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

Layered clouds hung in the sky, and a few scattered snowflakes drifted down, swaying and falling towards the windowsill of the abandoned palace.

At that moment, the window of the sedge flower opened, and a hand with thin calluses reached out. The snowflakes seemed to have found a place to rest, and settled in his palm.

However, it didn't realize how foolish this decision was!

Xiao Zong glanced at the icy glint that had turned into water, his dark eyes surging with turbulent emotions.

Zheng Xiangxiang roughly straightened her clothes, walked over barefoot, and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

"Brother Xiao, I knew you would help me."

Xiao Zong has practiced martial arts for many years and can immediately detect even the slightest sound, let alone a person.

He shifted slightly and turned around. "Your Majesty, stop!"

Zheng Xiangxiang paused, lowered her arm, and her smile froze on her lips: "I've entrusted my heart, my life, my whole being to you. What else do you have to worry about? Why do you always keep me at arm's length?"

Xiao Zong said, "I can only repay your kindness, not your affection. I beg Your Majesty to be mindful of your boundaries and not overstep them."

"Then to whom did you give your affections, the fifth daughter of the Yuan family, or your wife?"

"Yes, I admire her."

"You're talking nonsense!" Zheng Xiangxiang questioned tearfully, "You two have only been married for two months, and you're already deeply in love with her? What about us! We've known each other for seven years, childhood sweethearts, childhood friends, have you forgotten all of that?"

"I haven't forgotten! But you and I are just friends, nothing romantic."

Xiao Zong's voice was clear, cold, and aloof, like a waterfall cascading down a precipice, powerful and resounding.

Zheng Xiangxiang gave a bleak smile, "Then why are you still helping me? Why don't you just watch me fend for myself?"

"The Xiao family's ancestral motto is: 'A debt of gratitude must be repaid.'"

"Bullshit! Your Xiao family's ancestral precepts say that you can't take concubines. Look at your good third uncle, and look at your own brother. Which one of them has followed the ancestral precepts? Now you're using this to shut me up, but it's just that you've gone against your conscience and want to find an excuse to make yourself feel better!"

Xiao Zong watched her rant like a shrew, his lips moved, but he didn't retort.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the bed, saying, "The floor is cold, go put on your shoes."

"Speechless now? Xiao Congyun, you're a coward!" Zheng Xiangxiang cursed as she watched him place the shoe at her feet, and suddenly burst into tears.

She looked as wronged as a child who hadn't received candy, asking, "What's so great about her that you like her so much?"

Xiao Zong thought for a moment, and the most obvious thing about Yuan Zhi was her beauty.

However, his attraction to her wasn't solely due to that.

Unlike Xiangxiang's simple and straightforward nature, Yuanzhi possesses both the charm of a young woman and the decisive and ruthless spirit of a man.

She seemed to be the manipulator of all things; for example, she would use tears to gain sympathy, exchange chastity for benefits, and use sweet words to bewitch people. Everything she did was for her own benefit; she was never bound by emotions, nor harmed by external things.

Her heart was like a hidden abyss; the closer he got, the more he was drawn to her, until he willingly stepped into her vortex.

When he faced her, he was like a merchant seeing a jewel covered in dust, filled only with greed and desire, wanting to possess it madly.

"Probably because she's hard to understand."

After thinking for a long time, he gave his answer.

Zheng Xiangxiang crumpled the bed curtains, which lay on the bed. "Can I see her?"

Xiao Zong refused without hesitation: "She has no official rank yet, and the Empress has not risen to a position where she can summon noblewomen. How can we see her?"

Zheng Xiangxiang touched her belly and said, "It's good to be pregnant."

Xiao Zong's expression was solemn, and he remained noncommittal.

*

After clearing the snow, Xiao Zong led the Leopard Guards to report back to His Majesty.

A young eunuch came from a distance, his steps quick as if he had something urgent to attend to.

Just as he reached Xiao Zong, he slipped on the ice and fell flat on his back.

His subordinate couldn't help but let out a strange laugh. Xiao Zong glared at his subordinate, then bent down and pulled the man up from the ground.

"The palace maids didn't sweep it properly, please slow down, sir."

The young eunuch bowed to him, "Lord Xiao, His Majesty has summoned you urgently, please come with me!"

Xiao Zong guessed that something big was about to happen, and turned to his subordinates and said, "Wait for me at the palace gate."

The young eunuch was so anxious that he disregarded etiquette and dragged him away.

"Your wife's restaurant has been poisoned, injuring the Ninth Prince. There are also thugs wielding knives and committing violence on Weiyang Street. The capital is in a state of panic, and people are afraid to go out. The Emperor urgently needs your presence!"

Xiao Zong felt a sudden pang of pain in his heart. "Where is my wife? Is she alright?"

"Your wife, the siblings of the Marquis of Changping, and the daughter of the Minister of Works were also poisoned. Fortunately, the emperor sent a doctor from the southern border to treat them, and they are all unharmed."

"That's good, thank you for informing me, Father-in-law."

Xiao Zong met His Majesty at the Vermilion Bird Palace. His Majesty looked displeased but did not reprimand him harshly. He simply ordered Xiao Zong to find out the real culprit as soon as possible.

Holding the imperial edict, he left the palace with the others, not returning to the garrison, but heading straight for the West City Military Command.

The commander of the western city was a smooth talker; without him having to say a word, the prisoners were obediently handed over.

When the King of Wu learned of the failure, he originally sent two groups of assassins to kill witnesses at the Military Command and the Six Doors respectively, but they failed because the two places were heavily guarded.

When one plan failed, he devised another.

Knowing that Xiao Zong would miss his wife and would surely visit her first after leaving the palace, he decided to entrust the task of escorting the man to his subordinates. He arranged for someone to ambush him on the road, which would not only eliminate any potential threat to himself but also frame the Leopard Guard for "failure to protect"—killing two birds with one stone!

Unexpectedly, Xiao Zong left the palace and went straight to the Military Command. His subordinates came to ask for instructions: "Your Highness, should we still take action?"

Li Rui's face was sinister and terrifying. "Proceed according to the original plan!"

Whether he succeeds or not is not important; as long as the prisoners see someone attempting a prison break, they will know what to do.

The Leopard Guards, dressed in black casual clothes, slowly escorted the prisoners, who were in shackles and chains, forward. Xiao Zong gripped his long sword and looked around between the pavilions on both sides.

So quiet!

In this kind of atmosphere, it would be unreasonable not to attempt a prison break.

He raised the corner of his eye slightly, not afraid of them coming, but afraid of them not coming.

Suddenly!

A cold arrow pierced the air, and Xiao Zong dodged at the sound, shouting, "Be on guard!"

The subordinates raised shields borrowed from the military headquarters and surrounded the prisoner in layers, even covering his head completely.

The doors and windows of the houses on both sides were wide open, and a large number of masked men dressed in black appeared behind them, throwing burning hay into the middle of the road.

Thick smoke billowed up instantly, obscuring everything.

Xiao Zong waved his hand, heard the low hum of the arrow tails, raised his hand to block two arrows shot from above, and raised his voice, "Dou Zhao, take a team to catch fish, live ones! The rest of you, find cover nearby!"

Dou Zhao rolled to the wall, and the others crouched behind him, using smoke as cover, and crept to the door. Dou Zhao kicked the door open, and his men, working in perfect coordination, quickly engaged the thieves in a fierce battle.

The people inside fought and retreated. Xiao Zong hid behind a pillar, but after a long time, when no thieves showed up, he suddenly realized something was wrong.

The thieves may not have intended to break the prisoner or kill him; they simply wanted the prisoner to commit suicide!

Xiao Zong looked stern and turned his head to let out a long howl.

"The prisoner is trying to commit suicide! Stop him!"