◎She must accuse Zheng Pingsheng before Xie Heng does◎

Hibiscus flowers were the most common flowers in the northwest, blooming from July to October each year. However, Luo Wanqing knew he wasn’t talking about dates.

When hibiscus flowers bloom in the ten border cities…

“Does Young Master intend to recapture the ten border cities before letting me return to the Eastern Capital?”

Luo Wanqing stared at Xie Heng, asking for a specific time.

Xie Heng remained silent. Luo Wanqing smiled: “Why? Young Master personally cultivated me, brought me to where I am today. Young Master once said you hoped I would become the Supervision Department’s best Inspector. Now I’ve entered the grandmaster realm, yet at the moment, Young Master wishes to undertake great deeds, you want me to return alone to the Dao Sect. What does Young Master mean?”

Sensing Luo Wanqing’s anger, Xie Heng didn’t respond. Luo Wanqing stared at him intently, laughing mockingly: “Could it be that after sleeping together once, Young Master thinks you’ve clipped my wings and should treat me like a caged young bird, keeping me in a golden house for careful nurturing?”

“That’s not what I mean…”

“Then why not let me stay?” Luo Wanqing’s gaze was blazing. “Doesn’t going to the Northern Rong require people? Whether taking the bitter cold route through Tianshan or directly entering through the ten border cities, which route can ordinary people take? At a time like this, having me go to Kunlun Palace would be fine, having me return to the Eastern Capital would work, even staying in Jiangnan Province to collect evidence would be better than going to Dao Sect! Why do you want me to go to the Dao Sect? Do you want to protect me?”

Luo Wanqing questioned him. But before Xie Heng could answer, she already had the answer.

“No, you’ve never been that kind of person. Cui Guanlan always followed behind me, never covering my eyes. Young Master,” Luo Wanqing looked at him steadily, remembering the charges she had seen on the notice board, and said with certainty: “You’re afraid I’ll see you die.”

“I won’t die.”

Xie Heng spoke in a low voice.

Luo Wanqing didn’t respond.

She observed him steadily. After a long while, she said with certainty: “You’re going to kill Zheng Pingsheng.”

Xie Heng paused, and Luo Wanqing knew she had guessed correctly.

Luo Wanqing remembered his charges, remembered what had happened in the previous life, remembered that background map, and couldn’t help saying: “You have no military authority. You need to find a way to obtain it. You plan to kill Zheng Pingsheng, force the Zheng family to rebel, then in the name of quelling the rebellion, send troops to Si Province. Is that right?”

Hearing her words, Xie Heng neither confirmed nor denied.

He only raised his eyes to stare at her quietly. His eyes, deep as a cold pool, showed no emotion, while Luo Wanqing observed his expression, not daring to look away for even a moment, trying to detect any fluctuation.

The two faced off silently. After thinking for a moment, Xie Heng understood: “You saw this in your dream? What else did you see?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing felt her heart being squeezed tight.

She unconsciously gripped her clothing, looking at the handsome young man half-kneeling before her, trying to remain calm: “You assassinated Zheng Pingsheng, forced the Zheng clan to rebel, sent troops to Si Province, causing warfare in Si Province with people displaced and homeless, earning universal condemnation—these are all your charges.” Luo Wanqing couldn’t help saying: “You’re walking toward a dead end.”

“But I obtained military authority, didn’t I?” Xie Heng continued pressing. Luo Wanqing was startled.

“Who became emperor in your previous life dream?” Xie Heng asked.

Luo Wanqing dared not speak. She suddenly realized he wasn’t listening to her advice, wasn’t trying to understand his fate to consider whether to take this path.

What he planned to do, he had already decided long ago. He was only seeking more information to flesh out his current conception.

“Li Guiyu?”

Xie Heng observed her expression, guessing: “In your dream, I allied with Li Guiyu. I caused turmoil in Si Province, but I gained military authority and assisted the person I wanted to assist. Li Guiyu would implement the Great Xia Code, but…”

Xie Heng understood: “The Cui clan wasn’t vindicated?”

Luo Wanqing dared not respond in any way. She knew that any reaction from her now would be giving Xie Heng information.

But Xie Heng only looked into her eyes and deduced everything: “If he ascended the throne, he couldn’t possibly let me obtain the Xuantian Box, so I couldn’t possibly know there were still people waiting for me at Kunlun Mountain.”

With that, Xie Heng looked aside: “Without you, I harbored death wishes. If I were still taking datura incense, I wouldn’t live long. I wouldn’t have time to vindicate the Cui clan—I could only do the most important thing. Whether for Brother Zigui, Uncle, or those of us who have come this far, the most important thing is implementing the Great Xia Code. So my final act would be to use my life to exemplify the Great Xia Code. I entrusted vindicating the Cui clan to others… Since Li Guiyu ascended the throne, I must have forced him to promise me. What did Li Guiyu use to make me believe him?”

Xie Heng speculated: “He allowed me to exterminate the Wang family?”

He was too clever.

Luo Wanqing tensed her muscles, saying nothing. Seeing her reaction, Xie Heng couldn’t help but smile: “The Great Xia Code was implemented, the Wang and Zheng families were exterminated, I got my revenge… Xiniang,” Xie Heng looked at her calmly, “This is the best ending I can imagine. Now it will only be better.”

“So you still want to take this path?”

Luo Wanqing was incredulous: “You clearly know this is a dead end, yet you still want to walk it?”

“No.”

Xie Heng reached out to take Luo Wanqing’s hand, gently opening her clenched fingers, saying softly: “Xiniang, I’ve calculated it carefully. This isn’t a certain death situation.”

“But you died!” Luo Wanqing finally couldn’t endure it, jerking her hand away and speaking excitedly. The scene of her standing before the notice board in her dream appeared repeatedly. She spoke intensely: “In the previous life, you were executed by a thousand cuts—do you know that?!”

“Xiniang,” Xie Heng’s tone was calm, “without reaching the end, how can you know the outcome? I can only choose the best path now…”

“Do you care about the outcome?” Luo Wanqing interrupted him. She stared at him intently: “You never thought about changing this outcome. Every step you take is no different from that you took in the dream.”

Luo Wanqing’s voice trembled slightly: “Didn’t you have your current intelligence, your current skills in the dream? Do you think you’re omnipotent? How do you know that the future dead end isn’t caused by today’s actions?”

Xie Heng didn’t speak, seeming unable to open his mouth.

Luo Wanqing turned away in distress, saying hoarsely, “Actually, I know you’re deceiving me. All that about only I can change your fate, about entrusting your life to me—it’s all just coaxing. As long as you can complete the path you want to walk,” Luo Wanqing paused, and after a long while, said softly: “I’m not important, and Cui Heng isn’t important either.”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. This silence made Luo Wanqing feel even more distressed.

She stood up, pretending to be calm as she turned to leave: “I’ll pack and leave tonight as you arranged.”

With that, Luo Wanqing walked quickly outside. Just before stepping out the door, Xie Heng suddenly said: “Supervision Department Inspectors require Supervision Department notification and approval before execution.”

Luo Wanqing turned back, puzzled, but Xie Heng said nothing more, only waving wearily: “Go.”

Luo Wanqing waited at the door for a moment. Seeing Xie Heng say nothing more, she finally turned and left.

She hurried back to her room, her mind made up.

She couldn’t stop Xie Heng from killing Zheng Pingsheng, couldn’t stop him from doing anything, so the only thing she could do now was get ahead of Xie Heng.

She couldn’t let Zheng Pingsheng die at Xie Heng’s hands. She had to change Xie Heng’s fate.

Zheng Pingsheng deserved to die, but not through simple assassination.

What he had done should be proclaimed to the world. He should be tried and executed openly and honorably. He had done so much evil, harmed her father—why not let him die after the trial?

She couldn’t let Zheng Pingsheng die by assassination, much less let Zheng Pingsheng’s death become Xie Heng’s crime.

That wasn’t just Xie Heng’s enemy, but her enemy too.

Xie Heng would enter seclusion today, giving her a full five days ahead of him. She had time.

Xie Heng is entering seclusion today…

This thought appeared, and Luo Wanqing instantly realized what he was secluding himself to do.

He couldn’t return to the Eastern Capital with Xie Heng addicted to datura incense, and detoxing from datura incense required five days.

These five days…

Luo Wanqing’s heart trembled slightly, and then she felt somewhat angry.

He didn’t care about himself, so why should she?

With this thought, Luo Wanqing turned to find Zhuque.

Zhuque was resting while Xuanshan was on duty. Seeing Luo Wanqing enter, he was somewhat surprised: “Inspector Liu?”

“Chief Zhuque,” Luo Wanqing bowed, getting straight to the point: “This subordinate has come to ask Chief Zhuque about something.”

“What matter?”

“Did Chief Zhuque investigate Luo Qushu’s case back then?”

This question was too direct. Zhuque paused, hesitated for a moment, then nodded: “I investigated it.”

“Then does Chief Zhuque know who handled Luo Qushu’s case at the time?”

“Zhou Chun handled it, Zheng Pingsheng approved it.” Zhuque said, spreading his hands: “One is dead, one sits in the Eastern Capital. However…”

Zhuque said this with a quite proud smile: “The jailer who tortured Luo Qushu is still around.”

“You know who the jailer was at the time?”

Case officials needed to record names, but jailers were random. Once cases became old, with everyone covering for each other, it was very difficult to find the jailers who handled cases at the time.

Zhuque knew, so Luo Wanqing couldn’t help feeling excited.

“Of course.” Zhuque immediately said, “Who do you think I am? The moment Young Master had me watch Luo Qushu’s case, I immediately turned everyone who handled it upside down. The files are in the Young Master’s secret chamber in the Eastern Capital. I remember there was a jailer called Jia Sanqian…”

Before he finished speaking, Luo Wanqing immediately bowed: “Thank you.”

With that, Luo Wanqing turned and left, found a horse, and headed straight for the county office to find Zhang Yiran.

When she found Zhang Yiran, he was organizing official documents.

Cui Heng had come to Jiangnan and done almost none of his proper duties, but Zhang Yiran had come with him to inspect Jiangnan after all, so Zhang Yiran was doing the work of two people alone.

Seeing Luo Wanqing enter, Zhang Yiran was somewhat surprised. Before he could speak, he heard Luo Wanqing say: “Minister Zhang, are there any leads on Luo Qushu’s case now?”

Zhang Yiran was startled, then reacted quickly, frowning: “No. I’ve now confirmed that the witnesses in the confession statements don’t match up, but to overturn the case, we still need…”

“The jailer involved in trying this case at the time was called Jia Sanqian.”

Luo Wanqing knew what Zhang Yiran was going to say. She walked into the room and pulled out a sheet of paper: “You can find him to ask. If you need to interrogate anyone, have Qin Huaiyu help you.”

“Inspector Qin?”

Zhang Yiran looked up, puzzled: “Inspector Liu, where are you going?”

“I’m returning to the Eastern Capital.”

Luo Wanqing looked at Zhang Yiran calmly: “Supervision Department messenger pigeons take only a day and a half to reach the Eastern Capital. Minister Zhang, as soon as you find sufficient evidence, immediately send word to me.”

“What does Inspector Liu plan to do?”

Zhang Yiran instinctively felt something was wrong and couldn’t help asking.

But Luo Wanqing only smiled without saying more, only bowing: “I’m counting on Minister Zhang.”

After instructing Zhang Yiran, Luo Wanqing immediately returned to the Xie residence to pack, mounted a horse alone, and rushed out.

At dusk, with torrential rain, Luo Wanqing didn’t wait.

She couldn’t be sure how Xie Heng planned to assassinate Zheng Pingsheng—whether he would order others or act personally. She needed to reach the Eastern Capital as quickly as possible, go to Xie Heng’s secret chamber to obtain the results Zhuque had found years ago, and before Xie Heng acted, go to Shuntian Prefecture and sound the imperial grievance drum.

She would accuse Zheng Pingsheng, with her father’s wrongful case, of telling the world he deserved to die!

She didn’t know what accidents might occur. She had to arrive at the Eastern Capital early and wait to feel at ease.

The heavy rain made the sky as dark as night. As she rode swiftly away in the rain, Xie Heng had just finished burning incense and purifying himself, dressed properly, and sat in his room.

Wei Qianqiu took his pulse and administered acupuncture for the last time, while Baili brought medicine and handed it to Xie Heng.

Xie Heng calmly drank the medicine, listening to Wei Qianqiu say, “Have you been increasing the dosage on your own recently? At the rate you’re consuming now, I’m afraid within three months, you’ll…”

“I won’t be taking it for three months.”

Xie Heng interrupted his advice, taking the medicine from Baili’s hands and saying calmly: “I’ll quit after five days.”

Hearing this, everyone felt somewhat relieved.

Wei Qianqiu inserted silver needles into Xie Heng’s hands, saying with some concern: “Young Master used too large a dose. These five days will be much harder to endure than last time…”

Before he finished speaking, Wei Qianqiu felt Xie Heng’s muscles tense. He looked up, somewhat puzzled: “Young Master?”

“It’s nothing.”

Xie Heng lowered his eyes and said calmly, “These five days, I’ll be locked alone in the secret chamber. Food can be delivered through the secret chamber door once a day. Don’t worry about me.”

Hearing this, everyone became somewhat nervous. The last time Xie Heng detoxed, he had broken the iron chains himself, ambushed at the door, knocked out Qingya, and run out to steal medicine.

When Xie Heng craved the drug during withdrawal, when he wanted to quit, his mind could think of nothing but stealing medicine.

Remembering the last time, and hearing this time would be even harder to endure, everyone felt uneasy.

Xie Heng also knew their concerns, only saying: “Don’t worry. Lock the secret chamber tight, keep your distance. If worst comes to worst… just give me the medicine and there’ll be no problem.”

“Young Master needn’t worry too much,” hearing Xie Heng’s words, Xuanshan beside him said calmly: “I just checked the secret chamber and guarantee that without help, even Young Master cannot escape.”

At these words, Xie Heng was silent for a moment, then said: “Thank you.”

As they spoke, Zhuque hurried in from the door.

“Young Master,” Zhuque said urgently, “Inspector Liu has left!”

Hearing this, Baili and Xuanshan looked surprised. Baili couldn’t help saying: “Left? So urgently? It’s still raining.”

“Mm.”

Hearing news of Luo Wanqing’s departure, Xie Heng wasn’t surprised either, saying calmly: “Go then.”

“Go what go!” Seeing Xie Heng’s unhurried manner, Zhuque couldn’t even catch his breath, saying urgently: “She didn’t go toward Dao Sect—she took the official road to the Eastern Capital!”

“Why is she going north?”

Hearing this, Xuanshan frowned. But Xie Heng smiled and said softly: “I know.”

Everyone was startled. They saw Xie Heng look up at the heavy rain in the courtyard, only asking: “Did she bring an umbrella?”

“It’s not…” Zhuque reacted, somewhat confused: “Young Master, is this about bringing an umbrella? You told her to go to Dao Sect, but she ran to the Eastern Capital—what’s she going to do?”

“To do what she wants to do.”

Xie Heng watched Wei Qianqiu remove the silver needles and said calmly, “Is it finished?”

Wei Qianqiu respectfully replied: “Finished.”

“Give me the medicine.”

Xie Heng extended his hand. Wei Qianqiu hesitantly handed over the medicine bottle.

In front of everyone, Xie Heng calmly placed pill after pill into his mouth.

Then he stood up and dismissed everyone. When he was the only one in the room, he opened the secret chamber.

The pitch-black opening of the secret chamber was like a beast that devoured people. He stood before the secret chamber, steadying himself for a long time before finally being certain.

He had to walk in alone.

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Zhuque: “Young Master, your girlfriend ran away!”

Xie Heng: “Let me take my drugs first!”

Zhuque: “She ran toward the Eastern Capital!”

Xie Heng: “Let me take another dose!”

Zhuque: “Young Master, stop taking drugs and chase after her!”

Xie Heng: “It’s fine, I’ll take my drugs and wait for her. The effect is better that way.”

Zhuque: “…”