I traveled back to the Southern Song Dynasty and was actually outmaneuvered by Yue Fei.

Because Qin Hui had just sent him a message from the Ministry of Personnel, which contained only one sentence: "Release whoever is on the register; there is no need to stop them."

Qin Hui knew very well that without the search warrant that had not yet been issued, he could not touch anyone with official status in the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs; rather than confronting the Empress Dowager head-on in the main hall of the Court of Judicial Review, it was better to take a step back.

But there's one more thing he can do.

As soon as Qin Keqing finished saying, "Xiao Jinluo, number C, is to be released immediately and taken back to the Zongzheng Temple for safekeeping," Xiao Jinluo threw herself into Xiao Bieli's arms, burying her face in his chest. All that could be seen was the plush rabbit in his arms, which was deformed from being squeezed between the two of them.

Just then, Wan Qixie took out a piece of paper from his sleeve.

"Xiao Bieli, your sister has been released, but your matter is not over yet."

He unfolded the paper, held it up in his hand, so that everyone in the main hall could see it. The paper bore the official seal of the Dali Temple, and contained only two lines of text:

"Upon investigation into the activities of Xiao Bieli, the vanguard of Yue Fei's army, during his time in the Jin camp in the spring of the eleventh year of the Shaoxing era, it was found that he was suspected of colluding with the enemy. The Dali Temple was ordered to open a case for investigation. Signed by: Ministry of Personnel."

Below it is Qin Hui's private seal.

This is a legitimate verification order, following the proper procedures of the Ministry of Personnel, and can be served in person without requiring a search of documents.

"This inspection warrant doesn't arrest you, it just summons you to the Dali Temple for questioning. You can refuse, but if you refuse," Wan Qixie's voice echoed in the main hall, "that's resisting the law."

Zhao Bocong's expression changed slightly.

It wasn't because of the verification order itself; he had the transfer document from the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs that could remove Xiao Bieli from the summons from the Court of Judicial Review. But before he could speak, Consort Wei spoke first.

"Wanqi, I will not read the contents of the inspection order, but I have a question for you. The Jurchens killed my husband, held me captive for sixteen years, and forced the Song Dynasty to submit and pay tribute. Their hands are stained with the blood of millions of Song people."

"The Imperial City Guard wants to investigate former members of Yue Fei's army, and I will not stop you. But you are investigating Jin spies, and you are using the blood of Yue Fei's army to consecrate your blades."

She stood up, took the ebony box in her hand, and turned to look at the twilight sky outside the palace.

"In my life, I have seen far too many people die under the swords of the Jurchens."

Emperor Huizong, Yue Fei, Yue Yun, the soldiers who died on the retreat route from Zhuxian Town, the women and children of the imperial family who died of illness and starvation in Wuguo City, and the surrendered soldiers who died in the Jin camp being treated like livestock.

She turned around, looked at Wan Qixie, and her voice suddenly softened, "You're using the charge of being a Jin spy to investigate Xiao Bieli now. Why don't you transfer the verification order to the Dali Temple and investigate Qin Hui first?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Qixie's hand trembled slightly.

Xiao Jinluo lifted her head from Xiao Bieli's embrace and looked at the white-haired Empress Dowager. Suddenly, she felt that she didn't fully understand what the Empress Dowager was saying, but a part of her heart felt warmed.

Zhao Bozong did not look at Consort Wei, but instead looked at the bronze box from the Imperial Clan Court in Xiao Bieli's arms.

The document at the bottom of the bronze box, which reads "Transfer Document from the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs," indicates that the receiving unit is the old camp in the southern suburbs. However, Qin Keqing only put this document into the bronze box this morning, so the procedures are not yet complete, and it has not been filed with the Ministry of Personnel.

If Wan Qixie were to bring Xiao Bieli back to the Dali Temple for separate questioning, he would have a thousand ways to find loopholes in the documents and procedures, and then detain Xiao Bieli.

He must confirm Xiao Bieli's identity before the verification order is enforced.

"Xiao Bieli," Zhao Bozong thought for a moment and finally spoke, "take out that piece of paper from the bronze box and show it to Wanqi Tiju."

Xiao Bieli pulled out the transfer document from the bottom of the bronze box and placed it on the table.

The document reads: "Xiao Bieli, a former subordinate of Yue Fei's army, is hereby transferred to the Imperial Clan Court as a document escort."

Below is Zhao Shiyi's vermilion seal, which is genuine, as is the signature, and the date is the 25th of the twelfth lunar month—three days ago.

Wan Qixie's expression changed slightly as he looked at the document.

The transfer document was issued three days ago, but the Imperial City Guard only delivered the verification order today.

According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, military officers transferred to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs were subject to the independent handling of all old cases by the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, and the Court of Judicial Review was not allowed to handle cases independently.

He had always thought he was the one being hunted, but now he realized that he was also being gradually drawn into a larger trap by others.

"Xiao Bieli is from the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs. Please have Wanqi, the Director of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, return this inspection order to the Ministry of Personnel and ask Prime Minister Qin to review it again. If there are any objections, the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs is ready to assist." After Zhao Bozong finished speaking, he gestured for Xiao Bieli to put away the document.

Xiao Bieli took the paper back from in front of Wan Qixie, put it into the bronze box, and closed the lid.

Now that defeat was inevitable, Wan Qixie could only fold the verification order and put it back in his sleeve, then leave the main hall with a grim face.

......

into the night.

Zhang Quwei turned up the oil lamp in the main hall of the Dali Temple a little. Wan Qixie and the imperial guards he brought had all left, leaving only an empty main hall and a few bewildered prison guards on duty.

Qin Keqing closed the last document in the register, placed it in the bronze box, and pressed the seal of the Imperial Clan Court onto the closure. She knew this was the calm before the storm.

Wanqixie yielded today, but that was because of the Empress Dowager. Next time, he will not give the Empress Dowager the opportunity to appear on the scene again.

"Your Highness, the registration is complete." Qin Keqing stood up and handed the bronze box to Liu An. "Among the prisoners detained by the Dali Temple, there are no other members of the imperial family or relatives. The prisoners who were over-detained by the Imperial City Guard have been registered and will be submitted to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs for filing tomorrow."

"Let's go back to the manor," Zhao Bocong said.

By the time I stepped out of the main gate of Dali Temple, it was completely dark.

The night wind of December swept across the Imperial Street, causing the palace lanterns on the carriage in Cining Palace to sway. Consort Wei, supported by Zhang Quwei, boarded the carriage, always holding the ebony box in her arms.

After she got into the carriage, she lifted the curtain and glanced at Zhao Bozong, saying only one sentence: "The road ahead will be even more difficult." Then she lowered the curtain and ordered the carriage to depart.

Xiao Jinluo was the last to leave Dali Temple. She held a plush rabbit in one hand and tightly gripped Xiao Bieli's clothes with the other.

As she walked out of the main gate, she suddenly stopped and looked back at the black plaque with gold characters on the lintel of the Dali Temple.

The wind blew up the stray hairs that had fallen around her ears, and she raised her hand to tuck them behind her ears, the same action as Xiao Bieli.

"elder brother."

"Um."

"Will that jailer—the one who delivered the rabbit to me—be punished?"

Xiao Bieli was silent for a moment, then said, "I don't know."

Xiao Jinluo lowered her head and thought for a while, then stuffed the plush rabbit into her brother's arms, turned around and ran to the gatehouse of Dali Temple, where she stood on tiptoe and placed something on the windowsill.

When she ran back, one of her two buns had come undone, but she didn't care and just grabbed her brother's clothes again.

"What did you put in?"

"Three coins," Xiao Jinluo said. "I saved it up so that if he gets fined, he can buy a bowl of hot wine."

Three coins—the exact same amount she couldn't afford even after counting it all at the osmanthus cake shop, but this time she spent it.