Chapter 1: Gradual Dawn

Fireworks exploded in the night sky, and Xiao Xun, inside the courier station, naturally saw them too.

He stared up at the fireworks, and when they disappeared, he lowered his head, his vision becoming blurry.

“Who are these people?”

“Has the Third Prince sent more men?”

“Are the Crown Prince’s men attacking?”

“Perhaps it’s the Xie family, they’ve been secretly harboring troops.”

The people inside the room whispered among themselves, watching as the night sky returned to silence, listening to what seemed like more hoofbeats galloping through the streets.

Soon, news arrived that there was bloodshed at the Imperial City gates.

Ning Kun’s expression changed, and he looked at Xiao Xun again: “Your Highness, we can’t wait any longer.”

It seemed the fighting outside the city was coming to an end. If the Third Prince and the Xie family’s Crown Prince forces surrounded the Imperial City, it would not be easy for them to enter.

“We don’t necessarily need to go in,” Xiao Xun said. “We can also stay outside the Imperial City, protecting His Majesty.”

After all, it wasn’t for the Emperor to see, but for the world to witness.

Ning Kun grabbed him: “We don’t have enough men. That would be too dangerous.”

At this moment, Tie Ying stepped forward: “Let me scout ahead for Your Highness.”

But once again, he couldn’t walk out as someone hurriedly rushed in from outside.

“Your Highness, something’s not right with the Chu family.”

Something’s not right with the Chu family? Everyone in the room stopped in their tracks. What was wrong?

What could that group of Chu family elders, women, and children possibly do?

Since they had set up an inescapable net around the Chu family, they hadn’t been watching that area constantly, only waiting for messages to come through.

If Chu Lan didn’t make a move by daybreak, they would make a move for him.

Of course, they weren’t completely ignoring that area.

“We’ve been checking regularly,” the messenger said. “All the passwords matched.”

So what was the problem?

The messenger looked at Xiao Xun: “But just now when we tried to approach, we couldn’t.”

What did “couldn’t” mean?

“When we went forward, they—” the messenger said, “attacked.”

He pointed at himself, his body covered in bloodstains, with one arm still bleeding, and upon closer inspection, a small throwing knife was embedded in it.

“We asked again,” he said, “they still gave the correct passwords, but they just wouldn’t let us approach. Isn’t that suspicious?”

Before he could finish, Tie Ying kicked him to the ground.

“Is it suspicious or not?” he cursed. “Have you lost your minds? Do you even need to ask?”

Of course, it was suspicious!

Something had happened at the Chu family.

“I’ll go check,” Tie Ying stepped forward to leave.

Xiao Xun stopped him: “No need.” He looked toward the night outside that was beginning to fade, then raised his head to look at the sky. “We’ve miscalculated. The Chu family is not under our control.”

Those fireworks—

Perhaps that was the real reason why his father had always believed Chu Yi was worth befriending.

Ning Kun’s expression also changed: “Your Highness, now—”

Xiao Xun said: “Now we leave the capital immediately and return to Zhongshan County.”

As he was about to leave, he remembered something and picked up the imperial edict that had been thrown on the ground, then strode out of the room.

The once-quiet courier station became chaotic, with countless footsteps clamoring, but everyone moved quickly. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded Xiao Xun and galloped into the night, their dense mass turning the night that had begun to clear into something murky once again.

Xiao Xun galloped on horseback, and as he left the street, he turned to look at the Imperial City.

Was the fighting at the Imperial City her doing?

He thought of many people who would go to the Imperial City—the Third Prince, the Zhao family followers, the Crown Prince’s remaining followers, the Xie family, and of course, himself—but he hadn’t thought of that girl.

What would happen next?

He couldn’t guess, but this time he had no chance to enter the Imperial City.

His hand clenched, and he looked down to see the imperial edict scroll in his arms.

At least, there would be no difficult choice to make.

Should he feel relieved? Or regretful?

…

…

As the night gradually dispersed, people hiding under a bridge could finally see each other’s faces.

Qi Leyun couldn’t help but lean out to look, but was immediately pulled back by her elders.

“Mother,” she said softly, “it seems quiet outside now.”

Madam Qi held her daughter by her side: “Don’t go.”

Qi Leyun still insisted on peering outside, murmuring: “Our house has burned down completely.”

Hearing this, Madam Qi trembled again, as she had been doing all night, but remembering the earlier danger, she still felt like she might faint from trembling.

It had started suddenly, without warning. Heavy hoofbeats outside, torches thrown in. The servants had just opened the door to question the commotion when they were cut down by swords.

The household immediately fell into chaos, everyone scrambling to hide, but the Qi family residence was small with few places to conceal themselves. Master Qi gritted his teeth and led the family, old and young, servants and all, to break out.

Fortunately, these violent men seemed to be in a hurry. After setting fire to the Qi residence, they didn’t pursue to kill everyone, and left amid the clamor.

Fighting came and went in the streets, and the entire capital was engulfed in flames.

The family hid under the bridge, soaked in water all night, but at least their lives were spared.

Qi Leyun stared blankly at the blue-gray sky. She had never woken up this early before. So this was what the sky looked like when night receded before the morning light appeared—

“I wonder how many people will wake up as usual today,” she murmured.

How were her friends doing?

Especially Chu Zhao—

“Father,” Qi Leyun couldn’t help but turn to call out, searching for her father among the crowded family members. “Do you think these people are the Third Prince—”

Before she could finish, her family covered her mouth, hushing her.

“Whoever these bandits are, the officials and court will determine,” Master Qi also reprimanded his daughter in a low voice. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Qi Leyun pouted. Why pretend? All night long amid the fighting and noise, people had been shouting—first a group yelling that the Crown Prince had been assassinated, bandits were causing trouble, and the Third Prince was capturing them; later came shouts that the Third Prince was rebelling—

It was so obvious.

She didn’t necessarily need to know who was causing the trouble, she was just worried about Chu Zhao. The Third Prince harbored hatred for Chu Zhao, would he take this opportunity to do something to Chu Zhao’s family?

She peered out again. Their house had burned down completely, and she didn’t know what had happened to Chu Zhao’s home.

In the blue-gray dawn, the street that had only been filled with the crackling sound of fire suddenly echoed with hoofbeats again, pelting down like raindrops, and striking fear into the hearts of the Qi family under the bridge.

Their bodies, soaked in river water all night, were cold, and their faces turned pale.

Were they coming again?

The darkness had already receded, and without deliberate searching, they could easily be found—

“Imperial City Guard on duty, rebels subdued!”

Imperial City Guard?

The Qi family was startled. Was it true? Qi Leyun leaned out to look again, and indeed saw squads of soldiers galloping past, followed by a group of constables with buckets and carts, splashing water on the fires burning by the roadside.

Similar activity could be heard from streets in all directions, accompanied by sounds of combat.

“Surrender your weapons and your life will be spared!”

“Rebels suppressed!”

The sounds of fighting made one’s heart tremble with fear, but the shouted words brought a sense of security.

…

…

As daylight broke, hooves thundered on the main road, raising clouds of dust. Xie Yanfang galloped among them, a sword on his back and a crossbow in hand. His body was covered in bloodstains, frightening at first glance, but on closer inspection, he remained an elegant young lord.

“Third Young Master.”

Someone galloped from the front, calling loudly.

Du Qi, at Xie Yanfang’s side, signaled to let the person approach.

“How is the capital?” Xie Yanfang asked.

The Third Prince and the Zhao family had raised several men, blocking the roads to the capital tightly. The rear garrison was also unstable. Caught between forces from front and back, they had fought fiercely all night before breaking through.

But the greater obstacle was the city gate.

The Third Prince must have heavily guarded the city gates.

They couldn’t shout that the Third Prince was dead to shake morale—otherwise it would be even harder to suppress the ambitions of the Prince of Zhongshan’s heir.

“Attacking the city was extremely difficult,” the messenger said. “But later, fighting suddenly broke out at the city gates.”

On the city gates? Du Qi asked: “Has the Seventh Master made arrangements inside the city?”

Xie Yanfang shook his head: “We don’t have that many people inside the city.” He looked at the messenger, “And now?”

“Now it’s quiet,” the messenger said. “But we still can’t approach.”

Du Qi looked at Xie Yanfang and asked: “Is it Xiao Xun?”

Xie Yanfang looked ahead, his face showing no fear, and spurred his horse: “Let’s go see and find out.”

…

…

The tall, imposing city gate seemed to have been covered with a layer of bleakness overnight.

Corpses and weapons lay scattered everywhere alongside burning torches, no longer resembling the former prosperity.

The city gate was quiet, as if no one was there.

But when Xie Yanfang approached, countless arrows fell like rain, standing upright on the ground to form a barrier.

“The Imperial City is under lockdown, all unauthorized personnel are forbidden to enter!” a voice shouted from the gate. “Retreat immediately!”

Imperial City lockdown, unauthorized personnel.

“I am Xie Yanfang.” Xie Yanfang suddenly raised his voice. “I am guarding the bodies of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. I must enter the palace to see His Majesty.”

As he spoke, he urged his horse forward one step, crossing beyond the dense array of arrows.

Du Qi nervously followed, protecting his side.

This time, no arrows came from the city gate. Instead, a man stood up and looked down.

This was an unfamiliar military officer, tall with a dark red face. From his high position on the gate, he examined the young lord below.

“Xie Yanfang? Who are you?”

Whether this ignorance was genuine or feigned, as long as they didn’t kill him, there was a chance. Even if Xiao Xun had gained the advantage, he could still convince Xiao Xun— Xie Yanfang called out: “I am the Crown Princess’s third brother.”

The officer made a sound of acknowledgment, though it wasn’t clear if he understood or not. But he didn’t question further and instead waved his hand.

“Step back and continue to guard the Crown Prince and Crown Princess,” he said. “Wait for the court to arrange what follows.”

They still wouldn’t let him enter the city.

Xie Yanfang gripped his reins: “Sir, I must see His Majesty. It concerns the Third Prince.”

The officer remained unmoved: “Step back and wait. The court will summon you for an audience when arrangements are made.”

As Xie Yanfang was about to say something more, the officer suddenly turned to look aside, bowed respectfully, and stepped back. Another person came forward.

The city gate was high, and that person appeared in Xie Yanfang’s vision. He wore armor and weapons, was tall and lean, with a black and red cape fluttering in the wind behind him.

This was an official higher-ranking than the officer, but—

Xie Yanfang didn’t call out. Instead, he looked at that person with surprise.

Du Qi, beside him, also stared at the person, his eyes wide with disbelief. Was he seeing things? Why was he seeing—

“Xie Yanlai!”