After Second Prince died, the Ministry of Works which was his assignment temporarily, was handed over to Ning Yi. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel, on the other hand, were handed to Seventh Prince as temporary assignments. Tiansheng Emperor is still playing his favorite game of checks and balances, handing over the most important Ministry of Personnel and Ministry of War to Seventh Prince so it would be a check against Ning Yi. 

No one can understand why after watching his son dying one after another the emperor is still unwilling to name a crown prince but allow them to just fight each other to death. Even Feng Zhi Wei couldn’t figure out what the Emperor was thinking but then neither did she have the luxury to guess the emperor’s thoughts– she had entered yet another round of busy time– a month after the spring exam was the palace examination. (The palace examination is an actual face-to-face audience with the emperor so only the candidates with the top scores would have this privilege.) 

(Skipping over a long paragraph explaining all the different titles and positions the successful exam candidates could obtain.) 

It was already May after the palace examination and according to custom, the Qionglin Banquet should have been held. Feng Zhi Wei has been very busy in the past two months. Not only was she in charge of the spring palace examination but she was also supervising the construction of the imperial temple so Feng Zhi Wei often ended up sleeping in the office. Feng Zhi Wei thought about skipping out on the banquet by claiming being ill but who knew the emperor would not allow it. Later, she vaguely heard from the eunuchs that Princess Shaoning had said something to the emperor. Once this whole palace examination is completely done then Princess Shaoning would be leaving the palace and moving into the imperial temple. 

Feng Zhi Wei could only let out a bitter smile when she heard about. Thinking inwardly that you are about to come bother me every day but you still won’t let me off this one last night in the palace? 

That night, Qionglin Garden was decorated with colorful lights, stony winding paths, willow lined rainbow bridge, and ceremonial artillery blasting in the air. The whole place emitted the air of wealth and luxury. People from the four departments and six bureaus, as well as the Ministry of Rites, along with a bunch of other departments were all rushing in and out nonstop. The leaders of the Pearl Garden (in charge of entertainment) and members of the opera troupe also came out to add to the fun. 

When Feng Zhi Wei arrived, she could hear the bustling commotions while her carriage was still far away. 

Qionglin Garden was not far from Haoyun Building where the cabinet held their meetings. When she was walking over she saw Ning Yi walking out of Qionglin Garden from afar and heading towards Haoyun’s direction with a bunch of officials. Seeing her, Ning Yi smiled slightly but there was something else in his smile. Scholar Hu who was following behind him, squinted his eyes at her, suddenly chuckled, and walked away quickly. 

Feng Zhi Wei was utterly confused and had no idea what those mysterious people were up to but there was also no way for her to follow after them to ask for an explanation. She could only let the matter drop and enter the courtyard first. As she walked, the new academy students came up to greet her one by one. Feng Zhi Wei’s current identity could be considered to be a “teacher” to all of them so she put on some air befitting her status and nodded with a smile as she walked along. 

Suddenly, someone said close her “Greetings, Siye.” (Our heroine’s old title back in the earlier days when she was at the academy) 

Hearing the address, Feng Zhi Wei’s fake smile became a little more real as she turned around to say with a smile, “Xiao Qian is here too.” (Adding the “Xiao=little” to any name denotes a sense of familiarity. Not to be used on anyone older than you or in a position of authority over you.) 

The speaker was none other than Qian Yan, a student who had hosted Feng Zhi Wei at the Yanchun Banquet. He ranked sixth in the second class in the spring exam. This time around, Qingming Academy had several successful candidates, including a third place winner. These people had all previously gone to Wei Mansion in the name of visiting “Master Feng” to see Feng Zhi Wei, and had all received serious instructions from Feng Zhi Wei on topics such as “serving the empire with loyalty and being grateful to the emperor’s grace” sort of thing. 

Qian Yan was looking at Feng Zhi Wei with a smile but the expression in his eyes was a bit odd as he said, “Sir, the banquet has not started yet. This student has a few questions to ask you, sir. Could I perhaps take a moment of your time to talk to you?”

Slightly surprised, Feng Zhi Wei looked around at the few people scattered about and said as she pointed at a remote flower area, “Let’s go over there.”

Qian Yan nodded. As the two of them made their way over, Feng Zhi Wei wondered what Qian Yan would need to speak to her at such a time, especially since his expression seemed grave. Behind her, Qian Yan’s steps were hurried, seemingly a bit nervous. 

The two arrived at the flower hall, a building surrounded by a lake on three sides, with a fake rocky mountain behind them with some vines on it. The two stood by the railing pretending to be admiring the fishes, Feng Zhi Wei said, “Go ahead, what matter did you need to speak to me about?”

“Sir.” Qian Yan said, “Do you know where Ni Wenyu went?”

Feng Zhi Wei was slightly startled. Ni Wenyu is the academy student who tricked Shao Ning into sleeping with him that night. Naturally, he would not be left alive after committing such a serious crime. There is probably nothing left of him other than ashes by now. 

“Wasn’t he sent off into exile to join the army?” She regained her composure in an instant, “I’ve been busy lately and haven’t paid attention to this person’s whereabouts. Why?”

Qian Yan stretched out his hand, and there were two things between his fingers, one sparkling and one dark. 

The glittering thing is an exquisite anklet, made of fine gold threads strung with top-quality crystals, obviously priceless. There a even a small gold plate engraved with the word “Yu Ming” on it. 

The dull and black object turned out to be a small bronze plate that had been deformed by fire, and a person’s birth date was vaguely visible on it. 

Feng Zhi Wei’s heart sank when she saw the anklet. 

“Ni Wenyu has an elderly mother who not too long ago came to the capital in search of her son. She said that her son would send her money before but she hasn’t heard from him recently. She couldn’t survive in her hometown anymore and came to live with her son. The elderly woman searched around the capital for a long time and somehow finally found him…in the imperial cremation ground outside of the capital. She was somehow able to get in and was able to find these two things among the pile of porcelain jars. I don’t know who this anklet belongs to, but this bronze plate is the protective amulet that Ni Wenyu’s mother had gotten for him, with his birth date on it, so there could be no mistake. That elderly woman came looking for the head of the academy with these two things, wanting him to give her back her son. I happen to meet her…and stopped her…” 

Feng Zhi Wei stared at the anklet, secretly groaning in her heart– Ni Wenyu was greedy for money and took the princess’ anklet. At that time, Ning Yi left first and she dealt with Ni Wenyu’s matter. She was in a hurry to send Shao Ning away and was also anxious about Gu Nan Yi’s injury. She was in such a hurry to leave the palace that she neglected to take the anklet. Later, she remembered and sent people to go find it but the workers at the cremation said all the cremated bodies were all mixed together and would soon be buried deep into the ground. Thinking that it would be impossible for anyone to enter there or find something among so many ashes, she quickly tossed the matter aside to attend to the many things she had to worry about. Who knew Ni Wenyu’s mother would be so determined that she actually found her son’s ashes and dug out this deadly thing? 

The gold crystal sparkled in Qian Yan’s hand, like eyes twinkling in the night. Born into a family of officials, Qian Yan naturally understood what sort of people would be able to own such a thing. His palms were sweating as he asked Feng Zhi Wei in a low voice, “Sir…how did this thing…come to be in Ni Wenyu’s hands? Could it be…he…” 

Feng Zhi Wei suddenly raised her hand, signaling him to be quiet. 

Qian Yu was shocked. He promptly stopped talking and looked around in panic. 

Feng Zhi Wei turned her head and slowly looked towards the fake garden rocky mountain. 

“Who’s there?! Come out!” 

All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com

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