Murong Jin and Xing exchanged a look, their shock plain to see. The news was staggering.
"Any leads?" Xing asked, a small smile on her lips.
Yi returned the smile, sitting at the table. "Of course not. The household only raised the alarm half an hour ago. When have the officials of Jindu ever been that efficient?"
"Those fools? Never. But you're no fool." Xing crossed her arms. "Since you've examined the body, you must have noticed something. Or are you just like them?"
Murong Jin couldn't help but laugh.
"What?" Xing asked.
"No wonder Yi only comes here when he has to. That tongue of yours is lethal," Murong Jin said. She turned to Yi. "You really didn't find any clue as to the assassin's origin?"
Yi's eyes darted between them. "Well… Xing has to answer a question for me first."
"Oh? What?"
"How did you know I examined the body?"
"The smell," Xing said, her lips barely moving. "You've reeked of blood since you walked in. Don't tell me you were just there to pay your last respects."
Yi nearly choked. He had to have offended this woman during training. Every time they met, she wouldn't rest until she had him cornered.
"Alright, I've answered. Now you," Xing pressed.
Yi rubbed his nose. "Jin's right. I couldn't identify the assassin's origin. And though it was poison, there wasn't a single clue."
"Is that possible?" Murong Jin asked, stunned. Yi was the camp's top assassin, his knowledge of poisons unmatched.
Yi nodded, defeated. "At first glance, it was textbook arsenic. Yu Weide was bleeding from all seven orifices, his lips purple."
"So it wasn't arsenic?" Xing interjected.
"No," Yi said definitively. "Arsenic causes extreme pain. Yu Weide's lips should have been bitten through. I saw no teeth marks. Which means he died unaware, and the scene was staged."
Murong Jin's gaze fell to the table, her brow furrowed.
"Jin, what is it?" Xing asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Murong Jin looked up. "Yu Weide was also involved back then," she said in a low voice. "I wonder if it was Liu."
"Liu?" Yi's eyes went wide. "Where would he get a poison that powerful?"
Murong Jin shook her head. "We don't know. And it might not have been him."
"Then who?"
Yi thought for a moment. "Do you think it was the Seventh Prince's people?"
"Maybe," Murong Jin answered. "Yu Weide was instrumental in getting Guo Ren appointed. It's possible the Seventh Prince wanted to eliminate a rival."
"But the timing is too risky. Wouldn't it be too obvious?" Xing countered.
"That's why I said maybe," Murong Jin said softly. "But for now, his death benefits the Seventh Prince the most. And if it's a poison that even Yi can't identify, the city's coroners certainly can't. No proof, no crime."
Xing and Yi exchanged a look. Murong Jin had a point. If it was the Seventh Prince, they would have to be doubly careful of Xue Liulan's safety.
She rose, smoothing her dress. "Either way, we need to get to the bottom of this. Yi, find Liu and ask if it was him. Xing, proceed with the original plan. The faster, the better."
"Yes," they answered in unison.
Leaving Yumen Jiao, Murong Jin went straight back to the Fifth Prince's residence.
"Murong Jin, don't think that because you're the Lord of Yuling, I won't dare divorce you."
"You try it, Xue Liulan. You're the one who spent the night in a brothel. Take this to the Emperor—you wouldn't have a leg to stand on."
"You… Fine, General Murong. If I can't win, I can at least run."
"Walk out that door, and you'd better not come back. Out of sight, out of mind!"
"You dare throw your own husband out?"
"Husband? Hmph. Earn the title first."
She stood at the gate, the morning's argument flashing before her eyes.
With a soft sigh, she walked up the steps. The setting sun stretched her shadow long and lonely across the stone.
Because of the fight, the entire household avoided her, terrified of becoming a scapegoat.
Ning Bi saw her from a distance. As she was about to step forward, a hand caught her arm. It was Little Dingzi.
"You… you're back?" Ning Bi yelped. If Little Dingzi was here, their master was back. It's over. This place is going to be chaos again.
"The master's back, so I'm back. Don't go over there. You'll get caught in the crossfire," Little Dingzi said, his face a mask of resignation.
He'd watched them fight this morning. Their anger couldn't have cooled. And to top it off, his master had come back for an inkstone he'd bought for Lady Die Man. He was just looking for trouble.
Murong Jin pushed open the door to Xue Liulan's study but hesitated. The room was pitch black, empty. The darkness seemed to rush out, threatening to swallow her.
After a long moment, she sighed and reached to close the door.
"Why don't you come in?" A low voice, laced with amusement and laziness, drifted from the darkness.
Her hand froze. She glanced around, saw no one, then stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
Before her eyes could adjust, a hand took hers. He pulled her toward the window. A pause. In the dim twilight, she could just make out a scroll spread across the desk.
He stood beside her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder.
"Thought you weren't coming back," she said, looking up at him. "If you're seen, everything's ruined."
He just leaned down, a smile playing on his lips. "It's fine. I'll just say I came back for something for Die Man."
"Oh." A sudden pang of disappointment. She quickly looked down.
"Well?" he asked, leaning over the desk to look at her.
"I only secured a month's worth of grain." She rubbed her forehead, a wave of exhaustion washing over her.
He froze, then laughed. "I meant this." He tapped the scroll. "Did I capture the spirit of it?"
Only then did she focus on the painting. Even in the weak light, she could see the woman with the wind-swept hair was a perfect likeness of herself.
"This is?"
"Our first meeting. Did I capture the Lord of Yuling's spirit?"
She propped her chin on her hand. "Not even a little bit," she said with a grin.
"Oh?"
"Where's the arrogance?" she asked, turning to him. "This painting captured Murong Jin perfectly."
"The person I saw was Murong Jin," he said with a triumphant smile. "Well?"
She opened her mouth, then smiled. "A divine stroke." She glanced at the sky, her smile fading. "Yu Weide died today. Be careful. Now go. You're still supposed to be kicked out."
"Siyou left men to protect me." He paused, his heart stirring at the softness in her voice. He leaned in, his lips close to her ear. "So, when am I allowed back?"
"Whenever you want." She pulled away. They stood facing each other in the dim light. He couldn't see the disappointment in her eyes; she couldn't see the tenderness in his.
She composed herself. "By tomorrow, all of Jindu will be laughing that the Fifth Prince got bullied by his wife."
He moved closer, his hands on her shoulders. "I would gladly bear it," he said, his voice earnest.
"Because you wouldn't have to be here?" she asked, her nails digging into her palms.
He shook his head, his voice soft. "Because the one doing the bullying is you."