Ling Buyi leaped down with agile grace. On the stone steps with only a few inches remaining, he lightly pushed off, his long arm catching Shaoshang’s wrist and drawing her into his embrace with the momentum, holding the girl tight in a death grip that would never let go. Shaoshang felt the arms encircling her body hard as iron, gripping until her bones ached, as if she were being forcibly embedded within.

The four guards above didn’t have time to cry out when, with a crack, a huge, heavy stone door dropped from the top of the original entrance, cleanly cutting them off from outside. The dungeon was plunged into darkness again. Shaoshang felt her entire body suspended in air—aside from this warm, solid male body pressed against her, there was nothing else to rely on.

Ling Buyi had earlier spotted a slightly protruding stone on the cavity’s wall below. So relying on memory, as they fell he extended his palm to catch this stone. With his tall height and long legs, he immediately felt his toes seemingly able to touch the ground. Seeing the cavity above about to close again, he could only release that stone. The moment his toes touched ground, he realized beneath wasn’t flat ground but an extremely steep giant slope. Unable to check their momentum, they could only roll down the incline.

Ling Buyi had no other recourse. He pulled the girl as much as possible into the enclosure of his own body. He knew the most correct posture at this moment should be to curl up completely, using his arms to protect his head. But at this moment he had no other wish—he only hoped the girl wouldn’t be injured.

The two rolled in dizzying confusion—head, shoulders, back, legs—struck countless times by the hard stone walls. Ling Buyi suddenly noticed the girl extending her arms from his embrace to cover something soft over his head. He immediately understood this was the doeskin shawl Shaoshang wore today. The thick, warm fur touched his cheeks, and he couldn’t help but smile.

The slope was extremely steep and endlessly long. With not half a sliver of light around them, the bone-deep darkness made one feel as if in hell. Aside from each other’s heartbeats in their chests, they could hear nothing else, yet Ling Buyi felt incomparably at ease.

He no longer needed to worry about unreported blood vengeance, no longer felt guilty about hiding monstrous secrets from his beloved, and most importantly, he never again had to fear losing her.

Not knowing how long they tumbled, the two landed on bright, flat ground in this strange position. The enormous inertia made them roll several more circles before steadying. When they stopped, Ling Buyi was cushioning below.

Shaoshang, hair disheveled, pushed her head up from his chest, saying with difficulty: “…Lord Ling Buyi, Marquis Gaoyong, in the future if I do something foolish again, don’t worry about niceties—just directly say ‘idiots are forbidden to go’ and that will suffice, alright?”

Her life wasn’t long, but she’d already experienced many exciting episodes like bandit pursuits, assassin sieges, and palace intrigues. But heaven and earth as witnesses, she’d truly never encountered such ingeniously crafted mechanisms and secret passages. How could she have known that what looked like very solid dungeon stone flooring would suddenly disappear!

Ling Buyi’s eyes sparkled with laughter, the trembling of his chest transmitting to the girl’s palm. He said in a low voice: “From now on, call me A’Zhen.”

Though not knowing their safety or fate, looking at these handsome eyes deep brown as crystal, Shaoshang feared nothing. She smiled carelessly: “Mm, A’Zhen… but how did you become foolish too, actually jumping down?”

Ling Buyi chuckled low: “We’re both foolish—isn’t that quite good? Well-matched.” He’d done many foolish things for her—later he’d tell her one by one.

The two gazed at each other with tender, lingering smiles. Even situated deep underground in darkness and dampness, they felt joy and contentment. Then an extremely mood-killing cough sounded from the side. The two had no choice but to turn their heads to look.

—Who else could it be but Yuan Shen and Liangqiu Fei and the guards who’d just fallen?

The guards were fine—after all, they practiced martial arts and had no problem protecting themselves. However, Yuan Shen was rather miserable. Imprisoned until his hands and feet were weak, he also dragged a heavy iron chain. Rolling down, he’d crashed east and bumped west—not only splitting his forehead bloody, his left arm seemed broken. A guard was using cloth strips and a scabbard to set his arm.

They’d landed ahead of the Ling-Cheng pair. Not long after lighting torches with flint, the Ling-Cheng pair rolled down, then embraced while exchanging sweet words as if no one else existed. Yuan Shen, both injured and angry, could only watch helplessly with blazing eyes.

Liangqiu Fei and several guards wanted to look but didn’t quite dare, all feeling awkward and embarrassed.

Shaoshang felt somewhat embarrassed, making conversation: “Hey, um, Young Master Yuan, are you alright?” Ling Buyi nonchalantly pulled Shaoshang to her feet, saying briefly: “Seems everyone is fine.”

Yuan Shen cradled his split forehead, looking at his agonizing arm, nearly choking with frustration.

Upon standing, Shaoshang discovered a tangle of thin cord in her sleeve pocket. Touching its texture, she knew this was the strange cord Ling Buyi normally wound around his sleeves. It should have loosened when Ling Buyi came to grab her, falling straight into her open sleeve pocket.

She wanted to ask what this cord actually was, but thinking of the current emergency, she set it aside for now.

Ling Buyi gripped Shaoshang tightly, habitually shielding her behind himself. Shaoshang frowned, saying softly: “Did you smell a certain…” putrid odor, “like something rotting?”

Ling Buyi nodded. He not only smelled it but was very familiar with this kind of odor, though at this moment he didn’t wish to frighten the girl.

Liangqiu Fei and others held torches to light the oil lamps on the surrounding stone walls. But before walking a few steps, they heard that familiar clicking sound again. An extremely huge piled stone dropped at the slope opening they’d just rolled down, instantly blocking the entrance and cutting off the return path. Simultaneously, the surrounding stone walls, as if licked by fire serpents, lit up the oil lamps embedded in the stone walls one by one.

Everyone saw clearly the surrounding situation and sucked in a cold breath. Earlier, because only one corner was lit, everyone thought this was just an ordinary stone chamber. Who knew that once the lamps brightened, they discovered this was actually a spacious, enormous underground palace!

The palace presented a rectangular structure, with an area half as large as Changqiu Palace’s main hall. The dome overhead was at least five or six zhang from the ground, supported by eight thick beam pillars. Ling Buyi surveyed this not-too-large, not-too-small underground palace, his expression exceptionally grave—especially seeing the scattered weapons and bedding on the ground, he seemed to think of something.

A guard suddenly cried out: “Young Master, look over there!”

Everyone followed his arm’s direction to look at a protruding corner of the palace—corpses, actually a small mountain of corpses. The putrid smell from earlier came from here.

Shaoshang felt her hands and feet begin to tremble. She’d never seen so many corpses in her life—skin dark gray, limbs rigid, congealed dark red blood clots everywhere in large masses. Everyone felt their backs run cold, as if truly arriving at the underworld. Only Ling Buyi remained calm as always, sternly rebuking: “What’s to fear? Dead people are always easier to handle than living ones. Let’s go take a look.”

Liangqiu Fei straightened his chest, leading the way with another guard. Shaoshang cowered behind Ling Buyi, following step by step. Everyone came before the mountain of corpses—there were at least one to two hundred. Shaoshang smelled the increasingly intense putrid odor, nearly suffocating. Ling Buyi could only pull her back some distance.

“Young Master Yuan, you, what’s wrong with you…” The guard supporting Yuan Shen suddenly cried out in alarm.

Shaoshang hadn’t fainted, but Yuan Shen nearly did. He barely maintained consciousness, saying tearfully: “These, these are my household… my household retainers.”

Shaoshang and Ling Buyi exchanged glances. So the Yuan family men and horses were all here—no wonder they couldn’t be found outside.

Yuan Shen, disregarding the putrid smell, trembled as he rushed forward, touching the familiar blue and white striped Yuan clan guard robes. He shed tears: “I’m the one who told them to surrender! We were lured into that forest with both advance and retreat cut off. I thought rather than have everyone fight to death, better to surrender and preserve lives… Tian Shuo actually slaughtered those who surrendered?! Tian Shuo actually killed them all…”

Underground in darkness and cold, these corpses still preserved their living expressions—angry, violent, fierce faces seemingly telling of the tragedy of being slaughtered after disarming.

Yuan Shen saw a familiar deceased face—bearded, dark-faced, eyes wide with fury. He finally couldn’t hold back, crying out in anguish: “Master Wu, Master Wu, I harmed you, I harmed everyone!”

Shaoshang saw that corpse’s face from afar, saying softly: “This person is the head guard of the Yuan estate, who protected Yuan Shen growing up and even taught him archery and horsemanship.” Because Governor Yuan spent years away from his son, and Lady Liang as a mother was like having none, this loyal, generous head guard was almost like both teacher and father to Yuan Shen.

Facing such human tragedy, a young guard first sighed, then muttered: “Brother A’Fei, our young master would never make such a mistake.” Surrendering also depends on who you’re facing, okay! Surrendering casually is like meeting Bai Qi at the Battle of Changping, or Zhang Han’s great army falling into Xiang Yu’s hands—how many were buried alive?

Liangqiu Fei forcefully bumped him, signaling him to shut up.

Actually, Yuan Shen’s intelligence and strategy weren’t inferior to Ling Buyi’s. One could see from how he could pull threads from cocoons, finding doubts where there were no signs, following barely detectable flaws to locate Gongsun Xian’s son hidden for over a decade—this showed his meticulous care and resourceful planning.

His difference from Ling Buyi wasn’t just experience in handling affairs, but maturity in conducting oneself in the world—a painful realization that could only be gained by stumbling and tumbling, rolling once through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

If the same matter had been Ling Buyi, he absolutely wouldn’t have acted alone concealing everything from relatives and superiors just for face. At minimum, Governor Liang must be notified.

This fall was extremely painful for Yuan Shen, waking him from refined, elegant scholarly pursuits. Hereafter he would know that occupying high position concerns the safety of how many people—any slight error in command means ten thousand people dying without burial places.

Yuan Shen’s soft weeping echoed through the underground palace. Shaoshang looked at the corpse pile with its horrifying death states, trembling lightly. Ling Buyi guided her hand to touch three round objects hidden in his waist pouch, then said softly: “Don’t worry. With me here, I can definitely protect you out.”

Shaoshang felt what those objects were, her large eyes widening completely round, her heart settling by half.

Ling Buyi pulled Shaoshang to walk a few steps toward open space, calling out loudly: “Since matters have reached this point and we’ve all fallen into the lady’s palm, why doesn’t the lady show herself for a meeting?”

“Lady?” Shaoshang was stunned, lowering her voice. “Are you mistaken? Shouldn’t it be fortress master Li Kuo plotting against us? This person still hasn’t been found.”

Ling Buyi lowered his head: “I shot Li Kuo with an arrow in a vital spot—he won’t last long. Moreover, this person is violent and crude. The current unhurried, methodical measures don’t resemble his style of conduct. Do you remember what we saw in Lady Li’s inner quarters earlier? Those dead maidservants all had joyful expressions, smiling faces—does this look like heroic martyrdom?”

Shaoshang recalled, saying slowly: “You’re right. They looked like they’d gathered in the room drinking and playing, unknowingly consuming poisoned wine—this poison should have been painless.”

“And Lady Li’s corpse—the woman who died on the bed wasn’t Lady Li. Do you remember her fingers?”

Shaoshang said: “I remember. Those hands were soft and clean, white and tender, without traces of labor. They shouldn’t be a maid’s disguise.”

Ling Buyi said: “It’s precisely because they’re too clean that they’re suspicious—it’s not necessarily only the lady who’d have such hands. In great households, the lady’s close-serving maids also wouldn’t labor much. More importantly, in the room was a precious antique zither used for many years, yet those dead woman’s fingers had not half a callus from playing the instrument.” Even if one could wear tortoiseshell finger protectors when plucking strings, pressing the strings was best done with one’s own fingertips.

If Shaoshang were a proper great family noble daughter, she should also have noticed that female corpse’s hand abnormalities. Unfortunately, Shaoshang was half a fake, never having received comprehensive noble lady education. Hearing Ling Buyi’s analysis, her face showed some embarrassment.

The clicking of mechanisms sounded again behind the stone wall. Opposite everyone, a one-foot-square small window suddenly opened in the stone wall, then a head poked out—everyone looked together.

This person’s face was fierce. A pair of messy thick eyebrows resembled two ghost-head blades, falling straight to the temples. According to Cheng Shaogong’s method, such physiognomy belonged to fate carrying calamity, afflicting relatives—this person was precisely Fortress Master Li Kuo whom everyone had seen on the city wall.

Shaoshang glanced teasingly at Ling Buyi, as if saying ‘you’ve guessed wrong too.’

Ling Buyi stared intently at the window, brow furrowing as if seeing something, quickly pulling Shaoshang back several steps.

Shaoshang didn’t understand. Looking again at Li Kuo, she saw his eyeballs protruding, pupils fixed and hollow, whites filled with bloodshot veins. His face showed neither expression nor emotion, even carrying a peculiar eeriness. She just opened her mouth: “Fortress Master Li…”

Before finishing, this head flew through the air! Shaoshang’s voice stopped abruptly.

No body, no hands or feet—just this solitary head rolling on the ground, finally stopping to reveal a terrifying face with eyes wide in death. If not for Ling Buyi pulling Shaoshang back several steps earlier, this strange, terrifying head would have landed at her feet.

A chill shot straight through Shaoshang. Ling Buyi felt the girl’s trembling, saying angrily: “For over a decade I’ve seen countless dead—can the lady’s little tricks frighten anyone?!”

Yuan Shen stood behind the corpse pile, shouting angrily: “If you have ability, come out! What kind of thing skulks around sneakily!”

From behind the stone wall came a woman’s cultured laughter: “Just a small trick, gentlemen don’t be angry… Young Master Yuan, thanks to you, otherwise I couldn’t have netted everyone at once. I didn’t waste my painstaking effort saving your life from Tian Shuo’s hands.”

Hearing this seemingly familiar voice, Shaoshang blurted out: “Wang Yanji! You’re Wang Yanji!”

A refined, dignified young matron in gorgeous clothing slowly appeared behind the small stone window, her countenance calm and pure—precisely Wang Yanji whom they hadn’t seen in six years, wife of the deceased Lou family second young master, Lou Bing!

Several guards still didn’t understand, but the three—Ling, Yuan, and Cheng—immediately understood completely. Yuan Shen and Shaoshang were momentarily dumbstruck. Ling Buyi rapidly thought through escape methods, then turned his head to give Liangqiu Fei a meaningful look.

Yuan Shen walked out from behind the corpse mountain, blood and energy churning in his chest: “Wang Yanji! All this, everything—how long have you been plotting?”

Wang Yanji stared at the three of them, saying coldly: “From the moment my late husband Lou Ziwei took his own life.” In her heart, Li Kuo clearly didn’t count as her husband.

Ling Buyi said gravely: “Did you kill the Lou Jing couple?”

Wang Yanji said: “Correct. I sent people disguised as bandits to intercept and kill that base woman—three cuts, six holes, slowly bleeding out. That hypocrite Lou Jing, I bribed servants attending him to poison him—pity Gongsun Xian feared exposing the trail and refused to lend me the poison he used to kill Zhang’s wife. I could only let Lou Jing die comfortably.”

Shaoshang couldn’t believe it: “To avenge Lou Bing, you not only colluded with Gongsun Xian but even married… married Li Kuo…! And Lou Yan! You feared she’d recognize you, so you pretended to be frail and sickly, refusing to appear before people much! The few times you went out to banquets, you had maids impersonate you!”

“Correct.” Wang Yanji didn’t deny it at all.

Shaoshang’s forehead swelled: “Right, and Luo Jitong—could she also have been killed by you? Why kill her? You wanted to kill me! No, wait—why kill me? I’m not the one who caused Lou Bing’s death!”

Wang Yanji’s eyes turned red, saying sternly: “You dare say it has nothing to do with you?! Ziwei was stunningly talented, yet the Lou Jing couple, jealous of the worthy and able, suppressed him everywhere. He had no choice but to take desperate risks, yet you all held on tight, refusing to let him go!”

Shaoshang was frightened back a step by her resentful gaze. Ling Buyi said: “I’m the one who insisted on investigating Lou Bing. Minister Yuan compared Lou Bing’s handwriting. It truly has nothing to do with Shaoshang.”

Shaoshang ungraciously patted him. Ling Buyi took the opportunity to stagger several steps to the side, leaving Wang Yanji’s line of sight, then quickly handed his waist pouch to Liangqiu Fei who’d just hidden behind a pillar—just an instant, and he stood back beside Shaoshang.

Shaoshang’s pupils contracted, yet she maintained that coquettish appearance. The other guards acted as if they’d seen nothing, while Yuan Shen was busy being agitated and truly hadn’t noticed.

“Lou Bing framed and deceived, deceiving the sovereign and committing heinous crimes including slaughtering the entire household of Tongniu County’s magistrate—his death was well-deserved!” Yuan Shen said resentfully. “For such a person you act perversely against righteousness—don’t you care about your entire Wang family’s fate?!”

Wang Yanji said calmly: “Whether Ziwei was loyal minister and good general, or rebel traitor; whether after death he ranks among immortals or descends to the eighteenth level of hell—he’s my most beloved person, my flesh and blood, my life. You harmed him to death, making my life worse than death. No matter how great your power and influence, I’ll settle accounts one by one.”

“You, you…!” Yuan Shen was so angry his lips trembled, qi choking. He knew it, he knew it—his entire life clashed with people ‘deeply in love till death do them part’! He was so angry he could barely stand, only able to lean against a nearby palace pillar gasping.

Shaoshang and Ling Buyi exchanged glances, understanding they needed to delay for time.

Ling Buyi asked first: “Did Li Kuo also plot rebellion with you?”

Wang Yanji said disdainfully: “He’s just an easily angered, easily deceived fool. Liang Wuji strictly enforced the land survey decree, making him extremely unhappy. Tian Shuo and I instigated a few sentences and he flew into a rage, agreeing to everything.”

Shaoshang raised her voice: “That’s not right. Lou Bing died six years ago, but Gongsun Xian placed his son over a decade ago. Could he have predicted the future?”

Wang Yanji said proudly: “Ziwei had wide social connections, news from all directions. He’d long discovered Gongsun Xian secretly sent his son to the Central Plains. He originally wanted to use this to threaten Gongsun Xian when the court征蜀—征Shu, then could establish great merit. Who knew… hmph hmph…!”

Shaoshang was puzzled: “Since Young Master Lou knew the court would conquer Shu after several years, establishing merit then would be the same.”

“What do you know?!” Wang Yanji shrilled. “Ziwei was proud and arrogant, unwilling to be someone’s vanguard. Though he predicted the court would certainly conquer Shu after several years, he suffered from lacking power and influence, unable to display his talents. That’s why he set up plans early, wanting to secure a position in court!”

“Fine, fine, fine—your son-in-law was heaven-sent talent, while the entire court was blind to jade and gold, alright?” Shaoshang said helplessly. “I have one doubt. How exactly did Gongsun Xian get his son into the Tian family estate? Please, Lady, enlighten me generously.”

Wang Yanji laughed coldly: “How is that difficult? Old Fortress Master Tian had a concubine of lowly birth. After several years when beauty faded and love cooled, the old fortress master rarely went to see her and her son. Later that concubine’s son died of illness, so Gongsun Xian substituted his own son of similar age. That concubine had long since lost favor and feared that with her son dead she’d have no prospects, so she agreed to raise Tian Shuo.”

“At first, Gongsun Xian only wanted to find a secure hiding place for his son. However, eight years ago when His Majesty pacified Longxi, Gongsun Xian knew the court’s momentum to unify the realm was set—Shu couldn’t be preserved. So he had Old Fortress Master Tian’s sons die one by one ‘due to circumstances.’ When the old fortress master’s last son fell from a horse and died, he had no choice but to take back that concubine’s son. Yes, that’s Tian Shuo.”

“The Tian family is too unlucky!” Shaoshang exclaimed. “Then how did Luo Jitong die?”

Wang Yanji suddenly smiled darkly: “I know you want to delay time, but I can tell you—this underground palace was built by pre-Qin craftsmen with precise, solid construction. Each layer is covered with two feet of stone slabs. The passage you just rolled down has been sealed by giant stones. People outside wanting to enter will need at least half a day of excavation.”

Shaoshang somewhat disbelieved. Ling Buyi however said: “Correct. This underground palace is about five or six zhang tall, yet the height we just rolled down exceeds ten zhang. If my guess is correct, above our heads is another layer of the underground palace. Is that not so?”

Wang Yanji clapped in praise: “Worthy of being ranked among important ministers at such a young age—truly living up to your reputation. Correct, we’re currently in the second level of the underground palace. Above is a magnificent palace three times this size.”

A flash crossed Ling Buyi’s eyes: “Three times? Such a large place, plus here, could contain over a thousand people.”

Wang Yanji laughed loudly: “You guessed correctly—five hundred death warriors, one thousand able fighters—all trusted subordinates Gongsun Xian raised for years, originally his and his son’s capital for comeback!”

“Where have all these people gone!” Ling Buyi stepped forward.

Wang Yanji said lightly: “Before you die, I’ll tell you.”

At this moment Shaoshang smelled a faint fire oil scent. Following the smell to search, she discovered in the dome’s northeast section hung an inverted Black Tortoise statue. At some point, a thumb-sized opening appeared in its mouth, slowly flowing thick black liquid.

Yuan Shen also saw it, crying out in alarm: “You want to burn us alive!”

Wang Yanji laughed heartily: “Don’t worry—this fire oil needs to flow for a while. We can still talk for a time.”

“Knowing I’d die here, at least let me first fulfill Her Majesty’s dying wish!” Shaoshang leaned weakly against a palace pillar, her face showing half-real, half-fake regret.

Wang Yanji said coldly: “You should thank Empress Dowager Xuan. If not for her timely passing, the one who’d have died would be your eldest aunt.”

Shaoshang was stunned: “Wha, what does this have to do with my eldest aunt?”

Wang Yanji said slowly: “Ling and Yuan—one holds high position and great power surrounded by heavy troops; the other born precious, preceded and followed by crowds. How should I seek revenge on them? I could only work through you, using you as bait. I don’t fear those two won’t come. But you’re either in the deep palace or hiding at home—I had no way to strike. But if your eldest aunt passed away, I could then bribe some Confucian scholars to sing high moral tunes, instigating your whole family to escort the coffin home for filial mourning. Wouldn’t there be opportunities on the road? Who knew…”

“Who knew Empress Dowager Xuan passed away first.” Shaoshang said dumbly. “She also left a dying wish for me to visit her hometown, then my eldest aunt recovered.” No wonder Mother Cheng with such good health suddenly fell ill, even calling her children to her bedside, then suddenly recovered. “Such formidable scheming—I almost admire you.”

Wang Yanji said: “I sent people to learn your itinerary from Lou Yan. Originally I also planned to wait for your return journey, striking when passing Yao County, then slowly dealing with you. Who knew man’s plans can’t match heaven’s…”

She laughed with satisfaction: “But this is even better—all three of you are now in my hands, for me to kill and flay as I please!”

“Since heaven fulfills wishes, why not let me show mercy?” Wang Yanji’s face showed cruel smiling intent. “Cheng Shaoshang, among you three I’m willing to release one person. You say, whom should I release?”

Shaoshang sighed. Really? Such an old trick— “Release anyone.” She was listless.

Wang Yanji’s face turned cold: “Have you thought this through? Shortly I’ll give an order and this palace will become a sea of flames—you’ll all burn alive!”

Shaoshang smiled slightly: “I’m telling the truth. If you release me, Lord Huo will certainly be happy. If you release Lord Huo, then I’ll be perfectly content. If you release Young Master Yuan, then Lord Huo and I will be together in life and death—no matter what, all are good. You decide.”

Yuan Shen looked up, ungraciously twisting his mouth corners.

Ling Buyi chuckled softly. Only the girl’s playful cleverness could turn such a difficult life-and-death choice into a joke.

Shaoshang turned her head, sweetly smiling to claim credit: “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Right.” Ling Buyi touched her head, eyes full of indulgence. “Nothing you say is ever wrong.”

Wang Yanji’s first plan failing, her face frosted over: “Fine, then I’ll change the question. If I wanted you to kill one person to exchange another’s life, whom would you choose?”

Yuan Shen immediately sat on the ground—nonsense, of course the girl wouldn’t choose him, otherwise he wouldn’t have had the engagement broken! Five years of effort wasted—thinking about it still hurt! Well, at least he’d experienced true love once.

Ling Buyi stood with lowered eyes, one hand supporting a palace pillar, the other slightly clenching.

Shaoshang seemed not to think at all: “Naturally Lord Huo.”

Wang Yanji was somewhat surprised: “You’re quite heartless—aren’t you afraid of hurting Young Master Yuan?”

“Young Master Yuan is my good friend. Since breaking the engagement, I’d originally planned not to see him again for twenty or thirty years. Thanks to the lady’s blessing, I saw him again so soon. Because I was anxious to know his safety, I dragged Lord Huo down—I believe this already counts as fulfilling a close friend’s obligation.”

Wang Yanji was momentarily speechless.

Shaoshang said calmly: “However, people always have near and distant relationships. If I’d known there was the lady’s trap here, I absolutely wouldn’t have let Lord Huo come along no matter what.”

Ling Buyi smiled at her, his entire body seeming to emit joyful radiance.

Wang Yanji, seeing their affectionate entanglement, grew increasingly angry: “You…”

“Have you said enough?” Ling Buyi coldly interrupted her. “If you’ve said enough, let me say two sentences. See if what I say is right or not. When I finish, the lady can about light the fire.”

Wang Yanji looked at the area formed by fire oil flowing to the ground, snorting coldly.

“The lady just said man’s plans can’t match heaven’s—this is correct. But no matter how thoroughly the lady plotted, you didn’t expect to encounter accidents one after another.” Ling Buyi clasped both hands behind his back, walking forward several steps with steady pace.

“The first accident was Minister Yuan. The lady didn’t expect him to stumble upon the Tian family estate. To avoid alerting the enemy and ruining your grand plan, you used schemes to lure Yuan Shen’s party into deep forest, silently annihilating them.”

Yuan Shen turned his face away, not letting others see the tears on his face.

“The second accident was Luo Jitong. This accident was even more fatal, directly disrupting the lady’s plans—if Luo Jitong succeeded, either Shaoshang died at Luo Jitong’s hands and the lady couldn’t use Shaoshang to lure me; or Shaoshang escaped but became a startled bird, hiding back in Anguo Commandery or the provincial governor’s seat, waiting until matters were investigated before departing.”

“At this time the lady heard I’d also come. So going all-in, you had Tian Shuo send out Shu death warriors to slaughter Luo Jitong’s party by night, deliberately leaving traces of Gongsun remnants. I grew suspicious and would naturally follow the trail all the way to Yao County.”

Wang Yanji laughed coldly continuously, saying nothing. But Shaoshang, watching her expression, guessed Ling Buyi had hit the mark.

“The entire matter’s mastermind is you and Tian Shuo, but you two have different purposes. You seek revenge. You need the Gongsun father and son’s connections and influence. Tian Shuo wants to overturn heaven and earth, fish in troubled waters. He needs you to plot for him—especially after Gongsun Xian died, Tian Shuo lost his backbone. After this, you lured Shu Commandery’s defending general Shi Xin to rebel, incited local powerful clans to resist the land survey decree, sought opportunities to harm the Crown Prince—each link interlocking seamlessly. Truly excellent plotting…” Ling Buyi said.

Wang Yanji said coldly: “I never said I’d harm the Crown Prince. This is all your own guessing.”

Ling Buyi smiled unconcernedly: “You just said you originally planned to strike when Shaoshang returned passing through Yao County, when you could slowly deal with her—what gives you the confidence to slowly deal with her? If she disappeared, Lou Yao would certainly seek help everywhere. Forget His Majesty and Her Majesty—even Governor Liang and Lady Qu wouldn’t stand by. Your background would certainly be exposed.”

“You said that because by then Yuzhou would already be in chaos. What chaos could make even Governor Liang unable to spare attention?” Ling Buyi stared at Wang Yanji’s expression. “Someone beside the Crown Prince is informing you, correct?”

Wang Yanji’s chest heaved, expression changing: “…I don’t know!”

“At first I also wondered how you could lure the Crown Prince into the trap. Later I figured it out—actually it’s not that difficult.”

Ling Buyi pressed step by step: “The Crown Prince brought several hundred guards along. You only needed to bribe a few among them to report on schedule, then you’d know the Crown Prince’s movements. What does the Crown Prince’s incognito inspection seek? To investigate how the countryside views court decrees. You only need to prescribe the right medicine—it’s not difficult to lead the Crown Prince over. Am I right or not!”

Wang Yanji’s cold sweat dripped, face pale: “Even if everything you say is right, you’re all about to die here. Do you think you can still get out?!”

Ling Buyi laughed loudly, then stared fixedly at her: “If I want to get out, naturally I can! Though the passage behind us is blocked, since you could come down, there’s naturally a passable route—I’m not wrong, the passage is right behind you!”

Wang Yanji laughed coldly: “If you have ability, come out and try!”

“Haven’t you seen the thunderbolt fire bombs—the kind of firearms that blasted open your estate today?”

Wang Yanji said smugly: “I know, which is why I temporarily changed plans to lure you to the second underground palace level. In such a small place, once you use that kind of firearm, the enormous explosive power will tear you apart too!”

“Originally that was correct.” Ling Buyi said lightly. “But to torment Minister Yuan, you specially threw the Yuan clan retainers’ corpses here, never thinking this would save us.”

“What do you mean?!” Wang Yanji cried out.

Ling Buyi couldn’t be bothered with her further, saying to the side: “A’Fei, is it ready?”

Liangqiu Fei hiding behind a palace pillar said: “Young Master, all set. I’ll light the fuse now.”

Wang Yanji quickly retreated from the small window, frantically shouting at people beside her: “Light the fire, quickly light it!”

Too late—Liangqiu Fei used flint to light the long fuse. Two archers at the small window drew bows and shot burning arrows into the underground palace. Ling Buyi pulled up Shaoshang, Liangqiu Fei grabbed Yuan Shen, the four quickly hiding behind the corpse pit the other guards had just built.

—Though Ling Buyi only encountered firearms for the first time today, he already understood that to resist the heaven-and-earth-shaking explosive power, the best barrier was neither shields nor armor, but flesh and blood.

Almost simultaneously, the fire oil spreading on the ground erupted in towering, scorching golden-red flames. The fuse also burned to the three fire thunders Liangqiu Fei had embedded in the stone wall below the small window. Before Ling Buyi’s group could be swallowed by the fire dragon, with a thunderous boom, the stone wall with the small window collapsed.

Nearly two hundred corpses blocked the front. Aside from buzzing eardrums, everyone’s bodies received no impact. However, Wang Yanji and her servants who couldn’t escape in time were caught in the full blast. The two archers at the window died on the spot.

As the saying goes, one tree cannot support alone—maintaining the underground palace required balanced force. Now with the lower palace’s walls and pillars shattered, the dome collapsed, that upper palace would certainly be difficult to support.

Stone blocks continuously fell from the dome, cracks opening in the walls. This magnificent, enormous underground palace was like a torn silk fan, unable to support itself any longer. Everyone rushed toward the blasted stone wall. Liangqiu Fei held two torches leading the way. Ling Buyi carried Shaoshang. Two guards supported Yuan Shen who still tearfully looked back toward the corpse mountain. Remaining guards brought up the rear.

Behind the stone wall there was indeed a path—actually two paths—

One was stone steps leading upward, constantly shaking with rolling stones of all sizes falling. This apparently led to the first underground palace level above where Wang Yanji had descended from, but that area was collapsing—clearly impassable.

The other was a passage leading backward, apparently built independently from the underground palace. Though the palace shook on the verge of collapse, the stone slabs embedded above and below the passage remained motionless.

Ling Buyi decisively decided—everyone take the passage.

Passing a pile of huge fallen rocks, he saw Wang Yanji covered in fresh blood crushed beneath. She was already on her last breath.

Ling Buyi had everyone go ahead first, then rushed to Wang Yanji’s side. Bending to examine, he discovered her chest downward was all crushed by giant stones. He knew well that even moving the stones, Wang Yanji’s abdominal cavity and pelvis were already crushed—beyond救saving.

He could only clear away the dust and pebbles from Wang Yanji’s head and face, grasping her shoulders and shaking: “How exactly do you plan to harm His Highness the Crown Prince! Speak quickly! Tell me and I’ll ensure your Wang family’s safety!”

Wang Yanji’s pupils dilated, blood continuously flowing from her mouth, hands frantically clawing at her own chest: “Where is it, where… my mirror, my mirror…”

Ling Buyi didn’t understand her meaning. At this moment a pair of pale, tender small hands reached from beside him. Shaoshang calmly reached into Wang Yanji’s garment lapel, drew out a small, exquisite silver mirror and placed it in Wang Yanji’s hand—this silver mirror was crafted quite ingeniously, the entire body presenting blooming lotus shape. Both front and back were polished extremely bright, clearly from years of someone constantly caressing it.

Wang Yanji treasured it, pressing the silver mirror against her own cheek, eyes regaining spirit, revealing loving affection beyond measure, murmuring ‘Ziwei, Ziwei.’ Shaoshang said softly: “This is Lou Bing’s betrothal token with her.”

Ling Buyi sighed lightly in his heart.

Liangqiu Fei shouted from the side: “Young Master, hurry! This place is about to completely collapse. Young Master Yuan has already been helped out!”

Ling Buyi hesitated, saying to Shaoshang: “You go first. Let me ask two more questions.”

Shaoshang smiled: “Alright, I’ll wait for you at the passage entrance.”

Watching the girl walk with unsteady steps, struggling slowly toward the passage entrance, Ling Buyi’s heart greatly settled. He forcefully grasped Wang Yanji’s shoulders, calling out sternly: “Listen to me! I have something about Lou Ziwei to tell you!”

Wang Yanji summoned her last strength, slowly focusing on his face.

“Listen to me—Lou Ziwei doesn’t deserve you!” Ling Buyi said gravely.

Wang Yanji was furious: “You’re talking nonsense!”

Ling Buyi continued: “Your feelings for him run deep, you could give life and death. For him you could disregard your life and family, could share bed and pillow with a crude, unbearable boor like Li Kuo. But how did Lou Ziwei treat you?!”

“You married for several years, yet days of reunion together totaled only months! He was away from home entire years and months, leaving you alone in loneliness and longing, all for glory and wealth, even calling it ‘displaying ambitions’!”

Wang Yanji shouted frantically: “Shut up, shut up shut up! Ziwei wasn’t that kind of person!”

Ling Buyi remained unmoved: “He needn’t have been like that. Lou Ziwei was born to a great clan family—already much stronger than common cloth-wearing folk. But first he was unwilling to bow to his uncle Lou Jing, second unwilling to start as a minor clerk. He had to take crooked, evil paths! Compared to staying with you long together, not only were his ambitions more important, even face and pride were more important than you!”

“Don’t say anymore! Don’t say anymore!” Wang Yanji wept bitterly, fresh blood and tears covering her face, using the silver mirror to strike Ling Buyi with all her might. “It’s not like that, not like that…!”

Ling Buyi neither dodged nor evaded: “Your mind is perceptive. These things aren’t beyond your understanding—you just don’t want to think about them! Lou Ziwei doesn’t deserve you. He doesn’t deserve your true heart and sincere intent!”

The underground palace shook increasingly violently, stone blocks falling in sheets. Liangqiu Fei, supporting Shaoshang, turned his head shouting: “Young Master, we really must go!”

Shaoshang wiped dust from her forehead, hesitating as she looked back at Ling Buyi.

Wang Yanji struggled to clutch Ling Buyi’s garment lapel, forcing words through clenched teeth: “You, you also have face to speak of my Ziwei! What good thing are you?! How did you treat Cheng Shaoshang? I investigated crystal clear! In public sworn deeper than gold, in private pledged till death—yet three days before your wedding, you caused monstrous disaster, abandoning her without care!”

“You took revenge and felt satisfied, but did you think about how difficult Cheng Shaoshang’s days were in the capital!” Wang Yanji laughed maniacally. “You don’t know, do you? Let me tell you. Though Cheng Shaoshang hid in Yong’an Palace, gossip was everywhere. Especially the first few years, even little palace maids and eunuchs could point and whisper about her, not to mention those high-family womenfolk who’d been jealous before.”

She gasped violently, voice like broken bellows: “They mocked her for dreaming a beautiful dream in vain, being deceived by you into confusion, being kept in the dark by you, becoming your shield for revenge! They also said she was foolishly deluded…”

“I know. I know all this.” Ling Buyi said calmly.

“You…” Wang Yanji was shocked.

Shaoshang also stopped in her tracks.

“I regretted long ago.” Ling Buyi seemed to look at Wang Yanji yet also toward the distance. “That night exterminating the Ling brothers, when I saw Shaoshang chasing tearfully, I regretted.”

“When I threw her from the horse, I also regretted.”

“When she kowtowed to His Majesty, kowtowed to Empress Dowager Xuan, requesting word by word to break our engagement, I regretted even more!”

“After that I moved between the northwest and northern desert. Countless frosty, bitter cold nights, alone watching the cattle-and-sheep-whistling pastures, whenever I thought of her, I regretted over and over.”

Ling Buyi spoke persistently, tone calm, yet each sentence came from his heart—not knowing if he spoke for Wang Yanji to hear or for himself.

“I thought, if I could do it over, I definitely wouldn’t act so desperately reckless. I’d restrain myself. Even if it meant letting the Ling brothers live a few more years, even if revenge became more difficult, I’d still walk the bright, righteous path.”

Speaking to here, he slowly released Wang Yanji’s shoulders, rising to turn toward the girl standing dumbly not far away, leaping several great steps to quickly catch up.

Wang Yanji lay on the ground shedding tears in a daze, smiling worse than crying: “You could reform with regret—why couldn’t Ziwei have regret? He died just like that, leaving me alone in this world. This heartless, ungrateful wretch, this damned short-lived ghost! I need to settle accounts with him… hehe, hehe, looks like I can only wait for the next life.”

Ling Buyi nimbly dodged several falling rocks, catching up to Shaoshang and Liangqiu Fei, only to see the girl throw herself tearfully into his embrace.

At this moment, Wang Yanji suddenly raised her voice, calling out: “Sixty li east from here, near Xuzhou is a village surnamed Guo. Tian Shuo prepared several hundred catties of fire oil around the village. Tomorrow the Crown Prince will pass the official road east of the village. Tian Shuo brought fifteen hundred men in ambush there. Our strategy: best case—Tian Shuo successfully intercepts and kills the Crown Prince; middle case—the Crown Prince escapes alive, then enters the only village ahead to rest and recover, then burns to death there; worst case—if both fail, Tian Shuo still orders the village burned so they can flee in the chaos…”

Ling Buyi understood, clasping his fists: “Many thanks, Lady.”

Wang Yanji shook her head, closing her eyes to press the silver mirror against her heart, quietly awaiting her final moment.

Stones fell like raindrops from the sky. The three—Ling, Cheng, and company—escaped into the passage in time. The magnificent underground palace that the pre-Qin era worshipping grandeur and magnificence had countless skilled craftsmen painstakingly construct collapsed thunderously behind them.

Shaoshang hadn’t run two steps before being carried in Ling Buyi’s embrace. Running wildly, she felt the slope passage rising increasingly upward. Not knowing how long they ran, her eyes suddenly opened wide—a faint bright light flickered ahead.

When Yuan Shen and several guards pulled them out of the passage, Shaoshang discovered the sky outside was already full of stars.

“Why are you crying? Were you afraid you couldn’t escape?” Yuan Shen asked strangely.

“That mouth of yours! Couldn’t it be tears of joy at escaping alive?!” The girl was covered head to toe in dirt, completely filthy. Tear tracks carved several clear marks across her cheeks. This appearance was extremely disheveled and ugly, yet her eyes were black and bright, innocent and playful as a child, full of happy smiling intent.

Ling Buyi seemed to sense something. The two looked at each other simultaneously, smiling together.

Yuan Shen turned his head away.

“Where is this?” Shaoshang discovered herself standing on a grass field, surrounded by seemingly familiar dense forest.

Yuan Shen turned back: “You’ll never guess.”

“The forest surrounding the Tian clan estate.” Ling Buyi revealed it in one phrase without any guessing spirit.

Yuan Shen’s face fell.

Liangqiu Fei’s mouth gaped: “No wonder we searched half the day in the Tian clan estate finding nothing. It’s not that there were no secret passages—the passage entrance simply wasn’t in the estate at all.”

Yuan Shen clicked his tongue: “This method is extremely clever. Two estates, one bright one dark, mutually supporting each other, mixing truth and falsehood. Hehe, apparently Wang Yanji marrying Li Kuo was to coordinate Tian Shuo’s actions.”

Shaoshang said worriedly: “Should we quickly slip away? What if the estate discovers us—we’re dead for sure.”

The young guard grinned: “Earlier we secretly went to look. Don’t know why, but the Tian family estate seems empty—only a few old servants sweeping.”

Shaoshang thought of Wang Yanji’s earlier words, her heart alarmed. Ling Buyi’s face abruptly darkened.

After, Liangqiu Fei shot signal fireworks skyward. Before long, Ling Buyi’s subordinates came to meet them.

Earlier learning they’d fallen into an underground trap, Cheng Shaogong and Lou Yao anxiously spun in circles, constantly clanging away chiseling stone slabs. Now seeing them safe and sound, they finally relaxed.

Yuan Shen, imprisoned for many days, was weak and qi-deficient. Add falling hard—forehead split bloody, left arm fractured, wrist rubbed raw by shackles into a circle of blood marks. He was at his limit. Now that the taut string relaxed, he immediately fainted dead away.

Since ancient times medicine and shamanism were intertwined—most charlatans had some healing skills. So Cheng Shaogong not only had to help that midwifery physician treat floors full of wounded soldiers, he also had to care for Yuan Shen while simultaneously finding a locksmith to open the young master’s shackles.

Simultaneously, Ling Buyi summoned people overnight to discuss, handing over aftermath matters for the two Li and Tian estates to Lou Yao. He was immediately departing for a long-distance rapid assault. After dismissing subordinates, just walking out of the tent he saw Shaoshang leading Little Flower Horse waiting at the entrance.

“What are your plans?” After bathing and washing, the girl revealed a beautiful face pure as bright moon.

“Let me guess.” She smiled. “You plan to divide forces two ways—one route intercepts Tian Shuo on that official road ahead of time; one route goes to Guo Village, either blocking the arsonists or helping villagers fight fire. Am I right?”

Ling Buyi looked at her with displeased expression, unexpectedly possessing a gloomy handsomeness.

Shaoshang continued: “I don’t understand warfare, but arithmetic is decent. Let me calculate for you. You originally had five hundred elite troops, A’Yao brought one hundred retainers, Zhang Shan borrowed four hundred soldiers—unfortunately not elite enough. Yesterday attacking the Li estate lost fifty or sixty. Subtract those wounded who can’t ride for rapid assault—at most eight hundred fifty can fight at full strength.”

“Just now I heard A’Yao send people back to the county seat for reinforcements. To clear two estates, you’re not planning to move those one hundred newly arrived He clan retainers. However, from these eight hundred fifty you must divide out some to rescue villagers. You told me Gongsun Xian’s raised death warriors are extremely formidable, striking viciously and cruelly.”

Shaoshang said seriously: “Your forces are only half the enemy’s, still mixed with many militia. Yet they have fifteen hundred well-rested able fighters, including five hundred death warriors—my lord, even adding all my remaining firearms, are you truly confident you can triumph with fewer forces, successfully intercepting and killing Tian Shuo?”

Ling Buyi pressed his lips: “…You needn’t worry about this. I have my own judgment.”

“If you had judgment, we might have children already by now instead of separating for years, both suffering miserably.” Shaoshang deployed her trump card.

Mentioning past events, Ling Buyi softened, saying helplessly: “What do you wish to do?”

“You concentrate wholeheartedly on dealing with Tian Shuo. If anything happens to the Crown Prince, the nation’s foundation will shake—extremely serious.” Shaoshang said. “I’ll take people to rescue villagers.”

“No!” Ling Buyi flatly refused.

“Hear me out first.” Shaoshang pressed his chest, saying gently: “Though my guard contingent isn’t equal to your elite troops, compared to militia they’re still much stronger. After beating Luo Jitong last time, they’ve rested with good medicine and food for nearly half a month. Now troops are elite, provisions abundant—over eighty can fight.”

She counted on fingers: “Tian Shuo thinks his strategy is secure, so he took main forces to intercept the Crown Prince. How many could he send for arson? Just now didn’t Tian family servants also confess seeing two departing groups—the smaller group was only a few dozen men?”

“Most importantly, regarding firefighting, few under heaven can compare with me.” Shaoshang smiled proudly, praising herself. “These years testing firearms, my estate catches fire eighteen times annually—eighteen times! How to wrap sand to extinguish, how to burn and isolate, how to lead water for self-rescue—my people know with eyes closed.”

Ling Buyi knew the girl spoke reasonably but still disagreed: “…No. What if you get burned?”

“You can’t stop me unless you plan to divide more forces to supervise me.” Shaoshang smiled with eyes like crescent moons. “Actually, when you bossed me around before, I was quite unwilling in my heart. But unable to resist, I could only endure grinding my teeth. Now you’re stretched thin—whatever I want to do, you can’t control.”

Ling Buyi’s mouth corner twitched: “With great battle imminent, you’re secretly delighted I can’t control you. Mm, very good, very good.” After this matter passed, he needed to establish some husbandly authority with this little scoundrel.

Shaoshang sensed danger, quickly restraining her joyful feelings, saying seriously: “I was born with a fate for causing trouble. Even motionless, trouble finds me. Since it’s like this, this time why not let me seek some business to do myself?”

“Clever words and fine rhetoric, seeking to excuse yourself.” Ling Buyi said lightly.

Shaoshang sighed: “His Majesty told me, since I was fortunate to be born in a peaceful era, fortunate to be born into a loving, peaceful family, I shouldn’t fear this and that—I should live once according to my own heart! A’Zhen, right now I want to help you, want to rescue those innocent villagers.”

“Her Majesty also once said, compared to sun, moon and stars, we’re all ants. Compared to countless common people and realm-wide peace, our love-hate entanglements don’t count for much. A’Zhen, I swore before Her Majesty’s spirit that hereafter my conduct must not bring her shame. A’Zhen, I cannot knowingly have ability yet stand by watching living beings suffer devastation.”

Ling Buyi was moved, gripping her hand with a long sigh. After a long while he finally said: “…You must be careful.”

Shaoshang smiled radiantly: “You must also be careful, take good care! If I get burned, you’ll definitely still want me. But if your face gets ruined, I might not necessarily want you!”

Like countless times before, Ling Buyi lovingly rubbed her forehead hair.

…

Not long after Ling Buyi’s army departed, Cheng Shaogong learned his younger sister was also preparing to depart. He rushed to obstruct her. Blocking his sister’s tent entrance, he stamped his feet grinding his teeth: “You’re not allowed to go, absolutely not! Otherwise, otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?” Shaoshang smiled playfully, making a face. “Elder Brother couldn’t stop me from beating Luo Jitong before. How can you stop me from rescuing people now?”

“You wait! I’ll go tell Lou Yao! His people outnumber yours—I’ll have him stop you!”

“Haha, ridiculous! When has A’Yao not listened to me and started listening to Elder Brother? Besides, Lord Huo also nodded approval.”

Cheng Shaogong wore a mournful face: “Then I’ll go with you.”

“Elder Brother, don’t go. You don’t understand firefighting.” Shaoshang lowered her head arranging his robe, voice growing lower. “If you have time, do me a favor. Go to neighboring commanderies and counties to borrow more militia to back up Lord Huo. You know where he’s going. Elder Brother, you’ve followed our parents since childhood—Mother taught you how to support from the flanks. He’s going with few to fight many. I’m not very reassured…”

Cheng Shaogong placed his hand on his sister’s slender shoulder: “You’ve grown up.”

Shaoshang said softly: “Not grown up—figured things out. Just now in the underground palace, Wang Yanji asked me a question—Yuan Shen and Ling Buyi, whom would I save?”

Cheng Shaogong smiled: “What kind of broken question is that?”

“Wang Yanji asked about Yuan Shen, but actually I thought of myself.” Shaoshang lightly brushed dust from her brother’s lapel. “Counting from that year’s lantern market, I’ve known Ling Buyi for seven years already.”

Cheng Shaogong noticed his sister calling that person by full name.

“Once upon a time, whether together or apart, I deeply believed in my heart that if anything happened, he would unhesitatingly sacrifice his life to let me live.” Shaoshang said softly. “But what about me? Speaking words only Elder Brother can hear—those early years, I knew clearly in my heart I absolutely wouldn’t sacrifice my life for Ling Buyi.”

Cheng Shaogong sighed: “Each person for themselves, heaven punishes earth destroys—this can’t be blamed on you.”

“Then why would Ling Buyi sacrifice his life for me?” Shaoshang raised bright, shining large eyes.

Shaogong choked.

Why would a person die for another person?

Why would someone willingly place another person’s life above their own?

What if that person is accustomed to callous selfishness—a little scoundrel?

“I’ve pondered this matter for many years. From initially thinking until last night in the underground palace. From palace chambers to desolate mountains and wilderness. Now I can finally say it earnestly and sincerely—” Shaoshang took a deep breath. “I hope he has a lifetime of peace and safety, without disaster or difficulty, even if it costs my life to exchange.”

Things having reached this point, she could finally wholeheartedly love a person—unafraid of injury, indifferent to mortal danger.

In this world there was one person more important than herself.