The black shadows cast by firelight slowly stretched across the stone wall, eerily resembling demons and ghosts.

As if the entire person was being stretched, the originally beautiful woman’s face gradually cracked apart.

I thought it was merely disguise techniques, but without witnessing it personally, how could I dare believe that a person with a woman’s figure could become tall and straight in an instant?

The man’s face before me showed sharp, cold features. He slowly curved his lips: “First time seeing bone-shrinking skills?”

I was quite startled.

I had once heard Song Langsheng mention that Shaolin Temple had a martial art that could contract muscles and overlap bones at will, allowing complete control over the entire body. I never imagined Feng Li could master such divine skills.

I calmly adjusted my sleeves: “Truly eye-opening. Most admirable.”

“The one worthy of admiration is the Princess,” Feng Li smiled politely: “What excellent counter-scheming. How did you guess I was Feng Li?”

I pondered briefly: “From the moment you pushed that ‘Zhao’ character block, I began to suspect. Anyone could see this stone wall was full of mechanisms. To touch it casually without discussion shows you were very confident about avoiding the traps. So when arrows shot out and I saw you dodge more easily than my shadow guards, I thought—you must have been here before. Since you’d been here yet deliberately pushed the ‘Zhao’ block, you wanted me to understand that opening this stone wall didn’t follow the Hundred Family Names sequence, hoping to make me recall another recitation method. Such manipulation of human psychology coincided perfectly with the Feng Li I knew.”

He nodded slightly: “That doesn’t prove I’m Feng Li himself.”

I said: “When we first entered this secret passage, dust filled the air and thick soil covered the ground, proving that since Feng Li failed to open the stone wall years ago, no one had come here again all these years.”

“So what?”

I said: “That there’s a secret passage with mechanisms beneath this cenotaph would make anyone guess whether treasures might be hidden inside. People are strange creatures, especially unable to resist temptations that could change their fate overnight. Few in this world could withstand such allure. If someone had never come, that would be one thing, but if they came and returned empty-handed, they would always think of coming back someday to investigate or try their luck—that’s human nature.”

Feng Li showed an expression of deep agreement.

“Master Feng Li understands human nature better than I, and the more one understands, the more suspicious one becomes. For a suspicious person, when uncovering secrets, it becomes harder to trust those around them. So I think you must have come alone back then. Even if you brought helpers, you would have silenced them after leaving the secret passage to feel secure.”

Feng Li smiled noncommittally: “It seems Your Highness was certain I would appear here tonight.”

I shrugged and smiled back: “I was just guessing wildly. If I guessed wrong, there would be no loss.”

Hearing this, the smile Feng Li had maintained gradually faded: “If the Princess hadn’t exposed this at this moment, I wouldn’t have harbored harmful intentions, but unfortunately…” As soon as his “unfortunately” fell, his figure suddenly swayed. With a crisp “ding,” the long sword that had been at his neck was deflected by his finger flick. The moment the sword hit the ground, his shadow transformed like flowing light. Before I could step aside, his palm strike swept before me like fire and water, undeniable!

Even though I had prepared, I had never seen such uncanny and unparalleled martial arts!

In that lightning instant, the palm that was within arm’s reach stopped right before my eyes.

Someone had grabbed Feng Li’s hand—just one grip, physically blocking this overwhelming killing intent.

The Princess naturally had no such ability to block a martial arts master’s killing move in an instant.

Then it could only be the third person in this stone cave—A’You.

Feng Li turned to look at A’You. He opened his mouth and just said “Heh,” then his five fingers instantly curved, transforming into fierce palm strikes that attacked A’You with moves designed to kill. But A’You’s expression didn’t change—she neither dodged nor attacked. She could see clearly that in just the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged hundreds of moves!

Whether Feng Li was feinting or truly attacking A’You, she blocked every single move.

She might not be blocking easily, but like an iron wall, she stood between us, preventing Feng Li from getting one step closer to me!

They fought faster and faster until with a “bang” their palms met, each stepping back before stopping.

Feng Li’s eyes moved slightly: “A mere shadow guard, yet her skills are—”

I couldn’t help sighing: “If I didn’t keep one or two masters by my side, how would this Princess dare easily meet with Master Feng?”

Half a year ago, when I requested shadow guards from Director Tao Yuan at the Mirror Bureau, Tao Yuan said: “Since the Princess has spoken, I dare not be negligent. However, though the Mirror Bureau has many shadow guards, if someone were to hire first-rate jianghu masters to attack in groups like on that painted boat, they might not be able to fully protect the Princess. Unless it were…”

“Unless?”

“Unless it were our Bureau’s Deputy Director Ji Nanyou. Her martial arts achievements could be called superior. These ten-plus years protecting His Majesty, she’s never had the slightest mishap… It’s just that she’s the next Director designated by His Majesty. In times like these, if she personally protects the Princess, I wonder if she would…”

At that time I was about to express “no need for such trouble,” when I heard a woman behind me say: “I’ll do it.”

Turning around, I saw a woman in plain gray clothes with a sword at her side: “I’ll protect the Princess.”

Later, as she accompanied me leaving the Mirror Bureau, I said: “The stronger my shadow guards, the more enemies will be wary and on guard. Once we leave this door, staying by my side, you can no longer consider yourself the Mirror Bureau’s Deputy Director. Understand?”

She smiled softly: “A’You understands.”

At this moment, Feng Li was only three steps away from us. He stood there ominously, his gaze sweeping across my face: “Does the Princess think that finding a master to assist her can defeat me?”

I was slightly startled, seeing his lips curve as he gathered his sleeves like swift wind, clearly about to launch another round of attacks.

Unfortunately, before he could move he had already stopped. He couldn’t even take a step before collapsing to one knee, his legs giving way. When he suddenly realized what was happening, he jerked his head up and looked at me with nearly horrifying eyes: “You—actually poisoned me?”

I said slowly: “As Master Feng said, I wouldn’t be naive enough to win with just one shadow guard…”

Feng Li supported himself against the wall, trying to stand: “When?”

“When drinking tea at the lakeside pavilion today…”

“I didn’t touch that tea…”

“The incense burned in this morning’s brazier,” I said flatly, “was mixed with poison.”

Feng Li was stunned: “You were there too.”

“Correct, so I’m also poisoned by this toxin.” I spread my hands: “But I have no martial arts. This type of poison that imperceptibly dissipates internal energy doesn’t have much effect on me…”

Hearing this, Feng Li suddenly laughed. He laughed once, then laughed twice more: “Truly Princess Xiangyi. From the very beginning, you never trusted anyone…”

I couldn’t help rolling my eyes: “Only fools would trust someone for no reason based on feelings.”

“What about Song Langsheng?” Feng Li looked straight at me: “Has the Princess never harbored suspicions? Does he truly… know nothing of his background?”

But this question truly made my heart sink.

It was just this moment of distraction when I heard A’You suddenly shout: “Watch out!” I saw a folding fan flying straight at me. A’You quickly pushed me aside, and the fan handle whistled past my hair, embedding itself in the stone wall.

When I recovered and turned back, Feng Li was already close. His right hand wielded a knife slashing at A’You. Taking advantage of the instant A’You dodged the short blade, something slid from his left sleeve aimed at me—a diamond-shaped brocade box. I recognized that box; someone had used such a box against me at the Imperial Academy. What it contained was naturally not some treasure, but—hidden weapons.

Violently poisoned Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles!

My mind raced through countless possibilities, but none offered escape from this predicament.

Just as I wondered if I would truly die here tonight, accompanied by a sharp sound, I saw a snow-bright sword tip emerge from Feng Li’s left chest.

Everything seemed to freeze.

The brocade box and short knife fell from his hands to the ground.

Feng Li looked down somewhat confused and slowly, wanting to touch the sword tip that had suddenly appeared from his chest. But before his fingertips could reach it, his entire body collapsed.

————————————————Second Update————————————————

Then I saw the person who had delivered this sword thrust—my other shadow guard, A’Zuo.

Blood stained the entire ground. Feng Li’s eyes were wide open for a very long time, never blinking again, never moving again.

Feng Li was dead.

This person I had considered a great enemy, laughing and chatting just moments before, had died under a nameless sword in an instant.

I even found it hard to believe.

Was he really… dead?

A’Zuo withdrew his sword and sheathed it. About to kneel but seeing blood covering the ground, he bowed instead: “This subordinate was late to rescue. The Princess was frightened.”

A’You asked: “How did you come down? Who’s guarding the entrance?”

A’Zuo said: “Seeing no movement for so long and seeming to hear fighting below, I couldn’t rest easy and came down. But please rest assured, Princess—I had A’Shang and A’Xia guard the entrance. If anything happens, one of them will come notify us.”

I was still somewhat shaken and asked after thinking: “A’Shang and A’Xia?”

A’Zuo: “Right, they’re also Mirror Bureau shadow guards.”

“…Good names.” I retrieved the folding fan Feng Li had embedded in the wall, quite regretting giving an iron-ribbed fan that nearly became the villain’s weapon. Still heart-pounding, I couldn’t help saying: “This Feng Li pretended to be poisoned only to assassinate. He shouldn’t still be feigning death now, should he?”

A’You bent down to carefully examine Feng Li’s corpse, frowned, then suddenly took her knife and stabbed several more holes in Feng Li until she was certain he was as dead as could be: “Mm, not feigning death.”

Me: “…”

A’Zuo bent down to pick up the wooden box from the ground, examining it carefully: “This… isn’t this the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle hidden weapon I was hit with at the Imperial Academy? Later didn’t the Princess have me investigate this weapon’s origins?”

I took the wooden box and looked at it, nodding.

The one who used hidden weapons then was Su Qiao, orchestrated by Lu Lingjun.

Though Lu Lingjun later confessed he had switched out the poisoned needles, when I asked where this weapon came from, he only said it was given by Prince Kang and knew nothing else. Later when Prince Kang’s faction collapsed, I forgot about this matter.

Why was Feng Li using the same hidden weapon today?

Could it be… that when Prince Kang’s rebellion case began, Feng Li was already involved?

Then what role did he play?

Tonight he lured me here to open this stone door—what did he plan to do afterward?

Also, what did his last words before dying mean?

The more I thought, the more confused I became, and my chest began aching again. A’You supported me: “Since Feng Li is eliminated, this place isn’t safe for long stays. We should return to the manor first. A’Zuo…”

A’Zuo nodded, preparing to lead the way. I raised my hand: “Wait.”

I turned back to look at that stone wall again.

Behind that stone wall lay a shocking great secret.

Tonight’s actions had already exposed the location and might very well attract more watching eyes. My words weren’t meant to deceive Feng Li—there truly was no safer method than destroying it with cannons.

But… would destroying the secret eliminate the crisis?

A’Zuo followed my gaze to the stone wall and asked: “This mechanism above is quite strange. Don’t know how to open it… Should this subordinate get some explosive packages to blast the door open? Wouldn’t that be simple?”

A’You glared at him fiercely: “This stone wall is high and thick, pressed against the stone walls. If you could blast it open, the entire cave would collapse. What a terrible idea…”

I watched silently, pointing with my fan to the upper right corner of the stone wall, interrupting their bickering: “First character—Zhou.”

A’Zuo and A’You suddenly turned back, shocked: “Princess?”

“Whatever’s hidden behind this stone door, if we don’t open it to look, I’ll probably worry myself sick thinking about it.” My mind went through countless twists and turns: “What are you two standing there for? Second character—Chen!”

A’Zuo and A’You looked at each other. Though they had hundreds of questions, they were ultimately well-trained shadow guards. When my fan pointed, they immediately used lightness skills to leap up the wall. A’You first pushed the “Zhou” character block in the upper right corner, alertly watching the rock crevices on both sides. Seeing no movement, she nodded to A’Zuo, who then pushed the central “Chen” block.

“Third, ‘Shen’; fourth, ‘Zhang’!” Following my commands one by one, the two shadow guards flew along the walls, pressing blocks into the wall as directed. Besides these sounds, the stone cave remained quiet, proving my memory wasn’t wrong—that incorrect version of the Hundred Family Names from years ago had been etched in my heart along with Big Brother.

The cave bottom was dark and eerie. My thoughts wandered to distant places, not paying attention to which surname I was murmuring, when suddenly I heard a thunderous sound. The entire stone cave shook and rumbled. A’Zuo and A’You pulled me back several steps as we watched the imposing stone wall crack open with a giant fissure. The crack grew larger and larger until earth crumbled and stones split with dust surging wildly. When the earth-shaking sounds stopped and silence returned to darkness.

When torches were lit again, the scene before us was—the stone wall completely destroyed, the cave entrance wide open.

A’You sighed: “Truly masterful craftsmanship…”

A’Zuo couldn’t help asking: “Princess, who leads the way?”

I said: “Whoever asks leads the way.”

A’Zuo: “…”

I had expected that behind this stone wall would be gold and silver boxes piled into countless treasures. I never anticipated that when we cautiously approached this otherworldly scene, what we saw was actually gold and silver boxes stacked into myriad treasures.

Indeed, the novels’ claims about “exhausting all efforts only to find emptiness, achieving great enlightenment that fame and fortune are like clouds” were just fiction.

In the firelight’s reflection, when pear wood boxes were opened one by one, my eyes dazzled—the entire cave seemed enveloped in brilliant golden light.

A’Zuo stared wide-eyed: “It’s, it’s all gold and silver…”

A’You casually picked up two pieces and examined their backs: “Each piece is carved with former dynasty official silver patterns.”

I crouched down and hefted them, agreeing: “Definitely official silver. Ah, the wealth here probably exceeds even our dynasty’s national treasury.”

A’Zuo wondered: “How did Prince Rui manage to accumulate such wealth and hide it in this underground vault?”

I was slightly startled, feeling this question was rather strange but couldn’t pinpoint why, so I said: “Such wealth—even if he plundered his entire life, he might not gather this much, let alone that much of this silver is official currency… In this Princess’s opinion, this might not be the former dynasty’s Prince Rui’s wealth. I heard the former dynasty’s founding emperor, when conquering the realm, established ‘pile vaults’ storing gold and silver collected from various regions. This wealth had two purposes: first for emergencies, second to ransom back the Yan region’s ten prefectures occupied by foreign tribes. Later, when the second generation emperor recaptured those Yan lands with former dynasty armies, the ‘pile vaults’ naturally had no use and were renamed ‘inner treasury vaults,’ passed down with only each successor allowed to access them.”

A’You was puzzled: “If the former dynasty’s national treasury was so abundant, why was it so easily overthrown later?”

I coughed. A’You’s meaning was—if the former dynasty emperor was so rich, why was he defeated by my poor father?

“This practice of moving regional surplus to the capital, strengthening the center while weakening local areas, would naturally lead to local financial depletion…” I walked while opening boxes: “When our army made a forced march years ago, reaching the city gates in just three days—do you know why? One reason was that Hebei Road, located in the North China Plain’s heartland, had no natural barriers. Another reason was local financial exhaustion leaving no resistance capability… In short, uneven financial distribution with only the capital being strong—once a sudden change occurred, the harm was discovered too late… However, looking now, there’s probably another reason…”

A’Zuo asked: “What is it?”

“This ‘pile vault’ was controlled by Prince Rui, but Prince Rui never became emperor. What does this show?” I tapped the box surface: “This shows Prince Rui’s father originally intended to pass the throne to Prince Rui, so Prince Rui learned the ‘pile vault’s’ location and secretly transferred a large portion here… Unfortunately, Prince Rui underestimated his brother who had campaigned for years holding military power. One careless move lost the entire game, forcing Prince Rui to hand over the throne to preserve himself, leaving the capital to hide in feudal territories…” I sighed while continuing to rummage through boxes: “With such fraternal strife, how could they have strength to resist enemies? If Prince Rui had dedicated this entire ‘pile vault’ to the emperor, he wouldn’t have become a fallen ruler…”

At this point my hand suddenly stopped. A’Zuo and A’You also stopped upon seeing this: “Princess, what’s wrong?”

I forcefully opened the box lid. Upon seeing its contents, my whole body shook.

It was armor.

And not ordinary armor.

I said: “A’Zuo, use your knife to split this armor.”

A’Zuo complied, but when he struck with force, the armor only showed a small cut.

A’Zuo was shocked and struck several more times, each time only cutting a tiny bit.

I looked through the small opening, seeing inner links connecting in chains like mesh, outer armor composed of fish-scale pieces sewn together, with thin cotton padding in the center fixed with copper rivets.

If folk historical records were correct, this should be the lost Western Region fish-scale chain mail.

Not only could it resist arrow shots and cold, but it had certain protective capabilities against firearms too.

Years ago, several dynasty rulers spent countless human and material resources seeking this armor’s crafting techniques. If soldiers could wear this armor, their combat effectiveness would multiply.

Now it appeared in this underground tomb.

I had A’Zuo and A’You open all remaining boxes. As expected, besides armor, there were various sharp weapons that could cut through hair, even with books recording specific forging methods—any single volume was worth a thousand gold pieces.

Song Langsheng’s father, my father-in-law, as the former dynasty’s Prince Rui, was indeed not just in name. He wasn’t just idle—he had this space behind the stone wall decorated with relief murals and flowing curtains, worthy of being called an underground palace.

I suddenly understood something.

Why he was still obsessed with telling Song Langsheng about this underground vault’s secret location before dying.

Jun Jinzhi never abandoned his imperial dreams—not when driven to feudal territories, not when his dynasty was overthrown, not even when he was dying—

He wanted his son to continue walking his path.

However, even possessing everything in this underground vault, without the most fundamental soldiers, how could they discuss great enterprises?

If I were Jun Jinzhi, I couldn’t just leave these things for my son to rebel—that would be clearly no different from sending him to death.

My heart was restless and uneasy. I paced back and forth, my mind full of “if I were Jun Jinzhi, what would I do?” But having been born twenty years too late, knowing little about the former dynasty’s affairs from twenty years ago, how could I put myself in his position? Countless thoughts couldn’t form half a helpful clue.

Inexplicably, a voice echoed in my mind: “What about Song Langsheng? Has the Princess never harbored suspicions? Does he truly… know nothing of his background?”

If.

If Song Langsheng truly knew everything.

If he truly intended to inherit his father’s dying wish.

If… I were Song Langsheng.

Then the first target I would choose would definitely be… the current dynasty’s Regent Princess.

This thought suddenly shocked me into a cold sweat.

I hastily shook my head.

No way.

If the Prince Consort had such intentions, today wouldn’t have been Feng Li’s and my turn to enter this cenotaph. Feng Li wanted to make us panic—how could his words be trusted?

But… even if Feng Li had succeeded in entering here, with such vaults full of gold and silver, he alone could hardly move them. Moreover, knowing that any disturbance would be monitored by my people outside, why would he personally risk danger and throw away his life…

I was trying to find more clues when I accidentally glimpsed a fine brushwork painting in the corner.

A Guanyin painting, with masterful colors and lifelike detail, but no signature.

However, the strangest thing was that what Guanyin held didn’t resemble a jade bottle, but more like… a rolled scroll.

Could it be…

I used my folding fan to lift the Guanyin painting and saw there was indeed a hidden compartment behind it. Inside the compartment lay mysteries—exactly one bamboo scroll, with a brocade box beside it.

I stood on tiptoe to retrieve both the scroll and box. The box was unexpectedly heavy. Without further hesitation, I opened it immediately.

Inside were five jade artifacts, each carved with half a fish body pattern. The textures were distinctively raised and lowered, similar yet different.

Unrolling the bamboo scroll revealed various place names and personal names.

Places included the Ussuri River basin, Changbai Mountain’s Liaodong region, Bayingol, Bortala, Haixi Gannan four divisions, plus Qinghai Hualong, Gansu Yunnan, and others. Though I couldn’t recognize all the personal names, just from surnames I could tell they were surnames of generals and tribal leaders from various feudal territories or vassal states over these decades.

Then the items in the box were undoubtedly fish tallies.

Former dynasty military tallies—one location, one tally. Half held by local commanders, half controlled by the emperor. When two tallies combined, they could command ten thousand troops.

When Father Emperor seized the initiative and attacked the capital in one stroke, achieving dynastic change, afterward many tribes refused to completely submit and surrender military power. Though their forces couldn’t create major disturbances, they weren’t negligible. To stabilize the overall situation, Father Emperor had both sides step back, establishing feudal territories with regional commanders. Though Father Emperor later gradually recovered some military authority step by step, our dynasty’s forty-plus regional strongholds with hereditary succession outside court jurisdiction remained Father Emperor’s and Crown Prince brother’s persistent poison, causing sleepless nights until eliminated.

The largest poison was now weighing heavily in my palm.

Was this… the real reason Father Emperor never killed Song Langsheng and even allowed him to become my Prince Consort?

What was there to fear from former dynasty remnants? Casting a long line to catch big fish and then capturing them all in one net would truly eliminate future troubles from the root.

Who could have expected he would use his most beloved Princess Xiangyi as bait?

But this was the Father Emperor I knew.

Before being a father, he was first a national ruler, concerned with the world’s stability and peace.

My body trembled slightly without conscious control. I dared not think how Song Langsheng would choose if he knew everything. I only knew this bamboo scroll and this box of military tallies must be destroyed immediately.

“A’Zuo, A’You, first give me the torch…”

No one responded to me.

Then came the sound of a torch dropping to the ground and dripping water.

I looked down at the extinguished torch rolling to my feet.

The entire cave’s light dimmed but didn’t fall into darkness. One torch had been flickering from beginning to end.

I slowly turned around.

I saw A’You being held with her mouth covered, a dagger slicing her throat, blood spurting out and splashing on my face.

A sheet of crimson red.

For a moment, I felt my mind go completely blank, as if my throat were being strangled, unable to speak.

Seeing me turn, that person released their hand, letting A’You’s body slowly slide down, falling to the ground, completely silent.

Still holding a torch in one hand, extending the other toward me in an open gesture, saying calmly: “The items. Give them to me.”

I almost instinctively wanted to help A’You, but the sudden terror left me numb and unable to move a finger. I looked at this scene in shock: “So… it was you.”

A’Zuo stared coldly at the brocade box in my hands, repeating: “Give them to me.”

I looked down at A’You, who had been full of life just moments before, now lying motionless on the ground. That deathly chill spread from my spine as I tried to keep my voice from trembling so badly: “The person by my side who grasped all my movements yet left no trace—it was you. The one who schemed and planned step by step was you. The one who orchestrated everything to this point before truly acting was also you.”

“You are… the real Feng Li.”

(End of Chapter)

Author’s Note:

(Next Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter will feature the Prince Consort, Xu Fang, the truth, and will be updated very quickly!)

I’m getting married on the 10th! I’ve been wanting to update in April but haven’t had time to write. This Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter had so many plot points to write, and now that I’m about to get married I still can’t finish updating—it’s really frustrating. I can only publish a section first. Don’t worry everyone, I’ll be able to write in a few days! (To avoid everyone reading and forgetting, you can wait to read this Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter until it’s complete~~~)

Since I’m getting married, I want to chat with all of you who’ve persistently waited for updates.

Let me talk about the Prince Consort I wrote, and the person I’m marrying.

In my student days I once had a crush on a boy, but crushes usually don’t have happy endings—by middle school graduation he didn’t even know me.

Later I had a very brief relationship and got hurt, then when I started writing this story after university graduation, to some extent it was my own yearning for life’s regrets…

Yearning for that Nie Ran who hurt me to regret it, yearning for that Big Brother I once was infatuated with to reunite with me and go to the end.

I knew these were always just yearnings. When writing I only added some personal feelings, but of course that doesn’t mean I was writing about myself. When writing I was still very rational about developing the plot, as you all know~~~

I never expected that when I had written a few chapters, I would really reunite with that boy I had a crush on years ago, in the form of a blind date I was forced to go on unwillingly, but actually seeing that person I once cared about was our beginning.

He has many similarities to what I imagined—proud, childish, stubbornly shy—and many differences from my imagination. Later we also struggled through many complications to develop to where we are now~~~

So this story and you readers following it really mean something extraordinary to me~~ Someone expressed deep disdain for me taking three years to not finish writing one story, so he calmly stated that if I don’t finish writing, he won’t go on a honeymoon with me………………………………………Therefore………………I will work diligently after marriage!

Done chatting~~~~ O(n_n)O Thank you all~~~ If any ladies are curious, you can check my Weibo—there are wedding photos and wedding live broadcasts~~~

Good night~~~