The next afternoon, I was escorted to the Prince's palace hall. I'd barely slept—my mind plagued by anxious thoughts and the haunting image of Qiu Yan's death. The nightmares had replayed the scene over and over: the whistle of the arrow, her eyes wide with shock, the sound of her body hitting the ground. No amount of silk sheets or incense could keep the memories at bay.
The palace hall, with all its grandeur, felt colder than usual. As I stepped in, flanked by two guards, the tension in the air pressed down like a weight. General Luo, Lan Xichen, and Lan Wangji were already there, standing in a solemn line. Their expressions were carved from stone—serious, unreadable.
General Luo spoke first, his tone firm but not harsh. "Miss Mei Lin, we need you to recount the events of last night. Why were you in the garden?"
I drew in a shaky breath, willing my voice to stay steady. "Qiu Yan told me she'd thrown away the packet near the old well. I wanted to see it for myself."
Lan Xichen leaned forward, eyes sharp and focused. "We recovered the contents. It matches the same poison used in the earlier attack." He paused, then added, "We also found a letter in Qiu Yan's room—instructions to place the packet in that specific jar in the kitchen. The letter wasn't signed, but… it's clear she knew who sent it."
I blinked, heart sinking. "She told me she didn't know who gave the order." I shook my head, the betrayal sinking in. "She lied to me."
Lan Xichen's expression darkened. "The man we captured a few days ago was dead. The prison was attacked last night. It appears the assault on Qiu Yan was a diversion, meant to draw most of the guards away."
My stomach dropped. "So it was all planned. They wanted to wipe out anyone who could reveal the truth."
I turned toward him. "Who was the prisoner?"
"Chen Rong," he replied. "A newly enlisted soldier joined just three months ago. He disappeared during his patrol the night of the party."
"So he's the one who gave Qiu Yan the order?" I said, the pieces falling into place.
Lan Xichen nodded. "The handwriting on the note in her room matches his. We believe Qiu Yan was used to lure you out—though she may not have known she was also a target."
General Luo folded his arms, his jaw tight. "Both were silenced. Whoever's behind this is tying up every loose end."
Lan Xichen looked at me, his voice grave. "Which means you're now a target as well. We'll be assigning more guards. You need to keep a low profile for the time being."
General Luo's tone was softer, but no less firm. "Miss Mei Lin, please—no more sneaking around. Your safety must come first."
I lowered my eyes, guilt tightening in my chest. "I understand. I'm sorry. I just.... I didn't think it would come to this."
As I spoke, my thoughts drifted to the mysterious man who had saved me in the garden. I couldn't explain his presence—not yet—but I did need to see Jian Yi again. "May I have permission to visit Prince Jian Yi this afternoon? He saved my life, and I'd like to thank him properly."
Lan Xichen and General Luo exchanged brief glances before he gave a small nod. "You may."
Before leaving, I hesitated and turned to Lan Wangji, unable to hide my concern. "Is Wei Wuxian... doing any better? Or is he avoiding me because he's mad?"
Lan Wangji's expression softened ever so slightly. "He is still upset. But when he calms, I will let you know."
I tried to lighten the mood with a faint smile. "Tell him he can't hide forever. I'm perfectly capable of annoying him into forgiveness."
Lan Wangji gave the faintest nod of acknowledgment, though his eyes were still clouded with seriousness.
As I stepped out of the room, a sigh escaped me. Great. Not only am I neck-deep in ancient conspiracies, poison plots, and shadowy assassins—but now my favorite character is ghosting me. Truly, just when I thought things couldn't get more emotionally exhausting.
***
That evening, I went to see Jian Yi. When I stepped into his room, I was surprised to see he wasn't alone. Another man sat with his back to me, his posture relaxed, yet there was something oddly familiar about him—an uncanny déjà vu that made my heart hiccup.
Jian Yi looked up, his smile casual, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Mei Lin, meet your mysterious savior—my invisible guard and cousin, Liu Ming Yu."
The man turned around, and my brain momentarily short-circuited.
He looked like a K-Pop idol I had been following for years. Not 100% exactly, but so close that my entire system went into fangirl shock. My mouth opened, but actual words failed to form. "Uh... hi... hello... I—hi..."
Get a grip, Mei Lin. He's a person, not a poster.
Liu Ming Yu smiled, and it was just as lethal as the face. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Li. I've heard quite a bit about you."
His voice was smooth—dangerously smooth. The kind of voice that could make a person forget what year it was. I scrambled to stay functional, hoping I didn't look like I'd just been smacked by a love spell.
"T-thank you for saving me," I said, trying for grace and landing somewhere around flustered mortal.
"The pleasure was mine," he replied, with a warm, almost teasing glint in his eyes. "I'm just glad I was there in time."
And just like that, my brain decided to play reruns of every K-pop stage, fan meet, and K-variety show that has him on it. Seriously? Now?
Pull it together, Mei Lin. You're here to thank the man, not audition for a historical romance. But between the voice, the face, and that smile? Concentrating was going to be a serious problem.
Jian Yi watched our exchange, his smile faltering slightly as a flicker of jealousy passed through his eyes. "I thought you two should meet properly," he said, his tone light but edged with something sharper. "Ming Yu here has a habit of showing up whenever a damsel is in distress."
I glanced at Jian Yi, catching the playful glint in his eye—but there was something else beneath it. Possessiveness? I cleared my throat, forcing myself to focus. "Well… please, just call me Mei Lin. And thank you again, Mister Liu. Now that I know who you are, I feel a bit less like I'm going crazy."
Liu Ming Yu's smile deepened, and for a brief moment I forgot how breathing worked. "Just Ming Yu is fine. And really—no need to thank me."
Before I could respond, Jian Yi stepped forward, his voice dipping ever so slightly. "Just remember, Mei Lin—he might've saved you in the moment, but I'm the one who brought you to safety."
The tension between them crackled in the air. I gave a diplomatic nod. "Of course. I'm grateful to both of you."
Jian Yi relaxed just a little, then added, "The reason I kept Ming Yu a secret is because he's supposed to remain invisible—my shadow, my safeguard. Someone lured me out with that letter, so keeping his identity hidden is crucial."
Ming Yu nodded in agreement. "I saw your group sneaking into the garden from the roof. When the attack started, I followed the intruder, but I couldn't catch him. He's highly skilled… likely a high-level cultivator."
Invisible man..that got me thinking.
I turned to him, eyes narrowing slightly. "Was that you near the study room the other night?"
A shy smile spread across his face. "Yes, that was me. I'm sorry if I scared you."
His tone was so sincere yet lively, and I couldn't help but smile back. "Well, you did give me quite a fright, but I suppose I should be grateful."
Ming Yu chuckled softly. "I'm glad I didn't scare you away entirely. I'd hate to think my attempts at being a silent guardian were causing more harm than good."
Jian Yi watched us with a flicker of irritation barely masked beneath a polite smile. His voice remained light, but there was an edge to it. "Ming Yu's skills are invaluable—even if his methods tend to be… unconventional."
Ming Yu offered a boyish grin, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Unconventional times call for unconventional solutions."
I laughed softly, the tension in the room easing just a little. "Well, I can't argue with the results. Thank you—both of you—for looking out for me."
Jian Yi's expression softened, though there was still something guarded in his gaze. "Just remember, Mei Lin—we're doing everything we can to protect you. But you need to be careful too. This situation is more dangerous than it seems on the surface."
I nodded, sincerity in my voice. "I understand. I won't take any more risks."
Ming Yu's smile lingered, his eyes meeting mine with quiet reassurance. "And if you ever need anything," he said, voice low and warm, "just call for me. I'll be close."
My heart skipped a beat. Oh my lord..his smile.
Before I could reply, Jian Yi cleared his throat pointedly, drawing my attention back to him. "Yes. And rest assured, Mei Lin—we won't let any harm come to you while we're here."