After a pause, he continued: “You should understand that with our two thousand soldiers, it’s impossible to match the hundred thousand Sui troops in the city. So this is a strategy to seek victory through danger. Although I’ve been making arrangements all along, for you it’s undoubtedly a risk. If things don’t go as we expect, your life could be in danger at any moment. So think it through carefully – there’s still time now. I’ll come again tomorrow morning…”

Du Ruhui interrupted him: “No need. I can agree to it right now.”

“Good, then we’ll act according to plan.” Li Shimin wasn’t surprised by his answer. Without firm conviction and determination to die, Du Ruhui would never have appeared at Dragon Gate in the first place.

Yang Yunyi… Thinking of her again, he suddenly realized with shock that her voice, appearance, and smile were still deeply imprinted in his mind, unfaded by the passage of time. That farewell in the tenth year of the Daye era – he had thought it was their eternal parting, that they would never meet again. How could he have imagined that the assassin was actually the current dynasty’s princess, and that she was the one who saved him and his father from the heavenly prison?

When he married Wugou, someone had sent a pair of dragon and phoenix white jade pendants, saying they were a gift from an old friend in Luoyang. At the time he was completely puzzled, but now thinking about it, this old friend must undoubtedly have been Yunyi.

Ultimately, to him… was Yunyi a benefactor or an enemy?

He himself couldn’t say clearly, just as he couldn’t understand why he had agreed to Du Ruhui’s request to risk coming here to save someone. If he had no intention, even if Du Ruhui spoke with golden words, he couldn’t have been persuaded to come. Repaying a life debt was merely an excuse he used to convince himself.

Li Shimin vigorously rubbed his face, dispelling his chaotic thoughts, and said: “By the way, on our journey here, you still haven’t told me what the Princess looks like. If possible, draw me a picture so I don’t rescue the wrong person.”

Du Ruhui smiled: “No need. When you see the Princess, you’ll surely recognize her.” Under Li Shimin’s puzzled gaze, he continued: “Because the Princess looks exactly like Meixue.”

“Exactly the same?” Li Shimin said in surprise: “How is that possible? She clearly disguised herself as…” Halfway through his words, he suddenly stopped speaking. After a long silence, he said: “You mean that what I saw back then was always the Princess’s true appearance?”

Du Ruhui nodded: “Correct. This is also why when you met by Nine Provinces Pond, the Princess firmly refused to let you see her. Once you met face to face, you would know she was the assassin from back then.”

After calming his emotions somewhat, Li Shimin asked what puzzled him: “Why does the Princess resemble Meixue so closely?”

Du Ruhui shook his head: “I’m not clear either. Perhaps people simply resemble each other.”

On the sixth day of the ninth month, after several clear days, rain began falling from the sky. Rain at this season was already quite cold, bringing waves of chill when it struck the body. Yet even in this autumn rain, soldiers could still be seen on the streets pushing cart after cart.

Sima Dekan stood under the eaves, watching the continuous stream of carts being pushed past, and said to Pei Qiantong beside him: “From the looks of it, we should be able to depart before the end of the month.”

Pei Qiantong held up a simple oil-paper umbrella: “Calculating it, we’ve been away from Guanzhong for less than a year, yet it feels as if it’s been more than ten years. I really wish we could return to Guanzhong immediately.”

“Soon. Departing at month’s end, we should arrive around the end of October.” Sima Dekan said with emotion: “When we left, my mother was suffering from rheumatism and was bedridden all day. I wonder if she’s recovered now.”

On the way back to the mansion, Pei Qiantong suddenly said: “Brother Sima, do you think we made a mistake back then?”

Sima Dekan stopped in shock and stared at him. After a long while, he finally recovered and said in a low voice: “What, Brother Pei regrets killing Yang Guang?”

Pei Qiantong shook his head: “If Yang Guang hadn’t died, we would all have lost our heads. I’ve never regretted killing him. I’m referring to making Yuwen Huaji chancellor. He’s nothing but a puppet, yet after taking power, he points fingers at us.”

Mentioning Yuwen Huaji, Sima Dekan’s expression also turned unpleasant. Ever since becoming chancellor, the former had thought himself remarkable and treated them with cold indifference. He said coldly: “If not for Yuwen Zhiji, how could he be so arrogant?”

Pei Qiantong shook his head: “We risked our lives and did so much, yet all the credit went to those brothers. Thinking about it really makes one unwilling to accept it. These days I’ve been constantly thinking – could we have been deceived by the Yuwen brothers?”

Sima Dekan asked puzzledly: “What do you mean by that?”

“The person who originally incited us to rebel together was Yuwen Zhiji, and later, the first person to recommend Yuwen Huaji as commander was also Yuwen Zhiji’s man. Now thinking about it, perhaps those brothers had long intended to hold the world in their grasp, but relying on themselves alone was difficult, so they used us as chess pieces to help them seize everything from Yang Guang. Perhaps once we return to Luoyang, Yuwen Huaji will depose the Yang surname and declare himself emperor.”

Sima Dekan frowned: “According to Brother Pei’s words, wouldn’t we always have to remain subordinate to the Yuwen clan, letting them lord it over us? If so, how would it be different from when Yang Guang was alive?”

Pei Qiantong caught some cold rainwater in his hand and sighed: “It’s all because our thinking was too shallow back then. We only thought everyone was united in removing the tyrant and returning to Guanzhong, but forgot that some people have wolfish ambitions. Returning to Guanzhong isn’t enough – they still want to seize this Great Sui realm! If I’m not mistaken, the Yuwen brothers are already dissatisfied with us. Once we return to Luoyang, the first people they’ll deal with will be us!”

Sima Dekan was greatly alarmed, shaking his head repeatedly and murmuring: “This… this is impossible. They wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Pei Qiantong sneered: “Those brothers are so calculating – what wouldn’t they be capable of doing?”

Sima Dekan was left flustered by his words: “Then what do we do? Should we just sit and wait for death?”

Pei Qiantong turned the oil-paper umbrella in his hand, watching the scattered raindrops, and said calmly: “To survive, there’s only one path we can take.”

Sima Dekan’s eyelid twitched, and with a trembling voice he said: “You mean kill them?”

“Correct. This is our only way to live.” Faced with Pei Qiantong’s words, Sima Dekan said in panic: “But Yuwen Huaji holds great power. How can we two kill them?”

“You’re wrong.” Pei Qiantong’s lips curved slightly as he said coldly: “Those who want to kill them aren’t just us two, but also Cuiji, Zhao Xingshu, and Chen Botu.”

Sima Dekan’s face lit up with joy: “Brother Pei, are you telling the truth?”

“How could such a major matter be a joke?” Saying this, Pei Qiantong turned his head: “How about it, Brother Sima? Would you rather live not knowing when you’ll be killed, or fight once more to secure lasting peace and wealth for yourself?”

Sima Dekan gritted his teeth fiercely: “Since we’ve already done it once, we’re not afraid to do it a second time. Good! I’ll follow Brother Pei’s words – let’s fight once more!”