An hour and a half earlier.

Following Xiao Heng’s instructions, Li Jinxi waited at the gate of the General’s Manor. When he heard a rush of approaching hoofbeats, he peered ahead, then quickly returned to the study to report.

“Your Highness, the heir hasn’t returned. The ones who came are General Song and Attendant Minister Wang.”

Xiao Heng paused mid-stroke with his brush, his expression darkening.

“Your Highness, this subordinate, Song Shiyu, has an urgent matter to report.”

Soon, Song Shiyu’s slightly anxious voice sounded from outside.

Alongside him was Wang Muchuan, the Assistant Minister of the Central Secretariat.

Xiao Heng allowed them in.

Song Shiyu recounted in full the events that had taken place at court that day, as well as Duan Yunfeng’s departure to attend the banquet. He then added:

“Your Highness, when I left, the Jingzhao Office had already been surrounded by the Imperial Guards. I fear Lord Li Jichang’s farewell banquet is far from a simple gathering…”

Xiao Heng’s expression turned even grimmer. A general idea had already formed in his mind.

It was likely that Li Jichang, in desperation, had set a trap—a veritable Feast at Hongmen.^[1]The Feast of Hongmen was a famous event in ancient China where one leader, Xiang Yu, invited his rival, Liu Bang, to a banquet. But it was actually a trap to try and kill him. “Feast of … Continue reading

With the King of the North stationed in Hedong, he could at any time lead a campaign southward against Luoyang or even Bianzhou. If Li Jichang dared to lay hands on Duan Yunfeng at this moment, it would be tantamount to forging a blood feud with the King of the North—courting death.

But human actions cannot always be judged by reason alone.

Harbor hatred, and one may kill.
Crave wealth, and one may steal.
Be consumed by lust, and one may commit depravity.

Yielding to desire is inherent in human nature.

Xiao Heng’s greatest miscalculation had been trying to predict Li Jichang’s behavior through the lens of maximizing benefit.

Some people, when cornered, act no different than rabid dogs.

Xiao Heng first looked at Wang Muchuan and swiftly picked up his brush to write:

—Minister Wang, send word to the court officials immediately. Tell them to evacuate Luoyang as quickly as possible—assuming there’s still time. If not, save yourself.

Wang Muchuan accepted the order and hurried off.

Seeing this, Song Shiyu looked momentarily stunned. “Your Highness, are you planning to…”

Xiao Heng’s bold ink had already seeped through the back of the paper, bleeding into a blur of black stains. He suddenly rose from behind the desk:

—We’re leaving the city. Now.

He was heading to Duan Yunfeng’s military encampment on the western outskirts.

Thud!—

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed, growing louder and nearer. Clad in armor, their helms and breastplates clanged and scraped with every stride. Beneath the dim skies, they moved like a slow-rolling iron colossus.

“Your Highness!” a panicked guard burst into the study. “It’s the Imperial Guards—they look like they’re here to surround the manor!”

…

---

Crash!

With a deafening roar, the main gate of the manor collapsed. Armored soldiers in black plate and armed with long halberds flooded into the General’s Manor like a tide of dark clouds descending. In no time, the entire compound was sealed off without a single gap.

After a furious, floor-to-ceiling search, a subordinate rushed to report to the officer in charge—the Commander of the Imperial Guards’ Left Division.

“General! We’ve searched everywhere. The manor is empty!”

“Damn it, they ran fast.” The Commander spat, then fished a command token from his robe and handed it to a nearby messenger.

“Transmit the King of Chu’s order—seal all city gates immediately. Lock down Luoyang. No one is to enter or leave!”

“Yes, sir!”

South Gate of Luoyang City

As the wind blew, yellow sand swirled in the air beneath the rammed earth city walls. The guards responsible for daily inspections used the scabbards of their swords to pry open the bundles of passing refugees.

“Why are you leaving the city?”

“And you?”

“Speak!”

Dozens of city guards continuously questioned those leaving the city. Anyone who appeared suspicious was stopped and prevented from passing.

Since Li Jichang took control of Luoyang, countless citizens had been fleeing the city every day. To prevent noblemen and officials from escaping, he had specifically strengthened the city’s defenses and patrols.

At this moment, Xiao Heng and the others, riding swift horses, blended in with the ragged refugees, standing out conspicuously in the crowd.

Song Shiyu, dressed in military attire, looked like a personal guard with a sword. Xiao Heng wore a hood to conceal his identity, making his presence even more suspicious. The attendants with them all carried swords, and Li Jinxi looked too refined to be just a common servant. The group was drawing too much attention.

It was unlikely they would be allowed through.

And the Imperial Guard’s pursuers could catch up at any moment.

Song Shiyu’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his face tense. He watched the slowly moving refugee group and the guards constantly stopping people. Anxiety grew within him. He leaned toward Xiao Heng’s ear and whispered, “How about…”

“Shall I kill the gatekeepers? We can just rush through…”

The two attendants accompanying them were soldiers he had trained himself. With Song Shiyu’s battle-hardened experience, he judged that they could kill the guards while they were unprepared, a risky move, but better than waiting to be caught.

Xiao Heng frowned slightly, signaling for him to calm down.

What Song Shiyu suggested was indeed feasible, but there were too many crowded refugees here. If they caused a commotion, it would be easy to block the exit. Once the Imperial Guards arrived, leaving the city would become difficult.

At that moment, a donkey cart slowly passed by them.

“Your Highness, Your Highness…” The cart’s curtain was lifted, revealing Wang Muchuan inside. He stuck his head out and whispered to Xiao Heng, “Your Highness, quickly get in. I have a plan…”

---

A moment later.

A carriage, driven by several attendants, slowly passed through the city gate.

The gatekeeper looked at the four high-spirited horses pulling the carriage, then used his scabbard to lift the curtain and scrutinized them with a piercing gaze.

“Who’s this? What’s your business leaving the city?”

In these times, having a donkey cart was already considered doing well.

What kind of family could afford to have four horses pulling a cart?

Wang Muchuan, at the forefront, half-covered his face with his sleeve, wearing a sorrowful expression. His eyes were red as he said, “My mother is gravely ill. I’m in a hurry to return home with my two children to see her, hoping to catch a final glimpse.”

Saying this, he pulled Song Shiyu by the shoulder, bringing him close to show their “father-son bond.”

“This is my son.”

Song Shiyu lowered his head and stiffly squeezed out a single word, “Father…”

Wang Muchuan then pointed to Xiao Heng, sitting in the corner, wearing a hood.

“This is my daughter.”

Xiao Heng: “…………”

The gatekeeper squinted his eyes, looking back and forth between the three with some confusion. “These two… are they really your biological children?”

The old man looked ordinary and frail, appearing as if he couldn’t carry a heavy load or do any hard work, but his children were both tall and sturdy—especially the daughter, who was even taller than the son.

“Ah…” Wang Muchuan cleared his throat twice, lowering his eyes. “Of course they’re my children. They… they take after their mother!”

“Their mother is tall.”

As he spoke, he adjusted his sleeve and slipped a small bag of silver into the gatekeeper’s hand. “Sir, please make an exception. We haven’t been home to see our family in five years. We can’t miss seeing her for the last time!”

The gatekeeper weighed the silver in his hand, feeling its weight. He squinted and waved his hand, “Alright, alright, go on.”

The curtain dropped.

The carriage sped off into the swirling yellow dust.

---

Jingzhao Prefecture

Duan Yunfeng’s personal guards clashed with the Imperial Guards of the palace.

Wherever Duan Yunfeng’s long blade passed, lines of blood splattered like ink, painting the scene.

Blood splattered on his chin, and Duan Yunfeng’s amber eyes narrowed, like the alpha wolf whose territory had been invaded. A fierce glint flashed between his brows, and in that moment, it seemed as though he had returned to the battlefield, with dust flying around him. He was facing an enemy army that outnumbered him by several times, relying on his spear to carve a path through the encirclement.

The Imperial Guards, who had already surrounded Duan Yunfeng and his personal guards, were momentarily stunned by the fierce momentum of the warriors from Hedong. For a moment, no one dared to step forward.

In the increasingly tense atmosphere, Li Jichang’s voice cut through the silence:

“I’ve already ordered the city gates of Luoyang to be sealed. Do you think you can still escape?”

Li Jichang’s narrow, calculating eyes swept like a chilling wind across everyone present. Finally, his gaze locked on the group of personal guards surrounding Duan Yunfeng, and he barked, “I am the Regent of Great Yan, King of Chu, Grand Minister, and General of the Six Armies—governor of the four military districts of Henan, Hebei, Huainan, and Shannan, and supreme commander of the Divine Guards in the capital. Anyone who can bring me Duan Yunfeng’s head will be forgiven for past transgressions. I’ll reward them with ten million in gold, grant them the title of a thousand-household noble, and ensure they live a life of wealth and glory without worry!”

His words fell like a thunderclap into the quiet.

How many people, throughout their lives, risked everything for a single word: “profit”?

In the deathly silence that followed, Li Jichang observed the faces of the people around him—some were shocked, some confused, and others hesitant. Like a venomous snake, he waited for the right moment to strike, satisfied with the wavering expressions on their faces.

If this group showed even the slightest hesitation, it would be enough for the Imperial Guards to find a way through and take Duan Yunfeng down.

Facing Li Jichang’s deceitful, determined gaze, Duan Yunfeng gripped the hilt of his blade, applying pressure to his fingers. His knuckles began to whiten.

He had once faced even greater life-threatening dangers at Hangu Pass, with fierce winds cutting like blades from all directions. Despite the cold, it couldn’t compare to the chilling, oppressive atmosphere of this rainy night in the capital. In this moment, it felt as though some invisible, far more deadly force had seized his throat.

Just then, Gao Tai, a general at Duan Yunfeng’s side, suddenly drew his sword. His tiger-like eyes widened as he scanned the crowd. “I was once a slave. It was the King of the North who took me in as a child, gave me a life. To betray him, to forget the kindness shown to me, would make me worse than a dog! Your fathers, brothers, wives, and children are all in Hedong. If there’s still a drop of blood in you, follow me, and we’ll fight our way out with the heir!”^[2]I’m crying😭 loyalty really is priceless😭 salute to you whoever you are

With a loud cry, he led the charge, cutting down several Imperial Guards in front of him.

His roar was like molten lava forging gold, stabilizing the morale of the personal guard and steadying Duan Yunfeng’s mind.

Duan Yunfeng, gripping his long knife, regained his cold, determined demeanor in that instant. It was as though he had become the lone wolf of the northern frontier again. Surrounded, he cleaved through the head of the lead Imperial Guard lieutenant, and with the bloodied tip of his sword, he pointed directly at Li Jichang.

“The Hangu Pass, surrounded by a hundred thousand allied troops, couldn’t trap me. What is this mere Jingzhao Prefecture to me? Listen closely—three hundred thousand troops from Hedong are outside the city right now. Tonight, we will break through and fight our way out. In the future, I will sweep the world clean! I will re-establish the ranks of the kings and nobles!”

With those words, he led the charge, using his long sword to carve a path forward. He and his hundred-strong personal guard broke through the Imperial Guards’ encirclement, making their way out of the side hall of Jingzhao Prefecture.