After being out of contact for several days, Qingchen was speechless when she saw him for the first time.

Song Yue, dressed in plain clothes, still looked exceptionally handsome in the sunlight, his face radiant and fair. He walked over, his voice filled with the joy of a long-awaited reunion, "Looks like I've come at the wrong time."

Her nose felt a little sore, but she held it back and said, "You knew you were coming back."

She had been worried that something had happened to him. These past few days, she had been thinking that as long as he was safe and sound, she would accept whatever bad outcome might occur. But when he finally arrived, she stubbornly refused to say anything kind to him.

"I've always known. How could I not reply?" He looked into her eyes, his unfathomable pupils like whirlpools.

"You promised to contact me as soon as possible. How could you go back on your word?"

“I wanted to contact you. I wanted to contact you the day I found Consort Zheng, and I didn’t want to stay at her place. But she wouldn’t let me leave and locked me in that courtyard. Now that she’s passed away, Huang Heng brought people to release me. I came to find you as soon as I got out, without daring to delay for a moment.”

Qingchen looked at him, and seeing that he seemed sincere, she finally nodded. Next time he made her worry for so long, she would definitely not let him off easily.

Consort Zheng passed away a few days ago. She had heard the news, but she couldn't enter the palace and didn't know the details. However, she was at least relieved for Zhu Yuluo.

He looked around, gently took her hand, and said softly, "Let's go out later, okay? Let's go inside and talk for a while."

"Um."

Once inside, she poured him a cup of tea and then asked, "Did she give you any trouble?"

Song Yue pretended to think for a moment, "Is it always me who does the calculations?"

"Calculate!"

He curled the corners of his mouth into a smile. "The person is dead, and you're still jealous."

She gave a soft snort, expressing her dissatisfaction, "How did she die?"

"The Emperor himself killed her with the Imperial Sword," he said. "He gave her all that power and desire, and in the end, he had to take it all back himself. Cause and effect are cyclical, and it is destiny."

After saying that, he recounted the details that Huang Heng had told him.

Qingchen sighed upon hearing this. After all, they were husband and wife. For the sake of power, the wife plotted to kill her husband, and the husband killed his wife with his own hands. The son, who was watching from the side, was trembling like a leaf and tears streaming down his face. It was truly absurd and tragic.

Everyone in the world wants to be rich and powerful, to reach the pinnacle of power, but they don't realize that it is precisely at that lonely height that even the most ordinary family affection is hard to find.

"Alright, since the matter is over, let's not talk about her anymore," he said.

She nodded. "How is the Emperor's condition?"

"This is bad. The toxins from the datura have been accumulating in his body for a long time, and his internal organs are already overwhelmed. He has been unconscious ever since he stabbed Consort Zheng that day, and the Crown Prince has been taking care of him. The imperial physician said that he may not last much longer."

In the end, only his son, whom he had once neglected and doubted, remained by his side.

“Your student is a filial son, and you’ve taught him well.” He handed her a teacup. “Have some water; your lips are dry.”

She took the tea, and he continued, "I also heard that you drew some kind of picture book for the Crown Prince, which talked about the cycle of filial piety? I heard that he often looked at it."

Qingchen remembered that it was when she first met Zhu Yuluo that she gave him the book "Calabash Brothers"...

She said somewhat embarrassedly, "It's nothing, I just got into it on a whim, and it's not very well done."

He didn't press further, only asking, "Where were you going just now?"

She then remembered the important matter, "The Duke of England's residence."

After saying that, he handed him the envelope written by Ming Xiang. “Look. No one has seen Su Miaoyi since she married into the Xu family. I thought it was too strange. But a few days ago, I went to see Gu Shaoheng and saw that girl was deeply in love with him and insisted on marrying him. She was crying and sobbing. I was thinking that the girl is straightforward. Could something have happened to her? If so, the Xu family is holding back the money because they are afraid that the Duke of Yingguo will change his mind and stop helping the Prince of Shu.”

"Hmm." He thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "I'll go. I have some connections with the Duke of England, so perhaps I can persuade him."

“But Xu Yan’s assassins are still looking for you. If you go to his in-laws’ place, wouldn’t you be walking into a trap?”

He comforted him, saying, "Don't worry. Xu Yan still needs the Duke of Ying's help. He can kill me, but the Duke of Ying can protect me. If the Duke of Ying finds out that his daughter is in trouble, he will no longer listen to him."

"Then you need to be careful."

"good."

...

Song Yue rode in Qingchen's carriage to the Duke of Ying's mansion. Upon hearing what he said, the Duke of Ying immediately went to Xu Yan's residence to demand the person.

When Xu Yan saw the Duke of Yingguo, he wondered if he had come for a drink or to inform him that the 30,000 troops had arrived in Taiyuan. Little did he know, the Duke had come to demand the man's return. At first, Xu Yan politely made excuses, saying the man was unwell and couldn't be seen. But the Duke of Yingguo wouldn't have any of it, ordering his men to search the mansion, even declaring, "I want to see him alive or dead."

Xu Silin was drinking in the pavilion in the backyard when the commotion startled him. He thought to himself, "It can't be hidden forever; what's meant to happen will happen." As the alcohol took effect, his guilt deepened regarding the corpse still lying in the woodshed, forbidden to anyone. He then went to the main hall and informed the Duke of Ying of Su Miaoyi's death.

"Don't look for her anymore, she's dead, it's my fault."

Xu Yan was still trying to deny it, but his son suddenly arrived and told him the truth. He quickly pulled his son back, saying, "He's drunk and talking nonsense."

Before the Duke of England arrived, he had a bad feeling. Upon hearing Xu Silin's words, he collapsed on the spot. Su Miaoyi was his only daughter, whom he cherished and loved dearly. He never imagined that she would marry into another family and die so tragically.

He was furious and grabbed Xu Yan by the collar, roaring, "Give me back my daughter!"

Xu Yanren grabbed his collar, offering no excuses. The truth could no longer be hidden, so he ordered his men to bring Su Miaoyi's body out of the woodshed. The weather had turned cooler these past few days, so he had ice used to cool the body. Fortunately, it hadn't decomposed yet; only her once small, palm-sized face was now pale and swollen.

The British Duke, an old man who had lost his son, could not contain his grief and wept uncontrollably while holding the body.

Xu Yan didn't care about any of that; his only concern was the 30,000 troops. Worried that the man might change his mind, he swallowed his pride and begged, "Even though Miaoyi is dead, we are still family..."

The Duke of England had no intention of wasting any more words with him. He ordered someone to take Su Miaoyi's body away, slammed the door, and left. Before leaving, he left a message: "From now on, Xu Yan and I are no longer in-laws, but enemies. Those 30,000 troops will return to the Northwest immediately. Don't even think about it anymore."

After the Duke of England left, Xu Yan slapped his son hard across the face. "It's just a dead man, is it worth you drinking all day and spouting nonsense here? Now look what's happened, the Xu family is going to be ruined!"

From childhood to adulthood, his father was always kind and gentle to him, and never beat or scolded him.