"This is what the master of Shengjin Palace meant. Go ahead, kid. You don't need to know the reason. Just know that everything you do is for the Wei family and for the honor of the Wei family for three hundred years. That's enough."
The young figure gradually disappeared, and the setting sun shone in through the wide-open door, covering everything with a layer of blood-red color.
Wei Jing walked out from the back hall and came to the old man. He was wearing a dark green brocade robe, no longer as lively and flamboyant as before, his eyes were cold and his expression was indifferent, he bowed respectfully and said, "Uncle."
"Are you all ready?"
"Don't worry, uncle. Everything has been arranged."
"Hmm." The old man lowered his head slightly, turned around, kowtowed and burned incense in front of the ancestral tablet. His luxurious robe dragged on the ground, and a faint scent of incense ash was rolled up.
Seeing the old man about to stand up, Wei Jing hurriedly stepped forward to hold Wei Guang's arm, and said in a light tone, as if casually saying, "Uncle, what do you think the chances of the northerner winning this time?"
"Heh..." The old man chuckled, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Not even one cent."
Wei Jing frowned and asked in confusion, "Yanbei covers a vast area and has a strong folk character. Although the climate is bitter and cold, it is connected to the Western Regions and has a prosperous trade. After the implementation of the Northern Election, it has even more talented people. Although the Prince of Yan may not be a great talent, he is very kind to the people and is deeply loved by the people. He must be able to fight."
Wei Guang's face was wrinkled, and he took a deep breath and said, "The man is innocent, but he is guilty of possessing a treasure. What do you think made the man in Shengjin Palace determined to get rid of him? If a person does not make a mistake for too long, it is a mistake in itself. The way of power is to balance, and prosperity will decline, and the cycle will repeat. It is because Yan Shicheng has so many unique conditions that the man wanted to kill him. Besides," Wei Guang laughed, "how can there be two kinds of fruits on the same tree? Yanbei prospered in Datong, and will surely perish in Datong."
Wei Guang turned around and looked at the child who pleased him the most in the family. He said earnestly, "Jing'er, the countrymen say that the Council of Elders dominates Daxia. The seven major families are nominally subordinates, but in reality they are the royal family. But your uncle tells you that the one in the palace is the real master of the Daxia Dynasty. You must always remember this."
Wei Jing rarely heard Wei Guang speak so seriously about something, so he quickly lowered his head and agreed respectfully.
Wei Guang took a long breath and said slowly: "The reason why Prince Yan has no chance of winning is because he has never thought of rebelling. It's just a false accusation, haha."
The setting sun was as red as blood. On the street of Zhenhuang City, someone suddenly pointed at the night sky and exclaimed, startling other passers-by. They all looked up and saw a weeping red star in the distant sky, flickering strangely in the sky that was not yet completely dark. The light was flickering and looked eerie and scary.
Outside the gate of Zhuge Mansion, Zhu Shun, who realized that he had provoked an evil star, was carried out. Upon seeing Zhuge Yue riding on his horse with murderous intent, he immediately forgot all his pain and wailed before chasing after him, crying out in a sad voice, “Fourth Young Master, please listen to my explanation. This is a misunderstanding!”
With a swish, a line of blood shot up into the sky. The man screamed, and a fat ear fell to the ground, bleeding.
"Keep your life and wait for me to come back." The young man's face was gloomy and his tone was calm, but to others' ears, it sounded eerie. Zhuge Yue's eyes were cold as he turned and rode away. The guards looked at Zhu Shun with sympathy and then followed him.
The man who had just lost a hand a few days ago was lying on the ground, rolling over and wailing, but none of his so-called confidants in the past dared to step forward to help him.
At dinner time, snow began to fall from the sky. The Chishui Lake was covered in silver white. Yan Xun, wearing a snow-white mink fur coat and a hood, stood by the lake, leading a horse. From afar, I could see the young man in luxurious clothes, handsome face and calm eyes. Against the backdrop of the snowy scenery on the frozen lake, he looked exceptionally elegant and graceful.
The setting sun gradually went down the mountain. In the direction of Shengjin Palace, there was a whale oil lamp that had never been extinguished, shining brightly and emitting a dazzling light. Yan Xun turned his head and looked in the direction of the palace gate, his eyes gradually fixed.
“Prince!” Feng Mian, the servant boy, ran over from a distance, came to Yan Xun breathlessly, and shouted, “Something bad has happened!”
Yan Xun raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's the matter?"
"It is said that Miss Xing'er was captured by the second old master of the Zhuge Mansion and taken to the villa in Baxing Hutong."
"What?" Yan Xun frowned and said in a deep voice, "When did it happen? Where did you hear it from? Is the information accurate?"
"I heard it from the servants who cleaned the house in Zhuge Mansion. I don't know if it's accurate or not, but they said it was Miss Xing'er from Qingshan Courtyard."
Yan Xun frowned and pondered for a while, then suddenly turned over and jumped onto the horse's back, saying, "Feng Mian, let's go to Baxing Hutong."
"Ah?" Feng Mian was stunned and shouted, "Prince, do you really want to go? What if the news is not accurate? Or should we wait a little longer?"
Yan Xun shook his head and said, "If you are not allowed, just come back. It's no big deal."
"Then what's the excuse for us to go there? We're not going to rush in and look for someone with such fanfare, are we?"
Yan Xun's eyes turned and he said, "Just say you're visiting before you leave. No problem. Let's go."
The sound of hooves rolled in, raising a large cloud of snow and fog. Not far to the west of the city, an army of 300 people was quietly waiting. The scouts came back quickly and said to the young commander, "Major General, I saw with my own eyes that Prince Yan went to the Zhuge Mansion in Baxing Hutong."
"Zhuge family?"
Wei Shuye frowned and said in a deep voice: "Why did Yan Xun go to the Zhuge family? Does the Zhuge family want to intervene? Zhuge Muqing did not attend the elders' meeting this time. Is he trying to avoid this matter?"
"Major General," Jiang He rode forward, "I don't think so. Zhuge Muqing has always been on good terms with Old Batu. This time he was unable to come because of the flood in his eastern fiefdom. I think it might just be a coincidence."
Wei Shuye nodded and said, "If this is the case, things will be much easier."
The cold moon was in the sky. He raised his head and said slowly, "It's time."
Upon hearing this, the army quickly set out towards the residence of Zhuge Xi, the second old master of the Zhuge family.
Just as Zhuge Yue, Yan Xun, and Wei Shuye were galloping towards Zhuge Xi's residence, the Young Lady's House, which had always been filled with the sounds of stringed instruments, fell into a dead silence.
Blood slowly dripped from the tip of the sharp dagger, hitting the carpet made of white camel hair from the Western Regions, quickly seeping in and turning into a circle of bright red patterns. The night wind blew in from the window in the corner, making it slightly cooler and dispersing the luxurious fragrance in the room. In the brightly lit bridal parlor, Zhuge Xi grabbed his neck in panic and looked at the child in disbelief, who was not even as tall as his shoulders. The sand in the hourglass flowed slowly, and finally, with a bang, Zhuge Xi knelt heavily on the ground.
"Are you begging me to let you go?" Chu Qiao's voice was very soft. She lowered her head slightly and glanced at the old man's face. The nausea in her stomach made her almost want to vomit. That dark night, the messy bodies of Zhixiang and others pierced her nerves like knives. She slowly leaned over and whispered, "So many people begged you to let them go, why didn't you?"
Zhuge Xi lay on the ground, blood gushing out of his neck like a fountain. The pampered but cowardly noble lord was trembling like a sieve with fear, and kept stretching out his bloody arms to crawl forward, trying to get away from this devilish child. The blood left a long trail on the ground, so glaring and so shocking.
"You have lived too long, and it's time to pay the price for it. If God doesn't take you, I will." With a crisp sound, the knife cut through the bone, cutting it neatly. The blood in the cavity spurted out instantly, staining the ground with a black and purple stench.
Chu Qiao held Zhuge Xi's head, which had died with his eyes open, in her hand and threw it on the ground expressionlessly, then walked towards the ten little slave girls cowering in the corner. The children looked at her in horror and huddled together. In their eyes, this child who suddenly broke free from the ropes and had the audacity to kill Old Master Zhuge was simply crazy and as scary as a devil from hell. However, they did not realize that if it were not for this child, how many of them would be alive and well at this moment?
Chu Qiao pulled over a pretty girl in her teens, only to see that the girl was so frightened that her face turned pale and her lips trembled. She lowered her head and asked in a cold voice, "Are you scared?"
The child's eyes were wide open and he kept nodding, fearing that he would soon become the second headless corpse. Tears and snot flowed down his face, but he dared not make a sound.
"If you are afraid, then shout it out."
After all, he was a child from a poor family. Although he was young, he was sensible. The child shook his head and cried, "I won't make any noise. I didn't see anything. Please let me go."
Chu Qiao frowned impatiently, "Didn't I make it clear? Scream it out."
"Please," the child cried incoherently, "let me go, I will work like a slave for you...ah!"
The eight-year-old child suddenly raised the dagger and stabbed it towards the child's neck. The child who was still begging in a low voice suddenly screamed loudly. With a swish, the sharp dagger went along her neck and stabbed into the bedpost behind her, but the screaming child was unharmed.
"What's the matter? Master, what happened...Ah! Murder!" The servant guarding outside the door heard the voice and immediately carefully put his head in. Before he finished speaking, he saw Zhuge Xi lying on the ground covered in blood. The young servant was so frightened that he screamed and sat on the ground. Then he got up in a panic and staggered out.
Chu Qiao weighed the dagger and calculated the time silently. She estimated that all the guards in the mansion had heard it. The flying knife flew out in an instant, piercing the back of the boy's head and coming out from his forehead!
The sound of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded, and the child quickly sat back in the team of little slaves. More than twenty big men rushed into the room, and when they saw Zhuge Xi's head and body separated, their faces turned pale.
"What's going on?" The leading guard shouted at the little slaves in the room.
"Murder!" The eight-year-old child shouted before everyone else, tears immediately falling down as he cried out in horror, "Someone was killed, wuuu... Master Zhuge was killed, and also... It's so scary, wuuu..." The child cried with snot and tears, his little face turned pale with fright, his voice trembled, and it seemed that even his tongue was trembling.
The leading guard asked angrily, "Where did you run to?"
"That!" Chu Qiao pointed to the slightly open window to the south, "He ran away from there!"