Sheng Shu, who had stood up straight and recovered his limbs, respectfully bowed to the Eighth Prince and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

The Eighth Prince, who was sitting in the main seat, raised his hand to ask him to stand up and take his seat. After Sheng Shu took his seat, the Eighth Prince said, "It turns out that the guards noticed something unusual outside your room, but they were late because I had already fallen asleep."

Sitting on the chair, Sheng Shu bowed and said, "Thanks to Your Highness for saving me, otherwise I would have almost lost my soul." After saying this, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and continued, "I have never seen anything so strange. What do you think this is?"

The Eighth Prince stroked his chin and said, "According to my observation, this person seems to be possessed by an evil spirit."

Hearing this, Sheng Shu thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "That's right. How can an ordinary person turn their head backwards? It's really scary." Seeing that it was getting late, Sheng Shu suggested, "Your Highness, it's too late today. Why don't I take you back to your room?"

The Eighth Prince saw that although Sheng Shu's face was still pale, he no longer looked panicked. He nodded and said, "No need to see you off. Go to bed early."

After sending the Eighth Prince out of the courtyard, Sheng Shu looked up at the moon in the sky and muttered to himself, "Strange."

At daybreak, Sheng Shu woke up from his dream, sweating profusely. He looked around, panting heavily, then sighed and smiled, "Even a real man has such a day." As he washed his face, Sheng Shu thought of the dark eyes in his dream, and it felt like déjà vu.

After breakfast, the Eighth Prince asked Sheng Shu to come over. Yu Jiaxing, who had slept soundly the previous night, didn't care and had no idea what had happened.

The kneeling guard replied to the Eighth Prince, "Your Highness, this girl is the daughter of a tenant farmer on the farm. Her name is Lan'er, and she's eight years old. She was fine during the day yesterday, but she said she got up to go to the toilet last night and never came back. Her parents and neighbors searched for her all night and are waiting outside."

Sheng Shu, who was sitting nearby, asked the Eighth Prince, "Your Highness, may I ask the guard a few questions?"

Seeing the Eighth Prince nod, Sheng Shu asked, "The tenant's residence is five miles away from the farm. How did a girl walk to the farm in the middle of the night? Once there, how did she get in? And once there, how did she get into this courtyard?"

The guard lowered his head and replied, "Master Sheng, I have interrogated the girl, but she is completely unable to explain anything. She only said that she was at home before she went to bed. Then I asked her where she was at this moment."

"Oh? You don't remember?" Sheng Shu thought for a moment after understanding.

After the girl was brought up, Sheng Shu looked at the girl standing in front of him and felt that she looked very familiar. The girl respectfully stepped forward to apologize: "My two lords, it is all my fault. If you want to punish me, please punish me. My family is innocent."

Seeing the girl's eyes filled with fear, Sheng Shu swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. The Eighth Prince looked at Sheng Shu's retreating appearance and asked in a deep voice, "You can't remember anything about what happened last night?"

The girl, shrinking her neck and about to take a step back, replied, "Sir, I really don't know."

The guard next to him replied, "I checked the girl's shoes. They are clean. They don't look like the shoes of someone who has walked ten miles."

Lan Er nodded repeatedly and said, "Please understand, my lord. No matter how brave I am, I would never dare to trespass into the manor, let alone the master's residence."

The Eighth Prince narrowed his eyes and asked, "Can you read?"

Lan Er nodded and said, "I have learned the Three Character Classic, but I can speak it, but I can't write it."