She became increasingly discreet, spending most of her time in that secluded courtyard, maintaining secret contact with the outside world only through Xin Kui, and sorting through the fragmented clues obtained from Hantan Temple—the half of the eerie jade pendant and the scraps of cloth belonging to the servant were like pebbles sunk into a deep pool, temporarily unable to stir any ripples.
Just when things seemed calm on the surface but were turbulent underneath, Liu Ya brought news: the Sixth Prince Xiao Xun's "illness" had finally improved. In order to reassure the people and deter villains, he decided to hold a small banquet at the Prince's residence, inviting several important officials of the court with relatively neutral or wavering stances and their families.
“His Highness specifically instructed,” Liu Ya looked at Xin Jiuwei, a hint of unspoken meaning in his eyes, “that Miss Xin is His Highness’s ‘benefactor,’ and that you must be invited to attend.”
Xin Jiuwei sneered inwardly. A benefactor? Nothing more than bait trapped in this gilded cage.
On the surface, this banquet was a stage for Xiao Xun to showcase his "recovery," but in reality, it was likely a battleground where various forces tested each other and clashed. She initially wanted to decline, but thinking that she might be able to use this opportunity to observe the Second Prince's faction's movements, or even catch a glimpse of Qi Huaiyu, she agreed.
That night, the main hall of the Sixth Prince's mansion was brightly lit. Although it was a small banquet, the scale and formality were not diminished in the slightest. Thick Persian carpets covered the hall, and huge gilded dragon candlesticks illuminated the room as if it were daytime. On the rosewood tables, delicacies were laid out on jade platters, and amber wine in glass goblets shimmered with an alluring luster. The melodious sounds of string and wind instruments were pleasant to the ear, but they could not conceal the subtle wit and scheming beneath the surface.
Xiao Xun sat upright in the main seat. Today, he wore a black robe embroidered with gold dragons, which made him appear even more upright. His face still bore the pallor of someone recovering from a serious illness, and his cheeks were even somewhat sickly thin. However, his eyes were no longer unfocused; they had regained their former deep and calm. Yet, beneath that calm, it seemed, an unfathomable undercurrent was hidden. He occasionally raised his cup to exchange pleasantries with the guests, his voice low and his pace slow. Occasionally, he would cover his mouth with his sleeve and cough softly, perfectly displaying his feigned weakness and portraying the image of a prince who had just recovered from an illness and still needed to rest.
Xin Jiuwei was seated not far to Xiao Xun's lower left, a position that offered a clear view of the entire room while remaining relatively inconspicuous. She wore an elegant, light blue brocade robe, adorned with only a simple white jade hairpin in her hair, her understated style almost deliberate. She sat quietly with her eyes lowered, seemingly indifferent to the clinking of glasses and lively conversation at the banquet, only occasionally picking up her teacup and taking a small sip.
However, her mind was highly focused, like an invisible net enveloping the entire hall. Every guest's words and actions, every subtle exchange of glances, were within her perception.
As expected, the Second Prince Xiao Zhuo did not come in person, but he sent a representative—Feng Kui, the Left Censor-in-Chief, a cunning old fox known for his iron-fisted integrity but who had secretly sided with Xiao Zhuo. Feng Kui was accompanied by his wife, Lady Feng, a shrewd and sociable woman, and a personal attendant. Feng Kui himself, holding a wine cup, exchanged pleasantries with Xiao Xun, his words perfectly tactful, expressing both the Second Prince's "concern" for his sixth brother's illness and a subtle warning. Lady Feng, meanwhile, chatted warmly with the other ladies at the table, displaying her adept social skills.
Xin Jiuwei's gaze seemingly casually swept over the bowed attendant standing behind Feng Kui. The man was dressed in ordinary dark gray servant's clothes, of medium height, and unremarkable. But the moment he stepped forward to pour wine for Feng Kui and leaned close to the table, Xin Jiuwei's pupils suddenly contracted!
On the inside of the attendant's slightly raised right wrist, near the edge of his sleeve, a very subtle, fox-like marking was clearly visible to Xin Jiuwei in the bright candlelight, like the scales of a venomous snake!
It's the Blood Harrier again!
Moreover, this time, it appeared directly on the personal attendant of Feng Kui, a confidant of the Second Prince! What does this mean? Qi Huaiyu not only colluded with the Second Prince, but the Blood Hawk force he controlled had even infiltrated the Second Prince's inner circle of bodyguards! The extent of his power far exceeded Xin Jiuwei's previous estimates!
A wave of shock and a chilling sense of crisis instantly gripped Xin Jiuwei! Her fingers, holding the teacup, tightened unconsciously, her fingertips turning icy cold. Qi Huaiyu, this venomous snake, was a hundred times more terrifying than she had imagined! He lurked in the shadows, like a poisonous spider weaving a vast, deadly web!
Just as Xin Jiuwei was in shock, she keenly sensed a gaze upon her. She calmly raised her eyes, meeting Xiao Xun's deep gaze from the main seat.
Xiao Xun seemed to have just finished his conversation with Feng Kui. His gaze swept calmly across the room, pausing briefly for a moment as it passed over Xin Jiuwei. His eyes were calm and still, like a bottomless ancient pool, revealing no emotion whatsoever. However, Xin Jiuwei caught an extremely subtle ripple, like a gentle wave in a cold pool, within that calm gaze—was it understanding? Was it a warning? Or… something else?
Xin Jiuwei's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her eyes to hide the turmoil within. Xiao Xun… he saw it too? He already knew that the Blood Hawk had infiltrated so deeply?
Xin Jiuwei left with the crowd, her heart also reeling from the immense shock and devastation of the Northern Frontier. However, just as she was about to step out of the main hall, a familiar figure quietly approached.
It is Xin Kui.
While adjusting Xin Jiuwei's slightly wrinkled cloak, Xin Kui swiftly slipped a tiny, warm ball of paper into Xin Jiuwei's palm. At the same time, her lips moved almost imperceptibly, and she whispered rapidly, in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Urgent report from the black market informant! West Suburbs Post Station, abandoned post station! 1:45 AM! Medicine!"
Xin Jiuwei's heart skipped a beat! She remained outwardly calm, merely using the motion of adjusting her cloak to tightly clutch the crumpled paper in her hand. She nodded slightly, indicating she understood.
Back in the secluded little courtyard room, Xin Jiuwei immediately dismissed the maids Liu Ya had arranged to serve her, leaving only Xin Kui by her side. She unfolded the crumpled paper, which was slightly soft from being soaked in sweat.
There was only one line of extremely messy, obviously hastily written small characters:
Thirty li west of the city, north of the fork in the official road, lies an abandoned post station. At three-quarters past midnight, someone is trading "Heart-Continuing Grass" and "Jade Marrow Fungus"! The buyer is mysterious, suspected to be connected to the "fox"! An informant risked his life to obtain this information, but it may not last long! A swift action is needed!
Heart-restoring herb! Jade marrow mushroom!
Xin Jiuwei's pupils suddenly contracted! These two medicinal herbs were the life-saving elixir for treating fatal damage to the heart meridian! Extremely rare and priceless! And "fox" was the code she and Xin Kui had agreed upon, referring to Qi Huaiyu!
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