Xie Yonger walked alone towards the cold palace, bathed in the last rays of the setting sun.

As soon as she left, Xiahou Dan sent a secret guard after her, “Watch her from a distance, don’t get too close and alert the Prince Duan.”

Yu Wanyin watched Xie Yonger’s retreating figure, lost in thought. “I wonder if it will go smoothly.”

Xie Yonger’s reaction was different from what she had expected, a bit too calm. Yu Wanyin wasn’t confident about her inner thoughts.

Xiahou Dan said, “It’s too late to worry now. You’ve already shown her Xu Yao’s book.”

Yu Wanyin remained silent, sneaking a glance at Xiahou Dan.

Is he angry?

Back in their quarters, Xiahou Dan’s face was still dark.

Yu Wanyin, head down, ate her dinner, stealing glances at him several times.

Xiahou Dan, still with a stern face, picked up a piece of fish and placed it on her plate.

The atmosphere was too awkward, so Yu Wanyin decided to break the silence, “I know you don’t trust Xie Yonger.”

Xiahou Dan replied, “It’s good that you know.”

Yu Wanyin continued, “But when you think about your reasons for not trusting her, it’s a bit odd. In this world, aside from us two, everyone else is just characters, including those persuaded ministers. Do you have no hope for them either?”

“Their settings are to be loyal and diligent. What about Xie Yonger?”

“But Xu Yao was originally set to be a supporter of the Prince Duan. Xiahou Bo was originally set to be infatuated with Xie Yonger.”

Xiahou Dan was at a loss for words.

Yu Wanyin felt she had hit the crux of the issue, “You seem to particularly discriminate against characters.”

Touched on a sore spot, Xiahou Dan couldn’t help but laugh mockingly, “Then let’s wait and see if Xie Yonger lives up to your trust.”

Yu Wanyin was taken aback, looking at him curiously.

Xiahou Dan asked, “What?”

“I don’t have any special feelings for her. I had a feeling last time, but didn’t dare ask you…” Yu Wanyin said slowly, “Are you jealous?”

She had originally meant it as a joke to make Xiahou Dan laugh.

Unexpectedly, Xiahou Dan’s chopsticks paused mid-air.

Yu Wanyin was puzzled, “?”

Xiahou Dan looked up at her slightly, then smiled as she wished, “Yes.”

Yu Wanyin was speechless.

She couldn’t understand his thought process, but her face felt a bit hot.

In the broken-down room of the cold palace.

It was completely dark, no stars or moon tonight, and this place was far from the palace lights, almost pitch black.

Xie Yonger’s body was still weak, and the night wind made her shiver. She didn’t dare light a lamp, fumbling her way through the darkness into the main hall, where she suddenly bumped into someone.

She instinctively stepped back, but the other person opened his coat and pulled her into an embrace, “Yonger.”

Xie Yonger looked up, only seeing a vague outline. She couldn’t discern his expression, only hearing a familiar gentle voice, “You’ve suffered.”

Xie Yonger buried her face in his chest, weakly snuggling, “Your Highness, you finally came to see me.”

In the darkness, Xiahou Bo kissed her lips lightly, “How is your health? Are you feeling better?”

His voice was always a bit cold, more like striking jade in the still night. Only when he spoke to her did he slow his pace, as if holding a treasured item, trying to convey the last bit of warmth to her.

Xie Yonger was almost reflexively stirred by all her grievances, “Your Highness…”

Xiahou Bo asked, “I heard that after your miscarriage, the Emperor had people surround your quarters, claiming to protect you but actually forbidding entry or exit. Is there another reason?”

Xie Yonger’s remaining words stopped abruptly.

The concern in his voice was so genuine that in the past, she would have teared up.

But today, someone had forced her to see things from a different perspective. This time, she finally understood that every word was filled with interrogation.

Xie Yonger thought her heart had already turned cold, but it could get even colder.

Fortunately, no one could see her expression at this moment.

Xie Yonger slowly said, “I claimed not to be pregnant, but the Emperor grew suspicious, calculated the dates, and suspected the child wasn’t his. But I managed to bury the fetus, and the Emperor couldn’t find evidence. Fearing disgrace if the matter got out, he confined me to my quarters under guard.”

Xiahou Bo sneered, “Still so incompetent.”

He then asked with concern, “But if that’s the case, how did you come to see me today?”

Xie Yonger was speechless.

In an instant, just an instant.

She knew that this moment of hesitation had already betrayed her. Even if she immediately provided a perfect explanation, Xiahou Bo would no longer trust her.

After a brief hesitation, she trembled as she spoke, “The Emperor forced me to come.”

After dinner, Xiahou Dan routinely escorted Yu Wanyin back to her quarters.

Clouds obscured the moon, and the row of hexagonal palace lanterns hanging in the corridor swayed in the cold wind, their shadows stretching and shrinking.

Xiahou Dan glanced in the direction of the cold palace, seeing nothing as expected. “I wonder how things are over there.”

Yu Wanyin did not respond.

Her face was still a bit hot, only cooling slightly as the wind blew.

At this moment, she temporarily pushed all crises aside, her mind replaying their recent conversation over and over.

She had asked, “Are you jealous?”

Xiahou Dan replied, “Yes.”

What did he mean by that? Why would he be jealous of Xie Yonger?

Yu Wanyin felt a pang in her heart. After spending the whole day talking about romantic feelings with the lovesick Xie Yonger, she seemed to have been brainwashed herself. Knowing it wasn’t the right time, she still couldn’t help but half-jokingly ask, “Is it because I did her hair and makeup? Should I do yours tomorrow…”

Xiahou Dan said, “No.”

Yu Wanyin’s heart raced faster.

Yet, Xiahou Dan’s response was so straightforward and matter-of-fact, and he continued eating as if the topic had been satisfactorily concluded, leaving Yu Wanyin frozen in place, unable to continue the conversation.

What did he mean by that???

Was it an admission? Did he break through that barrier?

It had felt like an eternity since she had sensed his feelings for her. But he seemed to have an inexplicable aversion to physical contact, so she patiently waited for him to make the first move.

Yet he remained unhurried, neither advancing nor retreating, making her doubt whether she was just imagining things.

Another gust of cold wind blew, causing the lanterns in the corridor to sway erratically. The two palace maids leading the way exclaimed in surprise as their lanterns were blown out.

In the shifting light and shadows, Yu Wanyin couldn’t see the path clearly and slowed her steps.

Suddenly, her shoulders felt warm.

Xiahou Dan had draped his outer robe over her shoulders. “You’re wearing too little. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Yu Wanyin paused, turning to look at him. In the dim light, his face was blurry, but his eyes were clear and steady as they met hers.

The two palace maids were still apologizing and fumbling to relight their lanterns.

Yu Wanyin, in a voice too low for them to hear, said, “This is your dragon robe. If word gets out, I’ll be branded as a femme fatale again.”

Xiahou Dan laughed, “Aren’t you?”

Yu Wanyin was speechless.

Yu Wanyin was even a bit angry.

Is he playing games with me, being so hot and cold?

Xiahou Dan, are you really that indifferent?

She couldn’t hold back any longer.

Impulsively, she leaned towards his thin lips, ready to cement her reputation as a femme fatale.

The lanterns relit.

Xiahou Dan glanced around, “Let’s go.”

For the rest of the way, Yu Wanyin remained silent, hiding her expression. She didn’t notice that Xiahou Dan had unknowingly fallen half a step behind, his gaze fixed on her back.

Even with a thousand romantic thoughts, she couldn’t guess what Xiahou Dan was thinking.

He was reflecting.

He shouldn’t have said those things.

He shouldn’t have gotten close to her, shouldn’t have used the guise of a “kindred spirit” to deceive her into kindness and trust.

How long could he keep deceiving her? When the truth came out, would this fleeting warmth become a part of her nightmares?

Even though he knew he shouldn’t, he still let himself go.

Where did this impulse come from? Was it because, deep down, he already knew that after tomorrow, he might not have another chance?

In the cold palace.

The conversation in the darkness was drawing to a close.

A strong wind blew away the heavy clouds, allowing moonlight to pour down, mercifully illuminating the cold palace’s dilapidated roof.

Xie Yonger’s hair glowed faintly in the moonlight.

Xiahou Bo suddenly laughed, “Yonger, you seem particularly beautiful today.”

Under the moonlight, her makeup didn’t appear too out of place, but it was still noticeably different from typical palace makeup.

Xie Yonger looked at him, “I’m still a bit ill, and I didn’t want you to see me looking haggard, so I used more makeup. Does Your Highness like it?”

Xiahou Bo replied, “I like it. It’s unique, just like you.”

Xie Yonger thought to herself. Once she switched perspectives, she realized that the Prince Duan’s sweet-talking wasn’t all that impressive; in fact, it felt quite perfunctory.

Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she could clearly see Xiahou Bo’s expression. His flawless smile and focused gaze, yet his eyes did not reflect her.

It was ironic; what initially captivated her was those eyes that never reflected her. His gaze always seemed to be looking far away, never resting on any mortal. She had believed that she was not included in those “mortals.”

If Yu Wanyin were here, she might say that he looked like someone with “no worldly desires.jpg.”

Xie Yonger suddenly found it amusing.

If Yu Wanyin were someone like her, perhaps she wouldn’t seem so pathetic?

Xiahou Bo asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Yonger shook her head, “Then I’ll do as you said. I’ll relay the message to the Emperor when I return.”

“Good.” Xiahou Bo patted her head, “You’ve worked hard.”

Xiahou Dan escorted Yu Wanyin to her quarters, diligently playing the role of a pursuing emperor in a romantic drama. “I’ll be going now. Rest well.”

He couldn’t leave.

Yu Wanyin grabbed his sleeve, uncertain whether she was acting for the palace servants or being sincere, her expression awkward yet shy. “Your Majesty, stay the night.”

She looked around, then whispered in his ear, her breath soft against his ear, “Really, don’t go. I want to show you something.”

Xiahou Dan, speechless.

Don’t mess with me.

Is this karma?

Yu Wanyin did have a bit of a vengeful spirit, deliberately holding his hand and not letting go as she led him inside, closing the bedroom door, dismissing the servants, and meaningfully saying, “The moonlight is so beautiful.”

Xiahou Dan, with a sigh, agreed, “Yes, it is.”

Bei Zhou suddenly appeared behind them, “It is quite beautiful.”

Xiahou Dan, confused.

Yu Wanyin laughed, “Uncle Bei, show him the thing.”

Xiahou Dan, even more confused.

The next morning, Yu Wanyin woke up earlier than usual.

Outside, it was still overcast, the stifling air hinting at an impending storm. She instinctively turned her head and was startled to find no one beside her, sitting up in a rush.

“I’m here,” Xiahou Dan said, sitting at the bedside and looking at her, “I haven’t left.”

Yu Wanyin sighed in relief, “Why didn’t you wake me?”

Xiahou Dan didn’t answer, handing her a note, “Xie Yonger sent this in the morning.”

Yu Wanyin unfolded it, finding only a few words: “All as usual, the Prince Duan favors peace.”

She frowned, “Such a perfunctory answer.”

“Do you still plan to trust her?” Xiahou Dan asked.

“…Hard to say. If the Prince Duan truly has no schemes, that would be best…” Yu Wanyin watched him put on his crown, and couldn’t help but suggest, “Otherwise, I’ll go up the mountain with you, disguised as a guard like before, okay?”

Xiahou Dan laughed, “No. You stay. If something unexpected happens, at least…” He paused, “At least you can adapt and respond.”

But Yu Wanyin understood the unspoken words, likely “at least you won’t be in danger.”

She jumped out of bed, “I’m going with you. Don’t try to talk me out of it; I won’t listen.”

“Yu Wanyin.”

“I’m not listening.”

Xiahou Dan laughed again, “Now that the Empress Dowager’s and the Prince Duan’s moves are unknown, how do you know the unexpected event will be on the mountain or in the city? If we all go to the mausoleum, what if something happens in the city?”

Yu Wanyin couldn’t refute this possibility.

Xiahou Dan said, “I have Uncle Bei as an ace up my sleeve. The secret guards have been specially trained by Uncle Bei, and their skills have improved. Don’t worry too much. But you, if something happens, remember that protecting yourself is the priority.”

Yu Wanyin remained silent.

“Yu Wanyin,” Xiahou Dan called again.

Feeling irritable and not knowing whom to be angry with, she said, “Just go and come back quickly.”

There was a long silence at the bedside. She looked up, puzzled.

Xiahou Dan said, “When I return, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Yu Wanyin, taken aback, spat, “Don’t jinx it! Take it back!”

“I won’t.” Xiahou Dan stood up, “I’m leaving.”

“Take it back!!!”

The Emperor and the Empress Dowager’s procession set off grandly, their retinue slowly heading towards Beishan.

An hour later, Mu Yun received the message, “They have all left the city.”

Mu Yun said, “Then let’s begin.”

The Empress Dowager’s order was to act discreetly, find the envoy group, fabricate a charge, and arrest them before making a move.

Mu Yun clearly had no intention of following this command.

As soon as the carriages departed, chaos erupted in the city’s alleys. Large groups of soldiers first rushed to the envoy’s residence, seemingly finding nothing, and then split into multiple teams, searching house to house throughout the city.

It was as if they were afraid they wouldn’t disturb the hidden snake.

Even in the secluded courtyard where Tur and his men were hiding, the noise outside could be heard.

The noise grew closer. Inside, the envoy group sat around a table. Ha Qi Na listened for a moment, then used his eyes to question Tur.

Tur made a gesture indicating they should remain calm.

In the courtyard, a group of guards stood protecting them. It was these guards who had taken them from the envoy’s residence late last night. From the grave expressions of the guards, Tur deduced that at least part of the eerie note was true: someone indeed wanted to kill them.

Who could it be? The Empress Dowager?

Tur didn’t care much about this. What he cared more about was whether the other part of the note was true.

At that moment, one of the guards entered and spoke in a low voice, “Please follow us and temporarily hide through the back door.”

It seemed the searchers were about to break in. Tur silently stood up, compliantly following the guards out the back door into a narrow alley.

The guards led the way silently, seemingly taking them to another hiding place. Suddenly, Tur spoke, “Brother, could you send someone to Beishan to notify the Emperor and ask him to protect us?”

The guard replied offhandedly, “The Emperor already knows…” Before he could finish speaking, he realized something was wrong. This group of Yan people had never left their surveillance, and no one would leak the Emperor’s whereabouts to them. How did they know the Emperor had gone to Beishan?

The guard’s reaction was quick. As he turned, his hand was already on the hilt of his sword.

But he never had the chance to draw it.

Before he could turn fully, a pair of large hands grabbed his head and twisted it. He faintly heard a sinister crack and felt his head suddenly turned to his back.

The last thing his eyes saw was a grim face.

Tur had struck suddenly, and his men quickly followed. The guards had just realized something was wrong when a handful of poison powder was thrown over them.

Silently, a group of guards fell dead in the back alley.

Tur instructed in Yan language, “Put on their clothes and take their weapons and badges.”

Ha Qi Na asked, “Prince, what do we do next?”

Tur replied, “Leave the city and head to Beishan.”

After Shanyi’s death, Tur swore to make the Xia people pay in blood. He led his men in battle, his achievements growing, and his reputation soaring. The Yan people saw him as a divine son.

The Yan king’s smile towards him became increasingly insincere. Tur knew this but didn’t care. From the day his uncle sent Shanyi away, there was no bond between them.

Eventually, even the facade of cooperation came to an end.

The Yan king no longer went into battle himself. He spent his days hiding in a newly built palace, infatuated with the queen of the Qiang nation, acting like an old house on fire, having finally found true love. They said the Qiang people were skilled in poison; Tur suspected the queen had some strange elixir that revitalized the king.

Then a man named Wang Zhao from Xia came to negotiate peace. The Yan king was moved, but Tur was vehemently opposed, and his subordinates were equally outraged. As more and more people clamored to support Tur’s ascension, the Yan king grew restless.

To this day, Tur didn’t know how he had been poisoned.

He only knew that he fell in his tent and, when he woke up, he was chained and imprisoned at home.

The queen of Qiang visited him once. A woman in red, with seductive charm, smiled at him, “Compared to your uncle, I would have chosen you. I gave you a chance, and you refused.”

Tur asked, “When did you ever speak to me?”

“At our first meeting, at the banquet, I kept smiling at you.” Her smile gradually turned cold. “Didn’t you notice?”

Tur looked at her, perplexed. “Why would I notice you? Do you think you’re very beautiful?”

Watching her leave in a huff gave him a cheap thrill.

After she left, he found a sachet on the ground.

When he opened it, he found several pills of various colors. A sniff made him dizzy. He threw it away and had to meditate for a long time to recover.

Poison, a myriad of poisons.

She never returned for the sachet.

His confidant, Ha Qi Na, risked his life to sneak in, bringing nothing but bad news: during his coma, military power was lost, the situation was beyond recovery, and his former subordinates had been dealt with by the Yan king for various reasons.

Moreover, the envoy group sent by the Yan king was about to depart for Xia to negotiate peace.

At that moment, Tur realized this was his last chance.

If he seized it, he could drive straight to the capital of Xia without a single soldier, kill the Emperor, and destroy the Yan king’s plans, letting him live his remaining days amidst the flames of war.

Naturally, he wouldn’t survive to return.

But he had no intention of returning.

Tur shook the sachet. “Let’s intercept the envoy group.”

In the palace.

The Emperor and the Empress Dowager had left. The concubines, feeling like they were on vacation, took advantage of the rainless sky to stroll and chat, enjoying themselves.

Only Yu Wanyin stayed inside, pacing back and forth.

Her eyelid kept twitching, her chest pounding with anxiety. But no matter how logically she analyzed it, the Prince Duan had no reason to sabotage the peace talks.

Her intuition told her she was missing some crucial information, like a puzzle missing its key piece.

Xiahou Dan had left several secret guards to protect her. Seeing her like this, one guard advised, “Your Majesty, don’t worry too much. The Emperor said that if there was an emergency, you would be informed.”

Yu Wanyin ignored him, pacing a few more times before suddenly saying, “I’m going out for a walk.”

The guard, puzzled, asked, “What?”

Yu Wanyin had just reached the imperial garden when she ran into Xie Yonger.

Today, Xie Yonger was also wearing modern makeup, looking noble and aloof, untouched by the mundane world. When they met, Xie Yonger gave her a cold glance, hummed softly, and brushed past her without a word.

Yu Wanyin didn’t call her back or turn around.

Once they were both out of sight, Yu Wanyin hurried back home, rushed to her bed, and picked up the note that Xiahou Dan had given her in the morning. She read it carefully once again.

It was still just black words on white paper, no hidden tricks.

Unwilling to give up, Yu Wanyin lit a candle and held the note over the flame.

She had forgotten—how could she forget?—that in the original story, Xie Yonger had used this trick.

As the candlelight flickered, more words slowly appeared in the blank spaces. Unlike the previous characters, these were written in simplified Chinese, densely packed together: “The Prince Duan’s men are watching me. He said the Emperor won’t leave Beishan alive.”

Last night.

Xie Yonger said, “The Emperor forced me to come. The note summoning me to meet you was intercepted by him. He flew into a rage and threatened to drown me alive. But he fears you, so he let me come as usual and wants me to report back whether you have any schemes.”

Xiahou Bo responded, “Schemes?”

Xie Yonger continued, “He said he had a bad dream but couldn’t tell if it was a nightmare or a premonition. It seemed related to the envoy group, but he didn’t say explicitly…”

Xiahou Bo recalled that Yu Wanyin had mentioned Xiahou Dan also had the ability to foresee, but it wasn’t very reliable and only showed distant futures.

If it were reliable, he wouldn’t be so tightly suppressed by the Empress Dowager.

As for why he suddenly dreamt of something bad…could it be that he foresaw his own death? Xiahou Bo thought with interest.

Of course, it could all be lies.

But Xie Yonger had just lost a child for him.

Ironically, her long-standing infatuation hadn’t won his affection but had earned his limited trust.

Xie Yonger, teary-eyed, pleaded, “Your Highness, take me away. He will kill me for sure!”

“I will take you away, but not now,” Xiahou Bo reassured her. “Yonger, for my sake, you must go back and tell him everything is as usual.”

“But once I say that, I will have no value alive. He will…”

“Don’t worry. He will go to Beishan tomorrow and won’t come back. Speaking of which, Yonger, can you help me with some ideas?”

Above the candle, another line of words appeared: “Yan people assassination.”

The puzzle was now complete.

Yu Wanyin’s face was expressionless, her hands steady as she held the note close to the flame, burning it to ashes.

Just then, a secret guard rushed in, “Message from the city: The Yan people have killed the guards and are missing.”

Yu Wanyin was not surprised. She stood up, scrutinizing the secret guards, her mind racing faster than ever. “Can you mobilize the Imperial Guards?”

The secret guards exchanged glances, “Without the Emperor’s token, the Imperial Guards won’t heed our commands.”

Yu Wanyin nodded, “I figured. The Imperial Guards have been bought by the Prince Duan. If we notify them hastily, we’ll alert him instead…” She closed her eyes briefly, “Change into plain clothes. I’ll disguise myself. We’re leaving the city.”

“Your Majesty?!”

Yu Wanyin explained briefly, “The Yan people are going for an assassination, and the Prince Duan’s men are aiding them.” She rushed to her dressing table, “Why are you still standing there? Change your clothes!”

The secret guards were flustered, “Our orders from the Emperor are to protect you, and we were told not to let you go up the mountain under any circumstances. Besides, you don’t know martial arts. Even if you go up the mountain…”

Yu Wanyin said nothing, pulling an object from her sleeve and pointing it at the wooden table nearby.

High above, the first raindrop fell from the lead-gray clouds.

A line of silver fell unnoticed to the earth.

With a loud bang, thunder exploded in the deep palace.

In the autumn, such rumbling thunder was uncommon.

Ha Qi Na, squeezed among the people leaving the city, felt a sudden chill as a raindrop hit his forehead.

The woman walking ahead of him looked up at the sky and opened an umbrella.

Tur and his group, dressed in the uniforms they had taken from the palace guards, looked somewhat convincing, but the women were obviously ill-fitted. In their haste, this was the best they could do, and it was better than their original fur clothes and painted skirts. Fortunately, the uniforms deterred the commoners from scrutinizing them too closely.

As the group neared the city gates, the guards stationed there eyed them suspiciously.

Tur had discarded his fake beard, but his height couldn’t be concealed, nor could his imposing presence, making him seem like a mountain looming over anyone before him.

The guard hesitated, “…”

Tur lowered his head and shook the badge before the guard, saying coldly, “We have important business.”

The guard’s gaze swept over the group behind him.

Ha Qi Na and the others kept their heads slightly bowed, silently gripping their weapons.

However, the guard only glanced at them before saluting, “Proceed.”

Everyone held their breath, not daring to relax as they walked steadily through the city gate, missing the guard’s lingering gaze as they passed.

Once they were out of sight, the guard turned to seek an audience with the commander of the Imperial Guards. “Sir, those people have been let out of the city.”

Commander Zhao took a deep breath, “Who did you say?”

The guard was puzzled, “Sir?”

Cold sweat dotted Commander Zhao’s forehead, “I never gave you such an order. Today, nothing happened. Do you understand?”

The guard stiffened, hastily replying, “Yes, sir.”

This Commander Zhao, named Zhao Wucheng, was once the deputy commander whom the Prince Duan had promoted. The Prince Duan had found leverage against him, forcing him into cooperation and orchestrating the assassination of the previous commander, allowing Zhao to take his place. Since then, Zhao had often done small tasks for the Prince Duan under the guise of his position.

Zhao Wucheng was essentially a coward who had never fought a real battle in his life. He was adept at currying favor and exploiting opportunities, which was why the Imperial Guards had grown increasingly lax under his command, riddled with internal decay.

Zhao had some idea of the Prince Duan’s schemes but dared not speak out. Turning a blind eye, he allowed a few people to leave the city, which was the extent of what he could manage. If the Prince Duan pressured him further to become a major accomplice, even if Zhao agreed out of fear, he wouldn’t be able to mobilize the Imperial Guards effectively.

Zhao Wucheng lit an incense stick, praying silently that the Prince Duan wouldn’t fail, or at least wouldn’t implicate him if he did.

He calculated his moves well: if the Beishan plot succeeded, everyone would be happy; if it failed, he could preserve himself.

Zhao Wucheng called over a few trusted aides, “Keep a close eye on the situation and report immediately.”

Aide: “Report what?”

Zhao Wucheng snapped, “…Any unusual movements, report everything!”

He needed to decide promptly whether to rush to the rescue or to arrive late on purpose.

Thunder rumbled, and the sound of rain intensified overhead.

Yang Duojie sat, swaying in the sedan chair as it was carried up the steps along the sacred path, climbing Beishan.

Originally just a barren mountain, it now had a grand temple, surrounded by auxiliary palaces built for fasting and temporary stays. Though majestic, the cold rain gave the place an eerie, ghostly atmosphere amidst the dense forest.

Yang Duojie felt dizzy from the swaying and stumbled out of the sedan. Despite a servant holding an umbrella for him, the rain splashed his shoes and socks, soaking them quickly.

Shivering, he looked up. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor walked gracefully and calmly in the rain, their demeanor unruffled.

The Empress Dowager said without blinking, “It truly is a good place.”

Xiahou Dan remained expressionless, “As long as Mother likes it.”

The official in charge of construction fawned, “The timely rain is indeed a blessing from the sage.”

Yang Duojie: “?”

The Empress Dowager silently cursed, but she had to keep Xiahou Dan outside the city. “Then accompany Mother for a walk and have the diviners check the feng shui.”

Official diviner Yang Duojie: “…”

When he was sent over, his superior had explained, “The Emperor and the Empress Dowager are very pleased with the preparations for the grand banquet. You’re eloquent and knowledgeable in the five elements and eight trigrams, so you’re the best fit for such occasions.”

In other words: You’re now the designated smooth-talker.

Yang Duojie felt utterly defeated inside.

He wanted to ask Xiahou Dan if he remembered the grand promises made on that painting boat—the hopes of the people, the backbone of Daxia.

I’ll finish this job and then resign to go home, he thought.

Forcing a smile, Yang Duojie stepped forward to placate the Empress Dowager, “This place, nestled between the mountains and rivers, indeed flourishes with prosperous energy…”

As he spoke, he glanced at Xiahou Dan and was surprised to see the Emperor looking down at him, his expression indifferent but his gaze thoughtful.

Yang Duojie’s words faltered momentarily, reflexively questioning his own delivery, but Xiahou Dan had already looked away.

As the group circled the mausoleum, Xiahou Dan found himself a few steps behind the Empress Dowager. Bei Zhou, dressed as a nanny, held an umbrella for him and extended a hand to support him, “Are you alright?”

Xiahou Dan’s headache was intense; every movement felt like his nerves were spasming. He didn’t even want to open his mouth and only managed a grunt.

Bei Zhou glanced surreptitiously at the surrounding forest, “There are people hidden in the woods. They were there when we ascended the mountain.”

So, the plot was indeed on the mountain.

Xiahou Dan felt a slight relief in his heart.

Bei Zhou said what he was thinking, “It’s good that Wan Yin didn’t come. Do you have the item in your sleeve?”

“Dan’er.” The Empress Dowager, not knowing he was whispering to someone, feared he might become suspicious and leave, so she approached him proactively, “It’s cold outside, let’s go inside the hall.”

Xiahou Dan, appearing to be cold, raised his sleeve and said softly, “Mother, please.”

However, inside the grand hall, there was also a cold, damp air.

The wind and rain were so heavy that the palace attendants couldn’t brighten the dim hall even with candles. As soon as the Empress Dowager entered, she ordered the guards to spread out around the hall. Her guards moved farther than Xiahou Dan’s guards, ostensibly to patrol, but actually to intercept any urgent messages from the city.

The Empress Dowager, harboring her own schemes, tried to appear pleasant to Xiahou Dan, “The mausoleum is indeed grand, my son has put great thought into it.”

Xiahou Dan, enduring a headache, played along, “It is my duty, Mother.”

The Empress Dowager smiled at him, seemingly sentimental, “My son has learned to make his own decisions lately, which is good. Mother is getting old and should enjoy some peace.”

Even Yang Duojie inwardly scoffed: Enough already, it’s getting too obvious.

Xiahou Dan spoke sparingly, “Mother, you are still in your prime.”

But the Empress Dowager clearly doubted Xiahou Dan’s intelligence and said affectionately, “Yesterday, the Crown Prince mentioned you to me. He said he misses his father very much.”

Xiahou Dan couldn’t bear it any longer and closed his eyes, a dark aura almost visible between his brows.

The Empress Dowager continued, “When you have free time, you should test his studies and talk to him more—”

“Mother.” Xiahou Dan chose this moment to drop all pretense, speaking softly, “All these years, you didn’t dare let the Crown Prince out. Now, you suddenly say this. Do you think he won’t die now?”

The Empress Dowager was stunned.

She looked at him incredulously, thinking: Has he finally gone completely mad?

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

The officials, attendants, and guards around them tried to make themselves as small as possible, wishing they could roll away like a ball.

Yang Duojie: “…”

Did he just hear something no living person should hear?

The Empress Dowager finally reacted, her eyebrows shooting up, “What do you mean by that?”

Xiahou Dan’s mind flashed with chaotic images. A group of palace attendants, both men and women, surrounded him like farmers breeding livestock. The head maid offered a pill to him, and when he didn’t move, she apologized and then forcibly put it into his mouth…

The more his head ached, the less he showed it on his face. He even smiled gently at her, “Mother, do you think I could ever feel fatherly affection for him?”

For a moment, as their eyes met, the Empress Dowager felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, as if she had heard a venomous snake hissing.

Yang Duojie: “…………”

He began to wonder if he would survive the day. Would they silence everyone here?

Xiahou Dan pointed at him, “The diviner.”

Yang Duojie shivered, “Your servant is here.”

Xiahou Dan casually said, “Inspect the nearby auxiliary palace, the sacred path, and the monument pavilion for feng shui. Be thorough, leave no mistakes.”

Yang Duojie hesitated, but moved quickly, afraid the Emperor might change his mind, and retreated as fast as he could.

He plunged into the curtain of rain, heading for the farthest side hall. As long as no one sought him out, he could inspect until next year.

In the forest.

A patrolling guard heard a strange sound from the depths of the woods, mixed with the rain, like the sound of a branch snapping.

He went to investigate but saw no one. Thinking he had misheard, he turned to leave, but then his peripheral vision caught a row of deep footprints in the muddy ground.

As he opened his mouth to shout a warning, his voice was permanently cut off.

Tur dragged the guard’s body behind a tree and looked up at the nearby hall, making a silent hand gesture.

Inside the hall.

The Empress Dowager was still glaring at Xiahou Dan, as if she had heard something blasphemous, waiting for him to apologize.

Xiahou Dan indeed had no desire to act anymore.

Although he didn’t know what she had planned by bringing him here, there was no point in pretending any longer.

With Yu Wanyin not by his side, he didn’t need to maintain his last layer of pretense. He gave the Empress Dowager a mocking glance, “Isn’t it time to begin?”

The Empress Dowager: “…What?”

As soon as she spoke, a flash of lightning tore through the sky, illuminating the dim hall.

In that instant, all the windows shattered simultaneously!

Ten shadowy figures leaped in like ghosts, lunging at them!

The Empress Dowager screamed, “Protect…protect the Emperor!”

The palace guards rushed forward but didn’t even see the attackers’ movements before a handful of powder was thrown over them.

The guards at the forefront fell before they could even raise their weapons, quickly slain by the intruders.

Ten attackers.

The delayed thunder boomed as if it exploded right beside them.

Xiahou Dan’s secret guards hurried to reveal themselves, but the attackers were highly skilled and fought in a strange manner, immediately breaking their formation.

Fourteen attackers.

Another flash of lightning. The intermittent light made the scene blurry, and the remaining guards couldn’t formulate a strategy, instinctively closing ranks, using their bodies as shields to protect the Emperor, “Your Majesty, flee—”

The Empress Dowager had already collapsed on the ground.

Twenty attackers.

As the second thunderclap roared, twenty bodies lay on the ground, only two of which were attackers.

At this moment, Xiahou Dan finally saw the faces of the assailants. They were not unfamiliar; he had seen them at the grand banquet.

Yan people.

Tur charged at the forefront, wielding a blade taken from a guard, swinging it with great force and precision. His immense strength coursed through him like a raging torrent, making the ordinary long sword seem as if it carried the power of thunder and lightning.

The blade flashed like lightning, slicing another secret guard in half at the waist, and in the next moment, it was aimed at the Emperor on the throne. The battlefield aura he emanated suggested that with one strike, he could annihilate thousands—

Then it was blocked by a short sword.

The wrist holding the sword had a bracelet on it.

Tur looked up in astonishment to see a heavily made-up matron.

As he watched, the matron’s bones emitted a series of cracking sounds, and her figure suddenly grew taller, revealing the appearance of a man. Seizing Tur’s moment of shock, the man struck his chest with a powerful palm strike, causing Tur to stagger back two steps and spit out a mouthful of blood!

Tur exclaimed, “What kind of monster are you?”

Bei Zhou responded, “Your mother.”

Tur: “???”

Bei Zhou was also secretly alarmed. Despite the short sword’s disadvantage to the long blade, he had forced a block, resulting in internal injuries, and the hand used for the strike was now throbbing with pain. What kind of person had such hardened flesh, almost as if it were made of steel?

Bei Zhou, with a stern expression, calmly said, “Judging by your skill, you must be the so-called number one expert of Yan, Tur?”

Tur replied, “Correct. And who are you?”

Bei Zhou glanced at the battlefield littered with the dead and injured, stepped forward, picked up a long sword from the ground, shook off the blood, and said indifferently, “I’m just an ordinary water-carrying matron in the Daxia Palace.”

Tur: “…”

Tur belatedly realized he was being mocked, but instead of getting angry, he laughed, “You Xia people only know how to talk! Come fight!”

He adopted an attacking stance and charged forward with his blade. Bei Zhou showed no fear and was ready to engage—

Suddenly, there was a faint “click” from behind.

In a flash, Bei Zhou moved.

Instead of confronting Tur, he sidestepped.

The next second, it was as if a thunderbolt had struck the center of the hall, exploding with a deafening roar.

Last night.

Yu Wanyin smiled and said, “Uncle Bei, show him the thing.”

Bei Zhou, grinning, raised both hands that had been hidden behind his back.

Xiahou Dan: “…”

Xiahou Dan stared blankly at Yu Wanyin, “Are you kidding me?”

Bei Zhou said, “Oh, Dan’er, why do you look like you already know what this is? This was Wan Yin’s idea back then, to use gunpowder to trigger a mechanism and launch hidden weapons without using internal energy. I spent countless nights developing it, the only pair in history…”

Xiahou Dan: “Guns.”

Bei Zhou: “Your eyes aren’t good; how could these be guns? I named it the Nine Heavens Mysterious Fire Repeating Crossbow.”

Xiahou Dan: “…”

Xiahou Dan: “Whatever makes you happy, Uncle.”

Bei Zhou: “Here, take one each, and use it to save your life in a critical moment. But since you haven’t practiced, your accuracy might be lacking, so don’t use it recklessly. Me? I can protect myself without this thing.”

The hall fell silent again.

Even the victorious Yan people paused, staring in shock at the center of the hall.

A giant hole appeared in the wooden pillar, with the smell of burning and smoke wafting out.

Xiahou Dan, not sure why, staggered back a half-step before steadying himself, holding a strange object pointed at Tur.

No one had seen how he had acted, but the enormous momentum and terrifying destructive power had already shattered everyone’s understanding.

He must have missed; if that shot had hit Tur…

Tur laughed out loud.

“Good!” His eyes glowed with a bloody light. “Let’s see who will die today!”

With that, he didn’t charge at Xiahou Dan but instead leaped towards Bei Zhou.

Bei Zhou frowned, wanting to distance himself to give Xiahou Dan a clear shot. But Tur, with keen instincts, grasped the situation immediately and engaged Bei Zhou in close combat, shouting, “Do the same; he can’t aim accurately!”

Tur’s men realized this and copied him, engaging the remaining guards in close combat or using the guards’ corpses as shields, advancing towards Xiahou Dan step by step.

Bei Zhou, cornered by Tur, said coldly, “Do you underestimate me?”

He shifted his stance, channeling his energy, his hair flying, and his sword light blazing.

Tur dodged, but Bei Zhou’s sword didn’t lose momentum, breaking through the window, and he followed through the opening.

Tur paused, realizing too late what was happening.

Another explosion sounded behind him, and a sharp pain erupted in his shoulder!

Tur roared, crashing through the window after Bei Zhou, blood pouring from his right shoulder, mixing with the smell of burnt flesh and blood, making him nauseous.

Rolling away from the window, he stood up in the rain, trying and failing to lift his right arm twice. He glared at Bei Zhou with a wolf-like gaze, wanting to tear him apart.

Bei Zhou clicked his tongue in regret, “The aim really is off.”

Tur switched the blade to his left hand, “Come again!”

Inside the hall, the guards were mostly dead, with only four or five struggling to hold on.

The Empress Dowager, seeing that the attackers seemed uninterested in her life, began to crawl towards the back door, hoping to escape in the chaos.

Xiahou Dan shot four Yan people, but the remaining targets were difficult to aim at without hitting his own guards.

With the gun in hand, the Yan soldiers didn’t dare to approach recklessly.

How many bullets were left? Three? Four? He couldn’t remember.

Taking a deep breath, Xiahou Dan raised the gun again, but then a secret guard shouted, “Your Majesty, behind you!”

Xiahou Dan turned sharply, just in time to avoid a fatal strike.

Ha Qi Na, who had been sneaking up on him, thrust his sword into Xiahou Dan’s right chest.

Perhaps due to his familiarity with pain, Xiahou Dan first felt an icy chill before the pain slowly registered.

Mechanically, he raised his hand and pulled the trigger.

Ha Qi Na fell to the ground.

Xiahou Dan collapsed to his knees, uncertain whether to pull the sword out of his chest. The wound began to feel numb, indicating it might be poisoned. Realizing this, he gritted his teeth and pulled the sword out, causing blood to gush out.

Outside the hall, some guards, seeing the dire situation, rushed into the rain to run down the mountain and seek reinforcements from the Imperial Guards.

They hadn’t run far when an arrow pierced one of their hearts from above.

A gasp came from the forest, followed by the sound of a heavy object falling.

This happened several times, catching Bei Zhou’s attention. While fending off Tur, he called out from the window, “There are ambushes in the woods, preventing us from leaving the mountain!”

The Empress Dowager, who was crawling towards the door, shivered and looked back at Xiahou Dan. Kneeling on the ground, Xiahou Dan also looked up at her.

Their eyes met, and without hesitation, he aimed the gun’s black muzzle at her.

The Empress Dowager’s vision darkened, and she screamed instinctively.

Xiahou Dan lowered the gun and shot her in the leg.

The Empress Dowager let out a heart-wrenching scream, “Xiahou Dan, you damned—”

Xiahou Dan said, “Mother, were you planning to die with me?”

“What…” The Empress Dowager, muddled and in excruciating pain, cried out, “Those in the woods aren’t mine! My people are in the city—!”

Everything had happened so quickly that Xiahou Dan hadn’t had time to process it all.

Hearing the Empress Dowager’s wail, he finally understood.

The Prince Duan.

The Empress Dowager continued to wail, “It’s really not me, let me go…”

Xiahou Dan laughed, “Mother, who would have thought we’d end our days here together? But the silver lining is that your mausoleum will be put to good use.”

He laughed more genuinely, seeming amused by his own words.

The Empress Dowager’s sweat and snot ran together, “You, you are insane…”

Xiahou Dan shook his head, “Unfortunately, I can’t die yet.”

How many bullets were left? Two? One?

He pushed himself up and shot another Yan soldier who charged at him.

“Someone is waiting for me to return.”

Yang Duojie stepped out of the side hall and walked towards the next one.

The thunder outside continued, each rumble getting closer, as if a colossal creature was stepping down from the heavens, ready to strike Beishan with bolts of lightning.

Yang Duojie’s heart pounded inexplicably, and he hunched his shoulders.

Another thunderclap startled a palace attendant holding an umbrella, causing him to tilt it and drench Yang Duojie with rain.

Yang Duojie was about to rush inside when he suddenly paused and turned to look towards the main hall.

That last sound…was it thunder?

The trees on Beishan shivered in the dim light. The distant sky looked like a spreading ink blot, with layers of clouds collapsing into a primordial flood.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed in the corner of his eye!

Yang Duojie focused. It wasn’t a hallucination; someone was indeed running down the mountain frantically—a palace guard.

Had the guard abandoned the Emperor? Was he fleeing or seeking reinforcements?

Something major had happened in the main hall.

Yang Duojie hesitated but ultimately, his sense of duty overcame his survival instinct. A loyal minister must fulfill his duty, even in the face of danger. He grabbed an umbrella from the frightened palace attendant and hurried towards the main hall.

Two more figures rushed towards him; they were Xiahou Dan’s secret guards.

“Lord Yang, wait!”

Yang Duojie asked, “What’s happening inside?”

The secret guards, with grim faces, said succinctly, “The Yan people are assassins.”

Yang Duojie understood immediately and tried to run, but the guards stopped him, “We are going to notify the Imperial Guards. Do not go to the main hall or down the mountain. Find a secluded place to hide and don’t waste the Emperor’s goodwill.”

They quickly gave these instructions and then rushed towards the dark forest.

Yang Duojie stood there, stunned.

Goodwill.

Yes, the Emperor had sent him away earlier, sensing something amiss, to ensure his safety.

An Emperor who expects his ministers to save him in a crisis wouldn’t push them away.

He recalled the look Xiahou Dan had given him earlier. It wasn’t a smile or warmth, just cold calculation—precisely the “heartless sage” gaze that always made him uncomfortable.

Until today, Yang Duojie had always thought Xiahou Dan saw him as a useful pawn.

Now he understood; he was useful, but not to the Emperor.

The Emperor, even in his dying moments, wanted to protect him because he was valuable to the empire.

Xiahou Dan’s rousing speech on the painting boat, “You must stand tall and be the backbone of Daxia,” had never been taken seriously by him.

Yet the Emperor’s promise carried the weight of a thousand pounds.

Yang Duojie couldn’t clearly articulate his thoughts, but his limbs felt numb, and his blood surged. Without a clear plan, he rushed towards the main hall. He had only taken a few steps when he heard a disturbance in the forest behind him.

One of the secret guards who had stopped him earlier lay on the ground with an arrow in his back. The remaining guard was fiercely fighting someone.

Yang Duojie quickly hid behind the nearest pillar and peeked out.

Upon closer inspection, he saw bodies scattered all around the forest floor. In addition to guards and secret guards, there were also corpses dressed in plain clothes.

The person fighting the secret guard was also in plain clothes. These ambushers hid their identities, but Yang Duojie was no fool. It was clear that they were either Yan people or the Prince Duan’s death soldiers.

The Prince Duan intended to let the Yan people kill Xiahou Dan and the Empress Dowager.

The remaining secret guard was skilled. Despite being injured in the ambush, he gritted his teeth and killed the attacker before collapsing himself.

Yang Duojie’s breath came in rapid bursts. He could see no reinforcements arriving during the fight, suggesting that the ambushers in that direction had been cleared, creating a breach in the encirclement.

So now, he…

The thought hadn’t fully formed before his body acted on its own, dashing out from his hiding place.

Yang Duojie felt like he had never run so fast in his life. He plunged into the forest, leaping over the scattered bodies, down, down, pushing aside branches and the falling rain—

The terrain grew steeper, each step causing him to slip, making the path treacherous—

“There he is!” someone shouted from behind.

How many men had the Prince Duan stationed?

Yang Duojie stumbled and fell face-first into the mud, his hands sinking deep, unable to get up. Struggling, he turned around and saw someone in the trees drawing a bow.

He stopped trying to get up and rolled down the steep slope.

Spinning head over heels, he felt like a broken branch, carried by the mud and water, faster and faster, until he crashed into a fallen tree and finally stopped.

Every part of his body ached, and he couldn’t tell how many bones were broken. His clothes were torn, and he was bleeding. After catching his breath, Yang Duojie used the tree to stand and continued downhill.

Through the gaps in the trees, he finally saw the foot of the mountain.

Just as he was about to weep with relief, the hairs on his neck stood on end. He heard the bowstring tighten above him again.

In that infinitely prolonged moment, the words of the fallen secret guard echoed in his ears: “Don’t waste the Emperor’s goodwill…”

Yang Duojie’s eyes bulged with determination.

I shouldn’t die here, I shouldn’t die here!

Using all his strength, he flung himself to the side—

A whizzing sound.

A heavy thud.

Yang Duojie propped himself up and checked his intact limbs, then looked back. The ambusher who had drawn the bow lay on the ground, a dart embedded in him.

“Lord Yang?” a woman’s voice called.

A farmer’s wife and several men dressed as peasants ran towards him. When the woman spoke, Yang Duojie was shocked to recognize Yu Wanyin’s voice: “What happened to you?”

“Consort Yu!” Yang Duojie shouted, “There might still be people in the forest!”

Yu Wanyin halted abruptly and looked up.

Through the rain, it was impossible to distinguish any figures among the trees.

Suddenly, a blade flashed, not from the trees but from behind one!

In an instant, Yang Duojie heard Yu Wanyin take a deep breath.

At the last moment, a thunderous sound echoed in his ears, nearly deafening him.

It was eerily similar to the sound from the direction of the main hall earlier.

Yang Duojie covered his ears in panic. Yu Wanyin staggered back, falling to the ground. The ambusher emerging from behind the tree had a bloody hole in him but wasn’t dead, and he stubbornly swung his blade towards her.

Another loud bang.

This time, Yang Duojie saw it clearly. Yu Wanyin held a strange object, pointing it at the man’s head.

The man’s brains and blood splattered onto the tree behind him. He swayed and fell, his blade rolling to Yu Wanyin’s feet.

The last time Yu Wanyin killed someone, it was through Lady Shu, and she hadn’t seen the body herself. She had vomited then.

Now, with a real corpse in front of her, she didn’t feel nauseated, only a sense of unreality.

The scene before her seemed dreamlike, even the dead man looking like a prop.

After all, wasn’t this entire world fake?

“Consort!” The voice of the secret guard brought her back to reality. “Are you injured?”

Yu Wanyin’s stomach ached belatedly, but she gritted her teeth and endured it. No, even in this world, there was one real person.

She turned to Yang Duojie and said urgently, “What’s the situation?”

Yang Duojie gave a brief report.

Yu Wanyin’s mind raced. She looked at the four secret guards who had followed her and pointed at two of them, “You two, carry Lord Yang and seek reinforcements.”

“Yes!” they replied.

“Lord Yang,” Yu Wanyin patted him, “The future of Daxia depends on you.”

Yang Duojie left.

The remaining two secret guards hesitated, “Your Highness…”

Yu Wanyin, her face pale and gripping the gun tightly, said, “I’m fine, let’s hurry up the mountain.”

In her chaotic mind, a wildly inappropriate thought surfaced: why hadn’t she just kissed him last night under the corridor lights?

The secret guards ran swiftly, carrying Yang Duojie towards the city gate.

Yang Duojie, covered in blood, was quickly stopped by the guards at the gate.

With a hoarse voice, he shouted, “Where is Commander Zhao? Take me to Commander Zhao!”

Zhao Wucheng had already instructed his men to report any unusual movements. The guards, not daring to delay, sent for him.

When Zhao Wucheng saw Yang Duojie’s state, he felt a wave of relief: it seemed the Prince Duan’s plan was succeeding.

Yang Duojie was still urgently calling for help, but Zhao Wucheng interrupted, “Who are you?”

“I…” Yang Duojie identified himself.

Zhao Wucheng stroked his beard, “Looking like this, bringing a few farmers, you dare claim to be from the Astronomical Bureau and expect to command the Imperial Guards?”

Yang Duojie trembled with anger, frantically searching his body for proof of identity, but everything had been lost during his tumble down the mountain.

Zhao Wucheng ordered, “Take him into custody for interrogation.”

Yang Duojie’s blood ran cold.

He could prove his identity eventually, but by the time he managed that, would there be anyone left alive on Beishan?

In the pouring rain, Bei Zhou and Tur had exchanged hundreds of blows, neither able to break free.

In terms of martial arts, Bei Zhou was far superior to Tur, who could only use his left hand. But Tur fought with the determination of a man ready to die, making every move a potential mutual kill, forcing Bei Zhou, who was still concerned about Xiahou Dan in the main hall, into a defensive stance.

Inside the main hall.

Almost everyone, attackers and defenders alike, lay on the ground, either dead or injured, unable to move.

Only three Yan warriors remained standing.

These were Tur’s elite men, who had survived countless battles of blood and fire to reach this point, growing stronger with each fight. At this final moment, they showed no signs of letting up. Using the bodies of dead guards as shields, they advanced slowly, step by step, towards their final target.

Xiahou Dan, sitting on the ground in the depths of the hall, his chest bleeding, held up his gun, pointing it at them, seemingly searching for a weak point.

Only he knew that it was a bluff. The gun was out of ammunition.

The Yan warriors continued their slow advance.

Today, he truly wasn’t going to make it back.

Xiahou Dan glanced at the half-dead Empress Dowager, feeling deep regret. If he had known he wouldn’t survive today, he should have used that bullet to kill her instead of wasting it on her leg.

He had many regrets.

He hadn’t seen the Prince Duan kneeling before him. He hadn’t seen the end of the war, the harvests in Yan. He hadn’t fulfilled his promises to Cen Jintian and many other ministers, letting them see peace and prosperity.

Countless regrets flitted away like fleeting shadows, leaving the clearest image in his mind: the small hotpot bubbling in the cold palace.

If only he could see her again…

Three loud bangs.

The three warriors in front of him fell one after another, revealing the wide-open door behind them.

Yu Wanyin stood there, holding a smoking gun, her expression determined.

“Late, but not too late,” she said, stepping over the bodies as she hurried to Xiahou Dan’s side.

Xiahou Dan, his strength waning, looked at her with a mixture of relief and sorrow, “You came…”

“Of course I did,” Yu Wanyin replied, checking his wounds with a frown. “We need to get you out of here.”

“No time,” Xiahou Dan whispered, his voice weak. “The Prince Duan’s men… they’re still out there.”

“Then we’ll fight them too,” Yu Wanyin said, her voice firm, though her heart was pounding with fear and determination.

Xiahou Dan managed a faint smile, “Always so stubborn.”

“Hold on,” she urged, looking around for something to use as a makeshift bandage.

More footsteps echoed from the entrance, signaling the arrival of the remaining secret guards who had accompanied Yu Wanyin.

“We need to move, Your Majesty,” one of them said urgently.

Yu Wanyin nodded, “Help me with him.”

Together, they lifted Xiahou Dan, moving as quickly as they could towards a safer place, their hearts heavy with the knowledge that the fight was far from over.