“They came to me because of my father.”

In the deep night, on the street lit by blazing torches, after Eunuch Qi finished recounting what had happened, Chu Zhao added this comment from the side.

Zhong Changrong was stunned. He had been in the city, gleaning fragments of information from the chaos, aware that the Third Prince and the Crown Prince had clashed, but the closed city gates had isolated news—he had no idea the Crown Prince was dead.

“Uncle Zhong, the imperial city is also surrounded. Eunuch Qi trusts my father, which is why they came here to hide,” Chu Zhao continued. “But this place was also being watched, so I led them to escape.”

As for the specifics—Chu Lan’s murderous intentions, Xiao Xun’s visit, and other details—now was not the time to discuss them.

Zhong Changrong set aside his chaotic thoughts. He didn’t ask too many questions; now was not the time to think about everything. He looked at the child sitting in front of Chu Zhao.

“This subject will guard Your Young Highness with my life,” he said solemnly.

Eunuch Qi said, “Seeing Miss Chu, and now you, I feel at ease.”

Someone nearby snorted.

The three turned to look and saw it was that girl. Earlier during the conversation, she had been standing to the side with her neck turned, but neither Chu Zhao nor Zhong Changrong had asked her to leave, and Eunuch Qi certainly wouldn’t—after all, this girl had appeared out of nowhere and saved all of them.

The girl had been standing there, neck twisted and ears perked, listening to the entire exchange.

Crown Prince, Third Prince, death, killing, survival—she showed no reaction to any of it, as if merely listening to some exciting tale, until she heard Zhong Changrong pledge his determination. Only then did she speak.

“What protection can you offer?” Her face was full of mockery. “This city is filled with troops everywhere. No matter whose men they are, most of them are certainly not favorable to you. How will you protect them? With just these few people of yours?”

She lifted her chin toward the men behind Zhong Changrong. Zhong Changrong had brought more than a dozen men to the capital, but now only four had followed him into the city.

Zhong Changrong’s expression darkened, his scar becoming menacing as he stared at the girl.

Little Man wasn’t afraid of him: “Don’t get any ideas about us. We don’t have many people either. Besides, we came only for—”

At this point, she glanced at Chu Zhao and did not finish her sentence.

Chu Zhao looked at the girl with partial understanding, but Zhong Changrong clearly understood the girl’s meaning. She didn’t care about the survival of the Crown Prince’s son; she had come only to protect Chu Zhao. Only Chu Zhao’s life and death would make them fight to the death. These bandits—

Zhong Changrong gritted his teeth and swallowed the words that had reached the tip of his tongue.

There was no use getting angry with them now. Even with their help, there weren’t enough people. The battle between the Third Prince and the Crown Prince had mobilized who knows how much power, which had now erupted all at once, fierce and determined to succeed.

The only option was to hide first. The capital was vast; with these people, hiding should be possible.

But Chu Zhao had said the Young Highness had already been targeted. Those people had surrounded the Chu residence, and although they had been eliminated for now, word would spread quickly. Those people would not give up—

Zhong Changrong gripped his sword, the scar on his face twitching, his mind in chaos. If only the General were here—unlike himself, who didn’t know what to do—

“Deputy General Zhong,” Eunuch Qi said softly from the side, “we do have manpower.”

Deputy General Zhong was startled. Chu Zhao and Little Man both looked at him.

Manpower? What manpower did they have? If they had had enough people earlier, the situation wouldn’t have been so dangerous.

Eunuch Qi glanced at Chu Zhao: “Miss Chu probably doesn’t know why I brought the Young Highness to the Chu residence.” He then looked at Zhong Changrong. “Deputy General Zhong should know why.”

Why? Chu Zhao was slightly puzzled. Wasn’t it because of trust in her father? She also looked at Zhong Changrong.

Zhong Changrong’s expression changed, seemingly both incredulous and sorrowful. His expression was quite strange, and his body even trembled slightly.

Eunuch Qi looked at him and said softly: “His Majesty has always kept it, never abandoned it.”

Zhong Changrong’s expression grew more agitated. He could barely speak and only reached down to press against his waist, as if grabbing something, yet hesitating to take it out.

“Deputy General Zhong,” Eunuch Qi looked at him and nodded. “Please summon General Chu to protect His Majesty, to protect Great Xia.”

Summon General Chu?

Chu Zhao seemed to understand something, yet not quite.

Zhong Changrong said nothing more. He took a smoke rocket from his waist, lit it with a fire wick, and held it high.

The smoke rocket wasn’t heavy, but Zhong Changrong raised it as if using all his strength.

With a loud noise, the fireworks exploded in the night sky, colorful and brilliant, outlining the image of burning flames.

At this moment, it was as if heaven and earth were burning, both eerie and dazzling.

“Long ago, His Majesty and General Chu had an idea. They secretly formed a force that belonged to the two of them alone.”

“This force had a complete configuration—scouts, spies, assault troops, relay stations, and more. Members were selected from various places but didn’t leave their original positions. They simply added another identity to their existing ones—that identity was the Dragon Authority Army.”

Under the burning flames, Chu Zhao looked up at the night sky, listening to Eunuch Qi’s soft narration.

“In necessary moments, they had the right to execute first and report afterward.”

“Holding the Dragon Authority token, they could freely enter the imperial city to see the Emperor.”

“Chu Yi, ostensibly the Defender General, was the leader of the Dragon Authority Army.”

So that was it—Chu Zhao clenched her fists. No wonder, no wonder in that life Xiao Xun had wanted her to be his empress.

Zhong Changrong looked up at the night sky. It had been many years since he had seen the Dragon Authority Flame Decree.

His voice was hoarse as he said: “After that incident, although His Majesty severed ties with the General, the General continued as before, managing and training the Dragon Authority Army, but never again using the Dragon Authority Decree.”

That incident—Chu Zhao knew about it. Her father and the Emperor had quarreled over suppressing bandits, and then her father’s words had angered the Emperor. Since then, her father had been discarded.

Eunuch Qi also looked at the night sky. He was in the deep palace, and the Dragon Authority Army mainly fought in the border counties. This was his first time seeing the Dragon Authority Flame Decree.

When the Flame Decree was first created, Chu Yi had described it to His Majesty. His Majesty had said it looked beautiful, but it was a pity he sat in the deep palace and couldn’t see it. Chu Yi had said, “Then this subject will come to the capital to show Your Majesty.” His Majesty had angrily replied, “By the time the Flame Decree is used in the capital, I’ll be in trouble, needing you to save me.” Chu Yi hadn’t feared the Emperor’s anger and had laughed, saying, “Then this subject wishes Your Majesty never to see the Flame Decree in your lifetime.”

Thinking of this, Eunuch Qi’s eyes reddened, his nose stinging with emotion. A lifetime was so long—who could have imagined that His Majesty would indeed see the Flame Decree in the capital?

Except for a few times when they had mobilized the Dragon Authority Army to collect evidence against those who had schemed against and framed others, Chu Yi had never again used the capital’s Dragon Authority Army. The Dragon Authority Army, like Chu Yi himself, had been sealed away.

“But His Majesty has always maintained these troops of General Chu in the capital according to the regulations General Chu established initially,” he said, swallowing with emotion. “I brought the Young Highness to flee into the city and hide in the Chu residence precisely because, throughout the city, there is only one force that can be trusted and relied upon.”

But in that life, Eunuch Qi and the Young Highness had not found reliability, because of her ignorance, because of Chu Lan’s greed, because Xiao Xun had acted one step ahead—Chu Zhao lowered her gaze.

Zhong Changrong said nothing more, gesturing to the four men behind him. Those four each took out smoke rockets and lit them.

Flames blossomed in the sky one after another, setting half the heavens ablaze.

Chu Zhao looked into the darkness. From all directions in the night, countless shadows gathered toward the blooming flames.