Little Pink Starfish

The Killer Is Wen Fenglin

A military general of the Imperial Guard strode into the imperial study and leaned close to Emperor Xianzong, whispering, “Your Majesty, one of the Buddhist halls in the temple compound was burned. Consort Li has passed away.”

Xianzong looked at the general blankly. Consort Li… who? With three thousand beauties in the palace, he honestly couldn’t remember who she was.

The general didn’t dare say more. If I remember the Emperor’s consorts better than he does, won’t I die faster?

Xianzong stood up immediately and walked out.

The ministers didn’t dare ask questions and bowed to send him off.

As Xianzong passed Elder Gu, he paused and said, “After dawn, I’ll have the princess and the prince consort return home. Elder Gu, you may leave for your residence now. I’ll give you three days at most. After that, take your eldest and second grandsons to Wangxiang Pass.”

Elder Gu prepared to kneel to accept the decree.

But Xianzong reached out and stopped him, gently grasping his arm. “No need to kneel. I’ve wronged your Gu family before. Today, in front of all these officials, I’ll say it again: I’m sorry.”

This moved Elder Gu deeply. How many emperors in history have ever admitted fault so publicly?

“Wangxiang Pass—I entrust it to you,” Xianzong said, patting the elder’s hand before walking away.

Elder Gu dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times. “Your Majesty, I shall defend this country to the death and never betray your trust.”

“Stay alive,” Xianzong said, not stopping or looking back. “Linglong’s close to you. If something happens to you, she and I will both grieve.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Elder Gu didn’t lift his head for a long time.

Outside, Xianzong looked up at the still-dark night sky, sighed heavily, and muttered, Being an emperor is hard. Sometimes you have to play the fool just to survive.

“Your Majesty?” the general beside him asked quietly.

“Back to the harem,” Xianzong ordered.

He rode in his curtained palanquin, surrounded by elite guards, headed toward the inner palace gates.

There, a head eunuch and several others were already waiting. When they saw the emperor approaching, they immediately bowed and moved forward to greet him.

“Who died in the temple?” Xianzong asked the head eunuch.

Walking beside the palanquin, the eunuch replied in a hushed voice, “Consort Li of the Cheng Prefecture Li Clan. She was chanting sutras when the fire broke out and couldn’t escape.”

Cheng Prefecture Li Clan? Since when did I have a consort from there? Xianzong rubbed his temples. “She was killed?”

“She was alone in the hall. The servants were ordered to stay far away. By the time they realized it was on fire and ran to help, it was too late.”

“She’s the only one dead?”

“Yes.”

“Keep all those monks and servants under watch,” Xianzong ordered. “Interrogate every single one of them.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Li Qingping’s son—is he in the capital?” Xianzong asked the general.

“Yes. Li Yuanle, the fourth son of General Li Qingping, arrived yesterday.”

Perfect timing, Xianzong thought bitterly. The lady dies just as her family arrives.

“Summon Li Yuanle at dawn,” Xianzong ordered. “Let him see her one last time. Give her a proper burial. Let Consort Rong handle the arrangements.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do you wish to visit the temple yourself?” the general asked.

Burned body, scorched corpse. Xianzong almost gagged at the thought. He’d already vomited enough times tonight. He waved his hand. “Let Consort Rong see her. I’m going to the Hall of Political Affairs.”

A minor consort died. The emperor not visiting wasn’t shocking. The entire group turned and escorted Xianzong toward the study halls instead.

Only one chamber was lit.

Xianzong stepped off the palanquin and said, “Everyone wait outside. No one enters unless I say so.”

The guards, eunuchs, and others withdrew.

Inside, Xiao Wei had already heard Xianzong approaching. When he saw it was the emperor alone in the courtyard, he came out to greet him.

Xianzong waved him up from his bow and covered a yawn. “Where’s the princess?”

“Inside, with the prince consort,” Xiao Wei replied.

“Useless,” Xianzong muttered, walking in.

Yu Xiaoxiao was sitting by the bed. Seeing her father enter, she held a finger to her lips. “Quiet. Xiao Gu is asleep.”

Xianzong glanced at the bed. His son and son-in-law were tucked under the same blanket. “How cozy,” he muttered—unclear whether it was praise or sarcasm.

“Did you catch the assassin?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.

“Come talk to your father,” Xianzong said.

“I need to stay with Xiao Gu,” she replied.

“He’s asleep. What are you guarding him for?” Xianzong plopped into a nearby chair. “Come here.”

Yu Xiaoxiao finally moved to sit beside him.

“Xiao Wei, go stand guard,” Xianzong ordered.

“What for?” Yu Xiaoxiao retorted. “With me here, who can possibly hurt you? Xiao Wei, didn’t you want to thank that friend of yours earlier?”

Xiao Wei glanced at Xianzong.

“Fine, fine, go play with your little friends,” Xianzong said irritably.

Xiao Wei bowed and exited.

“You better catch that assassin fast,” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “I want to beat him up for what he did to Xiao Gu.”

Xianzong leaned in and whispered, “I think it was Wen Fenglin.”

“Wen—” Yu Xiaoxiao nearly shouted.

“Shh!” Xianzong clapped a hand over her mouth. “In all my years on the throne, I’ve never had an assassin come after me.”

Yu Xiaoxiao peeled his hand off. “You saw Wen Fenglin? Wasn’t he poisoned?”

“Are you stupid?” Xianzong jabbed her forehead with his finger. “Do I need to see it with my own eyes? He’s the only one I’ve pissed off lately. If it wasn’t him, who else would dare sneak in here, set fires, and kill people? No one else but Yongsheng Temple has that kind of guts!”

Xianzong’s face was full of certainty.