A man followed several paces behind them, neither too close nor too far.
Dressed in crimson official robes, he wore a gentle expression and carried himself with the refined bearing of a true gentleman.
It was Tang Huaiyuan.
Wen Zhiyi wasn’t surprised to see him.
After all, wasn’t the reason her sister had asked the procession to slow down so they could wait for him?
Even so, she couldn’t help feeling annoyed.
“This road leads to Weiyang Palace,” she said coolly. “It doesn’t seem to be on Lord Tang’s way.”
Tang Huaiyuan had no intention of arguing with her.
His eyes never left the figure resting inside the imperial sedan chair.
“How is Her Majesty?”
Empress Wen didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she smiled gently, though the weakness in her voice was impossible to hide.
“Brother Huaiyuan, we’ve known each other for many years. There’s no need for formalities between us today. I only want to ask you one question.”
She looked at him quietly.
“Were those letters proving collusion with the enemy truly written in Father’s own hand?”
Tang Huaiyuan avoided her gaze.
His voice grew noticeably softer.
“For now, we have only confirmed that the letters recovered from the Chancellor’s study did indeed originate from Beirong. As for the intercepted correspondence that was supposedly sent to Beirong, we are still investigating who actually wrote them.”
The Empress lowered her eyes.
Seeing this, Wen Zhiyi no longer had any interest in speaking with Tang Huaiyuan.
“Her Majesty is in poor health and needs to return to Weiyang Palace to rest. Lord Tang needn’t trouble himself seeing us off.”
With that, she instructed the palace attendants to pick up their pace.
Tang Huaiyuan remained where he was.
He silently watched the two sisters disappear into the distance, saying nothing for a long time.
Only after they had entered the gates of Weiyang Palace did the displeased look on Wen Zhiyi’s face finally begin to fade.
Yunjian busied herself directing the palace maids to prepare medicine for the Empress while teasing Wen Zhiyi with a grin.
“What’s the matter, Your Highness? Are you upset because I only had Her Majesty’s medicine prepared and forgot yours?”
Wen Zhiyi couldn’t help laughing.
“Yunjian, you’re still bringing up my embarrassing childhood stories? Be careful, or I’ll ask my sister to punish you.”
Hongyi chuckled nostalgically from the side.
“Those days really were fun. Back then, you clung to Her Majesty wherever she went. If she had something, you insisted on having the exact same thing. Food and clothes were one thing, but when Her Majesty caught a cold and had to drink medicine, you demanded to taste it too.”
She laughed harder as she remembered.
“Her Majesty couldn’t refuse you, so she let you take just one tiny sip. The medicine was so bitter that you burst into tears. Your eyes were swollen like walnuts until the next morning.”
Pretending to be offended, Wen Zhiyi shot Hongyi a glare.
“Whose side are you on? Teaming up with Yunjian just to make fun of your own mistress?”
The girls immediately burst into laughter.
Even the Empress couldn’t help smiling.
Watching her sister laugh so freely, Wen Zhiyi quietly let out a sigh of relief.
She took the opportunity to persuade her gently.
“The most important thing right now is for you to recover your health. You must never kneel outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony like you did this morning again.”
She paused.
“As for Father’s case, nothing has been decided yet. I’ll find a way.”
The Empress leaned back slightly and looked her up and down with exaggerated surprise.
“You’ve been in the palace for nearly two years. Every day you’ve done nothing but stroll through the gardens and order new dresses, acting as though you didn’t have a single worry in the world.”
A teasing smile appeared on her face.
“And now you’re suddenly concerned about family matters?”
She laughed softly.
“Go on then. Tell me, what exactly is this plan of yours?”
“Do you remember what happened during the Spring Plowing Ceremony, when the villagers from Chen Village accused Father of seizing their homes and farmland?”
“Of course I remember. It only happened a few days ago. I also heard the village leader was murdered not long afterward.”
“Isn’t the timing far too convenient?”
Wen Zhiyi’s eyes narrowed.
“He filed his accusation before the Emperor, then was killed almost immediately afterward. His death just happened to give the Court of Judicial Review a reason to search Father’s residence.”
“That’s true,” the Empress agreed with a nod. “Even if someone wanted revenge against that villager, they wouldn’t choose such a sensitive moment. And something as important as treasonous correspondence, if it were really kept in Father’s study, would surely have been hidden inside a secret compartment.”
She frowned thoughtfully.
“But you specifically mentioned the Court of Judicial Review. Are you suggesting they orchestrated this?”
She shook her head.
“Minister Han and Father have disagreed on political matters before, but they hold no personal grudge. Besides, Minister Han is known for being upright and impartial…”
“I’m not talking about Minister Han.”
Wen Zhiyi accepted the freshly brewed medicine from Yunjian.
She carefully blew away the steam before feeding it spoonful by spoonful to the Empress.
“The one who personally discovered those letters in Father’s study…”
She looked up.
“…was Tang Huaiyuan.”
“Tang Huaiyuan?”
The Empress looked genuinely surprised.
“You suspect him?”
She frowned.
“As a Judicial Secretary of the Court of Judicial Review, it was his duty to search the Chancellor’s residence fairly. You can’t simply assume he has ulterior motives because he happened to be the one who found the letters.”
She gently shook her head.
“That’s far too hasty.”
“Besides, he is Father’s student. If Father is branded a traitor, Tang Huaiyuan’s own reputation will suffer as well.”
“Why can’t I suspect him?”
Wen Zhiyi replied firmly.
“I don’t know what his motive would be, but something just doesn’t feel right.”
She lowered the medicine bowl.
“Father valued him greatly. Sometimes he didn’t even avoid discussing official business in front of him. No one knew Father’s handwriting better.”
Her expression darkened.
“But today, when you directly asked whether those letters were really Father’s handwriting, Tang Huaiyuan deliberately avoided giving a straight answer.”
The Empress fell silent.
She had never once doubted Tang Huaiyuan’s sincerity in helping investigate Father’s case.
After all, the friendship they had shared since childhood couldn’t have been entirely false.
Yet his evasive answer today had planted a seed of unease even in her heart.
Her silence caused Wen Zhiyi to fall quiet as well.
Only after the bowl of medicine had been emptied did she finally speak again.
“Sister…”
She smiled awkwardly.
“Would you like a preserved fruit? It’ll help take away the bitterness.”
“It’s actually not that bitter…”
Before she could finish, the Empress seemed to remember something.
A self-mocking smile crossed her lips.
“I wonder how Aji is doing now.”
Wen Zhiyi quickly reassured her.
“Don’t worry. Since Father’s case hasn’t been concluded yet, only Father has been imprisoned for now. Aji and the rest of the family are merely confined to the residence.”
She smiled encouragingly.
“Their days may be difficult, but at least their lives aren’t in danger.”
“That’s enough for me.”
The Empress’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Aji has never been particularly close to either of us. Father also neglected him over the years, leaving him quiet and withdrawn. Whenever something troubles him, he keeps it bottled up inside.”
She sighed softly.
“Our family has suffered such an undeserved disaster. I don’t expect him to save us.”
“As long as he’s safe, that’s all I could ever ask.”
“He will be,” Wen Zhiyi said gently.
“I promise.”
That day, Wen Zhiyi stayed at Weiyang Palace for most of the afternoon.
Only after having dinner with her sister and lingering until nightfall did she reluctantly make her way back to Luanming Palace.
She had barely reached the area near Fuchun Garden when Lurao came to greet her.
“Mistress, Lady Ning has been waiting for you in Fuchun Garden.”
“What does she want?”
“It’s probably related to Chancellor Wen’s case.”
Beside the lake in Fuchun Garden, Ning Wuyu had been waiting at a stone table for quite some time.
A sealed letter rested on the tabletop before her.
Seeing Wen Zhiyi finally arrive, Ning Wuyu lifted her chin toward the letter.
“There.”
“See for yourself.”
Wen Zhiyi raised an amused eyebrow.
“What could possibly be so mysterious that Lady Ning had to wait here for me this late at night?”
Ning Wuyu rolled her eyes impatiently.
“Your father’s secret correspondence with the enemy.”