She remarried a cold-faced, powerful man, and the scumbag regretted it and cried his heart out.

The carriage from Prince Qi's residence finally stopped in front of the Ministry of Justice.

Rain washed over the bluestone ground, reflecting the sunlight and creating a damp, cool glow. Wen Huai'an, holding a plain oil-paper umbrella, gracefully stepped down from the carriage.

He wore a dark-colored prince's robe with subtle embroidery, which made him appear even taller and more elegant. Unfortunately, his limp ruined his refined and noble demeanor, adding a touch of sinister malice.

Wen Huai'an casually stepped across the puddles, splashing up a few muddy spots that landed right on the vermilion threshold, like a drop of scarlet blood, particularly glaring. He seemed completely unconcerned, merely raising his hand to dust off his sleeves.

"Commander, what a grand display!"

Wen Huai'an spoke with a smile, but his gaze swept past Jiang Jin'an, scanning the elite soldiers of the Commandery and the tightly closed gates of the Ministry of Justice, implying something, "I thought that Commander Jiang was going to confiscate the Ministry of Justice as well."

As soon as he finished speaking, something slipped out from under his sleeve with a crisp "clang," which was particularly clear in the quiet rainy night.

It was a bronze component with sharp edges and a chilling gleam; it was actually part of the armillary sphere on the Astronomical Observatory.

At this moment, however, he carelessly abandoned it in front of the Ministry of Justice, leaving it to be washed by rain and soaked in mud.

Jiang Jin'an's gaze finally fell on him, her deep eyes as unfathomable as the rainy night, brewing a storm.

He parted his thin lips slightly, his voice low and calm, revealing neither joy nor anger: "Your Highness Prince Qi, what brings you to the Ministry of Justice so late at night?"

Wen Huai'an seemed to only just notice Jiang Jin'an, slightly turning his head to look at him, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "I was merely passing by and saw the Commandant here, so I came to offer my greetings. Commandant, why are you making such a fuss? Is there some major case to investigate?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the armillary sphere components on the ground again, and said slowly, "The celestial phenomena in the capital have been quite unsettling lately... Commander, the weather is about to change."

After saying this, Wen Huai'an didn't linger any longer, and turned back to the carriage with his umbrella.

Watching Wen Huai'an's carriage disappear into the distance, Jiang Jin'an's face darkened to the point of being almost dripping with water.

He bent down and picked up the armillary sphere parts from the ground. They were cold to the touch, and the smell of copper rust permeated the rainwater.

"Young Master, what does Prince Qi mean by this?" Lin Yu stepped forward quickly, looking in the direction Prince Qi had left, his expression solemn.

Jiang Jin'an stroked the cold copper plate in his hand, his fingertips brushing against the intricate patterns, his eyes growing even colder: "A demonstration, a warning, ... a test."

He looked up toward the palace. The night was deep, and the majestic palace was shrouded in an unseen cloud.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the bright yellow candlelight flickered, illuminating Emperor Hui's slightly sickly face.

He leaned against the dragon bed, his face pale, his eyes sunken, and his figure appeared even thinner beneath the dragon robe.

Li Delu bowed and carefully offered a cup of hot tea, but Emperor Hui simply waved his hand, signaling him to leave.

"Jin'an, you've arrived."

Jiang Jin'an stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your subject Jiang Jin'an pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Get up." Emperor Hui raised his hand. "Did the third prince go to the Ministry of Justice?"

"Yes." Jiang Jin'an reported truthfully, telling Emperor Hui everything that Wen Huai'an had done.

After listening, Emperor Hui remained silent for a moment, then a cryptic smile appeared on his lips, though his eyes remained icy cold: "Third Prince... he's getting more and more impatient."

He coughed twice, picked up a bright yellow scroll from the imperial desk, and handed it to Jiang Jin'an: "This is the imperial decree I have prepared. Take a look."

Jiang Jin'an took the scroll, unfolded it, and examined it closely, raising an eyebrow slightly.

This was actually a secret edict. In the edict, Emperor Hui granted Jiang Jin'an the power to "act expediently." As long as it involved the case of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, he would no longer be subject to the constraints of the court. He could make all decisions on his own and report back afterward.

This imperial decree undoubtedly propelled Jiang Jin'an's power to a new level, signifying that Emperor Hui's trust in him had reached an unprecedented level.

“Your Majesty…” Jiang Jin’an looked up at Emperor Hui, his eyes filled with a complex emotion.

Emperor Hui waved his hand, interrupting him, "I know what you want to say, and I trust you. I'm entrusting this matter to you so that you can do it without any worries."

He paused, his gaze deepening, and his tone becoming increasingly meaningful: "What I want is not just the Duke of Dingguo's mansion... What I want are those lurking in the shadows, stirring with malice... demons and monsters."

As we left the palace, the night grew deeper, and the rain showed no signs of letting up; in fact, it intensified.

Jiang Jin stood in the rain, looked up at the gloomy sky, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Emperor Hui's secret edict was like a sharp sword, cutting off all the constraints on him and allowing him to completely unleash his potential.

Since Prince Qi's faction has already jumped out so eagerly, then don't blame him for... luring them into a trap.

As expected, the atmosphere in the court became increasingly subtle during the morning court session.

First, several censors submitted a memorial impeaching Jiang Jin'an, their words sharp and veiled.

"Commander Jiang Jin'an wields immense power and controls the government; he is truly a parasite on the nation!"

"The Duchess of Dingguo is Jiang Jin'an's aunt. Both morally and logically, Jiang Jin'an should avoid suspicion and should not interfere in the case of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion!"

"Gu Changyi is the second young master of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, and he is of one heart with Duke Gu Zhong. However, he is now being hidden in the Jiang mansion by Jiang Jin'an. This is clearly an act of protecting a criminal and showing contempt for the imperial court!"

……

Impeachments rose and fell, with the spearhead aimed directly at Jiang Jin'an. In an instant, the imperial court became a battlefield for attacking Jiang Jin'an.

The Qi Prince's faction has finally shown its fangs.

Jiang Jin stood at the head of the court, his face calm and unmoved like a rock, letting the voices of impeachment surge in like a tide, yet they could not shake him in the slightest.

He had long anticipated that Prince Qi's faction would not give up easily; these impeachments were merely appetizers.

The real fun is yet to come.

……

In the Ministry of Personnel, Cheng Wenhao rubbed his temples as he faced a mountain of official performance evaluation files. His handsome face showed a hint of helplessness and frustration.

"Lord Cheng, have you encountered any difficulties?"

A gentle voice suddenly came from behind him. Cheng Wenhao turned around and saw that Fu Zijin had walked up behind him at some point and was looking at him with a smile, his gaze as gentle as ever.

"Lord Fu." Cheng Wenhao bowed slightly, his expression indifferent and his tone aloof. "It's just some official business, no need for Lord Fu to worry about it."

Fu Zijin, however, seemed oblivious to the coldness in his tone and continued to smile.

His gaze fell on the mountain of files on the table, and he said casually, "Lord Cheng has only been in the Ministry of Personnel for a short time, so he is probably not very familiar with these files yet. If there is anything you need help with, please don't hesitate to ask, and I will do my best to help."

Cheng Wenhao forced a smile, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Fu. However, Lord Fu is under the jurisdiction of the Commandery, and I dare not trouble you with such a trivial matter."

He knew perfectly well that Fu Zijin's presence here at this moment could not possibly be out of genuine concern for his official duties, but rather to test him and gather information.

Fu Zijin seemed to sense Cheng Wenhao's growing distance, but still maintained a gentle smile, "Lord Cheng, you're too kind. We are both officials in the same court, and it's only right that we support each other. Besides..."

His gaze fell meaningfully on Cheng Wenhao, his tone tinged with a hint of probing: "Besides, you and I can be considered... old acquaintances, can't we?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Wenhao's expression instantly turned cold.

He glanced coldly at Fu Zijin and said in an icy tone, "Lord Fu is joking. How could I possibly have any old acquaintance with you? If you have nothing else to say, please forgive me for being too busy with official duties to keep you company."

After saying that, Cheng Wenhao ignored Fu Zijin and turned back to bury himself in the files.

Fu Zijin stood there watching Cheng Wenhao's back, the gentle smile in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a gloomy and dark expression.

In the end, he said nothing and turned to leave.