The Dark Moonlight returns to the capital, and the mad prince is accused of forcing love.

The window on the second floor of Zuixiangju was half open, and suddenly came muffled and disordered footsteps from the stairs.

The group of people went up to the second floor in a grand procession.

The man at the head of the group wore a dark blue brocade robe with floral patterns. He was playing with two shiny walnuts in his hands, and his gaze swept over the four people on the table without any restraint.

Before they could speak, Xiao Shicheng pulled out an empty chair and sat down.

"What a coincidence, Lord Lin."

Lin Zuoqing raised his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over the uninvited Prince An's heir, his voice extremely indifferent: "Instead of worrying about my affairs, Your Highness should first take care of the people around you."

Xiao Shicheng wasn't annoyed; he leaned back heavily in his chair.

"Have you found the Princess Seal yet? I heard you've searched the capital city several times over, but you haven't even touched a hair of it."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qianhui's fingers curled slightly under the table.

The only person who could be addressed as "Prince" by Minister Lin and who is also involved in the theft of the princess's seal is Prince An.

His bringing up the case on his own initiative didn't seem like a provocation, but rather a test.

To test how much inside information Lin Zuoqing had gathered and how far he had gone in his investigation.

They also gained a deeper understanding of the Prince An's mansion.

Chu Yunci couldn't listen anymore.

He put down his chopsticks and looked at Xiao Shicheng: "Young Master, eat properly, or we'll all go hungry."

Xiao Shicheng stopped spinning the walnut in his hand, his gaze passing over Chu Yunci and settling on Xu Qianhui beside him.

"Oh? Isn't this the Miss Xu who's been causing trouble for the Duke's mansion?" His tone was flippant, laced with malice and contempt. "What, after seducing Minister Lin at the Duke's mansion, you've turned around and are now trying to seduce General Chu?"

Lin Zhiwei, who had been sitting quietly beside Lin Zuoqing, suddenly stood up upon hearing this.

"Your Highness, Xu Qianhui is merely a cousin of the Duke's family. She has no connection with Minister Zuo."

Xiao Shicheng chuckled, "Miss Lin is truly magnanimous, even protecting her rival in love. But...I wonder if Miss Lin can stand up for Lin Zuoqing?"

"How dare you speak ill of the people of the Duke's mansion?"

Lin Zuoqing placed the teacup on the table, forcefully silencing Xiao Shicheng's unfinished mockery.

"Alright, let's change the subject." Xiao Shicheng placed his hands on the table. "Minister Lin, the princess's things are lost. You can't just grab a few people and call it a day, can you?"

Lin Zuoqing met Xiao Shicheng's gaze, a faint mockery appearing on his lips.

"The Crown Prince seems quite concerned about the Princess's Seal case. Does he perhaps know its current location?"

The ball was kicked back cleanly and decisively.

Xiao Shicheng's smile froze for a moment, but he quickly masked it.

"I was just worried about the princess."

As he spoke, he picked up a cup of scalding hot tea in front of him, and with a seemingly casual flick of his wrist, splashed the entire cup of hot tea directly onto Lin Zuoqing's face.

Oops, my hand slipped.

Lin Zuoqing reacted extremely quickly.

He stretched out his long arms, and the wide cuffs steadily blocked the spilled tea.

Upon seeing this, the guards behind Xiao Shicheng immediately pressed down on the swords at their waists.

Someone shouted, "Watch out for assassins! Protect the prince!"

They fabricate accusations without even offering a decent reason.

Seeing that Lin Zuoqing was in trouble, Lin Zhiwei stepped forward and stood in front of Lin Zuoqing.

"The Left Minister is an official appointed by the imperial court. If the Crown Prince intends to take action, he should consider the consequences. Under the Emperor's very nose, is it appropriate for Prince An to draw his sword so readily?"

Looking at Lin Zhiwei's protective manner, Xiao Shicheng let out a strange laugh.

He didn't respond at all, only raising his chin slightly.

Two guards immediately stepped forward and kicked the heavy rosewood wooden table hard.

"You have shown disrespect to this prince; you deserve to be punished."

The table was overturned violently, and cups, plates, and bowls smashed all over the floor.

The diners in the restaurant exclaimed in surprise, dropping their money and fleeing downstairs in a panic. The once bustling second floor was instantly emptied.

Lin Zuoqing pushed aside the broken pieces of wood blocking his way and accurately grabbed the wrist of a guard.

"This is not the Northwest, nor is this the Prince An's residence. You have no right to run wild here."

The guard cried out in pain, and more men rushed forward with knives drawn.

Chu Yunci forcefully pulled Xu Qianhui behind him: "Miss Xu, stand behind me."

Xiao Shicheng watched this scene with a leisurely air, grinning broadly.

"General Chu's nervousness only makes me more curious. You wouldn't happen to like her, would you?"

Chu Yunci didn't even look at him. He drew the short blade from his waist to protect Xu Qianhui and retreated towards the stairwell.

"It's not safe here, let's go."

Xiao Shicheng's guards would not let them leave so easily.

He beckoned with two fingers, and three guards immediately drew their swords and surrounded him, blocking the passage downstairs.

Chu Yunci parried with his sword, while Lin Zuoqing also disarmed a guard with his bare hands.

The battle situation instantly descended into chaos.

The two sides engaged in fierce fighting near the stairwell.

Amidst the flashing swords, several wooden railings were cleaved in two.

Suddenly, one of the guards was kicked in the chest by Lin Zuoqing.

The man screamed and flew backward, crashing straight into a folding screen at the edge of the corridor.

The screen collapsed with a crash, landing squarely in the direction where Xu Qianhui was.

Xu Qianhui hurriedly stepped back to avoid it, but her heel suddenly stepped on a puddle of sticky vegetable soup residue.

She slipped, lost her balance, and fell backward.

Behind her was the second-floor wooden railing, which had long been cracked by the sword energy.

Click.

The rotten railings broke off, and a cold wind blew up, filling my sleeves.

She instinctively reached out her hands and gripped the edge of the railing on the outside of the second floor tightly.

He was hanging in mid-air outside the second floor.

"Xu Qianhui!"

"Miss Xu!"

Two male voices rang out simultaneously, tearing through the surrounding noise of clashing weapons.

Chu Yunci kicked the guard in front of him away and rushed towards the railing like a madman.

Driven by her survival instinct, Xu Qianhui quickly reached up with both hands.

Falling from such a height, even if you don't die, you could still suffer broken bones and injuries.

Fortunately... fortunately I reacted quickly.

Chu Yunci rushed to the railing and leaned most of his body over it, desperately trying to grab Xu Qianhui's wrist.

"Miss Xu, don't be afraid, give me your hand!"

The moment his fingertips touched Xu Qianhui's sleeve, another hand suddenly slashed in, forcefully shoving his arm away.

The two people were huddled together in the gap in the damaged railing, like two bears hugging each other.

"Xu Qianhui, don't let go."

Lin Zuoqing's breathing became rapid, and his voice was strained to the extreme.

His usual aloof and dignified facade was now completely shattered.

However, the gap at the edge of the railing was too narrow, barely enough for one person to pull in and help. Chu Yunci and Lin Zuoqing happened to be squeezed in the same spot.

The wound on Xu Qianhui's finger kept widening.

Blood slid down her wrist and into her sleeve. Her grip weakened, and her knuckles began to tremble uncontrollably.

Suddenly, the wooden railing snapped.

Lin Zuoqing and Chu Yunci both lost their footing.

Xu Qianhui groaned, resignedly closed her eyes, and her body plummeted like a kite with a broken string.

Neither of the two men managed to catch her.

"Move Hui!"

"Xu Qianhui!"

Chu Yunci and Lin Zuoqing shouted at the same time.

With their eyes wide with rage, the two men, without a second thought, braced themselves on the railing and prepared to climb down from the second floor.

Just now.

In the lobby on the first floor, a fiery red figure shot up from the ground like an arrow.

Just before Xu Qianhui was about to fall onto the bluestone slab, an arm appeared out of nowhere and firmly embraced her slender waist.