A man dressed in a crimson official robe embroidered with cranes strode briskly into the ministerial residence.
The man appeared to be in his early forties, yet his temples were already frosted with silver strands. The few threads of white hair interspersed throughout only enhanced his aura of refined elegance.
This was none other than Su Chengyi, the current Prime Minister and Yun Fu’s biological father.
Su Chengyi had entered the Hanlin Academy as the Third Rank Graduate during the Late Emperor’s reign, subsequently climbing the ranks through successive promotions. After the new emperor ascended the throne, his exceptional capabilities and methods earned him the position of Prime Minister.
Qin Shulan was reviewing account books in the courtyard when the commotion caught her attention. Looking up, she saw her husband in full court attire and rose to greet him.
“What did Physician Feng say?”
Qin Shulan removed Su Chengyi’s official hat and handed it to a maid nearby. Understanding that his question referred to Su Yunfu, she relayed Physician Feng’s diagnosis verbatim.
Upon hearing the words “pulse steady but consciousness unclear,” a cold glint flashed in Su Chengyi’s eyes. “The second master of the Zhu Family will be arriving in Jing in a few days. They will pay us a visit then.”
Though framed as a courtesy call, the true purpose was to retrieve that woman’s child.
Su Chengyi knew exactly how much the Zhu Family despised him – especially after Zhu Qinghan’s illness-related death, they wouldn’t hesitate to skin him alive if they could.
Now that they knew the child of that woman Zhu Qinghan had been found and brought back to the ministerial residence, they would inevitably grow restless.
But he couldn’t allow them to take the child away. As long as the child remained in the ministerial residence, the interests of the Su and Zhu families would remain intertwined.
The new emperor hadn’t been long on the throne yet already showered the Zhu Family with extraordinary favor. Though Su Chengyi currently held the position of Prime Minister, appearing illustrious on surface, every step he took was precarious.
The new emperor trusted Wei Shizi far more than anyone else. Though Wei Rong served as Head of the Ministry of Justice, holding a second-rank position, he wielded greater power than Su Chengyi’s first-rank status and enjoyed more intimate access to the emperor. Su Chengyi often found himself unable to get a word in, his position rendered virtually nominal.
When Su Chengyi learned that Wei Rong had been poisoned with limited time left, his initial reaction was a surge of secret satisfaction and delight, though concern quickly followed.
The new emperor’s position remained unstable, with several feudal princes watching like tigers eyeing prey – particularly since the Late Emperor had least favored him, yet he ultimately ascended the throne.
Many among both the feudal princes and court officials were adopting wait-and-see attitudes.
Su Chengyi had even received intelligence that Prince Cheng was no longer in his fiefdom.
Feudal princes were forbidden from leaving their territories without authorization. Prince Cheng’s secret departure, coupled with Wei Shizi’s assassination attempt and poisoning – all occurring within the same timeframe – couldn’t possibly be unrelated, Su Chengyi was certain.
Having climbed to his current position, Su Chengyi understood the vicissitudes of officialdom profoundly. No official entered the court completely clean – those who appeared spotless came from powerful families capable of maintaining purity while navigating imperial authority as purely loyal ministers.
Su Chengyi’s mother had been an embroideress, his father a dockworker. Thus he possessed no family influence whatsoever.
Every step of his journey had required meticulous planning. His first calculated move upon entering officialdom had been targeting Zhu Qinghan, the most cherished young mistress of the Nanling Zhu Family.
Now with Su Yunfu – Zhu Qinghan’s daughter, the granddaughter of the Nanling Zhu Family – Su Chengyi naturally intended to utilize this connection fully.
Qin Shulan observed the shifting light and shadow in the man’s eyes and already knew exactly what he was contemplating.
Just as expected.
“Madam, have someone tidy up the Chunyang Pavilion. The Wanchun Garden is too remote and not conducive to Fu’er’s recovery. Arrange a few nimble maids to serve her properly, then use my name card to summon physicians from the Imperial Hospital or find skilled doctors in Jing An Cheng to take good care of the child.”
Qin Shulan was taken aback. “Though Wanchun Garden is somewhat secluded, its tranquil environment is actually quite suitable for recuperation. Let’s not trouble the child with moving.”
As she finished speaking, Qin Shulan felt her hand being grasped.
Su Chengyi’s gaze was gentle, paired with his refined and scholarly face—it was truly deceptive.
“Does Madam dislike that child? Rest assured, in my heart, you, Mo’er, and Han’er are the most important. I merely feel responsible for this child since she carries my blood.”
Such words brought Qin Shulan no joy, instead leaving her limbs cold with dread.
She had witnessed how tender and considerate this man had been towards Zhu Qinghan—just as he was being with her now.
After their marriage, Su Chengyi often claimed he never loved Zhu Qinghan, insisting he had always loved only her.
Qin Shulan thought that if she were still an innocent, unmarried maiden, she might have believed him.
But having been married before, having mourned her deceased first husband for three years, and having nearly died once herself—she saw this man’s true nature clearly now.
Qin Shulan withdrew her hand from her husband’s grasp, a blush spreading across her cheeks as she turned slightly away and coughed lightly. “Husband, you’re teasing me again. I understand—I’ll have arrangements made.”
Just as Su Chengyi was about to say more, a maid rushed frantically into the courtyard.
“Madam, Madam! Something terrible! The Second Young Miss… she fell into the lotus pond!”
Qin Shulan’s face paled. “Wasn’t she copying Buddhist scriptures in the ancestral hall? How could she have fallen into the lotus pond?!”
The maid stammered incoherently, but Qin Shulan was already striding quickly out of the room.
Hearing that his daughter had fallen into the lotus pond, Su Chengyi recalled how Su Yunfu had also fallen in a month prior. Was it mere coincidence?
Of course it wasn’t coincidence!
The culprit, Su Xiaohan, stood covered in mud, weeping pitifully while her maids fretted helplessly around her.
When Qin Shulan reached the lotus pond and saw her sludge-covered daughter, she felt both exasperated and amused—the girl resembled a muddy little monkey.
Hearing her daughter’s vigorous wailing, she knew the child was essentially unharmed.
“Waaah! It stinks! I’m so dirty!!!”
Seeing her mother, Su Xiaohan cried even louder, scrambling to her feet to rush over.
“Mother! Waaah~”
Qin Shulan instinctively sidestepped the muddy embrace, making Su Xiaohan wail even more dramatically.
After avenging her junior apprentice sister, Yun Shu prepared to infiltrate Wei Guogong Manor.
Anyone who could survive the Thousand-Thread Bone Serpent Poison for so long was ruining her reputation—Yun Shu had to meet this miraculous person who could alleviate the snake venom’s effects.
Infiltrating Wei Guogong Manor should have been… not simple for Yun Shu.
But who could explain why Wei Guogong Manor was harder to breach than the imperial palace?!!!
The shadow guards’ martial skills were absurdly advanced. Fortunately, Yun Shu’s qinggong was exceptional, or this operation would have ended in disaster.
In Zhanmo Courtyard, Wei Rong was painting A Fu, who lay fast asleep on his desk.
He wasn’t surprised by reports of a skilled expert approaching Wei Guogong Manor.
As long as he remained alive, such probes would never cease.
“Master, this person is quite peculiar, not quite like the usual death warriors or assassins.”
Zi Shi spoke up, his mind recalling the fleeting crimson figure of the person who came to probe—swift as a phantom, so fast even he struggled to keep up.
Every time their people spotted this individual, they’d vanish in the blink of an eye, only to reappear shortly after, initiating another round of pursuit.
“This person’s lightness skill is exceptional, yet they’re ridiculously timid—it’s infuriating. They nearly ran me ragged, and on top of that, the little rascal wears head-to-toe red, as if afraid no one would notice them!”
This remark came from Shen Shi, who had just finished chasing the little rascal.
Yun Fu, who had been sound asleep, involuntarily twitched her ears. Though her consciousness was still hazy, she absorbed every word they said.
Dressed in red, exceptional lightness skill, ridiculously timid…
Piecing these clues together, her first thought was of her senior martial sister.
Who would have thought this little rascal bears such a resemblance to her senior sister, Yun Fu mused drowsily, rolling over to continue sleeping.
Suddenly, a flash of insight struck her—what if the little rascal they were talking about was her senior martial sister, Yun Shu?!