When Wang Xiang brought his men into Xuzhou, it had been raining for many days in Jiangnan Circuit.

The last time he returned to the palace, he hadn’t even caught his breath before receiving orders again to ride swiftly. Traveling in the rain made the group complain incessantly. Unable to continue, they found an eatery to rest.

The Eastern Palace people nearly filled the entire eatery, ordering hot food and hot wine to warm themselves.

Wang Xiang had just picked up a chopstick of thin noodles and brought it to his mouth when through the steam he saw a familiar face. That person called out a greeting to him, and he had no choice but to set down his chopsticks and return the courtesy.

Xiao Jingxing, Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Wang Xiang had entered the palace to serve in the same year as him and they had some friendship, except that because Xiao Jingxing’s elder sister later became Princess Yan, they hadn’t deepened their association.

Meeting now, Xiao Jingxing said with concern: “How coincidental to run into Adjutant Wang here. Why not travel together with us and let us host you properly?”

Wang Xiang declined: “I have duties—I cannot. What is Supervisor Xiao carrying there?”

Behind Xiao Jingxing were two subordinates whose arms were full of colorful things that looked like fabric bolts. Xiao Jingxing said casually: “Silk purchased from shops. Xuzhou is silk country—fine quality at low prices. Since we’ve come all this way, I’m buying some to bring back for my elder sister.”

Xiao Jingxing saw Wang Xiang looking thoughtful and smiled: “This place is far and difficult to travel. You’ve been away from home for less than two months since your wedding—why haven’t you brought some small gifts back for your lady wife?”

At the mention of his new wife, Wang Xiang’s fierce, stern face flushed slightly as he stirred his noodles: “What styles do young ladies generally like?”

“Since your lady wife is young, she must like bright colors that flatter. I think this green is quite nice—I specifically bought two extra bolts.” Xiao Jingxing had his subordinates bring out jadeite stone green silk satin to show him. “It’s right nearby on Jingtai Street. If you have time, I’ll take you there.”

Wang Xiang seemed tempted. After thinking, he still refused: “I’m carrying the Crown Prince’s written orders—I really can’t delay.”

“What’s difficult about that? I’ll just give you a few bolts from what I’ve selected, won’t I?” Xiao Jingxing said. “You give me one gold ingot. My official business isn’t urgent—I’ll go back to the shop to buy more for my elder sister.”

Wang Xiang seemed about to decline further when—though the speaker was casual, the listener took it to heart—a garrison soldier on the side had already set down his bowl: “Adjutant, I’ve finished eating. I want to go to the silk shop to bring something back for my family. I’ll return very quickly.”

“Exactly. These past days we’ve been rushing frantically without even time to catch our breath. With such heavy rain we can’t leave anyway. Adjutant, if you buy a bolt of silk, it won’t delay you for long.”

With this, several more garrison soldiers set down their bowls one after another, clamoring to go buy silk.

Wang Xiang saw his subordinates complaining and grumbling. He took a gold ingot from his person and gave it to Xiao Jingxing, then sat with a cold face: “Whoever wants to go, go. Those who don’t, eat and drink your fill. We must depart in half an hour.”

Several garrison soldiers rushed out of the eatery. Xiao Jingxing had his men place several bolts of silk satin on the stool beside Wang Xiang. Looking at that bright green silk satin, he then took his leave and walked into the rain, instructing in a low voice: “Arrange for the physician to wait ahead.”

Half an hour later, quite a few of the garrison soldiers Wang Xiang had brought were holding silk satin in their hands, especially red and green. They folded these soft, thin silk bolts and hid them inside their armor, smiles appearing on their faces.

However, Wang Xiang’s nose and eye sockets had become somewhat red. When mounting his horse, he sneezed repeatedly in succession, as if suddenly falling ill.

Someone inevitably worried: “Has the Adjutant caught a cold?”

Wang Xiang waved his hand: “It’s nothing. Let’s go!”

He rode a black steed, galloping through the rain. However, as he rode, he suddenly slowed down.

The garrison soldier closest to Wang Xiang saw with surprise that his face was becoming paler and paler, his eyes and nose redder and redder. He blinked, and soon tears and mucus were streaming down. Nasal congestion was merely a common ailment—he had originally thought to endure it. Unexpectedly, after enduring for a while, his mouth opened, breathing heavily, as if unable to catch his breath in the rain.

His body tilted sideways and he actually fell from his horse.

“Adjutant!” The garrison soldiers behind all dismounted and helped him up. Wang Xiang lay unconscious on the ground, along with a stack of bright silk bolts soaking in the rainwater.

Now without a leader, the garrison soldiers had no choice but to carry him into an inn and grab a passing traveling physician.

This traveling physician took Wang Xiang’s pulse and performed acupuncture on him. Then he picked up the silk bolts and said: “I’ve long said that silk from Jingtai Street shouldn’t be bought. You’re outsiders, aren’t you? Why are you still buying it!”

The garrison soldiers were baffled: “What does it have to do with silk?”

“This jadeite stone green is poisonous. Using it to dye fabric harms people. Some days ago I treated many children for coughing and wheezing—all harmed by this dye. Word has spread among traveling physicians. This lord has nasal congestion and is already sensitive—this nearly cost him his life.”

Hearing this, these garrison soldiers all took silk from inside their armor. Thinking that the silk they bought at high prices was actually poisonous inferior goods—how could they accept this? They tore and ripped it. Led by a lead garrison soldier, a group went to Jingtai Street demanding an explanation.

Naturally there was no one in charge at the shop. Somehow they inquired and learned that the owner of several shops on Jingtai Street was Song Wen. Last night even the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review couldn’t take him away. Their heads turned and they all surged toward the Provincial Governor’s mansion.

Song Wen had just settled his startled soul and was sitting in the inner hall being carefully consoled by the Xuzhou Provincial Governor when suddenly there was a commotion outside, followed immediately by fighting sounds. Both men were alarmed.

A servant came to report: “This is bad—that Supervisor Xiao has come again, and he’s brought a group of troublemaking garrison soldiers, no less than several dozen. They had a disagreement with our guards and started fighting.”

The sounds of weapons clashing and cursing rang in their ears. Song Wen’s face turned white, the teacup trembling in his hands: “I won’t implicate my father-in-law, will I?”

The Xuzhou Provincial Governor went out to look: “Who gave you the audacity to dare break into the Provincial Governor’s mansion?”

Unexpectedly, someone broke through the encirclement and directly pushed him back several steps. Xiao Jingxing made a show of trying to stop them but failed.

That garrison soldier took out his fish tally and said: “Open your dog eyes and look carefully. We are garrison soldiers from the Eastern Palace, people beside the current Crown Prince. That Song Wen sold inferior silk and nearly caused our adjutant to lose his life—his audacity reaches the heavens! You, as a regional parent official, actually engaged in shielding him. Even when the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review had all procedures complete, you wouldn’t let him be taken. Stand up—today we will take him away no matter what.”

The Xuzhou Provincial Governor was surrounded by so many people, sweat pouring like rain.

Over there, people had already burst into the hall and dragged out the pale-faced Song Wen. The teacup rolled to the floor.

Wang Xiang slept unconscious, unable to control his subordinates, completely unaware that most of these garrison soldiers below were sons of Chang’an’s meritorious nobles—young and hot-blooded, and ignorant of court politics and stakes. They had already been holding in their anger from traveling day and night. Seeing Wang Xiang fall, and hearing Xiao Jingxing say a few words that intensified the conflict, they actually forcibly took Song Wen away.

The Xuzhou Provincial Governor looked at the fish tally—they were indeed the Crown Prince’s people. Unable to make sense of it all, he only dared to wait for them to leave before running into the hall: “Send a message, send a message to Chang’an!”

In the inn, however, it was completely peaceful.

“What did the lady place on the silk satin?” Lu Huating asked.

“Something to trigger his nasal congestion. My master’s medical skills are superb. He measures medicine properly and won’t harm people. He’ll sleep deeply for half a day, then naturally awaken.” As Qun Qing spoke, she lifted the medicine bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

Because she needed bone-setting, her medicine was prepared by Physician Li for reducing inflammation and nourishing her body. She drank three bowls daily for three consecutive days.

During their conversation, Physician Li brought out another bowl of medicine. Seeing Lu Huating sitting nearby, he thought about it and still asked Qun Qing: “Liu Niang, I remember… that gentleman who had a marriage arrangement with you—is he also in the court?”

Unexpectedly, Lu Huating said: “Unfortunately, he’s already dead.”

Qun Qing’s fingers paused. Physician Li was startled into silence upon hearing this. His gaze lingered on Lu Huating for a while. Since that one died before being replaced by this one, that was acceptable then.

He carried the medicine and turned toward Lu Huating: “Liu Niang has suffered severe injuries and is physically weak. She needs to calm her mind, avoid anger, warm nourishment, avoid cold, sleep more, think less. For daily food, eat more red dates, goji berries, and codonopsis to nourish blood and vital energy…”

Qun Qing wanted to tell Physician Li to stop, but the medicinal decoction in her mouth was both bitter and numbing—she couldn’t speak for the moment.

Physician Li stopped himself, frowning with displeasure: “Why aren’t you writing this down?”

He remembered that young gentleman among the imperial physicians named Fang Xie who, when he had spoken halfway, had already cleverly taken out brush and ink, showing how serious his attitude was.

Lu Huating said: “I’ve memorized it.”

“Liu Niang is physically weak—calm her mind, avoid anger, warm nourishment, avoid cold, sleep more, think less. For daily food, eat more red dates, goji berries, and codonopsis to nourish blood and vital energy.”

Without a single error, he recited everything Physician Li had said.

This scene was truly too strange. Qun Qing set the medicine bowl on the table and said to Lu Huating: “Administrator, please go. I need to rest.”

After speaking, she sent the two away and pulled down the curtain, lying fully clothed on the bed. So-called recuperation meant sleeping. After bone-setting, she would still need to conserve her spirit to face what came next.

Lu Huating returned to his chamber to find the screen folded up, the bamboo mat rolled away, and the bedding on the bed neatly folded.

Wen Su said carefully: “Young Lady Qing said she won’t leave. Since the Administrator’s body is also fine, she’ll go back to stay there, lest the Administrator sleep poorly at night.”

What Qun Qing said wasn’t wrong. Unmarried men and women had never had reason to spend the night in the same corner.

This absurd joke carried out in the haze of wine—when the wind blew, it was time for it to end.

Lu Huating sat on the bed, his palm stroking the neatly folded, smooth bedding: “This woman is ruthlessly decisive, unprecedented.”

Wen Su said: “Administrator…”

His dark eyes were profound as he indifferently curved the corners of his lips: “No matter. I’m also this kind of person.”

Just then Xiao Jingxing returned, and the two discussed all afternoon how to take advantage of Wang Xiang’s unconsciousness to bring Song Wen back to Chang’an, and how to submit memorials to the sage.

Halfway through the discussion, Zhu Su entered and said: “Young Lady Qing’s bone-setting should be tomorrow. I see they’ve already started preparing.”

Lu Huating paused, but set down his brush and stood: “Wait for me a moment.”

Qun Qing put on her veiled hat and opened the door, but it was Lu Huating who entered.

He came through the door, closed the window tightly, and bolted the door. Qun Qing didn’t stop him—he should have something to say. For conversations involving secrets, she too would instinctively avoid others’ eyes and ears.

She only watched his movements: “The Administrator has learned almost everything about my affairs, yet I still haven’t asked about the Administrator’s matters.”

Lu Huating said: “What does the lady want to ask?”

Qun Qing thought about it and said hesitantly: “Your mother—was she the wet nurse for the Crown Prince and Prince Yan?”

Lu Huating didn’t conceal it, saying without expression: “Mother has already passed away.”

“There’s also an older brother?”

“He’s also passed away.”

Qun Qing fell silent. It seemed the story Li Xuan had told about falling into a wolf’s den was true.

“I still have a younger sister.” Lu Huating’s dark eyes gazed at her. Seeing Qun Qing seemed about to speak, he said, “Not Meng Baoshu.”

“Because of my fault, she died in swaddling clothes.”

His tone was calm, yet Qun Qing heard it with secret alarm. After a long while she asked: “Is what the Administrator seeks revenge for the enmity of a father who didn’t raise you?”

“Didn’t raise?” Lu Huating raised his eyebrows slightly, as if hearing something amusing. He leaned close to her ear and said: “It’s the enmity of killing my mother, killing my brother, killing my sister.”

Word by word, as if quenched in ice. Bearing such deep enmity, yet able to speak of it with a smile. Qun Qing looked at the person before her and felt again how unfathomable he was.

Cooperating with this person was like grasping a sharp blade. Because his hatred was too deep, what he wanted to do was too determined—she still needed to carefully guard against him and protect herself.

“When I last discussed cooperation with the lady, I forgot to ask something.” Lu Huating suddenly said.

“What matter?” Qun Qing suppressed her thoughts and asked.

Lu Huating’s gaze seemed to penetrate the veil and look into her eyes: “If in the end we cannot prove that it wasn’t Prince Yan who killed people at Pure Tranquility Temple that night, what will the lady do?”

Qun Qing said: “I’ll kill Li Huan.”

“What if I obstruct you?”

Qun Qing only felt inexplicable emotions churning in her chest: “Then we’ll have no choice but to be mortal enemies as before.”

Lu Huating said: “I want to see the lady’s face.”

Before Qun Qing could react, he directly lifted the white veil of her hat. Before her eyes intruded a gentleman’s face painted in rich, vivid colors. His pale face, upturned eyes—his pitch-black pupils reflected her inverted image.

Like a creature hidden deep underground being glimpsed by someone, in that instant Qun Qing actually felt her scalp tingle.

Immediately he lowered the white veil, covering her completely.

Lu Huating said: “Young Lady Qing, why is your face red?”

Qun Qing suddenly turned around. Lu Huating grasped the white veil on her hat. This veil was as soft and insubstantial as nothing between his fingers. He gripped it tightly, but ultimately loosened it.

“Did you see clearly?” Qun Qing calmed her emotions, lifted the veil herself, and turned around. Her eyes, soaring like cloud-cutting blades, looked coldly at him. “In the previous life, the one who killed you wasn’t Qun Qing—it was me. See clearly, die with understanding.”