Prince Min summoned the personal palace maid, Xin Lan, who served Princess Consort Ji, for a conversation.
Xin Lan vividly recounted the incident of encountering Song Ci and his entourage, not forgetting to add a complaint at the end: "It’s no wonder that Lady Ji feels aggrieved. Even though Madam Song holds an Imperial Decree of the highest grade, our Lady is a Dowager of the Imperial Family. In terms of noble status, how can Madam Song compare? Yet she relies on the power of the Empress Dowager to overshadow our Lady everywhere, speaking without the slightest courtesy."
Prince Min: "It seems mother indeed has suffered a lot of grievances."
"It’s more than just grievances. I noticed a tendency in Lady’s deanor to avoid confrontation." Xin Lan carefully glanced at him and said, "It seems Madam Song has sensed sothing between Miss Ji and Your Highness..."
Prince Min’s gaze shifted towards her, and she knelt abruptly to the ground, trembling as she said, "This servant deserves to die."
"Mind your words."
"Yes, I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness."
Prince Min asked seemingly inadvertently, "Besides this, is there anything else?"
What else?
Xin Lan tilted her head and thought for a mont, then exclaid, "When at the trading house, the Young Master of the trading house appeared, and our lady was so captivated that she unexpectedly shed tears."
"The Young Master of the trading house?"
"Yes, his surna seems to be Shang, and he looks like a short-lived ghost, thin and frail... Ah, this servant is out of line, this servant deserves to die."
Prince Min let out a cold snort, "Serve the Lady well, and your efforts will be rewarded."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Prince Min tossed a jade pendant into her arms, "This is for you."
Xin Lan looked at the Sheep White Jade Pendant in her hand, sowhat astonished. When she raised her head, his figure was already a distance away. She hurriedly knelt and thanked him: "This servant thanks Your Highness for the reward."
My goodness, it’s a Sheep White Jade Pendant, a reward from Your Highness.
Xin Lan joyfully admired it for a while before placing it into the wallet tied by her side.
...
As night fell, the cold wind howled outside the window, the moon shone brightly among the stars.
Shang Pu suddenly opened his eyes, sat up from the bed, and looked towards the window, his gaunt face slightly chilled.
The window, originally closed, was now open, with the cold wind blowing in, making him shiver.
He walked over to close the window, then turned around, his eyes having adjusted to the darkness fell on the table.
A teacup was on the table, with water inside, and a sheet of paper pressed beneath it.
He walked slowly to the table, lit the oil lamp with a fire striker, and pulled out the paper from the table. There was nothing on it, except a blood-red splotch painted with Zhu Sha, carrying a faint scent of blood.
A bloodstained paper.
Shang Pu pursed his lips, slowly crumpling the paper into a ball before tossing it into the brazier in the room. The paper quickly burned up, giving off an unpleasant odor.
Watching the paper turn to ash, he turned to look at the cup on the table and let out a cold laugh. He touched the teacup, his gaze fixed on the brazier; it was a silent warning.
Ha, a warning?
He smashed the teacup on the ground.
"Sir?"
Outside the door, soone inquired softly.
"Bring so more light, and then serve so hot tea."
"Understood."
At that ti in the observatory of the Imperial Observatory, Director Cai stood inside, hands behind his back, observing the starry sky.
Suddenly, his brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on the Ziwei Star, then shifted to a spot not far from it, where a red star flickered in and out of view, making his complexion change slightly.
Could it be that the Yinhou Star has appeared?
Director Cai observed with pursed lips for a while, calculating in his mind before leaving the observatory tower, changing into official robes to request an audience with the Emperor Chu.
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