Li Jiancheng said coldly: “This person knows our secret and absolutely cannot be allowed to leave alive.” As he spoke, he drew a steel blade from Deputy General Fang’s waist and handed it to Jiang Yuan: “Finish him off.” Having Jiang Yuan do the deed would thoroughly bind him to his own boat.

Jiang Yuan’s hands trembled as he took the steel blade. Deputy General Fang had been following him for more than just a day or two. He truly didn’t want to personally transform him from a living, breathing person into a cold, lifeless corpse. But he understood in his heart that if Deputy General Fang didn’t die, then he would be the one to die. Neither Li Jiancheng nor that person in Chang’an would spare him.

“I’m sorry!” After saying this, Jiang Yuan closed his eyes tightly and swung the blade down with both hands gripping it. The blade met resistance but soon it disappeared, slicing through in one stroke. When he opened his eyes, Deputy General Fang was already separated from his head, the skull rolling to his feet. Those eyes were still wide open, full of resentment and unwillingness. Jiang Yuan only glanced once before turning his head away, not daring to look again.

Jiang Yuan threw down the steel blade and said somewhat frantically to Li Jiancheng: “Your Highness, what do we do now? Deputy General Fang, he…”

Li Jiancheng interrupted him: “Remember, you never saw Deputy General Fang, nor do you know where he went. You know nothing.”

Hearing this, how could Jiang Yuan not understand? He nodded repeatedly: “Your Highness is right. I never saw Deputy General Fang.”

Li Jiancheng tore a piece of cloth from Deputy General Fang’s corpse that wasn’t stained with blood and wiped away the blood splattered on Jiang Yuan’s armor: “After you return, send people to search everywhere for Deputy General Fang. After all, he’s your deputy general. If he disappears and you don’t look for him, it will surely arouse suspicion.”

Jiang Yuan’s lips had just moved when Li Jiancheng said: “Don’t worry, Yuanji and I will bury him and ensure no one discovers him. Also, you can take this opportunity to have the army rest here for the night. Prepare two sets of soldiers’ clothing—Yuanji and I will come find you at midnight, then disguise ourselves as soldiers under your command and enter Luoyang City with you.”

After Jiang Yuan noted down his words one by one, he said: “I understand. I’ll go now. Your Highness, please be careful.”

After he left, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji worked together to bury Deputy General Fang’s corpse and head several feet deep, then covered it with fallen leaves, making this spot look no different from anywhere else.

Not long after they finished this task, shouting voices rang out nearby. It seemed to be people Jiang Yuan had sent to “search for” Deputy General Fang. Li Jiancheng and his brother each found a hidden place to hide, waiting until the second watch before those people gradually dispersed.

At the fourth watch, when the soldiers were sleeping soundly, Li Jiancheng and his brother silently came to Jiang Yuan’s camp. The latter was waiting for them, and upon seeing them enter, immediately brought out two sets of soldiers’ clothing, transforming them into soldiers of the Luoyang army.

The next day, carrying the news that “Deputy General Fang has disappeared with whereabouts unknown,” Jiang Yuan led thirty thousand troops back to Luoyang City. The moment he stepped through Luoyang City’s gates, Li Jiancheng’s heart surged with excitement. He swore he would never miss this opportunity again and would definitely reclaim everything that belonged to him.

After settling the thirty thousand troops, Jiang Yuan came to the General’s Mansion. This was Wang Zhengfeng’s residence. Led by servants, he met the nearly fifty-year-old Wang Zhengfeng in the study. Upon seeing Jiang Yuan, Wang Zhengfeng immediately said without courtesy: “According to the letter you sent back the day before yesterday, you should have arrived yesterday evening. Why are you only arriving now?”

Jiang Yuan maintained surface respect: “In reply to the General, when we were resting ten li from the city last night, Deputy General Fang disappeared with unknown whereabouts. I was delayed by a day searching for him.”

“Deputy General Fang disappeared?” Wang Zhengfeng stood up in surprise: “What happened?”

Jiang Yuan met his gaze and said slowly: “I heard he was beheaded with a single stroke.”

“What?” Wang Zhengfeng’s face changed in shock. Just as he was about to question further, he suddenly realized something was wrong. Jiang Yuan had just said Deputy General Fang’s whereabouts were unknown, but now he was saying he was dead and even knew how he died.

Thinking of this, Wang Zhengfeng looked at Jiang Yuan with some suspicion: “Who killed Deputy General Fang?”

Jiang Yuan smiled slightly: “This matter isn’t urgent. Rather, I have two friends who have long admired the General and very much want to see him. I wonder if the General would give them this opportunity.”

Wang Zhengfeng ignored his words and only said: “I’m asking you a question. Answer me!”

Faced with his pressing questions, Jiang Yuan didn’t speak but simply raised his hand and clapped twice. Immediately, the study door was pushed open and two soldiers walked in. Because they had their backs to the sunlight, Wang Zhengfeng couldn’t see their faces clearly for a moment and could only shout: “Insolent! Who let you in? Get out immediately!”

“General Wang, do you truly not want to see us brothers?” This voice gave Wang Zhengfeng a sense of familiarity, but for a moment he couldn’t remember where he’d heard it. Only when they came within two feet did Wang Zhengfeng finally see their faces clearly. The next moment, he exclaimed in a voice that even he found strange: “It’s you?!”

Li Jiancheng smiled: “It seems General Wang has a good memory. After so many years, he still remembers us two brothers.”

“How are you here?” Just as the words left his mouth, Wang Zhengfeng realized something and glared at Jiang Yuan: “You brought them here?”

Though Jiang Yuan didn’t speak, how could Wang Zhengfeng not understand? He pointed at Jiang Yuan and shouted angrily: “What audacity! As a general of Great Tang, you actually collude with these two traitors! Do you know they nearly caused Chang’an to be taken by those Turkic dogs?”

Faced with his rebuke, Jiang Yuan felt no guilt. From the moment he decided to join Li Jiancheng, he had anticipated this: “His Highness the Crown Prince has life-saving grace toward me. I dare not fail to repay it!”

“What a fine ‘dare not fail to repay’!” Wang Zhengfeng gritted his teeth: “No need to say more. Deputy General Fang also died at your hands?”

Li Jiancheng smiled: “Deputy General Fang heard some things he shouldn’t have heard. Having no choice, we could only send him on his way. If it were General Wang, I imagine he would do the same.”

“Bah!” Wang Zhengfeng spat forcefully on the ground and said with disgust: “Don’t compare me to you people. You’re not worthy!”

Hearing him curse at them, Li Yuanji immediately glared with wide eyes and roared angrily: “Old fool, you…”

“Yuanji!” Li Jiancheng stopped him and said to Wang Zhengfeng: “General Wang’s loyal heart and righteous courage earn Jiancheng’s admiration, but… I’m sorry!” With these words, he drew a gleaming dagger from his sleeve and approached Wang Zhengfeng step by step. Seeing this scene, Wang Zhengfeng knew things were bad and retreated repeatedly, crying out in alarm: “What do you want to do?”