After the system set its sights on the dragon throne, the princess started courting death every day.

Changfu lowered his head and remained silent, treating himself as if he were deaf, mute, and blind.

As night deepened, the orange-yellow flames of the palace lanterns flickered and shone in the darkness, illuminating all directions but not beyond.

The emperor sat motionless for an unknown period of time, his gaze vacant and unfocused. He mechanically said, "A few days ago, Ogiwara Ao brought a great deal of gold and silver jewelry. When the boxes were opened one by one, did you notice the expressions on the faces of the officials in the court? The greed in their eyes was so intense that it couldn't be concealed. They weren't human; they were wolves!"

Changfu: "..."

"Human nature is so strange. If I don't give them money, they will stop at nothing to get it. But if I'm willing to give them money and ask them to marry off one of their daughters, they will make all sorts of excuses. And not only that, they ask for money in return for their marriage proposals!"

Anger suddenly flashed across the emperor's refined face. He slammed his fist hard on the table with a loud bang, and Changfu knelt down in terror.

The emperor, however, seemed to be lost in his own world: "That was the betrothal gift that Ogiwara Ao had made clear! Only a few days have passed, and today there's this drowning incident! They're using the pretext of impeaching their daughter for drowning in the Prime Minister's residence!"

This is clearly an attempt to prevent me from presenting the betrothal gifts to the Prime Minister! A deliberate attempt to smear the Prime Minister! Am I refusing to give them a chance? I specially prepared a banquet and set a stage for them, but they, one by one, sabotage it and refuse to come! One by one, they're unwilling to pay the price, only wanting to reap the benefits! How dare they!"

Changfu remained silent.

After venting his anger, the emperor behind the dragon throne looked as if he had aged three years.

After a moment, he regained his usual refined demeanor, picked up his brush, and opened a memorial to the throne for review.

Changfu knelt in the corner, as quiet as a wooden statue.

A eunuch suddenly entered through the door and whispered, "Your Majesty, General Anwu has arrived."

The emperor frowned slightly, slammed the memorial in his hand shut, and casually tossed it aside: "He certainly came at the right time."

Changfu dared not remain silent any longer and spoke up: "General Anwu also attended the Lotus Banquet today. Princess Miankang left the Prime Minister's residence, and the general came out right after her."

"Summon him in." The emperor's brows relaxed, and he opened another memorial. "Remove the secret guards around Xiao Jiu."

The first half of the sentence was addressed to the eunuch who came in, and the second half was addressed to Changfu.

"Yes."

Changfu bowed and was about to leave when the Emperor spoke again: "Take the purse. Keep it safe as a token of Xiao Jiu's goodwill."

Changfu: "This servant kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your great kindness."

Soon, Fu Qingbai arrived. He was still dressed in black, his handsome face was as cold as frost, his posture was upright and his demeanor was dignified. He walked very steadily step by step.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty be well."

"I am well." The emperor gestured for him to rise. "Is there something you need?"

Fu Qingbai: "Your Majesty, I have received news from the border that recently, there have been frequent incidents of soldiers fighting over trivial matters on the border of Yan Kingdom. Several new generals have arrived, but they have not been able to mediate the conflicts, and the situation is even escalating."

Emperor: "What do you think?"

Fighting each other? That's a rare occurrence.

"I suspect there may be a dispute within the Yan Kingdom. I have already sent people to investigate the specific reasons, and I believe news will be sent back soon."

After a moment of contemplation, the emperor slowly nodded: "Let's handle this matter in this way for now."

Fu Qingbai took his leave, and shortly after, the Prime Minister and Xia Lingguang entered the Imperial Study one after the other.

When the two came out again, several maids and servants died in the Prime Minister's residence the next morning. The controversy caused by the drowning incident disappeared overnight in the capital.

Everything seemed to have settled down, but a month later, the Dali Temple uncovered a long-hidden case of embezzlement and bribery involving Vice Minister Xia Lingguang.

For three months, arrests and investigations continued in the capital until the emperor issued an edict: Vice Minister Xia Lingguang and Provincial Administration Commissioner Chen Chun were to be executed by slow slicing; the eldest and second sons of Xia and Chen were to be beheaded and their heads displayed in public; their three clans were to be exiled three thousand li away; men within three generations were to be barred from taking the imperial examinations, and women were to be sent to the Imperial Academy; those outside the three clans were to be barred from taking the imperial examinations for ten years.

A decade-long corruption and bribery case quickly came to a chaotic end, but its lingering aftershocks continue to spread.

For a time, everyone in the capital was on edge. When the news reached Xiang An's ears, she was stunned at first, and then went up to the highest building in the princess's mansion to quietly look at the palace. The palace in the dark night was silent and magnificent, and the huge black shadow was like a giant beast that could awaken at any time to devour people.

Throughout the night, Xiang An went from initial disbelief to calm composure, eventually focusing on how to legitimately enter the palace and drug the emperor.

The kitchen of the princess's residence.

"Princess, when did you learn to make pastries?" Xiao Ru asked, gazing longingly at the several plates of exquisite pastries before her, her mouth watering with confusion.

Xiang An raised an eyebrow: "When did I ever forget how to make pastries?"

In fact, the original owner of this body knew how to make pastries, and they tasted quite good.

When she was four or five years old, she was fascinated by playing house and would run to the kitchen every day. Unfortunately, after the novelty wore off, she never went there again. However, at that time, Xiao Ru had not yet entered the princess's mansion, so naturally she did not know this.

Xiao Ru paused, her face flushed with embarrassment: "That's true. Even if the princess can make pastries, she has a cook on weekdays, so she doesn't have the opportunity to show off her skills."

Xiang An nodded slightly in agreement.

"Princess...may I try a piece?" Xiao Ru stared at the pastry, unable to look away.

Xiang An: "Okay. But..."

Xiao Ru: "But what?"

Xiang An smiled slightly, said nothing, picked out a pastry that looked good and handed it to her, saying, "You eat first, and I'll continue after you finish."

"Okay." Xiao Ru didn't suspect anything and finished eating in a few bites, her eyes sparkling. "Princess, it's so delicious!"

Xiang An picked up a piece of pastry, took a bite slowly, and said, "Then do you think Father Emperor will like it?"

"Cough cough."

Xiao Ru was so shocked that she choked on her saliva. After coughing a few times, she exclaimed incredulously, "These are pastries that the princess made for His Majesty?!"

"Ah."

Before she finished speaking, Xiao Ru knelt down with a pale face: "Princess, spare me! This servant did not know that these pastries were prepared for His Majesty."

"Get up." Xiang An glanced down at her. "I haven't decided whether to send it or not yet. What kind of pastries are these, Father Emperor's? Just eat them, and answer me after you're done. Why are you kneeling?"

"Yes." Xiao Ru stood up obediently, lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then cautiously said, "Princess, this servant does not know."

What the emperor liked to eat and what he disliked was always a secret. Apart from the Empress Dowager, no one else in the world truly knew.

"I don't know either. Never mind, never mind." Xiang An finished the pastries in her hand, found a food box and packed them all away. "Since they're already made, I should at least give them a try."

Early the next morning, Xiang An carried a food box into the palace. The process of the eunuchs at the palace gate inspecting food and other items was much more complicated than what was seen on TV. Dozens of different types and methods of poison testing tools were laid out on a table.

After the tools were inspected one by one, a eunuch was about to taste the pastries when Xiang An saw them. He immediately flew into a rage and kicked one of them, shouting, "You dog servants! These were specially made for the Emperor by me. The Emperor hasn't even eaten them yet, and you dare to eat them first?"