He had guessed that this would be the outcome before he even arrived.

"Miao'er, is your master really worth all this?" Ji Changru was waiting for her answer, an answer that would make him give up completely.

Sun Miao'er turned around and said, "It's worth it, Master is worth it."

During her most helpless and lowest moments, only her master was by her side.

If her master does choose Alisa, she will respect his choice.

But until then, she still didn't believe it was her master's intention.

Ji Changru could not sway her heart. Even if he was willing to give up all the money and honor of his family, it could not compare to Fu Yuchi's position in her heart.

Once is enough.

Sun Miao'er held the key in her hand. It was indeed the key to Duhuanlou, and it also represented all the power that Hu Tingzhi had accumulated.

With this key, she could command the spies Hu Tingzhi had previously planted, and from them, Sun Miao'er could obtain all the information she wanted.

She took the key and walked outside the Paradise Pavilion.

Jilefang, the largest gambling den in Pingnan City, is now deserted, with only a few people playing cards inside.

Upon seeing Sun Miao'er enter, he greeted her familiarly, calling her "Manager Sun."

Sun Miao'er remained silent, only opening her palm to reveal the key in her hand.

The shop assistant's expression immediately changed. "Manager Sun, please come in."

Manager Sun walked into the secret room inside the gambling den, and several of the gambling den's employees followed him in, all kneeling on the ground.

"Greetings, Master."

The shop assistant who had just led her said, "Manager Hu instructed that if you see a secret order, it should be treated as if he were there in person."

"To make a long story short," Sun Miao'er sighed. It seemed that Hu Tingzhi's influence extended further than she had imagined. No wonder Luo Yu had eliminated him first. "Now that your master has handed over the secret order to me, from now on, Duhuanlou, Jilefang, and the thirty-six banks below will all be under my control."

"You must obey my orders."

The men answered in unison, "Yes!"

Sun Miao'er clenched her fist. The key, made of black iron, remained cold in her palm. "Go and inquire about something."

Is it true that Mr. Fu, who serves the King of Wei, is getting married to Princess Alisa?

She never imagined that the first time she would use the secret code would be for something like this.

Duhuan Tower will be sealed off tomorrow, and the number of soldiers in the city is gradually increasing. It seems that the emperor will arrive in Yingzhou in the next couple of days.

She couldn't let Dongli Xiaoxiao take such a dangerous step!

After much thought, I still felt that her actions were too impulsive.

Sun Miao'er turned and ran back to Duhuan Tower.

"Miao'er, why have you come again?" Dongli Xiaoxiao only has a few trusted confidants at her disposal, and she needs to make thorough plans before the emperor arrives.

If one cannot kill the tyrannical ruler with one's own hands, one must at least ensure that the ruler does not leave alive.

Regardless of her plans, now that Sun Miao'er has taken over Hu Tingzhi's secret orders, protecting Dongli Xiaoxiao is her duty.

“I’m not leaving, Xiaoxiao.” As she spoke, Sun Miao’er took off her clothes. “Give me a set of maid’s clothes.”

"More people means more effort."

Dongli Xiaoxiao didn't want to involve others, but she knew that Miao'er's determination to protect her was just as firm as her own desire to kill the tyrant.

Although they had only known each other for a short time, they trusted each other completely.

"Miao'er, don't act rashly when the time comes. I will kill that dog emperor with my own hands!"

Sun Miao'er smiled and said, "Don't worry, Xiaoxiao, I've taken care of everything outside."

What she worries about most are Xiao Ning and Xiao Man.

However, the best news for now is to keep them from knowing anything.

The spies of the Feather Camp should have been planted in Pingnan City long ago, and she cannot allow outsiders to become suspicious now.

She absolutely could not reveal her true colors until the Feather Camp suspected Duhuanlou.

On the third day of the blockade of Duhuan Tower, the streets were filled with the sounds of gongs and drums.

Sun Miao'er opened the window and looked out. People lined the street to welcome them. Zhang Shengmin and his entourage knelt on the long street and waited for about two hours.

The city gate slowly opened, and a carriage drove in from outside.

The carriage looked rather simple from the outside, and several oxcarts followed behind it.

If Zhang Shengmin hadn't made such a show of things, Sun Miao'er would never have believed that the former ruler of the Shang Dynasty would appear like this.

"Your subject Zhang Shengmin greets Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

The carriage gradually came to a stop, the curtain was lifted, revealing a man's face.

In order to make it easier to escape without being noticed by the King of Wei, Xi Zheng changed into coarse clothes, which was a great humiliation for the emperor.

But when he saw Zhang Shengmin kneeling to greet him, Xi Zheng's eyes welled up with tears, and he rushed off the carriage to hug Zhang Shengmin.

"Minister Zhang, I... I've finally seen you!"

Zhang Shengmin was flattered and said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you mustn't do this! This is too much for me!"

Xi Zheng had a bellyful of grievances to confide in, having endured wind and rain and sleeping in the open along the way. As an emperor, he had never suffered such hardship. "Minister Zhang, I was foolish before, and I listened to the slander of petty people. When I return to the capital, I will definitely promote you to prime minister! I will also bestow upon you a princely title!"

"A tyrannical ruler!"

Dongli smiled and leaned against the upper floor, cursing fiercely.

Listening to the conversation between the two downstairs, Sun Miao'er used to think that Zhang Shengmin was a good official who served the country and the people. But now, seeing him protecting the tyrannical emperor, she was very puzzled.

Perhaps all he ever wanted was to be a loyal minister whose name would be remembered in history.

"Your Majesty, you must be tired from your journey. This Duhuan Tower is a temporary residence that I have prepared for Your Majesty. Please forgive me for the short time."

Xi Zheng had no idea what was going on. When he looked up and saw the magnificent Duhuan Tower, his nose tingled with emotion. The roadside was full of mud-brick and thatched houses. He had never seen anything like this before.

A woman's voice suddenly came from inside the carriage, "A brothel! It's an insult to the Emperor's status!"

"Oh dear, Mother, at a time like this, please say less!"

Zhang Shengmin glanced inside and saw a woman dressed in plain clothes with a solemn expression sitting in the carriage. "Your Majesty, I was unaware that the Empress Dowager was here. I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager!"

"If I'm not here, am I dead?" The Empress Dowager's voice was sharp and filled with an unassailable authority. "That wretched woman's child should have been wiped out when she was born. Otherwise, none of this would have happened!"

Sun Miao'er knew that the "bastard" the Empress Dowager was referring to was Xi Yan's mother. They had conceived the wicked woman, and it was only their own fault for doing so.

If Xi Yan hadn't relentlessly pressured the Guo family mother and son, how could he have harbored thoughts of rebellion?

"I never imagined that of all my officials, only Minister Zhang would remain as a loyal minister. I was so foolish!"

Xi Zheng cried so hard that he almost fainted.

"Your Majesty, you still have the Feather Camp, and Yingzhou has 30,000 elite troops. Once they are reorganized, I will certainly assist Your Majesty in reclaiming our lost territories!"