"A traitorous minister and rebel dares to discuss worthiness with me?" Emperor Huangze scoffed with disdain.
Consort Yi chuckled softly, "Your Majesty, you have likely failed to grasp one crucial matter."
"And what is that?" Emperor Huangze asked, looking at Consort Yi.
"You are a prisoner, what right or courage do you possess to speak to me this way? Should you not be contemplating how to appease me? Otherwise, I can easily deliver a cup of poisoned wine to Your Majesty's lips once more."
"You..."
"Your Majesty may refuse to drink, but I can force it down Your Majesty's throat, and Your Majesty will have no choice but to drink..."
"Wicked woman..." Emperor Huangze's fists clenched in anger.
Consort Yi's smile turned cold. She reached up and touched her hair ornament. "Wicked woman? As you say, so be it. Your Majesty, my patience is limited. Do not make me wait too long, or I will be displeased..."
"Your Highness, His Highness Prince Jing seeks an audience!" a palace maid's voice called from outside.
Consort Yi stood up and turned to Emperor Huangze, her voice chilling. "Your Majesty, reflect on my words. I shall return to inquire later."
"Get out..." Emperor Huangze hurled the jade pillow beside him to the ground.
Consort Yi was unfazed. With a scornful laugh, she walked out.
Emperor Huangze slumped back, as if deflated, his body going limp on the bed. His face was etched with infinite regret and remorse.
Suddenly, he heard a faint sound beside him. He turned his head and saw a shifting shadow behind the bed curtains.
"Who..." he couldn't help but ask.
The figure pulled aside the curtains and stepped forward, tearing off a human skin mask from their face. Tears welled in their eyes. "Father Emperor..."
His entire body trembled. With shaking hands, he reached out. "Am I... am I dreaming? Ah Ning, is that you?"
"It is I, Father Emperor, it is Ah Ning..."
"Ah Ning, my good child..."
Seeing her father's aged face, Xue Zi Ning felt a pang of heartache. She stepped forward and helped him up. "Father Emperor, Ah Ning will take you away from here..."
Her father stopped her. "Ah Ning, I can no longer leave."
"Father Emperor..." Xue Zi Ning's voice choked.
"Ah Ning, do not cry. Listen to your father finish speaking."
Xue Zi Ning looked at her father. He took a breath. "Ah Ning, the Imperial Seal is in the secret compartment beneath my dragon couch. There is also an imperial edict within."
"Father Emperor, you..."
"Ah Ning, your father does not wish for you to enter this bloody struggle for the throne, but your father has no other choice. Ah Ning, your father knows you will be a good ruler. Will you not disappoint your father?"
"Father Emperor..."
"Ah Ning, promise your father, will you?"
Seeing her father's urgent gaze, Xue Zi Ning finally agreed.
"Ah Ning, the way back is..."
"All of you, withdraw..." Consort Yi's voice suddenly called from outside.
"Ah Ning, quickly go..."
Xue Zi Ning had no time to ask further questions. She glanced at her father and whispered, "Father Emperor, take care!"
Leaving Yigong Palace, Xue Zi Ning dared not linger. She returned to Prince Jing's manor and slipped back into her room, finally relaxing as she lay on the bed.
The next morning, after Xue Zi Ning had gotten up and washed, Jiang Bei arrived and whispered, "Something has happened in the palace."
Xue Zi Ning's heart skipped a beat. She maintained a calm demeanor and looked at Jiang Bei. "What does what happens in the palace have to do with our Prince Jing's manor?"
Jiang Bei, thinking she knew nothing, continued, "His Majesty has passed away!"
Xue Zi Ning's mind went blank. She watched Jiang Bei babble on, but she couldn't hear a single word.
"Ning An, Ning An, what's wrong?" Jiang Bei also sensed Xue Zi Ning's strangeness and couldn't help but ask.
Xue Zi Ning, having regained her composure, shook her head. "I'm fine. Perhaps I didn't sleep well last night."
Jiang Bei looked at her, concerned. "Should we see a doctor?"
"I'm really fine. How did you know His Majesty had passed away?"
Jiang Bei lowered his voice. "I heard it from Sun Hao. He was assigned to guard His Highness Prince Jing last night."
"Then Sun Hao..."
Jiang Bei said, "With Sun Hao in that state, His Highness Prince Jing likely couldn't have done anything."
"How did His Majesty die?"
Jiang Bei glanced at her. "I heard it was bleeding from all seven orifices. Sun Hao only caught a glimpse before being chased out. It's said that His Highness Prince Jing and Consort Yi also had a major argument."
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "Let's end the discussion here. It's best if we know as little as possible about matters in the palace."
Jiang Bei nodded. "Don't worry, I know the limits."
"There's someone outside the door..." Xue Zi Ning suddenly said.
Jiang Bei stiffened. Just then, the manor's steward entered with men. Jiang Bei stepped forward and asked, "Steward, what is this..."
The steward glanced at Jiang Bei. "I am acting on His Highness's orders to check if anyone left their post without permission last night."
Xue Zi Ning slightly froze. Jiang Bei quickly said, "No one did, Steward, please investigate thoroughly."
The steward ignored Jiang Bei and fixed his gaze on Xue Zi Ning. "Where were you last night?"
"I was sleeping in my room," Xue Zi Ning replied.
Jiang Bei quickly seconded her. "I can testify."
The steward looked at Jiang Bei. "Weren't you on duty last night? You're testifying for him? How can you testify?"
Jiang Bei faltered. "Steward, what do you mean by that? Am I capable of lying?"
The steward snorted coldly. "I cannot say for sure..."
Jiang Bei became angry. "Steward, you..."
"Guard Jiang, I know you are loyal, but some things can be testified to, while others are best left unsaid. Otherwise, you might not even know how you died."
Jiang Bei trembled, looking at the steward, whose face was filled with mockery. He stopped looking at Jiang Bei and turned to Xue Zi Ning. "So, Guard Ning, no one can testify for you?"
Just as Xue Zi Ning was about to speak, someone rushed in from outside. "Steward... Steward, someone... someone else has died..."
The steward frowned and kicked the young servant who had just entered. He shouted, "What madness is this? What nonsense are you spouting?"
The servant now realized what he had said and his face turned pale. The steward coldly ordered, "Take me there."
Someone had died, which made the steward lose interest in Xue Zi Ning's matter. He took his men and left.
Jiang Bei let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, they've left. Ning An, you must be careful from now on."
Xue Zi Ning blinked at Jiang Bei. "What are you talking about? I never left."
Jiang Bei faltered slightly and then looked away awkwardly. "I... I know you are different from us. You... you need to be more careful." After saying this, he quickly left.
Xue Zi Ning frowned. Different? What was different? She had no idea there was any difference.
Xue Zi Ning saw the corpse an hour later. She hadn't expected Mr. Li to be there as well.