"This is..." Xin Jiuwei walked closer to examine it and discovered the small characters below the portrait: "A photo of my sister Aning and Xun'er on their first birthday, Yonghe twelfth year."

Ah Ning? Xun'er?

Xin Jiuwei was struck dumb. Aning was her mother Qi Ning's given name, and "Xun'er"... could it be Xiao Xun? What was her mother's relationship with Xiao Xun? Why was there such a portrait?

"Girl, look at this." Seventeen took out a confidential document from the ebony box. "Your father's name is on it."

Suppressing her shock, Xin Jiuwei unfolded the secret file. It was an old palace record, detailing a secret from twenty years ago:

"In the winter of the eleventh year of the Yonghe reign, Lady Qi, Aning, entered the palace as a concubine and became pregnant. The Emperor suspected the child was not his own and gave her an abortifacient. The medicine was ineffective, and she died in childbirth. Prince Xun was placed in the care of Lingyin Temple, and it was publicly stated that he had died young..."

The pages rustled in Xin Jiuwei's hands. Xiao Xun was born when her mother entered the palace as a concubine? Then he and she... were siblings? No, the timeline didn't add up. Her mother married her father a year after giving birth to Xiao Xun, and then she was born. So Xiao Xun was her... cousin?

"Girl!" Seventeen suddenly looked up alertly, "Someone's coming, a lot of people!"

Chaotic footsteps and shouts came from all directions. Xin Jiuwei quickly stuffed the secret file into her bosom, carefully hiding it along with the snow lotus: "Retreat!"

The two had barely rushed out of the study when they were immediately exposed by the torchlight. At least twenty guards stood in the courtyard, led by Qi Huaiyu, and beside him... was Granny Li!

"As expected of you, you little slut!" Qi Huaiyu sneered. "Your Highness is truly a master strategist; you knew you would come to steal the snow lotus to save your lover."

Xin Jiuwei sneered, "Young Master Qi, you're quick to pledge allegiance to your new master. I wonder what benefits the Second Prince promised you?"

"Enough to make you wish you were dead." Qi Huaiyu waved his hand. "Take him! Alive!"

Seventeen drew his sword and stood in front of Xin Jiuwei: "Miss, hurry! Go to the back door according to plan!"

"Trying to leave?" Suddenly, Granny Li pulled out a whistle and blew it sharply, the piercing sound cutting through the night. "All personnel on alert!"

A chaotic battle erupted instantly. Seventeen's swordsmanship was swift and deadly, felling three guards in the blink of an eye, but more enemies surged forward. Xin Jiuwei drew her dagger, wounding the approaching guards, and retreated towards the garden while fighting.

"Stop her!" Qi Huaiyu roared. "A hundred taels of silver will be awarded to anyone who catches her!"

A cold arrow suddenly shot from the shadows, grazing Xin Jiuwei's cheek and leaving a bloody mark. Ignoring the pain, she used the artificial hill as cover and ran towards the entrance of the secret passage. The muffled groan of Seventeen behind her made her heart tighten. Turning around, she saw the young guard with an arrow in his chest, still clinging tightly to the legs of two other guards.

"Go!" Seventeen roared as a knife pierced his chest.

Xin Jiuwei gritted her teeth and turned around, tears blurring her vision. The entrance to the secret passage was just a stone's throw away, but she was stopped by the suddenly appearing Granny Li.

"Second Miss, this old servant advises you to surrender obediently," said Granny Li, holding a short knife, "to avoid suffering physical pain."

"Why?" Xin Jiuwei's voice trembled. "You've been in the Xin family for twenty years, and my sister has treated you like family..."

"Relatives?" Granny Li sneered. "When Qi Ning killed my sister, did he ever think of his family?"

Xin Jiuwei was stunned. Her mother had killed Li Mama's sister? Before she could think further, Li Mama had already swung her knife at her. Xin Jiuwei dodged to the side, the dagger slicing across Li Mama's wrist. Li Mama cried out in pain and released her grip, the dagger falling to the ground. Xin Jiuwei seized the opportunity to knock her unconscious with an elbow strike.

Just as she entered the secret passage, Xiao Ran's shouts came from behind: "Run, girl! Don't look back!"

Through a crack in the secret passage, Xin Jiuwei saw Xiao Ran lead the remaining guards into the courtyard, engaging in a fierce battle with the pursuers. Xiao Ran's swordsmanship was like a rainbow, each move carrying a resolute determination to perish together with the enemy, carving a bloody path for her.

"Commander Xiao!" Xin Jiuwei wanted to rush out to help, but was held back by a seriously injured guard.

"Go...complete the mission..." The guard, blood trickling from his mouth, shoved a blood-stained token into her hand. "For...Your Highness..."

Xin Jiuwei accepted the gift with tears in her eyes, took one last look at Xiao Ran, who was fighting valiantly, and then turned and disappeared into the depths of the secret passage. A loud explosion came from behind her, followed by the roar of a collapsing building—Xiao Ran had detonated the gunpowder on her body.

In the secret passage, Xin Jiuwei's tears mingled with sweat. She clutched the snow lotus and the secret documents tightly, Xiao Ran's final words echoing in her mind: "Tell His Highness... Xuan Ying... will not fail in his trust..."

As Xin Jiuwei crawled out of the drain, the sky was already turning a pale white. Covered in mud and bloodstains, she clutched the snow lotus and the secret documents tightly in her arms. In the distance, thick smoke billowed from the direction of the Second Prince's residence, and alarm bells rang throughout the city.

Old Zhou was already waiting at the agreed location, and upon seeing this, he was shocked: "Where is the others?"

"Dead." Xin Jiuwei's voice was hoarse. "They're all dead."

Old Zhou was silent for a moment, then handed her a set of coarse cloth clothes: "Change into these, I'll see you out of town."

"No, I'm going to Huichuntang." Xin Jiuwei wiped away her tears. "Xiao Xun is still waiting for Xue Lian."

"Are you crazy? The whole city is under martial law!"

"Then we need to hurry." Xin Jiuwei looked at the gradually brightening sky. "Today is the Emperor's birthday banquet, the day of the decisive battle between Xiao Xun and the Second Prince... no, it's the day my cousin and the Second Prince clash."

Old Zhou was visibly startled upon hearing the word "cousin," but wisely refrained from asking further questions. He led out a fine horse that had been prepared beforehand: "Get in the carriage. I'll pretend to be delivering medicinal herbs and take you there."

The carriage wound its way through the gradually awakening streets, each shout sending chills down Xin Jiuwei's spine. The secret document clutched in her arms burned like a branding iron against her chest. Xiao Xun was her mother's child, her cousin... Then what about that night at Lingyin Temple...?

She dared not think any further. Saving lives was the most important thing at this moment; blood ties and feelings aside, everything else had to wait until Xiao Xun was alive.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!