The atmosphere was somewhat strange.

Chu Zhao had also noticed it. Upon seeing these people, Uncle Zhong seemed unhappy, and this girl’s attitude toward Uncle Zhong didn’t appear very good either.

But one thing could be confirmed—the two sides definitely knew each other.

That was good. Chu Zhao felt relieved.

Zhong Changrong was obviously relieved as well. Ignoring the girl’s attitude, he led the people behind him to charge toward the alley.

The fighting ended quickly.

The girl stood by the roadside, still turning her head away. She snorted and said, “This place had already been surrounded long ago—”

Then she glanced at Zhong Changrong.

“If we had waited for you to come, she would have been dead already.”

Having exchanged blows with them, Zhong Changrong knew how formidable these people were. He didn’t deny this point, his heart full of lingering fear, his eyes filled with even more remorse and self-blame.

“A’Zhao, to think you face such danger in the capital,” he muttered.

No wonder A’Zhao was clamoring to return to the border commandery. It was all his fault—he shouldn’t have stopped her.

If not for this time—he glanced at the girl who was turning her head away—he would never see A’Zhao again. He dared not imagine what the General would do if he found out.

Seeing Uncle Zhong looking as if he wanted to draw his blade and commit suicide right then and there, Chu Zhao hastily said, “Uncle Zhong, this was an accident. Other times aren’t this dangerous for me.”

An accident?

The girl beside them whistled, “Other times aren’t necessarily much better either. Miss Chu Zhao’s widespread fame—wasn’t it all earned through fighting?”

Indeed, all along the way he had heard of the young miss’s illustrious reputation. As someone who had led troops for many years, Zhong Changrong naturally knew how difficult it was to earn such an illustrious reputation. Especially with the General having kept a low profile in the capital for many years, the young miss had been helpless and alone, newly arrived, yet able to gain such fame—who knew how much grievance, difficulty, and humiliation she had endured—

Zhong Changrong thought of the descriptions he had heard today at his old friend’s house, how the Chu Garden literary gathering had begun, how Miss A’Zhao had been berated by those men, bowing her head again and again to sign pledges admitting defeat—

Zhong Changrong had almost drawn his blade to rush out and cut someone down right then. The daughter the General had raised so carefully—was she meant to be humiliated like this?

He hated himself even more. Back then, when the young miss had cried so hard wanting to return to the border commandery, saying that home was where Father was, he had actually been so hard-hearted—

Seeing the scar on Zhong Changrong’s face twist in distortion, the girl beside them grew even more pleased. She said, “Also, you—”

“Enough.” Chu Zhao cut her off. “You don’t understand anything, so don’t talk nonsense. It’s not that serious at all.”

The girl immediately glared fiercely at her, “You don’t get to tell me what to do!”

She turned her full face around. Under the torchlight, Chu Zhao saw clearly—this was a round-faced, cute girl, only about fifteen or sixteen years old. However, her eyes really were quite fierce—

Chu Zhao naturally wasn’t afraid of her. “You’re not me. You’re wrong about my affairs, so of course I have to speak up.”

Xiao Man was left speechless, momentarily not knowing how to refute. A child popped up beside her with a chuckling laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” Xiao Man scolded him. “Have you finished cleaning up? Are there any who slipped through the net? You have too much free time.”

Little Rabbit wasn’t afraid of her at all. He grinned at Chu Zhao, “Sister Chu Zhao is really amazing.”

Already calling her sister? Chu Zhao smiled at him. There was no point arguing about these things—if there were conflicts among their own people, they could discuss them later. She looked at Zhong Changrong. “Uncle Zhong, right now there’s a matter of grave importance. These people outside the Chu residence came precisely for this.”

Zhong Changrong collected his emotions and focused intently on Chu Zhao.

“Uncle Zhong, this is—” Chu Zhao pointed to the child in front of her. “Young, Your Highness.”

Young Your Highness? Only then did Zhong Changrong’s gaze fall on that child.

Of course, he had noticed from the beginning that the young miss was bringing along a six or seven-year-old child, but he hadn’t paid it much attention.

This was a female child wearing a flowered dress and jacket. Though her hair and clothing were somewhat disheveled, it couldn’t hide her delicate features like carved jade. At a glance, one could tell she came from a wealthy, noble family.

Looking more carefully, this was a boy dressed up as a girl.

Young Your Highness? Which Your Highness? In current-day Great Xia, there weren’t many who could be addressed as Your Highness—

“This is—” Chu Zhao pointed to the old woman behind her.

Come to think of it, she also didn’t know who he was—

The old woman dismounted and bowed to Zhong Changrong. “Deputy General Zhong.”

Zhong Changrong looked at this old woman wearing flowered clothes and wrapped in a flowered head scarf with a kind, pale face. When she opened her mouth, a man’s voice came out. Well then, this was also someone in disguise.

“You—” He was somewhat guarded.

“Deputy General Zhong,” Eunuch Qi said. “I am Qi Xuan from His Majesty’s side. Do you still remember me?”

From His Majesty’s side? Zhong Changrong was stunned for a moment. Looking at the eunuch’s face, he suddenly realized, “You’re Eunuch Qi!”

Eunuch Qi’s eyes glistened with tears. “Indeed, it’s this old servant. Deputy General Zhong, it’s been many years.”

Many years. Zhong Changrong sighed inwardly. That would be close to twenty years.

“Eunuch Qi, you’ve gotten so old,” he lamented.

Eunuch Qi smiled. “You, the little rascal who broke His Majesty’s vase and hid it under your bottom by sitting on it, have also become a rough man.”

Mentioning that embarrassing incident from years past, Zhong Changrong chuckled. Those years, ah, well, those years were best not mentioned. He withdrew his thoughts and looked toward the child in front of Chu Zhao. “Then this one is—”

His expression was startled. He had already guessed.

Eunuch Qi nodded, his expression sorrowful. “This is the Crown Prince’s son.”

Now, he should be called the Crown Prince’s orphan.

“What exactly happened?” Zhong Changrong asked urgently.

……

……

“How are things going?”

Xiao Xun stood up and looked outside.

Tie Ying had long since lost patience. “Why is there still no news? Chu Lan is being too slow.”

Xiao Xun said, “Perhaps he needs to think it over carefully. After all, this is the first time in his life he’s been entrusted with such high hopes.”

“Your Highness has already explained everything to him so clearly,” Tie Ying said. Once again, he requested, “Your Highness, let me go.”

Xiao Xun looked at the night. No matter how deep the night, it would eventually pass. At this moment, it was already somewhat brighter than before.

There was no news from the palace either.

However, if they resolved matters outside, even if there was still no news from the palace, it wouldn’t matter.

The Emperor would have no other choice.

“Fine,” he nodded. “Go ahead.”

Tie Ying was about to leave when Ning Kun hurried in from outside. “Your Highness, news has come from the palace.”

News had come from the palace? If the young lord was being summoned to the palace, Tie Ying absolutely wouldn’t leave. He quickly stopped and stood beside Xiao Xun, watching as Ning Kun led someone in.

This person’s appearance was somewhat disheveled, stained with quite a bit of blood. Clearly, getting the message out from the palace hadn’t been easy.

“Your Highness.” He pulled out a scroll from his chest. “This is from Grand Tutor Deng, Deng Yi, for Your Highness.”

Deng Yi, Grand Tutor Deng.

Xiao Xun and the others noticed this form of address, their expressions showing some surprise.

They had originally thought that Deng Yi being able to guard the gates of the inner palace was already quite good. They hadn’t expected him to leap to become Grand Tutor. This Grand Tutor title must have been newly conferred.

“This Deng Yi truly is formidable,” he said. “To actually gain His Majesty’s trust.”

Ning Kun sighed again, “Your Highness the Prince has such keen judgment of character.”

Xiao Xun said, “I’m not as good as Father.”

Through his interactions, he knew that Deng Yi, though a minor figure, was extraordinary. But even he hadn’t imagined he could climb so relentlessly to the position of Grand Tutor.

Thinking of how Father had repeatedly sent large sums of money to Deng Yi, he truly had foresight.

He couldn’t help but think of Father’s attitude toward Chu Zhao, repeatedly hoping he would form a marriage alliance with her. Was he valuing Chu Ling, or this young lady Chu Zhao?

Could this Chu Zhao perhaps be like Deng Yi?

“Your Highness,” Ning Kun urged. “Quickly see what it is.”

The scroll was bright yellow—an imperial edict.

The messenger added, “Grand Tutor Deng said that as long as Your Highness delivers the edict, he will personally come to escort Your Highness into the palace.”

These words—were not good words.

Xiao Xun’s brow furrowed slightly as he took the scroll and opened it.

It was indeed an imperial edict, with the imperial seal stamped on it.

But the contents—

With just one glance, Xiao Xun, who was usually neither greatly pleased nor greatly angered, flew into a rage and furiously threw the edict onto the ground.

“The wretch deserves death!”