He looked into his imperial brother's eyes.
They were utterly lifeless, like a deep pool of stagnant water without a single ripple.
The soldier who had been shouted at dared not linger and quickly left.
He was the only soldier guarding this area during the day. Once he left, only the two of them remained.
The Eighth Prince ventured, "Imperial Brother, are you all right?"
"Please, don't panic."
Only recently had his imperial brother finally emerged from that state of "madness," yet now he had plunged back into it. All he could do was watch helplessly.
No, perhaps there was something he could do.
The Eighth Prince seized Chu Xuanzhen's hand, two fingers happening to pinch the short length of red thread still tied around his little finger.
He spoke again. "Imperial Brother, think carefully. Did anything unusual happen before you went to sleep?"
Sure enough, after he said this, he could clearly sense his imperial brother hesitate for a moment.
But that hesitation did not last long.
Chu Xuanzhen sheathed his sword and said coldly, "He abandoned his post. That is a capital offense."
Abandoned his post?
The Eighth Prince's expression shifted slightly. He frowned, wondering whether he had been wrong to block that strike. Abandoning his post alone warranted punishment.
Still, nothing had happened last night, and the soldier's crime did not warrant death. He was the only one guarding this area, with no one even available to relieve him.
He would inevitably have to leave for a few minutes to answer nature's call.
"I acted rashly, Imperial Brother. Rest assured, I'll have him report for punishment shortly. What matters most now is..."
Before he could finish, Chu Xuanzhen turned his back on the Eighth Prince and headed off in a certain direction.
His imperial brother was behaving