He didn’t know, but Suzhen did.

Long before she decided to return to the capital, she had thought through every step of this plan countless times, not allowing for the slightest error.

First seeking out Chao Huang through Quan Feitong was the first step of her plan.

Because she wanted to conspire with Chao Huang.

After that battle years ago, Chao Huang already hated Wei Chenghui thoroughly. Moreover, as long as this old thief lived, he remained a threat to Quan Feitong.

Therefore, though Chao Huang hesitated, he ultimately chose to cooperate with her.

She had him take a few more steps. Not many—three would suffice.

First, detain Little Zhou and others, preventing them from contacting Lian Yu. Use his power to find a woman in the capital who resembled her somewhat to serve as a songstress for Quan Feitong, having subordinates deliberately mention the Quan family songstress’s appearance before Li Zhaoting.

Second, while seeking medicine, wait at the Quan mansion for Li Zhaoting to come. In the hurry, Quan Feitong could only hide her, and she deliberately dropped her money pouch before leaving.

Third, Li Zhaoting would definitely bring her back to the palace. On the agreed date with Chao Huang, propose the memorial service. The city tower officers rotated duties—sometimes they were Wei Chenghui’s people, sometimes Quan and Chao’s people. When Chao’s soldiers were on duty, they would claim to have discovered cracks in the wall sections.

Ostensibly repairing the city wall, but actually doing the opposite. Chao’s soldiers used the repair opportunity to damage the originally intact wall sections. The amounts of lime and glutinous rice water for the wall were naturally wrong, providing no adhesion. This city wall was essentially tofu dregs—it would crumble with slight force.

Except for the few soldiers responsible for repairs, no one knew. Because these were newly repaired areas, patrolling soldiers deliberately avoided them, and no one would approach.

When she came up earlier, she deliberately walked through the residue on the ground to inspect the repair sites.

Actually, of the several repaired sections, only one was problematic.

During the three-person fight just now, there were no soldiers on the city tower. No one knew what had happened here, no one knew she had shattered the wall, no one knew it was Chao Huang’s doing. When Li Zhaoting returned to see their corpses, he would only think they had happened to hit the repaired wall sections during their fight, and the walls weren’t properly bonded.

After this incident, as the Wei family’s eldest son, Wei Wuya would fully take over the Wei family. As Wei Chenghui’s eldest daughter and Chao Huang’s wife, Wei Wuxia would return to the Wei family and propose to Wei Wuya that the princess be released. Wei Wuya would agree—he wasn’t Wei Chenghui. Even if she was his father’s killer, she had paid with her life, and for Wuyan and Wuxia’s sake, he would agree.

Yes, she proposed to help Chao Huang eliminate Wei Chenghui on the condition that Chao Huang preserve Lian Xin’s life.

Her back hit the ground hard. Even though she hadn’t initially expected to receive Li Zhaoting’s precious armor, even though Li Zhaoting’s armor absorbed part of the damage, she still heard the sound of bones breaking. Liquid continuously overflowed from her throat, and her whole body ached so much she wanted to cry.

She clearly felt life gradually dissipating from her body.

She struggled to shift her gaze to the side. Wei Chenghui lay beside her, eyes wide open, staring at her with a hideous, terrifying expression, but from the fresh blood flowing beneath him, she knew his life was nearing its end.

At this moment, she no longer needed to pretend to be strong and resolute. She was in pain, and she wanted to see Lotus and Lian Yu. She had only left a letter for Lian Yu with Little Zhou.

She wanted to see him one more time. She missed him. Before leaving, he had even been angry, and they hadn’t had time to complete that embrace.

“Father!”

A scream broke the eerie silence of this moment.

A person dressed as a soldier rushed out, but the voice was clearly female.

Beside this person was another.

Her vision was blurred, but she could still recognize who these two were.

Wei Wulei, and the person she least wanted to see—A Luo.

Seeing her, both were surprised yet showed expressions of expectation.

“It really is you.”

A Luo’s face was extremely pale as she spoke coldly, word by word.

Wei Wulei cried out to her: “What exactly did you do to my father?”

“Father, father, what’s wrong with you…”

Wei Chenghui’s voice was weak: “Go… find someone… to save me.”

“His Majesty was lured away by her, and the soldiers… soldiers were also transferred away by her.”

“Good, good!” Wei Wulei said repeatedly and ran off.

“You… you didn’t die. It really is you.”

At this time, another person was helped out, with guards beside her.

Miaoyin.

She walked to her side, her voice trembling.

Suzhen tugged at her lips as a greeting. Even this small movement made her break out in sweat.

“There are people coming over there. Is that His Majesty?” Wei Wulei shouted loudly.

“Miss Miao.” At this time, Miaoyin heard a low voice behind her.

Having just seen Suzhen in such a tragic state, her emotions were shaken. Hearing this, she turned suspiciously and saw it was A Luo.

A Luo said nothing, but in her cold eyes was deep meaning.

Miaoyin actually understood in an instant.

Suzhen was a clever person and understood too.

She looked calmly at Miaoyin, whose face had also turned extremely pale.

The latter trembled all over, her eyes flashing with hesitation and cruelty, her gaze finally falling on the guards.

Suzhen made no sound. Leng Xue was still up there, unable to move. They might not know.

She had to protect her brother.

She didn’t cry for help.

In her daze, she still remembered that first meeting when the starlight was so brilliant. The first meeting was actually a reunion, but she didn’t know it then. There was someone in blue robes who smiled and walked toward her—that self-conscious yet proud little girl.

“Your Majesty, please save my father quickly.”

The arrivals were indeed Li Zhaoting’s group. Wei Wulei wept brokenly.

“Consort Wei, how are you here? What happened to Marquis Wei—”

The speaker was Liang Song, the old eunuch extremely surprised.

“What happened!”

Before he could finish, Li Zhaoting’s stern voice interrupted.

“His Majesty summoned my father for an audience. I and the Empress wanted to see His Majesty, so we followed father here. We were afraid of disturbing the imperial carriage, so we waited below. Who knew we would see father and Feng Suzhen fall from the city tower!”

“They must have been fighting up there. Feng Suzhen was trying to kill—”

“Lanfeng, quickly summon the imperial physicians to treat them both!”

Her words were also interrupted by Li Zhaoting, his voice so fierce it made her whole body convulse.

“Yes, yes.” Si Lanfeng was so frightened he almost forgot to respond.

His sleeves flew like wind as he brushed past her, his large strides making her cheeks sting.

Miaoyin and A Luo didn’t perform courtesies—at this time, all etiquette was superfluous!

“Ah.”

Xiao Si cried out, his voice full of terror. Li Zhaoting knew that even though Si Lanfeng and Liang Song had gone to find people, he should first check on Wei Chenghui.

He didn’t know if the man was dead or alive.

But he only stared coldly at the woman before him. He didn’t need to think much about some processes—he already knew.

From the moment she entered the palace, it had been a trap.

He didn’t know how she had killed Wei Chenghui, whose martial arts were superior to hers, nor did he want to know.

A pool of green blood on the ground.

Her chest was a bloody mess, her fingernails deeply embedded in her palms. Before leaving, she must have endured tremendous pain.

Three months later, former king Lian Yu’s army formally declared war on the court. Li Zhaoting personally led troops to resist.

Initially, there were victories and defeats on both sides. Later, Lian’s army fought bravely. Soon, a naked female corpse was hung on the Beijing city tower. Afterward, Lian’s army suffered defeats, but before long, Lian’s army adjusted their offensive and took three cities in succession. The royal army was defeated.

This was the thirtieth day of the two armies’ engagement. The royal army’s situation was quite unfavorable, with heavy casualties.

Li Zhaoting stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the starry sky, his face fierce and stern.

This kingdom that should have belonged to him—he would never hand it back!

“It’s late and the dew is heavy. Your Majesty should take care of your health.” Someone behind him draped a cloak over his shoulders. He turned, and Miaoyin smiled at him gently. He was about to embrace her when he suddenly saw Si Lanfeng approach quickly.

“Your Majesty, Chancellor Quan seeks an audience with a guest.”

Si Lanfeng whispered in his ear.

When Quan Feitong brought someone in, Li Zhaoting’s gaze darkened, complex and sinister. Miaoyin almost immediately covered her mouth.

The visitor was dusty from travel, but his presence was no less than that of the current chancellor and sovereign.

“The guest sought me out to arrange an introduction to Your Majesty,” Quan Feitong said.

Li Zhaoting showed no emotion, only speaking lightly with his hands behind his back: “I didn’t know the rebel army commander would honor us with his presence. What instruction do you have?”

“Return her body to me, and I’ll withdraw my troops.”

Called the rebel army commander, the visitor showed no anger. He was very calm, so calm it was deathly still, making people feel chilled.

…

A moment later, after the other party left, Li Zhaoting looked at Quan Feitong and sneered: “I don’t believe he’ll truly give up the kingdom. What do you think, Chancellor Quan? Do you believe it?”

“I believe him.” Quan Feitong tugged at the corner of his mouth, his movement characteristically flippant and lazy, but his eyes held no trace of humor.

Li Zhaoting only smiled. So coldly contemptuous.

Three days later, Quan Feitong personally delivered a coffin to Lian Yu, and Lian Yu withdrew his troops.

This army departed as it had come—no one knew where they came from, and no one knew where they went.

Soon after, the King of Wei died suddenly of illness. A new king ascended the throne, broke the alliance with Zhou, and launched a massive invasion. At the same time, Zhou’s borders were attacked by fierce nomadic tribes looting grain. The emperor, furious and agitated, led troops personally despite his illness.

Though the royal army’s morale was boosted, they couldn’t withstand the overwhelming situation. Zhou was in great danger for a time.

However, a strange army suddenly emerged from the borderlands, forming a pincer movement against the nomadic tribes and striking hard. Soon, the nomadic tribes retreated in disarray, and Zhou’s army repelled the Wei army.

In the following years, as border tribes underwent succession changes and repeatedly harassed Zhou’s frontiers, and several powerful nations attacked Zhou multiple times, they were all defeated by this army assisting the court forces.