Strictly speaking, Quan Fu hadn’t found Zijuan. Zijuan had returned of her own accord.

Facing the furious Consort Liu, Zijuan curtsied respectfully, just as she always had.

"This servant greets you, Noble Consort."

Without a second thought, Consort Liu raised her right hand and swung it hard across Zijuan’s cheek.

A sharp slap echoed.

Zijuan took the full force of the blow.

Her fair cheek instantly reddened and began to swell.

And yet, she remained standing perfectly still, her calmness almost unsettling.

"Your Highness, please quell your anger."

Quan Fu was thoroughly frightened.

He was usually on good terms with Zijuan and wanted to speak up for her. But when he met Consort Liu’s vicious, man-eating glare, the words died in his throat.

’So be it. The Noble Consort is truly furious today.’

’It would be a miracle if he could avoid her wrath himself; he couldn’t possibly think of pleading for someone else.’

A single slap was not enough to quell the fury Consort Liu felt at being betrayed by someone she trusted.

She ground out through clenched teeth, "Do you know why I struck you?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Zijuan replied, "Naturally, it is because this servant made a mistake and incurred Your Highness’s displeasure."

Consort Liu sneered, "So you admit you were wrong. It seems I was right. This was all part of your plan from the beginning, wasn’t it?"

Zijuan said nothing.

Her silence was as good as a confession.

Consort Liu’s eyes reddened with rage. "I have never mistreated you. Why would you betray me?"

Zijuan lowered her gaze, remaining silent.

Clinging to a final shred of hope, Consort Liu tried to coax her.

"Did someone force you to do this? If you tell me who it was, I can overlook everything you’ve done."

But after a long wait, all she got was Zijuan’s reply—

"No one forced me. I did it of my own free will."

’And she had been.’

’Years ago, her family had sold her to a brothel. For refusing to submit, she had been beaten nearly to death.’

’In the end, that person spent one hundred taels of silver to pull her from that foul, stinking mire.’

’From that day forward, her life belonged to him.’

’When he told her to enter the palace, she entered the palace.’

’When he told her to find a way to get close to Consort Liu, she racked her brains until she had earned the consort’s trust.’

’When he told her to incite Consort Liu against Prince Zhao, she deliberately sowed discord between them.’

’And when he told her to return and negotiate with Consort Liu, she obediently returned.’

’Whatever he asked of her, she did.’

’Consort Liu asked why she had betrayed her?’

’In truth, Zijuan’s loyalty had belonged to someone else from the start. How could it be called betrayal?’

Seeing Zijuan remain defiant even now, Consort Liu’s anger flared.

"Since you’ve said as much, I have no more questions. Guards! Take Zijuan away and give her one hundred strokes of the cane!"

Quan Fu shuddered again.

’With a small frame like Zijuan’s, one hundred strokes would surely kill her.’

’It was clear the Imperial Concubine hated Zijuan to the bone—she wanted her dead.’

Quan Fu expected Zijuan to fall to her knees and beg for mercy.

But Zijuan remained unnervingly calm.

"Even if you have me beaten to death, Your Highness, it will not solve the crisis you now face."

Consort Liu sneered, "What crisis could I possibly have?"

Zijuan reminded her, "Lady Liang has been taken away."

Consort Liu scoffed, "So what? Even if she points the finger at me, I can deny everything. She has no concrete evidence. No one can convict me on her word alone!"

Zijuan said, "Your Highness may not be aware, but the Saint has summoned Prince Zhao to the palace. He is interrogating Lady Liang as we speak. I imagine there will be a result very soon."

Her words successfully struck a nerve with Consort Liu.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "When did Prince Zhao enter the palace?"

Quan Fu, who had been kneeling on the floor, too afraid to utter a sound, now spoke with a tremor in his voice.

"Just an hour ago, the Saint summoned Prince Zhao to the palace. It is said there’s a new clue regarding Princess Consort Zhao’s whereabouts."

Consort Liu swayed, nearly falling.

She managed to steady herself only by grabbing the edge of a nearby table.

’If anyone else were interrogating Lady Liang, I might be able to use my status to get by.’

’But if it was Prince Zhao, all of my assumptions would be worthless.’

’Prince Zhao has always been lawless. In his eyes, all rules and etiquette are bullshit.’

’He even dared to make a move against the Empress; what chance did a mere Imperial Concubine like her stand?’

’Especially since this concerned the safety of Princess Consort Zhao.’

’That madman, Prince Zhao, was capable of anything.’

...

「Inside Hanzhang Hall.」

Lady Liang had confessed everything she knew.

"It was Consort Liu who approached me first.

She asked if I wanted revenge.

I didn’t want to have anything to do with her at first, but she told me she could help me contact my family.

All I had to do was nod, and I would receive a letter from them.

I was tempted.

After all, it was just a nod. Even if she tricked me, what did I have to lose?

Besides, I truly missed my family.

A part of me hoped... what if she was telling the truth?

And it turned out to be true.

I actually received a letter from my cousin.

In the letter, my cousin asked for my help. He wanted me to help him find a pretext for our two nations to go to war.

I wrote back and told him that if he kidnapped Princess Consort Zhao, it would certainly enrage Prince Zhao.

Then Prince Zhao would storm Xiliang without a second thought. Even if Xiliang didn’t want a war, they would be forced to fight.

That way, not only would my cousin get what he wanted, but I would also have my revenge..."

As she continued to speak, Lady Liang’s voice grew quieter.

By the end, her voice was laced with tears.

She was utterly terrified by Prince Zhao’s dark and ruthless expression.

Li Ji pressed her, "The letters?"

Lady Liang stammered.

"They were... they were burned long ago. Consort Liu watched me burn them. She said it would be safer."

Li Ji: "Where is Xiao Hong now?"

Lady Liang: "I don’t know."

Seeing that Prince Zhao looked ready to strike her again, she burst into tears out of desperation.

"I really don’t know!

Xiao Hong never mentioned his location in the letters.

He’s always cautious. In a letter that would pass through so many hands, he would never include such crucial information."

Desperate to save herself, Lady Liang quickly shifted the blame.

"If you want to know where he is, you should ask Consort Liu.

Since she was able to get his letters, she must know how to find him."

Her attempt to divert the blame was clumsy.

But it was effective.

Because Li Ji had confirmed through his Mind Reading Technique that Lady Liang truly didn’t know Xiao Hong’s whereabouts.

She had told him everything she knew; she wasn’t lying.

Li Ji turned and strode out.

’It seems Consort Liu is the key to this matter.’

Lady Liang collapsed to the floor, feeling as though she had just survived a catastrophe.

’Finally, that Evil God is gone.’

When Zuo Ji saw Prince Zhao emerge, he hurried to meet him.

"Your Highness, the Saint wishes to see you."