Lu Tianjiao helped her sit down, and while pouring tea, she said calmly, "Sister, don't be in a hurry. Try the tea I brought today and see how it is."

Having suffered such humiliation, he felt an intense urge to make everyone who had bullied him pay the price.

But being in a foreign land and isolated and helpless, Mei Xiyuan had no choice but to calm herself down and slowly sat down.

As Lu Tianjiao performed his skillful actions, he said with great relish, "My sister doesn't like to go out all day long, so she doesn't know that right now, in the back mountain of the academy, the well-arranged tea gardens and tea farmers working in the fields are a beautiful pastoral scene that is pleasing to the eye."

As he spoke, he handed a cup of tea to Mei Xiyuan.

Mei Xiyuan lowered her eyes and examined it once, seemingly still somewhat interested, before slowly putting it into her mouth.

But he couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "This tea has a tender green color, a high and lasting fragrance, a fresh and mellow taste, and a refreshing and sweet aftertaste. I have never tasted anything like it before. I wonder what kind of tea it is and where it is produced?"

Lu Tianjiao explained, “Xiqin Academy is located amidst white clouds, green mountains, and clear waters. In the tea garden on the back mountain, it is often shrouded in rain and mist all year round. This tea matures slowly in this secluded and tranquil valley, growing accompanied by the sounds of insects and birds in nature.”

"I see," Mei Xiyuan finally understood, and unconsciously took another sip.

Lu Tianjiao smiled and said, "This late spring tea is made every year around the day of Grain Rain in late spring. Tea pickers have to finish picking the leaves within a few days, and with their hands flying, they pick the tender green tips. Just one pound of fresh tea requires picking tens of thousands of tea tips. It is truly a tea made from thousands of tea trees shrouded in mist, with its flavor preserved in a single cup."

Mei Xiyuan listened attentively, deep in thought, when Lu Tianjiao slowly sat down beside her and changed the subject.

"Actually, I also know the person my younger sister is talking about."

Upon hearing this, Mei Xiyuan suddenly came to her senses and looked at her face in confusion, asking, "What did you say? I know this person too?"

Lu Tianjiao smiled slightly and nodded, then mysteriously reminded her, "Does sister still remember Sihai Tea House?"

Mei Xiyuan thought for a moment, then finally remembered and said, "Sister, you mean... that Northern Lie merchant... Tuoba Ze."

Lu Tianjiao maintained his smile and nodded weakly once more.

Mei Xiyuan recalled for a moment and said, "If my sister hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten about this person. He is ruthless and indeed quite clever, so he could be useful."

His tone betrayed a hint of hesitation: "But... I always feel that this person's identity is very suspicious, and he doesn't seem like an ordinary businessman."

At this moment, Lu Tianjiao's expression suddenly turned serious: "Since things have come to this, I will not hide it from you anymore. In fact, Tuoba Ze of Sihai Tea House is none other than Tuoba Ze, the former eldest prince of Beilie Kingdom."

Upon hearing this, Mei Xiyuan looked at Lu Tianjiao's face and was instantly stunned: "What did you say? He... he is actually the eldest prince of the Northern Lie Kingdom... Tuoba Ze."

Looking at Lu Tianjiao's extremely serious face, she never expected that Lu Tianjiao would get to know him.

As if seeing through the doubt in Mei Xiyuan's eyes, Lu Tianjiao explained, "Sister, please don't misunderstand. At first, I didn't know that he was the eldest prince of Beilie Kingdom either. It wasn't until one day, at the Qin Prince's mansion, that I heard the guards in the mansion reporting to General Cheng that I found out."

After a long while, Mei Xiyuan finally came to her senses.

Recalling the past, he felt deeply apologetic and apologized, saying, "Regarding the Sihai Tea House, in the end, I couldn't bring myself to do it and even deceived my sister. It's all my fault for being confused and soft-hearted at the time, and for hesitating when I should have made a decision. If I had listened to my sister completely, this wouldn't have happened. Please forgive me, sister."

“The past is the past. What matters is that we’re still together now, isn’t it?” Hearing Lu Tianjiao’s words, Mei Xiyuan felt a mix of emotions, and the two smiled at each other.

After a moment, Mei Xiyuan changed her mind and said, "But I heard that in the battle in the Northwest, the entire Northern Lie royal family was wiped out, wasn't it?"

Lu Tianjiao offered a freshly poured cup of hot tea and said, "Sister, you may not know this, but Tuoba Ze has always been a wicked and cunning man. How could he die so easily!"

Mei Xiyuan thoughtfully reached out and took the tea. Lu Tianjiao then looked troubled and said, "It's a pity... my sister has sent people to search for so long, but they still haven't found out even the slightest bit of news about him."

As the two were deep in thought with solemn expressions, a maid in green hurriedly walked from the long corridor in the courtyard toward the house.

After the maid entered, she curtsied to the two of them and said, "Reporting to the young lady, someone just delivered a letter outside the door, saying it is for you."

Lu Tianjiao stood up, took the letter from the maid, and asked, "Where is the messenger? Did he say anything?"

The maid replied, "The messenger has already left. He didn't say anything, only that the young lady would know once she reads the contents of the letter."

Lu Tianjiao waved his hand, and the maid withdrew.

Lu Tianjiao slowly unfolded the letter in his hand, and in no time, he was overjoyed and said, "Speak of the devil, and he appears. I knew it! How could such a vicious and wicked person, with so many unpardoned sins, die so easily?"

Seeing her suddenly become so happy, Mei Xiyuan asked timidly, "Who is my sister talking about?"

Lu Tianjiao handed her the letter and said, "It's from Tuoba Ze. He wants to meet us in the city."

Mei Xiyuan took the letter and immediately felt a surge of renewed energy.

She then clenched the letter tightly and said, "Last time, I was too kind-hearted and wanted to let her go, which gave her the opportunity to hurt me and my family again and again. This time, I will definitely eliminate her completely and ensure that she has no place to be buried and will never be forgiven for all eternity."

After they finished speaking, the two looked at each other, each making their own plans.

In the courtyard, the rain was still falling lightly.

Lu Tianjiao suddenly spoke with great interest: "Sister, rainy days in the academy have a unique charm. Why don't you come out for a walk with me?"

"Alright!" Mei Xiyuan finally agreed to step out of the room for the first time.

Lu Tianjiao held the oil-paper umbrella for him. As soon as they stepped outside, they saw several red mushrooms swaying gently in the wind and rain in the corner of the yard.

Mei Xiyuan stopped and looked around, saying, "Raindrops fall gently, and red mushrooms grow tall."

She silently thought to herself:

"It's time to hide your weakness. The world is pouring rain, all things are struggling to survive, and no one will carry everything for you anymore. Don't complain about the long and bumpy road ahead, life is inherently full of twists and turns."

The next day, the rain stopped and the sky cleared, bringing another beautiful day.

The Western Qin Imperial City was bustling with crowds and noisy streets.

A rectangular plaque hangs above a doorway on the street, engraved with four imposing characters in gold on a black background: "Sihai Tea House." It is dignified, grand, and quite remarkable.

"Nine dragons soar across the four seas from the rocks, the tea is of the highest quality and tastes first-class."

Things have changed, and people are no longer the same. In the darkness, everything has changed, yet it seems as if nothing has changed at all.

Tuoba Hong was led all the way to the second floor.

Upon arriving at the door of a secluded private room, I was finally about to meet the person who had appeared in my dreams countless times over the past few nights. My heart was filled with excitement, but the moment of seeing him was fast approaching.

Standing outside the door, with only a wall separating them, Tuoba Hong hesitated in the end.

Just as he hesitated, the guard finished reporting to his master inside and came out again to greet him: "Second Prince, the First Prince requests your presence."

Upon hearing this, all his thoughts were interrupted, and he picked up his foot and went inside.

Regardless of what happened in the past, they will always be each other's only remaining closest relatives in this world.

Having survived countless near-death experiences, we are now reunited. We should be showing even more concern and genuine affection upon meeting.

Just as Tuoba Hong was wondering how to start the conversation, Tuoba Ze, who was sitting alone at the tea table, leisurely playing with a pile of tea utensils, spoke first.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I thought that the dignified Second Prince of Beilie Kingdom, the future king of the grasslands whom that stubborn old man had his eye on, was really as rumored, unable to bear the humiliation of the country's destruction, and was burned to ashes along with that old man's bones. I didn't expect that you would still be alive."

After saying that, he let out a long laugh: "Haha, hahaha, hahahahaha..."

From the moment he learned that Tuoba Ze was still alive, Tuoba Hong seemed to have a vague feeling about something.

So, disregarding Tuoba Ze's contempt for him, he said, "I never expected our reunion to be like this. Now, all I want to know is, what exactly do you want?"

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Ze's laughter abruptly stopped. He then turned his cold eyes to Tuoba Ze's face, his expression almost ferocious, and said fiercely, "What do I want to do? Fine, you're just a piece of trash anyway, it won't hurt to tell you. I want revenge, I want this world, I want to take back everything I lost in the past."

Seeing his vengeful look, which seemed almost obsessive, Tuoba Hong shook his head and earnestly advised, "Brother, stop. Do you know how much better the relationship between the people of the two countries is now, and how happy the lives of the common people are, ever since the King of Western Qin conquered Northern Lie? Besides, do you really think I don't know who was responsible for Father's death?"

Even now, Tuoba Ze was still lying: "The hatred of national subjugation and the hatred of father's murder are irreconcilable. Have you forgotten so quickly that it was that girl you so desperately wanted to protect who killed Father Emperor?"

Tuoba Hong clenched his fists quietly, trying to suppress the hatred in his heart, and asked, "Even now, you still refuse to admit it?"

"What...what do I have to admit?" Tuoba Ze asked angrily.

As their conversation reached an impasse, the room fell silent.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly blurted out, "Did you kill Father?"