Xin Jiuwei remained silent for a moment, looking at the horrific scene. Thinking of the old lady's unconscious state, hatred surged in her eyes: "From what I know of him... he never does anything without certainty. Leaving clues so blatantly is more like... a trap! He's toying with us, wearing us down! His real target... might still be me, or... Your Highness!" She raised her head, her gaze fixed intently on Xiao Xun. "He wants to provoke us, to throw us into disarray, so he can fish in troubled waters!"
A cold wind swept by, causing the torch to flicker, its light casting shadows on Xiao Xun's cold, hard face. He stared at Xin Jiuwei for a long while, then a cold and cruel smile curved his lips:
“Very well. Since he wants to play with fire… I’ll play along to the end.” He turned to another trusted aide beside him, his voice as cold as ice. “Pass on my secret order: Openly, launch a full-scale manhunt for ‘Scarface the Cripple,’ the bigger the commotion, the better. Secretly, mobilize all ‘Shadow Guards,’ targeting: all remaining forces of the Second Prince’s residence, merchants connected with the Western Di, and… all places that might be hiding the seriously injured or those acting suspiciously! Especially… the vicinity of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s residence! I want to see where this viper can hide next!”
After making his arrangements, his gaze returned to Xin Jiuwei, carrying an undeniable command: "Your role ends here. Now, return to Jingyuan with You Ye. Without my order, you are not to step out. Qi Huaiyu wanted to lure you out, but I will make sure you remain hidden the deepest!"
Xin Jiuwei was unwilling, but seeing the unwavering determination and surging killing intent in Xiao Xun's eyes, she knew that further argument would be futile and might even disrupt his plans. She took a deep breath, suppressing her turbulent blood and hatred, and lowered her eyelashes: "...Yes."
Xiao Xun stopped looking at her, mounted his horse, and galloped off towards the capital with a chilling aura of killing intent, clearly heading to oversee the city-wide hunt. Xin Jiuwei, supported by Xin Kui, also mounted her horse. She glanced back at the still-smelling, blood-soaked scene, her eyes filled with deep-seated hatred and endless worry.
Qi Huaiyu, you just wait!
Auntie, you must hold on!
The night was as dark as ink, and the cold wind howled. A deadly hunt, with the entire capital as its chessboard, Qi Huaiyu's life as the stake, and Xin Jiuwei's hatred and Xiao Xun's power as the bargaining chips, unfolded silently and swiftly under Xiao Xun's cold and resolute orders. Xin Jiuwei was sent back to the exquisite cage of Jingyuan, but her heart, along with the pervasive blood and deep-seated hatred, had completely merged into the core of this storm. She knew that the final reckoning was not far off. And the relationship between her and Xiao Xun, which had become even more complex and intractable due to the loss of her lifeblood and the old lady's serious injury, would also undergo a fateful turning point in her final confrontation with Qi Huaiyu.
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