The mad princess forces love upon him, and the aloof imperial advisor trembles every night.

Chu Qingyue stood up, stepped back to the railing, her back to him, her shoulders trembling slightly. A hundred years? A thousand years?

She only has a mortal lifespan of a few decades. How can she possibly spend her time with this "banished immortal" who has an endless lifespan? Will she spend it until her beauty fades and her love and hate turn to ashes?

The night wind grew colder. She hugged herself, her thin red dress making her appear even more forlorn in the starlight. For a long, long time.

She asked in a low voice, so soft it was almost carried away by the wind:

"Si Chen, what if... what if I die without ever understanding this?"

Behind him, the meditating Grand Preceptor did not answer.

Only the eternally shifting stars on the observatory silently illuminate the immortal and the mortal, the imprisoned and the guard, the cold and the fiery, and the unseen, yet more resilient and colder than the black iron chains—the chasm between them.

———The Residence of the Princess Zhenguo——

At three quarters past Xu hour, the night was already as dark as spilled ink.

The sharpest hidden blade in the hand of Chu Qingyue, the master of Cangming Jinxue Pavilion, was standing on the withered branch of the tallest century-old sycamore tree in the Princess's mansion. His black robes blended almost into the night, and only when the moonlight occasionally swept across the "Jinxue Blade" at his waist did it reveal a trace of cold silver light.

He had been standing on the branch for two hours, his gaze fixed on the palace road leading to the Star-Picking Tower—Chu Qingyue's carriage had not yet returned.

This is illogical. The eldest princess always acts with meticulous care, and even if she changes her plans at the last minute, she will definitely use coded messages.

But tonight, not only has she not returned, but the three "Blue Feather Messenger Birds" she brought with her have also disappeared without a trace.

Beneath the tree, Chixiao and Liuyun once again strolled into the courtyard.

"Sect Master," Liu Yun's voice was extremely low, but it couldn't hide his anxiety, "His Highness entered the Star-Picking Tower at Chen Shi (7-9 AM) and hasn't come out yet."

The veins on the back of Chi Xiao's hand, gripping the sword, gleamed: "Although the Imperial Preceptor Si Chen is not involved in court affairs, his cultivation is unfathomable. If he truly intends to harm Your Highness..."

"No," Liu Yun interrupted him, but it sounded more like she was convincing herself. "The Imperial Advisor is detached from worldly affairs; the princess was raised by him. Besides, Your Highness's trip is only for astrological divination; why would you lay a hand on her?"

The vast ocean drifted down from the treetops, leaving not a speck of dust on the black robes.

His gaze swept over the two of them, his voice calm and unwavering: "What's the panic? Master, since you dared to go, you must be confident you can escape unscathed. Let's go back to the secret chamber."

The secret chamber was hidden on the third basement level of the princess's residence. The entrance was located behind a hidden compartment in the study, requiring passage through three mechanisms. The ever-burning lamps illuminated the cold iron walls, and the air was filled with the scent of herbs and old scrolls.

Cangming walked to the stone table, but before he could act, he took out a red pill from his pocket and swallowed it. It was an antidote personally prepared by Chu Qingyue. Anyone who touched her secret letter had to take this medicine first to prevent the letter from being poisoned.

After taking the medicine, he used a specific method to open the hidden compartment under the table.

There was only one letter lying in the compartment. The envelope was blank, but the sealing wax bore the phoenix feather pattern unique to the eldest princess. Cangming opened it; the handwriting on the paper was sharp and bold, indeed Chu Qingyue's own:

"If I am troubled by Si Chen, do not panic. I will handle things as they are. Proceed according to the original plan. Cangming will be in charge of the secret guards, Chixiao will be in charge of external affairs, and Liuyun will manage the internal affairs. If the Crown Prince is dead, I will return on the night of the full moon; if the Crown Prince is alive, I will return on the day of the Heavenly Sacrifice."

Remember: Don't delay making a move until the game is over.

A few lines, like a sharp blade cutting through the fog.

Chi Xiao and Liu Yun exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes—it turned out that His Highness had already foreseen this calamity.

"Liu Yun." Cang Ming placed the letter over the candle flame, watching it turn to ashes. "Tomorrow at Chen Shi (7-9 AM), you will personally go to Zhaixing Tower to see the Imperial Preceptor and tell him that you are bringing His Highness back to the manor."

Chi Xiao frowned: "If the Imperial Advisor doesn't release them—"

"Then we won't let go." Cangming interrupted him, tapping the chessboard on the table lightly with his fingertips. "What Master wants is perhaps precisely 'not to let go'."

Both of them were taken aback.

Cangming had already picked up his pen and was writing furiously, the ink strokes sharp as knives: "Liuyun, if the Imperial Preceptor does not agree, then send the princess her usual embroidered star and moon blanket and goose feather soft pillow. Be sure to be respectful and have a good reason—say that the princess's old ailment is prone to flare-ups and she needs her usual items to calm her nerves."

He paused slightly, the ink spreading faintly on the paper. "When Master sees these two things, he will understand."

Liu Yun readily agreed.

The seemingly ordinary set of star and moon bedding was actually one of the secret codes agreed upon by the princess and her confidants: the star and moon blanket meant "the star track remains unchanged, and the plan continues as before," while the goose feather pillow signified "peace of mind and safety from behind."

"Chixiao." Cangming sealed another wax pill.

"Immediately check the entry and exit records of the Third Prince's residence over the past three days, focusing on those from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review. Also, dispatch twelve secret guards, divided into four groups, to monitor the Imperial Prison, the Prime Minister's residence, the Empress's Phoenix Palace, and—"

His gaze sharpened slightly, like a sudden flash of cold stars. "All the movements outside the Star-Picking Tower."

"You want to monitor the Star-Picking Tower too?" Chi Xiao was slightly taken aback. "The Imperial Preceptor's cultivation is profound; I'm afraid we might alert the enemy."

"Precisely because he is the Imperial Advisor, he needs to be monitored even more." Cangming's voice was cold. "The princess is imprisoned in the Star-Picking Tower. If the princess's residence does nothing, it will arouse suspicion. I want you to act as if you are 'frantically searching for your master,' so that those who need to see it can see that we have lost our composure."

"Liuyun, release all the messenger birds in the manor. If any bird enters the manor, capture it immediately and I will verify whether it is in accordance with the master's secret order."

The two responded resolutely. Cangming sealed the written instructions into another wax pellet and clapped his hands three times.

Three dark figures descended from the shadows and knelt silently on the ground.

"Enter the palace immediately." Cangming's voice suddenly turned cold.

"Slay all of Princess Chu Qingyao's secret guards and capture her. Take her back to the manor. Send Mei Shiliu along—she knows what to do."

When the name "Chu Qingyao" was mentioned, Cangming's hand, which was hanging at his side, clenched very slightly and then slowly relaxed. It was a very brief moment, and would be difficult for anyone other than the most observant person to notice.

Three men in black knelt on one knee: "Your subordinates obey. However, the Fifth Princess is, after all, of royal blood. If Your Majesty investigates..."

"His Majesty will not investigate." A chill flashed in Cangming's eyes.

"The Fifth Princess's secret guards are all assassins privately kept by the Empress, and they are inherently clandestine. Besides... the Master had already made arrangements."

The guards withdrew, and the secret chamber returned to silence. Just then, three soft knocks came from outside the door—a coded signal.

Cangming's lips curled slightly: "As expected, you've arrived."

Chi Xiao asked, puzzled, "Who is it?"

"The one who delivered the winter clothes." Cangming stood up and straightened his cuffs. "The Third Prince's 'Moon in His Heart,' Zhou Qingchen. As Master predicted, he should be here to see the Pavilion Master of Jinxue Pavilion by now—the winter clothing and provisions for the 30,000 soldiers of the Crimson Feather Camp will be entrusted to this man."

He glanced back at the two before pushing open the door, his eyes flashing with a cold, sharp light:

"Remember, even though our mistress is temporarily away from the manor, this game of chess has not stopped for even a moment. What we must do is, before she returns, clear away all obstacles and pave every step. In this game where the country is the board and all living beings are the pieces, not a single step can be delayed."

The door opened, and the night wind from outside the corridor rushed in, causing the bronze lamps on the wall to sway precariously.