No wonder there are annotations like “Mars in Heart, Purple Star shifts” on that Astronomy Manual—things that go beyond the knowledge of this era.
No wonder she could write phrases like “Imperial Star unclear, the Empress position unoccupied,” as if they were prophecies.
She wasn’t a fortune-teller. She was a time traveler.
She had seen the course of history and tried to warn someone—only to end up…
“Lord Zhou,” Shen Zhiyi opened her eyes.“How did Consort Jing die?”
Zhou Cun’s face turned pale. He looked around and lowered his voice.
“I don’t know. But I do know that on the night she died, the Empress Dowager went to Furong Hall.”
Shen Zhiyi narrowed her eyes.
“I saw it myself,” Zhou Cun said.
“That night, I was in the Imperial Garden observing the stars. I saw the Empress Dowager leading people toward Furong Hall. The next morning, Consort Jing was gone.”
“You didn’t report this to the Emperor?”
“I did,” Zhou Cun gave a bitter smile.
“But His Majesty was only fourteen then. What could he do?”
“Later, he investigated as well, but found nothing. The Empress Dowager erased all traces.”
Shen Zhiyi fell silent.
Last night, Xiao Jue said he didn’t believe Consort Jing died of illness.
He had investigated for ten years and found nothing.
But the information Zhou Cun was giving her today was enough to make Xiao Jue reopen the case.
The problem was—
Why was Zhou Cun only speaking now?
“Lord Zhou,” Shen Zhiyi looked at him.
“You didn’t tell His Majesty all this back then. Why are you telling me now?”
Zhou Cun lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time.
So long that Shen Zhiyi thought he wouldn’t answer.
Finally, he spoke.
“Because Consort Jing wrote it in her letter. She told me to wait for that person to come.”
“She said only that person could truly understand everything.”
He looked up at her, eyes burning.
“Miss… you are that person, aren’t you?”
Shen Zhiyi did not answer.
She turned around and looked at the row of radish seedlings on the ground, her mind racing.
Consort Jing was a time traveler.
She saw something and tried to warn Xiao Jue—but was silenced by the Empress Dowager.
She left behind the Astronomy Manual and this letter, waiting for another time traveler.
For her.
But how did Consort Jing know another traveler would come?
Unless—
“Miss.” Zhou Cun’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“I still have one more thing to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Something happened on the side of Consort Shu’s palace last night.”
Shen Zhiyi turned back.
Zhou Cun lowered his voice.
“One of my disciples was on night duty in the Imperial Garden. He saw people from Consort Shu’s palace go to the palace well in the middle of the night.”
“This morning, a bundle was fished out of the well. It contained a set of palace maid clothes.”
Shen Zhiyi’s heart tightened.
“A maid’s clothes?”
“The maid from Consort Shu’s palace who died a few days ago,” Zhou Cun said.
“No one knows whose clothes they were, but my disciple said there were bloodstains on the sleeves—like they were splattered during a killing.”
Shen Zhiyi was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
“Lord Zhou,” she said.
“You didn’t come just to deliver a letter today, did you?”
Zhou Cun froze.
Shen Zhiyi looked at him calmly.
“You’re telling me Consort Shu has exposed a weakness.”
“And you want to use that weakness in exchange for something—like getting His Majesty to reopen Consort Jing’s case.”
Zhou Cun’s expression changed.
Shen Zhiyi continued gently:
“You are the Chief Astrologer. You cannot directly interfere in the inner court, but I can.”
“You gave me this information so I can use my position to bring Consort Shu down, and then use that opening to dig up what the Empress Dowager did back then.”
She paused, her smile softening.
“Lord Zhou, am I right?”
Zhou Cun stared at her in shock.
After a long moment, he knelt again.
“Your insight is as sharp as a blade,” he said, bowing his head.
“This old minister does not dare to hide it.”
“I have waited ten years for this day. As long as I can clear Consort Jing’s name, I would give up my life without hesitation.”