Fight! Fight!!

Outside Chongyun Hall, the cold froze heaven and earth.

Emperor Mingze had always won his officials' hearts with his consideration for them. Not only had he specifically ordered a shelter built to one side where they could warm themselves, he had also granted them permission to enter the hall directly to await morning court.

The charcoal fires kept the hall wonderfully warm. Compared with the temporary shelter erected beside it each winter, the ministers preferred waiting inside the hall.

On most days, they particularly enjoyed chatting here about trivial matters. Today, however, not a single voice could be heard in the vast hall.

They were all discreetly studying the screen that had suddenly appeared below the steps to the left of the dragon throne.

The screen looked much larger than an ordinary one, and its design was so pink and delicate that it had clearly been prepared for a young girl.

Several ministers exchanged looks, trying to find some trace of an explanation in one another's expressions, only to discover bewilderment identical to their own.

What was going on? Was someone about to rule from behind a curtain?

How had they not heard so much as a whisper about it?

When the hour of the tiger arrived, the officials stopped looking around and took their assigned positions, ready to welcome Emperor Mingze.

Almost the instant they had settled into place, eunuchs filed into the hall. At the master of ceremonies' loud announcement, the ministers all knelt together.

Footsteps sounded above their heads.

A few bold souls secretly glanced up and saw Emperor Mingze leading a tightly bundled little dumpling by the hand. He first took the child behind the screen, then turned and sat on the dragon throne.

They were too far away, and the little dumpling was wrapped too snugly for them to make out the child's face. Judging by the child's height, however, they could only be around three years old.

The officials who witnessed this began wondering to themselves.

The Thirteenth Prince's build would fit, but his mother's status was not particularly high. Surely Emperor Mingze would not have thought to bring him along early to familiarize him with court.

The few officials who had experienced the little princess's miraculous abilities yesterday secretly exchanged glances. An absurd yet perfectly reasonable guess rose in their minds.

The master of ceremonies' loud cry of "Bow!" interrupted their differing thoughts. They placed their hands one over the other on the floor, then pressed their foreheads down.

Since they could not figure it out, they would attend court first.

The ministers suppressed their doubts and began discussing state affairs with Emperor Mingze.

Lu Yao had been waiting a long time for this moment. Before anyone else could speak, he stepped out of the ranks.

"Your Majesty, I have an urgent matter to report!" His voice was excited, his tone ringing.

After receiving permission, Lu Yao poured out the findings of yesterday's investigation.

Once he had obtained a lead from the little princess's thoughts yesterday, he had immediately gathered his men and raced to Hong Song County without stopping to rest.

After knocking on doors and searching from house to house, they had successfully found the maid Yun Ying, who had only just regained consciousness and was still very weak.

"According to the witness, she saw Gu Yurou tuck a stack of letters into Duke Wang's bookshelf with her own eyes. This matches the location where we found the letters of treason."

"Furthermore, Gu Yurou attempted to harm her that very day."

"I suspect that Gu Yurou is the daughter of Eastern Li's great general, Xie Chengxuan. Gu Yurou should be her-"

[Wow~]

The sudden "wow" interrupted everything Lu Yao had prepared to say.

His position was near the back, so he had not seen the little princess enter the hall earlier. Hearing her thoughts now startled him so badly that he completely forgot what he had been about to say next.

But that was not the end of it.

The little princess's thoughts continued.

[This Embroidered Uniform Guard uncle might look scrawny, but he sure works fast~]

Lu Yao's face flushed red in an instant.

Could she stop paying attention to his muscles?!

He was not scrawny!

His muscles were simply compact and firm. If not for the distinction between men and women, he would have loved to strip off his clothes and show the little princess what it meant to have muscles hidden beneath them!

Besides, besides...

A lot of people could hear those thoughts!

He swept a wary gaze around the hall and, sure enough, caught several people staring straight at his physique.

He forced himself to continue. "Gu Yurou should be her alias, but we have yet to find evidence."

The little girl's milky voice sounded again, as though she were complaining to that "System Bro."

[What more evidence do you need? I heard that general absolutely dotes on this daughter of his. Just arrest her! Once you've caught her, send word to the enemy country and wait for that great general to come rescue her!]

Lu Yao paused.

The little princess's temperament was quite similar to Emperor Mingze's: decisive and ruthless, with results taking priority.

But Duke Wang's case had far-reaching implications. Many at court still did not want him released so easily because of factional rivalries. As such, every step Lu Yao took required detailed evidence.

[Sigh, Xie Jinrou even has half of Xie Chengxuan's tiger tally in her luggage. What a shame. Dongli's tiger tallies look so strange that nobody knows that thing could be so useful.]

Several sharp intakes of breath rang through the court.

Half a tiger tally?!

A tiger tally?!

If they could get their hands on it, what an enormous advantage they would have the next time they crossed swords with Dongli!

The ministers who could hear the little princess's thoughts rubbed their fists and flexed their palms, itching to charge straight to the duke's residence and tie Xie Jinrou up themselves!

With such a rich prize at stake, one military officer was the first to lose patience. "I propose that, since Gu Yurou's identity is in question, we detain her first and take our time gathering evidence!"

Lock her up first, then find that half of the tiger tally!

With it, they could catch the enemy off guard on the battlefield. Who knew how many needless sacrifices they could prevent then!

The military officer who had spoken was so excited that his eyes were almost red.

A political rival who could not hear the little princess's thoughts quickly objected. "I do not believe this course of action is acceptable!"

"Great Rui is a nation governed by law. How can we throw an innocent woman into prison without any evidence?" the man declared passionately. "If word of this gets out, would it not chill the hearts of the common people?!"

Hearing the argument on the other side of the screen, Jiang Yingcheng hopped off her Upholstered Chair and pattered over to its edge, her eyes sparkling as she looked toward the center of the dispute.

Inwardly, she cheered, [Fight! Fight!!]

Lu Yao: "..."

Eunuch Changshun, who had watched her run over to enjoy the spectacle: "..."

General Mingwei snorted heavily. "This woman is the Daughter of the General of an enemy state! If we do not arrest her promptly, are we supposed to wait until she escapes and then search the entire city?"

"She is the Daughter of the General of an enemy state just because you say so?" Jing Yongnian, a reader-in-waiting of the Hanlin Academy, retorted, his neck stiff. "Why not say she is the enemy's empress?"

[Fight!]

The unreasonable remark infuriated his opponent until his eyes nearly split at the corners. "A dignified reader-in-waiting of the Hanlin Academy, yet so utterly unreasonable!"

Jing Yongnian refused to back down. "Unreasonable behavior from generals, on the other hand, seems perfectly commonplace."

Jiang Yanchuan watched with dwindling interest and lightly tapped a knuckle against the dragon throne. A eunuch immediately raised his shrill voice and called for silence.

Emperor Mingze's authority was deeply entrenched, and the ministers immediately fell quiet.

In the silent court, only Jiang Yingcheng's slightly disappointed thoughts remained.

[Come on, fight!]

And only some of the officials could hear them.

Jiang Yanchuan: "..."