Of course, Shang Changge knew perfectly well that her explanation sounded absurd.
So she had prepared a justification to make it more believable.
As for that justification—
it was that after narrowly surviving death twice, she had begun having vivid dreams every night.
And then, the following day, those dreams would come true.
From this, she had concluded that she might have somehow opened her “heavenly eye” and gained the ability to foresee the future.
…
…
Although Shang Changze found the explanation ridiculous and only half believed it, he chose not to press further.
This time, he had returned to the capital without informing the Emperor.
Technically, he had sneaked back.
So he couldn’t stay long.
Before long, Shang Changge bid him farewell with a cheerful wave and returned to her room with Qingyao.
Once back in bed, she lay down again.
This time, however, she wasn’t trying to fall asleep.
She was thinking about something else entirely.
“A pleasure house…”
“A courtesan queen…”
She stared at the canopy above her bed and murmured thoughtfully.
Then—
for some reason—
the corners of her mouth slowly curved upward.
A strange, mischievous smile appeared.
The early autumn blanket was still thin.
Shang Changge grabbed it and pulled it over her head.
Hidden beneath the covers, she began laughing to herself.
“Hehehe…”
The laughter was disturbingly villainous.
She had made up her mind.
Tomorrow night—
she was going out to steal the male lead’s woman.
Meanwhile—
Shang Changze and his saber-bearing guard walked through the darkness.
Yet they didn’t immediately leave the capital.
Instead, they stopped in a secluded corner of the Princess Estate.
Moments later, a figure dressed in black appeared and dropped to one knee.
“Your Highness.”
The voice was hoarse and impossible to identify as male or female.
A death warrior.
Shang Changze gestured for the person to rise.
Then he asked for a report on everything that had happened in the capital during his absence.
Especially the events surrounding the day Shang Changge had nearly been poisoned and later attacked.
After listening to the full report—
he said nothing.
Under the bright moonlight,
the gentle and refined aura he usually displayed disappeared.
His tall figure seemed to merge with the darkness itself.
Finally, he spoke.
“At noon that day…”
“Did anyone enter or approach my sister’s bedchamber?”
Naturally, the death warrior had already reported Shang Changge’s unexpectedly formidable martial skills.
And after spending time with her tonight, Shang Changze himself had noticed several unusual changes.
The death warrior shook their head.
“No.”
“Absolutely no one.”
Because of propriety between men and women, neither the death warriors nor the hidden guards stationed around the estate could approach the Princess’s private chambers too closely.
However, the surrounding area was always monitored with extreme vigilance.
No one could have slipped inside unnoticed.
As for the guards stationed openly—
they had all been dismissed by the Princess herself that day.
Even Qingyao had been sent away.
From beginning to end, only the Princess had remained inside the room.
There had been no second person.
Shang Changze fell silent.
No one knew what he was thinking.
The saber-bearing guard suddenly suggested:
“Your Highness, should we bring Qingyao here for questioning?”
“She’s been by the Princess’s side for years.”
“No one knows Her Highness better than she does.”
“And her life was saved by the Princess.”
“Her loyalty is unquestionable.”
“Anyone in the Princess Estate might betray Her Highness.”
“But Qingyao never would.”
“No need.”
Shang Changze immediately rejected the idea.
“First, Qingyao’s loyalty belongs solely to my sister.”
“Without my sister’s permission, she may not tell us anything.”
“Second…”
His eyes darkened.
“Because she knows my sister so well.”
“If someone had truly replaced her…”
“Qingyao would have noticed.”
“And she would have done everything possible to kill the imposter.”
“If she couldn’t do it herself, then when I appeared tonight, she would have found some way to alert me.”
He paused.
“But none of those signs existed.”
“She behaved exactly as she always does.”
“Remaining by my sister’s side.”
Only then did Shang Changze slowly relax.
The suspicion faded.
A sense of relief washed over him.
And with it—
heartache.
His sister had not been replaced.
Which left only one explanation for her changes.
She had discovered that their father’s love had been a lie.
The realization had broken her heart.
“You may go.”
He addressed the death warrior.
Under the moonlight, his expression was colder than the moon itself.
“Continue protecting my sister.”
“When you return, inform everyone.”
“From now on, whether they are people already around my sister or strangers attempting to approach her—”
“Every one of them must be watched carefully.”
“No negligence will be tolerated.”
His voice turned icy.
“If my sister is ever placed in danger like before again…”
“I will hold all of you accountable.”
The death warrior bowed respectfully.
“This subordinate obeys.”
After Shang Changze and the saber-bearing guard departed,
the death warrior’s figure melted into the darkness like a ghost.
And vanished completely into the night.