Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Two eunuchs escorted a person in through the palace gate.

It's the employee from Tong Sheng Medical Clinic—the one who "disappeared" last night.

His clothes were tattered, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were terrifyingly clear.

He knelt down, his voice trembling:

"Your Majesty... I was acting under orders."

"The man gave me silver, saying that as long as I worked at the clinic and issued vouchers under my name, I could 'protect my family.'"

"Last night they took the children to the back alley of the incense shop and taught them slogans, like 'Ding'an San will be childless and without descendants'..."

"They also gave the junior a package of pre-printed fake medicine and told him to scatter it in public."

Emperor Ling of Han tightened his knuckles on the jade tablet, and a vein throbbed in his eye.

The official who made the accusation shouted angrily, "Nonsense! Who instructed you?!"

The waiter trembled in fright, but still gritted his teeth:

"It's—it's that clerk in your household!"

The phrase "your esteemed residence" struck the hall like a muffled thunderclap.

The official who reported the incident turned ashen-faced and knelt down to kowtow.

"Your Majesty! This person must have been bribed by the Crown Prince to frame me—"

"Framed?" Liu Bian chuckled lightly, then raised his hand and handed over another item.

It was a thin "signature".

"Father, this is the original registration in the 'Black Book' of the Tongsheng Society. Anyone who stops providing evidence must have three columns: 'origin, reason, and agent,' and two people must sign it."

"This warrant doesn't belong to him."

He turned the paper over so that the words were facing up:

"I remember that the clerk once carried your esteemed household's visiting card and asked the Tongsheng Association to 'lend a discount' on grain prices, but he failed and was subsequently blacklisted."

A deeper silence fell over the hall.

Liu Bian then slowly raised his eyes and looked at Zhang Rang:

"Zhang Changshi".

Zhang Rang's eyelids twitched, but his smile remained: "Your Highness, what are your orders?"

Liu Bian spoke as if it were casual conversation, yet every word was loaded with meaning:

"One-tenth of the profits from the Tongsheng Association each month is used to provide for the dogs and horses in the Western Garden and for the rewards in the Imperial Garden—the specific items are determined by the Attendants."

"The ledgers, items, income and expenditure—were also reviewed by the attendants."

Zhang Rang's smile froze for a moment, then widened into a deeper smile as he slowly left the classroom.

"Your Highness has a very good memory."

"I do know about this matter."

He looked up at Emperor Ling of Han, his voice softening: "Your Majesty, if the Tongsheng Society is truly a secret society, I am the first to dare not get involved."

Liu Bian ignored all the officials and only looked at the throne:

"Father, I dare not say that Tongsheng Society is innocent."

"Your subject only dares to say this: if your subject were to truly form a faction, the first thing he would do is never to hand over his money to Zhang Changshi."

At that moment, many people in the hall felt a jolt in their hearts:

The Crown Prince brought Zhang Rang into the picture—

Anyone who dares to say that "the Tongsheng Society is the Crown Prince's private faction" is implying that Zhang Rang is also sharing the spoils.

If Zhang Rang did not side with the Crown Prince, he would lose his head first.

Emperor Ling of Han stared at the account book, and after a moment, suddenly laughed.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it was more chilling than anger.

"it is good."

"The Crown Prince certainly knows how to get things done."

He turned his gaze back to the official who had made the accusation, his voice sharp as frost:

"You said he formed a clique."

"But the seal you brought is old."

"The certificate you brought is fake."

"You keep saying that the Hong Kong Police Force has someone backing you up."

He leaned down, lightly tapping the table with his jade tablet, and spoke each word slowly and deliberately:

"Then who's backing you up?"

The official who made the accusation turned pale and kowtowed, his forehead hitting the ground.

"Your Majesty... I, I--"

The official who reported the incident had his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

He knew that if he said just one more word, he wouldn't be the only one to die.

Then he suddenly fell to the ground, his forehead slamming heavily against the gold brick, his voice hoarse as if it were cracking:

"Your Majesty... I was momentarily confused! I was greedy for merit and acted rashly. Seeing the rumors circulating, I thought myself clever and fabricated evidence in an attempt to curry favor!"

"That clerk... it's also due to my failure to properly discipline him! I'm willing to take the blame alone!"

"Your Majesty, please understand—this matter has nothing to do with anyone else!"

Someone in the hall let out a soft hiss.

—He severed all the blame, along with the upstream of that "road," onto himself with a single stroke.

Emperor Ling's gaze remained unwavering.

"Nothing to do with it?" he repeated casually, as if savoring the words. "You dare say nothing to do with it in front of me?"

The jade tablet fell to the ground.

"Someone come here."

The armored soldiers outside the hall responded with thunderous shouts.

Emperor Ling's voice was devoid of any emotion:

"This man deceived the emperor, gave false testimony, spread rumors, and sowed discord among the people of the capital."

"Beat the official, seize the seal, and be sent to imperial prison."

"The whole family will be implicated—investigate!"

The official's face turned ashen instantly. His lips trembled as he tried to cry out for justice, but the soldiers had already dragged him away. The sound of dragging echoed in the hall, as if a life had been pulled away from everyone's ears.

The wind grew colder.

None of the officials dared to make a move.

Everyone's expression is different—like a group portrait scorched by fire.

Yang Ci raised his eyebrows slightly, and a smile appeared on his lips.

He wasn't laughing because the official was unlucky.

What he was laughing at was that Yang Biao had really found the right person to cooperate with.

The Crown Prince's move was not reckless, but rather a calculated move.

Zhang Rang stood to the side, a smile still on his face, but his back was covered in cold sweat.

He was just dragged into this by the Crown Prince; it seemed the Crown Prince was asking him to choose sides, but in reality—

The crown prince used him as a corner of a chessboard, and with a casual push, he forced him to follow suit.

"Danger." That was the only word left in Zhang Rang's mind.

And what about Zhao Zhong?

Zhao Zhong's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end, like a piece of warm, smooth jade.

But his fingers, hidden in his sleeve, had already slowly grasped a thought.

—The Crown Prince's move could turn a false certificate into a real weapon and turn eunuchs into a protective charm.

clever.

He's so smart that... people don't dare let him continue being so smart.

Emperor Ling of Han no longer looked at his ministers, and waved his hand:

"Dismiss the court."

"All matters shall be handed over to the relevant officials for investigation and handling according to my will."

-

When the court session ended, the sunlight outside the palace was blinding.

Liu Bian walked at the head of the Eastern Palace procession, his steps unhurried, as if the person who had just laughed in the hall was not him at all.

Wang Ming whispered, "Your Highness... it's done."

Liu Bian simply replied, "It's half done."

Wang Ming was taken aback.

Liu Bian did not explain.

He knew that today's victory was based on "evidence," while the defeat was based on "shadow."

In his father's eyes, he was no longer the "poor prince".

He became a prince who knew how to play chess, how to leverage power, and how to force eunuchs to take sides.

This is very dangerous.

-

Zhangde Hall.

When Emperor Ling of Han returned to the palace, his steps were slow, but the wind carrying his lingering anger blew through his sleeves.

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong followed behind, one smiling more humbly, the other more composed and calm.

As soon as the lights came on in the hall, Emperor Ling of Han sat down, picked up his teacup, but did not drink it.

Zhao Zhong spoke casually, his voice so gentle it sounded like flattery:

"His Majesty's fury today has brought order to the capital."

He paused, then subtly changed the subject, as if hiding a needle in cotton:

"However... His Highness the Crown Prince now resides in the Eastern Palace, capable of cutting off trade routes, establishing medical clinics, setting up charitable granaries, and commanding elite troops. He is also exceptionally intelligent."

"The Crown Prince's competence is a blessing to the nation and its people."

He said "blessing," but the last syllable was very soft.

It's as light as a snowflake falling on a candle flame—silent, yet capable of extinguishing the flame.

Zhang Rang stood to the side, smiling but not responding, but inwardly he felt a chill.

Is Zhao Zhong praising someone?

No, this is igniting a fire.

Emperor Ling of Han grunted in response but did not reply to Zhao Zhong.

He simply put down his teacup and tapped his knuckles lightly on the table.

a bit.

Two times.

Three times.

Apart from the knocking sound, there was no other noise inside the hall.

Zhao Zhong lowered his eyes, as if he hadn't said anything.

Zhang Rang also lowered his eyes, as if he hadn't heard anything.

But Emperor Ling's gaze had already darkened.

He recalled the Crown Prince's laughter in the palace.

I recall that newly printed dark tooth.

I remembered that travel logbook.

He suddenly realized that the Tongsheng Society was actually run by his own crown prince.

It's not scary that a prince has "hands".

What's scary is—

This hand has already reached out over the palace wall.

Emperor Ling of Han slowly exhaled, as if he were suppressing a sentence.

He didn't say.

But the atmosphere in Zhangde Hall has changed.