Defeat the system! Kiss my little monster!

Shen Yu stopped in his tracks. He turned around and saw Mu Yuyuan's fingers stiffen for a few moments before she helplessly withdrew them.

“I know you and the Empress were in the backyard that day,” Mu Yuyuan said in a low voice. “Qingyu, the palace maid you knocked out, has confessed everything.”

Shen Yu stared at him, then smiled and asked, "Really? What did she say?"

"She insists that you killed those people and buried the bodies in the well. I went there that day and saw you and the Empress leaving." Mu Yuyuan's eyes flickered uncertainly. "I know you're not that kind of person. Tell me the truth, what really happened that day?"

“Chief, there are more corpses buried in the backyard than just those in the well,” Shen Yu said. “There are also some corpses buried in the small hill in the backyard, if I’m not sure. If their bodies haven’t completely decomposed, you can go and examine their wounds.”

"Check their bodies for any knife wounds left by your guards."

Mu Yuyuan's expression froze: "What?"

“We are all His Majesty’s pawns.” Shen Yu said meaningfully, “Chief, the secret guards under your command are not your secret guards.”

Xuan Lin, determined to maintain a firm grip on imperial power, would not allow Mu Yuyuan to wield excessive authority. Mu Yuyuan was merely a tool in Xuan Lin's hands; though nominally the leader of the secret guards, she possessed little real power. Mu Yuyuan likely didn't even know the cause of death of the people on Chengyuan Mountain.

Mu Yuyuan remained silent. The pure black mask on his face was grotesque, resembling a wild beast, adding to his terrifying coldness.

What do you mean by that?

Shen Yu withdrew his hand and said, "On the surface, the leader can listen if he wants to, or not listen if he doesn't. But if you want to continue investigating, you should ask Sister Qingyu where she got so many corpses and why she came all the way to Kunning Palace to bury them."

Mu Yuyuan frowned, looked at Shen Yu, and said cryptically, "You know a lot."

“Didn’t I already say?” Shen Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, “We are all working for His Majesty.”

Mu Yuyuan's fingers curled slightly. Seeing that Shen Yu had no intention of staying any longer after speaking, he couldn't help but say, "I can pretend I didn't hear what happened yesterday, but Wen Yu is His Majesty's Empress. If you don't want to die, then stop now."

Shen Yu paused, let out a cold laugh for no reason, and turned to leave without saying a word.

Mu Yuyuan stood frozen in the shadows, watching Shen Yu walk away. Suddenly, in a fit of anger, he punched the wall beside him hard. The rough surface of the wall broke the skin on his fingers.

Mu Yuyuan's eyes were red and swollen. He took off his mask and wiped his eyes hard.

Shen Yu completely disregarded the situation behind him; Mu Yuyuan was simply inexplicable.

The palace maids and eunuchs who had been staying in the pavilion had all dispersed. The entire corridor was empty, with only occasional sounds of conversation coming from afar.

On the way, Shen Yu opened the small note that Ying Shiqi had given him earlier. He looked inside and saw a line of words scrawled on it.

"We will meet in the inner palace at midnight tonight."

Shen Yu stuffed the note back into his sleeve.

The palace maids and eunuchs in the outer hall were still sweeping the corners of the walls when they saw Shen Yu return from outside. They all secretly gave Shen Yu hand gestures.

They all had secret codes for exchanging information, and Shen Yu, having spent some time among them, had also learned some of the tricks.

The gestures they are making now are simply a sign that the Empress is in a bad mood, and that they should act according to the situation and not interfere.

Shen Yu acted as if he hadn't seen him. Before entering the inner hall, he poured a cup of warm water, placed it on the table, and then took it to the inner hall.

The inner hall was pitch black and heavy. Wen Yu was often depressed, so he would light red candles in broad daylight and decorate the room to look as dark and deathly as possible.

Shen Yu lifted the beaded curtain and stepped inside. He glanced to the side and saw Wen Yu applying medicine to the swollen and red areas on his legs. He hadn't had time to change the dressings on his injured areas in his haste to leave that morning.

Shen Yu was somewhat surprised to see this. Wen Yu usually waited for Shen Yu to come back to treat and check his wounds, but this time she actually dug the medicine out from under the bed herself.

"Your Majesty, let me help you." Shen Yu put down what he was holding, walked closer to Wen Yu, and took the medicine bottle next to him.

Wen Yu lifted his eyelids, but said nothing. He simply turned his leg towards Shen Yu's direction and asked, "You went to see him?"

Shen Yu grasped Wen Yu's injured leg, observing the healing progress of the wound as he spoke, "I've seen him and explained everything."

Wen Yu raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

“I don’t know him. He’s mistaken me for someone else, but he’ll never admit it.” Shen Yu said calmly as he massaged the swollen skin on Wen Yu’s legs. Suddenly, he leaned closer to Wen Yu and asked, “Your Majesty, smell me. Do I have any odor?”

"What kind of smell could you possibly have?" Wen Yu's expression wasn't good. He glanced at Shen Yu, then leaned forward and sniffed at his neck before saying nothing more.

Looking at his expression, Shen Yu smiled and asked, "What does it taste like?"

Wen Yu snorted coldly: "It doesn't taste like anything."

"How could that be?" Shen Yu turned his head and bit Wen Yu's lips. "I smell like you all over."

"You're just talking nonsense." Wen Yu's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. He tilted his head slightly and kissed Shen Yu before returning to his original position.

Shen Yu didn't delve any deeper. He wrapped and tied the bandage around Wen Yu's wound, and when he looked up, he saw Wen Yu leaning against the bedpost behind him, massaging his knuckles.

Shen Yu glanced at it and then looked away: "Your Highness, what did the commander say to you today?"

Wen Yu paused, looked at Shen Yu, and after a moment of silence, said, "It's nothing, just about yesterday. They asked about my whereabouts."

"Didn't he tell you about those corpses?" Shen Yu asked casually.

Wen Yu tensed up for a moment: "...How did you know?"

"The commander also came to see me today. Qingyu said that I killed those people on Chengyuan Mountain."

Wen Yu's face immediately darkened, and his tone became even more sinister: "You should have killed her that day. None of those spies are good people."

"Your Highness, she cannot be killed yet." Shen Yu closed his eyes slightly. "If you kill her, how will Your Highness find your senior brothers and sisters?"

Wen Yu was stunned: "You..."

"The place where everyone is imprisoned on Mount Chengyuan is known only to a very few people, and Qingyu is one of them." Shen Yu gently pressed Wen Yu's palm. "Your Majesty, do you want to save them?"

He had an androgynous appearance, but when he raised his eyes, he possessed a certain alluring charm as rumored. Wen Yu, being a man, had never thought of himself as having such an air about him, but now, looking at Shen Yu, he found that there was actually some truth to the rumors.

Wen Yu's pupils reflected Shen Yu's face. His eyelashes lowered, and he asked, "Do you have a way to save them?"

"Of course." Shen Yu's fingers intertwined with Wen Yu's, his eyes devoid of emotion as he looked at Wen Yu, as if making a casual promise. "So... what does Your Majesty think?"