Chapter 180: Night Intrusion into the Crown Prince's Residence

Chi Nan Yi led him into the space, gave him a disdainful glance: "Bragging, and you beat them to the point they're scrambling for teeth on the ground; I think it's you who got beaten to the ground looking for teeth. Counting on you, I don't even know how great‑aunt died."

Watching the black‑clad men gradually converge outside, Chi Nan Yi's eyes grew colder with killing intent.

One of the black‑clad men tried to step forward and open the carriage door; as his hand touched the carriage, a Silver Needle struck his throat dead‑on, and before he could react, his breath ceased.

As he fell, the black‑clad men who were about to approach abruptly halted.

At that moment, the carriage gave a slight sway, and the door was opened from inside.

Chi Nan Yi, dressed in a blue robe and a pure white great cloak, stepped slowly out of the carriage riddled with countless holes.

A gentle breeze brushed past, her garments fluttering, and the aura around her was several degrees colder than the winter wind.

When they saw her finally appear, the leading black‑clad man sneered: "Southern First Young Master, you finally deigned to show up. If you surrender, I could consider giving you a quick end; if you're unwise…" He chuckled darkly a few times: "Then don't blame our men for being ruthless."

Chi Nan Yi heard that and sneered: "You think I, the young master, would surrender? You're not even qualified." Her gaze swept over the arrows on the ground and on the carriage, realizing how hard Qing Shan's fight had been: "Was the sword just now satisfying?" She picked up an arrow from the ground, and upon seeing the peculiar markings on it, her pupils contracted sharply.

Mo Junheng.

This is a person sent by Mo Junheng—could he have discovered my identity?

"Enough chatter!" the leading black‑clad man shouted: "Today is your day of death!"

He swung his arm, and a dozen black‑clad men encircled her.

"Just you lot?" Chi Nan Yi flung both hands to the sides, and medicinal powder rose with the wind, spreading outward.

"Bad! It's poisonous!"

Though someone warned, it was too late; many inhaled the toxic powder and collapsed.

"Damn! Using poison, such a vile method!"

"If the young master uses poison, that's vile; what about you? Overwhelming the few, striking when they're unprepared, taking all the advantage—on what right?" Chi Nan Yi's lips curled, smiling: "The young master not only poisons, but also employs hidden weapons."

With those words, she flicked her wrist, and countless Silver Needles glowing green appeared in her hand.

"Retreat!"

"Want to run? Dream on."

The Silver Needles shot from her hand, their short length accompanied by a sharp rush of wind, piercing the target cleanly.

Once the Silver Needle entered the body, the poison spread instantly, and one after another they fell.

Chi Nan Yi walked slowly up to those people, looking down from above with no trace of compassion on her face.

"Dare to scheme against me, this is your fate."

"Don't think I don't know who your master is; I'll deal with Mo Junheng in due time."

"Perhaps he should envy you; at least you die a quick death."

Chi Nan Yi's mind flickered, and she sucked all the corpses on the ground into the space, intending to give him a proper present.

She released Cui Niang and Qing Shan, gave them antidotes, and after a short while the two slowly revived.

"Southern First!"

Qing Shan sprang to his feet, the wound on his body tugged, and he winced, inhaling a sharp breath.

A porcelain bottle was tossed into his arms: "Healing medicine."

"Southern First! Are you alright? Were you injured?"

"Miss." Cui Niang rubbed her head, stood up from the ground bewildered: "What happened to this old servant?" She turned to look at the carriage that had been riddled with arrows and froze: "This… this is …"

"Mountain bandits." Chi Nan Yi said lightly: "Alright, go back."

Cui Niang naturally understood that her words meant she shouldn't ask further; after Qing Shan applied the medicine, his wounds truly no longer hurt.

"What about those black‑clad men?"

Chi Nan Yi gave him a cold stare and said lightly: "Who said they had to stand in front of me, the ones beaten to the ground looking for teeth? Bragging."

"I… I can't beat them, two fists can't match four hands!" At that point, Qing Shan fell silent.

She couldn't beat them herself, so how did she manage it?

It doesn't look like there are any battle traces here; could those people have withdrawn?

"Um…"

"Return to the city."

"Oh." Qing Shan dared not ask anything else, and hurriedly followed.

At the city gate, Chi Nan Yi saw the refugees again, only this time their numbers seemed larger than before, and some shelters had been erected outside the city; during the previous snow disaster, those refugees had taken shelter there and had not frozen to death.

In her previous life, the court never built shelters, and she didn't know who came up with the idea this time.

At that moment, a convoy approached from afar, and among the crowd a figure looked familiar.

Wasn't that Qing Zhuo beside Lord Xie Yuwei?

At that instant, a corner of the carriage curtain was lifted, and Chi Nan Yi saw clearly that the person seated inside was Lord Xie Yuwei.

How did he get here?

In her previous life, at this time Xie Yuwei should still have been in Qing Jun County.

And the attire he wore seemed to be that of a fourth‑rank official.

Is this… a promotion?

"Do you know anyone inside?"

"Hmm." Chi Nan Yi nodded: "He's a good official, just a bit stubborn."

She wasn't sure whether he truly believed his own words, but had prepared cold‑resistance measures and food stores in advance.

But since he could be promoted, he must have achieved something.

Night fell.

A ghostly figure darted through the streets as Chi Nan Yi made her way to the outside of the Crown Prince's Residence; she looked up at the familiar wall, a complex expression flashing in her eyes.

She leapt over the wall, her steps light as she landed in a desolate courtyard of the rear garden.

This courtyard is extremely remote and has always been vacant; until Mo Junheng ascended the throne, no one ever lived here. She is very familiar with every part of the Crown Prince's Residence, and coming here feels like strolling through her own yard—knowing where the guards are, when they patrol, where the Dark Guard are; she may even know it better than Mo Junheng the Crown Prince.

Chi Nan Yi easily evaded all the guards and made her way to Mo Junheng's courtyard.

At this moment, Mo Junheng had not yet rested.

He half‑squinted as he listened to the songstress's pipa in the residence, thoroughly enjoying it.

"Your Highness," Gao Feng hurriedly walked in.

Mo Junheng waved his hand, the pipa music in the room ceased, and the songstress, understanding the cue, stepped out.

"What's the matter?"

"Your Highness, our men haven't returned; I just sent people to look for them, but we haven't found any trace."

"No trace? What does that mean?" Mo Junheng sat up straight and said, "You won't tell me, will you? You dispatched so many people, yet you can't even catch a single innkeeper!"

Gao Feng lowered his head and remained silent. Mo Junheng slammed the tea cup on the table to the floor and shouted angrily, "Useless! Useless! You can't even catch a single person—what's the point of keeping them alive?"