◎What is your relationship with Zhang Jiuran?◎

At these words, Zhao Yuyan was stunned. Qin Jue glanced at Luo Wanqing, calmly looked away, stepped back, and said, “You two ladies can team up.”

“This…” Zhao Yuyan showed an embarrassed expression, looking at Qin Jue, then at Luo Wanqing, “Since Miss Liu has also come, why don’t the three of us go together? We’re all from Yangzhou, so we know each other well. I have no martial skills and am slow-witted. If Miss Liu takes me alone, I’m afraid it would be too much of a burden.”

“Miss Zhao, if you belittle yourself like this, anyone who hears it would be afraid to take you along.” Luo Wanqing glanced around and said gently, “Look, everyone wants to find capable people. It’s only profitable to split the keys equally after teaming up. If Miss Zhao has no ability but still wants to team up, there’s only one outcome.”

“What outcome?” Zhao Yuyan asked in confusion.

Luo Wanqing looked at her and said calmly, “Take you in, have you help find keys, then kill you before coming out, so they don’t have to split equally with you.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yuyan’s face paled slightly. Luo Wanqing earnestly reached out to grasp Zhao Yuyan’s hand, comforting her, “But you needn’t worry. Since I’m telling you this, I won’t kill you. We’re both women and both from Yangzhou. I saved you in prison before, and I’ll still help you now. If you team up with me, I guarantee your safety.”

Zhao Yuyan was pulled by Luo Wanqing and bit her lip, seeming frightened. She turned to look at Qin Jue and said quietly, “Then… I’ll team up with Miss Liu. If there’s anything you need me to do, Yuyan will go through fire and water without hesitation. But if we team up, what about Young Master Qin?”

With that, Zhao Yuyan turned back to look at Qin Jue: “Young Master Qin is injured. Can he manage alone? I remember Miss Liu and Young Master Qin got along well on the road and should have had some friendship. Are you just going to ignore him?”

Hearing Zhao Yuyan’s words, Luo Wanqing finally noticed that the young man in front of her was injured, and his wounds appeared much more severe than when she’d seen him last night.

She sensed something was wrong, but remembering Qin Jue’s instructions from last night, she didn’t say much. Feeling that continuing would be too stiff, she looked up at Qin Jue and said gently, “What does Young Master Qin think?”

“No need.”

Qin Jue coldly refused and turned to walk inside.

Zhao Yuyan was stunned. Luo Wanqing stood beside her and smiled, “Yuyan, shall we go?”

Hearing this, Zhao Yuyan withdrew her gaze and nodded, “Alright.”

With that, the two followed Qin Jue toward the gate. Luo Wanqing glanced at the woman beside her with lowered brows and downcast eyes, probing, “You seem very concerned about this young master. How do you know his name?”

“I asked yesterday.” Zhao Yuyan’s voice was very soft. She looked up as if confused, “I remember you and Young Master Qin disappeared together, and originally, you two were quite close. Is there some conflict?”

“Some private matters.”

Luo Wanqing brushed her off, then said, “Speaking of which, how did Miss Zhao get to the Eastern Capital? I remember the night we parted, many assassins rushed in. I heard everyone died, but Miss Zhao lived?”

Hearing this, Zhao Yuyan paused, then showed a sorrowful expression and said quietly, “That night I couldn’t get a guest room and was forced to sleep in the courtyard. Later, when I heard the sounds of guards being killed, I got so scared I jumped into the well water and lost consciousness.”

Zhao Yuyan smiled bitterly, “I was lucky. When I woke up, I heard voices, so I called for help and was pulled up. Only after climbing out did I learn that everyone had died that night.”

“And then?” Luo Wanqing was curious. “The local government sent you here? But officials who aren’t from the Supervision Department wouldn’t handle such matters, would they? I heard that in such situations, people are usually thrown into death row to await autumn execution, which is why I traveled in a roundabout way to the Eastern Capital.”

“The local prefect was kind,” Zhao Yuyan showed gratitude, “He took pity on me and gave me some travel money and a permit, letting me leave.”

“Are there such good people?” Luo Wanqing was amazed, “I should have gone back then!”

“Yes,” Zhao Yuyan smiled, “Fools have fool’s luck. Miss Liu is just too clever.”

As they talked, they walked to the gate together.

At the gate, people were being searched thoroughly. The search was extremely detailed, especially of faces, so there was a long queue.

Luo Wanqing and Zhao Yuyan waited in line, pondering Zhao Yuyan’s words.

According to Zhao Yuyan’s account, her luck was too good – everything was good, everything was fortunate.

Such a delicate young woman hadn’t been killed by assassins, hadn’t been controlled by the authorities, hadn’t encountered bandits on the road, hadn’t met anyone with improper intentions. She had traveled smoothly with money and travel documents to the Eastern Capital.

The probability was too small.

Moreover, when they were in prison, she had deliberately lied to deceive her about Jiushuang’s identity, clearly not wanting her to find the real Jiushuang. Combined with Qin Jue’s reminder…

Luo Wanqing glanced at Zhao Yuyan and was fairly certain in her heart that this person should be Jiushuang.

But if she were Jiushuang, she was fully capable of searching for keys independently. Why would she approach Qin Jue?

And Qin Jue…

The assassination order Fengyu Pavilion had given for Qin Jue was a relentless heaven-rank order. So now that Qin Jue had safely reached the Eastern Capital, had Fengyu Pavilion’s assassination ended?

If it hadn’t ended, wouldn’t a place like the Supervision Department be the best opportunity to kill Qin Jue?

Luo Wanqing’s mind raced, but she quickly figured it out.

Qin Jue had specially come to remind her last night, probably planning something. With Qin Jue’s skills and intelligence, he wasn’t someone she needed to worry about.

Having thought this through, she calmed down and looked up at Qin Jue walking ahead of her.

She followed behind Qin Jue, watching as he stepped forward. The searchers came over and carefully felt his face, then wiped his face with special water to confirm he wasn’t disguised, then felt all over his body before letting him pass.

Then it was Luo Wanqing and Zhao Yuyan’s turn.

After being similarly thoroughly searched, they were admitted to the estate.

As soon as they entered the estate, Luo Wanqing saw someone being beaten by a group of people who were pulling at his clothes.

The person was shouting, “I don’t have poison on me! I told you, I don’t!”

“Is that him?” Zhao Yuyan spoke softly, seeming confused. Luo Wanqing took advantage of a gap in the crowd to look and found this was the person who had initially asked about poison.

She felt somewhat guilty. Zhao Yuyan withdrew her gaze and turned. “How should we search?”

“It’s just started, so there probably won’t be any fighting over things yet. Let’s just wander around.”

As Luo Wanqing spoke, she led Zhao Yuyan to start wandering casually.

Two hundred keys weren’t a small number – they should be everywhere. But the keys were so small that searching became difficult. And what kind of keys were they?

Luo Wanqing pondered while Zhao Yuyan also analyzed: “Since they want us to find these keys, they must be well hidden. We can look in places where ordinary people hide keys – in boxes, under beds, under pillows…”

Before she finished speaking, Luo Wanqing stopped walking. Zhao Yuyan asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

Luo Wanqing pointed to the lock on the door, where a key was directly inserted, and said, “There’s one here.”

Looking at this key boldly inserted in the door lock, Zhao Yuyan was stunned, then showed a delighted expression and quickly reached out to take it. Luo Wanqing grabbed her arm and frowned, “It might be poisoned.”

As she spoke, Luo Wanqing went to the courtyard to break off a stick under Zhao Yuyan’s surprised gaze. But just as she turned around, she heard a scream. When she turned back, she saw Zhao Yuyan pushed to the ground and a man urgently pulling at the key.

Before Luo Wanqing could speak, the man had pulled out the key. Seeing him pull the key, people nearby immediately rushed over.

A group of people overwhelmed the man. After fighting for just a moment, the man spat out blood and convulsed as he fell to the ground.

The surrounding people stared blankly, then a tall, burly man wrapped his hand in cloth, snatched the key, and shouted angrily, “There are still over a hundred keys! What’s the point of fighting now?”

“Exactly!” another tall man shouted angrily, “Fight anymore and I’ll tear you apart!”

These two men teamed up with four other burly men, looking fierce and intimidating. No one else dared speak. Everyone gritted their teeth and turned away to start searching everywhere.

Seeing this, Luo Wanqing walked to Zhao Yuyan’s side as she trembled in fear, extending her hand, “Get up.”

“Someone died,” Zhao Yuyan said in panic, “Just now that…”

“It’s not like you haven’t seen dead people before.” Luo Wanqing interrupted her. Zhao Yuyan was stunned.

Luo Wanqing looked at her calmly and said only, “Miss Jiushuang, going too far is as bad as not going far enough.”

Zhao Yuyan paused, then looked confused: “What is Miss Liu talking about?”

“I don’t intend to harm you. I just hope we can team up for the Supervision Department exam. After the preliminary test, I absolutely won’t drag you down in the final test.”

Zhao Yuyan looked at her quietly. Luo Wanqing returned her gaze with certainty. After a long while, she asked somewhat puzzled, “How did you know?”

“If you hadn’t lied to me, I wouldn’t have suspected you so quickly.”

“Why don’t you suspect that Jiushuang is dead?” Zhao Yuyan asked strangely, “After all, the one claiming to be Jiushuang did indeed die.”

“That’s my business.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t tell the truth.

If Qin Jue hadn’t reminded her that Jiushuang was female, she wouldn’t have reacted so quickly. But there was no need to let Zhao Yuyan know this.

With this thought, Luo Wanqing explained, then asked, “Should we search together or separately?”

Zhao Yuyan fell silent. After a moment, she raised her head and placed her hand in Luo Wanqing’s, letting her help her up.

“Let’s separate,” she smiled gently, “I’m afraid you won’t approve of my methods for finding keys.”

As she spoke, the sound of doors closing came from outside, followed by a “dong” of a gong. Zhuque’s voice rang out: “Supervision Department examination officially begins.”

Zhao Yuyan touched the hair behind her ear and said gently, “I’m going now.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing nodded and separated from Zhao Yuyan.

She wasn’t in a hurry to find the keys. Those who found keys first would inevitably be the easiest targets for attack. She went to the rooms to find two or three teacups, and with nothing else to do, sat by the well, drew some water, and sat drinking tea-like while watching everyone fight and come and go.

This position was excellent – she could see the movements in all the rooms throughout the courtyard. Four hours was nearly a full day. As people came and went around her, they all needed to drink water, so Luo Wanqing sat by the well, counting people.

She never moved, obviously not searching for keys. Everyone could see this, so they couldn’t be bothered to trouble her.

The sky gradually darkened, and most of the keys had been found. Many incapable people quit early, deciding to wait for the final test.

But some people…

Luo Wanqing glanced at the rooms. She hadn’t seen Zhao Yuyan all afternoon – she seemed to have hidden somewhere. And some people had never appeared again.

Looking at the sky, Luo Wanqing felt it was time to close the net. She turned to enter the rooms to look for Zhao Yuyan.

Dark clouds covered the sun that night. The rooms had no lights, making them much darker than outside. Before entering, she stared at the room from the doorway for a long time. After adapting to the light, she stepped inside, walking while observing her surroundings.

The lodestone was still in her palm. She raised her hand to feel over all the details surface by surface.

Keys were made of iron. Though there probably weren’t many keys left now, she could try her luck.

She felt along the walls, searching several rooms. The weapons originally used for decoration in these rooms were all gone, obviously taken by people.

When she entered the innermost room, she immediately smelled a heavy scent of blood.

The previous rooms also had dead people, but none had such a heavy, bloody smell. She couldn’t help frowning and raised her hand to search along the wall as she walked forward. As she walked, she kicked something soft. She instinctively looked down at her feet, then suddenly widened her eyes.

The person on the ground could hardly be called a person anymore. The floor was covered with torn body parts. These dismembered limbs had extremely uneven wounds, obviously not made with sharp weapons, but torn apart by human hands.

Looking at this scene of carnage, Luo Wanqing felt her stomach churn.

This wasn’t killing – it was torture and murder!

Luo Wanqing sensed danger and immediately retreated on her toes. Just as she quickly retreated, she simultaneously saw in another room behind a bookshelf, Qin Jue being struck to the ground by someone’s palm. The opponent brought down a blade, and Qin Jue obviously couldn’t dodge in time.

Luo Wanqing’s eyes widened. Without hesitation, she flipped into the room, grabbed Qin Jue and threw him toward the window on the other side, kicked away the person with the blade, then leaped out the window herself!

Qin Jue seemed severely injured – he didn’t even have the strength to land properly. When she threw him out, he fell and rolled directly on the ground.

Luo Wanqing followed him out and pulled him up, urgently asking, “Are you alright?”

As soon as she spoke, people emerged from all directions. Luo Wanqing sensed something was wrong. Glancing around, she saw the burly man who had tried to cut down Qin Jue staring at him as he chased out, shouting, “He has many keys on him!”

With that, he pounced toward Qin Jue.

Qin Jue had no strength to dodge. Luo Wanqing pulled him up with one hand while using her other hand to grab the man’s blade, kicked him away, then supported Qin Jue and angrily said, “What are you doing with so many keys? Are you crazy?!”

“They came to kill me.” Qin Jue coughed, “I don’t have any keys.”

Luo Wanqing immediately understood – these weren’t real death row prisoners. Since Qin Jue wasn’t dead, Fengyu Pavilion’s people were still here!

She immediately protected Qin Jue behind her, brandished her blade, and looked at the surrounding people calmly, “How are your injuries? Do you have people protecting you?”

“I can’t go on. They’re all dead.”

Qin Jue looked with lingering fear at the innermost room and said quietly, “There’s a master in charge.”

“Can you quit and leave first?”

“The final test involves being locked together to kill people,” Qin Jue panted, “Going there would be suicide.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing paused.

She understood. Qin Jue only planned to last until the end and get thirty keys to become a Shadow Envoy. He never intended to test for the Inspector.

The final test was even more disadvantageous for him – too suitable for killing him.

She thought for a moment, looked at the sky, noting there wasn’t much time left before the four hours ended, then looked back at the opponents and said calmly, “I’m still here. What are you talking about, dying?”

Qin Jue was stunned, seeming not to understand Luo Wanqing’s words.

He watched as Luo Wanqing raised her hand to dig a bloody piece of lodestone from her palm, then untied her forehead band and bound the band and blade together in her palm. He realized what she was going to do and finally reacted, hurriedly saying, “Miss, I’m not…”

“This last quarter hour,” Luo Wanqing interrupted him, glancing at him, “I’ll guard you. You still have family vengeance – living is more important than anything.”

With that, she looked up at the others and said calmly, “His keys are mine. Anyone who wants to touch him can come ahead!”

Hearing this, the surrounding people sneered coldly and rushed toward Luo Wanqing without hesitation!

Luo Wanqing’s expression grew stern as she held her blade horizontally in front. In her mind were the blade techniques Liu Xiniang had taught her. During these days, she had gradually understood the essence of the blade techniques. Today, she could finally test her blade!

However, seeing her stance with the horizontal blade, Qin Jue behind her suddenly widened his eyes. He stared blankly as Luo Wanqing dragged him through the crowd.

Every strike and stance was so familiar. Though somewhat awkward, it was no different from the person he dreamed of day and night!

Luo Wanqing noticed him spacing out and was somewhat displeased, frowning, “What are you spacing out for? Dodge!”

Hearing this, Qin Jue finally came to his senses.

At this moment, Zhao Yuyan’s voice came through, shouting, “Liu Xiniang, over here! There’s a tunnel!”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing immediately dragged Qin Jue toward Zhao Yuyan’s direction. Qin Jue was dragged by her into that room full of dismembered limbs, where he saw Zhao Yuyan crouched by a hole, urgently saying, “Quick, get in.”

Luo Wanqing looked down below and sensed that it should be an underground palace. This should be the entrance, with the cover beside it made of special black iron, extremely sturdy. The cover had bolts that could lock the underground palace door from inside.

Seeing the construction, Luo Wanqing immediately pushed Qin Jue down, “You go down!”

Qin Jue was forcefully pushed down by her. Luo Wanqing immediately said to Zhao Yuyan, “I’ll go down first.”

Without waiting for Zhao Yuyan’s agreement, she jumped down, then unexpectedly pulled the cover over and slammed it shut, locking Zhao Yuyan above!

Zhao Yuyan was stunned and quickly pounded on the underground palace door, “Liu Xiniang? What are you doing?”

“Yuyan, we won’t drag you down. Run quickly!”

Luo Wanqing shouted upward, then turned to look for Qin Jue. But as soon as she turned around, she felt a dagger pressed against her waist.

Luo Wanqing looked up blankly. Qin Jue’s eyes were full of hatred as he stared at her. “What is your relationship with Zhang Jiuran?”

Luo Wanqing’s mind went “buzz.” Qin Jue roared, “Speak!”

When everyone had entered the examination estate, in the highest small building’s top floor compartment, two young men sat by the window behind curtains, heads lowered playing chess.

One young man was richly dressed, wearing a jade crown and embroidered golden python jade-colored regular clothing, with a gentle temperament, holding white pieces.

The other held black pieces, wearing white brocade clothing with a jade hairpin half-pinned, his expression indifferent.

Both were extremely handsome, but the young man with black pieces had an overwhelming presence – just sitting there steadily made it difficult for anyone to focus attention elsewhere.

“The Supervision Department has been using examinations as a pretext to pardon many death row prisoners into the department every year. Father Emperor worries that some people with ulterior motives might use this channel to pardon prisoners who shouldn’t be pardoned. Therefore, every year, he specially sends people from the Central Imperial Office and other departments to supervise the examinations. I heard this is a thankless job that easily offends the Director. Since I just returned this year, this matter fell to me.”

The young man holding white pieces spoke in a gentle, modest tone, looking up at the person across from him with a smile, “I hope the Director will forgive me.”

Hearing him speak, the Supervision Department Director Xie Heng, across from him, showed an indifferent expression and only said, “Is Your Highness saying His Majesty suspects me?”

“Of course, His Majesty doesn’t suspect the Director.” The richly robed young man smiled neither humbly nor arrogantly, explaining, “But after all, pardoning death row prisoners is such a major matter, and there are so many people in the Supervision Department from top to bottom. It’s extremely difficult to guarantee there aren’t any people with ulterior motives. This morning, Eunuch Yang from the Central Imperial Office was still telling me that the eldest son of the Qin family has also arrived in the Eastern Capital, and His Majesty still has some concerns. After all, that was treason. The Qin family and the Cui family, who betrayed the country years ago, were family friends. Director Xie’s maternal family is also the Cui family. If some Cui family members remained in the Supervision Department back then and now have intentions to help him, then…”

The young man didn’t finish, but the implication was obvious.

Five years ago, the Cui family betrayed the country. Now the Qin family committed treason. If Cui family remnants used the Supervision Department to save the only remaining son of the Qin family, weren’t they accomplices in treason?

Hearing such questioning, Xie Heng’s expression didn’t change. He only said, “The Third Prince has been managing many affairs since returning to the Eastern Capital.”

“Chess playing is boring,” the young man smiled, “Just chatting. In this examination, the Director surely won’t specially take care of Qin Jue, right?”

“Naturally not.”

“And surely won’t send people to look after him individually?”

Xie Heng’s movements paused. Just then came a loud crash of breaking windows. Both turned back to see a young man thrown out. Xie Heng’s expression grew stern. The young man said with a light smile, “Those dying today should all be death row prisoners, right?”

As soon as he finished speaking, a woman with burn scars covering her face and a hideous appearance jumped out, pulled the young man to the ground, and protected him behind her.

The young man sitting by the window was stunned. Xie Heng was also somewhat surprised. After a moment, Xie Heng calmed down, lowered his eyes to suppress his smile, held his chess piece and made his move, saying lightly, “Of course they’re all death row prisoners.”

The young man said nothing. He stared at the woman with the burnt face below for a long time. Then he turned to look at Xie Heng with a half-smile, “The Supervision Department is full of talent.”

“Not comparable to Your Highness’s entourage, all first-class assassins.”

“The Director jests.”

“Li Guiyu, since we’re joking, let me say a few more words.” Xie Heng looked at the chessboard, making his move while speaking in a steady voice, “Whether His Majesty minds that the eldest son of the Qin family came to the Eastern Capital, I don’t know. But when I was in Yangzhou, I caught a batch of assassins from Fengyu Pavilion sent to assassinate Qin Jue. From their mouths, I learned that some things that can’t see the light indeed mind Qin Jue coming to the Eastern Capital. Your Highness,” Xie Heng looked up at him, “have your recent efforts satisfied Empress Mother?”

These words made Li Guiyu pause slightly. After a moment, he acted as if he didn’t understand and asked in confusion, “What is the Director saying? I don’t understand.”

“When the Northern Rong made peace with our dynasty, Your Highness volunteered to be a hostage at the border.” Xie Heng looked down at the chessboard, continuing to make moves. Both players moved extremely quickly, giving each other no time to think. Xie Heng remained at ease, saying lightly, “Then the Cui family betrayed the country and surrendered the city. You disappeared at the border and were gone for five years. His Majesty, in pain at losing his beloved son, transferred all his guilt toward you to the Seventh Prince and your mother. Under His Majesty’s compensation for you and your maternal Wang family’s relentless efforts, your mother became Empress, the Seventh Prince was made Crown Prince. Their mother and son are already sufficiently distinguished. You wandered among the people and have now returned. If you don’t have some ability, I’m afraid Empress Mother won’t tolerate you, will she?”

With one hand-raised young son already as Crown Prince, and an elder son who had wandered outside for years with unfathomable thoughts – if this elder son had no use, it would be better if he didn’t return.

Hearing Xie Heng’s implication, Li Guiyu smiled gently and only said, “Mother treats me extremely well. The Director worries too much.”

“That’s good, then. Your Highness and Mother are kind and filial, and sitting properly in the high hall is best. Just don’t end up in the imperial prison, because” Xie Heng looked up, staring at Li Guiyu with complete seriousness in his phoenix eyes, “my imperial prison can completely peel off a person’s skin without killing them. Is Your Highness interested?”

Li Guiyu said nothing. After a moment, Xie Heng lowered his eyes, reached out to pick up pieces from the chessboard, and said lightly, “I’m removing pieces.”

As he spoke, he inconspicuously glanced below and saw the woman protecting the injured young man charging inward.

He withdrew his gaze and threw the chess pieces into the chess box.