After being exiled for eighteen years, the prince returned to the capital as a veritable immortal.

The imperial city was bustling and prosperous.

The streets are wide and grand, with a dazzling array of shops.

The shouts and calls were varied and numerous, and there was a constant flow of people and vehicles...

Compared to Liangzhou, this place was more prosperous and bustling.

The only difference.

The people of Liangzhou were all beaming with smiles.

The people of the capital, however, all looked tense, their eyes cold and alert.

A funeral procession came through the street.

Funeral music played, white coins were scattered, and sobs filled the air...

In recent years, Empress Wu has become extremely suspicious, like a frightened bird, and has frequently confiscated property and exterminated entire families.

Furthermore, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was established specifically to monitor and investigate officials and commoners who harbored disloyalty to the court.

Back then, Jiang Chong served as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and exterminated the Crown Prince's entire family.

"It's so depressing."

Hu Die's beautiful eyes darted around as she lifted the carriage curtain to admire the bustling city, but her brows furrowed slightly.

Zhou Yi also looked out the car window at the bustling streets.

When they were five years old, the two left the capital for Liangzhou.

My memory of everything here is somewhat hazy.

"Your Highness, this is the number one restaurant in the capital, Wangxian Pavilion."

"This Su Jin Ji shop is second to none in terms of silk and satin."

……

Ji Yu leaned out of the car window and began to describe the sights of the capital.

He reached out and picked up a sugar figurine from a roadside stall.

"One penny..."

The stall owner was only halfway through speaking when he saw the bright red palace robe, and immediately swallowed his words.

Hu Die took the sugar figurine, took a small bite, and her beautiful eyes turned into two crescent moons with sweetness.

Although the Emperor did not summon the grandson to the palace, he would definitely be concerned about his movements.

Ji Yu subtly hinted:

"Your Highness, shall I convey a message to His Majesty requesting an audience?"

Zhou Yi looked out the car window and shook his head slightly.

The Empress had no intention of seeing him, and he had no interest in seeing the other party.

"Then, what are Your Highness's plans?" Ji Yu asked.

Zhou Yi stared out the car window, speechless.

Hu Die, knowing his feelings, spoke on his behalf:

"It is my duty to take revenge."

revenge?

Zhu Anshi, the great swordsman of Yangling, is not in the capital.

So, the target of revenge is naturally...

Si Xuan and Wu Meng broke out in a cold sweat.

Ji Yu was no different.

Are these two, master and servant, really that reckless?

Even if you want revenge, you can't do it openly and publicize it everywhere.

However, Zhou Yi remained completely calm.

Judging from his expression, he was satisfied with the butterfly's answer.

In addition to being satisfied, I would like to add:

"Kill Jiang Chong first."

Kill first?

In other words, there are still people to kill after Jiang Chong is killed.

There are three parties involved in the case of the Crown Prince's family massacre.

The heroes of Yangling were Zhu Anshi, Jiang Chong, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Empress Wu who issued the decree.

Kill Jiang Chong first, then what?

it goes without saying.

……

The funeral procession drew ever closer.

Si Xuan raised his hand, and the group moved to the side of the road to make way.

The dead are the greatest.

Zhou Yi always showed consideration for widows.

Before entering the city, they had already encountered two funeral processions, each with no fewer than ten coffins.

It seems that life in the capital is not peaceful.

Whispers drifted from the roadside teahouse.

"The Zhao family, half of the clan was wiped out, what a tragedy."

"Well, it's still better than the Qian and Sun families being implicated and their entire families being wiped out."

"When a tyrant is in power, how can the common people survive?"

"Shh, be quiet! Watch out for the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."

Looking back at Zhou Yi's official entourage, the speaker's face instantly turned pale.

Inside the teahouse, all was quiet.

A moment of silence.

The tea drinkers lowered their voices to almost inaudible whispers.

"I heard that Prince Yi, the grandson of the emperor, loves the people like his own children, and the people of Liangzhou are so happy that every day feels like New Year's Day."

"Sigh, if only he could be the emperor."

"Unfortunately, Empress Wu didn't think much of him. Back then, the Crown Prince was kind-hearted..."

"Shh—discussing the Crown Prince case is a big taboo."

"Watch out for the Embroidered Uniform Guard! They'll raid your house!"

The voice grew softer and softer, almost swallowed back into the throat.

The hearing of a Golden Core cultivator is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Si Xuan, Ji Yu, Wu Meng... everyone except Hu Die heard every word.

The Golden Core cultivators possessed extraordinary composure, and they all pretended not to have heard anything.

The Iron Cavalry Guards, with their peak Foundation Establishment realm hearing, also heard it clearly.

Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Crown Prince Case, Taboos...

Upon hearing this for the first time, sharp gazes immediately turned towards the teahouse.

“Dead, dead, dead…”

The sound of several tea sets vibrating rang out, and a pungent, steaming smell filled the air.

……

Following Zhou Yi's instructions, the carriage traveled westward.

Ji Yu leaned out of the car window again:

"Your Highness, how about we arrange the best inn for you..."

"No need, I have a family."

"You have a home?" Ji Yu asked, puzzled.

Si Xuan and the others were equally confused.

After a prince reaches adulthood, he will build his own residence and move out of the palace.

This is what it means to establish a government.

Even if he is later granted the title of king, his mansion in the capital will be preserved.

Occasionally, I return to Beijing; it's a place to stay.

When Zhou Yi left the capital at the age of five, his status as a grandson of the emperor was not recognized by Empress Wu, so he was not granted a residence.

Moreover, the maternal Si family had lived in Liangzhou for generations and had no mansion or property in the capital.

Although the capital city is vast, there is no place for Zhou Yi to stand.

And where does the home come from?

“Let’s go to Bowangyuan,” Zhou Yi said.

Bowangyuan?

Ji Yu's expression changed drastically.

Bowang Garden was once the residence of the Crown Prince and was built by Empress Wu herself.

As the crown prince, whenever Empress Wu had a problem, the crown prince would oversee the country.

Empress Wu once genuinely intended to groom the Crown Prince to be the next emperor.

however.

A loving father and filial son were ruined by that wrongful conviction.

The crown prince's entire family was wiped out; he suffered a complete and utter defeat.

Empress Wu was criticized by the world, and from then on she became more suspicious, violent and bloodthirsty.

After the truth came to light, Empress Wu regretted her actions.

Most of the Crown Prince's opposition party members who fabricated the false accusations were exterminated, their entire families wiped out.

Following the wrongful conviction of the crown prince, which resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, Empress Wu's purge resulted in another tens of thousands of deaths and injuries.

The Crown Prince's wrongful conviction became a taboo subject that no one dared to mention.

Empress Wu did not issue an edict to exonerate the Crown Prince, and Bowang Garden has remained vacant ever since.

The former residence of the Crown Prince was, in fact, Zhou Yi's home.

but.

Once Zhou Yi moves in, who knows if he will anger the Martial Emperor.

The Crown Prince case was a taboo subject for Empress Wu.

No matter who reveals it, the consequences are unpredictable.

……

Ji Yu left without a sound.

Zhou Yi and Hu Die scanned every corner of the street with their eyes.

How much of my childhood memories can I still find?

at that time.

Zhou Yi held Hu Die's little hand and ran through the bustling streets.

Just like right now.

A five- or six-year-old girl, pulling a boy of about the same age, ran towards the convoy.

Their faces were flushed, clearly exhausted from running.

However, they kept moving forward, gritting their teeth and persevering.

Not far behind, a middle-aged woman stumbled along, urgently urging the two children on:

"Run! Don't look back!"

Three embroidered guards, wearing gauze hats and official robes, chased after them, wielding long swords.

The three men were highly skilled in martial arts; in just a few leaps and bounds, they swung their knives at the middle-aged woman.

The crowd dispersed like a tide.

Those who obstruct the arrest of people by the Embroidered Uniform Guard will be punished as accomplices.

Anyone who dares to lay a hand on the Embroidered Uniform Guard will be killed without mercy!

The snow-white blade, chillingly sharp, slashed towards the woman's nape.

Finished!

Passersby couldn't bear it and closed their eyes.

How could an ordinary woman possibly escape the pursuit of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?

"when!"

There was a crisp sound.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's long sword was deflected by a longsword.

A masked man in brocade robes swung his sword to shield the woman from a fatal blow.

"Who goes there? Anyone who obstructs the Embroidered Uniform Guard from attacking a thug is to be killed without mercy!"

Three embroidered guards brandished their swords and lunged at the masked man.

The masked man didn't reply, but instead drew his longsword and engaged the three in combat.

Clearly, they wanted to buy time for the mother and her two daughters to escape.

What he didn't expect was.

During the siege, the Embroidered Uniform Guards unexpectedly fired a dart, which struck the woman squarely in the back of the heart.

This will take some time.

The two children rushed over and stopped in front of Si Xuan's black horse, which was standing in the middle of the street, bending over and panting heavily.

The horse team stopped in the middle of the street.

Si Xuan waved his hand, signaling the two children to stand behind the horse.

Seeing that someone was standing up for the two children, the masked man in brocade made a feint and then flew away.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard snorted coldly and did not give chase.

The three walked towards Zhou Yi's convoy.

The woman, poisoned by a dart, was slowly collapsing to the ground.

The leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guard swung his sword, cleaving the woman in two at the waist.

The three men approached Si Xuan with menacing and murderous intent.

A moon-white brocade robe, embroidered with a greedy wolf on the chest, a black gauze hat, and cowhide official boots...

The blood-stained scimitar in his hand was particularly striking.

"Embroidered-Clad Guards".

Zhou Yi stared intently at the three of them and said softly.

They were the ones who wiped out his entire family back then.