Wen Shuang offered a half-hearted apology before leading Jiu Yue through a maze of corridors to Prince Ping’s residence.
"His Highness orders you to infiltrate Sima Qing’s side as soon as possible and seize the chance to strike," Wen Shuang said, locking eyes with her. He added, "If necessary, I’ll assist you. But don’t alert the emperor’s secret guards—if you do, don’t expect me to save you."
Jiu Yue: "…"
She couldn’t even be bothered to respond.
Wen Shuang’s intentions were obvious—he was here as backup.
Prince Ping, fearing a repeat of her last failure to kill Sima Qing, had sent Wen Shuang to ensure the job was done. As for his so-called promise of protection? That was just empty words meant to placate her. Taking it seriously would be laughable.
After a moment of thought, Jiu Yue glanced at him again.
Understanding her silent question, Wen Shuang gestured toward the inner chamber.
Jiu Yue raised an eyebrow and stepped inside, where she found a set of maid’s garments waiting.
She wasted no time disguising herself. When she emerged, she was the picture of an unremarkable palace maid.
The two exchanged a look before parting ways.
---
Sima Qing hadn’t even wanted to come.
His own quarters were perfectly cool.
The hassle of traveling to Mingzhi Mountain with a crowd struck him as unnecessary.
But Prince Ping had deftly countered every excuse he offered, and Sima Qing, sensing a trap, decided to play along and join the excursion.
Now, resting in his chambers, he found himself oddly entertained.
"Care to guess when he’ll make his move?" He reclined lazily on the divan, fingers tapping idly against the armrest.
"Your Highness," Fu Yu fretted, "what if… something goes wrong?"
Sima Qing arched a brow. "Then Prince Ping will let his guard down even more."
Fu Yu fell silent.
Sima Qing, however, was in high spirits. "This year, the palace added a new hot spring. Quite impressive."
With that, he rose gracefully and strolled out, utterly at ease. Fu Yu, on the other hand, was wound tight, every rustle of leaves setting his nerves on edge.
He knew his lord was deliberately playing bait.
So Fu Yu braced himself for an assassination attempt at any moment.
"No need to be so tense," Sima Qing chided, pulling Fu Yu along for a leisurely tour. "You’ve never been here before, have you? Let me show you around."
Fu Yu: "…"
He wanted to cry.
Wasn’t this too reckless?!
What if the assassin wasn’t Jiu Yue? What if he couldn’t protect His Highness in time?!
---
Jiu Yue had originally planned to sneak back and catch a glimpse of Consort Xue.
Maybe seeing the woman’s face would jog her memory.
But halfway there, she crossed paths with two maids carrying trays of fresh garments.
As they passed, she caught the word "hot spring" in their hushed conversation.
Hot spring?
That meant a bathing area.
Earlier, the maids had mentioned Consort Xue and the Little Princess playing in the water—also a hot spring.
The pieces fit. Luck was on her side.
She’d just been wondering how to approach Consort Xue without raising suspicion, and now the opportunity had fallen into her lap.
With a bright smile, she turned and struck up a casual conversation with the two maids.
Learning they still had to deliver clothes to other consorts, Jiu Yue generously offered to help.
"Really? Oh, thank you so much!" The junior maids felt just as fortunate.
"No trouble at all," Jiu Yue beamed, taking the tray. "I’m heading that way anyway."
The maids handed over the clothes.
Only after Jiu Yue had walked off did one of them pause. "Wait… she said she was going the same way? But she’s from Consort Xue’s palace. How is that possible?"
They were delivering clothes to the Regent Prince.
The other maid hesitated. "Maybe she had other business there?"
Exchanging a glance, they shrugged and hurried back to work.
Halfway to her destination, Jiu Yue slowed as realization dawned.
The hot spring Consort Xue had visited earlier… wasn’t in this direction, was it?
Mentally retracing the palace layout, she stared at the clothes in her hands, a strange feeling settling in.
Hah. So much for luck.
But if the women’s bathing area wasn’t here, then this must be the men’s section.
Who in their right mind would be soaking in broad daylight?
Just as she finished the thought, a flustered maid rushed out from the palace ahead. Spotting the tray in Jiu Yue’s hands, the woman visibly relaxed.
"What took you so long? The Regent Prince will turn into a prune at this rate!" The maid snatched the tray, her voice trembling. "If you’d been any slower, His Highness might’ve had your head!"
Jiu Yue: "?"
Following the maid, she couldn’t resist asking, "Is the Regent Prince really that terrifying?"
The maid’s eyes widened. If she’d had a third hand, she would’ve clamped it over Jiu Yue’s mouth.
"Foolish girl," the maid hissed, though Jiu Yue’s innocent expression softened her scolding. "The people call him the ‘Great Traitor.’ What does that tell you?"
Jiu Yue: "…"
They knelt before a folding screen, and a shadow fell over them as the clothes were taken.
The maid scrambled backward, dragging Jiu Yue with her, when footsteps approached. A lazy, mocking voice drifted down:
"Did you crawl here? That’s the only explanation for this delay."
Jiu Yue’s eye twitched.
Beside her, the maid kowtowed. "Spare me, Your Highness! It was her fault—she delayed us! I had nothing to do with it!"
The man scoffed. "Get out."
The maid fled as if her life depended on it, shooting Jiu Yue a pitying look on her way.
Jiu Yue: "…"
Finally lifting her head, she was met with the sight of Sima Qing—fresh from the bath, robes carelessly loose.
Sima Qing, equally stunned to see her, froze mid-smirk.
Jiu Yue covered one eye in a poor attempt at modesty while the other shamelessly roamed.
"…"
After a beat, Sima Qing calmly adjusted his robes and feigned nonchalance. "Here to assassinate me already?"
Jiu Yue dusted off her skirt, studying him with amusement before abruptly asking, "How’d you end up a traitor?"
Sima Qing: "…"
Fu Yu burst from the shadows, indignant but speechless. Sima Qing, however, merely chuckled.
"Being a traitor is far more comfortable than being a loyal subject," he said airily.
Jiu Yue gave him an odd look but quickly returned to business.
Her expression sobered. "Prince Ping wants me to act soon. He’s also arranged a backup—if I fail, someone else will finish the job. So how do we play this out?"
Fu Yu’s expression shifted instantly, his gaze flickering with concern as he looked at Sima Qing. The latter, however, wore an inscrutable look, murmuring cryptically, "We’ll act as the situation demands… If speed is of the essence, now is as good a time as any."
"The show is about to begin."
Jiu Yue froze.
In the next moment, Sima Qing’s demeanor changed abruptly.
A ruthless glint flashed in his dark eyes as he sneered and commanded, "How audacious, these assassins! Fu Yu, seize them!"
