Chapter 58

Su Ci froze, but she immediately sensed something was wrong. Her heart tightened, and she couldn’t help but hold her breath.

Qiu Yuanming’s face instantly changed, turning pale with a hint of green. Though he tried to remain calm, Su Ci noticed his hands clenched into fists under his black sleeves. The tension was palpable, just a hair’s breadth away from disaster.

The scene was deathly silent. Everyone sensed something was amiss. In the quiet, Yang Yanzong’s cold laugh suddenly broke the silence. He pulled out the letter, glanced over it, and let out a chilling, bone-deep laugh, not loud but enough to shatter the calm.

Eunuch Liang gasped and, with two trusted eunuchs, rushed behind the treasure cabinet. They never expected such a blunder!

The three of them broke into a cold sweat, hurriedly pulling out the items from the secret compartment and carefully re-examining each one.

The only sounds were the rustling of boxes and envelopes being opened and Qiu Yuanming’s increasingly heavy breathing.

Yang Yanzong slowly walked out from behind the treasure cabinet. The eyes that had held a hint of a smile were now as cold and sharp as an eagle’s, his fierce gaze like a cold arrow aimed at Qiu Yuanming.

With a loud “boom” in his mind, Qiu Yuanming’s last hope was shattered. He let out a short, rough cry, stepped back, and tripped over a flower stand, causing it to crash and shatter. He fell onto the Luohan bed and footrest.

Yang Yanzong approached step by step. He bent down, reached into Qiu Yuanming’s chest, and pulled out a newly aged letter from under his ribs—this was the actual secret letter to the Sixth Prince that Qiu Yuanming had just written and aged.

Yang Yanzong’s eyes were icy, and though one corner of his mouth lifted, there was no hint of a smile. It was the coldest, most mocking curve.

Qiu Yuanming struggled to get up, crying, “No, Ah Zong, I didn’t mean to, no, no, I was forced!” Tears streamed down his face. “I’m sorry, but Yinniang and the children didn’t go back to their hometown.”

Qiu Yuanming was sobbing uncontrollably. He didn’t want this, honestly. He and Yang Yanzong had been childhood friends, with a bond forged through life and death. But if he didn’t do this, his wife and children would be killed!

Earlier, during their conversation, Qiu Yuanming had mentioned sending his wife and children back to their hometown due to the turbulent years, which seemed normal, and no one thought much of it.

But the truth was different. The Sixth Prince, who had achieved his current position, was not a completely mediocre person. Once he began to feel uneasy about Yang Yanzong, he started to suspect that there might be spies around him. After a long period of analysis and probing, he believed there were, so he meticulously planned a trap to lure out the snake. He finally succeeded in catching Qiu Yuanming!

At this critical moment, the Sixth Prince, who had once trusted this confidant, sneered. Good, very good. He decided to use the situation to his advantage, setting up a double-cross to deceive Yang Yanzong.

They almost succeeded in trapping Yang Yanzong.

Yang Yanzong nodded and smiled, “Indeed, family is more important than friends or brothers.” Family, no matter how deep the bond, always comes first.

Qiu Yuanming closed his eyes tightly, his face full of pain.

“Too bad, too bad, you almost succeeded.” In a short time, Yang Yanzong’s tone was extremely cold, but his expression had returned to calm. His gaze, like poisoned ice, swept over Qiu Yuanming. He bent down and tapped Qiu Yuanming’s left cheek with the envelope.

After stating the facts, he looked down coldly and said something that made Qiu Yuanming’s blood freeze: “Your parents are still in your hometown, right?”

Qiu Yuanming’s breath stopped instantly. He looked up at Yang Yanzong with wide eyes.

Yang Yanzong sneered, bending down to whisper in his ear, “Go back and stabilize the Sixth Prince. You know what to do.”

His cold laugh carried a blade-like sharpness, chilling to the bone: “If you can’t stabilize him, not only your parents but do you think your wife and children will be safe?”

After experiencing the extreme betrayal, Yang Yanzong’s mind didn’t stop due to extreme anger. He was furious but also extremely clear-headed, cold to the core. He said something even more chilling to Qiu Yuanming.

Using the situation to his advantage, turning a disadvantage into an advantage, and countering the counter-plot—what better strategy than using Qiu Yuanming to stabilize and counter-attack the Sixth Prince?

Qiu Yuanming was worried about his wife and children, wasn’t he? Yang Yanzong stood up straight: “You should know very well whose man Eunuch Liang is, right?”

Yang Yanzong raised his voice for the last sentence.

Eunuch Liang’s hand paused. Yes, this plan couldn’t be revealed to the Sixth Prince prematurely. He let out a sinister laugh, not too loud, just enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

Qiu Yuanming stared at Yang Yanzong, unable to control his trembling. He had always known Yang Yanzong’s ruthlessness but never thought it would be directed at him one day.

Qiu Yuanming’s teeth chattered, and Yang Yanzong smiled faintly, smoothing the wrinkles he had just made in Qiu Yuanming’s collar, “Calm down, don’t give yourself away.”

“The lives of your entire family, young and old, are in your hands.”

Yang Yanzong calmly ordered, “Yanzhen, fetch some clothes and take him to get cleaned up.”

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Yang Yanzhen responded, steadied himself, and had a few similarly built companions drag Qiu Yuanming to a separate room.

The sound of water came from the other room, but the study remained cold and silent. The shocking turn of events left many people stunned.

Su Ci also steadied herself. Seeing Yang Yanzong hand the letter he had taken from Qiu Yuanming to Eunuch Liang, she quickly pulled out a fire starter.

Yang Yanzong lit the fire starter and, without expression, burned the letter bearing his name as a traitor to ashes, tossing it into the ashtray, which Su Ci stirred.

Eunuch Liang confirmed all the items once more, ensuring everything was correct, then placed them back in the secret compartment and closed it.

“Alright, everyone leaves. No one is to stay here.”

By this time, Qiu Yuanming had finished getting ready. He walked stiffly, following the group out of the study. They all leaped over the wall and left.

Eunuch Liang was the last to leave, supervising the cleanup. The private residence returned to its usual quiet, with no one inside disturbed by the uninvited guests.

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By this time, dawn was approaching. The open flames at Huang Zhengmao’s headquarters were nearly extinguished, and the investigation into the cause of the incident had begun overnight. Although the military had many rough men, those with keen minds were always there. Those who reached such positions were often very perceptive.

Huang Zhengmao, who was fine, suddenly set himself on fire. There was no doubting this fact—who else could have planted so many explosives in his residence?

According to rumors, the imperial investigation team had already identified the traitor. This person had just caused the malaria outbreak in Gaobian, leaving traces that exposed him.

This traitor was well-known throughout the northern border army! Two years ago, his betrayal turned a victory into defeat, causing chaos in the central army and severely injuring the emperor. The traitor had not been found until now, and with the war resuming, everyone was wary of him.

As soon as this incident occurred, almost everyone immediately connected it to the previous event. Someone quickly reported to Xiyang’s main general, Chen Qun, requesting an investigation into Huang Zhengmao.

After a moment of silence, Chen Qun ordered: “Seal and temporarily detain Huang Zhengmao’s headquarters and all private residences. Request General Xu from Gaobian to send people, along with the Inspectorate, to investigate together.”

The investigation team was assembled that same day, thoroughly inspecting the headquarters and private residences.

Seeing the three-party investigation team enter Huang Zhengmao’s private residence, Tong Jien, who had already bandaged his wounds, smiled with satisfaction. He said to the people behind him, “Alright, the major task is complete. Now, just wait for the aftermath. Everyone can go back.”

Finally, he gave Qiu Yuanming a sharp look.

Qiu Yuanming struggled to maintain a calm expression, mounted his horse with difficulty, and silently followed Yang Yanzong back to the Gaobian camp.

After that, they parted ways.

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Su Ci and Yang Yanzong stood side by side on their horses, watching Qiu Yuanming’s figure disappear.

Su Ci rubbed her face, feeling like it was all a dream. She felt she was more suited to research; plots and schemes were too thrilling, mentally exhausting, and often life-threatening.

Yang Yanzong said calmly, “The Sixth Prince’s residence still has a golden decree.”

The golden decree, similar to an imperial edict, was bestowed by Emperor Xuanzong in the past. Now, it was the only one left in the entire Da Qing dynasty. The Sixth Prince’s residence had stood firm through many storms in the battle for succession, thanks to its deep foundation and strong power. This strength came from its rich heritage.

The previous three generations of the He family (the Sixth Prince’s family) had significant achievements. He Wang, a close minister and cousin of Emperor Xuanzong, made immortal contributions during the suppression of the rebellion in Pingzhangnan and the great battle against the Fifth Prince’s rebellion. This great merit directly prevented the fragmentation of the Daqing dynasty. He Wang even took an arrow for Xuanzong, suffering severe injuries and eventually passing away.

Xuanzong, in deep grief, bestowed the golden decree on He Wang’s descendants, pardoning all crimes except treason. If accused of treason, the main culprit and accomplices would be executed, but the title would be passed down to honor their unparalleled contributions.

Yang Yanzong said calmly, “The power of the Sixth Prince’s faction, accumulated over many years, would be a pity to see it collapse.”

It would be better to let capable people take over.

He spoke calmly, watching Qiu Yuanming’s figure gradually fade into the distance. He knew Qiu Yuanming was doomed, but he only sneered.

A day passed, and Yang Yanzong seemed to have regained his composure. But only Su Ci, being close to him, could see that his jaw was still tightly clenched, as if it hadn’t relaxed since discovering Qiu Yuanming’s betrayal.

Su Ci touched his shoulder from behind, and sure enough, his muscles were still as tense as a rock. He wasn’t as calm as he appeared. The betrayal of his only childhood friend and close confidant had hit him hard.

Yang Yanzong noticed her touch and turned to look at her. Su Ci smiled and softly said, “We still have some time. How about you accompany me for a horse ride?”

She pouted, “It’s been so long, and you haven’t taken me for a ride yet.”

“Alright.” Yang Yanzong tried to smile at her but found his lips stiff.

Yes, over twenty years of friendship, having weathered storms together and covered for each other, he wasn’t as indifferent as he seemed.

Yang Yanzong gave an order, and A Zhao and the others followed slowly behind. The two of them rode their horses, galloping across the lush, grassy slopes.

Yang Yanzong rode faster and faster. At first, he was cautious of Su Ci, but as he noticed she was riding steadily and keeping up, he whipped his horse faster. The big brown horse almost flew, galloping wildly.

Riding with the wind, they raced up the mountain until the grass and vines became too thick for the horses. They leaped to the top of the slope, where the horses finally stopped.

The view was vast. Beyond the mountain, they could see an endless grassland, with the sunset casting a golden glow and the grass waves rolling in the wind.

They sat down, shoulder to shoulder, on the grass. Yang Yanzong’s breathing was heavy, and it took him a long time to calm down.

At the mountain’s peak, surrounded by lush trees, they didn’t need to hold back their emotions. After the wild ride, as his breathing gradually steadied, Su Ci heard him say calmly, “He wasn’t the first to betray me, and he won’t be the last.”

“No matter who it is, I can harden my heart.” So don’t worry. He spoke softly. But despite his words, he couldn’t hide the bone-chilling coldness that crept into his heart. Twenty-three years of friendship, from childhood, playing together, covering for each other, and now betrayal. Using his trust to try to kill him, Yang Yanzong didn’t know how to describe his feelings. After extreme anger, a deep sadness filled his heart.

“I won’t make this mistake again,” he said.

For some reason, Su Ci felt particularly uncomfortable hearing this. It made her feel sad.

“How is it a mistake?” Saying it was a mistake wasn’t entirely accurate. She softly said, “Don’t say that. I think you’re amazing!”

Really, she had never seen anyone as resilient and strong as him.

Yang Yanzong turned his head. She smiled at him, and Su Ci reached out to gently pat his shoulder.

If you’re sad and don’t want to cry, you can lean on me. Su Ci looked ahead, adjusted her position, and pulled him closer.

Yang Yanzong was slightly startled. His eyelashes trembled, but naturally, he adjusted his position and rested his head on her shoulder.

For the first time, he let his weight rest on someone else without hesitation. As he relaxed, his heart seemed to loosen as well. The tightness eased, and he could finally speak.

“I’ve known him since we were very young, really very young,” Yang Yanzong said softly after a moment. How young? As young as two or three years old, when the small town was filled with their running footprints. They went to school together, defied their teachers together, learned martial arts together, and sweated together. But Qiu Yuanming wasn’t skilled in martial arts. Later, he studied criminal law under a retired Dali Temple official, while Yang Yanzong had already gone to the southwest with his father. Their training locations were hundreds of miles apart, but they frequently exchanged letters and occasionally traveled hundreds of miles to visit each other. As they grew more skilled, they got involved in the struggles among the princes, often risking their lives for each other. Over the years, Yang Yanzong’s heart grew colder and harder. The only two soft spots in his heart were his family and Qiu Yuanming.

Qiu Yuanming was the only friend Yang Yanzong acknowledged over the years. He was so close to him that he was happy introducing him to his wife. But in the end, everything was shattered, and Yang Yanzong, ruthless as he was, let it shatter even more. After everything, he felt a deep sadness, a sense of loss, and then profound fatigue.

The orange-red afterglow painted half the sky, but this sunlight inexplicably felt harsh to Yang Yanzong. He raised his hand to shield his eyes. He turned around and hugged her tightly, closing his eyes and feeling her warm body heat.

Su Ci sighed softly and patted his back, “If you’re tired, rest. We still have time.”

Yang Yanzong’s throat moved. At that moment, deep fatigue washed over him, both physically and mentally. He wanted to rest.

She understood him so well, her words hitting right at his heart. He finally let go of everything, relaxing completely, holding her quietly, leaning on her, eyes closed, saying nothing.

Only the sound of his heavy breathing could be heard.

Su Ci let Yang Yanzong rest his head on her lap. He opened his eyes to look at her, then turned to hug her waist.

She smiled and hugged him back. Yang Yanzong felt much better. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. He quickly lost consciousness, not even knowing when night fell. When he woke up, he heard a familiar voice softly humming a strange, unknown song, seemingly about stars. She was entertaining herself while occasionally swatting away mosquitoes to let him sleep peacefully. The night wind was a bit cool, but he wasn’t cold, as he was covered with her thin cloak.

He opened his eyes and saw that it was very late. The sky was filled with stars, reflecting the Milky Way. She looked up at the sky, her lips curved in a happy and warm smile. She was so engrossed in watching that constellation called “Lyra” that he quietly watched it too for a while.

He was awake but reluctant to make any noise. On this peaceful midsummer night, his friend had betrayed him for his wife and children. But in his deep fatigue and sadness, someone understood him, comforted him, and let him rest.

Taking a break isn’t shameful. Resting is to walk a better path. Even the strongest need rest!

He recalled her strange but seemingly logical arguments. At that moment, he finally followed his heart, leaning on her, thinking nothing, saying nothing, letting himself go, and finding a moment of peace.

The stars shone brightly, the night wind rustled, and they quietly spent the rest of the night together. As the sky gradually brightened, the sun slowly broke free from the horizon, and at the moment it rose, the golden-red dawn spread across the land.

The grass and trees, covered in dew, seemed greener. A small stream at the bottom of the slope flowed with a clearer, crisper sound.

Su Ci finally noticed Yang Yanzong was awake. As he moved, she sensed it and smiled, “You’re awake?” She moved, grimacing and playfully complaining, “You made my legs numb!”

Su Ci rubbed her legs but noticed Yang Yanzong staring at her. Last night, she had casually undone his hair crown to make him more comfortable. His black hair was loose, and his dark eyes seemed deeper than before.

“Let me massage them for you.” He vigorously massaged her legs while his left hand held her tightly. After a night’s rest, he felt fully rejuvenated, and some thoughts became even more ingrained.

The desire to become one with her was so strong, like a tidal wave, unstoppable. They weren’t in the military camp, so he was in casual clothes, without any reservations. As they lay under the sky, Su Ci’s exclamations gradually turned into short breaths. She was a bit worried about A Zhao and the others, pushing him and mumbling a few words.

Yang Yanzong held her, and they rolled over the dew-covered flowers and grass, tumbling into the flower bushes and down to the stream.

Under the falling cherry blossoms in the mountains, in the golden-red sunlight of the flowing stream, Yang Yanzong tightly grasped her chin, swallowing her muffled groans with his mouth.

The rushing water scattered the small fish in fright, but the ripples on the water’s surface lingered. Only the wind blew, bringing a different kind of sweet fragrance.

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