Xiéyàn sees King Moyao in secret, speaking softly and conspiratorially to him.
"Your Majesty, word is going around that Yǔlín is behaving strangely," Xiéyàn says with an intensity in his eyes. "Everyone is whispering about a new maid to his chambers — one that nobody knows."
The king's gaze narrows into slits. "Are you accusing my own child of concealing something?"
"All I require is for you to witness it yourself, Your Majesty," Xiéyàn says suavely. "An impromptu visitation. Have the guards discover for themselves."
The king tightens his jaw, tension dancing in his eyes. "Then so be it."
Meanwhile, Yǔlín is called to see the queen.
He stops in front of the doors, pausing to take a deep, slow breath. The air is thicker than normal, as if the walls themselves are closing in on him.
Within, she greets him with warmth, her gaze soft and loving. She approaches him, smoothing his collar and pushing a stray lock from his forehead.
"You seem worn out, my dear," she says gently, her voice laden with concern. "Are you sleeping all right?"
Yǔlín smiles reluctantly. "I am fine, Mother."
"Fine?" Her smile broadens as she strokes his hair with her fingers. "You do know that you can say anything to me, don't you? That you trust me?"
Yǔlín nods but feels a shiver go down his spine. The touch from the queen is held for a beat too long, and her gaze penetrates him as if she seeks out something.
"You won't keep anything from me, would you?" she asks, her voice sweet but tinged with an edge.
"Naturally not," says Yǔlín, his fists tightening behind his back.
While Yǔlín is with the queen, the king dispatches his guards to do the search on Yǔlín's chambers.
Wuji is in his own rooms and is unaware of being inspected.
The guards move rapidly and scan every corner. One of them comes to Yǔlín's personal room and stops.
He sees Su Shu — a girl he never saw before — with a rag and appearing as if she is cleaning up.
The guard's eyes narrow. "Who are you?"
Su Shu's heart is pounding. "I... I am just a maid," she stutters. "Prince Yǔlín invited me to tidy up."
The guard's stare becomes cold. "Since when do new maids attend to the prince personally?"
Su Shu attempts a nervous laugh. "I... I just started here. Perhaps that's the reason you don't know me."
The guard's gaze is fixed on her for a moment, and then he leaves the room, suspicion shading his expression.
Yǔlín exits the chambers of the queen with his face ashen. The words she spoke still resounding in his mind: "You wouldn't keep anything from me, would you?"
He sees a guard departing his quarters with a look of dismay upon his face.
The guard bends into a bow, his gaze resting on Yǔlín as if he wishes to say something but decides against it.
Yǔlín enters his room and sees Su Shu seated on the ground with a white face and shaking hands.
"What happened?" He kneels beside her.
"A guard... he spotted me," Su Shu speaks softly, her eyes full of fear. Yǔlín clenches his teeth in annoyance. Bloody hell. Is Xiéyàn responsible for that?