Once the night had completely settled in, Lin Zhiyue tucked a short dagger into her waist.
She prepared to head to the Su Manor with Cen Xi'er, Xiao Yuan, and Jiang Yuezhan. The three of them were already waiting in the courtyard.
As she pushed open the door and stepped out, her footsteps paused at the threshold.
Qi Yan was leaning against the outer wall of the courtyard gate, one foot propped against the base. His arms were crossed over his chest, cradling an unsheathed sword—a silvery-white longsword with its scabbard wrapped in a layer of dark, non-reflective cloth.
His head was slightly bowed, his high ponytail draping over his shoulder. He blended completely into the shadow of the eaves. If Lin Zhiyue hadn't happened to glance in that direction, she would have barely noticed anyone standing there.
She froze for a moment. Before she could ask her master why he wasn't resting, Qi Yan turned his head. His voice was soft, yet in the quiet of the night, it sounded as clear as raindrops striking roof tiles. “Are you going to the Su family's?”
Lin Zhiyue nodded.
Cen Xi'er and Xiao Yuan also walked out of the courtyard. Upon seeing who was at the gate, their footsteps slowed by half a beat.
Qi Yan straightened and pushed off the wall. Shifting his sword to his left hand, he took two steps forward. His tone was flat, leaving absolutely no room for discussion. “I will go with you. The others will stay in the palace.”
The excitement of a nighttime stealth mission had barely surfaced on Cen Xi'er's face before it was completely snuffed out by his words.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Qi Yan's gaze swept over her. His words carried a bit more weight than usual. “The thing in the Su Manor is not simple; you cannot handle it. Too many people will only attract attention. It is enough for your junior sister and me to go tonight.”
Though Cen Xi'er was reluctant, she knew her master's temperament well. If he said it was not simple, then it truly wasn't.
She stood in place and pursed her lips, only to have Xiao Yuan gently tug at her sleeve.
Xiao Yuan didn't say a word, merely tilting his head to signal that they should leave. Cen Xi'er cast another glance at Lin Zhiyue. Lin Zhiyue gave a slight nod of reassurance, prompting Cen Xi'er to finally turn and follow Xiao Yuan deeper into the courtyard.
Standing under the corridor, Jiang Yuezhan looked at Qi Yan and then at Lin Zhiyue. Saying nothing, he withdrew the foot he had already stepped forward.
Qi Yan took a step out of the courtyard gate. As Lin Zhiyue followed him, she willed a change of attire, donning the Dusk Rose set.
The dark red gown shimmered with a deep luster under the moonlight. The wide-brimmed hat sat low on her head, and her parasol was in hand. The entire outfit left almost no trace in the night, save for the occasional faint gleam on the dark satin when caught by a stray beam of moonlight.
Qi Yan, walking ahead, glanced back and saw her newly changed attire. His gaze lingered for a moment on her dark red gown and the parasol in her hand before he said calmly, “Let's go.”
As a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator, Qi Yan possessed the ability to shrink distances, allowing him to traverse hundreds of feet in a single step.
While the teleportation of Thousand Shadows of Dusk Rose was more than enough for short distances, she still couldn't keep up with Qi Yan's pace over longer stretches. Although flying on a sword was an option, it would be far too conspicuous and draw unwanted attention.
She had expected him to cover some distance first and then wait for her—but he merely took two steps before slowing down.
Only when she caught up did he pick up his pace again, maintaining a steady, unhurried distance of about two steps ahead of her.
One after the other, the two swept through the capital's night sky, gliding over layers of rooftops and alleys from the edge of the imperial city. In less than fifteen minutes, they landed amidst the canopy of the old locust tree just outside the eastern wall of the Su Manor.
Qi Yan came to a halt within the canopy. Lin Zhiyue landed on a thick branch beside him, using the leaves as cover to peer down at the roof of the side room below. The moonlight fell upon the courtyard wall, casting the silhouette of the bronze bells hanging from the eaves into long, thin shadows.
Qi Yan didn't speak, merely turning his head to glance at her.
Lin Zhiyue pointed toward the side room. Qi Yan followed her finger, and after a brief moment, nodded slightly.
Moonlight bathed their shoulders, and the wind rustled the topmost branches. The leaves of the old locust tree rustled softly in the night breeze before falling silent once more.
Lin Zhiyue tightened her grip on her parasol, her gaze fixed on the wooden door not far away.
The night wind swept through the corridor, carrying a trace of dampness. She remained still. Her words from earlier that day had already been delivered—she would bring her master to visit tomorrow. If Minister Su really had something to hide, tonight would be his only window of opportunity to act.
After waiting for about half an hour, a flurry of soft footsteps and whispered voices came from the direction of the main courtyard.
Minister Su walked in front, with Madam Su following closely by his side. Behind them were five or six servants, each holding a lantern with the light dimmed so low it was barely noticeable unless one looked closely.
The group walked through the corridor toward the side room, their pace much faster than during the day, carrying an urgency as if they were desperate to handle something quickly.
Minister Su walked to the door of the side room, pulled a key from his sleeve, and inserted it into the keyhole. The sound of the lock spring popping open was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside, with Madam Su following behind, and the servants entering the room one after another.
After a moment, an oil lamp was lit inside. The light filtered through the paper window, casting the swaying silhouette of the old locust tree's branches onto the courtyard wall.
Through the gaps in the leaves, Lin Zhiyue saw the servants working together to carry a black-lacquered coffin out from the depths of the room.
The coffin was slightly smaller than average. Its lacquered surface gleamed oilily under the lamplight, and seven copper nails were hammered into the lid, their heads glinting with a dull metallic luster in the light.
Lin Zhiyue's gaze sharpened as she looked at Qi Yan.
Qi Yan didn't look at her, but his voice echoed clearly in her mind: “The thing inside the coffin is already gone.”
Lin Zhiyue's brows furrowed slightly, and she turned her head to shoot him an inquiring look.
Qi Yan's voice sounded a second time, deeper than before: “Su Jinyu has already become a vengeful spirit. The coffin is merely an empty shell.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiyue's half-squatting figure in the tree canopy stiffened slightly.
She looked down at the coffin that several servants were working together to carry toward the courtyard gate.
She had originally planned to wait for the Su couple to act and then follow the trail to find the source of the resentment. But now, she suddenly felt there was no longer any need to wait.
She needed to ask Minister Su face-to-face—what exactly had he done to cause his own biological daughter to become a vengeful spirit after death? And why had that bizarre coffin been hidden in the Minister's manor for so many years, never seeing the light of day?
Yet here he was, standing right next to the coffin, moving something that had been hidden in the backyard for over a decade in the dead of night—no matter how one looked at it, he was far from innocent.
She stood up from the canopy, pushing off a branch with one hand to land gracefully and silently.
The dark red skirt flared and gathered in midair, and her parasol closed smoothly as she landed. The moment her heels touched the ground, they made a crisp clicking sound, exceptionally distinct in the quiet night.
Qi Yan followed closely behind.
Minister Su was about to direct the servants to carry the coffin toward the side gate when he suddenly heard the sound and turned around. Upon seeing the dark red figure standing just two steps away, he froze in place as if nailed to the spot.
The keys in his hand slipped, hitting the ground with a sharp clink, sliding a short distance before stopping at the edge of a gap between the stone slabs.
He opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but it was as if something was blocking his throat. He could only make a few broken, breathy sounds before barely piecing together a sentence: “F-Fairy... How could you...”
Madam Su poked her head out from the doorway of the side room. The moment she saw Lin Zhiyue, her face turned almost transparently pale. She instinctively took a step back, completely unaware that her shoulder had bumped against the doorframe.
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