The summer had passed, and autumn winds swept through, causing the flowers that once bloomed in the Ninglu Palace to wither.
Sima Qingsha ordered some to bring a wheelchair to Luo Wei, but Luo Wei still didn’t appreciate it. He would rather lie in bed than sit in the wheelchair and go out.
Since being brought by the court physician Chu, Yan’er had been staying in Ninglu Palace. Luo Wei wasn’t accustomed to caring for children, especially a growing girl like Yan’er. Unable to teach her traditional female virtues or skills, Luo Wei resorted to teaching her reading and writing every day.
Every day, the old eunuch would collect the characters Luo Wei wrote and deliver them to Sima Qingsha at night.
Sima Qingsha’s days became increasingly difficult with Mo Huan Sang’s name mentioned more and more frequently in the memorials, causing him more distress. These memorials came from all corners of Northern Yan, and it seemed impossible for Mo Huan Sang to be everywhere unless he had become an expert in cultivation and mastered the art of cloning. The government of Northern Yan searched everywhere for Mo Huan Sang, making it known to the public that Mo Huan Sang was still alive. Rumors about Mo Huan Sang spread like wildfire, the man who had caused chaos in Northern Yan and the loss of the emperor’s city was once again heard of, disrupting the peace of the kingdom.
“It’s finally raining,” Since the beginning of autumn, there had been no rain in He Fangcheng. On this day, the first autumn rain finally fell. The officer guarding the main entrance of the palace caught a few drops of rain in his hand and addressed his subordinates, “Stay alert. The situation outside is not favorable. We cannot afford to make mistakes.”
At that moment, a team of Imperial Guards returned from their patrol.
“Officer,” the leading captain reported to the general, “Everything seems normal, no disturbances.”
The officer counted the returning soldiers and noticed two were missing. “Why are there two guards missing?” he asked the captain. “Did they request leave?”
The captain hurriedly recounted the guards and confirmed that two were indeed missing.
“They didn’t mention any errands,” one of the guard said.
“Quick, search for them,” the officer ordered loudly. Losing two people, especially within the palace grounds was no trivial matter.
“Mo Huan Sang!”
As the Imperial Guards prepared to search according to the route they had just taken, not far from them, near a doorway, a dreadful scream echoed, sending shivers down the spines of those who heard it.
The officer drew his sword and, accompanied by his men carrying torches, rushed to the doorway.
More than twenty guards lay dead, their leader impaled by an iron arrow through the throat, pinned to the palace gate.
“Is it Mo Huan Sang? Has Mo Huan Sang come?” The Imperial Guards were in disarray. With his reputation as a war god, how could they, mere mortals, be a match for Mo Huan Sang? Without waiting for the officer’s command, they all armed themselves with their weapons.
“Don’t panic!” The officer shouted to his subordinates. He walked up to the little leader who was nailed to the city gate and forcefully pulled out the iron arrow. As he touched the arrow, soaked in blood, it felt icy cold. It was actually made of black iron. By the light of the torch, the general saw the three characters “Mo Huan Sang” on the arrow.
“It’s really Mo Huan Sang!” exclaimed the captain who was holding the torch to illuminate for the officer.
“Report to His Majesty,” the officer handed the arrow to the captain, then loudly commanded his subordinates, “Close the palace gates and gather everyone!”
Not only did Mo Huan Sang come, but he had also killed more than twenty people right at the main gate of the palace. This news quickly sent the Northern Yan palace into a frenzy.
Sima Qingsha personally led his men to the main gate of the palace. When he saw the bodies lying all around, his face turned ashen.
Eunuch Qian held a lantern for Sima Qingsha. It was raining at the moment. Apart from the flickering lights in the darkness, everywhere else was pitch black. Eunuch Qian felt that Mo Huan Sang could be hiding anywhere, ready to emerge and take their lives at any moment.
“What are you afraid of?” Sima Qingsha asked Eunuch Qian, seeing the lantern trembling in his hand.
“Your Majesty, you should return to the study,” Eunuch Qian immediately said, “It’s safer there than here!”
“Are you afraid that Mo Huan Sang will kill me?” Sima Qingsha’s face had regained its calmness, and he chuckled.
“Your Majesty is the true Dragon Emperor, with great blessings all over the sky,” Eunuch Qian hurriedly replied, “How could a criminal like Mo Huan Sang have the ability to harm Your Majesty’s dragon body?”
“Go mobilize the troops from the Fourth Garrison into the palace,” Sima Qingsha instructed the chief eunuch following him.
After receiving the order, the eunuch turned around and ran away.
With the order to mobilize troops into the palace, Eunuch Qian’s heart finally stopped beating so wildly. He knew that the garrison in He Fangcheng was divided into four battalions, east, west, north and south, and this time, all the garrison battalions were being brought into the city. It seemed they were determined to settle things once and for all with Mo Huan Sang.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit corridor within the palace, a palace guard said to two figures in black, “Prince Jin is ahead in the Ninglu Palace. General Mo, I can only escort you here.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“General Mo, please take care as well.”
“I’ll handle it.”
The imperial guard watched as the two shadows flashed ahead. After confirming no one was around, he also swiftly departed.
In Ninglu Palce, Yan’er rushed into the chamber and spoke to Luo Wei, who was lying on the bed, “Highness Gege, it seems something is amiss in the palace.”
Luo Wei, disinterested, replied, “If something happens, let it happen.”
Thinking Luo Wei didn’t believe her, Yan’er anxiously added, “It’s true! I just saw outside the palace gate that there were torches everywhere. Old Wang said it sounded like soldiers entering the palace.”
A palace coup? Luo Wei immediately thought with schadenfreude, perhaps someone intended to usurp Sima Qingsha’s throne?
“Your Highness!” The old eunuch burst in, addressing Luo Wei, “You better extinguish all the lights quickly; there’s trouble outside!”
“What kind of trouble?” Luo Wei inquired, genuinely hoping for a palace coup.
“I’m not sure,” the old eunuch replied, “But it seems assassins have entered the palace.”
“Assassins?” Luo Wei’s disappointment was palpable. “They wouldn’t be coming to kill me. Why should I extinguish the lights?”
“You!” The old eunuch stomped his foot and hurried out.
“Highness Gege,” Yan’er was a little scared and said, “Shouldn’t we extinguish the lights? Assassins mean to kill people.”
“Is Yan’er afraid of assassins?”
Naturally, Yan’er nodded, “Those who kill are villains. Isn’t Highness Gege afraid?”
With someone causing trouble for Sima Qingsha, Luo Wei felt a little happier. He called Yan’er closer and said, “Yan’er, I can kill people too.”
Yan’er’s eyes widened in fear, and she took a few steps back.
“Does that make me a villain?” Luo Wei laughed unscrupulously at Yan’er’s frightened look.
“Highness Gege is teasing me again!” Yan’er, seeing Luo Wei’s smile, imitated the old eunuch’s foot stomp and said, “How could Highness Gege be a villain?”
“But he has indeed killed before.”
Just as Luo Wei was about to continue bantering with Yan’er, he heard a voice from outside the door, a voice so familiar that he couldn’t believe it.
Translator: Yeaaah LW is FINALLY being rescued!
Boundless Dao 
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