The flying snow fell silent, and all sounds faded into stillness.
The sun's shadow gradually climbed higher, and the trees' shadows stretched past the flying eaves, casting the interior into deep, murky gloom.
Nan Rao was still unconscious, sinking limply into the man's arms, with only a stretch of snow-white, smooth nape exposed, tangled in her disheveled black hair, rising and falling with each breath.
The people who surged in from behind all lowered their heads, not daring to look further.
Pei Ling said nothing, only tightening his hold on the woman's shoulders, lifting her with ease as he rose and stepped into the inner chamber.
Seeing this, Yan Zhan hurriedly followed with small steps.
Pei Ling gently laid Nan Rao flat on the soft couch and lowered his head to look at her again.
She was still breaking out in cold sweat.
In his memory, that bright, radiant face was now obscured by wind and dust, her lashes hanging with tears, her lips pale, her breath scorching hot—like a fire licking at him wave after wave.
Seeing this, an indescribable panic stirred in his heart, and he shut his eyes tightly.
It was a long while before he calmed his thoughts and regained his composure, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat from her brow.
Yan Zhan, seeing the Prime Minister's actions, hurried forward and proactively offered his own handkerchief. It was then that he noticed Nan Rao's lips moving, murmuring unconsciously. Leaning closer to listen, he realized she was calling out "A-Xun" over and over.
He couldn't help but startle, instinctively glancing at the Prime Minister's expression.
Pei Ling's lashes drooped low, and he said nothing.
Back then, who didn't know that Prime Minister Pei Ling and Princess Huayang were the most envied couple under heaven?
Pei Ling had entered officialdom very early, brimming with talent, a young orphan-minister renowned across the realm. At the age of twenty, he was enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed Prime Minister, commanding all the officials—one could hardly call that anything less than riding the crest of success.
Across the entire court, no one could match him.
And Princess Huayang, Xiao Lingzhang, was the youngest daughter of the late emperor, born of the Empress herself—of imperial blood, noble beyond compare.
Had she not suddenly encountered that assassination and fallen off the cliff, she would never have been separated from the Prime Minister for years, drifting outside, enduring hardship, worn down into this half-dead state.
Nor would she have called another man her husband, completely forgetting the Prime Minister.
Yan Zhan sighed inwardly with regret.
Pei Ling extended his slender fingers, gripping Nan Rao's wrist tightly, and with a slight exertion of force, pried open her hand that clutched the scissors.
He said coldly, "Go see if the physician has arrived."
"Yes, yes."
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Yan Zhan quickly went out.
Soon, the physician arrived.
After carefully examining her, the physician rose and reported, "My lord, this lady previously caught a chill from wind-cold and failed to tend to it. Over time, the pathogenic heat sank inward, and her qi and blood became deficient, causing the persistent high fever. Under emotional agitation, she suddenly fainted. Additionally, she seems to have some old ailments—it appears she suffered a serious illness in the past, and after recovery, lingering roots were left behind."
Pei Ling listened to the long explanation with furrowed brows, his gaze landing on the woman's pale, gaunt face.
Lingering roots.
A serious illness.
What exactly had she experienced these five years?
"Is it severe?" he asked in a cold voice.
The physician carefully weighed his words: "The pathogenic heat sinking inward, if delayed too long, could threaten her life. Fortunately, it was discovered in time. I'll write a prescription for her to take, and within two or three days, the fever should subside. As for the old ailments, they will require gradual recuperation in the future."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Zhan quickly interjected, "What medicine should she take, and how should she recuperate afterward? Write out the prescription for me right now."
He gestured to the physician, who bowed respectfully and followed Yan Zhan out.
Only the two of them remained in the room.
Pei Ling stared fixedly at the unconscious Nan Rao, his expression shifting between light and shadow, his gaze veiled in a thin mist, unmoving for a long time. The candlelight flickered, but it could not rival the luster rising in the depths of his eyes.
Outside the window, the north wind howled bleakly, and snow fell like willow catkins. Her face was so pale it seemed she might melt into the snow.
He couldn't help but reach out, tidying her clothes and hair, then checking her body for any conspicuous scars and her fingertips for calluses.
Only after confirming everything did he finally relax a little.
Just then, Yan Zhan came back in from outside.
"Prime Minister."
"What is it?"
"Wang Che has arrived and is waiting outside."
Pei Ling's expression turned cold. This Wang Che, though nominally one of the Nine Ministers in charge of justice and punishment, was in truth a timid, slippery, cowardly man. Had he not come personally today, she might well have died of illness in the prison.
He turned to leave, but his steps suddenly halted, and he added one more instruction with lingering concern: "Boyu, keep an eye on her. Later, prepare a carriage to take her back."
Yan Zhan had served as the Prime Minister's chief clerk ever since Pei Ling became Prime Minister. Though their relationship was one of subordinate and superior over the years, Pei Ling governed with leniency and called him by his courtesy name in private.
Yan Zhan hesitated: "I have something to say… I'm not sure whether I should say it…"
"Speak."
"Times have changed. In the eyes of others, the Princess has been dead for five years after all. To suddenly reveal her identity and bring her back like this would likely stir no small amount of controversy. I believe the timing is inappropriate. Moreover, the Princess is now entangled in the Duan family case and has lost all memory. If you do this—first, the case will face complications; second, she may not appreciate it."
At the words "she may not appreciate it," Pei Ling couldn't help but lower his gaze to the scissors in his palm that he had taken from her.
She truly did not recognize him anymore.
When Yan Zhan had previously mentioned her memory loss, Pei Ling had not fully believed it—not until he saw with his own eyes her kneeling before him, clutching a pair of scissors and staring at him with the look of one who would rather shatter into pieces than yield, all while calling another man her husband.
Pei Ling's expression turned extremely grim, and he said nothing.
Yan Zhan noticed the change in the Chancellor's demeanor and continued, "It was my poor arrangement that caused this. Perhaps Her Highness misunderstood something, which is why she concealed a pair of scissors in her sleeve… But as you can see, she has a fierce and unyielding temperament, and now she is utterly devoted to another man. If we force her to leave, I fear it will provoke even more violent resistance."
What Yan Zhan said was not without reason.
Though she had lost her memory, that stubborn nature of hers remained. The best course was to proceed step by step, to make her willing to go with him of her own accord, and then plan the rest.
Pei Ling was silent for a long while. "Then set it aside for now."
"Go make the arrangements first. Do not let her condition worsen. Also, do not tell Di Yue about her matters for the time being."
Yan Zhan clasped his hands in salute and acknowledged, "Yes."
Pei Ling flicked his sleeves and strode out.
At that very moment, Commandant of Justice Wang Che was standing with his hands tucked into his sleeves in the cold corridor, having waited a long while for the Chancellor to appear. He hurried forward to pay his respects: "This humble official—this humble official pays his respects to the Chancellor."
His face bore a fawning, ingratiating smile, but his heart was filled with trepidation.
He truly could not have imagined that Chancellor Pei would come in person today.
If one were to ask who in the current court was the most untouchable, it was not the reigning Son of Heaven, but the man before him.
In his youth, this man had been personally selected by the late emperor as a court official. Within a mere three years, he was exceptionally promoted to the position of Chief of the Secretariat, ranking among the Three Independents and commanding the inner court.
During his tenure in power, he harbored grand schemes and was resourceful and decisive in his judgments. His style of governance was known for its soft-handed approach, but in truth, he was cruel and ruthless, killing without leaving a trace. Countless princes, dukes, and nobles had died at his hands.
There were those who hated him to the bone, and there were also those who admired and revered him.
Later, when the new emperor ascended the throne, Pei Ling was appointed to the position of Chancellor, bearing the purple-gold seal and leading the affairs of the Secretariat. Three years later, as Pei Ling's power grew day by day and drew the emperor's suspicion, the former Colonel of the Capital Patrol, Pang Cong, allied with a host of court officials in an attempt to impeach Pei Ling for corruption and factionalism. The plot failed, and Pang Cong was executed. After that, Pei Ling concurrently assumed the post of Colonel of the Capital Patrol.
From then on, the authority of both the inner and outer courts fell entirely into his hands.
But even at such a height, Pei Ling could not yet be said to hold absolute power with one hand covering the sky—after all, the current empress's father, Grand General Duan Hong, commanded the armies across the four frontiers. Though nominally ranked below the Chancellor, his actual power could rival that of the Chancellor.
But this year, the situation changed.
Duan Hong died on the battlefield and was posthumously accused of rebellion. Overnight, the consort clan of the Duan family suffered a devastating blow. Not only was there no one in court to oppose Pei Ling, but even several officials who had once been close to Duan Hong were arrested and thrown into the prison of the Commandant of Justice on suspicion of guilt.
These past few days had been a time of panic and unease, with alarms sounding at every gust of wind. All the officials knew full well that from now on, Chancellor Pei would truly be the one to dominate the court and cover the sky with a single hand.
Wang Che's demeanor at this moment could be described as utterly deferential. Pei Ling stood in the corridor with his hands tucked into his sleeves, gazing at the snowy scene outside, and said coldly, "The reason I have come this time is to give you a few instructions. Listen carefully."
Wang Che's expression stiffened, and he hurriedly bowed even lower, assuming an attentive posture.
"The case of the Grand General is a matter of great importance. Though His Majesty has ordered you to jointly adjudicate the case in the imperial prison and has commanded the confinement of the Central Palace and the retrieval of the Empress's seal, he has been dragging his feet in issuing the decree to depose the Empress before the case is finalized. This shows what outcome His Majesty desires. Now that this woman dares to strike the petition drum to lodge a complaint about this matter, why not go along with the current and present the case before His Majesty?"
Wang Che was slightly startled by these words. He had originally assumed that the Chancellor intended to push for the deposition of the Empress, but it turned out to be the exact opposite of what he had thought. Many thoughts flashed through his mind, and he hesitated, saying, "Would this not be somewhat inappropriate? If so, would that not put the Grand Tutor's side at a disadvantage…"
The Grand Tutor was none other than the father of Lady Yang, the imperial consort currently enjoying great favor in the palace.
This Lady Yang had entered the palace after His Majesty ascended the throne. Her mother was His Majesty's own paternal aunt, the Grand Princess Cheng'an.
In terms of birth, Lady Yang was not inferior to the Empress. However, the Empress was His Majesty's original wife, having married him at the age of fifteen. Over the years, she had been virtuous, serene, benevolent, and frugal. Though she had only given birth to two princesses, her father had risen to the rank of Grand General of the central court, and his position was unshakable.
Unfortunately, if the Duan family were to be confirmed guilty of rebellion this time, the Empress would also face the risk of being implicated and deposed, and the position of Empress would fall without question to Lady Yang.
By doing this, wasn't Chancellor Pei essentially directly sabotaging the good fortune of the Grand Tutor, the Grand Princess Cheng'an, and Lady Yang?
The mere thought made Wang Che's skin crawl.
Pei Ling heard his stammering and evasive words, slowly turned his gaze, and cast a cold, piercing look upon his face. "Oh? Since the petition drum has sounded, the official must appear before the court—this is a rule established at the founding of the dynasty. Commandant Wang, in your position, who exactly are you trying to deceive?"
Wang Che naturally did not dare.
He bore the pressure and repeatedly acknowledged with "yes," then cautiously asked, "Then, following procedure, this case is to be jointly adjudicated by this humble official, Chief Clerk Yan, and the Censor-in-Chief. Chief Clerk Yan is currently here, and this humble official still needs to notify the Censor-in-Chief to jointly interrogate this woman, and then…"
Before he could finish speaking, he was cut off.
"No need."
Wang Che let out an "Ah?" and looked up, bewildered.
"Then… we won't interrogate?"
"You and Yan Zhan will handle the interrogation. I'll be keeping an eye on this case, so there won't be any objections. Tomorrow, when you submit the testimony at the palace, I'll be there as well." Pei Ling gazed at the snowy scene beyond the corridor, his eyes slightly lowered, his voice calm and detached.
The Censor-in-Chief, Kong Wei, had once served in the palace and would recognize the face of Princess Huayang, Xiao Lingzhang.
Until the matter was fully under his control, he absolutely could not rashly allow her identity to be exposed to everyone's view.
Wang Che could only see the Prime Minister's profile, unable to discern his current expression, let alone fathom his intentions. He replied in a low voice, "Yes, this official understands. Please rest assured, Prime Minister."
Pei Ling did not spare him another glance, and strode away.