Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Zhao You did not survive.

The hard armor crashed down, carving a large crater in the soft earth. Snowflakes fell from the sky, layer upon layer, burying the crimson bloodstains deep within.

A renowned general thus perished, his name tarnished, and his memory faded into the ink-wash landscape paintings.

Xiao Zong gripped the reins tightly, his eyes like the unmelting ice beneath the South Bridge, chilling and menacing.

“Carry the person back, buy the best coffin, and send them back to Shengjing.”

Accompanying him back was a memorial requesting commendation.

The snowflakes, as large as goose feathers, fell relentlessly. After seeing off his colleagues from the Court of State Ceremonial, he dismounted and, stepping on the white, soft mat, walked unsteadily into the city.

In his battles with the southern border regions, he deliberately left room for maneuver, hoping that both sides could sit down and negotiate. Fortunately, the other side was also sensible, knowing that they needed to bide their time after defeat, and accepted his advice.

Within three to five days, Xiao Jianye will surely return with good news, and then the day of his return to the capital will not be far off.

Xiao Zong looked up, exhaled a puff of white breath in the icy snow, and prayed that day would come soon.

Shengjing, Weiyan Tower.

Su Zhi's eyes were bright, and she wore an enigmatic smile as she personally poured tea for the person opposite her.

The young master took a sip, his long eyelashes drooping like feather fans, his voice completely flat.

"Please speak freely, Madam."

Su Zhi smiled. Indeed, they were all smart people; there was no need for beating around the bush.

She pushed the evidence she had collected towards them, pleading, "Please help me save Consort Liang and her child."

The fingers with distinct knuckles tapped the table, the fingertips pressing just on the top of the papers.

"Wouldn't it be more direct to hand it over to the Three Departments or His Majesty?"

Su Zhi looked worried. "My second uncle was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review at the time. If I submit the evidence, my father will soon receive the news, but it will be a waste of effort. As for His Majesty, I am not a noblewoman and cannot enter the palace without an imperial edict, so I cannot see His Majesty's face. Therefore, I can only rely on your help."

The young master looked at her with amusement, "Why should I help you?"

The woman's gentle demeanor vanished instantly. When she looked up again, her eyes flashed with a sharp, determined light, like a drawn blade.

With her slender, delicate hands, she dipped them in tea and wrote a few words on the table. The young master's brows furrowed, and his eyes flashed with murderous intent.

"Young master, you are of noble birth and have a bright future. I have no intention of being your enemy, and I will keep this matter confidential and will not divulge a single word!"

The young master remained silent for a long time, recalling the sorrowful look in the eyes of his beloved woman, which felt like a knife cutting into his heart time and time again.

She must never know about those dirty and despicable methods we used in the past.

"I promise you."

*

After several days of overcast skies, the sun finally came out today. The bright sunlight melted the icicles under the eaves, and the streets quickly became muddy.

His Majesty's health fluctuated. Taking advantage of a moment of lucidity, he revealed the Empress's evil deeds to the world and ordered her to commit suicide with a cup of poison.

Strangely, before the Empress took the poison, the Crown Prince died unexpectedly, the cause of death unknown.

Rumors circulate that the Crown Prince is indeed of royal blood, and that the Empress deliberately smeared him in order to ensure her grandson's succession to the throne.

Now that I am about to die, I might as well take the Crown Prince with me. His Majesty no longer has a healthy and virtuous prince, so why not make the eldest grandson the Crown Prince?

After all, although the eldest grandson of the emperor is young, his father, Crown Prince Li Heng, is highly regarded.

Zhao Xuanguang came out of Kunning Palace and the carriage went straight to Xiao's residence. Xu Muxin was having a headache from being pestered by Yan Qiao and Feng Quan. When she saw the "Zhao" character flash by, she left the two behind and followed.

Feng Quan: "Princess, running away isn't the solution. How many more times are you going to use the same trick?"

He stared at her retreating figure and questioned her seriously.

Yan Qiao was not Lord Feng. He had already caught up with her, calling her "Mu Xin" repeatedly and demanding that she take responsibility.

Xu Muxin's eyelids twitched, and she patted his hand as he pulled at his sleeves. "I have something to do today, let's talk another day."

Feng Quan, standing behind, clenched his fists. This bastard, as if he wanted everyone to know about his relationship with Xu Muxin, called her that in such an ambiguous way.

He quickly followed, interrupting their intimate interaction, and pressed, "Today, you must give us an answer: who do you choose?"

"oops!"

Xu Muxin roared, "Are you two blind? Can't you see the direction the Zhao family's carriage went? The Empress has taken poison, and General Zhao is dead. Zhao Xuanguang can't afford to offend His Majesty, but surely he can kill a pregnant woman? Stop arguing and come with me to save her!"

The two men then snapped out of their daze, flagged down a carriage, dropped their tokens and silver, and drove with Xu Muxin toward the Xiao residence.

Su Zhi was learning to embroider tiger-head shoes with her maid when someone pushed open the door and entered with a loud "thud," startling her so much that her heart clenched.

"Zhao..."

Before she could finish speaking, she changed her words: "General Fei Yuan."

Zhao Xuanguang, dressed in military uniform and wielding a sharp sword, approached step by step.

She glanced at the woman's belly, which looked like it was stuffed with a watermelon, and narrowed her eyes. "When will she give birth?"

Su Zhi's heart pounded, afraid that she would hurt the child. She covered her belly with one hand and pondered how to get the firearms from the dressing table box.

That was left to her by Su Ziyuan for self-defense.

A few days ago, the Su family's goods were robbed by vagrants. They were transported three times, and each time they were robbed. The bandits escorting the goods were former bandits with extremely explosive tempers, so conflicts with the vagrants were inevitable. The Su family's rivals reported the matter to the authorities, and the two conspired to extort money from the Su family, demanding 500,000 taels of silver to settle the matter, or they would shut down the shops.

Su Zhi was worried that things would escalate, so she sent Su Ziyuan back to Qingzhou to resolve the matter properly before he returned.

That firearm was the one he gave her when he left.

"After the New Year, around February or March."

Su Zhi feigned composure and said.

"Pity."

Zhao Xuanguang raised his longsword and stroked the mottled scratches on it. "This sword has been with me through thick and thin, and has cut off the heads of countless enemy soldiers. You didn't lose out by dying under its blade."

"You want to kill me?"

“Xiao Zong killed my father, so it’s fair that I kill his offspring.”

The maid immediately stepped in front of the lady, "Young General, even if you are about to become the Princess Consort of Kang, you have no right to kill the wife of a third-rank official. Please think carefully!"

Zhao Xuanguang chuckled, "Still a loyal servant. In this scheming city of Shengjing, how novel!"

Su Zhi stood up, her calm voice tinged with a hint of hoarseness, "She doesn't understand anything. Let's not involve outsiders in our grievances."

After saying that, seeing that Zhao Xuanguang did not refute, she patted the maid's arm and said, "You can go out now."

The maidservant's eyes were brimming with tears. "Madam."

Su Zhi gave her a reassuring look, watched her leave, and then strolled towards the dressing table.

Zhao Xuanguang was a seasoned warrior with exceptional martial arts skills; taking her life would have been a piece of cake for him. The reason he hesitated to act was because he still had something on his mind.

Once a person has something to worry about, they will be hindered in many ways and will no longer be able to act decisively.

"The general doesn't care about the position of princess consort, and neither do you care about the eldest grandson of the emperor?"

She opened the box in front of Zhao Xuanguang, saying, "The old general died in battle, and the empress took poison. You are the only one left who can protect the eldest grandson of the emperor. If I am not mistaken, the empress should have entrusted Li Xin to you before she died."

"Killing me may relieve your anger for a while, but have you thought about Li Xin's fate?"

Su Zhi took out a firearm and aimed it at her. Her provocative gaze fell into Zhao Xuanguang's eyes, instantly enraging him.