The mistress who remarried has returned.

Su Yunxi saw a tall, handsome horse parked on the roadside, and a soldier-looking man in his twenties or thirties standing there. It was Kang Yin, the military doctor, whom she knew from the past.

She nodded to Kang Yin and then quickly walked towards the East Palace.

When the guards of the Eastern Palace saw that it was Consort Su, who was attending to the Crown Prince during his illness, they quickly searched her back and allowed her to enter.

The soldiers also lamented that on the day the Eastern Palace was raided, all the concubines packed their bags and ran out with money, but only the concubines ran back in to pick up the writing brush and inkstone that the soldiers had kicked over. They were truly loyal and brave.

Liu Shun lifted the carriage curtain, and Qin Huai bent down to get out of the carriage, stepping down onto a footstool.

Kang Yin immediately came over to join them.

Seeing Qin Huai staring at Su Liangdi's retreating figure, Liu Shun said, "Given her protective nature towards her family, she'd make a huge scene if anyone slandered her mother. Today, when you mentioned the outrageous things her father said, she didn't utter a word. She must feel guilty because her actions caused her mother to suffer humiliation. It seems Master wasn't wrong about her back then. Otherwise, given her protective nature towards her family, could she have tolerated it? And what happened those years ago? She actually said there was nothing to say!"

"You've been with her for seven years, and you don't even deserve an explanation." Qin Huai glared at Liu Shun. "Can't you have some self-respect? Stop deluding yourself. Are you worried she was hurt when she was beaten up?"

Liu Shun, his thoughts exposed, didn't back down at all. "No, she deserved to be beaten. Once I've placed a doctor in the Eastern Palace for her, I'll make fun of her once, then kick her to the curb. That way, we'll be even. Whether she lives or dies will be none of our business."

Qin Huai gave Liu Shun a cold look and said, "Don't you dare keep nagging me about whether she has her reasons or not."

Liu Shun remained silent, but he couldn't forget how Su Yunxi had once helped his family through a difficult time; his father had almost sold the house due to gambling. He realized he wasn't as insightful as the general; the general was utterly disappointed in Liangdi and had no lingering affection for her.

Kang Yin then stepped forward and bowed before the dignified eldest son. "Your subordinate greets the General. In my opinion, it's best to avoid getting involved in matters concerning the Crown Prince. As for the matter of treating the Crown Prince, it's fine as long as it's not exposed, but if it is, the General will surely be in trouble."

Without uttering a word, Qin Huai walked towards the East Palace.

Liu Shun said in a low, helpless voice, "Do you think the general isn't aware of this serious connection? Isn't it because Consort Su is using the six arrows he took for you back then to blackmail you into repaying her kindness?"

Kang Yin coughed lightly and gestured with his hand, "Forgive my bluntness, but if we don't repay this favor, what can Consort Su do to you, General? At worst, we can just give her some money and never see her again! That would be much simpler, cleaner, and less troublesome than what we're doing now."

Liu Shun looked at Kang Yin, then back at Kang Yin, and said, "You're more cold-blooded than I am, having seen so much death. But the general can't be so ungrateful. There are some things I can't do in such a despicable way."

When Qin Huai walked to the gate, the guards at the East Palace Gate were discussing something.

"This Consort Su looks petite and frail, yet she carried the half-dead Crown Prince back from the Meridian Gate market that day. Where did she get such strength?"

"She was covered in rotten eggs and horse manure that day, but she didn't run away to find another place. The most precious quality a woman can have is that she can share hardships."

"I originally thought she was just like the many beautiful concubines in the Eastern Palace, coveting the Crown Prince's wealth and status, but I never imagined she was truly sincere towards him."

"It's just a pity for the eldest son of the Qin family, who became her stepping stone to get to know the Crown Prince. This is truly a stain on her reputation, and it's always hard to admit. What did the eldest son of the Qin family do wrong? He was used by her for those few years. Now that she's living such a miserable life, the eldest son must be in great pain!"

Qin Huai listened quietly with a serious expression.

Liu Shun and his men approached, observed Qin Huai's expression, and immediately shouted at the guards of the Eastern Palace: "In broad daylight, instead of properly performing your duties, you're gossiping! The court has certainly fed you too much!"

Upon hearing the commotion, the guards of the Eastern Palace looked over and immediately saw that two groups of soldiers from the Qin family had stopped at the gate of the Eastern Palace at some point. Leading the group was the eldest son of the Qin family, the youngest Protector General in the court. They all rushed down the steps to greet him.

Everyone had heard of the temperament of this young master Qin. Even when killing enemies and taking their heads, he was always so humble and gentle. When he pulled off a person's head, he would politely say "I have offended you," which was truly chilling.

"This humble servant pays his respects to General Qin!" Upon approaching, the group bowed down. Because of the earlier discussion about the general, they were filled with fear, their thick clothes were soaked with sweat, and their hearts pounded like thunder.

The foreman inquired, "General, what brings you to the Eastern Palace?"

Qin Huai swept his gaze across the crowd kneeling before him, his eyes sharp, and none of them dared to meet his gaze.

"The Crown Prince still has close confidants on the run, and they have a motive to rescue him." Qin Huai bowed to the person above him to show his respect for the imperial family, and slowly said, "I am ordered by the Emperor to hunt down the Crown Prince's remaining followers. It is hard to guarantee that there are no spies within the Eastern Palace. And it is hard to guarantee that these spies are not among you."

After he finished speaking, all the guards of the Eastern Palace felt threatened.

"You need not worry, I will not take your casual conversation to heart."

Everyone's heart was pounding like a drum, as if their hearts were about to jump out of their mouths, and no one dared to utter a sound.

Qin Huai then said, "Liu Shun, arrange for these guards to be taken in and interrogated one by one. Make sure there are no suspicious points before releasing them back to their posts. Thoroughly investigate every corner of the Eastern Palace, any place where filth can be hidden."

Liu Shundao: "Yes."

After Qin Huai finished speaking, he stepped into the East Palace, paused, and glanced back.

The guards pressed their heads to the ground, not daring to breathe, their cold sweat soaking the ground.

After Qin Huai entered the Eastern Palace.

Only then did the guards dare to breathe and speak. The foreman said to Liu Shun, "Uncle Liu, I used to be someone who dared to speak even in front of the Emperor, but today in front of the General, I have become a coward and didn't dare to utter a single word."

The others chimed in, "Yes, yes, the general was even quite gentle; we were terrified."

"None of us are spies!" The foreman told Liu Shun what he hadn't dared to say to Qin Huai earlier.

"Don't tarnish the general's reputation here. He has always been very kind to you. He only kills enemies and not loyal generals. Furthermore, the general is magnanimous. Whether the concubines are doing well or not, the general has no opinion of them. Don't try to pin any petty thoughts on the general, or talk about whether he is happy or not!" Liu Shun looked at everyone. "Whether he is a spy or not, we will find out after the interrogation."