The emperor was in the hall, dancing and singing with his court ladies, drinking until dawn, and became deeply intoxicated. During the day, nine of the ladies, dressed disheveled, covered their faces and left. How could they be disheveled? I find the ancient style so tedious—so sparse in narrative, so lacking in detail. This incompetent ruler, so young, already hosting lavish banquets... Zhang Yuanqing murmured while reading. "The emperor took the ladies out on a boat to tour the lake, ordering them to remove their garments and perform, and requiring attendants to undress as well to serve tea and water. Whenever the emperor felt like it, he would seize a naked lady and play with her, returning only when the sun set. All the ladies on board were eventually visited." All of them visited... Ah, Zhao Shun's waist must be quite good—perhaps he is also a night wanderer? Zhang Yuanqing mused, turning the page. "The emperor wished to visit the queen, but met the gentle妃 along the way. The gentle妃 asked: 'Your Majesty is so busy with affairs of state—do you still remember where the gate of the apricot pavilion opened?' The emperor refused. The gentle妃 The Emperor cried out: "You may hold the dignity of a queen, yet your honor and disgrace rest entirely with me—how can I be afraid to depose you?" This is indeed excessive. To have the Empress share her bed with a consort? Can a principal wife and a concubine be equal? Shouldn't the ancient people have a strong sense of this? Zhang Yuanqing now had a deeper appreciation for Zhao Shun's eccentricity. "While the Emperor was touring the gardens, he arrived at the West Garden and suddenly heard the sound of a lute. Following the sound, he found a woman playing the lute in a pavilion. She said: 'Her face is as fresh as peach and plum blossoms, graceful and elegant—such a beauty is wasted in the palace, a great loss, truly lamentable.' 'The woman replied: 'I am a consort of the late Emperor. Since his passing, I have lived in the West Garden, enduring hardship and growing weary of my once-vibrant beauty.' 'The Emperor said: 'Even the flesh can move one to tears, yet the bones remain fragile—life itself is often afraid of not being lived in the present. To have such a companion, to share one's "Never mind the ladies of his father's court—Zhang Yuanqing realized he had underestimated Zhao Shun. On second thought, after the emperor's passing, the palace ladies seemed to have only a few options: either to accompany him in burial, to serve as attendants during mourning, to be compelled to become nuns, to be relegated to the cold palace, or to be chosen by the new emperor and reintegrated into the imperial harem. Zhang Yuanqing flipped through the pages swiftly. Since meeting the favored consort of the late emperor, Zhao Shun had seemed to open a whole new world for himself, spending consecutive months in the West Garden. In sum, the eleven consorts, twenty beauties, and thirty-six attendants of the West Garden had all been visited by him—each one thoroughly enjoyed. The favored consorts of the late emperor had now become his own, and the graceful attendants who once served them had likewise transformed into his favorites. "Shh-shh-shh..." The pages fluttered rapidly, the daily records growing thinner and thinner, and Zhang Yuanqing read with increasing focus. Though Zhao Shun had fallen ill three days prior, it did not mean that the spies had not first made contact with him then. If it's a chronic poison, it may have already begun affecting this body several days ago. Therefore, the consorts that Zhao Shun has recently come into contact with over the past半个月 are all key targets for Zhang Yuancheng's close examination. The spy's motive for attempting to eliminate the emperor is straightforward: during the ongoing conflict between the two states, if the emperor were to die suddenly, it would inevitably cause political instability in the Southern Dynasty—especially since this indolent ruler has no heir. Should a succession crisis arise, the central government would likely withdraw troops from the front lines to secure the throne. In short, any disruption to the current stable administration of the Southern Dynasty would directly impact military operations. Consequently, the spy either recently infiltrated the palace or had already established himself within the imperial court, remaining dormant until the war began and then finally gaining access to the emperor. Zhang's persistent review of the daily records is not merely out of personal interest, but rather a deliberate effort to gather as much information as possible about the number, personalities, styles, and family backgrounds of the imperial consorts. Queens and senior consorts like Wu Fei are unlikely to be spies, as the inspection systems for palace maids and consorts differ. For a woman to become an imperial consort, her ancestors back to the eighth generation must be thoroughly known; however, the scrutiny of palace maids is not as rigorous. Therefore, spies are most likely to enter the palace as maids, then use their beauty to win the emperor’s favor, gradually plotting poison—since Zhao Shun is a well-known romantic, he never misses a chance, whether the woman is young and beautiful or mature and elegant. Unlike Zhang Yuanqing, who particularly favors older, more elegant women. To return to the point, as long as a spy possesses admirable beauty, gaining access to the emperor is never a problem. Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanqing finally finished reviewing the daily records, then had the registry of the imperial household brought to him. After examining the backgrounds of the consorts, he identified five key targets. Target One: Consort Wan! The *Ji Ju Lu* records: The emperor took a night stroll through the imperial garden, admiring the flowers and the moon. Suddenly, a melody of birdsong emerged from among the blossoms. Upon investigating, he found a young lady seated among the flowers, her eyebrows delicately outlined like crescents, her hair flowing like drifting clouds. She lifted her neck and sang softly, captivating him with her grace. He then arranged a floral carpet as a bed, gently parted her silk sash, and engaged in passionate embraces. The falling petals were as vibrant as the flowers themselves. When returning to the palace, the bloodstains on his dragon robe remained fresh. The next day, he conferred upon her the title of "Wan Beauty." The De Consort is actually a seasoned lady of the palace; her father held the office of Minister of Revenue, but a few years ago, he and her entire family were executed by the emperor, after which she underwent a dramatic transformation, filled with deep resentment and sorrow. Nevertheless, due to her exceptional beauty, Zhao Shun still frequently visited her. The De Consort has a clear motive to plot against the emperor—after all, it is a matter of family annihilation. Target Four: Lady Ya. Lady Ya was a consort Zhao Shun brought back during his tours of the realm. She is a graceful, mature woman who previously had a husband and family. After dedicating herself to Zhao Shun, her husband refused to accept the arrangement, composing a blood-stained petition submitted to the magistrate, accusing the reigning emperor of forcibly seizing a civilian woman. As a result, he was caned eighty times and ultimately died from the ordeal. Lady Ya also possesses the potential to serve as a spy with intentions to undermine the emperor. Even if we concede that the scene of forcibly taking a civilian woman might have been a carefully orchestrated scheme by the Northern Dynasty—what if it was? By entering the palace as a captive, she could effectively alleviate the Southern The reason we suspect Wang Geji is that during the several days before Zhao Shun fell ill, he had been in regular contact with this woman—whether it was a slow-acting poison or a sudden, severe one, she remains a suspect. "The timeline is a bit tight; relying solely on me, it would be quite difficult to uncover a spy," Zhang Yuanqing thought, and then instructed a maid to summon the guards stationed outside the hall, speaking firmly, "Recently, I was poisoned by treachery. Has the Imperial City Office apprehended the culprit?" The information provided in the script was too limited and the time frame too compressed—relying on his own efforts alone was impossible, but he could leverage the NPCs within the script. The guard hesitated, "Your Majesty, this matter is under the responsibility of Zheng Tong and Li Changshi. I am not aware of any developments." Zheng Tong? Zheng—wasn't that a member of the Zheng clan, the imperial relatives? Zhang Yuanqing felt a surge of optimism and immediately ordered, "Go and summon them at once." Although the Zheng family had held significant influence in the government, leading to widespread corruption, they were still imperial relatives and considered allies of Zhao Shun. They certainly would After all, Zhao Shun had no heir. Should he pass away, the throne would fall to the imperial relatives, who would surely not recognize the Zhao family. Therefore, in protecting Zhao Shun and uncovering the spies, they would surely make no compromise. Soon, a young man with a sharp brow and bright eyes, clad in armor, strode into the imperial chamber, bowed deeply, and said, "Zheng Longtu, at your service, Majesty!" Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Have you found the traitor who sought to harm me?" Zheng Longtu shook his head. "Not yet." Zhang Yuanqing erupted in anger, slamming his table and shouting, "A complete waste! What good are you to me? I might as well raise a herd of pigs—give me six hours, and if you still haven't uncovered the murderer, I'll have you beheaded!" These words were very much in line with Zhao Shun's style. Zheng Longtu's face paled, and he bowed low, then hurriedly said, "Yes!" and departed with great urgency. Ah, the emperor is a waste—so are the ministers! Zhang Yuanqing suddenly felt hungry and asked a maid to bring pastries. First, the maid was tested for any poison, and once confirmed safe, Zhang ate a few pieces hurriedly before proceeding to the imperial study. The table was piled high with thick stacks of memoranda—those that had been carefully selected and required only an imperial seal, not a personal review. In the past, Zhao Shun had always sealed them, regardless of content, and memoranda that didn’t require his personal attention rarely reached this room. As Zhang reviewed the documents, he noticed half of them were complaints against the Yang family, and the other half against Yang Ce. After a moment of patient reading, he learned that Yang Ce held the rank of General of the Imperial Cavalry, the overall commander of the three armies defending against the northern dynasty’s invasion, and also the younger brother of the Empress. The two powerful clans, the Yangs and the Zhengs, who were the imperial families’ key allies, had long been political rivals, their rivalry fierce and intense. However, since the Empress had not given birth to any children, the Yangs were at a disadvantage, consistently pressured by the more established and senior Zheng family. "There should be two maps for this scenario—one for the capital and one for Linxia. I'm currently in the capital, so the leader must be in Linxia. This aligns perfectly with his role as a master of the Yanshi craft. Yang Ce is most likely the leader. Fu Qingyang, an eighth-level Yanshi, is clearly too senior to be merely a minor official; only Yang Ce, as a general, makes sense. As a general, he would surely perish in battle, and the difficulty level fits perfectly." Zhang Yuanqing quickly reached a conclusion. "Since it's the younger Fu, you won't be able to impeach him anymore..." Sitting at the imperial desk, Zhang Yuanqing picked up his brush, systematically rejecting each impeachment petition, then placed the brush down with satisfaction, leading the two attendants out of the palace. Next came the critical review of Zhao Shun's imperial harem. As for the harem, after the passing of the Zheng Empress, Zhao Shun's first major action was to expand it—rebuilding the existing pavilions and selecting a spacious, elevated site to the east of the imperial gardens, where he continuously commissioned craftsmen and laborers to construct new halls. It took a full year of labor to drain the treasury clean, scraping the very marrow of the land, and only then was the project completed. Zhang Yuanqing rode leisurely in his deer-carriage along the broad stone-paved road, lifting the curtain to gaze up. The pavilions rose in varying heights, their painted beams and soaring eaves subtly interwoven; here and there, curved red balustrades or delicate embroidered hangings were faintly visible. The shimmer of pearls and jade reflected the sunlight, diffusing into a spectrum of colors, as if the scene itself were a fairy realm. "Truly extravagant—now even I wish to eliminate Zhao Shun." Zhang Yuanqing lowered the curtain, muttering about his own role. His first destination was the young woman he had met during a hunting excursion—no other reason, really, except that she had recently become a point of interest. After a moment's ride, the deer-carriage halted before a three-story pavilion, its eaves gracefully arched, golden roofing gleaming under the sunlight, and its beams adorned with colorful paintings. The courtyard was lush with greenery, filled with rare flowers and unusual plants. Zhang Yuanqing stepped down from the deer-chariot, advanced with dignified strides under the protection of his attendants, and then saw palace maids and eunuchs bustling between the main hall and the kitchen, carrying trays of delicious dishes and empty plates. Zhang Yuanqing called out to one of the maids, furrowing his brow: "Is there a banquet being held in the hall?" The maid was taken aback and replied, "Yes, Lady Chu is having her meal." "What?" Zhang Yuanqing was startled. He glanced again at the maids and eunuchs coming and going, and asked with a sense of confirmation, "You mean Lady Chu is having her meal?" Has the official record gone awry, or is it my own vision that's failing? Is my Lady Chu the Godzilla of the palace—so voracious in her meals? Zhang Yuanqing hesitated. He worried that "Godzilla" might demand an audience, and equally feared that she might fill up and overwhelm the frail, helpless emperor. He then turned to the two attendants and said, "Advance and clear the way!" The two attendants stepped forward, pushing aside the maids and eunuchs, and Zhang Yuanqing then entered the main building, which was even more luxurious—its pillars of gold, balustrades of jade, and silk curtains and embroidered hangings. Rare fragrances burned throughout the hall, with elegant chambers and deep rooms scattered everywhere, adorned by unusual flowers and plants.