Just as Lu Li’s brows knitted together, a figure flashed through her mind. Right—wasn’t that person just now one of the Crown Prince’s men? He probably hadn’t gone far yet. She could have the guards notify him.

With this thought, Lu Li immediately tried to stand up from the ground, but having knelt all night, her legs had long since gone numb and wouldn’t obey. It took her quite a while to barely manage to stand.

Seeing her stand up without Xin’an’s permission, a palace servant kindly reminded her: “If the Princess sees you like this, you’ll be in trouble. If kneeling is really too uncomfortable, just sit for a while—we’ll pretend we didn’t see anything.”

“She won’t let me off.” After saying this, Lu Li dragged her still-unrecovered legs outside, making her way to the palace gate. When the guards saw her approach, they said sternly: “People from Shuangyue Palace are not allowed to leave. Go back immediately!”

“Please, brother, help me call back that person from just now. I have something very important to tell him.” Seeing the guard ignore her, Lu Li said urgently: “It’s related to His Majesty’s murder—Princess Xin’an has an accomplice!”

The guard looked suspiciously at Lu Li, whose cheek was covered in blood: “Do you really know something?”

Lu Li nervously glanced back and said: “How would I dare joke about such a matter? It’s absolutely true—if we’re too late, it’ll be too late!”

Seeing her speak with such certainty, the guard finally nodded: “Alright then, wait inside. I’ll go take a look.”

The guard left amid Lu Li’s profuse thanks. The following wait was undoubtedly like enduring years for Lu Li, constantly looking back anxiously, afraid of being discovered by Xin’an. Fortunately, Xin’an didn’t appear until the guard returned.

Seeing Xue Wanche walking behind the guard, Lu Li showed a trace of joy. When he approached, Xue Wanche said with a somewhat strange expression: “The guard told me you know who Princess Xin’an’s accomplice is?”

Lu Li hurriedly said: “I’m not sure yet, but the things I’ve thought of should be helpful to you. However, I’d like to ask you for a favor—I wonder if it’s possible.”

Xue Wanche’s eyes flickered slightly: “What favor?”

Lu Li looked around and said quietly: “Could we speak privately?”

Xue Wanche nodded and said to the guard: “I’ll take her away for a moment.”

“This…” The guard looked troubled. Before he could continue, Xue Wanche added: “Don’t worry, I’ll bring her back soon and definitely won’t put you in a difficult position!”

Since Xue Wanche was Li Jiancheng’s trusted confidant and had his token, the guard couldn’t refuse to show any courtesy. He nodded: “Alright then, but don’t take too long.”

After thanking him, Xue Wanche brought Lu Li to a secluded place, where the eunuch from before was also present, standing in a corner with his head down.

After they stopped, Xue Wanche asked: “What favor do you need?”

Lu Li said without hesitation: “Help me leave Shuangyue Palace.”

Xue Wanche looked at the wounds on her face and vaguely guessed what had happened, but didn’t say anything, only asking: “Why?”

“The Princess hates what I said to the Tang King last night and wants to kill me. This wound is her doing. If I continue staying in Shuangyue Palace, I’ll definitely die at her hands.” Seeing Xue Wanche remain silent, she said urgently: “Last night the Tang King said that as long as I told the truth, no one would harm me. Surely that doesn’t count for nothing so quickly?”

“The Tang King’s word is as good as gold—how could it not count?” After a pause, Xue Wanche said: “Alright, if what you’ve thought of truly helps find Princess Xin’an’s accomplice, I’ll help you speak to the Tang King.”

Lu Li thanked him repeatedly, then unreservedly told him everything she had thought of earlier, concluding: “However, he claimed to be from the Palace Administration Bureau, so perhaps we could inquire there, or there should be records in the palace.”

Xue Wanche said with dark eyes: “Did you clearly see that person’s appearance?”

Lu Li shook her head: “Because he always kept his head down, I didn’t see clearly. But I remember his build—if I saw him again, I would definitely recognize him.”

“Is that so?” A voice that seemed both familiar and strange sounded in her ear. Lu Li was startled—somehow, the eunuch who had been standing in the corner had silently come to her side.

Still shaken, the eunuch spoke again: “Do I look like him?” With these words, he slowly raised his head, allowing Lu Li to clearly see his face!

Lu Li’s eyes widened in horror as she tightly covered her mouth, afraid that the slightest loosening would make her cry out involuntarily.

Crown Prince… this unremarkable eunuch was actually the Tang King’s Crown Prince! How… how could he be dressed like this and say such things?!

Wait, looking carefully, the Crown Prince’s build was indeed very similar to the person she had seen before, and… they were both dressed as eunuchs. Could it be… the person she saw was the Crown Prince? Had he conspired with the Princess to kill His Majesty and frame Princess Jinyang and the Second Young Master?

But why would he do such a thing? Before this thought was complete, a chill suddenly rose behind Lu Li, growing colder and colder, as if she were in an ice cellar.

If the Crown Prince was truly the one who conspired with the Princess, then what she was doing now… wasn’t she walking right into a trap?

Lu Li was so frightened her scalp went numb, and cold sweat seeped from her hair. After a long while, she forced out a smile: “Replying to Your Highness, that person was short and stocky, not at all like Your Highness. Besides, it couldn’t possibly be Your Highness.”

Li Jiancheng’s lips curved slightly as he said coldly: “Truly not alike?”

Lu Li struggled to maintain the smile on her face: “This servant remembers very clearly—definitely not alike.” Despite her best efforts to suppress it, there was still the faint sound of chattering teeth in her mouth.

“If there’s nothing else, this servant will go back first.” With that, Lu Li tried to leave, but having taken just one step, Xue Wanche was already blocking her path. Lu Li kept her head down and said tremblingly: “Is there something else?”

Li Jiancheng chuckled softly behind her: “Who would have thought that Miss Lu Li, so young, would already have such a poor memory. All along, the person who has been entering and leaving Shuangyue Palace in eunuch’s clothing—isn’t that me?”

“This… this is impossible. Your Highness mustn’t joke with this servant.” Before Lu Li finished speaking, Li Jiancheng was already laughing coldly: “I’m not joking with you.”

Lu Li could no longer maintain the smile on her face: “We’ve been out so long, this servant really should go back. Your Highness, please do as you wish.” She tried to walk around Xue Wanche to leave, but no matter which direction she went, Xue Wanche would shadow her like a ghost, blocking her path and making it impossible for her to move an inch.

Lu Li swallowed hard and said quietly: “What other instructions does Your Highness have?”

Li Jiancheng pulled out a silk thread from his sleeve that had somehow been drawn out, saying slowly: “Is Miss Lu Li planning to see my father or Princess Jinyang?”

Though Li Jiancheng’s tone was gentle, Lu Li heard it with a head full of cold sweat, her feet quietly shuffling backward: “This servant doesn’t understand Your Highness’s meaning.”