The sun grew hotter with each passing day. The copper bells at the eaves were baked scorching, and when the wind blew, it no longer brought a hint of coolness, only a dull buzzing.

As time passed, officials from various regions received court summons without delay but reported that the situations were still manageable.

The Holy Emperor should have breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet, for some reason, his eyelids kept twitching.

He could walk around now.

But his body was festering in many places, unbearably itchy.

The Holy Emperor stood at the window, his eyes deep and brooding.

"Someone, bring Daoist Bao Pu here."

Bao Pu arrived after a stick of incense burned.

With his back to Bao Pu, the Holy Emperor said, "I am very uneasy, you..."

Before he could finish his sentence.

"Let me calculate the national fortune of Da Jin."

How bold were these words?

Yet the Holy Emperor did not punish him or stop him.

Bao Pu took out a glowing turtle shell, along with three copper coins, spinning them on the back of the turtle shell.

"With the sun and moon as witnesses, heaven and earth borrow eyes, the three realms and five elements..."

Suddenly, there was a cracking sound.

The turtle shell split, and the copper coins fell to the ground.

This unexpected event caught the Holy Emperor off guard.

But Bao Pu said nothing and knelt directly before him.

Outside the hall, there were hurried footsteps approaching. The copper bells under the eaves jingled without wind.

The messenger eunuch, having forgotten the rule not to enter the inner hall, rushed in hastily and knelt down with a thud.

"Urgent report for the Holy Emperor! The Yellow River’s embankment has burst."

————

The news spread quickly.

The people of Shangjing City all talked about it.

"Something happened with the Yellow River. I heard that the sky over there seemed to have cracked open, and the rain hasn’t stopped, causing the water level to rise. The messenger was almost swept away by the water on the way here."

"They also informed that many places along the route are in dire condition, waiting for the court to come and save them."

"The court to save lives?"

Some found it laughable.

"Daoist Bao Pu had already revealed the heavenly secrets, and the court took it seriously, but the area is too vast. Who knows where will get inundated?"

"And where can they manage to save?"

"These are tough times, and it’s always the poor folks who suffer. To speak harshly, even if remote areas are severely affected and people are destitute, the officials in Shangjing will still drink and feast every day."

"But you can’t club them all together. When the news got out, many noble families responded by transporting rice and grain to those places."

"In my view, it’s all because of that Yang Changzheng’s mischief. Back then, he initiated water conservation projects, draining manpower and resources but didn’t achieve much. Now that it rained, disasters hit everywhere."

"Him? He built dikes only in places like Jiangnan where they could profiteer. He doesn’t care about the distant places truly suffering."

Moreover, the dikes built in Jiangnan and other places aren’t particularly sturdy. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Don’t talk about him; it’s bad luck. It’s no wonder he ended up in prison."

"He’s in prison not for corruption; aren’t there enough corrupt officials? He’s in for cursing that one."

The speaker nodded towards the direction of the Imperial Palace.

The crowd was astonished.

Someone in the crowd mumbled something.

"In my view, the court’s attention isn’t out of genuine concern for the innocent people’s lives and deaths. They’re afraid the matter will escalate, their reputation tarnished, and too many deaths will lead to an epidemic."

Outside Shangjing City.

A line of dust rose at the end of the official road, horses approached from afar, kicking up gravel and startling the crows perched by the roadside. The jade belts jingled crisply in the rush.

Leading was He Xuran, followed by Yang Weiweng and Uncle Yan, who accompanied to ensure their safety.

As they passed a roadside pavilion outside the city, He Xuran suddenly pulled the reins, and the steed neighed loudly.

He dismounted and strode towards the pavilion, saluting the person sitting there.

"Brother-in-law, why are you here?"

Yang Weiweng and Uncle Yan also came forward to pay their respects.

Yang Weiweng, very respectful: "Greetings, Grand Tutor."

Uncle Yan, assigned by Gu Fuju to He Xuran, respectfully called him master.

Gu Fuju nodded slightly and said to He Xuran,

:"Your sister knew you were returning today, so she specially sent me to pick you up."

He Xuran was slightly moved.

Since their father’s passing, his sister had wished for him to live at the Grand Tutor Mansion to ensure he was well cared for.

"Of course, I also have matters to discuss with you."

What matters can’t wait a bit longer?

He Xuran was surprised when he heard Gu Fuju ask.

"In these days, have you uncovered anything regarding Ying Fuyan’s cause of death?"

He Xuran’s eyes darkened.

"Nothing."

He was young, but to Gu Fuju, he always spoke truthfully and never withheld anything.

"All the evidence in Lingnan points to Ying Fuyan’s frail body succumbing to hard labor and illness, which led to his death."

"Everyone’s account is consistent, and I found out that the local officials there, following the Imperial Decree, showed him considerable attention."

The other exiled criminals had to work a full day, but Ying Fuyan only needed to do half, with considerations for his health at times.

Gu Fuju’s expression was unchanged.

He placed a hand on the stone table, "And you?"

He asked gently: "What do you think?"

"I feel there must be... something fishy."

He Xuran: "If the Holy Emperor truly wanted to care for him, King Yan wouldn’t have died. If he felt pity after King Yan’s death, he wouldn’t have left someone to suffer in such a place."

People of the Royal Family, how could they care about sentiments?

He Xuran had been an official for years and wasn’t easily fooled.

This time, when he went to Lingnan, he found inconsistencies in the officials’ testimonies and the criminals he interrogated.

"But I..."

He lowered his head in shame.

"Found no evidence."

Went on this journey for nothing.

He Xuran said, "If I’m not mistaken, this is intentionally set up for me by the Holy Emperor."

Gu Fuju wasn’t surprised.

"Not to mention you alone, Lingnan is not your territory either. Even with all your abilities, you can’t utilize them?"

"When you return to the Capital, you must first enter the palace to report. That one is likely waiting."

"He knows your deep suspicions, and you know he is meddling. Yet everything requires evidence, forcing you to bow to him."

"Be respectful; he is the Son of Heaven. Even if you’re indignant for Ying Fuyan, endure it. Floods are occurring everywhere, don’t annoy him further."

He Xuran took a deep breath.

"Yes."

He swallowed hard, suppressing his emotions: "But I’m not reconciled."

The fire at the Yu Family, Yaoyao’s misfortune, how could he, as an uncle, not be resentful?

This time he volunteered to investigate the case with private motives.

"Brother-in-law, are you really reconciled?"

Gu Fuju chuckled a bit.

"Since you went to Lingnan, I knew you would return empty-handed."

"But given your temperament, I know, as does the Holy Emperor. Ying Fuyan’s death has many old ministers suspicious and waiting for your return. The Holy Emperor needs you to clear his name, so you had to go, and I didn’t stop you."

However...

Who said it had to be a fruitless trip?

Gu Fuju stood up and placed a box from the table into He Xuran’s hand.

"What’s this?"

"The evidence you need."

He Xuran was slightly stunned.

Yang Weiweng was also surprised.

They traveled a long way with great effort, returning empty-handed; how could the Grand Tutor have it while staying in Shangjing?

He Xuran didn’t open it immediately.

He inexplicably felt the box in his hand was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"What is it?"

Gu Fuju’s lips moved slightly: "A blood letter left by King Yan before his death."