No matter how the court officials clamored, opposed, or questioned, who could stop Xie Yanfang?

When Xie Yanfang decided to do something, who could stand in his way?

Xie Yanfang carried Xiao Yu and mounted his horse.

Since the Crown Prince’s death and the new Emperor’s ascension, Xie Yanfang still appeared as a refined gentleman in the eyes of the world. Moreover, as the Emperor’s only relative and most trusted uncle, he had entered the court and held a high position that no one could match.

But for him, he remained stuck in that night.

He was still in the inner garments he had hastily donned when awakened from sleep, holding a long sword, his body covered in blood.

He had helplessly watched the Crown Prince die, watched the Crown Princess die, watched as the young prince was rescued by others, watched as an unknown nobody suddenly rose above him.

The Third Young Master Xie had never been so disheveled in his life.

How could he accept this?

Finally, with the temptation of external threats, the Zhongshan Prince personally delivered an opportunity. In this battle, the Third Young Master Xie would avenge his humiliation, assert his authority, establish his reputation, and reclaim the child’s heart.

Xie Yanfang looked down at the child sitting before him.

Xiao Yu was wrapped in a cloak. In the torchlight, his face, like white jade, radiated brilliance.

Hooves sounded from front to back, left to right. The Imperial Guards shouted, “His Majesty leads the army personally!” The cry echoed through the capital’s streets. People who had been hiding in their homes could not believe what they heard. At first, they peered through cracks in doors and windows facing the street and indeed saw a child. Although many had never seen the young Emperor, who else could be sitting in front of Xie Yanfang? People began to pour out, more and more gathering until the entire capital boiled with excitement.

“I am going to personally question the Zhongshan Prince,” Xiao Yu shouted to the crowds surging along the streets. “You claim to protect Da Xia, so why harm my people? If you do not repent, I will personally behead you.”

The child’s voice was tender, and his words somewhat childish, but this only made the crowds more excited.

“Please be at ease, everyone. I am personally leading the army, not because we have reached a critical moment,” Xiao Yu continued. “If the Empress can lead troops to personally campaign at the border to meet the Western Liang Prince in battle, naturally I cannot simply sit in the Imperial City.”

The child shook open his cloak and raised a sword almost as tall as himself with his small hand.

“Those who invade Da Xia, kill!”

“Those who harm my people, kill!”

The childish voice was spirited and resonant. No one regarded this child as a child—this was the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, their sovereign. The people along the streets were moved to tears, shouting “Kill!” until their voices grew hoarse.

The capital’s gates, sealed for many days, were opened. Countless citizens followed the Emperor’s troops, wanting to accompany His Majesty to the frontlines.

The bright torches made the entire capital burn with excitement.

Xiao Yu looked up at Xie Yanfang, his eyes shining, his cheeks flushed: “Did I do well?”

Xie Yanfang nodded: “You did very well. It wasn’t I who taught you, but Miss Chu. You are much better than I expected.”

Sister Chu, yes, Sister Chu is certainly wonderful—Xiao Yu’s face broke into a smile.

“Now that Sister Chu isn’t here, I will teach you,” Xie Yanfang continued, waving the long sword in his hand. “This time I will teach you how to kill enemies. A-Yu, this time, I will let you kill with your own hands.”

He lowered his head to look at Xiao Yu.

“A-Yu, do you dare?”

Xiao Yu was so excited that even his ears turned red. He nodded vigorously: “Uncle, I dare.” He raised his long sword just as Xie Yanfang had raised his.

His sincere uncle had finally arrived. From now on, he would make this word “uncle” even more heartfelt, irreplaceable.

Xie Yanfang laughed heartily, raised his sword, and spurred his horse. The horse neighed and galloped forward.

“This is unacceptable!” “How can this be allowed?” “Imperial Tutor—”

Amid the clamorous shouts, the officials’ voices continued to rise in discord.

Deng Yi stood at the palace gate, watching them leave. From the moment Xie Yanfang finished speaking and the little Emperor had called out “Uncle, I am willing,” he had not spoken again, nor had he tried to stop them. Now, as officials streamed after Xie Yanfang’s group, only a handful remained by his side.

Deng Yi silenced the clamor and smiled slightly.

“Originally, I was indeed somewhat worried. With the Zhongshan Prince having accumulated such strength for so long, victory in this battle would not come easily. But now that Xie Yanfang has stepped forward, I am no longer concerned,” he said, looking at the capital burning like fire with excitement. “The Zhongshan Prince has always believed this is his opportunity, but in fact, he is merely Xie Yanfang’s opportunity.”

……

……

When the morning light once again illuminated the earth, the local noble family patriarchs waiting outside the government office awakened from their stiffness, while their attending sons and nephews carefully massaged their elders’ limbs.

“Father, can you still endure?” they asked in low voices, their expressions worried.

The elders were all over sixty or seventy, and had not suffered such hardship for many years.

“Suffering?” one patriarch said quietly. “Compared to those few families whose heads were chopped off, lying quietly on the ground, yes, it’s a bit of suffering.”

This joke wasn’t funny at all. The sons and nephews smiled bitterly, their eyes betraying their fear.

Who could have imagined that the polite Young Master with deep dimples when he smiled would kill so readily?

“What’s so unimaginable about it?” another elder said flatly. “With strong troops in hand, saying he invited us to uphold justice was merely a courtesy.”

While they spoke quietly, a military official emerged from the government office and seemed surprised to see them: “You haven’t gone home yet?”

A family patriarch hurriedly stepped forward and bowed: “We are eager to see the Young Master.”

The official nodded: “The Young Master has just awakened. Follow me in.”

So he was willing to see them. Everyone sighed in relief, bowed again, and followed the official to enter. They had only taken a few steps when a soldier came running from behind.

“Sir,” he held a letter in his hand and whispered a few words in the official’s ear.

The official’s expression showed surprise. He looked at the letter again, hesitated, then said to the soldier: “I’ll report to the Young Master. Keep those people under watch.”

The soldier answered and left.

The official was about to leave when he noticed the noble families following behind him.

“Wait here for a moment. There’s an urgent matter I must report to the Young Master,” he said.

The noble families naturally had no objections. They had already waited all night and didn’t mind waiting a bit longer. They quickly said, “Please go ahead, sir,” and again apologized that the Young Master was so busy and they were causing disturbance—

The official didn’t wait for them to finish their courtesies before entering the hall.

Xiao Xun sat at the table listening to Tie Ying speak, occasionally glancing at a map.

“Young Master!” the official strode in shouting, “Someone has sent a letter from the capital.”

A letter from the capital could only mean the court had some new movement, which would only be about deploying troops. At this point, unless they could summon heavenly soldiers, nothing could stop their unstoppable advance. Xiao Xun was unconcerned: “Let Mr. Ning see it.”

But the official didn’t answer and left. Instead, he stepped forward: “It’s a personal letter from Old Master Zhou of the Zhou family in the capital.”

The Zhou family.

A prestigious clan indeed.

Xiao Xun raised his head: “I didn’t expect the Zhou family to be first. Indeed, worthy of a famous chess master who understands advance, retreat, victory, and defeat.”

Earlier, they had sent letters to the noble families in the capital, partly to appease them, but the real purpose was to persuade and entice.

Persuade them not to interfere and remain silent, and entice them to support the Zhongshan Prince.

According to recent news, the noble families had indeed remained silent, not denouncing the Zhongshan Prince.

With the execution of the imperial envoy and their steady approach to the capital, a noble family had come forward to show goodwill.

Though the Zhou family didn’t appear to hold high positions at court, through their chess mastery, they had gathered many disciples and flourished extensively. That they were the first to come forward somewhat delighted Xiao Xun. He took the letter and opened it, but as he read, his brows furrowed.

“What did the old man Zhou say?” Tie Ying asked urgently. The truly unruly ones were never the youth, but these stubborn old men. The arrogance of noble families was common. In a previous dynasty, an emperor had sought a marriage with a noble family, only to be rejected. The family had even privately declared that noble families were made of iron while emperors flowed like water—

Seeing Tie Ying’s expression, as if ready to immediately behead Old Master Zhou, Xiao Xun quickly reassured him: “His words are very pleasant, not at all like his aggressive chess style. However, this letter is written on behalf of someone else.”

Someone else? Tie Ying didn’t understand.

Xiao Xun smiled: “Our old friend whom we haven’t seen for a long time.”

……

……

The few noble family patriarchs standing in the government office were forgotten again.

They watched as the official hurriedly went in and hurriedly came out, then soon brought a scholar rushing in, from beginning to end, not once glancing at them.

Was the Zhongshan Prince’s heir truly busy, or deliberately cold-shouldering them?

But now they were under someone else’s roof and didn’t dare ask. They could only continue waiting.

They heard clear laughter from the young man inside—at least the Young Master was in a good mood. When they met him later, he would be easier to talk to.

……

……

After hearing Ning Kun’s account of recent events in the capital, Xiao Xun laughed heartily, but then shook his head: “Chu Lan is truly pitiful.”

Ning Kun said: “After Miss Chu became Empress, she wasn’t good to him either, keeping him confined. The couple never appeared in public, essentially imprisoned.”

“She was protecting them,” Xiao Xun said with a smile. “But now that she’s gone, there’s nothing to be done.”

He sighed again.

“Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang are heartless, cold-blooded people, showing no consideration for Miss Chu’s face.”

Although the court had specifically stated that Chu Lan’s matter was unrelated to Chu Zhao, it was useless. The Empress would bear this family stain for life, making it easier to depose her in the future.

“Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang received no favors from the Chu family; why should they care about the Chu family’s face?” Ning Kun said disdainfully.

Tie Ying also laughed coldly: “If Chu Zhao had stayed at home back then, she could still have become Empress, and the Young Master would have been indebted to their family, certainly remembering their kindness and protecting the Chu family’s honor in every way.”

Back then, ah. Xiao Xun said: “Miss Chu is intelligent and valiant, she doesn’t care about these things.”

Nor did she care about him.

“It’s too late to care now,” Tie Ying said. “Her dependable father is dead, and her uncle’s family has been convicted by the court. Let’s see what she can do now.”

Ning Kun interrupted Tie Ying: “Let’s not mention past matters. Young Master, Chu Lan’s family has fled in panic to seek refuge with us. Should we receive them or not? Chu Lan is of no use. Taking him in would play right into Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang’s hands, confirming that you, Young Master, are colluding with the Chu family to rebel. In my opinion, we should execute him at the front and tell the world this is a false accusation by the court.”

Xiao Xun smiled slightly: “Chu Lan’s family is indeed of no use, but Old Master Zhou sent them to us.”

He waved the letter in his hand.

“For Old Master Zhou to write this letter and send these people is an expression of his allegiance to us. If we kill Chu Lan now, not only the Zhou family but other noble families in the capital would surely become wary of us, even rising immediately to aid the court.”

Ning Kun nodded thoughtfully. This was indeed a problem.

“Let Chu Lan’s family in,” Xiao Xun said, then smiled again. “Would sheltering Chu Lan’s family count as a hero rescuing a beauty?”

Tie Ying said: “Not at all. Chu Lan is too ugly.”