The Imperial Palace, the Southern Garden.

A biting wind howled, and snow fell heavily.

Xiao Heye and Li Xun walked out of Tingyu Tower one after the other.

"Your Excellency, today His Majesty held a grand banquet in the Bright Hall and even specially invited the most famous opera troupe from outside the palace, just to win a smile from the beauty... This Consort Ji has won the Emperor's heart since she entered the palace, and her favor has never waned. She has indeed not disappointed Your Excellency." Eunuch Li Xun bowed and spoke cautiously beside him.

Xiao Heye glanced at him coldly, his thin lips pressed into a line, and he did not speak.

Li Xun knew him best; he was naturally aloof and disliked crowds. Seeing his gloomy expression, Li Xun was afraid of saying the wrong thing and upsetting him, so he awkwardly shut his mouth.

Walking along the quiet, snow-covered path, I hadn't gone far when a sound, neither too loud nor too soft, suddenly reached my ears from afar.

"Boom! Clang—"

A loud noise reached their ears.

"..."

"Splash—"

Immediately following, a series of loud and jarring sounds of impact and fighting broke out, as if someone was causing trouble.

Nanyuan is located in a remote area, and now that winter has arrived, the nights are quiet and still, so even the slightest sound will seem very abrupt, let alone this commotion.

"Master, it seems to be the incense hall across the street." Li Xun listened intently and pointed to the brightly lit incense hall across the street.

"Oh? Let's go take a look..."

Xiao Heye frowned, his expression unreadable.

How dare anyone cause trouble right under our noses these days?

When the two approached the incense hall, there was no sound inside; the fighting had stopped.

Li Xun stepped forward first and was about to open the door when, unexpectedly, the door was suddenly opened from the inside, and he was knocked to the ground by two panicked women inside.

"Hey, who's the blind fool...?"

Li Xun clutched his backside and screamed shrilly. He was about to unleash a torrent of curses, but the next moment, when he recognized the culprit who had bumped into him, his expression immediately changed.

He quickly got up from the ground and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Consort Shu. This servant has been rude. This servant has been rude."

Su Tiyue froze, her face filled with panic.

After a moment of stunned silence, Su Tiyue quickly hid her blood-stained fingers inside her pale yellow cloak, slowly took a half-step back, and said guiltily:

"So it's Eunuch Li? No...no need for formalities..."

She looked up and glanced behind Li Xun. When she saw the tall and imposing figure in the darkness, her eyes widened instantly, as if she had seen a demon from the abyss. Her legs went weak, and she almost lost her balance.

They say you have nothing to fear if you haven't done anything wrong, but she's different... She just did something wrong, and now she's running into this evil ghost?

Su Tiyue forced a smile, but her voice trembled slightly: "Master Xiao's seal is also here..."

Who in this palace doesn't recognize Xiao Heye, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial?

Su Tiyue had been in the palace for some time and naturally knew him, but the two were not very close.

...

"Hmm." The word seemed to come out of his nose, cold and devoid of any warmth.

Xiao Heye raised his eyes, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over the person in front of him.

What came into view was a gentle and graceful face, with bright eyes like twinkling stars, cherry lips and white teeth, delicate features, and an indescribable beauty.

Seeing her pale face and flustered expression, and considering the commotion they had just heard, Xiao Heye frowned and gave Li Xun a look, signaling him to go into the incense hall to investigate.

Su Tiyue turned her head and saw Li Xun enter the incense hall. In a daze, she felt her heart pounding wildly. She lowered her eyes and bit her lower lip tightly, not daring to utter a sound. The palace maid Liu Wan beside her held her arm tightly. She was also pale with fright from Xiao Heye's imposing and sharp power, and her legs trembled uncontrollably in the air.

As soon as Li Xun entered the room, he smelled a strong stench of blood in the air. Sensing something was wrong, he quickened his pace and walked further inside.

Sure enough, after walking a few steps, I saw a man lying in a pool of blood, face down, motionless. Without a doubt, he was dead.

Li Xun turned his head and looked thoughtfully at Su Tiyue and Liu Wan, then turned back and opened the other door.

In this way, even if you stand outside, you can have a clear view of the scene inside the incense hall.

Xiao Heye tilted his head and glanced over the tops of the two people. He squinted and casually looked inside, finding the matter quite interesting. How could someone dare to kill someone in Nanyuan?

What's even more interesting is that this matter is actually related to the frail and delicate Consort Shu in front of him... Looking at her pale face, which was terrified, Xiao Heye's mood suddenly wasn't so bad anymore.

Xiao Heye stood there, glanced at the crimson bloodstains that had accidentally splattered on Su Tiyue's cloak, and sneered inwardly, saying, "Your Majesty, is this... adultery or murder?"

Xiao Heye said this with a smile on his face, but his words carried a chill that made Su Tiyue shiver.

"Master Xiao, this...this was an accident."

"Oh? An accident?" Xiao Heye smiled and repeated those two words after her.

"Is Your Majesty sure this was an accident?"

Only a month has passed, and Xiao Heye can hardly believe his eyes. Is the person in front of him still the gentle, delicate, and soft-spoken Consort Shu from that night?

He crossed his arms over his chest, his deep eyes fixed on that delicate and pretty face, his gaze full of amusement and mockery.

Su Tiyue nodded, then nodded again, this time with certainty. A glint of light shone in her dark eyes; Xiao Heye could see the fear and panic within them.

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