◎As for Cui Heng, there’s nothing she can’t bear to leave behind◎

The carriage jolted along the way. She slept for a long time, and when she woke, only she remained in the carriage. She lifted the curtain and stepped out to see Zhusi standing by the door, smiling: “Inspector Liu, Young Master said to let you continue sleeping and not to disturb you. Did you sleep well?”

“I slept well. Sorry to keep you waiting so long.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing looked up at the sky, knowing Zhusi must have been standing there for a while.

She leaped down from the carriage. Zhusi hurried to help her, but Luo Wanqing shook her head and only asked: “What time is it?”

“Just reached wei hour.” Zhusi followed behind Luo Wanqing. “Young Master has already had food prepared. Will the Inspector go eat?”

“No need.” Luo Wanqing turned toward the dining hall. “Zhusi, you can go back now. I’ll eat at the dining hall.”

With that, she walked toward the corridor.

She first went to the dining hall to eat something, then went directly to Qin Jue’s courtyard.

Xuanshan had helped process Zhang Jiuran’s paperwork, and Qin Jue had already brought Zhang Jiuran to his courtyard. When Luo Wanqing entered the room, she saw Qin Jue and Zhang Yiran arranging Zhang Jiuran’s appearance.

Zhang Jiuran had already been changed into clean clothing and had makeup applied, looking very healthy. If not for the blood mark on her neck, she would seem merely asleep.

Seeing Zhang Jiuran lying on the bed, Luo Wanqing felt a stab in her heart.

The sound of her opening the door drew the attention of both men. Zhang Yiran looked up and said hoarsely: “Inspector Liu?”

“Has she…”

Luo Wanqing entered the room and asked in a low, hoarse voice: “Are all her things ready?”

“Everything was hastily arranged.” Zhang Yiran’s eyes reddened again at the question. He forced himself to be composed and said quietly: “It needs some time.”

“Where will the mourning hall be set up?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t dare look at Zhang Jiuran and asked softly.

“Young Master Qin said the Qin family has a residence in the Eastern Capital.” Zhang Yiran explained. “Once everything is arranged, we’ll move there.”

“I came to ask.” Luo Wanqing looked up at Qin Jue. “Do either of you have a way to find out when the Crown Prince will depart for the imperial mausoleum?”

Hearing this, Qin Jue, who had been combing Zhang Jiuran’s hair, paused.

Zhang Yiran stared blankly at Luo Wanqing, then saw Qin Jue look up. As if anticipating what Luo Wanqing intended to do, he said directly: “I’ll find a way. What else needs to be done?”

“Just notify me when you have news. When I leave, I’ll tell the Supervision Department people that I’m here with you.” Luo Wanqing looked at Qin Jue. “You and Zhang Yiran should separate and go to conspicuous places. The more people who see you, the better.”

With that, Luo Wanqing turned to leave. Zhang Yiran called out: “Inspector Liu!”

Luo Wanqing turned back to see Zhang Yiran hesitating to speak. Thinking he wanted to stop her, she was about to speak when she heard Zhang Yiran say, “It’s today.”

Luo Wanqing paused. Zhang Yiran said with certainty, “When I left the palace, I heard a eunuch say they were already moving things from the Eastern Palace. His Majesty issued an edict requiring the Crown Prince to leave the palace before sunset today.”

“Are you certain?”

“Should be correct.” Zhang Yiran nodded, recalling: “I also heard that little eunuch say the Empress said to reach the imperial mausoleum early for peace of mind.”

The most dangerous stretch was from the imperial palace to the imperial mausoleum. Both the palace and mausoleum were heavily guarded, and with everything in chaos today, sending the Crown Prince to the mausoleum during this time was indeed safer than waiting until everyone was prepared.

Luo Wanqing understood the Empress’s thinking and nodded: “Good, I understand. Don’t mention my visit to anyone.”

With that, Luo Wanqing turned and left.

She returned to the back mountain, quickly removing all Supervision Department weapons from her body, keeping only the protective soft armor for defense. Then she took out the dagger Jiang Shaoyan had given her from the cabinet.

She held the dagger, looking at it silently for a moment, then placed it at her waist.

Then she turned and left, greeting Zhusi: “I’m going to the street with Young Master Qin to buy things for Miss Zhang. If anything comes up, have Cui Heng find me.”

Zhusi knew Cui Heng, as did all the Four Chiefs—this was something Luo Wanqing had tested before.

Hearing this, Zhusi nodded blankly.

Luo Wanqing put on a face veil and rushed out of the Supervision Department, heading to wait in front of the palace gates.

She waited until afternoon before seeing a plain carriage emerge from within the imperial city.

It bore no imperial markings, but soldiers surrounded both carriages. After the carriage left, Luo Wanqing noticed many skilled fighters silently following.

Luo Wanqing observed the surroundings from the shadows and quietly followed the carriage.

The carriage was cautious, circling several times. Fearing detection, Luo Wanqing simply went ahead to wait on the necessary route to the imperial mausoleum.

She wore her face veil and waited quietly.

When the sun set, a pattering rain began falling from the sky. Luo Wanqing crouched behind a large boulder on the mountain, watching the carriage approach from afar.

Before the carriage arrived, scouts had already come ahead to reconnoiter. But Luo Wanqing had ambushed early—she saw two people first sweep the mountain, then wait there.

The one closest to her held a bow and arrows. Luo Wanqing looked at the bow in his hands, then at the carriage, and suddenly remembered her father’s appearance in the portrait album.

Her father was skilled with arrows.

Luo Wanqing vaguely recalled childhood scenes of Luo Qushu teaching Luo Shangchun archery in the courtyard.

Luo Shangchun was a scholar, but ritual, music, archery, riding, writing, and mathematics were required subjects at the academy. Luo Shangchun was fine with everything except archery, so Luo Qushu personally taught him at home.

Luo Qushu would always shoot blindfolded but hit the target every time. He taught Luo Shangchun that with archery, the heart’s eye was most important.

Estimating position, using the mind to calculate the force the arrow needed, the required angle, and the influences it would face.

For assassination, nothing was better than a bow and arrows.

Unfortunately, her archery wasn’t good.

Luo Wanqing felt some regret.

She crouched on the rock, watching the scouts confirm their positions first. The two scouts were on either side of the mountain, watching each other’s positions. In this situation, she would be discovered the moment she appeared.

She had to deal with these two spotlights first.

Luo Wanqing pondered as she watched the carriage approach.

Evening was falling. Just then, lightning lit up the sky, and the person opposite instinctively looked. Luo Wanqing seized the opportunity, leaping down from above, dragging the archer near her behind the rock, and in the sound of thunder, directly slit his throat.

Then she quickly grabbed the bow and arrows, and the instant the person across turned to look, she shot an arrow!

The arrow pierced through his chest. Both men died silently. Luo Wanqing put on the dead man’s cap and hid in the shadows, watching the carriage travel below.

The rain was too heavy, making the carriage bumpy. Li Shangwen opened the window, complaining dissatisfiedly about something.

Seeing Li Shangwen’s face in that instant, Luo Wanqing felt she couldn’t think of anything else—only this person filled her mind.

She felt as if she had returned to childhood, when she was Luo Shangchun and Luo Qushu stood behind her, lifting her arms and helping her draw the bow.

Rain washed over her face as she stared at the angrily scowling person in the carriage window. She didn’t even need to listen—she could guess what he was angry about.

The rain was too heavy.

The ground is too slippery.

The carriage rocked back and forth—these useless people, why hadn’t they delivered him to the imperial mausoleum yet?

At the mausoleum, his mother had prepared fine clothes and food for him. Even if he wasn’t the Crown Prince, he was still a prince.

How could he endure such harsh treatment?

Thinking of what he might be saying.

Thinking of Zhang Jiuran’s blood in the great hall.

Luo Wanqing suddenly released the bowstring!

When the torrential rain first began falling, Xie Heng had just finished having people organize Fengyu Pavilion’s documents.

He emerged from the secret chamber to see wind and rain lashing the courtyard. He stood silent for a moment, remembering the girl who had slept with her back to him in the carriage.

He knew she was grieving.

But regarding Zhang Jiuran’s matter, there was nothing he could do.

Having experienced too much life and death in his lifetime, when he wanted to comfort someone, he found himself at a loss for words.

After pondering for a moment, he decided to change clothes and put on his mask, thinking of going to Luo Wanqing’s room.

He was just considering how to explain to Luo Wanqing why his subordinates didn’t recognize Cui Guanlan, when he entered the room to find it empty.

That would have been fine, but the Inspector’s clothes were folded on the bed, her sword placed on the sword rack, and even the Qianji bracelet…

Xie Heng saw the bead bracelet on the dressing table. His heart filled with foreboding, and he immediately called out loudly: “Zhusi!”

Zhusi came running from the kitchen, somewhat flustered: “Young Master?”

“Where is Inspector Liu?”

Xie Heng frowned.

Zhusi blinked: “Inspector Liu said she was going with Qin Jue to buy things for Miss Zhang.”

With Qin Jue…

Xie Heng closed his eyes to steady himself.

Zhang Jiuran’s funeral arrangements were all handled by the Supervision Department. How could Qin Jue be in the mood to go shopping with her at this time?!

And leaving all the Supervision Department items at the Department…

A sense of ominous premonition flashed through Xie Heng’s mind. He immediately turned back to his secret chamber.

The Four Chiefs were in the chamber, digesting information brought out from Fengyu Pavilion. Seeing Xie Heng enter, they all looked startled.

“Baili, prepare medicine and clothes. Xuanshan, prepare a celebration banquet for Liu Xiniang—summon everyone, set the time for two quarters past Xu hour.” Xie Heng suppressed his voice, arranging calmly. “Go find out where the Crown Prince is now and report to me immediately.”

Hearing this, everyone present widened their eyes.

Qingya immediately grasped Xie Heng’s meaning and frowned: “Young Master, the Crown Prince is already deposed. Whether he lives or dies has no meaning. Killing him only leaves evidence.”

“Say a few more words and there won’t be time to clean up the scene.”

Xie Heng looked over coldly: “Hurry!”

Hearing this, no one dared delay and quickly went to make arrangements.

After everyone left, Xie Heng turned and left the secret chamber. He changed into Cui Heng’s clothes and waited for news of the Crown Prince’s whereabouts, standing to watch the torrential rain pouring down, slowly closing his eyes.

Reason told him he shouldn’t get involved in this matter.

Assassinating the Crown Prince—such a charge could never be cleared. It would remain with that person forever, to be suddenly brought up at some moment in the coming years.

If Luo Wanqing went to do this, she had no intention of surviving.

If he got involved, he would share the guilt.

But when he discovered what she was doing, he felt no hesitation.

He was going to die anyway.

He didn’t care about having one more crime on his record, or two.

He only cared about one thing—

Luo Wanqing, how could she think of fighting to the death?

He had personally led her to this day—she still had such a bright future ahead.

She still had Cui Heng. How could she bear to leave?

But thinking about it, he realized.

As for Cui Heng, there was nothing she couldn’t bear to leave behind.

What she couldn’t bear to leave behind seemed to be only him.

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Xie Heng’s brain: “She doesn’t want to acknowledge me because she likes Cui Heng and doesn’t like me. T T”

Luo Wanqing’s brain: “He’d better not be that Xie Heng who deserves a thousand cuts.”