At that moment, her footsteps suddenly halted.

A blue stone table was placed in the depths of the plum grove, surrounded by white plum blossoms. Amid the falling petals drifting through the sky, a man sat on a bamboo chair, wearing a loose blue robe with jet-black hair. He was calmly tending to a vermillion Yixing clay teapot and two tea bowls on the stone table. Hearing Qing Xia’s footsteps, he slightly raised his head. His lips curved in a gentle, soft smile, his eyes deep and profound as stars.

“Few people come to this place. Miss, you’ve walked a long way—why not sit down and have a cup of clear tea?”

Perhaps this was what the world meant when speaking of a refined gentleman with elegant taste.

The man’s blue robe was noble and unrestrained, his features clear and bright. Set against the sparse snow in the plum garden, he emanated a subtle sense of distance and fresh elegance. Light tea fragrance drifted gently through the air. Actually, Qing Xia didn’t know how to appreciate tea. In modern society, there weren’t many opportunities to sit down peacefully and drink tea. She had only systematically learned Japanese tea ceremony for missions, so she roughly understood the procedures. But previously, due to her state of mind, her intentions had been elsewhere, and she hadn’t carefully savored the taste of tea. Today, sitting in this pristine white snow under a garden full of plum trees, she felt an extraordinary sense of transcendence.

Taking the purple clay tea cup from the man’s hand and bringing it to her nose, she smelled a fresh, elegant fragrance wafting toward her and couldn’t help praising: “How fragrant!”

The man in blue smiled gently, his features indescribably gentle and handsome. Qing Xia noticed an ancient zither, a long flute, and a furnace of fine sandalwood incense placed beside the stone table. The incense burner was light purple in color, appearing very exquisite and delicate. She secretly took note while maintaining a calm expression and peacefully drinking tea.

“Looking at your dress and appearance, you don’t seem like a palace maid. Are you a newly arrived performer from Yingge Hall?”

Qing Xia shook her head. A performer from Yingge Hall—forget it. That old emperor, at his age with one foot already in the grave, was still selecting consorts and beauties. How tyrannical. Gently blowing on the clear tea in her cup, she smiled and replied: “I’m just a passerby who won’t stay long. Sir, you probably won’t see me often in the future.”

“I see.” The man didn’t press further. He held his tea cup in one hand while lightly tapping with his index and middle fingers on his right thigh.

This was an unconscious action that the person doing it often wouldn’t notice. Just like how modern special police would unconsciously touch their waist and underarms because they often kept guns there, or how actors would often clear their throats because that was their livelihood. This was the same principle as prostitutes habitually checking for bad breath or body odor before meeting clients. With just a glance, Qing Xia could determine that something very important to this man was usually placed there. It could be a clear sword, a concealed dagger, or poisoned needles for assassination.

Refined gentlemen in light robes and loose sashes were often ferocious man-eating beasts. Qing Xia was most wary of those who seemed least likely to be dangerous, but this wariness couldn’t be revealed.

“How did Miss enter? This plum garden has always been a forbidden area in the palace. Didn’t anyone stop you?” The man’s pleasant voice slowly rang out, carrying a soothing quality.

Qing Xia raised her head with a slight smile and a puzzled expression: “Not at all. On my way here, I didn’t see a single guard.”

As she spoke, the red-clothed girl from earlier suddenly emerged from behind a plum tree. Without avoiding them, she opened her mouth toward the man—making no sound but changing her lip movements. The man nodded lightly, indicating understanding. Qing Xia glanced sideways a few times, knowing they were using lip reading. She had learned this for a while but wasn’t proficient. Since she couldn’t stare openly now, she didn’t know what the girl was saying. She secretly figured it was probably because Jiayun, in her scheme against her, had dismissed the guards stationed outside the plum garden—otherwise she wouldn’t have entered so easily.

“So it was Jiayun causing trouble. Miss, while it was easy for you to enter, you might face difficulties leaving. How about this—later you can follow me out through the back courtyard to avoid trouble.”

The man’s voice was gentle as he spoke slowly. Qing Xia looked up at this immortal-like man with neither agreement nor thanks. A cool breeze brushed her face, carrying the fragrance of the garden’s plum blossoms. Qing Xia closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly, her lips curving gently as she said: “This place is truly beautiful. It’s right to forbid outsiders—otherwise crowds of people rushing in would destroy the elegant tranquility here.”

The man slowly shook his head and smiled lightly: “This place is remote. While it’s said to be tranquil, it’s actually quite lonely. Coming once or twice is fine, but frequent visits would be desolate. Most people in Chu Palace are busy and wouldn’t waste time in this plum garden.”

“True!” Qing Xia tilted her head and nodded emphatically. “To enjoy such beauty requires a peaceful heart. Beautiful scenery varies from person to person.”

The man seemed interested in conversation, looking at Qing Xia with gentle eyes: “I often linger here. If Miss has time, you’re welcome to come frequently.”

“I prefer liveliness.” The woman in white cotton robes had bright eyes and white teeth, clear pupils. She shook her head: “Though I speak nicely, I’m actually an unrepentant vulgar person. Coming often would add vulgarity to your place, sir.” After speaking, she tilted back her head and drained the tea in her small cup in one gulp, stood up laughing and said: “Though the tea is delicious, when truly thirsty, cold water is more refreshing. I won’t disturb your tranquility, sir. I’ll take my leave now. Farewell.”

“Miss seems in such a hurry—is there an urgent matter?” The man raised his eyebrows slightly, looking at Qing Xia with steady eyes.

Qing Xia smiled lightly: “No urgent matter, but if someone can’t find me, there might be great chaos. When that causes a commotion, it won’t be good for anyone. Though my heart isn’t in the palace, I still must put on appearances. This is the sorrow of vulgar people—you wouldn’t understand, sir.”

“Oh?” The man raised his eyebrows meaningfully, looking at Qing Xia and saying lightly: “If that’s the case, Miss, please do as you wish. Just be very careful along the way. The deep palace is full of treacherous hearts—be cautious and prudent when speaking to people. Miss is a rarely intelligent woman. I truly hope to see your smile often in the future.”

A breeze passed through. Even after walking far away, Qing Xia could still feel that seemingly gentle but actually sharp gaze behind her. Cold sweat couldn’t help but slowly flow down her forehead, her hands and feet almost trembling slightly. If she hadn’t been clever, she might have lost her life in this plum garden today. Though she had experienced countless dangers in her life, none had been as perilous as just now. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but quicken her pace.

This ordinary plum garden had a sophisticated arrangement of mechanical traps. In modern times, psychologists might interpret this as suggestion, but Qing Xia deeply understood the tremendous power hidden within. During a mission in Britain, she had encountered this in a Chinese royal family claiming descent from the Qin people—it was one of her rare failures as an agent, precisely because she had underestimated these ancient mathematical trap mechanisms. Unexpectedly, in this foreign time and space thousands of years ago, she encountered them again.

What had seemed like just herself and the man in blue actually concealed at least two hundred people throughout the surrounding plum garden. All breathed steadily without revealing a trace—ordinary people would never detect them. But what kind of person was Qing Xia? She hadn’t paid much attention at first, but later caught a trace of male sweat in the air and realized the situation.

The earlier flute and zither sounds were all signals to guide the mute woman. This mathematical trap plum garden couldn’t be navigated by just anyone. This was why that person let her go. These people definitely had some conspiracy here and didn’t want her to stumble upon it accidentally. If she hadn’t repeatedly indicated her detachment and also hinted that her disappearance would cause unnecessary chaos, she would have been silenced.

Something big was about to happen in this palace. Silently calculating directions, Qing Xia took a calm breath and circled out of the plum garden.

Returning to the palace, she found Xiangju and the other servants had nearly turned everything upside down looking for her. Seeing Qing Xia return, they were all overjoyed.

“Xiangju, clean every corner of Lanting Courtyard—don’t miss any place. Bring all suspicious places and objects for me to examine. Remember to find several trustworthy servants to act secretly—absolutely don’t reveal any traces.”

Seeing Qing Xia speak so seriously, Xiangju became nervous too. In the deep palace, there were many things that could be said but not explained. Moving quickly to give orders, the palace servants began secretly taking action.

Beside the red-hot charcoal brazier, several people looked pale as they watched things burn to powder and ash in the flames, all feeling their hands and feet turn cold.

Just as the sky began to darken, news came from the main palace that the emperor was seriously ill. The chief physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy knelt before the front gate of Zhengyang Palace, everyone’s hearts beating violently with each cough from the old emperor inside. Finally, the divine consort from the Sacrificial Academy emerged from the emperor’s Zhengyang Palace and announced divine guidance: someone in the palace was secretly using witchcraft and sorcery, plotting to harm the emperor and endanger the great Southern Chu enterprise.

Thus, that very night, every palace and hall was searched by the Imperial Guards. Sitting in Lanting Palace, Zhuang Qingxia knew that due to external intervention, the Southern Chu regime that had long dominated alone was finally beginning a new round of stormy succession struggles.

That the search would reach the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace was almost certain. Throughout history, whenever witchcraft was involved, thousands upon thousands of people would lose their lives. Though Qing Xia herself wasn’t afraid, once investigated, not one servant in all of Lanting Palace would be spared. But at this moment, she could only look after her own affairs.

Since Chu Li wasn’t in the palace—ever since his argument with Qing Xia, Chu Li had been permanently stationed at military headquarters, and even when returning to the palace, he only briefly visited Yunxiang Hall—and with the Crown Princess deceased, the Eastern Palace had no one in charge. When the Imperial Guards arrived, it immediately fell into complete chaos.