Zhi’er pointed at Song Qingrui, who was leaning aside and unconscious.

"I came here to find a friend and accidentally stumbled upon their plan."

"Besides, I’m not afraid of Prince Li Zheng. If he provokes my friends, no matter how formidable he is, I will deal with it to the end."

The man in black heard her fearless tone and glanced at her bright eyes.

He couldn’t help but laugh, his voice was deep and melodious.

"You are quite courageous."

Zhi’er crossed her arms: "Enough about me, but you—why are you always here, what exactly are you investigating?"

Under the mask of the man in black, his black eyes were as unfathomable as an abyss.

His tone was both mocking and laughing: "I am here for these statues."

"Statues?" Zhi’er was somewhat puzzled.

The man in black nodded: "Prince Li Zheng commissioned many statues, and every year, on the late Empress’s memorial day, three statues are transported out."

"Although, on the surface, it’s purported to be blessings for the late Empress, to aid her early reincarnation, in truth..."

"You’ve seen it—those statues are filled with their greed; the late Empress has merely become an excuse for their chaos."

Zhi’er nodded thoughtfully: "What exactly is inside the statues?"

The man in black smiled slightly: "I’ll take you to see, and you’ll understand."

Earlier those men ran far off, and Zhi’er was about to open the door.

Suddenly!

The man in black pressed her hand.

He whispered urgently: "Be careful, someone is coming outside."

Voices sounded outside the door—

"She’s just a woman; she can’t have run far, and she doesn’t know where the mechanisms are; there’s no way out."

"That’s right, she must still be hiding here. She’s definitely concealed in one of these rooms; let’s search every room!"

The man in black furrowed his brow slightly.

It seems those people are about to come for them.

He turned to Zhi’er, and saw the girl’s beautiful face was calm and composed.

There was not a hint of panic.

Those star-like eyes seemed to be contemplating something.

She remained steady.

Zhi’er glanced sideways at the man in black: "Your martial skills should be decent, right?"

The man in black raised his eyebrows: "Fair enough."

Zhi’er nodded: "I’ll open the door in a moment, we stand behind the door, when they come in, we strike the back of their neck."

The man in black chuckled: "Not killing them?"

Zhi’er shook her head: "It’s not reached that point yet."

They both agreed on the plan, and the footsteps outside gradually approached.

Zhi’er and the man in black stood left and right beside the door.

Just as Zhi’er was about to pull open the door, suddenly, a short gasp of surprise came from beside her.

The people outside immediately heard it.

"What was that sound?"

"The cry seems to have come from this room!"

Inside the room.

Zhi’er had already covered Song Qingrui’s mouth.

Song Qingrui was panting heavily, her eyes filled with terror, looking at the man in black nearby.

She had just woken up and saw Zhi’er standing with the man in black.

So she panicked momentarily, and instinctively cried out.

Unexpectedly, she alarmed the house servants outside.

The man in black stood beside the door, staring at the position of the doorway, squinting slightly.

He gripped the soft sword in his sleeve, his gaze fierce, ready to strike.

However, at this moment, urgent footsteps approached the doorway—

"Quick, the Emperor is here, the Prince and Princess Consort have gone to the front courtyard to greet him, you hurry and pack the things, transport them out through the back door!"

The house servants didn’t care to check the room, hurriedly walked away.