Chapter 60

Chapter 60

"Do you take me for anyone else? And what about Cui Heng?"

These words exploded in Luo Wanqing's ears, leaving her speechless.

Xie Heng looked at her calmly. The waist under his palm had stiffened; this person's body betrayed her more honestly than she did herself, leaving no room for any further denial.

Seeing that she understood his meaning, Xie Heng calmed down and prepared to release her.

But in that instant, Luo Wanqing pressed Xie Heng's hand, forcing him to keep it on her waist.

Xie Heng suddenly lifted his gaze, meeting the determined stare of Luo Wanqing.

"I can learn," said Luo Wanqing, meeting his icy eyes as she leaned closer. She was clearly extremely nervous but still managed to maintain her composure, speaking earnestly. "Please, sir, instruct me."

Xie Heng remained silent, his entire being taut with tension.

Whether it was innate boldness or the courage from alcohol, Luo Wanqing, her heart pounding, mustered up her courage and let her hand slide along Xie Heng's palm, tentatively entering the wide sleeve of his robe.

The moment his arm was touched, Xie Heng was jolted awake. As if burned by her touch, he suddenly struck out, grabbing her neck with a speed she couldn't resist and slamming her against the tree. He barked, "What are you doing?!"

"To prove to you," Luo Wanqing tilted her head slightly, creating some breathing space for herself, "that I can go to the Guang'an Prince's Mansion."

"Prove?" Xie Heng laughed bitterly in his rage. "How do you intend to prove it?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but tighten his grip, staring intently at Luo Wanqing's parted lips as she struggled to breathe. He noticed the hint of moisture on her tongue, leaned close to her, and whispered, "Do you take me for anyone else? And what about Cui Heng?!"

Luo Wanqing raised her confused eyes, momentarily unsure of what Xie Heng was asking and how it related to Cui Heng.

She struggled to breathe and asked hesitantly, "Sir?"

Hearing her question, Xie Heng realized what he had just asked.

He pursed his lips tightly, unable to speak. His breaths were becoming increasingly erratic, unclear whether it was due to anger or something else.

He gripped Luo Wanqing's neck, wishing for an instant to strangle her right there, knowing it wasn't her fault but his own.

She wasn't wrong; Li Guiyu indeed needed someone to watch over him. Now that Li Guiyu wouldn't kill her, she was naturally the best candidate. Since she was willing, he had no reason to stop her.

But she had provoked him.

Provoking him was one thing, and he could force her to stay, refusing her refusal. He had countless methods to compel her.

Yet, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He stared at the tense and fearful Luo Wanqing before him, feeling her skin stick to his fingertips.

After a long while, he finally made up his mind and pushed her aside harshly.

Luo Wanqing stumbled and regained her balance, only to hear him say coldly, "Stay away from me."

As he turned to leave, Luo Wanqing, seeing his actions, hurriedly knelt down and pleaded, "Please allow me!"

Xie Heng stopped, his back facing Luo Wanqing as he clenched his fists.

After a long while, he resignedly closed his eyes. "What exactly do you want to do?"

Luo Wanqing looked up blankly, and Xie Heng affirmed, "Even if you go to his side now, you won't be able to kill him. Why do you want to go to his side?!"

"I...," Luo Wanqing hesitated, "I want to find out some things."

"What do you want to know?"

Xie Heng glanced back at her coldly, and Luo Wanqing fell silent.

Just as Xie Heng thought she wouldn't respond and was about to continue scolding her, she suddenly spoke up, "I want to know what my father did back then."

Luo Wanqing looked at Xie Heng seriously. "I want to know why he committed suicide. Why did Li Guiyu frame the Luo family? What really happened in the past?"

"So what if you know?" Xie Heng spoke coldly. "In the end, he killed your father. If you want to kill him, then kill him. What's the point of clearing up the past?"

"There's a sentence in the Supervision Division's 'Law'," Luo Wanqing replied evenly after listening to Xie Heng's words. "Punishment should match the crime. Even if he killed my father, I should find out why he became the way he is today instead of killing him blindly."

Hearing this, Xie Heng froze.

The 'Law'—it was the culmination of Cui Qingping's efforts and many others, the principle upon which the Supervision Division operated.

But at this moment, he suddenly hated this principle.

He stared at Luo Wanqing kneeling on the ground, realizing for the first time—or perhaps again—how stark the difference between them was.

He was a wicked ghost, wandering the earth, committing sins and slaughter. She was a Guanyin sitting on a lotus pedestal, covered in mud yet pure.

But what he admired and valued was precisely her nature that aligned with this principle.

He couldn't destroy this aspect of her character, nor could he refute it.

Embarrassed, he averted his gaze and turned away without speaking.

Luo Wanqing knelt quietly on the ground, waiting for a decision.

After a long while, Xie Heng finally spoke.

"If I let you choose..."

Luo Wanqing looked up blankly.

Xie Heng paused, pursing his lips tightly and not continuing.

Why choose, what's there to choose from?

What is Cui Heng?

Cui Heng was merely a shield for her, a passerby she wouldn't even think of when avenging her friend.

What does Cui Heng have to stop her desire to be by Li Guiyu's side?

Saying it would only bring humiliation upon himself; he forced himself to shut up and turned his head away.

"Sir?"

"The matter with your father back then, which involved Cui Qingping, has long been independently filed by the Supervision Division. The mission plaque is in the Secret Pavilion, within the Supervision Division, only Si Shi of the Four Envoys and above can take on the case."

Xie Heng finally spoke. Hearing this, Luo Wanqing's eyes widened as she looked at Xie Heng in surprise.

"Liu Guiyu may not know as much as the Supervision Division," Xie Heng clenched his fist, not looking at her, and said coldly, "I'll give you a chance. If you can become a Fifth Rank Si Shi within three months, I'll allow you into the Secret Pavilion. You can access all the files and records about your father. But," Xie Heng turned to look at her, speaking unusually seriously, "you cannot go to the Guang'an Prince's Mansion."

"Why?"

As soon as Xie Heng finished speaking, she realized what he had done. Xie Heng had given her special privileges.

The Secret Pavilion, where only the Four Envoys could enter, she could enter if she could rise to Fifth Rank Si Shi within three months. Xie Heng would rather open this back door for her than let her go to the Guang'an Prince's Mansion?

Xie Heng also understood what he had done. He pursed his lips tightly, and after a long while, he simply said, "Cui Heng doesn't want it."

Luo Wanqing was somewhat surprised that this was the answer.

"You're a Si Shi he personally cultivated," Xie Heng saw her astonishment and said, suppressing his emotions, "In the past, he couldn't control it, but in the future, he won't hope for you to take this path. Since you've entered the Supervision Division, just be a good Si Shi."

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing's gaze flickered slightly.

Xie Heng didn't pay any more attention to her, turned around, and took a step forward, instructing, "Go back and rest well."

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing hurriedly bowed respectfully, "Thank you, sir."

"Luo Wanqing," Xie Heng, hearing her voice, stopped again. He stood in front of the courtyard and couldn't help but say, "Remember what you said."

Luo Wanqing was taken aback, then watched him step into the courtyard.

Luo Wanqing knelt on the ground, waiting until Xie Heng's figure completely disappeared before she respectfully said, "Your subordinate will remember."

With one hand, she pushed him towards the road of doom, her promise, she dared not forget.

After Xie Heng left, Luo Wanqing finally got up. She pondered over Xie Heng's words as she walked towards her room.

Xie Heng didn't want her to go to the Guang'an Prince's Mansion because of Cui Heng. It was evident that the two had an excellent relationship, and Cui Heng's position in the Supervision Division might be higher than she thought.

All along, Cui Heng had shaped her bones, taught her martial arts, and led her to learn everything a Si Shi of the Supervision Division should possess. Now, he would still carefully protect her growth so cautiously. In this world... how could there be such a good person?

Thinking of Cui Heng, the idea of going to the Guang'an Prince's Mansion dissipated.

She suddenly missed him very much, but just as this longing arose, she forcefully suppressed it.

She didn't dare to think too much and instead seriously considered the conditions Xie Heng proposed.

The Si Shi of the Supervision Division were all official positions, each with their own rank. Unless Xie Heng or the emperor specially promoted someone, every promotion of a Si Shi required waiting for the annual assessment.

However, the Supervision Division was different from other government offices. The promotion of Si Shi mainly depended on the missions they undertook each year. The number and level of missions would affect promotions.

To get promoted, there were essentially two paths: either high risk and high reward, accomplishing a major feat in a year, or honestly relying on quantity, handling many small cases, and achieving good assessment results, which was another route.

She was currently Sixth Rank, and to reach Fifth Rank meant jumping two ranks.

It was now April, and the annual assessment time for the Supervision Division was June. This meant that Xie Heng actually gave her two paths.

Accumulate enough missions to jump two ranks before June and participate in the assessment.

Or alternatively, take on a major case that could result in a two-rank leap.

Obviously, the latter was more suitable for her, but there might not be such a case. However, whether there was or not, she would have to wait until tomorrow to see the situation at the Mission Hall.

Luo Wanqing calculated as she returned to her room. Just as she reached the door, she sensed that someone had been in her room.

With a lift of her eyes, she found a box on her desk.

She walked to the table and opened the box, seeing a golden hairpin inside.

This hairpin was a golden butterfly, with smaller butterflies hanging from the tassels below. Each butterfly was carved exquisitely, even fluttering its wings gently with the wearer's movements, lifelike.

A piece of paper was pressed under the hairpin. Luo Wanqing lowered her head, picked up the note, and saw Cui Heng's plum blossom script, which read: "Congratulations to Si Shi Liu for her first meritorious achievement. I couldn't arrive in time for today's celebration banquet, so I specially present a golden butterfly hairpin to the beauty as a token of apology."

Seeing the word "beauty," Luo Wanqing naturally imagined his flirtatious demeanor when saying these words, unable to resist a smile.

She picked up the hairpin and held it under the candlelight, watching the butterflies shimmer.

She had received such gifts many times in the past.

Every time Jiang Shaoyan saw something beautiful, hairpins, hairpins, bracelets, various pieces of jewelry, even a cup or a box, he would buy them back for her.

Once, seeing a household's food box was beautiful, he managed to get an identical one made for her.

But these did not belong to Xiniang.

She actually no longer needed these things.

But seeing Cui Heng send this hairpin, she still felt somewhat happy, as if finally finding that meager connection between Xiniang and Luo Wanqing in this world.

She carefully observed the hairpin for a moment, unable to resist touching the bamboo flute at her waist.

Yet after much hesitation, she finally let go.

Qin Jue had not even attended the victory banquet today; he must have had something urgent to attend to. If he returned, he would naturally come looking for her.

Keeping him as her Shadow Envoy was already an overstep on her part. At the very least, she should not add to his troubles. Unless it was absolutely necessary, she would refrain from blowing the flute casually.

She suppressed the urge to seek him out, washed up, and returned to bed.

As she lay down on the bed, gazing at the mosquito netting, she realized that this day had truly come to an end.

The Dark Pavilion was no more, Zhang Jiuran was dead, the Crown Prince had been slain by her hand, Xie Heng had retraced his steps back onto the path of death, and Li Guiyu might have discovered her identity.

In the future, she would truly never see Zhang Jiuran again.

They would never be able to drink together again.

******

Luo Wanqing slept soundly through the night, for she had not had a proper rest recently. This sleep was deep and uninterrupted, and when she woke up the next day, it was already past the hour of Snake, with the morning court session having concluded.

She lingered in bed for a while before getting up, washing herself, changing her bandages, and then heading down the mountain to eat something. She sought out Bai Li to inquire about Cui Heng's situation.

Upon hearing that she was looking for Cui Heng, Bai Li was somewhat surprised. "He didn't find you last night?"

"The person came," Luo Wanqing truthfully replied, "but left only a note and departed."

Hearing this, Bai Li pondered thoughtfully. "I see…"

"If Master can contact him, please deliver a message for me," Luo Wanqing respectfully said. "If he has time, he can come find me. I… have some matters to discuss with him."

As she spoke, Luo Wanqing feared that the message might be misconstrued and hurriedly emphasized, "It's not an urgent matter."

At these words, Bai Li laughed.

"Alright."

Bai Li smiled upon hearing this. "I will relay your message."

Relieved by Bai Li's assurance, Luo Wanqing bowed gratefully and then proceeded to Qin Jue's courtyard, intending to check on the situation.

When she arrived, she found servants moving things around.

Qin Jue stood at the entrance, dressed in mourning white. Upon seeing Luo Wanqing, he was taken aback, and she explained, "I came to see Jiuran and you."

Qin Jue nodded calmly upon hearing this and then said, "Yesterday, His Majesty issued an edict to unseal the confiscated assets of the Qin family. My father originally had a residence in the East Capital, and today I am taking Jiuran back there to set up a memorial hall for her."

As Luo Wanqing listened, her heart felt calm yet strangely unsettled. After some contemplation, she asked, "What about afterward? You don't plan to stay in the East Capital permanently, do you?"

"When my father did not wish to clash with the imperial court nor involve our clan members, he allowed himself to be taken away by the authorities. Therefore, all the guests and clan members in my household are still present. Once they arrive in the East Capital to fetch me, I will return with them to Jinling."

Qin Jue patiently responded, and Luo Wanqing nodded in understanding.

She glanced at the empty memorial hall and recalled Zhang Yiran. "What about Lord Zhang?"

"He will come over later to take Jiuran away with me."

"How does he intend to explain this to Aunt Zhao?"

"Before I leave, I will meet with Aunt once," Qin Jue said calmly. "I will show her the marriage certificate between Jiuran and me. Then I will tell her that Jiuran is going to the Northwest to seek the pinnacle of martial arts, and I am accompanying her. We do not know when we will return. Jiuran fears that meeting her would bring disaster upon her and Lord Zhang, so she will not see her. Instead, she will write letters if she has the time. Aunt cannot read, so Lord Zhang will reply to her letters on her behalf."

Seeing that they had everything arranged, Luo Wanqing felt reassured.

After a moment of silence, Luo Wanqing finally remembered to inform him, "The Crown Prince is dead."

Qin Jue paused in his movements. He lifted his eyes, and in their gaze, no words were needed to convey the gravity of the situation.

After a long while, Qin Jue's lips trembled slightly as he spoke hoarsely. "Thank you."

"Take Jiuran back," Luo Wanqing lowered her gaze. "Remember to offer her plenty of wine. She always said she hadn't had enough. After leaving the Supervision Division…"

Luo Wanqing struggled to continue. "I won't come to see her."

The less connection she had with Zhang Jiuran, the less likely it would be for the Crown Prince's matter to trace back to her.

Qin Jue understood. He nodded and then said, "Then go see her now."

Luo Wanqing raised her eyes toward the small courtyard. People bustled about within, and a coffin lay in the center. In that instant, she seemed to see Zhang Jiuran waking up that day, rushing over to find her sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun with a gentle expression.

Her eyes welled up with tears. After a moment's hesitation, she finally stepped into the house.

She approached Zhang Jiuran's coffin and looked down at the serene face inside, gazing for a long time without knowing what to say.

In the end, she only reached out to gently tap the lid of the coffin, just as Zhang Jiuran used to do often.

She liked to pat others' hands as a sign of comfort.

"Jiuran," she whispered hoarsely. "Rest well."

Until we meet again in another life.

The person lying in the coffin did not respond. Unable to bear staying any longer, Luo Wanqing took a deep breath, turned around, bid farewell to Qin Jue, and left the small courtyard.

Her mood was somewhat somber as she relied on her rationality to reach the mission hall of the Azure Dragon Division.

People bustled about in the mission hall. As she entered the main hall, she saw a large wooden board. On it, from top to bottom, ten horizontal rows were drawn, representing ranks from Third Grade to Eighth Grade. On the left side of each row, the rank was written, and on the right hung mission plaques.

Eighth Grade was the lowest rank in the Supervision Division, while Third Grade was the highest. The higher the rank, the fewer the plaques.

This was the first time Luo Wanqing had come to the mission hall on her own. Since joining the Supervision Division, she had been pushed forward against her will, until now, when she came to claim a mission for the first time on her own initiative.

Cui Heng had previously brought her here and briefly explained the rules to her.

Her rank determined the level of missions she could undertake; if she wanted to take on higher-level mission plaques, it had to be one that no other Si Shi of the same rank had taken and was also marked as urgent.

Urgent mission plaques were labeled in red. If she took on a mission two ranks above her own and completed it successfully, she could advance to a rank one lower than the mission's level upon completion.

For instance, completing a Third Rank mission would allow her to advance to Subordinate Third Rank, while finishing a Subordinate Fifth Rank mission could elevate her to Principal Sixth Rank.

If she wished to become a Principal Fifth Rank Si Shi, she needed at least a Subordinate Fourth Rank mission.

But at this moment, as she gazed at the wooden board displaying the mission plaques, there were no Subordinate Fourth Rank urgent missions, let alone many Fifth Rank ones.

It seemed unlikely that she could achieve a significant advancement through a single mission; she would have to rely on quantity instead.

Calculating the time from April to June, she estimated needing to complete two hundred cases to have any chance of promotion.

Luo Wanqing pursed her lips, seeing no alternative but to step forward and begin taking all the Sixth Rank missions one by one.

As she collected the mission plaques, her actions stunned everyone around her, including the Si Shi. By the time she had taken half of them, the official responsible for recording missions finally realized something was amiss and hastily stood up, asking, "Hold on, what is this Si Shi doing?"

Luo Wanqing, holding a pile of mission plaques, replied somewhat embarrassedly, "Taking missions."

"Is this how you take missions?" The official scrutinized her disapprovingly. "What will the other Si Shi do if you take all the missions? And can you even finish so many? You'll be punished if you can't!"

"I will give it my all," Luo Wanqing said earnestly.

The official laughed in frustration. "All what all? Put down the mission plaques! You can only take three at a time, then come back when you've finished them!"

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing had no choice but to return the plaques, selecting three that appeared relatively easier. She approached the official, who registered the missions.

As he recorded the information, the official remarked curiously, "Have you ever seen a Si Shi like you? Each Si Shi only needs to complete three missions a month to receive their monthly stipend. Are you desperately short on money to take on so many missions?"

Missions came with bonuses, so indeed, Si Shi who were short on funds might take on more.

But nobody had seen such dedication before.

Luo Wanqing, listening, answered honestly, "I want to get promoted quickly."

The official paused, then said, "Alright, I'll keep an eye out for you; some plaques won't be displayed publicly."

Surprised, Luo Wanqing looked up as the official handed her the mission plaque. "Go ahead, Si Shi Liu."

"Go ahead." The official glanced at her, calling out her name: "Si Shi Liu."

Startled, Luo Wanqing watched as the official lowered his head, acting as if he knew nothing.

She realized that the official recognized her and couldn't help but smile. "May I ask for the esteemed official's surname?"

"Liu Jianye," the official nodded, rather proudly adding, "Bai Li is my wife."

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing's eyes brightened, but she didn't dare say much, understanding that the reason he initially pretended not to know her was to avoid suspicion. She bowed gratefully. "Thank you."

With that, she walked out.

She dared not accept time-consuming missions like surveillance and could only choose those that could be resolved quickly.

However, just as she stepped outside, she saw Li Guiyu's carriage waiting at the Supervision Division's entrance.

Luo Wanqing's expression turned serious as Li Guiyu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at her. "Si Shi Liu."

"Third Highness."

Luo Wanqing raised her hand in a bow. Li Guiyu surveyed the surroundings before saying, "I've been waiting for Si Shi Liu for quite some time. Would you care to join me for a chat?"

"No, thank you."

Luo Wanqing directly refused, calmly stating, "There's nothing to discuss between Your Highness and me."

Li Guiyu was undoubtedly investigating the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince. Being alone with him, she didn't know if he would somehow link the matter to her.

Being caught due to the Crown Prince's assassination was a minor issue, as it was merely a matter of life or death.

But involving Xie Heng was something she was unwilling to risk.

Sensing her refusal, Li Guiyu didn't move.

He stared at her, examining her, as if trying to etch every detail from her hair to her fingertips into his memory, searching for traces of someone else.

"But after looking for a long time," disappointment flickered in his eyes, "it seems that Si Shi Liu has made a decision?"

"Yes," Luo Wanqing replied calmly. "I've only recently joined the Supervision Division and should start with the most basic tasks. Your Highness is of noble blood, while I am far beneath you. I dare not overstep my bounds."

Upon hearing this, Li Guiyu's expression grew slightly cooler.

He fixed his gaze on Luo Wanqing and chuckled softly. "If my young miss were here, she would never say such words."

Luo Wanqing's expression remained unchanged as Li Guiyu picked up a teacup lid and twirled it in his hand. "Do you know, Si Shi Liu, that breaking pottery is more painful than shattering porcelain?"

At these words, Luo Wanqing clenched her fists tightly, lowering her head to conceal her emotions.

Li Guiyu watched her, letting out a soft laugh. "If my young miss were in East Capital, she would never forget why she came here. She would spare no expense to return to my side. Everyone else is merely a tool or pawn; only I am her sole desire."

Luo Wanqing slowly raised her head. Li Guiyu stared intently at her, his eyes filled with a mix of madness and amusement. "What does Si Shi Liu think?"

"I'm not familiar with Miss Luo; I only know a little about her from the mission," Luo Wanqing controlled her emotions, her gaze resting on Li Guiyu's face. "If Your Highness believes so, perhaps it is true."

This answer was too dismissive, leaving Li Guiyu speechless.

They faced each other for a moment before Li Guiyu's demeanor turned colder. He seemed weary, lowering the carriage curtain and saying indifferently, "Let's go."

Luo Wanqing watched as Li Guiyu departed.

Once the carriage was out of sight, Zi Tang leapt onto the carriage and whispered, "Your Highness, should I bring this woman over?"

"Continue investigating the Crown Prince's assassination attempt, and wait for news from Yangzhou. Keep a close watch on the Supervision Division; stall them. Wait until the accounts and people at the Eastern Palace are dealt with cleanly before letting them proceed. Taking over all the positions Li Shangwen left behind is what matters most."

After seeing him, Li Guiyu seemed to regain his composure. He picked up his teacup, his tone calm: "The possibility that she's the young miss is slim. There's no need to bother with her anymore."

Hearing this, Zi Tang was somewhat surprised: "Your Highness isn't suspicious anymore?"

"If she were the young miss, she would have come to me."

Li Guiyu lowered his gaze, suppressing the slight tremor in his heart, and affirmed: "She isn't."

As Li Guiyu's carriage drove away, Luo Wanqing stared intently at him until the carriage turned the corner and vanished completely. Only then did she manage to force herself to look away.

In that moment, she truly wanted to kill him.

But she also realized that this was his test.

He was provoking her with her father's death, reminding her that he had suspicions about her. Now that she refused to go to his mansion, he had no way to probe her, so he could only use this method.

But since she had already promised Xie Heng not to go to the mansion, she wouldn't expose herself.

Completing Xie Heng's request as soon as possible was more important now.

These messy thoughts—whether it was Zhang Jiuran or Li Guiyu—they would be buried for now. Getting things done was more important.

Luo Wanqing took a deep breath, not dwelling on it further, and turned back to work.

In the morning, she completed her first task, capturing a skilled impersonator thief at a gambling den. This thief wasn't much, but his lightness of foot was exceptional, and he knew how to disguise himself, running incredibly fast. Fortunately, he loved gambling and women. She sat in the gambling house, and he walked right into her trap, captured on the spot.

In the afternoon, she tackled her second task, investigating the cause of a man's recent death in an East Capital household. She opened the coffin and performed an autopsy, discovering poison. One ingredient in the poison was very unique; only one pharmacy in East Capital sold it. The herb had to be fresh when used in medicine. So she checked the purchase list for the past three days and found it was a maid from his residence. The maid, defiled by him, killed him in a fit of rage. Luo Wanqing apprehended her and handed her over to the Supervision Division.

Her third task was to sneak into an official's home to read a memorial.

Busy for the entire day, the next day, Luo Wanqing went to receive another task.

Days passed in this busy routine. Major cases didn't involve newcomers like her; she could only take tasks and run around handling cases.

Today, she followed someone to kick down the door of a human trafficker. Tomorrow, she raided a gambling den. The day after, she squatted on the roof of a nobleman's house, listening to him badmouth the emperor in bed, recording everything accurately.

One day, while working late into the night, it rained. Luo Wanqing felt hungry. She bought a pancake, found a random step to sit on at a doorway, and ate her pancake while watching the rain.

After a while, she heard voices behind her.

"The roster Lord Xie wants, I will provide promptly. Please rest assured, Lord."

Luo Wanqing, hearing this, turned around in surprise. She saw a young official walking out with Xie Heng.

The young official wore a crimson robe, a gentle smile on his face. His jawline, similar to Xie Heng's, was particularly noticeable under the lamplight.

Standing together, they didn't actually look alike. Xie Heng's aura was too cold, while the other was as radiant as spring sunshine.

But Luo Wanqing paid too much attention to people's jawlines, which allowed her to see the similarity between the two at a glance.

This was the official who Cui Heng impersonated to deliver the Qin family dossier to her in the palace.

Luo Wanqing couldn't help but stare at him, her heart racing. She couldn't tell if the person in front of her was really Cui Heng.

Last time, was it Cui Heng impersonating him, or was this Cui Heng's true identity?

She gazed blankly at the young official in crimson robes. He, along with Xie Heng and Zhuque and Xuanshan following behind Xie Heng, looked at her in surprise.

"Si Shi Liu?" Zhuque spoke up first, "What are you doing here?"

"I..." Luo Wanqing finally reacted, moving her gaze away from the young official in crimson robes. Holding her pancake, she awkwardly stood up, "I'm hiding from the rain."

"So coincidental?"

Zhuque looked surprised.

Luo Wanqing held her pancake and bowed to Xie Heng: "Lord."

Then, unable to resist, she looked at the young official in crimson robes and asked, despite knowing she shouldn't: "Who is this lord?"

"Oh, this humble one is Cui Heng, courtesy name Junye, serving as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel."

The young official in crimson robes smiled upon hearing this and bowed to Luo Wanqing: "And may I ask who the young lady is?"

"This is our Supervision Division's sixth-grade Si Shi," Zhuque introduced Cui Heng, "Liu Xiniang."

Luo Wanqing feigned calmness and bowed to the young official, her lips silently repeating his name.

Cui Heng, which 'Heng'?

Luo Wanqing couldn't help but ponder.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Xie Heng seemed to sense her thoughts, glanced at her, and stepped forward, saying coolly: "Go back."

With that, Xie Heng brushed past Luo Wanqing and descended the steps.

Cui Heng, clearly of lower rank, bowed alongside Luo Wanqing to send off Xie Heng.

Xie Heng led his men toward the carriage at the entrance. Once aboard the carriage, he looked back and saw Luo Wanqing standing still with Cui Heng at the entrance. In a cold voice, he called out: "Liu Xiniang."

Luo Wanqing looked up in surprise, not expecting Xie Heng to call her.

Then she heard Xie Heng's command: "Get in."

Author's Note:

"Short Play"

Xie Heng: "Since she has no feelings for me, I won't force it. Let's cut ties then. From now on, I won't bother her anymore. She can do whatever she wants, look at whoever she pleases."

Nighttime—

Luo Wanqing is lost in thought staring at Cui Heng.

Xie Heng: "Xiniang, look at me!!!!!!!"

Luo Wanqing: "Huh? What about not bothering me ever again?"