Shen Rui had been in the imperial study for less than half an hour.
Already, he regretted every decision that had led him there.
The emperor had asked him to explain the hidden warehouse, the altered records, the attackers, and the evidence recovered from the village.
Shen Rui had answered every question.
Unfortunately, answering one question only seemed to create three more.
If I had kept my mouth shut in the Ministry of Revenue, I would be sleeping in my own bed right now. Knowledge is clearly a dangerous illness.
Across the desk, Xiao Jingyuan turned another page.
“According to your report, the hidden warehouse contained weapons and military seals. Why would the conspirators store those items alongside grain?”
Shen Rui took a sip of tea.
“To make the operation easier.”
“Explain.”
“Grain requires transportation. Weapons require transportation. If both were moved through the same route, fewer people would be needed.”
He placed his teacup down.
“Also, the warehouse was beneath an abandoned shrine. People would be less likely to inspect it. The location was close enough to the village to obtain labor, but far enough from the main road to avoid casual discovery.”
Xiao Jingyuan studied him.
“You considered all of this while escaping the fire?”
“I considered it afterward.”
During the fire, I was mostly considering whether I would burn alive. Even assassins have priorities.
A flicker of amusement appeared in Eunuch Wei’s eyes before he quickly lowered his head.
The emperor’s gaze remained steady.
“Did you notice any markings on the weapons?”
“Some blades had been polished recently. The spearheads were old, but the handles were new.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Someone was preparing the weapons for use, not merely storing them.”
Xiao Jingyuan’s fingers paused over the document.
“Could they have been intended for a rebellion?”
“Possibly. But the quantity was too small for a full military uprising.”
“What, then?”
Shen Rui considered the question.
“Assassinations. Raids. Or arming a smaller group.”
Or creating chaos while everyone is distracted by the missing grain. People who plan complicated schemes usually enjoy having too many objectives.
Xiao Jingyuan leaned back.
“You speak as though you have experience with military operations.”
Shen Rui’s heart gave a small jump.
He picked up a pastry.
“I have experience observing people.”
“That is not the same thing.”
“It is useful enough.”
The emperor did not press the matter.
Instead, he turned to the message found in Shen Rui’s room.
“Did you show this to anyone before bringing it here?”
“No.”
“Did you touch anything else?”
“Only the paper.”
“Why did you keep it in your sleeve?”
“Because leaving evidence on a table seemed unwise.”
And because I’m not an idiot. At least, not the kind everyone thinks I am.
Xiao Jingyuan’s eyes rested on him for a moment longer.
“From now on, report anything unusual immediately.”
Shen Rui nodded.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do not investigate alone.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do not pursue suspicious individuals.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do not place yourself in unnecessary danger.”
Shen Rui paused.
“Your Majesty, I have never deliberately placed myself in danger.”
The emperor looked at him.
Shen Rui calmly took another bite of pastry.
The danger keeps finding me. I would appreciate it if Your Majesty could issue an order preventing that.
Eunuch Wei’s shoulders moved slightly.
Xiao Jingyuan ignored the thought.
“You will remain within the designated palace quarters unless accompanied by an escort.”
Shen Rui sighed.
“Understood.”
“Good.”
The emperor returned to the documents.
Shen Rui stared at him.
That’s it? I’ve been imprisoned politely.
Later that morning, Shen Rui was escorted to a temporary records room near the imperial study.
Several boxes of documents from Qinghe Village had been placed on a long table. Two palace guards stood outside the entrance, while an elderly archivist waited inside.
The archivist bowed.
“Seventh Young Master.”
Shen Rui nodded.
“Let’s finish quickly.”
The archivist blinked.
“We have nearly a hundred documents to examine.”
Shen Rui looked at the boxes.
I take it back. Let’s die quickly.
He sat down and began sorting through the papers.
Most of the records concerned grain deliveries, warehouse maintenance, and transportation routes. Several pages contained the same handwriting he had noticed in the Ministry of Revenue.
He separated them into three piles.
“Altered records,” he said. “Repeated handwriting. And documents that were copied from older versions.”
The archivist stared at the piles.
“You can identify that so quickly?”
“The ink is different.”
The old man leaned closer.
Shen Rui pointed to a line.
“This section was written first. The following numbers were added later. The pressure of the brush changes, and the ink is darker.”
The archivist examined it carefully.
His face became serious.
“You are correct.”
Of course I’m correct. I spent years identifying forged documents, false identities, and fake orders. Unfortunately, none of that experience helps me get out of bed.
A guard standing by the door suddenly shifted.
Shen Rui looked up.
The man’s hand had moved toward his belt.
Not toward a weapon.
Toward a small metal whistle hanging beneath his robes.
Shen Rui’s eyes narrowed.
The guard noticed his attention and immediately lowered his hand.
“Is something wrong?” the archivist asked.
“Nothing,” Shen Rui replied.
But his instincts had already become alert.
The guard’s breathing was controlled.
His posture was too stiff.
And his boots carried a thin layer of gray dust.
The palace corridors were paved and regularly cleaned.
That dust had come from somewhere else.
Interesting. Either the palace guards have started taking walks through construction sites, or someone is pretending to be a palace guard.
Shen Rui lowered his gaze and continued sorting the records.
He did not expose the man immediately.
Instead, he picked up a document and deliberately dropped it.
The paper slid beneath the table.
“Could you retrieve that?” he asked the guard.
The guard hesitated.
Then he stepped forward.
Shen Rui watched his movements.
The man bent down, but his eyes shifted toward the document box nearest the wall.
Not the fallen paper.
The box.
Shen Rui smiled faintly.
“Never mind,” he said. “I found it.”
He bent down and retrieved the paper himself.
The guard straightened.
For a moment, their eyes met.
The man’s gaze was cold.
Then he turned away.
Definitely suspicious. Unfortunately, I’m supposed to avoid investigating suspicious people.
Shen Rui looked at the records.
This is becoming very inconvenient.
At midday, the archivist left to deliver the sorted documents to the Ministry of Revenue.
The suspicious guard remained outside.
Shen Rui sat alone in the records room, eating a small plate of fruit that had been provided for him.
He had spent the last quarter of an hour pretending to read while listening to the corridor.
Two guards stood outside.
One occasionally shifted his weight.
The other remained completely still.
Too still.
Shen Rui placed a grape into his mouth.
If he intends to kill me, he should hurry. I have a nap scheduled.
A faint sound came from behind the wooden screen.
Shen Rui’s eyes moved toward it.
The screen stood near the rear wall, partly concealing a narrow service entrance.
He had checked the room earlier.
The entrance had been locked.
Now, the latch was slightly raised.
Shen Rui placed the grape down.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
He stood slowly.
His right hand moved beneath his sleeve, where a thin metal hairpin had been concealed.
He approached the screen.
A shadow moved.
Shen Rui stepped to the side just as a short blade thrust through the gap.
The weapon struck the wooden table.
Shen Rui caught the attacker’s wrist and twisted.
The man stumbled through the entrance.
He wore the robes of a palace servant.
Shen Rui struck his elbow, forcing him to release the blade, then swept his foot behind the man’s knee.
The attacker fell.
Before Shen Rui could restrain him, the man threw a handful of powder into the air.
Shen Rui immediately held his breath and moved backward.
The powder scattered across the floor.
Poison? Irritating powder? Why does everyone carry things designed to ruin my day?
The attacker rolled toward the fallen blade.
Shen Rui kicked it away.
Then he seized the man by the collar and pressed him against the wall.
“Who sent you?”
The man gritted his teeth.
His eyes shifted toward the door.
Shen Rui followed his gaze.
The suspicious guard outside had already drawn his weapon.
The door burst open.
The guard charged.
Shen Rui shoved the first attacker aside and seized a wooden chair. The guard’s sword struck the chair’s back, splitting the wood.
Shen Rui ducked beneath the blade and drove his shoulder into the man’s chest.
The guard staggered.
Shen Rui struck his wrist, then swept his leg across the man’s ankle.
The guard fell hard.
Outside, the second guard shouted.
“Assassins!”
Footsteps thundered through the corridor.
The first attacker scrambled toward the service entrance.
Shen Rui caught him by the back of his robe.
The man turned and slashed with a concealed dagger.
Shen Rui leaned away, grabbed his wrist, and drove him face-first into the wall.
The dagger clattered onto the floor.
Within moments, palace guards rushed into the room.
“Put down your weapons!”
The disguised guard attempted to rise.
Three swords immediately surrounded him.
The second attacker stopped moving.
Shen Rui released his collar and stepped back.
There. I avoided investigating them, and they investigated me instead.
The two men were dragged away for questioning.
Shen Rui stood in the records room, staring at the damaged table.
The elderly archivist returned moments later, looking horrified.
“Seventh Young Master, are you injured?”
“No.”
“Thank the heavens.”
Shen Rui looked at the broken chair.
“I would like compensation.”
The archivist stared.
“For the chair?”
“For my emotional suffering.”
Before the archivist could respond, Eunuch Wei hurried into the room.
“Seventh Young Master, His Majesty commands your immediate presence.”
Shen Rui looked toward the ceiling.
Of course. I have been attacked for less than five minutes, and already I’m being summoned.
He followed Eunuch Wei back to the imperial study.
Xiao Jingyuan was standing when he entered.
“Are you injured?” the emperor asked.
“No, Your Majesty.”
“Explain what happened.”
Shen Rui gave a brief account, including the hidden entrance and the powder.
The emperor’s expression darkened.
“Did you recognize either man?”
“No.”
“Why did you not call for the guards immediately?”
“They were already outside.”
“Then why did you confront them?”
Shen Rui paused.
Because they attacked me. Was I supposed to invite them to sit down and discuss their career choices?
“They had already drawn weapons,” he answered.
Xiao Jingyuan’s gaze remained fixed on him.
“From now on, you will not remain alone in any room.”
“Your Majesty, I was not alone. There were guards outside.”
“And one of them was an infiltrator.”
Shen Rui had no answer to that.
The emperor turned toward Eunuch Wei.
“Seal the records room. Search the entire area. No servant is to enter or leave without verification.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Xiao Jingyuan looked back at Shen Rui.
“Did the attackers say anything?”
“No.”
“Did you find anything on them?”
Shen Rui reached into his sleeve and removed a small metal whistle.
The suspicious guard had been carrying it.
“I found this.”
Eunuch Wei accepted it and examined the surface.
A black crow had been engraved on one side.
The room fell silent.
Xiao Jingyuan took the whistle.
His expression became colder.
“The Black River Alliance.”
Shen Rui looked at the symbol.
Again? These people desperately need a new emblem.
The emperor closed his fingers around the whistle.
“Eunuch Wei, summon the Black Guard.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Shen Rui glanced at the food on the nearby table.
Since everyone is busy panicking, can I at least finish lunch?
Xiao Jingyuan looked at him.
“Have you eaten?”
Shen Rui blinked.
“Some fruit.”
“Bring him a proper meal,” the emperor ordered.
Shen Rui’s eyes brightened.
The emperor may be terrifying, but he is learning.
Outside the imperial study, a palace servant stood at the end of the corridor, listening to the commotion.
When he heard that the Black Guard had been summoned, his expression changed.
He turned and walked quickly toward the servants’ quarters.
Inside his sleeve, his fingers tightened around a small folded note.
The message contained only six words:
The seventh son has survived again.