The intelligence from their contact was naturally for everyone to hear. Even if it was specifically given to him, Wei Zijue couldn’t object if He Zeyou wanted to collect it.

“Go quickly and return quickly,” he said in a low voice.

He Zeyou smiled and cupped his hands, but as soon as he turned around, the smile faded.

He had humbly said he was just helping with errands, yet this man took advantage, truly treating him like a common soldier. He was the dignified Ningyuan Marquis, with three times more troops under his command.

Snorting coldly, He Zeyou walked to the side, took the letter the soldier handed up, and read it by the nearby lamplight.

He hadn’t expected much, but reading it sobered him completely.

“My lord?” Seeing his expression, the soldier quickly asked, “Should I report to the Commander and Marshal?”

“No, no need.” He Zeyou’s hand trembled, and the letter caught fire from the candle flame.

As the flames rose, his expression gradually calmed: “Just some spies who infiltrated the city. Don’t disturb everyone’s celebration – I’ll take men to investigate.”

The soldier nodded, watched him leave quickly, then returned to the Marshal’s side.

Wei Zijue noticed his thoughtful expression and asked: “What news?”

“The Marquis said spies infiltrated the city, and he’s already taken men to investigate.” The soldier scratched his head. “But looking at the Marquis’s expression, it didn’t seem like such a small matter.”

Wei Zijue pressed his lips together, rose, and cupped his hands to the Marshal: “The Marquis has been drinking and might not handle things thoroughly. I’ll follow up to take a look.”

The Marshal was listening to pipa music and merely waved his hand: “Be careful.”

Wei Zijue bowed and took his leave.

As soon as he left the main tent, his trusted aide hurried over: “Commander, there’s a huge fire at the enemy camp across the river – it’s an excellent opportunity to attack. We wouldn’t need many men – just our unit sneaking over in the dark might succeed.”

Wei Zijue’s face darkened.

No wonder he ran so fast – He Zeyou was truly shameless enough.

“Ningyuan Marquis has already taken men over. If we go now, we’ll probably be too late.” He sighed.

His aide said angrily: “This intelligence was ours – how can he steal it?”

“Forget it.” Wei Zijue waved his hand. “Rest well – we can achieve merit on the next battlefield.”

His aide was unwilling: “We should still take troops to look. If they can’t win, we can help.”

“That would inevitably seem like stealing credit.”

“Commander, he stole from us first!”

Unable to refuse him, Wei Zijue still had someone inform the Marshal, then selected troops to leave the city.

He Zeyou’s horse ran swiftly in the wind, his face full of excitement at the prospect of great achievement.

Those small merits distributed earlier weren’t worth much, but if this venture succeeded, when he returned to Lin’an, he would truly be glorious. Then, whatever Liu Ruyi, whatever Deity Worship Street – as long as he requested rewards before the emperor, they would all be in his grasp.

His mouth split into a grin as he cracked his whip: “Hya—”

The horse leaped forward, but the pitch-black night around them suddenly became blindingly white, the dazzling light forcing him to rein in his horse and shield his eyes.

The thunderous hoofbeats and sounds of marching troops behind him vanished, as did the chirping of birds and insects in the mountain forests. He looked around in bewilderment, discovering he seemed to have fallen into some kind of trap – everything around him was empty and silent.

“What’s happening?” He anxiously gripped the reins, making his horse turn in circles.

What’s happening, what’s happening—

The voice echoed, making the confinement even more apparent.

He Zeyou panicked and spurred his horse forward, but the scenery around him showed no change whatsoever.

After galloping frantically for half an hour, he broke down, roaring: “Who wants to harm me?”

A distant light flickered, vaguely revealing a human figure.

Having someone there was good – he didn’t care who it was. He immediately spurred his horse over, calling out joyfully: “Hey, where is this—”

The last word was choked back in his throat by the gradually clarifying face before him. He Zeyou stared blankly at the person sitting there, somehow feeling his heart continuously sinking.

“Ruyi,” he murmured.

Liu Ruyi sat obediently ahead. Hearing him, she turned slightly and smiled at him.

In that instant, He Zeyou suddenly knew what had always felt wrong.

The former Liu Ruyi’s gaze when looking at him should have been like this – gentle, yearning, adoring, sparkling with light. But the latter Liu Ruyi was like someone who merely resembled her, with eyes full only of mockery and indifference.

This was the real Liu Ruyi – the one at Immortal Wine Tower was an impostor!

“Ruyi!” He dismounted joyfully and ran toward her, embracing her tightly: “I missed you so much.”

Liu Ruyi let him hold her, her expression serene and peaceful.

He Zeyou’s eyes moistened as he gripped her shoulders and looked down at her: “I knew it – how could you stop loving me? You’ll always be the person who loves me most in this world.”

He remembered when they had spent all their money and crouched together by the willow bank, watching the fish in the water while drooling. The person beside him, stomach growling, still smiled with bright eyes: “When we have money later, buy me a white immortal fish to eat.”

“Mm.” He had nodded solemnly then: “I’ll buy it for you.”

He seemed to have made Liu Ruyi many, many promises.

“I, He Zeyou, swear to heaven – if I betray you, may I be struck by lightning.”

“Ruyi, I won’t forget your kindness to me. Meeting in humble circumstances means we can accompany each other to white hair.”

“These shops are rented to me without rent? You fool, what if I get rich and don’t want you anymore?”

“Don’t cry – how could I not want you? He Zeyou’s greatest love in this life is Liu Ruyi. Once the marquis’ decree comes down, I’ll go to Liu Manor to propose.”

Scalding tears fell from his eyes onto her shoulder. He Zeyou felt inexplicably sad: “I’m sorry – I didn’t fulfill any of them.”

The person before him still smiled gently, shaking her head at him softly.

“You don’t blame me?” He Zeyou’s eyes brightened. “Then, when I return after achieving merit this time, I’ll marry you. Even if you can’t be the primary wife, I’ll love you doubly and make you the happiest in this world…”

Before finishing his words, he suddenly felt his heart turn cold.

A dagger was buried in his chest, its handle carved with lifelike magpie-on-branch patterns that seemed to carry the sound of birdsong.

He looked down blankly for a long time before his body crashed heavily to the ground.

“You…” Looking at the person before him, he had no time to say anything before everything went black.

Liu Ruyi finally spoke, her voice also gentle, drifting near and far: “This blade was always meant for your heart.”

“You’re the heartless, fickle one, and you’re the one who should die.”

“Now you don’t owe me anymore, and I can finally rest in peace.”

Mountain wind howled over, tearing apart the white haze around them. He suddenly heard the sounds of soldiers fighting again, and the distant commotion of camps burning. Heaven and earth became clear once more, but the pain in his chest remained.

A Great Xia soldier pulled the blade from his chest, blood spattering three feet high.

“Haha, I’ve achieved merit! I killed one of their great generals!” The soldier left in wild joy.

He reached out unwillingly but still couldn’t steady himself. His heavy body fell from the horse, crashing heavily into the yellow sand.