The man scrambled hastily to his feet and knelt once more before the masked man.

“Yes, yes, yes — First Prince, the fault is this humble one’s. This humble one should not have presumed to make such a suggestion.”

“First Prince, what should we do now? Miss Chen is pressing us as well, urging us to quickly find a way to remove the Mistress.”

“Which Miss Chen? Do we know her?” The masked man looked down coldly at the kneeling figure.

The kneeling man met the masked man’s gaze, froze for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

“Right, right — we do not know Miss Chen. Everything was her idea. It has nothing to do with us.”

“I also helped her plant the jade pendant. Whatever she does next is no longer any concern of mine.”

“First Prince, please be at ease. She does not know of your existence, First Prince. Whatever may come, I will bear it.”

The kneeling man raised his head and struck his own chest. “I will bear it. Even in death, I will not expose you.”

“Had First Prince not saved me back then, I would not have lived to see this day.”

“At the time, I believed First Prince had fallen in battle, so I fled from the Yuhe Kingdom. I never imagined you had been lying in wait all along within the Bei Mu Kingdom.”

“With First Prince here, our Yuhe Kingdom’s restoration has hope — hope at last!”

Even Tuoba Keyan himself had not expected that in his moment of helplessness, he would encounter an old subordinate within Nanman Fort.

In order to delay Feng Jiu’er’s progress, Tuoba Keyan had his man seek out Chen Xiaoyi.

Chen Xiaoyi was desperate to become Fort Mistress and equally desperate to eliminate the Liang family’s youngest daughter — whom she viewed as seducing the fort master — and so she had agreed to the collaboration without hesitation.

The result was the slaughter of over a dozen members of the Liang family in a single night.

“Once the treasure is found, restoration can begin.” The masked man raised his eyes to glance at the light filtering through the treetops and narrowed his gaze.

“Anyone in the Bei Mu Kingdom — apart from Jiu’er — you need not report to me before moving against them!”

“Yes.” The man nodded in response.

“My people are already searching in every direction. Affairs within the fort — I leave to you.” Tuoba Keyan gave the cold-voiced order.

“Yes, First Prince.” The man cupped his hands and rose from the ground.

The masked man swept his sleeve and vanished into the grove in the blink of an eye.

……

As nightfall descended, in one corner of Nanman Fort, a woman hurried into a narrow alley.

In the dim, pitch-black alley, a dark silhouette appeared to be waiting.

“What are you doing? You’ve been idle the entire day, and you still dare to summon me here?” The woman’s low voice rang out.

“I have already said — the fort master will not even allow anyone to lay a hand on that wretched woman. As long as she does not die, how am I to take her place?”

The dark silhouette, standing with its back turned, shifted to the side and held out a packet of medicinal powder.

“This is poison. Kill Xiao Nu.” The man’s voice was very low, clearly suppressed deliberately.

“What use is it to kill Xiao Nu?” The disguised woman took the powder. “I want that woman dead. If Xiao Nu dies, who will give testimony against that wretched woman?”

“If Xiao Nu is dead, can she no longer give testimony?” the man asked in a heavy tone.

The woman steadied herself; the frown between her brows slowly eased.

“You mean — let people suspect that the despicable woman had Xiao Nu killed to silence her, framing the Mistress for it?”

“Yes.” The dark-clad man nodded. “The matter must be done quickly. The longer it drags on, the more complications will arise. I still need you to assist with what comes next.”

“Very well. Once I have taken the position of Fort Mistress, your affairs will be my affairs.”

Leaving those words behind, the woman turned and departed.

In the pitch-black alley, the dark-clad, masked man turned, revealing only a pair of eyes filled with murderous intent.

Tuoba Keyan’s people were no ordinary individuals either. For dealings of this nature, who would willingly show their true face?

Deep within Nanman Fort’s dungeon, only a faint candlelight illuminated everything around.

The gloomy dungeon gave off intermittent wafts of musty air.

Just as on any other night, as darkness fell, someone came to deliver food.

A simply dressed woman, carrying a basket, walked into the dungeon.

Inside the dungeon, there were rows of small compartments separated from one another, with very few cells that held anyone.

The woman with the basket stopped in front of one of the cells and set the basket down at her feet. She raised her eyes slightly to peer inside.

Xiao Nu, seated on a pile of straw within, had empty, listless eyes. The person who had entered drew no reaction from her at all.

Having confirmed this was the person she sought, Chen Xiaoyi took the food out from the basket.

“Eat.”

To be absolutely certain, she had decided to act herself. Tonight, she would make sure to watch Xiao Nu die before her very eyes.

Xiao Nu remained frozen where she sat, completely unmoved.

Chen Xiaoyi furrowed her brow, gave a light cough, and her voice became somewhat clearer. “Do not be afraid. The Mistress will certainly find a way to save you.”

The moment those words fell, she lowered her head.

Hearing that the Mistress would save her, Xiao Nu stood up and walked over.

Chen Xiaoyi looked at Xiao Nu crouching down before her feet and let the corners of her mouth curl slightly.

As long as Xiao Nu was dead, everyone would suspect that the despicable woman had killed her to silence her. As long as Xiao Nu was dead, that despicable woman would not survive long either.

She had schemed and maneuvered to reach this point. The position of Fort Mistress — she was determined to have it.

Just as Xiao Nu grabbed the bun and raised it toward her mouth, a clatter of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside.

“Do not eat it! It’s poisoned!” Xiao Yingtao’s voice arrived before she did.

Xiao Nu’s eyes went wide. She turned her head to look outside, and the bun in her hand fell to the ground.

Chen Xiaoyi raised her eyes to look outside. Before she could even make out what was happening, she immediately lowered her head.

Outside, a group of people came striding in, with Feng Jiu’er and the fort master at the lead.

Worried that Xiao Nu had truly eaten the poisoned bun, Xiao Yingtao stepped past Feng Jiu’er and moved to the front.

She did not even glance at the person standing there — her gaze was locked firmly on Xiao Nu.

“Did you eat it? Did you actually eat it?” Still a full ten feet from Xiao Nu, Xiao Yingtao stopped and asked.

Xiao Nu looked at her pitifully and shook her head. Then she raised her eyes, and upon seeing who had come, she immediately backed up several steps.

“How… how could there be poison?” Chen Xiaoyi’s suppressed voice rang out.

Seemingly sensing the fort master’s presence, she was all the more incapable of raising her head.

“I do not know what you are all talking about. I…” Unwilling to linger, Chen Xiaoyi lowered her head and turned to walk out.

Xiao Yingtao stretched out her arms and blocked Chen Xiaoyi’s path. “You are the one who administered the poison — why are you leaving in such a hurry?”

“I did not…” Chen Xiaoyi shook her head vigorously.

“What exactly is going on?” The fort master came to stand before them, his voice low and heavy.

Hearing the fort master’s voice and confirming he had truly come, Chen Xiaoyi’s legs gave way and she sank to her knees.

“I… know nothing.”

She was still disguising her voice, because she could not yet think of any excuse to explain herself.

The fort master glanced at the person who had knelt down, then his gaze fell on the food inside the cell. He did not appear to have recognized Chen Xiaoyi.

Before the fort master could speak, Feng Jiu’er stepped forward. “Whether there is poison or not, a single test will reveal the truth.”