After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

Dusk splattered blood across the ancient Tongguan Road, the mountains on either side condensing into undulating silhouettes in the twilight. Several swift horses galloped towards them, shattering the setting sun. Leading the way was a figure draped in a dark cloak, his pale, sickly face faintly visible beneath his hood. It was the King of Wu, who had claimed to be recuperating at the post station.

"Your Highness, Minister Jia has sent a message requesting you enter the palace through the Xuanwu Gate at midnight tonight." A trusted aide beside him lowered his voice, "The Right Guard General of the Shen Ce Army has made all the necessary arrangements. All checkpoints along the way will allow you to pass."

Upon hearing this, King Wu raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, but the fatigue from days of running around could not hide the excitement between his brows.

On the official road from Tongguan to Chang'an, there were post horses waiting every ten miles. This meticulous arrangement had clearly been planned for a long time. He suddenly asked, "Did Pei Jiaoran really not notice anything?"

At this point, the King of Wu's heart suddenly sank. Beneath his excitement, a hint of inexplicable unease lurked. Pei Jiaoran, this old fox, had a keen sense of smell. How could she remain silent when he moved like this?

Was he truly being kept in the dark, or... had he already set a trap? This excessive calm was more disturbing than any drastic measure.

Taking a deep breath, King Wu's fingertips unconsciously stroked the reins. The touch of the cool leather calmed him down a little.

No, the arrow had flown, there was no turning back. Perhaps Pei Jiaoran was overconfident, believing she was in control, and had allowed herself to walk right up to the palace gates? Or perhaps she had other plans, waiting for her to fall into her trap? This thought gnawed at his confidence like a venomous snake, but it was quickly suppressed by a stronger ambition. No matter what, he had to take this gamble.

"This morning's letter said that Prime Minister Pei had been handling government affairs in the Secretariat today and only left the palace at the end of the afternoon." The confidant handed over the water bag and whispered, "The Crown Princess doesn't seem to have behaved unusually since leaving the capital."

The King of Wu took the water bag, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

He tilted his head back and took a sip of cold water. The icy liquid flowed down his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the burning feeling of uneasiness in his heart.

"Nothing unusual?" He repeated these four words, his voice dissipating in the wind, a barely perceptible sneer escaping his throat. "Pei Jiaoran has only been in the court for a few years, yet she's already brought down several people. I remember Jia Gonglu saying the same thing about her, 'nothing unusual'. But what happened? She forced my mother to commit suicide to save me."

The hysterical roar died down, and the water bag was thrown back into the confidant's arms with a dull sound. The King of Wu tightened the reins, and the horse stamped its hooves restlessly, stirring up dust.

The King of Wu suddenly gazed towards Chang'an. The silently descending night engulfed the end of the official road. The setting sun sank completely behind the mountain ridge, and the first star pierced the indigo sky. In the distance, the faint howls of wolves could be heard, so shrill and terrifying that it made one's heart tremble.

Closing his eyes, the King of Wu raised his hand and rushed out. He knew that Pei Jiaoran's best skill was to lay a net when everyone thought she was motionless.

The King of Wu, leading the charge, pursed his lips, letting the night breeze brush across his face. He looked up at the ink-soaked sky, dotted with stars.

Remembering his mother's last look, the King of Wu slowly exhaled, his fingertips tightening and loosening the reins. He sneered and muttered to himself, "Don't worry, mother. I will cut off Pei Jiaoran's head and pay tribute to him at your mausoleum."

Pei Jiaoran, do you think you can win by forcing me to leave? Chang'an City needs a prime minister to die to be fully satisfied.

At the same time, the stars and the moonlight also fell on the eaves of thousands of households in Chang'an City, and the lights of thousands of houses had already been lit one after another.

Pei Jiaoran wasn't in the Secretariat, as the King of Wu knew. She sat before the mirror in her private residence, her hair loose, revealing a smooth forehead and overly lucid eyes. Candlelight flickered across the mirror, illuminating the freshly painted "Duke Zhou Assisting King Cheng" hanging not far behind her.

Footsteps came from behind, gradually getting closer.

Without looking back, Pei Jiaoran flipped through the jewelry box, which contained the inlaid gold hairpins, the dark green jade bracelet, the round and plump pearl bracelets of equal size, the red agate earrings, and the jadeite necklace. The moment he opened it, the jewels shone brightly, and as his fingers plucked them, they made a tinkling sound.

A hand passed through her fine hair, slid from her neck to her chest, and deftly lifted the piece of clothing. The hand, tinged with icy moisture, captured her in its fingertips.

"Cool." Pei Jiaoran brushed away the hand that had fallen on him, turned his head to see that it was Li Xiujing, and said, "You're back so soon."

His eyes lingered on her, and Li Xiujing lay directly on her legs, resting his head on her knees, "The Crown Princess sent me back. Besides, I was just feigning illness. You still need me at the critical moment, right?" After saying that, he turned his head to look at Pei Jiaoran in the mirror, his eyes full of smiles.

"Is everything arranged?" Pei Jiaoran lowered his eyes and stared at the head on his knees.

"I'll take care of it, don't worry." Li Xiujing sat up and saw the dressing box opened. He rummaged through it with great interest. He picked up the jade pendant inside and said, "The Crown Princess has been placed in the Li family's villa. She is protected by my confidants and members of the Li family. Someone has also been hired to impersonate the Crown Princess in the Lishan Villa."

As he was speaking, the sound of bird wings flapping came from the window, and a white dove jumped in from the window and landed in front of the dressing table.

As the pigeon pecked at the dressing table, Pei Jiaoran took out a piece of paper from the letter box on the pigeon's leg, spread it open, and said, "The King of Wu has passed Tongguan."

"He's so quick?" Li Xiujing chuckled as he played with the jade pendant. "It's even faster than I expected. He's been changing horses and galloping all the way. It seems His Highness the Prince of Wu is eager to return home."

Seeing the white dove snatch up the red agate earring and try to flee, Pei Jiaoran quickly grabbed it. She snatched the earring back and slipped it back on her ear, her gaze still fixed on the small words on the note. The candlelight flickered, illuminating her eyes. "Let him go fast, and we'll stay calm. I wish he'd just come straight to the palace to see His Majesty. The sooner he arrives, the more dead he'll be."

After she finished speaking, she loosened her fingertips, and the paper floated into the candle flame, instantly curling up and charring, turning into fine ash.

Hearing this, Li Xiujing dropped the cold jade and took her hand on his knee. His hand was rough and calloused from years of wielding weapons, yet warm and powerful. "Yuan Zhengze has already dispatched a number of men to Xuanwu Gate. He Liang and the others have also deployed guards near the various fortresses in the Forbidden Garden." He paused, his thumb unconsciously stroking her knuckles. "But... I still don't understand why we have to force him back? Wouldn't it be easier for him to return outside Chang'an? The risk would be much lower."

Pei Jiaoran let him hold it, but his eyes were fixed on the mirror, which clearly reflected the painting behind him, "Duke Zhou Assisting King Cheng." The painting showed Duke Zhou in a wide robe with large sleeves, respectfully assisting the young monarch.

"Jia Gonglu is no ordinary man, and the humble clans he leads are no ordinary people either. Since they've chosen the King of Wu, they'll bet everything on him at this crucial moment. As long as he's still alive, there will be endless trouble. Countless people will use his reputation to try to sever their autonomy from the court." A hint of sarcasm tugged at the corner of her lips. "He must walk through Xuanwu Gate unscathed, into that cage waiting to be closed. His intention to rebel must be witnessed by all the officials, confirmed by him personally. He must die in public, clearly and transparently, so that all those hiding in the shadows can see clearly the fate of traitors."

Hearing this, Li Xiujing hugged her, tightening his arms and resting his chin on her hair, inhaling the cool fragrance. "The fighting in the court is nothing more than a fight to the death."

"Gentlemen, not everyone is willing to tolerate each other for the sake of the country." Pei Jiaoran smiled and relaxed his brows. "Governing a country is always difficult to have both. But someone has to be the hand that wields the knife, stained with blood. All we want is for the world to be peaceful and prosperous, for the new policies to be implemented, and for the people to have a few days of respite."

There was a deep sense of exhaustion in her voice, yet it also contained an unquestionable determination.

Li Xiujing kissed her gently. He understood that she hadn't come this far for personal power, but rather for a larger vision. Breaking down old barriers and implementing new policies would allow the empire to breathe and move toward a new possibility.

But this ideal is too huge and heavy, and is destined to be paved with countless conspiracies, blood and sacrifices.