◎I Miss Him◎

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing dared not ask further questions. After bidding farewell to Cui Heng with proper courtesy, she boarded Xie Heng’s carriage.

After getting into the carriage, she didn’t dare sit too close to Xie Heng, respectfully taking a seat at the farthest spot near the carriage door.

Xie Heng glanced at her and spoke coldly: “What are you doing coming down the mountain when your injuries haven’t healed?”

Currently, they should still be strictly investigating the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince. If I were to recuperate on the mountain, I fear it would arouse suspicion,” Luo Wanqing explained with lowered eyes.

Xie Heng picked up his teacup, his tone unfriendly: “Let them suspect. Would they dare come to the Supervision Department to investigate you?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t know why Xie Heng was inexplicably displeased. She could only keep her head down and continue explaining: “This subordinate also wishes to advance quickly. These are merely flesh wounds, so handling small matters shouldn’t be a problem.”

“So you went to wait at the entrance of the Personnel Ministry office?”

This remark left Luo Wanqing stunned. Xie Heng seemed to ask casually: “Was it intentional or coincidental?”

“This subordinate didn’t notice that it was the Personnel Ministry office.”

Luo Wanqing carefully considered Xie Heng’s words, as he never spoke carelessly.

Hearing this response, Xie Heng realized his impropriety.

He fell silent for a moment, then changed the subject, only saying: “You don’t need to worry about the Crown Prince’s matter. The case has now been transferred to the Imperial Investigation Bureau. They came to the Supervision Department today but were sent away by Qingya. Given their nature, in a few days, they should randomly arrest someone to close the case.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief and said softly: “Thank you for your protection, Young Master.”

Xie Heng remained silent. After thinking for a moment, he spoke gently: “Did you see Zhang Jiuran today?”

“Yes.”

Luo Wanqing answered steadily: “I saw her one last time to send her off.”

In the future, it wouldn’t be proper for her to have any more entanglements with her.

Xie Heng seemed to want to say something, but after thinking it over, he only responded with: “Mm.”

“Besides that, the Third Prince also came to find me today.” Thinking about the day’s events, Luo Wanqing felt she should tell Xie Heng about this matter herself.

Xie Heng paused in his movements and only asked: “And then?”

“I told him I wouldn’t go to the Prince’s mansion. He tested me again, and today he should have dismissed the notion that I am Luo Wanqing.”

Luo Wanqing spoke in a businesslike manner, but Xie Heng, upon reflection, said: “He’s certain that the most important person in your heart is him.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t respond. Xie Heng looked up at her: “Is it true?”

Luo Wanqing hesitated slightly, and Xie Heng knew the answer.

His expression darkened slightly as he said, “Liu Xiniang, you still have a bright future ahead.”

“This subordinate understands.”

Luo Wanqing answered respectfully.

Understanding and accepting, however, were two different matters.

Xie Heng heard the implication in her choice of words. He didn’t say more, but after thinking for a moment, he petulantly took a case file from beside him and no longer looked at her.

However, after a long while, he still said: “Baili mentioned you’re looking for Cui Heng.”

This caught Luo Wanqing’s interest, and she tentatively asked: “Does Young Master know of his whereabouts?”

“Want to know about him?” Xie Heng turned to look at Luo Wanqing.

Luo Wanqing hesitated for a moment but still nodded honestly: “Yes.”

As she spoke, she worried that Xie Heng might suspect Cui Heng was too close to her. No superior would want their subordinate to have overly intimate relationships, so she hurriedly added: “He is my Shadow Envoy after all. Without him here, things are indeed quite inconvenient.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng smiled coldly: “Then why not replace him?”

Luo Wanqing hadn’t expected Xie Heng to say so much, and so harshly at that. She could only steel herself and say: “I’ve grown accustomed to working alone.”

“Then why do you still find his absence inconvenient?”

Xie Heng’s question was tricky, leaving Luo Wanqing truly at a loss for words. She could only vaguely ask: “Does Young Master know where he is?”

“Can’t you blow your flute to summon him?” Xie Heng’s gaze fell on the short flute at her waist. “You wear it every day, but I’ve never heard you call for him.”

When the short flute is blown, anyone with internal energy can hear it if they concentrate, though the tones differ, and each pair of Inspector and Shadow Envoy agrees on different melodies, so there’s no confusion about who is being summoned.

She spent her days on the mountain, and Xie Heng had never heard her blow the flute. Now, hearing her say she wanted to know about Cui Heng’s whereabouts, it was only natural to find this strange.

This question was much easier to answer. Luo Wanqing spoke truthfully: “This subordinate knows that Shadow Envoy Cui has a special status and should have other assignments. For non-urgent matters, I dare not presumptuously disturb him. As long as he’s safe, when he returns, he should find an appropriate opportunity to come see me.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng paused slightly in his movements, then chuckled softly: “You do know he treats you well.”

Luo Wanqing dared not respond, vaguely sensing that Xie Heng was defending Cui Heng’s interests, though she couldn’t figure out why.

The two sat quietly for a while before Xie Heng finally said, “He’s not in the Eastern Capital recently. He’s alive.”

Hearing that Cui Heng was safe, Luo Wanqing felt relieved and respectfully said: “Thank you for informing me, Young Master.”

Xie Heng remained silent. Looking at the woman whose expression remained calm under the lamplight, he suddenly asked: “Do you miss him?”

After asking, he felt he had misspoken again.

Thinking she wouldn’t answer anyway, Xie Heng picked up his case file, pretending he had never asked, that nothing had happened.

However, moments later, he heard the woman say with rare tenderness: “Yes.”

That single word was like a drop of water falling into the pool of his heart, creating ripples with a “splash.”

“I want to talk with him.”

She said.

Xie Heng made no sound. Luo Wanqing also knew that Xie Heng shouldn’t have much interest in such matters, but when he asked, she realized that without that person around, she had no one to talk to.

So many things had happened recently, and she wanted to share them with that person.

What a pity he wasn’t there.

Luo Wanqing turned to look at the long street, her gaze involuntarily softening.

Xie Heng kept his head down, looking at the case file. He didn’t dare look up.

When the two returned to the Supervision Department, they each went back to their respective courtyards. After leaving Xie Heng, Luo Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief.

Xie Heng’s presence was too imposing; whenever they were together, she always felt tense.

Dragging her weary body, she returned to her room and sat at her desk, unable to help but take out Li Guiyu’s dagger to examine it again.

After a while, suddenly there came the sound of some bird flapping its wings outside the window. Luo Wanqing looked up to see an eagle suddenly land at her window.

Luo Wanqing was so startled that she froze.

There were no eagles in the Eastern Capital, and this was her first time seeing such a bird. Based on others’ descriptions, she recognized it as an eagle at first glance.

This eagle was several times larger than ordinary birds, with sharp talons and a curved beak, its gaze proud and fierce.

It looked down at Luo Wanqing, who was gripping a dagger and staring at it in bewilderment, and quite proudly raised one claw.

Only then did Luo Wanqing notice there was a piece of paper tied to its claw.

This was someone using the eagle to deliver a message to her. Though somewhat afraid, Luo Wanqing still boldly reached out her hand.

She kept guard against this arrogant eagle while warning it: “Don’t try anything funny. I have a knife in my hand.”

At the same time, she quickly untied the paper.

The eagle seemed to see through her bluff and showed a hint of disdain in its eyes.

Luo Wanqing glanced down and saw Cui Heng’s handwriting.

“Xiniang, I’ve been busy with affairs recently and am not in the Eastern Capital. Blowing the flute may not reach me, but if you have something you wish to say, this eagle named Zhuisi can deliver it for you.

Cui Heng.”

Luo Wanqing was stunned reading this letter, then realized.

If Cui Heng wasn’t in the Eastern Capital, then the “Minister Cui” she had seen at the Personnel Ministry today wasn’t Cui Heng.

But… was Cui Heng not in the Eastern Capital?

Or did he simply not want her to know his true identity?

She had just met Cui Heng today, and Xie Heng informed her that Cui Heng wasn’t in the Eastern Capital, and even sent this eagle…

Who was he? Where was he?

There seemed to be many possibilities.

Thinking of this, she suddenly felt the world was so vast, as if Cui Heng were a bright star, a water droplet, adorning the vast Milky Way, scattered in the boundless deep sea. With heaven and earth so vast, it would be difficult for her to find him.

Nor should she seek him out.

She couldn’t help but grasp the short flute at her waist, then looked up at the eagle before her.

Though he was hidden in this vast world, he had still left her one end of a rope.

That was enough.

Luo Wanqing thought for a moment, then moved closer and tentatively called to the eagle: “Your name is Zhuisi?”

The eagle showed intelligence, tilting its head to acknowledge her words.

Luo Wanqing smiled, then said: “Wait a moment, I’ll write him a letter.”

With that, she approached, her fear of the eagle diminishing somewhat, and took paper and brush. After thinking, she began writing a letter to Cui Heng.

Letters were much easier than speaking face to face. She had originally intended to write just a few sentences about what had happened, but once she started, it became longer.

“Cui Heng, many things have happened recently…”

Luo Wanqing didn’t dare mention in the letter those things that couldn’t be known by others. She only briefly wrote about matters like Xie Heng promoting her to Fifth Rank Inspector, the current time constraints, and some of her inner thoughts.

“Jiuran has left, and my heart has settled like dust. I don’t know if Li Guiyu will be like Jiuran, causing no ripples in my heart. Cui Heng,”

As Luo Wanqing wrote, her brush tip paused. After a long while, she finally restrained herself and slowly wrote: “It’s been a long time since we’ve met. I hope you return safely.”

That character “hope” was written unusually slowly and carefully. She feared this request was presumptuous and frivolous, yet felt that without this character, those things she wanted to say couldn’t be expressed. If she replaced it, there were only even more improper words, so she could only write this character stroke by stroke.

She tied the letter to the eagle’s leg, and the eagle soared away.

She watched the eagle fly into the night sky and disappear without a trace. After a day of emotional ups and downs, her mood finally settled with the eagle’s flight.

The eagle flew in the sky for a while, then quietly glided down, landing on the outstretched hand of a young man in flowing robes, waiting for it in the courtyard.

Zhuisi lowered its head and nuzzled Xie Heng’s hand. Xie Heng untied the string and looked down at the handwriting.

His gaze fell on that character “hope,” and he stared at it for a long time before calmly folding the paper.

That character “hope” was written so heavily that it was imprinted in his mind.

He savored that character “hope” as he walked into the secret chamber, placing this note in the Dark Pavilion.

It was just written a bit heavily, that’s all.

He thought.

Luo Wanqing had a good night’s rest. The next morning, she went to the Mission Hall to take on assignments. After accepting three tasks, she couldn’t help asking: “Manager Liu, are there no suitable tasks for me today?”

“One came yesterday, but your rank isn’t high enough.”

Liu Jianye registered her tasks: “His Majesty demands a thorough investigation of the Eastern Palace. This case is extremely complex, but completing it would be a great achievement. However, yesterday it was already taken by an Inspector of a higher rank than you. Unless one of them withdraws, it won’t be your turn.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing felt somewhat disappointed but still nodded: “I understand.”

After that, she spent her days busy with tasks, and at night she would write letters to Cui Heng. Cui Heng should be nearby, as his replies always came quickly.

However, except for the first day, he never wrote back to her. Each time he only sent gifts—jade bead strings, white jade hairpins, pearl chains…

He had Zhuisi deliver them, and Luo Wanqing didn’t know how to return them, so she could only save them up, planning to give them back to him when he returned.

After many days, her injuries had mostly healed, and she calculated the number of completed tasks—she was still far from reaching the official Fifth Rank.

This made her somewhat worried, and she began considering other methods. After much thought, one clear morning, she brought a small bag of silver and arrived early at the Mission Hall.

By this time, there were already quite a few Inspectors in the Mission Hall, all selecting tasks. Seeing that no one was around Liu Jianye, she approached with the silver, cleared her throat unnaturally, and said: “Manager Liu.”

Liu Jianye was dusting with a feather duster, responding carelessly: “What is it?”

“Well,” Luo Wanqing turned her back to the others, blocking what was in her hands, and passed the money pouch to Liu Jianye from behind, whispering: “A small token of appreciation.”

Liu Jianye stopped dusting and turned around meaningfully: “What are you doing?”

“Are there any suitable tasks for me?” Luo Wanqing forced a smile. “Manager, I want to get promoted.”

Hearing this, Liu Jianye sneered: “There is indeed a task very suitable for you.”

“What is it?” Luo Wanqing asked excitedly, feeling that giving money was indeed effective!

Without another word, Liu Jianye swung his feather duster at Luo Wanqing’s face, shouting: “Get out!!”

Seeing the feather duster coming down, Luo Wanqing quickly jumped to the side. Liu Jianye wouldn’t let up, chasing after Luo Wanqing and beating her as they went outside, cursing as he hit: “Young and already corrupt! I’ll discipline you on behalf of your master!”

“No, no, no!” Luo Wanqing was chased around the room by Liu Jianye, jumping here and there. Seeing the stumbling Liu Jianye, she hurriedly tried to dissuade him: “Manager Liu, your health is important! Stop chasing me!”

“Nonsense! I’m perfectly healthy! I’m going to beat you to death today!”

“Don’t…”

“Manager Liu!” Just as the two were fighting, an urgent shout came from outside: “Inspector Cui is trapped in Dongqi Alley! Quickly send people to rescue him!”