An Jin couldn’t get close to Yan Huo, but I could. The Three Kingdoms Competition has not yet ended, making it an ideal time to approach. An Jin threatened me that if I tried to see Yan Huo again, I would be expelled from the secret department and meet the same fate as Yuan Xiao. Before Yuan Xiao picked up a small golden badge for me, An Jin had fed him carrots for three days, resulting in Yuan Xiao’s red eyes and perked ears like a giant white rabbit.
I stammered and promised I would not seek Yan Huo, which finally calmed An Jin. However, he ordered Que’er to closely monitor me, restricting any unusual movements. The colleagues in the secret department must endure a boss who is moody and likes to feed people carrots, making their work quite challenging.
However, An Jin had a flaw in his otherwise perfect plan: I promised not to actively look for Yan Huo, but I could let him come to me.
Before implementing this plan, I hesitated. I had no grudge against Yan Huo, and he had not wronged me. Scheming against him felt unfair given our previous friendship. But just as my heart softened, the desperate face of Princess Nan Rui hardened my resolve.
Perhaps it was guilt towards her or her resemblance to me that motivated me to seek justice for her. Bringing her murderer to justice would be the greatest comfort to her spirit.
I went to the bookstore daily. With my mother-in-law’s opposition, Yuan Xiao, the thirteenth young master, had to lay low, and the store returned to its quiet state. Under this cover, I used Yan Huo’s features to create a semi-nude painting of Yuan Xiao.
I termed it semi-nude because I abandoned the overly direct style, adopting a half-concealed form. The Emperor of Western Liang wears a silk robe that reveals his chest and legs, with his hair loose, carefully hiding key areas and leaving much to the imagination.
A girl kneels beside him, her hair half-tied and slender arms slightly extended, exuding a post-coital atmosphere. After finishing the white sketch, I covered my nose, which was bleeding, and stuffed the painting into a book of poetry.
