“A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to Zalina, Arie, Hui Yen, Alketa, Julie, Piotr, Catherine, Mandy, Lia, Kara, Jan Loise, Maria, Laura, Vesna, Aileene, Jenifer, Tatjana, Ivy, Justine, Felicity, Chloe, Arsenia, Zobayda, Ashley, Olena, and Dung Hanh for your incredible support! ?✨ Many of you have been here time and time again, and I can’t even put into words how much that means to me. Thanks a million for sticking around and being part of this journey—you’re the best! ???”

The name has been updated from ‘Wen Renlin’ to ‘Wenren Lin.’ Apologies for the error.

Chapter 61: Acting Coquettishly

The “Crown Prince” had just narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. To maintain appearances for the outside world, Zhao Yan decided to feign illness and stayed in bed for two days.

Early the next morning, news arrived from the Kuning Palace.

“This servant greets His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The female official, He, bowed outside the hall and said, “Her Majesty has been accompanying the Emperor these past two days and truly could not break away. Upon hearing of the danger Your Highness faced, she specially sent this servant to visit you.”

Zhao Yan, draped in a robe and reclining on the couch, guessed that Official He had a message to deliver and waved her hand to dismiss the attendants.

“What orders does Her Majesty have?” she asked.

Only then did Official He clasp her hands and step into the hall, reporting in a low voice from behind the screen, “Your Highness, the Imperial Guards have just reported the casualties from the collapse of the Star-Gazing Pavilion. One overseer and three laborers died, and nineteen were injured.”

This was because the collapse occurred during the midday meal break, when most of the craftsmen and laborers were resting in their shelters. Otherwise, the number of casualties would have been much higher.

Zhao Yan loosely held her robe together and asked, “How are Censor He and the others?”

“Censor He has impeached the demonic Taoist for causing chaos in the world and colluding with court officials, firmly requesting that the Emperor severely punish them. However, the Divine Light Master died at this critical moment. During this morning’s discussion in the Taiji Hall, the Emperor was furious. He stripped the Imperial Guard Commander Gao Jian of his rank and ordered him to be caned forty times. Additionally…”

The female official paused before continuing, “Additionally, Censor He was also caned.”

“Caning a censor? Why?” Zhao Yan sat up slightly.

The Divine Light Master had died under the arrows of the Imperial Guards, so it was understandable that Commander Gao, who was in charge of the Imperial Guards, was punished. But what was the reason for caning Censor He?

Official He shook her head and said, “Her Majesty dares not presume to guess the Emperor’s intentions. We only know that the Emperor ordered Prince Su to personally oversee the punishment, with all officials present to witness it. It seems he was truly serious.”

“How is Censor He?”

“Her Majesty has sent someone to inquire. Elder He’s wounds look severe, but no bones or tendons were injured.”

That meant Wenren Lin had ordered his men to show mercy.

Zhao Yan’s mind was clear. After a moment of thought, she asked, “What did His Majesty say before ordering the court caning?”

“The Emperor said that as soon as the Star-Gazing Pavilion collapsed, Censor He’s memorial was presented before him. Does Censor He possess some divine ability to foresee this disaster? It seems he had planned this long ago, with ulterior motives.”

“Did the officials not try to dissuade him?”

“They did. This morning, the entire court knelt in protest. But the Emperor only said one thing…”

Official He glanced around, then stepped forward and repeated, “The Emperor said, ‘Are you all trying to force me to issue an edict of self-reproach?’”

These words clearly revealed the Emperor’s stance: if he were to destroy the Divine Light Sect, which he himself had nurtured, it would be akin to admitting fault to the world. And the dignity of an emperor would never allow him to bow and concede to his subjects.

Thus, he could only direct his wrath toward those outside the Divine Light Sect, silencing the court officials.

No wonder Wenren Lin had said to her last night before leaving the Hegui Pavilion, “For now, stay away from court affairs.”

Her mother had specifically sent Official He to relay the events of the Taiji Hall, undoubtedly to urge her to assess the situation carefully and avoid being swept into the turmoil of the confrontation between the emperor and his ministers.

“I understand Her Majesty’s intentions,” Zhao Yan said.

Zhao Yan had no grand ambitions. From the beginning, her only wish had been to light a solitary lamp and seek the truth for Zhao Yan.

Now that the Divine Light Master was dead, her path forward remained.

Zhao Yan hugged her knees and lost herself in thought, unconsciously recalling the scene from last year beneath the Changqing Gate, where Wenren Lin, clad in a red robe and black cloak, calmly wiped the blood from his fingers.

Back then, he had said that public executions were meant to intimidate the court.

This time, he had spared Censor He’s life. Could it have been out of consideration for her?

Amidst these successive upheavals, what was his stance? A bystander, or… a schemer?

This thought had barely surfaced before Zhao Yan shook it from her mind.

At that moment, Liu Ying entered the hall, interrupting Zhao Yan’s thoughts. “Your Highness, Commander Gu has been to the Dali Temple. There are already leads on the assassin from yesterday.”

Zhao Yan collected herself and quickly asked, “Did they confess?”

“Two were captured alive. One died from severe injuries during the interrogation, and the other revealed little. The details are all here.”

With that, Liu Ying pulled a confession from her sleeve and spread it before Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan glanced over it, then smiled faintly. “They’re just hired killers who don’t know who employed them? Who are they trying to fool? From the moment I seized half of the account book at the Tongtian Pavilion to the assassination attempt on the ‘Crown Prince’ impersonated by Li Fu, less than an hour passed. There was no time to hire assassins on the spot.”

“Your Highness means that someone present at the banquet, a court official, must be behind this.”

“Most likely one of the families implicated in the account book, desperate and lashing out.”

Liu Ying immediately understood. “This servant will inform Commander Gu to pressure the Dali Temple and intensify the interrogation.”

“No need. Since he’s a dead soldier, further interrogation won’t yield anything.”

Handing him over to Wenren Lin might pry open his mouth, but Zhao Yan didn’t want to trouble him with such a trivial matter. She wasn’t the type to rely on others for everything; she preferred to solve things herself whenever possible.

Propping her chin on her hand, she thought for a moment and soon came up with an idea: “Tell Gu Xing to spread the news that the captured assassin is being held in the Dali Temple prison, and that the assassin has already revealed some clues about the employer.”

Liu Ying was puzzled. “The mastermind holds a high position of power. If they learn that there’s a live captive in the Dali Temple prison, they might try to silence him, just like they did with the Divine Light Master.”

“That’s exactly what we want.”

Zhao Yan got up from the couch and stretched her sore, slender waist. “Only if they try to silence him will we be able to follow the trail and uncover the truth.”

Liu Ying suddenly understood. “This servant understands. I will make the arrangements immediately.”

“Wait.”

Zhao Yan pondered for a moment. “Censor He has been caned, and the palace physicians surely wouldn’t dare to defy the Emperor’s orders to treat him. The old man has had a hard time, and he’s doing this to repay a favor to me. Take some golden wound medicine and blood ginseng to him, and make sure he recuperates properly.”

Liu Ying bowed. “This servant understands. I’ve already instructed Li Fu to handle it.”

…

As night fell, a half-moon hung low over the mountainside.

A sparrowhawk flapped its wings and soared past the eaves. Zhang Cang approached with a bow, bringing the latest news.

“Your Highness, after the Emperor punished several censors, some eunuchs began spreading rumors that the collapse of the Star-Gazing Pavilion was a punishment from the heavens for the Great Xuan’s lack of sincerity in worshiping the gods. The Emperor tacitly allowed these rumors and not only plans to hold an extravagant sacrificial ceremony to appease the gods but also suggested recruiting young women of age to serve as nuns in devotion to the deities…”

As he spoke, Zhang Cang clicked his tongue and sighed. “The national treasury is empty, and the disaster relief funds for Luozhou haven’t even been fully raised yet. Several officials in the Ministry of Revenue are so stressed they’re on the verge of hanging themselves. Where will the money for this sacrificial ceremony come from? A group of remonstrating officials knelt outside the Taiji Hall, including even Left Minister Li Kexing. It’s likely to cause another uproar.”

Wenren Lin, dressed in a dark green robe, sat under the lamplight, his deep features unreadable.

Everything was unfolding as he had predicted. The collapse of the Star-Gazing Pavilion was like a spark, destined to ignite a wildfire. He understood the man sitting on the dragon throne all too well.

However, this was still far from enough.

Wenren Lin gently stroked the jade pendant at his waist, his tone calm, almost indifferent. “Find an opportunity to spread the Emperor’s intentions to Luozhou.”

Luozhou was the hardest-hit area in the recent flood, with thousands of acres of farmland destroyed and countless homes washed away. The people there were waiting for the court’s disaster relief to save their lives. If they learned that their life-saving funds and grain were being diverted by the court for sacrificial ceremonies and to support Taoist priests…

Zhang Cang shivered, not daring to think too deeply about it.

“By the way, Your Highness, Cai Tian also mentioned something,” Zhang Cang added. “His Highness the Crown Prince has spread the news that the assassin is being held in the Dali Temple prison. It seems he has some plan in mind.”

Wenren Lin chuckled.

The little Crown Prince always managed to apply what he had learned from him so effectively, and now he was already using the strategy of luring the enemy with such finesse—though, of course, matters of romance were an exception.

“Just protect him in secret. No need to intervene,” Wenren Lin said.

As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward the bustling palace city in the distance, settling on the brightly lit Jiafu Tower in the Eastern Palace. He asked casually, “What day is it today?”

Zhang Cang looked up at the sky, stroking his stubbled chin as he thought. “The seventh day of the seventh month. Today is the Qixi Festival. The palace ladies and female officials are all climbing towers to worship the moon, which is why the palace is livelier than usual.”

Wenren Lin narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling the slender figure under the moonlight, her delicate face bathed in a soft, moonlit glow, so beautiful it seemed almost unreal.

Two days without seeing her, and he already missed her.

Zhang Cang noticed his master absentmindedly stroking the mutton-fat jade pendant at his waist. He squinted at it and, against his better judgment, praised, “Your Highness, this jade is exquisitely carved! This dog with its two ears and four short legs looks so lifelike. It’s clear that the person who gifted it to you put great care and skill into it!”

Wenren Lin turned his head to look at him, his gaze calm and penetrating. “Well said.”

Zhang Cang, scratching the back of his neck, chuckled awkwardly. “This humble servant just has a habit of speaking the truth…”

“Your salary for the next half month is docked. Go home and get your eyes checked.”

With that, Wenren Lin turned and descended the stairs.

Left standing alone on the platform, Zhang Cang scratched his head in confusion. “Wait… why? That jade clearly has an ugly dog carved on it!”

Meanwhile, at the Jiafu Tower in the Eastern Palace, Zhao Yan personally lit a palace lantern and hung it from the beam using a long hook.

Gazing into the distance, the night was as dark as ink, and the capital’s sea of lights stretched endlessly, with no sign of a response from the Mirror Tower of the Mingde Hall.

Zhao Yan turned to look at Huo Zhenzhen who was trailing behind her like a little tail, and sighed helplessly. “Tonight is Qixi Festival. Shouldn’t you be in the palace accompanying your aunt and the other ladies? Why are you here with me?”

“I missed you, Brother Crown Prince, so I came to see you!”

As she spoke, Huo Zhenzhen held out the assortment of Qixi pastries she had brought. “Since Zhao Yan and that sly fox Liu aren’t here, no one would bring you these. Here, let’s make some together.”

The last time Zhao Yan had made Qixi pastries was back at the Huayang Palace.

Feeling a spark of interest, she washed her hands and sat down with Huo Zhenzhen behind the low table, flattening the glutinous rice dough and wrapping it around the filling.

Huo Zhenzhen pressed the dough into the mold with the heel of her hand and asked, “Huh? Brother Crown Prince, don’t you usually like sweet fillings? Why are you making crab roe ones?”

Zhao Yan’s fingers paused for a moment, and she quickly came up with an excuse. “These are for my sister.”

The “sister” the Crown Prince referred to was naturally Princess Changfeng, who was far away in Huayang.

Huo Zhenzhen pouted, clearly displeased. “I knew it! You only have eyes for your dear sister! If only my parents had given me a gentle and caring older brother like you, someone who always thinks of me and protects me.”

Zhao Yan couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Huo Zhenzhen envied her, but didn’t she also envy Huo Zhenzhen in return?

“Your parents cherish you like a precious jewel. Isn’t their love enough for you?”

“Enough? When my parents are together, they don’t even let me get close! Sometimes they shut themselves in their room all day and only come out when the maids bring water for washing. Who knows what they’re doing in there… I can only stay with my wet nurse, and there’s no one my age to talk to.”

As she spoke, Huo Zhenzhen handed the molded pastries to Liu Ying, instructing her to bake them in the small oven nearby.

Zhao Yan frowned at her own lopsided, leaking crab roe pastry. After hesitating for a while, she placed it on the oven as well, unsure what kind of monstrosity would come out of it.

“Brother Crown Prince, your birthday is in ten days. How do you plan to celebrate?”

Huo Zhenzhen changed the subject, propping her chin on her hands and looking at him eagerly. “How about inviting a troupe of performers to liven things up?”

Birthday?

Ah, that’s right. A year had already passed.

Zhao Yan lowered her eyes. Ever since that heavy rain at the Huayang Palace last year, every birthday she celebrated had lost its meaning.

Rather than indulging in these hollow festivities, she longed to leave the palace and visit Zhao Yan’s… unmarked grave.

Seeing her remain silent for so long, Huò Zhēnzhēn grew puzzled and was about to ask when Li Fu came upstairs and said, “Your Highness, Princess Chang has come to take you back to the estate.”

“Got it, got it.”

Huò Zhēnzhēn waved her hand, momentarily forgetting what she had wanted to ask. She leaned in and said, “Brother Crown Prince, I’ll head back now! Don’t forget to eat the pastries once they’re done!”

Zhao Yan, imitating Zhao Yan’s gentle demeanor, nodded and stood up. “Alright, take care on your way back, Your Highness.”

“No need to see me off, I’ll go downstairs myself.” With that, Huò Zhēnzhēn lifted her skirt and descended the stairs with a light step, the sound of golden bells tinkling as she went.

Zhao Yan stood on the Jiafu Gate Tower, leaning against the railing as she watched Huo Zhenzhen dressed in a pale golden skirt, flit like a carefree young bird into the arms of her father, Huo Feng.

Huo Feng opened his arms and caught his daughter with ease. Princess Shoukang, her face filled with adoration, gently smoothed the stray hairs at her daughter’s temples.

As Zhao Yan watched, lost in thought, a tall shadow approached from behind.

Zhao Yan suddenly turned and looked up, nearly bumping into Wenren Lin’s chin.

Wenren Lin reached out and placed a hand on Zhao Yan’s forehead to prevent her from colliding with him. He chuckled softly, “What are you looking at, so entranced?”

Following Zhao Yan’s gaze, he saw Huo Feng spinning his daughter in a circle before setting her down gently and leading his wife and child to their carriage.

Understanding dawned on Wenren Lin, and he slightly raised his arms, opening them in an inviting gesture. “Come here.”

Zhao Yan felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance at having her secret exposed. She took a step back. “What are you doing?”

Wenren Lin didn’t answer. Instead, he reached out, grabbed Zhao Yan’s wrist, and pulled her into his embrace.

The night breeze brushed past, and the stars and moon were silent. Zhao Yan’s cheek pressed against the cool fabric of Wenren Lin’s robe, feeling the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.

It was a silent, grounding embrace.

Zhao Yan’s eyes widened in surprise. It was like something she had longed for as a child but never received, and now Wenren Lin had suddenly given it to her. Beyond the shock, there was also a sense of awkward unease.

Wenren Lin, however, didn’t give her a chance to pull away. One arm wrapped around her waist, while the other gently ruffled the top of her head.

“Grand Tutor’s embrace can also be used for occasional pampering, Your Highness.”

His amused voice seemed to resonate from deep within his chest, making Zhao Yan’s cheeks burn.

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