Exile at the start? The princess is no ordinary woman.

"My lord, Lord Zheng, what exactly happened to the Gu family? Could it really be their revenge from ghosts?"

Lord Zheng

"My lord, tell me, I have no idea. The scandalous affair involving the Gu family has spread far and wide. Is it true or not?"

After getting off the carriage, Lord Zheng glanced at the crowd of onlookers. His heart was filled with complex emotions. In the end, he entered the Gu residence with a sullen face and without saying a word.

He finally read the complete contents of the papers scattered throughout the capital, and upon seeing Gu Honglang's sample, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of mockery and pity.

Classifying the case as a revenge attack wouldn't be an exaggeration; however, determining who committed the act will likely require further investigation.

He had hoped to get some information from Gu Honglang, but although Gu Honglang was now conscious, he couldn't speak or write, so he couldn't get any information from him.

Lord Zheng had no choice but to talk to him based on his guess, watching him nod or shake his head. However, when Lin Youqing was mentioned, Gu Honglang became evasive.

Lord Zheng also noticed this, and he began to ponder it, thinking about the letters that had appeared in his room.

This matter seems bound to involve many things, but now that a case has arisen, he is determined to pursue the truth.

After questioning everyone in the Gu family, and learning of Gu Nanzhi's words, Lord Zheng, having accomplished all this without obtaining any useful clues, led his men back to the Dali Temple.

He then assigned people to investigate the case separately. As for the matters mentioned in the letter, he also sent trusted individuals to investigate them separately.

Over the course of the day, the rumors surrounding the Gu family spread like wildfire, and details of what had happened within the household also began to emerge.

Naturally, the contents of the note also spread, and the rumor that the Gu family's misfortune was the revenge of the wronged spirit of the first wife who had died more than ten years ago became even more fantastical.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Meanwhile, in a private room of a teahouse in the city, Zhen Weiwei gazed with great interest at the bustling street outside the window.

"Beijing is truly bustling today."

There seemed to be a hint of sarcasm in his words.

The attendant beside him chimed in, “Young Master, the capital is indeed bustling today, and all the excitement is related to Minister Gu’s family. Rumors are circulating among the people that Minister Gu’s first wife, Madam Lin, did not die of illness, but was poisoned by him and his concubines in a conspiracy. Furthermore, the events that have occurred in the Gu household over the past month are all the revenge of Madam Lin’s vengeful spirit.”

"Interesting, truly interesting." Zhen Weiwei's fingers moved lightly, and the folding fan in his hand opened smoothly, gently rustling and blowing a strand of black hair.

There seemed to be a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, but no one could tell what that smile meant. "How is Minister Gu?"

"Reporting to Young Master, we have received news that Minister Gu's limbs have been crippled, and he may become a cripple in the future. Furthermore, he is unable to speak, and the physician has not been able to diagnose the cause."

The man chuckled softly again, then fell silent.

This scene seems somewhat familiar. Huaiqing has only been away from the capital for a little over a month, yet the capital is so bustling. And the eldest daughter of the Gu family is now Huaiqing's wife.

Interesting, really interesting.

How could he not write a letter to Huaiqing about such an interesting matter!

The events in the capital had a significant impact, as they concerned a high-ranking official of the second rank in the imperial court. Such an incident was bound to reach the palace.

Not long after Lord Zheng made his arrangements, he was summoned to the palace by the emperor again.

"Minister Zheng, do you know why I summoned you to the palace?"

"Your Majesty, I am unaware of the matter. I humbly request Your Majesty to enlighten me."

Since the theft of the national treasury, Lord Zheng has been traumatized by the emperor's private audience. How could anyone guess what the emperor is thinking? Moreover, there was no hint whatsoever before this audience. How could he not be uneasy?

"The rumors circulating outside the palace today have already reached my ears. A high-ranking official of the second rank is experiencing frequent incidents and scandals in his residence. Since Minister Zheng has already gone there, please tell him what you have learned."

The emperor's calm and indifferent voice made it impossible to discern his thoughts, leaving Lord Zheng with no choice but to respond cautiously.

"Your Majesty, Lord Gu has been injured and is currently unable to speak or move, just like the young master in your household a month ago. Furthermore, the concubine's daughter in your household has indeed passed away..."

Lord Zheng had no choice but to truthfully report the situation at the Gu residence.

"...As for other rumors, I need to verify them before I can draw a conclusion."

"Well then, I'll have to trouble you, Zheng Qing. In the past month, there have been frequent accidents in the capital, and the methods used by the perpetrators are all quite sophisticated. You'll have to put in a lot of effort, Zheng Aiqing."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey."

Lord Zheng's uneasy mind only calmed down slightly after leaving the palace, but he was even more puzzled. He wondered what the emperor meant by summoning him to the palace to inquire about the Gu family's situation. The emperor's intentions were truly unfathomable.

However, he didn't need to remain puzzled for long. A day later, an imperial edict replaced the Minister of Revenue, and he seemed to understand something. This also made him more cautious in his actions.

The emperor's word can decide life and death. No matter how useful Gu Honglang was before, he is now useless. He is only allowed to recuperate, and the fact that the imperial physician has been sent to diagnose him is already a great favor.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Gu Nanzhi wandered around outside for half a day, and only returned to the Lin residence late in the afternoon after having lunch outside.

When they returned to the manor, they had acquired a great deal of spoils from this trip. They had plenty of food, clothing, and other necessities, and even thought they had too much. They were simply extravagant.

Fang Zhusheng originally wanted to stay and visit the mansion, but unfortunately, he was called away by his servants halfway through the journey, who said there was something important to do.

With the chatterbox gone, Gu Nanzhi was finally able to have some peace and quiet.

After returning to the manor and greeting all the elders, Gu Nanzhi prepared to go back to her courtyard to rest, as she still had important matters to attend to in the next few days.

They hadn't gone far when they encountered Jun Yanchen coming from the opposite direction.

"Nan Nan, did you have fun?"

"I'm so happy! Nanzhou is indeed a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. It's just a pity we didn't have enough time, otherwise it would have been incredibly interesting," Gu Nanzhi replied with a smile.

Today was just a brief visit and shopping trip. To experience more of the city's charm, she needs more time to explore. She hasn't had a chance to learn about many of its ancient cultural aspects and local customs yet.

"Come on, have some candied hawthorn."

After saying that, Gu Nanzhi seemed to remember something, and directly stuffed the candied hawthorn in her hand into Jun Yanchen's mouth. Then she took several snacks and pastries from Xia He's hands behind her and stuffed them into his arms.

"And these, some snacks, they're all pretty good, take a try."

Faced with this unexpected offering, Jun Yanchen didn't even have a chance to refuse. He instinctively opened his mouth and bit into the candied hawthorn, and he also instinctively reached out to catch the other snacks.

His eyes seemed innocent as he looked up at Gu Nanzhi.

After doing all this, Gu Nanzhi seemed to realize what she had done. Looking at the stunned Jun Yanchen, she suddenly felt that he looked a bit... silly, which made her laugh out loud.

"Um... well, I couldn't control myself and bought too much. I've tried all of these, and they taste good. Since you're not out, I'll give them to you to try."

That's the truth. She bought way too much of these things. There was no way she could finish them all. She only tasted a small piece of each before packing them all up and bringing them back.