Chapter 125: The Gloomy Guard

"Our young lady is the Second Miss of the Qin Manor!" Yujie said. As she spoke, she helped Qin Wanru down from the carriage. With the assistance of the coachman from the carriage opposite, their own horses had managed to get back on track and were carefully backing up. They had not been in the alley for long, so they were able to retreat quickly.

By the time Qin Wanru reached her carriage, it had already backed up to the mouth of the alley. Once she climbed back inside, she dared not let the driver take this alley again; she decided to just look for another way forward. Having seen the alley earlier, she knew it was quite long, and given that they had already bumped into an oncoming carriage, taking a more distant route would be better.

The coachman obeyed and drove forward, allowing the blocked carriage to finally emerge from the alley.

The carriage stopped at the mouth of the alley. The curtain was lifted slightly, and the older woman from before leaned out to look. Seeing that Qin Wanru's carriage had already departed, she frowned. The maid's answer had been too vague; she had no idea which "Qin Manor" was being referred to. There were many families with the surname Qin in the capital, but judging by the young lady's attire and bearing, she was likely not from an ordinary household. Still, she could not identify the specific family. However, the young lady was so strikingly beautiful that she would certainly recognize her if they met again. Thinking this, the woman felt reassured, lowered the curtain, and returned to attending to the old madam inside.

Qin Wanru's carriage continued forward, finding a main road in the same direction. Before long, the sign for the Prince Chen Manor came into view. Eight guards stood at the gate, looking formidable and stern. The scabbards at their waists glimmered with silver light—clearly not ordinary items—which only added to the imposing and magnificent air of the Prince Chen Manor.

The carriage stopped. Yujie stepped down and walked toward the heavily guarded entrance, casting a cautious look at the sentries.

"Halt! What is your business?" one guard stepped forward and asked coldly, the scabbard at his hip clattering against his armor.

"I am looking for... Eunuch Xiao Xuanzi. I am... a fellow villager of his!" Yujie replied timidly, following the instructions Qin Wanru had given her earlier.

The guard looked her up and down, then glanced at the carriage behind her, asking suspiciously, "Is this carriage yours?"

"This... this is our household's carriage... I am... just a maid!" Yujie shrank her head, appearing even more nervous.

Finding no flaws in her story, the guard nodded coldly. "Wait here!" He then beckoned to a servant guarding the gate. "Go find Xiao Xuanzi. Tell him someone from his hometown is here to see him!"

As Chu Liuchen's personal head eunuch, everyone in the Prince Chen Manor naturally knew him. The servant acknowledged the order and hurried inside. Before long, he returned, leading Xiao Xuanzi out.

Xiao Xuanzi, who usually appeared in the guise of a humble servant, was now dressed in vibrant, colorful clothes, looking every bit the grand steward. He walked with a swaggering air of authority—though, setting aside his actual lack of height, Yujie thought he carried himself quite impressively.

Upon seeing Yujie, Xiao Xuanzi was slightly stunned, but he quickly realized the situation. He hurried forward, his face beaming with joy. "Yujie? Is it really you? You came to the capital too?" His smile was irrepressible; it was clear he was in a very good mood.

The head guard observed his reaction and then calmly turned his gaze back to the gate.

"Come in, come in quickly!" Xiao Xuanzi waved them over, gesturing as he walked toward the side gate.

"This... this is our mistress's carriage. I was sent to buy some things; may I bring it inside as well?" Yujie hesitated, pointing to the carriage behind her.

"It's rare for you to visit; come in, come in. As it happens, I have some things to give you later. Does your carriage still have space?" Xiao Xuanzi asked enthusiastically, gesturing for them to enter. It truly looked as if they were long-lost acquaintances.

The carriage was led through the side gate into the parking area. Once there, Xiao Xuanzi walked to the carriage and respectfully addressed Qin Wanru inside, "Please, Second Miss Qin, step down!"

"Is it safe here?" Qin Wanru asked as she lifted the curtain.

"It is perfectly fine now, Second Miss, please disembark!" Xiao Xuanzi said with a smile, reverting to his usual manner as a servant.

Yujie helped Qin Wanru down. Looking at the parking area and recalling the long, winding path they had taken, she couldn't help but sigh. The outside appeared heavily guarded, but inside, the reality was already entirely different. It was no wonder that in her previous life, Chu Liuchen had eventually managed to reclaim the position of Crown Prince and suppress the Emperor's own sons; the tides of power in the shadows had long since shifted. While that high-and-mighty Emperor thought everything was under his control, this sickly Prince Chen was no longer the person the Emperor believed him to be.

"Is the Prince available to see me?" Qin Wanru asked after stepping down.

"Available, available! Our master is extremely available!" Xiao Xuanzi's face was as bright as a blooming flower, filled with joy as he gestured for her to follow.

Seeing Xiao Xuanzi so enthusiastic felt a bit jarring to Qin Wanru; this warmth seemed as if he had been waiting for her all along. However, since she was already there, she would make the best of it. She followed Xiao Xuanzi inside.

The scenery within the Prince Chen Manor was exquisite—a view every five steps, a pavilion every ten. Rockeries and flowing water were everywhere. Even though it was already winter, one could occasionally spot flourishing flowering trees, and the air was filled with a faint, sweet fragrance. It truly was the perfect place for the nobles of the palace to relax and escape the heat in the past.

They wound their way along until they reached a pavilion. Two guards stood outside; they did not look as imposing as the ones at the main gate, and both appeared to be wearing troubled expressions. Upon seeing Xiao Xuanzi approach from afar, the two guards immediately beamed, and one even hurried forward two steps to meet them.

"Eunuch Xiao Xuanzi, you've finally come!" The voice was low, and Qin Wanru cast a curious look at the guard.

"How is it going?" Xiao Xuanzi asked in a strange, hushed tone.

The guard shook his head in distress. Qin Wanru suddenly had a sinking feeling.

"Second Miss, please, our master is upstairs!" Xiao Xuanzi’s face had been mournful, but he quickly shifted his eyes, looked at Qin Wanru with a smile that blossomed like a flower again, and gestured lightly upward.

"Upstairs?" Qin Wanru looked at the shifty-eyed guard and then at the equally suspicious Xiao Xuanzi, and she felt a strong urge to turn around and leave.

"Yes, yes, right upstairs! Second Miss, please!" Xiao Xuanzi had already extended a hand, his smile full of sincerity.

Qin Wanru had no choice but to step forward, a bad premonition already forming in her heart. She climbed the stairs. Yujie followed behind, intending to go up as well, but was stopped by Xiao Xuanzi.

"The master is upstairs... he doesn't want to see anyone else right now!" Xiao Xuanzi gave Yujie a meaningful look, hinting at the situation.

"Then what about our young lady?" Yujie became anxious and reached out to push past Xiao Xuanzi, but was grabbed by the guard standing nearby.

Yujie was not lacking in strength, but the guard was even stronger, firmly blocking her path and preventing her from moving forward.

"Young lady..." Yujie, unable to push the guard away, looked up in desperation.

Qin Wanru turned around helplessly and instructed, "Yujie, just wait for me below!"

She already had a bad feeling; she likely wouldn't be met with a pleasant reception upstairs, and it was better for Yujie not to follow her and risk being caught in the crossfire. Hearing this instruction, Yujie could only stand below, glaring fiercely at Xiao Xuanzi.

Xiao Xuanzi let out a low, awkward chuckle; he was in a situation where he had no other choice!

Qin Wanru’s footsteps were light as she climbed the stairs. The faint sound of her footsteps made her feel inexplicably tense. Reaching the top, she looked at the slightly ajar door, took a deep breath, and slowly pushed open the heavy wooden door.

Inside, there was not a soul to be seen. On the large desk by the window lay some scattered files, a half-used brush, and an overturned inkstone. In the corner of the room hung a silk curtain, likely meant to keep off the dust; the delicate, light fabric added a touch of elegance. The inkstone, which should have been antique, was flipped over, with ink splattered even onto the floor. The study looked as if a fight had broken out.

Qin Wanru walked inside cautiously. She couldn't see clearly, as a twelve-panel folding screen obscured everything in the back. The room was so quiet there wasn't a sound. Moving around the screen, she found only a few bookcases, filled from top to bottom with books—a heavy, scholarly atmosphere that suggested a vast collection.

Still, there was no one.

Qin Wanru stood there for a moment, then moved behind the bookcases. Finally, in front of the last shelf, she saw a daybed placed against the window.

A man was leaning diagonally on it, one hand propping up his head, his back turned to her. The ink-white brocade robe, the jade crown holding his hair high, and his languid posture all confirmed that the person before her was Chu Liuchen.

Hearing the footsteps behind him, he did not even turn his head, remaining with his back to her.

Qin Wanru gave a low cough, hoping to get his attention. The master, however, acted as if he hadn't heard, remaining completely motionless. Qin Wanru waited a while longer, realizing he had no intention of turning around. She said helplessly, "Your Highness?"

Upon hearing her voice, Chu Liuchen slowly opened his eyes. Within them lay a dark, murky gloom, like a ghost trapped in the depths of hell—chilling and bloodthirsty. Everything before him seemed to take on a ghostly, deathly aura because of those eerie eyes. They were eyes of cold-blooded ruthlessness, as if unmoved by any external force, calm and devoid of a spark of life. They cast a chilling, demonic shadow over his exquisitely beautiful face.

"Your Highness, are you awake?" Qin Wanru, receiving no response, raised her voice slightly to ask again.

The malevolence and eeriness in his eyes slowly faded. He lay back in a languid posture, and Qin Wanru heard a lazy voice drift toward her: "You have a favor to ask of me?"