At the words “beloved,” Xiao Changyu’s face turned ashen with disbelief.

Xiao Huayong, whose heart was as silent as snow and blood as cold as ice, had developed genuine feelings for Princess Zhaoning.

He had always thought someone like Xiao Huayong was destined to be a stranger to emotion. He was too lofty, beyond others’ reach; too proud to ever bow to anyone. How could such a person find an equal to stand beside?

He was even stingy with his admiration. Though he never showed it, Xiao Changyu knew he viewed everyone as mere clowns performing for his amusement.

Beneath his casual demeanor lay absolute indifference to all things in heaven and earth.

The gyrfalcon’s high cry pulled Xiao Changyu back from his thoughts. He collected himself: “Seventh Brother, there’s a misunderstanding.”

A smile creased the corner of Xiao Huayong’s lips, devoid of mockery yet easily read as contemptuous.

“I’m not weaving lies to deceive you,” Xiao Changyu said seriously. “As you guessed, when I came to Tianshan, from the moment I stepped out of the city gates, I had no intention of returning. But Xianyi and I had an agreement – I would escape first, find a suitable place to settle, arrange everything, and then notify her. To avoid suspicion, we agreed she would wait at least half a year before finding her opportunity to escape.”

These weren’t excuses, but facts.

Bian Xianyi had advanced their plans ahead of schedule, certainly not on impulse.

Xiao Huayong’s expression remained blank, though his aggressive aura diminished somewhat. Cui Jinbai had written down everything that happened in the capital in detail.

After reading it, he could see Bian Xianyi and Xiao Changyu’s intentions. For this couple devoted until death, Bian Xianyi’s sudden plot against Shen Xihe was particularly abrupt, and the easy sacrifice of her life even more puzzling.

Xiao Huayong could only boldly guess she had faked her death. Thinking of Xiao Changyu’s seemingly deliberate lingering in Tianshan – he didn’t believe Xiao Changyu was truly searching for snow lotus – it must be that he was waiting for the right moment to fake his death.

This way, they could live under assumed names as an ordinary couple.

Seeing Xiao Huayong believed some of his words, Xiao Changyu continued: “When the Princess entered the capital, you appeared at the Court of Judicial Review to support her. Given your character, she must have extraordinary qualities to earn your favor. I was only testing to confirm this.

It wasn’t to deliberately draw you to deal with me but to understand how much you would protect her.

Although I didn’t guess how important the Princess was to you, I knew you had the heart to protect her.

All these years I’ve avoided you, never extending my reach into court affairs, declining whatever duties I could. Not because I had already decided to leave, but because I knew that once I reached out, I would inevitably become a powerless piece on your chessboard.”

Xiao Huayong raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised that this unassuming brother born the same year as him understood him so deeply.

Xiao Changyu didn’t feel it beneath his dignity to admit his inferiority – facts were facts, so why pretend otherwise?

“Fearing you to this extent, once I knew you had protective intentions toward the Princess, I specifically instructed Xianyi not to provoke her,” Xiao Changyu fell into deep thought. “Xianyi wouldn’t advance our planned schedule, much less use the Princess in a plot, unless…”

Unless she had no choice unless someone forced her to this point, making her advance their plans and use the fake death drug they had prepared long ago.

“Seventh Brother, you’re supernaturally perceptive, able to guess our thoughts and actions. But not everyone in the capital is like you. Xianyi must have escaped by now. When I reunite with her, I’ll have her reveal the true mastermind. We only hope you’ll spare us our lives,” Xiao Changyu pleaded earnestly.

“You think… she can escape?” Xiao Huayong slowly raised his hand, and the gyrfalcon circling high above turned its head, its sharp eyes fixing on Xiao Changyu. “As long as you’re in my hands, how can she not surrender?”

Xiao Huayong never negotiated with others. In this world, he only allowed Shen Xihe to pressure and entice him – everyone else could only submit and obey.

As his words fell, his fingers, naturally curved and raised in the sunlight, moved slightly. Under the vast snowy plains and clear sky, it seemed to draw a line of snow-light. Receiving the command, the gyrfalcon spread its wings and shot like an arrow toward Xiao Changyu.

Xiao Changyu had no time to say more, quickly dodging, but despite his agility, how could he match this king of the skies?

This gyrfalcon could drive back hunting leopards, a fierce bird that could take down a male deer in one swoop.

The snow-capped mountains soared, piercing the clouds, white silk and silver flowers, with fragments of sunlight stretching for a thousand li.

In the vast universe, amidst the embracing mountains, one man stood tall as jade, straight as a precious sword, seeming to prop up heaven and earth.

He watched silently as Xiao Changyu accumulated wounds under the gyrfalcon’s assault, yet continued to resist stubbornly.

Knowing he couldn’t win, Xiao Changyu retreated step by step toward the peak’s edge. Perceiving his intention, Xiao Huayong moved to stop him when suddenly he heard a bear’s roar. His body instantly shifted, narrowly avoiding the charging giant bear’s impact.

Seeing this, the gyrfalcon immediately abandoned Xiao Changyu and flew over, shooting like an arrow toward the black bear.

As the gyrfalcon tangled with the brown bear, Xiao Huayong’s eyes flickered, turning to attack Xiao Changyu. Already covered in wounds, Xiao Changyu couldn’t dodge in time and was struck in the chest by Xiao Huayong’s palm, falling to the ground.

Looking up, he saw the black bear, clearly no match for the gyrfalcon, showing signs of retreat. He knew once the brown bear retreated, he would have no chance to escape. He couldn’t fall into Xiao Huayong’s hands, or neither of them would have a way out.

Gritting his teeth, Xiao Changyu rolled directly off the snow peak. By the time Xiao Huayong rushed forward, Xiao Changyu had become merely a black dot. His eyes darkened, and he waved to the gyrfalcon that had driven off the black bear: “Chase!”

Receiving the order, the gyrfalcon dove down, its speed far exceeding Xiao Changyu’s falling rate. Seeing this, the falling Xiao Changyu gritted his teeth and used the momentum to roll toward a protruding rock, crashing hard and changing direction, plunging directly toward the river in the deep valley.

Xiao Huayong watched coldly as he crashed into the icy river.

Unable to catch its prey, the gyrfalcon flew back, fawningly circling Xiao Huayong with beating wings, emitting low cries.

Xiao Huayong picked out the three characters for “Bian Xianyi” from the scroll the gyrfalcon had brought, placed them back in the bamboo tube, tied it to the gyrfalcon’s leg, and patted its wings. The gyrfalcon soared away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Just as Xiao Huayong was dealing with Xiao Changyu, Shen Xihe finally thought of a possibility and hurriedly asked Xie Yunhuai: “Doctor Qi, is there any medicine that, when taken, causes bleeding from the seven orifices but still allows for recovery?”

She had been blinded by Bian Xianyi’s horrifying death state – no one would think someone bleeding from seven orifices could survive, but what if they could?

Xie Yunhuai pondered before responding: “Bleeding from seven orifices often results from head trauma, though certain poisons can cause it as well. Why does the Princess ask?”

Shen Xihe hadn’t told Xie Yunhuai about what happened in the palace, and Xie Yunhuai hadn’t inquired about it.