Wei Han sat atop his horse, his gaze cold and indifferent as he looked at the palace eunuch. “This humble prince listened carefully to the imperial edict you just proclaimed, and it did not forbid this humble prince from bringing his soldiers back.”

The eunuch, pinned by those dark, penetrating eyes, felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. Forcing himself to maintain his authority, he said, “But it also didn’t say Your Highness was permitted to bring soldiers back. Besides, there’s still fighting here. What if Your Highness takes so many men and it affects the battle situation?”

Wei Han’s gaze moved past the eunuch to rest on General Xu’s face as he declared in a clear voice, “Now that the enemy forces have suffered more than half casualties, the battle situation has reached its final stage. I trust General Xu will certainly return victorious.”

General Xu cupped his hands in salute. “Your Highness has worked hard.”

The eunuch, however, grew annoyed. “Your Highness, do you dare guarantee a certain great victory?”

Prince Kaiyang was completely disregarding him, the army supervisor!

Wei Han frowned as he looked toward the eunuch.

Eunuch army supervisors had always been more harmful than helpful, doing more damage than good. He had no idea what had gotten into His Majesty’s head to make such a terrible move.

Wei Han stared at the eunuch and asked coolly, “This humble prince is returning to the capital by imperial decree, yet you want this humble prince to guarantee the victory or defeat after you take over. Is that what you mean?”

The eunuch was stumped by the question.

If he nodded, would Prince Kaiyang fly off his horse with his blade drawn and cut him down?

“Furthermore, the thousand-odd men this humble prince is taking were my personal guard all along and were never part of the soldiers recruited for this campaign.” Having finished speaking, Wei Han couldn’t be bothered to waste more words. He called out loudly, “Depart!”

Watching as Wei Han led his personal guard away in grand fashion, the eunuch belatedly realized, “This is terrible! Prince Kaiyang left without handing over anything at all!”

The three generals—General Xu and the others—exchanged helpless glances but didn’t respond.

With such an army supervisor present, they mustn’t let him ruin this excellent situation they had.

A eunuch army supervisor represented His Majesty himself. If a truly major matter required a decision, even the commander-in-chief could only listen to the supervisor.

Listening to the eunuch’s endless stream of complaints, the three men simultaneously felt a trace of worry about the future arise in their hearts.

Wei Han led his personal guard toward the capital. After several days of travel, while encamped for rest, he quietly instructed Shi Huo, “Take a few men and go directly north. Stand ready for orders at any time.”

The north was where he had put down roots, where his familiar and loyal soldiers were.

Shi Huo clasped his fists in acknowledgment.

“Master, time to eat.” A personal guard brought over food with a cheerful smile. “We have meat soup today.”

Inside the clay pot was a piece of bone with meat, wild scallion flowers floating on the soup’s surface. Though it looked simple, being able to drink such a pot of meat soup while on the march was quite rare.

Wei Han gestured for the guard to set down the food, then picked up the soup pot and began eating it with flatbread.

Having been away from the capital for many days, his stomach still hadn’t gotten over its picky habits. Though picky it remained, his belly still needed filling.

Yet becoming accustomed to it was impossible. Whenever mealtime came, he would increasingly miss the capital, miss that person.

At this very moment in the capital, tremendous waves had already been stirred up because Grand Commander Luo’s entire family had fled the capital.

Minister Zhao walked out of the government office and unconsciously found his steps taking him to Qingxing Street, arriving before the doors of Youjian Wine House.

The wine house’s main doors were locked. In this dusk with the setting sun about to fall, it appeared all the more desolate. Only the green wine banner before the doors still fluttered in the wind—the wine house people had probably left too hastily and forgotten to take it down.

Minister Zhao couldn’t help but sigh, murmuring softly, “Everything was fine, so how did it come to this?”

Someone came to stand beside him.

Minister Zhao glanced sideways and discovered it was Lin Teng.

“Why did you come too?”

Lin Teng’s face was grave. “This subordinate came to keep Your Excellency company.”

Minister Zhao’s mouth twitched, filled with melancholy. “From now on, we’ll never again eat the food and wine from Youjian Wine House.”

Though Lin Teng felt distressed inside, he showed not a trace of it on his face, offering comfort instead. “Then Your Excellency’s purse will become fuller.”

Minister Zhao received not the slightest comfort from this and blew out his beard in annoyance. “At my age, carrying a bulging purse around would just weigh me down.”

What he lacked wasn’t money—it was good food!

“Lin Teng, haven’t you been frequently dealing with Miss Luo recently? Didn’t you notice anything unusual?”

Lin Teng looked deeply at Minister Zhao.

Minister Zhao was baffled by the look. “I’m asking you a question—why are you looking at me?”

Lin Teng fell silent for a moment, then asked calmly, “When Your Excellency went to Vice Minister Sun to inquire that day, did you truly discover nothing at all?”

Minister Zhao’s eyelid twitched.

What did this boy mean by asking that?

Standing before the wine house with its fluttering banner, Lin Teng no longer wanted to hide anything. “The case of missing women this subordinate has been investigating recently—I now know who did it.”

“Who?”

“Grand Commander Luo.”

Minister Zhao’s eyes tightened.

Actually, when Lin Teng had asked whether he’d discovered anything from Vice Minister Sun, a premonition had already formed in his heart.

Vice Minister Sun had mentioned that it was precisely Grand Commander Luo who had borrowed the household registry from the Ministry of Revenue.

Still, hearing Lin Teng say it aloud sent a great shock through his heart.

Lin Teng didn’t give the old minister much time to digest this, continuing, “It was His Majesty who ordered Grand Commander Luo to do this—”

Minister Zhao clapped a hand over Lin Teng’s mouth, half-dead with anger. “You crazy fool, have you lost your mind?”

Lin Teng’s face remained calm, allowing Minister Zhao to cover his mouth.

Minister Zhao awkwardly removed his hand and warned in a low voice, “Don’t speak nonsense!”

Lin Teng said flatly, “Your Excellency asked this subordinate if there was anything unusual about Miss Luo, did you not? His Majesty ordered Grand Commander Luo to kill women in the capital born in the seventh month of the wuchen year, on the seventh day at the hour of the rabbit. Miss Luo precisely fits these conditions.”

He paused, gazing at the tightly closed wine house. “Grand Commander Luo probably fled with his entire family because of this.”

Minister Zhao’s expression grew increasingly grim. “Enough, say no more!”

“Mm, I’ll say no more.” Lin Teng lowered his eyes, his tone flat.

Seeing him like this, Minister Zhao couldn’t help but sigh instead. “Don’t just stand here stupidly. Hurry home and eat.”

“Your Excellency should go first. This subordinate isn’t hungry yet.”

“Very well then.” Minister Zhao’s own mood was in disarray, and his departing steps were somewhat unsteady.

Lin Teng stood in place for a long while before saying quietly, “It’s better that they left.”

He turned around and discovered a young woman standing not far away.

“Miss Wang Er.” Lin Teng was somewhat surprised.

Miss Wang Er walked forward and curtsied to Lin Teng. “Minister Lin.”

“It’s so late—how does Miss Wang Er happen to be here?”

Miss Wang Er pressed her lips together and said softly, “Without realizing it, I walked here.”

Lin Teng fell silent.

Wasn’t he the same?

After a moment of silence, Miss Wang Er asked, “Minister Lin, is there… any news of my elder sister?”

Lin Teng shook his head slightly. “My apologies.”

Miss Wang Er’s eyes dimmed, her eyelashes trembling lightly. “If there is news of my elder sister, please be certain to inform me, Minister Lin.”

“I will.”

“I take my leave.” Miss Wang Er turned and walked forward, tears quietly falling.

Her family would soon be leaving the capital. Would she never receive news of her elder sister?

The sky had turned completely dark. The surrounding wine houses and teahouses remained as lively as ever, but the wine house before them had not a single light.

Lin Teng silently left Qingxing Street.