Si Nan had spent five hundred taels of silver before the Tianji Pavilion finally revealed the mastermind behind the rumors. To her surprise, the culprit turned out to be nothing more than a minor Assistant Minister.
His name was Jin Yan.
According to the intelligence she had bought, he had never openly aligned himself with any prince.
For half a month, Si Nan shadowed Jin Yan from dawn until dusk before she finally uncovered something worthwhile.
It was a moonless night, the dew heavy in the air—a perfect time for those with guilty consciences to skulk about, and an even better time for secret meetings.
She tailed the Assistant Minister for nearly two hours. After weaving through Tianfu Alley again and again, he finally arrived at his true destination.
The moment Si Nan saw the plaque above the gate, she froze.
The Chancellor’s residence?
How could it belong to Li Quan—the universally respected, benevolent Prime Minister?
Unlike the powerful chancellors recorded throughout history, Li Quan was renowned for his honesty and frugality. His household was disciplined and elegant. He shunned power, never fought for influence, and carried himself with the aloof grace of a gentleman untouched by worldly ambition. Everyone in Qian knew his reputation.
How could a man like that be meeting in secret with someone responsible for framing her father?
Unless…
Unless he had been involved all along.
Avoiding the patrolling guards, Si Nan leapt silently onto the rooftop and carefully lifted a single roof tile.
Peering through the opening, she saw Jin Yan speaking with Li Quan.
She had met the Chancellor several times before and had always thought him a kind, humble old man.
Never had she seen such ruthless calculation in his eyes.
The vicious expression, the contempt, the cold scheming—they were nothing like the gentle face he wore before the world.
Perhaps…
This was the real Li Quan.
What flawless deception.
He had fooled the entire Kingdom of Qian.
Li Quan slowly raised his teacup.
His aged eyes suddenly sharpened.
Si Nan instinctively looked into the tea—
Her heart dropped.
The still surface reflected her eye perfectly.
“Assassin!”
Li Quan shouted.
In an instant, servants and guards flooded the courtyard.
Realizing she had been exposed, Si Nan immediately fled.
Watching the black-clad figure disappear with astonishing speed, Li Quan’s expression darkened with murderous intent.
Jin Yan asked anxiously, “Prime Minister… could that person have overheard our conversation?”
“Bo’er has already gone after them. If he captures the intruder, all the better. If not… we’ll have to make other arrangements.”
Jin Yan hurriedly flattered him.
“Young Master Li’s martial arts are exceptional. He’ll surely catch the assassin.”
“You’ve already been exposed,” Li Quan said coldly. “Do not contact me again for the time being.”
“Understood.”
Si Nan had always believed her martial arts ranked comfortably among the best in Qian.
She had never expected Li Bo—the Chancellor’s son—to be this skilled.
She had shaken off every other pursuer, yet Li Bo remained relentlessly on her heels.
So she had been nothing more than a frog at the bottom of a well.
Beneath Qian’s peaceful surface hid countless masters.
Li Bo had always been known as upright, kind, and straightforward.
Could he, like his father, merely be wearing a mask?
Li Bo himself hadn’t expected the black-clad intruder’s qinggong to be so extraordinary.
After chasing for the time it took to burn a stick of incense, he still couldn’t close the distance.
Yet he had never seen his father wear such a grave expression before.
Whoever this intruder was, they must have stolen something of tremendous importance from the Chancellor’s residence.
Left with no choice, Li Bo drew a concealed throwing weapon.
He truly had no wish to injure anyone.
Si Nan reacted a split second too slowly.
The hidden weapon sliced across her calf.
She nearly tumbled from the rooftop.
Fortunately, she recovered her balance just in time—but her speed slowed.
Li Bo was catching up.
A brightly lit pleasure house suddenly came into view.
Ignoring the burning pain in her leg, Si Nan slipped through an open window.
Li Bo stopped outside.
His brows knit with hesitation.
A place of debauchery like this…
His principles simply would not allow him to enter.
Yet if the black-clad intruder had fled inside, he would have no choice.
Inside the room, Si Nan found it empty.
She had no idea why Li Bo hadn’t immediately followed, but if she wanted to escape unnoticed, she had to get rid of her night clothes.
Opening the wardrobe, she finally found something relatively modest.
A pale pink empire-waist gown paired with a moon-white gauze robe.
Her long black hair cascaded to her waist.
Fearing Li Bo might burst in at any moment, she hastily twisted half her hair into a simple bun secured with a white jade hairpin, leaving the rest to drape over her left shoulder.
Then—
Someone landed through the window.
He was here.
Li Bo had spent a long time convincing himself to enter such a disgraceful establishment.
Before his feet even touched the floor, his gaze collided with an astonishing profile.
The young woman sat sideways.
Loose strands of hair veiled part of her face.
Her skin was as smooth as jade.
She looked as delicate as a pear blossom battered by rain.
Her petite nose was elegant.
Her brows were lightly furrowed.
Below them lay a pair of moist almond-shaped eyes that stirred pity.
Her rosy lips pressed together nervously like flower petals.
For a moment, Li Bo lost himself.
His heartbeat became utterly chaotic.
After only one glance, he hurriedly lowered his eyes, not daring to look again.
She was like an immortal fairy.
To gaze upon her for too long felt almost sacrilegious.
“Miss… did a black-clothed intruder happen to enter this room just now?”
Her soft, sweet voice trembled gently.
“They… ran out…”
Li Bo bowed politely.
“Thank you.”
After leaving, Li Bo questioned one of the attendants.
The reply made him frown.
No one had come out of that room.
Only then did he recall the faint scent of blood he’d caught while passing the young woman.
His expression changed.
He rushed back.
The room was empty.
The window stood open.
A graceful figure disappeared around the street corner.
He immediately gave chase.
The man behind her clung like a cockroach.
No matter what she did, she couldn’t shake him.
Si Nan almost wanted to curse Xiahou Jin.
Why?
Because she was used to cursing him.
Blood continued pouring from the wound on her calf, trickling down to her ankle before dripping onto the street.
At this rate, she’d bleed dry before losing Li Bo.
Fortunately, the streets were deserted at this hour.
She didn’t have to worry about anyone recognizing her face.
Her pace slowed.
Li Bo drew closer.
For the first time that night…
Si Nan truly panicked.
Turning a corner, she spotted a carriage approaching in the distance.
Her eyes met those of the coachman.
It was Shou Yi.
Damn it.
Today simply wasn’t her day.
A wolf before her.
A tiger behind her.
Would Shou Yi recognize her?
“Your Highness! It’s Young Master Si!”
Oh, hell.
Si Nan stared in disbelief as Shou Yi shouted toward the carriage.
If looks could kill, he would already be dead.
In that split second, she made her decision.
Compared to the scheming Li family…
Xiahou Jin was the safer choice.
Xiahou Jin had just left the imperial palace.
He was resting inside the carriage with his eyes closed.
Hearing Si Nan’s name, he opened them.
Something about Shou Yi’s tone was strange.
Had that troublesome young dandy caused trouble again?
His long, jade-like fingers lifted one corner of the curtain.
One glance—
And his soul nearly left his body.
A graceful figure dressed in pink ran toward him through the dimly lit street like a spirit descended from heaven.
At that exact moment, Si Nan looked back over her shoulder.
Only half her face was visible.
Yet it was enough to steal anyone’s breath.
Already delicate and beautiful, she seemed even more captivating with a woman’s hairstyle.
A few loose strands danced beside her flushed cheeks as she ran, lending her an irresistible charm.
Even half her face possessed the beauty to topple kingdoms.
Si Nan confirmed Li Bo’s distance behind her before facing forward again.
Shou Yi reined in the horses, climbed down, and quietly led them aside.
The moment her full face came into view…
Xiahou Jin stopped breathing.
He simply stared.
Si Nan had run out of options.
Xiahou Jin neither moved nor reacted, leaving her no clue whether he intended to help.
When she reached the carriage and still received no response, she glared fiercely at him before lifting her skirts to run past the rear of the carriage.
As she brushed by him—
He finally moved.
One arm swept around her waist.
With a graceful turn, he lifted her effortlessly into the carriage and concealed her within.
Before Si Nan realized what had happened…
She was sitting squarely on Xiahou Jin’s lap.
Completely enclosed within his embrace.
Only after the beauty rested in his arms did Xiahou Jin truly believe this was real.
Beneath his hand was a waist so slender and soft.
Without lowering his head, he could already smell the faint fragrance of pear blossoms lingering in her hair.
He could feel the warmth of her quickened breathing against his chest.
Only then did he awaken from his daze.
Knowing the first speaker held the advantage, Si Nan hurriedly explained before he could question her.
“There were unavoidable circumstances. I had no choice but to disguise myself as a woman.”
His voice remained as calm and indifferent as ever.
“…Mm.”
He believed her that easily?
Si Nan looked up at him in disbelief.
Without needing to think, Xiahou Jin understood exactly what her expression meant.
His cool eyes silently dropped…
To her completely flat chest.
Si Nan immediately punched him in the shoulder.
The fragrance of pear blossoms reached him before her tiny fist did.
That single punch left Xiahou Jin feeling even more dazed.
Shou Yi’s solemn voice came from outside.
“Your Highness, the person chasing Young Master Si has arrived.”
Si Nan’s heartbeat spiked.
Li Bo had caught up.
Noticing the change in the person nestled against him, Xiahou Jin lowered his gaze.
Her fair little hands had wrinkled the front of his robe as they clutched desperately at his lapel.
She was nervous.
An almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips.
“Who is it?”
“Your Highness, it is Young Master Li Bo, the Prime Minister’s son.”
Feeling Xiahou Jin’s oppressive gaze upon her, Si Nan flashed him an obedient, ingratiating smile.
“I’ll explain everything later. Just… don’t expose me.”
To protect her identity, she had abandoned every shred of pride.
She even acted spoiled toward the man who had been her rival for over ten years.
“Please? Pretty please? You’re the best—absolutely the best Third Prince in all of Qian!”
She clasped her hands together and pleaded over and over.
Little did she know…
Xiahou Jin’s reason had already been overwhelmed by the adorable sight of this little “kitten” acting coquettishly.
The iceberg around his heart quietly began to melt.
Warmth, unfamiliar and gentle, took root for the first time.
Li Bo stopped before the carriage.
Xiahou Jin lowered his eyes toward the “little quail” desperately trying to bury herself completely in his embrace.
Normally she chased dogs, bullied chickens, and strutted around like the world’s greatest troublemaker.
Who would have thought she could be this timid?
Faced with such a minor predicament, she was trembling this badly.
It was… oddly endearing.
“May I ask if this is His Highness the Third Prince’s carriage?”
Shou Yi bowed.
“It is.”
“Forgive my offense, Your Highness. The Prime Minister’s residence was robbed tonight. The thief stole something of great importance. I tracked the suspect here. I had no intention of disturbing Your Highness and beg your pardon.”
“…Mm.”
The reply carried not the slightest trace of emotion.
Li Bo gathered his courage and continued.
“May I ask whether Your Highness has seen a beautiful young woman?”
Xiahou Jin merely lowered his gaze in silence.
The tiny hand clutching his robe had begun trembling ever so slightly.
A faint smile unconsciously curved the corner of his lips.
Si Nan’s heart pounded wildly.
Every second of Xiahou Jin’s silence felt like torture.
At last, the smile disappeared.
Without mercy, he answered through the curtain,
“No.”
“But… I clearly saw that woman flee this way. This is the only road.”
Xiahou Jin’s indifferent voice carried the unquestionable authority of one who held life and death in his hands.
“Are you questioning me?”