The Crown Prince's Old Plan

The Eastern Palace was surrounded.

Xue Xing had brought in two thousand Royal Knights to seal every entrance and exit. The servants of the Crown Prince's Residence were gathered in the front courtyard while the rooms, storerooms, and library were searched one by one.

Xue Qinghe did not resist. He only said the seal had gone missing once three years ago and that he was willing to submit to an investigation. The story stalled Xue Xing for now, but it would not survive close scrutiny.

Late that night, Yuan Yu returned from the sleeping quarters and pushed open the door to the Eastern Palace study.

Xue Qinghe sat beneath a lamp, reviewing official documents. Armor clattered outside, but his pen remained steady. Only the blood seeping through the Bandage on his right shoulder grew heavier.

"There are six Soul Sages outside the door." Xue Qinghe did not look up. "How did you get in?"

"Moon-Aspect Netherlight."

Yuan Yu shut the door, and the small black-and-gold lamp beside his shoulder went dark. He walked to the desk and picked up the White Jade Wine Flask Qian Renxue had taken from him years ago.

"You hid it well."

"Put it down."

"It's my wine."

"It's mine now."

Yuan Yu set the flask back down and looked at her shoulder. "How did you get hurt?"

Xue Qinghe was silent for a moment, then raised a hand behind his ear. Pale golden light flowed over his body. The man's face slowly faded, and Golden Hair spilled loose. Qian Renxue pulled off the blue ribbon that bound the Crown Prince's hair and set it on the corner of the desk.

"I went to the medicine storeroom last night. I wanted to take the final dose of Poison."

She opened her outer robe, revealing a blackened