Tigers Sniff the Rose

The Emperor ordered Lord Liu to go to Hexi as a marshal to oversee the war.

Sending an eighty-year-old man to the battlefield, sending a two-dynasty chancellor on the verge of retirement to the battlefield... How absurd!

Upon learning of this, the civil and military officials were deeply agitated. That night, all the high-ranking ministers gathered at Lord Liu's residence to voice their grievances on his behalf. Lord Liu, frail and withered, leaned against the wall as his gaze swept over them. In the dim candlelight, each minister's eyes were filled with sorrow.

It was a classic case of "the fox mourns the death of the hare"—sympathy for one's own kind.

Great Wei employed a system of multiple chancellors. At this time, there should have been five chancellors, but one had retired the previous year, and the vacancy had yet to be filled. Now, the remaining three chancellors gathered here, witnessing how the Emperor treated Lord Liu. They felt the chill in their hearts more acutely than the other officials, empathizing deeply with his plight.

The chancellors proposed to plead for Lord Liu, to knock on the palace gates at night and lead the officials in persuading the Emperor to revoke his decree.

Lord Liu forced himself to rally, sternly quelling the sorrow in the room: "What is all this weeping and wailing? It is as ridiculous as ignorant women and children. The Emperor's word is final—how could it be taken back? As for this old man... what is there to fear in going to Hexi? Though aged, I am like an old steed in the stable—still sturdy and robust! It is fitting that I personally oversee the war in Hexi. Is it not a reassurance to Great Wei for the chancellor to be present?

"Why are you all wailing?!"

Thus, the civil and military officials suppressed their grief and reluctantly offered words of encouragement.

Just before his departure, the other three chancellors murmured on behalf of everyone: "Lord Liu, after you leave, what should we do?"

Lord Liu fell silent for a moment before replying slowly, "His Majesty acts this way because he has been incited by treacherous individuals! Only by eliminating the corrupt eunuchs can we restore His Majesty's clarity!"

The old ministers exchanged strange looks but nodded in agreement.

Wei Shu was among the officials that night, paying his respects to Lord Liu like the others. Unlike the grief-stricken ministers, Wei Shu remained emotionally composed, even refraining from speaking. He felt himself adrift like duckweed swept along by a flood—overwhelming waves crashing toward him, obscuring any clear path forward.

The Emperor desired peace negotiations, but peace would require ceding Jiannan. What would become of the people in Jiannan? Would they be handed over to the Southern Barbarians, condemning hundreds of thousands, even millions, to slavery in another land?

Yet opposing peace meant defying the Emperor and confronting Liu Wenji, the powerful eunuch who dominated the court. After all, the Emperor was the Emperor—when he unleashed his wrath, would there be enough civil and military officials to satisfy his bloodlust?

As Wei Shu left Lord Liu's residence with the other officials, he glanced back and saw the dim study shrouded by elm trees. Under the thick canopy, the window framed the lonely, stooped shadow of the old man.

Lord Liu spoke of eliminating the eunuchs and purging the Emperor's inner circle... but could Great Wei's problems truly be solved by merely cleansing the Emperor's advisors?

Before his last mission, Second Brother Yan had told him, "Focus on doing good deeds; do not worry about the future."

He did not worry about the future.

But now, what exactly constituted a "good deed"?—

The next day, Lord Liu left the city to assume his post in Hexi. During the morning court session, all the officials took leave to see him off.

Due to Great Wei's open customs, neither the monarch nor his ministers typically wore formal attire to court. But on this day, the officials formed a majestic, sprawling procession stretching ten li, all clad in vibrant reds and greens, their official robes imposing.

Their silent yet oppressive display of defiance drew the attention of Chang'an's citizens. Moved by the scene, the common people joined the officials, accompanying Lord Liu all the way out of Chang'an city.Upon learning the news, the Emperor was enraged. He slumped on his dragon throne, gazing at the empty hall, feeling dizzy and fearful.

Snapping back to reality, the Emperor immediately ordered Liu Wenji to pursue the man!

The Emperor had Liu Wenji see off Lord Liu on his behalf, conferred upon Lord Liu the title of Grand Marshal, and promised never to revoke his position as Chancellor. Fearing resistance from his ministers, the Emperor instructed Liu Wenji to convey that he had already regretted his decision, but as the sovereign's word was final, he could not retract the imperial decree. The Emperor would await Lord Liu's return in Chang'an, reserving a position for him...

Sovereign and ministers must not lose heart!

The Emperor's demeanor slightly softened the attitudes of the ministers who had opposed him. After Lord Liu departed, the officials dispersed back to the city in small, lonely groups. Standing among the crowd, Wei Shu heard the commotion and turned to look in one direction.

He saw Duke Zhao accompanying Liu Wenji on horseback, while a child, held by his wet nurse, boldly sang a nursery rhyme about "the great treacherous minister." The innocent child knew no better, but Liu Wenji's face darkened, and Duke Zhao suddenly flared up in anger: "Absurd! What are you singing? Guards, seize them..."

He intended to say "throw them into prison," but then he noticed Wei Shu looking at him. The young man's eyes were as cold as ice, sending a chill down Duke Zhao's spine as he recalled the entanglement between Wei Shu and his own fifth daughter—a bond he had forcibly broken. Duke Zhao grew even angrier, but then more officials turned to look at him.

Sweat beaded on Duke Zhao's palms.

He muttered vaguely, "Let this be the last time."

Mounted on his horse, Liu Wenji watched indifferently. Seeing Duke Zhao's cowardice, he sneered, tugged the reins, and rode off.

Duke Zhao hurriedly chased after him on horseback, forcing a smile: "Do not be angered, Gong Liu! It is merely the common folk who know no better, spouting nonsense! I will order an immediate investigation today. If anyone is heard singing such rhymes again, they will be thrown into prison."

Liu Wenji retorted, "Can you silence mouths, but can you silence the hearts of the people?"

Duke Zhao was stunned.

Liu Wenji gazed ahead, where the palace was shrouded in thick dark clouds. The path ahead was murky; he was mired in mud, with obstacles in every direction. Closing his eyes, Liu Wenji's hand gripping the reins trembled slightly, veins bulging on the back.

Liu Wenji murmured to himself, "I have been pushed into a pit of fire..."

Returning to the palace, Liu Wenji reported the day's events to the Emperor. The Emperor's expression was inscrutable; after a moment of distraction, he comforted Liu Wenji, indignantly saying, "Gong Liu is my pillar of support, like a second parent to me! How could you be as the common folk say? I understand everything in my heart. You have been wronged."

Liu Wenji humbly declined the sentiment, his demeanor respectful yet aloof.

After bestowing many treasures and fine residences upon Liu Wenji, the Emperor felt reassured and returned to the matter of peace negotiations.

The Emperor desired peace, but the incident of sending Lord Liu to Hexi had taught him a lesson, and he dared not push the matter too forcefully for the time being.

Liu Wenji recalled the look Wei Shu had given him that day—strangely cold and detached, deeply unsettling. Those who had once been his allies had now become political enemies, filling him with disgust at the mere thought.

Liu Wenji said, "For a matter like peace negotiations, why not send the Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, Young Master Wei the Seventh? Although Young Master Wei usually remains silent, his eloquence is remarkable—how else could he have completed his diplomatic missions? He has dealt with the barbarians for years and knows them best... Why not send Young Master Wei the Seventh to negotiate peace!"Upon hearing this, the Emperor's eyes lit up and he immediately ordered a summons. However, after a moment of hesitation, fearing a recurrence of the Lord Liu incident, he refrained from issuing an imperial edict directly. Instead, he dispatched a eunuch with his oral decree to the Wei residence, summoning Young Master Wei the Seventh to the palace.

Wei Shu sat in a daze in the rear courtyard of his residence. Beneath the vines, he vaguely recalled the two days when Zhao Lingfei had stayed at his home.

In his reverie, a eunuch from the palace arrived. Servants led the eunuch to Wei Shu, who politely conveyed the Emperor's intention: Wei Shu was to enter the palace, receive the decree, and proceed immediately to Jiannan to negotiate peace with the Southern Barbarians.

Wei Shu stared at the eunuch, lost in thought.

For a moment, he was tempted to agree, thinking he could prolong the negotiations to buy time. But he quickly dismissed the idea. Once peace talks began, not only would he become a laughingstock, but if Jiannan could no longer wage war, wouldn’t that precisely serve the Emperor’s purpose?

Moreover, the Emperor was sending court officials away one by one. With all the ministers daring to oppose him gone, wouldn’t the court become a place where the Emperor could do as he pleased? What, then, was the point of Lord Liu’s mission to Hexi?

Wei Shu raised his eyes and spoke clearly: "I beg His Majesty’s forgiveness, but I cannot enter the palace, nor can I go to Jiannan."

The eunuch’s eyelids twitched.

Cursing inwardly at the difficulty of his task, the eunuch forced a smile. "This... this humble servant cannot report back like this. It is His Majesty’s decree—how can the Director refuse? There must be a reason."

Wei Shu replied, "I am gravely ill and thus unable to enter the palace. I am ashamed to disappoint His Majesty and deeply troubled, but I truly cannot go."

The eunuch was bewildered. "Ill?"

Without a word, Wei Shu drew the sword at his waist and casually slashed his own arm. The blade was sharp, cutting to the bone. Blood gushed forth, streaming down his wide, crimson official robe, which he had not yet changed out of. The color of the robe deepened with the blood.

Drops of blood stained the young man’s pale arm. Wei Shu lifted his gaze and looked at the eunuch.

Terrified, the eunuch stumbled back three steps, afraid the formidable official might strike him as well. "How can the Director act like this? Aren’t you afraid His Majesty will punish you?!"

Wei Shu said calmly, "Then let him punish me. As a subject, I am prepared to die for my sovereign. I have long been resolved to this. May I ask if His Majesty shares such resolve?"

Trembling, the eunuch stammered, "Mad... mad... So... so the Director is indeed gravely ill. This humble servant understands... I will report back to His Majesty at once."Meanwhile, in the palace, the beleaguered Emperor once again received Yan Shang’s urgent directives and concerns regarding the war in Jiannan, like a relentless urging." The thought of Yan Shang learning that his mentor had been exiled to Hexi filled the Emperor with even greater panic.

Why were all the officials he encountered so unyielding?—

Yan Shang learned of the events in Chang’an five days later.

When Mu Wan Yao heard that Lord Liu had been sent to Hexi, she was initially furious, thinking the Emperor more absurd than she had imagined. Then she thought of Yan Shang, worried he would be distressed, and went to see him immediately.

Yan Shang was practicing calligraphy in his study.

Whenever his mind was unsettled, he would practice writing large characters to calm himself. Over the years, this habit had transformed his handwriting, which now differed greatly from when Mu Wan Yao first met him.

Mu Wan Yao stood behind him, observing his writing. She vividly remembered how his characters used to be neat, somber, and rigidly structured, lacking any aesthetic appeal. Now, Yan Shang’s brushstrokes were vigorous and ancient, subtly conveying an unyielding and indomitable spirit.Yan Shang turned his head and said, "I already know about our teacher's matter. I'm preparing to submit a memorial, leading the scholars to defend our teacher and question His Majesty."

Mu Wan Yao chuckled lightly, "His Majesty will be infuriated to death by you master and disciple again. Aren't you afraid he might have you killed?"

Yan Shang smiled, "The late emperor decreed that unless you or I rebel, the current emperor cannot touch either of us. If His Majesty had the courage to defy the late emperor's will, he wouldn't have the heart for peace negotiations today."

He closed his eyes, "I want to push him, to pressure him. To make him both fear me and have no choice but to use me. There's no logic in the world where you want the horse to run fast but don't let it eat grass... If he dares to kill all the court officials, I would respect his courage."

Mu Wan Yao said, "Before your teacher left, he said that only by cleansing the imperial court and eliminating the treacherous eunuchs can all this be resolved."

Yan Shang, "Oh? What's the word in Chang'an?"

He had only read the letters about his teacher and became too angry to continue. Mu Wan Yao, however, had read all the letters. Standing by the desk, she counted on her fingers as she told Yan Shang about the hatred officials from top to bottom and common people in Chang'an held toward the inner eunuchs.

She said all of Chang'an utterly despised Liu Wenji.

Yan Shang became lost in thought.

Mu Wan Yao glanced at him, "Your eyes show sorrow, what does it mean? What, feeling sorry for Liu Wenji? Do you sympathize with him?"

Yan Shang, "Don't you find it ridiculous? Even if Liu Wenji is guilty, the one with greater crimes is clearly the emperor himself. But as officials, even my teacher, no one dares to say the emperor is at fault, only daring to blame the treacherous eunuchs for misleading the state. As if by eliminating Liu Wenji, the world would become clear."

"But isn't the one with deeper sins His Majesty? It wasn't Liu Wenji who informed about the Southern Barbarians' conditions and unhesitatingly wanted to surrender Jiannan, it was the emperor. Though Liu Wenji appears to hold great power as the chief eunuch, everything he has was given by the emperor - he has no solid support behind him. All his actions depend on the emperor's trust in him. Once the emperor wants to reclaim power... the eunuch's power is the easiest to take back."

"Everyone says Liu Wenji has blinded His Majesty, but in fact, hasn't His Majesty also blinded Liu Wenji? Liu Wenji's current position was pushed up single-handedly by the emperor. The emperor deliberately put Liu Wenji forward to shield him from the officials' criticism."Liu Wenji thinks he's using the emperor to satisfy his inflated ambitions, unaware that the emperor is also using him to eliminate people he dislikes and voices he doesn't want to hear." And one day... if there really comes a day when the world has reached an unsustainable state of chaos, the emperor only needs to sacrifice Liu Wenji, and all the court officials will still return to support His Majesty."

"By sacrificing just Liu Wenji alone, the emperor remains the good emperor in everyone's eyes."

Yan Shang said mockingly, "Yao Yao, a foolish ruler isn't remarkable, but a foolish ruler who clearly knows what he's doing yet remains indifferent, determined to enjoy himself regardless of the consequences for others - that's the most terrifying."

"When His Majesty wasn't yet emperor, when he was still Prince Jin, he still had the will to govern. But he endured too many years for the throne, was suppressed for too long by the former Crown Prince and Prince Qin... His mind has become twisted, abnormal.""When His Majesty first became Emperor, he would come to seek my counsel on state affairs, asking me how to become a wise ruler. But later, he began to resent my interference, suspecting that I intended to manipulate him. He and Liu Wenji hit it off instantly, pretending to be reluctant to let me go while secretly wishing I would hurry and leave Chang'an, so I wouldn’t stand in his way...

"He no longer wishes to be a wise ruler—he only wants to be an Emperor, one who indulges in pleasure alone!"

Mu Wan Yao stared at him in a daze.

She said, "Such thoughts... no one would dare think this way."

Yan Shang lowered his gaze and sat down, leaning against Mu Wan Yao. He whispered, "I only dare say such things to you."

Mu Wan Yao held him tenderly, letting his face rest against her chest. She watched as he closed his eyes wearily in her embrace, her fingers brushing over his face, thinking how much thinner he had grown these past days.

Her heart ached with pity for him, and she comforted him softly, as a mother would her child: "Let’s set those matters aside for now. Second Brother Yan, we are human, not gods. Problems must be solved one by one. For now... let’s focus on the war in Jiannan.

"Jiannan has been in a ceasefire for a month... we cannot delay any longer."

Yan Shang opened his eyes in her arms.

Exhausted, he struggled to sit up and said, "I’ll write a letter to the commander of Jiannan to ask about the current situation..."—

The situation in Jiannan remained stagnant.

The commander and Yan Shang, the governor of Guangzhou, had been corresponding for months. What began as a brief exchange between colleagues had deepened, and the commander now regarded Yan Shang as a confidant, pouring out his frustrations to him.

The central court forbade battle! And with Jiannan unable to fight, they could only watch helplessly as the arrogant Southern Barbarians trampled over them!

The central court did not send anyone to negotiate peace, leaving only a few eunuchs in the military camp to boss everyone around.

Supplies were depleted, military pay could not be distributed, and battle was impossible. Yet the central court intended to surrender Jiannan... The commander dared not step out of his tent, unsure how to explain this to his soldiers or to the people of Jiannan.

How could he possibly say, "The court has abandoned you, leaving you to become slaves of another nation"?

When Yan Shang wrote to him again, the commander replied in anguish: "Su Chen, I am tormented day and night, on the verge of collapse...

"Each day, I feel ashamed before my soldiers and the common people. But without provisions or pay, what can I do?

"Su Chen, I no longer know how long I can hold on... Perhaps I am destined to become a sinner for all ages, the one who lost Jiannan... But with the Emperor’s decree, how can either of us defy it?"—

While the commander was trapped in his dilemma, Yang Si, Zhao Lingfei, and Yan Xiaozhou climbed a hill, observing the entire commandery city being ravaged by the enemy.

Zhao Lingfei and Yan Xiaozhou had accompanied Yang Si up the mountain to survey the terrain. With Jiannan barred from fighting, the soldiers had been ordered to evacuate civilians. Meanwhile, Southern Barbarians had begun boldly venturing into the border commandery, burning, killing, and looting, while the soldiers turned a blind eye.

Their robes fluttered in the wind as the three stood on the small hill, silently watching another conflict unfold below.

A group of Southern Barbarians was seizing grain from the common people, who wailed and refused to surrender it, only to be whipped. Jiannan Army soldiers passed by, heads bowed, not daring to intervene. The clamor from below was loud, but up on the hill, only the sound of the wind could be heard.

A roaring, endless wind.Yan Xiaozhou gazed down at the common folk below, who appeared as small as ants, lost in thought. Zhao Lingfei also watched quietly before slowly shifting her gaze away. Yang Si, however, paid no attention to them—after a brief glance, he focused on surveying the entire terrain.

After a long while, Zhao Lingfei asked, "Cousin, have you finished assessing the situation?"

Yang Si replied, "Mm."

He gestured vaguely in the air and said, "The court forbids soldiers from engaging in combat, but I am not a soldier. People like us are merely laborers, not considered troops. I have persuaded all of us to act at midnight tonight—we will raid the Southern Barbarians' camp and reclaim everything they stole. If we can't retrieve it, we'll burn it all!

"Absolutely nothing will be left for them!"

Yan Xiaozhou worriedly interjected, "I'm just afraid they might trace it back to Third Brother..."

Zhao Lingfei said coldly, "I'll take responsibility for Cousin! My father is the Minister of War—I'd like to see who here dares lay a hand on the Minister of War's daughter!"

Yang Si and Yan Xiaozhou remained silent.

Zhao Lingfei turned to look at them and saw the two standing side by side. She felt almost swallowed by shame, as if she didn't belong here. Wasn't Jiannan's suffering all caused by Liu Wenji? Wasn't it her father who abetted his tyranny?

She felt ashamed even mentioning her father!

Yet at this critical moment, she had to leverage her status to help her cousin...

A sharp pain pierced Zhao Lingfei's heart. Yan Xiaozhou was being led downhill by Yang Si, who had an arm around her shoulder. Halfway down, the two turned back to wait for her.

Yan Xiaozhou said gently, "Sister Lingfei, why aren't you coming? It's getting dark—let's hurry down the mountain. Today, I'll cook porridge for everyone. It's very delicious—Sister Lingfei, you mustn't miss it."

Zhao Lingfei looked over and saw Yan Xiaozhou's gentle gaze, devoid of any hostility toward her. She then glanced at Yang Si, who wore a faint smile and beckoned to her impatiently, "Aren't you coming? Stop dawdling."

Zhao Lingfei chuckled softly, caught up with the two, and followed them down the mountain. Her eyes fixed on their retreating figures—the man towering and sturdy, the woman slender and delicate. They were the finest people in the world... Zhao Lingfei lifted her gaze to the sky.

To protect these finest people, she would have to oppose her own father—

Yang Si led his men in a night raid on the enemy camp, successfully seizing several carts of grain. Before dawn, the grain was left outside the homes of the commoners who had been robbed. By daybreak, the city's residents were rejoicing everywhere.

Meanwhile, the military camp was tense, investigating who had been so bold. The eunuchs and Southern Barbarians jointly confronted the commander, who claimed ignorance. The eunuchs insisted the commander hand over the culprits, forcing him to conduct a thorough search of the camp to identify the perpetrators.

Eventually, the investigation pointed to Yang Si.

At that moment, Zhao Lingfei stepped forward, declaring, "I am the daughter of the Minister of War—who dares lay a hand on Yang Si in my presence!"

The eunuch replied with a mocking smile, "So you are Zhao Wuniang. Your father has already informed us—if we see Zhao Wuniang, we are to bind her and send her back to Chang'an. The affairs of Jiannan are not for Wuniang to meddle in!"

They bound Yang Si tightly, and Zhao Lingfei and Yang Si fought back within the camp. Both were highly skilled in martial arts, and the camp expended great effort to subdue them. However, when the eunuchs attempted to take them away, the commander intervened, insisting that he would conduct an interrogation first.Thus, only Zhao Wuniang was reluctantly taken away. But Zhao Lingfei was mentally prepared—these palace eunuchs wouldn't dare harm her, and her younger sister Yan Xiaozhou, posing as a physician, would drug their meals to rescue her. Once freed, they would then work together to save their cousin.

The future remained uncertain, but she knew she must not yield.

Meanwhile, in the military camp, the commander gazed at Yang Sanlang, who was bound tightly and kneeling on the ground. After the arrogant eunuchs departed, the commander untied Yang Si and helped the young man to his feet. Studying him intently, the commander said, "Sanlang, you've emerged victorious in every battle you've fought. Tell me, if you were the commanding general today, how would you wage this war?"

Yang Si looked at him in surprise.

The commander, his face covered in stubble and utterly haggard, had a desk piled high with letters. Yang Si, with his keen eyesight, glanced over and spotted a familiar name at a glance.

Yan Shang.

Yang Si was inwardly startled and suspicious, just about to speculate on the relationship between Yan Shang and this commander when the commander noticed his gaze and covered the letter with other correspondence. The commander explained with a smile, "Yan Suchen and I are close friends. Over the past few months, we have discussed the war in Jiannan extensively. The decisions to employ you were also based on Suchen's recommendations.

"I originally intended to consult Suchen on how to fight this battle, but he said asking you would be more valuable than asking him. I have long been curious about what kind of military genius could earn such praise from someone like Yan Suchen. Unfortunately, given your conviction for rebellion, I couldn't engage with you too freely.

"This night presents a perfect opportunity. Why don't you speak freely and tell me—if you were in my position—how would you wage this war?"

Yang Si countered, "Does the General often discuss military affairs with Yan Er?"

His eyes glimmered slightly as he continued, "Is Yan Er aware of the current situation in Jiannan? He has always been adept at politics—did he suggest any solutions to resolve the standoff in Jiannan? We can't remain in this stalemate forever, can we?"

The commander was reluctant to elaborate on his correspondence with Yan Shang and merely said, "We only discussed recent official appointments, which have nothing to do with you. Please focus on your area of expertise."

Yang Si fell silent for a moment, contemplating. He reasoned that someone trusted by Yan Shang should be trustworthy himself. So he sat cross-legged and began speaking eloquently about how he would conduct the war if given command.

When discussing warfare, Yang Si became animated, his eyes shining brightly—a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor... The commander watched him, feeling somewhat dazed and sighing with emotion. Was this the brilliant demeanor Yan Shang had described when speaking of Yang Si in his prime?

They had all grown old.

It was time to make way for young talents like Yan Shang and Yang Si—

Regardless of what Yang Si and the commander discussed, Yang Si was still thrown into prison by the eunuchs, who declared he must be executed to appease the Southern Barbarians.

Unbeknownst to Yang Si in his cell, the very night after their conversation, the commander drew his blade and took his own life.

He left no final words, offering no defense for himself.

Torn between refusing to retreat and daring not defy the Emperor's decree, trapped in an impossible dilemma, he could only atone through death.

The entire camp mourned deeply. Soldiers surrounded the eunuchs' tents, frightening them into staying indoors. Subsequently, soldiers who had been swayed by the eunuchs stirred trouble, quelling the unrest in the camp. Given the severity of the situation, a new distraction was needed to divert attention from the commander's death.

The eunuchs' solution was to execute Yang Si.

Killing Yang Si would placate the Southern Barbarians' fury. Since Yang Si wasn't even a soldier, his death shouldn't matter to the troops, right?

Yet the camp simmered with suppressed tension, the soldiers barely containing their rage.

At dawn, Zhao Lingfei blended in with the soldiers, watching as her cousin was dragged onto the platform and bound. Her fists clenched tightly, burning with hatred and fury. She vowed to charge forward and rescue her cousin—Han Shu Xing, who was with Xiaozhou Meimei, would come to support... They would save her cousin from this place!

Who dared kill her cousin!

Even her own father would not be permitted!

Yang Si remained expressionless, refusing to kneel. The wind howled around them as the eunuchs sneered at this defiant man. The executioners struck his legs and whipped him... but nothing could force Yang Si to his knees.

Contemptuous, Yang Si didn't even deign to look at them.Having expended too much effort trying to force Yang Si to kneel, the eunuchs had made complete fools of themselves. The military officers below were already showing expressions of mockery, and the eunuchs, shamed into anger, felt that the longer this dragged on, the more they resembled laughingstocks.

A eunuch shouted: "Carry out the punishment!"

"Carry out the punishment—"

The burly executioner, muscular and imposing, gripped a long blade. As he raised his sword toward the young man before him, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air—

The entire crowd erupted in uproar!

A black long arrow shot from afar, soaring over people's heads, and struck the executioner directly in the neck. Without the slightest hesitation, the arrow pierced the executioner's throat. Blood splattered everywhere. Before the executioner could even register the pain, his eyes widened in shock, and he collapsed to the ground, dead with a resentful glare.

Yang Si was stunned.

All the soldiers in the camp were stunned.

Zhao Lingfei, hiding among the soldiers in an attempt to rescue someone, was stunned.

Everyone turned their heads in unison—

A young man in white robes and a jade crown stood at the camp entrance behind the crowd, holding a crossbow, his sleeves fluttering in the wind.

His demeanor was extraordinary, like a jade-like figure walking among mortals.

The eunuch following behind the young man was drenched in sweat, his face pale, shouting at the crowd: "What are you all standing around for? Come and pay respects to the Grand Marshal of All Under Heaven's Armed Forces! This is our new commander-in-chief, appointed by His Majesty as the Grand Marshal of All Under Heaven's Armed Forces and concurrently the Supreme Commander of the Jiannan Campaigns... Why haven't you come to bow?!"

Yan Shang smiled faintly as he retracted his crossbow.

Standing at the camp entrance, bathed in the wind, he gazed with a smile at Yang Si on the platform and at everyone in the camp.

He spoke softly: "Our first meeting. Greetings to you all."

Without discarding the crossbow in his hand, he looked at the dumbfounded eunuchs on the platform and offered a gentle smile: "The heavy arrow is blunt, not my original intent. Be careful, everyone."