After the wild joy subsided, he realized something was wrong.

Or rather, the unbearable burning pain in his throat reminded him that something was very wrong.

Su Yao reached up to touch his throat and opened his mouth, only to discover with horror that he couldn’t make a sound.

What’s happening?

Su Yao’s expression changed drastically. The hoarse, discordant sounds that fell upon his ears were like a thunderbolt from clear skies.

After a long while, he rushed to the door and pounded on it forcefully.

The sound of banging echoed out, but the guards didn’t even lift an eyelid.

The pounding gradually weakened.

Inside the door, Su Yao’s face had turned deathly pale, drenched in sweat, like a fish that had jumped onto shore and was gasping its last breath. Even his labored breathing carried an unpleasant hoarseness that filled one with despair.

At this moment, the Grand Commander Luo was in his study reading.

“Reading” was really just having a book open while waiting for that moment to arrive.

A young servant, having received permission, walked in with light steps: “Grand Commander,修撰 Su just woke up and has been pounding on the door for quite some time.”

“Let him be.” At the mention of Su Yao, the Grand Commander Luo’s calm expression turned cold.

Did he really think that scoring top in the imperial examinations made him a celestial scholar descended to earth? Since he had a mouth that couldn’t speak properly, then he shouldn’t speak at all.

As for whether the poisoned and muted Scholar Su would use his hand to write down what had happened these past two days, the Grand Commander Luo didn’t care at all.

Having already reached the point of falling out with His Majesty, did such a trivial matter still need consideration?

Poisoning that boy into muteness was purely because he didn’t want him to speak again.

The Grand Commander Luo dismissed the young servant and continued casually flipping through his book.

The spring breeze was warm. Suddenly, a white dove flew in through the open window.

The pigeon landed on the spacious desk, cooing at the Grand Commander Luo.

The Grand Commander Luo spread his hand toward the pigeon.

The pigeon cocked its head to study the Grand Commander Luo for a moment, then spread its wings and hopped onto his palm.

The Grand Commander Luo gently smoothed the pigeon’s feathers and carefully removed the letter tied to its leg.

On the narrow strip of paper were only two characters: Wind rises.

The Grand Commander Luo crumpled the paper and released the carrier pigeon.

Shortly after, another gray pigeon flew in, bringing a message with the same two characters.

Carrier pigeons were discreet and convenient for transmitting messages, but everything carried risk. Such crucial information naturally couldn’t rely on just one pigeon.

Removing his outer robe to reveal the light armor underneath, the Grand Commander Luo pressed his scabbard and strode out with large steps.

The sky had completely darkened, and being an overcast day, no stars or moon were visible.

The entire Luo residence was brightly lit everywhere, like any ordinary night.

Unlike most common households that would go to bed early as soon as darkness fell to save lamp oil, wealthy families naturally kept everything brilliantly illuminated.

People from various courtyards quietly gathered in one place.

The Grand Commander Luo swept his gaze over the familiar faces and said in a deep voice: “Let’s go.”

Following closely behind the Grand Commander Luo were the four Luo sisters.

Though clearly walking through her familiar home, in this tense and silent atmosphere, Luo Yue had a feeling of being lost.

Where was Father taking them?

They weren’t heading in the direction of the main gate…

Luo Yue was full of doubt and couldn’t help wanting to ask Luo Sheng walking ahead, but seeing her composed profile, she swallowed the words that had reached her lips.

There was nothing to fear. Just as Third Sister had said during the day, their whole family was together.

The young girl’s eyes brightened as she quickened her pace.

The place everyone followed the Grand Commander Luo into was a storeroom.

The storeroom was very large, piled full of objects. Perhaps because it had been unopened for too long, a faint musty smell wafted through the air.

Walking to the far end, a trusted aide stepped forward to activate a mechanism, and together with another subordinate, pushed open a door that blended seamlessly with the wall.

Beyond the door was darkness with no visible end.

Two Jinlin Guards carrying lanterns walked ahead, illuminating a certain range so everyone could see this was a secret passage.

The secret passage could accommodate two people walking side by side. As everyone entered in succession, they formed a long line.

Suddenly someone cried out “Ouch,” angering the Grand Commander Luo into cursing: “Sixth Wife, what are you shrieking about?”

Soon came Sixth Concubine’s aggrieved voice: “Master, it wasn’t me.”

The Grand Commander Luo frowned.

The voice sounded strangely familiar—which foolish woman was it?

At this moment, a timid voice spoke up: “Master, I accidentally tripped.”

The Grand Commander Luo still couldn’t tell who it was and said with a stern face: “All of you be careful. If you make noise once we’re outside, I’ll have your hides.”

“Father, where does this secret passage exit?”

Hearing Luo Sheng speak up, the Grand Commander Luo’s tone immediately softened: “Near the West City Gate.”

Hearing it was the West City Gate, Luo Sheng was astonished.

Even though the Grand Commander’s residence was in the western part of the city and closest to the West City Gate, that was only relatively speaking. A secret passage from the Luo residence to near the West City Gate—the effort required was beyond estimation.

Luo Sheng wasn’t the only one surprised.

Hearing the low gasps, the Grand Commander Luo smiled with satisfaction.

Creating such a secret passage hadn’t been easy. He had started preparing over ten years ago. To be precise, it was after leading troops to besiege Prince Zhennan’s residence.

The blood flowing everywhere on the ground, the piled and crisscrossed corpses forming a stark contrast with the magnificent princely residence—it had left him with an indelible memory and warning.

Working at a job that walked on a knife’s edge, he didn’t want there to be a day when his home became like Prince Zhennan’s residence, when those he loved died horribly under chaotic blades.

The Grand Commander Luo turned his head to glance at the young woman walking beside him.

Especially Sheng’er—he absolutely had to protect her.

The Grand Commander Luo’s thoughts flew back to that day fourteen years ago.

The son his first wife had given birth to with great difficulty was weak from the womb and didn’t survive more than a few days. His wife cried day after day.

He was a man and couldn’t cry, so he could only watch her cry.

Not long after, his wife too reached the end of her strength, oil and lamp both exhausted.

By then his wife could no longer cry. Clutching his hand and pointing at Sheng’er, who was only three years old, she cried out with all her remaining strength: “Master, you must let our Sheng’er grow up—”

With the abruptly ending words came that hand, dropping down pale and cold.

In less than a month’s time, he had lost both his son and his wife in succession, as if it were retribution for leading troops to slaughter the several hundred people of Prince Zhennan’s residence.

The silent procession walked through the darkness for an unknown length of time before finally stopping.

The door, whose mechanism was hidden somewhere unknown, opened. The exit was even narrower, allowing only one person to pass through.

The Grand Commander Luo went out first, then turned back to pull Luo Sheng up.

Luo Sheng had already climbed out nimbly and looked around.

They had arrived at a courtyard. Judging by its size, it was just the most ordinary commoner’s small residence. What surprised her was that there were actually lights in the courtyard, making the glow from the two Jinlin Guards’ lanterns no longer conspicuous.

“Greetings, Grand Commander.”

Luo Sheng looked toward the two people bowing to the Grand Commander Luo. This was a middle-aged couple dressed like ordinary commoners.

However, she now understood of course that the two were disguised as ordinary commoners living here, all for this very day.

The Grand Commander Luo nodded slightly. After everyone had climbed out from the secret passage and the headcount was complete, he instructed: “Wait here. No one makes a sound. The city gate ahead will be the greatest challenge.”