Wen Yu seemed somewhat weary, closing her eyes without speaking.

Li Xun bowed with cupped hands in distress: “Princess, even if Lord Ling was too extreme in handling General Xiao’s matter, this is precisely a time when we need capable people. Although the Chen Kingdom and Wei Qishan’s side have temporarily made peace with us, they’re making plenty of moves behind the scenes. With General Xiao dead and Lord Ling requesting to resign at this time, it will undoubtedly scatter people’s hearts below and give both Chen and Wei an opportunity to exploit! You’ve spent so much effort forging Pingzhou and Tao Commandery into a solid block. With the situations in Xin and Yi Prefectures still unstable, Pingzhou and Tao Commandery absolutely cannot fall into chaos! Lord Ling has made a mistake, but you can certainly allow Lord Ling to atone through merit. You must not allow Lord Ling to resign in a moment of anger! Lord Ling’s loyalty to you and to Great Liang is unwavering…”

Wen Yu, who had been supporting her forehead with her hand and keeping her eyes closed in silence, finally spoke: “His loyalty is only to Great Liang.”

Li Xun hurriedly said: “Regarding General Xiao’s matter, Lord Ling was indeed aggressive and overstepped, but Lord Ling’s loyalty to you is absolutely as clear as the sun and moon! Before coming to see the Princess, this subject already went to the Southern Garden to counsel Lord Ling. Lord Ling also feels guilty and remorseful—otherwise why would he voluntarily request to resign?”

Seeing Wen Yu’s expression remained cold with no sign of softening in her attitude, Li Xun grew even more anxious and said: “Princess, Great Liang has already lost General Xiao. If we lose Lord Ling as well, this would be no different than clipping a tiger’s wings and then pulling out its fangs! If you suspect that letter might have been Pei Song’s treacherous scheme, then Pei Song tricked Lord Ling into executing General Xiao, and you in anger would then punish Lord Ling—wouldn’t that also be part of Pei Song’s treacherous scheme? In this way, without spending a single soldier, he would have eliminated both a civil and military pillar from your side!”

The news that Xiao Li had been struck by a poisoned arrow and might already be dead was currently known only to Wen Yu’s trusted confidants. When Tongque first heard of this matter, she was filled with indignation, but now hearing Li Xun’s words, she couldn’t help but feel a belated sense of alarm.

That’s right—Lord Li Yao was famously strict and incorruptible, unable to tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes. Pei Song staged such a stratagem of sowing discord, making a loyal minister kill another loyal minister—wasn’t this precisely to make their Great Liang descend into chaos on its own?

If Wen Yu punished Li Yao, it would be exactly as Li Xun said—after losing the arm that was Xiao Li, she would cripple the shoulder that was Li Xun. Changes at the upper level would undoubtedly cause the ministers below to become restless with endless suspicion. When Wen Yu went to the Chen Kingdom’s royal court, wouldn’t the remaining Great Liang remnants become like scattered sand?

The more Tongque thought about it, the more alarmed she felt, and she couldn’t help but look toward Wen Yu.

Wen Yu still said nothing. Her elegant black lashes were half-lowered, concealing the expression in her eyes. The fatigue from habitually poor sleep was piled on her face, yet it did not diminish in the slightest the imposing presence that emanated from between her brows without need for any words or expressions.

Having said this much, Li Xun was finally in tears: “Princess, after you depart for the Chen Kingdom’s royal court, apart from Lord Ling, who else can shoulder this responsibility of regent? This subject humbly begs the Princess to allow Lord Ling to atone for his crime through merit!”

Whether from reading memorials too long or from too many days without proper sleep, the headache caused Wen Yu’s temples to throb and ache beat by beat. After Li Xun had been bowing with cupped hands and tears for who knows how long, the study finally echoed with her voice, as cold and still as an ancient well: “The Teacher is elderly and frail, unsuited for excessive toil. After this palace goes to the Chen Kingdom’s royal court, you, the Teacher, and Governor Chen of Chenzhou shall jointly exercise the power of regent. For ordinary affairs, you and Governor Chen may decide on your own. If there are important matters, the three of you shall deliberate and decide together. Once orders are issued, send copies to this palace by eight-hundred-li express.”

Having received these words from Wen Yu, Li Xun was almost in tears of joy and hurriedly bowed to Wen Yu: “This subject—thanks the Princess!”

Tongque also quietly breathed a sigh of relief. This disposition took the larger picture into account. On the surface, it didn’t show punishment toward Li Yao—using his advanced age as the reason, it divided away the regency power originally entrusted to him. Ordinary affairs would be handled by Li Xun and Chen Wei, which in other words meant letting Li Yao relinquish power to reflect and contemplate his mistakes.

For truly important matters that neither Li Xun nor Chen Wei could decide, after deliberation among the three of them, it would still be better than one person making the final decision. Moreover, whatever major decisions they made on their end would immediately be sent to Wen Yu by eight-hundred-li express. Even from afar in the Chen royal court, Wen Yu could know the situation within Liang territory at the first opportunity.

However… privately speaking, perhaps this was somewhat unjust to General Xiao who died with grievances?

Tongque looked toward Wen Yu again and saw that she seemed exhausted to the extreme with no intention of speaking further, so she saw the guest out on her behalf: “If my lord has no other business, please return first.”

Li Xun hesitated slightly and said: “There is indeed one more matter.”

He looked toward Wen Yu with cupped hands: “Princess, with General Xiao’s death, whether he was a spy can no longer be investigated. At this critical juncture, to avoid complications, as for the outside world… shall we say General Xiao died of illness while suppressing bandits? His funeral affairs can be conducted grandly—erecting a monument, building a tomb, and posthumously conferring honors and virtues…”

“When Xiao Li’s body is found, then announce his death.”

Before Li Xun finished speaking, he was coldly interrupted by Wen Yu.

Li Xun was stunned. After bowing and withdrawing, Wen Yu felt some stinging pain in her fingertips. Looking down, she discovered that the fingertip where she had broken her nail while supporting herself on the desk that day had been gripped too forcefully by herself and was seeping blood drops again.

Seeing the wound on Wen Yu’s hand, Tongque was briefly dazed, then alarmed. She hurriedly took a handkerchief to bandage it for Wen Yu: “How is the wound on your hand bleeding again…”

Sunlight poured in through the latticed carved window. Everything in the light and shadow seemed somewhat distorted in the floating shadows. Tongque’s voice in her ears was as if coming from underwater, muffled.

Wen Yu supported her dizzy, swollen, and aching forehead and said to Tongque: “Go prepare a calming medicine for me. My head hurts. After I finish reading this batch of memorials, I want to sleep for a few quarters of an hour.”

Tongque stood frozen in place without moving. She watched as blood from Wen Yu’s fingertips soaked a memorial on the desk, yet Wen Yu herself seemed completely unaware. Only one thought filled Tongque’s mind: Wen Yu really had gone mad.

—

When Li Xun returned to the government office, Chen Wei asked him how Xiao Li’s funeral affairs should be handled. Li Xun shook his head and sighed: “General Xiao’s death will likely become a thorn in the Princess’s heart.”

After he conveyed Wen Yu’s exact words to Chen Wei, he said with a headache: “When General Xiao resigned and left Pingzhou, we could still use the excuse of suppressing bandits to conceal it. Now a living person is gone. If the body is never found, what reason can we use to keep concealing it?”

Chen Wei said: “The Princess is a person who values loyalty and righteousness. Not one of the Zhou Prefecture guards who escorted her south from Yongzhou has failed to receive the Princess’s generous treatment. General Xiao was a talented youth who repeatedly achieved extraordinary merit. To be mistakenly killed without investigation—how could the Princess feel at ease?”

He thought for a moment and said: “Old Fan will need people training new soldiers under him from now on. I’ll communicate with Old Fan later. To the outside world, we’ll say General Xiao contracted a stubborn illness from suppressing bandits and is training troops and recuperating at Yantang Training Ground.”

This method could at least temporarily conceal Xiao Li’s death from outsiders. Li Xun nodded: “That works well. Thank you, Brother Muzhi.”

Muzhi was Chen Wei’s courtesy name. He waved his hand, indicating Li Xun need not mind such formalities, and said: “Between you and me, there’s no need for such courteous words. We’re both working for the Princess.”

Li Xun smiled and nodded in agreement.

Chen Wei sat down to handle the mountain of official documents piled on his desk and said: “Let us hope Nephew Zhou in Yongzhou can send back news quickly. If we can rescue General Xiao’s mother, we can prove General Xiao’s innocence and also put the Princess’s mind at ease.”

Li Xun was using his tea lid to skim the tea foam while drinking. Hearing this, he said: “The Princess received news from scouts sent back from Mozhou. General Xiao’s mother should be with Pei Song in Mozhou, not in Yongzhou. Nephew Zhou is walking on thin ice in Yongzhou. To avoid giving Pei Song grounds to catch him in error, the Princess has already stopped having him continue investigating General Xiao’s mother’s matter.”

Yongzhou was the first city to surrender to Pei Song, of extraordinary significance. The treatment Pei Song gave Yongzhou was undoubtedly a weathervane. Those prefectures that had not yet surrendered to Pei Song were all watching Yongzhou’s fate after surrendering.

However, following Zhou Jing’an’s suicide and Madam Zhou being violated by a great general under Pei Song before the coffin and dying by striking it, this surrender not only brought Pei Song no benefits but instead caused him much trouble.

Facing the indignation of all under heaven and the observation of prefectures that had thoughts of surrender yet feared suffering the same fate, Pei Song, no matter how much he disregarded reputation, had to treat Zhou Sui well to demonstrate his benevolence.

Therefore, Zhou Sui was a particularly unique existence among all the Liang officials who had submitted to Pei Song. Even though Pei Song knew that separated by such a blood feud, Zhou Sui could never truly be loyal to him, as long as Zhou Sui showed no obvious errors, he could not punish Zhou Sui.

Yet Madam Zhou’s heroic and tragic death had obtained for Zhou Sui the authority to govern Yongzhou autonomously. This undoubtedly became a nail driven into Pei Song’s waist and abdomen.

How to remove Zhou Sui, this nail embedded in the bone—Pei Song’s side had likely employed no shortage of underhanded tactics.

Chen Wei naturally understood Zhou Sui’s predicament and sighed: “Duke Zhou righteously sacrificed himself. His nephew dwells in the tiger’s den, enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens. It truly makes us feel ashamed.”

—

Yongzhou, Council Hall.

As Zhou Sui stepped inside, he saw that all present were Pei clan military generals and advisors stationed in Yongzhou. The previously clamorous crowd fell silent upon seeing him appear at the main entrance, turning their heads to look with expressions that truly could not be called friendly.

Zhou Sui acted as if he saw nothing and only addressed the commanding general seated at the head: “You summoned me?”

That commanding general had one hand resting on a map spread across the long table. Toward Zhou Sui, he showed no particular expression. He raised his chin toward an empty seat at the end of the long table, indicating Zhou Sui should sit, and said: “The Grand Tutor has ordered that we block the old Liang remnants from advancing north at Jinzhou. Yongzhou has accessible water and land routes. The grain transport will switch from land to water routes here in our Yongzhou. This matter is of great importance and cannot tolerate any mishap. I’ve summoned everyone today to discuss the military defense deployment at that time…”

As soon as these words came out, several unfriendly gazes fell on Zhou Sui in unison.

Zhou Sui also needed no one to say anything and rose on his own initiative: “Zhou shall not participate in this council.”

However, the commanding general said: “Sit down.”

Zhou Sui didn’t move. The various Pei clan officials seated on both sides of the long table also showed puzzled expressions.

But after the commanding general swept his gaze over everyone, he only dropped one sentence: “Since Yongzhou has already surrendered to the Grand Tutor, and all present are willing to be employed by the Grand Tutor, put aside all former grudges and prejudices! The Grand Tutor has always trusted those he employs and doesn’t employ those he doubts. Whoever dares to have objections can leave this room themselves.”

This was clearly speaking up for Zhou Sui. Although many in the room still showed indignant expressions, turning their faces aside, ultimately no one dared to speak out.

Zhou Sui naturally couldn’t leave either. After he took his seat, one or two advisors also seemed to truly accept him, nodding slightly toward him in acknowledgment.

After the council ended, Zhou Sui deliberately waited until last to leave, but the commanding general did not keep him to say much more.

When he returned to his residence, Zhou Sui’s brow was tightly furrowed, still full of doubts.

The old steward who had accompanied him said in alarm: “That Pei bandit couldn’t truly have developed thoughts of recruiting the young master, could he?”

Zhou Sui shook his head: “Perhaps it’s another test. With the great battle at Jinzhou imminent, the grain transport will switch from land to water routes in Yongzhou. If we let Pei Song experience some mishap with the grain supplies, it could absolutely deal a heavy blow to Pei’s army on the Jinzhou battlefield.”

After hearing this, the steward was also alarmed and said: “That Pei bandit has truly invested heavily in the bait he’s thrown out this time. But young master, it’s still best to be careful and not fall into the Pei bandit’s treacherous scheme.”

Zhou Sui’s brow was tightly furrowed: “They say ‘when the false becomes true, the true becomes false.’ Pei Song is so unguarded toward me, even not avoiding me regarding the date of the grain transport’s arrival and the defense map. This is too obvious—almost leading me to drill into this trap. But given Pei Song’s methods, he couldn’t possibly set such an obvious trap. I now instead suspect that all this is real, that Pei Song is doing the opposite, making me think this is a trap.”

The steward frowned and asked: “Then according to the young master’s meaning…”

Zhou Sui’s eyes gradually grew firm: “We’ll turn his scheme against him.”

He turned to look at the steward: “Have our people pretend to investigate the real defense map, letting Pei Song think I believe it’s a trap, but absolutely don’t leave any evidence. Also secretly send a letter to Pingzhou to quickly report this matter to the Princess!”

The steward acknowledged everything one by one. Just as he was about to go make arrangements, a Zhou household guard suddenly strode quickly into the courtyard and urgently reported: “Young master, we’ve found news of Xiao Da Niang!”

Upon hearing this, both Zhou Sui and the steward were stunned.

Zhou Sui hurriedly asked: “Is Xiao Da Niang truly still alive? How did you find out? Where is she now?”

Setting aside Wen Yu and the Xiao family’s connection, just the fact that Xiao Huiniang had taken a blade while protecting Madam Zhou made Zhou Sui feel deeply indebted to the Xiao family. Therefore, when he received Wen Yu’s letter asking him to investigate whether Xiao Huiniang was dead, Zhou Sui put in utmost effort to thoroughly investigate this matter.

Unfortunately, despite searching in secret for a long time, there had been no leads.

The guard answered: “It should undoubtedly be Xiao Da Niang. She’s in the west wing of the rear courtyard of the government office. That courtyard has always been strictly guarded by Pei clan people. Only a mute old woman is allowed in to serve, but that mute woman fell while drawing water from the well yesterday and injured her leg. Unable to work now, the guards transferred a menial servant from the outer courtyard. Our person, in order to gather as much intelligence as possible from the government office, obtained this menial servant position. After going on duty at the west wing, he learned that an old woman lived inside. After your subordinate learned of this matter, he specifically took Xiao Da Niang’s portrait for that menial servant to look at, and he confirmed it was indeed Xiao Da Niang.”

Hearing this location, Zhou Sui felt slightly suspicious: “Even if Da Niang didn’t die by the blade, why would Pei Song place her under house arrest in the rear courtyard of the government office?”

The steward also could not understand: “That’s right—an ordinary woman, why would the Pei bandit place her under house arrest?”

After a pause, he suddenly said: “Could it be that Pei bandit knew early on that General Xiao would rise to prominence? So he deliberately kept her as leverage?”

What Zhou Sui immediately thought of, however, was the matter of Xiao Li killing Xing Lie. If Pei Song had known at that time that it was Xiao Li who killed Xing Lie, and feared that Xiao Li would one day become a great threat, then deliberately sparing Xiao Huiniang’s life would make sense.

However, before this, the loyal servant from his household had clearly said he witnessed with his own eyes Xiao Huiniang taking the blade for his mother and dying. He had later rushed to the mourning hall and indeed saw Xiao Huiniang fallen in a pool of blood.

Wen Yu suddenly having him investigate Xiao Huiniang’s death, and his subordinates at this very time truly discovering that Xiao Huiniang was still alive—no matter how one looked at it, something seemed suspicious.

Zhou Sui even felt—could Xiao Huiniang not being dead merely be a decoy released by Pei Song?

But to verify this thought, he could only send people to investigate the government office again. If Xiao Huiniang was truly still alive, no matter what, he had to rescue her.

After briefly deliberating, Zhou Sui said: “If Xiao Da Niang is still alive and Pei Song has her under house arrest, there’s definitely a conspiracy. The most dangerous place is also the safest place. Hiding her in the government office requires no additional deployment of heavy troops for guarding, and even if someone wants to investigate, they must take enormous risks. Pei Song has calculated that I won’t take such desperate risks. Thus, even if the Princess has me thoroughly investigate this matter, I won’t be able to find anything.”

The steward said worriedly: “Abducting someone from the government office is still too risky. Young master, should you not send a letter to Pingzhou to consult the Princess?”

Zhou Sui’s hands clasped behind his back clenched tightly. He shook his head: “There’s no time. Opportunity waits for no one. This letter going back and forth—how many days would be delayed? Moreover, the Princess’s marriage is imminent.”

He seemed to have made some firm decision and said: “The Pei clan’s trap for me is regarding the military grain. Currently they should not be too guarded against me yet. Qingsong, tonight you will lead people to make a trip to the west wing of the government office. If it truly is Xiao Da Niang, bring her back without a hair harmed.”

After the guard received his orders and withdrew, the steward was still worried and wanted to say more, but Zhou Sui turned to look at him and said: “Uncle Zhong, summon all the old subordinates my father left behind.”

He said calmly: “Let’s also prepare for the worst-case scenario.”

—

When dusk shrouded the entire city of Yongzhou, a blaze of fire shot up from Zhou Manor toward the sky.

The Pei clan army stationed in Yongzhou dispatched a force of over a thousand soldiers to surround Zhou Manor. They even brought out catapults used for sieging cities, and across the ten-zhang-high courtyard walls, hurled fire oil and flaming stones toward Zhou Manor. The thunderous booming shook the heavens.

The young commander leading them stood before the formation and shouted loudly: “Zhou Sui, son of the Zhou clan, harbors wolfish ambitions! Disregarding the Grand Tutor’s grace and virtue, he intended to steal Yongzhou’s defense maps to present to the former Liang remnants! Caught red-handed with both person and evidence—unforgivable!”

Bound hand and foot and kneeling before the formation were none other than Qingsong and his group, who had already been tortured until covered in blood, their breath as faint as gossamer.

Even though Zhou Sui had summoned the old subordinates who followed their Zhou family early on, facing such an encirclement like dumplings being wrapped, before the archers could even emerge from the wall tops, they had already been shot by the Pei clan’s bowmen outside into pincushions.

The main gate of Zhou Manor had been rammed open. Loyal old subordinates and manor guards fought desperately to block the Pei army surging in, roaring hysterically toward the rear: “Young master, flee quickly—”

The steward and Zhou Manor’s advisors clustered around Zhou Sui, hoarsely urging him to quickly escape with the death warriors.

A stray projectile flew over, blasting half of the distant library pavilion of Zhou Manor into ruins. At the main gate, the loyal servants and manor guards were also outnumbered, falling one after another into pools of blood. Pei clan soldiers holding spears and carrying blades swarmed in.

Seeing the dire situation, the advisors who knew not a bit of martial arts actually disregarded life and death, lunging over to drag down those soldiers, roaring hoarsely at Zhou Sui: “Young master, flee quickly—”

Zhou Sui just stood there dumbly, his face ashen as death, letting out laughter that was neither crying nor laughing: “So this was his scheme all along! So this is the trap Pei Song set for me!”

“What defense maps, what grain transport escort—all fake! It was to make me think myself clever and trap myself in a cocoon of my own making!”

Never had he experienced such despair on any day. Staggering down the steps, his eyes blood-red and nearly weeping blood, he collapsed and shouted outward: “I, Zhou Sui, am willing to die ten thousand deaths—spare their lives! Stop shooting arrows!”

After taking only a few steps, he was tripped by corpses on the ground. He knelt right there in a pool of blood, tears and mucus streaming down, sobbing in anguish.

No one paid him any attention. Wave after wave of arrows flew like locusts, nailing the few remaining loyal servants and manor guards in the courtyard to the ground.

It was his arrogance. It was his mistake.

What Pei Song wanted to eliminate was never just Zhou Sui alone! But all of the Zhou clan’s old subordinates in Yongzhou!

By thinking himself clever and summoning everyone to burn their boats, he had given Pei Song the opportunity to catch them all in one net.

An arrow grazed Zhou Sui’s cheek, leaving a bloody mark on his face. The steward lunged over and pushed him aside. The several arrows that followed closely landed exactly where he had been kneeling, striking squarely into the steward’s chest and abdomen.

Hatred and pain, like shrieking ocean waves, completely engulfed Zhou Sui. He held the steward’s body, roaring and sobbing hysterically: “Uncle Zhong… Uncle Zhong! I’m sorry… it’s my fault, it’s my fault…”

At this moment, Zhou Sui truly felt that death was the end and liberation.

Yet the loyal manor guards and death warriors still desperately dragged him toward the rear courtyard in retreat.

Zhou Sui’s hair had come loose from its topknot, wild hair matted with blood and sweat plastered to his face. His entire person was already like a walking corpse, letting the guards drag and pull him away. A pair of eyes so crimson they could shed no more tears looked numbly at the corpses strewn everywhere in the front courtyard, and at the manor soldiers still fighting to the death with the soldiers, serving as his rearguard.

Zhou Manor was only so large. The remaining old subordinates and manor soldiers fought while retreating with Zhou Sui, wanting to escape through the side gate. But upon reaching the side gate, they discovered that outside was also surrounded by soldiers three layers deep.

To avoid the blind arrows shooting in from outside the walls, the group could only press against the wall roots with Zhou Sui to catch their breath.

A middle-aged military officer with quick reflexes saw Zhou Sui had picked up a dagger from somewhere and was stabbing it toward his own heart. He hurriedly knocked the dagger away and shouted: “What is young master doing?”

Zhou Sui’s face no longer held half a trace of vitality. He said: “Uncle Fang, with such a burden as me, none of you can escape.”

These words made the middle-aged man’s eyes turn red. He shouted: “We haven’t reached such desperate straits yet! Young master must not have thoughts of ending your life. If you also die, who will avenge the master and mistress’s grudge, and the grudge of all these righteous warriors who died here today?”

These words made Zhou Sui’s numb eyes become tightly entangled with pain once more.

The man picked up the dagger and handed it back to Zhou Sui, saying: “Young master, no matter when, the dagger in your hand must face outward. Even if today we are destined to die here, we must drag someone down with us!”

Hearing these words, Zhou Sui gripped the dagger tightly, hatred gradually condensing in his eyes.

The soldiers who had attacked through the main gate had already pursued them here. They were once again surrounded. The man led the old subordinates and manor guards into battle. Zhou Sui seized the opportunity to stab the dagger into the chest of a soldier who had been knocked down. Warm blood splattered all over his face.

He gasped for breath in great gulps, yet in that instant felt that the hatred in his chest had finally found an outlet.

As he pulled out the dagger preparing to continue fighting shoulder to shoulder with the old subordinates, the tightly closed side gate was suddenly kicked open forcefully from outside.

Xiao Li threw the head of the gate-guarding squad leader into the courtyard. The soldiers still entangled in combat with Zhou family’s old subordinates were all so shocked they retreated a step in unison.

—Behind him in the alley, the bluestone floor tiles had been completely submerged by blood. The mountain of corpses piled on the ground were precisely the Pei army responsible for guarding this side gate.

Xiao Li ignored everyone’s shocked gazes. His eyes swept over Zhou Manor’s various old subordinates and landed on Zhou Sui, asking: “Where is my mother?”