“As for the allegations of treason against Zhuo Cheng… We shall await the conclusion of the investigation,” Emperor Qin Yusheng announced, his voice echoing through the Holy Heaven Hall. “If he has indeed been wronged, We shall personally see to it that the Zhuo family’s name is cleared.”

“Your Majesty is wise,” Han Lie said, bowing with cupped hands.

“If there are no further matters, the court is dismissed.”

Without waiting for the civil and military officials to offer their customary salutations, Qin Yusheng rose from the dragon throne and swept out of the hall, his golden robes trailing behind him.

The tension in the room broke the moment the Emperor vanished.

At the entrance of the Holy Heaven Hall, a jovial voice called out. “Young friend Han Lie! We’ll keep the pleasantries brief today. Seven days from now, I expect you at the Li residence for a proper gathering.”

Deputy Chief Councillor Li Yi stood there, his face glowing with the rosy flush of victory.

Han Lie smiled and bowed politely. “Grand Councillor Li is too kind. I will certainly be there.”

“Haha! Excellent. This old man shall await your esteemed arrival. I have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first.”

Han Lie waved a hand, signaling for him to go ahead.

The moment Li Yi turned around, the atmosphere in the courtyard shifted. Ministers who had spent years cowering under the thumb of Chief Councillor Zhao Xuanzi immediately swarmed toward Li Yi like moths to a flame. Their faces were masks of fawning adoration.

The Emperor had handed the disposal of the Mu family to Li Yi—a clear signal of the shifting winds. The Deputy Chief Councillor was now the favored blade of the throne, while Zhao Xuanzi had fallen into shadow. Even if Li Yi was still technically the deputy, it was enough reason for the fence-sitters to scramble over each other to curry favor.

Han Lie watched the spectacle with amusement before turning to the woman beside him.

“Things went much smoother than I anticipated,” Qin Lianyi said, her smile brilliant and sharp.

Han Lie chuckled. “We have Mu Qinghai’s son to thank for that. The man raised a boy determined to dig his own father’s grave. Without Mu Feng’s spectacular stupidity, toppling the Mu family would have been a grueling war of attrition.”

Despite the overwhelming disadvantage in court, Mu Qinghai had fought tooth and nail, using every scrap of logic to try and reverse the tide. But with the witnesses secured, the evidence irrefutable, and the Emperor himself looking to clip the Zhao faction’s wings, Mu Qinghai had been fighting a lost battle.

No amount of sophistry could save a man whose own son had handed the executioner the blade.

“Still,” Han Lie added, his tone softening slightly. “This victory belongs to you as much as anyone. Without your help, I couldn’t have made even a ripple in the Great Qin Dynasty, let alone a wave of this magnitude.”

He wasn’t just being polite. While the trap for Mu Feng was Han Lie’s design, Qin Lianyi had been the linchpin. She had connected him with Li Yi and served as the ultimate, unassailable witness. Without the Princess testifying, restoring the Zhuo family’s honor would have been infinitely harder.

Qin Lianyi covered her mouth, giggling softly. “Daoist Han is too modest. Without you, I would have been helpless. And… the Zhuo family would still be rotting in that predicament, wouldn’t they?”

They exchanged a few more playful compliments before Qin Lianyi shifted the subject. “By the way, I’ve already spoken to Imperial Father. He wishes to see you privately tomorrow. You’ll come with me.”

“Tomorrow?” Han Lie mused. “That works.”

“Then let’s pay a visit to the Zhuo residence first. Uncle Zhuo needs to hear the good news.”

Han Lie nodded. He had planned to wait until the dust settled, but with the Princess’s endorsement, there was no need for secrecy anymore.

“Very well. I’ll accompany you.”

Han Lie and Qin Lianyi left the palace and headed straight for the Zhuo estate.

The residence was still heavily guarded by imperial troops, but this time, Han Lie didn’t need to sneak in over the garden wall. With Princess Qin Lianyi leading the way, they walked through the front gates openly, ignoring the startled looks of the guards.

In the main hall, the air was thick with tension.

When Zhuo Cheng heard the news—that the Mu family had been condemned and his own name was on the verge of being cleared—he froze.

His body began to tremble violently. He stared at Han Lie, his eyes wide with disbelief and welling with tears.

“Daoist Han… is… is what you say true?”

His knees gave way, and he collapsed to the floor, bowing toward the young man.

Han Lie stepped forward and firmly helped him up. “It is absolutely true, Uncle Zhuo.”

Qin Lianyi nodded gently from the side, confirming the verdict.

“Daoist Han!” Zhuo Cheng choked out, gripping Han Lie’s arms. “For Wuqing to have met you… it is a blessing my Zhuo family must have cultivated over a hundred lifetimes! Your kindness… I… I have no way to repay this!”

The older man wiped away hot, bitter tears. For ten years, he had lived under the shadow of treason, watching his family crumble. To have that mountain removed in a single day was overwhelming.

“Uncle Zhuo, there is no need for such words,” Han Lie said warmly. “Setting aside my relationship with Wuqing, the support he gave me back in the Sect is worth far more than what I have done today.”

It took a long time for Zhuo Cheng to compose himself. Han Lie and Qin Lianyi waited patiently; they knew that when a decade of grievance is finally washed away, the heart needs time to steady its rhythm.

“Alright, Uncle Zhuo,” Han Lie said finally. “Officials from the court will likely arrive soon to formalize the investigation. Just cooperate with them.”

“I will,” Zhuo Cheng vowed, his voice steadying. “On behalf of the entire Zhuo family, I thank you again!”

Han Lie waved a hand dismissively. “I’ll take my leave for now. Once the dust settles and the Zhuo family is restored to its proper status, I will return.”

While Han Lie departed, the capital was thrown into chaos.

Under Li Yi’s ruthless direction, the purge of the Mu family began immediately. Even Xie Kuan, the Commandant responsible for the security of Qin Yang City, was stripped of his armor and dragged away by the Imperial Guards for interrogation.

Such a massive upheaval could not be hidden. It felt as though an earthquake had struck Qin Yang City.

In every teahouse, tavern, and street corner, people whispered in hushed tones, speculating on what earth-shattering event had occurred within the palace walls to bring down such titans.

Night deepened over the empire.

Since Han Lie had an audience with the Emperor the next morning, Qin Lianyi returned to the palace early to prepare. Han Lie, however, had one final promise to keep.

In a small, nondescript town a thousand miles from the capital’s borders, two figures stood under the cool moonlight.

“Miss Qian’er,” Han Lie said, looking at the woman before him. “I have brought you to safety. My promise is fulfilled. From here on, you are free.”

He had escorted the high-class songstress out of the capital, far away from the reach of the political storm and the gilded cage she had lived in.

“Daoist Han…” Qian’er called out, stopping him as he turned to leave.

She bit her lip, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight. “Thank you. If not for you… perhaps the ‘Gentle Village’ would have been my grave.”

For a woman of the entertainment district, escape was a fantasy. Most withered away with age, hoping at best to marry a poor, honest man who wouldn’t ask questions about their past. For someone like Qian’er—accustomed to the lavish spending of nobles and cultivators—such a drop in status was usually unbearable.

But to escape while still young, with her beauty and dignity intact? It was a miracle. A rewritten destiny.

“No need for thanks. It was a transaction. We each got what we needed,” Han Lie said calmly, glancing back over his shoulder.

Qian’er took a step forward, summoning every ounce of her courage.

“Daoist Han… will we… ever meet again?”