After the morning court session ended, the contents of the urgent dispatch spread rapidly.

Every official in the capital was discussing it, speaking in hushed tones behind closed doors. The news propagated swiftly yet discreetly.

Earlier, in the Jingxiu Palace where Imperial Consort Chen resided within the layered crimson walls of the imperial palace.

Lin’an, with her dazzling beauty and alluring eyes, had just finished paying respects to her mother and stayed to chat.

Imperial Consort Chen sipped her health-promoting tea while gazing at her daughter, radiant and charming. She sighed:

“Wei Yuan leading the army on this expedition will once again earn him a wealth of military merits that others can only envy. This Wei Yuan is both the greatest threat to your Crown Prince brother’s position and also the most solid foundation for it.”

Lin’an took a sip of tea, moistening her delicate lips to an alluring pink, but made no response.

As a princess, she was inadequate, but having been immersed in court affairs, she had some understanding. It wasn’t difficult to grasp the meaning behind her mother’s words.

Wei Yuan supported the Fourth Prince, which was undeniable because Wei Yuan was a eunuch from the Fengqi Palace.

But Wei Yuan was also the most stable “foundation” for the Crown Prince. The Emperor was suspicious by nature, and with Wei Yuan’s great achievements threatening imperial authority, he naturally wouldn’t allow the Fourth Prince to become Crown Prince.

Imperial Consort Chen lamented: “If only Wei Yuan could die on the battlefield.”

Hearing these words, Lin’an frowned slightly. Not because she objected to her mother cursing Wei Yuan – she had no particular affection for him.

She just felt that her mother’s tone and expression when saying this conveyed certainty beneath the hopeful words. Yes, that was it – certainty.

As if she knew something, but was still anxious before the final confirmation, not daring to be completely sure.

The Second Princess, with her youthful naivety, certainly didn’t possess profound skills in reading people’s expressions. But the woman before her was her birth mother, one of the people she knew best.

As they were chatting, the light from outside was briefly blocked. The Crown Prince strode across the threshold, hurriedly entering and calling out: “Mother, Mother…”

Lin’an turned to look and saw her brother enter the room. His expression was complex – excitement mixed with regret, joy tinged with sorrow.

Imperial Consort Chen smiled and said, “Crown Prince, please sit.”

She beckoned a palace maid to brew tea for the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince waved his hand, indicating he didn’t need any, and dismissed the palace maid. He sat down on the soft couch covered in imperial yellow silk. After a long pause, he slowly said:

“Mother, Wei Yuan… has died in battle in the Northeast.”

The expressions of both mother and daughter froze simultaneously. A few seconds later, their faces displayed completely different reactions.

Lin’an’s face turned slightly pale, shock mingled with confusion and worry.

Imperial Consort Chen, on the other hand, was overjoyed. This joy was so great that her body trembled slightly, and her voice shook as she asked: “Is it true?!”

The Crown Prince nodded, giving an affirmative answer: “An urgent dispatch arrived last night. This morning, Father Emperor called an emergency court session to discuss this matter. The news of Wei Yuan’s death in battle will soon spread throughout the capital. Of the hundred thousand troops, only sixteen thousand returned. This battle has been a devastating loss for our Great Feng.”

Imperial Consort Chen’s excited face flushed red, beaming with joy. Even though her son and daughter were already grown, she still possessed a unique charm, showing no signs of age.

“As long as we can ascend the throne, what do necessary sacrifices matter?” Imperial Consort Chen said firmly.

It seemed she was both educating the Crown Prince and reassuring herself.

The Crown Prince nodded, then sighed: “It’s a pity Wei Yuan died. That man had an extremely strong sense of the overall situation. I had once hoped that after I ascended the throne, he would accept reality and serve me.”

With only the three closely related family members present, the Crown Prince spoke without reservation.

“Crown Prince, your biggest flaw is that you like to indulge in wishful thinking, hoping for impossible things,” Imperial Consort Chen reprimanded. Her charming face broke into a smile as she said, “Stay for lunch at Jingxiu Palace. Keep Mother company for a few drinks. With Wei Yuan dead, Mother’s worries are finally gone, and I feel light as a feather.”

The Crown Prince also smiled: “Very well, today I shall drink to your heart’s content with you, Mother.”

Lin’an silently watched them – these two people connected to her by blood. Suddenly, she was overwhelmed by a strong sense of sorrow.

This sorrow stemmed from loneliness. Their words, their actions, the things that made them happy, the things that angered them… She found it increasingly difficult to identify with and empathize with them as she once did.

At some point, without realizing it, she had gradually grown distant from them.

…

Not long after the morning court session ended, a note was passed through secret channels, finally reaching the hands of the captain of the guards at Dexin Courtyard.

He unfolded it and took a look, his face immediately changing. He sprinted towards Princess Huai Qing’s bedchamber.

At this time, Huai Qing had already risen and was enjoying her breakfast in the outer room. She frowned at the guard captain who had hurriedly arrived and stopped outside her door, asking, “What’s the matter?”

The guard captain said nothing, crossing the threshold and nervously handing over the note.

Huai Qing frowned, taking the note with some confusion and reading it.

As she read, her beautiful and delicate face gradually turned pale, even her lips losing their color.

She remained like this for a long time before suddenly coming to her senses, as if remembering something. She cried out in a lost voice: “Mother!”

Huai Qing quickly stood up and rushed out of her bedchamber to her study, pulling out a letter from a history book.

She tucked the letter into her sleeve, lifted her skirts, and rushed out of the study.

The letter was given to her by Wei Yuan before he set out on the expedition, with an instruction:

“Give this letter to your mother when the time is right.”

At the time, Huai Qing didn’t understand what “the right time” meant. Now, she understood.

She ran to Fengqi Palace. The two palace maids following her were left gasping for breath, clutching their sides, faces pale, looking as if they might not survive.

In Fengqi Palace, the Empress sat before her desk, mixing fragrances. She wore a golden brocade robe embroidered with phoenixes, her head adorned with a small phoenix crown. She was breathtakingly beautiful and majestic.

This secluded beauty of the inner palace seemed to have stopped the ravages of time on her stunning features.

In the entire capital, aside from the Empress in her youth who was only slightly inferior to me, all other women were ten or a hundred times inferior.

— From the quotes of Mu Nanzhi

This was extremely high praise.

Because in the eyes of the Marquise, there were only two types of women in the world: Mu Nanzhi, and all other women.

One can imagine the level of beauty that could make such a narcissist admit to it.

“What brings you here to pay your respects?” the Empress smiled as she saw her daughter arrive.

Her smile was graceful and dignified, not showing excessive enthusiasm at her daughter’s arrival.

The Empress was still the Empress, as gentle and dignified as ever.

To outsiders, the Empress appeared approachable and gentle, truly befitting a woman who could be the mother figure of the nation.

For instance, Xu Qi’an, who once greatly exaggerated the Empress’s gentle nature and lack of air, and many others like him.

But in Huai Qing’s eyes, this was true indifference.

In Huai Qing’s impression, this mother was always dignified yet cold, gentle yet reserved – so reserved that even she, as her daughter, found it difficult to get close.

“Lord Wei has fallen in battle at the Witch Cult’s main altar,” Huai Qing said concisely.

Then, she saw this elegant and dignified woman, who played the role of Empress to perfection, lose her composure for the first time.

“You’re lying!” she suddenly screamed, her phoenix eyes wide open, looking at Huai Qing not as a daughter but as an enemy.

Huai Qing gazed at her mother, a hint of sorrow flashing in her clear autumn-water eyes.

What Xu Qi’an could guess, she naturally could guess as well. The case of Imperial Consort Fu had already revealed many things.

She placed the envelope on the table and said softly, “This is a letter Lord Wei asked me to pass on to you before he left for battle.”

With that, she turned and left.

After crossing the threshold and leaving the room, she didn’t immediately depart. She waited for a moment in the courtyard until she heard the Empress’s heart-wrenching cries from inside.

Each sob was filled with blood and pain that pierced the heart.

Huai Qing raised her head. On the desolate autumn day, between the white clouds, she seemed to see that gentle and elegant man again.

Lord Wei, what kind of story did you and she have…

…

The Xu family once again came to Cloud Deer Academy to seek refuge.

Xu Ling’yin was being dragged reluctantly up the mountain by her aunt. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed as she loudly questioned: “Mom, are you sending me here to study again?”

Her aunt replied irritably: “No, I’ve given up on you.”

Xu Ling’yin jumped with joy: “Mom loves me the most!”

How did I give birth to such a hopeless daughter… Her aunt was almost moved to tears by her frustration.

Upon reaching the academy, they went straight to the small courtyard where they had stayed during their previous two visits.

After settling his family, Xu Qi’an and Li Miaochen walked out of the courtyard side by side. They saw Academy Master Zhao Shou standing not far away, looking at him with a serious expression.

“Before Wei Yuan set out on his expedition, he entrusted me with two items to give to you at the appropriate time,” said Zhao Shou.

He took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to Xu Qi’an, saying, “This is the letter he left for you.”

He didn’t mention the other item.

Xu Qi’an didn’t ask either. He took the letter, put it in his bosom, and nodded slightly.

The two then flew away on their swords.

…

At the border of Xiangzhou, Yuyang Pass.

The desolate cries of qikong birds echoed in the sky, circling in rings far up in the heavens.

On the city walls, the soldiers hung their heads. A centurion spat and cursed: “Those Yan bastards are here to show off again.”

The target was too high and too far, beyond the range of bows and crossbows. The flying beast scouts were experienced, not giving the high-ranking martial artists of Great Feng a chance. At the slightest sign of danger, they immediately flew the qikong birds away.

Even a fourth-grade expert couldn’t fly fast enough to chase these creatures known for their speed.

The centurion turned to look at the dispirited soldiers, his anger rising. He scolded:

“Damn it, look at yourselves now, like a bunch of useless cowards whose wives have been bedded by strangers. Where’s your spirit? Lord Wei led our brothers to capture Jingshan City. Jingshan City, mind you – the main altar of the Witch Cult!”

“Not just our Great Feng, even for the Great Zhou, this is unprecedented – something to be written in the history books. Do you know what that means, you uncouth lot?”

The centurion raised his fist excitedly: “It means our names will go down in history!”

“But Lord Wei died in battle…” a nearby soldier said quietly.

The centurion’s face fell instantly, and he remained silent for a long time.

Was the war won?

In the eyes of these soldiers who had gone on the expedition, yes, they had won. They had penetrated deep into Yan territory and captured the Witch Cult’s main altar. For such a victory, even if it cost 80,000 lives, or 100,000, or 200,000, it would have been worth it.

The total number of people who died in this campaign on the Witch Cult’s side, including civilians and soldiers, had reached a million.

It was a tremendous victory.

But Wei Yuan’s death was a heavy blow to the Great Feng soldiers.

The kind that directly shattered morale.

After withdrawing from the Witch Cult’s territory, the 16,000 remaining troops were stationed at Yuyang Pass, awaiting instructions from the court.

During this time, scouts from both Great Feng and Yan had been monitoring each other, relaying messages, both anxiously and actively observing each other’s movements.

Suddenly, the miserable cries of a qikong bird broke the silence. The scout who had been showing off in the distant sky, along with his flying beast, was torn apart.

Blood splattered.

The soldiers on the city walls squinted as they watched, seeing a black shadow slay the qikong bird scout, then turn and fly towards the city wall.

Then they heard the woman in Taoist robes call out loudly: “I am Li Miaochen, disciple of the Heavenly Sect.”

The centurion let out a long breath as if a great weight had been lifted.

“It’s the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect, it’s the Flying Swallow Heroine!”

“Who’s the Flying Swallow Heroine?”

“You don’t even know the Flying Swallow Heroine? She’s the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect.”

“She can fly on a sword, seems pretty powerful…”

“More than just powerful, the Flying Swallow Heroine is invincible. Wherever she is, no one dares to do evil.”

“Really?”

“That’s what everyone says…”

The soldiers excitedly whispered among themselves. The lower ranks didn’t have a deep understanding of cultivation levels, or even no understanding at all. In their eyes, a third-grade expert was not as impressive as a famous hero.

In the future, there will be a specific term for this – “national popularity”.

If Xu Qi’an had come, they would have believed their side was invincible. Because Xu Silver Bell had killed a duke in the street out of righteous anger for the common people, the court didn’t dare to do anything about it. Even the emperor had been forced to issue an edict of self-reproach.

Li Miaochen descended on her flying sword, steadily stopping in mid-air above the city wall, landing together with Xu Qi’an.

Is this the legendary Flying Swallow Heroine? Such a beautiful young woman… The soldiers’ gazes turned to the young man and woman, their eyes scrutinizing.

Then, they unanimously looked at the man behind the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect.

His features were handsome and refined, not giving an effeminate or “beautiful” impression, but rather a kind of jade-like handsomeness.

His expression was indifferent, his brow etched with an inerasable sorrow.

He seemed somewhat familiar, as if they had seen him somewhere before, but couldn’t quite remember who he was.

Until the centurion’s body trembled, his rugged face suddenly turning red, and he stammered: “Xu… Xu Silver Bell…”

Xu Qi’an looked at the centurion but didn’t answer, just nodded slightly.

…

In the military camp below the city, over ten thousand soldiers suddenly heard a strong cheer erupt from the city walls, as noisy as boiling water.

Some rushed out of their tents, some reined in their horses, and some stopped their work, all turning their heads to look towards the city walls.

They heard countless cheers merge into one voice:

Xu Silver Bell!

For the “leaderless” Great Feng soldiers, the three words “Xu Silver Bell” were a shot of adrenaline, a backbone, a guiding light that dispelled their confusion.

Since ancient times, leaders have always been those whose reputation shines like the sun at high noon.

…

Inside the military tent.

“Lord Wei took five Golden Bell constables on the expedition. Why are you the only one here to see me? Where are the others?” Xu Qi’an asked in a calm tone as he met Zhang Kaitai after a long separation.

Zhang Kaitai, his stubble unshaven for a long time, said softly:

“Dead. They all died at the Witch Cult’s main altar. Some fell fighting the witches, and some were caught in that world-destroying battle and died on the spot. Among the fourth-grade experts, only Chen Ying and I made it back.”

For the first time in a long while, Xu Qi’an felt the urge to smoke. He steadied himself and said quietly: “Lord Wei… where is he?”

Zhang Kaitai looked at him. This young man’s expression was calm, his emotions stable, and his whole demeanor seemed very composed.

But when Zhang Kaitai met those bright eyes, he instinctively looked away.

He turned aside and said: “We couldn’t bring him back.”

Xu Qi’an’s body swayed.

After a long silence, he slowly exhaled: “Tell me what happened, from the beginning of your expedition.”

Zhang Kaitai nodded and said: “Actually, there are many things I’ve only just realized. For example, why Lord Wei was in such a hurry to fight? Because from the very beginning, we were never going to have supplies.”

“No supplies?” Xu Qi’an’s pupils contracted slightly.

Are a hundred thousand men going to war without supplies?

Was this war, or sending people to their deaths? Had Yuan Jing gone mad? Had the ministers gone mad?

Did they hate Lord Wei so much that they wanted him dead?

“After the brothers withdrew, Chen Ying, in a fit of rage, led a team to execute all the officials of the Ministry of Revenue in three provinces. He killed several hundred people. Then he took a hundred men and returned to the capital.”

Zhang Kaitai shook his head: “He wants to confront His Majesty, to confront the ministers.”

Zhang Kaitai went on to recount how after setting out, Wei Yuan secretly divided his forces. One part traveled by land, attacking cities and seizing strongholds, trying to conquer Yan as quickly as possible.

But they were stopped by the formidable walls of the Yan capital.

Although they didn’t capture the Yan capital, Lord Wei had achieved his goal of tying down the forces of Yan and Kang.

He continued up to the point where Wei Yuan summoned the shadow of the Confucian Sage to fight to the death with the Witch God.

It was him, it was him, it was Zhen De… Xu Qi’an’s face contorted.

After hearing Zhang Kaitai’s description, he was certain that the mysterious expert who had joined forces with the Witch Cult to kill Wei Yuan was the former emperor, Zhen De.