The door was knocked upon. Zhu Wu walked over unhurriedly to open it, and his eyes immediately widened: “Uncle Xing?”

Uncle Xing directly squeezed inside, saying in a low voice: “Close the door.”

Zhu Wu hurriedly secured the main gate and followed Uncle Xing inside, asking: “Uncle Xing, why have you come at this time?”

“There’s business.”

Zhu Wu’s steps faltered, and he quickly grabbed Uncle Xing: “Uncle Xing, if there’s business, let’s talk in the courtyard. I think the courtyard is safer than inside the house.”

That time Miss Luo had eavesdropped through the wall—it had truly left him with psychological trauma.

Uncle Xing’s mouth twitched violently, his voice changing pitch: “There are more tunnels?”

Zhu Wu smiled sheepishly: “What if there are ones we haven’t found yet…”

Uncle Xing fell silent for a moment, swept his eyes around the courtyard, and directly sat down on the steps.

Zhu Wu sat beside Uncle Xing and asked in a small voice: “Uncle Xing, what exactly is the matter?”

The New Year was nearly upon them. For Uncle Xing to come at this time, the matter must be quite serious.

Uncle Xing’s tone was calm as he uttered a few words: “I’ve come to kill.”

Zhu Wu’s expression became solemn: “Kill?”

Uncle Xing lowered his voice even further: “Worried that exchanging letters would be unsafe, I didn’t tell you. This time entering the capital, I brought over ten Vermillion Bird Guards, planning to assassinate those hostages!”

Zhu Wu’s eyes contracted: “You mean those young princes?”

Uncle Xing’s eyes were cold, his tone even colder: “Prince Dingdong has already rebelled. The other princes are hesitating and observing, but with their heirs held in His Majesty’s hands, they’re afraid to act rashly for fear of harming their sons. At this time, if these hostages were to die, I’m afraid Prince Dingdong wouldn’t be the only one to rebel…”

Zhu Wu listened with brightening eyes, nodding repeatedly.

Uncle Xing straightened up and gazed south, murmuring: “The Vermillion Bird Guards have lain dormant all these years—it’s time we did something for the Prince of Zhennan’s mansion.”

“Uncle Xing, where are the Vermillion Bird Guards you brought?”

“Don’t worry about them. They’re all disguised and scattered, just waiting to be assembled once arrangements are made.”

“How have you arranged things? Why not let your nephew take the lead in this matter?”

Uncle Xing shook his head: “There’s no need for you to take the lead.”

Zhu Wu grew anxious: “Uncle Xing?”

Uncle Xing looked at his nephew and sighed: “Wulang, you’re the only one among us with a legitimate identity that can see the light of day, and you’re also Miss Luo’s accountant. This identity can provide you much protection. If anyone manages to escape from this operation, you’ll need to find ways to shield them—that’s far better than you taking the lead…”

Zhu Wu listened in silence and finally nodded with difficulty: “I’ll listen to you.”

That evening, snow began falling again. At first it was pellets of snow falling rustling down, but later the snowfall grew heavier, quickly accumulating a layer on the ground.

Almost no one could be seen on the streets. As the sky darkened, lights appeared in countless homes.

As night deepened, the lights gradually went out one by one. A team of black-clad figures took advantage of the darkness as cover and headed toward the direction of the Ministry of Rites offices.

So late at night, only the night watchmen and constables patrolling their routes would come out, but on such a snowy night people inevitably grew lax. Apart from the night watchmen who had no choice but to walk the streets with their necks hunched and copper gongs in hand, not a single constable could be seen.

This team of black-clad figures advanced rapidly using houses and trees for concealment. The footprints they left in the snow were quickly covered by the fresh snow falling steadily down.

In a certain courtyard behind the Ministry of Rites offices, specially arranged to house the princes’ heir apparents, lights blazed brightly at this moment, with music and dancing.

Today was the birthday of the Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent. These heir apparents, ostensibly protected but actually under house arrest, had been stifled for too long and were taking this opportunity to gather together.

Dancing continued without cease in the hall, and the various heir apparents were clearly showing signs of intoxication.

As a cup was knocked over, the Prince of Jingbei’s heir apparent pounded the table: “These days are truly unbearable—just how long are we going to be confined here!”

The Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent smiled bitterly: “Enjoy wine today while there is wine to enjoy. Thinking too much is useless.”

Another heir apparent spoke up: “How can we not think about it? Consider what happened to Prince Dingdong’s son—not only was he subjected to death by a thousand cuts, his head was even severed and sent south…”

Hearing these words, one heir apparent burst into wailing sobs: “Wuwuwu, Prince Dingdong’s second son truly suffered too terribly. Will we end up like him…”

When disaster strikes their own kind, how could these princes’ heir apparents not sigh with sympathy thinking of Prince Dingdong’s second son’s fate? And thinking that in the future they might meet the same end, fear grew as wildly as spring weeds.

The Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent patted the heir apparent who had broken down crying: “Don’t think so far ahead. Prince Dingdong harbored treasonous intentions, which is what brought disaster upon his son—”

That heir apparent violently pushed the Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent away, crying even louder: “Self-deception, it’s all self-deception…”

The collapsing emotions quickly swept over everyone.

Some wiped away tears, some gulped down wine desperately, some stared blankly into space…

The only advantage they had over Prince Dingdong’s second son was their status as princes’ heir apparents, but who had the confidence they would definitely make it home alive?

As heir apparents to princely mansions, they naturally received their father princes’ esteem in normal times, but when the situation grew chaotic enough and the temptation great enough, everything became uncertain.

Those pleasing songs and dances, those exceptionally beautiful dancing girls—at this moment it all became tedious and tasteless as great terror gripped each person’s heart.

Intermittent sobbing sounds rang out.

The Prince of Jingbei’s heir apparent, eyes red, shouted at the dancing girls performing in the hall: “All of you, get out!”

The dancing girls’ movements paused, and they immediately withdrew with lowered heads.

“Come, come, come, continue drinking.” The Prince of Jingbei’s heir apparent raised his cup to the Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent. “Today is Third Brother’s birthday. It’s not easy for everyone to gather together—let’s not say such dispiriting things anymore…”

The Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent clinked cups with him, laughing self-deprecatingly: “Thank you, brother.”

A gust of cold wind suddenly rushed in.

Why was it so cold?

The Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent, having just downed some burning liquor, had barely formed this thought when he saw a flash of blade light, followed immediately by screaming.

“Someone come—there are assassins—” The heir apparent who had just cried his eyes red shouted once, his words cutting off abruptly.

He looked down with difficulty at the knife hilt embedded in his heart, and before being engulfed by excruciating pain and darkness, only had time for one thought: It really was self-deception—turned out we couldn’t even survive tonight…

Chaos quickly erupted in the hall, screams rising one after another.

Hearing the commotion, guards continuously poured in and engaged in battle with the black-clad figures assassinating the princes’ heir apparents.

To ensure the hostages’ safety, the seemingly calm perimeter was actually guarded by over a hundred guards. Though these infiltrating black-clad figures each possessed considerable martial skills, unfortunately the disparity in numbers was vast. As time passed, they began to suffer losses one after another.

After receiving the alert, even more guards rushed over.

Yet not one of these black-clad figures retreated. When only two remained, one of them allowed the chaotic blades to strike him while he lunged forward, thrusting his sharp blade into the heart of the Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent, who was being protected by several guards as they tried to leave.

“Little Four—” the other black-clad figure shouted.

The black-clad figure called Little Four didn’t look back, struggling to squeeze out two words: “Go quickly!”

Chaotic blades fell upon him, yet he held tightly to that sharp blade piercing the Prince of Pingxi’s heir apparent’s vital spot, never letting go.