These few lines of text, however, were like a thunderclap in Xin Jiuwei's ears!

Qi Huaiyu was indeed alive! Not only was he alive, but he had also defected to the third prince of the enemy state of Xidi! He fabricated border conflicts, provoked war... colluded with inside agents... and his target was the capital!

A chill instantly ran from her feet throughout her body! So Qi Huaiyu's schemes were far more ambitious than she imagined! He not only wanted revenge on her and to destroy the Xin family, but also to overturn the peace of the entire Liang Dynasty! And Xiao Zhuo… the Second Prince's faction, actually colluded with an enemy nation?!

"Miss!" Xin Kui called out worriedly when she saw Xin Jiuwei's face suddenly change color.

Xin Jiuwei gripped the letter tightly, her knuckles turning white. She forced herself to calm down, her mind racing. This letter was too important! It exposed Qi Huaiyu's true backer and purpose, and pointed directly at Xiao Zhuo! It had to be delivered to Xiao Xun immediately!

"Xin Kui, prepare pen and ink!" Xin Jiuwei's voice was urgent, carrying an undeniable determination. She couldn't go to the Prince's residence herself; Xiao Xun's orders still held true, and Jingyuan was sealed off—she couldn't risk it. But Lin Wanyi…

She looked at Lin Wanyi, her eyes earnest and solemn: "Miss Wanyi, this letter is of utmost importance, concerning the survival of the Northern Border and the safety of the capital! Please be sure to deliver it to His Highness the Sixth Prince personally! It must not pass through the hands of a third party!"

Lin Wanyi's cool eyes swept over the letter, clearly understanding its significance. She nodded solemnly, took the note that Xin Jiuwei had quickly written, requesting that it be presented to Xiao Xun in person, and carefully put it, along with Xin Yunzhou's original letter, into the bottom of her medicine box.

"Don't worry." She only said two words, picked up her medicine box, turned around and walked away quickly, her back view carrying a kind of solemnity beyond that of a doctor.

Xin Jiuwei watched Lin Wanyi disappear through the door, her heart still pounding. Qi Huaiyu, Helian Bo, Xiao Zhuo… these names coiled around her mind like venomous snakes. Her brother's letter was a timely rain, but it also meant an impending storm, and the capital was about to face an even greater crisis!

She was restless, and the throbbing pain in her chest seemed to intensify. Xiao Xun…did he get the letter? How would he respond? Could he once again turn the tide in this complex web of conspiracies?

As night fell, Jingyuan was shrouded in deep darkness and silence, except for the warm pavilion where Xin Jiuwei was, where the light was still on. She was wide awake, feeling only a turmoil in her mind.

After an unknown amount of time, extremely faint footsteps, almost completely obscured by the wind and snow, came from outside the window. Xin Jiuwei instantly became alert and looked towards the door.

The door to the warm room was pushed open silently.

Xiao Xun appeared at the doorway. He wasn't wearing a cloak, only a black casual suit, with a thin layer of snowflakes on his shoulders. His face appeared even more stern in the dim light, and his deep eyes surged with a turbulent killing intent and a cold, all-encompassing certainty. Clearly, he had already read Xin Yunzhou's letter.

He didn't come in; he just stood at the doorway, his gaze fixed on Xin Jiuwei as if it were a physical object.

"I have received the letter." His voice was deep and steady, yet it contained a chilling coldness that could freeze one's blood. "Qi Huaiyu, Helian Bo, Xiao Zhuo... very good."

Those few words made Xin Jiuwei understand that a bloody storm sweeping across the court and the borders had begun. And at the eye of the storm was the man before her, as sharp as a drawn sword.

Xiao Xun's gaze lingered on her pale face for a moment, a subtle and complex ripple seeming to flicker across his surging killing intent, too fleeting to grasp. He said in a deep voice:

"You don't need to concern yourself with this matter anymore. Stay in Jingyuan and protect your own life." His tone carried the usual command, but seemed to carry a subtle...emphasis?

After saying that, he stopped looking at her, turned around, and his figure quickly disappeared into the snowy night outside the door, just as silently as he had come.

Xin Jiuwei watched the door close again, listened to the howling wind and snow, and slowly sat back on the soft couch. Xiao Xun told her that she "didn't need to care anymore," but how could she stay out of it? Qi Huaiyu was her blood enemy, and Xiao Zhuo's conspiracy could affect the Xin family at any time.

However, her weakened state and Xiao Xun's undeniable dominance left her confined to Jingyuan. She clenched the handkerchief in her hand, her nails digging into her palm. It seemed all she could do was wait. Wait for Xiao Xun's swift and decisive actions, wait for the storm to end.

The wind and snow seemed to intensify. The solitude of Jingyuan deepened. But Xin Jiuwei knew that beneath this surface calm, the undercurrents of the capital and even the entire Liang Dynasty were surging and boiling because of Xin Yunzhou's secret letter. A massive storm that would determine the fate of countless people was quietly gathering under Xiao Xun's will. And the incredibly complex relationship between her and Xiao Xun, forged by their shared blood essence, was also shrouded in an even more unpredictable hue in this impending storm.