Hu Xiaotian sat down beside the bed and said quietly, "People from the palace have arrived. They're investigating what happened tonight, and they look determined not to stop until they get to the bottom of it."
Xi Yan blinked her beautiful eyes, a hint of disdain curling her lips. "Scared?"
"I'm scared you'll be exposed," Hu Xiaotian said.
"They're nowhere near capable of that..." Xi Yan suddenly frowned, pain crossing her face.
"How is it? Should I fetch a doctor to examine you?" Hu Xiaotian asked.
Xi Yan shook her head. "No need. I'm not going to die yet!"
"Where does it hurt?"
"My chest!"
"Want me to rub it for you?"
Xi Yan bit her cherry-red lip. "Shameless lecher!"
"Thank you for the compliment," Hu Xiaotian said with a smile. Seeing that the little bottle he had left on the side table remained untouched, he asked softly, "You still haven't taken it?"
"Do you think everyone is as spineless as you? I wouldn't take anything from that Enchantress even if I died."
Hu Xiaotian was puzzled. He had no idea what grudge lay between Xi Yan and Qin Yutong, or why they were as incompatible as fire and water. He said quietly, "Shi Kuan, commander of the Golden Scale Guards, is outside. He just identified those three assassins. He said they belonged to the Mottled Sect."
Xi Yan nodded. "You're going to have trouble from now on."
"Why me?" Hu Xiaotian asked, taken aback.
"Of course they won't connect it to me. Didn't you take everything on yourself and admit you killed them all? Every grievance has its source, and every debt its debtor. Who else would the Mottled Sect come to settle accounts with?"
Hu Xiaotian had already thought of that. He smiled bitterly. "Doesn't that mean I've