Dantai Ji hooked an arm around Cui Huaiyin’s waist and pressed his forehead to hers, his breathing slightly uneven, lacking some of his usual composure and restraint.
“You are mine, yet you have been avoiding me at every turn these past few days.”
Overwhelmed by his scorching breath, Cui Huaiyin was dazed and had no idea what she was saying.
“Yaoyao is here.”
Dantai Ji let out a soft laugh. “Yaoyao is in the side hall, far away from here, and she has already fallen asleep.”
Cui Huaiyin shrank back slightly. “I… I mean, this concubine…”
Dantai Ji said, “If Yin’er cooperates with me tonight, I will consider sparing the lives of everyone in the Gu family.”
The flush of embarrassment on Cui Huaiyin’s face deepened. “You…”
Dantai Ji’s large hand curled around her delicate, fair neck. His eyes held undisguised desire. “Does my beloved consort not want to?”
Cui Huaiyin’s body betrayed her, going limp as she gazed at the handsome emperor before her, utterly captivated.
Before she could decide how to cooperate, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
Then his breathing grew heavier. His lips moved downward and came to rest against hers.
After a brief pause, all restraint was lost.
The bed curtains swayed, and even the imperial bed creaked beneath their movements.
Water was called for four times at the Liangyi Palace, keeping the servants attending outside the hall busy all night and leaving none of them properly rested.
They had been occupied almost the entire night, but the emperor inside the hall had been even busier.
Wang Zhong ordered more water to be heated and wiped the sweat from his brow.
Consort Cui was truly formidable. When had the emperor ever been so vigorous? In the past, he had never managed four times—not even two.
It seemed that the emperor truly cherished Consort Cui. He simply could not get enough of her.
People really were different.
Just listen to the sounds coming from inside. The emperor was coaxing and pleading with Consort Cui. He was probably only a step away from getting down on his knees before her.
And inside the hall, Dantai Ji was already kneeling on the bed, his eyes bloodshot as he held his beloved woman and refused to let her go…
Early the next morning, Dantai Ji, being the model ruler he was, still rose on time.
His eyes filled with tenderness, he kissed the hand of the woman in his arms. When his gaze fell upon her fair shoulder, marked with red traces, he hurriedly looked away, pulled the quilt over her, and turned to leave. He lifted layer after layer of bed curtains and stepped out of the hall.
Wang Zhong had been waiting outside. When he saw that the emperor had risen, he could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
After staying up so late the previous night, His Majesty had still managed to rise on time, looking vigorous and entirely unwearied. The emperor truly was extraordinary.
Dantai Ji asked, “Did the princess sleep soundly last night?”
Wang Zhong replied, “To answer Your Majesty, the princess slept very well. She never woke once during the night and slept straight through until dawn.”
Dantai Ji gazed toward the side hall. His expression softened as he withdrew his eyes.
“To court.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
…
At court.
Several senior ministers jointly submitted a memorial, requesting that the emperor thoroughly investigate the slaughter of the Gu family’s relatives on the road to exile.
Grand Secretary Zhang Jianming stepped forward and said urgently, “Your Majesty! Gu Fuzhou’s family was massacred by bandits while being escorted into exile. The matter is highly suspicious. In this old minister’s view, someone must have deliberately ordered their deaths to silence them! I beseech Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!”
Grand Tutor Gao said, “This minister also finds the matter questionable. Gu Fuzhou’s family had barely left the capital when they encountered bandits. Those bandits knew they were criminals being exiled and had no money on them, yet they still killed them. They must have been acting on someone’s orders. Just who was so eager to wipe out the entire Gu family?”
Prince Rui said, “The matter has already been investigated. The Marquis of Zhenxi committed treason by colluding with the enemy and has defected to a foreign state. So many of our soldiers witnessed it with their own eyes—how could it possibly be false?”
The Minister of War said, “Whether it is true or false still requires further investigation. It is not for Prince Rui alone to decide!”
Prince Rui bowed toward the throne. “Imperial Brother! I am a prince of Great Zhou. I have practiced martial arts since childhood for the sake of protecting Great Zhou and its people! I cherish every one of our soldiers and would gladly die in their place. How could I wrong an honored hero without cause? I implore Imperial Brother to investigate this matter clearly!”
Dantai Ji rubbed his brow and spoke.
“This matter will be jointly investigated by the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, the Minister of Justice, and the Censor-in-Chief.”
The three men who had been named by the emperor immediately knelt and accepted the order, speaking in unison.
“We accept Your Majesty’s decree!”
The ministers who had suspected that something was amiss all breathed a sigh of relief.
With the Three Offices working together on the case, it was clear that the emperor attached great importance to it.
Given enough time, the Three Offices would surely uncover the truth.
After court ended, the emperor summoned the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, the Minister of Justice, and the Censor-in-Chief for a private audience.
He handed over the three bandits captured the previous day, along with the four constables who had fled.
“You must examine this case with the utmost care!”
The Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, the Minister of Justice, and the Censor-in-Chief replied, “We will not fail Your Majesty’s trust!”
…
When Rongyao awoke that day, she hurried off to find her mother.
She was just about to push open the door when Daoxiang stopped her.
Daoxiang coaxed her and tried to take her somewhere else to play.
“Her Highness has not risen yet. Shall we wash your face first, little miss?”
Rongyao looked bewildered. Glancing at the tightly closed doors of the main hall, she could only obediently follow Daoxiang to wash up.
She ate her fill by herself, and then her father returned.
Rongyao ran over and wrapped both arms around her father’s leg.
“Father! Father!”
Dantai Ji had been walking quickly and had not noticed his daughter at first. When she latched onto his leg, he looked down and realized it was his daughter, Yaoyao.
He gave a soft laugh, scooped her up, and asked, “Has Yaoyao eaten?”
Rongyao nodded vigorously. “Mm-hmm! I have. But Mother still hasn’t gotten up. Daoxiang wouldn’t let me go in and disturb her. Why hasn’t Mother woken up yet? Is she ill? Did Father frighten Mother sick yesterday?”
Dantai Ji raised a fist to his lips and coughed, his eyes darting away.
“Your mother and Father chatted for a long time yesterday and went to bed rather late, so she woke up late.”
Rongyao said, “Oh. Then let’s go see Mother together.”
Dantai Ji carried his daughter to the entrance of the main hall. Recalling the disordered scene inside, he suddenly stopped. After hesitating for a moment, he set his daughter down.
“Yaoyao, wait here. Father will go in and take a look first.”
Before Rongyao could agree, Dantai Ji quickly pushed open the door, went inside, and closed it behind him.
Rongyao stood outside the door speechless.
…
After waiting in the outer hall for a long while, Rongyao still saw no sign of her father or mother. Bored, she climbed into the chair where her father usually reviewed memorials and began reading.
Her father’s books were all excellent works. She could not understand most of them, but she was clever now and could commit the words to memory. She always felt that one day, after remembering them all, she would come to understand what they meant.
Before long, she became completely absorbed in her reading.
She had no idea how much time had passed before she finally saw her mother.
Her mother had already tidied herself up and dressed properly. Her face was flushed, like a peony blooming in spring.
Rongyao set down her book and ran over, wrapping her arms around her mother’s leg. Tilting her head back, she asked, “Did Father punish you last night?”
Cui Huaiyin’s eyes darted away as she tried to brush the question aside.
“No. Mother is fine. Your father has also agreed to let the Gu family stay temporarily at our estate.”
Rongyao’s eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably.
That way, the Gu family would not die. Gu Shen’an would not enter the palace and become a eunuch.
Once the Marquis of Zhenxi returned a month later, the truth would come to light.
It was all thanks to how clever she was now!
…
This day was an important one.
Even Princess Fuxi, who usually loved to sleep in, got out of bed before the appointed hour.
The results of the Spring Examination were being posted today.
Princess Fuxi was not the only one up early—Consort Cui had risen before dawn as well.
After all, her elder brother had taken this year’s metropolitan examination, and whether he had passed would be revealed on today’s list of successful candidates.
