Qing Huan used her Qinggong to leap effortlessly over the wall, landing softly on the ground.
She glanced around. The night was hazy, and in the distance, a palace lantern cast a dim, yellow glow.
The area was deserted.
Qing Huan broke into a run, moving swiftly forward.
Her movements were quick and nimble, like a black cat, and she didn’t make a single sound.
Shortly after she left, two Night Owl Guards dressed in black emerged from the shadows. They, too, used their Qinggong and gave chase in the direction Qing Huan had gone.
To avoid being discovered, they didn’t dare follow too closely.
They maintained a careful distance—not too far, not too close.
The Supervisor had said that Princess Consort Zhao wouldn’t just sit quietly in Chaoyang Palace. Since she was pregnant and her mobility was limited, she would have to dispatch her personal maid to handle her affairs. All they had to do was watch Chaoyang Palace, and they would be sure to catch the maid in the act.
It turned out the Supervisor’s prediction was spot-on.
Princess Consort Zhao’s maid had indeed made a move.
The two Night Owl Guards planned to tail the maid discreetly and see what she was up to.
If they could figure out her destination, they could report back to the Supervisor and claim credit for their work.
One ran ahead while two gave chase.
The three of them darted silently between the palace buildings.
After chasing for some time, both Night Owl Guards were starting to feel tired.
One of them asked, panting, "Haven’t we been here before?"
The other wiped sweat from his brow. "It’s pitch-black out here! How am I supposed to tell?!"
They paused for only a moment, but Qing Huan immediately pulled further ahead. Alarmed, the two guards didn’t dare rest any longer and scrambled to catch up.
「Sometime later.」
One of the Night Owl Guards pointed to a nearby palace.
"I’m positive we’ve been here before! I’m not mistaken. That maid is leading us in circles on purpose!"
Realizing something was amiss, they both cursed under their breath.
’That wretched girl dares to toy with us!’
Without further hesitation, they drew their sabers, accelerated, and cut off Qing Huan’s path.
Qing Huan was forced to a halt and looked at them with a puzzled expression.
"You two are..."
The two Night Owl Guards waited for what felt like an eternity, but she didn’t continue. Their patience worn thin, one of them demanded,
"What are you doing running around in the middle of the night? Are you up to some sort of shady business?"
Qing Huan: "I... was... acting... on orders..."
The Night Owl Guard pressed impatiently, "On whose orders? And to do what?"
Qing Huan: "The Princess Consort... asked me to..."
The two Night Owl Guards waited, and waited, and waited. Still, she didn’t finish her sentence. Convinced she was deliberately stalling for time, they stopped hesitating and seized her, one on each side.
"You’re out without permission during the nightly curfew. That’s a violation of palace rules. You’ll have to come with us."
Before Qing Huan could protest, she was brought before Wu Wang.
Wu Wang had been sleeping. Having been abruptly woken, he was in a foul mood.
He sat on a low couch dressed in loose, black sleeping robes, his long hair unbound. His gaze was sharp and his voice was cold and deep.
"What is it?"
The two Night Owl Guards shoved Qing Huan forward and explained the situation.
Wu Wang’s eyes fell on Qing Huan. Noticing the cloth bundle in her hands, he asked in a low voice,
"What is that in your hands?"
Qing Huan: "This... is from... the Princess Consort..."
Wu Wang held out his hand. "Let me see."
Qing Huan: "I... don’t think... that’s a good idea."
The two Night Owl Guards at her side immediately acted, forcibly snatching the cloth bundle from her.
"How dare you refuse the Supervisor? You must have a death wish!"
They presented the bundle to Wu Wang, their fierce expressions instantly melting into fawning sycophancy.
Wu Wang didn’t reach for it. Instead, he said coolly,
"Open it."
The two Night Owl Guards immediately unwrapped the bundle, revealing an exquisitely crafted copper pot.
Upon seeing the copper pot, both Night Owl Guards froze. Even Wu Wang’s expression flickered with momentary disbelief.
If they weren’t mistaken, this copper pot was a chamber pot, the kind used by nobles in the palace!
A foul stench drifted out from the copper pot.
It completely confirmed their suspicions.
It really was a chamber pot!
The looks on the two Night Owl Guards’ faces were a sight to behold.
They wanted to drop it but didn’t dare, not without an order from the Supervisor. They could only fight back their nausea and continue holding the chamber pot.
Wu Wang raised a sleeve to cover his nose and mouth, turning slightly away. "Get that thing out of here!" he said with disgust.
As if granted a pardon, the two Night Owl Guards scrambled to take the chamber pot outside.
But even after the pot was gone, Wu Wang could still smell a lingering stench, and his expression was grim.
He glared coldly at Qing Huan.
"Why were you running around in the middle of the night with a chamber pot?"
Qing Huan looked innocent. "The Princess Consort... asked me... to go out... and empty... the chamber pot. I... didn’t... expect... to be... caught."
Wu Wang: "Do you have a stutter?"
Qing Huan answered dutifully, "I... just... speak a little... slowly. Please... forgive me... Supervisor."
Wu Wang sneered. "’Speak a little slowly’? You mean you have a stutter!"
Qing Huan looked hurt. She lowered her head and fell silent.
The two Night Owl Guards returned.
Knowing they had botched the job, they immediately fell to their knees upon entering and desperately tried to defend themselves.
"Supervisor, please have mercy! This maid was deliberately toying with us.
We asked her why she was running around in the dead of night.
She just hemmed and hawed, refusing to give us a straight answer.
We found her highly suspicious, which is why we brought her back for questioning."
Qing Huan looked up and explained earnestly,
"I... was trying... to explain, but... you... wouldn’t... listen. You... kept... interrupting... me."
The two Night Owl Guards immediately shot back, "Supervisor, look! She’s doing it again, hemming and hawing to stall for time! That’s the exact trick she used on us! Please, Supervisor, see the truth!"
Qing Huan looked aggrieved. "I... didn’t. You’re... wrongly... accusing me."
The two Night Owl Guards insisted, "Those are the facts! This is all your fault! You deliberately misled us!"
Wu Wang slammed his hand on the table.
CRACK! A fissure split across the wood.
"All of you, shut up!"
The two Night Owl Guards were scared into silence. They obediently clamped their mouths shut, not daring to utter another word.
Qing Huan lowered her head as well, looking thoroughly aggrieved.
Wu Wang said coldly, "You two will escort this maid back. Then, you will report to the Judicial Department to receive thirty strikes of the cane. If there is a next time, you will bring me your heads."
The two Night Owl Guards’ faces went pale, but they didn’t dare argue. They kowtowed in unison, thanking him for his judgment.
Wu Wang couldn’t stand to look at them a moment longer.
"Get out."
"Yes, Supervisor."
The two Night Owl Guards scrambled to their feet and led Qing Huan away from Wu Wang’s quarters.
Wu Wang watched Qing Huan’s retreating figure, his gaze growing dark and cold.
He knew this had all been deliberately arranged by Princess Consort Zhao.
She knew he had people watching her, so she’d intentionally sent Qing Huan running all over the Imperial Palace with a chamber pot.
’She set a trap, all to make a fool of me.’