I'll accompany you.

Guangxi staggered into the Crown Prince's palace, her robes billowing in a flurry of panic: "Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!"

Xia Chengen, who was still under house arrest, was playing chess with Miss Xu when he heard the noise and a black piece fell into the chess box between his fingers: "What's the matter?"

"General Qi... he was assassinated..."

Xia Chengen's pupils contracted sharply. He immediately disrupted the chessboard, grabbed the hem of his robe, and prepared to rush out of the palace.

Guangxi spread her arms wide, blocking him firmly: "Your Highness, please reconsider! You are still under house arrest. To step out of the Eastern Palace now would be to defy the imperial decree! Moreover... General Qi's death is probably related to His Majesty!"

After Guangxi finished recounting what had happened at the morning court session, Xia Chengen pushed him aside and headed straight for the Emperor's Palace.

"Father, why do you kill loyal and virtuous ministers?"

The emperor put down the memorial, looked up at him, and asked, "Crown Prince, are you questioning me?"

Xia Chengen knelt on the ground: "General Qi has guarded the border for ten years and has made outstanding military achievements. If you order the death of a meritorious official today, who will dare to serve the Xia Kingdom when the border is in danger in the future? How will the historians record Father Emperor's deeds?"

"Insolence! When did my decisions require explanation to you?" The Emperor rose, looking down at him. "You are usually cautious, yet today you defy my decree to question me. Xia Chengen, are you afraid I'll become a tyrant, or are you worried that if I touch the Qi family, your position as Crown Prince will be insecure?" He turned and placed his hand on the dragon throne. "Many people are eyeing this throne. I know you have a close relationship with Miss Qi."

"Your subject has no such intention! I have entered the main hall today only for the sake of the Great Xia General, not for personal reasons."

"Good! Wang Shuhuai, draft the imperial edict!"

"By imperial decree: Qi Yuheng, the garrison commander of Liangchuan, failed in his duty, causing the Crown Prince to be in danger. His main generals will be executed in three days."

“Father!” Xia Chengen looked up and met those cold eyes, finally realizing that the person in front of him was not his father, but the emperor of the Great Xia.

Like emperors throughout history, he was suspicious and ungrateful.

"Father, I beg you to spare the generals of the Qi family." His head kowtowed to the ground again and again. "I beg you, Father, have mercy!"

"If you dare to plead for them again, I will give your position as crown prince to someone else!"

Xia Chengen fell silent, slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock.

"go out!"

Wang Shuhuai stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, please return first."

Xia Chengen walked out of the main hall, utterly dejected. Was he still the Crown Prince? His tutor had taught him to have the world in his heart and to be willing to risk his life for justice.

He looked up at the sky; dark clouds filled the sky. If even he, the crown prince, was struggling, what about the soldiers guarding the borders? What about the common people who had nowhere to go? And what about Qi Yuning, who had lost her brother's protection?

"I will do anything!"

He recalled Liangchuan under the moon, the woman who, after getting drunk, promised to share the world with him.

If even he doesn't dare to speak out, who else can stand against the ruthlessness of imperial power?

Xia Chengen turned around and knelt on the hundred steps: "Your Majesty! I have studied since childhood and know the way of a ruler. General Qi fought all his life and never failed the emperor or the people. Today he died an untimely death. I beg Your Majesty to give the general a proper burial and pardon his generals! I hope Your Majesty will grant your request!"

His forehead struck the stone bricks again and again, his pleas echoing throughout the palace. A fierce wind whipped up his lonely robes.

The rain poured down, and his voice gradually became hoarse, but the emperor ignored him.

It is unknown how much time passed before the Empress ordered people to carry him back to the East Palace.

——

When Wen Zhibai and Pei Qinzhou arrived at the general's mansion, the mourning hall was filled with incessant weeping.

Amidst the fluttering paper money, Qi Yuning removed her red dress, revealing a plain white outfit, and knelt before the coffin, her eyes vacant.

She was surrounded by untouched food.

This scene reminded Wen Zhibai of her past self. She quickly stepped forward and gently hugged the cold body from behind.

Feeling the warmth, Qi Yuning slowly raised her red and swollen eyes: "Zhibai, you're here..."

There was no expected weeping; this calm was all the more heartbreaking. Wen Zhibai wiped away her tears and nodded gently.

"I brought you roast chicken, have some."

Qi Yuning forced a smile: "Okay... Yesterday when my brother left, I even said I wanted to eat roast chicken..."

Wen Zhibai gestured for Pei Qinzhou to hand over the oil paper package.

"It smells so good..." She took a bite, her chewing slowing down. "It still can't compare to my brother's cooking." Before she finished speaking, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Yu Ning…”

Qi Yuning burst into tears, tightly gripping Wen Zhibai's hand: "I'm close to you because we've both lost our parents... My brother is a general, and I dare not confide in him, for fear of disturbing his peace of mind. The young ladies of the capital all have different tastes than me, and no one wants to befriend me. But Zhibai, you're different. You praise my bravery and extol my fearlessness... I thought that once my brother returned from Liangchuan, I wouldn't be alone anymore... But now, I don't even have my brother anymore..."

Wen Zhibai pulled her into his arms: "I will always be your friend."

"I have no brother anymore..."

The generals who came to pay their respects all knelt down, overwhelmed with grief and indignation upon hearing this: "General, you dedicated your life to the country, why did you end up like this! Is there any justice in this world?!"

A soldier stepped forward and handed the letter to Qi Yuning: "Miss, this was written by the general last year when he was in Liangchuan."

Qi Yuning trembled as she tore open the envelope, and familiar handwriting came into view:

Sister, I hope you never see this letter.

This time, Naqi came with overwhelming force, and his chances of survival were slim. I'm afraid he won't be able to return to the capital to see you.

Lately, I keep thinking about what you looked like when you were little. Our parents passed away early, and you suffered hardships with me, I'm so sorry. I joined the army to give you a stable life, but thankfully, heaven took pity on you and you grew up safely. If I die in battle, don't be too sad; just think of me as your brother going to reunite with our parents.

Yu Ning, if I die on the battlefield, it will be for my country and my people, something to be happy about. Don't cry, your brother can no longer wipe your tears.

I just hope that you will restrain your temper in the future, find a place to hide, and live a good life.

I will always love you, brother.

That's all for now.

Qi Yuning clutched the letter tightly to her chest: "Brother—!"

At this moment, Li Ke, from the Imperial Law Department, burst into the mourning hall with an imperial edict.

"Miss Wen is here too?" Li Ke didn't notice Pei Qinzhou and went straight to Wen Zhibai.

Wen Zhibai shielded Qi Yuning behind him: "What is it, Lord Li?"

Li Ke waved the imperial edict and read it aloud to the public.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yuning suddenly grabbed the sword beside the coffin and stabbed at Li Ke.

"Yu Ning!" Wen Zhibai hurriedly stopped her, "No!"

"Let me go! Why should my brother risk his life for such a court!"

Wen Zhibai gripped her sword-wielding hand tightly and whispered, "Once the sword is drawn, there is no turning back! The emperor is waiting for an excuse to eliminate the Qi family's power. This sword of yours will kill all the soldiers and tarnish the Qi family's reputation. Only by living can you see the day your enemy falls."

Tensions were high between the two sides, and the officials of the Imperial Law Office surrounded the mourning hall.

“I’m acting on orders, do you dare kill me?” Li Ke challenged.

Wen Zhibai looked at Pei Qinzhou, who immediately stepped in between them: "If Lord Li wants to take action, I, Pei, will oblige."

Upon seeing Pei Qinzhou, Li Ke's arrogance vanished instantly. He knew Pei Qinzhou's methods well and didn't want to escalate the situation.

After the Imperial Law Enforcement Bureau left, Wen Zhibai hugged Qi Yuning and whispered in her ear, "We are on the same path. We will avenge this grudge together."

Although Qi Yuning did not understand what grudge she had against the royal family, she still nodded firmly.

The generals stepped forward one after another: "Miss, we will avenge the general! What we do from now on is none of your business. Please take care!"

Qi Yuning wiped away her tears, her gaze resolute: "You are my brother's most trusted subordinates, and he certainly wouldn't want to see you bleed again. But I, Qi Yuning, will remember this debt. As long as I live, I will avenge this!"

——

"Lord Li!" Wen Zhibai called out to the Imperial Law Enforcement team at the street corner.

Li Ke turned around and sneered, "What advice does Miss Wen have for me?"

"Doesn't Lord Li understand why I blocked that sword strike just now?"

Li Ke raised an eyebrow: "I'd like to hear the details. Where is Lord Pei?"

Wen Zhibai approached and whispered, "A woman like me always needs someone to rely on. With the Crown Prince confined to his quarters, how long can Pei Qinzhou remain in power? I've prepared wine and dishes at Wangjiang Tower; would Lord Li be so kind as to accept?"

"I used to think you were devoted to Lord Pei, but I never expected..."

"People always have to think about themselves."

Li Ke followed her to the restaurant.

"Please, Lord Li." Wen Zhibai pushed open the door.

As soon as Li Ke stepped into the room, the door was locked. Pei Qinzhou emerged from behind the screen.

Wen Zhibai walked to his side, and he naturally put his arm around her shoulder.

"Lord Li, you have frightened my wife."

The words had barely left his mouth when Li Ke was lifted up by an invisible force and suspended in mid-air. He struggled in vain, hearing a cold voice:

“I don’t like killing. But if you make her unhappy, I don’t mind drawing blood.”

“Monster! Monster!” Li Ke shouted with difficulty.

Only when his face turned purple did Wen Zhibai say, "That's enough."

Li Ke collapsed to the ground, staring in horror at the closed door: "What are you going to do?"

“I can open the door. Lord Li has one incense stick's time to leave the restaurant, or he will remain here forever.” Wen Zhibai fiddled with the key, looking at Pei Qinzhou, “What should be done if Lord Li cannot leave?”

"I'll listen to you."

Wen Zhibai tiptoed and whispered in his ear, then chuckled softly, "Is this alright?"

"Can."

This conversation between the two terrified Li Ke.

Just as Wen Zhibai was about to count, Pei Qinzhou had already used a paper figure to unlock the door.

Li Ke tried to escape, but the restaurant was empty and all exits were blocked.

With time running out, he hid in the wine cellar.

The footsteps came from above, neither hurried nor slow.

Wen Zhibai and Pei Qinzhou appeared before him.

"Lord Li, I'm here."