Jiang Xuening had indeed thought: if she herself were a bad person, she should have prevented trouble before it began, strangling danger in its cradle. Since she clearly knew Zhou Yinzhi had committed evil in her previous life, why not dare to eliminate him early in this life before he grew powerful, to avoid today’s calamity?

But if she truly were a villain, how would she have saved You Fangyin?

If she saved You Fangyin, that proved she wasn’t a bad person. Not being a bad person, she wouldn’t eliminate someone before they had committed wrongdoing, just because of mistakes they might commit in the future.

So thinking it through, it became a dead-end situation.

She was this kind of person, so she inevitably encountered these matters.

If one must investigate the root cause, perhaps it was—

She still wasn’t strong enough.

But if that were the case, worldly affairs had too little reason. Back when the Xiao and Yan families allied through marriage, weren’t they strong? Xie Ju’an ultimately bore a deep blood feud and endured humiliation in hiding for over twenty years. In her previous life, weren’t Shen Lang and Shen Jie strong enough? In one dynasty, the court was overturned—one died violently in the palace, the other died of illness on the dragon throne.

No matter who was strong, they were only strong for a time.

The east wind prevails over the west wind, then the west wind prevails over the east wind.

No one could truly be strong for an entire lifetime.

How could the principles of the world be judged by strength and weakness?

When leaving, Xie Wei seemed to perceive the confusion lingering in her heart. He only said flatly, “The principles of the world indeed should not be judged by strength and weakness. However, without strength and weakness, there are no principles. The weak always like to reason with the strong, but reason never stands on their side.”

Having said this, he withdrew his gaze.

That door slowly closed again.

All around was silent stillness.

Jiang Xuening closed her eyes, as if she could hear the sound of floating dust in her thoughts.

After sitting for a long while, she slowly pushed herself up from the ground, picked up the dish of peach pastries Xie Wei had left beside her, and ate a few bites.

At dusk, she finally emerged from the room.

The maids hurriedly went to prepare dishes.

Jiang Xuening first drank a bowl of soup, then ate a bowl of rice with the dishes. After washing up, she had someone fetch Dao Qin.

Hearing that Jiang Xuening wanted to see him, Dao Qin was stunned for a long while before arriving with trepidation. Yet standing at the bottom of the steps, the scene of You Fangyin’s tragic death that day inevitably surfaced in his mind.

He dared not make a sound.

However, the door was only half-closed, not shut. Jiang Xuening was bent over the desk writing something. When she looked up, she had already seen him. After a moment of silence, she said, “Come in.”

Dao Qin tightened his grip on his blade, his lips pressed into a compressed line. Finally, he silently walked inside.

Brush and ink sat atop the desk.

Three brief letters had already been written. After Jiang Xuening waited for the ink to dry, she folded each letter, placed them into three different envelopes, sealed them with wax, and handed them to Dao Qin: “Once Zhou Yinzhi returns to the capital, matters in Xinzhou will become very thorny. You’ve followed the teacher for many years, traveled north and south, possess superior martial skills, and should have considerable adaptability. So I want to entrust you with this important matter.”

Dao Qin took the letters and looked at her.

Jiang Xuening continued, “Of these three letters, one is written to Young Master Dingfei—this person you may understand better than I do. One is for Zheng Bao. By now he should have become a Senior Imperial Eunuch in the palace. He’s someone who ‘repays a drop of kindness with a gushing spring.’ Moreover, Teacher Xie’s foundation in the capital surely won’t be completely uprooted so quickly. As the saying goes, strike the snake at its seventh inch. I hope you’ll take these two letters to the capital, deliver them to both parties separately, then secretly coordinate matters in the capital and capture someone for me.”

Dao Qin was stunned.

Jiang Xuening raised her eyes to look at him, saying each word distinctly: “It’s a woman in Zhou Yinzhi’s back courtyard. She should be his concubine, someone who’s been with him since before he rose to prominence, called ‘Yaoniang.’ I don’t know if she’s borne any children for Zhou Yinzhi. If not, so be it. If so, bring them along as well.”

Dao Qin asked, “And the third letter?”

Jiang Xuening stood up and walked to the copper basin filled with clear water, immersing her ink-stained fingers. Her voice was calm and waveless: “After capturing Yaoniang, leave it for Zhou Yinzhi.”

Beneath her lowered eyelids was unprecedented indifference.

Dao Qin remained silent for a long while before saying, “Yes.”

Jiang Xuening said, “There’s no time to waste. Set out as soon as possible.”

However, Dao Qin stayed rooted in place, as if he had something to say.

Yet when his lips parted, his throat felt dry. No matter what, those words couldn’t be spoken.

What use was remorse?

You Fangyin could never return.

Jiang Xuening slowly closed her eyes. Thinking of that pure, foolish girl who couldn’t bear to win against others even when playing leaf cards, her emotions nearly escaped her control.

After a moment, she forcefully suppressed them.

Only then did she say to Dao Qin, “You did nothing wrong, and kindness is not wrong. Wrong are only those who take advantage of others’ goodness to commit their own evil. Fangyin won’t blame you, but she surely hopes you’ll help her obtain justice.”

Dao Qin had been holding himself together, but hearing these words, his nose suddenly stung, his eyes grew moist, and tears fell, landing on the back of his hand.

He knelt with his blade, saying only, “Dao Qin will not fail this mission!”

Then he stood, bid farewell to Jiang Xuening, and strode directly out the door.

From Xinzhou to the capital, the realm had already fallen into chaos.

On this journey, Zhou Yinzhi even had a dreamlike feeling.

When he had come, everything was still well, with news of victory at the frontier spreading everywhere. Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants all bore joyful expressions. Yet when he galloped his horse back along the official road, he actually saw many refugees in tattered clothing, carrying their families, mostly coming from the south.

Moreover, the further east he traveled, the more refugees there were.

Finally, on the day before entering the capital, he felt he was safe. Even if people from Xinzhou wanted to pursue him, they couldn’t. So when changing horses at the relay station, he asked, “This official has returned all the way from Xinzhou and seen countless refugees on the road. What’s happening?”

The relay station postmaster rarely served such a high official and feared inadequate service. He quickly fawned, “Aiya, you went to the frontier earlier, so you probably haven’t heard yet? They all say the Heavenly Doctrine is causing trouble in the south. It seems they want to—”

Zhou Yinzhi’s heart jumped: “Rebel?”

The postmaster didn’t quite dare speak. Drawing closer, he smiled awkwardly: “This humble official dares not say. Those refugees outside all spread such talk. Who knows where the rumors came from? So they’re all scared and fleeing north.”

“…”

Zhou Yinzhi’s expression immediately turned cold. He grabbed the reins with one hand, gripping with such force that the rough edge of the reins nearly cut into his palm.

The postmaster was frightened by him.

However, Zhou Yinzhi said nothing more. After changing horses, he didn’t even show any intention of stopping to rest. He directly spurred his horse onto the official road, arriving at the capital as dusk approached.

The first thing he did was return home.

Under Yaoniang’s attendance, without time to answer her concerned words, he changed into clean court robes, took that seal unstained by blood yet seemingly blood-soaked, and immediately entered the palace for an audience.

When he reached the palace gates, he happened to encounter that slovenly, swaggering Young Master Dingfei walking out from inside.

This unaccomplished wastrel still walked with a swagger.

His entire being exuded wealth and nobility, his waist clanging with a dozen jade pendants. Those who knew would say his status was noble and different from others. Those who didn’t might think he was one of those charlatan peddlers on the street, coming out to sell a pile of broken goods.

Seeing Zhou Yinzhi, Xiao Dingfei raised an eyebrow and, without the slightest avoidance, looked him over once before smiling in greeting: “Well, well, if it isn’t Commander Zhou? Already back from Xinzhou, I see. However, your trip couldn’t have come at a worse time. Inside, he’s currently in a rage.”

In any case, he was once the emperor’s benefactor.

These past two years, he’d mixed himself into an idle position in the Ministry of Rites and befriended a group of privileged sons who, like him, accomplished nothing proper. He’d even established some “Carefree Society” in the capital, indulging in romantic pursuits to the utmost—truly lost in wine and luxury.

Although Zhou Yinzhi wasn’t exactly clean-handed or upright in character either, he didn’t want much dealings with such people. Moreover, Xiao Shu detested this surviving elder brother, so he naturally wouldn’t befriend Xiao Dingfei deeply.

Therefore, at this moment, he only nodded faintly.

Without exchanging even half a sentence, he walked directly past the other party and entered the palace.

The situation in Qianqing Palace was indeed dire.

Before even drawing near, he could already hear Shen Lang’s furious voice: “What a Heavenly Doctrine! What a Heavenly Doctrine! They’ve eaten the hearts of bears and leopards’ gall to dare make a comeback! Do they not see that they’re just a bunch of refugee bandits—what kind of force can they amount to?! However the late emperor made this group of rebellious traitors submit to law back then, today We shall ensure they have no return! Someone, go summon Duke Xiao Yuan!”

Zheng Bao hurriedly emerged from inside the door.

He ran directly into Zhou Yinzhi.

Zhou Yinzhi was always courteous to those who served close to the emperor. So he gently cupped his hands and lowered his voice: “Eunuch Zheng, His Majesty?”

Zheng Bao glanced at him and said, “An urgent message from an hour ago—armies have risen in Jinling. The Heavenly Doctrine has rebelled.”

The day chosen for You Fangyin’s burial was the fourteenth of the first month.

Though news of the gradually chaotic south arrived later, it still reached Xinzhou in succession.

The court ahead, the Heavenly Doctrine behind.

The realm would fall into chaos; the common people were uneasy.

Never mind the people being displaced and homeless—even they couldn’t transport the coffin back to Shu. After much deliberation, they could only find a place with decent feng shui outside Xinzhou City to bury her.

Her vast wealth had been completely confiscated by the court.

The salt business and merchant associations had even less news.

At this time, Ren Weizhi had been drinking for several days. Managing the funeral arrangements, he woke from sleep to see the desolate pale light outside and hear the clamorous sounds. Following others outside, he saw the crowd in mourning clothes and that coffin already loaded onto a cart. He actually had the illusion of a dream returning to the past.

Utterly alone, a solitary shadow.

Besides himself, he had nothing.

Jiang Xuening also stood beside that coffin.

Even that formidable Teacher Xie had come.

When Ren Weizhi walked over, he simply gazed at Jiang Xuening for a long time, thinking that if Fangyin hadn’t come on this trip, perhaps there wouldn’t have been this calamity. But without Jiang Xuening, Fangyin wouldn’t have been saved back then either.

Only when the ceremonial call rang out did he return to his senses in a daze.

This Boss Ren, who had once been destitute and down-and-out yet managed to turn his fortunes around through bold silver stock ventures, bore a scholarly air yet had reverted to that original destitute appearance. Holding the memorial tablet, he walked at the front.

Leaving the city.

Entering the earth.

Burial.

A new grave thus stood at the mountain’s foot, paper money flying across the sky.

Jiang Xuening quietly watched the yellow earth pile higher and higher, finally completely burying the coffin. She only felt barren desolation within her heart, as if wild grass had already grown luxuriantly.

Xie Ju’an and others watched her from behind.

Yet she crouched before that newly carved tombstone, gently reaching out to caress that rough stone surface, saying, “I have words I want to speak to Fangyin alone. Let me stay by myself a while longer.”

Everyone remained silent.

Ren Weizhi was first to turn and leave, as if staying here even a moment longer was torment.

The others looked toward Xie Wei.

Xie Wei remained silent for a long while. Knowing they would soon leave Xinzhou, and knowing what weight You Fangyin held in her heart, he ultimately didn’t say more. He only instructed several skilled military men to watch from a distance. He himself, along with the others, went to the flat area at the mountain’s foot to wait.

No one spoke.

However, after more than half a moment, just as Xie Wei was about to have Yan Lin go up and check, from within those mountain forests suddenly came a shocked and furious roar: “Who goes there?!”

The sound of clashing weapons instantly erupted!

Everyone felt their scalps explode with startled shock.

Yan Lin’s reaction was even faster. Without thinking, he drew his sword and rushed up! In moments, reaching the new grave, he only saw dozens of black-masked figures seeming to pour out from the overlapping dense forests on the mountain, fighting in a tangle with the surrounding guards.

These people wielded weapons all of strange and bizarre shapes, with an added eeriness. With a whoosh and a swing, they looped around people’s heads, then with a pull, entire heads were twisted and severed!

Truly cruel and vicious!

They were all blood droplet devices!

Yan Lin had no time for much else. Sweeping his eyes around, where was any trace of Jiang Xuening before that tombstone?!

Yet in the opposite forest, figures could vaguely be seen swiftly departing.

Today was a funeral matter to begin with, and outside Xinzhou City at that—who could have imagined that people would lie in ambush at this place without anyone knowing? Few in their group carried weapons. Military men were better at group combat, fighting with tactics. How could they compare in single combat to these vicious people who licked blood from blade edges in the jianghu? For a time, they couldn’t overcome them, helplessly delayed by this group’s entangling fight, watching the figures in the forest swiftly disappear!

“Ningning—”

Yan Lin’s eyes nearly split with rage. With one sword, he cleaved open the chest of the black-masked figure before him. Scalding fresh blood splattered across his body and face, yet he didn’t even wipe it once, forcing out a bloody path to pursue into the forest!

The entire burial ground momentarily became as wretched as hell.

Swords clashed, bodies mutilated.

Blood splattered.

A few drops fell down, landing on that brand-new tombstone erected today, also staining the page of paper gently resting atop it with mottled blood spots.

Xie Wei’s injuries had not healed. Following along, his steps had been somewhat hasty, inadvertently pulling at his wound. A faint trace of bright red seeped out at his waist and abdomen.

Seeing this scene, what did he not understand?

In this moment, he only felt that nothing else existed under heaven—only icy coldness, slaughter, and wind rising like blades!

He stepped over the corpses lying beneath his feet, walked through the flowing fresh blood, stood before that tombstone, picked up that page of paper, and slowly opened it.

It had been many years since he’d seen this handwriting.

In this letter, the writer didn’t address him as “Minister” but called him—Dujun!

“In this age of great strife, we gather in righteousness and rise; you originally received kindness, yet repaid it with enmity. Turn back from the sea of suffering, and you may still live. The twenty-second of the first month, Luoyang branch, awaits you alone. Bring more and you shall die!”

“Wanxiuzi…” His complexion was pale, yet he suddenly laughed once. However, the veins on the back of the hand holding that page faintly protruded. He slowly said, “I was just worried I couldn’t find you, yet you’ve delivered yourself to my door.”