Okay.

Time slipped away quietly in the bedchamber amidst their intense concentration.

The sky outside the window grew steadily brighter, and the long, resonant toll of a bell echoed faintly from beyond the palace walls.

But to the three people inside the chamber, the clamor of the outside world seemed completely shut out.

Although there were not many documents in the purple sandalwood box, their sensitive nature, crucial details, and widespread implications far exceeded those of ordinary administrative files.

Every piece of paper, even every line of text, required absolute focus and meticulous care.

Smack.

Luo Zhao gently set down a transcribed record detailing the abnormal flow of river control funds. She leaned back, raising a hand to rub her slightly throbbing temples.

There was not much joy on her face; instead, she wore a solemn and complex expression of realization.

Shangguan Yuan... has truly presented me with an extraordinary token of sincerity.

Her voice carried a chill. This fellow usually appears amiable, slick, and tactful, treating everyone with utmost politeness.

I never expected that, behind the scenes, he had compiled such detailed and ruthless materials.

Just as she finished speaking, Luo Zhao realized something. She turned her head slightly to look at Shangguan Yunying, who was intently verifying the documents beside her.

Shangguan Yunying's body stiffened for a moment. Her fingers gripping the paper tightened slightly, and a flash of unease crossed her face.

Softening her tone, Luo Zhao added, Yunying, I am not saying this to fault your father.

What he has provided is a great merit to me and to the state. It is just...

She paused, her gaze returning to the documents. It truly subverts my past impression of him.

This served as a disguised acknowledgment of Shangguan Yuan's abilities and potential.

Shangguan Yunying looked up, trying hard to make her expression appear natural, and said softly, My father... he also did this for the stability of the state and for Your Highness's grand enterprise.

If these parasites are not eradicated, the state treasury will be depleted, and the people's livelihood will wither. It is by no means a sustainable path. These words were both an explanation and a justification of Shangguan Yuan's stance.

Gu Chengyin also put down the records in his hands at this moment. Rubbing his slightly sore eyes, he spoke up:

Your Highness.

With these crucial clues to guide us, our next direction is clear.

We simply need to follow the trail to find the original ledgers, documents, and even witnesses corresponding to these clues. Then, by tracing the vines to find the melons, we can link the evidence from every stage to form a complete, closed chain of evidence.

His tone shifted, and his brows furrowed. However, there is a very practical and thorny problem right now.

Luo Zhao's expression turned serious. What problem?

Gu Chengyin looked at Shangguan Yunying and said, The problem is that there are too many accounts, and the time... is too short.

He picked up the plain stationery from the purple sandalwood box, pointing to the names and connections on it. These clues seem clear, but to substantiate them, the original archives we need to review alone are countless.

To accurately extract the parts we need from them within a mere ten days, conduct cross-verifications and correlation analyses, and ultimately form an impeccable chain of evidence...

He shook his head. This requires a massive investment of manpower, and they must be highly efficient professionals who are familiar with the procedures and meticulous in their thinking.

Furthermore, we cannot alert the enemy, which means we cannot draft personnel from the various ministries and bureaus, nor can we let anyone discover what we are doing.

Gu Chengyin concluded, Given this, it seems the only ones who meet these criteria are... the female officials directly under Your Highness.

The female official faction was personally established and controlled by Luo Zhao; their loyalty was beyond question.

Having long handled palace affairs and some documents of the Internal Affairs Department, they had a certain level of experience in accounting and archive management. Moreover, they were highly disciplined and obedient.

However, Gu Chengyin immediately pointed out the faction's shortcoming. But the question is... does the female official faction have enough manpower?

He lightly tapped the purple sandalwood box. This is merely the first token of sincerity handed over by Shangguan Yuan. There is no telling how many related accounts and clues will be dragged out in the subsequent investigation.

His words were blunt and realistic.

Shangguan Yunying's face grew somewhat embarrassed.

As the chief female official, she knew the strengths and limitations of the female official faction better than anyone else.

Straightening her back, she answered earnestly and frankly, Marquis Gu... Marquis Gu is absolutely right. The female official faction has no problems whatsoever regarding discipline and professionalism. They are meticulous, and after training, they can handle these matters with ease. However...

Her voice then dropped. The female official faction has only been established for a short time. The selection process is strict, so the total number of people is inherently small. For a ten-day timeframe, it is indeed... stretched a bit thin...

But please rest assured, Your Highness!

Shangguan Yunying's voice suddenly rose again, brimming with determination and loyalty.

All the female officials, including your humble servant, will go all out, working day and night without rest, doing everything in our power to complete the task Your Highness has assigned!

Luo Zhao nodded slightly. She acknowledged Shangguan Yunying's resolve and believed in the loyalty and dedication of the entire female official faction.

She was not a leader who lacked empathy for her subordinates and only knew how to exert pressure.

Just as Gu Chengyin had analyzed, this was not a problem that could be solved merely by determination and working overtime.

This was a tough battle against time, and their opponent was the powerful Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and the noble families behind him.

The chain of evidence had to be flawless. Any missing, vague, or erroneous link would be seized upon by the opponent as a breakthrough point for a counterattack, ultimately leading to total defeat and triggering an unpredictable backlash.

The ten-day deadline was set by my imperial father during the morning assembly, in front of all the officials.

Luo Zhao spoke slowly, her voice laced with contemplation. Now the arrow is on the bowstring; it must be fired.

Her fingertips unconsciously tapped the smooth surface of the dressing table. Her gaze drifted between Gu Chengyin and Shangguan Yunying, as if she were weighing a monumental decision.

The bedchamber fell into a brief silence, filled only by the faint breathing of the three people.

A moment later, Luo Zhao lifted her head, a sharp and profound gleam flashing in her phoenix-like eyes.

As if having made some sort of resolution, she spoke faintly:

Actually... within the Internal Affairs Department, the female official faction is not the only group... that meets these criteria.

As soon as these words came out, Gu Chengyin and Shangguan Yunying were both momentarily stunned, but realization quickly dawned on them.

They naturally knew what Luo Zhao was referring to.

The eunuch faction.

As the eyes and ears of Emperor Luo, they had long been stationed in many key departments, especially those directly related to funds and provisions, warehousing, procurement, and the transcription of certain documents.

Among them, there was no shortage of experienced eunuchs who were proficient in accounting and familiar with the procedures.

More importantly, they were numerous and possessed a complete system. If they could truly be mobilized, their efficiency and numerical advantage were absolutely beyond compare for the recently established female official faction.

However.

Luo Zhao's tone immediately shifted, a hint of difficulty appearing on her face. The eunuch faction is a system unto itself. Especially Lyu Fang, who has served my imperial father for many years.

I... well, for many things, it is inconvenient and inappropriate for me to command them directly.

She spoke implicitly, but the meaning was crystal clear: although the eunuch faction was capable, they were, after all, Emperor Luo's people.

Speaking up to this point, Luo Zhao's gaze, carrying a profound and meaningful expectation, fell upon Gu Chengyin.

Almost simultaneously, Shangguan Yunying also subconsciously turned her head to look at Gu Chengyin.

Two pairs of beautiful eyes focused intently on Gu Chengyin's face. One pair, shaped like a phoenix's, held a hidden anticipation beneath their majestic aura; the other, round like apricots, shone with clear trust and a silent plea for help.

The air within the bedchamber seemed to freeze at this very moment.

Luo Zhao had not finished her sentence, but her unspoken meaning was abundantly clear.

Since it was inappropriate for her, the Crown Princess, to directly command the eunuch faction, who else could step up to coordinate and even mobilize this latent force?

"Gu Chengyin..."

Luo Zhao's voice softened, drawing out the syllables of his name as her phoenix eyes gazed unblinkingly at him.

Meeting the eyes of the two women, Gu Chengyin's expression revealed no sign of reluctance or desire to evade the responsibility.

A brief moment later, he slowly spoke, his voice carrying a reassuring steadiness.

"Alright."