At the northern suburb of Jing City, a thrilling chase ended when someone’s neck was twisted and broken by his opponent.

"Son, in your next life, remember not to choose human skins. Well, it's a sin for you to live like this."

With one kick, the body on the ground was kicked off the cliff.

His slender fingers brushed over the densely embroidered Kylin robe. He spun around and said to the two who followed, "There are hungry wolves at the bottom of the cliff, and his body is really not enough. You must remember that if you dare to be unfaithful to me, I will also kill you and feed you to the wolves."

"We’ll always obey your orders."

The two of them hung their heads lower in panic, then disappeared into the woods one after the other, and walked down the path.

All was silent.

Under the clear moon, the shadows of the trees were shaking slightly, and a mysterious figure floated down from the dense high branches.

"The Eastern Depot... Yue Xilou!"

The man looked into the depths of the woods with his cold eyes and grunted resentfully. Then he quickly walked towards the cliff, spread his arms, and jumped down without hesitation.

The cool breeze of the cold night swayed his wide sleeves, and his delicate clothes were fiery red, just like a phoenix flapping its wings and soaring from a bath of fire.

As soon as he reached the bottom of the cliff, he felt some kind of unusual aura.

There was such strong internal strength...

He was secretly amazed. With full alertness, guided by the fluctuation of his breath, he walked to a pile of rubble.

He looked closely and it was the corpse of the man who had been brutally murdered by Yue Xilou among the weeds at the moment!

The man in red was shocked. He felt that the inexhaustible internal strength was pouring out from the body and spreading in all directions!

How could it be?

The man was dead. His neck had been broken by Yue Xilou and he had fallen from such a high place. How could it be?

In the blink of an eye, the man in red froze in amazement when he caught the broken book at the front of the corpse's clothes.

He approached slowly, stretched out his trembling fingers, and held the half volume of the book in front of him.

Suddenly, he was shocked.

―

At Jingyang Palace, when Huanan He saw her firmness, his whole body and mind were about to be melted away by the bitter pain.

In response to the spy outside the hall, Huanan He deliberately raised his voice and said loudly with the porcelain bottle in his hand, "This is the Qianji poison given by His Majesty. I’m here to present it to you under His Majesty’s order. Her Grace, I hope you will follow the order and drink it before I force you to!"

His voice suddenly stopped in the agonizing pain. He strode forward and hugged her tightly.

Huanan He's warm chest melted the icy coldness on Gu Yunxi's face. She hugged him back, took a deep breath, and burst into tears.

Just like before, Huanan He pressed his head against Gu Yunxi’s, closed his sad eyes, and said in a low voice firmly, "Yunxi, there is no way to go this time. I will take you away and fight our way out. We might die, but Huanan Xin can never separate us."

Her wrist tightened suddenly.

Gu Yunxi was shocked. While struggling to get rid of Huanan He's big hands, she snatched the poison bottle.

She stepped back a few feet away and smiled lightly at him with tears in her eyes under his puzzled gaze.

Putting away the bottle, she raised her free hand and gestured to him with the gestures she had learned at the Eastern Depot, "Darling, all we have lost is a route of retreat, but we can still move forward."

They looked at each other in silence.

Her eyes were dazzling and bright, as bright as the day when they had reunited in Jingyang Palace. Just staring at her quietly, he could feel her tenacious strength.

Huanan He was very distressed when he looked at her. He shook his head forcefully and gestured back, "I can't sit by and watch you being bullied and beaten up by him. I'm a man. I can't watch you drink this bottle of poison!"

Gu Yunxi saw her face reflected in his anxious and sad eyes with a slight smile. It was so bright and clear.

She raised the corners of her mouth to show a deeper smile, which was as warm as twilight.

"You must feed me the poison in person. Think about those people who were killed by Huanan Xin and Yue Xilou. If you don’t do that, not only all our previous efforts will be wasted, but the power and people we got by hard working will also get implicated."

Seeing her dazzling gestures, Huanan He was startled and he wept at Gu Yunxi.

Gu Yunxi suddenly made up her mind. She turned around and pushed down the table, chairs, and the corner cabinet. She tore off the tassel drapery woven in gold and purple and shouted in a panicked voice, "Go away! I will never kill myself. I am not at fault. I will never die! No! Let me go! Don't force me!"

Immediately afterward, she ran over and slammed into Huanan He's arms again, tightly blocking his mouth with her lips.

Her tears fell silently.

Her kiss was continuous and passionate with deep love. Huanan He could feel her love and fragrance.

He responded frantically with his tears flowing freely and unstoppably.

She stroked Huanan He's cheek with her trembling fingers. She stared at him and gave him a beautiful but hazy smile.

She gestured, "Darling, Qianji poison won't kill me right away. I can endure it until the day I escape from the Palace to be reunited with you. You have to take this chance and get what belongs to you. Believe me. I have survived the pain of changing face, and it was more tormenting than the poison. Right now, these are nothing. As long as I leave the Palace, Imperial Doctor Jiang will have a way to save me. Go ahead. Feed me the poison."

Resolutely removing the cork, Gu Yunxi slowly pushed the porcelain bottle full of poison into Huanan He's icy palm. She held his trembling big hand softly and brought the bottle to her lips.

The cold and bitter liquid rolled into her mouth, slid into her stomach, and penetrated her internal organs, gradually causing indescribable pain.

Viscous and hot liquid was escaping from her nose and mouth.

She looked at him with a smile, pure and graceful. With the joy and satisfaction of no regrets, she conveyed endless love and encouragement to him with her eyes.

Huanan He couldn't bear the pain, and he collapsed with Gu Yunxi.

He hugged her tightly and watched her leaning against his chest and staring up at his facial features distorted by deep sadness.

Raising her hands with difficulty, she gently said, "It's okay. I love you."

His hot tears fell slowly on her delicate cheek drop by drop and met her blood-stained tears caused by poison on her plain clothes. The pattern of petals of plum blossom on her clothes was smeared.

Huanan He lowered his head and whimpered.

Gu Yunxi didn't want him to see her face twisted and deformed by the unbearable pain, so she used her last strength to break free from his arms, held her head with both hands, and yelled at him, "Get out, you evil-hearted executioner! You're killing me. Hurry up and ask His Majesty for a reward. Get out! Ah!"

Huanan He staggered to his feet in her painful cries and staggered towards the outside of the hall in a state of despair and grief.

The remnants of poison dripped from the poison bottle in his palm. With his footsteps, it snaked into a line on the golden brick floor.

The door of the hall slowly opened, and Liang Zhen was standing in the corridor with a faint smile, surrounded by Honour Guards in armor with swords.

Huanan He knew clearly in his heart that the Emperor was obviously fully prepared.

If he and Gu Yunxi left the hall at the same time, they would be executed on the spot!

Huanan He blankly swept across the icy blades in the imperial bodyguards' hands. He stared at Liang Zhen, threw the empty poison bottle at his feet, and said in a calm voice, "Don't bother. It's over."

The Imperial Chief Eunuch grinned and nodded with satisfaction. Then he took out the yellow silk, which was the imperial edict that had been prepared.

"Good work, Your Highness. Now I’m going to declare the imperial edict."

Huanan He indifferently lifted his robe, knelt down, and heard the sharp voice above his head.

"As His Majesty’s imperial edict said, the Ninth Prince Huanan He is outstanding, careful, and disciplined. He has made great achievements in cracking the murder cases of the envoys of Ying State, and his merits will be remembered in the future. Huanan He is now granted the Regent Power of the court. Three days later, he will lead 50 Honour Guards to send the coffins of envoys of Ying State back. After returning to Jing City, he will receive the Seal of Prince Regent. That’s all."

Resisting the dull pain in his chest, Huanan He bowed his head blankly and gritted his teeth, "Thank you, His Majesty!"

Behind him, there came Xiuyu’s hysterical cries from the hall, "Your Grace, what's the matter? Ah! Help! Somebody! Come!"