The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

"We've found out who was behind the incident in the palace."

Shang Junlin suddenly brought it up, and it took Shen Yu a moment to recall which incident he was referring to. "Are you talking about the incident with the hallucinogenic wood block?"

"Yes. There aren't many people who have access to that flower room. Meng Chang had people guarding it for a few days and found a few suspects. They were taken for interrogation, and we got the results yesterday."

There was a specific place in the palace for dealing with palace members who committed offenses. When a palace member got into trouble, they would generally be sent there. The methods of torture inside the palace were even more brutal than those outside, with various ways to torment people. When those individuals were sent in, they initially remained stubborn and refused to admit anything. The eunuch in charge of the matter knew Shang Junlin's attitude, so he used whatever means were effective in extracting information. After a few days, those people couldn't hold out anymore and confessed.

Shang Junlin lowered his gaze; there was no need to tell Ah Yu about these details.

"Who was responsible?" Shen Yu wasn't interested in how they extracted the information. "What is the purpose of the person behind this? If they truly wanted to harm me, these methods alone wouldn't succeed. Besides, how did they know that I would go and see the flowers sent by Prince An?"

"Ah Yu's thinking is correct. Their true purpose isn't to cause harm to you, but rather to shift the blame onto Prince An. They chose a small dose of a hallucinogenic drug because even a slightly larger amount would be detected before it could be brought inside. As for the person behind this, it's Feng Pingqi."

"Feng Pingqi, Minister Feng. I don't think I have any grudges against him, right?" Shen Yu pondered. In this lifetime, he hadn't entered officialdom and had no dealings with Minister Feng. "Were the previous incidents also related to Minister Feng?"

Shen Yu now knew that someone deliberately caused both of his previous episodes. However, that person was deeply hidden, and they hadn't been able to catch any evidence against them up until now.

"The previous two incidents were indeed unrelated to him." If they truly discovered Minister Feng's involvement, Shang Junlin had already ordered his arrest. It was only this time that he hadn't caused any substantial harm to Shen Yu, allowing him to maintain a semblance of calm. Otherwise, tearing him apart limb by limb would not be excessive.

"I also don't think it has anything to do with him. No matter how influential the Feng family is, they wouldn't be able to hide any suspicious activities from His Majesty." Shen Yu wasn't surprised by this outcome.

"Why would he do this? We couldn't extract much from the palace servants, but this particular servant owed a favor to Feng Pingqi from before she entered the palace. Feng Pingqi used that leverage to coerce her into helping him. She had no choice but to comply."

Shang Junlin's tone turned cold when mentioning this person. Whether that person acted voluntarily or under duress, it was an undeniable fact that they had caused harm to Shen Yu. If they had done something wrong, they should bear the corresponding consequences.

"His Majesty previously mentioned that there is a mysterious force behind Minister Feng. Could all these events be related to that force?"

Shen Yu wasn't shooting in the dark. That force had remained hidden in the shadows until now, and even the Hidden Dragon Guards hadn't uncovered anything. They were masters at erasing all traces after committing an act.

"I also have this suspicion. Let's wait a little longer. There has been progress on that front. Feng Pingqi won't be able to enjoy his freedom for much longer. When the time comes, I will definitely give you justice."

"With me by your side, Ah Yu has been through unnecessary worries and fears."

Shen Yu shook his head. All the conspiracies and tricks were aimed at Shang Junlin. He was just an accompanying figure. The one who needed to be constantly vigilant against these visible and invisible threats was Shang Junlin.

"You should also be careful at all times, Your Majesty."

One day, they would uproot these enemies lurking in the darkness.

"Earlier, I assigned a squadron of Hidden Dragon Guards to you. If you have any tasks, let them handle it. And don't keep them too far away from you on regular days. Some of my upcoming actions might make certain individuals desperate." Shang Junlin instructed.

"You can carry out your plans without worry, Your Majesty. Don't concern yourself with me. Why did Your Majesty mention that they want to shift the blame onto Prince An? What is it about Prince An?" Shen Yu knew very little about Prince An. In his previous life, the man had always had a low profile.

"Prince An once had hopes of ascending to the throne, but for some reason, he voluntarily gave up on it. Since then, he has quietly reduced his presence in the court. When I led the troops to infiltrate the palace, he lent a helping hand."

After discussing for a while, they still couldn't come to a conclusion, so they temporarily put the matter aside.

----

Subei.

Fang Jun received Shang Junlin's response in the shortest possible time. To facilitate their actions, Shang Junlin granted Fang Jun partial access to the Hidden Dragon Guards. Gu Huai was also withdrawn from the Subei Army and began investigating the hidden Beimo people covertly.

After a few days of recuperation, Yao Ji's condition improved, and she took the initiative to offer help: "I was one of the participants, and I can certainly assist all of you."

As she spoke, Yao Ji was nervous. Prejudices against women were deeply ingrained in society, and she genuinely wanted to help but was afraid of being excluded due to her identity.

"In that case, you can come along. Your assistance will be valuable in the upcoming tasks. Miss, we appreciate your efforts," Fang Jun said. His own daughter had already entered the court as an official, so he naturally had no bias against women.

Seeing this, some junior officials subconsciously felt it was inappropriate. Not only was Yao Ji a woman, but she was also a dancer. It didn't seem right for her to be involved in the investigation alongside them.

Fang Jun glanced at them and understood what they wanted to say. He interrupted their unspoken words in a calm voice, "Yao Ji has more information than you and me combined. With her involvement, things will be more convenient. I understand what you're thinking, but it is a critical period now. It's more important to uncover those individuals than to worry about unnecessary matters. Focus on your work and put away any improper thoughts."

Feeling ashamed by Fang Jun's words, the junior officials lowered their heads and admitted their mistake, saying, "You're right, my Lord."

Undeniably, Yao Ji was indeed beautiful. When she revealed her true appearance, many people were stunned. Aware that her looks would attract attention and cause unnecessary trouble, she disguised herself for the following period.

Yao Ji was a very attentive person. Based on subtle clues, she could gather more useful information. With her involvement, things progressed smoothly.

A few days later, the officials sent by the court arrived in Subei.

Fang Jun led the team to welcome them and was surprised to see his own daughter.

Fang Jiayi wasn't supposed to come at this time. Shang Junlin had planned to reunite the father and daughter in the capital before sending Fang Jiayi to Subei. However, plans changed, and due to the situation in Subei requiring a large number of personnel, Fang Jiayi volunteered. Shang Junlin decided to send the three of them together.

Fang Jun's expression changed for just an instant, noticed only by Xun Chao, who had become familiar with Fang Jun during their recent collaboration. No one else detected the subtle change in his demeanor.

After arranging the new officials, Fang Jun returned to his study. Xun Chao followed and asked, "My Lord, your expression just now wasn't right. Is there a problem with the selected officials?"

"No, it's just that I saw someone unexpected," Fang Jun replied. The list of officials who were going to be sent had been sent to Subei in advance, so Fang Jun had a rough idea of who would be coming. It just so happened that Fang Jiayi's name wasn't on the list.

"Are you referring to those few particularly young officials? I heard that His Majesty personally sent them to gain experience," Xun Chao said, not objecting to it. As long as the officials sent could do their job well, he had no complaints.

"Why didn't His Majesty inform me beforehand?" Fang Jun sighed. Even if he had been informed earlier, would he have been able to stop it?

Turning his head, Fang Jun received a letter from the court. Shang Junlin explained why the names of Fang Jiayi and the other two were not on the list because they were not supposed to come at this time.

Fang Jun arranged a small banquet to welcome the officials who had come from afar to work in Subei, allowing them to relax and get to know the local officials in Subei.

After having some wine, Fang Jiayi walked out of the main hall.

Subei and the capital had completely different styles, but the moon hanging high in the night sky was just as it had been in the capital.

"Come out, why have you been following me?" After standing for a while, Fang Jiayi suddenly spoke.

"Is My Lord a young lady?" Yao Ji walked out from behind a pillar, her gaze flickering uncertainly.

"As you can see." Fang Jiayi opened her arms generously.

"My Lord is truly remarkable," Yao Ji's eyes revealed envy. "Has the court already allowed women to become officials?"

"Don't you know?" Fang Jiayi was surprised. This matter caused quite a stir back then, and logically speaking, everyone who should know should know.

Fang Jiayi had heard her colleagues mention this woman before and admired her. Since they had some free time, she invited her to sit at the stone table in the courtyard and began a conversation.

Unbeknownst to them, they started discussing the most critical matter at hand.

"When I came to seek Official Fang, I was prepared for the possibility of failure. I didn't expect Official Fang to value what I had to say and even make an exception to involve me. My lifelong wish is to capture these Beimo people and find out the whereabouts of other missing women," the woman said.

"Whatever you desire in your heart will come true," Fang Jiayi contemplated. The relief supplies that were sent to Subei were plundered by the Beimo people. It made her wonder if some of those women might also be in Beimo. 

With the addition of new officials, the pressure on Fang Jun and Xun Chao was greatly reduced. They delegated the matters concerning Subei to these new officials and focused most of their attention on rooting out the Beimo people hiding in Subei.

Beneath the seemingly calm surface, a hidden storm was brewing.

Subei was like this, and so was the capital.

Minister Feng discovered that he was being monitored. From an unknown day onwards, no matter what he did, there always seemed to be a pair of eyes following him closely.

After enduring it for a few days, Minister Feng contacted the mysterious force once again.

The Hidden Dragon Guards were waiting for this opportunity. They silently followed him, fully prepared to close the net.

When Shang Junlin received the report from the Hidden Dragon Guards, it was late at night.

He glanced at the young man sleeping soundly in his embrace and gently sat up.

The leader of the Hidden Dragon Guards was kneeling in the outer chamber, and Shang Junlin put on his clothes and walked out.

"Master, the person has been captured."

Shang Junlin glanced behind the folding screen. "Speak outside."

The source of warmth beside him disappeared. Shen Yu woke up from his slumber, blinking his eyes in confusion. He looked around the room but couldn't find Shang Junlin.

Faint sounds could be heard outside, muffled by the thick night. Separated by the darkness, Shen Yu had a momentary feeling as if he were still in a dream.

Before long, Shang Junlin, exuding a chilly aura, walked in. He noticed the young man sitting on the bed in a daze, took three quick steps, and shook the blanket to wrap him up. "Did I wake you?"

"Where did His Majesty go?" Shen Yu was still a little dazed.

Shang Junlin could tell that he hadn't fully awakened yet. He embraced him and lay back down. "I went out to attend to some matters. It's nothing. Just go back to sleep."

In his semi-conscious state, Shen Yu was unusually soft, completely different from his usual self. Shang Junlin loved his usual appearance but also enjoyed the occasional glimpses of this different side of him.

He seemed particularly easy to tease.