Qin Yue Zhao was startled and followed Chen Wan'er as they ran towards the General's Mansion.

From afar, they could see Huo Zichu lying beside the desk, the ground covered in black blood. Upon seeing Qin Yuezhao arrive, the two guards knelt down in unison.

"Your Highness, it was my negligence that led to the assassin's entry into the bedroom. I have no idea how he managed to get in. Please punish me!"

Qin Yue Zhao didn't rush to investigate the matter. Instead, she examined the deep, bone-revealing knife wound on Huo Zi Chu's neck and asked, "Who came here today?"

Huo Erniu said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, apart from the cook who brings the food, no one else has come."

"Where is the cook who delivers the food?"

Chen Wan'er ran up, panting.

"It's terrible, Your Highness! The cook... the cook is dead too!"

Boom!

These words startled the guard on duty, making him tremble.

"Your Highness, please forgive us! It was our negligence that allowed the thieves to take advantage of our weakness!"

"It is indeed your fault for not doing a good job!"

Qin Yue Zhao stood up in a rage, "Since you know you've done a poor job, why don't you check everyone in the manor?!"

"Yes!" The guards commanders all retreated.

After everyone had left, Qin Yuezhao examined Huo Zichu's body again.

When I saw his tightly clenched fist, I quickly pried it open.

Instantly, a dark brown round buckle came into view.

The belt buckle, the size of a pigeon egg, was stained with Huo Zichu's blood, its surface engraved with a qilin pattern, and its edges were set with gold wire.

She picked up the buckle and handed it to Chen Wan'er.

"Wan'er, don't you think this girl's belt buckle looks familiar?"

Chen Wan'er examined the belt buckle carefully, frowning as she said, "It does look familiar. It's like the craftsmanship of Ruyi Zhai in the capital, but how come something from the capital is here?"

"Why can't it be here? Many of the Huo family's army and the Nan family's army are from the capital. Go and investigate secretly, without alerting anyone."

Chen Wan'er nodded, took the buckle, and stepped back.

Once Qin Yue Zhao was alone in the bedroom, she carefully examined the entire guest room.

This is a suite of about 30 square meters. On the left is a bookcase and a desk, in the middle are a table and chairs, and on the right is a bed.

There was freshly ground ink on the table, and the paper showed signs of use, but there wasn't a single finished product in the entire room.

Previously, she had instructed Huo Zichu to draw portraits of the instigator in the imperial city and the traitor from the northern barbarians in Liangcheng.