"Shadow? That shouldn't be possible!" The mute boy was the number one assassin in the realm. Forget one Feng Ping—even a hundred of them wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
Yan Zheng's eyes flickered with gravity. "The problem is, Shadow wasn’t present when Feng Ping abducted your sister, and he still hasn’t returned."
A sense of foreboding rose in Chu Ruoyan’s heart. ng Yang entered with a grim expression. "Young Master, there’s still no news... Given Shadow’s skills, no one in the capital could possibly detain him unless..."
Unless he left on his own!
The words went unspoken, but both had already guessed.
After a mont of thought, Yan Zheng shook his head. "No, Shadow would never betray us. He’s most likely run into so trouble. Send more n to search. If we still can’t find him... look into the Xiao Family."
ng Yang stiffened. "Young Master suspects his mother—" He cut himself short, bowed, and retreated.
Chu Ruoyan asked curiously, "The Xiao Family? You an Jian'an Count Xiao Haiping’s family?"
Yan Zheng nodded. She pressed further, "What does Shadow have to do with them? I’ve never heard that Uncle Xiao had a son his age!"
Jian'an Count Xiao Haiping was her father’s closest friend. At one point, her father had even considered arranging a match between her and Xiao Yu, the count’s son.
Fortunately, Yan Zheng was unaware of this. He simply replied, "Shadow has no ties to the Xiao Family, but the count’s current wife..."
Chu Ruoyan’s eyes widened in realization. "You an Mada i!"
Mada i was a notorious figure in the capital. The younger sister of General i Sheng, she had once fled an arranged marriage to elope with a scholar. Five years later, she returned alone and, by sheer luck, caught the eye of Xiao Haiping, who had just lost his wife and was seeking a new one. Thus, she beca the illustrious Jian'an Countess.
In contrast, the i family’s other daughters suffered for her actions—so married beneath their station to rchants, while others remained unmarried well into their late twenties. This was why i Sheng, despite his age, still took his son to the battlefield, hoping to earn more military honors to secure better matches for his daughters.
Chu Ruoyan frowned. "Setting aside Mada i’s past, are you suggesting that Shadow is..."
Yan Zheng nodded, his tone tinged with resignation. "Yes. Shadow is her son by that scholar. Because he was born mute, she abandoned him. The scholar refused to take him either and sold him to traffickers. He eventually ended up in the hands of an assassin’s guild... Now that Jian'an Count is in the capital, his wife must have accompanied him to the hunting grounds. I fear..."
"You fear Shadow encountered his birth mother and left because of it?" Chu Ruoyan sighed and took his hand. "Don’t worry. Shadow is a grown man—he knows his limits. Uncle Xiao is reasonable too. This shouldn’t escalate."
Sowhat reassured, Yan Zheng escorted her ho before leisurely making his way to the palace.
By then, Prince Qin had already dealt with the situation.
Feng Ping, clutching his severed arm, was dragged away by guards, howling like a madman. "Murong Feng! Your father’s throne was built on my efforts! How dare you revoke my ironclad pardon? The Murong family is faithless—you use people and discard them! Just wait! I’ll watch as the Yun family takes back what’s rightfully theirs! Hahahaha—"
His laughter was ghastly. The emperor, enraged, slamd the table. "Drag him to the execution ground and slice him apart! Three thousand one hundred cuts—not one less!"
Yan Zheng’s brow furrowed slightly. A quick-witted official whispered, "Rest assured, Chief Minister. The northern garrison’s command has already been stripped from General Feng. The tiger tally is now in Prince Qin’s hands..."
aning Feng Ping’s execution wouldn’t affect the northern front.
Yan Zheng understood—the northern campaign would likely be entrusted to Prince Qin.
Suddenly, the emperor hurled an inkstone in fury. "Guards! Exterminate Feng Ping’s three generations—no, nine generations! I refuse to believe the empire hinges on one re general!"
At this, Yan Zheng’s expression darkened. Murong Jin stepped forward. "Brother, calm yourself! Feng Ping and Feng Shuo deserve death, but Feng Huan and his daughter knew nothing of their cris. Please spare them in recognition of Feng Huan’s decades defending the north!"
The emperor glared at him mockingly. "Oh? Now you’re pleading for your childhood sweetheart? Ninth Brother, I truly don’t understand. Didn’t you fancy the second daughter of Duke Chu? Why beg for Feng Ying’s life? Or have you forgotten she’s already married?"
Then it struck him—Feng Ying was wed to the Yan family’s second branch, Yan Zheng’s cousins.
His bloodlust wavered, but his anger remained.
Unexpectedly, Prince Qin knelt. "Brother, my plea isn’t personal. I only wish to preserve a capable general for Great Xia. As for my own affairs..." He smiled bitterly. "To be frank, Miss Chu the Second is also getting married."
The emperor gaped. "So soon? Did you discuss this with Mother?"
He assud Murong Jin was the groom. Instead, Murong Jin lowered his head. "There’s no need to trouble Her Majesty. She’s marrying her cousin. I only ask for Your Majesty’s grace to let acknowledge her as a sister and escort her to the wedding... as half a brother would."
The emperor stared. Feng Ping’s family was montarily forgotten. "Ninth Brother, think carefully. Once my decree is issued, there’s no turning back!"
Murong Jin gazed at the polished marble floor, rembering another ti—right here—when she had begged him, over and over, to take her as his wife and forsake Feng Ying...
How many chances had she given him? And how had he responded?
"I’ve already wronged Feng Ying... I can’t betray her..."
Now, he wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. But no laughter ca—only bitterness. "I’ve been a fool for years. Never have I been clearer. Please... grant this."
With those final words, he kowtowed deeply.
The emperor hesitated, glancing at Chu Huaishan. The old fox had already bowed, feigning deference.
He turned to Yan Zheng, but even his ever-reliable chief minister rely clasped his hands, leaving the decision to the throne.
With a sigh, the emperor relented. "Ninth Brother, it’s not that I oppose you. But you’re twenty-six. If you don’t settle down soon, even Mother won’t tolerate..."
"Brother!" Murong Jin interrupted. "Let lead the northern campaign and defend Great Xia’s borders. If I return alive, I’ll wed whover Mother chooses!"
The emperor was taken aback. Yan Zheng spoke up. "Your Majesty, since Prince Qin volunteers, I urge you to consent."
The other ministers echoed, "We concur!"
After a pause, the emperor waved a hand. "Fine. If your mind’s made up, I’ll decree that you may escort Miss Chu the Second as her half-brother. Once done, depart for the north at once!"
Murong Jin pressed his forehead to the floor. "This subject thanks Your Majesty!"
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