Chen Dachang had originally walked a few steps, but upon hearing this, he stopped and scratched his head: “I’m not going.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t like crowds.” He yawned, but remembering there was a beautiful woman before him, he covered his mouth with his hand. After days of rushing about, now that matters were settled, he felt somewhat drowsy.

Yu Haizhen’s eyes flickered in the distant lamplight: “What about the Xie family’s daughter?”

“She has family servants accompanying her, she’s very safe.” Tonight in Yinzi City, there wouldn’t be a safer place than the Xue family compound.

Yu Haizhen tilted her head, looking at him: “I also need to head back, and this dark path looks very unsafe.”

How many people in this city had fighting abilities higher than hers? If thieves jumped out to rob them, they would be the unfortunate ones. “You’re not watching the lanterns? They say the Queen has brought in the best theater troupe from within eight hundred li for tonight.”

Yu Haizhen pursed her lips into a smile: “The best scenes have already been performed, the rest aren’t worth watching.”

Chen Dachang also smiled: “I’ll escort you.”

The earth energy in Yinzi City was warmer than elsewhere. At this time, the lake water had not yet frozen, and the reeds along the shore had not been flattened by snow. The two strolled along the lakeside, their figures soon hidden by reeds over ten feet tall, only their voices carrying out.

“By the way, where’s Hu Tian?” That monkey would be the best bodyguard; why would she need him to protect her?

“With such festivities across the shore, how could it bear to miss them?”

Even monkeys are busy.

The Lantern Festival in Yinzi City remained lively until dawn the next day, when the common folk finally dispersed, satisfied.

The Queen had quietly withdrawn midway through.

After changing her outer garments and covering her face, she was just an ordinary girl now, with one person following behind.

She slipped out of the city gate toward the Thousand Stars Lodge in the southern suburbs—there was no curfew tonight anyway.

Relying on a special formation array, the small building was as warm as spring inside.

As soon as Feng Miaojun closed the door, the person behind her moved close, embracing her tightly: “It’s so cold outside!”

This was the man who had just been impersonating Yun Ya.

She pinched his face and pulled hard: “Still wearing this face?”

He cried out and buried his head in the crook of her neck. When he raised his head again, his features had changed, becoming exquisite and perfect.

Yun Ya.

“You still prefer my original appearance, don’t you?” he boasted shamelessly.

Feng Miaojun poked his shoulder: “What kind of person keeps a mask that looks exactly like their own face!”

Indeed, the one pretending to be Yun Ya at the Xue family compound was none other than himself.

The State Preceptor of the Wei Kingdom was not supposed to appear in this script; otherwise, the people of Yinzi City would surely rise against him. Originally, Feng Miaojun had wanted to find someone else to impersonate him, but at the time, this fellow had insisted: “Besides myself, who could imitate me well enough to fool that old man?”

The drama queen in him had emerged.

Yun Ya grinned: “Someone who plans.”

Feng Miaojun spat: “Your belly is full of schemes!”

He lifted her onto a huanghuali wood round table, beginning to remove her clothes while laughing: “Besides schemes, there’s something else, you’ll know soon enough.”

Getting more and more inappropriate! Feng Miaojun raised her leg to kick him, but he caught her by the hand, and removed her shoes and socks, exposing her lotus feet as white as snow.

He tickled her foot lightly, and she giggled, curling up her legs.

“Good, don’t move,” he took advantage of the moment to lift her skirt, then quickly lowered his head.

Feng Miaojun immediately let out a sharp cry.

The candlelight wavered, casting strange shadows of the two figures on the window paper.

In the glass flower room.

Feng Miaojun accepted a cup of hot tea from Yun Ya’s hands, taking a small sip, the blush on her cheeks not yet faded.

Through the almost transparent dome, one could see a full moon in the sky, bright and clear.

Yet under such moonlight, many people would lose their lives tonight. Feng Miaojun sighed.

Yun Ya sat down beside her: “You sigh from happiness?” From his angle, An’an’s eyelashes were dense, long, and curled, with crystal-clear eyes—those doe eyes that countless women envied.

A woman with such eyes had set up a trap that induced Grand Tutor Lu to confess his crimes before the public, causing the entire Lu family and the resistance forces in East and West Jiao to fall into irredeemable disaster.

This contradiction made him fall hopelessly in love with her.

Though she enjoyed peace here, though the common people were admiring lanterns and touring gardens in Yinzi City, presenting a harmonious scene, General Hong and his subordinates were already arresting the remaining Lu family partisans and other rebels throughout Yinzi City. Soon, this wave of arrests would extend to the entire East Jiao region.

The Queen of New Xia had spent over a month investigating them thoroughly, only unwilling to alert the enemy prematurely. Tonight, with the main culprit Lu having been brought to justice, the entire operation had reached the stage of closing the net and seeing results.

Of course, this would inevitably cause tremors throughout the New Xia court. “This time we’ve uprooted the Lu family, but who knows which family will emerge next.” There was no relief in her eyes. “As long as the Prince of Yan is willing to provide support, these Jiao people intent on restoring their country will continue to act.”

From the moment she took this country from the Jiao royal family, she knew she had taken a hot potato. Troubles came not only from external sources—not just from the Wei Kingdom, Jin Kingdom, and even New Xia—but also from the disloyalty of the Jiao people.

After all, most Jiao people were still unwilling to submit, and those with treacherous intentions like the Lu family could exploit opportunities to take action.

One Grand Tutor Lu had fallen, but who knew if there would be a second, third, or even an Nth ambitious schemer in the future?

“You are the beacon in their eyes. With your successful precedent of national restoration before them, they will surely follow one after another,” Yun Ya chuckled softly. “Unless you kill Miao Hansheng.”

These were intimate whispers between lovers, yet they carried an unusual killing intent. “Kill him, and these Jiao people will be scattered sand.”

Feng Miaojun fell silent. She knew Yun Ya’s words made sense; if it were him, he would undoubtedly do so without hesitation. Grand Tutor Lu had secretly plotted rebellion, preparing to raise the banner of supporting Miao and restoring the country, which was why he had sent people to abduct Miao Hansheng; this was his reliance, and also his fatal weakness, so when Yun Ya threatened with the child’s life, Grand Tutor Lu had to reveal everything.

His death or the Lu family’s demise didn’t matter much, but if Miao Hansheng died, the Jiao people would have no hope of uniting again for some time.

“If you can’t bring yourself to do it, let me handle it,” Yun Ya stroked her beautiful hair. “We should have set up a trap tonight to let him die at the hands of the Lu family. With countless witnesses at the scene, no one could blame you afterward.”

Feng Miaojun turned to stare at him. Moonlight poured down from above, outlining his handsome yet strange features.

His eyes gleamed in the darkness.

Yes, her lover was ruthless, acting only for results, never with excess compassion.

She snorted lightly: “Are you inciting me to kill a child less than three years old?”

“After today, who knows how many people will die across East Jiao. Compared to the stability gained, what does this one life matter?” Yun Ya lowered his head slightly, with an indescribable meaning in his smile. “His bloodline, his identity, is original sin.”