Although rumors always claim that Wei Qingheng was my first male companion, rumors are just rumors after all. In fact, the first male companion this Princess took into her manor was Zhang Xianyang before me.

Naturally it wasn’t because I was attracted to his beauty – though admittedly he was indeed handsome and extraordinary. However, back then my heart was entirely occupied with that big brother who had disappeared without a trace, with no room for anyone else.

So his entry into the Princess Manor was entirely Father Emperor’s arrangement.

The situation was like this.

Zhang Xianyang’s father, Zhang Ting, was originally a general guarding the frontier.

One year, when Da Liang wanted to take advantage of Da Qing’s internal turmoil to invade our territory, because our military strength was insufficient, Father Emperor ordered him to pretend to collude with another tribal leader from Liang State – basically sowing discord and using borrowed strength to fight strength.

Later, just when the great deed was about to succeed, some uninformed military officer gathered evidence of Zhang Ting’s crimes and reported to the capital, causing a storm throughout the court. At that time, Father Emperor was in a difficult position – if he revealed that everything was done under imperial orders, Da Liang would probably unite in hatred against us. But if he didn’t reveal the truth, he would have to punish General Zhang for treason, which would mean letting a loyal subject die unjustly.

Just when Father Emperor was hesitating, he received a letter from General Zhang from thousands of li away. The letter expressed his willingness to die, to bear this crime for the sake of the world’s common people, without any resentment.

Subsequently, he infiltrated the Liang tribes under the identity of “fleeing in fear of punishment,” causing great damage to enemy forces who could no longer take care of themselves.

He dispersed the enemy’s invasion intentions without losing a single soldier, but ultimately died on the enemy’s battlefield.

Father Emperor held his letter speechlessly for a long time. With the nation in turmoil, he still couldn’t clear General Zhang Ting’s name, and all he could do was preserve the Zhang family’s only bloodline.

This bloodline was Zhang Xianyang.

So Father Emperor summoned me for a heart-to-heart talk and proposed this suggestion of using male companions to protect people. Honestly, I couldn’t understand the meaning of such a humiliating and degrading bad idea. Rather than having him condescend to be a male companion in the Princess Manor, why not just give him any random identity to hide among the common people?

Father Emperor said Zhang Xianyang was talented material who shouldn’t live a mediocre life.

I found this logic completely incomprehensible at the time. Who didn’t know his father was a traitor who collaborated with enemies and betrayed the country? Even if his life was saved because “the lustful Princess disregarded law and forced him to be her male companion,” how could he establish himself among the hundred officials when given a position later?

Only after he entered the manor did I gradually understand what Father Emperor meant by “shouldn’t be buried.”

This young man not only harbored no resentment over his father’s injustice, but never felt shame about his status as a male companion living under others’ roofs.

His heart was completely clear, telling me he wanted to be a good official, making his father watching from heaven proud of him.

At that time I was still young and tried to express in roundabout ways the difficulties of worldly affairs and why he needed to be so persistent. He always smiled it off, never arguing or contending, accepting everything peacefully.

Who would have thought that after all these years, he climbed from a small seventh-rank official all the way up to the position of Governor of Zhezhi through hard work. I had to admit Father Emperor’s vision and his determination.

Well, I’ve digressed somewhat.

Actually, what I want to express through all this is that although Zhang Xianyang’s revelation of his true face truly shocked me, my anxious mood throughout the journey also settled down accordingly.

He’s a very reliable person.

For someone like him to personally go undercover in this small bandit gang made me extremely puzzled.

—————————————————Second Update—————————————————

Zhang Xianyang saw my confusion. He indicated for me to sit down, poured me a cup of tea, then slowly said: “Is the Princess wondering why this subject is hiding among the Changkong Stronghold?”

I raised my eyebrows: “Jiangzhe floods left state and county refugees homeless. The Crown Prince knew you had difficulty borrowing grain, so he tried every means to have Han Fei send disaster relief silver to assist you. Instead of staying at your post doing what you should do, you ran to this bandit stronghold to risk yourself – what should I say about you?”

Zhang Xianyang pondered for a moment, then sighed: “This flood – does the Princess know what caused it?”

“Heavy rain breaking the dikes,” I looked at him sideways, “What, from your tone, is there some hidden mystery?”

“Same river, same rain – why didn’t neighboring provinces see dam breaks, but Jiangzhe had such a big disaster?”

I was slightly startled: “You mean the river works officials embezzled funds when repairing dikes and didn’t build them properly? Then you should investigate and handle it strictly…”

“This subject investigated – the river works people didn’t cut corners. Someone deliberately destroyed the dikes to create this flood.”

I frowned, only hearing him say: “After the flood came great famine in the state. Although the court ordered temporary suspension of taxes and prohibition of rice price increases, there was little grain available for sale in the market. Corpses lined the roads, bandits caused trouble. This subject accidentally learned that someone was using grain to recruit various bandits. After several twists and turns, I learned that Changkong Stronghold began secretly hoarding grain since early plum rains, and the dike destruction was also their doing.”

My heart jumped: “How could a small bandit stronghold have such capability?”

“A small bandit stronghold naturally doesn’t have this ability, but if there’s someone behind them…” Zhang Xianyang said: “Their purpose is probably far more than just strengthening the bandit stronghold.”

“So you infiltrated Changkong Stronghold wanting to investigate thoroughly? But I can’t understand how you became their chief in such a short time.”

He smiled slightly: “This subject was originally Changkong Stronghold’s chief.”

Zhang Xianyang being Changkong Stronghold’s chief – this statement was quite shocking at first hearing.

He said when he first entered officialdom, his first achievement was pacifying the world’s number one stronghold, Changkong Stronghold.

Since this bandit stronghold was called the world’s number one, it naturally had deep roots and extensive connections. To eradicate it completely, one had to enter the tiger’s den. So he rose from a small bandit to the bandits’ strategist, then later used his charm to become the bandit chief’s prospective son-in-law, finally killing the bandit chief and taking his place without anyone knowing.

When Zhang Xianyang got to this point, I couldn’t help giving him a contemptuous look. Zhang Xianyang somewhat guiltily avoided my gaze, coughed, and said: “After that, I mastered all of Changkong Stronghold’s strongholds and hiding places, finally coordinating from within and without to completely eliminate them.”

I shook my head repeatedly: “With a traitor like you, how did Changkong Stronghold’s people not tear you to pieces?”

Zhang Xianyang smiled bitterly: “A court official disguising as a bandit to suppress bandits isn’t very glorious after all. Few people knew about this, and when I left in the chaos that year, the surviving members of Changkong Stronghold searched everywhere but could never imagine that the magistrate in the court was their ‘chief.'”

I chuckled: “Seems you couldn’t bear to exterminate them all?” Seeing a flash of confusion in his eyes, I stopped mocking him: “Then… this time when you appeared again pretending to be reunited after long separation, didn’t anyone suspect you?”

“The current leader Yang Xu went through hardships with me back then. All these years he never stopped searching for me and always kept the chief position waiting for my return,” Zhang Xianyang sighed almost imperceptibly, “Seeing me still alive, he was naturally overjoyed and respected me as chief. Naturally, he wasn’t without wariness… As for who was manipulating Changkong Stronghold to destroy dikes and what schemes they had, he rarely mentioned, only saying someone was helping him revive Changkong Stronghold. Until recently I intercepted Yang Xu’s carrier pigeon message, ordering Yang Xu to lead brothers from all sides to set out successively and gather at the capital’s outskirts, awaiting further instructions for action… Princess, can you guess who wrote this secret letter to Yang Xu?”

I blurted out: “Marquis Xia Yang?”

Zhang Xianyang looked at me in surprise: “Later this subject tampered with the carrier pigeon Yang Xu used to reply, and sent people to track it all the way to Suiyang. The pigeon indeed flew to Marquis Xia Yang’s mansion.” He paused here: “How did the Princess guess correctly at once?”

“When you mentioned that destroying dikes and flooding fields had hidden motives, I thought of him. Doing this could make the court pay out a large sum for disaster relief, and local officials would have to deploy military forces because of refugees. Thus the mastermind could unknowingly gather bandits from all sides for his use. Besides him, who else would make such a ‘good move’…”

The strategist was probably Feng Li again.

“Nie Guang’s chess game goes far beyond this.” Zhang Xianyang lowered his eyes and shook his head: “The Princess’s presence here was deliberately arranged by Yang Xu under Marquis Xia Yang’s orders. This room was also prepared for the Princess.”

“I guessed this too,” I shook the teacup in my hand, “Today in the forest, did you really think this Princess was clueless?”

Zhang Xianyang curved his lips with interest: “Oh?”

“When He Pingzhao was about to capture Song Langsheng, you rashly intruded, attacking all the soldiers without thinking and claiming revenge – it was extremely strange… Even a child knows the principles of ‘the mantis catches the cicada while the oriole waits behind’ and ‘sitting back to reap fisherman’s benefits.’ How could a group of adult bandits be so naively frank?”

Zhang Xianyang smiled noncommittally. I tapped the table with my fingertip: “Bandits wanting revenge shouldn’t talk first – they should start swinging clubs, right? But you clearly had superior numbers yet politely explained your intentions. This could only mean your real intention wasn’t revenge.”

“So the Princess tested us with words?”

“If you truly wanted to take Song Langsheng’s life, no matter how cleverly I spoke, how could I shake you? But everyone went along with my words, pretending to be greedy for life and afraid of death. Wasn’t your real target obvious enough?”

Zhang Xianyang said curiously: “Since the Princess already saw through us, why were you willing to come with us?”

“Since you came prepared and I was outnumbered, rather than resist futilely, better to go with the flow and make you lower your guard,” I put down my cup and turned to look at him, “I just didn’t expect this chief to be you. But you – knowing Nie Guang wanted to imprison me here, why didn’t you let me go immediately?”

He frowned slightly: “Yang Xu was watching not far away then. If I had sent the Princess back to the city, he would have seen my divided loyalties and intervened instead. Only by first gaining his trust could I find an opportunity to help the Princess escape.”

I couldn’t help rolling my eyes: “When does this ‘chief’ who has no one obeying his orders plan to help this Princess escape from these layers of guards?”

He said in a low voice: “Now is the best opportunity.”

I was stunned, then saw Zhang Xianyang lift his sleeve to reveal a sleeve arrow: “They just settled down and are busy arranging things. There are no more than ten guards here. I’ll take this chance to knock them out and take the Princess away.” As he spoke, he reattached the fake beard: “Is the Princess ready?”

“…”

When Zhang Xianyang shot down the guarding bandits with perfect accuracy and efficiently led me to the tall wall beside a pine tree on the east side, I realized he had arranged everything beforehand.

He pulled away the ivy that concealed the hole already carved through the wall corner leading outside, saying: “Horses are ready beyond the wall. Princess, go straight south. When you see a river, follow it eastward upstream. Riding hard for less than half a day, you should see the road back to the capital.”

From his tone, I felt something was off: “You’re not leaving with me?”

He hesitated slightly: “Nie Guang will continue gathering bandits. These jianghu people all have extraordinary skills. If he gathers a thousand of them, their fighting power would equal an army. Right now, this subject cannot leave.”

He removed his sleeve arrow and threw it by the tree. I looked up: “Do you think leaving this will fool Yang Xu into thinking I escaped by myself?”

“Even if he suspects, he won’t easily conclude I did it,” Zhang Xianyang said, “Don’t worry, Xianyang knows his limits. Time is pressing – I must return too.”

I knew he was doing the same thing his father had done.

Even if it meant extreme danger, even if it meant never returning.

Just as he turned to leave, I called out to him: “Have you considered that your ability to destroy Changkong Stronghold back then didn’t rely entirely on your intelligence and courage?”

Zhang Xianyang stopped.

I said: “If not for the bandits’ regard for you, if not for your exploiting their trust and loyalty, how could you have escaped unscathed?”

Zhang Xianyang turned back: “Those bandits could plunder and harm people for selfish gain – what loyalty should I discuss with such people?”

“Was the bandit chief’s daughter also guilty of terrible crimes, plundering and killing common people?”

A flash of darkness crossed his eyes. I said: “I’m not asking you to show loyalty to them, but you yourself cannot achieve a clear conscience. If not for your guilt, knowing Yang Xu searched for you for years, why not capture him and bring him to justice? If not for your reluctance to exterminate them all, how could Changkong Stronghold reemerge today?”

Zhang Xianyang trembled all over. I said gravely: “Since you’re deep in the enemy camp, you absolutely cannot show half a trace of mercy. If you can’t do it, better leave early.”

He interrupted me: “Xianyang can do it.”

Hearing his firm tone, knowing his mind was made up and further persuasion would be useless, I said: “Then good.”

After saying this, I crawled through the hole without looking back. Beyond the wall was a quiet path. As Zhang Xianyang said, a horse was already waiting. After confirming no one was around, Zhang Xianyang hurried away.

I untied the horse’s rope, my heart full of mixed feelings, listening to wind rustling through grass, inexplicably feeling the fear of being alone.

Actually, when Song Langsheng said I was directionally challenged, I really was directionally challenged. I could never distinguish east, south, west, north. In this dark, windy wilderness, whether I could return safely to the capital was unknown.

Where was Song Langsheng?

Was he anxious, was he on his way to find me?

Just thinking this, I heard slow footsteps stop behind me: “A’Tang.”

Accompanied by that familiar call, a pair of hands reached over my shoulders to embrace my chest. I stood there stunned, not daring to turn around for a moment.

He came around to face me. I slowly looked up – stars from the night sky fell into his eyes, but couldn’t hide his deep panic: “Are you hurt anywhere?”

The soft place in my heart felt like it was touched. Remembering his death-seeking attitude when he burned the garment last night, yet now not hiding his deep feelings, I shook my head, suddenly feeling like crying.

He reached out to wipe away my tears: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

I shook my head again: “I’m not afraid, just…”

Just because I was thinking of you, and then I saw you.

I stared at him: “How did you come? Weren’t you going to drive me away, sever all ties with me, then fight alone?”

Song Langsheng smiled faintly: “What about the Princess? Didn’t you lose two years of memory? Why would you risk danger to save me?”

He indeed saw through it. When He Pingzhao appeared halfway this morning, I knew I couldn’t hide it from him.

Seeing I didn’t answer, Song Langsheng simply lifted me onto the horse with one arm, galloping all the way. I had no choice but to let him hold me like this. After traveling a long distance, looking back to see village lights flickering in the distance – it should be Changkong Stronghold people discovering my escape and gathering everyone to search separately.

Song Langsheng slightly slowed the horse: “Not asking how I found you?”

I glanced at him: “What’s strange about you finding me?”

Waiting at the wall hole for me, I didn’t need to guess to know Zhang Xianyang had left secret marks to guide him here.

I curled my lips: “The official who coordinated with Xianyang back then was you, right? In the forest you recognized him at once, didn’t you?”

Song Langsheng said: “If I hadn’t known it was him, how could I have left you alone to maneuver?”

“No wonder Xianyang didn’t personally escort me back to the capital. So when you two were acting together today, you had the whole plan figured out,” I said gloomily, “And here I thought I saved you, making me look like an idiot…”

Song Langsheng suddenly interrupted: “Zhang Xianyang.”

I was startled: “Huh?”

“Call him Zhang Xianyang,” Song Langsheng was somewhat displeased, “Xianyang, Xianyang – why call him so intimately?”

I stared: “Is this the time to worry about such things? After spending time together and becoming familiar, omitting surnames is normal…”

“Why do you always use my full name then? Is Zhang Xianyang more familiar to you than me?”

I was speechless: “Song Langsheng, don’t try to change the subject by arguing about such boring points…”

He said: “See, you’re calling me by my full name again.”

Me: “…”

Song Langsheng’s tone was unkind: “Come to think of it, you call everyone around you by two characters, but you insist on using three for me…”

“When did I…”

Song Langsheng interrupted: “What do you call Wei Qingheng?”

“Master.”

He: “Isn’t that two characters?”

Me: “…”

“What about Lu Lingjun?”

“…Brother Lu.”

Song Langsheng: “See.”

“…”

“And Han Fei.”

I was getting impatient: “His name is only two characters – how do you want me to make it three?”

“What about Xu Fang?”

I felt like I was about to fall off the horse from agitation: “Xu Fang has no surname!”

Song Langsheng: “His surname is Nie.”

“…”

His meddling made me almost forget what I had asked him before. After struggling to remember for a long time, I recalled what to continue with: “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“?”

“Why hide from me, why let me lose memory and misunderstand you instead of being honest!”

“Did you lose memory?”

“Although I didn’t…”

“Since you didn’t lose memory, where’s the misunderstanding?”

“…” Logically this was correct, “But in the carriage, when I pretended to have amnesia, you clearly believed it…”

“Oh.” Song Langsheng caught my words again: “So pretending amnesia is honest behavior?”

I pointed at him with trembling fingers, turning back ready to pinch him hard, but heard him chuckle softly, realizing he was teasing me.

If this were any other day, I would have to get back at him before giving up. However, though he smiled, the hand holding the reins trembled slightly. Even wrapped in thick fur robes, his face and lips had lost all color.

He had already been greatly weakened from testing poison for my antidote, and now with arrow wounds unhealed and running around searching for me, he was already at his limit. Yet he still forced himself to joke – how could I not understand his intentions?

I silently turned my head back. This time, I didn’t play along with his joking. After a long silence between us, I finally said: “When you decided to abandon me and seek death, were you thinking that even if I felt sad and painful temporarily, being able to live on would ultimately be good?”

I felt his breathing catch slightly beside my ear.

He didn’t answer me. I understood him – if he didn’t want to speak, no matter how I pressed, I wouldn’t get results. But I was unwilling to give up. Taking advantage of his inattention, I grabbed the reins and pulled hard. Horse hooves broke through wilderness snow, splashing ice-cold fragments on our faces that chilled to the bone. He quickly steadied me as I nearly fell from the horse, shouting: “Don’t act recklessly.”

“Don’t you understand even now,” I turned to gaze at him, “if you died, I couldn’t live alone either.”

Song Langsheng trembled slightly: “A’Tang…”

“If you weren’t in this world, where wouldn’t be gray and lightless?” I said slowly: “Neither Song Langsheng nor Xiao Qitang would be willing to live like walking corpses, would they?”

Something floated in his eyes, growing thicker and deeper. Suddenly he spurred the horse, circling around dangerous mountain paths, leaving Changkong Stronghold’s rabble completely behind. I looked back at him several times but couldn’t see what he was thinking. When we reached a cliff, he finally pulled the reins to stop, helped me down, and climbed silently to the peak.

At this time the east was brightening with dawn approaching. The entire horizon was covered by white misty clouds, shadowy and mysterious.

I walked to his side. He lowered his eyelashes, quietly overlooking heaven and earth: “Nie Guang commands hundreds of thousands of troops, his faction spread throughout southwestern provinces. He’s been waiting for the right time for years. Logically, with His Majesty seriously ill and unconscious, this should be the best time to raise troops… Yet why does he keep holding back?”

I thought about it: “He lacks confidence in victory. Though Nie Guang is ambitious, Father Emperor sees everything clearly. While he recruits and buys horses, hasn’t Father Emperor also been building military strength? Father Emperor’s hand has long blocked Nie Guang’s attempts to march north without leaving traces.”

Song Langsheng nodded slightly: “So Nie Guang chose two people – one is me, using my strength to find the former dynasty’s hidden treasures and gain more military power. The other is Feng Li, to devise strategies and create chaos in the capital.” His eyes moved: “Unfortunately, he used both pieces wrong.”

I looked up in surprise. I could understand Nie Guang using Song Langsheng wrong since he was on Father Emperor’s side, but using Feng Li wrong – what did that mean?

“What Nie Guang hoped was to use these disturbances to weaken the court’s military strength in all areas, so when he raised troops he could win successive victories and march straight to the capital. Feng Li did place many of their people in court and military,” Song Langsheng said, “But has the court’s military strength weakened at all?”

Having supervised the state so long, I was very clear on this point. I shook my head: “Not only hasn’t it weakened, it could even be said… it’s growing daily…” I said in shock: “Could… could Feng Li also be someone Father Emperor placed beside Nie Guang?”

Song Langsheng shook his head: “All these years, Feng Li’s actions – grain ship explosions, destroying dikes and flooding cities – countless innocent people suffered. If he were really His Majesty’s man, how could he be so ruthless?”

I knocked my head: “I was confused. So you mean Feng Li appears to help Nie Guang but doesn’t follow Nie Guang on the most crucial issues?”

“Correct.” Song Langsheng said: “Nie Guang is in Suiyang. All along, the planning and arrangements in the capital have been manipulated by Feng Li alone. Those so-called planted people are actually under Feng Li’s control. Now I’m afraid when Nie Guang gives orders, without Feng Li’s approval, they simply can’t be executed.”

“What does Feng Li really want?”

“I couldn’t guess originally, until you told me he wanted to obtain the military symbols from the underground treasury,” Song Langsheng’s expression remained unchanged, but his eyes were piercingly cold, “Thus, what Feng Li desires is clear.”

I trembled all over.

What Feng Li wanted was also this realm.

I said confusedly: “Nie Guang thinks he’s using Feng Li, but ends up being used by Feng Li instead. Doesn’t he have any countermoves?”

“In Nie Guang’s mind, Feng Li has the ability to use conspiracies to eliminate the Crown Prince, but can’t command court troops to resist his three hundred thousand lions,” Song Langsheng stood with hands behind his back, “If he can use Feng Li to eliminate His Highness the Crown Prince, he can righteously send troops to punish him. Why would he stop Feng Li?”

My heart contracted slightly as cold spread slowly. I heard Song Langsheng say: “At this point, if I move against Feng Li, Nie Guang will see my position clearly and years of planning will be wasted. But if I don’t act, Feng Li will move against the Crown Prince. You and I both know the Crown Prince is no match for him. If the Crown Prince is harmed, then my presence beside Nie Guang becomes completely meaningless.”

I stared at him steadily: “So your final decision is to use the rebels under your command to fight Feng Li. But doing this, Nie Guang won’t spare you and the Crown Prince won’t keep you either… So you hid it from me because you were afraid I’d stop you?”

Seeing his silence, I took it as agreement: “If so, why tell me the truth now?”

“No, A’Tang,” Song Langsheng shook his head almost imperceptibly, “this isn’t the truth.”

I was completely stunned.

He said: “In the carriage, when I said I worried about you opposing the Crown Prince, that was just for Xiu Zhu to hear. Regarding the Crown Prince, I already have a strategy.”

I looked at him in disbelief. His tone was calm and steady: “The situation I just described is what Feng Li sees, not the real truth. Feng Li thinks he’s calculated everything, viewing everyone as chess pieces, not knowing that from the moment I took you from the Princess Manor, he became our chess piece.”

He looked at me, his bottomless eyes flowing with something I couldn’t understand: “In this battle, I’m confident of victory.”

I had never seen Song Langsheng like this.

As if his chest contained thousands of valleys, as if he had become the one manipulating this chess game with a snap of his fingers.

I was silent for a long time, but didn’t ask how he planned to reverse the situation. I only said softly: “Since you already had plans, since you won’t die, why did you still burn the garment in the cave? Could it be that to deceive Feng Li, to make this performance more realistic, you’d rather have me forget my memories and suffer heartbreak?”

Song Langsheng stiffened all over, taking my hand: “How could I possibly…”

I shook off his hand: “Then tell me the reason!”

Song Langsheng’s brow twitched, his eyelashes lowering then rising, his gaze uncertain. I caught this extremely subtle hesitation, feeling my heart grow more bitter, my vision suddenly blurring: “So from beginning to end, I was just a chess piece. Before, I was Feng Li’s chess piece. Now I’ve become your chess piece, Song Langsheng.”

I turned to leave. Song Langsheng grabbed my wrist with such force it hurt: “How can you think of me this way?! I don’t tell you, I don’t tell you because I don’t want you involved, don’t want you torn between sides, don’t want you to have to choose!”

“What torn between sides? What choosing? I don’t understand.”

Song Langsheng took a deep breath and finally spoke: “Since you want to know, let me ask you – in all this time, have you never wondered who Feng Li is?”

I suddenly looked up: “Feng Li? His movements are secretive, and he’s never shown his true face…”

“Why can’t he show his true face? Why does he know you so well? How could he impersonate a shadow guard from the Bureau of Scrutiny, and how does he know about our past?”

“Because… because of Cai Mi?”

“Cai Mi is an orphan who grew up by your side from childhood. She’s barely left the palace a few times. Where could she have met Feng Li and willingly betray you for him?” Song Langsheng’s words were like wind, gradually dispersing the mist swirling before the truth: “These past two days, haven’t you wondered why you didn’t lose two years of memory or suffer heart-piercing pain after taking the antidote?”

My mind hadn’t processed it yet, but my heart instinctively wanted to flee. I opened my mouth in confusion but couldn’t make any sound.

Song Langsheng said heavily: “Because… the poison Feng Li gave you wasn’t deadly poison at all. From the beginning, he couldn’t bear to kill you.”

I instinctively shook my head, my heart aching sharply. Song Langsheng, as if making a final decision: “Or perhaps I should ask this way – he’s alone, neither a powerful minister nor commanding thousands like Nie Guang. Even if he could use schemes to eliminate the Crown Prince, what would he rely on to rule this realm?”

What would he rely on?

Actually, I occasionally remembered that night on the cliff, when Feng Li saw my death wish and blurted out that “little” character – what came after.

I closed my eyes, letting tears roll down, my heart already hearing another voice answer for me.

Little sister.

—End of Chapter

Author’s Note: I wrote this Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter almost completely five days after returning from my honeymoon, then rewrote it twice – this is the third version. The author has gone mad, please don’t kill me, let me hurry and continue.