After a storm came a calm outside Sixiang Hut.

Emperor Jingxiao stood on the platform with his hands crossed behind his back, his eyes looking into the sky deeply.

After the rain, the breeze was slightly cool, blowing with moisture, which made the Emperor's robe billow and rustle in the wind.

Even his back revealed the solemnity and majesty belonging to the Emperor.

The day was drawing to a close, and the setting sun was as red as blood. The sunset in the west shed a scarlet glow on the yellow robe of the Emperor, like the blood gurgling all over the Emperor's body.

Since ancient times, all the Emperors, who stood at the highest position, held both the cruel knife and the brush in their hands, enjoying the blood-stained landscape of the state.

As an Emperor, he would never allow others to covet the hard-won position.

"The suspect in the mannequin case hasn't been found out yet?"

After a moment of silence, Emperor Jingxiao asked suddenly in a lukewarm voice.

Behind him, Leng Qingtang bowed with his hand folded.

"His Majesty, it's all my fault. After July 7th, the masked man was nowhere to be found. To arrest him as soon as possible, I've sent the five tribes to investigate day and night, and asked the investigation offices in every other province to set up defence. Once the criminal appears, he will be arrested on the spot."

The Emperor's eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes gradually turned cold.

"I want to catch him alive! I want you to bring him to my eyes so that I can see him clearly!"

The Emperor gritted his teeth secretly, and a voice in his heart reminded him from time to time.

All people who resisted him after knowing that thing must die!

"As your command, His Majesty."

Leng Qingtang smiled slightly and bowed, and there was a touch of coldness flashing across his phoenix eyes.

He was summoned into the Palace. On the way to Sixiang Hut, he was told about the ins and outs of the Emperor's scolding the Shenle Marquis.

Leng Qingtang was such a cunning person, so how could he not know the purpose of Wan Li's coming to the Elixir Chamber of High Priest?

As soon as the three officials in the Ministry of Works and the Privy Council were caught by the Eastern Depot, Wan Li and his father immediately came to sound the Emperor out on the pretext of offering a treasure. It could be seen that the case of Baishui Gate and the case of the Zheng clan both had something to do with the Wan clan.

Throwing a stone to clear the road really worked.

The next thing he, Leng Qingtang, was to fan the flames and use Emperor Jingxiao's violent and suspicious character to make him fight against the Wan clan and kill each other...

At this time, the Emperor asked again.

"Has there been anything circulating among the people these days?"

The nerves in Leng Qingtang's eyebrows fluctuated slightly. He had prepared for it for a long time, so he said slowly.

"His Majesty, I did hear some gossip. Our action this time involved a wide area of the capital, and it might have disturbed the people and caused a lot of dissatisfaction among them."

"However, since the establishment of the Eastern Depot, it has been its mission to eradicate the crafty sycophants. So even if I am misunderstood and cursed by those who don't know the truth, I won't care about that for the state and you, His Majesty."

He didn't say much, but his words delivered too much information.

In front of the Emperor, Leng Qingtang not only expressed his loyalty as a courtier firmly, but also implied those who were against the Eastern Depot and always came to the Emperor to snitch were traitorous courtiers who were really unfaithful to the Emperor.

Emperor Jingxiao turned around, his yellow face facing the humble courtier. His eyes focused directly on the handsome face in front of him sharply, as if he had owned a mysterious power that could penetrate his body and see through his heart in an instant.

"No one talked about the case of Zheng Family twelve years ago?"

Feeling the Emperor's sharp eyes at the top of his head, Leng Qingtang kept indifferent and replied calmly.

"His Majesty, don't worry. Since the death of Bian Mofei twelve years ago, the rumors have died away then. If there are rumors again, whether in the court or outside the Palace, I will punish the rumor makers severely and stop the rumors to make you rest assured."

Emperor Jingxiao paused for a moment. Then he nodded and showed a satisfied smile on his face.

"Great. Great. I trust you!"

The name "Bian Mofei" was really mentioned at the right time, as if to remind Emperor Jingxiao of another piece of the past.

The Emperor would not forget that when he had just become the Emperor, in order to end all the troubles, he sent people to secretly kill Zheng Ran's family. Shortly afterwards, he intended to kill the former Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot who had secret contact with Zheng Ran then.

And the person who investigated Master Bian was the Chiliarch of the Eastern Depot at that time, Leng Qingtang, the apprentice of Master Bian.

Soon, the Emperor got the news of the tragic death of Master Bian in the Royal Prison. He appreciated Leng Qingtang's cruelty and promoted him to take over the position of Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot.

Emperor Jingxiao walked forward and passed by Leng Qingtang, kept thinking.

Indeed, since Leng Qingtang took over the Eastern Depot, he had been loyal to the imperial family.

He had dealt with complicated cases repeatedly. And after he was wronged and sentenced to flogging the year before, he still worked hard and secretly investigated in order to solve the case of the switching of damsels and Provincial Administration Commissioner's corruption in Muyang when he was recovering from his wounds in the mansion.

Being suspicious of such a loyal person could make him a narrow-minded and fatuous Emperor.

Then he thought about Shen Kun, Sun Yuan, and Ding Qiwei again. Heroes of the state? It was ridiculous.

Could they arrogantly regard themselves as "heroes of the state"? Could they swagger and do whatever they wanted? Could they even threaten me with the four words of "heroes of the state" just because they helped me seize power?

Did they think I was as blind as a bat and I dared not handle them?

Emperor Jingxiao knew that for the stability of the dynasty, some past events were destined to become undisclosed secrets. And only the dead could keep the secrets forever!

His turbid eyes were bloodshot. He raised his eyes faintly, and said coldly.

"Since Shen Kun, Sun Yuan, and Ding Qiwei have pleaded guilty, the case should be over then. I will exterminate every one of their families. Lady Qi is a daughter of the Ding clan, so I'll give her a cup of poisonous wine to kill herself. You can leave now. I'll go back to Qinming Hall to draw up the decree."

"As your command, His Majesty."

After bowing in salute, Leng Qingtang left. A smile loomed on his face, which looked sinister and proud.

The Emperor was going to kill those three people. After the imperial edict was issued, it would be a great blow to the Wan clan and the members of their clique. Between them and the Emperor, there would be mutual suspicion and estrangement then certainly.

When they fought against each other, he, the Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot, could profit from that. From then on, he would take another step forward to the day of revenge.

...

Time flew. In a blink of an eye, it was in the middle of August and it had been more than half a month since Gu Yunxi entered the Palace.

Early that morning, Gu Yunxi dressed neatly and walked into the Main Hall of Chuxiu Palace.

She was grateful to Concubine Xu who rescued her from the Imperial Ceremony Office. After more than ten days of recuperation, the wounds on her body had healed, but the scabs had not yet disappeared. While it did not affect her returning to work to serve Concubine Xu.

Holding a tray with a cup of herbal tea on it, Gu Yunxi respectfully stood in front of Concubine Xu, bowed her knees in salute, and called her in a light voice.

"Your Grace."

Seeing her here, Concubine Xu's eyes shone and she said joyfully.

"Why you come out? Have your wounds healed? There is not much work to do here. If you feel unwell, you can rest for a few days."

"Your Grace, I'm alright now. It's at the end of the summer, so I made apricot and pear herbal tea for you to cool down."

Gu Yunxi stepped forward obediently and put the herbal tea in the hands of Concubine Xu. She then knelt down, and said sincerely.

"Your Grace, you saved my life, and I will never forget that. I will do everything to repay your kindness."

As she spoke, she kowtowed. Her forehead hit the ground, which made a loud bang.

Concubine Xu looked calm. She looked at Gu Yunxi kowtow and then said.

"Stand up. You don't have to thank me. Actually, I confronted the Imperial Ceremony Office this time not for you, but for myself."