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Yingyue glared at her. "Wherever Miss goes, we go. What's the matter? Are you planning to secretly return to the capital without her?"

"I wouldn't dare!" Ying Que pouted. "Miss Lian said that General Mu from the Mu family..."

Just as she was about to reveal the great secret she had extracted from Lian Yan, the sound of servants paying their respects echoed from the corridor.

Miss had arrived.

Ying Que hurriedly closed her mouth.

Upon entering, Rong Shu presented a list and said, "Chang Ji will escort us to Da Tong; it's better to bring ample medicine just in case." Behind Chang Ji was a squad of Imperial Guards, quite a numerous group, so they needed to be well-prepared with all necessary items.

Ying Que's tightly sealed lips parted slightly; Chang Ji was, after all, a member of His Highness the Crown Prince's faction.

"Miss, shall we return to the Capital?"

Upon hearing this, Rong Shu didn't even lift her gaze from the medicine chest as she continued to examine its contents. She said, "I am unsure as well. If you find joy and contentment in life outside, then that is what my mother and I wish for you. In that case, there would be no need to return."

Ying Que stole a sly glance at her.

The lady could find joy wherever she went; it was unlikely she would return.

On the twenty-ninth day of the first lunar month, news of a victory indeed arrived from Da Tong. Mu Rong, leading tens of thousands of elite soldiers, had driven the Tatar army out of Great Yin's borders.

When the report reached the Jingqing Palace, Wang Dehai's face crinkled with delight.

Emperor Jiayou's eyes also lit up with pleasure, and he rewarded the messenger who had brought the news.

Just as Wang Dehai was about to take advantage of the emperor's good mood to say something ingratiating, a familiar figure hurried down the jade staircase.

Fixing his gaze, Wang Dehai realized that the person was none other than Gui Zhong, who had been absent for quite some time.

This time, Gui Zhong had left the palace with many members of the Imperial Guards to carry out a secret order from Emperor Jiayou. Wang Dehai only vaguely knew that the order was related to the Great Compassion Temple.

Both Wang Dehai and Gui Zhong were loyal to Emperor Jiayou, and they had always gotten along well. Seeing the exhaustion on Gui Zhong's face, Wang Dehai brushed away his dust and approached him with a smile. "Victory has just been announced from Da Tong, and His Majesty is in high spirits. Come, Director Gui, let us enter the palace together!"

Gui Zhong, however, slowed his pace and gently shook his head at Wang Dehai, his expression unusually grave.

Wang Dehai's eyelids twitched, and he quickly halted his steps.

Gui Zhong turned around and gently pushed open the palace gate, carefully closing it behind him before giving Wang Dehai a subtle nod and entering.

Wang Dehai held his breath for a moment, tightening his grip on the whisk in his hand. Addressing the two eunuchs guarding the entrance, he said, "You're not needed here. Both of you, leave!"

Inside the hall, Emperor Jia You, upon seeing that it was Gui Zhong who had entered, put down the victory report in his hand and spoke warmly, "Have you found out?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Gui Zhong as he quickly approached and respectfully presented a sealed letter with both hands to the emperor.

Emperor Jia You opened the letter calmly, his expression unchanged.

Gui Zhong kept his eyes lowered, fixated intently on the golden bricks within the hall.

After a while, the emperor's fingers holding the secret letter slowly relaxed, and he sat quietly for a long time.

Maintaining his bowed posture, Gui Zhong waited motionlessly for the emperor to speak.

"Besides the Crown Prince, the Empress, and Master Fan Qing, are there any others aware of this matter?" Emperor Jia You's voice remained detached.

Gui Zhong bowed his head and replied, "No one else knows except Master Fan Qing, who overheard Princess Yun Hua and her wet nurse discussing this secret. When I left Daci'en Temple, Master Fan Qing locked himself in a small shrine and set it ablaze."

Emperor Jia Yu hummed in response. "Did he have any final wishes?"

"Master Fan Qing was aware that his crimes were unforgivable. He only implored Your Majesty to preserve the status of Daci'en Temple and spare his expelled disciple, Xuan Ce, who, according to him, was unaware of the matter involving the crown prince."

"I grant his wishes. Let Fan Qi, Master Fan Qing's junior fellow disciple, succeed him as abbot of Daci'en Temple, and it shall remain the primary national temple of Great Yin."

Gui Zhong acknowledged with a "Yes." Suddenly, he recalled someone and added, "Granny Gui from the Kunning Palace is also the Empress's wet nurse. She secretly delivered the auspicious fruit to the Eastern Palace that day. Presumably... she knows as well."

Silence descended upon the hall once more after his words.

Gui Zhong kept his head lowered, unsure of how long had passed until Emperor Jia Yu's calm, distant voice echoed above him. "Gui Zhong, come closer. I have a task for you, one that you must complete before you can return."

Dark clouds loomed, and snowflakes fell like bowls.

The white marble staircase was blanketed in snow, and a row of palace lanterns cast a dim glow along the corridor.

Wang Dehai stood motionless outside the door, straining his ears to hear what was being discussed between Emperor Jia Yu and Gui Zhong within the inner chamber.

Upon catching sight of the burdened expression on Gui Zhong's face and the sweat-soaked back, Wang Dehai knew that the matter the eunuch had reported was anything but ordinary.

The more significant the issue, the less he could afford to inquire.

As the door swung open, a bout of violent coughing erupted from within the inner chambers.

Wang Dehai exchanged a glance with Gui Zhong before swiftly entering. He noticed the bright yellow handkerchief clutched by Emperor Jia Yu, now stained with dark red blood. His heart skipped a beat, and he promptly retrieved a vial of medicine from the desk.

"Your Majesty, take the medicine quickly!"

Jia Yu's pale lips were tinged with a dark crimson hue, yet he calmly accepted the medicine. Raising his gaze slowly, he looked at Wang Dehai and said, "Gui Zhong did not visit the Qianqing Palace today."

Wang Dehai hurriedly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. Rest assured, only this old servant was guarding outside just now."

The emperor nodded, then discarded the bloodied handkerchief and the secret letter Gui Zhong had presented earlier into the brazier.

He watched as the confidential message turned to ashes, gradually closing his eyes.

News of the Mu family's great military victory soon spread like wildfire throughout the capital city.

Rong Shu had received a message the previous night from Elder Lady Mu, who had dispatched someone to inform her. Today, she specially visited the Residence of the Guardian General to congratulate the elder lady and bid her farewell.

Despite the freezing cold, the energetic elderly lady was practicing martial arts in the snowy courtyard. Upon learning that Rong Shu was about to depart for Da Tong, she couldn't help but remark, "Mu Rong and Nijing will return to the capital in April. Why not wait for two more months and travel back to Da Tong with them?"

Rong Shu poured a warm cup of tea for Elder Lady Mu and replied obediently, "The Shen family has purchased horse farms in Da Tong and Su Prefecture, and they are awaiting my arrival to select the foals. If I go earlier, I can make my choices sooner, and by next year, those foals might be put to use."