Early the next morning, Song Qingshu went to the Yellow-robed Woman's room to find her.
"Have you found Huan Bi?" The Yellow-robed Woman had merely wiped her face with plain water. Even without makeup, her delicate beauty remained impossible to conceal.
"Not yet," Song Qingshu said with a sigh. "But I finally understand what it means to be 'a lotus rising pure from clear water, naturally untouched by ornamentation.'"
The Yellow-robed Woman frowned, clearly displeased by his glib words. "You seem to be in a good mood. You must have discovered something."
"I came to invite you to find the true culprit." There was an inexplicably complicated look in Song Qingshu's eyes.
"Who is the culprit?" The Yellow-robed Woman immediately perked up.
Song Qingshu shook his head. "Haste makes waste. Just come with me, and you'll find out."
Seeing him deliberately keep her in suspense, the Yellow-robed Woman gritted her teeth in irritation, but she could only suppress her doubts and follow him.
"Why did you bring me out of the city?" The Yellow-robed Woman's expression darkened. They were now outside Xingqing Prefecture's west gate. If she had not been highly skilled in martial arts, she might have suspected that he had lured her into this deserted place to assault her.
"So much has happened in the city lately. All that chaos has muddled the mind. Why not sit down over some tea and enjoy the scenery of the northwest?" Song Qingshu led her to a roadside tea stall near the city gate, pouring her tea as he spoke.
After walking for so long, the Yellow-robed Woman was indeed thirsty. She picked up the cup and took a sip, but could not help frowning. She set it back down and did not touch it again. Born into royalty, whether at