"It seems what you said doesn't sound like a lie."

Jin Huan nodded repeatedly and hurriedly said, "Absolutely no lie!"

"Let me go, and everything is yours!"

Zhao Zheng stroked his chin, glanced again at the troops entering the pass, and said in a low voice:

"With so many people around, I can't let you go..."

"If I let you go, I'm sure the prince will chop me down with his sword."

After saying that, he squatted down, the dagger already pointed at Jin Huan.

Jin Huan was shocked and hurriedly said, "No, no, no, good brother, you're a smart man, how could you not have a way!"

"The fact that the prince doesn't send anyone to accompany you shows that he trusts you."

"If that doesn't work, stab me once, but don't hit any vital organs. Then I'll play dead, and you can find a way to get me to a deserted place!"

The dagger paused in mid-air. Zhao Zheng pondered for a moment, then brought it down with a sudden shout:

"Jin Huan, go to the underworld!"

"Ah!!" A scream rang out, and Jin Huan collapsed to the ground, motionless.

The screams drew the attention of the soldiers in the distance, who all turned to look. Zhao Zheng then shouted:

"You got off easy!"

Having said that, he turned to glance at the soldiers in the distance, then crouched down and, while dragging Jin Huan, whispered:

"Where is the vault? You should tell me by now."

Jin Huan remained silent.

"Huh? Still not talking? Are you really dead?"

"Jin Huan, I risked everything to save you. If it weren't for the money and that little bit of friendship, even a god couldn't save you today!"

"I came to save you without even verifying your words. Do you expect me to send you away, heal you, and then you'll speak again?"

Jin Huan still didn't open her eyes, but she whispered a few words.

Finally, he groaned, "Right there, my brother."

"Please send me away now, thank you for your trouble."

"I'd appreciate it if... I could have some more travel money; I need to go back to Nanze..."

"Okay, I'll see you off."

Zhao Zheng nodded, then thrust his knife again, stabbing it straight into Jin Huan's heart, even twisting it a couple of times.

With that stab, Jin Huan suddenly opened his eyes, but could no longer utter a single word.

He looked at Zhao Zheng's calm face until Zhao Zheng reached out and brushed his eyelids away, then he closed his eyes.

Zhao Zheng then shouted:

"You bastard, you used to embezzle military pay, you damned thing! I shouldn't have ended your life with one blow!"

"I'll stab you a few more times!"

Then, he added a few more stabs.

After a few more stabs, Zhao Zheng collapsed to the ground, looking at the mangled corpse. He shook his head and gave a faint smile.

"I, Zhao Zheng, understand the principle that if you are full at one meal, you will be full at every meal."

“To support my wife and daughters, there are things more important than money.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he wiped the dagger clean on Jin Huan's body, then sheathed it, stood up, and ran towards the checkpoint, still shouting:

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

"Before carrying out the execution, I managed to extract information about Jin Huan's treasury from him!"

"This humble general is willing to accompany Your Highness to Jinling!"

The wind howled, and troops continued to enter the pass. Meanwhile, somewhere inside Zhongnan Pass, a battle had already begun.