The Legend of Anle – Dilraba Dilmurat, Gong Jun

In the winter of the sixth year of Jiachang, Marquis Jing'an, Di Yongning, was accused of treason and betraying the country. After burying 80,000 troops at the foot of Qingnan Mountain, he committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Emperor Jiachang, Han Zhongzhen, was furious and ordered the extermination of the Di clan. Prime Minister Jiang Yu and Marquis Loyalty and Righteousness, Gu Yunnian, were ordered to surround the imperial residence. Dozens of people were captured, and no one was spared. Just as Gu Yunnian was about to take action against Di Ziyuan, a voice saying "spare their lives" came closer and closer.

Prince Han Ye, following the testament left by the founder of the dynasty, used the reason of making Di Yongning's daughter, Di Ziyuan, his consort to successfully save her life. Since then, she would be imprisoned for life at the Daishan Yongning Temple. Although Han Ye treated Di Ziyuan sincerely, she knew well that she had become a guilty person and her entire family had been exterminated, leaving only herself. She believed that she would never have any intersection with Han Ye again.

Over the decades, Han Ye would meticulously prepare gifts and send them to Daishan every three months, even though he received no response. He continued to disobey the imperial decree and refused to take concubines, solely because he still had Di Ziyuan in his heart. He vowed not to marry anyone else. In order to bring Di Ziyuan down the mountain as soon as possible, Han Ye requested permission to lead a campaign against the pirates in Dongqian Sea. If he could achieve remarkable military feats, there might be a slight chance. The Minister of Justice, Luo Mingxi, seemed to be contemplating this matter but made no comment.

At the same time, the lord of Jingnan Anle Fort, Ren Anle, received news and traveled alone. She coincidentally encountered Han Ye, and his handsome appearance attracted her attention. During their time together, there were often teasing moments that made Han Ye feel flustered. Later, Ren Anle and Han Ye evaded capture together and took shelter on a black tent boat, drifting along with the waves. Ren Anle would occasionally make playful remarks and enjoy seeing Han Ye blush.

As they watched the calm sea, Han Ye was eager to return. However, he was not skilled at rowing and accidentally caused an oar blade to fall into the sea. Just as they were talking, several fleets of pirates approached. Ren Anle grabbed Han Ye and flipped the boat, hiding in the water. At that moment, she emphasized that if they could be saved, she would marry him.

At a critical moment, numerous boats from Anle Fort arrived. Han Ye didn't know Ren Anle's identity until now and was surprised to learn that she was the leader of a 30,000-strong naval force. Han Ye fought alongside Ren Anle and repelled the pirates. However, he was accidentally grazed by a poisoned arrow. Ren Anle publicly offered to treat his wounds, and the maidservants, Yuan Qin and Yuan Shu, couldn't help but gossip.

Because of this incident, Ren Anle adhered to the agreement and insisted on marrying Han Ye. Even after learning that Han Ye was the Crown Prince of Daijing, she wasn't surprised. On the contrary, she was willing to bring her 30,000 navy under the rule of the imperial court as her dowry to become the Crown Princess. Han Ye quickly refused, but Ren Anle took his jade pendant as a token of their love. A day later, she sent a letter to Emperor Jiachang, Han Zhong, expressing her clear stance.

Naturally, Han Zhong would not agree to let Ren Anle become the Crown Princess. He warned Han Ye to retract his thoughts. Neither the daughter of a criminal nor a water bandit from the border could qualify as a Crown Princess. Han Ye failed to obtain the Emperor's pardon for Di Ziyuan. With a heavy heart and no one to confide in, he came alone to the Ministry of Justice to find Luo Mingxi. Both of them couldn't picture each other's faces, but Luo Mingxi easily drew the eyes of Di Ziyuan, leaving Han Ye disappointed with those eyes when she left.

At the Spring Hunting Feast, numerous noble women were invited to attend, and they were all captivated by Han Ye at first sight. The news of the female water bandit seeking to marry the Crown Prince spread throughout the entire capital. Upon hearing this, the women scoffed, while men were curious about the appearance and courage of the bandit, speculating that she must be rough and extremely ugly. Only the Crown Prince's attendant, Wen Shuo, believed that she must be an outstanding beauty.

At that moment, a clear melody suddenly sounded, and Yuan Qin appeared, capturing the undivided attention of Wen Shuo. Before he could react, a woman in red riding a horse arrived, shooting two arrows and taking the lead, coming directly in front of Han Ye. Wen Shuo was shocked and quickly asked about her identity. The woman smiled and declared herself as Ren Anle, the one who would be the Crown Princess.

In just a few days, Anle Fort surrendered to the imperial court, and the passionate love story between the female bandit and the crown prince spread like wildfire. Inside the palace, the eunuchs gossiped, and the maidservants listened and laughed. Outside, the tea houses and taverns buzzed with discussions, delighting the common people. However, trading three thousand navy soldiers for a princess's position left Wen Shuo perplexed. As he looked at the youthful and tender crown prince, he couldn't help but wonder if the imperial court was taking advantage or if the other party had fallen for it.

As Han Ye had anticipated, Ren Anle successfully captured the attention of the current emperor by skillfully manipulating public opinion. In reality, Ren Anle was far from being as simple as she appeared. Everything she did was to get close to the emperor, enter the court, and use her infatuation with the crown prince as a cover, preparing for a long-planned revenge.

Following orders, the constables escorted the prisoners to the prison, and once he finished reporting the situation to Luo Mingxi, the hall regained its calm. Luo Mingxi received a carrier pigeon message with the words "I'm returning" written on it. He couldn't help but feel a bit distracted and unconsciously wore a smile. He went alone to the appointed place and finally reunited with Ren Anle after many years – Di Ziyuan, the orphan of the imperial family.

When the rebellion of the imperial family ended, Luo Mingxi pretended to switch sides and betrayed Han Zhongyuan, offering his sword as a sign of sincerity, which led to his appointment as the Minister of Justice. Over the years, Ren Anle had built up her forces and learned about Han Zhongyuan and Gu Yunnian through Luo Mingxi. Although Han Zhongyuan had allowed Gu Yunnian to hold immense power and let his courtiers curry favor with him, Luo Mingxi believed that Han Ye and Right Minister Wei Jian acted with integrity and were at odds with Gu Yunnian. They could be seen as allies, and Ren Anle wanted to leverage their power.

Based on Luo Mingxi's suggestion, Ren Anle decided to use the Lin Cong murder case as a pretext to infiltrate Gu Yunnian's faction. Gu Qishan, the son of the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness, begged his father to use his connections to help clear Lin Cong's name. Considering the favors Lin's father had done for him, Gu Yunnian dispatched a message to Pei Zhan, an official of the Grand Court, to prepare for Lin's release.

Upon hearing the rumors of the female bandit seeking to marry the crown prince, Lady Gu became curious about the audacious individual behind it. Naturally, Gu Yunnian did not underestimate the power of the three thousand navy soldiers. He believed that even if Ren Anle couldn't become the crown princess, the emperor would surely appoint her to an important position. A second female official in Da Jing was about to emerge. Recognizing the strength of Anle Fort, Gu Yunnian intended to win Ren Anle over for his own use.

That night, Luo Mingxi mentioned the Lin Cong murder case and the immense power of Gu Yunnian's faction in front of Han Ye, persuading him to agree to arrange a task for Ren Anle. Ren Anle took this opportunity to meet Han Zhongyuan. Despite lacking the grace of a proper lady, she exuded a rustic charm and sweetly flattered Han Zhongyuan, leaving him with no excuse to blame her. Han Ye played along, smoothly securing the position of Assistant Minister of Justice for her, and temporarily assuming the responsibilities of the Three Law Offices.

As a new arrival at the Ministry of Justice, Ren Anle pretended to be a tiger disguised as a pig. Huang Pu, who was also an Assistant Minister, handed her the case files of the Lin Cong murder, only to be vehemently opposed by Pei Zhan. Seeing that Ren Anle wanted to ingratiate herself with Gu Yunnian, Huang Pu believed that both she and Pei Zhan were sycophants, feeling indignant without realizing that Ren Anle had set a trap for Gu Yunnian.

Han Ye visited the Ministry of Justice to see Ren Anle, personally teaching her the laws and regulations of Da Jing. However, Ren Anle continued to playfully tease him, not taking it seriously. With a whole box full of letters, Han Ye demanded that Ren Anle memorize them within a month. Ren Anle personally escorted him out and happened to witness a scene where Gu Qishan, on horseback, injured someone in public.

The capital's provincial examination was approaching, and Gu Qishan showed utter contempt for the scholar from a humble background, arrogantly declaring his victory in front of everyone and insulting them to return to their hometowns as soon as possible. Han Ye watched the scene without any intention to intervene, while Ren Anle knew better and didn't want to become a target.

That night, Han Ye heard that Ren Anle had gone to Lingxiang Tower, so he hurriedly went there with Wen Shuo to find out what was going on. A wager was made at Lingxiang Tower concerning Han Ye and Ren Anle, to see if Ren Anle could become the crown princess. Ren Anle personally appeared to campaign for herself, and Luo Mingxi pretended to oppose her, while others pressed their bets on Han Ye.

Now Ren Anle, while reviewing the case files, has discovered many suspicious things. It turns out that Gu Yunnian relied entirely on Pei Zhan to create wrongful cases. If they remove Pei Zhan and replace him, the situation in the court will be instantly reversed. Although Han Ye and Gu Yunnian have been at odds for a long time, given his gentlemanly demeanor, he might suffer some setbacks. Currently, it is necessary to observe the situation calmly, even Ren Anle thinks so.

Therefore, Luo Mingxi suggested that Ren Anle should take advantage of the imperial examination to create momentum. This is because the chief examiner of the imperial examination, Li Chong'en, is a trusted subordinate of Gu Yunnian. It is believed that there will be some underhanded dealings during the imperial examination. Afterwards, Luo Mingxi prepared a list of Gu Yunnian's followers in secret and handed it to Ren Anle. On the surface, it appears to be a ranking of handsome men in Dajing, but in reality, it needs to be deciphered by fire to reveal the original meaning.

While they were speaking, Han Ye came with Wen Shuo to find Luo Mingxi. Seeing him talking happily with Ren Anle, it was somewhat strange. Ren Anle deliberately teased a few words, skillfully avoiding her own relationship with Luo Mingxi. Also, because of today's unexpected encounter at Lingxiang Tower, Ren Anle and Luo Mingxi's acquaintance seemed natural. Their interactions wouldn't arouse suspicion from Han Ye. Now she thought about her plan and decided to deal with Gu Yunnian's son, Gu Qishan, first.

Luo Mingxi secretly met with his undercover agent Lin Lang and decided to take action on the night of the courtesan party after the imperial examination. Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the courtesan banquet was held as scheduled. Ren Anle, Han Ye, Luo Mingxi, and Wen Shuo came to Lingxiang Tower, waiting for the appearance of the first-ranked courtesan in Dajing. At this time, Gu Qishan and Lin Cong arrived with other noble youths and arrogantly drove away students from poor families, causing great dissatisfaction among everyone.

Although Lin Cong had killed someone while drunk, the case had been settled and he had regained his freedom. Yet he remained a sycophantic lackey by Gu Qishan's side. As Lin Lang made a stunning entrance and danced gracefully, she captivated everyone and especially caught the attention of Gu Qishan. Lin Lang announced that if someone could catch the flower ball she held, she would personally compose a song for them. Gu Qishan and the other youths competed eagerly, but Han Ye remained indifferent.

Just as Ren Anle was teasing Han Ye for not being able to appreciate romantic feelings, Lin Cong suddenly fell from a height and died. Currently, there were no clues pointing to the identity of the killer. Ren Anle cleverly deduced the true culprit using a small trick and found it to be quite successful. Gu Qishan, feeling bored, prepared to leave. However, Ren Anle unexpectedly found evidence of cheating in the imperial examination hidden in Lin Cong's clothes. It contained detailed records of the names of all the students involved.

Upon seeing this, Han Ye ordered them to be arrested and imprisoned. When Gu Yunnian heard that his son had been captured, he specially invited Ren Anle and tried to coerce and entice her. Ren Anle pretended to go along with his wishes and promised to help him protect Gu Qishan, which made Gu Yunnian feel relieved. At the same time, he somewhat underestimated her, thinking that it would take some effort to bring her under his command. Little did he know it would be so simple.

However, after the incident of cheating in the imperial examination, Han Ye went to the palace overnight to present the evidence and believed that a thorough investigation was needed to uncover the truth. Due to Gu Yunnian's influence, Han Zhongyuan ordered Han Ye to solve the case within three days and sealed the examination papers, forbidding all candidates from leaving the capital. In the middle of the night, Ren Anle came to find Han Ye and noticed that he was extremely upset. She inquired about the reason and learned it was related to the investigation. Ignoring Han Ye's wishes, Ren Anle firmly held his hand and promised that if she found the mastermind, Han Ye should guarantee her position as the crown princess.

Huang Pu, the junior secretary of the Dali Temple, was upright and uncompromising. He believed that the most urgent task was to interrogate each person one by one. On the other hand, Pei Zhan was worried that this would offend the powerful families behind these youths, which could jeopardize his own position. Ren Anle deliberately urged Pei Zhan to find a few scapegoats to fool around. Pei Zhan was overjoyed upon hearing this and nodded repeatedly in agreement. He even handed over his token to Ren Anle, entrusting her with full responsibility. Huang Pu, who was nearby, became angry upon hearing this and glanced at Ren Anle before leaving in a huff. Ren Anle ordered Yuan Qin to secretly monitor Pei Zhan's every move and report any abnormalities promptly.

Ren Anle knew that Huang Pu had a strong prejudice against her, so she pleaded with Han Ye to accompany her for a visit. As a fourth-rank official of the imperial court, Huang Pu's residence was extremely simple and plain, which surprised Ren Anle. His meals consisted mostly of rice and vegetables, reflecting his integrity.

Huang Pu came from a humble background and had gone through five rounds of examinations before achieving success. He deeply understood the struggles of poor students who had studied hard for ten years, only to have their examination spots taken by privileged youths. Being able to wear the black hat and serve the people today made him realize the hardships endured by the underprivileged families while the noble families could casually buy and sell such positions, not to mention how those who obtained them would use their power for personal gain or to bully others. Even though he would rather not wear the black hat, he couldn't help but voice his discontent.

Unexpectedly, Ren Anle's casual remark completely angered Huang Pu, who immediately ordered her to leave. Ren Anle intentionally treated Gu Qishan differently from other students, coercing and manipulating the spoiled children to vote for Zhou Fu and Wu Yue as scapegoats. Upon hearing this, Pei Zhan felt relieved and informed Gu Yunnian of the situation.

Han Ye initially thought Ren Anle was pretending to be foolish, but to his surprise, she openly showed favoritism and created wrongful and false cases, going against the original purpose of the Dali Temple. Faced with Han Ye's angry questioning, Ren Anle pretended to be wronged and complained. She thought that having control over the 30,000 naval forces allowed her to live comfortably. If it weren't for falling in love with him, she would never have submitted to the court. Indeed, Han Ye's expression softened upon hearing these words, and he promised Ren Anle that if she acted in a righteous manner in the future, he would be her support.

Ren Anle smiled happily upon hearing this and took the opportunity to lean against Han Ye and pretend to sleep. This scene caught the attention of Luo Mingxi, who found it somewhat suspicious. Later, Luo Mingxi reminded Ren Anle to be cautious, as everyone saw her being affectionate with Han Ye. Ren Anle stated that what she did was to ensure smooth progress and that she didn't need the Han family to be her support.

In just one day, Huang Pu found cheat sheets on many students, but Gu Qishan had no problems at all. Huang Pu was angry and accused Ren Anle of being lax in her handling of the case. It was obvious to discerning individuals that these children of noble families were colluding together. Zhou Fu and Wu Yue became scapegoats simply because their identities were relatively lowly. However, Ren Anle did not heed Huang Pu's advice and insisted on hastily concluding the case, to Pei Zhan's great satisfaction.

As Luo Mingxi had anticipated, after Gu Yunnian received the news from Pei Zhan, he sent someone to secretly silence him. That night, Li Chong'en committed suicide, leaving behind a suicide note revealing that Wu Yue and Zhou Fu were his distant relatives. Unable to bear seeing their poor and unaccomplished lives, he leaked the examination questions to them.

Although Gu Yunnian took a step to clear his son's name, Ren Anle clearly had the upper hand. She had already discussed with Huang Pu beforehand and promised him that if he cooperated with her, the principles she advocated would be upheld, and any injustice would be punished. Huang Pu privately interrogated Zhou Fu and eventually obtained a confession that the mastermind was Gu Qishan. On the other hand, Wu Yue, fearing the power of the loyal and righteous marquis, refused to say a single word.

Han Ye knew that Ren Anle was exceptionally clever, so he had higher expectations of her. He was well aware of how much she worried and pondered over the case. In fact, Zhou Fu was just bait, and it was crucial to have Wu Yue, who possessed all of Gu Yunnian's secrets. However, on that night, Wu Yue was assassinated, further complicating the case.

Ren Anle released Gu Qishan, treating him as a valuable pawn. Han Ye, realizing Ren Anle's exceptional chess skills, couldn't help but think of Di Ziyuan. He had never encountered anyone with such extraordinary chess skills before, except for Ren Anle. However, the two of them were different in terms of background and personality. The only thing they had in common was that they were both remarkable women and, coincidentally, had met Han Ye.

Gu Qishan didn't take this case seriously at all and wanted to go out and enjoy himself before it was closed. In the end, he had to behave a bit more obediently under the warning from Gu Yunnian. Ren Anle was invited to attend the courtesan feast at Lingxiang Tower. When she saw Han Ye enter from outside, she immediately leaped into his arms, causing Han Ye to hastily hold her.

Ignoring Huang Pu's obstruction, Pei Zhan insisted on stamping the seal on the closing documents. Huang Pu and the other officials were filled with sorrow, disappointment, and anger. They took off their official robes and hats and left. At the same time, Ren Anle was giving a speech at Lingxiang Tower, outlining the three major steps she took to solve the case. When she saw Gu Qishan enter the room reeking of alcohol, she immediately approached him with a fawning smile and whispered for him to run, as the Crown Prince had come with people to arrest him.

Han Ye suddenly appeared, scaring Gu Qishan, who panicked and ran without direction. Ren Anle intentionally broke some wine to make him stumble, and the other students rushed forward to beat him up. At the same time, Huangpu received a severe punishment of thirty lashes and, together with the officials from the Dali Temple, rang the Qinglong Bell, seeking justice. Emperor Jia Chang, Han Zhongyuan, had to approve a thorough investigation of the corruption case.

When the news reached the Zhongyi Marquis Mansion, Gu Yunnian became extremely anxious, and Madam Gu could not believe that a mere female bandit would risk offending the powerful marquis just to climb onto the Crown Prince's dragon bed. The official trial by the Three Ministries soon began, and Ren Anle craftily led the proceedings, successfully exposing Gu Qishan's guilt.

Gu Qishan, relying on his status as the marquis's legitimate son, made arrogant remarks in the hall until Wu Yue, who had "returned from the dead," accused Gu Qishan of leaking the exam questions. Ren Anle played the fool and cleverly led Gu Qishan to confess. Indeed, Gu Qishan no longer offered any defense, and following the laws of Dajing, Han Ye sentenced him to be executed after autumn.

Upon hearing this judgment, the crowd and even the students cheered. Wen Shuo watched the spectacle unfold, but he couldn't help but wonder why the evidence appeared so conveniently. Yuan Qin explained it, and he suddenly understood. At the same time, Gu Yunnian hurriedly went to the palace to meet the Emperor. Han Zhongyuan admonished Gu Yunnian and curbed his unruly behavior, promising to handle the matter properly.

Ren Anle couldn't wait to show off to Han Ye, who now saw that she was not the foolish female bandit people claimed she was; she was clever and pretended to be foolish. Later, Han Ye went to have tea and chat with Luo Mingxi, hoping he could help investigate Ren Anle's true intentions. It seemed that her purpose for coming to the capital was not just to become the Crown Princess; there was a bigger conspiracy behind it.

Han Zhongyuan decided to handle it properly by changing the execution to exile, sparing Gu Qishan from death. Gu Yunnian was completely dissatisfied with this outcome and vowed not to let Ren Anle off easily. Han Ye took Ren Anle to Lingxiang Tower, hoping she would confide in him and maintain their trust in each other. However, Ren Anle still pretended to be ignorant and insisted on becoming the Crown Princess.

Now, more and more people were betting on Ren Anle. She directly raised the stakes, and Han Ye, wanting to help her establish herself in the capital, did not stop her. During this time, Han Zhongyuan summoned Han Ye to the palace to explain the change in the punishment. After all, Marquis Gu Yunnian held significant military power and had been in control of the southern regions for many years. If he was truly angered, it could lead to unimaginable chaos. Han Zhongyuan advised Han Ye not to be too anxious and to wait for the right time to act.

When Ren Anle heard that her old friend, Princess Anle, was returning to the capital, she didn't want her to be involved, but she was still a member of the Han family. As expected, Gu Yunnian carried out his revenge, and that night, several assassins sneaked into Ren Anle's residence to assassinate her. Ren Anle's skills were exceptional, and she managed to subdue the assassins with a few chess pieces, and Yuan Shu wielded a sword to drive them away.

Wen Shuo heard the news and rushed to check on Yuan Qin's safety, also taking the chance to see if Ren Anle was injured. Ren Anle deliberately sighed that no one cared about her, but Wen Shuo explained that Han Ye cared a great deal about her, as evidenced by him sending skilled guard Jian Song to protect her in secret. But Yuan Qin almost mistook Jian Song for an assassin, as she was interested in testing his martial arts skills. In the end, Jian Song had to withdraw.

Luo Mingxi used the pretext of investigating Ren Anle to inform Han Ye of her motives for coming to the capital. Since she had aspirations of serving the country, why not give her an opportunity and appreciate her talents? Ren Anle sent Yuan Shu and Yuan Qin to inform Han Ye to meet her at Lingxiang Tower. She had reserved a private room and assured him that she had prepared a great show for him.

Ren Anle specially invited a storyteller to entertain with drinks, intending to hear a story about a female bandit and the Crown Prince. However, the storyteller noticed Han Ye's signal and lied, claiming that the storybook was sold out, and instead narrated the brave and skilled deeds of Princess An Ning. Princess An Ning had loved martial arts since childhood and at the age of twelve, she demonstrated her skills before the autumn hunting banquet, impressing Emperor Han Zhongyuan. When asked about her wish, Princess An Ning chose to abandon the riches and beautiful clothes, desiring to be stationed on the northwest frontier to protect the border.

Although Dajing and Bei Qin had been in a truce for many years, bandits from the border region frequently harassed the area. For six years, it was thanks to Princess An Ning's participation in every battle that the people enjoyed peace and safety. She defeated the bandits, making them either scatter or surrender. Ren Anle was not very interested, thinking the storyteller was exaggerating. Han Ye proved Princess An Ning's abilities to his older sister and warned Ren Anle that if she were to encounter Princess An Ning, it would be a clash between two heroes.

Just as they were talking, a female general in white armor, holding a sword, entered the Lingxiang Tower. Princess An Ning, with an angry expression, went straight to Han Ye and declared that she had come to settle the score with Ren Anle. The two of them immediately started fighting but found themselves strangely compatible. They announced that they would become sworn sisters.

After a night of heavy drinking, Princess An Ning, completely drunk, went to the palace to meet the Emperor. Han Zhongyuan was somewhat helpless and ordered his daughter to behave properly and choose a marriage partner as soon as possible. Coincidentally, the officials all suggested that the Crown Prince should get married, and many recommended Gu Yunnian's daughter as the Crown Princess. This made Emperor Han Zhongyuan furious. He summoned Gu Yunnian to the palace for questioning and sought advice from the prime ministers.

Currently, Ren Anle had complete control over the Three Ministries and began planning to deal with Zhong Liwen. He was Gu Yunnian's brother-in-law from Jiangnan and one of the accomplices in the unjust case against the Emperor's family. Now, he had turned into the magistrate of the Mutian Prefecture and colluded with the Ministry of Works, blending in perfectly. Luo Mingxi believed that the best way to avoid exposing Ren Anle's identity was to welcome the fake "Di Ziyuan" to the capital. After all, Han Ye was too attached to the past agreement with Emperor Han, and only Di Ziyuan could use the Crown Prince's attachment to succeed in her plans.

Empress Sun Yujun had always been concerned about Han Ye's marriage and urged Han Zhongyuan to select a bride for him. However, Han Ye once again begged Emperor Jia Chang to allow him to be with Di Ziyuan. He kneeled outside the palace gate until Ren Anle suddenly appeared. Ren Anle used her sharp tongue to please Emperor Han Zhongyuan and successfully persuaded him to let Di Ziyuan come down from the mountain and allow her to be a candidate for the Crown Princess. Han Ye was overjoyed at this news and felt grateful and guilty towards Ren Anle.

Lin Lang found that Princess An Ning had a close relationship with an old case involving the Emperor's family ten years ago. Since childhood, she had a deep friendship with Di Ziyuan, studying together. However, a few days after the Emperor's family was exterminated, she fell seriously ill, and her servants died for no apparent reason. After that, she went to the northwest and never returned to the capital. Now, she was putting all her efforts into making Ren Anle the Crown Princess, which made Lin Lang very suspicious. She immediately reported this to Luo Mingxi.

On the other side, Princess An Ning came alone to the old residence of the Jing'an Marquis Mansion, which was now overgrown with weeds, a place of memories but no longer the same. She had complex and conflicting feelings of joy and fear. Han Ye and Luo Mingxi suddenly arrived, and Luo Mingxi deliberately tried to test Princess An Ning, but there were still no clues.

Ren Anle learned about Princess An Ning's unusual behavior through Luo Mingxi and decided to personally investigate. She invited Princess An Ning to the Lingxiang Tower to drink and listen to music. Han Ye learned that Princess An Ning had booked the entire place and found it ridiculous. He hurried there with Wen Shuo. Lin Lang, following orders, dressed up meticulously and personally performed a piece of music for Ren Anle and Princess An Ning. This song, "Soul Comfort," was the one Di Ziyuan excelled in. Han Ye listened outside the door, feeling a mix of emotions. Princess An Ning was moved to tears by the music, took a sip of wine, and suddenly drew her sword.

A soul-comforting melody, majestic and resolute, yet infused with a touch of tenderness. This song was composed for the frontier soldiers, wishing their souls to return to their homeland after death and no longer be troubled by war. The prosperous capital of Kyoto had rarely heard such a tragic and heroic tune, and the entire Lingxiang Tower fell silent, struck by the sudden and unique sound.

Princess An Ning danced with her sword, expressing her inner emotions upon hearing the melody. Ren Anle, too, was reminiscing about the past. When the music abruptly stopped, they both seemed to be transported to another time, and their eyes reflected a sense of sorrow. In her drunken state, Princess An Ning gazed at the woman in plain attire across from her, her expression filled with memories and melancholy. Suddenly, without any warning, she pointed at Ren Anle, remarking that she resembled someone she knew before, surprising everyone present.

Ren Anle asked Princess An Ning's personal guards to fetch cold water to sober her up, leaving the room with only the two of them. Unexpectedly, Princess An Ning took out a lotus flower pendant from her pocket, explaining that she had acquired it from a general in Jiangnan. In the past, the Duke of Jing'an, Duke Yongning, had the right to mint coins, but after the fall of the imperial family, currency circulation was banned, leaving only silver coins hastily turned into this pendant. It symbolized that the 80,000 imperial soldiers were not entirely annihilated, and some might have survived.

Originally, the music played today was meant to test Princess An Ning, but Ren Anle never expected to make an unexpected discovery. Seeing Princess An Ning passed out on the bed, Han Ye entered the room, and Ren Anle quickly put on a playful and lighthearted facade. Han Ye mentioned the piece of music and casually mentioned Prince Ziyuan's deeds. Ren Anle was moved but tried not to show it.

Afterward, Ren Anle met Luo Mingxi privately and showed him the money, believing that there might be survivors of the imperial army. She knew that Gu Yunnian's brother-in-law, Zhong Liwen, controlled Jiangnan and possessed the list of the imperial soldiers. Thus, she planned to investigate personally. However, she had no good excuse to go there. Luo Mingxi arranged for Lin Lang to save a refugee who came to the capital to file a complaint.

The barely alive petitioner was brought into the Grand Court with dark red bloodstains under the Double Yang Gate. Huangpu found the "Blood Book of Ten Thousand People" on him and realized that it was another major case. He quickly reported it to Ren Anle, mentioning that the patron behind Jiangnan's prefect, Zhong Liwen, was the Loyal Marquis. Ren Anle pretended to have a sudden realization and personally handed the Blood Book to Han Ye, instructing him not to startle the snake.

Hastily, Han Ye went to the palace to present the Blood Book. This joint petition from ten thousand people caused a great uproar in the court of Dajing, thoroughly muddying the waters. Jiangnan had continuous rains for three months, and ten days ago, the Yuanjiang River's dyke broke, causing fifteen counties under the jurisdiction of Mutian Prefecture to become submerged. Tens of thousands of people were affected, and they were left with no choice but to flee. The petition accused Prefect Zhong Liwen of negligence, resulting in the death of thousands of miles of land.

Although Han Zhongyuan was worried about Han Ye's safety in going to Jiangnan, Han Ye was fearless and devoted to serving the people. Afterward, Han Ye went to find Luo Mingxi and coincidentally saw him simulating the construction of a river embankment. Han Ye suggested that Luo Mingxi accompany him on his trip. Luo Mingxi pretended to be reluctant, saying that they needed Ren Anle's approval. Han Ye believed it and went to discuss with Ren Anle.

At Ren Anle's request, the Crown Prince's residence was filled with dishes that Ren Anle liked and fine wines, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a wedding night. Han Ye proactively toasted Ren Anle, but his alcohol tolerance was poor, and he ended up drunk and confused. At one point, he even climbed a tree to enjoy the beautiful scenery, mistaking Ren Anle for Princess An Ning and pouring out his heartfelt feelings to her.

The next morning, Han Ye woke up and sought Ren Anle, but she flatly denied agreeing to travel with him and exposed his embarrassing drunken incident of climbing a tree. Han Ye felt embarrassed and annoyed, but when he entered the palace, he unexpectedly learned that Ren Anle had already left for Jiangnan. He felt somewhat relieved. The two of them set off together, and on the way, Ren Anle pretended to feel carsick and teased Han Ye. Han Ye stayed by her side throughout, taking care of her every need.

Gu Yunnian learned that the Crown Prince feigned illness and did not attend the court session. In truth, he went on a secret investigation to Jiangnan, which Gu Yunnian had arranged beforehand to see what kind of waves Ren Anle and the others would stir up. At the same time, the carriage suddenly lost control on the way, and Wen Shuo appeared just in time to catch Yuan Qin. Han Ye finally realized that Ren Anle had already known about Wen Shuo secretly following them, so she intentionally broke the carriage to make him reveal himself.

Initially, Han Ye had never agreed to let Wen Shuo accompany them, but Ren Anle pleaded for him in various ways and allowed him to stay for the time being. The group continued their journey, and Han Ye dreamt of Di Ziyuan but couldn't recall his appearance clearly, which frightened him awake. Ren Anle even pretended to be jealous, leaving Han Ye speechless.

The group arrived at Mutian Prefecture in Jiangnan and witnessed the prosperity and liveliness of the place, with no signs of disaster. To avoid alerting the authorities, Ren Anle and Han Ye disguised themselves as refugees and visited around. They found that some merchants were storing a large amount of surplus grain for sale, but the prices were exorbitant, with one stone of rice priced at twenty taels of silver.

Han Ye noticed that the rice was mixed with a lot of dust, indicating that the merchants' rice likely came from the official granary, which accumulated due to good harvests and disaster relief, making it easier to stockpile. Originally, Han Ye wanted to go back and discuss a countermeasure, but Ren Anle said she wanted to show him another side of Jiangnan's prosperity. Han Ye suddenly realized and speculated that the refugees were probably being driven out of the city.

To understand the truth, Ren Anle and Han Ye disguised themselves as refugees and indeed saw that the starving refugees received meager relief food. However, before they could eat enough, they were driven away by soldiers, and all the food was scattered on the ground. Han Ye was deeply distressed seeing this scene.

Lin Lang was ordered to investigate Cold North, who was by Princess An Ning's side, but currently, there was no suspicious activity. Princess An Ning treated Cold North differently because she saved him at the foot of Mount Qingnan. Five years ago, Cold North's family was destroyed in war, and he single-handedly killed seven or eight enemy invaders. At that time, Princess An Ning was considering whether he could be used by Dajing. Over the years, Princess An Ning indeed valued Cold North greatly, but she knew in her heart that saving him was to atone for her inability to save the 80,000 imperial soldiers who died tragically at Mount Qingnan.

Later, Lin Lang helped Luo Mingxi find the Changsi Flower, and Luo Mingxi was delighted. On the other hand, Ren Anle and the others temporarily stayed at an inn. That night, when they came to chat with Han Ye, they suddenly heard fighting outside the door. Upon investigation, they found black-clothed assailants attempting to assassinate them. Fortunately, Yuan Shu and the others arrived just in time. The black-clothed assailants saw that the situation was not in their favor and directly committed suicide by poisoning. Han Ye felt that something was amiss and believed that tonight's incident was likely a warning for him not to continue his investigation.

Thus, Han Ye believed that someone deliberately exposed their whereabouts and location. Instead of waiting passively, it would be better to take the initiative and turn the tables. Han Ye instructed Wen Shuo to inform everyone at Mutian Prefecture, deliberately spreading the news of his assassination attempt, and then appeared at Mutian Prefecture as the Crown Prince.

As expected, Zhong Liwen hurriedly came to welcome him and invited him and Ren Anle to a banquet at Wangjiang Tower. Ren Anle and Han Ye analyzed the situation, vaguely sensing that someone was eavesdropping outside the door. Therefore, they pretended to be affectionate, and Ren Anle playfully teased Han Ye, leaving him blushing and speechless.

As Ren Anle and Han Ye had anticipated, Zhong Liwen planned a trap at Wangjiang Tower and prepared extra measures. He intended to use this opportunity to force Han Ye and Ren Anle to back down. If they refused to drink the toast, he would incite the refugees to riot. At this time, Princess An Ning came to Lixiang Tower to drink, and Luo Mingxi led Lin Lang to greet her. Lin Lang performed a stunning piece, "Plum Blossom Falling," captivating the entire audience, especially Princess An Ning. Remembering some childhood memories, Princess An Ning naturally brought up Di Ziyuan, but unexpectedly, Luo Mingxi suddenly asked her if she ever thought about reuniting with Di Ziyuan.

Although Luo Mingxi deliberately exaggerated Di Ziyuan's tragic situation at Daishan, Princess An Ning clearly found an excuse to refuse to meet him, so Luo Mingxi suspected that she must know the truth about the annihilation of the Emperor's family. Meanwhile, Yuan Shu and Yuan Qin were ordered to investigate the matter of the Lotus Flower Pendant, hoping to find survivors from the Emperor's army and await Ren Anle's instructions.

Ren Anle went to Wangjiang Tower with Han Ye to attend the banquet. Faced with everyone's flattery and praise, they pretended to be affectionate. Zhong Liwen raised his wine cup to propose a toast, and Ren Anle knew that Han Ye couldn't hold his liquor well, so she helped him block the wine, while Han Ye gently reminded her not to drink too much.

Under Zhong Liwen's suggestion, all the merchants sent gifts to Ren Anle, congratulating her and Han Ye on forming an alliance between Qin and Jin. In fact, Zhong Liwen did this under the instigation of Gu Yunnian. As long as Ren Anle accepted the gifts, he could accuse her of bribery and corruption to the Emperor. Although Ren Anle accepted the gifts, she asked everyone to write down their names and the gifts clearly. Zhong Liwen implied that they should use fake names, but Wen Shuo had already memorized the names of all the people.

Fearing Han Ye's authority as the Crown Prince, everyone wrote their real names truthfully. After the list was completed, Ren Anle handed it to Wen Shuo to deliver to Yuan Qin so that she could report it to the Emperor as soon as possible. After all, these were evidence of officials and merchants admitting to bribery. But as Yuan Qin and the others were about to leave, they suddenly found a large number of refugees flooding into the city, surrounding Wangjiang Tower. They had heard earlier that the Crown Prince had arrived, so, influenced by certain individuals' instigation, they came to ask him for food.

Zhong Liwen lied, saying that it would take four days for the disaster relief funds to arrive, clearly intending to pass the trouble on to them. Han Ye decided to personally get the food and asked Ren Anle to stabilize the people's hearts. The people had already heard of Ren Anle's deeds and still trusted her somewhat. However, Zhong Liwen and the others deliberately made it difficult by not providing accurate information about the location of the stored grain. As a result, Han Ye was delayed in bringing back the food.

As time went on, and the sun was about to set, the refugees became restless. Fortunately, Han Ye had thought of a solution before leaving. He had Jili distribute some rice to appease the refugees and buy some time. Zhong Liwen had planted someone among the refugees to expose the ruse of fake rice, but Ren Anle saw through the person's identity in time and threatened him to keep quiet if he wanted to save his life.

Finally, Han Ye arrived on horseback, fulfilling his promise with several carts of food, and successfully resolved the crisis. Han Ye thanked Ren Anle for her tremendous help and felt a slight attraction to her, but he suppressed his feelings because of Di Ziyuan. On the other hand, Zhong Liwen's plan fell apart, and he was left in a state of anxiety at home. He guessed that they might start with the Jiangnan water problem, which might bring trouble to himself.

Thanks to Ren Anle's quick thinking, she ordered Yuan Shu to search the grain depot and take back the food, also bringing back some useful account books. Han Ye and Ren Anle discussed finding the internal account books of the River Works and Zhong Liwen. Since the 500 river workers were already hidden by Zhong Liwen, tracing them would require some effort. Ren Anle, however, remained calm and unhurried. Instead, she poured wine and asked Han Ye to thank her.

Originally, Han Ye had many excuses, but under Ren Anle's goading, he ended up unable to hold his alcohol and got drunk. In a daze, Han Ye mistook Ren Anle for

Although Luo Mingxi deliberately exaggerated Di Ziyuan's tragic situation at Daishan, Princess An Ning clearly found an excuse to refuse to meet him, so Luo Mingxi suspected that she must know the truth about the annihilation of the Emperor's family. Meanwhile, Yuan Shu and Yuan Qin were ordered to investigate the matter of the Lotus Flower Pendant, hoping to find survivors from the Emperor's army and await Ren Anle's instructions.

Ren Anle went to Wangjiang Tower with Han Ye to attend the banquet. Faced with everyone's flattery and praise, they pretended to be affectionate. Zhong Liwen raised his wine cup to propose a toast, and Ren Anle knew that Han Ye couldn't hold his liquor well, so she helped him block the wine, while Han Ye gently reminded her not to drink too much.

Under Zhong Liwen's suggestion, all the merchants sent gifts to Ren Anle, congratulating her and Han Ye on forming an alliance between Qin and Jin. In fact, Zhong Liwen did this under the instigation of Gu Yunnian. As long as Ren Anle accepted the gifts, he could accuse her of bribery and corruption to the Emperor. Although Ren Anle accepted the gifts, she asked everyone to write down their names and the gifts clearly. Zhong Liwen implied that they should use fake names, but Wen Shuo had already memorized the names of all the people.

Fearing Han Ye's authority as the Crown Prince, everyone wrote their real names truthfully. After the list was completed, Ren Anle handed it to Wen Shuo to deliver to Yuan Qin so that she could report it to the Emperor as soon as possible. After all, these were evidence of officials and merchants admitting to bribery. But as Yuan Qin and the others were about to leave, they suddenly found a large number of refugees flooding into the city, surrounding Wangjiang Tower. They had heard earlier that the Crown Prince had arrived, so, influenced by certain individuals' instigation, they came to ask him for food.

Zhong Liwen lied, saying that it would take four days for the disaster relief funds to arrive, clearly intending to pass the trouble on to them. Han Ye decided to personally get the food and asked Ren Anle to stabilize the people's hearts. The people had already heard of Ren Anle's deeds and still trusted her somewhat. However, Zhong Liwen and the others deliberately made it difficult by not providing accurate information about the location of the stored grain. As a result, Han Ye was delayed in bringing back the food.

As time went on, and the sun was about to set, the refugees became restless. Fortunately, Han Ye had thought of a solution before leaving. He had Jili distribute some rice to appease the refugees and buy some time. Zhong Liwen had planted someone among the refugees to expose the ruse of fake rice, but Ren Anle saw through the person's identity in time and threatened him to keep quiet if he wanted to save his life.

Finally, Han Ye arrived on horseback, fulfilling his promise with several carts of food, and successfully resolved the crisis. Han Ye thanked Ren Anle for her tremendous help and felt a slight attraction to her, but he suppressed his feelings because of Di Ziyuan. On the other hand, Zhong Liwen's plan fell apart, and he was left in a state of anxiety at home. He guessed that they might start with the Jiangnan water problem, which might bring trouble to himself.

Thanks to Ren Anle's quick thinking, she ordered Yuan Shu to search the grain depot and take back the food, also bringing back some useful account books. Han Ye and Ren Anle discussed finding the internal account books of the River Works and Zhong Liwen. Since the 500 river workers were already hidden by Zhong Liwen, tracing them would require some effort. Ren Anle, however, remained calm and unhurried. Instead, she poured wine and asked Han Ye to thank her.

Originally, Han Ye had many excuses, but under Ren Anle's goading, he ended up unable to hold his alcohol and got drunk. In a daze, Han Ye mistook Ren Anle for

Although Luo Mingxi deliberately exaggerated Di Ziyuan's tragic situation at Daishan, Princess An Ning clearly found an excuse to refuse to meet him, so Luo Mingxi suspected that she must know the truth about the annihilation of the Emperor's family. Meanwhile, Yuan Shu and Yuan Qin were ordered to investigate the matter of the Lotus Flower Pendant, hoping to find survivors from the Emperor's army and await Ren Anle's instructions.

Ren Anle went to Wangjiang Tower with Han Ye to attend the banquet. Faced with everyone's flattery and praise, they pretended to be affectionate. Zhong Liwen raised his wine cup to propose a toast, and Ren Anle knew that Han Ye couldn't hold his liquor well, so she helped him block the wine, while Han Ye gently reminded her not to drink too much.

Under Zhong Liwen's suggestion, all the merchants sent gifts to Ren Anle, congratulating her and Han Ye on forming an alliance between Qin and Jin. In fact, Zhong Liwen did this under the instigation of Gu Yunnian. As long as Ren Anle accepted the gifts, he could accuse her of bribery and corruption to the Emperor. Although Ren Anle accepted the gifts, she asked everyone to write down their names and the gifts clearly. Zhong Liwen implied that they should use fake names, but Wen Shuo had already memorized the names of all the people.

Fearing Han Ye's authority as the Crown Prince, everyone wrote their real names truthfully. After the list was completed, Ren Anle handed it to Wen Shuo to deliver to Yuan Qin so that she could report it to the Emperor as soon as possible. After all, these were evidence of officials and merchants admitting to bribery. But as Yuan Qin and the others were about to leave, they suddenly found a large number of refugees flooding into the city, surrounding Wangjiang Tower. They had heard earlier that the Crown Prince had arrived, so, influenced by certain individuals' instigation, they came to ask him for food.

Zhong Liwen lied, saying that it would take four days for the disaster relief funds to arrive, clearly intending to pass the trouble on to them. Han Ye decided to personally get the food and asked Ren Anle to stabilize the people's hearts. The people had already heard of Ren Anle's deeds and still trusted her somewhat. However, Zhong Liwen and the others deliberately made it difficult by not providing accurate information about the location of the stored grain. As a result, Han Ye was delayed in bringing back the food.

As time went on, and the sun was about to set, the refugees became restless. Fortunately, Han Ye had thought of a solution before leaving. He had Jili distribute some rice to appease the refugees and buy some time. Zhong Liwen had planted someone among the refugees to expose the ruse of fake rice, but Ren Anle saw through the person's identity in time and threatened him to keep quiet if he wanted to save his life.

Finally, Han Ye arrived on horseback, fulfilling his promise with several carts of food, and successfully resolved the crisis. Han Ye thanked Ren Anle for her tremendous help and felt a slight attraction to her, but he suppressed his feelings because of Di Ziyuan. On the other hand, Zhong Liwen's plan fell apart, and he was left in a state of anxiety at home. He guessed that they might start with the Jiangnan water problem, which might bring trouble to himself.

Thanks to Ren Anle's quick thinking, she ordered Yuan Shu to search the grain depot and take back the food, also bringing back some useful account books. Han Ye and Ren Anle discussed finding the internal account books of the River Works and Zhong Liwen. Since the 500 river workers were already hidden by Zhong Liwen, tracing them would require some effort. Ren Anle, however, remained calm and unhurried. Instead, she poured wine and asked Han Ye to thank her.

Originally, Han Ye had many excuses, but under Ren Anle's goading, he ended up unable to hold his alcohol and got drunk. In a daze, Han Ye mistook Ren Anle for Di Ziyuan and hugged her tightly. Ren Anle played along and admitted that she was Di Ziyuan, trying to inquire about the truth behind the annihilation of the Emperor's family, but she gained nothing.

Han Ye said that he would marry Di Ziyuan and would not give the position of Crown Prince's consort to anyone else, no matter what happened, even though he was already attracted to Ren Anle. The next day, when Han Ye woke up sober, he immediately remembered what he had said in his drunken state the previous night and regretted it. He hurriedly ran to Ren Anle's room and coincidentally saw her washing her face. He handed her a handkerchief and then became flustered and hurriedly left, while Ren Anle intentionally teased him. Di Ziyuan and hugged her tightly. Ren Anle played along and admitted that she was

Although Luo Mingxi deliberately exaggerated Di Ziyuan's tragic situation at Daishan, Princess An Ning clearly found an excuse to refuse to meet him, so Luo Mingxi suspected that she must know the truth about the annihilation of the Emperor's family. Meanwhile, Yuan Shu and Yuan Qin were ordered to investigate the matter of the Lotus Flower Pendant, hoping to find survivors from the Emperor's army and await Ren Anle's instructions.

Ren Anle went to Wangjiang Tower with Han Ye to attend the banquet. Faced with everyone's flattery and praise, they pretended to be affectionate. Zhong Liwen raised his wine cup to propose a toast, and Ren Anle knew that Han Ye couldn't hold his liquor well, so she helped him block the wine, while Han Ye gently reminded her not to drink too much.

Under Zhong Liwen's suggestion, all the merchants sent gifts to Ren Anle, congratulating her and Han Ye on forming an alliance between Qin and Jin. In fact, Zhong Liwen did this under the instigation of Gu Yunnian. As long as Ren Anle accepted the gifts, he could accuse her of bribery and corruption to the Emperor. Although Ren Anle accepted the gifts, she asked everyone to write down their names and the gifts clearly. Zhong Liwen implied that they should use fake names, but Wen Shuo had already memorized the names of all the people.

Fearing Han Ye's authority as the Crown Prince, everyone wrote their real names truthfully. After the list was completed, Ren Anle handed it to Wen Shuo to deliver to Yuan Qin so that she could report it to the Emperor as soon as possible. After all, these were evidence of officials and merchants admitting to bribery. But as Yuan Qin and the others were about to leave, they suddenly found a large number of refugees flooding into the city, surrounding Wangjiang Tower. They had heard earlier that the Crown Prince had arrived, so, influenced by certain individuals' instigation, they came to ask him for food.

Zhong Liwen lied, saying that it would take four days for the disaster relief funds to arrive, clearly intending to pass the trouble on to them. Han Ye decided to personally get the food and asked Ren Anle to stabilize the people's hearts. The people had already heard of Ren Anle's deeds and still trusted her somewhat. However, Zhong Liwen and the others deliberately made it difficult by not providing accurate information about the location of the stored grain. As a result, Han Ye was delayed in bringing back the food.

As time went on, and the sun was about to set, the refugees became restless. Fortunately, Han Ye had thought of a solution before leaving. He had Jili distribute some rice to appease the refugees and buy some time. Zhong Liwen had planted someone among the refugees to expose the ruse of fake rice, but Ren Anle saw through the person's identity in time and threatened him to keep quiet if he wanted to save his life.

Finally, Han Ye arrived on horseback, fulfilling his promise with several carts of food, and successfully resolved the crisis. Han Ye thanked Ren Anle for her tremendous help and felt a slight attraction to her, but he suppressed his feelings because of Di Ziyuan. On the other hand, Zhong Liwen's plan fell apart, and he was left in a state of anxiety at home. He guessed that they might start with the Jiangnan water problem, which might bring trouble to himself.

Thanks to Ren Anle's quick thinking, she ordered Yuan Shu to search the grain depot and take back the food, also bringing back some useful account books. Han Ye and Ren Anle discussed finding the internal account books of the River Works and Zhong Liwen. Since the 500 river workers were already hidden by Zhong Liwen, tracing them would require some effort. Ren Anle, however, remained calm and unhurried. Instead, she poured wine and asked Han Ye to thank her.

Originally, Han Ye had many excuses, but under Ren Anle's goading, he ended up unable to hold his alcohol and got drunk. In a daze, Han Ye mistook Ren Anle for dI Ziyuan and hugged her tightly. Ren Anle played along and admitted that she was Di Ziyuan, trying to inquire about the truth behind the annihilation of the Emperor's family, but she gained nothing.

Han Ye said that he would marry Di Ziyuan and would not give the position of Crown Prince's consort to anyone else, no matter what happened, even though he was already attracted to Ren Anle. The next day, when Han Ye woke up sober, he immediately remembered what he had said in his drunken state the previous night and regretted it. He hurriedly ran to Ren Anle's room and coincidentally saw her washing her face. He handed her a handkerchief and then became flustered and hurriedly left, while Ren Anle intentionally teased him.

Ziyuan, trying to inquire about the truth behind the annihilation of the Emperor's family, but she gained nothing.

Han Ye said that he would marry Di Ziyuan and would not give the position of Crown Prince's consort to anyone else, no matter what happened, even though he was already attracted to Ren Anle. The next day, when Han Ye woke up sober, he immediately remembered what he had said in his drunken state the previous night and regretted it. He hurriedly ran to Ren Anle's room and coincidentally saw her washing her face. He handed her a handkerchief and then became flustered and hurriedly left, while Ren Anle intentionally teased him. Ziyuan and hugged her tightly. Ren Anle played along and admitted that she was Di Ziyuan, trying to inquire about the truth behind the annihilation of the Emperor's family, but she gained nothing.

Han Ye said that he would marry Di Ziyuan and would not give the position of Crown Prince's consort to anyone else, no matter what happened, even though he was already attracted to Ren Anle. The next day, when Han Ye woke up sober, he immediately remembered what he had said in his drunken state the previous night and regretted it. He hurriedly ran to Ren Anle's room and coincidentally saw her washing her face. He handed her a handkerchief and then became flustered and hurriedly left, while Ren Anle intentionally teased him.

Han Ye thought about the events of the previous night and apologized to Ren Anle. He also understood her ambitions and asked if she would be willing to create a prosperous era together, just like Han Taizu and Emperor Shengtian did in the past. Ren Anle's expression became serious, and she directly responded that there could never be another pair like them because it was well known that the Emperor's family had achieved great success while the Han family coveted that power and eventually exterminated them. Although they still didn't have a clue from the account books, they had a lead with the Lotus Flower Pendant. Lin Lang reported that it appeared in the Mufu (Mu Mansion) and was deliberately thrown away by someone surnamed Zhong, but its whereabouts remained unknown. Yuan Shu and Yuan Qin received a portrait of a Zhong family member and searched the streets and alleys for information but came up empty. However, they encountered Wen Shuo on the way, and Yuan Qin lied, saying that the person in the portrait was Yuan Shu's elder brother.

When Han Ye learned that Mufu had recruited five hundred miners in just three days, he suspected that these people's true identity was river workers. So, he and Ren Anle schemed and let Zhong Liwen know that they were investigating the Jiangnan water disaster. As expected, Zhong Liwen couldn't sit still and planned to arrange for officers disguised as bandits to silence the river workers and managers. In the dead of night, at the Zhao Family Village ten miles south of the city, a group of people on horseback stormed in, surrounded by darkness. They didn't see the guards leading the river workers out as planned; instead, the Imperial Guards armed with helmets and spears appeared, completely encircling them. In the silence, when the crossbows were fully drawn and ready to shoot at Yuan Shu's command, the leader of the officers realized the danger and quickly dismounted, claiming that they had received intelligence of bandits planning to attack the Zhao Family Village tonight. So, they were undercover, and there was a misunderstanding. At the same time, Han Ye went alone to the government office to stall Zhong Liwen until news came that the "bandits had been captured." Only then did he leave.

Originally, Zhong Liwen planned to abandon his son to save himself, thinking that everything would be foolproof once he looked through the account books. However, he fell into the trap set by Ren Anle and Han Ye. He was caught red-handed with the evidence, and all the officials involved in the corruption case were arrested. The Jiangnan corruption case was successfully solved with all the pieces falling into place. Afterward, Han Ye and Ren Anle went to the riverbank and saw the prayer lanterns lit by the people, feeling deeply moved. Han Ye brought up the topic again, believing that with someone like Ren Anle to cleanse and purify, there would one day be lasting prosperity in Dajing. He expressed his willingness to walk with her through thick and thin. Ren Anle retorted with a tough mouth but almost stumbled. Fortunately, Han Ye promptly supported her, and their eyes met, conveying emotions that words couldn't express. On the way back on horseback, Han Ye praised Ren Anle for her meticulousness, particularly for her plan to involve Wen Shuo. He knew that Wen Shuo's intelligence and sharp memory would be of great help, so she planned to bring him along when they went to Jiangnan. The guise of Yuan Qin's probing was to confirm this, and it worked well with Wen Shuo's merits in every aspect. Ren Anle didn't deny it and said that Han Ye's ability to nurture talents as his capable assistants was enough to show that he understood people well.

Madam Gu had not received any letters from Zhong Liwen for a long time and guessed that something must have happened. Gu Yunnian had already prepared a countermeasure. In just one day, the entire Mufu was in turmoil. News of Zhong Liwen's embezzlement of funds for the river embankment, forced collection of relief grain, and his imprisonment for trial spread throughout the city. The long-standing grievances of the people erupted, demanding strict punishment for Zhong Liwen and the return of justice from the corrupt officials. To investigate Zhong Liwen, Han Ye ordered his subordinates to move the Mu Mansion's archives and account books to an inn, including all the embezzled funds from these years. Ren Anle had never liked these troublesome matters, preferring to stay alone in her room. Yuan Qin deliberately distracted Wen Shuo, giving Yuan Shu the opportunity to find a list of eighty thousand soldiers.

Now that the evidence of Zhong Liwen's corruption was conclusive, he had been sentenced to death by autumn, and the other officials involved were dismissed and prosecuted. Even the wealth of the gentry was confiscated to be used for disaster relief. The procession of carriages returned to the capital, and along the way, they saw the Jiangnan people kneeling and bidding farewell. The sound of thunder echoed abruptly, without any words of praise or tribute; it was just a simple "May the Crown Prince live a thousand years." This deeply moved Han Ye; these were his people who had endured hardships and remained loyal to the land, understanding gratitude. Therefore, Han Ye thanked Ren Anle with a bow, as there might never be another Han Taizu and Emperor Shengtian in the world, but they could usher in an era of peace and prosperity. Afterward, Han Ye and Ren Anle went to Cangshan, the mausoleum of Han Zian, the founding emperor of Dajing.