I just wrote a love poem, how did that make me so powerful?

The sound of something cutting through the air grazed past Xu Qing's hair.

"Ding!"

It shot into the earthen wall behind him, embedding itself half an inch.

It is a small pebble.

"That was close..." Xu Qing patted his chest to reassure himself.

My heart skipped two beats just now.

Before he could even look up, a figure had already silently landed in front of him.

The figure landed almost silently, as if floating down from the top of the wall. The toes touched the ground, and the person was already standing still.

He was dressed in black, with a dark cloth covering his face, revealing only his eyes.

Those eyes were sharp, gleaming with a knife-like light.

They look like someone you don't want to mess with...

And, even more deadly, he slightly flipped his wrist, revealing a glint of cold light at the cuff...

It was a dagger, narrow and thin, placed under the wrist bone, ready to be drawn at any time.

"Who is it?" His voice was very low and hoarse.

Xu Qing's back was covered in a thin layer of sweat, but his mind remained clear.

His mind raced...

First, he glanced at the two lamps in Song Yao's room...

It was lit, evenly lit, without any trace of frantic flickering.

If the person who came was hostile to Song Yao, the room wouldn't be so secure.

In that instant, he made his judgment and replied softly, "I'm from the Xu family at the alley entrance, Song Yao's fiancé. I'll come and check on things tonight."

The man in black stared at him for a moment, his gaze sweeping back and forth across his face...

This seems to confirm whether Xu Qing was lying.

A moment later, the hand that had drawn the dagger slowly lowered, and the dagger disappeared back into the sleeve.

"Since you are Miss Song's fiancé, please come in."

Xu Qing did not move immediately.

He straightened up, looked at the other person, and asked again, "Who are you? What brings you to the Song family so late at night?"

The man in black slightly turned his head, glanced in a certain direction towards the courtyard wall, and then spoke, his voice still very low: "You'll know once you go in. We can't answer that."

Xu Qing nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

They were guards and indeed did not have the authority to explain.

Xu Qing strode towards the courtyard gate, glancing at the walls on both sides out of the corner of her eye...

He couldn't see clearly, but he could sense that there was more than one pair of eyes in the darkness.

At least two more people were hidden in the shadows, one on the left and one on the right, completely sealing off the courtyard.

Just as he pushed open the courtyard gate, a thought flashed through his mind:

Xiao Mingyuan's guards were renowned throughout the county, but compared to these people, they were far inferior. The entire Xiao family couldn't muster such a display.

Although Su Manzhuanglou hired many guards, none of them had this kind of skill.

There's only one possibility...

The people who came into the house were of much higher status than the Xiao family and Su Man.

A face involuntarily floated into Xu Qing's mind:

Crown Prince of Zhao?

We met during the day, and now you've found your way here tonight?

But why did he come to see Song Yao?

He suppressed these thoughts and pushed open the courtyard gate.

The door hinges creaked.

The candlelight inside flickered, clearly indicating that the people inside had heard the noise and become alert.

Xu Qing stepped over the threshold and entered the main room.

There were three people under the oil lamp.

Sitting at the table was none other than the Crown Prince of Zhao.

He was still wearing the same plain brocade robe he had worn during the day, but now he had added a dark cloak over it.

A smile appeared on his face when he saw Xu Qing enter.

"Mr. Xu, we meet again."

Xu Qing quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "This humble subject, Xu Qing, greets the Crown Prince of Zhao."

He stood up and reached out to help him up.

"No need for formalities. It is presumptuous of me to visit so late at night."

He turned to the side and gestured to the two people next to him.

"These two are Brother Chengping and Brother Nian'an, both of whom are old friends of mine. Let me formally introduce myself, I am Li Jingyan, the Crown Prince of Zhao."

Xu Qing followed his gaze.

There were two young people nearby...

A young man wearing a worn scholar's robe had delicate features, fair skin, and naturally clear eyes; he looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old.

Another person, dressed in a dark short robe and disguised as a servant, was about the same age and stood upright, his posture not that of someone who serves others.

They were the same two people I had seen in the corners of the Zhuangyuan Building earlier.

When the two men saw Xu Qing looking over, they simultaneously cupped their hands in greeting: "Hello, Mr. Xu."

Xu Qing returned the greeting: "Greetings, both of you."

His gaze lingered on "Brother Nian'an" for a moment... the shape of his face, neck, and fingers, those undeniable lines.

Based on his experience of living two lives, he could tell at a glance that she was a woman disguised as a man.

But he didn't give it another glance, naturally shifting his gaze to Li Jingyan.

"What brings you three here so late at night? I hope you have some important business to discuss. I have not had much contact with people growing up, so please forgive me if I have not been able to entertain you properly."

Li Jingyan waved his hand, his tone gentle:

"Mr. Xu, you flatter me. After witnessing your talent at Zhuangyuanlou during the day, I have been wondering... with your talent, why has your family fallen into such a state of decline?"

He glanced around Song Yao's room.

The room wasn't big, but it was clean and tidy. A few faded old clothes were folded in the corner, not yet put away.

The furniture was so simple it could hardly be called furniture; it was just a few tables and stools picked up from a flea market, their paint worn white, and the table legs supported by a piece of wood for balance.

The yard outside wasn't big, but it was kept meticulously clean, with even the firewood in the corner stacked neatly.

Li Jingyan's gaze fell on those things, without showing any disgust or pity. He simply said calmly:

"When I first arrived here, I saw Miss Song's residence, and I did feel a little uneasy. But after chatting for a while and learning that Mr. Xu lived in the next alley, I felt relieved."

Xu Qing gave a wry smile: "To be honest, I was a bit foolish a few years ago, and almost made Yao Yao lose all faith in me. It was only because of an incident a few days ago that I turned over a new leaf. Later, I met Young Master Xiao and read more books, and slowly picked up my studies again."

Li Jingyan chuckled and didn't press for details about what that "matter" was:

"I see. Now that Mr. Xu has climbed onto Young Master Xiao's coattails, things should gradually get better. But..."

He glanced at Song Yao, his tone turning heavy, "Miss Song's illness is probably difficult to cure in Hengyang County."

Xu Qing's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

He leaned forward slightly, his voice filled with anticipation: "Does Your Highness perhaps have a cure?"

Li Jingyan shook his head, his expression quite regretful:

"The three of us have some basic medical knowledge, and we just took Miss Song's pulse. Her illness is caused by cold penetrating deep into her internal organs, coupled with years of malnutrition leading to a deficiency syndrome. The root of the problem is already deep. It is indeed impossible to cure it completely now; we can only slowly nourish her and see if we can restore her health."

He glanced at Chengping beside him and added, "If Mr. Xu doesn't mind, I have a suggestion..."