◎Did you come specifically to save him?◎

Luo Wanqing was held by Cui Heng’s arm as they emerged from the dungeon. Only after they had exited did she finally come to her senses and said hurriedly, “I apologize, I lost my composure earlier.”

Hearing this, Cui Heng withdrew his hand unobtrusively and smiled as well, “I apologize, I was somewhat presumptuous earlier.”

Luo Wanqing looked up at him questioningly, only to see Cui Heng gazing quietly at her. Moonlight fell around him, his eyes gentle and bright, like the guiding moon hanging high in the sky, quietly showing her the way: “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to find your way out.”

Luo Wanqing was speechless. She looked quietly at this man.

From Yangzhou all the way here, he had always accompanied her at her side, distant yet clear. In all her moments of panic, confusion, and desperation, he had steadily supported her and guided her forward.

She gazed at him and suddenly felt such a desire to draw closer to him.

Cui Heng looked down at her, his heart stirring slightly, but his expression remained composed as he asked, “Inspector, shall I escort you back to rest?”

“Yes.”

Luo Wanqing withdrew her gaze. Cui Heng stepped forward and lifted her horizontally in his arms, then quickly ascended the mountain.

She nestled in his embrace, her breath filled with the cold fragrance from his body. She listened to his heartbeat and lowered her eyes, not daring to overstep even slightly.

She suddenly wanted to do something for him, but she didn’t know what she could do.

When Cui Heng carried her into the room and set her down, he said softly, “I’ll go arrange things with the others to facilitate Li Guiyu sending messages.”

He was about to rise when Luo Wanqing suddenly reached out and grasped his pulse point.

Cui Heng’s body instantly tensed, his cold gaze moving to the clear and beautiful face before him.

Luo Wanqing quietly took his pulse. Cui Heng watched her warily. The moon hid behind clouds, and the room instantly darkened. In the night, their emotions were hard to discern. Luo Wanqing only felt Cui Heng lean forward slightly. The night wind and Cui Heng’s voice came together, cold with a hint of light laughter: “Inspector?”

“The poison from the Seven Insects Seven Flowers Pill in your body hasn’t been neutralized yet.” Luo Wanqing sensed his change in breathing, steadied her mind, and looked up to explain, “It’s just that your special constitution has prevented it from manifesting. I’ll give you the antidote tomorrow.”

Cui Heng said nothing. The moon slowly emerged from the clouds, gradually illuminating the woman’s face before him.

Her expression was calm, without any hidden agenda.

Cui Heng stared at her for a long time, then suddenly smiled: “Is this what you wanted to know?”

“I don’t trust your words.” Luo Wanqing spoke honestly.

This man kept everything hidden, especially matters concerning his own body and identity – those he concealed most carefully.

Hearing this, Cui Heng fell silent. Luo Wanqing withdrew her hand from taking his pulse and said gently, “After you finish handling Li Guiyu’s matter, rest well. I’ll wait for you tomorrow.”

Hearing her say she would “wait for him,” Cui Heng felt his heart tremble slightly for some unknown reason. He straightened up, his tone also becoming gentler: “Alright.”

“Go on.”

Luo Wanqing went to the side to fetch clean water. Cui Heng didn’t say much more, bowed, and left.

When he reached the door, Luo Wanqing suddenly called out: “Cui Heng.”

Cui Heng turned around to see Luo Wanqing sitting in the shadows. She spoke calmly: “My name is Luo Wanqing.”

Cui Heng looked back in surprise. He gazed at the woman sitting in the night for a long time, then, as if learning this for the first time, smiled and said: “I understand.”

With that, he smiled and turned to leave.

Luo Wanqing sat in the chair, holding a teacup. After a long while, she drank all the clear water in the cup.

The water was somewhat cold, bringing clarity to her mind.

She wanted to say more, to be more honest.

But she didn’t dare.

She could only acknowledge to him what Cui Heng already knew.

Li Guiyu didn’t know the information the Supervision Department had given her, but Cui Heng was clear about it.

The Supervision Department didn’t know about Li Guiyu meeting her father, yet she had provided additional information that Cui Heng couldn’t possibly be unaware of.

Cui Heng was the one who had watched her grow up all along.

What Xie Heng didn’t know, he knew. What Xie Heng knew, he also knew. He understood her better than anyone.

Combined with her loss of composure tonight and various other signs, Cui Heng should have discovered her identity as Luo Wanqing long ago.

She should have spoken up earlier, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it, even though this person was Cui Heng.

She thought for a long time, then stood up and took out the mostly completed antidote for the Seven Insects Seven Flowers Pill, working on the final step.

When Cui Heng had fed her his blood to neutralize poison before, she had known his constitution was special. When he previously said he didn’t need it, she hadn’t insisted.

Only today did she discover that his constitution wasn’t for detoxification – his body contained many toxins, accumulated deep in his bones. Besides the ones she had administered and other lethal poisons, there were many toxins she couldn’t even identify.

She didn’t know how this was achieved, but she was certain of one thing.

Such a body wouldn’t last long.

Luo Wanqing didn’t dare think too much about it, forcing herself to consider Li Guiyu’s reaction tonight instead. Li Guiyu’s imprisonment wasn’t just to force him to act against Li Shangwen.

For Luo Wanqing, most importantly, tonight she could obtain some information about the past from him.

Although what happened in the past no longer mattered – he had harmed her family and that was that – if she could hear more details or receive an apology, she would feel somewhat better.

But he showed no remorse.

Thinking of Li Guiyu’s expression, she instantly felt furious.

But immediately after, an unexpected thought crossed her mind.

Why didn’t he show remorse?

Luo Wanqing frowned, becoming somewhat calmer.

Setting aside the past between Luo Wanqing and Li Guiyu, if viewed from an outsider’s perspective, what information had Li Guiyu provided tonight?

He cared about Jiang Fengwan, but Jiang Fengwan was dead.

The Luo family case hadn’t gone through his hands – perhaps it was entirely the Zheng family’s doing. At least, the investigation would only lead to the Zheng family.

Otherwise, Li Guiyu couldn’t have spoken so definitively about having no connection. Given his nature, he wouldn’t give such an absolute answer.

And also… Li Guiyu… genuinely believed from his heart that Luo Qushu deserved to die.

Realizing this, Luo Wanqing’s body trembled slightly, and then she understood she absolutely couldn’t avoid this matter.

She forced herself to think about Li Guiyu’s attitude toward Luo Qushu.

Li Guiyu felt her father deserved his fate, but then something must have happened between them. When would her father and Li Guiyu have had the opportunity to meet?

Upon reflection, Luo Wanqing realized that her father was a retainer of the Cui family.

When Li Guiyu went to the frontier that year, her father had also followed the Cui family to the frontier.

However, before the Cui family’s treason, he had returned early and was hastily preparing to leave. But before their family relocation, Yao Zelan had taken her up the mountain to fulfill a vow, where she was kidnapped and encountered Li Guiyu. The next day, her father took their family away, and on the day they left, Cui Qingping returned.

When Cui Qingping knocked alone at the palace gates, her family was on the road to Yangzhou, and she had forced them to detour through the bamboo forest, where they rescued Li Guiyu.

Actually, at first, Yao Zelan hadn’t agreed to take home a young man of unknown background who had a complicated past.

It was she who insisted on saving her benefactor. Mother and daughter were at an impasse for a long time, until finally, Luo Qushu spoke up.

At that time, he seemed resigned, saying hoarsely: “Let’s take him back.”

Yao Zelan angrily scolded him: “The child is being foolish, but you’re a grown man – don’t you know better?!”

“I know.”

At that time, Luo Qushu spoke calmly, even emphasizing once more: “I know.”

He knew.

This phrase, recalled now, suddenly seemed deeply meaningful.

What did he know?

Did he know the consequences of saving Li Guiyu? Did he know who Li Guiyu was? Or did he know something else?

Luo Wanqing suddenly realized – her father had been to the battlefield. Had he never seen Jiang Shaoyan?

If he had seen him, then her father should have known his identity. Why did he keep him?

Why did Li Guiyu hate him?

Five years ago…

What exactly happened at the frontier?

As Luo Wanqing pondered, she suddenly heard the sound of a door opening nearby.

Luo Wanqing paused slightly in her movements, thought for a moment, then immediately followed.

Coming to the door, she immediately saw Xie Heng descending the mountain.

He wore his usual black wide-sleeved brocade robe with a gold crown, the Qianji bracelet on his hand. Qingya and Zhuque followed behind him as they descended the mountain together.

The night wind was cool, the moon bright, and the stars sparse. The young man’s expression was stern, as if going to handle a matter.

Seeing this, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but be stunned.

So late at night – what was Xie Heng going out to do?

As the Director of the Supervision Department, he rarely needed to go out personally. Now, within the Supervision Department, what case would be worth Xie Heng’s attention?

Luo Wanqing’s mind immediately turned to Li Guiyu. Currently, was there any case more important than one involving two princes?

But if Xie Heng was going to interrogate Li Guiyu, why hadn’t he informed her in advance? She could have cooperated with Xie Heng beforehand to do something to Li Guiyu.

She thought it over, watching Xie Heng’s figure disappear from view. After hesitating for a moment, she finally followed at a distance.

She didn’t dare get close – with the acute senses of the Four Chiefs and Xie Heng, there was no room for her to follow undetected.

She could only watch from afar as they walked toward the dungeon. After everyone entered and closed the dungeon doors, she crept to the entrance.

The dungeon was sealed tight – she couldn’t hear any sound from inside. She hesitated for a long time but still remained, not leaving.

Xie Heng led Zhuque and Qingya into the dungeon. As soon as they entered the corridor, Zhuque eagerly spoke: “Young Master, Inspector Liu seems to have followed.”

“I know.”

Xie Heng’s voice was calm. Zhuque wasn’t surprised – if he had noticed, Xie Heng certainly knew. He couldn’t help asking: “Aren’t you going to do anything about it, Young Master?”

“Interrogate the prisoner first.”

Hearing this, Zhuque understood the priorities.

Anyway, no sound could escape the dungeon, so Luo Wanqing couldn’t hear anything. Whether she followed or not made no difference.

As for Li Guiyu…

Xie Heng’s expression grew cold.

Actually, from the beginning, he had never intended to leave Li Guiyu in Luo Wanqing’s hands.

He had never expected that someone like Li Guiyu, who had been a prodigy in court, had escaped from the brutal torture of the Northern Rong and returned, and could return to court despite the Empress’s targeting, could be outmaneuvered by Luo Wanqing.

He wasn’t confident of success, so how could he expect it of Luo Wanqing?

His agreement to let Li Guiyu be imprisoned was, from the start, only to obtain what he wanted to know.

Having Luo Wanqing reveal her identity and confront Li Guiyu served two purposes: first, to let Luo Wanqing vent her anger and understand what she truly wanted.

Second, to allow him to observe Li Guiyu.

Luo Wanqing was the only person who could create cracks in Li Guiyu’s facade. He needed to glimpse at least a sliver of Li Guiyu’s true nature before he could reach in and tear apart his flesh and blood.

Xie Heng turned the Qianji bracelet on his hand. Zhuque stepped forward to open the interrogation room door.

Hearing the sound, Li Guiyu opened his eyes coldly to see Xie Heng leading people inside.

Zhuque went forward to light the lamps, while Qingya sat at a small table to the side, opening the inkstone.

Li Guiyu looked calmly at Xie Heng. The Ghost Binding drug’s effects hadn’t worn off yet – his face was pale as he smirked: “What, Inspector Liu couldn’t get anything out of me, so Director Xie has come personally?”

“Xiniang got quite a lot out of you,” Xie Heng said, looking up. “It’s just that some things aren’t convenient for her to know, so I’ve come to ask personally.”

“Director Xie needn’t go to such trouble,” Li Guiyu smiled slightly. “Why not discuss terms instead? Director Xie, just give me Liu Xiniang, and I’ll naturally tell you whatever you want to know.”

“Do you believe she’s Luo Wanqing?”

Xie Heng asked directly. Li Guiyu remained silent, staring at Xie Heng, trying to discern his meaning.

Xie Heng’s expression was knowing: “You don’t believe it. The Crown Prince has already met with trouble. You’re confident the Empress will save you, but you need to wait until she realizes the Crown Prince must be abandoned, so what you need is time. You know, we’re trying to deliberately force you to assassinate Li Shangwen. You’re pretending to fall for it just to buy time. You don’t care about her, and you don’t want her. This fake is just a tool to deceive everyone, as far as you’re concerned.”

Li Guiyu remained silent. Xie Heng continued: “But conveniently, I’m not particularly interested in you and the Crown Prince either. As for you, I just want to chat.”

“Chat about what?”

“Let’s chat about the past,” Xie Heng said, sitting down, looking quietly at Li Guiyu. “I’m very interested in Your Highness. Let me see where to start – Changshun eighth year, Your Highness voluntarily became a hostage, escorted by Cui Qingping, and went to the frontier. You became a Northern Rong hostage, and the Northern Rong launched a surprise attack. How would the Northern Rong treat you then?”

Li Guiyu said nothing. Xie Heng speculated: “Would they use you as a human shield? But given Cui Qingping’s nature, he couldn’t possibly open the city gates for just one prince. How did you survive? I’ve been wondering, but today I suddenly thought – where did Jiang Fengwan go?”

Li Guiyu looked at him calmly, without any ripple of emotion. But Xie Heng was certain: “He died, died saving you. So he went to the Northern Rong with you, but a master at the Sword Saint level never had any news again. Only his intervention could have given you a chance to live. How did he die? Was he killed by the Northern Rong, or by his own people?”

Li Guiyu chuckled softly, closed his eyes, and said nothing.

Xie Heng observed his expression and continued: “Then, somehow, the city was breached…”

“It wasn’t breached.”

Li Guiyu looked up at Xie Heng and spoke mockingly: “It surrendered.”

Xie Heng paused. Li Guiyu smiled, emphasizing: “Cui Qingping committed treason and surrendered!”

Xie Heng didn’t move. He knew Li Guiyu was trying to anger him.

He smiled and continued: “The ten frontier cities fell, the entire Cui family died in battle, not a single survivor left at the frontier. Only the Wang family held fast at Heyu Pass, stopping the cavalry’s eastward advance. The Wang family rose to great prominence, and you – since you survived, shouldn’t you have returned to the Eastern Capital then?”

“Let me calculate,” Xie Heng raised his hand, as if remembering something. “Five years ago, the day Cui Qingping entered the Eastern Capital, the Luo family had just left the Eastern Capital. You weren’t rescued in Yangzhou – it was in the Eastern Capital, wasn’t it? You returned to the Eastern Capital, but couldn’t stay? Who was intercepting you?”

Li Guiyu didn’t move. Xie Heng said calmly: “It was your mother, the Empress. She sent you to the frontier to serve as a stepping stone for Li Shangwen. She didn’t want you.”

“Director Xie,” Li Guiyu shook his head, “your guesses are getting more and more outrageous.”

“I have even more outrageous ones,” Xie Heng continued. “Then you were adopted by the Luo family. In such circumstances, as a former retainer of the Cui family, hadn’t Luo Qushu seen you on the battlefield? When you were held up as a hostage, didn’t he catch even a distant glimpse?”

Li Guiyu’s movements paused.

Xie Heng continued: “He had seen you, but why would he take a prince like you to escape the Eastern Capital and raise you for five years? And five years later, not only do you show no gratitude, you even used the Zheng family to harm the entire Luo family. Why? Why do you hate him? What exactly did he do that you couldn’t even accept Luo Wanqing?”

“It’s a pity Director Xie doesn’t write storybooks.”

Li Guiyu lowered his head and chuckled: “How can you imagine so many strange things?”

“Strange? I’m just wondering – why did Luo Qushu temporarily leave the battlefield, why did he go to Yangzhou, what exactly was the evidence that Cui Qingping sent from the frontier to Yangzhou back then, and who was he sending it to?”

Li Guiyu said nothing. He listened to Xie Heng’s questioning sentence by sentence, not daring to answer any of them.

He knew Xie Heng’s words were all traps.

Unlike Luo Wanqing, he was too cunning – so cunning that any reaction would be an answer for Xie Heng.

Seeing his silence, Xie Heng was extremely patient. He stood up, slowly paced, and continued: “What exactly did Luo Qushu owe you that in the end you could make him willing to take his own life? And after Luo Wanqing’s father died, how did you face her? In those five years, did you truly have no feelings for her at all?”

“My affairs with Miss…” Li Guiyu gritted his teeth and spoke, “are not for you to interfere with.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng turned to look.

Li Guiyu suddenly felt something was wrong. Xie Heng raised an eyebrow: “So, what Cui Qingping originally sent from the frontier to Yangzhou, escorted by Zhang Qiuzhi and intercepted by Fengyu Pavilion, was really evidence?”

Li Guiyu’s muscles tensed, but his expression remained composed as he asked in confusion: “What is the Director talking about?”

However, both sides were already clear on the situation.

Just now in Xie Heng’s words, he had directly mentioned “evidence,” and Li Guiyu hadn’t spoken at all, unconsciously accepting this fact.

Xie Heng completely ignored Li Guiyu’s pretense, walked up to him, and stared at him, asking: “Who did Fengyu Pavilion give the items to – the Empress?”

Li Guiyu’s expression remained unchanged. Xie Heng thought for a moment, then suddenly realized: “Luo Qushu?”

Li Guiyu’s expression turned cold.

But Xie Heng had understood.

The core evidence of what happened at the frontier had been sent by Cui Qingping to Yangzhou back then.

Luo Qushu was at least one of the recipients, which was why he returned from the battlefield and hurried to Yangzhou.

Cui Qingping had anticipated what would happen later – Luo Qushu was one of his chess pieces.

And this chess piece had been killed by Li Guiyu.

“Where are the items?”

Xie Heng immediately asked coldly.

If Li Guiyu had killed Luo Qushu for this, then the items must have fallen into Li Guiyu’s hands.

Li Guiyu looked up at Xie Heng and sneered: “How would I know where something Director Xie fabricated is?”

Hearing this, Xie Heng’s expression grew cold. He stared at Li Guiyu: “You harmed her entire family just for these items?”

Li Guiyu didn’t respond.

Xie Heng looked at his expression, thinking of his first meeting with “Liu Xiniang.”

Her barely healed burn scars, the wounds from fighting in death row covering her body, her cold and guarded expression, the calluses on her hands.

He hadn’t thought at all that such a person could be Luo Wanqing.

And the person who had driven her to this state was the man before him.

For power, for revenge, he had transformed Luo Wanqing into what she was now.

Xie Heng felt as if his heart had been branded with a hot iron. He couldn’t help asking: “Even if you had to fight with Luo Qushu, what about Luo Wanqing?”

“I sent her to Lingnan.”

At this, Li Guiyu finally spoke, his voice hoarse: “She could go to Lingnan and live peacefully there for the rest of her life.”

“That was her father!” Xie Heng suddenly raised his voice, finding it incomprehensible. “Her father died mysteriously – how could you expect her to live peacefully for the rest of her life?”

“I know.” Li Guiyu looked coldly at Xie Heng. “So I was prepared.”

Xie Heng was stunned.

Li Guiyu said calmly: “Whether she lives or dies, loves or hates, as long as she spends this lifetime on me, Jiang Shaoyan,” Li Guiyu’s voice trembled slightly, “I ask for nothing more.”

“What do you mean?”

Xie Heng vaguely understood Li Guiyu’s words and frowned.

Li Guiyu laughed, concealing the trace of weakness in his eyes, with a hint of madness: “If she cannot love me to the extreme, she might as well hate me for a lifetime. Now that she’s dead, dying when she loved and hated me the most,” Li Guiyu nodded, “I am greatly comforted.”

Hearing this, a flash of killing intent suddenly burst from Xie Heng’s eyes.

“You deserve to die.”

Xie Heng spoke.

Li Guiyu smiled and tilted his head, provocatively saying: “You may kill me.”

The motion of turning the Qianji bracelet instantly stopped. Xie Heng stared at Li Guiyu.

After a long while, he shook his head: “No, you shouldn’t die now.”

“Want to use more torture?”

Li Guiyu saw through his intention and mocked him directly.

Xie Heng ignored him and beckoned to Zhuque: “Go get the best Five Stone Powder.”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu suddenly raised his head.

Zhuque was somewhat confused but quickly went out to fetch the Five Stone Powder.

The Supervision Department’s Five Stone Powder was commonly used for pain relief during healing. Zhuque didn’t understand what Xie Heng intended to do, muttering: “Young Master, such good stuff for him?”

Qingya said nothing. He glanced at Li Guiyu on the torture rack.

He was tense, watching the Five Stone Powder in Xie Heng’s hands warily.

Xie Heng waved his hand, saying to Qingya and Zhuque, “Go out.”

Zhuque and Qingya exchanged glances, not daring to say more. Qingya packed up the records and led Zhuque out.

Soon, only Xie Heng and Li Guiyu remained in the interrogation room. Li Guiyu looked at the Five Stone Powder in his hands and couldn’t help laughing: “You wouldn’t want to use Five Stone Powder to torture me, would you? This is something that brings pleasure.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

Xie Heng held the Five Stone Powder and placed it in the incense burner closest to Li Guiyu. Seeing his action, Li Guiyu shouted sharply: “Xie Heng!”

“When a person keeps eating bitter things for too long, they get used to it. What’s frightening is suddenly tasting a piece of candy – after eating one piece, eating bitterness for the rest of one’s life becomes truly painful. Even more frightening is when this piece of candy is readily available, but it’s poison.” Xie Heng stirred the Five Stone Powder with a silver needle and brought it over, looking calmly at Li Guiyu. “Tell me, if a prince becomes addicted to Five Stone Powder, what are his chances of becoming crown prince or even ascending the throne?”

“Five Stone Powder isn’t forbidden in the palace,” Li Guiyu stared at Xie Heng. “What harm is there in my using it?”

“It’s not forbidden in the palace because few people become addicted. Ordinary people indeed don’t easily become addicted, but Your Highness,” Xie Heng smiled, “using the world as a cauldron and ourselves as ingredients, born to be cooked – why pity death? People who live like this wouldn’t they drink poison to quench thirst? Others won’t become addicted, but what about Your Highness?”

Li Guiyu said nothing. He held his breath, not daring to make a sound.

He knew Xie Heng was right.

All these years, he didn’t drink alcohol, didn’t seek pleasure, and was even exceptionally restrained in eating, let alone Five Stone Powder.

He lived and practiced like an ascetic monk, not daring to indulge even slightly.

He thought such tempering could make his will resilient, but Luo Wanqing made him clearly understand that losing something beautiful was more painful than suffering.

He didn’t dare touch Five Stone Powder because he knew he couldn’t quit it.

Five Stone Powder was commonly used for pain relief, and some people in the palace even used it moderately for pleasure.

But he absolutely couldn’t do it in moderation.

He knew himself too well, but he hadn’t expected there would be a Xie Heng who understood him just as clearly.

He didn’t dare breathe. His internal organs ached from holding his breath, while Xie Heng stood before him, holding the incense burner, looking at him calmly.

The scent of Five Stone Powder filled the air. Li Guiyu endured for a long time, finally unable to control himself. He suddenly exhaled sharply, then, from survival instinct, couldn’t help breathing rapidly.

The scent of Five Stone Powder rushed into his nasal cavity and throat, intertwining with the effects of Ghost Binding.

He stared dead at Xie Heng, forcing himself not to feel anything, but he couldn’t completely control the long-absent sense of pleasure slowly rising.

In despair, he felt himself becoming light and ethereal. After a while, he felt his blood boiling throughout his body, and he forgot everything.

Xie Heng was before him, but he suddenly didn’t care much.

He just felt that this was quite good.

Xie Heng looked at him calmly and said, “Have you noticed how you separate Jiang Shaoyan and Li Guiyu? What’s different about them?”

Li Guiyu heard the question and breathed lightly. He seemed to see Luo Wanqing standing not far away, sitting in the interrogation room, head lowered, writing something.

What was different?

Jiang Shaoyan had Luo Wanqing.

He had nothing and bore no responsibilities. He had no past and didn’t want a future.

All he had was a sword and his young miss.

“Miss…”

He looked at the empty interrogation table, thinking of the woman who had just grabbed his hair and interrogated him with feigned composure, whispering.

His heart, which had always been frozen, suddenly seemed to start beating. He was suddenly alert to the large patches of festering wounds on his heart – those wounds seemed to have rotted into holes, still being tormented by piercing wind blades.

He felt empty to the point of nothingness. Everything became meaningless except for that person.

He wanted to see her.

Only then did he realize—

How much he missed her.

How much he was suffering, how much pain he was in – all this time, he just wanted to see her.

Miss…

Qingqing…

The longing he had always suppressed was like a suddenly unleashed torrential wave, instantly drowning him. He was buried between this yearning and desire, both painful and wounded.

Hearing the address, Xie Heng’s expression grew cold. He raised his hand to set aside the Five Stone Powder and turned to leave.

“Xie Heng!” Li Guiyu suddenly called out.

Xie Heng stopped. Li Guiyu gasped and raised his eyes: “Kill Liu Xiniang. Name your conditions.”

He couldn’t let someone who looked so much like Luo Wanqing continue living.

He couldn’t bear it.

He would… he would want to see her.

He had to kill her, must kill her.

Hearing this, Xie Heng turned to look at him and asked: “What if she is Luo Wanqing?”

“You can’t fool me.” Li Guiyu laughed coldly. “Stop wasting your effort. Even if she is Luo Wanqing—”

He gritted his teeth: “I’ll still kill her.”

Xie Heng didn’t move. After a moment, he smiled, his gaze piercing to the heart: “Why did the fifth arrow miss?”

Li Guiyu’s heartstrings trembled. He couldn’t help clenching his fists. Xie Heng turned to leave, saying indifferently: “I’m not the one deceiving you-you’re deceiving yourself. Li Guiyu, karma has its price. Deal with yourself.”

“What about you?!” Li Guiyu suddenly raised his voice: “Karma has its price – what kind of good person is Director Xie?”

“I’ve never been a good person.” Xie Heng didn’t look back, his voice calm. “In the Avici Hell, I await Your Highness.”

With that, he stepped out the door. The great door closed, isolating the scent of Five Stone Powder and that person behind it.

He strode outward, and while walking, he drew out the Qianji and cleanly cut a wound on his arm.

The pain cleared his mind somewhat, restraining the pleasure brought by Five Stone Powder.

He hadn’t used Ghost Binding and was much less sensitive to Five Stone Powder than Li Guiyu, but even so, he still needed external help.

Zhuque and Qingya caught up beside him. Zhuque saw the wound on his hand and cried out in surprise: “Young Master, how did you…”

Before he finished speaking, Qingya hurriedly interrupted him, saying urgently, “Young Master, should we interfere if Inspector Liu comes later?”

“No need.”

Xie Heng looked straight ahead, leading the two away, saying calmly: “Let her be.”

With that, Xie Heng led the two up the mountain.

Luo Wanqing hid in the shadows, watching Xie Heng walk away. She hesitated for a long time before emerging from hiding, pondering Xie Heng’s purpose.

Xie Heng was investigating the Cui family case. With Li Guiyu in hand, this was naturally the best opportunity.

But… with Li Guiyu’s nature, how would Xie Heng make him talk?

Luo Wanqing was somewhat curious. After thinking, she simply stepped forward and, after showing her badge to the guards, walked inside.

She was Li Guiyu’s chief interrogator – her coming to question Li Guiyu was truly legitimate.

Walking through the corridor, she reached the interrogation room holding Li Guiyu. After having the guards open the door, the moment it opened, the rich scent of Five Stone Powder instantly assaulted her nostrils.

Luo Wanqing stood stunned at the doorway, looking up in confusion to see Li Guiyu mounted on the torture device.

His complexion was somewhat flushed, his eyes hazy. Hearing the sound at the door, he looked up questioningly to see a black-clothed woman standing at the entrance. She stared at him blankly, exactly like the person in his dreams.

His heart was instantly filled. That constantly empty hole suddenly stopped hurting.

He looked at the person at the door in disbelief, watching her move with light steps, as if treading on clear Jiangnan waters.

She walked before him, her entire being surrounded by a halo.

“Miss…” he trembled as he spoke, then smiled. With just one smile, tears slid down: “You came?”

Luo Wanqing looked at Li Guiyu in disbelief, then saw him looking at her tenderly: “Without you here, Shaoyan hurts so much.”

Luo Wanqing’s movements paused slightly. Looking at the person before her who had lost consciousness, her heart tightened.

With Li Guiyu’s intelligence, he absolutely couldn’t fail to distinguish reality from illusion simply because of Five Stone Powder. His current state was entirely because he was indulging in the fantasy he desired.

Her heart ached sharply, waves of nausea rising.

She suddenly realized she hated Li Guiyu like this even more.

She’d rather he be malicious and sinister as before than appear like this now, as if he’d given up all resistance, seeming like a good person.

She turned to look beside her and discovered the Five Stone Powder in a nearby incense burner. She walked to the burner and had just picked it up when she heard a light laugh behind her: “Why not ask him the questions you want answers to at this moment?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing turned around to see Cui Heng standing at the door.

He held a glazed lamp, wearing white, wide-sleeved robes with a slightly open collar. He wore a gilt mask, his hair half-pinned with a jade hairpin, about to fall but not quite falling, as if he had lain down to sleep and then risen again. He looked particularly casual and lazy, composed and elegant.

Speaking thus, his gaze fell on the Five Stone Powder in Luo Wanqing’s hands, saying gently: “Five Stone Powder plus the Inspector’s face – whatever the Inspector wants to know should be easier to obtain.”

“Put out the Five Stone Powder!” Li Guiyu seemed awakened by Cui Heng’s words, suddenly becoming alert and agitated: “Liu Xiniang…”

“This is a gift from the Director to the Third Prince…”

Before he could finish, Luo Wanqing threw the incense burner into cold water.

Cui Heng’s voice stopped. He looked at her quietly, gripping the palace lamp tightly: “Inspector?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. She used a water ladle to scoop cold water and turned to look at Li Guiyu.

Li Guiyu met the clear and determined gaze of the person before him, instantly seeming to see again that woman who had treated patients in the crowd years ago.

His eyes became confused as he murmured: “Miss?”

Cold water suddenly splashed down. He seemed to remember something and instinctively closed his eyes: “Don’t go…”

This “don’t go” was drowned in the cold water. Luo Wanqing threw down the ladle and turned to leave.

Cold water fell from Li Guiyu’s eyelashes. He trembled lightly and looked up at the departing figure.

That person seemed surrounded by a halo, just like that Jiangnan girl who was always so brilliant and bright in the crowd.

He looked at her retreating figure in disbelief, feeling that heart, silent as death, seemed to slowly come back to life.

Like new shoots emerging from barren, hard soil, it beat gently, joyfully. That name appeared between his lips and teeth. In the instant before he called it out, he suddenly realized something, opened his eyes wide, then exploded.

“Go die!”

He finally lost composure: “Liu Xiniang, go die!”

Impersonating his miss!

She tried to impersonate his miss.

Most importantly…

She had almost succeeded.

In that moment just now, he had almost felt his heart move for her as he had for Luo Wanqing.

Go die, she deserved to die.

“I’ll kill you! Liu Xiniang, change your face back! Otherwise, I’ll kill you!”

Li Guiyu screamed hoarsely. Luo Wanqing left without looking back.

The great door slammed shut, blocking the curses behind her. Cui Heng carried the lamp beside her, the palace lamp illuminating the path ahead. Straw covered the stone floor, hiding mottled bloodstains.

The scent of Five Stone Powder drifted faintly from her side, intertwining with the Five Stone Powder scent on her body.

“Did the Inspector come specifically just to throw away this Five Stone Powder?”

Cui Heng’s tone was light, then he smiled: “Ghost Binding causes excessive pain. The Director was comforting the Third Prince’s emotions with a little Five Stone Powder – what’s wrong with that? Not wanting to give the Third Prince even a few good days – does the Inspector hate him this much?”

“I do hate him.” Luo Wanqing’s tone was calm. “But Five Stone Powder isn’t comfort for him – it’s punishment.”

Hearing this, Cui Heng’s expression grew cold. He couldn’t help clenching his fist behind him: “Then didn’t the Inspector help him?”

“Yes.”

“He harmed the Inspector, and now, in such circumstances, the Inspector still helps him.” Cui Heng slowed his steps, looking at the person walking ahead. “Could it be that feelings remain, and despite family hatred, you still feel heartache?”

“It’s not that feelings remain,” Luo Wanqing pushed open the dungeon door. Moonlight slanted down as she walked out of the dungeon, night wind gently brushing her sleeves as she continued forward. “I just think that when punishing someone, you should punish their evil, not their good.”

Cui Heng stopped. Luo Wanqing noticed he had stopped and turned back.

Cui Heng stood in the dungeon holding the lamp, as if trapped there like a ghost from hell, looking at her calmly.

“Aren’t a person’s good and evil both part of that person? He killed your father, you take revenge on him – as long as it makes him suffer, whatever the means, shouldn’t it all be acceptable?”

Cui Heng spoke softly. Luo Wanqing thought of Li Guiyu’s appearance just now, pondered for a long time, then said slowly: “No.”

“Oh?”

“Even within one person, good and evil are distinct. I want to take revenge on him because I want him to know that in harming my family, he was wrong. To punish him, I can beat him, scold him, or even kill him. But Five Stone Powder is different.”

“How is it different?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. In her mind appeared the rainy day of her sixteenth birthday.

Jiang Shaoyan had bought her the best peach blossom pastries in all of Yangzhou. They stood under the eaves sheltering from rain. She brought the pastries to his mouth, but he wouldn’t take a bite.

She was somewhat puzzled: “Shaoyan, do you not like sweets?”

Jiang Shaoyan’s movements paused slightly. After hesitating, he spoke softly: “No.”

Luo Wanqing was surprised: “Then why won’t you eat?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m afraid that if I eat once and develop a craving, I’ll never be able to eat them again.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing looked up blankly. In the night, she looked at Jiang Shaoyan, whose eyes seemed covered with mist as he looked quietly at her: “Miss, gaining and then losing is the greatest suffering in the world. I’m very afraid of suffering.”

She didn’t understand, just stared at him blankly. After a long time, she reacted and said with a smile: “Then don’t be afraid. With me here, I guarantee you’ll have peach blossom pastries for life. I’ll work as a doctor to earn money and buy them for you every day!”

With that, she brought the pastries to his mouth, happily saying: “Shaoyan, eat.”

Jiang Shaoyan didn’t speak. He looked quietly at the girl who understood nothing before him. After a long time, he lowered his eyes and carefully, tentatively, took a bite of the pastry.

Even if he would gain and then lose, in that moment, he still couldn’t resist such temptation.

“Being afraid of Five Stone Powder – that’s his goodness.”

Luo Wanqing spoke, saying seriously: “A person’s goodness shouldn’t be punished or used for revenge.”

“Even if he’s Li Guiyu?”

“Even if he’s Li Guiyu.”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Luo Wanqing: “I interrogated for a whole Cang Lan Dao – Chapter and got nothing out. Is my interrogation technique inadequate?”

Xie Heng: “You’re not twisted enough.”

Li Guiyu: “Xie Heng, you truly are my kindred spirit.”

Zhuque: “Inspector Liu, your taste seems quite consistent.”

Luo Wanqing: “I like Cui Guanlan – what does that have to do with Xie Heng?”

Xie Heng: “…”

Zhuque: “Uh…”

Li Guiyu: “Heh heh.”