Chapter 1692: I'm on Your Side

 Chapter 1691: The Collapsed Bandit

 Chapter 251.1: Deputy Commander Chang Has Returned

Winter days were short; on this day the sky hung heavy with clouds, and dusk fell even earlier than usual.

The fifty thousand infantry behind them, though marching day and night, had not yet caught up. Li Yi—who had hurriedly left Shouzhou earlier—had taken only ten thousand vanguard troops. He dared not risk a night march for fear of ambush, and so ordered his men to make camp and rest where they were.

Li Yi remained restless.

One adviser tried to soothe him: “Commander, do not be anxious — the main army will catch up by tomorrow.”

Another added, “If we march on for another four days, we’ll join the eighty thousand troops ahead. Once they combine, it won’t be long before we reach Yangzhou.”

Previously Chang Kuo had mustered one hundred thousand men intending to aid Hezhou; but aside from the twenty thousand vanguard Chang Kuo himself took, the remaining eighty thousand had been instructed by Li Yi to “take the opportunity to seize” Yangzhou.

Those eighty thousand had not truly come to blows with Xu’s unruly forces; they were currently encamped about two hundred li from Yangzhou, keeping watch.

The officer commanding those troops, Deputy General Yu Zai, was Li Yi’s trusted confidant — he knew Li Yi was on his way to Yangzhou and was only waiting to rendezvous.

The aide said, “When the forward and rear divisions meet, Commander will command one hundred and forty thousand troops; then you can properly negotiate terms of cooperation with Xu Zhengye.”

Such prospects for the near future were naturally alluring, yet Li Yi’s mind was full of one thought: Chang Kuo would come to kill him. He had no leisure to contemplate anything else.

So he issued an order. “…Send word to Yu Zai. Tell him not to merely wait in place — hasten with his troops to come and support me, just in case!”

Since it was only a four-day route, if he advanced and Yu Zai rode out to meet him, they could meet in two days — after all, both marching toward each other is the fastest way.

The aide considered this and thought the two-way march unnecessary, an expendable waste of men and resources. He advised, “If Deputy General Yu must break camp to come greet you, he’ll need considerable preparation, and sending messages takes time; it may not be much faster overall.”

“Then don’t let them break camp. Tell Yu Zai to lead light cavalry and come; let the rest hold the camp!” Li Yi insisted on Yu Zai’s coming. Yu Zai was his most trusted lieutenant, having followed him for years and wholly loyal.

Originally, to prevent those eighty thousand men out in the field from being beyond his command, he had reluctantly let Yu Zai march out with troops.

When a man is fearful and uneasy, he always wants someone he trusts nearby.

Wanting Yu Zai to come to his aid was an urgent instinct deep inside Li Yi — and before long he would discover that this instinct was right, only that it would be too late.

The aide could not argue and obeyed, sending a rider overnight to Yu Zai.

Li Yi paced his tent, asking in turns whether the rear army could catch up by tomorrow and where Yu Zai could most quickly meet him.

He counted and recounted, questioned and questioned, and his heart remained uneasy — until a secret dispatch was brought into his camp.

It was a letter from Chuzhou.

Upon opening it, Li Yi was suddenly overjoyed; the sharp sword that had always hung over his head seemed to vanish.

“...Chang Kuo is finally dead!” he cried in delight.

Dead in Chuzhou!

Xu Zhengye had promised to help him reach Yangzhou safely, arranging ambushes along the way to stop Chang Kuo. The Prefect of Chuzhou, Wei Jun, was one of Xu Zhengye’s men — Xu had made this clear in his letter.

Wei Jun had also sent him letters before; they had exchanged messages and thus corresponded.

The two advisors hurried to read the dispatch.

“Wonderful!” Li Yi felt happiness sweep over him, mingled with lingering fear. “He really meant to kill me — he even led his army to Chuzhou...”

Chuzhou was only two days’ march from his present position!

Fortunately, Wei Jun had acted reliably and allowed Chang Kuo to die in Chuzhou!

Thinking it over now, Chang Kuo had only a few wounded soldiers and remnants with him — what force could they be? It had been Li Yi’s own excessive dread that made him so uneasy, that led him to treat Chang Kuo as a mortal threat.

But in any case, a man dead meant all would be well!

“One advisor read aloud, “The Prefect Wei’s letter also says that, having learned the commander has only ten thousand vanguard for protection, he is willing to lead the Chuzhou troops to escort the commander to Yangzhou — he is already on his way...’” The aide looked at the letter and asked in puzzlement, “Is this also Xu Zhengye’s arrangement?”

“Not necessarily.” Li Yi laughed lightly. “Escort me? I think he plainly wants me to escort him to Yangzhou—”

“My one hundred and forty thousand troops will soon unite. Do I still need his paltry Chuzhou force to escort me?” Li Yi said. “By killing Chang Kuo, he has effectively torn his face from the court; if this matter becomes known he cannot cope alone.”

His analysis was neat and persuasive, matching the situation and human nature. “So he’s going to Yangzhou to claim credit from Xu Zhengye, and at the same time seek refuge!”

“Doesn’t the letter say it? He will bring Chang Kuo’s head with him!”

What else could that be but a plea for credit?

Out of caution, the two advisors retrieved Wei Jun’s previous letter and carefully compared the handwriting and seal — finding nothing amiss.

 Chapter 250.2: Is There Still a Hongmen Banquet? (Part Two)

The adviser whose bones Ah Dian had crushed was quickly dragged over. He collapsed to the ground, kneeling and begging for mercy, confessing everything about Wei Jun’s collusion with Xu Zhengye.

It was also under Xu Zhengye’s instruction that Wei Jun ambushed and attempted to kill Chang Kuo in Chuzhou.

One reason was to eliminate Chang Kuo, who had long been a thorn in his side.

The second was to ensure Li Yi’s safe passage to Yangzhou without being hindered by Chang Kuo.

Deputy Commander Li clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Wei Jun.

“So—you had long been secretly conspiring with Xu Zhengye! Back then, when you claimed that you feared the rebel army would attack Chuzhou and forbade me from leading troops to rescue Hezhou, you were only colluding with Xu Zhengye, deliberately obstructing us!”

And he had actually believed it—thus missing the chance to save his friend’s life!

Chang Suining spoke,

“Ah Dian, hand this man over to Deputy Commander Li for disposal.”

Such rebel scum—whether turned over to the court or executed on the spot—mattered little.

Leaving him to Deputy Commander Li was simply a token of goodwill.

Facing his enemy, Deputy Commander Li showed no mercy.

He thrust his sword straight through Wei Jun’s chest on the spot.

Wei Jun’s eyes widened as he fell lifelessly to the ground.

Seeing this, his adviser rolled his eyes back and fainted in terror.

Yet soon enough, he was awakened again by a splash of tea water.

For a brief moment as he opened his eyes, he thought all that had happened was merely a nightmare.

But when he looked up and saw the young lady standing before him, despair washed over him completely.

“There are still things I need to ask you,” she said.

The adviser hastily nodded.

“This humble one will speak truthfully of everything!”

In his fear and anxiety, he heard the girl above him ask calmly,

“Was the food edible?”

“...?” The adviser hesitated, then cautiously replied,

“It was... stained with blood, I fear it can no longer be eaten…”

Chang Suining said evenly,

“So that means there was no poison in the food?”

“No!” the adviser quickly answered.

“It... it was only mixed into the tea!”

Chang Suining turned and instructed,

“Uncle Ren, find someone to bring up the rest of the dishes.”

Having said this, she sat back down where she had been before.

Since they had come all this way, she might as well fill her stomach.

Chu Xing glanced around at the bloodstains that had yet to be cleaned, and at the corpses of Wei Jun and the others still lying about—the unease in his heart grew even stronger.

Facing a lady who could still sit down and eat at a time like this—what could he possibly do?

His own general gave him the answer.

Chang Kuo commanded,

“Men, drag out all these obstructing things!”

Then he too sat down beside his daughter and beckoned the soldiers to join in.

Inside and outside the Prefect’s manor, Deputy Commander Li was already handling matters and restoring order.

They might as well take this brief time to eat their fill.

Soon, more dishes were brought in—still steaming hot.

Chu Xing hesitated for a moment, then found a seat and began wolfing down his share.

He truly had not eaten a hot meal in a long while—and correcting the young lady’s behavior could wait till later!

When Deputy Commander Li was finally done with his duties and came back, what he saw was a hall full of people crowding together and eating heartily.

He fell silent for a moment, then ordered his men to bring out everything edible within the Prefect’s residence.

In the end, Chang Suining instructed that whatever remained should be packed up and taken away—to feed the brothers outside the city.

Watching these people eat and pack food as though they were bandits who had stormed a city, the adviser, clutching his writing brush, could only weep inwardly.

The Prefect had called this plan “catching turtles in a jar”—but the turtles were never caught, and instead the man was dead and his house emptied!

To steal a chicken and end up losing the rice, to fail at catching the turtle and get robbed instead!

When he saw Chang Suining walking toward him, he hurriedly held up the letter with both hands, forcing a strained smile.

“I have written everything according to Young Miss Chang’s instructions, and stamped it with the Prefect’s seal… please look it over, Young Miss Chang.”

Chang Suining took it, examined it carefully, and nodded.

After sealing the letter, she handed it to Deputy Commander Li.

“I must trouble you to send this under the name of the Chuzhou army, by fast courier through the night to Li Yi—as quickly as possible.”

——

By dawn, Chang Suining and her group had departed from Chuzhou, now accompanied by an additional twenty thousand soldiers.

These were lent to them by Deputy Commander Li, leaving ten thousand troops behind to guard the prefecture.

Chang Suining looked back at the army behind her with a sigh of emotion.

After so much patching and gathering, they had finally assembled a full three armies.

Three armies—enough to frighten Li Yi out of his wits.

With a bit of clever strategy, things should now be about settled.

“Xiao Ah Li, this Hongmen Banquet was truly wonderful!”

Ah Dian sat on horseback, one hand gripping the reins, the other holding a bun. His cheeks were puffed full as he spoke unclearly through his mouthful of food.

“We didn’t have to spend a single coin, and the food was delicious!”

he then looked back at the army trailing behind.

“And we even got to take so many people with us!”

Finally, he summed it up with longing,

“Are there any more Hongmen Banquets like this? If there were one every day, that would be perfect!”

Chang Suining nodded in agreement.

“Indeed.”

Hearing this, Miss Jiacai and the others all burst out laughing.

“Such a Hongmen Banquet—ordinary folk could never stomach it! Only our Young Miss Chang and the Grand General could!”

The warm winter sun rose as the army marched swiftly onward.

 Chapter 878: Aiming for the Zhuangyuan (Part 2)  

Across the street from the palace stood a small teahouse. Despite its modest size, the interior was tastefully decorated. Many officials, after finishing their duties, enjoyed coming here to drink tea or listen to music, easing the fatigue of the day. However, the costs here were three times higher than those at other teahouses.  

What intrigued Mo Yan most was the demeanor of the teahouse staff. The owner and several attendants exuded a sense of determination and moved with a vigor that was unusual for their roles. Moreover, all of them had some form of physical disability. The owner had no legs below the knees and relied on crutches to move. The tea master was missing his right leg and left eye. Even the server who brought tea had an empty sleeve where his right arm should have been, balancing the tray with his left hand.  

To Mo Yan, the scene felt oddly out of place. She glanced at the stern-faced man who softened noticeably when the server entered with tea, and a suspicion about their true identities began forming in her mind.  

“The tea here is excellent. Try it,” Xiao Ruiyuan said, pouring a steaming cup of tea for Mo Yan.  

The enticing aroma wafted through the air. Mo Yan nodded, took a small sip, and was surprised to find that the tea was as good as the ones she brewed at home using water from the spiritual spring. If brewed with the cloud mist tea from her space, it would probably surpass even her best efforts.  

Savoring the tea, Mo Yan finished her cup in small sips and praised earnestly, “This is the most fragrant tea I’ve ever tasted. The tea master here must be truly remarkable!”  

Xiao Ruiyuan smiled faintly. “If you’re interested in learning, I can speak with him. Perhaps he’d be willing to teach you.”  

Surprised, Mo Yan asked, “You know the tea master well?”  

Xiao Ruiyuan nodded. “This teahouse belongs to me.”  

“It’s yours?” Mo Yan’s eyes widened. “You’re running a business? That doesn’t seem to fit your image!”  

Xiao Ruiyuan chuckled, immediately understanding her thoughts. His smile deepened. “While the teahouse is mine, the operations are entirely managed by them. All I require is that they send the annual profits to Shi Yi.”  

Mo Yan was speechless. His hands-off approach to managing the business was even more extreme than hers.  

Recalling her earlier suspicion, Mo Yan asked, “Were they once soldiers under your command?”  

Xiao Ruiyuan nodded again, unfazed by her guess. “There are many like them at the border—people who lost their physical capabilities during the war. They don’t want to return home and burden their families. After arranging for the compensation money to be sent back to their families, they chose to stay behind at the border, farming barren lands to sustain themselves.”  

Even able-bodied farmers struggled to make ends meet, praying for favorable weather to barely get by. The hardships of farming were unimaginable, especially for those with disabilities, facing the harsh conditions and infertile lands of the border regions.  

Having spent years at the border, Xiao Ruiyuan deeply understood their struggles. After becoming a general with some authority, he arranged for those who were physically able but unfit for battle to take on positions in prisons or other low-effort jobs, allowing them to live with dignity through their own efforts.  

For instance, the prison head at the Ministry of Justice who had shown Mo Qingze particular kindness was one such soldier. Injured on the battlefield, he was later placed in that position by Xiao Ruiyuan.  

However, such cases were a minority. Many, like the owner and tea master of this teahouse, were severely disabled and unable to sustain themselves through labor.  

Xiao Ruiyuan owned several businesses in the capital, properties inherited from his mother and grandfather. These businesses were managed by loyal elders who had served his family for years. Although Xiao Ruiyuan wanted to support his soldiers, replacing the existing staff was not feasible.  

[End of Chapter]    

 Chapter 877: Aiming for the Zhuangyuan (Part 1)  

The final round of the palace examination had only thirty participants. Like before, they were required to write an essay within half an hour, but this time the results would directly determine the rankings for the first and second tiers. The ten scholars who failed to make it into the top two tiers would join the seventy who had failed the second round, collectively ranked in the third tier.  

Future prospects hinged entirely on today’s performance. Consequently, the atmosphere in the Baohe Hall was far tenser than during the second round. In addition to the usual examiners, the presence of Emperor Hui'an seated on the dragon throne added immense pressure to the room.  

When Emperor Hui'an announced the essay topic, some less composed scholars trembled as they lifted their brushes. However, the majority maintained their focus and began writing as if nothing could distract them.  

Emperor Hui'an observed the thirty participants keenly, comparing their current performance to the essays they had submitted during the preliminary and second rounds. His gaze lingered briefly on several diligent candidates before finally settling on Mo Qingze. He watched Mo Qingze intently for an extended moment before shifting his attention back to the mountain of memorials piled on the desk before him.  

Mo Qingze was wholly absorbed in his writing and oblivious to the emperor’s scrutiny. Within the allotted half hour, he completed the first draft of his essay. The remaining time was spent refining and transcribing it neatly.  

Outside the palace, Mo Yan sat inside the carriage, avoiding the increasingly scorching sunlight. She had no interest in wandering around the streets, but staying idle alone was equally boring. With the carriage’s windows and doors closed, she let Mao Tuan out of her spatial space to keep her company.  

The moment Mao Tuan sprawled out in the carriage, he took up most of the space. Mo Yan, his owner, had to sit straight against the carriage wall, unable even to stretch her legs.  

“Mao Tuan, don’t you think it’s time to go on a diet?” Mo Yan teased as she pinched one of his fluffy ears and sighed. “Being overweight isn’t good for you. Just look at yourself! You’ve put on more weight recently. If you keep this up, you won’t be able to find a mate.”  

Mao Tuan’s ears twitched. He wanted to retort but was bound by his promise not to speak freely. All he could do was stare at her with his round, expressive eyes, conveying his determination not to diet.  

Seeing his reaction, Mo Yan chuckled lightly. “Don’t give me that look. Who told you to overeat and get so chubby? This is for your own good!”  

Despite Mao Tuan’s frequent trips up and down the mountains, his voracious appetite meant he consumed far more than he burned. With a never-ending supply of food from the spatial space, his indulgence had no limits, and his growing size was becoming a concern for Mo Yan.  

Mao Tuan, however, couldn’t grasp his owner’s well-meaning intentions. When he realized she was serious about reducing his meals, he panicked and rested his massive head on her lap, letting out pitiful whines to appeal for mercy.  

At over a thousand pounds, Mao Tuan was a full-grown adult tiger. His enormous head resting on her lap felt as heavy as a millstone, and Mo Yan’s legs felt like they were being crushed.  

“You big rascal, get off me!” Mo Yan scolded playfully, pushing his head away.  

Mao Tuan refused to budge, rubbing his head against her persistently. He showed none of the majesty of a king of the forest.  

Frustrated yet amused, Mo Yan didn’t give in. She decreed that his daily “rations” would be reduced by a third and assigned Xue Tuanzi from the spatial space to supervise him.  

Just as they were playfully arguing, there was a sudden knock on the carriage window. Startled, Mo Yan quickly turned her palm and returned Mao Tuan to the spatial space. Before she could ask who it was, a familiar voice came through the wooden carriage walls.  

“Yan’er, it’s me!”  

Mo Yan immediately opened the door. Against the backdrop of the dazzling sunlight, she clearly saw the face of the man standing outside.  

It was none other than Xiao Ruiyuan.  

[End of Chapter]   

 Chapter 1690: This Person Must Not Be Spared

Hearing him mention Jiang Kuanyu, Xia Yi's expression turned serious. "Unfortunately, he managed to escape from the clutches of those two jackals."

Meng Pei looked at her suddenly, "Did you just see him?"

Xia Yi nodded, "Not only that, I also saw Guo Laowu."

"Who's Guo Laowu?" Shu Yu asked while tearing a strip of cloth on the side.

Xia Yi explained, "There are five managers in the black market. The leader, Ke Laoda, oversees the entire black market. The second to fifth manage different industries. Guo Laowu is in charge of the brothel where we serve guests. Fu Er manages the beast camp and the duel arena, Wu San is in charge of the gambling house, and Chang Si oversees activities and the trade of personnel. These are the general management directions, and there are some subordinates under them, like Jiang Kuanyu, who works under Wu San."

All this information was gathered by Xia Yi during her undercover time in the black market.

"Ke Laoda and Fu Er took their capable aides to the city recently. Wu San and Chang Si also went to the neighboring county with their people a couple of days ago, to participate in the upcoming attack. So, at present, Guo Laowu is in charge of the black market. I heard that Guo Laowu hasn't been here for long; he took over the brothel's management just last November."

In other words, he had only been here for a year.

No wonder he could only stay within the black market, managing these few scattered individuals.

Xia Yi continued, "I saw him come over with his men just now. He ordered the beasts to be shot with arrows or subdued, and they're currently tending to the injured who were bitten."

Shu Yu found it a bit strange, "Is this Guo Laowu feeling frustrated, being passive and neglectful? Why did it take him so long to react?"

It had been quite some time since the beasts broke out.

At the very least, they had all made it to the beast camp, met with Meng Pei, and started tending to wounds.

Xia Yi's expression was hard to interpret, as she couldn't exactly mention that she saw Guo Laowu a bit disheveled and with red marks on his face. It was clear he was fooling around with a girl in a corner on the third floor, and had to abruptly leave to handle the situation.

But she couldn't tell Shu Yu these details, so she vaguely replied, "The black market is quite large; he might have been a bit far away."

Young Master He on the side felt there was something odd about her expression as she said this.

Quickly changing the subject, Xia Yi said, "By the way, when I entered, I saw Jiang Kuanyu going over to him. He will most likely inform Gou Laowu about the rescue, and suspicions might fall on the Meng family. This person must not be spared."

Meng Yunzheng nodded, "Indeed, he must not be spared."

He stood up, adjusted the soft sword at his waist, and said to Meng Pei, "Dad, I'll leave things here to you. It's a rare opportunity. I'll go take care of Jiang Kuanyu."

Meng Pei agreed, "Don't worry. I've been assisting old Zhao for so many years, always helping with treating injuries. As long as we have medicine, your uncle's side will be fine. But what about you? Are you sure you'll be okay alone? Guo Laowu surely has many skilled individuals by his side."

Xia Yi stood up, "I'm going too."

Meng Yunzheng frowned, "Your identity..."

"Things have come to this point, there's no need to keep hiding. The superior also instructed before leaving, allowing me to act freely. I think now is the chance." The battle in the capital should have started, and her undercover mission was nearly at its end.

 Chapter 1689: Why Aren't You Leaving?

The bandit almost jumped in frustration, "Treating his injuries? Are you out of your mind? While it's chaotic outside now, it will calm down soon. When that happens, the higher-ups will definitely realize something is wrong with the released beasts. They will investigate, search the entire black market, and by then, not only will you find it difficult to leave, you won't even be able to hide."

Well, it's rare for him to be so clear-headed, and his logic is smooth too.

Seeing that they remained unmoved, he continued to persuade, "Furthermore, your uncle, with such severe injuries, you need to get him out and find a doctor as soon as possible. The medicine you have can only offer temporary relief, not save his life. Quickly take him out to see a doctor, don't delay."

Meng Yunzheng still didn't say anything. Find a doctor? The doctors and apothecaries in Chenggu County's town couldn't possibly offer anything more effective than the medicine provided by Zhao Xi and Old Doctor Zhao.

If the medicine he gave to Meng Xiaoshu couldn't save his life, seeking a doctor outside wouldn't necessarily be helpful.

Moreover, while he and Meng Pei weren't doctors, they had followed Old Doctor Zhao for many years and were quite familiar with treating both internal and external injuries. They were stronger in this aspect compared to the ordinary village doctors.

They could leave now with Meng Xiaoshu, but the bandit was right. Releasing the beasts would definitely alert the leaders of the black market that someone had broken in. They would search the black market and discover that they had come down from the hidden passage in the main mansion.

With the entrance of the secret passage exposed, if Meng Xiaoshu was rescued and taken away, wouldn't the leaders of the black market know who was responsible? They would inform the county magistrate in Chenggu County, and the Meng family would face a thorough crackdown.

So, even if they managed to escape the black market, they couldn't evade Chenggu County.

Given this situation, rather than leaving, it might be better to do something within the black market. After all, if they left now, they might not be able to come back in the future.

The bandit was growing agitated, wanting to say more, but suddenly, Shu Yu interrupted him, "The noises outside seem to have diminished."

The people in the room all froze slightly, then turned their heads to listen more closely.

Indeed, the roars of the beasts and the screams of people that had been continuous earlier had almost disappeared now.

Young Master He whispered, "Did they all go somewhere else?"

Meng Pei cautiously opened the door and looked outside, his expression tense. "It seems the people in the black market have realized the situation. They must have killed or captured the wild beasts and have possibly fled to other places."

He turned to look at Meng Yunzheng and Meng Xiaoshu. "I'll go out and check the situation."

"Father, let me go. You're injured."

Meng Pei was about to decline but then saw Xia Yi hastily approaching, carrying two water bottles.

He didn't have time to respond. He quickly opened the door to let her in and locked the door behind her.

Xia Yi heaved a sigh of relief, placed the water bottles on the ground, and said to them, "Other things were hard to come by, but these two water bottles are more convenient. There isn't much water, so make do. Also, here's a clean cloth. However, Uncle Meng has too many wounds for it to be enough."

"Thank you," Meng Yunzheng took the bottles and first gave Meng Xiaoshu a couple of sips of water before tending to his injuries.

Looking at the state of Meng Xiaoshu's bloody and mangled body, Meng Yunzheng's expression darkened, and his lips tightened. This Jiang Kuanyu was truly despicable.

Meng Pei took a deep breath and said fiercely, "That scoundrel Jiang Kuanyu, he better pray that the hyenas killed him. Otherwise, I won't let him off. I'll return these injuries to him a hundredfold."

 Chapter 250.1: Is There Still a Hongmen Banquet?

As the cup of wine fell and Wei Jun’s voice echoed through the hall, the attendants and guards waiting outside swiftly rushed in with blades drawn, murderous intent filling the air.

Chu Xinglao, Old Kang, and the dozen men behind them had already been on alert for some time; now all of them drew their swords.

“Do not act rashly,” Chang Suining also stood with her sword drawn, looking toward Wei Jun—who had already been surrounded and protected by his close guards—and asked,

“How much benefit did Xu Zhengye promise you? My father can offer you double.”

Although Chang Kuo knew he could not produce such generous rewards, he did not falter in the slightest. After all, Her Highness was merely boasting.

As the two sides confronted one another, Wei Jun sneered coldly,

“Benefits? Unfortunately, that is not what I seek! My Wei family has been loyal to the Da Sheng Dynasty and to the Li clan for generations. Now the Empress and her ministers bring chaos to the court—such defilement of Heaven’s order cannot be tolerated! All that we do is to aid His Highness the Crown Prince to ascend the throne and restore clarity to Da Sheng’s realm!”

“Jiangnan is in this state thanks to Xu Zhengye,” Chang Suining looked at him.

“And you call that the restoration of clarity to the realm? Do you truly believe Xu Zhengye is acting for the Li clan—for the Crown Prince?”

“I do not know for whom he acts…” Wei Jun’s gaze grew cold again.

“But you—those who willingly serve as the claws and dogs of the female Emperor—cannot be allowed to live!”

Chang Suining understood at once.

“I thought you were truly foolish, but you’re not. Merely a wolf in scholar’s robes—using loyalty to the Li clan as a banner while seeking chaos to seize your own share of the meat.”

Anyone who stood in his way was, in his eyes, a ‘claw of the female Emperor’ that must be eliminated.

Chang Kuo drew his blade.

“In that case, there’s nothing more to say to the likes of you!”

“I had meant to grant you a swift death,” Wei Jun raised his hand, his voice cruel,

“But if you insist on suffering before you die, you have only yourselves to blame! Kill them all!”

Moments ago, the hall had been filled with harmony—fragrant wine and cheerful music—but now it had turned into a cage of death.

More assassins poured in; blood filled the air.

Seeing the ferocity and skill of Chang Kuo and his men, Wei Jun, though holding the advantage in numbers, could not suppress the unease rising within him.

He had heard of Chang Kuo’s ruthless reputation and knew these were the same warriors who had recently repelled Xu Zhengye’s army at Hezhou—no easy opponents.

Wei Jun knew full well that meeting them head-on was reckless.

Thus, he had chosen to lure Chang Kuo into the city first, planning to poison him when unguarded.

But these people were too cautious—even that seemingly naïve young lady was filled with shrewdness.

He still could not figure out how his plot with the poisoned wine had been discovered!

Or perhaps… they had suspected him all along and never trusted him in the first place!

But now, things had gone too far—there was no turning back. They could only fight!

Of course, Chang Kuo and his men had not come unprepared for the banquet.

Though their army could not all enter the inner city, they had brought several hundred personal guards.

Before entering the Prefect’s residence, Chang Suining and Chang Kuo had already made secret arrangements for any potential betrayal.

So the moment Wei Jun’s men drew their blades, Chu Xing and his subordinates relayed the alarm through signal whistles.

Outside the Prefect’s mansion, soldiers who had been stationed in advance were already storming into the front courtyard, heading their way.

As the fight dragged on with no success, Wei Jun grew frantic, wishing he could personally hack Chang Kuo and his meddlesome daughter to pieces—but he dared not.

He was a civil official, not incapable of using force but far from able to match trained generals.

Hearing the clashes outside, one of his aides panicked and said,

“Prefect, perhaps you should withdraw to the rear hall for now!”

Lowering his voice, the man added,

“Do not worry, my lord. Even if they fight their way out of the mansion, they cannot leave Chuzhou City!”

After all, when entertaining military men, it was never the custom to allow entire armies into the city.

Chang Kuo’s group, however vigilant, had brought only a few hundred men.

So what if they discovered the poisoned wine? Tonight, none of them would escape alive!

Wei Jun, protected by several close guards, retreated with his aides toward the back through a screen.

But he had gone only a short distance when the sound of fighting broke out behind him.

Turning back, he saw someone chasing after him—a tall figure, unarmed, charging bare-handed—yet even so, none of his guards could stop him!

With each punch and kick, that man sent his protectors flying.

Wei Jun’s face turned pale. Gathering up his official robes, he ran.

“Don’t run!”

The voice that shouted after him carried an almost childlike tone—unnaturally innocent.

The aide suddenly realized—this must be a fool.

And then he remembered: when the late Crown Prince still lived, he had commanded under him a fierce general, one whose mind was not sound but whose strength was unmatched—none could come near him, even among a hundred men.

Could it be that same man?!

The aide panicked. In his haste to flee, he tripped over the threshold and fell flat on his face with a scream.

A second, even louder cry followed—because Ah Dian had stepped right on his back as he lunged past, grabbing Wei Jun by the collar of his official robes.

Wei Jun felt himself yanked backward with tremendous force—then lifted bodily into the air!

Startled, he tried to fight back, but his struggling arm was instantly caught and twisted; when he raised his other hand to strike, that too was restrained.

Then, with a sudden wrench, came a crack—the excruciating pain of his arm breaking made his pupils shrink and a scream burst from his throat.

“You really don’t listen!”

Ah Dian sighed as though scolding a child—it wasn’t easy catching people.

The aide beneath him howled pitifully, on the verge of tears.

Ah Dian glanced down, realizing he was still standing on the man, and jumped aside in fright.

“I didn’t mean it!”

The aide groaned, bones likely broken no less than his lord’s—but at least Ah Dian did not intend to kill him. Instead, he dragged the Prefect straight back toward the hall.

“My lord!” the aide cried, trying to crawl after them.

One of the Prefect’s guards charged with a blade, only to be kicked flying by Ah Dian.

Seeing the guard spit blood and collapse, the aide froze, the pain in his body intensifying until he could no longer move. He could only lie there, whimpering for help:

“Someone—save the Prefect!”

Ah Dian dragged Wei Jun into the main hall and shouted,

“Xiao Ah Li! I caught him!”

Those who had accompanied them to the banquet were all prepared for such an outcome.

Chang Suining had warned Ah Dian in advance:

“Today’s banquet may be a Hongmen trap. If a fight breaks out, keep your eyes on the man wearing the highest hat—don’t let him run.”

Fearing he might forget, Ah Dian had repeated this command over a dozen times until he had memorized it by heart.

The moment the men in the hall saw their Prefect captured, they were all shocked.

“Stop!” Chang Suining pointed the tip of her sword at Wei Jun.

The fighting ceased at once.

The young woman’s face was spattered with blood; her sword tip rose and pressed to Wei Jun’s throat.

His face turned deathly pale. He tried to lean back, but Ah Dian’s iron grip held him still.

Under the suffocating pressure of death, Wei Jun trembled, his voice shaking,

“Y-you can’t kill me!”

Chang Suining looked at him calmly.

“Oh? And why not?”

At her tone, Chu Xing’s brows twitched faintly.

“The city gates are shut—you cannot escape!” Wei Jun grit his teeth, voice trembling.

“If you kill me, you’ll die as well!”

But the girl only said slowly,

“The gates are closed, yes—but gates are made to be opened, aren’t they?”

She continued serenely,

“The control of the city defense lies in the hands of Deputy Commander Li. I spoke with him earlier today, and we got along quite well. I think he’d be willing to open the gate for us.”

Her words were so innocent that Wei Jun almost laughed.

“Miss Chang, you take me for too much a fool. A subordinate willing to aid my enemies—do you think I would keep such a man alive at such a time?”

Because he trusted Li Xun too much, he had never trusted him at all.

Li Xun knew nothing of his secret dealings with Xu Zhengye.

He had kept the man alive only because the time was not yet ripe—now that he intended to slay Chang Kuo, he was ready to sever ties with the court entirely. Such a liability could no longer be tolerated!

“So—you had him killed?” Chang Suining asked.

“He is already dead,” Wei Jun declared, meeting Chang Kuo’s gaze.

“If you still wish to leave Chuzhou alive, you cannot kill me!”

Though his plan had failed, so long as he lived, he still held leverage. Thus, his confidence slowly returned.

But that confidence was soon shattered.

“Unfortunately, your subordinate is not dead—so it seems the Prefect will be disappointed.”

As that voice sounded, a blood-stained man stepped across the threshold—Deputy Commander Li, his expression cold and grim.

Behind him stood his soldiers—and Chang Ren.

Wei Jun’s face went white as chalk.

Li Xun—alive?!

With Deputy Commander Li’s arrival, Chang Suining lost interest in further conversation.

She sheathed her sword.

Though the blade was no longer at his throat, Wei Jun’s cold sweat only grew thicker.

“I have taken control of the entire city,” Deputy Commander Li saluted.

“Please be at ease, Great General.”

Chang Kuo returned the salute.

“Thank you for your aid, Deputy Commander Li.”

Sporadic fighting still echoed through the Prefect’s residence—Wei Jun’s remaining men resisting stubbornly—but the outcome was already decided