Outside the Imperial Advisor's Residence.
At the end of the street.
As Ji Mingyue and Zhong Ling led Xiao Doubao toward the gates of the Imperial Advisor's Residence, Jiang Ning stood alone where he was, his gaze calm as he looked to the other side.
He looked into the darkness at the end of the long street.
At this moment, dusk was deepening, and a bright, clear moon slowly rose from the west.
In the distance, pedestrians were sparse, and the occasional carriage passed by, stirring up a few wisps of smoke and dust.
Ji Mingyue, Zhong Ling, and the others who had left gradually drew farther away from Jiang Ning, turning back from time to time.
In their eyes, Jiang Ning was merely gazing calmly into the distance, at the end of the long street.
Very soon, as their view stretched farther, they could no longer see Jiang Ning's back.
At the same time.
Jiang Ning did not have to wait long either.
In the darkness at the street corner, a slender figure slowly turned out.
It was precisely the Purple-Skirted Maiden he had seen on the painted boat during the day.
At this moment, she stepped barefoot onto the bluestone slabs, her ankles delicate, her waist swaying lightly, the hem of her purple skirt fluttering faintly in the evening wind.
On that exquisitely carved face, her eyes shifted and flowed, carrying a hint of a smile that was not quite a smile.
As her bare feet stepped onto the bluestone ground and her steps fell, a crisp silver-bell sound rang out.
He followed the sound with his gaze and saw that it came from the Silver Anklets on the Purple-Skirted Maiden's ankles. On each anklet hung six bells.
Jiang Ning could clearly sense that the pedestrians on the