Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Assassins…?

Qi Hanzhou’s expression turned stern. His trusted men filled the secret post, and he immediately sent someone out to keep watch before asking, “Tell me in detail.”

“Under your orders, I’ve been keeping an eye on Kunming Palace since the palace lantern incident. For a long time, there was no movement. Today, I followed the Empress’s female official to the Eastern Palace,” Ye Xuanjiu described meticulously. “The Eastern Palace is heavily guarded, and the Imperial Guard shouldn’t venture in rashly. I intended to scout a bit and leave, but as I got close, those assassins struck.”

Qi Hanzhou pondered. “Are you sure they were assassins?”

The thought of assassins near the Crown Prince sent chills down his spine. As the Crown Prince, the Eastern Palace had its own covert guards allotted by the imperial family to protect the heir. Ye Xuanjiu, having served in the Imperial Guard for years, understood the training secrets of royal covert forces. “I can’t yet determine their exact numbers, this subordinate, but royal covert forces aren’t so ruthless, and they are subject to restrictions within the palace. They wouldn’t show themselves unless the Crown Prince was threatened.”

The ones who attacked that day were different—their methods were vicious, and the weapons they used weren’t of royal make. Weapons within the palace were limited, yet these people dared to strike boldly to subdue enemies, their skills more befitting of the martial world’s schools… Such capabilities went beyond simple covert guards; they were likely privately trained assassins.

These assassins lurked within the Eastern Palace, yet the Imperial Guard, though frequenting the palace, had never detected them. If Ye Xuanjiu hadn’t followed the Empress’s maid in to investigate, who would have discovered such people hidden among the Eastern Palace guards?

“Is the Xu family so audacious?” Ye Xuanjiu was inwardly shocked.

“No, it’s not the Xu family,” Qi Hanzhou turned and said, sending men to cover Ye Xuanjiu’s tracks. “The Xu family is a clan of civil officials; it’s possible they could keep a few covert guards, but they can’t train assassins.”

“Should this be reported to His Majesty?” Ye Xuanjiu asked.

Qi Hanzhou shook his head. “Nothing was detected before, and without evidence, it would only alert the enemy.”

Since becoming a member of the Imperial Guard, Qi Hanzhou had been investigating matters within the palace. Before Ye Xuanjiu raised this, the Imperial Guard had also secretly inspected the Eastern Palace under the Emperor’s orders, and no assassins had stepped in to stop them back then.

Yet today, Ye Xuanjiu encountered them.

“You said you followed the Empress’s female attendant to the Eastern Palace?” Qi Hanzhou asked.

Ye Xuanjiu suddenly remembered something. “When the assassins struck, that female official was still inside the Eastern Palace! ”

Qi Hanzhou had known since the night of the assassination attempt on the Sixth Prince in Cining Palace that there were spies within the imperial palace. The sweeping actions to cleanse the court and country had become too aggressive, and the palace lantern incident showed that the mastermind was getting desperate, preparing to target the Sixth Prince. Now, assassins had appeared—not in Kunming Palace, but in the Eastern Palace.

It wasn’t just the female attendant that was problematic; the Eastern Palace itself had issues too.

…

Lively streets filled the capital, and the taverns bustled with gathered playboys. The Liu family, rewarded by the Emperor for the Jiangnan disaster relief, saw Liu Dafu rise to become a merchant favored by the imperial family. Even his son, Liu Dengke, known as Fatty, stuck out his chest, throwing a simple yet lavish banquet to celebrate.

While the noise filled the tavern, the private room upstairs was utterly silent. Ye Xuanjiu had just told Ying Fusheng about the assassins in the Eastern Palace. The room fell into a deep silence. Qi Hanzhou stood nearby, watching Ying Fusheng from the start of Ye Xuanjiu’s explanation. At the mention of assassins, a flicker of reaction passed across his face before he quickly regained composure.

Assassins? The Crown Prince has assassins?

Ying Fusheng thought of the False Crown Prince who had ultimately ascended the throne in his past life—how he had fought with the First Prince for years until the First Prince fell into decline, then staged a coup and executed all who had conspired against him.

The child swap… He had thought only a few knew about it.

Perhaps the Crown Prince knew, but it should have been after he had matured and gained strength… Yet if assassins were already in the Eastern Palace, did the Crown Prince, the heir, know or not?

Ying Fusheng clenched his fist tightly within his sleeve, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes.

Qi Hanzhou watched him, then spoke to pull him back to the present. “This Shuang Yue is not just a member of the Xu family.”

Ying Fusheng quickly hid his momentary lapse.

Shuang Yue—the highest-ranking female official in Kunming Palace, who had entered the palace with the Empress. She was deeply tied to the Xu family and was also the Empress’s trusted confidant. Such a person was fully capable of tampering with the palace lanterns and replacing the craftsmen who entered the palace.

She was the mastermind’s operative, able to act within the palace while being inseparably linked to the Xu family, monitoring all communications between Empress Xu and the Xu family. With her status, she could freely enter and leave the Eastern Palace without raising suspicion… A perfect pawn connecting three fronts.

So in his past life, after the Empress Dowager died, power fell into the Empress’s hands, leaving an opening for Consort Ning and other covert operatives to take advantage.

“Before coming here, the Qi family had already deployed a full network. From now on, every move she makes will be watched,” Qi Hanzhou said.

Ying Fusheng’s expression shifted slightly. He noticed Qi Hanzhou said ‘the Qi family,’ not merely the Imperial Guard.

Qi Hanzhou’s investigation was not limited to the court but extended to the inner palace. This hidden piece, Shuang Yue, could point to the target they both shared. Ying Fusheng’s mind raced—the successive elimination of hidden agents in the field had pushed the mastermind beyond his limits, forcing him to use the palace lantern frame-up, and now resulting in secret plots in the Eastern Palace.

In his past life, no matter whether it was the Youzhou City case Qi Hanzhou wanted to investigate or Ying Fusheng’s own manipulation of court politics, in the end, this person always hid behind the Crown Prince, watching and controlling everything from the shadows. But this life was different—the schemer now faced a Crown Prince whose wings were not yet fully grown.

As the two pondered, hurried footsteps approached outside the door.

Ye Xuanjiu, guarding the entrance, tensed, but saw it was a covert agent of the Imperial Guard. “Junior General! We’ve received word—the female official named Shuang Yue has left the palace!”

The few in the private room changed expressions slightly. This female official was undoubtedly closely tied to the mastermind behind so many recent plots. Following her, they could surely uncover other clues.

“A female official needs a seal to leave the palace. Where is she going?” Qi Hanzhou asked.

The scout answered, “Heading to the outskirts. Today seems to be the day Empress Xu returns to the palace.”

“No, the Empress’s return would have her own escort; Shuang Yue has no reason to leave the palace,” Ying Fusheng said. “Something’s wrong—there’s another reason that sent Shuang Yue to Huguo Temple to receive Empress Xu.”

Given this, they decided to follow and investigate.

Qi Hanzhou paused, seeing the person behind him rise from his seat and directly put on an outer robe. “I’ll go with you.”

Ye Xuanjiu was shocked. “Your Highness, this won’t do—”

“With Junior General Qi here.”

Ying Fusheng said, “I’ll stick close to you; I won’t act rashly.”

Qi Hanzhou glanced at him seriously, said nothing more, and silently agreed.

The Imperial Guard moved quickly, and a carriage was prepared.

Just as Ying Fusheng boarded, a veiled hat was placed over his head, covering him completely. Qi Hanzhou sat down beside him, gesturing for Ye Xuanjiu to speed out of the city. The Imperial Guard had special permits, and leaving the city was faster than using palace carriages. They would reach Huguo Temple before Shuang Yue.

The carriage raced along, the two inside in silence.

Ying Fusheng’s mind churned, his face dark.

The connection between Kunming Palace and the Eastern Palace, and how deeply the mastermind was entangled with the Xu family—these could only be gleaned from details about Shuang Yue.

“The Eastern Palace is overly wary of you,” Qi Hanzhou said.

Ying Fusheng paused at this, turning his head to look at Qi Hanzhou.

As their eyes met, Ying Fusheng felt as if the other man had sensed something.

But Qi Hanzhou said nothing more, reaching out to press the veiled hat firmly down on Ying Fusheng’s head. The face hidden beneath the hat betrayed no clear expression, yet he no longer felt inclined to dig deeper. From the puppeteer behind the scenes to the Eastern Palace, certain clues were beginning to emerge.

Ying Fusheng wiped the smile off his face; he knew Qi Hanzhou had sensed something.

The Imperial Guard had searched extensively but found no trace of the assassins, yet Ye Xuanjiu had stumbled upon them.

The simplest explanation was that Ye Xuanjiu had appeared in the Eastern Palace at the exact moment Shuang Yue and the Crown Prince were discussing something — a conversation that required the assassins to stand guard, ensuring that no passersby survived.

At that moment, the sound of a falcon flapping its wings came from outside the window.

Almost as soon as the sound stirred, Ying Fusheng looked toward the window, and his momentary flicker of unease did not escape Qi Hanzhou’s notice.

The falcon darted into the carriage and landed on Qi Hanzhou’s arm.

Qi Hanzhou suppressed his scrutiny, and when he unfolded the message, his expression shifted slightly.

“What is it?”

“It’s news from Huguo Temple.”

…

Inside Huguo Temple, Empress Xu finished her prayers and came out. Master Liaozhi followed behind, escorting the honored lady down the green stone steps to the mountain gate.

Master Liaozhi addressed her: “You seem more burdened than when I last saw you, Your Highness. Remember: only by keeping a clear mind can one find peace.”

She often dressed in plain clothes and wore a detached expression. On the surface, her mind seemed calmer than anyone else's, but in truth, the burden only grew heavier.

Empress Xu simply nodded, thanked the master, and turned to leave.

Her figure disappeared into the mountain forest. The master halted to see her off.

“Master, when will Her Highness come again?” a young monk who had a fondness for Empress Xu asked. Few other nobles from the palace visited, but Empress Xu had come every year without fail: “Her Highness is different from other nobles; she speaks very little.”

Liaozhi watched her receding figure. “Because the Empress has to.”

The Dayuan Dynasty had no need for a powerful Empress. When the emperor personally led military campaigns, the power of the imperial harem often remained with the Empress Dowager.

In a dynasty that revered martial prowess, civil governance was indispensable. That was why a noblewoman from an upright scholarly family became the Empress in the emperor's eyes.

Outside the mountain gate, a few scattered worshippers were burning incense. Not far away, a horse-drawn carriage was parked.

Empress Xu had only one maid with her. As they reached the mountain gate, she suddenly stopped and instructed in a low voice: “Wait here.”

Her personal maid said, “Your Highness, Shuang Yue sent word that she has left the palace and will be here in about half an hour to escort you.”

Empress Xu said, “I have a place to go before returning to the palace. Stay here. If Shuang Yue arrives, tell her I'll be delayed a little and she should wait.”

“Tell no one about where I'm going, not even Shuang Yue.”

Empress Xu's voice grew cold: “Do you understand?”

The maid was startled. “Yes!”

Empress Xu put on her veiled hat and boarded the carriage.

Birds flitted through the mountain trees.

The carriage drove downhill, turned at the foot of the mountain, and finally stopped beside a thatched shelter. The shelter looked unremarkable from the outside, but upon closer approach, a strange medicinal smell became noticeable. Years ago, the Crown Prince's health had been unstable. By chance, Empress Xu had met a physician living in the forest near Huguo Temple, and had him prescribe medication for the Crown Prince, which gradually improved his health.

This woman's ancestor was a famous doctor from the previous dynasty, and because of the change of dynasties, she has hidden her identity here, working as an itinerant physician.

Due to her special identity, she never tells anyone, and always comes alone.

The imperial court could not trace the source of Suihongzi, so she had no choice but to seek out this former dynasty physician outside the palace.

The whole situation with Weiyang Palace and Cining Palace had given her a persistent sense of unease. Even though the thorough investigation in the palace yielded nothing, she always felt she had overlooked something.

"The noble guest has arrived," said a stooped old woman as she came out. "The item you sent last time is indeed a kind of secret medicine from the previous dynasty, extremely rare."

Empress Xu's expression shifted slightly. "What do you mean?"

"This thing is called the Fengxinzi Gu, even rarer than the Suihongzi you sent before. It is a Mother-Child Gu. When the child gu enters the body, the poisoned person will suffer headaches or coughing, and the child gu can remain in the body for decades," the old woman said. "Generally, it's not a big problem, but if it comes into contact with the mother gu, it will rapidly worsen. Mild cases cause fainting; severe ones, death from the child gu eating away at them."

"The person you mentioned, does she have these symptoms?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Xu's face turned slightly pale. Maintaining her composure, she said, "Yes, she suddenly fainted but recovered quickly."

"That's right. In the herbal residues you secretly sent, there were remnants of the skin shed by the mother gu. This substance also has the same effect as the mother gu and is hard to detect." The old woman had also investigated for months without finding it. "Even I couldn't identify it until my granddaughter came recently and figured out what it was."

"You'd better be careful." The old woman squinted, her eyes failing; she hurriedly flipped through a few pages of a classic text and pointed to one of the plants. "The cultivation of Fengxinzi is especially tricky. Once the gu matures, it can't be moved. The child gu is manageable, but the mother gu will die once it leaves its growing place. The shed skin of the mother gu must be quickly used in medicine, otherwise, it loses its efficacy after two hours."

What does that mean... Empress Xu realized the problem.

"Kill the mother gu as soon as possible, or leave the place where the mother gu grows," the old woman said. "Otherwise, it'll be a problem if any of your elders come across it."

Empress Xu's expression tightened slightly. "Where does it grow?"

Seeing this, the old woman said, "A crop from Western Shu called Changxin. My Lady, keep an eye out for it."

Empress Xu was thoughtful. She thanked the old woman and then took her leave.

The carriage rolled away, and the old woman turned and walked into the mountains.

Deep in the mountains, hidden from view, a woman shifted her gaze to the noble who had already gone far. She turned to put the herbs into her basket and said to the approaching old woman, "In the capital, the only place where Changxin can be grown is within the palace walls. You know her identity but did not say it outright."

"You've been out in the world too long; your temperament is too direct."

The old woman said, "You need to understand that for some things, turning a blind eye can ward off disaster."

"That lady has a pale complexion, insufficient blood and qi. Looking at her face, she has blood deficiency, and her health is not good." The young woman ignored the old woman's lecturing tone and said nonchalantly, "Two consecutive secret medicines from the previous dynasty. I heard that the Empress almost failed to give birth to the Crown Prince back then. If she used secret medicines during childbirth, those imperial physicians in the palace wouldn't have noticed."

"If that were the case, the Crown Prince would have residual fetal poison." The old woman looked at her. Since the Empress asked her to secretly investigate the matters of the previous dynasty's secret medicines, she had paid attention to this, but Empress Xu's pulse after so many years was difficult to trace. However, there was one thing she still remembered. She said softly, "In earlier years, she brought the Crown Prince for a secret consultation. At most, it was damage caused by premature birth. I didn't detect any abnormal pulse, so it should be unrelated to the previous dynasty's secret medicines." Is that so... The young woman looked into the distance. Suddenly she saw a carriage passing in the distance. She quickly grabbed the old woman and pulled her down low. Her eyes kept looking far into the distance. She saw that after Empress Xu's carriage had gone far, another carriage stopped in front of the hut. This situation immediately alerted her: "Someone's coming."