It was unknown when the rumors first leaked from the palace.
His Majesty intended to revive the Inner Depot, an agency from the previous dynasty.
In an instant, the entire royal court was in an uproar!
What was the Inner Depot? It was an existence that even the high-ranking figures of the previous dynasty feared, that made officials pale at its mere mention, and that commoners used to frighten their crying children into silence!
Its immense power, cruel tortures, and far-reaching influence were evident to all. To be precise, the Inner Depot of the previous dynasty was a secret intelligence agency that resorted to torture and forced confessions at the slightest provocation. In its later stages, rampant corruption and the monopolization of power led to countless unjust and false convictions. Even though it was a matter of the previous dynasty, whenever it was brought up today, the civil and military officials of the court still vehemently detested it, condemning it with both pen and tongue.
Currently, the court was plagued by both internal strife and external threats. For His Majesty to make such a move at a critical juncture like this caused widespread panic and unease.
On a deeper level, reviving the Inner Depot meant introducing a new faction into the game. The original balance of power would be shattered, and what would become of the court then?
Hmph!
Inside the solemn grand hall, the Emperor laughed out of extreme anger.
In an instant, everyone in the hall dropped to their knees. The man kneeling at the very front, clad in a python robe and golden boots, was none other than the Second Prince, Prince Su.
His Majesty was advanced in years, and his health had not been well. Ever since the Fourth Prince was executed, even though a Crown Prince had not yet been officially named, Prince Su had already been chosen by the Emperor to enter the center of power.
Please quell your anger, Imperial Father. Do not harm your dragon body.
I haven't even spoken yet, and these ministers are already rushing to petition. They certainly seem to know a lot, the Emperor said slowly, then waved his hand.
Everyone withdraw. Prince Su, stay.
The palace maids and eunuchs silently retreated, leaving only the Emperor and Prince Su in the hall.
Rise, Prince Su.
Thank you, Imperial Father.
The Emperor's cloudy gaze fell upon the son standing before him with lowered, submissive eyes. He was old, and even this son of his was already in his forties. As he aged, his facial features increasingly resembled the Emperor's own. When the Emperor was young, he had not favored this son and had thrown him into the military early on. Decades had passed, and to his disappointment, the sons he had favored had all proven useless. In the end, only this son was fit for great responsibility.
The Emperor let out a sigh. When he spoke again, his voice lacked a fraction of the Son of Heaven's majesty and carried a trace of an elder's benevolence. Second Son, I am old. From now on, the burden of safeguarding this empire will fall upon your shoulders.
The Second Prince dropped to his knees with a thud, his expression deeply moved. May Imperial Father enjoy boundless blessings and longevity, and live as long as the heavens!
The Emperor gave a low cough and closed his eyes. Enough, what are you getting so excited for? Stand up. You should be well aware of the court's reaction to the revival of the Inner Depot. I want to hear your thoughts on the matter.
The Second Prince rose, stayed silent for a moment, and then spoke. Imperial Father, regarding the revival of the Inner Depot, your son believes that in the long run, the benefits will far outweigh the drawbacks.
The Emperor did not speak. After a long while, the corners of his lips curled up. He gave Prince Su an approving look and slowly uttered, Very good. You are truly worthy of being my son.
...
An Sheng had not expected today's matters to be so troublesome. By the time he returned, it was already night. Seeing that the time for dinner had long passed, An Sheng hurriedly returned to his room, but there was no sound inside.
He entered the inner chamber and immediately saw A Mei lying on the bed, fully clothed. Walking closer, he realized she had fallen asleep. An Sheng raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the various pieces of jewelry scattered across the bed.
For a moment, he did not know what to say.
Originally, An Sheng had worried that A Mei might be bored without him by her side, so he had sent someone back after noon to bring her over. To his surprise, A Mei, who usually followed him around like a shadow, outright refused. She sent back word that she wanted to wait at home for her husband, telling An Sheng not to be distracted while he was out.
How considerate of her, An Sheng had thought at the time.
These pieces of jewelry were part of what A Mei had sorted out back in the storehouse of the Minjiang Prefecture relay station. At that time, they had received too many gifts. Not only were most of the items extremely valuable, but they were also difficult to carry. An Sheng had let A Mei pick out some of her favorites to keep by her side, while the rest were sealed in chests and secretly transported back to the capital.
A Mei usually did not wear these jewels, but whenever she thought of them, she would dig them out to admire them. After all, what woman didn't like sparkling jewelry? After finishing her meal, completing the homework An Sheng had assigned her, and practicing her calligraphy, A Mei saw that her husband still had not returned. With nothing else to do, she brought out the jewelry box her husband had specially gifted her to store these treasures.
She climbed into bed hugging the box, happily inspecting her little treasury. She laid them out one by one, looking at this one, touching that one. However, as she lay there, it became far too comfortable. A Mei's body grew languid, and eventually, she drifted off to sleep in a daze.
Vaguely, A Mei felt someone tugging at her clothes, and she heard a familiar voice.
Be good, take off your clothes. You'll sleep more comfortably.
In her hazy state, she heard her husband seem to sigh, his voice gentle yet helpless.
You're all grown up, yet you still act so much like a child.
Wave after wave of drowsiness washed over her. A Mei rolled over and fell back asleep.
An Sheng tidied up the bed, undressed her, tucked her under the covers, and left.
He still had a pile of official business waiting to be handled. A bit later into the night, feeling slightly fatigued, An Sheng pinched the bridge of his nose. Just then, Cheng Wu came in from outside to report that Lord Cui had arrived.
What good could possibly come from a visit this late at night? An Sheng's expression darkened even further.
As expected, Cui Gudao brought no good news.
As soon as Cui Gudao left, Cheng Wu stepped forward and handed An Sheng a secret letter.
After reading it, An Sheng's face turned terrifyingly gloomy. He cast a sidelong glance at Cheng Wu. Just a single glance, filled with undisguised ruthlessness and malice, was enough to startle Cheng Wu. He lowered his head and asked, Eunuch, is there some news?
An Sheng let out a cold snort, a mirthless smile on his face. Naturally, it's good news. With that, An Sheng drew a token from his sleeve and placed it into Cheng Wu's hands, telling him a person's name and a location.
Go give this to him. Tell him that it is time. He will know what I mean.
Yes! Your subordinate obeys!
A Mei was a restless sleeper who always kicked off her blankets. It was fine on normal days when her husband held her, but without him, she slept restlessly.
Finally, the faint sound of footsteps echoed outside the room. As the covers were lifted, she was scooped into a familiar embrace. Without even lifting her head, A Mei burrowed straight into her husband's arms. With a comfortable sigh, she finally felt secure enough to continue sleeping.
An Sheng was exhausted, but he couldn't fall asleep just yet. Holding A Mei's soft body in his arms, the tense strings of his nerves from the day finally began to unwind.
A Mei was sleeping soundly, her small mouth slightly parted. She curled up in An Sheng's embrace, her entirely unguarded and utterly dependent appearance falling into An Sheng's eyes.
An Sheng's heart swelled with an exceptional tenderness. He lowered his head and kissed A Mei's forehead, her cheek, and then her ear. An Sheng loved this warm and delicate touch.
His movements were very light, so A Mei remained completely unaware. To An Sheng, A Mei was young, pure, and natural. Such an adorable and soft creature truly made one unable to resist wanting to possess her entirely.
The agitation, cruelty, and bloodlust that had plagued him all day were finally soothed. An Sheng tightened his arms around her and slowly closed his eyes.
