Chapter 5

Chapter 5

She bet right.

She bet on Chi Yu’s affection for her, on his soft heart, on his inability to watch her die.

Chi Yu used his official merit to take the blame for Sheng Zhaoning, was demoted three ranks, fined half a year’s salary, and sentenced to two months of hard labor.

Sheng Zhaoning was stripped of her position as Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, but with Chi Yu vouching for her, she avoided exile and was taken back to her residence by her household.

There was no shortage of dissent in court, but seeing that the emperor seemed to tacitly approve, they fell silent one by one, no longer daring to protest.

Back at Sheng Mansion, Sheng Zhaoning shut her doors to visitors and holed up at home for nearly half a month.

During that time she saw no one; of course, her doorstep was truly deserted, as no one wanted to visit and catch her bad luck.

Until, as the year’s end approached, a plain carriage braved the wind and snow, traveled through quiet alleys, and stopped right before the gates of the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review’s residence.

“Our master said, no visitors!”

Inside the Chief Minister’s residence, a servant stood at the gate and said angrily.

Zhou Wei smiled apologetically: “Please, young sir, grant us a favor. Since Minister Tao is unwilling to meet, we won’t insist. However, we have something that must be delivered to the Minister. It’s of great importance; I beg you to pass the word again.”

The gatekeeper saw they weren’t pestering, relaxed slightly, glanced at the carriage, then snorted: “Wait here!”

Zhou Wei repeatedly said “Yes.”

The servant turned, closed the door, and was gone for a long time.

After a while, the door opened again, and the servant’s head peeked out.

“Come in, but only the servant may bring the item in. The one in the carriage need not alight.”

Zhou Wei nodded thanks, turned to a servant by the carriage: “Take the item and go in.”

That person lowered his head: “Yes.”

Holding a box, he walked to the gate; the gatekeeper looked him over, then stepped aside to let him in.

The servant led the way, guiding him to the rear courtyard.

This residence was a gift from the Late Emperor, not large, a two-courtyard layout, kept immaculately clean, simply arranged but elegant.

The two bypassed the front hall, passed through a corridor, and arrived at a quiet little room.

The gatekeeper stepped up and knocked: “Sir, the person is here.”

Two muffled coughs came from inside: “Let him in.”

The servant looked back, signaled with his eyes: “Go in.”

The person nodded, and carrying the box, entered the room.

The Chief Minister was frugal; the room’s charcoal fire was low, barely providing warmth.

He had been bedridden for months, the air smelling of medicine. Seeing someone enter, he struggled to sit up, leaning against the headboard, and looked toward the visitor.

His gaze paused, his graying eyes scrutinizing the visitor, and finally he sighed: “You came after all.”

The former official, once so distinguished, now had white hair and a frail, bony frame. Meeting his murky gaze, Sheng Zhaoning lowered her head and knelt, kowtowing heavily.

“Teacher…”

Tao Song stared at her for a long time, then coughed unsteadily, his voice hoarse: “You know I don’t want to see you. Leave.”

During the Palace Coup, she had stabbed the Crown Prince through the chest; this matter, deliberately spread by Wei Yi, was known throughout the court and the country.

Tao Song held loyalty and righteousness above all; in his heart, he already saw her as a shameless wretch who betrayed her master for personal gain, and he longed to kill her.

She remained silent, straightened her back, still clutching the box tightly.

“I know my sins are heavy, beyond redemption by a thousand deaths. Call me heartless, call me a betrayer-whatever you wish. I only beg for a name. I hope you will grant me this, Teacher!”

“Things have come to this; even if you knew, what use would it be?”

Sheng Zhaoning clenched her fists, nails digging deep into her palms.

“These are all letters exchanged with Prince Zhenbei from within the Capital City. Each one details the troop deployments of every city.”

“Why did the reinforcements never arrive? Why were the Capital City gates thrown wide open? Even the secret passage out of the palace was blocked! Every single matter-did I wrong him? How could he be worthy of living unharmed!”

The sandalwood box lay heavy in her palm. The letters were stacked densely together, a thick pile.

Tao Song received the wooden box with trembling hands.

He opened the letters one by one, reading from top to bottom without missing a single word.

With each letter he opened, his heart grew heavier. By the time he finished reading them all, his face had gone pale and his eyes were clouded with tears.

“It really was him, it really was him…” He clutched the letters tightly, weeping aloud. “Late Emperor, Crown Prince, this old minister has failed you!”

He bowed his head, striking his chest forcefully with his left hand, blow after blow.

Long before Prince Zhenbei’s rebellion, Tao Song had sensed that someone in the Capital City seemed to be communicating with him. But lacking evidence and suspecting he might be overly suspicious, he did not report the matter. He only mentioned it casually to Sheng Zhaoning and then continued to investigate in secret.

Later, when Prince Zhenbei suddenly raised an army, Tao Song was overcome with regret and anguish. Even though he had already guessed who it was by then, it was already too late.

“At this point, are you still unwilling to tell me?”

Tao Song’s face was buried in the letters, his body trembling with grief.

The reason she had not been told was that he had no proof, afraid he would wrongly accuse someone, afraid Sheng Zhaoning would madly kill everyone connected to the treason case and implicate the innocent.

He also feared that if she continued in such madness, it would eventually consume herself.

But now, with irrefutable evidence before him and his own remorse unbearable, why keep it hidden any longer?

Tao Song lifted his head, eyes bloodshot, and uttered the name, word by word.

…

After nightfall, the snow grew heavier.

After Sheng Zhaoning was dismissed, the servants and maids in the residence were all sent away, leaving only the guard Zhou Wei and one loyal maid by her side.

Jin He brought a lamp, replaced the nearly burned-out candle, and lit a new one by the bedside.

The gauze canopy hung low, enveloping the red sandalwood bed carved with crabapple blossoms. A twelve‑panel screen depicting clouds and water stood in a corner, partitioning off a space. Behind the screen, a bathtub was placed, steam rising, with a few osmanthus petals floating on the water, exuding a rich fragrance.

“Madam, the hot water is ready.” Jin He set out the bath beans and soap, placing them near the tub, then emerged from behind the screen to announce.

Jin He had not yet gotten used to the change and still instinctively called her “Madam.”

The person by the window turned back, the cool moonlight falling on her brows and eyes, casting a faint silver glow around her, adding a touch of chill.

She held her favorite hand warmer, her voice light. “Alright.”

Jin He knew she was not accustomed to being served while bathing, so she tightly shut the doors and windows and left.

Sheng Zhaoning walked to the table and sat down, a thick velvet cloak draped over her shoulders. The flickering candlelight made her silhouette appear even more frail.

She unlocked a wooden case. Bathed in the combined glow of candle and moonlight, it revealed a few lonely slips of bamboo inside.

Sheng Zhaoning picked up the one inscribed with “Xu Fu” and stared at it for a long moment. Then, with a cold laugh, she tossed it into the brazier, silently watching the flames consume it.

Not long ago, this case had been filled with a thick layer of such slips.

Now only these few remained.

She idly flipped through the remaining bamboo slips with her fingertips. One was blank and nameless; as her finger passed over it, her gaze deepened.

She picked up that slip, placed it on the table, lifted her brush, and carefully wrote a name, stroke by stroke.

-Master of the Ministry of War, Gao Qi.

Sheng Zhaoning tossed the remaining bamboo slips into the brazier together. Flames leaped up, dancing in her pupils, yet their scorching heat could not melt the frost in her eyes.

Her clothes fell away, and she sat in the center of the tub. Warm water enveloped her from all sides, seeming to dispel much of the chill from her bones. The fragrant, moist steam lingered at her nose.

Yes, she should have thought of it sooner.

Things like troop deployment and city defense maps were only known to those in the Ministry of War where they were hidden.

As Master of the Ministry of War, Gao Qi stole the deployment map, and with Prince Zhenbei’s aid, suppressed the letters summoning reinforcements from the capital. When the army attacked the Capital, he threw open the city gates and blocked the secret passage from the palace, trapping the Crown Prince inside.

Wei Yi, in order to protect him, did not reward him for his deeds, so Gao Qi remained quietly in the Ministry of War, overlooked by everyone.

This name-she had waited too long for it.

When the time comes…

how should I kill him?