“Your Highness, I’m sorry.”

Chaoyu’s tone was icy cold, yet mixed with traces of regret in the howling winter wind.

Yan Chi stood tall and elegant before the main room, separated only by a door from the dim yellow light within.

According to Chaoyu, his subordinates should be inside now, along with those discovered tonight who were being interrogated.

Yan Chi frowned leisurely, “What makes the Deputy Commander say this?”

Chaoyu frowned at Yan Chi’s calmness, which made him uneasy.

His gaze quickly darted to the roofs of the side buildings. In the ink-black night, except for the area before the main room’s door, everywhere else was pitch dark. Chaoyu couldn’t see anything, but he seemed to sense human presence.

His heart steadied, and his tone grew more solemn, “Your Highness, the Northern Army is already in turmoil. The Empress and Crown Prince are undoubtedly plotting rebellion. Since Your Highness dared to help them, you must have anticipated this day.”

Though Chaoyu’s tone was grave, Yan Chi raised his eyebrows and smiled, “Is this His Majesty’s rhetoric?”

Chaoyu pressed his lips together, standing with a heavy expression. At this point, this was his final act of benevolence.

Seeing no response, Yan Chi sighed, “It seems I’ve fallen into a trap.”

Chaoyu remained standing more than ten paces from Yan Chi. In the bitter wind and snow, his expression was blurred, but his aura was extremely intimidating. He watched Yan Chi, stepped back slightly, and suddenly commanded in a deep voice, “Attack—”

It was an order filled with killing intent. Chaoyu’s low voice fell in the wild wind and snow, carrying a particularly sword-like murderous intent.

However, after his command, there was only silence from both the room behind Yan Chi and the roofs of the side buildings.

In the fierce wind and heavy snow, Chaoyu stood stiffly for a moment before realizing something was wrong.

His hawk-like eyes looked toward the warmly lit room, filled with doubt and uncertainty.

Yan Chi smiled slightly, “Chaoyu, you have the makings of a great general, but sadly, you’ve been buried in the capital’s glory, wasting your talent.”

Looking at the completely composed Yan Chi, Chaoyu’s hand slowly fell to the long sword at his side. His brows furrowed tightly, his eyes filled with shock. He had some admiration for Yan Chi, and these words touched his heart. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on whether Yan Chi appreciated him. He could only wonder where all the men he had carefully arranged had gone, and why there was no response to his command.

Seeing Yan Chi’s composure, Chaoyu felt a chill rise from his feet.

Chaoyu instinctively stepped back, but before he could take a second step, a sharp “zing” cut through the wind and snow. The next moment, a fierce gust brushed past his calf, and a cold-gleaming arrowhead firmly embedded itself in the ground less than three inches behind his heel.

Chaoyu’s entire body instantly froze. He knew that if he moved again, the next arrow would pierce his shin bone.

Just then, the door behind Yan Chi creaked open, and a young man in narrow-sleeved white robes stepped out – it was Bai Feng. Bai Feng bowed to Yan Chi, then looked emotionlessly at Chaoyu, “Since the Deputy Commander has come, please enter. The wind and snow are fierce tonight; please come in to take shelter.”

Chaoyu’s hand gripping the long sword at his side showed bulging veins. The wind and snow were too heavy, covering the sounds from the roof. If he weren’t highly skilled, he might not have heard the movements. However, he never imagined that in such a short time, all his careful planning had been destroyed by Yan Chi.

When had Yan Chi discovered it? And if he had, why did he still come along?!

Seeing Chaoyu not moving, Yan Chi’s expression turned cold. “Today’s events weren’t your wish. I’ll spare your life for now, but if you don’t accept this kindness, I can’t help what happens. What will it be? Stay or go?”

Yan Chi’s tone could be called gentle, but these words made Chaoyu tremble with fear.

He couldn’t leave this courtyard, just as he had originally thought Yan Chi couldn’t leave it.

With a “clang,” Chaoyu unfastened the long sword at his waist and threw it to the ground, forcing himself to relax.

He stepped toward Yan Chi, and when standing before him said, “Since Your Highness had already guessed, why to make this trip?”

Yan Chi’s face showed no emotion. His eyes suddenly became distant for a moment, inexplicably tinged with melancholy. “I didn’t want it to come to this, but since His Majesty has forced me to this point, I might as well go all in.” After a pause, Yan Chi glanced at Chaoyu, “I came here to borrow your men.”

While Chaoyu didn’t understand his meaning, Bai Feng whistled with his fingers to his lips. The next moment, dozens of black shadows descended from above, filling the small courtyard. Chaoyu turned to look and saw these people wearing complete Imperial Guard uniforms, though their faces were all unfamiliar. He drew in a sharp breath.

The men originally arranged were his troops, and whether it was the uniforms or the weapons and tokens, all were officially registered Imperial Guard items. Now, these men walking out of this courtyard could not only impersonate Imperial Guards outside the palace but would even be welcomed through the palace gates by the palace guards.

Chaoyu’s face turned alternately pale and flushed. Thinking of the Emperor waiting for his news, his expression grew even more dejected.

At this moment, Bai Feng leaned in to whisper something in Yan Chi’s ear. Yan Chi looked at Chaoyu, “His Majesty is waiting for your news. In that case, I’ll send him some good news.”