Before sunrise, Jinhung City still lay beneath a dark blue sky, and the usually busy streets around the Shangguan Clan residence remained unusually quiet.Inside the compound, fourteen-year-old Ceng had already been awake for some time, because household servants were expected to finish their morning work before senior family members appeared.He had entered the Shangguan household at eight years old, so the rhythm of sweeping courtyards, carrying water, and avoiding unnecessary criticism had become familiar.That morning, his first concern was ordinary and practical, because two Fenghuangmu flame trees in the front courtyard had dropped red blossoms across the stone paving.Ceng looked at the scattered petals and muttered, “If the patriarch sees this mess before breakfast, I will spend the whole morning being scolded.”He gripped the broom more tightly and worked faster, pushing damp red blossoms into neat piles while the high walls kept most of the predawn wind outside.The quiet he

As morning deepened, the deaths at the Shangguan gate became the main subject in markets, restaurants, workshops, and merchant courtyards. Every neighborhood seemed to possess a different version, even though nobody outside the clan had access to complete information. The central question divided Jinhung residents quickly: had assassins killed the guards directly, or had some mysterious poison caused their deaths? Inside a crowded restaurant near the market district, two men argued loudly enough that surrounding diners could hear every word. One slapped the table and said, “The green dragon banner was left beside the bodies, so what more proof do you need?” The second man shook his head. “A banner proves someone wanted the symbol seen, not that the person represented by it committed the murders.” Several diners turned their attention t

Wang Ding waited inside the VVIP room while warm lamp light reflected across polished furniture and silk screens. The space had been arranged for privacy, with expensive bedding, a low table, and restrained incense that softened the smell of wine. Half an hour of waiting had already irritated him enough that Ning Ju’s arrival felt less like service than something owed. She stood just inside the doorway with lowered eyes and said, “Please forgive the delay, Young Master Wang, because I am still unfamiliar with the Pavilion’s schedule.” Wang Ding studied her face and decided Madam Lily had not exaggerated the value of the newcomer’s appearance. He stepped closer and replied, “You can apologize by not wasting another moment now that you are finally here.” Ning Ju lowered her head slightly. “I will follow the arrang