As night fell, the Guanyin Nunnery burst into flames. Nearby Black Armor Guards rushed over and discovered not only the nuns had been murdered, but their two colleagues also met a grim fate.
Qingyang arrived to inspect the scene, his expression darkening. One guard’s body was charred beyond recognition, but the other, lying face down, had his features preserved. They were the two guards with the supposedly bad luck.
He asked angrily, "The Princess said they shouldn’t be assigned missions. Why are they here?"
The others exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to respond.
A familiar voice guessed, "They probably wanted a promotion and decided to take matters into their own hands, hoping to gain credit."
Qingyang glanced at them coldly, his tone severe, "High-ranking officials in the Capital beg for a word from the Princess, and she ignores them. If any of you act recklessly and lose your lives again, the Imperial Court won’t pay any more death benefits. Remember that!"
The guards responded affirmatively, their fear of Nanli deepening.
Qingyang, assuming Xue Shengnan wouldn’t have gone far, ordered a continued pursuit but adhered to Nanli’s instructions: if they didn’t catch her within twelve hours, they were to cease the search.
He returned to the Capital first to report to Nanli.
"It’s my fault for not supervising them strictly. They lost their lives in vain."
Nanli, busy preparing medicine, didn’t look up. She spoke slowly, "Sometimes, the Grim Reaper claims lives regardless of human intervention. Don’t dwell on it."
Qingyang’s face grew grim, "I didn’t expect Xue Shengnan to be so formidable and ruthless."
Nanli paused, finally looking up, "How did they die?"
"One was burned to death, his bones shattered—likely by one of Xue Shengnan’s talismans. The other..." He coughed lightly before continuing, "Tripped over his own feet, fell, and slit his throat with his sword."
For a well-trained Black Armor Guard, this was an unimaginable disgrace.
Nanli raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised, "What a humiliating way to die."
Qingyang nodded, "Indeed, someone’s luck can be so bad they could choke on water."
Nanli shook her head, "His fate was already unfavorable. Meeting Xue Shengnan sealed his doom, turning him into a walking disaster. Xue Shengnan’s fortune must be extraordinarily good, allowing her to escape harm repeatedly."
Qingyang frowned deeply, "Such a cruel, ruthless woman with good luck?"
Nanli was equally puzzled. Could Xue Shengnan be a deity reincarnated, undergoing trials, thus blessed with such fortune? Regardless, anyone with a weaker fate who crossed paths with her would either die or suffer severe injury. To capture her, one would need either good fortune or a strong fate.
Unfortunately, the person with the strongest fate in the Capital was away inspecting military defenses with the fake prince.
"Any news from the Prince?" Nanli thought of Ye Siheng, feeling a pang of emptiness.
Qingyang lowered his voice, "The Prince has reached Qi Nation. It’s difficult to send messages from there."
They could only wait patiently in the Capital.
Nanli nodded, hoping Ye Siheng’s mission would go smoothly. Having nearly finished preparing her medicine, she stretched and said, "I should start capturing people myself."
That night, while several teams of Black Armor Guards were searching the suburbs for Xue Shengnan and her maid, the two women, having used disguise talismans, slipped back into the Capital.
Shuang’er was initially so nervous her posture gave her away, nearly alerting the gate guards. They only managed to enter because of a commotion caused by another fugitive being caught nearby.
Starving, they found a street vendor and began eating. Midway through their meal, two officials from the Dalisi Procuratorate approached.
Shuang’er tensed up, almost dropping her chopsticks. Xue Shengnan steadied her hand, their touch contrasting—one warm, one cold.
"Miss..." Shuang’er whispered fearfully.
"Eat more," Xue Shengnan said calmly, her expression unchanged, "We’re fine."
Their disguises were so effective that no one without considerable skill could see through them. Shuang’er took a deep breath and resumed eating her noodles.
The officials didn’t pay them any attention, discussing mundane matters from the Procuratorate.
"It’s amusing how the master solved two cases with just one tactic."
"I think it was the Ninth Princess’s idea," the other replied, shaking his head in pity, "Even though the cases were solved, the man controlling the water ghosts wasn’t caught. How could they let Xue Shengnan, just a weak woman, slip away?"
"Xue Shengnan may have escaped, but Second Miss Xue was exonerated. Though she’s somewhat overbearing, it’s pitiful she was falsely accused of murder."
"Pitiful? Our master treated her well with good food and accommodations. He even promised Lady Xue to arrange a meeting with Young Lord Chu!"
"Young Lord Chu? So Second Miss Xue has turned misfortune into fortune?"
"Indeed. If she marries into the Mansion of Marquis Anyang, she’ll have wealth and power, worry-free for life."
Xue Shengnan’s eyes turned icy, her fists clenching until her nails dug into her palms. The pain couldn’t compare to the ache in her heart.
So her little tricks had been seen through by the Ninth Princess all along. She didn’t mind being a pawn, but why did Xue Yan’er get such an opportunity? How could a woman with no scholarly accomplishments or artistic talents become the daughter-in-law of the Chu family?
Noticing the chilling aura, Shuang’er trembled, "Miss, are you okay?"
"I’m fine," Xue Shengnan replied coldly, now composed. Her eyes hardened. She would no longer tolerate any slights. Everyone who wronged or hurt her would pay.
After their meal, they went straight to the Cheng Residence. Xue Shengnan used a talisman to send a secret letter inside. Before long, the back door creaked open.
A servant holding a lantern scrutinized them before saying, "Follow me."
He was Cheng Wei’s close servant, leading them discreetly to avoid other household staff and guiding them to the study.
Cheng Wei had just read a secret letter and, after some thought, burned it.
The servant announced from outside, "Master, I’ve brought the guests."
"Come in," Cheng Wei said.
The servant opened the door and gestured for them to enter.
Xue Shengnan walked in confidently, her posture and grace apparent even in simple attire. She immediately used a talisman to dispel her disguise, revealing her true appearance.
"Shengnan greets Uncle," she said smoothly, her voice melodious and calm.
In contrast, Shuang’er remained nervous, a stark contrast to her mistress.