The clashing sounds of swords echoed across the training ground, where Jianyu, dressed in his training gear, moved gracefully among the guards.
As Jianyu paused, a drop of sweat fell from his chin, his hair tousled and his palms warm from gripping the sword.
"Your Highness," Liu Junhui called out, catching up to Jianyu as he headed towards a bench near the horse stall.
Liu Junhui had just returned to the capital a day prior, and his arrival was meant to be discreet.
"Do we still have no leads on the source of the informant?" Junhui inquired.
Jianyu met Junhui's gaze. "No, your highness, but I suspect the informant means no harm—at least not yet."
Jiangyu sighed and continued, "Even you struggled against that person. I believe it might be the same individual Weimin encountered before his return."
Weimin, who stood nearby, added, "Junhui, do you recall anything distinctive about that person?"
"Well," Junhui pondered, "he had an earthy scent, like plants or soil. Perhaps he's a farmer?"
Weimin nodded thoughtfully. "He might be disguising himself as a farmer to avoid attention."
Junhui frowned. "His voice felt familiar, like I've heard it before, but I can't quite place it."
Turning to Jianyu, Junhui asked, "Your Highness, what do you think the letter means by 'what is seen is but a veil. When mirrors lie, trust the echo'?"
Weimin chimed in, "Are we overlooking something?"
Jianyu remains calm, but his mind was troubled.
Jianyu wiped the sweat from his face. "Weimin, set aside the Xiao case for now, I know what you're doing behind my back"
Weimin felt a bead of sweat form as Jianyu spoke. Despite the Empress's command to halt the investigation, he had continued to look into the matter. He simply couldn't find it in himself to deny Ms. Song's plead.
Jianyu continue, "I need you to assist Renshu with his investigation. Junhui, I want you to gather as much information as you can about Qinshu Village."
"The village you had Renshu investigate?" Junhui queried.
Jianyu nodded affirmatively.
Once the two left, Jianyu stripped off his training attire, preparing for a bath.
The letters were becoming increasingly perplexing with each reading. What were they truly indicating? Were they indeed mislead, as Weimin suggested? The connection to Qinshu Village felt like a link to the long-lost faction. But did the secret army and the Xiao case also relate back to this hidden faction, or were they entirely separate? Everything felt too coincidental. Jianyu had already been investigating tax evasion independently of the letters, and though the progress was slow, he was determined to unearth the truth behind it. Now, with the letters complicating matters, he felt lost. Now, Jianyu felt his primary focus needed to be on the secret faction. Under his direction, Renshu was currently looking into a recent case involving bodies found near the Xinhou River.
Jianyu had come across some questionable evidence about Renshu, but deep down, he believed Renshu would never betray him. Still, Jianyu figured it would be better to let Renshu concentrate on other things, or at least that's what he thought.
---
Later, in another part of the city, Hualing called out, "Xuanwen! Wait up!" as she hurried towards Xuanwen, who was examining jewelry at a nearby stall.
Xuanwen laughed lightly at Hualing, who was clearly out of breath. "Take a moment to breathe! There's no need to rush."
Hualing shook her head vigorously. "Of course, I had to! You don't know how many times I've lost track of you in a crowd!"
With a smile, Xuanwen playfully placed a hairpin on Hualing's head. "What do you think? Do you like it?"
Hualing's face lit up with joy as she nodded eagerly.
"Perfect! We'll take these," Xuanwen said to the stall owner.
They soon arrived at a textile shop. As they browsed the fabrics, Hualing felt the weight of the materials piling up in her arms. "Do you really need this many, Xuanwen?"
"Absolutely," Xuanwen replied. "Just wait here; I'm going to check out something over there—" She dashed off before Hualing could respond.
With a sigh, Hualing placed the fabrics down on a table, waiting for Xuanwen to return. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, Xuanwen had slipped away to another area.
From the second balcony, Xuanwen spotted a familiar figure, Tao Weimin, entering the Yan Min Teahouse with someone else. Disguised as a servant, she quietly followed, carrying a bucket. Once Weimin entered a room, Xuanwen stealthily slipped into the adjacent one, careful to keep her footsteps silent.
"How's the marriage match coming along?" Weimin teased.
Renshu set down his cup of tea. "Enough with the teasing. Did you follow through with what I asked?"
Weimin nodded. "I've looked into the case."
"What are your thoughts?" Renshu asked.
Weimin met Renshu's gaze. "There are some striking similarities, but I can't be certain."
"Regardless, I believe it's tied to the Yitong case," Renshu stated seriously.
Xuanwen, overhearing their conversation, felt a sense of urgency. The Yitong case? She sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. They've came this far already?
Weimin continued, "I'll have someone examine the body; she should arrive shortly."
"Miss Su Huian?" Renshu asked.
Weimin confirmed with a nod.
"Can we trust her?" Renshu inquired.
Weimin shrugged. "His Highness wants me to keep a close watch on her. Plus, her skills might come in handy."
"It's just too random. Why did Miss Su Huian receive the letters too? What's her connection to this?" Renshu wondered aloud, absentmindedly stroking his cup.
Xuanwen frowned. Letters? She didn't remember indicating anything to Su Huian. There must have been some misunderstanding. Initially, she only wanted to gather updates on everything, but having Su Huian collaborate with the Crown Prince could actually be a good strategy.
Weimin glanced at Renshu, feeling a bit unsure. Like Jianyu, Weimin had found some questionable evidence in the tax evasion case that pointed toward Xue Renshu. One of the reason why Renshu was sent to investigate the Qinshu village was to distract him from the tax evasion case. Although the Xue family wasn't very powerful, their long-standing noble background made them significant. Renshu had become friends with the crown prince seven years ago, while Weimin had grown up alongside Jianyu. This didn't change Renshu's loyalty to Jianyu, but with the evidence suggesting Renshu's involvement, Weimin felt the need to clear up any misunderstandings.
Renshu, realizing Weimin was lost in thought, called out, "Weimin."
Weimin replied, "Oh, yes, umm, you're not wrong, but we can keep her close to watch her actions."
Xuanwen crossed her arms, realizing that around this time, Weimin and the crown prince had started to doubt Renshu. The evidence had been tampered with, but they were unaware of that. Quickly, Xuanwen stepped out from her hiding place.
Huian, dressed in a vibrant green outfit that gave off a lighthearted and innocent feel, stepped into the room. Inside, she noticed Renshu and Weimin were deeply engaged in their discussion.
"Miss Su," Renshu greeted her.
Xuanwen returned to the textile shop where Hualing awaited her.
In the original storyline, Xuanwen was commanded by her master to poison Huian. The reasoning was simple: Su Huian was the daughter of a maid who had served the previous empress. Her mother, now mentally unstable, was often labeled as crazy. The master intended to leverage Huian, knowing that the Su family was close to the empress, hence he was cautious. Huian would have no choice but to rely on him, as the poison was rare and undocumented. However, after her regression, Huian managed to cure herself when the source was revealed just before her death.
Unfortunately, she hadn't encountered the master before her regression, complicating her life greatly.
Xuanwen felt a deep sympathy for the characters in the novel; they seemed trapped in their circumstances. At least the hint she had given them should lead to something.
"Hualing!" Xuanwen called cheerfully as she approached Hualing, her arms laden with textiles.
Hualing unfolded her arms, looking concerned. "Xuanwen, what took you so long?"
Xuanwen placed the textiles on the counter. "Auntie, we'll take these, please."
Hualing halted Xuanwen's hands. "Are you sure? This is quite a lot."
Xuanwen replied confidently, "It's not too much. Besides, they won't say anything, especially since they expect me to attend the banquet. For now, they'll be lenient, so let's take advantage of it."
As they made their way back, they encountered Xuanqing at the mansion entrance.
"Sister," Xuanqing greeted.
Xuanwen stepped down from the carriage. "Xuanqing, Brother Zhiyuan." Next to Xuanqing stood Liu Zhiyuan, the son of their youngest uncle.
Zhiyuan was a background character, likely only appearing once or not at all, making it hard for Xuanwen to gauge him. Still, at least he seemed decent.
Xuanwen's youngest uncle, Liu Buyi, was a successful merchant with various businesses, including brewhouses and restaurants, all under the name Buyuan. Zhiyuan managed the Weishangyuan branch, which oversaw the brewhouses.
Xuanqing remarked, "Older sister, you just got back and you're already spending so much"
"Really?" Xuanwen glanced at the textiles. "Xuanqing, I think I'm still far behind compared to you."
Xuanqing, visibly irritated, replied with an awkward laugh, "Sister, it's good you're here; Brother Zhiyuan just came to deliver some wine for Father."
Xuanwen approached them and noticed the wine in Zhiyuan's hands. "Oh, well then, enjoy! I'll excuse myself first."
As Xuanwen walked away, Xuanqing glared at her retreating figure, annoyed. She turned back to Zhiyuan. "Brother Zhiyuan, don't mind sister Xuanwen; she's always been like this. Let's head inside."
Zhiyuan nodded in agreement.
As Xuanwen was about to enter her room, she paused. If Zhiyuan managed the brewhouses, he would surely know Xie Mingzhu.
Xie Mingzhu owned the Yan Min Teahouse, which Xuanwen had just visited. Perhaps she could seek his help; after all, Zhiyuan seemed quite competitive and likely knew Xie Mingzhu, another well-known brewer in the capital.
Xie Mingzhu was an orphan rescued by the Crown Prince, and the Yan Min Teahouse was one of the Crown Prince's secret establishments.
---
In the Huajing Department, the dim lantern light cast long shadows over the cold stone table where a lifeless body lay. The spacious room felt stifling, filled with the sharp scent of herbs and lingering incense meant to mask the unsettling odors of death.
Su Huian leaned over the body, her expression calm but her movements precise. Dressed in a plain robe with sleeves rolled neatly to avoid interference, she covered her nose and mouth with a thin cloth. Her tools—bone needles, thin blades, and delicate brushes—lay meticulously arranged beside her.
The woman's skin had turned a sickly hue, stretched tightly over bone. Huian's practiced fingers moved gently over the corpse as she began to speak, her voice steady like poetry.
"Her skin is exceptionally dry. There are extensive bruises—both fresh and old—indicating prolonged abuse," Huian narrated, her gloved hands brushing over the discolored skin. "She shows clear signs of malnutrition and dehydration." Tilting the woman's head slightly, she examined her lips and gums. "Her lips are cracked, and her gums have receded. This isn't a sudden deprivation; she must have suffered for weeks, if not longer."
Taking a small scraping from beneath the woman's fingernails, she held it up to the dim light. "These particulates… typical of cave environments. Soil, perhaps limestone dust."
Weimin stood at the edge of the room, arms crossed, his usual relaxed demeanor replaced with unease. His shadow flickered against the walls, reflecting the restless sway of the lanterns.
"You mentioned caves," he said, his tone more serious than usual. "Her body was discovered in the river—could she have drowned?"
Huian shook her head. "No. I've checked thoroughly." Gently opening the woman's mouth, she revealed a dry throat and pale tongue. "There's no water in her lungs or stomach. If she had drowned, there would be signs of aspiration—her airways would be wet, and her lungs would show distress."
Moving to the woman's hands, she carefully pried them open. Waterlogged fragments of aquatic plants clung to her fingers, their stems entangled.
"These plants," Huian murmured, "were not gripped out of desperation. There are no defensive wounds or signs of struggle. If she had been alive when she entered the water, her instinct would have been to fight—her nails would be damaged, her skin scraped." She pointed to the unbroken skin underneath the nails. "But here, nothing."
Weimin's brow furrowed. "So… she was dead before she entered the water."
"Yes." Huian's gaze darkened as her fingers brushed against the woman's shoulder.
"And here—" Huian pressed down, revealing a faint, intricate pattern woven into the skin. Her breath caught. "This mark… It's not natural. It looks like a print… possibly a tattoo."
Silence enveloped the room, thick and suffocating. The shadows in the corners seemed to swell, reaching with dark fingers toward the fragile light of the lanterns.
"Does it remind you of the Yitong case?" Renshu's figure emerged from behind, his silhouette sharp and imposing. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes glinted with something Huian couldn't quite place—something dangerous.
The Yitong case. How long had it been since anyone had mentioned it?
The story unfolded in her mind, a tapestry woven with blood and secrets. Wang Yitong, a respected official and investigator, had once held the court's trust. His district had seemed quiet—too quiet—until people began to disappear. Determined to uncover the truth, Yitong had gone silent, his investigation swallowed by shadows.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. When the silence finally shattered, it did so with horror.
Yitong's mansion had become a graveyard. His body, along with his family's, was discovered in the lake behind his estate. Their limbs bound to heavy rocks, the water claimed them in a cold, eternal embrace. But they were not alone. The lake released more than just the Yitong family—it revealed a chorus of the dead, bodies bound and silenced, their secrets buried beneath murky waters.
The bodies had decayed, their skin pale and bloated, bruises obscured by time. But beneath the peeling flesh and mossy grime, some bore a mark—a serpent-like pattern winding around their shoulders.
Till this day, it remained a mystery. No one knew who killed him or those people.
Renshu's voice pulled her back, sharp as a blade. "The same mark, perhaps?"
"Do you think—" Her voice was a thin thread. "Do you think it's the same perpetrator as in the Yitong case?"
Weimin's expression hardened. "The Yitong case was never truly closed. Too many questions, too many silenced witnesses."
Huian absorbed their words, but as she examined the body's eye, something familiar struck her. She took a closer look at the body's eyelashes and hair roots.
"What's wrong?" Weimin asked.
Huian shook her head. These signs were reminiscent of those exhibited when poisoned with Dentocin, the poison Xuanwen had given her. But Huian wasn't sure; perhaps she was overthinking it, or maybe she was too desperate to cure herself from this poison that she was misinterpreting the signs.
Liu Mansion
Xuanwen's brush moved in fluid strokes, each character more refined than the last. Her calligraphy had improved drastically, the once wobbly lines now steady and graceful. She sat with poise, her back straight, the brush held firmly between slender fingers. The ink pooled and spread on the parchment, creating a tapestry of hidden meanings beneath the guise of simple practice.
Across from her, Hualing nibbled on a pastry, her cheeks dusted with crumbs. Aunt Yin, ever dutiful, ground fresh ink in a smooth, circular motion, the scent of pine soot mingling with the room's cool air.
"Xuanwen, why are you so invested in calligraphy ?" Hualing asked, curiosity lacing her voice.
Xuanwen asked," Am I?"
Hualing nodded, "You used to loathe it."
Xuanwen didn't pause, her brush gliding across the paper. "With my daily routines restricted, I need something to occupy my mind. Calligraphy calms me well. It sharpens my thoughts."
Hualing nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful.
Aunt Yin looked over, a soft smile on her lips. "Hualing, you should learn from Xuanwen. Even if you aren't an official member of the family, you are still a far relative. It would serve you well to develop such discipline."
Hualing wiped her hands clean, the smile on her face dimming. "If not for Xuanwen, no one would even acknowledge me. I know my place, Aunt Yin."
Xuanwen's smile remained gentle, yet her eyes held a shrewd glimmer. Hualing was neither a maid nor a proper young miss; she was an anomaly within the Liu household. The original Xuanwen had accepted Hualing as her personal maid, believing the girl's gratitude would translate into unwavering loyalty. In the original novel, Hualing had never betrayed Xuanwen—a rare asset in a world where alliances shifted like sand.
The air in the mansion had grown colder since their return from Nankou. Aunt Yin and Hualing, already living on the fringes of the household, now seemed all but invisible to the rest of the family. Yet to Xuanwen, they had become her only true companions, a fragile sense of family in an unfamiliar world.
"By the way," Hualing ventured, breaking the silence, "what do you want to do with all the leftover textiles? There's quite a lot."
Xuanwen set her brush down, wiping her ink-stained fingers with a damp cloth. "I've already asked the butler to handle it. New sets of clothing will be delivered to you and Aunt Yin soon."
Hualing's eyes widened. "Me?"
Xuanwen's lips curled into a playful smile. "And we mustn't forget Wang Bao."
Wang Bao, who had been quietly nibbling on roasted nuts in the corner, nearly choked. His ears burned red as he stammered, "I-I don't need anything. I'm already grateful for what I have."
Xuanwen leaned over, her expression both teasing and kind. "How could that be? I need to make sure those brats know not to pick on our Wang Bao."
His expression faltered. Had she seen him being bullied by the other children? He had tried to keep it hidden, not wanting to burden her with yet another problem.
She ruffled his hair gently. "What's with the long face? Regretting coming with me already?"
"Of course not!" His voice was small, but resolute. "I'm grateful for everything."
Hualing chuckled. "I did warn you that the Liu family is hard to handle."
"Hualing!" Aunt Yin's eyes widened as she hissed, "Be careful what you say. Someone might hear."
The caution in Aunt Yin's voice did nothing to dull the amusement in Xuanwen's. She laughed, a rare sound in the quiet study.
"Alright, enough for today." Aunt Yin rose, her joints popping as she stood up. "Xuanwen, get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day."
The others filtered out, leaving Xuanwen alone in her chamber. The warmth of companionship dissipated, replaced by a creeping stillness.
She lay on her bed, her arms folded behind her head, staring up at the wooden beams. Shadows twisted in the candlelight, forming shapes that teased the edges of her vision. The mansion, so grand by day, became a labyrinth of secrets by night.
The letter Xuanwen entrusted to Junhui for the Crown Prince should have reached him by now.
Xuanwen knew the Crown Prince might be puzzled by the Xiao case, but not for long. The Xiao family had always been discreetly supportive of the Crown Prince, and Imperial Physician Xiao was a trusted figure to the Emperor. Xuanwen wanted the Crown Prince to remain vigilant because the Xiao case was, in truth, orchestrated by Zhusheng. While the Xiao family generally backed the Crown Prince, one of their own, Xiao Rong, had different ambitions.
Xiao Rong aspired to become the Empress, fully aware that her path to becoming Crown Princess was blocked without the Empress's endorsement or the favor of the Crown Prince and influential ministers. Xiao Rong was also allied with the villain, and, in a somewhat clichéd twist, she loved Zhusheng, who had saved her as a child. Like Su Huian, Xiao Rong was highly skilled in medicine. She was the one who provided Xuanwen with Dentocin to poison Huian. She even went as far as poisoning her own grandmother, hoping to create friction between her family and the Crown Prince. Her logic was clear: if trouble arose, her family would hesitate to continue their support. Xiao Rong was also responsible for the deaths of the maid and the prison guard.
Putting that aside, there was the issue of tax evasion—another of the Crown Prince's concerns. This matter was more complex, involving both Zhusheng and the hidden villain. The hidden villain masterminded the tax evasion for two reasons: to fund his faction and to weaken the military. In contrast, the original villain, Zhusheng, who stumbled upon this by accidednt, merely intended to manipulate Yan Ying and push her into betraying the Crown Prince. Strangely enough, despite his malice, Zhusheng seemed almost kind compared to the hidden villain.
As for the Yitong case, Xuanwen could only hope Renshu and the others would uncover the truth soon. They needed to—especially since it was somehow connected to Wang Bao's parents.