When Qin Yu opened her eyes, it was already past eight o’clock the next morning.
After the turmoil of the previous night, Qin Yu had fallen asleep on the way back to the palace, yet she still felt exhausted now.
With the help of her maid, Qin Yu dressed and combed her hair, listlessly preparing to have breakfast.
Today’s breakfast was unusually lavish, a stark contrast to Qin Yu’s usual simple meals.
Alongside the usual bread and porridge, there were also various tea snacks and more choices.
“Why is breakfast so sumptuous today?” Qin Yu asked the maid beside her.
The maid replied, “We heard that Your Highness was startled last night, so today they specially prepared this to comfort you.”
Qin Yu felt puzzled, “Did everyone find out about what happened yesterday?”
“Your Highness, Lord Yin inquired about your whereabouts last night, then rushed out of the palace with a tense expression. Everyone began to speculate. More detailed information came from the eunuchs close to the Emperor.”
‘I see. So Father also knows about last night’s incident. In that case, the Duke of Changning will surely not escape punishment,’ Qin Yu thought to herself.
Footsteps approaching from behind the folding screen interrupted her thoughts.
It was Luo Shangyu.
Today she wore a loose short-sleeved garment, her right shoulder wrapped in bandages.
“What happened to—”
“The imperial physician just came to check the wound and found residual poison, so she applied medicine and wrapped it,” Luo Shangyu explained as she sat down beside Qin Yu.
Just as Luo Shangyu picked up her chopsticks to eat, Qin Yu stopped her.
“An injured person should rest properly.” Saying this, Qin Yu gently pressed Luo Shangyu’s hand back onto the table.
Luo Shangyu raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Qin Yu then took a bowl of seafood porridge, scooped a small spoonful, blew on it, and offered it to Luo Shangyu.
Obediently, Luo Shangyu opened her mouth and finished the spoonful completely.
“Hey, slow down. Be careful, it’s hot,” Qin Yu warned.
“I’m not a child anymore,” Luo Shangyu retorted.
Amid their laughter, footsteps approached again from behind the screen.
“Report! Scholar Han Youcheng has come to see Your Highness.”
“Let him in.”
Han Youcheng hurried over and respectfully bowed, “Crown Princess, forgive the intrusion. The Emperor will hold a court assembly at ten o’clock to discuss the sudden event from last night. I was ordered to escort you to attend.”
Qin Yu glanced at the time.
It was getting late.
She and Luo Shangyu quickly finished breakfast and went to change into their court robes.
In the Chengji Empire, ordinary people usually wore casual clothing, but court officials were required to wear court robes when attending work.
The court robe was traditional Chinese attire, also used in other formal occasions.
With the maid’s help, Qin Yu changed into her exclusive court robe.
The robe was traditional Chinese style, primarily white, with yellow silk embroidery along the hems, collar, and sleeves.
The intricate and luxurious patterns reflected the status and dignity of the empire’s Crown Princess.
The sleeves were straight and slightly wide, contrasting sharply with Qin Yu’s slender arms.
Once Qin Yu finished dressing and stepped out of her chamber, Luo Shangyu was already waiting for her in her court robe.
Luo Shangyu, as Palace Commander and Duke of Zhenping, wore purple court robes.
As a second-rank duke, her rank was not low.
“Your wound…” Qin Yu began.
“It’s fine. Wearing the right-over-left style didn’t put pressure on the wound,” Luo Shangyu replied.
Qin Yu, Luo Shangyu, Han Youcheng, and a group of guards headed toward the front courtyard of the Imperial Palace, Weiyang Palace.
On the way, Qin Yu glanced at Luo Shangyu, who walked half a step behind her.
Qin Yu did not walk quickly, so why was Luo Shangyu behind her?
Qin Yu deliberately slowed her pace, and for a moment, Luo Shangyu stood aligned with her.
Suddenly, Luo Shangyu startled and retreated half a step in panic.
It seemed intentional.
“Hm?” Qin Yu found this strange.
She then placed her hand on Luo Shangyu’s shoulder, pulling her firmly to stand level with her.
“Your Highness, this isn’t proper. This concerns the Status System. We can’t let our relationship disrupt the order.”
Having crossed over from the 21st century, Qin Yu found the world’s excessive emphasis on the Status System hardest to adapt to.
Clear hierarchies and the influence of class on personal relationships were reminiscent of the feudal society from her previous life.
Qin Yu smiled faintly and replied, “We’re friends. What’s wrong with friends walking side by side?”
“Friends still mustn’t disrupt order…”
“Hm? Friends can’t, but we’re not just ordinary friends, right?” Qin Yu leaned close to Luo Shangyu, tilting her head slightly to look up at her.
Mischief danced in her blue eyes.
Luo Shangyu was stunned, ‘Not ordinary friends…’
She mulled over the words carefully in her mind.
“So, let’s walk together.” Qin Yu took Luo Shangyu’s hand, and they walked side by side toward Weiyang Palace.
Hand in hand, Qin Yu and Luo Shangyu walked at the front, followed by Han Youcheng, with Eastern Palace Imperial Bodyguards flanking them, fully armored.
As they entered Weiyang Palace grounds, the number of guards increased.
Luo Shangyu tried to shake off Qin Yu’s hand, but Qin Yu held on tightly, making it difficult for her to escape.
Flustered?
Qin Yu gave a questioning look.
Luo Shangyu shook her head and stopped struggling, letting Qin Yu lead her.
They arrived at the side entrance of Weiyang Palace.
Following the eunuchs’ guidance, Qin Yu, Luo Shangyu, and Han Youcheng climbed onto the raised platform.
Qin Yu looked out toward the front plaza.
The plaza was lined with Court Civil and Military Officials standing in formation, orderly waiting for the court session to begin.
Some were nodding off, others whispering, presenting a lax and careless appearance.
It was no wonder— the current Emperor was extravagant and indulgent.
When the ruler is corrupt, subordinates follow suit, so the officials’ laxity was to be expected.
“Are you not joining them?” Qin Yu asked Han Youcheng curiously.
“Your Highness, I am Taizi Zhongshuzi, your secretary. I should be with you. Didn’t you know?”
Qin Yu realized immediately that her father must have forgotten to inform her.
The three of them entered a side hall where Grand Tutor Yin An had been waiting.
“Let’s go!” Qin Yu led them into the main hall of Weiyang Palace, Changle Hall, to participate in the court assembly.
Meanwhile…
Qin Yi’s face was ashen as he looked at the chaotic scene inside his residence.
The east wing was completely destroyed, and the rear garden was in disarray.
Last night’s incident had alarmed the military officers assigned to “watch” him.
Although he had bribed the officers, the matter was serious, and they had no choice but to report it.
The Duke of Changning’s residence guards suffered heavy casualties.
Under Luo Shangyu’s Ninth-Tier Demigod magic, these ordinary soldiers were shredded like cut vegetables.
More importantly, two of his Eighth-Tier Quasi-God mages died, making replenishment difficult in the short term.
Most critically, his assassination attempt on the Crown Princess had failed!
Rumor had it the Emperor would pass judgment on his actions.
Qin Yi wasn’t sure if his informants in the palace could help.
‘To seize the throne, I’ll have to ask for outside support…’ Qin Yi thought grimly.
***
Qin Yu sat down in her designated seat beside the Emperor.
Behind her, Yin An, Luo Shangyu, and Han Youcheng sat on cushions on the floor.
As the court session bell rang, Court Civil and Military Officials entered the main hall in order and took their assigned seats.
They sat on the floor with only a single mat laid out.
The assembly began with routine reports on the empire’s daily affairs.
The reports were lengthy, and Qin Yu almost nodded off.
Then came various decisions on imperial matters.
Finally, after settling these numerous affairs, it was time to discuss last night’s event.
Emperor Qin Yu declared loudly, “Last night, the Crown Princess stayed overnight at the Duke of Changning’s residence but was the target of an assassination attempt by the Duke himself. Thanks to the full protection of Duke of Zhenping Luo Shangyu and Grand Tutor Yin An, she escaped danger.”
This statement caused an uproar among the officials, who immediately engaged in heated debate.
Although they had heard about the incident through various channels, hearing it from the Emperor’s own mouth was a shock.
The Imperial Secretariat shouted, “Silence!” The officials’ arguments gradually subsided.
The Secretariat signaled Qin Yu to recount the events of last night.
Qin Yu carefully narrated the perilous experience.
After she finished, Luo Shangyu and Yin An supplemented her account.
Qin Yu and Luo Shangyu’s versions were largely consistent.
When the officials heard that the Duke of Changning commanded a squad with one Ninth-Tier Pseudo-God and three Eighth-Tier Quasi-Gods, they were astonished.
Such a force was top-tier even in the entire Illusory Realm.
Yet when they learned that Luo Shangyu had killed two Eighth-Tier Quasi-Gods, they found it unbelievable.
Luo Shangyu had only been newly appointed Palace Commander for two days. No one knew her well or her true strength and would never have imagined such power from this beautiful “young woman.”
In Yin An’s account, everyone, including Qin Yu and Luo Shangyu, was curious about how he found them in the Duke of Changning’s residence.
Yin An’s explanation was simple: Qin Yu had told her travel destination and return time.
When she did not return by the appointed hour, he suspected something was wrong.
Considering the Crown Princess’s destination, the only danger capable of troubling even the Seventh-Tier Quasi-God Luo Shangyu was the treacherous Duke of Changning.
Everyone agreed.
The Duke of Changning’s wickedness was well-known to all.
After the account, discussions became even more intense.
Qin Yu observed the officials below, who were red-faced and shouting, fiercely attacking each other.
Suddenly, she noticed several figures out of place.
They sat solemnly and silently amid the fierce debate—one was the Prime Minister, another the Minister of War, and a few dozen lower-ranking officials of fifth to eighth grade.
The debate lasted several minutes until one suddenly shouted, “The Duke of Changning kidnapped and tried to kill the Crown Princess. Qin Yi is a great traitor and rebel! Execute the traitor Qin Yi!”
The crowd roared in agreement, “Execute the traitor! Execute the traitor!”
Seated on the dragon throne, the Emperor looked at the officials’ passionate fury and then at Qin Yu trembling from last night’s ordeal, followed by Luo Shangyu’s gruesome wounds.
He raised his voice to issue a verdict:
“The Duke of Changning, Qin Yi, though my elder brother, is wicked. He attempted to assassinate the Crown Princess, harmed loyal court ministers, and maintained a private army. His crimes warrant execution!”
The officials responded in unison, “Your Majesty’s judgment is wise! Long live the Emperor, long live, long long live!”
Before the echoes died, a discordant voice suddenly interrupted, “Your Majesty, please wait!”
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