◎Departure! Xie Heng will kill Li Zong◎

“Saved by someone?”

Luo Wanqing frowned: “Heartbreak grass can be cured?”

“Great families always have some extraordinary people,” Xie Heng sheathed his soft sword and smiled. “It wouldn’t be strange if he survived.”

Listening, Luo Wanqing felt somewhat uneasy. She swept her gaze around, couldn’t help saying: “He certainly has a resilient life.”

“After all, he’s a disciple taught by Jiang Fengwan and Xie Minran. In the art of formations, he’s now considered top-tier.” Xie Heng said casually, “Zhuque, have someone enter the palace to report to His Majesty that Prince Guang’an disobeyed orders and fled.”

“You did it on purpose?”

Luo Wanqing realized, looking at Xie Heng with furrowed brows, “Why let him go?”

“I just didn’t exert my full strength—can’t call it deliberately letting him go.” Xie Heng pulled her slowly outward, explaining: “I’d be happy if he died, but if he lives, he’s more useful.”

“How so?”

Luo Wanqing couldn’t understand. Xie Heng smiled but asked instead: “In your previous life from your dreams, what was the Wang family’s fate?”

Luo Wanqing paused, recalling: “Annihilated by you and Li Guiyu… working together.”

“Li Guiyu is vindictive. Your father caused his master’s death, so he was ruthless enough to abandon even you for revenge. The Wang family discarded him like trash—does he harbor no resentment?”

Listening, Luo Wanqing gradually understood: “You want to use him to restrain Wang Shenfeng?”

“While he lives, the Wang family has hope of supporting their prince to the throne, so they’ll pour resources into him. But he resents the Wang family and won’t care about their survival. Rather than let the Wang family seek other paths, better to have them fight each other.”

“Then why did you have me come kill him?” Luo Wanqing was puzzled.

Xie Heng sighed: “Just thinking, what if it worked?”

“Hmm?”

“Once we leave Dongdu, who knows what the future holds. Better to settle it early.”

As Xie Heng spoke, they walked out of Prince Guang’an’s mansion, saying slowly: “Go back and rest well. Tomorrow we must muster troops and depart.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing agreed, then remembered: “I was thinking… Young Master, what do you think about splitting into two groups tomorrow, with cavalry advancing first?”

“Oh?”

Hearing this, Xie Heng turned to look, seeing Luo Wanqing considering: “The Zheng family’s uprising was hasty. If I could lead cavalry there first to catch them off guard, wouldn’t that be better?”

“Good idea. The news of the Zheng clan’s rebellion came too quickly—I even doubt if it’s real.” Speaking, he smiled, completely unconcerned: “If it’s truly false, by tonight at the latest, the Zheng family will know. If we go quickly, we’ll have the advantage.”

“But I don’t know how to transport provisions.” Luo Wanqing frowned. “If we carry too much, marching speed will slow; advancing first becomes meaningless. If we carry little, how do we supply provisions?”

“The army has twelve thousand horses. We can take only six thousand men.” Understanding her concerns, Xie Heng considered: “Each person takes two horses—one for riding, one for supplies. To ensure speed, we won’t bring raw rice, only dry rations.”

“But according to current dry ration reserves,” Luo Wanqing worried, “at most we can eat until Xu City at Sizhou’s border.”

“That’s enough.” Xie Heng said calmly, “We’ll directly take Xu City and open its granaries.”

“Directly take it?” Luo Wanqing was somewhat uncertain. “We only have six thousand men, and…” Luo Wanqing hesitated, “Must we fight directly?”

Hearing this, Xie Heng stopped and turned to look at her: “If not fighting, what does the Director plan to do?”

Luo Wanqing paused. Xie Heng smiled, though seriously: “We’ll decide future situations when they arise, but I can guarantee that once we reach Xu City, I can have its gates wide open without bloodshed. Do you believe me?”

“How so?”

Luo Wanqing was puzzled. Xie Heng beckoned to her.

Luo Wanqing quickly moved closer. Xie Heng leaned down to her ear, saying softly: “Xu City’s garrison commander Liang Hui is my man.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing turned to look at him in shock, couldn’t help saying: “How are your people everywhere?”

“Years of accumulated effort,” Xie Heng was amused by her reaction. He reached out to hold her hand, smiling as they walked forward: “All at my wife’s service. Enough talk.”

Xie Heng led her to the carriage: “Sleep well. Tomorrow, we depart.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing nodded. The carriage departed with clip-clops. Before leaving, she looked back once at Prince Guang’an’s mansion.

The mansion gates were tightly closed. Supervision Department personnel were pasting “SEALED” characters on them. Luo Wanqing quietly watched the gates, then, after a long time, looked away.

The two returned home to rest. The next morning, they rose early, changed into convenient fitted clothes, and hurried to the suburban training ground.

After Luo Wanqing arrived, Qingya went to check supplies while Luo Wanqing stood with Xie Heng and Zhou Shan on the high platform, watching soldiers assemble.

Shortly after the soldiers assembled, sounds came from outside of Li Zong arriving with court officials. Luo Wanqing quickly led people to the training ground entrance to receive the emperor.

Watching Li Zong descend from the dragon carriage, Xie Heng stepped forward. After Li Zong used his arm to dismount, he turned to look at Luo Wanqing, smiling: “Beloved Luo appears quite heroic today, spirited and confident—truly has some general’s bearing.”

“Your Majesty is too kind.”

Luo Wanqing responded politely, following half a step behind Li Zong. Supported by Xie Heng like an elder, Li Zong slowly chatted with Luo Wanqing, inquiring: “Last night, your people reported that Guiyu fled?”

“Yes.”

Luo Wanqing wasn’t afraid—Li Guiyu had indeed fled.

Li Zong seemed somewhat puzzled, asking in confusion: “It was merely confinement—why would he flee?”

“That question should be asked of the Third Prince.”

Luo Wanqing answered neither humbly nor arrogantly. Li Zong understood her meaning.

Li Guiyu’s assassination attempt against Li Zong was a capital offense. He perhaps couldn’t determine whether he was truly being confined or finding an excuse for quiet execution, so he fled first.

Li Zong understood but still probed: “Speaking of which, I’ve always been somewhat surprised. I thought with Beloved Luo’s temperament, being able to negotiate conditions with me, you might have me order Guiyu’s execution. I didn’t expect mere confinement—you gave him a way to live.”

“After all, dying is easy, but living is hard.”

Luo Wanqing appeared completely fearless, speaking directly: “Moreover, he’s Your Majesty’s son. I also want to live.”

Li Zong laughed, but turned to look at Xie Heng, joking: “I don’t believe a single word this girl says. I only trust Heng’er. Heng’er,” Li Zong’s eyes carried scrutiny, “is what she said true?”

“This time, Director Luo didn’t lie.”

“I see.” Li Zong nodded, seemingly relieved: “With Heng’er’s word, I’m at ease.”

Speaking, Li Zong stood with Luo Wanqing on the high platform.

At this moment, soldiers were assembled. The entire training ground stood in dozens of square formations, row upon row filling the field.

Cavalry in front, infantry behind. Li Zong looked at the soldiers below, spoke a few encouraging words, then had people present the tiger tally and wine. Before everyone’s eyes, he handed the tiger tally to Luo Wanqing.

After Luo Wanqing received the tiger tally and drank the wine Li Zong bestowed, Li Zong spoke more auspicious blessings. Then Luo Wanqing conducted the troop review, confirmed soldier numbers, war drums thundered, Luo Wanqing kowtowed to Li Zong, then walked down the platform and mounted her horse.

Xie Heng and Zhuque followed behind her. Luo Wanqing called out loudly: “Depart!”

Drums beat urgently. Luo Wanqing led by spurring her horse forward.

Over ten thousand cavalry made Dongdu’s ground tremble lightly. At this time, Li Guiyu lay on a soft couch, breathing rapidly.

He felt he’d had a very long dream. In the dream, he guarded outside Luo Wanqing’s door, sitting on the steps, carving wooden figurines for her.

Today, she’d encountered a calico kitten, watched it for a long time, and originally wanted to bring it home to raise. But when he went to catch it, he discovered the cat belonged to a neighboring shop.

Being someone else’s cat, she naturally wouldn’t take it, could only watch longingly, then sigh and leave.

He’d wanted to bring that cat back, perhaps arrange for that family’s accidental death.

But these days, accompanying her to the Moon God Temple, he’d occasionally heard some theories about karmic retribution. He wasn’t afraid of retribution himself, but thinking this retribution might fall on Luo Wanqing, he dismissed the thought.

Unable to bring back a live cat, he could only carve one based on its appearance.

He carved the wooden sculpture outside. Before long, he heard the window behind him open. Luo Wanqing’s voice sounded as she leaned on the windowsill, saying boredly: “Shaoyan, what are you doing?”

“Carving that calico for Miss.”

He responded softly.

Luo Wanqing laughed. She tilted her head, looking at him, smiling: “You’re giving me something—what should I give you?”

“If Miss likes a wooden carving, I’m happy.”

“But your birthday is coming.” Luo Wanqing blinked: “I can’t think what to give you.”

Li Guiyu’s movements paused. Luo Wanqing probed: “Is there anything you want?”

Li Guiyu said nothing. His heartbeat was somewhat fast. He told himself not to say more—they were people destined to part ways. Why linger?

But he still couldn’t help turning back, seeing the moonlit girl wearing thin sleeping clothes, hair loose, casually leaning on the windowsill, eyes full of him.

He didn’t want anyone to see her like this.

His heart suddenly filled with obsession. In that instant, he seemed to forget everything he’d done.

Who he was, what he had to do—he forgot everything. He only looked at the person before him, thinking he couldn’t let anyone see her like this.

“Then… can Miss give yourself to me?”

He spoke abruptly. Luo Wanqing was startled.

Realizing what he’d said, Li Guiyu hastily turned away, urgently saying: “I… I didn’t… I meant…”

“Alright.”

Luo Wanqing spoke casually. She extended her hand, resting on the windowsill, smiling: “Then come hold my hand, and I’ll belong to you.”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu felt his heart filled with something. It blocked the pain from emptiness.

It blocked his irredeemable fall when opening the city gates, blocked his despair and resentment at being abandoned by the world.

He gazed infatuatedly at that extended hand, hesitantly reaching out to gently grasp her fingertips.

Luo Wanqing smiled: “There, I belong to you now.”

“For life?” Li Guiyu looked up at her, speaking unconsciously.

Luo Wanqing’s eyes grew tender as she said seriously, “Mm, Luo Wanqing belongs to Jiang Shaoyan for life.”

Liar…

Tears slid from Li Guiyu’s eyes as the dream suddenly became fragmented.

She was naked with her back to him, plum blossoms climbing and blooming from her tailbone upward.

Liar!

Li Guiyu suddenly opened his eyes, hearing the gentle clinking of porcelain.

He breathed rapidly. Wang Yunzhi’s voice came from beside him: “Your people are already settled in the mansion. Tell me, how did it come to this?”

Hearing Wang Yunzhi’s words, Li Guiyu struggled to sit up.

He looked around, confirming he’d come to the Wang mansion.

Xie Heng’s strike had taken half his life. Though now bandaged, any movement still caused pain connecting to his organs. The heartbreak grass toxin hadn’t been cleared completely, flowing through his meridians. Besides heartbreak grass, there was another poison.

Li Guiyu’s expression changed slightly. Wang Yunzhi seemed to know what he wanted to ask, saying leisurely: “Your injuries need tending. There’s no antidote for heartbreak grass—only suppression. But with good care and your internal energy, you can have ten years of life.”

“What medicine did you give me?”

Li Guiyu asked hoarsely. Wang Yunzhi chuckled: “Sinking Bone Fragrance.”

Li Guiyu’s expression grew stern as he looked up at Wang Yunzhi: “A rare poison of the world, each poison requiring its antidote. In all these years, the Wang clan has only this one bottle of Sinking Bone Fragrance—all used on you. Come to me for an antidote every three months. Behave well, and I’ll keep you alive.”

Li Guiyu’s eyes turned cold. Wang Yunzhi smiled knowingly: “You killed Changrong. Did you think we’d have no way to deal with you?”

“This isn’t necessary.” Li Guiyu said calmly: “I only want your help. I’m Wang family after all. If you help me, I won’t mistreat you.”

“I don’t trust you. No more words—I’ll ask directly. His Majesty wants you dead?”

“Yes.” Wang Yunzhi closed her eyes. After thinking briefly, she said calmly: “Father sent news to the Zheng clan on the third—it should have arrived today. You’ll stay at Wang mansion for now. As long as the Zheng clan holds off His Majesty’s direct troops, we’ll…”

“You want to commit regicide?”

Li Guiyu spoke directly. Wang Yunzhi paused. Li Guiyu looked up at her—such charges, no one in the world dared bear.

“No matter how powerful aristocratic families are, they wouldn’t dare directly commit regicide. Whoever acts becomes a criminal everyone can punish. Do you dare?”

Wang Yunzhi considered silently. After thinking briefly, she asked directly: “What are your plans?”

“The family stays put, only gathering forces and preparing provisions, awaiting my command for the right moment.”

“What right moment?” Wang Yunzhi didn’t understand.

Li Guiyu thought of something, eyes growing cold: “After Xie Heng kills Li Zong.”

Wang Yunzhi was startled, looking surprised: “What madness are you speaking? How could Xie Heng possibly kill Li Zong?”

“He definitely will.” Li Guiyu spoke with certainty, turning to take the nearby teacup for a light sip. In a voice Wang Yunzhi couldn’t hear clearly, he mumbled: “As long as he’s Cui Heng, he definitely will.”

“What did you say?”

Wang Yunzhi couldn’t understand. Li Guiyu didn’t explain, only instructing: “Send another message to Zheng Bikui. If he wants to rebel, he must personally guard Xu City. The Zheng family has committed too many evils in Sizhou—if even one opening is torn, they’re finished. So he must personally lead the main forces to guard Xu City.”

Speaking, Li Guiyu looked up at the white jade sword placed in the distance, saying calmly: “To ensure nothing goes wrong.”