Chapter 18: Your Majesty, Please Behave Yourself!

Feng Ruqing withdrew her dagger with composure and said coldly, "I could not sleep, so I came out for a walk."

The Emperor, clearly unconvinced, stepped closer and demanded, "I suspect you were trying to sneak out of the palace. Tell me, what have you been doing?"

Feng Ruqing narrowed her eyes, a flash of icy sharpness crossing them, though her expression remained placid. "Since Your Majesty is convinced that I am guilty of something, I have nothing more to say." With that, she brushed past the Emperor and headed straight toward the exit.

The Emperor grabbed her wrist, barking, "Stop right there!" Feng Ruqing violently shook off his hand and sneered, "Your Majesty, please conduct yourself with dignity!"

Stunned by the chill in her eyes, the Emperor stood frozen in place. Without looking back, Feng Ruqing left the residence and vanished into the night.

Back at the palace, Feng Ruqing tossed and turned, unable to find rest. The news brought back by Zhao Hu alarmed her; the Prime Minister’s actions were a clear warning that her enemies had sensed her movements. She had to accelerate her pace, or she would be doomed before the truth could ever be revealed.

Life in the palace remained outwardly calm, yet Feng Ruqing could feel the undercurrents surging. Commander Sun’s gaze often lingered on her, making her feel as though she were being pricked by needles. She knew the Emperor would not let her go easily; he was undoubtedly still monitoring her every move in secret. This feeling of confinement made her increasingly restless.

Meanwhile, Advisor Zhou was conspiring with the Prime Minister. Upon learning that Feng Ruqing had been in contact with remnants of the Jinsha Camp, Advisor Zhou furrowed his brows. "It seems the Empress is more difficult to deal with than we imagined."

The Prime Minister gave a cold laugh. "Then let her have a taste of scandal."

The next day, rumors spread throughout the palace that the Empress was unfaithful and had been meeting with a man in secret. When Feng Ruqing heard these whispers, she did not rush to deny them as she had in the past; instead, a meaningful smile played on her lips. She knew this was Advisor Zhou’s ploy, but he never expected that she would turn his own strategy against him.

"Your Majesty," Commander Sun’s voice echoed from outside the hall, "The Emperor summons you to the Imperial Study."

Feng Ruqing rose, a cold smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Let us go." She wanted to see how they intended to play out this act.

When Feng Ruqing arrived at the Imperial Study, the Emperor sat bolt upright, his face so dark it seemed as if it might drip gloom.

"Empress," the Emperor said, his voice piercingly cold, "are you aware that rumors are rife throughout the palace?"

Feng Ruqing lowered her gaze, appearing as if she were on the verge of tears. "I... I am not aware." She trembled slightly, as if she might break down at any moment, a stark contrast to her usual decisive and ruthless demeanor.

Seeing her in this state, the Emperor’s anger intensified, yet it was laced with a restlessness he did not recognize. Memories of her wisdom in assisting him with state affairs flickered through his mind, stirring a trace of reluctance. But at the thought of the palace rumors, he suppressed the feeling and scoffed, "Not aware? The entire palace is whispering that you are meeting with a man in secret, and you dare to claim ignorance!"

Feng Ruqing’s body shuddered as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I am wronged! I have never done anything to betray Your Majesty!"

Watching her weep, the Emperor’s irritation only grew. He waved his hand dismissively. "I do not wish to hear your explanations! Get back!"

With her head bowed, Feng Ruqing retreated from the study. The moment she stepped out, the fragility vanished from her face, replaced by a cold sneer. "Advisor Zhou, do you really think these petty tricks can fool me?"

Returning to her chambers, Feng Ruqing immediately summoned Zhao Hu.

"Your Majesty," Zhao Hu knelt on one knee, "I have found it!" He pulled a blood-stained jade pendant from his robes. "This was found at the scene; it is engraved with the Zhou family crest."

Feng Ruqing took the pendant, her thoughts drifting back to her childhood. Back then, her younger sister would always follow her, calling her "big sister" at every turn. They had chased butterflies in the garden and studied together in the library. This pendant had been her sister's most cherished possession—a birthday gift from their father.

Now, with the pendant stained in blood and her sister brutally murdered, her heart was filled with hatred. "I have finally found you, Advisor Zhou!" She gripped the pendant so tightly her knuckles turned white, as if she could crush it to dust. This piece of jade was the key evidence of her sister’s tragic death and the hope for her revenge.

In the dead of night, a dark shadow slipped silently into the palace. Zhao Hu had taken another risk to deliver a more crucial clue—a secret letter. In it, Advisor Zhou conspired with a mysterious figure on how to frame Feng Ruqing’s sister and how to use the Emperor to eliminate political rivals.

After reading the letter, Feng Ruqing trembled with excitement. "Excellent! With this letter, I can take them all down at once!"

Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps drifted from outside the hall. Feng Ruqing and Zhao Hu exchanged a look of alarm.

"Who is there?" Feng Ruqing demanded sharply.

Silence fell outside, save for the rustling of wind through the leaves. The footsteps drew nearer. Feng Ruqing clutched the letter, holding her breath. The door was pushed open gently, and Commander Sun appeared, a trace of concealed tension on his face. Behind him stood Advisor Zhou, his eyes glinting with a sinister light.

"Is it not against the rules for the Empress to summon soldiers from the Jinsha Camp in the middle of the night?" Advisor Zhou asked with a mocking smile, his eyes sweeping over Zhao Hu with a warning.

Feng Ruqing sneered, unafraid. "And why is Advisor Zhou visiting my chambers at such an hour?"

Ignoring her question, Advisor Zhou signaled to Commander Sun. The Commander drew his sword and pointed it at Zhao Hu. "How bold! To trespass in the palace! Surrender at once!"

Zhao Hu met the Commander’s gaze without fear. "You think you can handle me?" Before he finished speaking, his figure flickered and vanished like a phantom. A black shadow swept by, a cold gust of wind blew, and the next moment, Zhao Hu was behind the Commander, his dagger pressed against the man’s throat.

The atmosphere in the room turned deathly still; everyone stared in disbelief. Cold sweat broke out on Commander Sun’s forehead; he could feel the chilling steel of the blade and dared not move a muscle. Feng Ruqing stood to the side, regarding Advisor Zhou with utter disdain.

Advisor Zhou, not expecting things to turn this way, turned deathly pale. He shouted, "Guards! Seize the assassin!"

No sooner had he spoken than a group of men in black swarmed into the room, surrounding the chambers. Yet, before they could even approach, they collapsed one by one, groaning in pain.

"What is happening?" Advisor Zhou’s eyes widened in horror as he watched his men fall, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

Feng Ruqing curled her lips into a cold smile. "Advisor Zhou, did you truly think you were the only one capable of setting traps?"

It turned out that Feng Ruqing had anticipated his arrival and set an ambush around her quarters. These men had walked right into her snare. Advisor Zhou’s face was ashen; he knew he had been outplayed, but there was no turning back. He glared at Feng Ruqing through gritted teeth. "You..."

Feng Ruqing ignored him and walked straight to the Emperor’s bedchamber with the secret letter in hand. The Emperor was sleeping, but he was startled awake by her arrival. Seeing the letter in her hand, he looked at her with confusion. "Empress, at such an hour, you..."

Feng Ruqing presented the letter. "Your Majesty, I have something of great importance to report."

The Emperor took the letter and read it carefully. As the contents unfolded, his expression grew increasingly grim. Finally, he slammed the letter onto the table and roared, "Advisor Zhou, you have some nerve!"

At that moment, Advisor Zhou’s legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. His lips trembled, but he could find no words to defend himself. The surrounding attendants were stunned, unable to believe that the high-ranking Advisor Zhou could have committed such treasonous acts.

Watching Advisor Zhou’s pathetic state, Feng Ruqing felt a surge of satisfaction. She lifted her chin slightly and said coldly, "Advisor Zhou, you calculated everything, yet you never expected this outcome, did you?"

"Your Majesty," Feng Ruqing said calmly, "I have even more important matters to tell you..."

She laid out the truth of her sister’s murder, along with the evidence of how Advisor Zhou had colluded with the Prime Minister to frame loyal subjects and plot a rebellion. The Emperor was furious and ordered the immediate arrest of Advisor Zhou.

When the guards dragged Advisor Zhou from the Prime Minister’s residence, he still maintained his arrogant demeanor until he saw the letter in Feng Ruqing’s hand—written in his own calligraphy. His face turned pale as paper. He had never imagined that his meticulous plan would be unmasked by her. Faced with ironclad evidence, he could offer no rebuttal and could only watch as he was hauled off to the dungeon.

Advisor Zhou’s downfall was like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand waves. The officials who had colluded with him were now terrified, fearing they would be the next to be purged. The Prime Minister’s household fell into chaos, and his wife fainted upon hearing the news.

Feng Ruqing watched as Advisor Zhou was led away, but she felt no sense of relief. She knew that he was merely a pawn; the true mastermind remained at large. Her sister’s death was not the work of Advisor Zhou alone; there was undoubtedly a deeper, more sinister conspiracy.

Back in her chambers, Zhao Hu was waiting anxiously. "Your Majesty, Advisor Zhou has been brought to justice. What shall we do next?"

A cold glint flashed in Feng Ruqing’s eyes. "Advisor Zhou was only the beginning. The true enemy is still in the shadows." She paused, then added, "Zhao Hu, issue the order immediately. Have the brothers of the Jinsha Camp step up their investigation. We must uncover the identity of the mastermind."

"As you command!" Zhao Hu replied and departed.

Feng Ruqing stood alone by the window, gazing into the dark night sky, her mind filled with swirling thoughts. She knew the road ahead would be even more treacherous, but she would never retreat. For her sister, for the truth, she would pay any price to bring the mastermind to justice.

Suddenly, a cold breeze blew, and Feng Ruqing felt a chill run down her spine. She turned around abruptly, only to find the room empty.

"Who is there?" She scanned the room vigilantly, gripping the blood-stained jade pendant tightly.

The room was silent, save for the sound of wind whispering through the window lattice, as if it were murmuring something. A dark shadow appeared silently behind her and whispered into her ear: "Your Majesty, be careful—walls have ears..."