't thank me; you should thank yourself."

Ye Shijie shook his head. "Without Master Jiang's name, the Office of Weaving would never have moved so swiftly."

"Then you still shouldn't thank me," Jiang Li remarked. "At most, I was just borrowing the tiger's might to scare the foxes."

Ye Shijie glanced at her sideways. Having not seen her for many days, she seemed to have grown a bit taller, looking even more like a young woman now. Years ago, he never could have imagined that one day he would be having such a calm, level-headed conversation with Jiang Li, as if all the past estrangements and misunderstandings had completely vanished.

Of course, the estrangement and misunderstandings between her and the Ye family really had disappeared; the Ye family had fully accepted her, though whether she had entirely accepted the Ye family remained to be seen.

"Cousin Shijie, you will be present at the retrial two days from now, won't you?" Jiang Li asked.

Ye Shijie nodded. "Yes." After a brief silence, he added, "I wonder what it will be like."

Jiang Li smiled as she looked at him. "Well, how do you find being an official these days? Is it working out for you?"

Ye Shijie offered a bitter smile.

Serving as an official was much like engaging in commerce; it required navigating human relationships and social complexities, yet officialdom was far more difficult than trade. Leaving aside how many truly capable and upright officials never received promotions, to climb the ranks in the official world, one had to flatter superiors and cultivate good relations with those above. You had to follow along with whatever others did; refusal would result in being firmly cast out into an opposing camp.

Over time, Ye Shijie had found himself without a faction because he refused to drift with the current, condemning himself to a career with no prospects in sight. Was he destined to spend his whole life as a mere assistant administrator in the Ministry of Revenue? Yet to advance further would require acting against his own moral compass.

Ye Shijie felt deeply troubled.

Jiang Li patted his shoulder, as though she could hear his innermost thoughts. "Cousin need not be troubled. If you are unwilling to compromise your principles to attain certain things, then hold fast to your own integrity. Someday, someone will notice you—just like when you took first place in the Imperial College examinations. All you need is an opportunity, and if opportunities are lacking, we can create one."

Ye Shijie was momentarily stunned, unable to resist looking at Jiang Li. The smile at the corners of her lips remained, yet Ye Shijie felt it was different from before. The Jiang Li who had returned from Xiangyang seemed to have unburdened herself of something, or perhaps she had finally found her footing. The mask she used to wear had been gently peeled back by a layer, leaving her with fewer inhibitions.

She was becoming less and less like the former "Second Miss Jiang," nor did she resemble the gentle, magnanimous Jiang Li who came afterward. She was beginning to reveal a sharp, formidable edge.

What had changed her?

As he was pondering this, Jiang Li pointed ahead and said, "We've arrived."

Tong'er and Baixue went ahead to announce their presence.

Soon enough, Ye Mingyu's booming voice rang out from inside, "Ah-Li, Shijie, you two have arrived quite early!"

Jiang Li and Ye Shijie stepped into Ye Mingyu's courtyard.

Upon entering, they saw Ye Mingyu wiping Xue Huaiyuan's mouth while two guards held the struggling old man down, leaving Ye Mingyu flustered and overwhelmed by the commotion.

Stepping forward, Jiang Li said, "Let me." She took the handkerchief, signaled the two guards to release him, and gently soothed Xue Huaiyuan.

Gazing at her, Xue Huaiyuan gradually quieted down and sat obediently as Jiang Li meticulously wiped his mouth with the cloth.

Ye Mingyu let out a massive sigh of relief. "It's a good thing you have a way with him, Ah-Li. That nearly exhausted me to death."

Stunned by the sight, Ye Shijie asked, "This is..."

"This is Xue Huaiyuan, the former vice-magistrate of Tongxiang. He has lost his mind now. Fearing he might be silenced by assassins outside, Ah-Li brought him back to the estate."

Ye Shijie turned his gaze back to Jiang Li, falling into a daze.

Jiang Li loved to smile; a gentle, smiling curve always lingered at the corners of her lips, though whether that smile came from the bottom of her heart was impossible for outsiders to gauge. Sometimes Ye Shijie felt he could not truly understand Jiang Li. Every action she took had its own logic, yet viewed as a whole, it remained entirely incomprehensible.

Yet the smile the current Jiang Li wore before Xue Huaiyuan—of that, Ye Shijie could be certain—was genuine. Having witnessed the true Jiang Li, one could realize how thoroughly artificial her past smiles had been. As she carefully wiped Xue Huaiyuan's mouth with the handkerchief, the winter sunlight creeping across her profile lent her a pure and beautiful innocence he had never seen before.

"Lad," Ye Mingyu's voice suddenly sounded right beside his ear, giving Ye Shijie a violent start. Ye Mingyu leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "Well? Isn't our little cousin a beauty? Are you dumbstruck? Thinking of taking her as your wife?"

"Third Uncle!" Ye Shijie's face flushed bright red as he snapped in a sharp voice. He already knew this third uncle of his spoke without filtering and was thoroughly unreliable, but he hadn't expected him to dare make such a joke.

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore." Despite his words, Ye Mingyu wore a knowing grin, making Ye Shijie feel even more embarrassed and annoyed.

Having finished attending to Xue Huaiyuan and leaving him in the company of Tong'er and Baixue to play, Jiang Li walked over and asked, "What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing," Ye Shijie hurriedly replied.

"I was just saying how it's been so long since I last saw my nephew Shijie, and look how tall he's grown," Ye Mingyu stroked his chin with a solemn expression. "And look at him now—outstanding in appearance, young, and having earned a position as an imperial official through his own capability. A catch like this is hard to find even with a lantern. It's high time to find him a good wife. I wonder which family's young lady is blessed enough to secure my nephew Shijie? Don't you agree, Ah-Li?"

Blushing fiercely, Ye Shijie protested, "Third Uncle!"

"Indeed," Jiang Li smiled as well. "If I encounter a suitable young lady of a good family, I will certainly help keep an eye out for Cousin Shijie."

Ye Shijie and Ye Mingyu both froze for a moment. Ye Mingyu glanced at Ye Shijie, suddenly burst into a hearty laugh, scratched his head, and said, "Well, as for that, there's no rush. Establish your career first before settling down—no rush, no rush, take your time."

Ye Shijie remained silent.

"Uncle Mingyu, there wasn't any trouble at the inn last night, was there?" Jiang Li asked. Her main worry was that someone might make a move against the common folk of Tongxiang, though ordinary people certainly wouldn't stir up trouble in the current spotlight—doing so would be the equivalent of putting up a sign reading "we are guilty." However, Princess Yongning was no ordinary person. Arrogant, lawless, and accustomed to relying on Consort Liu and Prince Cheng for foolproof protection, there was no telling what sort of reckless stunt she might pull.

"Nothing happened. The person who came to report this morning said there were some noises outside last night, but when they went out to check, everything was quiet. I say, Ah-Li, aren't you worrying too much? This is right beneath the emperor's feet; who would dare commit murder here, especially with so many people involved? The commotion would be too massive—are they tired of living?"

"That's good," Jiang Li said, though inwardly she began to ruminate. The commotion last night was likely caused by Ji Heng's men stepping in to handle things behind the scenes. She trusted Ji Heng's operatives. Although making a deal with Ji Heng was akin to bargaining with a tiger, being able to borrow its might ultimately proved to be a profitable arrangement.

Ye Shijie remarked, "The Emperor has already ordered the Ministry of Punishments to hold a retrial. To be honest, for the beating of the grievance drum to achieve this much—compelling His Majesty to oversee it personally—completely exceeded my expectations."

"What's so strange about that?" Ye Mingyu said dismissively. "Shijie, you didn't see it. Those people from Tongxiang had it utterly miserable. Feng Yutang is a motherless bastard. The Emperor has to dispense justice for the people! We all risked taking fifty strokes of the heavy bamboo just to beat the grievance drum; once the Emperor heard of it, of course he had to step up for the common folk, right?"

"Third Uncle, you're thinking too simply," Ye Shijie said gravely. "Many things cannot be done simply because one is in the right. If handled carelessly, this case could cause even the Emperor to lose the people's trust; it's extremely tricky. I suspect the urgency isn't about the case itself, but rather about the person behind the case, am I right?" He looked toward Jiang Li.

Jiang Li smiled. Ye Shijie was maturing rapidly; from the very beginning, she had deemed this youth extraordinary. Though his tenure as an official had been brief, he was already grasping the underlying rules of officialdom.

"Indeed," she answered.

"What on earth was written in that memorial?" Ye Shijie asked. "You said there is a mastermind behind the Xue family case, and that person... must be the key reason the Emperor is personally overseeing the proceedings. Just who is that individual?"

The memorial submitted to the Emperor had not been written by Ye Shijie; rather, Jiang Li had drafted it, and Ye Shijie had helped present it. Ye Shijie had never read its contents and remained unaware of who else was implicated in the Xue family case. Yet he could sense that the crux of the matter lay with this very person.

"That's right, Ah-Li," prompted by Ye Shijie, Ye Mingyu remembered as well. "Didn't you tell me before that someone powerful and influential is pulling the strings behind the Xue family case, and that this person is the true mastermind? You said that once we reached Yanjing City, I would naturally find out. Can you tell me who it is now? I want to see which powerful scoundrel is so utterly shameless, holding such deep hatred for the Xue family that they went to such lengths to frame them!"

Jiang Li looked at the two of them, sighed softly, and uttered a single name.

"Princess Yongning."

...

Within the princess's estate, Princess Yongning shattered a teacup in her hand with a sharp crash.

She must have been consumed by fury; the sharp fragments of the shattered cup sliced open her hand, causing the surrounding servants to turn pale with terror. If anything happened to Princess Yongning, they, as servants, would be the ones to suffer the misfortune.

Shen Yurong waved a hand and commanded, "Go fetch the medicinal ointment for bandaging."

Only then did the servants let out collective sighs of relief, hurrying off with expressions of gratitude to find the medicine. Princess Yongning possessed a vile temper, and no one could ever tame her—save for Junior Official Shen Yurong of the Secretariat. When facing Junior Official Shen, Princess Yongning would rein herself in considerably, making life much more bearable for the servants. Junior Official Shen was gentle-mannered, kind-hearted, and never made things difficult for them; occasionally, when a servant made a mistake, Junior Official Shen would even intercede and persuade Princess Yongning not to be too hard on them. The servants in the princess's estate all felt that if Princess Yongning were truly to take this Junior Official Shen as her consort in the future, it would be a blessing for everyone in the household.

The medicinal ointment was quickly brought forward. Signaling for the servants to withdraw, Shen Yurong took Princess Yongning's hand, placed it upon his lap, and meticulously applied the salve to her wound.

Touched by his gentleness, Princess Yongning softened slightly. He was always like this—at times cold, at times considerate, leaving her entirely unable to see through him. Yet a lingering rage still burned within her heart as she hissed with hatred, "Jiang Li!"

Presently, the entirety of Yanjing City was abuzz with rumors that the Second Miss Jiang had brought a group of Tongxiang commoners to seek redress for the late Xue Huaiyuan. Yongning had been unaware of this earlier, as she had been entirely preoccupied with getting Consort Liu to facilitate her marriage to Shen Yurong. Consort Liu was hardly fond of Shen Yurong; after all, he had previously been wed, and despite his rising star, he lacked backing from a powerful aristocratic family. Consort Liu still hoped Princess Yongning would marry into a great clan of equal social standing.

Fortunately, Prince Cheng had also spoken on Shen Yurong's behalf, and Consort Liu had finally relented, planning to broach the matter with Emperor Hongxiao in the coming days. Although Emperor Hongxiao loathed Prince Cheng and his mother, he would never tear down the facade of civility on the surface. Furthermore, Emperor Hongxiao had long known of Princess Yongning's willful and reckless nature; as long as they insisted that Princess Yongning had set her heart on Shen Yurong and would accept no other, Emperor Hongxiao would find it difficult to forcefully intervene.

Believing the matter was completely foolproof, Princess Yongning had been joyfully preparing her wedding robes and consequently paid no mind to the affairs in Tongxiang. It was only yesterday, when Jiang Li returned to the capital, beat the grievance drum outside the Chang'an Gate, and secured the Ministry of Punishments' decree for a retrial that news reached the princess's estate, finally alerting Princess Yongning to the situation.

Princess Yongning flew into a towering rage, having assumed Jiang Li had long since perished in Tongxiang. When Feng Yutang had previously reported that Jiang Yuanbai's daughter had arrived in Tongxiang to investigate the Xue case and intended to clear the Xue family's name, she had instructed Feng Yutang to eliminate Jiang Li.

Regardless of Jiang Li's status as Jiang Yuanbai's daughter, Yongning held no fear whatsoever. For one, the Jiang family's influence had waned compared to former days; for another, Jiang Li did not enjoy special favor within the Jiang family. Tongxiang was far away, and who could know what truly happened there? Even if Feng Yutang were caught, she could send assassins to silence him, ensuring no evidence would ever trace back to her.

Yet Princess Yongning had never expected Feng Yutang to be so utterly useless—not only failing to kill Jiang Li, but actually allowing herself to be cornered by her. Even more unexpected was Jiang Li's audacity in leading the Tongxiang commoners to the capital to beat the grievance drum.

Upon learning the news, Princess Yongning had immediately dispatched men to the Chang'an Gate with orders to secretly assassinate Feng Yutang and silence him. However, Jiang Li's forces proved remarkably capable, and the assassins she sent had failed to achieve their objective.

Then, when night fell, Princess Yongning sent men once more, only to find the inn housing the Tongxiang commoners guarded with impenetrable security, causing her agents to fail yet again. Princess Yongning was no fool; she wondered how Jiang Li had managed to acquire such formidable guards—her bulky uncle was merely a pugilist from the jianghu and could never match her own operatives. At that juncture, Princess Yongning vaguely sensed that someone must be assisting Jiang Li from behind the scenes.

Though she wracked her brains, she could find no clue. Yet these repeated setbacks had stoked Princess Yongning's fury to its peak. She cared little whether Feng Yutang betrayed her name; he lacked both the courage and the evidence to implicate her. What truly enraged her was that Jiang Li had actually succeeded in rescuing Xue Huaiyuan.

That was Xue Huaiyuan—Xue Fangfei's father! Her intention had been to eradicate the Xue family completely; the escape of even a single member of the Xue family was enough to displease her!

Princess Yongning had always detested Jiang Li. Xue Fangfei played the zither brilliantly, and Jiang Li played it brilliantly as well; Xue Fangfei possessed exceptional literary talent, and Jiang Li had claimed top honors in the Mingyi Hall examinations. The similarities between Jiang Li and Xue Fangfei were simply too numerous, and every sight of Jiang Li only deepened Princess Yongning's aversion.

And now, Jiang Li had actually wrecked her plans by rescuing Xue Huaiyuan! It was utterly unforgivable!

"Yongning, let this matter go," Shen Yurong said softly.

Lifting her gaze, Princess Yongning stared at him and asked, "Shen Lang, what do you mean by that?"

"Do not meddle in the Xue Huaiyuan case any further. Even if Jiang Li has brought the Tongxiang commoners to lodge a imperial appeal, it cannot implicate you. Should you stir up further trouble, the outcome becomes unpredictable."

A knot formed in Yongning's stomach. She looked at Shen Yurong without a word.

She had never informed Shen Yurong about the Xue family affair; she had given her instructions to Feng Yutang regarding the imprisonment of Xue Huaiyuan entirely behind Shen Yurong's back, and whether he knew of it privately remained unclear to her. Still, Yongning guessed that Shen Yurong likely did not know, for given his disposition, had he known, he surely would not have stood by idly. He still harbored residual feelings for Xue Fangfei—how could he bear to watch Xue Fangfei's father suffer?

That Jiang Li had brought Xue Huaiyuan to the capital was a development Yongning rushed to suppress through assassination, driven partly by self-preservation and partly by a reluctance to let Shen Yurong find out. Of course, keeping it secret was impossible; the scandal had blown up so immensely that Shen Yurong was bound to learn of it sooner or later.

Yet for him to state this so calmly and gently... for some reason, it sent a shiver down Princess Yongning's spine.

He had known all along. He perhaps even knew of the instructions she had secretly given Feng Yutang regarding Xue Huaiyuan, yet for reasons unknown, he had chosen not to stop her, simply watching everything she did in silence.

Suddenly, a wave of confusion washed over Princess Yongning. Did this man truly love Xue Fangfei? If he loved her, how could he remain so merciless? And did he truly love her, Yongning? Would he treat her with the same chilling detachment one day?

"Yongning," his voice carried a rational gentleness, "I do not wish for anything to happen to you."

He rarely uttered such pleasant words. Although Yongning knew that a man of his vast learning and literary skill could craft eloquent prose effortlessly, he usually seemed miserly with sweet words—let alone terms of endearment or tender concern, which were rarities indeed.

Yet today, he had spoken them, looking at Yongning with sincere eyes.

Instantly, all the confusion and anxiety in Yongning's heart melted away, plunging her once more into the depths of his affectionate gaze.

"I simply find it strange," Princess Yongning mused aloud. "This is merely a minor local case. Even if Jiang Li brought people to beat the grievance drum at the Chang'an Gate, it shouldn't be enough to prompt an immediate retrial by the Ministry of Punishments. And even if a retrial were ordered, His Majesty shouldn't be overseeing it personally. Yanjing City deals with countless matters big and small every day; His Majesty cannot possibly attend to everything. Yet not only has the Emperor intervened, but he appears to be taking it extremely seriously."

"Shen Lang, you are intelligent. Can you figure out why the Emperor is doing this?"

Shen Yurong shook his head.

Truly, he had no idea, for the Emperor's actions were indeed abnormal. Unbidden, the thought arose in his mind: how wonderful it would be if Xue Fangfei were still alive. She possessed intelligence as sharp as ice and snow; consulting her on this might have revealed the truth.

Regrettably, there had only ever been one Xue Fangfei, and that person was already dead.

He had watched her die with his own eyes.

---

[Translator's Note / Footnotes omitted in translation to comply with strict English-only guidelines]