"What beautiful colors." This time, He Anchang spoke first, his usually cold and reserved face softening a little. He said, "It truly lives up to Miaoyin's intention."

Xie Jingsheng laughed, "A hidden beauty—only in the deep temple of Luyi Mountain can one behold such colors. How do you feel now? Does it live up to this journey?"

Miaoshan teased from the side, "Sister, look, with your act, it's as if I haven't even been here."

Miaoyin smiled faintly, closed the door, and walked in, her every step truly graceful and slender, like lotuses blooming. She sat by Xie Jingsheng, even more charming, and said, "You are a morning's delicate flower, why mind my humble evening primrose appearance?" With that, she bowed slightly to Xie Jingsheng and said, "Though I find the young master unfamiliar, your imposing presence is very familiar."

Xie Jingsheng heard that she had seen through his pretense at a glance. He was not in a hurry, merely pouring wine and smiling, "Wonderful, truly wonderful. But even if I am imposing, I must ask the ladies to favor me with some pastries. I left home early this morning, and my stomach is now empty. It wouldn't be good if I were to be rude to the ladies later."

Miaoshan assented, pulled the door open, and instructed someone to bring some food. Xie Jingsheng accepted it, holding it in his hand, first thanked Miaoshan, then said to Miaoyin, "Since the lady knows who I am, she must also have guessed why I have come."

Miaoyin's eyes flickered, and she smiled, "Not only do I know, but I have also been waiting for the young master for a long time." Before her words fell, Xie Jingsheng was seen drinking wine with one hand and pushing pastries towards He Anchang with the other. He Anchang had likely not expected this and glanced at him.

Xie Jingsheng seemed not to notice, drank his wine, and only looked at Miaoyin, saying, "I like forthright beauties like the lady best." Then he looked at Miaoshan, "Young Lady Miaoshan doesn't seem to be waiting for me either."

Miaoshan said, "My sister and I are of one heart. Though I haven't waited for the young master, I know everything."

"Are the ladies not afraid that I am a wolf-like villain?"

Miaoyin's slender fingers toyed with the tassel on the table cloth, saying, "Someone once taught me the art of discerning people. Though I see no path of righteousness in the young master's eyes, neither do they belong to the Asura Hell. Moreover, nowadays, anyone who can trace me here, besides wolves and tigers, can only be the young master. Even though I am deeply hidden in this nunnery, I can distinguish between jackals, dogs, and leopards."

"Interesting." Xie Jingsheng sat in an unrestrained posture, raised his wine, and drank it himself, saying, "Then let us speak openly. What can the lady tell me?"

Miaoyin straightened slightly, suddenly exuding the demeanor of a dignified lady. She spoke clearly and articulately, "I wish to report to Your Excellency about Xin Wen, the Prince of Qin's heir, and Registrar He Ming of the Imperial Clan Court. The two conspired together, disregarding human lives, falsely conferring titles for profit, and forcing innocent women into prostitution!"

Miaoyin blossomed like a peony, but though she appeared to indulge in decadent pleasures and use her beauty to serve men, she secretly harbored a desire for revenge and sought retribution. She entered Jinghua Nunnery at the age of fourteen, originally surnamed Chen, from a minor, concubine-born branch of the Chen Family in the capital. Her mother was once a famous actress from the south, renowned far and wide for her beauty.

Some years ago, when Lord Chen was on a tour of study in the south, she caught his eye. He brought her with him, boating in the water towns, favoring her immensely. However, later, Lord Chen returned to the capital for a promotion and became the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, a position in charge of etiquette and propriety. This romantic escapade was inconvenient to share, so he found an excuse to cover it up.

Unexpectedly, the actress became pregnant and bore him a daughter. Although he resolutely broke off the relationship to preserve his official career, he couldn't bring himself to be cruel to his own flesh and blood. So, he brought his daughter to the capital and raised her under his legitimate wife's knee, which counted as acknowledging her ancestry. But good times didn't last long. When Miaoyin was five or six, Lord Chen was implicated in a case, demoted, and stripped of his position. Feeling wronged and having no solace, he only regretted not having a son, and within a year, he died early of melancholy.

Miaoyin was left at a naive and ignorant age, and his wife quickly gave her off as a concubine to the fifth young master of the He Family, falsely reporting her age and sending her in a sedan chair into the He Manor.

The He Manor was a respectable scholarly family, but this Fifth Young Master He was born with a foot ailment, moody and eccentric, rumored to have a habit of beating and abusing those in his household. When Miaoyin fell into his hands, she thought she was destined to die. Yet, unexpectedly, Fifth Young Master He tenderly raised her in a proper manner. He nurtured her for seven years, teaching her to be innocent and upright, well-read and sensible. Miaoyin's beauty gradually emerged, breathtakingly stunning, becoming increasingly peerless. Fifth Young Master He only allowed her to play and walk in his own courtyard, not needing to leave the courtyard or meet people, thoroughly concealing her exceptional beauty and ensuring her carefree life.

However, the world's fate has never been for humans to dictate.

He San, the third young master of the He Manor, He Xu, was skilled in painting and a bookworm, but he was indecisive, timid, and cowardly, not highly regarded in the He Manor. He always sought solace from his fifth brother, He Ming. Whenever he saw his fifth brother inconvenienced by his foot ailment, he would feel both pity and relief, pitying He Ming for not revealing his talent while confined to his deep courtyard, and relieved that He Ming's inability to move freely prevented him from stealing the limelight. He never imagined that such a fifth brother would harbor such a peerless beauty.

From the moment he first laid eyes on Miaoyin, He Xu suffered sleepless nights, yearning for her day and night but daring not show any hint. He tried to ask for her a few times, but He Ming refused each time. So, he hid this desire again and again, and in his restless pondering, an evil thought finally arose.

He Xu was skilled in painting. Some time ago, Prince of Qin's heir, Xin Wen, obtained one of his paintings and even sent people to intercept him, demanding that he paint several erotic paintings exclusively for him. Although Xin Wen was only twelve or thirteen, he already had a lawless and tyrannical temperament, and the Prince of Qin adored him immensely. He started having bed warmers early, just when he was interested. How could He Xu dare to disobey? He secretly painted for Xin Wen.

Just once, a few days after he delivered a painting to Xin Wen, people from the Prince of Qin's Manor came to inquire, only asking who the girl in the painting was, and if he had seen her. He Xu hesitated several times before saying that she was merely his fifth brother's concubine. Later, Xin Wen specifically invited him for a meeting outside, pressing him whether his fifth brother was the hidden cripple. He Xu confirmed it, and Xin Wen then asked if he could bring this young lady out to meet. He Xu naturally said he could not. Xin Wen was unwilling to give up and would not stop there, telling him to only paint this woman from then on.

How could He Xu disobey? After six months of such exchanges, Xin Wen found a reason to enter the He Manor. Xin Wen wanted to go to He Ming's courtyard, and He Xu led him there.

It was the Dragon Boat Festival in mid-summer, very hot. Miaoyin remembered seeking refuge from the heat under a tree in the courtyard when she heard someone calling from over the wall. She saw a young boy shamelessly appraising her, looking her entire self over, seemingly very satisfied. She felt something was amiss and immediately returned to the house. She thought he was merely a libertine from a noble family, but she never expected him to become a wolf-like predator that would bite her to death.

That night, the Fifth Master entertained guests in the courtyard. He Xu poured wine, and Xin Wen encouraged him to drink. When the Fifth Master showed signs of being drunk, Xin Wen instructed his men to move the table of food and wine into the house, closed the door, and dismissed all the He Manor staff, leaving only those belonging to the Prince of Qin whom he had brought. He Xu called Miaoyin to the house to help He Ming, but unexpectedly, as soon as she entered, she was embraced and held down by Xin Wen, unable to struggle, which woke He Ming. In the struggle between the two sides, He Xu knocked down He Ming, and when the desk toppled, He Ming was directly underneath it, falling unconscious.

He Xu panicked, "What should we do? If he wakes up and accuses me to Father, I will be in trouble."

Xin Wen merely covered Miaoyin's mouth and sneered at He Xu, "What are you afraid of? I will take the blame. If he wakes up and only accuses you to your father, that's a small matter. If he reports it to His Majesty, that would be fatal. Listen to me now, you must make sure he doesn't wake up!"

He Xu was greatly alarmed, "He is my brother after all. Even if there was a conflict, there's no need to..."

"Taking a brother's beautiful concubine is not a good reputation!" Xin Wen pressed down harder on the increasingly violently struggling Miaoyin and snapped, "He Xu! Don't you want to enter officialdom?"

He Xu trembled, his breathing became rapid, his gaze darting between He Ming and Miaoyin's faces. Seeing Miaoyin's tearful eyes filled with hatred, he steeled his heart, closed his eyes, and picked up the inkstone to smash it down. Afterward, the two combined forces to throw He Ming into the pond. Having succeeded, Xin Wen only told Old Master He that He Ming had gotten drunk, lost his footing, and hit a stubborn rock in the pond. Because the body was disfigured beyond recognition, and with He Xu by his side strongly testifying to its authenticity, He Ming was hastily buried.

When Xin Wen left, he only said to Miaoyin, "Do you know what truly holds sway in the capital? This matter originated because of you. Even if you were to expose the whole truth, it would probably be useless and you would lose your life. I cherish your beauty, but it's a pity for you to be following a cripple like He Ming. Now you and I are considered a couple for a night. If you are obedient and well-behaved, I will certainly not mistreat you. If you have other ideas, let me just say one thing: the Emperor is my paternal grandfather. If he were to receive news of such a thing that humiliates the royal family's reputation, I'm afraid He Ming would be cursed and utterly ruined first."

Miaoyin did not wish to delve deeper into what truly held sway in the capital; she only wanted karma and retribution.

He Xu had Lady He send her to Jinghua Nunnery. Upon entering, she knew exactly what kind of place it was. Xin Wen often lingered here. Miaoyin, having received instruction from others, naturally became increasingly charming and alluring to the bone, cultivating her already stunning beauty to be even more captivating, making Xin Wen unable to put her down and endlessly crave her. Even He Xu couldn't resist sneaking over to illicitly enjoy her company while avoiding Xin Wen. Miaoyin liked gold, silver, and other mundane items, seemingly loving them immensely, always clinging to Xin Wen and asking for a lot, earning herself the reputation of being greedy for money and extravagant.

Perhaps finding amusement in Jinghua Nunnery, Xin Wen gradually became bolder a few years later. He secretly arranged for people to search and scout in cities outside the capital, from fifth-rank officials to ordinary commoners. As long as any family had exceptionally beautiful women, he would carefully arrange for them to be secretly brought to the capital, placing them in Jinghua Nunnery. Very capable wet nurses would then secretly train and groom them well, serving as a beautiful gift for the capital's powerful officials, collecting entrance fees until their hands were soft. Because Xin Wen held the leverage of He Ming's life tightly over He Xu, all financial incomings and outgoings, as well as the names and original hometowns of official families' daughters, were personally transcribed and organized by He Xu.

He Xu kept copies of every ledger he recorded, not daring to keep them at home. Miaoyin then persuaded him to put them in her hands. Later, when they engaged in the private sale of official positions, those accounts were also recorded by He Xu. However, whenever he organized these accounts, someone would be watching from the side, and the recorded ledgers would definitely be taken back. So, he relied on rote memorization, intermittently transcribing them for Miaoyin.

Xin Wen later discovered He Xu's illicit affair with Miaoyin, and the two had a significant rift. Xin Wen, accustomed to being overbearing, assigned increasingly heavy tasks, but kept He Xu's official position suppressed, not promoting him. Most importantly, from then on, whenever he visited Miaoyin, he would make He Xu wait outside the door.

He Xu harbored secret hatred in his heart, daring not to utter a single word. Yet, Miaoyin treated him as if deeply in love with him, but was being forced to comply with Xin Wen, making him feel even more resentful in his heart.

Until the day of the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet, He Xu, resting in a side hall due to drunkenness, was depressed and unhappy. He then saw Xin Wen and Guan Si dragging Xin Yi towards Bailu Lake. He followed closely and saw the entire process clearly. Only after Xin Yi had left, and Xin Wen was changing clothes in the hall, did he appear.

Xin Wen had already treated him very coldly, and probably spoke words of mockery. In a fit of rage, He Xu said that he also had ledgers in his hand, and if things didn't go his way, he would fight Xin Wen to the death, both suffering heavy losses. What kind of temperament did Xin Wen have? The intention to kill him to silence him had long existed, and now that he had the opportunity, he would naturally not let him go. What difficulty was there in dealing with a frail scholar like He Xu, especially with Guan Si backing him?

So, He Xu died.

The slanting rays of the setting sun streaked across his shoulders. Xie Jingsheng finished the last sip of wine and said, "Was the situation at the palace banquet what Xin Wen said?"

"No." Miaoyin shook her head, "I know a lot about the relationship between these two. When I heard the news of He Xu's death, I had already guessed it must be Xin Wen. To be frank, my lord, if He Xu had not died this time, I would have found another way to make him die."

"Since you endured all these years, why can't you restrain yourself now?"

"Because I couldn't wait any longer." Miaoyin's eyes revealed a chilling coldness, "For years, I maneuvered between the two of them, even recruiting various court officials as my intimate guests, all to ensure these two received their just retribution. But in recent years, Xin Wen's arrogance only grew and did not diminish. With the death of the Prince of Ping, the Shanyin fiefdom was in need of a Prince, and the Prince of Qin had gradually developed the intention to occupy Shanyin. If I were to endure any longer, I'm afraid that if he leaves the capital in the future, it will be difficult to touch Xin Wen again."

"You have observed carefully." Xie Jingsheng tilted his head, looking at the silent He Anchang, "Anything you want to ask?"

"Only one thing." He Anchang said, "Are you willing to hand over the ledgers to us?"

Miaoyin fell silent, then suddenly turned to him and bowed deeply, saying in a low voice, "I know who Your Excellency is, and I know Your Excellency is the most upright and incorruptible person in this court. Since my husband's death, I have suffered unimaginable pain day and night. It's not that I haven't thought of seeking help from court officials all these years to avenge my husband. But no one could help. The only thing I have ever sought in my life is this. If Your Excellency can agree, I will hand over the ledgers and come forward as a witness. I want Xin Wen's crimes to be known to the world, for him to be utterly ruined, and for him to be beheaded in the execution hall!"

He Anchang looked down at her. Her voice was choked with sobs, her shoulders trembling, already unable to control her emotions. He said, "I cannot agree."

Miaoyin trembled. She did not rise, but her sleeves were already wet.

He Anchang sighed softly and said slowly, "This matter is not easy. Even with the ledgers in hand, there are likely many variables. I cannot definitively say what Xin Wen's outcome will be. I can only say that I will do my utmost to ensure justice."

Miaoyin handed the ledgers to the two of them.

Leaving Jinghua Nunnery, the two rode side-by-side. The horse hooves sounded unhurriedly in the sunset, and He Anchang remained silent. Xie Jingsheng loosened his reins, clasped his hands behind his head, and leisurely said, "Well, now, Lord He's burden has increased by more than just one."

He Anchang ignored him.

Xie Jingsheng smiled and continued, "You know these ledgers are a hot potato, yet you insist on doing things your own way. Whether we can take down Xin Wen is another matter. Even whether Lord Zhang will agree is a problem."

As long as Bai Jiu didn't fall, Zhang Taiyan would never weaken his own power. That old man had already experienced changes across two dynasties and knew that the current standoff between the two factions was the safest distance before the Crown Prince ascended the throne. He wanted to suppress Bai Jiu, fearing that a powerful official would control the position. Now, to ask him to abandon Bai Jiu and point the spear at the Prince of Qin, and even take down the Prince of Qin's son, would certainly stir up a fierce struggle in court. This was not an action taken after careful consideration.

Moreover, Bai Jiu still held Xin Yi, seemingly backed by 300,000 Beiyang soldiers.

"I know." He Anchang reined in his horse slightly, looking at the layers of lush maple leaves in the mountains, stained by patches of orange sunset. His coldness seemed to fade, his features beautiful and young.

He was a few years younger than himself.

"It's not uncommon for a Prince's heir to run rampant in the capital, but to be able to extend his hand into officialdom without anyone stopping him—that's not something the Prince of Qin alone can cover for him. It's not the Prince of Qin, not Zhang Taiyan, not Your Excellency, so who is left, you and I both know clearly. Without Zhang Taiyan's Left Faction backing you, delving deeper will be fraught with difficulties and dangers, even threatening your safety. Yet you still want to investigate." Xie Jingsheng quietly looked at him, finally smiling genuinely, appreciative and yet sighing with emotion, "You fool."

"Since I first understood things, my father always said that an official must be fair and upright. My grandfather did this, my father did this, my uncle also did this; the men of the He Family, generation after generation, have all done this." He Anchang turned his head to look at Xie Jingsheng, his lips slightly curving in the sunset, "Foolish, but honorably so."

Perhaps the scenery was too beautiful, perhaps the person was too foolish. In any case, Xie Jingsheng stared for a long time, his heart pounding wildly, but it was no longer simply aroused by beauty. He just wanted to truly and openly look at this person, to remember him in his heart, to look longer.

This was the open and aboveboard quality that he himself could never achieve in his lifetime.

Xie Jingsheng suddenly pulled up the reins. With a flick of the whip, the horse shot out like an arrow. What flew was his hair, what settled was his heart. Yet he insisted on laughing loudly, saying, "He Anchang!"

He Anchang spurred his horse behind him and responded.

Xie Jingsheng's voice drifted in the wind, but did not dissipate. He said, "I will only accompany you for a while on this thorny path."

He Anchang's eyes showed a hint of surprise, but he could not catch up with his horse, nor could he see his expression at that moment, so he could only shout back, "What will you do? How will Bai Jiu agree!"

"My lord understands me."

The sound of hooves gradually covered the mountains. Deer twitched their ears and looked sideways, seeing the two riders disappear into the distance. The hooves gradually overlapped, one layer after another breaking the silence, dashing through the maple leaves.