Weizhou.

“…That traitor brutally harmed the County Princess and Young Lord, then escaped the city after a fierce battle with General Wei Tong.” Yu Zhiyuan sat in a round-backed chair, speaking a few sentences then coughing continuously.

That kick from Xiao Li had broken several of his ribs and also injured his internal organs. It would be difficult to recuperate in the short term. Speaking even slightly loudly made his chest hurt.

His complexion was ashen. After coughing, he continued speaking to Yuan Fang, who had just led his army back to the city: “As for General Wei Ang… on that day before the Young Lord’s spirit, he had a dispute with the Old Lady. After being reprimanded by the Old Lady together, he felt so ashamed that he handed over the military tally and requested imprisonment.”

Yuan Fang was on good terms with Wei Ang, and during the previous incident when Wei Qishan imprisoned Xiao Li and Yuan Fang pleaded on Xiao Li’s behalf, he had fallen out with Wei Tong. Learning now that his good friend Wei Ang had been stripped of his military tally and imprisoned, and that aside from his own troops from attacking Luodu, most of the Wei clan’s military forces were now commanded by Wei Tong, he could not help but want to seek out Wei Xian to ask why.

But he was told that shortly after Wei Qishan’s death, Wei Xian had suffered a stroke from excessive grief. After losing her husband, Wei Furen had also successively lost both her children and was unable to manage affairs. All matters large and small in the Wei mansion were now being handled by Yu Zhiyuan.

During his lifetime, Wei Pingjin had relied on him most heavily. He had also helped Wei Pingjin establish considerable achievements. After Wei Pingjin’s incident at Wei Jiamin’s funeral, it was also he who had timely brought people to capture Xiao Li. He had always been on good terms with the Wei clan’s generals as well. Thus, regarding his temporarily replacing Wei Xian to handle mansion affairs, the Wei clan’s generals had no objections.

Yuan Fang could only seek him out to ask about what had happened that day. After hearing his account, he sighed as if extremely pained: “The Marquis had just passed, how could the Young Lord and County Princess…”

Yu Zhiyuan imperceptibly observed Yuan Fang’s expression, coughed a few more times, then said weakly: “When that Xiao clan traitor saved the General at Ma Family Liang, was it truly divine valor, or was he originally acting under Liang camp’s instructions, deliberately using a life-saving debt to the General to infiltrate our Wei camp? At present, we still cannot reach a conclusion. But the Liang camp, in order to prove that Xiao Li never betrayed them, even specially cleared his name, claiming they had fallen for Pei Song’s alienation scheme back then and nearly killed that traitor by mistake. How laughable—with such great enmity between them, when Hanyang fell into that man surnamed Xiao’s hands at the end of last year, he deliberately concealed Hanyang’s identity from the Marquis…”

Yu Zhiyuan’s face was full of pain: “Now that traitor has brought such disaster upon our Northern Wei. If he truly returns to the Liang camp, it will undoubtedly confirm all the previous suspicions! The Liang camp and that Xiao-surnamed traitor obviously understand this point. That’s why after clearing his name, the Liang camp only made a show of sending an envoy to invite that Xiao traitor back to the Liang camp—to demonstrate that their Princess Hanyang is benevolent, forthright, and dares to directly face past mistakes, laying groundwork for the Yang clan members and southern border students to help exonerate the Wen clan’s misconduct.”

“That man surnamed Xiao then refuses to return to the Liang camp—doesn’t this make it impossible for others to question whether the Liang camp truly poisoned him? A fine performance—inside and out, the Liang camp and that Xiao traitor have sung it perfectly!” Speaking to this passionate point, Yu Zhiyuan pulled at his wound and could not help but cover his lips and cough again.

After recovering his breath, he bowed with a pale face toward Yuan Fang: “This subordinate knows the General, like General Wei Ang, is a person who values loyalty and righteousness highly. But that man surnamed Xiao perhaps used precisely this righteousness of you two Generals to bring disaster upon the Wei clan?”

Yuan Fang’s face showed hidden anger, apparently successfully persuaded. He only asked one more question: “When did Wei Xian suffer his stroke?”

Mentioning this matter, Yu Zhiyuan’s face showed even more pain and indignation. He sighed: “The General was far away at the front lines and didn’t know—that Xiao-surnamed traitor, dissatisfied that the Marquis only gave him the Wolf Cavalry while the Young Lord still held the northern border’s financial resources, deliberately had his subordinates make trouble at the Marquis’s funeral, beating the merchant guild heads who came to pay respects to embarrass the Young Lord, then climbed up the pole to demand control over the entire northern border’s commercial operations… Chief Steward Wei Xian fell ill from anger after this incident.”

Yuan Fang finally slammed the chair’s armrest forcefully, roaring with grief and fury: “Looking at it now, I was the one who brought the wolf into the house!”

Yu Zhiyuan hastily said: “The General was also deceived by that Xiao traitor. Currently, Northern Wei’s unified stance against external threats is the top priority! That Xiao traitor previously went deep into barbarian territory, putting on a show claiming he forced the barbarians to relocate their royal tent, making northern border people eagerly spread tales of his achievements. But as for how the battle in barbarian territory actually went—aside from him and those under his command, who else knows?”

“Now the barbarian traitors have returned in force—clearly he did not truly dampen the barbarian clan’s sharp edge before! Fortunately General Wei Tong led people to defend Yanle Mountain in time. We urgently summoned General Yuan back to defend Weizhou, both to prevent that Xiao traitor from harming the Princess and Old Lady when the barbarian traitors attack, and also to gather the northern border’s various prefectures to jointly attack the Xiao traitor and console the spirits of the Young Lord and County Princess in heaven!”

Yuan Fang seemed to be holding back a belly full of anger. Standing up, he said: “I will go see Wei Ang. With the Young Lord and County Princess’s violent deaths before our eyes, and the northern border in a time when we need people, how can he cast everything aside to wallow in self-pity and squat in prison?”

Hearing this, Yu Zhiyuan hesitated slightly, then showed a troubled expression: “The Marquis has already passed. General Wei Ang served under that Xiao traitor for a long time and was highly valued by him. Now… he insists that there must be hidden circumstances behind that Xiao traitor killing the Young Lord and County Princess. It was precisely because of this that he angered the Old Lady…”

“Absurd!” Yuan Fang shouted: “The Young Lord and County Princess suffered such vicious treatment—what kindness or righteousness could surpass such great enmity? I must curse him awake!”

After Yuan Fang angrily departed, Yu Zhiyuan coughed lowly twice more, then looked toward the direction of Yuan Fang’s departure with a grave expression, instructing those around him: “Have people keep watch at the prison.”

—

As soon as he left the courtyard, one of Yuan Fang’s accompanying personal guards leaned close to his ear: “General, the mansion’s servants all…”

Yuan Fang raised one hand, signaling the guard to stop speaking.

After walking some distance away where it was open and empty on all sides, only then did he look straight ahead while walking and say: “Be careful—walls have ears.”

The personal guard half a step behind him nodded respectfully and picked up his earlier thread: “The mansion’s servants regarding the Young Lord’s assassination that day all seem not to know the specific circumstances. Everything was identified by that Gentleman Yu beside the Young Lord and the Princess after the fighting broke out.”

Yuan Fang said nothing more. Going to the prison to see Wei Ang, just as the jailers were quickly withdrawing from the prison corridor, he shouted toward Wei Ang imprisoned within as if extremely pained: “You’re confused!”

In the two rows of empty prison cells, only Wei Ang was confined in this corner cell.

Yuan Fang spoke words of regret. When Wei Ang came forward, he grabbed his collar with one hand, pulling him to the wooden bars of the cell, shouting: “You were left to defend Weizhou—how could you still let the Young Lord and County Princess meet with disaster? How can you face the Marquis!”

Having shouted this, he glanced toward the entrance, then lowered his voice to ask: “What exactly happened regarding the Young Lord’s and County Princess’s deaths?”

Wei Ang shook his head somewhat dejectedly, moving his lips slightly toward Yuan Fang: “There’s a traitor within the Wei clan.”

When Yuan Fang had received news and led troops rushing back, he had already sensed something was wrong.

It was just that he had previously been attacking Luodu together with the Liang army and had not been in the northern border, so he did not know what exactly had happened that day.

Now the entire northern border was denouncing Xiao Li, cursing Xiao Li as one with wolfish ambitions who killed off Wei Qishan’s entire line to seize all of Northern Wei. Pei Song’s side had also been secretly fanning the flames, stirring up popular resentment.

If he blindly argued on Xiao Li’s behalf, it would undoubtedly add fuel to the fire among the Wei generals whose anger was at its peak. It would also play into the hands of those setting up the trap, giving them an opportunity to seize the military authority in his hands as well.

That was why Yuan Fang had no choice but to take a roundabout approach.

He said in a low voice: “Before returning to Weizhou, I secretly sent a letter to the Lord asking about this matter. The Lord’s reply only said that I must preserve Yu Zhiyuan’s life no matter what.”

This made Wei Ang vaguely realize something. He said: “I heard that on that day, General Zheng beside the Lord shouted that the man surnamed Yu was Pei Song’s spy…”

Yuan Fang’s expression changed slightly. He glanced toward the entrance again, then said in a low voice: “Now the entire northern border curses the Lord. They conspired to force you to hand over the military authority in your hands. That man surnamed Yu previously helped the Young Lord establish considerable military achievements. With his sharp tongue, he has also won considerable support from the generals. The Old Lady and Princess also trust him greatly. Having just returned to Weizhou, in this situation I cannot very well thoroughly investigate anything. It’s just that if that man surnamed Yu is truly Pei Song’s spy, then the Princess…”

He did not continue the rest of his words, but Wei Ang understood Yuan Fang’s meaning.

The crimes on Xiao Li’s body were identified and pinned on him by these two so-called witnesses, Yu Zhiyuan and Wang Wanzhen.

Yu Zhiyuan’s background was unclear—they could still deal with him. But what about Wang Wanzhen?

Her current identity was not only the former Jin Princess, but also the young mistress carrying the Wei clan’s only bloodline.

Wei Ang had not been without suspicions that Wang Wanzhen, relying on being pregnant, helped Yu Zhiyuan identify Xiao Li as the killer of the Wei Pingjin siblings in order to ensure she could rise to power through her son in the future.

After all, he had seen Wei Pingjin not treat Wang Wanzhen as a princess at all, even humiliating her.

But everything requires evidence.

Wang Wanzhen and Yu Zhiyuan identified Xiao Li as killing the Wei Pingjin siblings—the two of them were at least human witnesses.

If he laid his suspicions out in the open, what evidence did he have?

Wang Wanzhen’s false identity could not be exposed. She and Wei Pingjin had always appeared respectful toward each other in public.

To say Wang Wanzhen killed Wei Pingjin and framed Xiao Li in order to pave the way for the child in her womb—who would believe it?

With Wei Pingjin alive, couldn’t their child inherit the throne just the same?

Moreover, in just a few short months, Wei Qishan’s entire line had died off, leaving only Wang Wanzhen and Old Lady Wei, this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair pitifully dependent on each other. If he still suspected Wang Wanzhen, wouldn’t that make him someone who, to exonerate Xiao Li, bullied orphans and widows and even framed the former Jin Princess whom the Wei clan supported?

After being forced to hand over the military tally, Wei Ang had also figured out many things during these days in prison.

That day, the Wei clan’s former subordinates led by Wei Tong were so certain that Xiao Li was the murderer—the reason was probably that many among the Wei clan’s former subordinates were originally dissatisfied with Xiao Li. Last time when the military ordered armor in the army, Xiao Li’s subordinates caused a great disturbance at Wei Qishan’s funeral, which made them even more aware that Xiao Li had already thoroughly surpassed Wei Pingjin.

Wei Pingjin, this so-called former Jin Prince Consort, was just a puppet placed openly on the surface.

No matter how loyal they were to the Wei clan, they could never surpass those under Xiao Li’s command in the future.

So when Wang Wanzhen, this Wei clan young mistress, and Yu Zhiyuan, this “Wei Pingjin confidant,” personally identified Xiao Li, it was tantamount to handing them a handle sufficient to bring down Xiao Li.

Therefore, even though Wei Pingjin’s death had suspicious and questionable aspects, they chose to turn a blind eye.

After all, this campaign was for profit, not loyalty.

Wei Ang now only felt his heart turn cold and weary. With a complex expression, he said: “If it were just that fake princess colluding with Pei camp spies, that would be manageable. After eliminating that spy, we could confine the fake princess. What I fear… is that after the Lord’s passing, people moved on. All the generals are each plotting for themselves…”

“The Lord may have a way to root out that spy. Whether those who borrowed the opportunity to stir up trouble will restrain themselves is another matter. But this affair has surely broken the Lord’s heart. If the Lord abandons Northern Wei, the Northern Wei of the future… will truly face great disaster! How pitiful that the Marquis expended such effort planning this way forward…”

Yuan Fang also felt only desolation in his heart for a moment.

Wei Qishan knew that after he died, Wei Pingjin would probably be unable to suppress those Wei clan former subordinates and could not defend the northern border. That was why he entrusted everything to Xiao Li, only wanting Wei Pingjin to be a wealthy idle person.

But this chess move of his was ultimately broken by someone.

Wei Ang being forced to hand over military authority was not because the Wei generals led by Wei Tong wanted to seek justice for Wei Pingjin, but because they intended to use this opportunity to rise to power and seek authority.

When Wei Qishan was alive, he had accumulated strength in the northern border for over ten years. All the people in the Wei camp had been brought up by his own hand. Promotions were clear and distinct. Thus no one dared sing a different tune.

But after Xiao Li took over Northern Wei, he already had his own direct lineage troops in his hands, as well as many valiant generals who had gone through life and death with him.

No matter how evenly he balanced this bowl of water, in the eyes of some Wei generals, it still was not as good as directly pledging loyalty to the Wei clan for prospects.

With the pretext given by Wang Wanzhen and Yu Zhiyuan, in this current campaign denouncing Xiao Li, how much was pretending to be confused while actually being clear-headed, and how much was truly being incited—it was already impossible to distinguish…

Yuan Fang closed his eyes briefly and said: “After rooting out those bastards, I will personally go to apologize to the Lord and invite the Lord to return to Northern Wei.”

—

Wei Mansion.

A young servant carried a tea tray into the room. Yu Zhiyuan was handling official documents at his desk. Hearing footsteps, without raising his head he asked: “What did that man surnamed Yuan say when he went to the prison to see Wei Ang?”

The young servant made no sound, but the footsteps continued to approach.

Yu Zhiyuan felt something strange. The instant he raised his eyes, he glimpsed a flash of cold steel showing from the hand holding the tea tray at the servant’s sleeve opening. His eyes sharpened, and he almost immediately grabbed the inkstone and hurled it at the other party.

The ink in the inkstone splashed out. That Eagle Dog dressed as a young servant hastily turned his face to dodge. When he threw down the tea tray, the sound of shattering teacups inside mixed with the sound of the inkstone hitting the ground. For a moment, the room was filled with clamor.

Yu Zhiyuan took advantage of this gap to kick over his chair and run toward the door, shouting as he ran: “Someone come quickly! There’s an assassin!”

The extreme panic in his heart made his mind feel somewhat swollen and dizzy in this instant, his hands and feet also ice-cold.

After he had established his foothold in Northern Wei, why would the Eagle Dogs that Pei Song sent to protect him and also help him act suddenly have killing intent toward him?

That Eagle Dog, seeing Yu Zhiyuan flee, showed not the slightest bit of worry. After drawing the dagger hidden in his sleeve, he continued walking leisurely toward him.

The room door had been pulled open. Before Yu Zhiyuan’s next cry for help could emerge, he saw that the group of Eagle Dogs originally guarding outside the courtyard had also all drawn the sabers at their waists against him.

Yu Zhiyuan backed away, as if unable to believe something, pointing at the group of Eagle Dogs with a pale face and shouting: “Rebelling, are you! Who gave you the guts?”

The Eagle Dogs remained silent, only advancing toward him step by step with raised blades.

As Yu Zhiyuan retreated, under extreme panic and disbelief, his expression revealed a strand of madness as if reaching the end of the road. He shouted sharply: “My father and I have both established great achievements for the Minister of Works—you dare kill me?”

The sound of porcelain shards being trampled came from behind. Yu Zhiyuan turned around and saw the Eagle Dog who had first attempted to assassinate him was now just two steps away. The other said: “The Xiao traitor holds a grudge toward you, gentleman, for exposing him that day. Naturally, gentleman died at that Xiao traitor’s hands.”

Having said this, he directly stabbed toward him with the dagger.

Yu Zhiyuan cried out in panicked alarm “save me” and dodged awkwardly. But he was just a strategist, and with injuries on his body, even desperately dodging for his life only made the dagger avoid vital areas, plunging into his rear shoulder instead.

He fell onto a red sandalwood official’s hat chair placed against the wall. Fresh blood gushed from the wound in his rear shoulder. Cold sweat densely covered his paper-white face. In this instant, he seemed to understand many things. When that Eagle Dog clicked his tongue lightly, as if annoyed that strike had not directly taken his life, Yu Zhiyuan said with difficulty: “My father… met with misfortune, didn’t he?”

That Eagle Dog only said: “The Minister of Works selected this path for you, gentleman. It’s good for both you father and son.”

Pulling out the dagger that had pierced Yu Zhiyuan’s back, intending to stab down again, arrows suddenly shot into the room from outside.

The Eagle Dogs inside the room hastily swung their blades to block the arrows. The Eagle Dog holding the dagger, while dodging the arrows, still wanted to take Yu Zhiyuan’s life. But another arrow shot in through the wide open window, striking that Eagle Dog squarely in the chest. The Eagle Dog finally vomited fresh blood and fell.

Yuan Fang put away his bow and arrows, gesturing to the armored soldiers behind him holding bows, crossbows, swords and blades: “Quickly capture the assassins and rescue Gentleman Yu!”

The armored soldiers surged into the room. The Eagle Dogs inside still wanted to kill Yu Zhiyuan before withdrawing, but unfortunately Yuan Fang’s archery was extremely cunning. Anyone who raised a blade to kill Yu Zhiyuan was shot down by his drawn bow and nocked arrow.

After the armored soldiers surged in and separated Yu Zhiyuan from the group of Eagle Dogs, the Eagle Dogs had even less means to strike.

Seeing they could not kill Yu Zhiyuan, the Eagle Dogs could only fight their way out and flee. But while breaking out of the room door was relatively smooth, after reaching the courtyard, nearly all were shot dead by arrows.

Even those still barely alive who were captured by the armored soldiers—the soldiers had just shouted to Yuan Fang that there were survivors when the captured Eagle Dogs immediately bit through poison capsules and ended themselves.

Yuan Fang looked at the Eagle Dogs who had fallen with black blood flowing from the corners of their mouths, his expression somewhat unpleasant.

Since receiving Xiao Li’s reply letter, he had been having people secretly watch Yu Zhiyuan’s side.

Coming to the Wei mansion to see Yu Zhiyuan today was to test the other party and also to openly go see Wei Ang.

After coming out of the prison, he received news of unusual activity on Yu Zhiyuan’s side and hastily led people to rush over.

That earlier wave of arrows shooting into the room was to intimidate the Eagle Dogs, allowing armored soldiers to surround Yu Zhiyuan. Letting the Eagle Dogs escape was also to prevent the Eagle Dogs from injuring Yu Zhiyuan in a desperate situation.

He had thought this time they could at least capture one survivor. Who would have expected that after these Eagle Dogs fell into the net, they would immediately take poison and end themselves.

He made a gesture for his subordinates to take the Eagle Dogs away first. When he entered the room, he saw Yu Zhiyuan had already collapsed wretchedly by the official’s hat chair. Because blood was flowing severely from his back, even the chair legs he leaned against had been stained red across a large area.

Seeing Yuan Fang, Yu Zhiyuan weakly raised his eyelids, panting with difficulty: “I never expected there would be such villains lurking in the mansion. If not for General Yuan this time, Zhiyuan would probably have already departed for the Yellow Springs…”

Yuan Fang hastily ordered people to summon the mansion physician, while also putting on an expression of hidden anger and concern: “This is truly outrageous! Daring to openly infiltrate the Marquis’s mansion to commit murder! Fortunately, when those villains fled the courtyard, we captured one alive. Once I finish interrogating that villain, I will certainly seek justice for you, my young friend!”

Yu Zhiyuan thanked him weakly with a bloodless face.

Not long after, the mansion physician arrived. After roughly examining Yu Zhiyuan’s injuries, he had people first carry Yu Zhiyuan to the bed.

His old injuries had not healed, and now new injuries were added. The current situation was not optimistic.

Yuan Fang left heavy troops guarding Yu Zhiyuan, then left first under the pretext of interrogating the prisoner.

As soon as he left the courtyard, his expression became solemn again.

So many assassins infiltrating the Wei mansion was truly incomprehensible.

These people wanted to kill Yu Zhiyuan. Xiao Li seemed to have known about it early on. This was what puzzled Yuan Fang even more.

If Yu Zhiyuan was Pei Song’s spy, then who ordered these people who wanted to kill him?

He deliberately told Yu Zhiyuan there was still one assassin survivor, precisely to see Yu Zhiyuan’s reaction. But whether Yu Zhiyuan truly didn’t know or his scheming was too deep, he had not yet revealed any flaws.

He instructed a personal guard following behind him: “Publicly claim we’re holding that survivor in the Marquis mansion’s dungeon. Tonight’s defenses can show some small gaps.”

—

Inside the room, Yu Zhiyuan’s complexion remained terribly pale from excessive blood loss.

After the mansion physician left, that barely maintained gentle warmth on his face completely disappeared. Only endless resentment and unwillingness remained in his eyes.

He leaned against the soft pillow at the head of the bed, staring fixedly at one direction in the room. Tears soon rolled from his eyes, flowing all the way to the corners of his lips.

He had helped Pei Song tear Northern Wei into pieces. Pei Song could not possibly kill him.

But since the Eagle Dogs placed by his side had carried out this order, it meant that his being alive would affect the overall scheme.

And what could expose this scheme was nothing other than his identity as a Pei camp spy being revealed.

When he infiltrated Northern Wei, the Pei camp had already helped him handle all past matters cleanly. His identity was also sufficiently “clean.”

—A son of a humble family who studied for several years at Guanhai Academy in the northern border. After completing his studies, when Wei Pingjin was recruiting strategists, he became a strategist beside Wei Pingjin by passing the mansion’s examination.

Master Baoshan, who had prestige at Guanhai Academy, was even his teacher.

The only way to trace his background was through his father!

For Pei Song to order his death, the only possibility was that his father was currently in Xiao Li’s hands!

Pei Song feared that Xiao Li would use his father’s life to threaten him, eventually making him admit his identity as a spy and ruining all previous schemes. That was why he had killing intent toward him.

After all, if he died, even if Xiao Li captured his father, it would be useless.

The crime of killing the Wei Pingjin siblings would still remain on Xiao Li’s head. The northern border people would still curse Xiao Li endlessly.

Yu Zhiyuan did not know whether Pei Song had prepared two-handed by also sending people to kill his father. But to ensure that “witness” who could identify him would still be alive when he saw him, Xiao Li would certainly send people to closely protect his father.

He bit his teeth tightly with some pain. The water flowing into his lips tasted intensely salty.

The fingers gripping the bedding had used such force that his knuckles turned white.

He did not want to die.

Father… Father might choose to go to his death to preserve him.

Thinking of this, his reddened eyes full of hatred slowly turned vicious.

Pei Song had already abandoned them father and son. Father probably could no longer escape from Xiao Li’s hands. The only one who had hope of surviving and should survive was him!

—

When the moon reached its zenith, a bonfire crackled and burned in the wilderness.

Zhang Huai used a charred wooden stick to point at a simple terrain map drawn on the ground, saying to Xiao Li: “Although the clamor in the northern border denouncing the Lord is fierce, no one dares truly take the lead. Wei Tong is currently leading Wei clan forces to defend Yanle Mountain. Our light cavalry has no supply train. Taking small paths to traverse the prefectures, we can take a shortcut to reach Weizhou by noon tomorrow at the latest.”

Xiao Li sat not far away wiping his blade. His handsome face was divided by firelight into bright and dark shadows. In his densely black, half-lowered eyes, it seemed half the night was wrapped within, revealing the ferocity of a lurking beast.

Footsteps sounded in the distance.

Song Qin and Zheng Hu walked shoulder to shoulder. As they drew near and the firelight illuminated them, one could see their battle robes stained with blood.

Clearly they had just experienced a fierce battle.

Song Qin said: “The new wave of Eagle Dogs attacking the prison carriage has been dealt with.”

The two sat down by the bonfire. Zheng Hu cursed: “Those Eagle Dogs really didn’t treat that old man in the prison carriage as one of their own. Their arrows shot the carriage walls into a sieve. If not for Second Brother instructing us early on to embed iron plates on all four carriage walls, leaving only a few air holes on top, that old man would probably have been stuck full of arrows like a porcupine by now.”

After speaking, he half-sneered: “Don’t know if that old man regrets now selling his life for that dog Traitor Pei.”

Zhang Huai said: “His only son is still stirring up trouble in Weizhou. If I were Pei Song, I would certainly prepare two-handed—while sending people to kill this old man surnamed Yu, also sending people to Weizhou to take that young traitor surnamed Yu’s life. That old man probably understands this point too. Currently he probably only single-mindedly seeks death.”

After all, if Yu Jingwen died, Xiao Li would lose the leverage to threaten Yu Zhiyuan.

He looked toward Xiao Li with a smile: “Fortunately, the Lord early on sent a reply letter instructing General Yuan Fang, who was leading his army back to camp. When we arrive at Weizhou tomorrow, that young traitor surnamed Yu should still have his life.”

Xiao Li said nothing. After hearing Zhang Huai’s explanation, Zheng Hu spat again: “That Dog Traitor Pei must have been raised eating poisonous insects—his heart is truly vicious enough!”

Song Qin said: “This Yu father and son pair are not much better. The father falsely surrendered to Dou Jianliang’s camp and single-handedly planned the Ma Family Liang tragedy. The son infiltrated the Wei Marquis mansion, killed Wei Qishan’s pair of children, then colluded with that fake princess their Wei camp pushed forward to frame the Lord. I’m now worried that Yu Zhiyuan, to save his life, will refuse to acknowledge his own father when we confront each other at the city gates tomorrow.”

Zheng Hu slapped his thigh: “If he dares not acknowledge him, I’ll make that traitorous old man’s head roll right there in front of the battle lines. I don’t believe that traitorous young one can remain unmoved!”

Zhang Huai slightly furrowed his brow, as if thinking for a moment: “This Yu father and son pair both excel at psychological manipulation. The schemes they devise all exploit human nature. Dou Jianliang was so cautious, yet could still be led by the nose by that old traitor Yu into the trap. Yu Zhiyuan, lurking in the Wei camp, consistently advised Wei Pingjin to be progressive, devised strategies for Wei Pingjin, and helped Wei Pingjin win military achievements—even Wei Qishan and those old Wei camp generals were all deceived by him. If not for him, in order to frame the Lord, moving himself as a chess piece into the open, pulling out this thorn would have required some effort on our part.”

He paused slightly at this point, as if becoming aware of some other problem, but did not continue speaking. He only said: “Such a person has extraordinary mental fortitude. Though Yu Jingwen devised one poisonous scheme that caused twenty thousand Wei camp soldiers to be massacred at Ma Family Liang, even if Yu Zhiyuan acknowledges this father, the father and son will still find it hard to escape death. I actually agree with what General Song said—Yu Zhiyuan will steel his heart and refuse to acknowledge this father.”

Zheng Hu was about to urgently respond when he heard Xiao Li beside them speak: “He will acknowledge him.”

Everyone looked toward Xiao Li.

Zheng Hu even laughed happily: “Second Brother, you have a method?”

Xiao Li had finished wiping his blade. As he pushed the blade into its sheath, the cold gleam of the blade reflected in his eyes, making his gaze appear even more coldly detached and deeply dark. As the blade entered the sheath, it made a clean, light clang.

—

The next day, after Yu Zhiyuan changed his bandages, wearing only an inner robe, he leaned pale-faced against the head of the bed. Dark shadows showed faintly under his eyes, looking very poor in spirits.

He had not slept all night.

The guards Yuan Fang had left in his courtyard were ostensibly to protect his safety, but from a certain perspective, they also became confinement.

All night he had been planning how to deal with Xiao Li’s side’s accusations when the time came, and if the survivor captured by Yuan Fang confessed his identity under extreme torture, how he should argue in his own defense.

Now not only did his wounds ache, but after thinking all night, his head also throbbed faintly with pain.

When an attendant brought him medicinal decoction for internal consumption, he pressed one hand to his temple with a sickly expression and waved the other hand.

The attendant then placed the medicine on the small table by the bed head. Hurried footsteps sounded from outside.

In a moment, an armored soldier strode in, clasping his hands toward Yu Zhiyuan: “Gentleman Yu, the General sent word back saying that man surnamed Xiao has surrounded the South City Gate with troops and is calling for you to meet him.”

Yu Zhiyuan’s complexion imperceptibly paled a few more shades. He had not expected Xiao Li would come so quickly.

He coughed and panted a few times, putting on an expression of pained anger: “With General Yuan stationed in Weizhou, that traitor still dares to attack? I only hate that my injuries are quite severe. Currently even getting out of this bed is difficult. I cannot go to the city tower to watch General Yuan behead that Xiao traitor to avenge the County Princess and Young Lord. Convey to General Yuan on my behalf that I will set up an altar at the Wei mansion, waiting for him to bring back the Xiao traitor’s head to offer to the Young Lord and County Princess!”

After that armored soldier clasped his hands and departed, Yu Zhiyuan dismissed the attendants in the room, only then collapsing powerlessly against the soft pillow, closing his eyes with deep sorrow.

Xiao Li wanted to see him—Father was truly in Xiao Li’s hands…

He swallowed with difficulty, his voice hoarse as he said: “Father, don’t blame this child…”

He had long decided that whether it was accusations from Xiao Li’s side or confessions from the Eagle Dog who had fallen into Yuan Fang’s hands, he must insist to the death it was slander—a poisonous scheme employed by both Pei Song and Xiao Li to eliminate him and seize all of Northern Wei.

With last night’s assassination as precedent, arguing in his own defense would not be difficult.

But less than two quarters of an hour later, that armored soldier returned again in haste: “Gentleman Yu, Xiao’s camp has bound Yu Jingwen, the poisonous strategist who planned the Ma Family Liang tragedy for Pei Song. They claim… claim he is your birth father and want you to meet him before the battle lines. They also called out that Pei Song, fearing your slanderous poisonous scheme would be exposed, has probably already sent people to assassinate you once. That you currently dare not go to the city tower must be because of guilt. General Yuan, worried that soldiers in camp would believe the slander from Xiao’s camp, specifically ordered this subordinate to come receive you, gentleman, and escort you there.”

Yu Zhiyuan immediately felt a surge of nausea rush straight to his heart, forcing him into another bout of coughing that tore his entire chest with splitting pain.

These words truly blocked every excuse he could use to refuse.

Yuan Fang had captured an Eagle Dog. Who knew whether he had interrogated his identity from the Eagle Dog’s mouth by now.

Even if nothing had been interrogated yet, he had originally still planned to use yesterday’s assassination to thoroughly draw a clear line with the Pei camp.

Now Xiao’s camp had revealed the truth that that assassination was Pei Song silencing witnesses. If he still did not go show his face at the city tower, even if he insisted to the death afterward that it was slander, it would probably arouse suspicion.

He heavily struck the bed rail, as if furious with rage: “Absurd! My father passed away many years ago—how can I allow that Xiao clan traitor to humiliate me to this extent!”

Then struggling to rise: “Prepare a carriage. Go to the city tower!”

—

Outside the South City Gate.

The sun was blazing. Zheng Hu had cursed battle cries until his throat was somewhat dry. Not far away, Yu Jingwen, bound before the military formation, wore prisoner’s clothing, his hair disheveled and dirty, his expression listless. His mouth was stuffed with a torn cloth to prevent him from biting his tongue to end himself.

Zheng Hu squinted toward the city tower, complaining to Song Qin beside him: “Big Brother, do you think that turtle grandson surnamed Yu will come?”

Song Qin controlled his reins: “The Lord has already placed him on the fire to roast. He has no choice but to come.”

Zheng Hu stole a glance toward Xiao Li behind them, mounted on his horse with an aura cold, solemn and murderous. Just as he was about to say something more, he saw movement on the city tower.

Xiao Li also raised his cold wolf eyes.

Yu Zhiyuan was helped up onto the city tower. After Yuan Fang, standing at the crenelations, symbolically nodded to him, he pointed for him to look down: “Gentleman, please look.”

Yu Zhiyuan looked at the dark mass of military formations spread below the city tower. Intimidated by that oncoming murderous aura striking his heart, in an instant he felt as if a fierce beast had charged at him from the air, roaring and violently colliding with him.

Detecting an extremely sharp gaze, he forcibly suppressed his discomfort and looked back. The instant his gaze met the other’s, his mind seemed to blank briefly. Then only one thought surfaced—that was the gaze one uses to look at a dead thing.

The sun blazed. In this moment, Yu Zhiyuan only felt a chill suddenly rush up from the soles of his feet, instantly sweeping through his entire body.

Xiao Li stared at him coldly for two breaths. After shifting his gaze away, the stiffness throughout his body eased somewhat.

Zheng Hu had already started cursing: “Turtle grandson, finally willing to emerge from your turtle shell?”

Then pointing at Yu Jingwen: “See your traitorous old man? Truthfully confess how you framed my Second Brother, then kneel down and kowtow three times to Grandpa Zheng, and Grandpa Zheng will reward your traitorous old man with a mouthful of water to drink!”

Bound hand and foot, Yu Jingwen, because his mouth had been stuffed for so long, and he had also been staging a hunger strike to seek death, with subordinates daily prying open his mouth to force feed him a bowl of thin gruel to keep him alive, now had lips so dry and cracked they were peeling.

Yu Zhiyuan naturally also saw Yu Jingwen following the direction he pointed. He forcibly steadied his mind: “My father died long ago. You all want to frame Yu—conspiring with the Pei camp, pulling some lowlife with the same surname as Yu, you think you can pin such infamy on Yu?”

Having said this, as if unable to bear such humiliation, disregarding his injuries, he extended one hand toward those around him: “Bring me a bow! I will personally shoot this traitor dead!”

In just one exchange, Xiao Li had already left him mentally unsettled.

Yu Zhiyuan understood clearly that the longer Yu Jingwen lived in Xiao Li’s hands, the more torture he would suffer.

Better that he end his life with one arrow, sparing some pain while also dispelling the ominous premonition that had suddenly risen in his heart after meeting Xiao Li’s gaze.

The armored soldiers on the city tower all looked at each other, glancing toward Yuan Fang.

Yuan Fang said: “Gentleman has injuries. Don’t act rashly…”

But Yu Zhiyuan shouted again in a deep voice: “Bring me a bow!”

His gaze remained fixed on Yu Jingwen bound before the formation below, as if so angry his eyes had reddened somewhat.

Yu Jingwen, who had been weakly hanging his head, also raised it at this moment, looking toward the city tower, as if striving with all his might to use this one glance to properly see someone again.

Seeing this, Zheng Hu, Song Qin and the others below the city tower all darkened their expressions slightly.

Zhang Huai lightly frowned, about to turn and say something to Xiao Li, but saw Xiao Li’s face showed not the slightest change of expression. Instead, he called mockingly and coldly toward the city tower: “Since Staff Officer Yu claims to have no connection whatsoever with this person, such a heinous criminal who single-handedly planned the Ma Family Liang battle and massacred twenty thousand Wei army soldiers—killing him so easily with one arrow, wouldn’t that be too convenient for him?”

He called out: “Tiger.”

Though Zheng Hu did not know Xiao Li’s intention, he still immediately responded loudly.

Xiao Li said: “Set up a pot.”

Zheng Hu let out a soft “ah,” unable to figure out what Xiao Li was doing. But with two armies facing each other, this was not the time for questions. He immediately waved to order subordinates to find a large pot.

After the pot and stove were set up and the firewood kindled, this scene was rather puzzling.

However, Xiao Li’s next words truly made everyone feel a chill seeping from their very bones.

He looked coldly at the opposite city tower, lightly dropping one sentence: “The Ma Family Liang battle—Xiao is also deeply pained. Since rumors say Xiao has collusion with the Pei camp, today Xiao will execute this Pei camp poisonous strategist by slow slicing, then boil his flesh and feed it to wild dogs outside the city. I imagine this can console the spirits of those twenty thousand soldiers who died at Ma Family Liang somewhat.”

The punishment of slow slicing had existed since ancient times.

But slicing someone while having a large pot set up beside them, making the criminal watch the flesh carved from their own body being stewed—no one had ever before used such inhumane cruel torture.

The weather was already hot. Under the fierce fire, the water in the pot quickly began steaming at the edges.

The torture rack binding Yu Jingwen was right beside the pot. He could even hear the sound of burning firewood below.

The executioner stepped forward and used his blade to cut open the clothing on his body. His complexion was ashen. It was impossible to tell whether from weakness or also feeling fear in this moment. Only his gaze still looked toward the city tower.

After an instant of uproar, the opposite city tower also fell into deathly silence.

—Xiao Li wanted to execute by slow slicing the chief culprit who had massacred twenty thousand Wei army soldiers. Their Wei camp had no grounds to call a halt.

Yu Zhiyuan stood at the crenelations. He only felt a fishy taste rising from his chest all the way to his throat. He desperately endured, endured until the five fingers hidden beneath his scholar’s robe’s wide sleeves tore his palm bloody, yet he did not perceive even a trace of pain.

He was the person on the Wei camp’s side who had the least standing to call a halt to this cruel torture.

He told himself he must endure. If he endured through this, Xiao Li would have no further means against him.

In the future, he would certainly repay this revenge for his father a thousand times, ten thousand times!

After the executioner carved one cut into Yu Jingwen’s body, confirming he was in too much pain to have strength to bite his tongue, he removed the cloth stuffed in the other’s mouth. The original intent was to have him scream miserably during the punishment to intimidate the opposite side.

But though he looked skinny and weak, his bones were extremely hard. After the aching mouth from having cloth stuffed in it could finally move, disregarding the pain on his body, he hoarsely shouted: “This old man has no son under his knee! My only son also starved to death in the famine of Shaojing year eight! Former Liang wronged this old man!”

Having shouted this, using all his body’s strength, he spat viciously toward Xiao Li’s direction: “Wild bastard spawned from a Yongzhou prostitute’s belly—this old man also visited famous courtesans there in his youth. Your whore mother presumably also serviced this old man. With no one acknowledging you bastard, you might as well call this old man father!”

“You old bastard! I’ll butcher you!” Unable to bear this provocation, Zheng Hu immediately wanted to draw his blade and go chop the man. Fortunately, Song Qin grabbed him with one hand, shouting: “Tiger, calm down! This old thing is seeking death!”

Though Song Qin had stopped Zheng Hu, he still spat viciously back at the other, his eyes nearly splitting with rage: “Old bastard, just you wait! That dog son of yours on the city tower will be smashed into meat paste by Grandpa Zheng’s twin hammers later, steamed into buns and fed to dogs!”

Yu Jingwen only laughed coldly: “A Northern Wei strategist—whether he lives or dies, what does it have to do with this old man? The more Wei camp people die, the more delighted this old man’s heart!”

This father and son pair were obviously both performing a show to thoroughly sever ties, all so Yu Zhiyuan could survive. Zheng Hu was so stifled with anger he wanted to rush forward and fight the man again. But he heard Xiao Li say: “No need to use the knife to carve. Bring iron chains and scrape with hot water.”

His cold, sunken eyes, under the scorching sun, seemed almost covered with a layer of frost.

Those who had followed him out of Yongcheng all knew—Xiao Huiniang was his reverse scale.

The executioners quickly changed to rough iron chains. After immersing them in boiling water, two men each grasped one end, pulled tight with force, then scraped them across Yu Jingwen’s body.

Because one cut had already been carved previously, when the coarse chains were pressed with brute force and scraped across the large exposed wound, it was as if a layer of skin and flesh was being peeled off alive. Yu Jingwen almost instantly convulsed throughout his entire body with pain. His screams absolutely could not be suppressed in his throat. The robe below him was also soaked across a large area by hot, fishy liquid in this extreme pain.

—The pain was too severe. He could no longer control his own body.

This kind of slow slicing far exceeded scraping with a knife. The latter at least had a sharp blade edge. Each cut was quick and clean.

Scraping with iron chains was forcibly crushing skin and flesh, scraping off meat bit by bit. The suffering far exceeded slow slicing by several times, yet it would not let one lose consciousness as quickly.

Yu Jingwen had not yet recovered from the previous bout of severe pain when the executioners had already swung the iron chains to scrape down on him again.

Yu Jingwen screamed miserably again from the pain. In this moment, he truly wanted to bite his tongue to end himself. But the pain was truly so severe he had no strength. Though he bit his tongue covered with wounds, he still could not bite off even a section of tongue tip. He could only break into a torrent of abuse toward Xiao Li, his words so crude as to be almost unbearable to the ear.

Xiao Li showed not the slightest intention of being provoked to rage.

Yu Jingwen very soon no longer even had the strength to curse. Aside from those hoarse miserable screams driven by pain instinct, he could no longer shout out a single word.

In the end, even miserable screams could no longer be emitted. Only as the chains scraped down did his body still convulse somewhat.

The blood flowing out had long since dyed the clothing beneath him thoroughly red. Crimson flesh scraps were also scattered across a layer on the execution platform.

When the chains were immersed in boiling water, the meat scraps carried in cooked out a meaty smell that was blown by the wind up to the city tower.

Yu Zhiyuan’s palms had long been bloody and mangled. His teeth also tasted of iron rust. He forced himself to watch this execution with near numbness alongside the Wei camp masses.

Midway, when Yu Jingwen’s screams became too shrill several times, he had lowered his eyes, not daring to watch. Now smelling the meaty smell carried on the wind, he finally could not suppress it and bent over the city wall crenelations, vomiting violently.

An armored soldier came forward to support him. He waved the other away with a bloodless face, explaining: “It’s nothing. I’ve just never seen such an execution scene before.”

He straightened up, crimson eyes looking down below, as if wanting to declare victory to Xiao Li who had used this cruel torture to force him to submit, also urgently wanting the other to understand that one day he would return all of this multiplied!

But before Yu Zhiyuan could speak, Xiao Li had already clapped his hands in praise: “To personally watch his own birth father being slowly sliced and boiled to death—Staff Officer Yu has excellent mental fortitude. However, your esteemed father looked toward Staff Officer Yu until his death. I just wonder, when your esteemed father could no longer make sound at the end, whether he prayed for Staff Officer Yu to save his life.”

His appearance under the proud sun appeared even more beautiful, his tone also very calm.

But in this moment, what he revealed was only endless mockery and malice.

As if this earlier cruel torture was merely to see what choice Yu Zhiyuan would make when personally witnessing his own father being slowly sliced.