—**Prison**—
In the dimly lit chamber, Su Huian stood alone, inspecting the lifeless body of the maid sprawled before her. The air was heavy, thick with the stench of something unsaid. Her fingers traced the maid's cold skin, eyes flickering to her fingernails, then her mouth, and finally her eyes. There was no sign of poison.
"How did you say you found her?" Huian's voice cut through the silence, sharp and clear.
A guard stepped forward, his posture rigid. "She was already unconscious when I checked on her. We found poison on her body—likely the cause of death. Even the coroner confirmed it."
Su Huian shook her head, her gaze turning colder. With deliberate care, she gently parted the maid's hair, lifting the stiff body slightly. Her fingers grazed the back of the maid's head—and there it was. A tiny puncture, barely noticeable.
"She wasn't poisoned," Huian murmured, her voice low. "She was murdered. Someone killed her at close range."
Weimin, who had been standing in the shadows, stepped closer, his eyes wide. "What do you mean?"
Huian straightened, her tone confident. "There's a needle hole in the back of her skull. Whoever did this was close enough to strike without her even noticing." She gestured for Weimin to kneel.
"Me?" Weimin blinked, taken aback.
"Yes, you," Huian said without hesitation.
With no other option, Weimin sank to his knees. Huian moved behind him, her hands mimicking the murderer's actions. "The maid must've leaned in, perhaps trusting the person... And at that moment—" Huian's hand mimicked the swift insertion of a needle, "—they struck. Fast, clean, and deadly."
Weimin's breath caught. He quickly turned to the body, tilting it sideways, confirming the needle wound himself. "But... the coroner said poison."
"If you don't look closely, it's easy to mistake it for that," Huian explained, her voice thoughtful. "Tell me—did anyone visit her while she was still alive?"
The guard hesitated, his eyes shifting. He didn't speak, but the weight of his silence told Huian everything she needed to know. He was hiding something.
In her previous life, the maid hadn't died. Not like this. **This close-range murder meant something deeper—a betrayal. The killer knew her.**
After Huian left the prison, the maid's body was quietly sent for burial. As she walked away, Weimin's eyes followed her, narrowing in thought.
Beside him, Wu Ge, one of his subordinates, voiced what everyone was thinking. "Lord Tao, isn't it strange? How did the murderer get into the prison unnoticed? It must've been someone from the inside—someone with authority."
Weimin waved him off. "You talk too much. Write a report." But his thoughts lingered on Wu Ge's words. Who among them had slipped away unnoticed during the chaos of the banquet?
---
Huian's steps led her to the grand entrance of the Liu Mansion. She needed to speak to Xuanwen.
In her past life, Xuanwen had poisoned her. Though Huian had purged most of the poison from her body, she still didn't understand the motive. Xuanwen had no medical knowledge. Where had she gotten the poison? And why target Huian?
She knocked on the gate, her face a mask of calm.
The guards opened it, their expressions curious. "Who are you, and what is your business?"
Huian smiled, though her eyes remained cold. "I'm a friend of Miss Liu Xuanwen. Is she here?"
The two guards exchanged glances. "You must not have heard. The eldest miss left for Nankou. She won't be back for three months."
"Is that so," Huian replied, her voice light. But her mind churned with questions. Why would Xuanwen go to Nankou?
As she turned to leave, a voice called from within the mansion.
"What's going on?"
But Huian was already gone, disappearing into the shadows of the street.
Inside, Liu Xuanqing approached the gate. "Was someone here?"
The guards nodded. "Someone came asking for the first miss."
"For Xuanwen?" Xuanqing's brow furrowed. Why would anyone seek out Xuanwen now?
---
Huian lingered behind a food stall, her eyes fixed on the mansion gates. **Nankou...** she thought, the name lingering on her tongue. What was Xuanwen up to?
As she pondered, a familiar figure passed by—a shadow from her past.
Xue Renshu.
**The eunuch who served the crown prince—soon to be emperor.** What was he doing here, far from the palace? In her last life, Renshu had died under suspicious circumstances, framed for treason before the truth surfaced.
There was no reason for him to be here. Not unless something critical was happening.
Huian's mind whirled with memories of her past life. Why had Xiao Rong's grandmother been poisoned? She had been so focused on finding her footing in the treacherous world of politics that she had missed the bigger picture. Her family's downfall had come swiftly, without warning. Framed for treason, they were executed in a heartbeat.
But now? **Now she had a second chance. A chance to uncover the truth behind the schemes that had destroyed everything.**
This time, she would find out why Xue Renshu and her family had been targeted—and she would stop it.
**Palace—Second Prince's Residence--**
—Elysian Pavilion—
The soft clink of go pieces echoed through the air as a solitary figure, draped in flowing white robes, silently played against himself. The delicate patterns on his clothing hinted at understated nobility, his presence calm and otherworldly. With every move, the wind and water outside remained in perfect harmony, casting the scene in an almost dreamlike tranquility.
The peace was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Your Highness," a voice called out softly.
Fan Ye, a trusted subordinate, bowed as he reached the pavilion. His footsteps had been light, but they couldn't hide the tension that clung to him like a shadow.
Without looking up, Zheng Zhusheng, the Second Prince, placed a go piece on the board with precise grace. "How was your trip?" he asked, his tone gentle but with a subtle edge, like the quiet before a storm.
Fan Ye hesitated briefly, his unease palpable. "Unsettling, Your Highness. Not what I had expected."
The prince's hand paused mid-air, hovering over the board before setting another piece down. "Do elaborate," he said, his voice smooth as silk, though his eyes remained fixed on the game.
Fan Ye sat across from him, cautiously placing a piece to block the prince's move. "It seems," he began, his voice low, "we have a rat on our tail."
Zheng Zhusheng chuckled, the sound light yet carrying a weight that hung in the air like a hidden threat. "A rat, you say?" His tone was amused, but beneath it lay something more dangerous.
Fan Ye's gaze dropped to the board, a subtle apology for the failure implied in his words. "I suggest we lie low for the time being, until we lure it out."
The prince's smile remained, but it didn't reach his eyes. He picked up another piece, twirling it between his fingers as if considering Fan Ye's words. "You think so?"
Fan Ye bowed his head slightly, guilt weighing down his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Your Highness."
For a moment, silence reigned, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves outside the pavilion. The air was thick with unseen eyes and ears, a web of intrigue that blanketed the palace. Everything had to be played carefully.
Zheng Zhusheng's fingers finally released the go piece, placing it down with a soft tap. "How's the little bunny we rescued?" he asked casually, as if the question were about a pet and not a person.
Fan Ye's expression darkened. "She... lost control. She's been confined for her mistakes. Shall we dispose of her? She seems of little use now."
A faint glimmer of amusement flickered across the prince's face. "No," he said, leaning back. "Leave her. There will come a time when she'll be useful."
Fan Ye frowned, his doubts slipping through the cracks. "Perhaps we made the wrong choice. She's unstable. Maybe we should have chosen someone more... reliable."
Zheng Zhusheng's hand, poised over the board, paused once more. His gaze, sharp as a blade now, turned to Fan Ye. "Was I ever wrong in my decisions?"
Fan Ye immediately lowered his head, his voice a hurried apology. "No, Your Highness. Never."
The tension thickened, though neither spoke for a moment. The quiet between them held a thousand unsaid things. The silence wasn't peaceful—it was dangerous, alive with unseen threats lurking in every shadow. They both knew the palace was a den of vipers, where any word spoken too loudly could become a weapon.
Eyes and ears were everywhere. Watching. Listening. Waiting for the slightest misstep.
Zheng Zhusheng allowed the silence to settle before speaking again, his voice once more smooth and calm. "Let the rat scurry. In time, it will trap itself."
Fan Ye nodded, though unease still simmered in the depths of his eyes. The Second Prince's calm was unnerving—his plans, too intricate to fully understand. Every move felt like part of a grand game, one in which even his closest allies could never be certain of their role.
As the wind outside stirred the leaves, the sound seemed to whisper secrets that only Zheng Zhusheng could hear. Fan Ye could feel the weight of unseen eyes upon them, the game they were playing far more dangerous than a simple match of go.
For now, the prince continued to move his pieces. But in the shadows, the real game was only just beginning.
—**Nankou—**
Xuanwen gazed out the window, her eyes tracing the empty horizon. The small residence she had come to call home sat on the outskirts of town, surrounded by little more than barren land. There wasn't much to see—just endless patches of dry grass swaying lazily in the breeze—but somehow, it felt perfect.
"Hualing, is everything ready?" Xuanwen asked, her voice light, almost eager.
Hualing approached with a nod, a basket in hand. "Yes, everything's prepared."
As they made their way outside, Nanny Yin followed closely, her steps hesitant. "Miss, are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice filled with gentle concern.
With a playful grin, Xuanwen placed the basket on the ground and pulled out a hoe. "Of course, Aunt Yin. I can't just sit inside while my yard looks like this."
She gestured to the lifeless yard—a sea of dead grass with not a single bloom in sight. It was far from the elegance of her former life, but to Xuanwen, it was a canvas ready to be transformed.
"But Miss, you've never done this sort of thing before. Your hands are too soft, too delicate for fieldwork," Nanny Yin protested.
Xuanwen laughed, swinging the hoe with exaggerated determination. "I don't think so. I'm stronger than I look, Aunt Yin! And as for these hands, they'll just have to get used to it." She punctuated her words with the first dig into the earth.
Nanny Yin watched in disbelief, knowing that no amount of coaxing would change Xuanwen's mind. With a resigned sigh, she gave up, though not without muttering, "You'll ruin those pretty hands…"
As the day wore on and the sun began to sink below the horizon, Xuanwen plopped down on the dirt, her energy spent but her spirit high. Her face was smeared with soil, her hair tousled, but she smiled brightly, feeling more alive than she had in ages.
"Miss, that's filthy! You shouldn't sit on the ground like that," Nanny Yin scolded, though there was more affection than reproach in her voice.
Xuanwen laughed again, a carefree sound that echoed through the quiet air. "I'm already dirty, Aunt Yin! What's a little more?"
Hualing, just as exhausted and just as dirty, collapsed beside her. "Xuanwen's right, we've all got dirt on ourselves at this point. Might as well embrace it."
Nanny Yin frowned in disapproval, but her lips twitched with the threat of a smile.
"And Aunt Yin," Xuanwen added, pouting playfully, "I've told you a hundred times—stop calling me 'Miss.' Just call me Xuanwen."
"I can't do that," Nanny Yin said with a firm shake of her head. "You're of noble birth. It's only proper to address you as 'Miss.'"
Xuanwen crossed her arms and tilted her head in mock defiance. "If you don't start calling me Xuanwen, I won't talk to you anymore, Aunt Yin."
Hualing laughed softly, nodding in agreement. "She's right, Aunt Yin. We're in a small town now. Calling her 'Miss' makes her stand out too much."
Nanny Yin sighed, her resolve wavering. "Alright, alright… Fine."
Xuanwen's eyes sparkled as she leaned closer, waiting for the moment.
"Xuan… Xuanwen," Nanny Yin finally said, a soft smile curling her lips.
"Perfect!" Xuanwen beamed. "Aunt Yin, what's your favorite flower?"
Taken aback by the sudden question, Nanny Yin thought for a moment. "I've always liked wisteria flowers."
"Wisteria?" Hualing chimed in, surprised. "Most people prefer peonies, lilies, or roses. You have quite the taste, Aunt Yin!"
Xuanwen jumped to her feet, brushing dirt from her hands. "Then wisteria it is! I'll plant some in honor of the lovely Aunt Yin," she declared, grinning from ear to ear.
"But wisteria takes years to grow," Nanny Yin pointed out gently. "It could take three, even five years before they bloom."
Xuanwen's smile only grew wider. "That's even better! It means we'll be here for a long, long time."
Nanny Yin's eyes softened, though she couldn't help but caution, "But this isn't your home, Xuanwen…"
Xuanwen's gaze turned tender as she looked at both Hualing and Nanny Yin. "It is my home. You're my family. And I don't plan on going back."
Before Nanny Yin could respond, Hualing jumped in, her eyes gleaming. "And roses! Can we plant roses too? I love their fragrance. Oh, and cherry blossoms! Imagine how beautiful the yard will look in spring!"
Nanny Yin let out a helpless laugh, shaking her head. She had never seen Xuanwen so full of life, so happy. Here, in this little corner of Nankou, away from the pressures of the Liu Mansion, it was as if Xuanwen had found herself again. And in this moment, surrounded by laughter and dirt, the three of them felt like a true family.