Pei Xiao received a letter from his subordinate; it was a letter Su Zhen had sent to the Ninth Prince.

He unfolded the letter and froze on the spot, his eyes wide with shock, upon seeing the unprecedented drawings and novel descriptions inside.

The objects on the drawings were ingeniously constructed, and the principles described were unheard of. He couldn't help but wonder to himself: Where did this ingenious idea come from?

A complex emotion welled up in Pei Xiao's heart.

He knew that if these things fell into the hands of the Ninth Prince, it would definitely change the current power structure, and his long-planned restoration of the country would face more uncertainties.

After much hesitation, he finally decided to make some minor modifications to the contents of the letter and then send it back to the Ninth Prince.

Upon receiving the letter, the Ninth Prince's eyes gleamed with excitement the moment he opened it. He stared intently at the blueprints, as if he saw a glimmer of hope for dominating the world. A smile involuntarily crept onto his lips as he muttered to himself:

"Haha, with these, I am sure to achieve great things!"

However, as time went by, he summoned the skilled craftsmen in the manor and tried repeatedly according to the instructions on the blueprints, but he was still unable to create those magical weapons.

The repeated failures made the Ninth Prince's face grow increasingly gloomy, and his dissatisfaction with Su Zhen intensified.

At the same time, the weather also became extremely bad.

Starting in June, it was as if a hole had been punched in the sky, and torrential rain poured down for three whole months.

The water level rose rapidly, and Wuyang, which was located right next to the dock, was on the verge of collapse due to the raging floodwaters.

The villagers stared at the rising river, their faces filled with fear and helplessness.

Su Li's family had already planned to move to the prefectural city. When her uncles learned that Su Li's family had bought a house in the prefectural city in advance, they were furious.

The eldest uncle glared angrily, pointed at Su Li's father, and shouted, "Well, well, your family is really something! You secretly bought a house in the prefectural city without telling us. Did you want to live a carefree life while leaving us here to die?"

The second uncle chimed in, his face full of indignation: "They always talk about being family, but when something happens, they only think about their own little schemes. It's heartbreaking!"

But now that the floods are raging and their hometown is about to be submerged, they can't help but feel a little fortunate that at least they have a place to stay in the prefectural city.

But in her heart, she still felt that Su Li's family was too dishonest, keeping such a thing from them.

So, they shamelessly came to their door. The uncle, who had been angry, put on a pitiful look and said, "Nephew, we are family after all. You can't abandon us when disaster strikes."

My second uncle chimed in with a smile, "That's right, that's right. You have a house in the prefectural city, so you can accommodate a few more people. Take us with you."

Su Li's family is kind-hearted. Although they don't get along well, blood is thicker than water. Moreover, Su Li's father is always blindly filial. Even if he is angry, he really can't let go of his grandparents.

Just as I was about to agree, Su Zhen, looking somewhat smug, rushed over and said loudly:

"Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Uncle, do you know? The Ninth Prince sent someone to invite us to his mansion! The prince is of noble status, so his mansion must be impregnable, and we'll have no worries about food or drink. It's much better than going to some prefectural city."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of hesitation crossed the elder uncle's eyes, quickly replaced by a greedy glint. His previously humble expression instantly transformed into arrogance, and he coldly snorted:

"Hmph, I knew there would be no good days following you. Going to the Prince's mansion is the right path."

The second uncle quickly chimed in, looking at Su Li's family with disdain: "That's right, what kind of place is the Prince's Mansion? It's where the Prince lives. How could it not be safe? If we go to the prefectural city with you, we might suffer."

Upon hearing this, Grandma Su perked up even more, throwing her previous pleading attitude to the wind, and said imperiously, "Su Zhen is so sensible. We're going to the Prince's Mansion; we're not going with them."

The crowd instantly turned against them, their attitude towards Su Li's family becoming even worse, as if their previous plea for help had never happened.

Pei Xiao stood at a distance, quietly watching all of this.

As a prince of the previous dynasty, he had a life full of hardships.

He was sent to a secret guard organization for training from a young age, where he endured harsh conditions and developed an indomitable will.

It wasn't until he was 18 that he learned he was of royal blood from the previous dynasty, and that all the hard training he had once thought was meaningless was actually to hone his character and abilities.

If he remains mediocre and unproductive, he will not need to know this secret and will live his life like an ordinary person.

Now that he had learned of this, he resolved to shoulder the mission of restoring his country.

The current emperor is incompetent and tyrannical, and the people are suffering terribly. He must seek the well-being of all people and also fulfill his father's last wish.

Looking at Su Li's family, a ripple stirred in his heart. Perhaps from the moment he met Su Li, the gears of fate had already begun to turn.

If I hadn't met her, I might not have achieved what I have today.

Thinking of this, Pei Xiao gave Su Li a deep look, then turned and left.

Su Li's family lived in the house they had previously bought in the prefectural city.

The house is in a very secluded location, like a paradise in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the world.

Su Li's family had stocked up on supplies in advance and lived a peaceful and comfortable life.

Su Li also invited her sister-in-law's family to come in, so that everyone could look after each other.

By chance, Su Li noticed that the old beggar seemed unusually familiar with the house, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Old man, have you been here before?"

A complex look flashed in the old beggar's eyes, and he sighed, "Ah, girl, this used to be my home. I never thought that after all this time, I would be able to come back."

Upon hearing this, Su Li was filled with mixed emotions; fate was truly unpredictable.

The number of refugees inside and outside the city is increasing, and wounded soldiers can be seen everywhere.

Su Li's family did their best to treat the wounded every day and occasionally went out to gather information, hoping that the chaos would end soon.

Looking out at the still gloomy sky, Su Li silently prayed, hoping that the following spring would bring new hope and allow everything to return to normal...

The following spring, the warm sunshine gently shone on the earth, dispelling the gloom brought by the long winter and the war.

In the fields, tender green shoots timidly peek out, as if testing this world that has returned to peace. Birds on the branches chirp merrily, telling the story of spring.

Previously, Su Li had heard about the changes that had occurred at the Ninth Prince's residence.

When the gates of the mansion were breached, the horrific scene in the dungeon was heartbreaking.

Su Zhen and her group were all killed; it is said that in his madness, the Ninth Prince raised his sword and tried to slaughter them all.

Su Li's grandparents, terrified, went insane and fled in panic, their whereabouts unknown.

When Su Li heard the news, she was filled with complicated emotions. She felt sorry for Su Zhen's fate and worried about the whereabouts of her grandparents. However, in this chaotic world, she was powerless to find out more.

As usual, Su Li got up early, quickly tidied herself up, and prepared to open the door to set up a stall and do some small business to supplement her family's income.

She had just grasped the doorknob and pushed hard when the door creaked open.

The first light of dawn rushed in, making her squint slightly.

After her eyes adjusted to the light, she looked up and saw a large procession walking towards her home in the distance.

Leading the procession was a row of imposing guards, dressed in bright armor that gleamed metallically in the sunlight. The swords at their waists swayed rhythmically with their steps, producing a crisp sound.

In the center of the procession, a magnificent sedan chair was steadily lifted by eight strong and sturdy porters. The sedan chair was embroidered with exquisite golden dragon patterns, highlighting the noble status of the passengers.

In front of the sedan chair, riding a tall horse, stood a man wearing a golden crown. He was tall and had an extraordinary air about him, and his face looked strangely familiar.

Su Li's heart skipped a beat, and she almost dropped the vegetable basket in her hands.

She looked closely, and sure enough, it was Pei Xiao.

At this moment, Pei Xiao had shed his former low-key and mysterious demeanor, dressed in magnificent clothes and exuding the majesty of a superior.

Pei Xiao looked up and saw Su Li standing at the door.

Their eyes met, and everything around them fell silent instantly, as if time itself had frozen at that moment.

A gentle breeze blew by, stirring the strands of hair by Su Li's ear and also unsettling Pei Xiao's heartstrings.

Pei Xiao gently spurred his horse and slowly approached Su Li.

His gaze remained fixed on Su Li, as if everything around him had ceased to exist.

Upon arriving in front of Su Li, Pei Xiao dismounted and strode over to her.

For the first time, Pei Xiao's icy face revealed a gentle smile, a smile as warm as the spring sun melting ice and snow, warming one's heart.

He said softly, "Long time no see, Su Li."

His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a hint of long-lost affection.

Su Li felt a mix of emotions, including the joy of reunion and surprise and confusion about Pei Xiao's identity.

She mustered her courage, looked Pei Xiao straight in the eyes, and asked, "How many secrets do you still have that you haven't told me?"

Pei Xiao tilted his head slightly, his eyes full of doting affection, and said softly, "Now, we have plenty of time to get to know each other slowly."

Having said that, he stretched out his hand towards Su Li—

The sunlight shone on them, creating a beautiful scene.

Perhaps, a brand new story, full of unknowns and surprises, is about to unfold.

End of the full text.

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