The opening of the shrine granary should have been a routine matter.
Normally, it would never attract attention.
But this time—
the Emperor himself had named it.
Outside Cining Palace at dawn.
The morning bell had not yet finished ringing, yet the courtyard before the shrine was already crowded.
Officials stood in three separate groups:
From the Internal Affairs Bureau.
From the Office of Provisions.
From the Bureau of Ritual Worship.
Even two imperial attendants stood nearby.
Everyone present understood one thing.
This was not an inspection.
This was a trial.
Consort Shen arrived early.
Dressed in pure white, her hair arranged perfectly.
She looked as calm as if she had expected this moment all along.
Standing beside the Empress Dowager, she spoke softly.
"The shrine is a place of quiet cultivation."
"It may not be appropriate to gather so many outsiders here."
The Empress Dowager did not respond.
She simply looked ahead.
Then spoke two words.
"Open the granary."
They landed quietly—
yet felt like stones thrown into frozen water.
The shrine storehouse doors creaked open.
The moment the wooden gate swung wide,
a sour smell drifted out.
Not the scent of aged rice.
But the stale odor of mixed, moldy grain.
Qing Tian stood at the very back of the crowd.
Her gaze remained steady.
Because she knew—
The first strike meant to break the enemy
would not fall here.
The officials from Internal Affairs began counting the crates.
"One crate."
"Two crates."
…
"Seventeenth crate—empty."
The words fell like ice.
The air instantly turned cold.
Consort Shen's hand paused slightly.
"Continue the inspection."
"Thirty-second crate—empty."
This time, the Empress Dowager frowned.
"Wasn't this the spring offering grain allocated last month?"
Consort Shen smiled faintly.
"Perhaps there was an error in the records."
Qing Tian lowered her gaze slightly.
Here it comes, she thought.
The chief ledger from Internal Affairs was presented.
"The records show the grain was delivered in full three days ago."
The Empress Dowager's voice turned sharp.
"Then where did the rice go?"
No one answered.
At that moment, Gao Dequan spoke.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
"Last night the Office of Provisions submitted a supplementary record."
"Please take a look."
He presented a sheet of paper.
Not a ledger—
But a nighttime transfer record.
The Empress Dowager glanced at it.
Her expression darkened.
"Whose signature is this?"
A name was spoken.
"Li Qing'an."
Within the crowd,
a thin Internal Affairs steward suddenly collapsed to his knees.
Thud.
"Mercy, Your Majesty!"
"I only followed procedure!"
Consort Shen turned sharply.
A flicker of fear crossed her eyes.
"Li Qing'an?"
"Aren't you assigned to the shrine supply office?"
Li Qing'an knocked his head against the floor repeatedly.
"Yes… but Consort Shen's household requested an emergency transfer for shrine offerings—"
He hadn't finished speaking.
"Silence."
Consort Shen's tone remained soft—
but now it carried unmistakable urgency.
"Shrine grain transfers are not something you could decide alone."
With that single sentence,
the line was cut.
A pawn abandoned without hesitation.
The Empress Dowager did not question further.
She simply raised her hand.
"Bring him forward."
Two guards dragged another man into the courtyard—
a cart driver.
His face was pale as ash.
"Speak."
"Where did you deliver the rice?"
The driver clenched his jaw.
He said nothing.
"Still refusing?"
Gao Dequan spoke calmly.
"Last night your wife and children were taken into Internal Affairs custody."
"They are under protection."
The man collapsed instantly.
"It… it was delivered to the warehouse outside the Shen estate!"
A wave of shock rippled through the shrine.
Then—
dead silence.
At that moment, a deep voice cut through the stillness.
"Consort Shen."
Everyone turned at once.
The Emperor stood at the entrance of the shrine.
No one had noticed when he arrived.
His gaze was cold.
"Tell me."
"How many lives do you think one cart of rice is worth?"
Consort Shen's face finally lost its color.
Qing Tian lowered her head.
Then she heard the Emperor continue:
"Director Qing."
"You stay."
"This investigation…"
"…will be completed by you personally."