What surprised him a little was that neither Yao Shunyu nor Li Bai raised any objections. That made him start doubting whether his earlier suspicions had been well-founded.
As the servant had instructed, Li Bai and Ding Zhenzong left the courtyard and went to another side room to rest. They would return to take over when the time came.
Now the vast courtyard held only Yao Shunyu and the First Young Master, whose condition inside the room was unknown. Ever since Yao Shunyu had entered the courtyard, not a sound had come from the room. The silence made it feel less like a bedroom and more like a funeral hall.
Two large lanterns hung outside the room, just like the ones outside: one red, one white. But the flames inside them were so dim they were almost impossible to see, as if they were about to burn out.
Yao Shunyu tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. At some point, dark clouds had covered the moon, leaving only a hazy outline. It was no good omen.
With a sigh, Yao Shunyu rubbed his face vigorously. When he raised his head again, his eyes and his whole bearing seemed to belong to someone else. He strode toward the room and pushed open the door.
The room was fairly bright, with several candles burning faintly. Yao Shunyu slowly surveyed the interior. Everything was arranged as before; the only difference was that the curtains in front of the bed had been drawn. Through the translucent blue-green fabric, he could make out a figure lying on the bed.
The figure was naturally the First Young Master. At that moment, he looked as if he were asleep, completely motionless.
Only after confirming that nothing seemed amiss did Yao Shunyu turn around, shut