On the seventh day of the second month, the heavens turned ominous, with Venus appearing beside the Ziwei star—an omen of chaos and inevitable destruction.
Just as Zhuge Yue learned that Chu Qiao had been captured by the Zhuge family's patriarch, within the ancestral hall of the Wei family, Wei Guang personally handed a golden arrow to Wei Shu Ye. The elderly man's expression was solemn, his tone low and measured as he spoke slowly, "Shu Ye, do not disappoint your uncle, nor let down the ancestors of the Wei family."
Wei Shu Ye held his hands level, his gaze fixed on the golden arrow, his eyes blazing with fierce intensity. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but like a fish out of water, he merely moved his lips without uttering a word.
"Ye'er, the ancestors of the Wei family are watching you, and so is your father. How you proceed is up to you—act wisely."
Wei Shu Ye furrowed his brow deeply, and only after a long pause did he slowly nod. "Who?"
Wei Guang smiled faintly, dipped his finger into a teacup, and then slowly traced a single character on the incense altar.
Wei Shu Ye's eyes widened abruptly, his brow furrowed tightly as he looked at the aged man with disbelief, as if seeking confirmation.
"This is the will of the master of Shengjin Palace, child. Go now. You need not know the reason. It is enough to know that everything you do is for the Wei family, for the heroic souls of our lineage throughout the ages."
The young figure gradually faded away, the setting sun streaming through the wide-open door, casting a blood-red hue over everything. Wei Shuyou emerged from the rear hall, approached the old man, and bowed respectfully. "Uncle."
"Is everything prepared?"
"Rest assured, Uncle, all arrangements have been made."
"Good." The old man nodded slightly, then turned to bow and offer incense before the ancestral tablets. His luxurious robes trailed on the ground, stirring up faint traces of incense ash.
Wei Shuyou, older and more mature in appearance than Wei Shu Ye, quickly stepped forward to support Wei Guang's arm as the elder rose. His tone was casual, as if making idle conversation. "Uncle, how much chance do you think the northern lord has of success this time?"
"Heh..." The old man chuckled softly, a note of irony in his laughter. "None at all."
Wei Shuyou frowned in confusion. "The northern territories are vast, with a fierce and hardy populace. Though the climate is harsh, they are connected to the Western Regions and enjoy prosperous trade. Since the implementation of the northern selection, talented individuals have flocked there. The old prince may not possess great talent, but he is kind to the common people and deeply beloved. Surely he has some chance to contend?"
Wrinkles creased his face as Wei Guang took a deep breath and said calmly, "Innocent though he may be, his very treasures make him guilty. Do you think it is mere chance that the master of Shengjin Palace has resolved to eliminate him? If a person remains flawless for too long, that in itself becomes a fault. The art of statecraft lies in balance—extremes lead to decline, and cycles repeat. It is precisely because the Prince of Yan possesses so many unparalleled advantages that the master has been moved to eliminate him."
Wei Guang turned to his most accomplished disciple and spoke earnestly, "Shuyou, the people say the Elder Council dominates Daxia, that the seven great families are nominally subjects but practically royalty. But I tell you, the one in the palace is the true master of the Daxia Dynasty. This, you must always remember."
Wei Shuyou rarely saw Wei Guang speak with such gravity and quickly lowered his head in respectful acknowledgment.Wei Guang took a deep breath and slowly said, "The reason Prince Yan had no chance of victory was because he never intended to rebel. A false charge, indeed."
As the sunset bled crimson across Zhenhuang City's streets, a sudden exclamation from a passerby startled others. They collectively raised their heads to see a blood-red star strangely twinkling in the not-yet-dark sky, its shimmering light both eerie and terrifying.
Outside the Zhuge residence, Zhu Shun—who had just learned he'd provoked an ill-fated star—was carried out on a stretcher. Spotting Zhuge Yue on horseback, he immediately forgot all his ailments, wailed, and rushed forward to clutch Zhuge Yue's leg, pleading mournfully, "Fourth Young Master, please let this servant explain! It's all a misunderstanding!"
A "swish" sound cut through the air as a line of blood shot skyward. Following a man's agonized scream, a plump ear fell to the ground, dripping with fresh blood.
"Keep your life and wait properly for my return."
The young man's expression was gloomy, his tone calm, yet his words carried a chilling menace. With cold eyes, Zhuge Yue turned his horse and rode away. The guards cast sympathetic glances at Zhu Shun before following in unison.
The man who had recently lost a hand now rolled on the ground, howling in pain, yet none of his so-called trusted subordinates dared step forward to help him up.
By dinnertime, snow began to fall. Along the shores of Chishui Lake, everything was blanketed in silver white. Yan Xun stood by the lake holding his horse's reins, dressed in pristine white sable fur with his wind hood up. His expression was tranquil, his noble robes elegant, his features handsome, and his gaze serene. Against the frozen lake and snowy scenery, he appeared exceptionally dashing and graceful.
As the sunset gradually vanished behind the mountains, the direction of Shengjin Palace revealed the undying glow of whale oil lamps, emitting a dazzling radiance. Yan Xun turned to gaze toward the palace gates, his eyes gradually hardening.
"Young Master!" The page Feng Mian came running from afar, breathlessly arriving before Yan Xun and exclaiming, "Something terrible has happened!"
Yan Xun raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"That Xing'er girl—they say she's been captured by the old master of the Zhuge family."
"What?" Yan Xun's sword-like brows immediately furrowed. "When did this happen? Where did you hear this? Is the information reliable?"
"I heard it from a servant who does purchasing for the Zhuge residence. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but they specifically said it was Xing'er from Green Mountain Courtyard."
The young man frowned, pondered for a long moment, then suddenly swung onto his horse. "Feng Mian, we're going to the Zhuge villa."
"Ah?" Feng Mian stared in surprise. "Young Master, are you really going? What if the information is wrong? Shouldn't we wait a bit longer?"
Yan Xun shook his head. "If it's wrong, we'll just return. It's no big deal."
"Then what pretext will we use? We can't just charge in openly searching for someone, can we?"
Yan Xun's eyes shifted thoughtfully. "We'll say we're paying a visit to Elder Zhuge before our departure. It's fine, let's go."
The thunder of hooves kicked up great clouds of snow. Not far away in the western part of the city, a three-hundred-strong army waited quietly. A scout cavalryman rushed back and reported to the young commander, "Reporting, General—I witnessed with my own eyes Young Master Yan heading toward the Zhuge family's villa."
"The Zhuge family?"Wei Shu Ye frowned and said in a low voice, "Why is Yan Xun going to the Zhuge family? Does the Zhuge family intend to intervene? Zhuge Mu Qing didn’t attend the Elder Council this time—could it be that he deliberately avoided this matter?"
"Lieutenant General," Mu He urged his horse forward, bowing his head respectfully. "I don’t think so. Zhuge Mu Qing has always been on good terms with the Batuha Family. This time, he was unable to attend due to the floods in his eastern fiefdom. I believe it might just be a coincidence."
Wei Shu Ye nodded and said, "If that’s the case, things will be much easier to handle."
Under the cold moonlight, Shengjin Palace suddenly shone with brilliant light. Wei Shu Ye raised his head and slowly said, "It’s time."
Upon hearing this, the army quickly set off, heading toward the residence of the Zhuge family’s most renowned second master, Zhuge Xi.
The star chart shimmered in the sky, and the tracks of fate had quietly begun to shift. The youths, still unaware of how profoundly this night would shape their lives, could not see clearly through the enigmatic mist obscuring their path, nor could they discern the direction of the stars. Yet, in the Netherworld, the floodgates of time had opened, and a magnificent epic was about to turn a new page.
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