"What's the panic?"
Jueming suddenly raised his hand, his thumb tracing her furrowed brow. "Disarraying yourself only plays into their hands."
The sudden touch froze Xin Jiuwei in place. Jueming's fingertips were slightly cool, yet strangely soothed her turbulent emotions.
"I..." she took a deep breath, "I know the Princess will be arriving soon."
Jueming's eyes flashed: "Oh?"
"The master said someone was coming." Xin Jiuwei looked directly into his eyes. "I want to ask the master to help me find out the truth about my mother's death. In exchange..." She took out a small jade box from her sleeve, "This is the other half of the antidote."
Jueming didn't answer, but instead asked, "Why are you so certain it's related to the Eldest Princess?"
"Intuition," Xin Jiuwei said with a wry smile. "Besides, someone as ruthless as Qi Huaiyu must have an incredibly powerful backer."
A gust of wind blew past the pavilion, rustling the bamboo leaves. Jueming finally took the jade box, his fingertips lingering briefly in her palm.
"I'll accompany you to see Qi Huaiyu in three days."
This wasn't a request, but a decision. Xin Jiuwei suddenly realized that their relationship had long since transcended a simple exchange of interests.
"Thank you, Master," she said softly, but added in her heart: Thank you, Xiao Xun.
Meanwhile, in a secluded courtyard in the south of the city, Qi Huaiyu was kneeling on the ground, trembling.
"Useless!" A teacup smashed against his forehead, drawing blood instantly. "You can't even handle such a simple task!"
A man wearing a bronze mask sat in the main seat, surrounded by several men in black. The flickering candlelight on the wall cast their shadows, making them appear menacing and terrifying.
"I didn't expect Jueming to suddenly appear..." Qi Huaiyu explained in a trembling voice.
"I'll handle the Sixth Prince's side," the masked man said coldly. "Three days from now, you must lure Xin Jiuwei to the designated location."
"But if she doesn't come..."
"She will come." The masked man tossed him a real jade pendant. "This was her mother's personal possession. Remember, you only have this one chance."
Qi Huaiyu took the jade pendant and saw that it was engraved with the character "Ning" and had a deep crack on the back. He suddenly felt uneasy: "Why is the Second Prince so concerned about the Xin family's past..."
"Shut up!" the masked man interrupted sharply. "Do your job, or else..." He made a throat-slitting gesture.
Outside the window, a crow flew silently by and disappeared into the twilight.
At 3:45 AM, Xin Jiuwei stepped out of the mansion gate alone.
The city of Yingzhou was eerily quiet in the morning mist, with only the sound of her footsteps echoing on the bluestone slabs.
"Miss, please wait a little longer." Qingtao caught up and tugged at her sleeve, her voice trembling, "Master Jueming said he would come..."
Xin Jiuwei tucked a silver hairpin into her sleeve and shook her head. "The appointed time has arrived." She looked towards the end of the long street, where no one was to be seen. "Qi Huaiyu only gave me one hour."
The sedan chair wound its way through a maze of alleys before finally stopping in front of a dilapidated teahouse. The three characters "Qingxinzhai" on the signboard were faded and illegible, and cobwebs covered the porch. Xin Jiuwei touched the dagger in the hidden pocket at her waist—it was something her sister had insisted on giving her that morning.
"Wait outside," she instructed the sedan bearers. "If I haven't come out by noon, go to Lingyin Temple to find Master Jueming."
The teahouse reeked of moldy tea leaves. Qi Huaiyu, who was leisurely sipping tea in a private room on the second floor, saw her arrive alone and a smug glint flashed in his eyes.
"Jiuwei kept her promise." He poured a cup of tea and pushed it towards him. "Try it, it's top-quality Yunwu tea."
Xin Jiuwei didn't touch the cup of tea; her gaze fell on the blue cloth bundle beside Qi Huaiyu: "Where are the things?"
Qi Huaiyu slowly untied the bundle and took out a broken jade hairpin. The hairpin head was carved with delicate orchid patterns, and the broken edge was still stained with dark brown dirt.
"Do you recognize it?" He shook the jade hairpin. "It was the one your mother was clutching when she died."
Xin Jiuwei's breath hitched. She was all too familiar with that pattern; it was a mark on her mother's favorite jewelry. And that stain...could it be blood?
"Conditions." She forced herself to remain calm.
Qi Huaiyu suddenly grabbed her hand: "Marry me, and hand over the Xin family business to me." His fingers tightened like iron clamps. "Otherwise, I'll sell this hairpin and the secret it represents to someone more interested."
Xin Jiuwei abruptly pulled her hand back, causing the teacup to overturn and scalding tea to spill onto Qi Huaiyu's hand.
"You bitch!" Qi Huaiyu roared, grabbing her by the neck and slamming her against the wall. "You think Jueming will come to your rescue? He's in dire straits himself!"
Xin Jiuwei's back slammed against the hardwood wall, the pain making her vision blur. Qi Huaiyu's face was inches away, the smell of alcohol mixed with the stench of sweat assaulting her senses.
"Do you know who your 'high monk' is?" He grinned maliciously, leaning close to her ear. "The Sixth Prince, Xiao Xun! A dying man poisoned by a Gu! The Second Prince's men have already..."
"Smack!"
A resounding slap interrupted Qi Huaiyu's words. Xin Jiuwei seized the opportunity to draw a dagger from her waist, the tip pressed against his throat: "Let go!"
Qi Huaiyu winced and released his grip, then suddenly gave a sinister smile: "You think this is over?" He clapped his hands, and two burly men immediately burst through the door. "Today, you have no choice but to obey!"
In the bamboo forest west of the city, Jueming's white robes were stained red with blood.
Seven corpses lay scattered at his feet, each bearing a thin, red mark on its throat—a fatal sword wound.
"Your Highness!" Liu Ya finally broke through the encirclement and arrived, shocked by what she saw. "You used your inner strength?"
Jueming leaned on his sword, a hint of dark red on his lips: "It's alright." He looked up towards the south of the city, the dark line on his chest spreading visibly, "Xin Jiuwei..."
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