Rui was intrigued.
Just yesterday, Rong Xi had handled the abacus with effortless grace—fingers moving lightly across the beads, every answer precise. Her posture had been relaxed, almost careless. Her gaze distant, as if the entire lesson bored her.
Yet she had answered every question from her accounting tutor without a single mistake.
He had not expected that. His parents had always described her as sweet. Gentle. Innocent. He had assumed those words meant dull. Another noble daughter raised to smile politely, embroider flowers, and eventually marry well.
But now… He wasn't so sure. Watching her secretly investigate his identity had both amused and excited him. Even without knowing he was her betrothed, she had grown curious enough to follow him. The thought sent a strange flutter through his chest. He disliked it.
Then something sharper had twisted inside him when he saw her pawn the hairpin he had given her. Yet that irritation vanished the moment she began negotiating with the restaurant owner over travel rations.
She was ruthless. Calm. Efficient. Better than half the merchants he dealt with.
He had waited until she left before stepping inside the shop himself. Inside the travel pack he purchased were dried shrimp, two kinds of fish, jerky, and a travel bun—everything neatly packed for long journeys.
Rui frowned slightly. First she pawned his gift. Then she sold food under a false name. What exactly did she need silver for?
He had considered following her. But duty came first. Back in his chambers, Shen and Leef were already waiting beside his desk.
Rui sat down. "Master Wu?"
"We lost him near the capital," Shen reported. "No trace since."
Rui exhaled slowly. His desk was buried under scrolls—reports from the Optics Group stacked beside documents from his family's merchant network. Balancing both worlds was exhausting.
"Wu Zhen?" Rui asked.
Leef's voice turned sharp.
"Most likely the one behind Young Miss Rong's attempted drowning. Jealous bastard. Still bitter you inherited the seal."
"Enough." Rui rubbed his temple.
"It's either Zhen or Mo Tianlan," Leef continued anyway. "Both resent your position—one the blood son, the other the first disciple—"
"I said enough." His voice cut through the room like a blade.
"Focus on Miss Rong Xi's case."
Shen nodded. "And Master Wu?"
Rui leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "He'll surface eventually. Until then, keep searching."
Shen bowed and left the room.
Leef lingered. "So… she didn't recognize you," he said lightly. "Disappointed?"
Rui gave him a flat look.
Leef only smirked. "She's even more beautiful in person than in her portrait. Though your drawing—"
Rui's glare stopped him mid-sentence. Leef straightened immediately and slipped out. Silence returned to the room. Rui stared at the closed door. He would never admit it aloud. But Leef was right. She was even more captivating in person.
There was something about her—something haunting. She had slipped into his thoughts. Into his sleep. No woman had ever unsettled him like this. He had trained for years to master his breath, his pulse, his body. Yet around her… Something inside him slipped. Something primal. Something dangerous.
Rui forced his attention back to the latest report. Salt. Contraband salt hidden inside their shipments. No official source. No traceable supplier. He had been tracking it for weeks.
A month and a half ago, several members of the Optics Group had been arrested. The public believed Rui had come to Qiyang to meet his future bride. But that was only a convenient excuse. In truth… He came for this investigation.
The trail had finally led him here. And now a new clue had appeared. Hidden inside the Moonlit Pavilion. A brothel.
###
The streets were nearly deserted. Vendors packed away their goods. Shopkeepers extinguished lanterns one by one. The lively market from earlier had dissolved into an uneasy silence.
Ordinarily, Rong Xi might have been afraid. But tonight she had prepared. Ground pepper rested in her sleeve—her makeshift weapon. The alleyway ahead was nearly pitch black. She kept one hand on the wall, feeling her way forward through the narrow passage until she reached the abandoned house.
Her heart sank. It looked exactly the same as before. Dust blanketed every surface. The furniture sat untouched, frozen in time. No mystic. No sign of life. Just a house forgotten by the world.
"Hello?" Rong Xi called softly. "Please come out. I need to speak with you." Her voice echoed through the empty rooms.
Only silence answered.
Frustration tightened in her chest. She left the house and slipped back through the alley toward the docks. During the day, the harbor was impossible to watch without being noticed. Dockworkers and crew filled every corner. But at night… It was easier to observe. From the shadows, Rong Xi studied the ship.
The floating tea house was still lively. Men staggered down the gangplank drunk while others eagerly boarded, lured by the ship's rumored pleasures.
Rong Xi frowned. There was no way she could sneak aboard unnoticed. She would have to earn enough money to board legally.
Turning toward home, she had barely taken a few steps when— A scream shattered the silence. A little girl burst from the mouth of a nearby alley. She stumbled and fell to her knees. Then she scrambled up and ran again. Two men chased after her.
Rong Xi rushed forward—but she was too late. By the time she reached the alley, the men had already thrown the girl into a sack. The bundle thrashed violently. Muffled cries escaped from inside. Alarm surged through Rong Xi. She followed them from a distance.
The men took the darkest route possible before slipping through the back entrance of a brothel. Rong Xi hesitated only a moment. Then she circled around and entered through the front. The interior was thick with incense and laughter. Patrons feasted and drank while courtesans draped themselves across their laps. Five floors of balconies rose above her, each lined with women entertaining guests.
Rong Xi quickly assessed the situation. If she wanted to search for the kidnapped girl… Blending in as a courtesan would be far safer than pretending to be a customer. She slipped through the crowd and climbed the stairs. A group of courtesans passed by, giggling loudly as they left one room unattended. Rong Xi ducked inside.
Just as she hoped—it was a dressing room. Silken robes and delicate undergarments hung from wooden partitions. Sheer fabrics draped over screens where the women changed. She searched quickly. Finally, she pulled out a red undergarment and a translucent red robe. Changing swiftly, she grabbed a sheer handkerchief and tied it around her head, covering the lower half of her face. Only her eyes remained visible.
She loosened her hair and glanced at the mirror. Now… She looked like any other courtesan. Keeping to the shadows, Rong Xi began searching the brothel. Room by room. Careful. Silent.
She guessed the girl would be locked somewhere hidden. Probably a storage room. Moving toward the lower level near the busy kitchen, she found exactly what she expected. A locked door. Rong Xi sighed softly. Now the problem was how to steal the key.
Suddenly—A hand clamped over her mouth. Before she could react—she was yanked backward into the darkness.