Chun Tao watched the Ninth Princess's retreating figure with deep concern.
"How could His Majesty make such a decision? Miss, do you think the Hostage... no, His Majesty Tantai Jin will agree?"
In Chun Tao's heart, Tantai Jin remained the Third Miss's husband. How could the Third Miss's husband marry the Ninth Princess?
"This is too absurd," Chun Tao muttered.
Su Su said, "There are things even more absurd than this."
Chun Tao looked at her in surprise. "What does Miss mean?"
Su Su patted her head gently.
Chun Tao pouted. "Miss has changed so much since returning from your trip."
"How have I changed?"
"Miss used to laugh often and speak in a cheerful tone." Chun Tao pointed at her own eyes. "Since Miss returned this time, there's no laughter in your eyes."
Especially when mentioning His Majesty Tantai Jin - her clear black-and-white eyes seemed coated with a layer of frost.
Su Su was momentarily stunned, then smiled lightly. "You're mistaken."
She reminded herself inwardly that it wasn't good that even Chun Tao could detect her emotions. Xiao Lin's death still weighed heavily on her, affecting even her Dao Heart.
But Su Su's mission was far greater - she needed to remain clear-headed.
The Evil Bone, the Evil Bone was what mattered most.
Only two years remained. If the Evil Bone wasn't extracted within two years, and the great demons from the Desolate Abyss swarmed out, the world would fall into chaos.
Make Tantai Jin understand love and hatred.
Su Su became lost in thought.
The Old Madam emerged shortly after, Buddhist prayer beads around her wrist, her worries evident. When Su Su went to support her, the Old Madam looked even more distressed. "My Xiwu is so wonderful, what will become of you in the future?"
"Grandmother, don't worry. I'm fine."
Su Su's position in the capital was quite awkward. Her previous marriage to Tantai Jin alone was enough to make the noble ladies of the capital look at her differently.
As the Ninth Princess had said, rumors were spreading that Tantai Jin had used Third Miss Ye as a stepping stone to leave the palace and return to Zhou Kingdom.
Su Su was being unjustly blamed. With Ye Xiao and Ye Qingyu still at war, no one dared touch Su Su.
Su Su thought to herself that if not for Xiao Lin, she would be condemned by everyone.
After all, everyone knew Great Xia's defeat was only a matter of time.
The more than ten years of Great Xia's former glory had drawn to a close.
Sure enough, news soon arrived that the Great Xia Emperor was seeking peace.
Xia Kingdom requested a ceasefire, offering jewels and jades, annual tributes, and even the Ninth Princess for a political marriage.
When the first winter snow fell, envoys rushed to the battlefield to present their proposal to Tantai Jin.
Soon after, Zhou Kingdom sent a return gift—
The envoy's severed head.
The envoy's eyes were wide open, his expression terrified.
The moment he saw the head, the Great Xia Emperor nearly fainted from rage.
Su Su stayed in her room writing letters. Given her current unpopular status, she rarely went out. Knowing nothing of military strategy, she could only write down all methods to counter demonic creatures and send them to her father and brother.
There was one thing Tantai Jin had been right about - with Xiao Lin dead, Great Xia's backbone was broken.
Now almost all civil officials at court were considering surrender.
When Ye Xiao learned about the court's situation, his heart grew cold.
The Ye family became the last remaining war faction.
Ye Xiao struggled to hold on until January, when the capital's tree branches were heavy with snow. Zhou's army pressed forward, reaching Jiayu Pass.
Jiayu Pass—where Su Su had once jumped into the river to protect Ye Qingyu—
But this time, Ye Qingyu died.
"The young general suffered dozens of arrow wounds and died at Jiayu River."When the news came back, the Old Madam fainted on the spot. Su Su's eyes welled up with tears, her heart filled with indescribable sorrow.
Not long after, Ye Qingyu's remains were transported back.
Ye Lanyin had married at the end of last year, and Ye Zheyun had fallen seriously ill after being frightened by the Blood Ravens. Now, the Ye family only had the Fourth Young Master and Su Su left.
Su Su held her younger brother's hand as they saw the soldiers escorting the coffin back to the capital.
They also saw the young general in the coffin.
The arrow wounds on his body had begun to rot, and he was covered in cuts from blades. The Fourth Young Master Ye beside Su Su stared fearfully at Ye Qingyu in the coffin, momentarily unable to recognize him.
Su Su said, "Go and kowtow, bring Big Brother home."
The chubby boy, pulled along by her, tearfully completed the ritual.
They brought Ye Qingyu home.
Chun Tao rushed in anxiously: "Miss, everyone outside is saying that The Emperor has sent envoys to sue for peace again!"
Upon hearing this, Su Su felt a sense of foreboding and turned to look at Chun Tao.
"This time, His Majesty Tantai Jin agreed, but... but the Zhou Kingdom demands ten cities within Jiayu Pass and the exile of the Ye family. And... and..."
Seeing Chun Tao's hesitation, Su Su said calmly, "Just say it outright. It can't be worse than the Ye family's exile."
Chun Tao said with a grim expression, "His Majesty Tantai Jin demands that The Emperor send over Prince Xuan's widow. That... that is the Eldest Young Lady."
Su Su had long expected this day. She wiped the tears from Chun Tao's face and said, "Don't cry. I understand."
"Miss, when did the Hostage... when did he become interested in the Eldest Young Lady...?" Tantai Jin's demand shocked everyone. He didn't ask for the Ninth Princess but instead demanded that Great Xia send Ye Bingshang over.
For Great Xia, this was a great humiliation. If Prince Xuan's widow were truly sent to him, it would be tantamount to trampling Great Xia's dignity underfoot.
Su Su pressed her lips together and did not answer Chun Tao's question.
"Has The Emperor agreed?"
"This servant doesn't know."
Su Su said nothing more. Chun Tao had thought the Third Young Lady would be furious, as she always was when matters involved the Eldest Young Lady.
But the Third Young Lady was remarkably calm, as if she had long anticipated this day.
Su Su entered the room and helped her grandmother up.
In just a year, the once dignified and elegant Old Madam Ye had become haggard and aged.
Su Su personally combed the Old Madam's hair and found that half of it had turned silver. Wrinkles had crept into the corners of her eyes, making her seem to collapse instantly.
The Old Madam was well-informed; she must have known early on about Great Xia's emperor sending someone to sue for peace.
Now, with her eldest grandson dead and the Ye family gradually declining, even the emperor was considering abandoning the Ye family to preserve Great Xia.
Su Su picked up the comb but had only made a few strokes when the old woman grasped her hand.
"His demand for the Eldest Young Lady is like throwing you into the fire," the Old Madam said tearfully.
Su Su shook her head and remained silent.
"The Ye family's century-old legacy, to think it would fall in our time. I understand the emperor; he will ultimately agree. Xiwu, come with me to see your brother, then dismiss the servants."
Su Su said softly, "Alright."
She accompanied the Old Madam in paying respects to Ye Qingyu. Ye Qingyu was buried hastily. Su Su knew that if they delayed any longer, they might not even have a decent coffin.
Once Great Xia became a vassal state, the Ye family would cease to exist.
Ye Xiao had killed countless people from the Zhou Kingdom—Among these individuals were generals and princes. Ye Xiao had been the nightmare of the Zhou Kingdom's people in his youth, so if Great Xia agreed to surrender, handing over the Ye family would be the greatest demonstration of sincerity.
Such an act was undoubtedly disheartening, yet if they refrained, the destruction of Great Xia would only be a matter of time.
Su Su lowered her gaze. The Ye family was finished.
Tantai Jin had succeeded. The young man whose hands had been frostbitten and covered in sores last winter now stood above all others.
He had also obtained the one person he desired most.
Yang Ji entered cheerfully, holding the surrender document, to find the dark-robed youth reclining on a couch, polishing a bow.
"Your Majesty, that coward has indeed agreed!"
A mocking curve lifted the corner of Tantai Jin's lips.
Yang Ji glanced at Ye Chu Feng, who stood nearby with an indifferent expression, and said, "The Emperor of Great Xia has agreed to send the eldest daughter of the Ye family. The entire Ye family will also be exiled soon. Word has it that Ye Xiao has already been recalled to the capital."
Ye Chu Feng's fingers trembled slightly within his sleeves.
Tantai Jin set down the bow and raised his dark, piercing eyes. "Any other news..."
"Ah, yes! Your Majesty, rest assured. The eldest Miss Ye has been living in seclusion these past six months. Upon hearing this news, she did not... take any drastic measures."
Tantai Jin continued to stare at him, clearly unsatisfied.
Yang Ji was baffled and cautiously asked, "Does... Your Majesty wish to know something else?"
Tantai Jin hurled the bow at him. "Get out!"
The bow struck Yang Ji's feet unexpectedly, making him hop on the spot. "Your Majesty, this subordinate deserves death! This subordinate will leave immediately!"
Yang Ji fled the palace as if escaping for his life.
He thought to himself, What did I do wrong? I followed His Majesty's instructions!
When he first learned that His Majesty wanted Xiao Lin's woman, Yang Ji had been utterly shocked. But then, considering the Tantai imperial family's history of... unconventional tastes, he quickly dismissed it as nothing unusual.
Besides, Yang Ji had seen that Ye Bingshang before—a stunning beauty with a gentle, soft-spoken demeanor. It wasn't surprising that His Majesty would fancy her.
So why had he been punished?
After racking his brains, Yang Ji suddenly recalled someone he had nearly forgotten—the young woman who, six months ago, had drawn her bow and nearly shot His Majesty dead.
Yang Ji shuddered. "N-no way."
Wanting Ye Bingshang was one thing, but pining for someone who constantly wanted him dead? That would be disastrous!
Yang Ji muttered, "So who does he actually like?"
A Blood Raven flew into the hall. The Zhou Kingdom was as warm as spring, and the raven shook its black wings, let out a "caw," and landed on Tantai Jin's sleeve.
Tantai Jin stared at it for a long moment before picking up the raven and coldly stating, "Quiet. This lord could never fancy a woman who wants to kill him. I simply haven't finished humiliating her yet."
The raven: "Caw!"
It tilted its head, gave him a look, then flapped its wings and flew away.
The Ye residence was emptied in the blink of an eye. Chun Tao and Xi Xi wept, refusing to leave. Su Su quietly stuffed some of Ye Xi Wu's former jewelry into their bundles and drove them away with her whip.
Days earlier, imperial guards had stationed themselves outside. While servants were permitted to leave, no member of the Ye family was allowed to depart.
Young Master Ye, the chubby fourth son, remained unaware of what was happening, nestled comfortably in Concubine Yun's arms as he happily ate snacks.
Concubine Yun held her son, her expression showing no trace of anxiety.
The other concubines watched Concubine Du with ingratiating looks, while Concubine Yun wore a faint, ambiguous smile, utterly unperturbed by the impending disaster.When she saw Su Su and the Old Madam, the ease on her face faded somewhat.
Su Su, supporting the Old Madam, glanced at her but said nothing.
Aunt Yun was Ye Bingshang's biological mother. Nowadays, everyone knew of the Great Xia Emperor's affection for Ye Bingshang. They said a beautiful woman could bring disaster, but being such a disaster had caused even her family to rise in status.
Aunt Yun, who had once been cautious and timid, now exuded a subtle arrogance.
If not for knowing that the Ye family was about to be exiled, one might have thought they were going to be promoted and enriched. To outsiders, it seemed Ye Bingshang becoming the Empress of Great Zhou was just around the corner, no wonder Aunt Yun showed not a hint of panic.
Su Su looked down on such people, but couldn't be bothered to argue with her.
What worried her more now was how to settle her grandmother. The Old Madam was advanced in years and had no servants to care for her. Others might endure exile to a harsh, cold place like Liuzhou, but the Old Madam might not survive.
Moreover, exile didn't mean traveling by carriage—it meant walking.
The Old Madam looked at Aunt Yun and said calmly, "Aunt Yun, this old woman wishes to see the eldest young lady."
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