Why had Xie Yanfang come?

The Third Prince’s expression was extremely grim.

Of course, he had always known Xie Yanfang couldn’t be underestimated, which was why the Xie family received the same treatment as the Yang family—they were surrounded at the first opportunity.

The city gates were also sealed, communications cut off—they hadn’t expected to keep it completely hidden, only needed enough time to kill the Crown Prince.

But not only had the Xie family not been encircled and killed, they had actually broken through.

This damned Xie family.

Uncle Zhao said bitterly: “The Xie family actually had this many troops hidden away—truly harboring wolfish ambitions.”

The Third Prince wished he could capture Xie Yanfang and tear him apart alive.

“Xie Yanfang!” he shouted. “How dare you! Actually keeping private soldiers—are you planning rebellion?”

His voice flew over the wall of people between them. Xie Yanfang heard and laughed.

“I’m not planning rebellion,” he said, signaling the guards before him to move aside. He spurred his horse forward a few more steps so he could see the Third Prince more clearly.

His eyes were covered with frost yet tinged with red, like a piece of blood jade, bursting with undisguised hatred.

He hated the Third Prince—his wolfish ambitions were indeed true. He hated himself for not being at the Crown Prince’s side, when that Miss Chu had warned him repeatedly—

He hated that despite being prepared, he was still one step too late.

He hated heaven’s cruelty, hated his own powerlessness—

“I’m going to kill you.”

Xie Yanfang put away his crossbow, took down the long blade from his back, and spoke in a flat tone.

The soft voice also flew over the wall of people to reach the Third Prince’s ears. Combined with that blood-red gaze, even the bloodthirsty Third Prince couldn’t help feeling a slight chill.

He was a scholar in the world’s eyes. Xie Yanfang was also a scholar in the world’s eyes. And scholars knew best how terrifying such scholars could be.

“Xie Yanfang is a madman,” Uncle Zhao said quietly beside him. “If we don’t eliminate him this time, he’ll be endless trouble in the future.”

“Of course I know that,” the Third Prince said hatefully, his gaze staring viciously at the white-robed, blade-wielding figure across from him.

But fighting Xie Yanfang to the death right now would do him no good either.

Though the Crown Prince was dead, that Crown Prince’s whelp of a son wasn’t dead—an endless future threat.

What was worse—if he himself had any mishap—

“Xie Yanfang—” The Third Prince laughed heartily and shouted, “Though I haven’t killed my way to the hunting ground yet, the Crown Prince has already been killed by my people.”

Whether they were his people or not didn’t matter. In any case, what he wanted was the Crown Prince dead, and he only needed Xie Yanfang to know the Crown Prince was already dead.

Whether Xie Yanfang across from him was shocked or not, Uncle Zhao didn’t know. He himself was shocked—wouldn’t this provoke Xie Yanfang even more?

“A’Zhu,” he couldn’t help calling out the Third Prince’s childhood name.

The Third Prince signaled him not to worry and called out again with a laugh toward that side.

“You oppose me because I opposed the Crown Prince. Now that the Crown Prince is dead, you don’t need to kill me.”

Uncle Zhao thought of something and understood somewhat. Not bad, not bad—it was a method. He smiled without speaking.

In the distance, Xie Yanfang stood silently.

“You oppose me because you want to be National Uncle, don’t you?” the Third Prince continued. “That’s easy to arrange. Just have another of your family’s sisters marry me, and won’t everything be just as before?”

Find another sister to marry the Third Prince? Xie Yanfang still didn’t speak, listening as the Third Prince continued.

“Xie Yanfang, the reason you schemed to have your sister marry the Crown Prince was because he was Crown Prince, wasn’t it?” The Third Prince asked with an ambiguous smile. “Surely you don’t admire his character?”

Hearing this, Xie Yanfang smiled and answered: “Of course not.”

As long as he was willing to speak, that was good. The Third Prince called out “good”: “Master Xie Three is frank and honest. We humans live to pursue fame and profit.”

At this point, his expression grew reflective.

“Master Three, actually you and I are kindred spirits. His Majesty now has only me as a son. I am the Crown Prince. So marry your sister to me—your sister will be Crown Princess, and you will still be National Uncle. What’s wrong with that? Isn’t this a happy outcome for all? Why must we fight and kill each other?”

His tone was earnest and heartfelt.

“Master Xie Three, the Crown Prince is already dead. It’s over.”

The Xie family had countless sisters. No matter who it was, as long as she became Crown Princess, the Xie family would still be imperial in-laws.

The Crown Prince was already dead. Nothing could be undone. People had to move forward and find another path to survival.

Xie Yanfang looked at the Third Prince, his gaze suddenly falling to the side—to Minister Zhao, quietly standing guard beside the Third Prince.

When Xie Yanfang’s gaze swept over him, Minister Zhao felt as if targeted by a venomous snake, suddenly going numb.

“Since Your Highness has such intentions toward me, then kill Minister Zhao,” Xie Yanfang said with a smile. “Let there be only one National Uncle in this realm.”

What the hell are you, Xie Yanfang? Minister Zhao cursed furiously in his heart. He knew this brat was no good thing. He—

He opened his mouth to speak, but before making a sound, pain shot through his abdomen as a sharp weapon pierced in.

What was happening?

Minister Zhao turned his head in disbelief and saw the Third Prince’s pale face—

This face he had watched grow up, very similar to his own. As the old saying went, a nephew resembles his uncle. He had been very pleased about this and took pride in it.

He had treated this nephew more attentively than his own son.

He gathered troops for him, amassed wealth for him, schemed for him, committed evil for him, and shielded him with his own body.

Just moments ago when those arrows flew toward them, he had stepped in front of the Third Prince without thinking.

To the Third Prince, he was as precious as his own life.

But apparently the Third Prince didn’t treasure him so much—

That Xie Yanfang—just one sentence! Just one sentence, and you didn’t even question it, didn’t deflect, didn’t even bargain—

Uncle Zhao pressed his hand to his chest, staring fixedly at the Third Prince.

“A’Zhu—” His teeth chattered as he called the Third Prince’s childhood name.

The Third Prince withdrew his hand, pulled out the long sword, and kicked with his foot.

Uncle Zhao’s breath stopped instantly. He fell from horseback. His remaining words—”A’Zhu, beware of him—”—never had the chance to be spoken.

This sudden turn shocked everyone around, especially Zhao family members who retreated in succession.

The Third Prince’s expression didn’t change. He wiped the blade on Uncle Zhao’s corpse and said: “Uncle treasured me. To help me achieve great things, he was willing to sacrifice his life.”

Then he looked toward Xie Yanfang.

“Master Xie Three, with this—I and my future son will have only you as uncle. Are you satisfied?”

Xie Yanfang laughed uproariously and sheathed the long blade in his hand: “Satisfied!”

He had put away his long blade. The Third Prince’s smile grew deeper. Since he had persuaded Xie Yanfang, even if the Crown Prince’s whelp was still alive, it wasn’t so important anymore.

Perhaps, to express sincerity and to be a good National Uncle in the future, Xie Yanfang would even personally eliminate the former Crown Prince’s son.

The former Crown Prince.

That Crown Prince was already the past.

The Third Prince said: “Master Three—”

He was just about to magnanimously make some promises when across from him, Xie Yanfang, who had just lowered his blade, suddenly took up his bow and arrow and aimed at the Third Prince—

“Xie Yanfang!” The Third Prince’s face suddenly contorted viciously as he shouted, “You dare—”

His answer was a sharp humming sound. Three feathered arrows flew forth with Xie Yanfang’s cold gaze.

This instant caught many people off guard. First National Uncle Zhao was killed, throwing the guards’ minds into chaos. So when Xie Yanfang suddenly attacked, they couldn’t react in time.

By the time the guards reacted, the Third Prince had already been struck by three arrows. He fell from his horse and crashed onto the freshly dead corpse of National Uncle Zhao.

Xie Yanfang sat on his horse with lowered hands and said coldly: “Kill!”

Leave not one alive!

Third Prince, only when you’re dead will there truly be only the Xie family as National Uncle in this realm.

There would never be a new National Uncle again.

……

……

At the hunting ground, hoofbeats clattered chaotically and flames leaped high, but the sounds of slaughter had stopped.

People no longer ran wildly but crouched and lay on the ground to avoid being trampled into mud by the charging troops.

“Master! Master—”

The palace maid stumbled forward, watching the white-robed master galloping toward her on horseback, waving with desperate cries.

“Miss! Save Miss quickly—”

Xie Yanfang rushed toward the palace maid and asked urgently: “Where’s Yu’er? Is Yu’er all right?”