Chapter 15

Chapter 15

“Your Majesty is naturally the most benevolent and saintly person, and also the most fortunate.” Ao Chun said with veiled sarcasm, gave a malicious smirk at Wei Yi, raised his cup, and drank it all in one go.

Wei Yi’s face remained impassive, but a murderous intent flickered in his eyes.

Cai Zhou unhurriedly held up his cup and addressed the assembled officials: “Grand General Ao is right. Now the rivers are clear and the seas are calm, the times are peaceful and the harvests plentiful. This is both due to Your Majesty’s benevolence and the favor of heaven. On behalf of the entire court, I toast Your Majesty’s benevolence.”

Cai Zhou tilted his head back and drained the cup. Seeing this, the officials rose one after another and followed Cai Zhou in raising their cups in tribute.

For a moment, the cry of “Your Majesty’s benevolence!” echoed without end.

Ao Chun was so furious his face turned livid.

His gaze brimmed with unwillingness, and his eyes, full of ambition and provocation, looked upward to meet Wei Yi’s faintly smiling, indifferent ones. The silent smoke of battle began to spread the instant their eyes clashed.

……

Changhua Hall.

“Elder Sister Dan Qing, back so soon?”

On New Year’s Eve banquet, Dan Qing was one of the staff transferred from Changhua Hall.

At the hall’s entrance, Dan Qing held a square food box and smiled at the young eunuch by the door. “His Majesty praised this plum blossom cake at the banquet and specially ordered that a portion be brought back for the young lady.”

The young eunuch scratched his head and chuckled, “The young lady is truly blessed.”

He looked at the group following behind and asked curiously, “These elder sisters are…”

Dan Qing glanced back and patiently explained, “His Majesty will be spending New Year’s Eve with the young lady, so Eunuch Zhao specially ordered us to do a thorough cleaning.”

The young eunuch suddenly understood and immediately stepped aside. “Then you elder sisters should go in quickly, don’t delay the proper business.”

Dan Qing nodded, carrying the food box and leading the group of maids into the hall.

Inside Changhua Hall, the lamps were bright, warmth filled the air, and wisps of aloeswood incense floated. After entering, Dan Qing turned and instructed the palace maids, “Be careful, and the faster the better.”

The maids answered in unison and, holding their things, began cleaning in an orderly manner.

Dan Qing carried the food box into the inner chamber.

Tao Rui, who had been keeping watch by the bed, hurried over at the sight of her. “Elder Sister Dan Qing.”

Dan Qing set the food box on the table and glanced toward the bed. “The young lady has gone to sleep?”

Tao Rui looked in the same direction and saw only a thin silhouette behind the gauze bed curtains.

“She was reading a while ago. Perhaps she got tired, so she went to rest early,” Tao Rui said.

Dan Qing sighed. “His Majesty specially had me bring plum blossom cake, but it seems the young lady won’t get to eat it.”

Tao Rui looked at the food box and also thought it was a pity.

“Forget it. In that case, let’s not disturb the young lady’s rest.”

“Mhm.” Tao Rui nodded.

Outside, the bright moon hung high.

The young eunuch kept watch at the door. Beyond the high palace walls, he could not see the brilliant lights of Guangyang Hall; only faint strains of music could be heard.

After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Dan Qing and the palace maids came out one after another.

The young eunuch perked up. “All done so quickly?”

Dan Qing turned back to close the hall door, keeping out the cold wind.

“There wasn’t much to do, just a bit of dusting. It naturally didn’t take long.”

She glanced around, then leaned close to the young eunuch and lowered her voice: “I noticed the young lady seems in low spirits and has already lain down. If it’s not necessary, don’t let anyone in to disturb her. It’s enough to have Tao Rui watching alone.”

It was Dan Qing and Tao Rui who were normally responsible for guarding and attending to Sheng Zhaoning, so the young eunuch naturally trusted her words completely. “Elder Sister Dan Qing, rest assured. With me here, I certainly won’t let anyone disturb the young lady’s peace.”

Dan Qing nodded with relief and led the group to withdraw.

The guards stationed at the courtyard gate automatically parted to make way. The young eunuch stood at the entrance, gazing at the bright moon overhead, continuing to guard the palace door.

Meanwhile, at Guangyang Hall.

After three rounds of wine, everyone was somewhat tipsy. Before they knew it, the night had deepened.

Among the civil officials below the steps, an inconspicuous figure staggered to his feet.

The person next to him teased, “Vice Minister Gao, leaving already after just a little drink?”

Gao Qi’s steps were unsteady, his vision blurry. “I can’t hold it, I need to change my clothes.”

People kept leaving their seats and returning shortly after, so no one paid much attention to his departure.

With unsteady feet, Gao Qi staggered out of Guangyang Hall, his consciousness blurred.

His mind was a complete mess; he was incapable of even wondering when his alcohol tolerance had become so low. He didn’t know where he was going, his gaze vacant, wandering in a daze.

Until an extremely faint sound of music reached him, yet it was incredibly clear in his mind.

The sound was strange. Like a flute but not a flute, like a whistle but not a whistle.

But upon hearing the music, his eyes lit up with an intense glare, appearing extremely eerie in the night.

Gao Qi followed the palace wall, heading east. The further he went, the dimmer the surrounding lights became, until eventually there was no candlelight at all. Only the faint moonlight shone down on him, and on the empty, desolate Eastern Palace ahead…

The New Year’s banquet was about to conclude.

The New Year’s Eve banquet was a tradition passed down through three dynasties, usually ending early so that officials could return home to celebrate the New Year with their families.

Now that the banquet had lasted nearly two hours, it would be reasonable to end it.

Zhao Quan, who best understood Wei Yi’s thoughts, saw that the time was about right and was about to ask whether to end it now, but just as the words reached his lips, he suddenly saw a man in black with a sword at his waist appear at the entrance.

Zhao Quan’s gaze froze, and he stopped speaking.

In all of Great Wei, only the Shadow Guards who served His Majesty dared openly carry weapons in the great hall.

And this man, Zhao Quan recognized him. It was the Shadow Guard Leader-Han Xu.

Han Xu’s expression was solemn. Ignoring the gazes of those around him, he strode up to Wei Yi, bent down, and quickly whispered something in his ear.

Wei Yi’s gaze sharpened instantly. He clenched his fists and asked coldly, “Who was it?”

Han Xu knelt on one knee, lowered his head, and said quietly, “The person was very familiar with the estate’s layout and knew every defensive position like the back of his hand. He caused no great disturbance; only two men engaged him.”

He looked up, frowning at Wei Yi. “From the guards’ descriptions and the wounds, it’s likely… Zhou Wei.”

Ever since Zhou Wei disappeared, the Garrison and Pacification Office had been secretly searching for him.

Wei Yi had suspected that this matter was related to Sheng Zhaoning. Zhou Wei must have received her instruction to work for her. But what he hadn’t expected was that Sheng Zhaoning would be so bold as to snatch someone right under the nose of the Northern Garrison and Pacification Office.

He was so furious that he laughed. What a Sheng Zhaoning!

After pretending for so long, he thought she had learned her lesson, but it turned out she was still incorrigible.

He used the lives of the Sheng family as leverage, and she sent Zhou Wei to rescue them, trying to remove her weakness.

He absolutely would not let her have her way!

“Order the Shadow Guards: search the entire city, dead or alive!”