He Anchang felt his face grow a little cold. He touched it and opened his eyes, only to see Xie Jingsheng's face already close to his. He abruptly sobered up, frowning, and said, "What are you doing?"

Xie Jingsheng propped his face with a smile and said, "I'm in a good mood."

He Anchang raised a finger to look, the ink on it was still wet. He then looked up at Xie Jingsheng, who made an innocent gesture. He Anchang said indifferently, "Good ink, it's a pity to leave it here."

Seeing his calm and detached expression, Xie Jingsheng sighed, "I also think it's a pity."

He Anchang felt that Xie Jingsheng had a purpose, but he was too lazy to think about it. He merely pulled a cotton handkerchief from his pocket, casually wiped his hand, and said, "These scrolls contain all the difficult cases handled by Registrar He. If you have nothing to do, you might as well take a look."

Xie Jingsheng saw the dark circles under his eyes, suggesting he hadn't rested well these past two days. In the past, Xie Jingsheng would certainly have made a sarcastic remark, but today he had no such inclination, and even had a slight desire to quickly conclude the case. Thinking this, he reached out his hand first. He pulled out three or two scrolls and brought them closer to look. After reading only four or five, Xie Jingsheng suddenly pointed at a name on one of them and asked him, "Do you think this person is worth investigating?"

He Anchang saw the name and knew Xie Jingsheng had come prepared. He merely said, "That night, he was eager to stand out. I had already guessed one or two things."

"I just think this person has the greatest motive and advantage for the crime." Xie Jingsheng repeatedly traced his finger under Xin Wen's name, saying, "A member of the imperial clan, quite favored by His Majesty, able to enter and exit the palace, and closely connected to the Imperial Clan Court. All of the above are his advantages for committing the crime. Furthermore, Prince of Qin presides over the Imperial Clan Court. If a Registrar is lost, as long as His Majesty doesn't insist on innocence in this case, then no matter who comes next, they won't be able to touch this Capital's Bully."

"Mm." He Anchang lowered his gaze, "But where is the evidence? You have nothing but your words."

Xie Jingsheng leaned over from the desk, his hands braced on either side of He Anchang's chair arms, trapping him. However, He Anchang remained completely unmoved, not even shifting his body to avoid him. Xie Jingsheng meticulously observed his beautiful, cold face, but in his heart, he was thinking of the charming demeanor from that night's drunkenness. With a serious tone, he said, "There's plenty of evidence; I just fear he won't be able to bear it."

"Then bring it out first and let's see what it's worth." He Anchang's eyes were lighter in color than an average person's, and prolonged looking would create a more exquisite sense of beauty.

Xie Jingsheng's throat moved. The evidence, already on the tip of his tongue, suddenly took a turn and became, "If you want to see it, then let's make a trade."

He Anchang uttered a slightly bewildered "Hm?" Xie Jingsheng only felt his chest being teased by He Anchang's cool detachment, a burning sensation ignited and shot through his entire body. He Anchang seemed to sense it, and indifferently said, "Lord Xie, are we still investigating this case?"

Investigate!

Of course, it must be investigated!

Xie Jingsheng took a deep breath, moved away from him, and retreated to the other end of the desk before calming down somewhat. He forced a smile, which in He Anchang's eyes, seemed to carry a hint of ruthlessness. Xie Jingsheng said, "I'll show you the evidence." He spread open a few scrolls he had brought, saying, "These are all Registrar He's treasured collections. It hasn't even been seven days since his death, so you must control yourself."

They were all erotic paintings. Yet, aside from the explicit content, the brushwork was truly delicate and the style graceful. Especially the women in them, with their languid cloud-like hair, alluring floral faces, and meticulously depicted eyebrows and eyes, they were lifelike. And the women in these paintings were all the same person, making them even more captivating and beautiful.

He Anchang calmly finished looking and said, "One artist."

"An unexpected person."

He Anchang's gaze gradually sharpened, and he spoke Registrar He's full name: "He Xu."

"A Registrar of the Imperial Clan Court, a fifth-rank official, who is usually strict in his uniform and rarely smiles, whose official documents are usually solemn decrees, but at night he has a keen liking for paintings of the bedroom, unrestrained and dissolute." Xie Jingsheng curled his lips into a smile and said, "It truly surprised me. If he weren't already dead, just for his precise painting skill, I would have made friends with him. Wouldn't you, Lord He, as a nodding acquaintance?"

"Although I knew him, I didn't know he had this hobby." He Anchang looked up at him, "You want to investigate the woman in these paintings?"

"Exactly." Xie Jingsheng rolled up the paintings and said, "All the paintings secretly hidden in He Xu's room depict this woman. It seems she was extremely favored by him but difficult to bring into public, so she had to be hidden away. Of course, it's also possible he just liked keeping a concubine secretly. Regardless, this woman must know something."

"Are you so sure?"

Xie Jingsheng smiled at him, revealing a hint of wickedness, and said, "If it were a beauty as enchanting as Xu Qingniang, I would certainly have revealed all my secrets too. As the saying goes, even heroes find it hard to resist a beautiful woman. If a talented hero like me can't resist, how much less a frail scholar like him?"

He Anchang directly ignored his previous sentence and said, "Since you can get hold of the hidden paintings from his room, wouldn't investigating the person be even easier?"

Xie Jingsheng sat on the desk, somewhat helplessly tossing the scroll up and down, and said, "That's true, but precisely this place, I really can't go alone."

He Anchang raised a hand to pour himself a cup of cold tea, saying, "The Capital is only so big. Is there anywhere that makes Lord Xie shy?"

"Then you don't understand," Xie Jingsheng caught the scroll and casually slipped it into the porcelain vase on He Anchang's desk, saying, "The more widely open a door is, the more common the roadside weeds. I've always preferred beauties, and I've truly never overstepped my bounds in this place. If we go together, perhaps I can help Lord He have his first experience?"

He Anchang drank the tea. His stomach felt empty and cold, making him feel a little uncomfortable. But since the conversation had reached this point, he merely nodded and hummed in agreement.

Even though He Anchang had considered the Flower Street in the Capital, he never expected this place to be Jinghua Nunnery, halfway up Luyi Mountain. This Jinghua Nunnery was a nunnery built by Empress Fuyu for the promotion of Buddhism back then. Although it had declined and faded in recent years, it was still a place supplied by the imperial family. Unimaginable, truly unimaginable.

Xie Jingsheng and he both changed into ordinary brocade robes, but Xie Jingsheng held a dark sandalwood fan, acting very debauched. Seeing He Anchang's rare look of hesitation, Xie Jingsheng leaned his head close to He Anchang's ear and whispered, "It's indeed inconvenient to enter, isn't it? Exciting?"

"A sacred Buddhist site." He Anchang pressed his hand against Xie Jingsheng's approaching head and slowly said, "Don't be so unbridled."

Xie Jingsheng laughed and said, "Alright." He then stepped forward and knocked on the door. When the door opened, an old nun with a benevolent face emerged.

"Benefactors." The old nun gave a slight bow, "Have you come to make a wish?"

"No, I followed the scent to find the Peach Blossom Path. I wonder if the immortal Buddhist gate is open."

The old nun's expression remained benevolent, even revealing a hint of a smile, and said, "A noble and elegant gentleman like you would be well-liked even before the Buddha." With that, she slightly turned aside and gestured, "Please enter, young master."

Xie Jingsheng closed his fan with a smile and entered the nunnery gate with He Anchang. Inside, the maple forest was quiet, the flower path elegant, and the scent of incense subtly entered their noses. The entire scenery was extremely graceful and secluded, showing no hint of anything amiss. After passing through a moon gate, the scenery changed considerably. In the center stood a lush, tall Fo Dingzhu tree. Although it hadn't bloomed yet, one could already imagine the enchanting scene in the courtyard when the flowers would open and release their faint fragrance. A swing hung under the tree, where two young adolescent nuns were frolicking. They weren't afraid to see the old nun bringing people, but instead scrutinized Xie Jingsheng and He Anchang from head to toe.

"Master Shujing is lucky today, welcoming two celestial gentlemen!" The young nun swinging on the swing had clear and beautiful eyes, but her flaw was a slight frivolousness already present at such a young age. Seeing He Anchang's cold expression, she knew he was not an easy person to get along with, so she only smiled sweetly at Xie Jingsheng, "Young master, you look unfamiliar."

Xie Jingsheng tapped his chin with his fan and smiled, "The Buddhist gate is hard to enter; I'm a bit late."

The young nun pursed her lips and smiled. The old nun merely said, "You always talk the most." Then she turned to Xie Jingsheng, "Young master, since you received a letter from an important person, have you chosen someone?"

"This is making things difficult for me, Master. They are all beautiful women like flowers, very hard to choose." Xie Jingsheng showed hesitation and said, "May I see Miaoshan and Miaoyin?"

The old nun froze upon hearing Miaoyin's name. After a moment's delay, she said, "Young master, you don't know, but these two are the top beauties in the nunnery and have high spirits. If young master wishes to invite them... this humble nun must ask."

Xie Jingsheng said it was no trouble, while placing a few gold ingots in her hand. Shujing accepted them and quickened her pace, going upstairs to inquire. The young nun still occasionally glanced at Xie Jingsheng, while on the other side, He Anchang was also looking at him. He covered his mouth and nose with his fan and said to He Anchang, "This is all my brother's doing, not within my capabilities."

He Anchang said, "Mm, looks very familiar."

"It's what the situation requires," Xie Jingsheng turned his head to look at him, "How about you try it too?"

He Anchang ignored him.

Not long after, the old nun hurried downstairs, showing more warmth towards the two, and said, "Young masters, please follow this humble nun. Miaoshan and Miaoyin will be ready after a quick freshening up."

The two were led to a side courtyard, went upstairs, and entered a room. Inside, there were brocade woven carpets, fragrant hanging curtains, a zither and book desk, and a large cabinet bed, none missing.

He Anchang felt uncomfortable from the incense, and his stomach felt even worse. He merely sat at the desk, not approaching the incense burner. Xie Jingsheng, for his part, did not go anywhere else, but sat beside him. The old nun bid them to enjoy themselves and then withdrew. Soon after, a knock was heard at the door. When it was opened, a smiling girl in a light gown appeared, her skin fair and delicate, her eyes curved, and most wonderfully, her voice was enchanting. The moment she spoke, it melted one's bones. "Miaoshan is late, did I miss young master's time?"

"Not at all. Waiting for a beauty is always like dipping sourness in honey, the taste is just right." Xie Jingsheng smiled, "And here comes Lady Miaoshan, so sweet."

Miaoshan covered her mouth, smiling, and entered, walking towards He Anchang, "Young master's words are truly sweet." As she spoke, she looked at He Anchang and smiled, "I'm sitting on the side and wouldn't dare to be presumptuous. This young master looks like a truly proper good person."

Xie Jingsheng burst out laughing, putting his arm around He Anchang's shoulder, and said, "Good eye! He is the most proper person in this Capital." The word 'proper' didn't sound quite so proper coming from his mouth.

He Anchang, with Xie Jingsheng's arm around him, moved even closer to him. This time, he didn't push him away. The door then knocked again. Both their gazes turned together. When the door opened, a charming woman's face was revealed, her hair like silk, languid, her eyes holding the long waves of autumn water. Just by lightly touching the corner of her eye, she was utterly enchanting.

The main character had arrived.