At that moment, with no one else in the hall, Jing Wan’er suddenly knelt: “Please, my lord, grant me this favor.”
Pei Tan was even more perceptive than she had imagined. He had used the debt of gratitude to bind Zichan’er, forcing her to shelter Jing Wan’er. But the difference was that Jing Wan’er never believed saving a life gave her such a great claim over Zichan’er. Instead, she thought of Zichan’er as her eyes in Chang’an, someone who could pass messages for her.
Yet she could not destroy another’s life. Especially when she saw Zichan’er standing beside her husband, Jing Wan’er realized her presence had already disturbed the peaceful life this couple had built in Chang’an.
Pei Tan’s voice sounded above her: “You need not kneel to me.”
Jing Wan’er’s heart tightened. She was a palace maid—even though she had escaped, the sentence of death still hung over her. After a long pause, she drew a slow breath: “After this matter, Wan’er will submit to whatever judgment you give. Truly, the matter of a palace maid’s escape… after last night, Wan’er is already guilty of death. But since this touches upon the dignity of the palace, if my death alone can end it, Wan’er is willing to die.”
Her voice was soft throughout, her manner submissive. Yet Pei Tan’s eyes narrowed.
An escaped maid naturally concerned the palace’s honor. Especially if the total number of maids who had fled in the past five years were exposed, it would shake not only the court but all of Chang’an—and even the empire would laugh.
This was what Jing Wan’er meant: her single escape could still be covered up. But if all the escapes of the past five years were dragged into the light, the deaths would not stop with those hiding in Chang’an.
He remembered the witchcraft scandal years ago, how many were implicated, how corpses piled up in the palace. Thinking carefully, he knew this matter’s core was even more dangerous than that.
Pei Tan remained silent for a long time. Jing Wan’er was indeed clever—clever enough to find a weakness to “threaten” him even now. Her palms were slick with sweat, her body trembling slightly.
“I told you, you need not kneel to me,” Pei Tan said lightly. “Stay here. What comes after, we will speak of later.”
Jing Wan’er was stunned. She had not expected him to dismiss her plea so casually. She had no response. But she was certain of one thing: at least for now, Pei Tan would say nothing about her escape.
Whether it was disappointment or something else, Jing Wan’er could only obey. She rose slowly, realizing that the answer she sought from him now was impossible.
Pei Tan was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review in Chang’an. He could not so easily betray his duty.
“Pei Xian.”
At his command, Pei Xian appeared at the side door: “My lord.”
“Let’s go.”
Zichan’er and her husband also emerged, fearful and bewildered, watching as Pei Tan and his attendant walked to the door and opened it, leaving. Only the silent girl remained in the tavern hall, her expression tinged with sorrow.
Back at the Court, everything was solemn as usual. No one knew that a mysterious girl had come at dawn and departed quietly.
“My lord, why did you go out of your way to save that maid?” Pei Xian asked. It was unlike his master’s cautious nature.
Pei Tan’s expression did not change: “If the palace seeks to kill Jing Wan’er, nine times out of ten it is connected to Zong Huo.”
Therefore, Jing Wan’er must not die.
Pei Xian pressed: “But if she dies, would that not prove the conspiracy even more?”
Whether Jing Wan’er lived or died did not change the judgment in the case.
Pei Tan glanced at his attendant: “The corpse that died in Zong Huo’s place was also a servant of the Jing family.”
Thus, only Jing Wan’er could immediately understand the meaning of the tattooed human skin.
Pei Xian trembled slightly, realizing the implication: one member of the Jing family had already died for this—enough.
Pei Tan paced slowly to the window: “Perhaps this matter will become the key to solving the substitution case.”
Pei Xian turned silently: “I only fear the trail will lead back to you, my lord. If the palace cannot find the escaped maid, they will surely suspect those who entered the palace last night.”
Even though Pei Tan held the emperor’s token, there would still be records. Once checked, he could not escape scrutiny.
Pei Tan’s gaze was deep and shadowed: “Rest assured. They will not find out.”
The meaning of his words unfolded within the palace.
After searching all night, deploying both the Inner Guard and the Qian Niu Guard, the missing maid could not be found. They had no choice but to report to Palace Madam Cui.
Palace Madam Cui was shocked: “Impossible! How could she not be found!?” She fixed her eyes on the commander of the Inner Guard.
The commander’s expression was cold. He himself had led the search through the entire forbidden palace the previous night and had found no maid matching Palace Madam Cui’s description.
“Does Palace Madam Cui doubt the ability of the Inner Guard?” he sneered. In the Daming Palace, even a fly could not escape their grasp.
Palace Madam Cui dared not openly quarrel with the Inner Guard. She swallowed her anger bitterly. How could this be? Had that wretch truly sprouted wings?
The commander said icily: “A maid escaped from your jurisdiction and is now missing. How will you explain this to His Majesty?”
If the maid had been found, all blame could be laid upon her. But now, with no trace, Palace Madam Cui felt her limbs grow cold. The matter had slipped completely out of her control. Just yesterday, when she requested the Inner Guard’s help, she had sneered, thinking the girl had finally revealed her tail. Who would have thought that by dawn she would suffer such a blow?
Reluctantly, she admitted, “Unless she is no longer inside the palace, how could she not be found? Could she have accomplices?”
Otherwise, it was inexplicable. No matter how clever Jing Wan’er was, she could not escape the palace alone.
The commander turned sharply: “Check immediately whether anyone left the palace last night with a token.”
All carriages entering or leaving the palace were subject to inspection. Jing Wan’er could not have vanished unless a carriage had passed unchecked.
Cold light flashed in the commander’s eyes. He and the Qian Niu Guard personally went to examine the gate records. None dared conceal anything; the registers were produced at once.
The palace had eleven gates. At night, only those with imperial edicts or ranks of second grade and above could pass. After checking, only three gates had entries: Wenchang Gate, Danfeng Gate, and Guangji Gate.
The commander examined the Guangji Gate register. It recorded that Consort Shen had summoned three relatives to the palace, as she was newly pregnant. Emperor Zhongzong had specially permitted her family to accompany her.
The commander tossed the register aside and opened the Wenchang Gate record. It read: Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Pei Tan, entered by imperial command, departed after the hour of Yin.
The commander stared at the words “departed after Yin” for a long time. For a minister to remain in the palace overnight was rare. The Daming Palace was heavily guarded; ordinary officials could not linger without cause. He asked the Wenchang Gate guards: “Did the Minister spend the night in audience with His Majesty?”
The guard bowed: “No, my lord. Last night, the Minister wandered alone at Taiye Pool. This was witnessed by Eunuch Cai, who serves His Majesty.”
The commander’s face grew colder: “Night stroll at Taiye Pool?”
The guard lowered his voice further: “It is said… His Majesty approved it.”
Perhaps strolling at Taiye Pool was not suspicious in itself. But the commander had received reports that the area had been searched, and that Pei Tan’s barge had been noted. Such a barge could easily conceal someone.
The commander’s eyes grew ever colder. Then he opened the last register.
Prince Changle.
The three characters made his gaze tighten.
Danfeng Gate was one of the main palace gates. Only royalty could pass there. Prince Changle was the eldest son of Prince Teng, Li Yuanying.
Prince Teng, Li Yuanying, was a legend of the Tang dynasty. His *Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng* was recited by every Tang subject. And his son, Prince Changle, was like his father—a man of literary brilliance and charm. And charm, of course, meant indulgence.
The commander snapped the register shut. He pieced together the events of the night, linking cause and effect. He immediately opened Jing Wan’er’s portrait. Palace Madam Cui had prepared it in advance, distributing it to all units of the Inner Guard.
The painting showed a girl of delicate features.
The commander pondered: “Where did Prince Changle admire the moon last night?”
The Danfeng Gate guards shook their heads: “Prince Changle roams freely in the palace. We dare not question him.”
He was the son of Prince Teng, a member of the royal bloodline. Why should he report his movements to them?
The commander closed the portrait at last, struggling inwardly before saying in a low, firm voice: “From this moment, no one is to mention the missing maid again.”
At the Court of Judicial Review, Pei Xian was bewildered: “My lord, why are you certain they will not trace it back?”
Pei Tan stood at the window, gazing at the green leaves, his thoughts drifting far: “Last night was the fifteenth. Prince Changle also entered the palace.”
At the name, Pei Xian started in shock.
If there was anyone considered an anomaly in the tense political climate of the Tang dynasty, it was surely Prince Changle, Li Xiuqi.
Pei Tan’s expression was calm: “Prince Changle has always believed the moonlight in the palace surpasses that of the city streets. Thus, on every fifteenth night, he enters the palace to admire the moon. If the Inner Guard investigates who entered and exited the palace last night, they will inevitably find Prince Changle.”
Pei Xian was still somewhat confused: “Even if they discover Prince Changle, what of it?”
On the contrary, the prince’s noble status meant the Inner Guard would not dare suspect him. Their suspicion would instead fall upon Pei Tan.
But Pei Tan smiled faintly: “Who in Chang’an does not know that Prince Changle is a man of charm and indulgence? His residence is filled with countless beautiful slave girls. In such circumstances, if a beautiful palace maid goes missing, who would dare investigate further?”