The Hidden Guard panicked and rushed to explain, "Your Highness, I assure you! This was not my doing! The reports say it seems Han Tong suffered a sudden heart ailment. He was gone before a doctor could reach him..."

CRASH—!

Xiao Chengxuan swept everything off the desk in a single motion, the pent-up frustration he’d felt all day finally reaching its peak.

"Useless fool!"

’Of all the times for that Han Tong to die, he had to pick now. Even if I had a hundred mouths, I wouldn’t be able to explain my way out of this!’

’He betrayed me, put me in this predicament, and now he’s taken the easy way out!’

’And I don’t even know who to take this anger out on!’

The Hidden Guard lowered his head even further. "Your Highness, please quell your anger!"

’Quell my anger?’

’Easy for you to say!’

"Han Tong has always been a cautious man. He would never have betrayed me so suddenly. There has to be something else going on here!"

’But now he’s dead, and there’s no way to investigate!’

It was all too coincidental. Xiao Chengxuan couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

"A man who was perfectly healthy is just... gone. I’d like to see how Shen Yanchuan is going to explain this!"

The Hidden Guard hesitated before lowering his voice. "...Your Highness, the Heir of Duke Dingbei has been in his residence all day; he hasn’t stepped out. I heard the man was escorted to the Ministry of Justice last night. After Han Tong died, the first person to arrive on the scene was Lord Su Wei..."

So, Han Tong’s death had absolutely nothing to do with Shen Yanchuan!

A throbbing pain shot through Xiao Chengxuan’s head.

It felt as if things were imperceptibly slipping out of his control, a feeling that made him deeply uneasy.

But he had just been reprimanded by his Imperial Father today. He was at the center of a storm, and anything he did would attract immense scrutiny.

If anything else went wrong at a time like this, the consequences would be far more severe than just being summoned to the palace for a reprimand!

So, he had to endure.

Xiao Chengxuan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Are you certain his death had nothing to do with anyone else?" he asked coldly.

The Hidden Guard replied respectfully, "Rest assured, Your Highness. No one will find any evidence that there was anything unusual about his physical condition before he died."

’The man’s dead. There’s no use talking about it anymore. The most important thing now is to sever all connections.’

"And what about Han Yao—"

"Since being locked up, Han Yao hasn’t revealed anything else. It seems what he spouted during his public outburst was everything he knew."

Only then did Xiao Chengxuan relax slightly.

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Leave. For the time being, do not make any rash moves without my explicit command."

’At this stage, it’s best to lie low.’

"Yes!"

After the Hidden Guard departed, Xiao Chengxuan sat alone in the room for a long time, his turbulent emotions refusing to settle.

’If Huo Yucheng’s case is really overturned, then I, as the one who handled it back then, will be the first to face the consequences!’

’Therefore—no matter what, Huo Yucheng’s guilt must be sealed! There can be no chance of exoneration!’

...

Su Pei’er drank the bitter medicine. A gentle warmth spread through her body, seeming to thaw even her icy hands and feet.

Her young maid promptly handed her a piece of candied fruit.

"It’s all thanks to Doctor Ye! Your color looks so much better, Miss!"

Su Pei’er held the sweet fruit in her mouth, her mind drifting for a moment.

She had been through so much recently that she barely even noticed the bitterness of the medicine anymore. Still, she cherished the kind gesture.

"Dong’er, you’ve had to suffer because of me."

Dong’er’s eyes reddened, and she shook her head vehemently. "What are you saying, Miss! If you hadn’t saved me from those human traffickers back then, I would have frozen to death on the street long ago! How could I possibly still be alive today?"

A look of pity filled Su Pei’er’s eyes. Suddenly, she heard footsteps outside.

She instinctively glanced toward the door, and in the next moment, it swung open.

"Miss Su, the case of the Han family father and son is now closed. It has nothing to do with you. You are free to leave."