The Black Night enveloped the entire Third Prince’s Mansion, the wind brushed past the lanterns on the corridor, and the cold and eerie shadows flickered on the ground, like ghosts.
At this moment, a shadow swiftly darted across the corridor.
This shadow was none other than Shi Yi.
Shi Yi stood before a door, cautiously surveying the surroundings, and then slipped inside after pushing the door open.
The room was filled with books, and Shi Yi was searching for something among them.
Creeeak——
Shi Yi paused his actions, stood closely behind the bookshelf, and listened intently for any sounds near the door.
However, something seemed off.
The sound wasn’t coming from near the door...
Just as Shi Yi sensed something amiss, a breeze swept past him from behind, and someone placed a hand on his shoulder.
Shi Yi instinctively struck out, bending his fingers towards the other person.
Before Shi Yi could touch the other person, his wrist was seized with a force that felt somewhat familiar, making him pause slightly.
In that moment, Shi Yi was pushed into a stagger, his back pressed against the bookshelf, causing it to wobble slightly, emitting a soft sound.
"What was that sound?"
"Go and check it out..."
The sound from outside seeped in, accompanied by footsteps moving in their direction.
The air seemed to tighten.
Shi Yi, however, did not bother about them but focused on the person almost intimately close to him.
The person, upon hearing the sound, immediately covered his mouth, leaned his head lightly on Shi Yi’s shoulder, and looked towards the door.
The creaking of the door, the sound of shoes crossing the floor, and people’s breathing fused into one, these sounds seemed to slowly drift away from him...
Light drifted inch by inch forward.
In the quiet room, a voice suddenly rang out: "Did you see anything?"
"No..."
"Were we just hearing things?"
"Let’s check more carefully." Thinking of Changsun Hang’s demeanor, the patrols dare not slack off and split into two beams of light, each checking separately.
Seeing the people coming towards them, about to turn the corner and spot them, Shi Yi gestured for Chuzheng to let him go.
Chuzheng merely brought the hand covering his mouth up to place a finger against his lips.
The girl’s soft fingers touched his slightly cool lips, and Shi Yi’s heart pounded as if about to leap out.
The light already reached the shoes, and the people began turning around.
Shi Yi instantly regained his senses, tightened his grip on his sword, ready to take action.
Yet he hadn’t had the chance to act when the person holding the lantern glanced in their direction, swiftly turning to the next area, as if they hadn’t seen them.
"There’s nothing here; let’s go."
"Close the door properly."
The door closed, the footsteps gradually faded, and silence returned to the air.
Shi Yi suddenly felt intensely uncomfortable all over.
But he dared not move.
Once Chuzheng ensured the people were gone, she released Shi Yi, her hand sliding to press him down onto the bookshelf: "What are you searching for here?"
"Miss, why are you here?" Shi Yi replied evasively.
"Negligence during working hours, I came out to find you, on what grounds do you interrogate me?"
During working hours, Shi Yi didn’t quite understand, but he understood about negligence.
"What are you searching for here?" Chuzheng repeated without missing a beat.
Shi Yi lowered his head, avoiding Chuzheng’s gaze: "Miss, this matter does not concern you."
"You belong to me, so your matters are my matters." Chuzheng’s hand, pressed on his shoulder, suddenly grasped his neck, not squeezing, just superficially: "If you don’t tell me, I’ll shout and get people here."
Shi Yi: "??"
So the earlier ’your matters are my matters’ was just a playful ruse?
Shi Yi held back for a moment before saying a few words: "Release me first..."
"What if you run?"
"..." Shi Yi’s heart flickered with a rare sense of helplessness, which he didn’t realize: "Miss, you’ll draw the patrols by shouting, where could I run to?"
He followed Chuzheng’s lead.
Chuzheng: "..."
Finally, a chance...
Chuzheng, somewhat reluctantly, released him, and Shi Yi moved back a bit, distancing himself from Chuzheng.
Chuzheng leaned sideways: "Speak."
Shi Yi felt the warmth on his body gradually fade, held onto his sword: "Searching for a book."
Book?
What kind of book merits such a search?
"What use does it have?"
Shi Yi raised his head slightly.
Her reaction was unlike normal people’s.
Normally, upon hearing this, people would ask what book it was, but she... just asked what use it had.
Shi Yi lowered his head: "It’s very important to me."
"Are you sure it’s here?"
"Not sure..."
Chuzheng looked around: "What’s the title? I’ll help you find it."
"Miss, this matter..."
"Time is short." Chuzheng propped a hand on the bookshelf: "Are you sure you want to waste time with me here?"
The faint light seeping through the window passed through the bookshelf, highlighting the girl’s elegant profile and slender swan neck.
She wasn’t concerned with the contents of the book.
She just wanted to help him find the book.
For some reason, this notion popped into Shi Yi’s mind.
After a while, his lips moved: "Dulan Chronicles."
Chuzheng nodded: "You search this side, I’ll search the other." She quickly started searching, almost without detailed checking, just glanced and moved on.
Shi Yi watched her fixedly for a few seconds, then heeded the area Chuzheng allocated to him for searching.
The two quickly searched the whole study but didn’t find the book Shi Yi mentioned.
Chuzheng examined the study’s surroundings but didn’t find any secret room.
So the book should not be here.
"Couldn’t find it, let’s go back."
Shi Yi had no objections nor looked disappointed.
They returned to Jinxiu Pavilion, and as soon as they entered, Shi Yi noticed something amiss, the air carried a faint scent of blood.
The courtyard seemed to bear combat traces...
Shi Yi immediately asked: "Has someone been here?"
"Yes." Chuzheng responded casually.
Shi Yi’s heart skipped: "Where are they? Were you injured?"
"Dead." Chuzheng gestured to herself: "If I were injured, would I be standing here with you?"
Seeing Chuzheng indeed didn’t appear injured, Shi Yi relaxed.
"Where’s the body?"
"Disposed of."
Dis... disposed of?
Shi Yi didn’t know how many intruders there were, but on observing the traces in the courtyard, it seemed there were more than one.
How did she handle it?
Her discovery likely came from the intruders, triggering her to find him...
Shi Yi lowered his head: "I’m sorry, Miss, I neglected my duty."
Chuzheng waved the matter off nonchalantly: "Go back and sleep."
Shi Yi halted her: "Miss, do you know those people?"
"Don’t know..." Chuzheng thought for a moment: "They seemed to be professional assassins, didn’t carry anything that would identify them."
Chuzheng addressed all of Shi Yi’s queries, leaving him silent.
Remembering his negligence, Shi Yi quickly said: "I will investigate this matter thoroughly, Miss, rest assured, today’s incident will not occur a second time."
Chuzheng remained indifferent, leisurely swaying back to her room.