undercover

It was already the dead of winter, and all the leaves in the yard had fallen, and even the fish in the pond looked fewer than usual.

It was Jiang Chaoyu's first mission that made You Zhenghong realize that skills alone are not enough; one must also possess formidable fighting prowess for long-term success. This time, she was testing Jiang Chaoyu's skills to see just how good they really were.

Yu Zhenghong, dressed in convenient clothes with a soft sword wrapped around his waist, walked up to Jiang Chaoyu, drew his sword, and pointed the tip directly at her.

The blade flashed with a white light as You Zhenghong's attack was swift, accurate, and ruthless, heading straight for Jiang Chaoyu.

Jiang Chaoyu was forced to defend herself repeatedly. In an instant, a strand of hair was cut off from her ear and landed on You Zhenghong's sword, where it was instantly split in two.

"He wants you to be his informant."

You Zhenghong's voice was as cold as ice, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "The Crescent Moon Sect will never tolerate traitors."

Jiang Chaoyu came here for two reasons: to seek comfort and to discuss this matter. She did not expect her master to react so strongly.

Jiang Chaoyu's eyes narrowed, and she quickly dodged to the side, simultaneously swinging her sword towards You Zhenghong's wrist.

You Zhenghong dodged to the side and easily avoided it.

You Zhenghong's sword then thrust towards Jiang Chaoyu. Jiang Chaoyu had no time to retaliate and could only dodge her second sword with a relatively agile movement.

Jiang Chaoyu was startled. She swiftly spun around, dodging You Zhenghong's second sword strike with incredible agility. The whistling sword energy made her hands go numb, but she ignored the pain and said urgently, "But Master said the most dangerous place..."

"And also the easiest to see through!"

You Zhenghong's sword tip shot out like a nimble snake, precisely picking up the jade pendant at Jiang Chaoyu's waist. The jade pendant swayed gently on the sword tip, reflecting a faint light. Seeing this, You Zhenghong directly confirmed, "You went to the Second Prince's residence last night."

"How did he know you belong to the Crescent Moon Sect?" You Zhenghong sheathed his sword, his mind in turmoil, how could he possibly draw a good sword? He casually returned the sword to its scabbard.

Seeing You Zhenghong sheathe his sword, Jiang Chaoyu could no longer practice her swordsmanship. She simply placed her soft sword at her waist. But Jiang Chaoyu knew even more clearly at this moment that her master was in a fit of anger.

“I couldn’t sleep yesterday, and I was assigned a mission to retrieve the jade pendant from the Second Prince’s residence, so I went alone. Perhaps it was because of our second encounter.” Jiang Chaoyu walked to You Zhenghong’s side and said softly.

A gentle breeze brushed past her ear, involuntarily reminding Jiang Chaoyu of her visit to the Second Prince's residence yesterday. It was already time to rest, but who would have thought that upon entering the residence, she would be greeted by the medicinal smell emanating from the bath. She had originally gone on a mission to steal the jade pendant, but when she quietly sneaked in, she stumbled upon Zeng Chenhua in the bath.

At that moment, she saw the hideous old wound on his collarbone, a wound she had treated with herbs five years ago, which now had an eerie bluish-black tinge, as if he had been poisoned.

When Zeng Chenhua saw this, Jiang Chaoyu had endless complaints in her heart: Why isn't he asleep at this hour? Why does he have to take a bath outside in the middle of winter?

Seeing that Jiang Chaoyu was trying to escape, Zeng Chenhua picked up his clothes, put them on, flew to Jiang Chaoyu's side, grabbed her ankle, and pulled her into the bath.

The moment she was pulled down, Jiang Chaoyu took a sip of water, causing bubbles to rise continuously on the surface of the pool, but the difference was not visible in the water.

Her whole body was soaked by the bath water, and her hand was being held by Zeng Chenhua, which she couldn't break free from.

"What a coincidence, Second Prince, we meet again." Jiang Chaoyu forced an awkward smile as she looked at Zeng Chenhua. As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face, especially one who has saved her life.

Zeng Chenhua looked at Jiang Chaoyu's expression, which was more like a grimace than a smile, and couldn't help but laugh. He whispered in Jiang Chaoyu's ear, "Second Miss, what brings you to my humble abode so late at night?"

Jiang Chaoyu thought to herself, "What's the matter? If it weren't for the jade pendant, who would be willing to come?"

Before Jiang Chaoyu could answer, Zeng Chenhua took out the jade pendant and placed it in front of her, "If it weren't for this?"

Jiang Chaoyu was startled; how did he know? But he remained outwardly calm.

"Your Highness is joking. I was just passing by."

Zeng Chenhua gently placed the jade pendant in Jiang Chaoyu's hand, as if he hadn't heard Jiang Chaoyu's explanation. "It's not that you can't have it, but why does your Crescent Moon Sect want it? Why don't you become my spy, and I'll help you get what you want?"

Zeng Chenhua looked at Jiang Chaoyu with a smile, but Jiang Chaoyu felt as if that smile was poisonous.

At this moment, alarm bells were ringing in Jiang Chaoyu's mind. She no longer cared about the jade pendant; the right choice was to escape. She realized how foolish she had been to be recognized on the second meeting.

"Your Highness is joking. I am merely a concubine's daughter from the Prime Minister's household."

Upon hearing this, Zeng Chenhua smiled slightly, but the smile did not reach his eyes. Instead, he looked Jiang Chaoyu up and down with a hint of scrutiny and amusement.

"The illegitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's household?"

"But I have heard that the second young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion is frail and sickly and lives a secluded life. For her to appear by my bath with such agility is truly an eye-opener for me."

He tightened his grip slightly, and Jiang Chaoyu's wrist, which was being held, became increasingly painful.

She gritted her teeth secretly, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, whether from the pain or from the steam in the bath, she didn't know, but she still tried to remain calm.

"Second Prince, you must have misunderstood," Jiang Chaoyu tried to struggle, her voice feigning a hint of grievance.

"Although I am of lowly status, I am still aware of etiquette. How could I have entered the prince's residence without cause? I was probably having a nightmare and have just woken up. I apologize for disturbing Your Highness."

As Jiang Chaoyu spoke, she silently prayed that Zeng Chenhua would believe her story and let her go. But she also knew that her words were full of holes and would probably not fool anyone.

Zeng Chenhua raised an eyebrow, his fingertips gently tracing the patterns on the jade pendant in Jiang Chaoyu's hand, as if he were pondering something.

As the steam rose from the bathtub, it enveloped the two of them, making the atmosphere increasingly ambiguous and tense.

"Oh? Night dream? This is the first time I've heard of such a term." His voice was deep, carrying a hint of something unfathomable.

Jiang Chaoyu nodded hurriedly, "Your Highness is very busy with state affairs, it's normal that you haven't heard of it."

At this moment, Jiang Chaoyu had already started flattering him. If he still didn't believe her, it seemed she would have no choice but to take out her soft sword.

Her hand rested on the hilt of the sword at her waist, but Zeng Chenhua suddenly leaned closer, his breath brushing against Jiang Chaoyu's ear, making her shiver involuntarily.

He retreated to the back of the bathtub.

"I wonder if Miss has heard of the Gu worm in this world that can make people tell the truth?" Zeng Chenhua whispered in Jiang Chaoyu's ear.

Jiang Chaoyu was shocked, but she still tried to remain calm. "Your Highness, I have indeed never heard of it, but you should keep it for yourself. I have already told the truth, it would be a waste to use it on me."

So what if the Gu worm is powerful? At worst, I'll die first as a sign of respect. I can't betray the Crescent Moon Sect, but I won't be able to go home.

Just as Jiang Chaoyu had made up her mind, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the bath.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!" came a guard's voice, tinged with anxiety.

Zeng Chenhua frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes. He released Jiang Chaoyu's hand, straightened his clothes, and said in a deep voice, "What's the matter that you're in such a panic?"

The guard stopped outside the bath and knelt down respectfully, saying, "Your Highness, the First Prince has sent an urgent confidential letter, saying that it is of great importance and that you must review it immediately."

Zeng Chenhua's expression hardened. He glanced at Jiang Chaoyu, seemingly weighing something.

However, that was more important, so he strode out of the bath. Seeing this, Jiang Chaoyu felt a glimmer of hope. She quietly took a step back, trying to slip away while Zeng Chenhua was distracted.

Zeng Chenhua turned to look at her and said coldly, "Second Miss, you should just enjoy this medicinal pool. Once you leave this pool, I can't guarantee that your injuries will heal."

What might seem like a threat to others was nothing to Jiang Chaoyu. Once the person left, what difference did it make if there were many guards around?

Jiang Chaoyu took a deep breath and then went down to the bottom of the bath. Fortunately, Zeng Chenhua did not take back the jade pendant and escaped the Second Prince's residence by using spatial teleportation.

If Jiang Chaoyu were given another chance, she would never choose to get close to the Second Prince again. He was too terrifying to her, as if he could read her mind and see through her every word and action.

The guards stood aside. After a while, someone noticed that Jiang Chaoyu was not in the bath. They hurriedly ordered people to search for her, but after searching for a long time, they could not find her. They had no choice but to report the matter to Zeng Chenhua.

Zeng Chenhua wasn't surprised to hear the news, after all, he had deliberately let Jiang Chaoyu go.

"So that's why such a dangerous thing happened last night!" You Zhenghong suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Zhao Siyu, what can I say about you!"

When her master called her by her original name, Jiang Chaoyu knew that her master was really angry, so she immediately knelt down in front of You Zhenghong.

But when he saw Jiang Chaoyu kneeling down, he couldn't bear it.

“Master, I think this is an opportunity. I should cherish the task that is in my hands. Moreover, I saw a dark spot on his chest, as if he had been poisoned. I guess that’s why he has been pretending to be lame all these years.”

“He only has himself to blame.” Hearing You Zhenghong say these words, Jiang Chaoyu felt as if she had entered a fog. She needed to find the “fan” to fan away the fog blocking her way.

Jiang Chaoyu was very confused. "What does Master mean by this?"

Realizing he had said too much, he stopped talking. The gloom on his face faded, and he gently helped Jiang Chaoyu up. "You don't need to know too much."

Jiang Chaoyu has been in this world for five years.

In the past five years, if she hadn't met her master, she wouldn't have known about any other sources of information. Now that she knows her master has been hiding things from her, it's time for her to take that step outward.

Back in her room, she didn't know what to do. If Cui Cui were there, she would say, "Miss, your face is all scrunched up!"

"No, I can't just sit here and wait to die." Jiang Chaoyu muttered to herself, her eyes shining with determination. "I must find out the truth of all this, find a way to cure the poison, and at the same time protect myself."

She sat up in bed, walked to the window, and gazed at the dark night sky. Could the crescent moon, at this moment, carry her longing to the one she missed?

If possible, please send my thoughts to those I miss—the people she loves in her own world.

The night sky is dotted with stars tonight, as if they are telling endless secrets.

Looking at the familiar plants and trees, Jiang Chaoyu knew that her fate was now inextricably linked to this place.

A thick fog enveloped her, and what awaited her ahead was even denser.

She began to recall everything she had seen at the Second Prince's residence: the Gu poison on Zeng Chenhua's body, and her master's reaction. She realized that a huge conspiracy must be hidden behind all of this.

And he himself may have become a key figure in this conspiracy.

The night remained deep, and Jiang Chaoyu felt as if the whole world was shrouded in a mysterious veil. Just as Jiang Chaoyu was about to close the window, she saw a figure flash by in the darkness, like a ghost. Just as Jiang Chaoyu was searching for it, the dark figure appeared in front of her, startling her.

"elder sister!"