The woman in gray lay prone on the rooftop, having observed the small building for half an hour. She confirmed the positions of the hidden guards—two at the front door, two at the back window, and one on the neighboring roof. The defenses were tight but not impenetrable.
She reached into her chest and pulled out a small bamboo tube, blowing gently in the direction of one of the guards.
A tiny silver needle flashed in the moonlight.
The guard on the roof stiffened, then slumped silently. A faint curl of a smile appeared at the corner of the gray-clad woman's lips as she launched a second and third needle…
Of the five guards, three fell without a sound.
The remaining two, alert, sensed something wrong and were about to raise the alarm, only to see several black shadows lunging from all directions. Blades glinted in the moonlight, muffled grunts swallowed by the night wind.
The entire process took no longer than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
The woman in gray leapt from the roof, light as a cat. She approached the door of the small building and, twisting her fingers in the lock a few times, opened it silently.
She slipped inside, closing the door behind her.
The interior was pitch dark, only the steady sound of breathing from the inner room breaking the silence. She made her way to a table, took a small incense burner from her chest, and lit the incense inside. A faint sweet fragrance began to fill the air.
It was a sleep-inducing incense, capable of putting people into an unbroken slumber, leaving them upon waking the next day with nothing but the feeling of a dream.
Having set this, she gently pushed open the inner door.
Moonlight filtered through the papered windows, dimly illuminating the bed. The curtains hung low, revealing two figures embraced in sleep.
The woman in gray narrowed her eyes and stepped closer. She lightly lifted the curtain, her gaze falling on Su Yuzhi's face.
Even asleep, his face was astonishingly beautiful. Long lashes cast shadows beneath his eyes, his lips pale but perfectly shaped. His neck was slender, the collarbones defined, and below…
Her breathing quickened, and she reached out to touch his face.
Just as her fingertips were about to brush his skin, a hand shot out from the side, clamping down on her wrist.
The force was immense, nearly enough to crush bone.
The woman in gray froze in terror, raising her eyes to meet a pair of cold eyes—Xiao Yuhuang, awake and staring at her with icy calm.
"I've been waiting for you," Xiao Yuhuang's voice echoed in the darkness, devoid of any sleepiness.
No sooner had she spoken than lamps lit at the corners of the room. Aunt Qin, Chunyu, Moyu, and even the guards who should have been incapacitated all stood in place. Outside, sounds of fighting erupted briefly, then fell silent.
The woman in gray tried to flee but found her body weak, her internal strength useless.
"That incense…" she realized too late.
"You thought I would be unprepared?" Xiao Yuhuang sat up, gently pulling the still-sleeping Su Yuzhi into her arms. Her movements were soft, but her gaze toward the woman in gray was sharp as a blade. "The Mandala Sect, known for abducting handsome men to sell to northern nobles. Your hands reach far enough."
The woman in gray's face went pale.
"Speak," Xiao Yuhuang said calmly, "Who told you we were here?"
The woman gritted her teeth, refusing to answer.
Xiao Yuhuang remained unhurried. She addressed the guards: "Take her away. Treat her well. I want to know their base, their numbers, and… who is behind it all."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The guards dragged the woman away. Aunt Qin stepped forward to check on Su Yuzhi, sighing in relief: "Your Majesty, rest assured. The young master has only inhaled a bit of sleep incense. He's asleep deeply now, and he will wake unharmed tomorrow."
Xiao Yuhuang nodded, waving everyone away.
The room fell silent again. She looked down at the sleeping face in her arms, her fingers lightly tracing his cheek.
That day, the guards had already reported unusual activity in the garden. The woman in gray had long been under surveillance.
They simply hadn't expected these people to be so bold, daring to break in at night.
"Yuzhi…" she whispered, holding him tighter. "I will not let anyone harm you. No one."
Outside, the moonlight was cold and clear.
A few distant barks echoed, then fell silent. This long night was finally coming to an end.
And Su Yuzhi had no idea. He furrowed his brows in his dream, nuzzled closer into the warm embrace, and sank back into deep sleep.