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Finally, this time, there was a response. From Residence Harmony, a female voice replied lazily and coquettishly, ”It is very safe here. Why would I move about in the middle of the night? Here is fine.”

Xuanyuan Cheng raised his eyebrows again, his eyes betraying hints of suspicion. In a low voice, he tried to persuade her once again. ”Your Highness, since you stay in my residence, I am responsible for your safety. I dare not take chances. If anything happens to you before your wedding, I cannot make it up. Please, Your Highness.”

The courtyard fell silent once again. After a while, Meng Fuyao replied, ”You do not have to take any responsibility if anything happens. I will suffer the consequences of my choices.”

This response deepened Xuanyuan Cheng's suspicions. When he had stepped out of his daughter's room, he had vaguely spotted something flash by the wall. Subsequently, he had heard an odd sound when he visited Yuwen Zi. Initially, he did not think much of it, but afterward, he felt that sound was one of the bones moving; definitely not from Yuwen Zi. Then, who could it be? He did not need to suspect the people under him, and the most probable would be the servants beside Yuwen Zi. Linking it with the vague flash he saw, how could he not have his doubts?

This Yuwen Zi fitted the information he had of her to the tee. But what about the people around her? Furthermore, Yuwen Zi had denied him of his entry, which had aroused his wariness.

If it was just a cloud of suspicion, it was now an ominous, dark sky of suspicion that he had to clear.

”Your Highness! You are a lady, if the assassin were to break into your room, how would you protect yourself?” Enunciating each word clearly, he continued, ”Your Highness' safety is my responsibility; it cannot be taken lightly. Your Highness, please come out!”

He waved his hand, and thousands of guards chanted uniformly, ”Your Highness, please come out! Your Highness, please come out!”

The ear-splitting, deafening chant resounded in the entire yard. Even the copper bell vibrated ever so slightly.

”Ah…” The lady sighed resignedly. A while later, Meng Fuyao gave in. ”Then if I may just ask you to enter alone.”

Xuanyuan Cheng was taken aback. Meng Fuyao added, ”You can be considered my relative. There's nothing to hide… Really… I… I… Please enter.”

Her hesitation caused Xuanyuan Cheng's gaze to waver. After some deliberation, he said, ”Yes, Your Highness.”

The guards beside him immediately crowded forward and quietly tried to persuade him, ”Your Highness, your valuable body…”

”No harm.” Xuanyuan Cheng smiled elegantly, but an undeniable hint of arrogance was embedded in his tone. ”There is no one in this world that can take my life in one move, not even my senior.”

Under the illumination of the sea of torches, alone, he pushed open the doors to Residence Harmony. He was greeted by darkness. A few shadows that were cast from the light beyond the walls further added to the eerie and mysterious vibes of the place. His heart jumped.

Then he calmed down. 'What could there even be? An assassin? A spy? A killer? Very well, I'll let him never return.'

His shoes knocked against the stone floor in a calm, steady beat. The yard was oddly quiet but listening closely, it was as though someone was laughing softly.

Xuanyuan Cheng stopped short in his tracks, his eyes filled with confusion.

'Laughter?'

In the middle of the night, not a single torch lit in the yard, surrounded by thousands of armed soldiers. To actually hear a peal of laughter in this situation.

Xuanyuan Cheng snorted. 'Trying to act mysterious? Scaring me away?'

He pulled his sleeves back, quickening his steps. He had used his inner energy, and the places where his feet landed would cause a hairline crack in the tiles.

He made his way into the third inner courtyard—still no one in sight.

Suddenly, the peal of laughter faded.

The air in the courtyard was still, as though there was not a single soul there. Yet, it felt as though every corner of the place was under watch, hiding behind the walls, the flowers, the trees—it was omnipresent.

Xuanyuan Cheng took in a deep breath. 'The opponent seems to be skilled in psychological attacks. Without making a move, he can instill anxiety into people.'

He refused to be controlled like that. ”Your Highness, my apologies!”

His actions were quicker than his words. Before the words ”Your Highness” had been said, he had already broken down the first door that led to the inner room.

Bang!

The heavy door collided with the wall with such force that even the residence seemed to shake. This one move of his had instantly opened out all the windows of the residence, laying the sight in the house bare for Xuanyuan Cheng to see.