I never said others wouldn’t kill you.

The woman, tinged with panic, spoke in a shrill voice, "Y-Y-I'm sorry..."

Was Rong Yu truly that terrifying?

"It's fine," Lin Yuejiao said, frowning as she looked at her.

Because the woman wore a veil, only her eyes were visible, making it impossible to recognize who she was. Yet, there was a strange familiarity about her, a sense that made Lin Yuejiao feel something was amiss, as if the person before her was acting unnaturally.

"Which family's young lady are you?" Lin Yuejiao asked.

The woman evasively replied, "I-I'm not a lady from any noble household, just someone passing by..."

Her voice was unpleasantly shrill, rendering it impossible to discern her identity through speech alone.

Meanwhile, a deeper glint flickered in the depths of Rong Yu's eyes.

Without a sound, his fingers plucked a fallen leaf from the forest canopy inside his sleeve, flicking it forth like a dart straight toward the woman's veil.

The veil was pierced by the leaf and torn away, drifting gently to the ground.

"Oh! My veil..." The woman blanched in horror.

Lin Yuejiao and Rong Yu exchanged glances. Locking eyes, both realized something was wrong with this woman, though neither could pinpoint exactly what.

Hastily picking up her veil, the woman refrained from entangling herself further with Lin Yuejiao and her companions, turning abruptly to leave.

"Stop right there!" Lin Yuejiao called out loudly.

Daring not to linger any longer, the woman took to her heels and fled.

With a flick of his fingers, Rong Yu caught another fallen leaf, propelling it forward with a soft whoosh to strike the woman's leg.

"Are you... Chi Zixian?" Lin Yuejiao stepped directly in front of the woman, scrutinizing his figure. The more she looked, the more certain she became.

Rong Yu blocked Chi Zixian's path from behind, forming a pincer movement with Lin Yuejiao that cut off all routes of escape.

"I am not Chi Zixian, I don't understand what you're talking about..." the woman said in a high-pitched voice.

Lin Yuejiao raised an eyebrow. "Don't bother hiding it. When your veil fell off just now, I saw your Adam's apple. That was what felt so wrong—a woman with a man's physique."

"Chi Zixian? Weren't all the members of the Chi family arrested?" Tuomi asked in astonishment.

Yuanwei gasped, "Now that Miss has mentioned it, I hadn't noticed, but the more I look, the more he really does look like Chi Zixian."

"I'm not, I'm not..." The woman still refused to admit it.

Rong Yu casually pinched falling leaves between his slender fingers, flicking them forth in rapid succession like hidden weapons. Half a dozen leaves struck the captive squarely, causing him to cry out in pain. The feigned feminine voice instantly shattered, revealing a scream that belonged undeniably to a grown man.

"Chi Zixian, to think you actually disguised yourself as a woman to escape? Even so, given the Prince of Mu's tight security, it would be impossible for you to break out on your own. Speak, what is the meaning of this?" Lin Yuejiao demanded sharply.

It truly was Chi Zixian.

After entering the brothel, Chi Zixian had gotten his courtesan companion dead drunk, donned her clothes, and walked out, slipping away while everyone's attention was elsewhere.

The guards monitoring Chi Zixian had been watching for a man and genuinely failed to notice his cross-dressing disguise.

"If I talk, will you spare my life?" Chi Zixian asked, trembling.

"You're facing death either way; it's just a matter of whether you prefer a swift end or a painful one," Lin Yuejiao said, the corners of her lips curving slightly.

Chi Zixian's face drained of color, leaving him on the verge of tears.

Rong Yu raised an eyebrow. "If you confess, I will not kill you."

"Wonderful!" Hearing Rong Yu's words, Chi Zixian spilled everything without hesitation. "Pangtang Han let me go. He wanted evidence of my father forming cliques for personal gain, and I gave him..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuejiao frowned.

Tuomi said angrily, "What kind of prince is he? To pull down a rival, he actually sets a criminal free! Given Chi Zixian's monstrous crimes, shouldn't he have been sentenced to death long ago?"

Once the Chi family fell and Chi Zixian was imprisoned, commoners who had long suffered his persecution but dared not speak out came forward in droves to accuse him, piling up crimes too numerous to record.

"I've confessed everything to you! You said just now you wouldn't kill me..." Catching the cold glint in Lin Yuejiao's eyes, Chi Zixian shuddered and cast a pleading look toward Rong Yu.

Startled, Lin Yuejiao also turned her gaze to Rong Yu.

The corners of Rong Yu's lips lifted. "Yunjian."

The next instant, Yunjian, who had been standing guard on the sidelines, drew his sword with a swift motion. With one fluid slash of his hand, he ran Chi Zixian clean through.

***

Chi Zixian stared in utter disbelief at the treasured sword buried in his chest, retching up a mouthful of fresh blood. "You... you broke your word..."

"This Prince said *I* wouldn't kill you; I never said no one else would," Rong Yu said nonchalantly.

Chi Zixian was already at death's door, and this sheer infuriation finished the job. Eyes wide with unresigned hatred, he died with his eyes open.

A smile involuntarily bloomed at the corner of Lin Yuejiao's lips. The Prince of Loyalty and Righteousness was truly as dark-humored as ever.

Rong Yu looked over at Lin Yuejiao as well. He had not expected that this young lady would remain unfazed when Yunjian committed murder in broad daylight. Even her two maidservants were afraid of looking at corpses, yet she alone remained calm and composed, bearing no resemblance to someone witnessing a dead body for the first time.

Given all the actions she had taken thus far, this calm was hardly surprising.

Yunjian dragged Chi Zixian's body away to dispose of it. As the hour grew late, Lin Yuejiao returned to the Lin residence.

The following day was the Dragon King Festival. After washing and dressing, Lin Yuejiao was just about to step out when Yuanwei approached with a calling card and said, "Miss, an invitation from the Prince of Mu, requesting your presence at the Dragon Boat Lantern Festival tonight."

Lin Yuejiao pressed her thin lips together. It seemed Beitang Han's impression of her was exceptionally favorable; he was acting with such initiative, inviting her out the moment he learned her injuries had fully healed.

"Mm, tell them I will definitely be there tonight," Lin Yuejiao said, her gaze resting on her reflection in the mirror as she instructed Tuomi, "Go fetch the fairy-like Goddess Ni裳 Immortal Dress."

This garment possessed an ethereal, head-turning quality that Lin Yuejiao rarely wore.

Having arranged a game of chess with Rong Yu for yesterday, she had headed first to Yunsheng Water Pavilion.

Though midsummer was scorching hot, stepping into Yunsheng Water Pavilion instantly cooled the air, pacifying the restless thoughts churned up by tonight's grand scheme.

"Miss, look! It really is the Rain-Listening Pavilion. This maid actually gets to see a real Rain-Listening Pavilion..." Tuomi exclaimed with excitement.

Lin Yuejiao smiled faintly.

Inside the Rain-Listening Pavilion, Rong Yu was already seated. A delicate Go board was set out upon the white jade table as he listened to the rain and awaited his fair companion.

*Pfft, pfft, pfft...*

Just as Lin Yuejiao was about to stride inside, a white silk umbrella suddenly materialized, blocking the curtain of rain before her. An enchantingly dressed man in crimson stood on the far side of the downpour, shielding out a patch of sky entirely for her.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Lin Yuejiao said, pausing with a slight, tight-lipped smile.

Passing beneath the umbrella, she entered the pavilion, where Rong Yu closed the parasol and set it casually to one side.

The two sat opposite each other with the Go board between them, its intersecting lines witnessing a battle of wits and moves.

He possessed that unique charm capable of making one utterly forget all scheming and plotting during a game. For once, Lin Yuejiao's heart relaxed completely.

Only when the sun sank below the mountains did Lin Yuejiao take her leave. By then, dusk was falling, and the sweltering summer heat had subsided.

"Yunsheng Water Pavilion is truly refreshing, and the pastries made by the imperial chef are simply delicious. The Prince treats Miss so well. If Miss could play chess with the Prince every day, it would be the perfect way to escape the summer heat," Tuomi giggled.

Lin Yuejiao smiled faintly. "With the Prince of Loyalty and Righteousness acting as an iceberg sitting right across from you, how could it not be refreshing? Come, let's go to the Dragon Boat Lantern Festival."

Beitang Han, for our first match in this lifetime, I will make you suffer a crushing defeat.

While Lin Yuejiao made her way to the Dragon Boat Lantern Festival for her appointment, one black-clad figure after another quietly materialized among the sacred tree groves of the Nüwa Temple.

Though few in number—just eleven in total—each person exuded a bone-chilling aura of murderous intent.

After a moment, the Ghost-Faced Man finally appeared, and the masked assassins saluted in unison. "Greetings, Emperor."

"Intercept the grain shipments," the Ghost-Faced Man commanded with chilling detachment.

"Understood."

The next instant, utilizing lightness skills, the black-clad figures vanished from the Nüwa Temple one by one, leaving as if they had never been there at all.

Coming and going like phantoms—truly befitting the underworld's most mysterious faction, the Netherworld Palace.

***

On the night of the Dragon King Festival, every corner of Xinzhou was ablaze with festive lanterns, brimming with street performers and vendors crowding the city both inside and out.

The liveliest spot by far, however, was the moat outside Xinzhou City, where dragon boats adorned with colorful lanterns painted the night in enchanting hues.

Inside a lavish, opulent two-story dragon boat, Beitang Han stood by the railing watching the bustling crowds. His guard, Xiwang, stepped forward to report, "Your Highness, Miss Lin has arrived."

Turning back, Beitang Han beheld a woman in white ascending the steps. Her dress was as ethereal as a fairy's, her demeanor refined and otherworldly, and her bright eyes and pearly teeth possessed an unrivaled beauty.

Lin Yuejiao curtsied gracefully. "Greetings, Your Highness."

Her voice resembled an oriole's—clear, cool, and serene.

Every slight movement and smile tugged at the hearts of onlookers.

"M-Miss Lin, please rise," Beitang Han murmured, genuinely struck by her splendor.

"It is an honor to drift upon the water in Your Highness's company, yet the bustle outside somewhat disturbs the peace," Lin Yuejiao said, casting a warm smile toward Beitang Han. "Since Your Highness has not visited Xinzhou before, you likely do not know that the night view on the southern side of the moat is far more magnificent, and much quieter, though somewhat secluded."

Beitang Han smiled. "Xiwang, row the boat south."

Lin Yuejiao offered Beitang Han a radiant smile, though inwardly she thought: *This is quite enough.*

"Xiwang, bring my Phoenix Konghou," Beitang Han said, looking toward Lin Yuejiao with a smile. "Years ago, I acquired a pair of Konghou zithers, but I have never found a worthy match to test them with. After witnessing Miss Lin's mastery of the Konghou last time, I hoped we might play a duet. I wonder if Miss Lin would be willing?"

He cut a dashing, cultured, and refined figure.

Lin Yuejiao smiled faintly. "It is precisely what I desire; how could I dare decline?"

Yet beneath the surface, her heart was ice-cold.

Beitang Han had always loved the Konghou, owning a matched pair known as the Dragon and Phoenix Konghou—one for the dragon, one for the phoenix—which he treasured dearly.

Yet in his past life, he had played duets with all the pampered wives and concubines in his manor, save for her alone.

Xiwang brought forth the two zithers, crafted from superior Wu silk and Sichuan paulownia, carved with intricate, elaborate phoenix patterns.

The two began to play.

To Beitang Han's astonishment, Lin Yuejiao effortlessly kept pace with every single Konghou melody he favored.

Two hours slipped by swiftly before Beitang Han spoke. "Miss Lin, I bestow this Phoenix Konghou upon you."

"This is Your Highness's prized possession; how could I dare accept such a gift?" Lin Yuejiao smiled gently.

She knew that today's entire encounter remained completely within her control.

For every word Beitang Han uttered, she could deduce his true thoughts merely from his tone, allowing her to respond flawlessly without a single misstep.

And whenever she initiated a topic, Beitang Han would experience profound shock, wondering why she loved everything he loved.

"Since there are two zithers and I can only play one, leaving the remaining one idle is a waste. It is fitting to find it a proper owner," Beitang Han said, smiling as he looked at her. "Could it be that Miss Lin dislikes the Phoenix Konghou?"

Lin Yuejiao smiled. "Your Highness's Phoenix Konghou is a rare treasure of this age; how could I not like it? It is simply too precious a gift. But since Your Highness bestows it, I dare not refuse. Yuejiao thanks Your Highness for the present."

Just as the romantic mood peaked, Xiwang hurried inside, looking grave. "Your Highness, something has happened."

Glancing briefly at Lin Yuejiao beside him, Xiwang leaned close to Beitang Han's ear and muttered something in a low voice. Beitang Han's expression instantly shifted. "Let's go."

"Your Highness?" Lin Yuejiao feigned confusion.

With a strained expression, Beitang Han said, "Miss Lin, an urgent matter requires my return to the city. We shall meet another day."

"Your Highness's affairs take precedence; I shall not intrude," Lin Yuejiao replied.

Beitang Han hurried back toward Xinzhou City, but the waterways offered no quick return; the moat was choked with dragon boats, and clearing a path through the crowds would take an indeterminate amount of time.

Left with no choice, Beitang Han could only take his attendants ashore and hasten back to the city on foot across the hills.

The massive dragon boat was left with only Lin Yuejiao and her two maidservants; all of Beitang Han's men had completely withdrawn.

"It seems his side has succeeded," Lin Yuejiao murmured, standing at the bow and gazing at the myriad lights in the distance, a crisp, triumphant smile curving her lips.

Yuanwei smiled and said, "Miss, this Phoenix Konghou truly is exquisite. It looks even finer than the one Lian Shi'er used during the Zhaohuang Selection."

"This Phoenix Konghou is worth thousands of gold," Tuomi covered her mouth with a giggle. "To give such a valuable gift upon first acquaintance... judging by the Prince of Mu's expression, he seems quite fond of Miss."

Lin Yuejiao glanced casually at the fortune's worth of zither beside her, her dark brows lifting. "Throw it away."

"Ah?" Both maidservants stared in blank shock.

Lin Yuejiao stated flatly, "I do not like Beitang Han. His things—throw them away."

Exchanging bewildered looks, the two maids dared not ask further questions.

Lifting either end together, Yuanwei and Tuomi dragged the thousand-gold Phoenix Konghou to the edge of the deck and shoved it overboard. With a splash, the instrument sank straight to the bottom of the river.

A bone-chilling frost filled Lin Yuejiao's eyes.

In her past life, she had yearned for a duet with Beitang Han, never getting the chance to touch the Phoenix Konghou. In this life, Beitang Han had purposely gifted it to her, yet the mere thought that it belonged to him filled her with revulsion.

One dragon, one phoenix—sharing a pair with him made her sick to her stomach.