A long night

The night was deep, and all was silent.

The carved window of the Princess Consort's bedchamber was propped open with a slender wooden stick. Cool air drifted into the room, gently swaying the palace lanterns.

Xu Qingzhao sat cross-legged on a cushion, gazing into the brilliant starry sky with fathomless eyes. Her left hand supported her cheek while her right toyed with a teacup. There was no telling what she was thinking.

Not far away, Ren Ye lay sprawled on the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling, looking utterly drained.

After two full hours of "soul resonance," never mind the Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One's fortune-even his body hair had nearly been sucked dry. Calling this a miracle of life was no exaggeration!

If all the virility in the world amounted to ten parts, Ren Ye felt he alone accounted for eight.

Fortunately, the Princess Consort was a woman of her word. She kept her promise and demonstrated an eerie, unpredictable Daoist Art for the "Yin-Yang Great Emperor"...

"If you're tired, you can sleep here for a while. With me here, no one should be able to kill you." As the cold breeze brushed her face, Xu Qingzhao spoke without a trace of emotion.

An absence of emotion was, in fact, an emotion of its own.

Xu Qingzhao feared becoming entangled in the karma of a Heavenly Pardon-Blessed One. Yet, for some reason, ever since she began trading for his fortune at equal value, she kept feeling she had gotten the better end of the deal...

On the soft wool carpet, Ren Ye wiped the sweat from his forehead and stared forlornly at the ceiling. "Sigh. I haven't slept properly in over three years. A little longer won't make a difference..."

"Over three years?" Xu Qingzhao asked mildly. "Did you do something that weighed on your conscience?"

"No. Maybe I just never really adjusted. I feel wronged, unwilling to accept it, a little regretful, and yet a tiny bit like this was how things were supposed to be? Heh. Maybe all of those." Ren Ye let his mind go completely blank. "It... it always feels as though some negative emotion has been bottled up inside me for ages, never finding a release."

Xu Qingzhao didn't understand what he meant and had little interest in asking. She simply fell silent again.

"Clang, clang-clang!"

Several gong strikes sounded outside the quiet bedchamber, interrupting Ren Ye's tangled thoughts.

It was midnight.

Ren Ye came to his senses and abruptly sat up, grabbing the clothes beside him and putting them on. "My beloved consort, get some rest. I'll be leaving now."

Xu Qingzhao ignored him.

A little while later, Ren Ye finished dressing and walked toward the doors.

"...I told you, as long as you don't go looking for death, I'll do my best to keep you safe." Still resting her cheek on her hand, Xu Qingzhao turned her head. "But if you choose to act, I'll stand aside and watch, whatever happens."

Though Xu Qingzhao seemed detached from worldly affairs, none of the petty scheming in the prince's residence escaped her notice. She knew Ren Ye intended to take a risk tonight, so she had kindly tried to dissuade him.

"My beloved consort, I forgot to tell you-I've never liked being passive..." Ren Ye left her with a smile, then breezily pushed open the doors and departed.

"There's no cure for a fool..."

Xu Qingzhao shook her head lightly and looked out the window, her expression serene.

A quarter of an hour later, in Prince Huai's bedchamber.

Seated upright in a chair, Ren Ye gave his orders. "Follow the plan we settled on yesterday. Go to Liyuan Garden now and select the songstresses. Bring that female thief here among them. If she resists, take her down, but remember to leave her alive."

"As you command." Er Leng answered, then hurried away with the eunuchs accompanying him.

Ren Ye turned to Lian'er, who was also in the chamber, and waved her along. "Go to Joyful Music Palace and make the preparations. Do as I instructed."

In the flickering candlelight, Lian'er stared at Ren Ye with a deathly pale face, an inexplicable fear showing in her eyes.

Ren Ye was curious. "What's wrong? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"

"...To... to tell Your Highness the truth, I really do feel as though I've seen a ghost." Lian'er forced herself to answer. "I don't know why, but ever since you returned from the Princess Consort's bedchamber, you've felt terribly sinister. Just... just like...!"

"Like what? Speak freely."

"Like seeing a dead person, or one of those Daoist priests who wander the hills exorcising ghosts and summoning souls. In any case, there's a strong aura of yin about you." Lian'er told him honestly, "You... you haven't...?"

"It's fine." Ren Ye waved a hand, cutting her off. "I'm always drained when I come back from the Princess Consort's place... I'm just especially drained today. I'll be fine tomorrow."

"Then shall I go make the preparations now?"

"Go!" Ren Ye nodded his assent.

Halfway through the midnight watch, in Liyuan Garden.

The eunuch from the rites office called out in a shrill, quacking voice, "His Highness has commanded that those selected go to Joyful Music Palace to attend him!"

The gong rang, and the young eunuchs in the courtyard busied themselves. Before long, all the songstresses and maidservants of Liyuan Garden had assembled in the outer courtyard, standing in several rows.

"Guard Hong, if you please!" The old eunuch raised an arm, looking at Er Leng with undisguised impatience.

Er Leng nodded slightly in response, strode into the ranks of songstresses, and began choosing.

Night hung overhead, and lamplight flickered.

Hidden among the songstresses, Liu Ling'er fixed her eyes on Er Leng and focused her mind, once again sensing the subtle connection between them.

His state as her devoted lapdog was stable. Nothing was amiss.

After selecting a dozen or so women, Er Leng came to Liu Ling'er. As his eyes swept over her alluring figure, they burned with a fervor he could barely conceal.

"I am on my monthly cycle and fear I cannot serve His Highness." Liu Ling'er curtsied gracefully, secretly signaling Er Leng with her eyes.

"What use are you, then?!"

Er Leng scolded Liu Ling'er, then followed her signal toward another songstress skilled at playing the sheng. "Are you on your monthly cycle?"

The woman shook her head, her pretty face bashful.

"Then step forward." Having picked her, Er Leng hurried on without another glance at Liu Ling'er.

Half an hour later, over twenty songstresses skilled in instrumental music and singing were brought into Joyful Music Palace.

Ren Ye sat at the head of the hall, reeking of alcohol, and bellowed drunkenly, "I'm in a foul mood! Play and dance for me. If you cheer me up, you'll be richly rewarded!"

His shout rang through the hall, and the beautiful songstresses sprang into action. Soon, strings sounded in harmony, filling the hall with graceful, lilting music...

Ren Ye drank fine wine and put on the air of a debauched wastrel, ogling the dancers' enticing figures while his mind dwelled on something else.

"Er Leng...!"

"At your service."

"Have you sniffed out which one is the thief?" Ren Ye quietly asked, surveying the women in the hall.

Er Leng bent at the waist and covered his mouth with a hand. "The woman playing the sheng on the left is the thief I fought at Spring Fragrance Garden."

"Are you certain?" Ren Ye turned, staring intently at Er Leng's expression.

"I'm certain. It's her."

"I'll choose her to attend me in bed shortly. Go to the bedchamber and prepare." Ren Ye considered for a moment. "Remember, don't give yourself away beforehand. She's highly skilled in martial arts, and her lightness skill is superb. Whatever you do, don't let her escape."

"Rest assured, Your Highness. I'll capture her alive." With that, Er Leng quietly left the hall.

"Hahaha!"

Ren Ye laughed loudly, rose with his wine cup in hand, and bellowed as he swayed, "Keep the music playing! Keep dancing!"

On the right, Lian'er, who stood attending him in the hall, exchanged a meaningful glance with a maidservant after Er Leng left.

Once Er Leng left Joyful Music Palace, the fawning look vanished from his face.

He first went to Prince Huai's bedchamber, deliberately sent away the eunuchs on night duty, then slipped out.

Half a quarter of an hour later, he arrived at Tranquil Heart Hall with a woman dressed as an ordinary maidservant.

As soon as they appeared, two eunuchs stepped out beneath the corridor eaves. One called, "Who's there?"

"It's me."

Er Leng answered with a frown and climbed the steps. Pointing to the maidservant beside him, he said, "His Highness is drinking and enjoying himself at Joyful Music Palace. He specifically sent us here to fetch some personal belongings."

"Oh, it's Lord Hong! Please, come in!"

"Lord Hong, why haven't I seen this maidservant before?"

"She's from Liyuan Garden. Don't ask unnecessary questions," Er Leng replied coldly.

"Yes, yes...!"

Faced with Er Leng, both eunuchs naturally adopted obsequious expressions and sensibly stepped aside.

"You needn't follow us. Stay alert on your night watch."

"Yes."

After this brief exchange at the entrance, Er Leng led the woman inside.

The eunuchs guarding this place had all been assigned by him and Lian'er. Er Leng knew exactly how many there were and where each was stationed, so he encountered no one else along the way.

In the dim corridor, the ordinary-looking maidservant following closely behind Er Leng slowly raised her head. "Has that good-for-nothing noticed anything unusual about the songstress?"

"Mistress, that good-for-nothing plans to lure the sheng-playing songstress into his bedchamber, then have me subdue her." Looking at Liu Ling'er in her maidservant disguise, Er Leng's eyes blazed. He kept licking his cracked lips as he answered, "The eunuchs in the hall are weaklings with no martial training. He wouldn't dare make a move there."

"Mm." Liu Ling'er nodded in satisfaction. "Are you certain you can activate the mechanism to the secret chamber?"

Er Leng answered respectfully, "The Nation-Guarding Sword that used to be displayed in the hall was the switch to the secret chamber. But two days ago, it acknowledged its master anew. That good-for-nothing secretly took the real sword away and used an identical fake to weigh down the switch. Anyone who knows how it works can enter. You needn't worry, Mistress."

Liu Ling'er nodded in satisfaction. "Let's hurry."

There were fewer than seven hours left before the deadline to turn in her mission tomorrow morning. Liu Ling'er was already frantic with impatience. She wanted to finish as soon as possible and avoid further complications.

They hurried along, one behind the other, and soon reached the main hall.

"Creak!"

The doors closed. Standing in the darkness, Liu Ling'er glanced around, caution in her eyes.

Er Leng rushed forward, circled around the towering throne, and lifted the fake Nation-Guarding Sword.

"Click!"

Gears turned, the wall split open, and a secret passage slowly appeared.

"This is the secret chamber that good-for-nothing discovered." Er Leng looked at Liu Ling'er as though presenting a treasure, his expression intensely excited. "Mistress! Once this is over, all I ask is to... to lie with you once more... Even if I died immediately afterward, I'd have no regrets."

Liu Ling'er eyed him coldly. "You go down first."

"All right!" Without hesitation, Er Leng lunged into the passage.

Liu Ling'er slowly closed her eyes and carefully sensed their mysterious connection with her mind. Only after confirming that Er Leng's lapdog state remained perfectly stable did she nod in satisfaction.

A few breaths later, Er Leng's voice came from the passage. "Mistress, nothing is amiss."

Liu Ling'er knitted her brows and called softly, "Spring Breeze Wish-Fulfilling Painting."

"Whoosh!"

Light flashed, and a scroll suddenly appeared in Liu Ling'er's hand.

Clutching the magical treasure tightly, she held her breath and took small steps into the passage.

The faint firelight flickered restlessly. Liu Ling'er's eyes gradually made out the entire secret chamber, and a notification from the startrace gate sounded in her ears.

[Congratulations, beautiful and captivating songstress. You have discovered a secret passage hidden within the prince's residence. Mission progress: 1/3.]

At the sound, Liu Ling'er was ecstatic. She took the torch Er Leng offered and turned toward the densely packed shelves. "When you came to this secret chamber with that good-for-nothing, did you find Blueprints for the Former Dynasty Princess's Tomb?"

"No, I didn't find those plans." Er Leng shook his head.

Looking up, Liu Ling'er also noticed the iron door at the far end of the chamber. Curiosity showed on her face. "Where does this lead?"

"I don't know. But that day, the good-for-nothing Prince Huai and I encountered a malevolent ghost here...!" Er Leng vividly recounted what had happened that day.

After hearing him out, Liu Ling'er cautiously approached the iron door. Her mission was to investigate this place's secrets, so naturally she wanted to see what lay beyond...

"Mistress," Er Leng said softly, watching the flickering flame, "I've been gone for nearly half an hour. I need to return to Joyful Music Palace to report, or that good-for-nothing may notice something...!"

"Go," Liu Ling'er said indifferently. "Leave the secret chamber open. Once I'm done searching, I'll hide in a side room. Come back for me afterward."

"Yes!" Er Leng cupped his fist and asked, "Once that sheng-playing songstress is brought to the bedchamber, what should I do with her? As soon as that good-for-nothing Prince Huai speaks to her, everything will be exposed."

"Tell him the female thief is highly skilled and possesses eerie, unpredictable powers. Have that good-for-nothing hide somewhere safe." Liu Ling'er studied the iron door, her thinking clear. "After he leaves, pretend to slip up and kill the songstress. Dead women tell no tales."

"The two young eunuchs at the entrance saw us earlier, too..."

"Kill them both before you leave. Heh. I have a way to divert suspicion."

"Understood!"

"Go." Liu Ling'er nodded slowly.

"Whoosh!"

Er Leng swiftly vanished from the secret chamber.

In the dark, narrow corridor of Tranquil Heart Hall, Er Leng hurried along, preparing to return to Joyful Music Palace and report.

All around him was silent, save for the rapid footfalls striking the floor...

"Er Leng!"

A familiar voice abruptly rang out. "What's so special about that woman? Isn't Lian'er good enough for you?!"

Those words instantly plunged Er Leng into an icy abyss. A chill swept over the back of his neck, and he drew the Famous Blade Invite the Moon with a swish.

Firelight flickered, revealing Ren Ye.

At the sight of him, Er Leng's pupils contracted, and he roared with a look of stubborn defiance, "You good-for-nothing! No one can hurt my mistress!"

"Smack!"

Lian'er, who had been hiding on the left, stepped up and slapped him across the face. "What does she have that I don't?! You forget your loyalties over a pretty face faster than His Highness takes his clothes off!"

As she berated him, Lian'er slapped an exquisite Daoist Talisman onto Er Leng's chest.