◎Xie Heng and Li Guiyu Form an Alliance to Kill Him◎

“An old friend?” Cui Heng pondered. “You had very deep feelings for them?”

“Just a servant.” Luo Wanqing didn’t want to elaborate, turning to look at him with a smile: “Why do you ask these things?”

“Curious,” Cui Heng said directly. “Just now, when I followed behind you, you showed no wariness at all. Logically, if you’ve been in the Salt Syndicate, you shouldn’t be like this. I wondered if you were used to having someone follow you. Then, when I served you dishes, you never asked if I wanted to eat together. I did a bit more, tried handing you chopsticks, and you didn’t even thank me. I did even more, seeing what you liked to eat and moving plates around, and you found nothing strange. From my interactions with you, I know you’re someone who repays kindness. Whatever I do, you thank me. How is it that with these small matters, you notice nothing at all?”

As he spoke, Cui Heng leaned forward to observe her, smiling: “Who did you mistake me for just now?”

“I once had a servant,” Luo Wanqing said without looking at him, explaining: “who served me for many years.”

“A woman?” Cui Heng probed.

Luo Wanqing readily nodded, responding: “Mm.”

“A lady’s maid then.” Cui Heng pondered, confirming: “You come from a good background. How did you end up in the Salt Syndicate?”

Logically speaking, a young lady who had been served since childhood should have gone to respectable sects to learn martial arts, even if she entered the jianghu.

“Family fortunes declined,” Luo Wanqing recounted Liu Xiniang’s background as reported to officials, “so I was sold to the Salt Syndicate.”

“What about the maid?”

“Before I was imprisoned, she died.”

Luo Wanqing spoke, and Cui Heng knew it was inappropriate to say more. He only nodded, offering gentle comfort: “My condolences.”

“It’s in the past. There’s nothing to mourn anymore.” Luo Wanqing smiled, looking up at Cui Heng: “I should trouble you to tell me what I should do in the Supervision Department going forward.”

“I came today precisely to discuss this. Eat first.” Cui Heng gestured toward the table with his chin. “You’ve traveled from Yangzhou and been busy for so long. Rest and heal first. During this time, I’ll show you around the Supervision Department to understand the situation, then we’ll begin training.”

“Training?”

Luo Wanqing was curious. She sipped some porridge as Cui Heng smiled at her: “As an Inspector, there’s so much you need to learn. Mechanisms and formations, hidden weapons and poisons, secret codes and parasitic worms… which of these don’t you need to study?”

Luo Wanqing listened, nodding: “You’re right.”

“Also,” Cui Heng chuckled, “your amateur martial arts skills only work because of your deep internal energy, allowing you to charge recklessly. The Supervision Department is full of masters. Go take a look and choose a proper master to teach you.”

“I can choose?” Luo Wanqing was somewhat surprised.

Cui Heng nodded: “Though you’re a late starter, they’re just introducing you to the basics. They’re still half your master, so it’s best if you’re willing.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but smile: “Then I’ve come to a good place.”

“Who would say otherwise?”

Seeing she had eaten enough, Cui Heng stood up, stuffed a packet of sugar pills into her hand, opened his folding fan with a snap, and fanned himself: “Come, I’ll take you for a tour.”

With that, Cui Heng led her out of the room.

The March spring was lovely. The Supervision Department bustled with people. Luo Wanqing followed Cui Heng through the Supervision Department. Servants coming and going would step aside when they saw them, bowing respectfully.

Inspectors are the most important figures in the Supervision Department. Everyone in the Supervision Department serves to support the Inspectors’ work.” Cui Heng introduced: “The Inspector’s job is to handle cases. Cases they deem necessary to investigate can be forwarded to Azure Dragon Envoy Qingya for preliminary screening. He then passes questionable or major cases to the Director for confirmation on whether to proceed. Once confirmed, cases become missions posted in the Supervision Department. Inspectors can claim them themselves. If no one claims them, Xuanwu Envoy Xuanshan assigns them.”

“What about me?”

Luo Wanqing was puzzled: “Can I currently seek out cases myself, or should I claim posted cases, or wait for Xuanwu Envoy’s assignment?”

“You just arrived, so your first case will naturally be working alongside others.”

Cui Heng spoke while leading her into a quiet, empty room.

Once inside, he walked to the wall and pulled out two books. The bookshelf immediately slid aside, revealing a hidden door. Cui Heng pushed open the hidden door, exposing a dark corridor. Only the entrance had two lamps. The smell of blood and faint screams came from within the corridor. Cui Heng took a lamp and turned back to beckon her: “This way.”

Luo Wanqing looked at the dark corridor, her heart trembling slightly, but still stepped forward to follow Cui Heng deeper inside.

This corridor was long. Cui Heng’s wide sleeves fluttered without wind, moving as if he were a demon walking through the night. In this oppressive atmosphere of blood and darkness, he seemed unnaturally relaxed.

“This is the Supervision Department’s dungeon, also the underground palace you saw during your examination. What you saw was only part of it.”

Light came from ahead. Luo Wanqing followed Cui Heng out of the corridor and immediately heard roars from the surroundings. The smell of blood was so strong it was nauseating. Even having witnessed Zhao Yuyan’s killing, Luo Wanqing still couldn’t adapt to the conditions here.

The people here hardly seemed human. They were hanging or suspended, some still on torture devices, others in cells. Such scenes instantly transported Luo Wanqing back to Yangzhou prison.

No—this was far more brutal than Yangzhou prison.

Like the eighteen levels of hell described in storybooks, where evildoers go after death.

“This is what the outside world calls the Imperial Prison.”

Cui Heng held the lamp, looking at the blood everywhere, his voice much colder.

People in the torture chambers saw Cui Heng and rose, respectfully greeting: “Young Master Guanlan.”

“This is the new Inspector I’m guiding, Liu Xiniang. She’ll be your colleague from now on.”

Cui Heng glanced back at Luo Wanqing behind him, telling everyone, “Continue your interrogations.”

With that, Cui Heng carried the lamp and led Luo Wanqing toward the cells, introducing as they walked: “These are methods you’ll need to learn, otherwise when you capture someone, you won’t be able to extract anything. Look at this,” Cui Heng raised his hand, pointing at a complete human-shaped skin, “this is a skin Director Xie personally peeled off. To peel such a complete human skin, you first cut open the head, make an opening in the scalp, then pour mercury inside. The mercury enters the skin and separates muscle from skin…”

As Cui Heng spoke, seeming to remember something, his tone paused, then he smiled apologetically: “I forgot this is your first time here. You can learn this later.”

Luo Wanqing said nothing more. She glanced at that human skin and followed behind Cui Heng, couldn’t help but press her lips together: “Are all Supervision Department interrogations this cruel?”

“Of course.” Cui Heng’s face carried a smile, but his eyes were cold: “Do you think those who can enter the Supervision Department are people you can make talk with ordinary methods?”

“Aren’t there any good people?”

Luo Wanqing looked up and couldn’t help but remember her time in Yangzhou prison. If her father, brother, even she and her family had been sent to the Imperial Prison, wouldn’t that be a fate worse than death?

Hearing this, Cui Heng paused. After a moment of silence, he only said: “The Supervision Department doesn’t torture randomly or drag people into the Imperial Prison casually. Final judgments are based on evidence—they only provide clues. Sometimes, against extraordinary people, extraordinary measures are needed.”

“Does Director Xie also think this way?”

Luo Wanqing pressed further. Cui Heng thought carefully, then said softly: “Yes. All Supervision Department procedures were personally established by Director Xie.”

Luo Wanqing remained silent. She turned to glance around. Cui Heng watched her expression and calmly turned away: “You participated in the Supervision Department’s death row examination. You should know that when dealing with demons, if you don’t become a demon yourself, you’ll only be devoured completely. If you hadn’t killed Zhao Yuyan, she would have killed you.”

“Then why did Director Xie create the Supervision Department?”

Luo Wanqing couldn’t understand. She looked at Cui Heng before her, puzzled: “He’s already the Xie family’s legitimate eldest son, the destined future head of the Xie family, born into a prominent family. Without doing anything, he’s already in a position many in this world can’t reach. Why create the Supervision Department?”

“Have you heard this saying?”

Cui Heng carried the lamp ahead, his tone flat: “People without roots cannot stand; the world without killing cannot be good. If everyone in this world wants to be good people, who will manage these evildoers?”

This statement stunned Luo Wanqing.

Her father had said these words when she was young.

At that time, he was teaching her that no matter how good someone’s temper, they should have backbone—without roots, one cannot stand.

And among people in this world, you can’t judge their goodness or evil simply by whether they kill. Some kill because of evil, but some kill to protect good.

She hadn’t heard these words in many years, couldn’t help but say: “Where did you hear this?”

“It’s one of the Cui family’s mottos.” Cui Heng seemed to remember something, turning to glance at her, reminding: “Also, don’t tell others in the future that he’s the Xie family’s legitimate eldest son.”

“Why?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t understand. Cui Heng led her around a corner in the corridor. The screams behind gradually faded as he explained calmly: “Five years ago, when he established the Supervision Department, the Xie family expelled him.”

Luo Wanqing looked up in surprise.

“You were previously in the Jiangnan Salt Syndicate with a different status and position, unaware of Eastern Capital family affairs.” Cui Heng’s back was like a lonely soul, coated with a weak halo from the lamp in his hand in this darkness. “His being the Xie family’s legitimate son was many years ago. Now he only keeps the surname—just a solitary minister. If you mention these things to family members, they’ll laugh at you.”

As he spoke, a small building appeared before them.

The building was exceptionally conspicuous in the darkness, brightly lit, completely separate from the distant torture chambers.

“The Supervision Department’s core is all in the underground palace. This is Zhenbao Tower.”

Cui Heng spoke while stepping forward to push open the door. When it opened, Luo Wanqing saw the entire room filled with various hidden weapons.

Cui Heng turned back, raising his hand to invite her: “Come take a look.”

Luo Wanqing listened and stepped into the room. Cui Heng followed behind her, introducing: “The first floor of Zhenbao Tower contains hidden weapons. The Supervision Department has collected all hidden weapons under heaven—what you’ve seen and haven’t seen are all here. You need to roughly understand these weapons: how to disassemble, assemble, avoid, and use them.”

As he spoke, Cui Heng picked up a piece of wood from the table: “The Supervision Department selected the most practical of these weapons for modification and mass production. This is called Qianji.”

He lifted the wood, pointed at a target on the wall, pressed it, and the piece of wood instantly shot dense, fine needles at the wall.

This sound startled Luo Wanqing. Cui Heng laughed: “This is a modified Violent Rain Pear Flower Needle. It can transform into various shapes, is extremely easy to conceal, and shoots very fast. Behind it are various specifications of blades, suitable for your different needs in various situations.”

Cui Heng spoke while flipping the wood over and pressing again. Various types of blades emerged from the bottom.

After showing Luo Wanqing the blades, Cui Heng covered them and took other materials from the table, quickly assembling based on the wooden piece while introducing: “It can be assembled into a crossbow, used as a bow, or become a staff or whip. You can explore its various uses.”

Luo Wanqing watched these materials constantly change in Cui Heng’s hands. Finally, Cui Heng actually assembled them into a set of jewelry—wooden hairpin, prayer bead bracelet, waist chain.

He held the wooden hairpin and beckoned to Luo Wanqing: “Come here.”

Luo Wanqing hesitantly walked before Cui Heng. He took the wooden hairpin and raised his hand to insert it into Luo Wanqing’s hair, saying gently, “You’re a woman. You can wear these killing devices as jewelry normally.”

As he spoke, he took Luo Wanqing’s hand. She looked down to see him winding the sandalwood prayer beads around her wrist.

Cui Heng wound the prayer beads while saying softly: “But be careful—they’re usually poisoned. This is every Inspector’s required weapon. This set isn’t poisoned. Starting tomorrow, you can learn how to become familiar with using it.”

Luo Wanqing looked up at him. Cui Heng placed the waist chain in her hand, smiling: “Need me to help you put on the waist chain?”

“No need.”

Luo Wanqing shook her head. Cui Heng sighed, seeming regretful: “My Inspector is truly cold, not giving me a chance to serve.”

Luo Wanqing knew he was joking again. She didn’t say much, only remembering how skillfully he had used this “Qianji” hidden weapon, and how these weapons were usually used by Inspectors. She couldn’t help but wonder: “Guanlan.”

“Mm?”

“Have you always been a Shadow Envoy?”

“Mm?” Cui Heng looked puzzled, turning to her: “Why do you ask?”

“You alone could fight thirty-two Tianji Pavilion masters and escape unharmed. Your martial arts must be very strong. You know so many things—are you just a Shadow Envoy?”

“Yes.” Cui Heng said casually, “Being an Inspector isn’t a good job. I don’t like this hard work. Killing hurts the brain, torture creates karma—you can do these things.”

“Then what do you like to do?” Luo Wanqing was curious.

“Me?” Cui Heng thought, turning to glance at her, joking: “Lighting lamps and feeding sweets to beauties—nothing pleases me more.”

“Then I’m making things difficult for you,” Luo Wanqing followed him through the first floor’s weapons and went upstairs, showing regret: “With this face, I hardly count as a beauty.”

“Beauty lies in bones, not skin. A face is just a face—whatever kind you want, find Elder Zhong and he can sculpt it for you. But your beautiful bones,” Cui Heng stopped walking, turned to scan her from top to bottom, half-smiling: “were shaped bit by bit by me.”

For some reason, hearing this, Luo Wanqing suddenly felt a subtle sensation rise within her.

She looked up at him. The young man bent slightly, leaning close to her ear, saying softly: “If you say you’re not beautiful, I won’t be happy.”

Luo Wanqing said nothing. She lowered her eyes, concealing the flutter Cui Heng had caused.

Cui Heng smiled and stood up, turning away happily: “Come on, upstairs has mechanisms, formations, all the secret code methods currently recorded by the Supervision Department, poisons, parasitic worms. Take a look around first, we’ll learn slowly later.”

Cui Heng spoke while leading her through Zhenbao Pavilion. Afterward, he took Luo Wanqing around the entire Supervision Department, introducing her to Qingya, Xuanshan, Zhuque, and others. By then, it was almost dark.

When night fell, Cui Heng looked at the sky and escorted Luo Wanqing back to her room with a lamp. At the door, he said softly: “It’s late. Your body is still recovering, so rest well. The night is deep and dew is heavy—don’t go out casually.”

Hearing his words, Luo Wanqing felt there was hidden meaning. Cui Heng’s expression was frank as he pointed to the adjacent room: “I live right next door. If anything happens, you can call me anytime.”

Luo Wanqing nodded. Cui Heng said, “I’ll arrange for female attendants to prepare hot water for you.”

With that, Cui Heng left carrying his lamp.

Luo Wanqing watched him leave, her expression cooling.

She entered the room while walking and thinking about Cui Heng’s words from the day before.

During this day at the Supervision Department, she roughly understood what kind of place it was.

The Supervision Department was the emperor’s hounds, supervising all officials and wielding criminal authority over the realm. It was what the emperor and people relied on to control high officials and prominent families.

But the Supervision Department’s methods were cruel, and Xie Heng was cold and violent. People in the Supervision Department were no different from pigs and dogs.

She found it hard to say whether the Supervision Department was good or bad, but she confirmed one point: no prominent family or high official wanted the Supervision Department to exist in this world.

So when Xie Heng established the Supervision Department, the Xie family directly stripped him of inheritance rights and expelled him.

She had asked Zhang Jiuran in prison how Xie Heng managed to build the Supervision Department with officials’ consent.

Zhang Jiuran said it was because of his noble status, but looking now, where was the noble status?

Luo Wanqing remembered that human skin and couldn’t help wanting to vomit, yet clearly understood that this Supervision Department was a bloody path Xie Heng had killed his way through.

Using extraordinary means to deter extraordinary people.

She found it hard to judge whether Xie Heng was good or bad.

To build the Supervision Department, he was expelled from the Xie family. The Supervision Department had indeed overturned many unjust cases and deterred many high officials, but he also gained the Supervision Department as power completely belonging to him, no longer constrained by anyone.

If he built the Supervision Department for power, then this person’s desire for power and absolute freedom far exceeded ordinary people.

Thinking of what they said yesterday about Xie Heng paying attention to the Luo family and wanting to overturn their case, she had wanted to believe it somewhat.

But after seeing today’s Supervision Department, she felt that with Xie Heng’s temperament, he had built the Supervision Department probably only for power.

Otherwise, would there be such a saint in this world who would abandon all prospects to build a Supervision Department protecting common people?

And could such a saint do things like peeling off human skin to intimidate others?

Luo Wanqing couldn’t imagine it.

She only felt that if everything stemmed from extreme desire for power, it seemed more logical.

For absolute power not constrained by the Xie family, he abandoned his Xie family identity and established the Supervision Department, becoming second only to one, above ten thousand.

So-called justice was just one of his chess pieces. His attention to her family’s case should also be just an attempt to use this case as a chess piece to constrain Li Guiyu and the Zheng family.

In the dream’s previous life, he allied with Li Guiyu, so her chess piece lost its use and rotted away in Lingnan for so long.

Otherwise, if he had paid attention to the Luo family from the beginning, how could he ally with someone like Li Guiyu, and how could the dream’s Luo Wanqing wait to die in Lingnan?

Thinking this, Luo Wanqing closed her eyes, feeling an unusual calm spreading in her heart.

Remembering how her family died one by one on the exile road in the dream’s previous life, she immediately felt her blood becoming agitated. She opened her eyes, poured herself water, and contemplated her current situation.

According to Zhang Jiuran, her family was in Xiang Sizi’s hands. She had killed Zhao Yuyan, so logically, Xiang Sizi should come to find her. But why was there no movement at all?

Because too little time had passed, or because she was in the Supervision Department?

Luo Wanqing thought and knew she had to leave the Supervision Department for a while. With Cui Heng constantly by her side, Xiang Sizi might not dare approach her.

She had to go out alone tonight.

Thinking of going out, she remembered she still had a horse mortgaged at the medical clinic.

Last night, she had sent Zhang Jiuran to the medical clinic using a Supervision Department horse as collateral.

Qin Jue was now a Supervision Department person under supervision. Having him collect Zhang Jiuran, the Supervision Department would certainly know, just not confirm Zhang Jiuran’s identity.

But if she had the Supervision Department redeem the horse at that medical clinic again, it would easily connect her with Zhang Jiuran.

She should secretly retrieve the horse herself.

Thinking this, she made her decision.

After female attendants helped her wash and groom, she pretended to sleep. When night was deep and quiet, she changed into night clothes, opened the window, looked around to confirm guard positions, then carefully snuck out of the Supervision Department.

Once outside the Supervision Department, she headed straight for the medical clinic. But halfway there, she heard a tender voice behind her: “Miss Luo.”

Luo Wanqing stopped.

She turned around to see a girl who looked only eight or nine years old standing not far away, respectfully saying: “My master requests your presence.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t move. She thought and knew who had come.

“Is your master Xiang Sizi?”

She asked directly. The girl nodded, then bowed, making a “please” gesture toward the adjacent teahouse: “Miss, please.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing looked up at the teahouse.

It was late at night. The teahouse had long since closed, its main door shut tight, completely dark.

Luo Wanqing listened carefully and seemed to hear someone on the second floor. Shean x touched her toes to the ground and went up to the second floor, leaping through a window to see a young man kneeling at a tea table.

He looked about thirty, exceptionally handsome with a cinnabar dot on his forehead. He had feminine features on a masculine face, looking like a bodhisattva.

Luo Wanqing stared at him, probing: “Xiang Sizi?”

“Miss Luo,” the other person smiled, raising his hand: “Sit.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t move, saying directly: “What do you want from me?”

“Some days ago, someone said Jiuran ran away.”

Xiang Sizi fluidly prepared tea, his tone incredulous: “I didn’t dare believe it. Jiuran is the most obedient child—how could she possibly run? Then I heard Jiuran killed all the assassins that Fengyu Pavilion sent to kill Qin Jue. I thought Jiuran was putting on quite an act. But when I intercepted the Lingnan convoy, I discovered it was real.”

“Who told you?” Luo Wanqing stared at Xiang Sizi, probing: “Zhao Yuyan?”

“That glutton couldn’t wait for her to run away.” Xiang Sizi scoffed lightly, then lowered his head: “The prison also has Fengyu Pavilion people. Jiuran is still too young. But don’t worry,” Xiang Sizi looked up, holding his teacup with a smile, “everyone who knew about this was killed by Jiuran, except me.”

“So?”

“Jiuran doesn’t want to live anymore, but the mission must be completed. She negotiated a favor for me—you continue the task she was supposed to do, and I’ll take good care of your family. As long as you do this mission, regardless of success or failure, it won’t affect your family.”

Xiang Sizi spoke while lowering his head to drink tea: “How about it?”

“Where is my family?”

Luo Wanqing stared at him. Xiang Sizi drank tea without concealment: “Eastern Capital.”

Luo Wanqing’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Eastern Capital? They were fugitives—how dare he keep them in the Eastern Capital?!

Xiang Sizi watched her expression, smiling: “You had Zhang Jiuran help rescue people, so your family was destined to be fugitives living in exile. But I’m different. I told your family I was a patient you saved, and to repay your kindness, I rescued them and gave them new identities. Your brother can even continue taking imperial examinations, and your mother is now rebuilding her medical practice. How about it?” Xiang Sizi looked up at Luo Wanqing, smiling: “Asking me is much better than asking Zhang Jiuran, right?”

“You’re so kind-hearted?”

Luo Wanqing was full of suspicion. He was controlling her family—if not keeping them locked up under control, he absolutely shouldn’t let them loose outside like this.

“Jiuran asked me to.” Xiang Sizi seemed to remember something, his expression bland: “We were master and disciple for so long. I can still fulfill this small request. But don’t think about rescuing them. They all have Fengyu Pavilion parasites in their bodies. You can’t save Zhang Jiuran, and you can’t save them either.”

“You!”

“I don’t run a charity.” Xiang Sizi looked up at her like looking at an ant: “I’m not putting parasites in your body because Xie Heng would easily detect them. Your current identity being close to Xie Heng is better. I came tonight not to negotiate with you, but to notify you—”

Xiang Sizi’s voice became serious: “From today, continue the mission to assassinate Xie Heng.”

Luo Wanqing said nothing, staring at him. Xiang Sizi smiled, seeming to know her answer.

“Succeed, I’ll remove your family’s parasites and you can reunite.” Xiang Sizi lowered his head to drink tea, saying flatly: “Fail, and it won’t implicate your family either. How about it?”

Luo Wanqing remained silent. These conditions were within her expectations.

She only pondered Xiang Sizi’s conditions, thinking if there was anything to add.

“I’m an ordinary person assassinating the Supervision Department Director,” Luo Wanqing thought, then looked up at Xiang Sizi: “Can you still preserve my life?”

“I can give your family new identities, so I can give you a new identity too.” Xiang Sizi looked up: “As long as you’re not captured and killed on the spot, I can keep you alive.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“You should trust yourself,” Xiang Sizi chuckled: “If you really can kill Xie Heng, never mind me—even Her Majesty the Empress wouldn’t bear to let such a sharp blade be broken.”

Hearing Xiang Sizi so directly mention the Empress, Luo Wanqing was somewhat surprised: “Her Majesty the Empress?”

“I know you’re hesitating,” Xiang Sizi was confident, “so I’ll tell you some truth. Fengyu Pavilion is backed by Her Majesty Empress Wang. Her Majesty has two sons—the younger is the Seventh Prince Li Shangwen, now Crown Prince, and the elder,” Xiang Sizi looked up with a light smile, “is your former fiancé, Jiang Shaoyan, also called Li Guiyu.”

“What do you mean?”

This information exceeded Luo Wanqing’s understanding.

They knew about Li Guiyu’s relationship with her and told her that Fengyu Pavilion was backed by Li Guiyu’s mother—did they expect her to risk her life?

“Li Guiyu was never favored by Her Majesty from childhood. So, five years ago, when negotiating peace with the northern tribes, Her Majesty had Li Guiyu request to be a hostage, exchanging hostages with the northern prince to promote an alliance between the two countries. This move made everyone praise Her Majesty for raising her son well. Afterward, when the Third Prince disappeared, all court officials thought he was dead. His Majesty pitied Her Majesty’s loss of a son, and court officials believed Her Majesty capable of raising a worthy ruler, jointly supporting the Seventh Prince as Crown Prince and Her Majesty becoming Empress.”

“So?”

“So don’t you understand?” Xiang Sizi looked up: “The Crown Prince and Her Majesty’s positions were built by stepping on Li Guiyu’s life. The Crown Prince’s position is very stable now. Do you think Her Majesty still needs Li Guiyu to return? If he returns, Her Majesty will feel uneasy.”

Luo Wanqing remained silent, digesting Xiang Sizi’s words.

Five years ago, the Empress made Li Guiyu request to be a hostage. Five years ago, Li Guiyu was just a fifteen-year-old youth. If she remembered correctly, according to legend, this prince was naturally pure and good, quick to learn, and had always been a popular choice for Crown Prince.

The outside world always said Li Guiyu voluntarily became a hostage, but hearing Xiang Sizi’s words, the Empress was very wary of this son who “voluntarily” became a hostage with such noble character—so wary she didn’t even want him to return.

Why?

Thinking of Jiang Shaoyan’s temperament, he volunteered to be a hostage?

“Did the Empress trick him into going?”

Luo Wanqing speculated aloud. Xiang Sizi paused, and Luo Wanqing understood somewhat: “Being a hostage wasn’t his choice—the Empress deceived him. What did she promise him?”

She promised him something, so now, when Li Guiyu returned, he brought not just a son, but a creditor.

That’s why the Empress was so wary.

Xiang Sizi said no more, only: “None of this matters. You just need to know Her Majesty, and you share the same position. Li Guiyu harmed your father—remember this. Li Guiyu is capable. You alone can’t kill him. He first attached himself to the Zheng family and now has a good reputation in court. His Majesty also feels he was wronged and shows him great care. Now Xie Heng plans to use Qin Jue’s case against the Wang family. If he wants to ally with Xie Heng and Xie Heng supports him,” Xiang Sizi looked up, staring at Luo Wanqing, “he’ll soar to great heights in the future. Do you understand?”

“So you want me to kill Xie Heng?”

Luo Wanqing understood Xiang Sizi’s intention.

Xiang Sizi smiled: “Correct. Xie Heng is a thorn in Her Majesty’s heart. Kill Xie Heng, and Her Majesty will give you a chance to kill Li Guiyu. You switched identities with Jiuran from Yangzhou prison, entered the Supervision Department—isn’t this what you were aiming for?”

Luo Wanqing said nothing, but Xiang Sizi seemed to already know her decision, saying softly: “If you still don’t believe, in a few days Li Guiyu should visit Xie Heng. You might as well listen to what they say.”

“Choose Her Majesty—your family will be safe, and you can avenge your family.”

“Choose the Supervision Department…” Xiang Sizi scoffed: “Then watch Li Guiyu rise step by step, marry Zheng Biyue, and perhaps even ascend to the throne to become the world’s ruler! If you have such magnanimity, I would truly admire you. But your father in the underworld would probably hate that he ever had such a daughter.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing suddenly clenched her fists.

At this moment, the sound of scattered fighting came from outside.

Xiang Sizi turned to look, saying softly: “Oh, someone followed you here.”

With that, he stood up and walked outside, saying as he went: “Go back and think about it. If you want to meet again, come to this teahouse and order three cups of Biluochun tea.”

Luo Wanqing said nothing as the person before her opened the door and disappeared into the corridor.

Luo Wanqing stayed in the room for a moment, then turned and left, walking toward the medical clinic.

The sounds of fighting weren’t far away, but she paid no attention, going to the medical clinic to find the doctor and exchanging gold pearls for her horse. She then led the horse back.

As she walked, she pondered Xiang Sizi’s words.

Xie Heng allying with Li Guiyu…

In that dream, Li Guiyu had indeed been supported by Xie Heng.

But Xiang Sizi was also the one who had harmed Zhang Jiuran. Was he a good person? Could his words be trusted?

She pondered this, frowning as she walked down the long street. As she walked, she heard a laughing voice ahead: “In the middle of the night, I wondered what you went to do—turns out you went to fetch a horse?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing looked up to see a young man wearing a golden mask, dressed in white wide-sleeved robes with a red cord casually tied at his waist, carrying a warm-colored palace lantern, looking quite leisurely.

Seeing him, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but glance toward the teahouse, asking directly: “Where did you come from?”

Hearing this, Cui Heng pointed toward the teahouse, honestly saying: “I followed your tracks here, but when I got there, I encountered some petty thieves and lost track of you.”

As he spoke, Cui Heng walked forward, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair that had fallen by Luo Wanqing’s face behind her ear, lowering his eyes and saying softly: “Going out without even arranging your hair properly, letting it hang loose—inappropriate for others to see.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing looked up. Cui Heng tilted his head, saying gently: “Right?”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Luo Wanqing: “Young Master, I went to do bad things.”

Xie Heng: “Mm, I know.”

Luo Wanqing: “Young Master, they want me to kill you.”

Xie Heng: “Mm? I roughly know.”

Luo Wanqing: “Young Master, aren’t you going to deal with me?”

Xie Heng: “Mm? Haven’t I already dealt with you?”

Luo Wanqing: “Ah? When?”

Xie Heng: “Sentenced you to life imprisonment in the Supervision Department. Already arrested you~”

Luo Wanqing: “…”

Xie Heng: “How’s that? Isn’t it doting?”

Luo Wanqing: “Young Master, please don’t learn cheesy pickup lines anymore. It’s scary.”