Chapter 118
Bang!
On a quiet afternoon, the sudden sound from the imperial study shattered the stillness. The two guards standing outside exchanged glances, then quickly turned their heads away, standing motionless like statues, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Inside the study, the emperor’s face was pale with fury. He stood up, one hand pressed against the desk, gripping a few booklets beneath his palm. His cheeks twitched with agitation, and his breaths came in sharp, heavy gasps.
Eunuch Yu hurried forward, patting the emperor’s back, pouring tea, and helping him sit down. “Your Majesty, please calm yourself. Don’t let your health suffer from anger.”
The emperor reluctantly took a sip of hot tea, his breathing slowing just slightly. His complexion shifted from pale to ashen as he gave a low, harsh command: “Summon Hou Qianxing!”
Shangguan Ye sat nearby, unfazed by the emperor’s reaction. He leisurely sipped his tea, appearing entirely at ease. Murong Qiufeng, sitting beside him, seemed somewhat influenced by his calm demeanor. Though less anxious than before, he remained reserved and silent.
Watching the emperor seethe with rage, Murong Qiufeng couldn’t help but feel a flicker of sympathy, along with relief that Shangguan Ye was not the one sitting on the throne. Being an emperor, after all, was far from a pleasant role.
The emperor struggled to steady his breathing. After a while, he signaled Eunuch Yu to collect the documents. His voice, though strained, softened slightly as he turned toward Shangguan Ye and Murong Qiufeng. “We owe you both a great debt this time. But tell me, how did you know An Lanxin had hidden something? Did you notice anything else suspicious?”
Shangguan Ye raised an eyebrow, clearly disinclined to speak. His displeasure with the emperor’s interrogative tone was evident.
Murong Qiufeng sighed inwardly and stepped in to answer. “Your Majesty, it was a coincidence, really, a discovery made by chance. However, there is another matter…”
He hesitated, uncertain whether to continue. Revealing the truth might deal a cruel blow: to learn that the woman sharing his bed and enjoying his favor was not the one he believed her to be.
The emperor noticed his hesitation. His heart skipped a beat, and a cold unease crept through him. His face turned ashen, and he clutched his chest. “Speak,” he rasped. “Whatever it is, I can bear it.”
Murong Qiufeng cleared his throat awkwardly and cast a sidelong glance at Shangguan Ye. The latter leaned lazily on his hand, his lips curling with an amused, almost gloating expression. Murong Qiufeng sighed again and steeled himself. “Your Majesty, we were at Consort An’s residence earlier because she led us there herself. But…the woman we encountered was not the same An Consort currently imprisoned.”
“What…do you mean?” The emperor’s voice trembled. “Are you saying there are two Consort Ans?”
“We can’t be certain yet, Your Majesty,” Murong Qiufeng answered cautiously. “We have no solid proof.” He then recounted the events of their encounter in meticulous detail.
The emperor’s expression darkened with each word.
Just then, Hou Qianxing arrived. The door swung open, and Hou entered hurriedly, surprised to find Shangguan Ye and Murong Qiufeng already there. “Your Majesty. Your Highness,” he greeted with a bow.
“Rise, Hou Qianxing,” the emperor said, waving his hand weakly. His energy seemed sapped, leaving him rubbing his throbbing temples.
“Your Majesty,” Hou Qianxing ventured, “what would you have me do?”
“Take a look at these,” the emperor instructed, gesturing toward Eunuch Yu.
The eunuch brought over the documents and handed them to Hou Qianxing, who began reading them with growing alarm.
The blue-covered booklets listed newly appointed officials from the past year—an ordinary enough record on its surface. What chilled him, however, was the additional column marking each official’s nationality.
Hou Qianxing’s hands grew clammy as he counted: more than two hundred individuals, the vast majority of whom were foreign nationals. These officials held strategic positions, some directly overseeing sensitive information or vital resources.
“Your Majesty…” Hou Qianxing’s voice faltered. “If this is true, then our nation’s security is gravely compromised.”
The emperor squeezed his eyes shut, breathing deeply before exhaling with measured restraint. “I can now trust only a handful of you,” he said bitterly. “What are your thoughts?”
Anguish gnawed at him. He was the emperor, yet the enemy had infiltrated his court, his land, even his bed. He felt like a blind man groping along a cliff’s edge.
Hou Qianxing drew in a shaky breath. “Your Majesty, these infiltrators couldn’t have gained such positions with forged documents alone. They must have had help from someone high up.”
His mind raced through the implications. The ruined Du family, the disgraced An family, the assassinated prime minister—these weren’t isolated incidents but puzzle pieces forming a grim portrait of treachery.
The emperor shifted his gaze toward Shangguan Ye, his eyes betraying a mixture of weariness and gratitude. If not for the prince’s return from the borderlands, prompted by an anonymous letter about treason within the court, these revelations might have come too late.
That letter, as it happened, had been obtained by the assassin organization known as the Skykill Pavilion. One of its members, Shun, had accepted a contract to kill a minor official. The payment was suspiciously generous, which piqued Shun’s curiosity. Investigating further, he uncovered the letter and took the official to Shangguan Ye.
Shangguan Ye had reported the matter to the emperor and rushed back to Lucheng, facing numerous ambushes along the way. It was during one of those ambushes that Murong Qiufeng saved his life, an act of kindness that laid the foundation for their current partnership.
The emperor opened his eyes again, the fire of resolve rekindled beneath his exhaustion. “We must root out this conspiracy, no matter the cost,” he declared, voice low but firm.
Shangguan Ye set down his teacup and smiled faintly. “Well,” he said, “let the game begin.”
