Suddenly someone charged forward.

Holding a large pot with both hands, they violently splashed the mutton soup inside onto the remaining half of the ice bridge!

The mutton soup immediately froze and solidified on the ice bridge, forming a layer of snow-white greasy mutton fat, scattered brown chunks of mutton and yellow ginger slices, red chili peppers—red, yellow, and white all frozen together on the ice surface.

Duanmu stopped.

On his face that had shown no expression all along, disgust and surprise finally appeared.

Then he quickly retreated, backing away until he reached a place without mutton soup, to the edge of the ice bridge.

The one holding the pot was Fang Huai’an. After splashing out one pot, he didn’t pause but picked up another pot to splash out.

This time Duanmu waved his sleeve, and the mutton soup froze in mid-air, then smashed back into his chest, sending him flying from this end of the city wall to that end, crashing through the battlements and falling off the palace wall!

Amid the cries of alarm, everyone was too late to rescue him.

Suddenly a sharp sound rang out, like a giant blade suddenly splitting between heaven and earth, mixed with tremendous wind and howling. After the sharp sound, Fang Huai’an’s figure appeared again on top of the palace wall.

But he was lying flat, eyes tightly closed, face pale.

Only then did everyone see the hands beneath him, supporting his body flat.

Those hands, as soon as they appeared, threw Fang Huai’an out, landing him in the arms of soldiers who rushed to catch him. Immediately a red and white figure shot up like a cannonball, extending one hand, already holding a blade.

The next moment flames blazed on that blade.

Pingzong, who had just arrived, beckoned with her other hand, and a soldier’s spear came to her grasp. She gripped it with force, and the spear responded with a series of squeaking sounds. Ice formed at the spear tip, extending forward like lightning, growing longer and longer, until it stretched directly from this end of the city wall to that end!

She wore garments of red on the left and white on the right, grasping the ice spear in her left hand and the flaming blade in her right, leaping up in mid-air and fiercely striking down toward Duanmu at the other end of the city wall!

A thunderous crash.

Half the ice bridge shattered into flying ice crystals, while the other half turned into a waterfall pouring down!

The city wall ground beneath Pingzong’s feet silently cracked open, splitting a fissure a full foot wide that ran across the entire wall.

The red and white figure flashed.

Pingzong had already crossed the five-zhang city wall, ice spear and fire blade smashing toward the top of Duanmu’s head as he drifted up with the snow!

…

Inside Chongming Palace, countless braziers burned and thick clothes were laid out. Murong Yi, who had just come in from the icy world outside, shivered uncomfortably from the temperature change, immediately breaking out in a sweat on his back.

For that instant, he felt uncomfortable all over, yet couldn’t say where exactly it hurt.

Tie Yan led the way, walking until he sat down on the soft couch in the depths of the great hall, with memorial scrolls piled high on the low table. The twins were organizing these memorials for him. Seeing the Emperor enter, they bowed and then stood to either side.

When the two saw Murong Yi, they didn’t put on airs of looking straight ahead, but both smiled slightly at him.

As long as no men were around Tie Ci, Murong Yi didn’t mind, and nodded slightly in return.

Tie Yan saw this and said nothing. He quite liked the twins’ gracious manner and naturally wouldn’t mind.

He said gently, “It’s getting late. Go rest in the front court.”

The Chu Xingbai brothers would stay overnight in the special duty rooms in the front court in the evenings, unable to enter the inner palace. They would take turns resting once every ten days.

Today, because Tie Yan had left temporarily and returned late, they were already working overtime.

The two bowed and withdrew. Tie Yan continued reading memorials on his own.

He didn’t tell Murong Yi to sit.

Murong Yi removed his cloak, handed it to an attendant, and found a low stool to sit on himself.

He did want to be a bit humble before his father-in-law, but his body simply wouldn’t allow it. Endless aching, soreness, and itching arose within his body, even his bones seemed to be softening inch by inch. He licked his lips, his head somewhat dizzy, his heart feeling as if something was burning inside, inexplicably yearning for something, yet not knowing what he should yearn for.

He sat there, slightly lowering his eyes, clenching his palms.

He glanced at those memorials.

Weren’t all the memorial reports now completely transferred to Tie Ci? Where did the Emperor get so many memorials?

Tie Yan flipped through a few, then threw the memorials aside. He glanced at Murong Yi, let out a cold laugh, and irritably waved his hand, signaling the attendants to deliver the memorials to Murong Yi.

Murong Yi received the memorials with some surprise.

Tie Yan said, “Everyone withdraw.”

Everyone retreated.

Murong Yi opened a memorial, and the title immediately caught his eye.

“Memorial Advising Against the Crown Princess Taking the Prince of Eastern Liao as Consort”

He opened another.

“Memorial Requesting the Execution of the Prince of Eastern Liao”

Another one.

“Memorial Requesting an Edict to Select a National Father for the Crown Prince.”

…

Murong Yi closed the memorials and looked at the small mountain before him.

From the quantity, it seemed almost all the court ministers of Great Qian were represented here.

From above, Tie Yan said softly, “You insist on being with A Ci. Have you thought about how much criticism and pressure she will bear?”

“Have you thought about how much trouble and hardship you will bring her?”

He pointed at the mountain of memorials. “These are just today’s, sent to me. There are even more at A Ci’s place. Recently there are this many every day. And just now, when you were brought into the palace and A Ci summoned the entire Imperial Medical Academy, almost everyone in the cabinet on duty in the palace immediately submitted memorials.”

“The wise and benevolent Crown Prince of Great Qian, who used years of time and two years of life-and-death struggle to earn her reputation and standing, because of this one reception, this one summons, will see it all destroyed.”

“Murong Yi, you personally watched how she, a dignified Crown Prince, struggled to survive, how she walked step by step to today. You know her difficulties better than anyone. Yet you say you love her while ignoring how your existence and actions will affect her. Do you call this love?”

…

Before the palace city, Pingzong struck down fiercely, ice and flames flowing around one person, appearing from afar like a huge red and white whirlpool.

The whirlpool howled, with molten rock and ice coexisting, as if to destroy all things within it.

Still three zhang away from the whirlpool, the palace city square ground shattered completely, broken bricks and stones mixed with snow flying up three feet high before falling back down.

Duanmu stood directly below the whirlpool, raising one finger.

With a sharp crack, a golden light descended from the sky like a giant nail thick as an embrace, striking toward the top of Pingzong’s head.

…

Before Ruixiang Hall, Tie Ci heard Dan Shuang’s report and her expression changed as she stopped walking.

How could Sang Tang suddenly leave Ciren Palace and head straight for Ruixiang Hall?

At this moment she vaguely heard what seemed like considerable commotion from very far away, but she no longer had time to react.

The sky above suddenly went black.

Black as pitch where you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face—she couldn’t even see Dan Shuang and Chi Xue beside her.

No, it wasn’t just black. This darkness seemed viscous, substantial, like a quagmire or abyss. Trapped within it, one seemed to gradually lose even the five senses.

And that familiar pressure belonging to Sang Tang was omnipresent in this seemingly impenetrable eternal darkness, like an entire sky pressing down on her.

In just an instant, Tie Ci let out a muffled groan, blood flowing from her nose.

…

Before the palace city, golden light struck down and the red and white whirlpool exploded thunderously.

Countless people throughout the palace city were knocked down by the air waves, those standing at the wall’s edge were directly swept off the city wall.

Pingzong flew backward like an arrow, crashing into the palace wall with a thunderous impact, forcibly embedded in the wall with her hair still crackling.

Duanmu landed in the snow, flicked his fingertip, and a fragment of sleeve fell into the snow and disappeared.

…

Murong Yi stared at those memorials.

Tie Yan watched him without speaking.

The atmosphere in the hall was suffocatingly silent.

After a long while, Murong Yi slowly raised his head. His face was slightly pale in the dim lamplight, but his voice was clear and firm.

He said, “The court ministers are short-sighted. Is Your Majesty the same?”

He said, “Precisely because I know the Crown Princess fought her way out of such dire circumstances, these admonishments and criticisms are definitely not insurmountable obstacles for her.”

“If I minded even these small matters, if I had thoughts of retreat because of this, if I thought of giving up, that would be distrust of her, distrust of the feelings between us.”

“She and I don’t play those so-called games of forbearance, fulfillment, sacrifice, and righteousness. Because she doesn’t need them, and neither do I. I believe that in this vast world, there will always be a path to walk. I believe that my lifelong loyalty to her will never bring her any harm. I believe that all the troubles I cause her will ultimately be repaid tenfold by me.”

“What business is it of others that she treats me well? If the ministers chatter away, then let them shut up. Even the Xiao clan was beaten to death by a mob—what, do they think they’re more resilient than the Xiao clan?”

Tie Yan suddenly bit his teeth, suppressing the laugh that wanted to burst out.

He pointed at Murong Yi and said angrily, “Insolent youth, still spouting such nonsense at this time!”

Murong Yi said calmly, “Your Majesty, there’s no need to put on an act. You brought me here and showed me these not to force me to leave A Ci, because you know forcing me is useless, and A Ci wouldn’t agree either.”

“You’re just uneasy at heart and want a promise from me.”

He looked around, searching.

In Chongming Palace, Tie Ci had given strict orders not to allow anyone to carry anything that could cause harm. Violators would be beaten to death immediately. When Murong Yi entered the palace, he also brought no weapons.

But he suddenly saw a small knife on Tie Yan’s writing desk.

Following his gaze, Tie Yan also saw the small knife and remembered it was from when Noble Consort Jing had come earlier to personally peel fruit for him. She had used it and casually left it on the golden plate, forgetting to take it away.

The next instant, Murong Yi beckoned with his hand, and the small knife fell into his grasp.

Before Tie Yan could be startled, he turned the knife around and pointed it at his own heart.

Tie Yan was so shocked he suddenly stood up.

…

Endless darkness enveloped the sky above Ruixiang Hall. In that area, even the falling snow couldn’t be seen, because as soon as the snow approached that place, it would be crushed and disappear.

If viewed from a distance, it looked like a huge black cover over Ruixiang Hall, or as if the entire night had condensed in this one place.

Outside Ruixiang Hall, someone ran up quickly, gasping and about to shout a report, but was stunned by that dense blackness. Before even approaching that area, his whole person inexplicably tumbled away and crashed into the snow.

He got up, looked at Ruixiang Hall that he couldn’t enter, then looked at the palace city ahead, thinking this was terrible.

Princess Pingzong was clearly no match for that strange person, and the most capable Crown Princess in the palace also seemed to be trapped. What could be done?

Suddenly he turned around.

He saw that huge black cover moving.

…

In Chongming Palace, one sitting, one standing, facing each other in silence.

Regret and surprise flashed in Tie Yan’s eyes.

Could it be that he had pushed too hard and driven the man mad?

He had heard that this person had some madness in him.

This was also one of the reasons court ministers strongly opposed after the Crown Princess publicly declared her position.

Murong Yi looked at him, a trace of amusement flashing in his eyes.

His father-in-law was indeed outwardly strong but inwardly weak.

With the small knife pressed against his chest, he slowly stood up and said, “Your Majesty, we people of Eastern Liao hold the most solemn oaths to be those sworn with heart’s blood.”

He said, “Today Murong Yi swears with blood before the Emperor of Great Qian: in this life, regardless of hardships and dangers, sword winds and frost blades, I will remain utterly loyal to Tie Ci, never regretting even unto nine deaths. Should I violate this oath, may heaven take me, lightning strike me, and may all my heart’s blood be spilled.”

The small knife trembled and swept across his chest, a trace of bright red blood droplets scattered before the hall.

Tie Yan watched him in shock.

Truly a clever person.

Firm in will and determination.

Sincere in heart and intention, without fear or trepidation.

Able to reach into others’ hearts at a glance.

Knowing that what he truly wanted was a trustworthy promise, he gave it without hesitation.

Tie Yan slowly sat down, stacked the memorials on the table, and chuckled.

If Murong Yi had truly listened to his persuasion just now and chosen to abandon Tie Ci.

At this moment he would have already been driven from the imperial palace, and he would never allow him to set foot here again.

Obviously Murong Yi understood this even more clearly than he did.

He arranged the memorials neatly, a large pile, holding them in his hands as he looked at Murong Yi with a half-smile.

Murong Yi smiled back.

Tie Yan said, “These memorials come every day, and they’ve always been kept in reserve.”

Kept in reserve without response.

When an emperor keeps memorials in the palace without court discussion or response.

It’s an ambiguous attitude with unknown results.

Tie Yan held the memorials and slightly tilted his hand.

The large pile of memorials rustled as they slid into the wicker basket beside the low table.

That basket had a white slip attached. According to court regulations, this meant rejection.

All rejected.

Murong Yi smiled slightly.

The discomfort that had been plaguing his entire body and growing increasingly severe seemed to lighten somewhat with this gesture and the cut just now.

Outside the hall, wind and snow howled, covering all sounds between heaven and earth.

Inside the hall, charcoal fires blazed. Tie Yan finally showed a gentle expression, beckoning to Murong Yi and saying, “Come here, let me take a good look at you.”

Joy appeared in Murong Yi’s eyes.

Not for the Emperor’s final acceptance.

For that happiness and beautiful future so close at hand.

He stood up and walked step by step toward the Emperor, still holding the knife, ready to return it to the Emperor.

The hall doors were tightly closed.

Outside the hall, separated by just a wall.

One person stood beneath the window, gently placing their hand against the wall.

One person stood at the corridor entrance, eyes slightly closed, hands gently pushing outward in a gesture of emptiness.

…