From the Qin Dynasty onwards, he eked out a living among the heavens.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Lady Mingzhu

As night fell, the lights in the Han King's Palace gradually went out, leaving only a few patrolling royal guards carrying lanterns along the palace paths.

Xu Huang set off from Zilan Pavilion and arrived at the outer city wall of the royal palace. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and directly jumped over the high wall. His movements were as fast as a ghost. He landed silently and in a few leaps, he had already passed through the many palaces outside the royal palace and arrived at the area where the Han King's harem was located.

Lady Mingzhu's bedroom was not hard to find. It was located in the deepest part of the harem, a separate palace from the other concubines' chambers. It was surrounded by orchids, and their fragrance was so strong that it was almost eerie.

Two palace maids stood with their hands at their sides outside the palace gate. A row of dark purple gauze lanterns hung under the corridor, their lights swaying gently in the night breeze, enveloping the entire bedchamber in a hazy glow.

Xu Huang didn't enter through the main gate. He went around to the side of the sleeping quarters, stopped under an old locust tree, and looked up at the eaves of the roof. The next moment, he was already on the roof, his feet stepping on the glazed tiles without making a sound.

The roof of the main hall of the sleeping quarters has a skylight, which is half open, letting in the dim yellow candlelight and a very strong fragrance of orchids.

He glanced down; the main hall was empty, with candles burning quietly on the table. Dozens of ceramic vases were neatly arranged on a rosewood shelf against the wall, their dark brown bodies and intricate patterns mirroring the craftsmanship of the vase Tianze had thrown to Wei Zhuang.

His gaze lingered on the ceramic bottles for a moment before shifting away. As a time traveler, he knew perfectly well the origins of the bottles and the whereabouts of the antidote; he hadn't come here tonight to investigate those matters.

Very light footsteps came from deep within the main hall. He concealed himself in the shadows beside the skylight and held his breath.

Lady Mingzhu walked slowly out of the inner palace. She was wearing a dark purple gauze nightgown, which was so thin that it was almost transparent under the candlelight, outlining her plump and exquisite figure.

She had clearly just taken a bath; her long hair was still damp, draped over her shoulders, with a few stray strands clinging to her fair neck. The neckline of her nightgown was wide open, revealing a large expanse of her smooth, white breasts, which rose and fell slightly with her breath.

She walked to the rosewood shelf, took out a small jade pestle and a jade bowl from her sleeve, and then took a ceramic bottle from the shelf. She broke the wax seal and poured the liquid from the bottle into the jade bowl. The liquid was dark purple, viscous like honey, and emitted a strong, sweet, and slightly fishy smell. She slowly stirred the liquid in the bowl with the jade pestle, her movements skillful and composed, clearly indicating that she had practiced this countless times.

As she stirred, she muttered something in a low, drawn-out tone. It was a family secret technique taught to her by Bai Yifei, which could erode a person's mind without them realizing it.

Xu Huang had just rolled down from under the eaves, and before his toes even touched the ground, that strange fragrance wafted into his lungs through his nostrils.

The scent was extremely difficult to describe; it was a blend of orchid fragrance and the sweetness of musk, with a very faint hint of fishiness, like spices that had been burned and then infused with alcohol. It wasn't a single fragrance, but rather seven or eight aromas blended together by some technique, woven into an invisible net.

He paused for a moment. Just a moment, then continued walking.

In the main hall, Madam Mingzhu leaned against the sandalwood table, holding a jade pestle in her hand, stirring the jade bowl slowly and deliberately.

She lowered her head, but a faint smile played on her lips—the kind of smile a hunter wears only after confirming their prey has stepped into a trap. Her fingers were long and slender, white, with nails stained with a light purple floral sap that gleamed warmly in the candlelight as she twirled the jade pestle with light grace.

The fragrance in this hall is strange. She had set up a trap from the moment we entered. It wasn't a single poison, but an invisible poison made up of various spices. If an ordinary person inhaled it, they would unknowingly become weak in their limbs and lose their senses. At best, they would be easily manipulated; at worst, they would fall into a coma on the spot.

She sensed Xu Huang's presence the moment he scaled the wall—too light, too steady. She wasn't confident she could withstand a direct confrontation with someone like him, but in her own territory, she had plenty of methods. She didn't even need to lift a finger; she could simply let him stand in the main hall a little longer, and the fragrance would do the rest for her.

But Xu Huang had already walked up to the table.

His steps were unhurried, as steady as when he entered. So steady that her hand, which was stirring the jade pestle, paused slightly. A normal person would have felt weak in the knees after spending half a cup of tea in this fragrance, but when he reached her, even his breathing remained normal. He wasn't forcing himself; he was genuinely fine.

Madam Mingzhu raised her eyes, her smile unchanged, but the smile in her eyes faded slightly. She didn't ask, nor did she show it; she simply placed the jade pestle on the rim of the bowl, slightly raised her chin, and looked him over with her charming eyes.

Her gaze swept from his shoulder to his waist, then from his waist to his hands hanging at his sides, and finally settled on his face. Her gaze held admiration, curiosity, and a very thin layer of playful, cat-and-mouse-like amusement.

"Young master, you scaled the palace wall in the middle of the night and jumped into my bedchamber through the skylight. Surely you didn't come to peep at me while I was changing clothes?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Huang replied calmly, "I just came to take a look. I've long heard of Madam Mingzhu's unparalleled beauty and grace, and since I happened to have some free time tonight, I decided to come and see for myself."

Lady Mingzhu paused slightly, then laughed. Her laughter was clear and melodious, echoing in the spacious main hall. She picked up the jade cup on the table, which contained blood-red wine, and gently swirled it. The wine gleamed warmly in the candlelight.

"Come and see? You're quite the character, young master. Others who break into the palace at night are either here to steal secrets or to assassinate. But you, young master, have scaled walls and alleys just to catch a glimpse of me." She handed the jade cup to Xu Huang, her fingertips tinged with a faint purple floral juice, lightly tracing the rim of the white jade cup. "Now that you've seen it, how do you plan to end this?"

Xu Huang accepted the jade cup. The wine inside was a deep crimson, like blood, a fine wine from the Western Regions. But there was something extra in it—colorless and odorless, dissolving instantly in water, the same kind of aroma as the ones in the air earlier, only much stronger. If the aroma was a net, this wine was a knife. The net was a test, the knife a killing blow. An ordinary person who drank it would faint within a few breaths.

He picked up his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Madam Mingzhu's gaze fell on his Adam's apple, watching the sip of wine slide down his throat. A faint, almost imperceptible hint of contempt appeared at the corner of her mouth; at this distance, at this dose, no one could withstand it.

She had seen countless experts fall victim to this one glass of wine, and this man who climbed over the wall would be no exception.

Three breaths passed. Xu Huang placed the jade cup on the table, the bottom of the cup making a soft tapping sound. "The wine is good."

Madam Mingzhu's smile froze. The curve of her lips stiffened for a moment, and a fleeting look of surprise crossed her eyes, which she quickly concealed with an even deeper smile. But it was too late to hide it; Xu Huang had seen her moment of surprise clearly.

The word "you" had barely left her lips when Xu Huang had already reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. The movement was slow, but the strength was just right—enough to prevent her from breaking free, yet not enough to hurt her.

Lady Mingzhu gave a soft "hmm," and the jade pestle slipped from her fingers, falling crisply onto the table. Instinctively, she raised her hand to support herself against his chest. The moment her palm touched his chest, through his plain robes, she felt the rhythm of his heartbeat—not the rapid, tense beat, nor the restrained, even beat, but a steady, composed rhythm, one of complete control. It was unlike any man she had ever met in the palace.

"Twice." Xu Huang looked down at the alluring face in his arms. "The first time was the incense in the palace, and the second time was the wine. Both were family secret techniques that Bai Yifei taught you."

Madam Mingzhu raised her eyes, and for the first time, the playful, cat-and-mouse gaze was gone from her alluring eyes. In their place was a deep, serious scrutiny. Her fingertips were still pressed against his chest, but she no longer pushed him away forcefully.

"Just who is this young master?"

"You were just trying to take me down, isn't it too late to ask this now?" Xu Huang didn't loosen his grip on her waist, his tone indifferent.

Lady Mingzhu stared at him for a long time, then suddenly laughed. It wasn't the languid, playful laugh she'd given before, but a genuinely cheerful laugh, a laugh born of relief and understanding after her cards had been played. "Interesting. In all my years in this palace, this is the first time I've encountered someone whose secret arts have completely failed me."

"Since you've come for me, sir, then I concede." She slowly slid her hand from his chest to his shoulder, leaning closer to him. "What do you intend to do with me?"

Xu Huang looked down at the plump, soft body in his arms, inhaling the scent of orchids mingling with the fragrance of her hair, and chuckled. He didn't answer her, but simply pulled her closer. Madam Mingzhu's hand slid from his shoulder to his back, her fingertips lightly tracing his spine, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, as if testing, yet also as if inviting.

"It's not a matter of punishment," Xu Huang said in a low voice, "but since you've admitted defeat, you'll have to pay a price."

"What price?" Madam Mingzhu raised her head, her charming eyes looking into his eyes so close, a smile playing on her lips.

"That depends on what you can offer." Xu Huang returned her words verbatim.

Lady Mingzhu chuckled, tiptoeing to his ear, her voice low and languidly husky: "This palace of mine has everything. Whatever you desire, young master, I will give you. However," she drew a light circle on his back with her fingertip, "you mustn't regret it after you take it." As she said this, a cold glint flashed in Lady Mingzhu's eyes.

Xu Huang turned his head, meeting her gaze almost touching. The candlelight flickered in her eyes, which held no trace of secret arts or calculation, only a thin layer of aroused curiosity and something deeper. He lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Lady Mingzhu closed her eyes, her fingers sliding from his back to his collar, her fingertips hooking the edge of his robe, and gently pulling him towards the inner palace.

The candlelight flickered gently on the table, casting the shadows of the two figures onto the wall, merging together and indistinguishable from one another. The jade pestle lay quietly in the corner of the table, the dark purple medicine in the jade bowl still slowly steaming. The night breeze outside the palace rustled through the orchid bushes, drowning out the soft clatter of the silver chain falling to the ground.

As daylight streamed in through the cracks in the window, Madam Mingzhu opened her eyes. She tried to turn over, but as soon as she moved her waist, a wave of soreness spread from deep within her body, causing her to let out a soft hiss.

The man was still asleep, one hand resting on her waist, his breathing steady and long. There were several fresh red marks on his shoulder blade, scratches she had made the night before. She cursed inwardly. The soreness and aching from her first time made her gasp with every inch she moved, and she couldn't help but think that this man hadn't held back at all last night.

She removed his hand from her waist, her bare feet stepping onto the cool bluestone floor, and bent down to pick up her nightgown scattered on the ground. The thin nightgown had been torn in several places, the fabric crumpled into a ball. Looking at the tears, a smile that was hard to tell whether it was anger or self-mockery appeared on her lips.

Her face was reflected in the bronze mirror; her hair was disheveled, her lips slightly swollen, and several red marks below her collarbone extended deep into the area covered by her nightgown. She reached out and gently pressed one of the marks; the soreness made her gasp and mutter a curse under her breath.

She remembered certain moments from last night clearly. For example, she tried three times. The first time, the silver needle under the pillow. Just as she touched the end of the needle, he grabbed her wrist and pressed it against the brocade quilt. The silver needle slipped from her fingertips, and he didn't even change his breathing rhythm; instead, his grip tightened. The second time, the razor blade under the table. Just as her fingertips touched the edge of the blade, he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back, the blade slipping from her hand and embedding itself in the table leg. Moonlight streamed in through the skylight, which wasn't fully closed, falling on his profile. "Will there be a third time?" he said.

The third time was the last. Taking him by surprise, she gathered secret energy at her right fingertips and aimed straight for a vital point on the back of his neck. He didn't even turn his head; he simply grabbed her wrist and gently twisted it, completely neutralizing her force. She didn't try a fourth time. Not because she didn't want to, but because she was utterly exhausted.

Lady Mingzhu rose from before the bronze mirror, walked to the edge of the bed, and sat down, looking down at Xu Huang, who was still fast asleep. The morning light fell on his face, obscuring his usually calm and serene eyes.

She reached out, her fingertips hovering above his throat, pausing for several breaths before finally landing on the scratches on his chest, stroking them very lightly. This man had broken her secret technique last night, drunk her poisoned wine, parried three of her deadly attacks with his bare hands, and then tormented her all night long. But now it was dawn, and it was his turn to tell her what he truly wanted.

She leaned down, bringing her lips close to his ear, her voice low and husky with the languid huskiness of early morning. "It's dawn. Time to discuss the terms, Young Master Xu."

After speaking, she straightened up, put on her nightgown, and walked to the window, her back to the bed. The morning light fell on her profile, and her usually charming and composed eyes were now filled with an expression that even she herself couldn't explain—anger, resentment, scrutiny, and a very faint curiosity that she had suppressed deep within her eyes.

This man was both prey and hunter to her. And she wasn't used to being the prey. She needed to find out who he really was, what he wanted, and how he planned to resolve what happened last night.