“Ah—”

Qi Yutai suddenly sat up from the low couch, his face covered in cold sweat.

The room was silent, and the air still seemed to carry the lingering rich fragrance of rhinoceros horn incense.

A concerned voice came from beside his ear: “Is my lord alright?”

He looked up to see an unfamiliar woman standing not far from the low couch. Seeing him awake, she spoke while reaching toward his wrist.

“Get away—”

Qi Yutai shoved the person in front of him away, his voice and expression both stern: “Who are you?”

In his extreme fright, he momentarily forgot he was at the Ministry of Rites, his tone vicious and irritable. The other party looked at him in shock, seeming somewhat aggrieved, pressing her lips together without speaking and silently stepping back several paces.

Instead, Jin Xianrong, who had been standing behind the woman, came forward, coughed lightly, and actively smoothed things over: “Yutai, this is Imperial Physician Lu from the Hanlin Medical Academy. Just now we couldn’t wake you, so I had her check if you were ill.”

A physician?

Qi Yutai was stunned.

The voice from his dream seemed to still linger in his ears. He couldn’t remember that voice clearly – it was vaguely a woman’s voice. She had reminded him, questioned him at his ear, probing for the truth about the murder case that night at Fengle Tower, like a sinister female ghost who had come for revenge.

Spine-chillingly terrifying.

He looked toward the unfamiliar woman at the door, his expression somewhat suspicious: “What happened just now? How are you here? Where is the person who was speaking in my ear just now?”

“Someone speaking?” Jin Xianrong looked around, “There was no one – you were alone in this room just now.”

“Just me alone?”

“Yes, Imperial Physician Lu was busy giving me acupuncture and preparing medicine. I had wanted to ask if you needed Imperial Physician Lu to also check on your cold. When I entered the room, you were lying on the desk and we couldn’t wake you no matter how we tried. It gave me quite a fright – I thought something had happened to you.”

Jin Xianrong studied Qi Yutai’s complexion: “Yutai, were you just dreaming? Is your cold not completely recovered, making you feel unwell? If you ask me, the Ministry of Revenue doesn’t have much business anyway. If you’re still sick, rest at home for a few more days. Otherwise, if something happens and the Grand Tutor blames us, I won’t be able to explain…”

He continued talking while Qi Yutai remained somewhat dazed.

Just now… was it a dream?

But that person’s voice had been so clear, as if whispering right against his ear.

He looked up again at the young woman standing by the door, only then noticing she wore the blue robe and skirt of a newly appointed physician.

She was indeed a physician.

After hesitating a moment, he asked the female physician: “You didn’t enter this room just now?”

The woman shook her head: “This official was in the main hall preparing medicine for Minister Jin the entire time.”

Jin Xianrong nodded: “Imperial Physician Lu was busy finishing the medicine and still had to return to the Medical Academy.” He looked Qi Yutai up and down, then suddenly smiled knowingly: “What kind of good dream did Yutai have?”

The other spoke so confidently, and Jin Xianrong had no reason to lie to him, so Qi Yutai became uncertain. Perhaps it really was just a dream he’d had.

Only this dream was far too realistic.

Jin Xianrong took two steps forward, seeing that the cold sweat on his forehead had soaked through his clothes, and couldn’t help but advise: “Yutai, you don’t look well. Why don’t you let Imperial Physician Lu take your pulse? If your cold isn’t better, you might as well return home to rest.”

Before Qi Yutai could respond, Jin Xianrong turned to the woman: “Imperial Physician Lu, please trouble yourself to examine Young Master Qi.”

The woman agreed.

Qi Yutai sat on the low couch, and it was only then that he suddenly realized Jin Xianrong was being excessively polite to this woman. This man had always been lustful – whenever he saw any woman with even a bit of beauty, he would go up and flirt with her. Qi Yutai had long grown accustomed to this. This woman was beautiful, yet Jin Xianrong’s manner toward her in conversation contained not the slightest bit of intimacy or disrespect – he was as proper as if he’d become a different person.

A leopard couldn’t change its spots – could this woman have another identity?

While he was thinking, the woman had already walked to his side, her fingertips touching his pulse.

Qi Yutai suddenly shivered.

The female physician’s fingers were very cold, cold as ice. Where she touched felt as if it were frozen by ice blocks, gradually stiffening and emanating a death-like stillness like withered water.

In contrast was her appearance.

She was very beautiful, with a lovely face and moth-like eyebrows, clear spirit and elegant bones. Her cloud-like hair concealed ears white as jade, making that face even more enchantingly beautiful.

The beauty lowered her head, fingertips on his pulse, concentrating on taking his pulse. Her long lashes drooped like butterfly wings, making even someone like him who was accustomed to seeing beautiful women feel ripples stirring in his heart.

When had such a beauty come to the Medical Academy?

Just as he was becoming somewhat moved, the female physician suddenly withdrew her hand and stood up.

“Imperial Physician Lu, how is it?” Jin Xianrong asked.

The woman’s brow furrowed slightly, her expression somewhat strange.

Seeing her like this, Qi Yutai’s heart tightened, his earlier wayward thoughts completely vanishing as he urgently asked: “Is there an illness?”

The woman shook her head: “Young Master Qi’s body has no major problems, but…”

“But what?”

“But there is excessive blood heat causing emotional imbalance.”

She looked toward Qi Yutai, slowly saying: “Young Master Qi’s pulse is rapid and strong, his tongue is deep red and dry, and he shows symptoms of fever and thirst. This is caused by excessive blood heat. Taking a few doses of blood-clearing and detoxifying prescriptions will help. As for the emotional imbalance…”

She stood up, walked to the desk behind the screen, picked up the gold-inlaid twin-moth floral pattern incense burner on the desk, and opened the burner’s lid.

The incense burner was empty – a full burner of incense had burned out. She poured out the burnt ash, walked to the window, and threw it into the muddy water under the flower trees below the window.

“Physician, what are you…” Qi Yutai was puzzled.

“Lord Qi, is this rhinoceros horn incense?”

“Yes.” Qi Yutai answered. Their household had used this type of incense pill since childhood. This incense was precious with a rich fragrance – it couldn’t be bought elsewhere.

The female physician smiled slightly: “Rhinoceros horn incense calms the spirit and quiets the qi, helping with insomnia and sleeplessness. However, long-term use of this incense inevitably creates dependence. With prolonged use, it actually becomes counterproductive.”

“Lord Qi might try using this incense less frequently to avoid addiction and harm to the body.”

Qi Yutai was stunned.

Addiction…

He had used this incense since childhood – their manor had never used any other kind, all because it was arranged by his father. Over the years, he had indeed become easily addicted.

His father feared he would become addicted to cold food powder and harm his body, but ironically, rhinoceros horn incense was the same.

After the female physician finished speaking, she bowed slightly to them both and left the room. Jin Xianrong hurried after her, probably to ask about something.

Qi Yutai leaned against the cushion on the low couch, feeling soaked through his entire body. Having such a nightmare in broad daylight was truly unlucky. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, and when his fingers brushed past his temples, it felt as if ants were crawling over them.

A needle-like itching pain.

…

After finishing today’s acupuncture for Jin Xianrong and leaving behind the topical medicine, Lu Tong returned to the Medical Academy carrying her medical box.

She had returned relatively early today, and there were few people at the Medical Academy. Lin Danqing was also not in the room.

She placed the medical box on the desk and reached out to push open the window.

The bluestone slabs in the courtyard had been washed clean by last night’s rain. The fresh scent of plants and trees mixed with earthy smells, dispersing some of the mysterious atmosphere of the rhinoceros horn incense from earlier.

The April wind shouldn’t have been cold, but when it blew gently, Lu Tong suddenly shivered, feeling some chill.

She sat down by the window.

A locust flower branch grew luxuriantly, extending from outside the window. Lu Tong’s gaze fell on the flower branch, reaching out to gently stroke it with her fingertip. The delicate branches and leaves trembled slightly, reminding her of when a silver needle pressed against warm blood vessels – the goosebumps that suddenly rose on the skin, as if one could touch the gurgling blood inside. With just a light prick, it would spurt everywhere.

What a pity she was interrupted.

She withdrew her hand, her expression somewhat regretful.

She had mixed red fang catkins into the rhinoceros horn incense, making Qi Yutai unable to distinguish between dreams and reality. While giving Jin Xianrong acupuncture, she had made him fall into deep sleep, letting Jin Xianrong think she had never left the front hall where she was preparing medicine.

The Ministry of Revenue had very few personnel to begin with. Qi Yutai disliked having others follow him, and Jin Xianrong was even more afraid of having one more person know about his yang deficiency and blood weakness. The empty Ministry of Rites was perfect for her actions.

Qi Yutai had revealed everything in his dream state. At that time, her silver needle was already pressed against his temple, and she had truly wanted to kill him then.

She was just a little short of being able to kill him.

Unfortunately, Jin Xianrong’s servant had returned with the medicine.

Lu Tong coldly lowered her eyes.

If she had killed Qi Yutai at that moment, she would naturally have died as well. Her life was not worth preserving – she had never planned to keep it anyway. However, compared to that, she was more concerned about two other words that had slipped from Qi Yutai’s mouth.

Taking powder.

“…I just didn’t want father to know I was taking powder…”

That was what Qi Yutai had said at the time.

Lu Tong slowly sat down at the desk.

When the previous emperor was alive, there had been a trend among the nobility of the Liang Dynasty of taking cold food powder. Later, laws were enacted prohibiting it, with heavy penalties for violators. This law continued to this day.

If Qi Yutai had dismissed his servants to prevent Qi Qing from knowing he was secretly taking powder, it could explain why Lu Rou hadn’t encountered any Qi family guards blocking her way when she encountered Qi Yutai at Fengle Tower that day.

Lu Rou might have witnessed this incident and wanted to tell Lu Qian about it, but was murdered by the Ke family. However, the letter that was left behind, recording Qi Yutai’s use of medicinal powder, became iron evidence for Lu Qian’s decision to file an official complaint.

Actually, both of them had the right idea.

Based solely on Lu Rou’s violation case, it might have been very difficult to bring down the Grand Tutor Manor – the chastity of a commoner woman was truly too insignificant.

Not to mention there were the Ke family lackeys stirring up trouble.

But taking medicinal powder was different.

Privately taking cold food powder was a serious crime. Once exposed, even the Grand Tutor Manor would find it difficult to escape unscathed. As long as they seized the opportunity, they could achieve the same goal.

Lu Qian just hadn’t expected that upright magistrate wasn’t actually clean, and that cousin Liu Kun’s family would use him as a bargaining chip to exchange for wealth and status, making a blood-stained deal with Fan Zhenglian.

All of the Lu family’s disasters began because Qi Yutai secretly took medicinal powder. Moreover, the reason Qi Yutai had Fan Zhenglian completely exterminate the Lu family was merely because he was afraid of Qi Qing discovering and punishing him for taking cold food powder, so he killed to silence them.

So that was it.

So the truth was this absurdly simple.

The lush spring greenery outside the window reflected the woman’s face, which showed neither sorrow nor joy. After a long time, Lu Tong reached out, took the paper and brush from the desk, and wrote the character “Qi” on white paper.

She stared at that “Qi” character for a long time.

Qi Qing had only one son and one daughter in total. Everyone said the Grand Tutor was simple and frugal, yet the vessels and clothing Qi Yutai used were luxurious and extravagant. This showed Qi Qing’s “love for his son.”

Although the Lu family incident was originally caused by Qi Yutai, the final destruction of evidence and covering up for Qi Yutai’s tracks might not have been without Qi Qing and the Grand Tutor Manor’s servants’ handiwork.

If she killed Qi Yutai, the Grand Tutor Manor would never let it go.

And she was currently just a small physician, not even comparable to an inner imperial physician. After today, Qi Yutai would only become more vigilant, and opportunities like today’s were rare – it would be very difficult to find another chance to act.

Lu Tong lowered her head, took up her brush and drew several strokes over the “Qi” character on the white paper. The pitch-black ink swept across the paper, and the square character was smeared into a thick black shadow, like colorless bloodstains dripping all over the page.

The traces could no longer be distinguished.

She set down her brush.

The Grand Tutor’s power was great, a physician’s position was humble. For one person to oppose an entire clan was a fool’s dream.

However…

The straight accumulates from the crooked, the strong accumulates from the weak. What the future holds is still unknown.

If Qi Qing wants to protect him, then eliminate Qi Qing as well.

When a bird of prey is about to strike, it flies low and folds its wings.

One by one, there will always be opportunities.

It’s just a matter of sooner or later.

Footsteps came from behind. Lin Danqing entered from outside, seeing Lu Tong and being startled: “Oh, you returned early today.”

She then noticed the white paper spread on Lu Tong’s desk that had been painted completely black: “What is this writing?”

Lu Tong casually tore off the ink-stained paper, crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the waste paper basket, saying: “Just practicing calligraphy.”

Lin Danqing paid no attention, placing a large oil paper package from her bosom onto the desk with a smile: “You’ve returned just in time. I had someone buy marrow cakes from outside – they’re still warm. Try some.”

The food at the Medical Academy was bland, and Lin Danqing loved spicy food like her life, never liking to eat it. She often secretly had people go to the marketplace to buy food for snacking. Medical Supervisor Chang Jin didn’t allow the physicians to secretly eat in their quarters, so Lin Danqing had to hide it in her bosom and sneak it in behind Chang Jin’s back.

She opened the oil paper package, used the oil paper as a mat, and shared a piece with Lu Tong.

The steaming fragrance immediately filled the entire room.

Marrow cakes were pastries made with cattle and sheep bone marrow refined into fat as filling. “Mix marrow fat and honey with flour, four to five fen thick, six to seven cun wide, put in a bread oven until cooked – the cakes are rich and delicious.”

“Try it,” Lin Danqing urged her, “The food at the Medical Academy isn’t even as good as the vegetarian dishes at Wan’en Temple. After eating here for several months, I feel like I’m about to achieve enlightenment. But you’re not picky at all.”

Lu Tong had never been particular about food, as if what she ate or drank didn’t matter – as long as it could sustain life.

Lu Tong lowered her head and took a bite of the cake. The filling was very fragrant and steaming hot, and her empty stomach seemed to gradually become warm and full from this bit of earthly sustenance.

She ate slowly. After a few bites, she suddenly spoke: “I saw Lord Qi at the Ministry of Rites today.”

“Lord Qi, which Lord Qi?”

“The Grand Tutor Manor’s young master, Qi Yutai.”

Lin Danqing paused in her cake-biting motion: “Him? What about him?”

Lu Tong shook her head: “He was somewhat strange.”

“Strange how?”

“I went to treat Minister Jin. After Young Master Qi entered the room, he fell into deep sleep and couldn’t be awakened. Later when Minister Jin woke Young Master Qi and wanted me to take his pulse, who knew he would see me as if seeing a snake or scorpion, saying delirious words, his mind not very clear.” Lu Tong’s tone was hesitant. After a moment’s hesitation, she continued: “When I took his pulse, I saw his pulse was rapid and strong, with blood heat far exceeding normal people… it seemed like… it seemed like…”

After a long time, she stared at Lin Danqing and said in a low voice: “It seemed like the result of long-term use of cold food powder.”

The room was silent for a moment.

Lin Danqing quickly swallowed the marrow cake in her mouth, turned to look out the window, then raised her hand to close the window.

“Sister Lu,” she poured Lu Tong a cup of ginger honey water from the teapot on the desk, whispering her advice, “You can say this to me, but you must not say it outside.”

Lu Tong stared at her.

Lin Danqing waved her hand: “The previous emperor decreed that if any court official discovered someone using cold food powder, they would be severely punished without mercy. I know some noble children secretly use it behind others’ backs, but isn’t he the Grand Tutor’s son? You know if you say this outside, he’ll definitely cause you trouble.”

Lu Tong nodded thoughtfully: “Young Master Qi is very difficult to deal with?”

“It’s not that he’s difficult to deal with, how should I put it,” Lin Danqing picked up the ginger honey water and took a sip, choosing her words carefully, “I grew up in the capital and heard countless embarrassing stories about noble young masters since childhood. Don’t look at how proper they all appear – I’ve seen all kinds of shameful things they do in private. Only this Young Master Qi is different…”

Lin Danqing rested her chin on her hand, thinking before saying: “I’ve never heard anything bad about him.”

“The elders in the capital all say he’s well-behaved and sensible when they mention him, extremely well-taught in propriety, never making a single mistake, and also gentle and courteous – he should be a model among young people.”

Lin Danqing shook her head: “I don’t like him.”

Lu Tong asked: “Why don’t you like him?”

Lin Danqing widened her eyes: “Sister Lu, isn’t it terrifying for a person to have no other virtues, only the word ‘propriety’ widely praised?”

“Like a puppet in a puppet show – you don’t know what he likes, what he hates. Every move is controlled by others, yet people still tell you to learn from his obedience and understanding. Just thinking about it is annoying. Let me secretly tell you,” Lin Danqing leaned close to Lu Tong and whispered, “I know those officials’ sons in the capital talk about him behind his back, calling him a ‘fake person.'”

Fake person?

Lu Tong inwardly sneered. This was harsh but accurate.

You should know that when she first saw Qi Yutai’s true appearance today, she also found it hard to imagine that this person who looked so mild and ordinary, even somewhat cowardly, was the murderer who had killed her entire Lu family of four.

“So,” Lin Danqing pointed at the desk, earnestly advising Lu Tong, “don’t be overly kind and say too much. It’s better to stay away from him.”

Lu Tong nodded and lowered her head to drink some ginger honey water.

The honey water was clear and sweet, boiled with ginger to dispel cold – drinking it in such weather was most soothing. Lu Tong drank all the honey water in her cup, set down the teacup, and said: “But I have to treat Minister Jin, so I’ll often go to the Ministry of Rites in the future and inevitably encounter Young Master Qi.” She looked toward Lin Danqing, “Do you know if Young Master Qi has any other taboos? Could you tell me all of them, so I don’t unknowingly offend him.”

Hearing this, Lin Danqing held her marrow cake and thought: “To be honest, I’m not very familiar with him either. Many things are just hearsay. But I’ve never heard of Qi Yutai bullying others. As for taboos…”

She racked her brains for a long time, then suddenly said: “I only know this person hates painted eyebrow birds. Just don’t mention them in front of him.”

Lu Tong’s heart stirred: “Painted eyebrow birds?”

“Yes, it’s quite strange when you think about it,” Lin Danqing said. “Grand Tutor Qi loves raising birds. I remember in previous years for the Grand Tutor’s birthday, many officials would search everywhere for famous birds to send to the Grand Tutor Manor. It was just a few years ago that the Grand Tutor Manor suddenly released all the birds in their manor, saying it was because Young Master Qi disliked birds.”

Lu Tong asked: “Why does he dislike birds?”

Lin Danqing shrugged: “I don’t know.”

Lu Tong’s expression became slightly more focused.

But Lin Danqing finally reacted at this point, opening her mouth suspiciously: “Speaking of which, why have you been asking me about Qi Yutai all day? This isn’t like your personality.”

Usually at the Medical Academy, apart from reading books and making medicine, Lu Tong was completely indifferent to other matters. This was the first time she had asked so many questions about something unrelated to medicine.

Lin Danqing leaned closer, staring into her eyes and slowly saying: “Could it be that you…”

Lu Tong’s fingertips moved slightly.

“…have feelings for him?”

Lu Tong: “…”

“This won’t do!” Lin Danqing was shocked, shaking her shoulders, “Not to mention his character, his appearance is quite ordinary too – how could he be worthy of you? Sister Lu, you must stay clear-headed!”

Lu Tong was shaken dizzy by her and could only say: “I don’t…”

“I don’t believe it – swear it!”

“I swear…”

Lin Danqing looked like she was watching a fallen young woman about to jump into a fire pit, extremely heartbroken, and only stopped after Lu Tong repeatedly assured her she would never have romantic thoughts about Qi Yutai.

She sat back in her own seat, picked up the remaining marrow cake and stuffed it into her mouth, randomly making an orchid finger gesture with her right hand: “In any case, I’ve calculated with my fingers – Sister Lu, your true love is not here. That Qi Yutai is not a good man. You’d better give up such thoughts early.”

Lu Tong: “…”

She found it somewhat amusing. However, with Lin Danqing’s interruption, her earlier melancholy mood had completely disappeared.

Lu Tong lowered her head, looking at the white paper on the desk, a strange glint flashing in her eyes.

Cold food powder, rhinoceros horn incense, painted eyebrow birds…

Qi Yutai’s secrets seemed even more bizarre than others imagined.

…

Because she had returned early during the day and the Medical Academy had no other business, Lu Tong went to bed earlier than usual this day.

When night came, Lin Danqing looked at medical books with her for a while, then went to bed herself, and the dormitory became completely quiet.

Moonlight shone in from outside the window, illuminating the water clock on the desk. Lu Tong sat up from her bed, casually put on an outer garment, picked up the lamp beside her bed and lit it, then felt her way out of the dormitory door in the dark.

Outside was pitch black, night frost condensed into dew, and the pale moon was swallowed by wandering dark clouds. Heaven and earth seemed to become an endless abyss, with only the small flame in her hand serving as the sole bright spot.

That brightness was also desolate, as if it would be extinguished in this thick ink at any moment.

Going around the corridor, walking past a row of medicine rooms in the woods, as the person walked, that beam of light flickered bright and dim through the night as it followed her. The woods of the Medical Academy seemed to become the chaotic graveyard of Luomei Peak, always with some ghostly fires flickering.

Lu Tong stopped in front of a door.

She pushed the door and walked in.

As soon as she entered the room, her nostrils were filled with an old musty smell mixed with strong ink fragrance. She turned around to close the door, then carried the oil lamp further inside.

The weak firelight illuminated the interior.

All around were bookshelves and wooden beams everywhere, stacked with thick volumes, densely packed as far as the eye could see.

This was the medical archive where the Medical Academy stored medical records of various patients.

From palace consorts and imperial relatives above, down to officials large and small, after being treated by the Medical Academy, all would be recorded and stored in the Medical Academy’s medical archive.

Qi Yutai’s medical records were the same.

Lu Tong carried the lamp to a wooden cabinet, took out a key and opened the cabinet door.

The cabinet door opened, and inside were neatly arranged stacks of scrolls.

Lu Tong’s gaze swept over the covers of the medical records one by one. In a moment, she stopped at one spot, reached out and forcefully pulled the medical record from the shelf.

Under the weak lamplight, three blurry small characters could be seen on the medical record cover: Qi Yutai.

Qi Yutai was a Ministry of Revenue official. Normally his medical records couldn’t be viewed casually, but fortunately Lu Tong was now treating Jin Xianrong, who was also a Ministry of Revenue official. She had the key to the cabinet containing Ministry of Revenue officials’ medical records, which was perfect for her purposes.

This was Qi Yutai’s medical record.

During the day when she saw Qi Yutai’s strange pulse, compared to the heat hyperactivity symptoms from cold food powder, there seemed to be additional effects from long-term use of spirit-calming and mind-stabilizing medicines. No matter how she thought about it, this seemed strange. However, physicians couldn’t casually view medical records of non-treatment subjects, so she could only come at night when no one was around to search for Qi Yutai’s medical records.

Lu Tong was holding the record and had just closed the cabinet door when she heard a “creak—”

A soft sound came from the doorway.

Someone was coming!

In a flash, she quickly blew out the oil lamp and calmly hid herself behind the heavy bookshelves.

It was already deep night, with deathly silence inside and outside the academy. The clouds in the sky gradually dispersed, revealing a few wisps of pale white moon. The moonlight stretched the shadows on the ground, then disappeared again as the door closed.

That person entered the room silently and came to the heavy bookshelves as if familiar with the way.

Lu Tong held her breath, tightly gripping the medical record in her hand, making herself like one of the many book supports in this room, standing quietly.

“Tap, tap, tap—”

The footsteps were unhurried. Lu Tong felt the other person walking toward her step by step, and couldn’t help feeling for the silver needle in her sleeve.

“Tap, tap, tap—”

The sound grew closer and heavier. It seemed that with one more step, they would be able to see Lu Tong hiding behind the bookshelf.

She gripped the silver needle tightly.

The other person suddenly stopped.

Immediately after, rustling sounds arose, seeming to be the sound of keys opening locks, followed by searching.

Lu Tong cautiously pressed against the bookshelf, separated by just one shelf, listening to that person’s shadowy movements in the room.

After a while, the other person seemed to have found what they were looking for and closed the cabinet door.

Lu Tong heard the footsteps gradually receding, accompanied by the closing of the medical archive door. There was no more sound around, only endless darkness too deep to see the bottom.

…Had they left?

She stood in the darkness for a while longer, and only after confirming she heard no more sounds did she completely relax.

They should have left.

Secretly breathing a sigh of relief, she held the lamp and medical record, walking out from behind the bookshelves.

She had only taken one step when something cold and sharp pressed against her throat.

Lu Tong’s brow jumped.

In the pitch-black room, only a little faint light came through the window gap, silently falling on the heavy bookshelves, making the two people behind the shelves look like dark shadows in a shadow puppet show.

Someone stood behind her, having waited in ambush here for who knows how long.

A familiar orchid and musk fragrance came from behind, accompanied by the other person’s calm voice.

He spoke, his tone completely different from usual – cold.

“Quite able to hold your composure.”

Lu Tong was startled.

Hearing this voice, she actually relaxed instead.

She put away the poisoned silver needle in her sleeve, allowing the other person to hold her hostage without further resistance.

She said: “Lord Pei, it’s me.”