When the assassination occurred, Deng Yi was passing by the Grand Tutor’s residence.

After arriving in Zhongshan Commandery, Xiao Xun had also arranged a Grand Tutor’s residence for him, but he had yet to set foot in it.

As he passed by, the official in front of his carriage obsequiously had it stop and pointed it out to him.

Deng Yi lifted the carriage curtain for a glance.

The residence was even more luxurious than the one in the capital. Though the master had never come, the main gate was open. The gatehouse was filled with people sitting, and outside the gate were soldiers guarding. People constantly went in and out, and from their gestures of presenting name cards, they were visiting guests. Everything was just like the Grand Tutor’s residence in the capital.

“Grand Tutor,” the official said, “the Young Master said everything was arranged according to the capital’s Grand Tutor’s residence. Please go in and look—the furniture and furnishings are almost identical.”

Deng Yi felt like laughing but suppressed it, saying, “How could it be the same?”

Though he rarely returned to that Grand Tutor’s residence in the capital either, at least there was an old mother in the residence. With a mother, it counted as a home.

But now—

“The Young Master has also been having people inquire about news of the Old Madam,” the official said quietly, seeing his expression. “But there’s been nothing. We don’t know if she died in that fire or was captured.”

He hurriedly added:

“But Grand Tutor, rest assured, if the court uses the Old Madam as leverage, the Young Master will certainly do everything possible to rescue her.”

Deng Yi smiled slightly: “No need. It’s not necessary.”

Not necessary? The official was inwardly shocked—this petty man Deng Yi would disregard even his own mother for power…

Deng Yi glanced at the official, naturally knowing what he was thinking, but there was no need to explain to him.

That fire might truly have been meant to burn him to death, but it wouldn’t harm his mother.

If his mother was captured, she wouldn’t be pushed forward as leverage either.

Others didn’t understand him, but surely Chu Zhao did? He had abandoned his mother once before, so naturally he could abandon her a second time. Using his old mother to threaten him would be a useless effort.

That girl wouldn’t do such a thing.

Deng Yi lowered his gaze, having no interest in looking at the Grand Tutor’s residence anymore and was about to lower the curtain. At that instant, several servants who had just been bowing and scraping to the gatekeeper, presenting name cards and gift lists, suddenly pulled long spears from the gift boxes at their feet and thrust them toward Deng Yi’s carriage.

From the corner of his eye, Deng Yi saw a meteor-like flash of light. Instinctively he leaned back. The long spear slid past his nose and with a bang embedded itself in the carriage.

In the next moment, light flashed before his eyes with crackling sounds, then with a bang, the entire carriage exploded.

“Grand Tutor—”

“Assassins—”

The area in front of the magnificent Grand Tutor’s residence instantly fell into chaos. Citizens on the street screamed and scattered in all directions. Countless soldiers rushed over from all sides.

The ground shook.

…

…

When Xiao Xun arrived, the street had already been secured in multiple layers.

The carriage lay scattered on the ground. The panicked horses had already been killed by soldiers. Among the carriage and horse corpses lay the bodies of more than ten people.

Among them were Deng Yi’s guards and the assassins.

Xiao Xun looked at the person sitting on the steps outside the Grand Tutor’s residence, almost unrecognizable, and asked with concern, “Grand Tutor, are you alright?”

Blood was splattered on Deng Yi’s face along with soot from the fire. His clothes were disheveled, and one arm bent unnaturally.

Several physicians surrounded him, wiping and bandaging.

“I’m fine. My guards threw themselves on me and blocked the fatal attack,” Deng Yi said. “Only broke an arm.”

“The commandery city is so secure, yet assassins managed to strike!” Ning Kun said sternly. “What are the assassins’ identities?”

Guards came forward dragging three corpses: “They carried name cards from the Zhang family of Ji City. Troops have been sent to investigate.”

Xiao Xun said, “These identities must be fake.”

Ning Kun thought not necessarily, and couldn’t help saying quietly, “Young Master, I remember the Lin family has relations with the Zhang family…”

Xiao Xun glanced at him: “Investigate first before speaking.” He then shouted sternly to the surrounding officials, “No matter what identity the assassins are verified to have, treat them all as treason, exterminate their entire clans!”

The officials responded in unison.

“Grand Tutor,” Xiao Xun looked at Deng Yi again. “Should you return to the commandery office or recover from your injuries in the residence?”

He knew Deng Yi had no interest in the Grand Tutor’s residence, so he asked.

Deng Yi said, “Anywhere is the same. Since we’re here, let’s go to the residence.”

Xiao Xun nodded. The officials hurriedly had someone bring a sedan chair and helped Deng Yi sit in it. Squadrons of soldiers first poured through the gate. The residence was already full of soldiers. Besides the Grand Tutor residence’s servants, there were only seven or eight outsiders.

They knelt trembling in a corner, watched by soldiers.

Seeing Deng Yi’s party enter, some couldn’t help shouting, “Grand Tutor, we’re innocent.” Others also called out, “Grand Tutor, we’re not accomplices.”

They kowtowed on the ground.

Deng Yi looked straight ahead as if he hadn’t heard.

Xiao Xun was drawn to look over.

“They were waiting in the gatehouse earlier to see the Grand Tutor,” the guards explained quickly.

When the three assassinating Deng Yi appeared, some people had already been sitting in the Grand Tutor residence’s gatehouse. After the assassination, they were detained.

Xiao Xun withdrew his gaze and turned to instruct Ning Kun: “Investigate these people too, and double the guards at the Grand Tutor’s residence…”

As he spoke, he felt his peripheral vision slow down, seeing those kneeling people roll like balls on the ground…

Everything seemed to become very slow, yet very fast. Those seven or eight people instantly broke free from the soldiers’ watch and pounced like eagles spreading their wings.

“Your Highness, careful—”

“Your Highness—”

Xiao Xun only felt his head buzzing, his vision also swaying. People were everywhere, as if to isolate him from this world.

But with a thud, an official in front of him had his throat pierced by a blade.

Xiao Xun was instantly pulled back to this world. He smelled thick blood and saw the gleaming, blood-dripping blade tip.

Assassins.

These assassins were after him!

The earlier assassination of Deng Yi was merely bait.

When the Grand Tutor was attacked, no matter what, he would come to visit.

As long as he appeared, as long as they got close to him, they could assassinate him.

Another thud—it was as if a wall blocked in front of him. Xiao Xun saw blood spray behind the wall.

Tie Ying held a sword in his hand. With just one swing—from above to horizontal to diagonal slash—three assassins were killed.

He pressed close to Xiao Xun, protecting him tightly. His arm extended, the long sword like a calligraphy brush, landing on the heart of another charging assassin. The assassin collapsed to his knees with a thud.

All this happened in an instant. Half of Ning Kun’s face still maintained the concentration of listening to him speak, while the other half twisted in shock.

Xiao Xun’s mind was chaotic, yet he felt extremely secure. No matter how these assassins appeared from nowhere, with Tie Ying here he was safe.

But just as the thought flashed by, a corpse on the ground suddenly slithered and coiled up like a snake, instantly pressing against Tie Ying.

Another soft thud. Xiao Xun saw an iron spike pierce through the back of Tie Ying’s neck…

His vision again became slow, watching Tie Ying slowly kneel down. Tie Ying seemed to want to turn and look at him, but his neck was pinned by the spike and couldn’t move. Finally he disappeared from view…

“Don’t move.”

A cool voice sounded by his ear. A cold sensation came from his neck. Xiao Xun shivered and returned to the human world.

In the blink of an eye, the human world had become hell.

Bodies were everywhere. He stood as if in a pool of blood.

Ning Kun lay on the ground, dead or alive unknown. Deng Yi had also been knocked over and thrown to the ground, pinned under the sedan chair. Some officials lay dead while others crawled on the ground. Layer upon layer of guards surrounded them—

Yet it was as if they encountered a barrier and couldn’t approach.

This barrier was him.

“Release the Young Master—” the officers shouted angrily.

Xiao Xun heard a light laugh. From the corner of his eye he saw a smooth chin. Just as he tried to look further, sharp pain struck his shoulder. An iron spike pierced through. The pain came without warning. Xiao Xun cried out involuntarily, his body also curling up.

“Step. Back.” The raised voice came word by word, accompanying Xiao Xun’s screams as it was sent out.

The approaching soldiers were like invisible air bags bouncing them back, retreating.

At the same time, Xiao Xun was also dragged backward by his captor—behind was the Grand Tutor residence’s hall. They quickly retreated inside.

“You can’t escape—”

“Quickly surrender—”

The officers led soldiers surging forward again.

“If you dare enter I’ll kill him,” the male voice shouted, then raised his foot and with bangs shut the doors.

Heaven and earth seemed to quiet down in an instant.

Xiao Xun saw clearly who had seized him. This time it wasn’t a woman—the fleeting thought made Xiao Xun extremely ashamed and angry. Why was he being taken hostage again?

This was a young man, somewhat taller than him, somewhat thinner, face rather ashen—clearly disguised, but still couldn’t hide some familiarity.

Flying brows and eyes, a high nose bridge…

“I’ve seen you somewhere,” Xiao Xun couldn’t help saying despite the pain.

The man before him smiled: “Me? I personally witnessed the Young Master playing the hero rescuing a beauty.”

Hero rescuing a beauty. Xiao Xun was slightly startled. The next moment a female voice seemed to echo in his ear: “I’d rather drown than have him interfere. This is between me and—”

“A’Jiu!” Xiao Xun said.

Xie Yanlai smiled: “The Young Master actually remembers me? Indeed my outstanding bearing makes me unforgettable to all.”

Perhaps he didn’t remember him. Xiao Xun looked at him: “Did Chu Zhao send you to kill me?”

Xie Yanlai raised his eyebrows: “I have another name, called Xie Yanlai.”

Xie Yanlai! Xiao Xun was surprised. So this was Xie Yanlai!

Of course he knew of Xie Yanlai. He’d known before—Xie Yanfang’s brother, right? But that was all, he hadn’t cared, uniformly categorizing him as a Xie family member. With the Xie family, watching one Xie Yanfang was enough.

But these two years were different, especially since this Xie family member had captured the Xi Liang King alive.

That wasn’t something one could do just by being surnamed Xie, but because of who this person was.

Unexpectedly, just as he’d taken notice, this person appeared before him—

Xiao Xun lowered his eyes slightly to look at the iron spike pressed against his neck.

“Did Xie Yanfang send you?” he said, then added, “Young Master Xie, you should know—if you kill me, you absolutely cannot escape.”

Xie Yanlai made a sound but said nothing.

Xiao Xun turned his head slightly to look at him: “Young Master Xie, I think with your current achievements, you can have your own future.”

Xie Yanlai laughed, the laugh somewhat mocking.

“A’Jiu—” Xiao Xun said.

Just as he opened his mouth with this address, Xiao Xun only felt pain in his neck. The next moment his consciousness froze. He looked down to see the iron spike piercing his throat, blood dripping drop by drop onto his magnificent princely robes.

How strange. Had he been killed?

How could that be?

How could he possibly be killed like this?

This wasn’t how he was supposed to die!

Xiao Xun’s vision became blurred, then became incomparably clear. He clearly saw himself wearing dragon robes ascending to the imperial throne, all ministers in the great hall kowtowing in unison, Deng Yi among them.

He cursed the rebel Xie family at court.

He returned to the rear palace, where Chu Zhao threw herself into his arms, her face full of dependence.

This was his destiny!

Xie Yanfang had never even gotten close to him, much less this Xie Yanlai who was nothing!

He shouldn’t have died like this.

This wasn’t his destiny!

How could this be?

He must be dreaming.

Xiao Xun’s body slid down against Xie Yanlai, collapsing to his knees. His consciousness gradually blurred, the sounds by his ears also drifting near and far.

“Don’t call me A’Jiu. You people, all day long talking conditions, calculating benefits—so annoying.”

“In your hearts, is there nothing in this world done without conditions or seeking benefits, merely because I want to do it, or because it should be done?”

Xie Yanlai said with a frown, looking at Xiao Xun collapsed on the ground.

“You struggle for power and profit, using the world as your chessboard. Enough already. The people of the world shouldn’t be so unlucky, living in pain for you, and having to be grateful when they die.”

He stepped aside. Without support, Xiao Xun collapsed fully to the ground, motionless, blood spreading beneath him.

Xie Yanlai watched quietly for a moment, then withdrew his gaze and moved about the hall.

This Grand Tutor residence’s reception hall—he was more familiar with it than Deng Yi. These days, they’d come and gone under various identities delivering gifts and goods, then placed here what they’d prepared…

He reached out to touch a porcelain vase on a shelf. His fingers came away black.

He looked at the tables and chairs—everything gleamed with oil.

He looked at the cracks between floor tiles—densely packed black-gray spread everywhere.

Actually, he hadn’t expected to encounter Deng Yi today, but they’d been waiting for today all along.

Xie Yanlai took out a fire starter from his chest, stood before a large screen, looked around the room once more, lit the fuse and tossed it.

Acrid smoke dispersed through the hall, mixed with crackling sounds.

“Release the Young Master—”

“What exactly do you want?”

“Whatever you want, just name it—”

The officials outside the hall shouted loudly. Soldiers surrounded the place watertight. Troops outside also converged in layers, surrounding the Grand Tutor’s residence, surrounding this street, half the city, and encircling the entire city—

An official standing below the steps sniffed: “What’s that smell?”

Instinctively he looked up ahead. A thunderous roar filled his ears, flames shot skyward before his eyes, a heat wave struck his face. The official cried out and fell backward.

Deng Yi was being supported by soldiers as they retreated to avoid interfering with rescuing Xiao Xun. At this moment he turned to look back. Firelight flickered on his face. The magnificent mansion before him was swallowed by fire, burning and shattering—

Just like his study at the Grand Tutor’s residence in the capital before.

…

…

In a wasteland outside the city, two farmers looked at the smoke and fire rising from the city. The fire was far from them, didn’t look very frightening, rising gently. But their faces were as red as if they were right beside it being scorched by flames.

One grabbed his hoe and was about to rush toward the city. The other held him back desperately.

“What are you doing!” he shouted. “Let’s go!”

The farmer being held said in a low, hoarse voice, “What about Young Master? Young Master he—”

“Don’t forget Young Master’s instructions!” the farmer holding him shouted quietly, eyes red. “What are we supposed to do!”

The held farmer’s eyes looked ready to drip blood: “But Young Master, Young Master, Young Master he—”

“Don’t let Young Master die in vain—” the farmer holding him shouted hoarsely. “Go—”

The two turned and ran into the distance.

“Xiao Xun is dead—”

“Xiao Xun is dead—”

…

…

News of Xiao Xun’s death spread almost instantly. Prince Zhongshan’s residence had just managed to install the Second Young Master before the army and hadn’t yet had the chance to announce the new sovereign to all regions when the court’s troops surged like tidal waves from four directions.

Whether due to the influence of the Handan Commandery aristocratic families, or because they felt the situation was lost with Xiao Xun’s death, many aristocratic families and even officials in various provinces and commanderies defected one after another. In less than a month, the court’s troops advanced unstoppably, closing in on Zhongshan Commandery.

In the seventh month of the fourth year of Xingping, the Empress’s grand army arrived at the gates of Zhongshan Commandery City.