Empress Yuan stood, composed, looking Zhangsun Wuji up and down with a cold glare that displayed no hints of their mother-son relationship.

“Have you been healthy, Mother?” Zhangsun Wuji asked expressionlessly with a slight bow. “Please pardon me for not having welcomed your arrival, as I had no idea.”

“Save it,” Empress Yuan said curtly. “It’s good enough that you do not fault others. Who would dare find fault with you?”

As if he hadn’t heard anything Zhangsun Wuji continued, “I have tasks to handle. I will visit you when they are done. The scenery in Huazhou is decent. If you like it, I can arrange for the local official to take you on a tour.”

“What are you going to do?” Empress Yuan questioned, before spotting Meng Fuyao, who was standing behind him. “Whose wild child is that? Not paying any respect?”

Meng Fuyao stepped forward and was about to bow when Zhangsun Wuji stopped her. “She is an outside official. I’ll send her out right now.”

Meng Fuyao stood still, feeling the empress’ arrow-like gaze falling onto her body. The empress sized her up as if understanding something and falling into thought. “Is she the one who single-handedly saved Yaocheng by impersonating the grain transportation officer to destroy King De’s army? Surnamed Meng?”

Her words exited her mouth like sharpened knives, and before Zhangsun Wuji or Meng Fuyao had time to react she continued, waving her sleeve, “Men–––”

“Withdraw, General Meng,” Zhangsun Wuji ordered quickly.

“Yes!” Meng Fuyao bowed and took three steps back before turning around.

“Hold up.”

Meng Fuyao felt a hole burning into her back as the empress spoke, “How dare you leave as you please when I am talking?”

While her back was facing the empress, Meng Fuyao sighed. ‘Why is his mom like that? I’m not your stupid subject, so why wouldn’t I dare leave? If not for him, I’d even give you a good ass-kicking.’

“Empress,” Meng Fuyao bowed upon turning back around. “Your humble servant was simply fulfilling His Highness’s order. He told me to retreat, and I had to abide. Also, I haven’t heard anything stating that a royal member in a respective nation has the power to order and prosecute officials outside of their region.”

“You!” Empress Yuan shouted, her pearl crown trembling slightly. Biting her teeth, she added, “Indeed a wild, mannerless child! You don’t know what death is.”

“You are being mannerless, Mother,” Zhangsun Wuji took over in a calm voice. “This is an outstanding minister of Wuji, the sole hero behind King De’s fall. Father had just bestowed her the title of a general, and in Wuji court, my men are all endlessly grateful for her and her loyalty. As the mother and leader of the nation, you have indeed lost your courtesy and disappointed the officers and soldiers who had fought hard in battle.”

“Outstanding minister?” Empress Yuan repeated, mockingly pricking her brows. “The world has overturned. The truly loyal minister has been locked up while this child over here has become an outstanding minister. Hah, hah.”

She let out two laughs and stepped forward slowly. Bells rang as she moved, echoing throughout the garden corridor and producing a stifling pressure.

Empress Yuan stopped before Meng Fuyao, her swaying pearls reflecting light that concealed her tiger-like gaze. In spite of that, Meng Fuyao could still feel her eyes piercing through her body. The way the empress eyed her up and down wasn’t like that directed toward a subject but rather, an enemy.

“I want to know how this outstanding subject has managed to kill all seven generals and ultimately ruin King De.” The empress smiled eerily at Meng Fuyao before adding, “The whole city is spreading your story, and even I have heard it and have been wondering how a brave man like you, so young at that…” she trailed off. “It is really Wuji’s luck to have you.”

Meng Fuyao took a step back and offered a small bow. “Pardon my ignorance, Empress.”

“Alright, alright,” the Empress responded, waving her embroidered sleeves and revealing her spiked, enamel nail guards. Holding Meng Fuyao’s forearm, she stated, “You’re from the outside. Dispense with the curtseying.”

Before Meng Fuyao could get up the empress extended her palm, all beneath her sleeve, hooking her fingers toward Meng Fuyao’s eyes.

Her sharp, dagger-like nails approached Meng Fuyao’s eyes at an extremely dangerous speed.

Snap!

The empress’s back turned stiff. A moment later, 10 deep blue-gemmed nail guards broke and fell onto the ground, producing a series of crisp shattering sounds.

With a slight smile, Meng Fuyao raised her head and shifted her fingers, in a scissor gesture, away from the empress’s fingers. Mischievous, she made a cutting gesture in front of the empress’s face, laughing. “What lousy nail guards you have. They shattered so easily.”

Following which, Meng Fuyao flung the empress’s hand so hard that the latter dropped to her knees, almost slamming onto Zhangsun Wuji’s body.

Zhangsun Wuji simply kept both hands behind his back with no intention of supporting his mother. He studied his mother with a complicated gaze that seemed to contain pain and hatred, hurt and helplessness. Just looking at his eyes one could imagine him letting out a prolonged sigh.

The empress staggered backward, finally reaching for the corridor pillar to steady herself. She whipped her head toward Meng Fuyao, glaring and then breaking into a laugh. Empress Yuan regained her usually calm demeanor quickly, and she announced politely, “Thank you for saving me when I lost balance and sorry to have almost hurt you.”

“Oh yeah? I had thought that you were practicing a new martial art move,” Meng Fuyao blew her fingers, adding, “Something like the Nine-Boned Claw of Death? A pity you still lack in skills.”

“Can’t compare to you, naturally,” the Empress replied. “If not for your impressive ability, how could you have infiltrated King De’s camp, kill my transportation officer and cause disorder?”

“Please allow me to remind you something, Mother,” Zhangsun Wuji spoke suddenly upon studying her in silence. “King De is a rebel, as is the transportation officer. They should be executed, and General Meng was the one who put down a revolt. It’s obvious what is right and what is wrong, so please do not mix them up.”

“Put down a revolt?” Empress Yuan felt her cold body burning as if on fire. A cold smile emerged on her face. “The trial has not started, so how can you judge who is right and wrong? King De’s contributions and errors have yet to be determined, and you are already attempting to frame him? You were “dead”, and he gathered the army to avenge you. Did he do anything wrong? Why is he being blamed and why has he become a scapegoat to be exterminated?”

Zhangsun Wuji’s eyes were on her, and at this moment, pain flashed across them. Soon after, he responded, “Where were you upon news of my “death”? Yet, here you are, two days after King De’s detainment. How regretful.”

His voice was calm but cutting, and the empress’s face turned white as a sheet. Tongue-tied and at a loss, she only reacted some time later. “You were only faking it.”

“Yes, your acuity cannot be questioned. Not only did you know that I was faking death, but you also understood that King De was being maligned,” Zhangsun Wuji mocked. “I will remember your plead and seek a fair trial, but since Mother is here solely for King De and not to sightsee, I doubt it was with Father’s approval. As such, as a national leader, I would have to remind you that you are not to exit the palace as you please and get involved in national politics. Since you have broken both rules, I suggest you return to your palace as soon as possible.”

Without even looking at her he waved his sleeve. “Men. Send the empress back.”

“I’m not going back!” The empress shouted, losing all formality. She stood rooted to the ground, her fingers grasping onto the pillar tightly. She declared coldly, “I’m going to stay here and see how my son is planning to deal with him–––”

“Send her back to rest!” Zhangsun Wuji interrupted her abruptly before turning to Meng Fuyao and leading her away. He moved fast, and his ashen face worried Meng Fuyao a little. It was her second time witnessing him getting angry, but there was more sorrow this time.

“How ruthless, Zhangsun Wuji!” The empress’s shrill cry broke the suffocating silence. If the shattering sound of her crystal nails was considered shocking, her voice now was unimaginably sinister. “You must not kill him. He––– he–––”

A purple shadow flashed by, and the next moment Zhangsun Wuji had appeared behind the Empress. He lowered his head slightly, looking expressionlessly at his mother. “You are talking a lot today.”

The empress glared at him, her breath rising and falling rapidly. “Kill me along with him, you unfilial son.”

“How can I do that, Mother?” Zhangsun Wuji asked, regaining his usual smile. “Only criminals deserve to die.”

“Who deserves to die?” The empress quickly repeated. “He has the rights to receive special deliberation.”

“Schemers must die,” Yuan Zhaoxu stated coldly before leaning toward his mother’s ear and continuing in a low voice, “I have been patient with him for the longest time, and I have given him a last chance. What did he do? He took advantage of my kindness… and even crossed the line… there’s no way, Mother. I do not wish to do this, but some people do not know when to stop, and I have no choice.”

“You’re forcing me to death,” Empress Yuan responded calmly. She raised her finger with the broken nail toward her throat, revealing a peaceful yet eerie smile. “Do not regret it, Wuji.”

“Using a broken nail to end your life?” he questioned with a smile. “Previously it was a broken vase, and then almond juice. You sure have a lot of ideas, Mother.”

He shifted his gaze toward the guards, who daren’t look at the duo. “Send the empress back to rest!” Zhangsun Wuji ordered before turning away.

A few steps later he was greeted by a hurriedly approaching Governor-general, who was sweating from head to toe. With an ashen face, he whispered a few words into Zhangsun Wuji’s ear.

Meng Fuyao could vaguely make out the word “suicide”, and her heart tightened immediately. She lifted her head to look at Zhangsun Wuji, whose smile had vanished by then. Darkness surged within his eyes, and Meng Fuyao, whose hand was against his, could feel the iciness on his fingertips.

Also sensing something, Empress Yuan strode toward them and questioned, “What happened?”