It seems that the matter between Consort Wan and Xiao Anzi has simply passed.

Consort Wan never mentioned the matter again.

No one in the palace dared to utter another word about the incident where Consort Shu hit Consort Wan.

Xiao Heye was really angry. That day, when Su Tiyue was by his side, she mentioned Xiao Anzi's name once, twice, three times, and many times. Originally, the Shenxing Division was supposed to release him the next day, but it was delayed for three days before Xiao Anzi returned to Tingyu Tower.

Fortunately, apart from his old wounds, he didn't have any new injuries.

Logically speaking, since Xiao Heye made that promise to Su Tiyue that day, which was the so-called benefit, Su Tiyue now has a powerful backer and can do whatever she wants in the palace.

But she became even more cautious.

Because Su Tiyue knew in her heart that once she asked him for help, she would always have to give something in return.

For Xiao Heye, there is no such thing as unearned kindness; there is only exchange and his endless, almost pathological demands.

Although Xiao Heye always appeared proper and dignified, and even asked, "Is it alright, Your Highness?" before doing those things to her.

May I?

Every time Su Tiyue heard these three words, she felt that it was not a question or a request for opinions, but a threat and coercion.

Furthermore, for some reason, Su Tiyue increasingly felt that the game she had initiated was gradually becoming fraught with danger.

It was like a ship sailing smoothly on a river, suddenly veering off course. Because the one at the helm wasn't Su Tiyue anymore, but Xiao Heye…

Su Tiyue thought the game was about kissing, hugging, touching, and looking... most of the time it was just ambiguity and teasing.

In Xiao Heye's eyes, the game was an endless process of encroachment and probing... far exceeding the scope of flirting.

In short, there's nothing Su Tiyue can't do, only things she can't imagine.

...

Fortunately, Su Tiyue doesn't dare to go to Yelan Pavilion to warm his bed now.

He didn't seem to say much about it.

For two consecutive nights, Li Xun would intentionally or unintentionally come to Tingyu Tower to hint to Su Tiyue to go to Yelan Pavilion to see Xiao Heye.

But Su Tiyue pretended not to understand the meaning behind his words...

Later, in order to hide from Li Xun as well, Su Tiyue went to bed early, before it was even completely dark.

When Li Xun came to ask for help again, he only received a faint reply from Liu Wan: "My lady has already gone to bed."

The entire Listening to the Rain Pavilion was dark, with not a single light on; the implication was all too clear.

As night fell, Xiao Heye slowly walked up to the second floor of the Night Pavilion. He

She would lean against the stove by the window, brewing tea—the Cloud Mist Tea that Su Tiyue had Li Xun deliver.

He took a sip; it wasn't very tasty.

It's very mild at first, with a very faint aroma, but after a while... a subtle sweet and mellow fragrance lingers on your lips and teeth.

It leaves a lasting impression.

This tea was personally selected by Su Tiyue, and he was very satisfied.

Xiao Heye lazily lifted his eyelids and looked through the carved wooden window at Su Tiyue's room, only to see complete darkness.

He slowly ran his fingers over his slightly cool lips, and in his dark eyes, greed and evil thoughts began to rise.

For several days, for several days now... he hasn't tasted meat.

That cute little thing provoked him, gave him a taste of sweetness, and then hid in the room like a turtle, too scared to come out.

Whether it was a ploy to lure her in or she was genuinely too timid... Xiao Heye couldn't guess.

In my mind, a clear and loud voice kept repeating:

He's addicted, addicted, he's addicted to her...

But then, a deep, evil voice echoed in his mind:

Kill her, kill her, kill her... She wouldn't listen.

*

As the weather gradually warmed up, the cold winter seemed to be coming to an end. Once the heavy snow stopped, the servants in the palace began to busy themselves with sweeping and shoveling snow.

They shoveled the snow off the road and piled it up against the wall so that the nobles passing by wouldn't slip and fall when the snow melted.

With just over twenty days until Lunar New Year's Eve, everyone is suppressing their joy and waiting to welcome the new year.

But Su Tiyue couldn't be happy; she wasn't looking forward to New Year's Eve at all.

The closer New Year's Eve gets, the closer the day will be for him to serve the emperor...

For several days, Su Tiyue deliberately avoided Xiao Heye, but it seemed that this couldn't continue.

Inside the palace, all was peaceful, but outside, chaos reigned.

Something has happened in Yong'an City.

This is the sixth day. Every morning, Qingwu and Xiao Anzi would take a casual stroll outside and bring back some astonishing news.

For six consecutive days, some of the imperial officials in Yong'an City went missing, some were assassinated, and others were kidnapped.

Moreover, they were all renowned heroes with outstanding military achievements.

With such a major incident, there was widespread resentment in the court. All the so-called upright and honest officials pointed the finger at Xiao Heye, saying that Xiao Heye was the mastermind behind these tragedies.

The remaining group willingly pledged allegiance to Xiao Heye. Their claim was that the Chongming Cult had recently been causing chaos, and that the officials had been murdered by the Chongming Cult rebels.

For a moment, the emperor was unable to make a decision.

He naturally believed Xiao Heye.

The original plan was to have Xiao Heye investigate this matter, but given the current situation, it seems to be proving difficult...

Unable to withstand the endless stream of memorials from his senior officials, the Emperor entrusted these bizarre cases to Crown Prince Zhou Tingyue and the Court of Judicial Review for joint investigation.

As a result, Xiao Heye found himself in a peaceful and leisurely life, spending his days drinking tea and writing calligraphy at Yelan Pavilion.

However, Su Tiyue did not take the initiative to find him.

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