Late that night in Yanjing, heavy rain suddenly began to fall.

Spring rain was usually fine and continuous, as if reluctant to damage the newly bloomed flowers. However, on this night, lightning flashed and thunder roared. A torrential downpour came suddenly, beating the lanterns under the eaves until they swayed precariously.

In the stables, Xiao Lan restlessly raised its hooves and stamped irritably on the ground, not even glancing at the hay in the stone trough. This made the stable boy anxious. This precious horse was now Old General Ji’s treasure—it absolutely had to be watched carefully. If anything went wrong, Old General Ji definitely wouldn’t show mercy.

In the birdcage in the courtyard, Xiao Hong was also startled by the thunder into chattering noisily. This time it didn’t imitate human speech, but behaved like an ordinary bird, frightened by the thunder. The servant brought the birdcage inside where the thunder outside would sound quieter.

On this pitch-black, cold, rainy night, there wasn’t a single star in the sky—only thick dark clouds. Just then, at the entrance of the Duke’s manor, urgent knocking sounds rang out.

The gatekeeper was startled and went out to look. He saw a woman standing outside wearing a cloak, but her entire body was soaked through. Her hair was almost completely wet. She stood before him like a drowned rat.

“This young lady?” The gatekeeper frowned. Who would come to the Duke’s manor so late? He didn’t recognize this woman either.

The young woman raised her face and said, “I… I am Baixue, a maid serving Second Miss Jiang. I want to see the Duke. I have important matters to tell him!”

Only then did the gatekeeper see clearly that it was indeed Baixue from Jiang Li’s side. Others might not be familiar, but when it came to Jiang Li, the servants of the Duke’s manor all knew her. People who could swagger into the Duke’s manor and seemed to have a good relationship with Ji Heng—aside from Situ Jiuyue, there was this Second Miss of the Jiang family.

The gatekeeper pulled Baixue inside a little to shelter her from the wind and rain outside. “Miss Baixue, His Grace is not currently at the manor. We don’t know when he’ll return. You’re completely soaked. Why don’t you come inside first to change into clean clothes and drink some hot water? Otherwise you’ll catch a chill. With such heavy rain outside, how did you come here by yourself?”

Baixue’s heart immediately felt an indescribable emotion. Outsiders said Duke Su was unpredictable in temperament, and even the servants of the Duke’s manor had their eyes on top of their heads, never looking at people properly. But in fact, they weren’t as cold as people said.

“No… it’s because what I need to say is truly very important… Young brother, when will the Duke return?”

The gatekeeper said with difficulty, “This… we servants don’t know His Grace’s whereabouts. If Miss Baixue wants to wait for someone, please come in and wait first. The wind and rain are coming inside.”

Accompanying these words, another gust of wind blew. Baixue had no choice but to walk further inside. Seeing this, the gatekeeper called another servant to take Baixue into the Duke’s manor to change clothes first.

Baixue had come here on her own following Tong’er’s instructions. They couldn’t let Jiang Yuanbai know that Jiang Li had deep connections with the Duke’s manor, so she couldn’t use the manor’s carriage. And at this time, where could she find a carriage outside? The streets were filled with soldiers currently searching and investigating for Jiang Li. If Baixue walked slowly while holding an umbrella, it would inevitably attract attention. She could only run all the way here. By the time she arrived, she was naturally soaking wet and utterly bedraggled.

After Baixue changed clothes and came out, she stood in the long corridor outside the Duke’s manor’s flower garden. The servant advised her to wait patiently, but Baixue couldn’t settle her heart no matter what. The more terrible the weather became, the more worried she was about Jiang Li, not knowing where she was.

Just then, someone suddenly called her name. Baixue turned to look and it was actually Situ Jiuyue.

Situ Jiuyue stayed at the Duke’s manor because the manor’s flower garden always had materials for making poisons, and she had a good relationship with Old General Ji, so there was no need for avoidance. Seeing Baixue, Situ Jiuyue said curiously, “How did you get here? Are you alone? Where’s Jiang Li?”

“Miss Situ!” Baixue called out as if grasping a lifesaving straw. “You’re close with the Duke. Do you know when the Duke will return?”

“Him?” Situ Jiuyue shook her head. “I’m not close with him at all. Besides, when he goes out on business, how would I know? It looks like your young miss didn’t come—only you’re here alone.” She looked Baixue up and down. Though Baixue had changed into dry clothes, her hair was still damp. Situ Jiuyue said, “You rushed over here in such a hurry—are you looking for Ji Heng’s help? What, has your young miss encountered trouble again?”

Situ Jiuyue spent all her days in the medicine refinement room, so naturally she didn’t know what had happened outside. Moreover, to protect Jiang Li’s reputation, Jiang Yuanbai hadn’t publicly announced Jiang Li’s disappearance for now. Those soldiers wouldn’t talk carelessly, and with Ji Heng absent, the people of the Duke’s manor wouldn’t specifically investigate this matter either.

Baixue said, “It’s not that she encountered trouble—she’s disappeared.”

Situ Jiuyue’s originally indifferent expression paused. She looked at Baixue and asked, “Disappeared?”

“Yes.” Baixue then recounted everything that had happened during the day from beginning to end. At the end, she said to Situ Jiuyue, “So this matter is truly very important. Last time with Third Miss, it was the same—although the master had soldiers investigate, in the end there were no leads at all. It was the Duke who found Princess Yongning’s private dungeon. This servant thought that with the Duke’s manor’s capabilities, perhaps Miss could be found sooner… Miss Situ, when exactly will the Duke return to the manor?”

Situ Jiuyue’s expression became grave. “As far as I know, he should have left the city.”

Baixue was stunned.

“He has important matters this time and probably won’t return for a while. If you want Ji Heng to help you find someone, it’s temporarily not possible.”

Disappointment immediately appeared on Baixue’s face.

Situ Jiuyue pondered for a moment and said, “It’s not completely without solution. I’ll think of a way to inform Ji Heng of this matter and see how he arranges things. Although he’s not in Yanjing, perhaps he can help make arrangements. Don’t worry either. Since the other party came prepared and specifically kidnapped your young miss, it’s not simply to take your young miss’s life. Otherwise, Jiang Li’s corpse should have appeared by now. Furthermore,” she said bluntly, “even if Jiang Li is truly unfortunate enough to die, just for the Duke’s manor’s friendship, Ji Heng would avenge her.”

These words would have been better left unsaid. After hearing them, Baixue became even more nervous instead.

“You staying here won’t help with anything. You should go back,” Situ Jiuyue said. “Although I don’t know when Ji Heng will return, I know that Ji Heng won’t be back tonight.”

Baixue was silent for a moment, knowing Situ Jiuyue spoke the truth. Her staying here indeed wouldn’t help matters. Moreover, Situ Jiuyue said she would help inform Ji Heng of this matter. After Ji Heng learned of the situation, he should take action.

Her trip hadn’t been in vain after all.

Baixue bowed to Situ Jiuyue, thanked her, and then left.

After Baixue left, Situ Jiuyue returned to the small room next to the medicine refinement chamber.

The youth called Azhao could now sit up, leaning against the bed. Though he still couldn’t move on his own, his mind was very clear.

Azhao wasn’t asleep at the moment but awake. Seeing Situ Jiuyue enter, he smiled and said, “Just now I heard Physician Situ conversing with someone outside, mentioning the Princess’s manor private dungeon.”

“Yes,” Situ Jiuyue said. “A friend has disappeared. Speaking of which, she has some connection with you.”

Azhao didn’t understand.

“Originally she wanted to save her own sister and entrusted Ji Heng to help search for her whereabouts. Ji Heng found the Princess’s manor private dungeon. He was originally just doing it for her sister, but unexpectedly encountered you and brought you out. It can be said that if not for her, you’d still be in that dungeon now. When would you ever see daylight again?”

Hearing this, Azhao was also surprised, then said, “That… friend, has she disappeared now?”

“She disappeared this morning. Her whereabouts are still unknown.”

“Since she’s Physician Situ’s friend, why does Physician Situ seem not at all…”

“Sad? Anxious?” Before Azhao could finish, Situ Jiuyue interrupted him. She smiled, though her smile was ice-cold. “Friends or family—to me they’re just names, without special meaning. Rather than worry about others, better to worry about yourself.” She took out a needle. “That’s the kind of person I am. For example, I can save you, but I can also kill you.”

Azhao wasn’t frightened by her words. He just smiled and shook his head.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing, I just thought of my elder sister,” Azhao said. “My elder sister used to always teach me—worry about yourself, don’t worry about others.”

“Then your sister is actually quite smart,” Situ Jiuyue said while administering needles to Azhao. “Where is she now?”

After a long silence with no answer, Situ Jiuyue looked up.

The youth’s bright eyes had dimmed, as if covered by a layer of gray haze. He said softly, “My elder sister has already passed away.”