Yuan Xiu arranged for the banquet for the eldest prince to be held at Jianning Palace, but it would be more accurate to say that it was arranged by Wen Hu rather than Yuan Xiu.

Because Yuan Xiu had no idea.

The banquet he held to celebrate the birth of Yuan Zhengzong and the extermination of the Zhao family had already been taking place at Jing Palace for three days and three nights.

As planned, Yuan Zhang led Yuan Qi, Tuo Tie Wu Hua, and five hundred dismounted Northern Guards into the Jing Palace. No one stopped them, nor did anyone dare to.

Yuan Zhang acted as if nothing had happened, as if he were back in his own home.

Eight years ago, this vast Jing Palace was indeed like home to him.

But things are different now.

When they arrived at Jianning Palace, Dianchen and his men stopped them.

"Your Highness, you and the Assistant General may go in, but they..."

The title of Assistant General was bestowed upon Yuan Qi by Yuan Xiu when he was conferring the title of the Four Supreme Minor Generals. Dian Chen's attitude was very clear: Yuan Zhang and his son could be included, but others could not.

Yuan Zhang interrupted Dian Chen, saying, "Do I need your permission to see my own nephew and grand-nephew?"

Yuan Qi had a refined appearance, but he spoke bluntly at this moment, saying, "His Majesty has a Wei You who looks down on people, does that mean that Scholar Dian is also so arrogant?"

Dian Chen was taken aback, not expecting Yuan Zhang and his son to be so direct. He smiled and said, "The King of Champion and the General of the State are joking. I am just a royal bodyguard. How dare I make decisions on my own? I am just following His Majesty's orders."

Yuan Zhangchao glanced behind the officials and saw only a dozen or so guards lined up. He said, "Where are Lord Wei and Eunuch Jin today?"

"They are with His Majesty."

Dian Chen cupped his hands to Yuan Zhang and said with a smile, "The Crown Prince is very young. Your Highness has brought too many people, which may frighten the Crown Prince. Please understand."

Yuan Zhang thought for a moment and said, "Allow me to give you a few instructions."

Yuan Zhang turned around, took Yuan Qi and Tuo Tie Wu Hua aside, and said softly, "Yuan Qi and I will go in. You take some men and guard outside. If anything happens to us, you take them and escape back to Yun Jing."

Tuo Tiewuhua's expression changed. He had followed Yuan Zhang for many years and knew Yuan Zhang's judgment; he wouldn't make a fuss without reason.

"Your Highness, since you knew there was danger, why did you still go in?"

"Whether it's dangerous or not is just speculation. I am a member of the Yuan family, and I'm betting that the Emperor and Prince Xin won't harm my father and me."

Yuan Zhang glanced in the direction of Jianning Palace and then said, "In other words, if the Emperor and Prince Xin have already decided to take action against us, then it's too late for us to leave now."

Tuo Tiewuhua said, "If there is any unusual activity in the palace, I will lead my men to storm in."

Yuan Zhang shook his head and said, "That's exactly what I'm worried about. You only have five hundred men. If there are arrangements in the palace, your five hundred men will not only be useless, but you will also be accused of forcing the emperor to abdicate and rebelling. So... if anything happens, you must escape back to Yun Jing and tell Feng Jing and Huang Shi what happened in the palace."

"I have been loyal to the Great Jing and Your Majesty all my life. I may be eliminated, but I cannot be infamous for eternity."

Even the once-resolute man, now stripped of his black robes, had tears welling in his eyes.

"Your Highness..."

Yuan Zhang placed his hand on Tuo Tie Wu Hua's shoulder and smiled, "What I just said were the worst possible outcomes. No one knows the real situation, so there's no need to be so discouraged. Tuo Tie Wu Hua, from the moment you came into my life, I knew you were a spy planted by Jin Ran. But over the years, you have become my family. To me, you are like Yuan Qi, both my sons. You must live well."

Unable to hold back any longer, Tuo Tiewuhua knelt down on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yuan Zhang, and lowered his head to hold back the tears that were about to fall.

"They're gone."

Yuan Zhang decisively turned around and led Yuan Qi into the deep palace where the future was unknown.

...

As Yuan Li and Dongfang Jun emerged from the Imperial New Hall and entered the passageway leading to Jianning Palace, a cold voice suddenly rang out from within the group.

"Stop."

The voice came from Gong Xue, and Yuan Li, sitting in the carriage, immediately became alert. He knew that Gong Xue would not stop the procession casually; there must be some danger ahead.

Gong Xue, holding her snow sword, walked to the front of the group.

Across from them, at the end of the passageway, a slender figure slowly walked towards them, a smile on his face as he weighed the pebbles in his hand.

Gong Xue tightened her grip on the snow sword and said in a voice that Yuan Li could hear, "Grandmaster."

Yuan Li narrowed his eyes, stepped down from the carriage, and walked with Dongfang Jun to Gong Xue's side.

Dongfang Jun said, "The visitors are not friendly. It's a pity that Changfeng is still recovering from his injuries. Otherwise, if he joined forces with Miss Gongxue, they could also fight against a Grandmaster."

As Luo Ying approached, Gong Xue's brows relaxed slightly, and she asked, "Luo Ying?"

"Miss Gong Xue, it's been a long time."

Luo Ying smiled at Gong Xue, then nodded to Yuan Li and said, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Xin."

"You must be Luo Ying." Yuan Li looked Luo Ying up and down and said, "I have long admired you."

Luo Ying smiled and said, "I dare not accept such praise."

Yuan Li asked, "What do you mean by blocking my path?"

Luo Ying said, "The Marquis of Sha County is very concerned about His Highness Prince Xin. He felt that things were not very peaceful at Jianning Palace today, so he specially sent me to inform His Highness."

Yuan Li's pupils contracted, and she exclaimed in surprise, "What is Wen Hu going to do?!"

Luo Ying said, "Your Highness should be able to guess what the Marquis of Sha County is planning. The Marquis of Sha County said that he would handle this kind of dirty work."

"This is outrageous!"

Yuan Li was immediately enraged and shouted, "The champion king is my uncle!"

Seeing this, Gong Xue drew her sword a little, and Luo Ying also pinched a pebble, making the atmosphere tense.

Luo Ying said, "It is precisely because of Your Highness's relationship with the Champion King that the Marquis of Sha County must protect you."

Yuan Li questioned, "What if I insist on going?"

Luo Ying looked up at the sky and said, "Then it's not just Jianning Palace that's in turmoil, but the entire Jing Palace."

Yuan Li was so angry that he staggered back a step. At this moment, he finally realized how powerful Wen Hu was.

Yuan Li closed her eyes, and after a long while, she opened them again and silently turned away.

...

Jianning Palace.

Yuan Zhang and Yuan Qi entered the palace, and the door behind them slowly closed. Looking around, there was no one in the palace.

There were no palace maids, no eunuchs, no banquet for officials, and no princes or emperors.

Yuan Zhang sighed and said, "Son, I'm sorry to have wronged you."

Yuan Qi's expression was resolute as she said sternly, "Father, I'm much luckier than my eldest brother. We'll be together through thick and thin!"

At that moment, someone finally walked out of the palace.

He was dressed in tattered cloth, holding a gun without a muzzle in his left hand and a gun with a muzzle in his right.

He tossed the gun with the pointed end to Yuan Zhang and said, "Fifteen years ago, we settled our score."

"Now, it's a matter of life and death."