He didn't want to be involved with Tuoba Xiao again. After all, there were too many people around, and he was also afraid of his whereabouts being exposed.

He sheathed the knife back to his waist and swiftly turned around to leave.

Tuoba Xiao watched as Shen Changge walked away. His gaze then shifted and landed on the spot where Nangong Chi had been lying just moments ago.

In fact, even if Shen Changge didn't hug him, he would still make some other intimate gestures towards her. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of Emperor Zhouguo's trip?

Just a moment, Changge, this time I might let you down. A trace of reluctance flashed in Tuoba Xiaos eyes, but as soon as he thought that if he didn't do this, he might never get Shen Changge, his once somewhat softened heart became as firm as iron again.

He still remembered the touch when Shen Changge hugged him, so warm and so captivating.

But this is far from what Tuoba Xiao desires.

He wanted to possess Shen Changge and make him his own person.

He let nothing but his own reflection occupy his gaze.

Tuoba Xiaoshen nervously turned his head, recalling the night when Shen Changge got drunk. He remembered Shen Changge's flushed cheeks and the delicate, smooth texture of his skin, as if it were made of jade.

He couldn't help but leave a mark on that person, perhaps even wanting to do more, but ultimately he stopped.

It's almost there, but don't rush yourself too much.

One day, he will get Shen Changge.

After all, I have already gotten myself involved in this muddy water.

Shen Changge, this heart beats because of you, do you understand?

Just... I hope that when that time comes, you won't hate me.

[System Prompt: Supporting character Tuoba Xiao's Favorability Points +10, Regret Points +30. Current Favorability Points 70, Regret Points 30.]

Nangong Chi returned to the carriage, while Su Shengzhou carefully drove the horses, heading back along the same path.

Nangong Chi tilted his head and looked at the hazy sky outside the side window. It seemed as if a layer of gloom had also settled in his heart.

Changge, from beginning to end, there has only been you for me. So why do you have to get involved with others?

Are you unable to recognize your own identity, or do you truly want to betray your country?

"Continue to have someone follow Shen Changge. If there are any changes, report to me immediately."

Su Shengzhou responded with great fear and trepidation, "Yes."

When Shen Changge returned to the palace, Nangong Chi was already seated in the study, holding a vermilion pen and reviewing memorials at the desk.

Shen Changge walked in quietly and sat down on the chair beside Nangong Chi.

He glanced at Nangong Chi for a moment before taking the initiative to start the conversation: "I heard about Minister Xu's matter..."

He didn't say much, he just showed the concern he should show.

He may be a general, but he is also Nan Gongchi's confidant. If he were to say too much, it would inevitably appear somewhat intrusive.

"Some trouble has occurred, seemingly not just a regular attack. However, I have already sent someone down to handle it." Nangong Chi placed the vermilion brush back on the brush stand, closed the memorial, and waved for him to come over.

Shen Changge stood up and obediently walked over to him. Then, Nangong Chi pulled her onto his lap.

Nan Gong Chi asked him, "Since Prime Minister Xu has been injured, it is necessary for someone to act as his proxy. Who do you think is the most suitable person in the court?"

Shen Changge thought carefully and said, "Chen Tai Fu should be able to."

Chen Taifu, on the other hand, was an old scholar. Can he effectively govern the country and ensure the safety of the people?" Nangong Chi held him close, one hand wrapped around his waist, and the other lightly playing with his hair.

Chancellor Chen's outstanding achievements in his studies have actually overshadowed his remarkable talent in governing the country. I have examined many of his works and find that many of his insights are extremely beneficial for our present-day Zhou Nation.

Nangong Chi nodded and said, "Noted."

He took note of it, not because he noted Shen Changge's recommendation, but merely in his heart, driving Chancellor Chen away from the center of power he had delineated for himself.

He needed someone to accompany him on the throne, and among these companions, it was best to have those who were wholeheartedly loyal to him.

He had already made up his mind to gradually remove the bricks and stones under Shen Changge's feet, so as not to give him the opportunity to place people in the court.

General Shen... Just focus on being his close confidante and nothing else. It would be best to have no other intentions at all.

Shen Changge remained silent.

Although he and Nangong Chi were close like brothers, they always kept their official and personal matters separate.

Nan Gongchi doesn't seem very interested in the people I recommended to him, and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to say more, lest I be seen as having ulterior motives.

After all, his lover was inclined to indulge in wild fantasies and baseless speculations. Shen Changge believed it was a common trait among emperors and there was no cure for it.

They both hold positions of authority, and are involved in various interests, naturally unable to speak freely like ordinary commoners.

"What do you think of Jingrui as a person?"

"You're talking about Prince Rui, right? Well, Prince Rui is a person who avoids worldly conflicts. Although he is approachable, he lacks the talent for governing a country. Being a leisurely prince suits him the best."

Jingrui is Nan Gongrui, the half-brother of the new emperor. When the late emperor ascended to the throne, in order to secure his position as heir, he eliminated all his siblings, except for the eldest princess who shared the same mother.

When the new emperor ascended to the throne, his path was already littered with the corpses of his brothers. Only the wise and gentle Prince Rui, who had a deep love for gardening and bird-keeping, remained, posing no threat.

"What do you think, if it were Jingrui ruling instead of me in Zhou Kingdom, how would the situation be different?"

It's not very appropriate to ask such a question. If you remain silent, it would be as if you were pretending to be deaf and mute. If you speak up, there's bound to be implications of wanting the Crown Prince to replace the Crown Prince Regent, which is considered taboo.

Moreover, this question was raised by the new emperor himself, so Shen Changge dare not answer it without permission, even though he is the new emperor's closest confidant.

"Why are you asking this? You are the Emperor of Zhou Kingdom, what's the point of thinking about these things?"

Nangong Chikuai consoled him, "I'm just asking casually, you can answer casually. It's just the two of us here, since I'm the one asking, naturally I won't blame you."

Shen Changge saw that he insisted on speaking for himself, so she reluctantly said, "The bordering countries are eyeing the fertile land of our Zhou Kingdom. If Prince Rui comes into power, he lacks the ability to govern and the power to control others. Even if he becomes emperor, I'm afraid it would only be a change of scenery for him to enjoy flowers and birds. This vast Zhou Kingdom is beyond his capacity to defend."

After Shen Changge finished speaking, she stealthily glanced at Nangong Chi's expression and saw that he did not show any obvious negative emotions. Only then did she retract her gaze.

Although Jing Rui is a prince, he is ultimately Nan Gongchi's brother.

Shen Changge did not know how close she was to Nangong Chi in his eyes. What she feared was being too straightforward, which might displease Nangong Chi.

"I understand." Nangong Chi held him tightly, burying his head in his chest and rubbing against him.

In fact, Nangong Chi had two speculations about Shen Changge's future path.

Firstly, Shen Changge truly usurped the throne and seized power. This approach is undoubtedly the simplest and most effective method, considering that his reputation is unmatched at present, with a multitude of supporters.

But if it were to happen this way, it would undoubtedly fall into the mouths of others, to be written in ink by historians a century later, lingering with a foul reputation for thousands of years.

Secondly, he forced himself to abdicate the throne to Jingrui. Jingrui's abilities were far inferior to his own, which was one of the reasons why Nangong Chi left him behind in the first place.

Shen Changge can support Jing Rui to take the throne, and then sit behind the scenes to command. As the Regent Prince, he will lead a region. When the time is right, he will then pressure Jing Rui to abdicate in his favor.

Although this method is a bit troublesome, in the end, it will help Shen Changge maintain a good reputation, and she won't be scolded so harshly.

In fact, even Nan Gongchi himself was not aware that when he asked these questions, he no longer believed in Shen Changge.

"Nangong Chi suddenly asked, 'Where's the sword I gave you? I haven't seen you wearing it recently.'"

Shen Changge was startled, thinking to himself how fortunate he was to have timely sought out Tuoba Xiao and retrieved it; otherwise, he wouldn't have known how to account for it. He took out a short knife from his sleeve and handed it to Nangong Chi.

Nangong Chi played with it for a while and said with a serious tone, "It's a bit old. I'll take it over tomorrow and have someone replace the scabbard for you, and polish it again."

"Okay." Shen Changge trusted him without any doubt and obediently complied, giving it to him. After giving it, she even hugged Nangong Chi and gave him a kiss.

However, Nangong Chi immediately handed it over to the undertaker.

"Let's see if it was this knife that killed Prime Minister Xu," said Nangong Chi.

In fact, when Nan Gongchi saw Tuoba Xiaohan with a knife, he had already guessed what was going on.

But this matter is very complicated, after all, it involves Shen Changge.

The people of Bei Yi wanted to target the court ministers. If enough evidence could be found, they could simply be held accountable. However, if the dagger belonged to Shen Changge, then Shen Changge would also be implicated in this matter.

The next day, the forensic examiner arrived to report: "Your Majesty, indeed this is the knife. The blade is bent and there is a subtle groove at the tip, which matches the wound perfectly. There is absolutely no room for error."

Nangong Chi didn't say anything more and waved his hand to dismiss him.

The killer and the murder weapon were both present, killing the trusted prime minister.

Nangong Chi had no idea whether Shen Changge was silently observing everything from behind the scenes, but regardless of whether he knew or not, Nangong Chi could not let him go.

Shen Changge couldn't find any clue about the whereabouts of the beautiful girl from the Western Regions, so she had to find another way.

Although he knew that asking Nangong Chi directly would be the quickest way, every time he tried to speak, Nangong Chi would avoid the subject and change the topic. This made Shen Changge feel a little anxious, so he became even more hesitant to ask.

Until this day, he finally understood the true meaning of being with someone like being with a tiger.

Even the closest lovers are ultimately separated by a layer.

During his time in the imperial capital, he also noticed that there were quite a few rumors circulating within the city.

The origin of the news came from the Lingxu Temple renowned for divination and fortune telling.

The rumor was spreading far and wide, and it revolved around a single matter.

Recently, the Taoists at Lingxu Temple have received omens, stating that the Emperor Star has dimmed. It is said that this is because the Sirius Star intends to seize its throne, causing fear that the world will fall into chaos.

Shen Changge did not believe in this mysterious divination theory, but the widespread dissemination of rumors would obviously be detrimental to the stability of the country if left unchecked.

Therefore, Shen Changge decided to go and see for himself, to see whether these rumors were true or if those Taoist priests were just being deceptive.

The Lingxu Sect existed before the establishment of Zhou Kingdom.

Tai Zu was able to establish this kingdom back then, thanks to the contribution of the first Lingxu Temple's head.

Experiencing in turbulent times, the phrase "天命所归" often holds more power than thousands of troops and horses combined.

Since then, Lingxu Sect has always been highly valued by successive emperors, and its leader can be considered half a national teacher.

Throughout the history of Lingxu Temple, the names of its successive temple masters always include the word "虚" (xū), as it can be considered their distinguishing feature. And in this current generation, the temple master goes by the name Jingxu.

When Shen Changge went to find Jingxu, the latter was busy giving a sermon to the incense-burning visitors who had come to pay their respects.

Shen Changge did not rashly disturb him either, she went directly to the side hall to wait.