Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The entrance of Linglong Pavilion was heavily guarded, so tightly secured that even a passing dog had to give it a wide berth. Inside, from the owner and manager down to the tailors and assistants, nearly everyone was a woman. So how did the suspect from her previous life manage to infiltrate such a place, avoid detection, and decapitate Princess Fuyang?

Shen Anning was utterly baffled. Could her past life memories be flawed?

Or perhaps Princess Fuyang’s tragic death in her previous life was real, but the truth had been so distorted by rumor that by the time it reached Shen Anning’s ears, it bore no resemblance to reality?

After waiting in the carriage for a long time, she observed that the area outside Linglong Pavilion was eerily quiet, devoid of any activity. Hesitating, she thought, *since I’ve come this far, I might as well take the risk and intervene one last time.*

If it didn’t work out, she would have done all she could and left the rest to fate.

Before setting off, to guard against unexpected events and to ensure she could explain herself later, Shen Anning devised a plan. She called Bai Tao over and whispered instructions: "Go and bring the Young Master. No matter what he’s busy with, you must bring him here."

After a pause, she added, "If he’s too tied up with official duties and truly cannot leave, then tell him I’m unwell and have fainted at Linglong Pavilion. Ask him to come quickly to my aid!"

Shen Anning’s sudden instructions left Bai Tao stunned and completely bewildered. The Young Master was currently swamped with the serial murder case that had thrown the entire capital into chaos—he was probably so busy he barely had time to touch the ground. At a time like this, it would be difficult for him to attend to any other matters.

Her mistress had never disturbed the Young Master over trivial matters before—why would she do such a thing today?

Just as Bai Tao was filled with doubt and astonishment, she looked up and saw Shen Anning staring at her with a serious expression.

Between master and servant, a single glance was often enough to convey understanding.

Though she didn’t understand the reason for her mistress’s strange behavior, Bai Tao knew that her mistress always had her reasons.

So, without further questions, Bai Tao immediately jumped out of the carriage and hurried off in the direction of the Dali Temple.

The Dali Temple was not too far from here; on foot or by horse, it would take a little over fifteen minutes. Shen Anning calculated the time it would take for Lu Suian to arrive, composed herself, and then led Huan Xi and Hong Li out of the carriage, heading straight for Linglong Pavilion.

Meanwhile, after three days and nights of investigation, late last night, Lu Suian had finally tracked down and captured the opera troupe that had gone to Zhuxi Village. Fearing they would be implicated in the murder case there, the troupe had been planning to flee the city. Now, under arrest and interrogation, they finally revealed a suspicious figure among them—their lead actor, Li Yu.

However, Li Yu had disappeared after returning to the city from Zhuxi Village and had not been seen since.

The Dali Temple worked through the night to produce a portrait of the suspect. Just as Lu Suian was leading a large team out of the temple, intending to post notices and conduct a citywide search, and about to mount his horse, someone urgently called out from around the corner, "Young Master, Young Master, Madam... Madam is in trouble!"

On the other end, just as Shen Anning had anticipated, their group was stopped by the guards at the entrance. The guards from the princess's residence were even more arrogant than guards elsewhere. Though they could see the visitors were of high status, few in the capital outranked Princess Fuyang. They immediately blocked the way without courtesy, saying, "How dare you bother Her Highness? No outsiders are allowed today. Leave at once!"

Shen Anning identified herself, saying, "I am from the Zhongyong Marquis’s household. I am here to pick up an item. Please allow us passage."

But the guard, dismissive, replied ruthlessly, "What does it matter if you're from the Marquis Estate? Even if Marquis Lu were here today, he would be turned away empty-handed."

Indeed, Princess Fuyang was utterly overbearing.

Shen Anning, who usually preferred harmony, rarely showed a stern expression, but now she hardened her face and said, "Today, I am here on behalf of Madam Lian to retrieve a gift for the Empress. Since when does Princess Fuyang dare to defy the Empress?"

Speaking assertively, she pushed the guard's sword aside and barged in, disregarding their attempts to stop her.

The guard, hearing the Empress mentioned, hesitated and did not dare to respond or block her, only stopping her two maids and allowing Shen Anning to enter alone.

The commotion at the entrance quickly drew the attention of the maids inside. Princess Fuyang's personal maid, Liuli, stepped out and asked, "What is all this noise?"

Before the guard could report, a figure in elegant white robes had already strode in, bypassing Liuli and heading straight inside, demanding, "Where is Princess Fuyang?"

She continued to stride forward, pushing her way in without hesitation.

Seeing an outsider barging in with such rudeness, Liuli snapped, "Who dares to make trouble here? Guards, quickly get this person out! If the princess is disturbed, which of you can bear the responsibility—"

The guards hesitated, about to expel her.

But Shen Anning, so angry she laughed, retorted, "The master hasn't even spoken, yet the master's dog is already barking. What, is your Princess Fuyang too ashamed to show her face, or is she just incompetent, that she must skulk around in hiding even when going out—"

As she spoke, Shen Anning suddenly raised her voice and shouted toward the inner chambers, "Fuyang, come out! I want to ask you properly—how is it that today, only you can enter Linglong Pavilion, and no one else can? How is it that today, only you can walk on Changning Street, and no one else can—"

Shen Anning put on the act of a shrew, raising hell at Linglong Pavilion.

She intended to make a fuss, hoping to throw the place into an uproar and ruin Princess Fuyang's mood, sending her storming off.

Her tirade instantly shocked and enraged Liuli, whose face turned pale.

The princess was currently changing clothes and accessories in the inner chamber. Given the princess's temperament, if she were insulted like this, who knew what kind of uproar would ensue? Yet, seeing that the intruder showed no fear of their princess, Liuli knew this person must have powerful connections. She immediately turned back and said at the door, "Princess, there's a shrew outside causing a scene at Linglong Pavilion—"

She spoke cautiously, but there was no response from inside.

Anxious, Liuli reported again, but it remained quiet inside, with no response at all.

The princess had always hated being interrupted while changing. Just as Liuli didn't know what to do, Shen Anning's expression suddenly changed. She strode forward, kicked the door open, and revealed two maids slumped on the floor inside. The room was empty—Princess Fuyang was nowhere to be seen.

Liuli was stunned at the sight. Staggering, she rushed in, anxiously shaking the two fallen maids awake and urgently asking, "The princess, where is the princess?"

Shen Anning, however, her heart sank. Soon after, she snapped, "Where is your princess?"

Then, she shouted at the guards, "The princess has been kidnapped! What are you all standing around for? Go search for her!"

As soon as Shen Anning said this, the owner of Linglong Pavilion happened to come out from the storeroom, personally carrying clothing and accessories. Hearing this, all the items in his hands tumbled to the ground.

The entire Linglong Pavilion erupted into chaos.

The princess was missing, right under everyone's noses. If anything happened to the princess, everyone present would pay with their lives. In a panic, everyone frantically began searching room by room. Only Shen Anning grabbed the owner's clothes and sternly questioned, "Where is the back door?"

The owner tremblingly pointed in a certain direction. At this moment, those around Princess Fuyang were overwhelmed with fear and panic, having lost their leader. Instead, Shen Anning took charge, directly commanding the princess's guards: "What are you standing around for? Send one team to block off all the streets around Linglong Pavilion, and another team to search the back door."

Under Shen Anning's command, several teams quickly dispersed to search. Shen Anning followed the guards to the back door, only to find it empty as well, with no trace of Fuyang.

Was Princess Fuyang truly destined to die this day?

Shen Anning felt a whirlwind of emotions. Just as she was about to turn back, she suddenly heard a faint sound from a nearby passageway. Startled, she cautiously walked over and discovered a hidden passage near the back door, large enough for only one person. The end of the passage was pitch black, but in the dim light, she could vaguely make out a person slumped on the ground, while another raised a long axe, seemingly about to bring it down on the fallen person's neck.

At this moment, the guards had scattered elsewhere to search for Princess Fuyang. No one was with her. Shen Anning knew she shouldn’t take the risk alone and put herself in a situation where the loss outweighed the gain. She also knew she was powerless at this moment. The only thing she should do was call for help loudly. However, the axe was already raised high, and before anyone could arrive, the person on the ground in the distance would surely be killed.

In a moment of extreme terror and desperation, Shen Anning tightly closed her eyes. Between calling for help and shouting a warning, she foolishly blurted out, "Stop—"

The moment she spoke, the person raising the axe paused, his action interrupted by her sudden shout.

Holding the axe, he froze for a moment, then slowly turned to look behind him.

Shen Anning, trembling with fear, slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze in the darkness from afar.

The figure was hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to discern his exact appearance or features.

Yet, he had already killed six women with his own hands, dismembering them brutally. He was a demon, a rakshasa, a devil from hell.

The moment she opened her eyes, Shen Anning felt unprecedented fear and regret. Suppressing her trembling, she feigned calm and engaged with him, word by word: "The guards are on their way. I won’t make a sound. You... you should leave. Spare her, and I’ll spare you."

Shen Anning said, her whole body trembling, attempting to strike a mutually beneficial deal with the other party.

But the moment she finished speaking, the person in the darkness suddenly raised the axe and started advancing toward her, step by deliberate step.

At that moment, it was as if a devil from hell was advancing toward her step by step.

Shen Anning tightly gripped the dagger in her hand—a self-defense item that Lu Suian had given her a few days earlier.

She had never killed anyone before.

She pulled the dagger from its sheath and retreated step by step. Just as the other party emerged into the light, just as Shen Anning was about to raise her blade to meet the threat, the other party suddenly made an unexpected move—they threw the axe to the ground. Then, the face that had been hidden in darkness came into view—

"Sister Shen."

A face that looked completely harmless and innocent appeared before her eyes.

It was—

In the moment Shen Anning was stunned by the sight of this face, the other party suddenly gave a faint smile and scattered a handful of powder into the air.

In an instant, Shen Anning lost consciousness.

Her head lolled to the side as she fell.

But the other party caught her, holding her firmly in their arms.