Except for the few remaining soldiers protecting the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, and the little Imperial Grandson, all other soldiers had perished in battle.

Prince Liang spurred his horse forward, the tall steed treading over the ground littered with corpses and pools of blood, approaching the Crown Prince, who stood with blood covering his face, shielding his wife and child behind him.

He looked down at the Crown Prince from his elevated position: “Just one Bai Jinxiu, even if she managed to escape the city… do you think she can reach Bai Qingyan in time and bring her back to save you? My dear Crown Prince brother…”

The Crown Prince’s throat tightened with fear, staring at Prince Liang without uttering a word: “A petty man drunk with success!”

“Or do you think Bai Jinxiu can rely on the Bai family’s prestige to summon reinforcements for you from somewhere? Right now… You are the rebellious son mentioned in Father Emperor’s imperial edict!” Prince Liang curved his lips in a shallow smile.

The Crown Prince clenched his teeth, knowing he couldn’t tell Prince Liang about the imperial edict. Otherwise… he feared Prince Liang would send people to hunt down Bai Jinxiu, and then his only hope – the Yuanping army – wouldn’t be able to come, while he… might truly become the impatient Crown Prince in Jin’s history who harmed his father in his eagerness to ascend the throne.

“Madam Qin will bring Princess Zhenguo back! When that time comes, all you rebellious ministers will die!”

Seeing the Crown Prince’s eyes filled with fury, Prince Liang chuckled softly and said: “Come, escort the Crown Prince and Crown Princess… oh, and the little Imperial Grandson as well, to the imperial prison to await His Majesty’s judgment!”

The Crown Princess held the crying little Imperial Grandson in her arms, looking at the Crown Prince with a choked voice: “Your Highness!”

“Don’t be afraid! This prince… will protect you and the child!”

Though the Crown Prince himself was also frightened, he still raised his hand to embrace the Crown Princess, comforting her in a low voice.

“By the way, once in the imperial prison, Crown Prince brother can properly reunite with your most trusted counselor, Old Fang. I hope Crown Prince brother can still recognize Old Fang!” Prince Liang said with a smile.

Old Fang had already been tortured by Prince Liang beyond human recognition. Even if the Crown Prince saw him, he probably wouldn’t be able to recognize him.

Bai Jinxiu’s group didn’t know how long they had been galloping at breakneck speed. It wasn’t until dawn broke on the horizon and their horses were panting with exhaustion, their pace slowing down, that Bai Jinxiu finally reined in her horse and ordered a rest.

After dismounting, Bai Jinxiu looked at Ren Shijie, who was still in relatively good spirits after the frantic night ride, her gaze falling on the precious sword at his waist: “I didn’t expect Master Ren to know swordsmanship as well.”

Ren Shijie quickly bowed to Bai Jinxiu: “I’ve made a fool of myself in front of Madam Qin.”

“I wonder if Master Ren could lend me his sword for a look?” Bai Jinxiu asked.

Ren Shijie’s grip on the sword tightened, but after only a moment’s hesitation, he unfastened the sword from his waist and presented it with both hands: “If Madam Qin wishes to see it, naturally it’s possible!”

Bai Jinxiu took the sword and drew it to examine the blade, which gleamed with cold light. She asked Ren Shijie: “I wonder if Master Ren notified Hong Mei tonight that we would exit through the north gate, asking her to wait at the north gate?”

Ren Shijie guessed that Bai Jinxiu had become suspicious due to Prince Liang and Fan Yuhuai’s ambush at the south gate, so he said: “This matter… It’s all my fault! Because Hong Mei is the Crown Prince’s most favored concubine, and the Crown Prince trusts Hong Mei greatly, and since Hong Mei showed no unusual behavior after entering the Crown Prince’s residence, I thought Madam Qin was being overly cautious, so… following the Crown Prince’s instructions, I told Hong Mei that we would exit through the south gate, asking Hong Mei to prepare!”

“Then it’s strange – why didn’t we see Hong Mei at the south gate when Master Ren notified her that we would exit through the south gate?” Bai Jinxiu sheathed the precious sword. “Does Master Ren have any idea about this?”

Ren Shijie’s mind raced rapidly. Bai Jinxiu knew that Hong Mei was Prince Liang and Fan Yuhuai’s person. He had already told Bai Jinxiu that he had informed Hong Mei about the south gate, so why was she still questioning him about it?

Ren Shijie didn’t believe Bai Jinxiu was stupid enough not to realize that Hong Mei had betrayed the information to Prince Liang and Fan Yuhuai, so what did she mean by asking him this? Was she testing him?

Had he somehow revealed himself?

Ren Shijie’s gaze fell on the precious sword in Bai Jinxiu’s hands. This sword was forged after he came to Jin, bearing no marks of Yan, and the sword techniques he had used earlier were ordinary moves that shouldn’t have exposed his identity.

Ren Shijie pressed his lips together and analyzed seriously with Bai Jinxiu: “Either there was a traitor at the south gate. Hong Mei had arrived but hid when she saw Prince Liang surrounding the Crown Prince! Or… Hong Mei is indeed Prince Liang’s person, just as Madam Qin suspected.”

“Bai Jinxiu has one more question. Since Master Ren is the Crown Prince’s counselor and possesses such excellent martial skills, why didn’t you stay by the Crown Prince’s side? Instead, you chose to leave the city with me, abandoning the Crown Prince?” Bai Jinxiu’s question was blunt, and her eyes clearly showed killing intent.

With his sword in Bai Jinxiu’s hands, Ren Shijie could only smile apologetically: “Madam Qin carries an imperial edict that concerns the Crown Prince’s survival. As the Crown Prince’s counselor, naturally, I should accompany Madam Qin to protect the edict!”

“Good! Master Ren has managed to justify himself!” Bai Jinxiu casually tossed the precious sword to a Bai family guard and said coldly: “Tie up Ren Shijie! Bind him to a horse’s back and make him follow us. If he makes any suspicious moves… kill him!”

The Bai family guards responded and seized Ren Shijie.

The Crown Prince’s imperial shadow guards looked at each other and remained standing in place.

“Madam Qin! I am the Crown Prince’s counselor. Even when beating a dog, one should consider its master. Madam Qin’s actions show disrespect to the Crown Prince!” Ren Shijie’s expression changed drastically. “Even if I was wrong to tell Hong Mei about this matter out of concern for the Crown Prince, it was an unintentional mistake. At this time… when the Crown Prince needs people most, why must Madam Qin create internal conflict here?”

“Apart from me, only Master Ren knew that the Crown Prince would exit through the south gate… Hong Mei knew because even General Wang at the south gate only learned of the Crown Prince’s plan to exit through the south gate when he saw me! Since I had already told Master Ren that Hong Mei might be Fan Yuhuai or Prince Liang’s person, why did Master Ren still unnecessarily inform Hong Mei which gate we would use? Couldn’t you have simply sent someone to bring Hong Mei along without telling her which gate we’d exit from?”

Bai Jinxiu’s sharp eyes fixed on Ren Shijie: “After all, Master Ren was able to become the Crown Prince’s counselor, so your intelligence should be sound. There’s no reason for you to be… stupid to this degree! Therefore, the only explanation is that Master Ren… deliberately told Hong Mei so she could inform Prince Liang or Fan Yuhuai!”

Ren Shijie’s heart sank for a moment. Indeed… he had left a loophole.

But such a small loophole was still detected by Bai Jinxiu.

“Master Ren has nothing to say?” Bai Jinxiu’s voice was cold and stern.

“I am loyal to the Crown Prince! This time it was indeed a slip in a thousand precautions, but Madam Qin cannot doubt my loyalty because of this!” Ren Shijie declared loudly.