One Month (Part 1)

Great Yingzhou, Black Scale Branch.

The lingering glow of dusk settled in the teacup. Moonlight spilled into the room, casting the latticework of the window across the yellow paper on the desk. When the final stroke fell, the young man raised his eyes toward the graceful silhouette seated opposite him, outlined by the swaying candlelight.

Though Xu Yuan had single-handedly suppressed the fallout from the Western Marsh Bureau chief's betrayal during the Western Suppression upheaval, it had also confirmed from another angle just how deeply the Black Scale Guard had been infiltrated. After parting in Hongnong, Lou Ji had escorted the military intelligence to Yuan Hao, then continued inspecting branch offices throughout the realm, guarding against similar incidents. Yet seeing her in Great Yingzhou still came as something of a surprise to Xu Yuan.

Naturally, Lou Ji was equally surprised.

She did not understand why Lord Xu had permitted someone as important as Xu Yuan to travel alone during such troubled times. Nor did she understand why, after only a month apart, this little brother of hers seemed to have changed so much again.

He had become quieter, more untouchable.

Watching Xu Yuan put away the map on the desk, Lou Ji finally asked softly, "Changtian, did something happen when you went to Hongnong?"

Xu Yuan saw her concern and replied, "The internal briefing should have made it very clear. Nothing has gone wrong with the planned operation so far."

Lou Ji narrowed her eyes. When she spoke again, her tone was certain, as though stating a fact.

"Then it was what happened at the imperial mausoleum."

Xu Yuan did not think he could hide it from this old sister of his, so he simply answered, "Yes."

"What happened there?"

Lou Ji asked, her delicate brows furrowed.

After that day,