Xie Zheng seemed to have no intention of letting Tang Peiyi and the others know about the existence of the Chengde Crown Prince's descendants yet.
To avoid any leaks, Yu Qianqian and her child were temporarily settled in a secluded villa in the outskirts of the city. When Changning heard that Bao'er was in Jizhou, she insisted on visiting him. Fan Changyu thought it would be good for the children to have each other as playmates, so after informing Xie Zheng, she took Changning to the villa.
The reunion of the two children took Fan Changyu by surprise. Instead of immediately playing together, they stood silently with reddened eyes.
Fan Changyu teased Changning, "Didn’t you insist on coming to see Bao'er? Why aren’t you saying anything now?"
Changning tugged at her sleeve, pursed her lips, and then looked at Yu Bao'er, who stood beside Yu Qianqian. "I didn’t lie to you. I said my sister and brother-in-law would come to save you, didn’t I?"
Fan Changyu and Yu Qianqian both smiled, but only Bao'er nodded slightly at Changning. "I know."
Yu Qianqian said to Fan Changyu, "Children who haven’t seen each other for a long time might seem distant at first. Let them play together for a while, and they’ll warm up soon enough."
She invited Fan Changyu inside, leaving Changning and Bao'er to play outside. The courtyard was spacious, and with guards stationed outside, there was no cause for concern.
Changning hung her head, kicking the ground with her shoe, visibly upset. It wasn’t because of anything else—it was just that Bao'er, who used to be the same height as her, had grown half a head taller in just half a year.
She shook a handful of small trinkets in her hand and shoved them all at Bao'er. "These are the new butterflies and grasshoppers Zhao Da Shu made for me. You can have them all."
Bao'er, unsure why she was upset, asked, "Did they hurt you after taking you away?"
At the mention of being taken to the battlefield by Sui Yuanqing, Changning perked up. Sitting on a stone stool, she animatedly gestured, "He was so mean! He put me on a horse taller than several of me and rode through the dark wilderness at night. So many people died, and the ghosts in the mountains wailed in the wind..."
Bao'er’s expression darkened. "He took you to the battlefield?"
Changning finally remembered that the place where they fought was called a battlefield and nodded vigorously. "Luckily, my brother-in-law came to save me. That bad guy couldn’t beat him, so he threw me into the air and tried to stab me with his spear as thick as a bowl! But my brother-in-law fought him off with a weapon thicker than a pillar!"
She even spread her arms wide to emphasize just how thick it was.
Bao'er frowned, imagining Xie Zheng wielding a pillar-sized weapon on horseback, but he obliged her with the expected response: "Your brother-in-law is really amazing."
Changning puffed out her chest proudly. "My sister is the best, and my brother-in-law is second best. Don’t be afraid anymore—if bad guys come again, I’ll protect you! My sister is a general now and commands lots of people! Uncle Xiao Wu, Uncle Xiao Qi, Uncle Xiao Qin, and many more..."
While Fan Changyu and Yu Qianqian talked inside, they glanced outside and saw the two children sitting on the steps, fiddling with their trinkets and whispering about who-knows-what.Yu Qianqian smiled and said, "Bao'er used to be quite outgoing, but after being locked up in the Changxin Prince Manor, who knows what hardships he endured? When I saw him again, he no longer smiled or spoke much. I heard they even found playmates for him, but he ignored them. Seeing him get along with Ning Niang now puts my mind at ease."
Fan Changyu replied, "Perhaps he was frightened."
Yu Qianqian sighed, "In this life, I have no other desires left. The only one I worry about is Bao'er."
Hearing her concern for Yu Bao'er's future, Fan Changyu reassured her, "Don't be afraid. Bao'er is no longer the remnant of a rebel—he is the descendant of the Chengde Crown Prince. No one would dare harm him."
Yu Qianqian gave a bitter smile. "Will the one in the palace tolerate the descendants of the Chengde Crown Prince?"
The question left Fan Changyu speechless.
The Li family had already allied with Qi Min to force the young emperor to abdicate. The emperor likely saw the descendants of the Chengde Crown Prince as thorns in his side.
After a brief silence, Fan Changyu said firmly, "I will do everything in my power to protect you both."
Fan Changyu had no favorable impression of the current emperor. During the rebellion, to ensure Xie Zheng married the princess without distraction, the emperor had been willing to eliminate a loyal general like her.
Loyalty seemed irrelevant—anyone who stood in the way was to be removed.
As for Qi Min, the man who had conspired with the Li family to sacrifice countless soldiers' lives just to overthrow Wei Yan—Fan Changyu doubted he would make a good emperor either.
Having spent her early years as a commoner struggling for survival, Fan Changyu respected imperial authority but was far from blindly loyal.
That evening, she sought out Xie Zheng, who was buried in paperwork at his desk. She sat nearby, lost in thought.
Xie Zheng glanced up. "Something on your mind?"
Fan Changyu asked, "What if the emperor tries to kill Bao'er?"
Xie Zheng scoffed. "He can barely protect himself now."
He handed her a letter from the capital. The official documents were dense and convoluted, but after painstaking deciphering, her eyes widened. "The Li family wants Qi Min to formally appear in court?"
The letter detailed how imperial astronomers had observed anomalies in the celestial signs, while elderly ministers claimed dreams of the Late Emperor weeping over the Chengde Crown Prince's descendants living in obscurity.
Rumors now spread across the capital that the crown prince's grandson still lived, and that recent floods and droughts were signs of the emperor's unworthiness.
Public resentment had long simmered over Wei Yan's control of imperial power and the emperor's perceived weakness. Now, the people clamored for the Chengde Crown Prince's line to reclaim the throne—the true legitimate succession.
Once reliant on the Li family to counter Wei Yan, the emperor now stood isolated, his limited authority useless against the tide.
Xie Zheng stated with certainty, "Wei Yan is setting his own trap. When the Li family plays their final hand, he'll close the net."
Capital, Imperial Palace.
In the study below the Dragon Desk, memorials lay scattered across the steps, and every breakable item had long been shattered.
"Treason! They all dare treason!"With nothing left to smash, Emperor Qi Sheng overturned the Dragon Desk in his fury. His wide imperial robe dragged on the ground, causing him to stumble and fall, his forehead striking the steps until it bled.
Today’s rage stood in stark contrast to his initial elation when the Li family first submitted their impeachment memorial against Wei Yan.
It turned out the Li family’s move to topple Wei Yan was not done at his behest—they had long harbored treacherous intentions!
A trembling eunuch rushed forward to help him. "Your Majesty, are you alright?"
Qi Sheng shoved the eunuch away and pointed at him with a venomous glare. "I know… none of you have ever truly regarded me as the Son of Heaven. I know it all…"
His expression was so ferocious it seemed he might devour someone alive.
The eunuch, ignoring the cuts from shattered porcelain on the floor, quickly knelt and swore loyalty. "Your Majesty, this old servant’s devotion is as clear as the heavens!"
But Qi Sheng paid no heed, muttering to himself instead, "Xie Zheng dares to defy my decree, and now the Li family seeks to replace me with another puppet…"
His face twisted into a grotesque snarl as he shrieked hysterically, "I am the true Dragon Emperor! No one else shall sit upon that throne but me!"
The eunuch stared at Qi Sheng’s deranged state, momentarily wondering if the emperor had gone mad.
Yet Qi Sheng, his torn imperial robe half-slipping from his shoulders, paced back and forth in the study, uncaring of his crooked golden crown. He mumbled incessantly, "There must be a way… There must be a way…"
The eunuch, terrified by this madness and recalling the whispers in court and among the people, quietly tried to slip away. Just as he neared the door, Qi Sheng—who had somehow noticed—tilted his head and asked, "Where are you going?"
Cold sweat drenched the eunuch’s body. Years of serving the emperor kept his voice steady. "This… this old servant saw Your Majesty distressed and wished to brew some tea to soothe you."
"Is that so?" Qi Sheng seemed unconvinced. He grabbed the Longquan sword from the weapon rack and dragged its tip across the steps as he approached the eunuch.
The old eunuch’s soul nearly fled in terror, his legs giving way as he collapsed and begged, "I truly only meant to serve tea—"
Qi Sheng grinned. "If you’re going to brew tea, why are you shaking so badly?"
The sharp blade pierced the eunuch’s leg, drawing a scream. The sound seemed to unleash the malice festering in Qi Sheng’s heart, filling him with sudden, perverse satisfaction.
In high spirits, he stabbed the eunuch again, watching with delight as blood stained his bright yellow robe. "What a lovely color. No wonder Xie Zheng’s eight hundred elite riders are called the Blood-Clad Cavalry."
The eunuch convulsed in agony, crawling desperately toward the exit. But Qi Sheng, as if discovering a new toy, gripped the sword with both hands and hacked at the eunuch like chopping wood, driven by sheer cruelty.
From desperate pleas of loyalty to wordless agony, the eunuch soon fell silent.
The palace floor was splattered with blood and gore.Qi Sheng didn't stop until his arms grew sore from hacking. He stared at the corpse he had reduced to a pile of mangled flesh, threw aside his sword, and summoned the eunuchs to clean up while he returned to the dragon throne to catch his breath.
The young eunuchs who entered the hall turned pale at the sight of the bloody mess in the center, many vomiting uncontrollably.
Watching their wretched state, Qi Sheng found it immensely amusing and finally laughed heartily: "Eunuch Gao harbored treasonous thoughts against Us—he deserved death! Let this be the fate of anyone else who dares betray Us!"
The eunuchs knelt in terror, their faces ashen as they pledged loyalty.
Qi Sheng observed this scene with deep satisfaction, relishing the intoxicating taste of power he had long craved.
One day, the Li and Xie families too would grovel before him like this, begging for mercy!
But before that day came, he would have to endure a little longer.
Having vented his fury, Qi Sheng calmed completely, his face darkening as he commanded, "Attendants, prepare Our change of robes."
The autumn night grew colder, the mournful chirping of cicadas filling the air.
Wei Yan had stopped attending court since the Li family accused him of colluding with rebels, claiming illness instead.
Moonlight cast a frost-like glow on the stone path of the courtyard, as if an early snow had fallen.
A single lamp flickered through the study window. A servant passed through the layers of elite guards stationed outside and pushed open the door, addressing the old man seated before a low table, playing chess against himself: "Prime Minister, an esteemed guest has arrived."
Wei Yan, interrupted mid-game, lifted his wrinkled eyelids slightly, the candlelight beside the chessboard reflecting in his stern gaze. "Did I not make it clear that I would receive no visitors?"
The attendant raised an object for him to see—a mutton-fat jade ring carved with a dragon motif.
It was an ornament worn by the emperor.
Wei Yan barely glanced at it before returning his attention to the board. In that brief moment, he had recalled his intended move, and his aged but strong fingers placed a black piece decisively, instantly reversing the tide of the game.
"He spent all those years learning from that old Li, yet still lacks even a shred of patience," he remarked.
The attendant dared not respond, waiting for further instructions.
Wei Yan said, "Since he's here, let him in."
Soon, Qi Sheng appeared outside Wei Yan's study, dressed in plain robes and a large cloak.
When he tried to enter, the guards in the courtyard crossed their halberds, barring his way.
Qi Sheng's expression darkened as he stood frozen for a moment. Then, recalling the Li family's schemes, he cast aside all dignity and, as he had done countless times before Wei Yan over the years, broke into theatrical sobs: "Prime Minister, save me! The Li family seeks to depose me and enthrone another!"
Silence answered him from within the study. Through the shadows cast on the paper door, Qi Sheng could see Wei Yan still playing chess alone.
Gritting his teeth in secret, Qi Sheng continued his tearful plea: "Prime Minister, I will obey! All my past actions were because the Li family deceived me. I know now that only you truly have my best interests at heart. The Li family even plotted to frame you for conspiring with rebels—I will see justice done for you!"
He exhausted every flattering word he could muster, yet the figure inside remained unmoved.
Only then did Qi Sheng feel true fear. The thought of being dethroned—or worse, secretly executed—overwhelmed him, and his pleas dissolved into incoherent sobs.He didn’t even notice when the study door opened, until Wei Yan’s deep, authoritative voice pierced through the cold autumn night air: “Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, should maintain the dignity befitting your station.”
Qi Sheng hastily looked up to see Wei Yan standing at the study entrance, dressed in plain cloth yet exuding an imposing presence like a mountain overlooking an abyss. Like a stray dog wagging its tail for mercy, Qi Sheng pleaded: “Prime Minister, save me…”
Wei Yan coldly interrupted: “Have rebel troops reached the city walls, or is Li Sui storming the palace?”
Li Sui was Grand Tutor Li’s given name.
Qi Sheng stammered, unable to respond. After all these years, fear of Wei Yan seemed ingrained in his bones.
“The imperial city stands intact, the palace remains secure. What does Your Majesty fear?”
Wei Yan continued questioning, his voice not loud yet making Qi Sheng feel suffocated.
Hearing these words, Qi Sheng felt somewhat reassured.
He maintained the appearance of a frightened child, looking helplessly at Wei Yan: “I… I lost composure tonight.”
Wei Yan turned to close the door: “In that case, Your Majesty should return to the palace.”
Qi Sheng cried out: “Prime Minister!”
Attendants stepped forward, respectfully gesturing “please” to Qi Sheng, yet their posture conveyed unyielding firmness.
Staring at the closed study door, Qi Sheng continued: “Seventeen years ago, it was you who placed me on the throne. I know only you will always stand with me. In this world, I trust only you.”
No further sounds came from Qi Sheng outside the courtyard, as if he’d already been led away by attendants. Wei Yan sat before the chessboard, his usually inscrutable eyes revealing rare, bone-deep loathing.
Whether he despised Qi Sheng or the lies that so resembled an old acquaintance remained unclear.
After a long silence, he finally spoke: “Since the Li family wishes to reveal the imperial grandson to the world, release a bait from the dungeons. If he truly is Chengde Crown Prince’s descendant, he won’t remain indifferent.”
Xie Zheng had been extremely busy lately, so much so that Fan Changyu rarely saw him even in the military camp.
Occasionally when she subtly inquired with Tang Peiyi, he claimed not to know either, but the way he looked at her made Changyu feel uneasy, preventing further questions.
With meritorious officers preparing to enter the capital for honors, the army was making arrangements today. With Tang Peiyi and Deputy General He handling these matters, Changyu gladly took some leisure.
That night, as she slept in her room, she sensed someone approaching. Maintaining steady breathing, she seized the person’s wrist just as they reached the bed, twisting it backward to pin them down. But the assailant hooked her knee, destabilizing her balance and sending them both tumbling.
Xie Zheng pulled her into an unrelenting embrace, praising with weary amusement: “Good reflexes.”
Changyu recognized him the moment his arm encircled her waist. Struggling briefly without success, she elbowed his chest: “Where have you been these past days?”
Hearing this, Xie Zheng opened his eyes in the darkness: “You were looking for me?”
In Jizhou, he only frequented two places—the military camp and the magistrate’s residence.
Since reconciling, Changyu seldom sought him out beyond official matters. Flustered by his question, she deflected: “Haven’t seen you for days. Just asking casually.”Xie Zheng didn’t expose her, stealing two kisses from her cheeks before releasing her. “There are some matters to attend to. I went to gather people and make arrangements,” he said.
Fan Changyu asked, “What matters?”
As Xie Zheng began unfastening her clothes, he replied, “News came from the capital. Some of the subordinates who escorted your grandfather’s grain shipment back then didn’t die—they’ve just been under Wei Yan’s control all this time.”
The moment Changyu heard it was related to the grain shipment from years ago, her attention was completely seized. Only when her shoulder felt a chill did she realize what Xie Zheng was doing. She promptly smacked the back of his hand hard and hissed, “What are you doing?!”
Xie Zheng took the slap somewhat unjustly. He placed a small metal box in Changyu’s hand. “I had someone find this scar-removing ointment for you. I brought it specifically to apply for you.”
Changyu glared at him but still sounded fierce. “Give me the ointment—I can apply it myself! What do you mean by undressing me without a word?”
Xie Zheng had spent the past two days arranging for his men to return to the capital and investigate the situation. He had personally made a trip back to the Xie family in Huizhou, and after days and nights of hurried travel, he was exhausted. By the time he arrived in Jizhou and slipped into her room, all he wanted was to give her the ointment and curl up beside her for a nap.
Lately, whenever his mind was in turmoil, only by her side could he find peace.
But seeing her so jumpy and guarded now, like a bristling young tiger, his gaze darkened abruptly. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly from head to toe before biting her shoulder resentfully. “You’re asking for it.”
His bite wasn’t light. Changyu winced for a moment before yanking open his clothes to bite him back.
He seemed to have bathed before coming—there was no unpleasant sweat odor on him, only a faint, clean scent of soap. Changyu’s sharp canines clamped down, earning a muffled groan from him as his entire body tensed like stone.
“Get off,” Xie Zheng’s voice already sounded strained.
Unfortunately, it was nighttime, and his voice was already low. Changyu didn’t catch the change in his tone. She gnashed her teeth against his shoulder indignantly and mumbled, “So it’s fine for you to bite me, you dog—”
The next instant, Xie Zheng flipped her over, reversing their positions.
Without a word, he glanced at her once before lowering his head to kiss her fiercely, almost frantically, while one hand slipped inside her already loosened collar.
Changyu usually bound her chest for convenience when in the military, but at night when resting, she removed the binding.
Xie Zheng didn’t know her dressing habits and assumed she’d still be wearing something underneath. When his calloused hand unexpectedly encountered a heavy, silky warmth, both of them froze.
Changyu reflexively raised her leg to kick him, but Xie Zheng used the momentum to pin that leg down.
As he buried his face in the crook of her neck, panting, his breaths felt like they were on fire.
Humiliated and furious, Changyu hissed, “Get off me!”
Xie Zheng didn’t speak, but Changyu felt him squeeze firmly. Instantly, her entire body burned. She scolded in a low voice, “You’re disgusting!”
What followed sounded like the bed was being dismantled—someone’s foot knocked against the bed frame, making the whole structure creak precariously.
Aunt Zhao, getting up in the middle of the night, heard the commotion in Changyu’s room and knocked on the door. “Changyu, what’s that noise in your room?”
Through gritted teeth, Changyu answered, “There’s a rat in here! I’m chasing it out!”
Aunt Zhao sounded puzzled. “Why not light a lamp to chase the rat?”Fan Changyu had no choice but to continue making things up: "I... I have good eyesight, so I don't need a lamp. The rat is already dead, Aunt Zhao. You should go back to sleep."
Aunt Zhao told her to rest early as well before finally returning to her room.
Due to their earlier struggle, Fan Changyu was already covered in a thin layer of sweat. Their limbs were tangled together, neither able to overpower the other. As she breathed, her chest heaved violently.
Xie Zheng, who had been bitten on the shoulder earlier, now had his robes disheveled. With one arm, he pinned Fan Changyu's hand behind her back, pressing her into the bedding. Where their skin touched, it felt as if they were on fire, the heat searing through flesh and blood with a sizzling intensity.
Fan Changyu had her other hand pressed against his chin. The so-called mutual destruction was nothing more than this.
Fan Changyu whispered, "I'll count to three, and we'll both let go at the same time."
Xie Zheng replied hoarsely, "Fine."
Fan Changyu began counting, "One, two... three!"
After the count, neither of them let go.
Fan Changyu accused, "You didn't keep your word!"
Xie Zheng simply said, "You didn't let go either."
Both fell silent.
After a moment, it was Fan Changyu who spoke again, "One of us has to give in. Do you really want to stay like this all night?"
"...That wouldn't be so bad."
Hearing this, Fan Changyu nearly bristled again and snapped, "In your dreams! You just want to take advantage of me!"
Xie Zheng's voice was slightly hoarse, "You tore the front of my robe."
Fan Changyu's eyes practically breathed fire, "That was from the fight, not because I was trying to take liberties with you!"
The air was silent for a beat or two before Xie Zheng suddenly said, as if throwing caution to the wind, "Actually, it's me who wants to take liberties with you."
Fan Changyu was taken aback, not expecting him to be so blunt now, and stammered, "Well, you'd better know that."
Unexpectedly, he then asked her, "So what do you suggest we do?"
Fan Changyu glared, "Of course, you should let go of me immediately and get out of my room."
Her hand was still pressed against Xie Zheng's chin, but somehow, with a slight turn of his head, she lost her grip on his chin. Instead, she felt his teeth lightly bite her hand.
Xie Zheng looked down at her and said, "Dream on."
Fan Changyu was furious.
After all this commotion, Xie Zheng was probably tired too. He kissed her shoulder twice more, then helped her straighten her clothes and pulled her into his embrace, saying wearily, "Don't move. Let me hold you and sleep for a while. I'll leave at dawn and won't be back for half a month."
Hearing that he had just returned and was leaving again for half a month, Fan Changyu's anger dissipated. She didn't move but asked, "Where are you going?"
Xie Zheng lay on his side, his chin resting on her shoulder, breathing in her scent as he murmured, "To the capital. Whether the news is true or not, it concerns the truth behind Jinzhou. I have to investigate it."
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