Chapter 59.

Their lips met in a hot, fleeting kiss, like a butterfly flitting from flower to flower, leaving behind a tingling sensation before taking flight.

Xue Shu's throat tightened, and he subconsciously licked his dry lips. Their palms met, fingers intertwining.

Yin Chengyu didn't pull away; instead, he traced lazy patterns on the back of Xue Shu's hand.

Bathed in the harsh sunlight streaming through the window, Yin Chengyu's features seemed to blur, as if veiled in a soft halo. His skin was flawless, like porcelain, and his lips curved into a seductive invitation.

Xue Shu met his gaze for a moment before leaning in to kiss him.

Their tongues tangled, and a muffled promise escaped Xue Shu's lips: "I'll do... whatever you say, Your Highness."

Yin Chengyu tilted his head, meeting Xue Shu's kiss.

The midday sun was intense, and even the wind carried a sultry heat. The study window was open, and the occasional footsteps of a patrolling guard caused a flurry of movement.

Yin Chengyu pressed his back against the wall, his hand resting on Xue Shu's shoulder, feigning resistance while secretly urging him on.

His voice was thick with desire: "Enough..."

"I'm so happy," Xue Shu pulled back slightly, his kisses becoming softer, more tender. His nose brushed against Yin Chengyu's as their lips remained almost touching. "I never had a father growing up. My sister raised me."

He captured Yin Chengyu's wrist and slid his hand under the other's, their fingers intertwined, his grip tight against the wall. A satisfied sigh escaped his lips.

"They say there's always trouble where widows live. My mother struggled to raise my sister and me. She was kind and gentle, but people bullied her, calling her names, saying she slept with the barbarians, saying my sister and I were bastards. She was too afraid of trouble to fight back. When I was three, I started catching rats and snakes and throwing them into the houses of those who bullied her."

His eyes closed as he recalled the painful memories, his earlier calm replaced by a surge of anger.

Xue Shu bit Yin Chengyu's lip again.

Yin Chengyu retaliated, licking the blood from his lips, panting, "So you were never a good boy."

"In a world that eats its own, how can good people survive?" Xue Shu laughed bitterly, wiping away the moisture from Yin Chengyu's lips. "When my sister and I got older, no one dared to insult my mother in front of us..."

If someone dared to say a word against his mother, he and his sister would beat the man and his son to a pulp.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Eventually, no one dared to mess with them.

No one is born evil. They just become hardened by a cruel world.

Yin Chengyu sighed, his fingers tracing Xue Shu's features. He kissed Xue Shu's eyes. "It won't be like that anymore."

There would be no more suffering, no more cruelty.

Xue Shu murmured, "I have Your Highness now."

*

Xue Shu already knows about Ying Hongxue, and Yin Chengyu no longer hides it from him, making it clear that he intends to bring her in.

He'd been worrying about how to extinguish the hostility between Ying Hongxue and He Shan toward the court. Now, with Xue Shu, he has the perfect person to act as a mediator.

It's a win-win situation.

However, after Ying Hongxue’s retreat from Xieshi Stronghold, she’s been extremely cautious, hiding out in Fuhu Ridge, which is a labyrinth of hills and ravines. It's the perfect place for someone to disappear without a trace.

Xue Shu sent his men from the Western Bureau to monitor the area for days, and only then did they finally uncover her hideout. He was about to head there himself when a scout came rushing in with urgent news: the Hongying Red Army was advancing.

Since that day when He Shan ambushed Shi Hu and took nearly 3,000 men, Shi Hu had to change his plans and retreat to Xieshi Stronghold to regroup. It took him several days of negotiating, using both threats and incentives, to stabilize his army.

Meanwhile, the Marquis of An Yuan had already sent two messengers demanding action. Shi Hu couldn’t afford further delays, so he picked a day to march on Yidu City. But, his caution got the better of him. After clashing with Xue Shu and losing once, he pulled back. Instead of continuing the fight, he taunted the city for two days and then withdrew his forces overnight, retreating back to Xieshi Stronghold.

Yin Chengyu got the report and remarked, "Without He Shan and Ying Hongxue, the Hongying Red Army is nothing. It’s only been bold because of the advantages of Xieshi Stronghold."

"Do you want to send troops, Your Highness?" Xue Shu asked. "The scouts report that the Marquis of An Yuan’s trusted men have visited Xieshi Stronghold twice in the past few days. They’re probably growing desperate. If this drags on, the Second Prince may not show up in time to ‘turn the tide,’ and his death could be the first news to reach Wangjing."

It’s been a while since the Second Prince fell off the cliff, and the lack of updates makes it all too easy for people to assume he’s dead. Once the news spreads throughout Wangjing, any move to act might lose its effect.

"It’s time to move." Yin Chengyu turned the pages of his reports.

The corrupt officials, Pang Yi and Ding Changshun, who had embezzled disaster relief grain, had been punished, and most of the stolen supplies had been recovered. Now, he had ordered local governments to reassess the disaster-affected populations and distribute the remaining relief grain. With supplies from surrounding granaries, they could get the people of Shandong through the famine.

With that crisis averted, it was time to focus on dealing with Yin Chengzhuang.

"Xieshi Stronghold may have the advantage of terrain, but its weakness is just as clear. The mountains have no water or food. If trapped, it’s a dead end," Yin Chengyu said. "We won’t waste time fighting them head-on. You just need to encircle the stronghold for ten to fifteen days, cut off their supplies, and every day send someone to urge them to surrender. Once their food and water run out, the rebel forces will collapse from the inside."

Xue Shu nodded in agreement and went off to prepare his troops.

As he reached the door, Yin Chengyu called him back. "You’ll be busy leading the troops. You won’t have time to find Ying Hongxue. I’ll send someone to fetch her. Do you have a token?"

Xue Shu thought for a moment, then said, "I don’t have anything specific. If you see her, just tell her 'the frogs croak at midnight.' She’ll understand."

That phrase was their old code—whenever his sister took him out at night to confront someone, the sound of frogs croaking at midnight was their signal.

*

The next day, Yin Chengyu called Marquis An Yuanhou over and laid out his plans. His tone was sharp and matter-of-fact, but there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "The rebels are getting bolder, and we can’t let them keep pushing us around. I’ve already sent Xue Shu to besiege the Xishizhai. In a few days, I’ll be there to oversee the battle personally."

At first, Marquis An Yuanhou was pleased to hear that they were taking action. But when he heard the word "siege," hesitation flickered in his eyes. "Your Highness, are you sure you want to go with a siege strategy?"

Yin Chengyu nodded firmly, his voice low and commanding. "Attacking a city is a last resort; breaking their spirit is the real key. Once the rebels are surrounded at Xishizhai, they’ll run low on food and water, and their morale will crumble. It’ll be easy to take them down."

Marquis An Yuanhou hesitated, weighing the risks. "But Your Highness, isn’t that a bit too slow? And we don’t know if they’ve stocked up on supplies in the mountains."

Yin Chengyu’s smile was cold and determined. "If it means fewer casualties, then we’ll wait as long as we need to. These rebels are just common folk—if we can pressure them into surrendering, we won’t even need to fight."

Despite his concerns, Marquis An Yuanhou couldn’t argue with the logic. Yin Chengyu had always been cautious, and his strategy made sense. Still, a nagging feeling lingered at the back of his mind. But as he studied Yin Chengyu’s face, he saw no hint of doubt or unease.

The crown prince was always level-headed and strategic. It wasn’t surprising that he preferred the siege over direct confrontation. Marquis An Yuanhou suppressed his suspicions and bowed. "Your Highness is wise."

Later, after leaving the palace, Marquis An Yuanhou went back to his residence. After much thought, he decided to disguise himself and slip out of the city in secret.

At the farmhouse, Yin Chengzang was nearly at his breaking point, waiting for the signal. When he saw An Yuanhou, relief washed over him. "Marquis, is it finally time to strike?"

An Yuanhou nodded, his voice low and filled with intent. "The crown prince has sent Xue Shu to besiege Xishizhai, and in a few days, he will go there to oversee it himself. This is our moment."

Yin Chengzang clenched his fists, trying to contain his excitement. "When do we make our move?"

"In a few days," Marquis An Yuanhou said, his tone cautious. "I’m not entirely sure about the prince’s plans, so I want to wait a bit longer to ensure everything is right before acting. If the prince doesn’t engage in battle, it’ll make it harder for us to take advantage of the situation. Let’s give it a few more days, until the rebels at Xishizhai can’t hold out any longer. Then I’ll have our people incite them into a final, desperate battle. We’ll disguise ourselves as rebels, trap them from both sides, and the crown prince will be trapped."

"If anything happens to the crown prince, the army’s morale will collapse. That’ll be our chance. After the chaos settles, we can say that the crown prince was wounded and recovering in the mountains, and just happened to arrive when the turmoil broke out."

Marquis An Yuanhou reviewed the plan one last time, confident it was foolproof. He let out a slight breath of relief. "In the next few days, you’ll need to head to Fuhu Ridge with your men. If everything goes according to plan on my end, I’ll signal you with three rockets."

Yin Chengzang agreed, and after reviewing the plan again, he left that night with his men, heading toward Fuhu Ridge.

*

Xue Shu had his troops surround the stone fortress, sealing off every escape route.

The fortress sat perched atop the steepest peak of Fuhu Ridge, with sheer cliff faces on three sides. Only one narrow, sloped path, carved with stone steps, led up to it.

Now that the only exit was cut off, the people inside had nowhere left to run.

The soldiers of the Fourth Guard Camp set up their camp beneath the fortress, ready to close in.

Yin Chengyu stood shoulder to shoulder with Xue Shu, both staring up at the fortress. “Cui Ci has already gone.”

— Since Xue Shu couldn’t go himself, he’d sent his trusted man Cui Ci with a letter bearing the Crown Prince’s seal, to track down Ying Hongxue.

They could have waited until the battle at the fortress was over to find her, but Yin Chengyu couldn’t shake the memory of her death in the previous life. The timing was close—it was almost the exact period when she had died last time.

Even though this time, Yin Chengzhan didn’t seem to be on a collision course with Ying Hongxue, and she wasn’t likely to die by his hand again, Yin Chengyu couldn’t ignore the unease gnawing at him. Better to act now, before things took a turn for the worse.

Xue Shu nodded, a hint of doubt in his eyes. “Let’s hope it goes smoothly.”

— His concern wasn’t without reason.

Years ago, the area around Jiayu Pass was frequently raided by nomads. They’d take advantage of gaps in the defenses, charging into towns to burn, loot, and pillage, only to vanish before the soldiers arrived.

The locals had suffered for a long time, but they had learned how to deal with it.

Whenever they heard the raiders were near, they’d quickly hide their valuables and food, retreating into the nearby mountains. The raiders, finding nothing of value, would search the woods, but they had no luck. The locals became experts at hiding their tracks and evading capture.

Sometimes, when a raider was separated from the group, the villagers even set traps to turn the tables on them.

The Western Bureau's operatives had been tracking Ying Hongxue’s group for days, but it was clear she’d been making every effort to cover her tracks.

Had Xue Shu gone himself, he was confident he would’ve found her. But with Cui Ci in charge, there was more uncertainty.

As expected, Cui Ci hit a dead end.

He knelt to examine the still-warm ashes on the ground, guessing they had just missed her. Determined, he followed the trail further.

But after only a short distance, a rustling sound from the nearby bushes caught his attention. Sensing danger, he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a flying arrow. But just as quickly, he found himself plummeting into a deep pit.

Dazed and in pain, he scrambled to his feet, only for a net to fall on him from above. Before he could react, He Shan discarded his bow, tightened the ropes, and easily hauled him up to present him to Ying Hongxue, saying, “Boss, we’ve got him.”

He Shan tossed the net to the ground with a smug grin.

Ying Hongxue, having realized someone had been tailing them, had set up a trap to lure the stalker out.

But as she looked at Cui Ci’s appearance, she raised an eyebrow. “You... are with the Western Bureau?”

He Shan, shocked, turned the net over to inspect Cui Ci’s face. “Is this a eunuch? Doesn’t look like one.”

Cui Ci, caught off guard and badly wounded from the fall and rough handling, could barely comprehend their conversation. Dizzy and confused, he gasped out the secret phrase Xue Shu had given him.

"Frog croaks at midnight!"

He Shan blinked in confusion. “What’s he talking about?”

Ying Hongxue furrowed her brow, shooting He Shan a sharp look, signaling him to untangle the net. Her expression grew more serious. “Where did you hear that phrase?”

Struggling to rise, Cui Ci met her gaze, momentarily stunned by her face. He quickly spoke up, “I’m here on the Crown Prince’s orders. I’m Xue Shu’s man.”

He fumbled through his sleeve and handed her the letter. “You’ll understand once you read this.”

Ying Hongxue took the letter, her brow knitting tightly as she read it.

He Shan, hearing Xue Shu’s name, understood the situation. He knew Ying Hongxue had a missing brother. “Is this for real? Could it be a trick?”

Ying Hongxue had been pondering this same question, but the signal was something only Xue Shu and she knew. It made her hesitate, just a little.

"Why did Xue Shu send you?"

Cui Ci replied, "Supervisor Xue is busy leading the troops to encircle the Hongying Red army. He couldn't leave, but he still misses you dearly, so he sent me instead, hoping you'll meet him for a while."

Only then did he realize that Ying Hongxue was part of the Hongying Red army, and his face turned slightly awkward.

It was true that the crown prince's army had surrounded Xieshizai, and Ying Hongxue, hiding in Tiger's Ridge, had certainly heard about it.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "I'll go with you."

He Shan immediately rushed in, "Then I’m coming with you!"

Ying Hongxue shot him a warning glance, then turned to Cui Ci, "I have some things to take care of. Wait for me up ahead."

Cui Ci understood the unspoken meaning, and with a quick nod, he stepped aside.

Ying Hongxue turned to He Shan, giving him quick, sharp instructions, "This signal is known only to Xue Shu and me. Whether it's real or not, I need to see it for myself to be sure. But you and the men cannot follow me into danger. Our hiding place is already exposed, and Tiger's Ridge isn’t safe anymore. I’ll lead him on a detour, and you take the men and move out of here. Set up an ambush near Yidu City. If this is a trap, you take advantage of the city’s defenses being weak and seize it. Use Yidu City as leverage to get me back."

He Shan had no room to argue, his words stuck in his throat. After a long pause, he just grabbed her hand and muttered reluctantly, "Be careful."

Ying Hongxue gave a small smile, squeezed his hand firmly, then turned toward Cui Ci.

Riding through the mountain woods wasn’t easy, so they walked side by side, one in front and the other behind.

Ying Hongxue remained alert, asking about Xue Shu’s situation while subtly probing him for information. Cui Ci, realizing that this might be Xue Shu’s sister, gave honest answers, telling her everything she asked.

After talking for nearly an hour, they finally reached the edge of Tiger's Ridge.

Once on the main road, they picked up the pace.

Cui Ci had noticed that Ying Hongxue was limping, but she refused his help. He quickly sent a signal, calling for a carriage to be sent to pick them up.

They waited on the main road for about a quarter of an hour when they saw a carriage approaching at full speed.

The wheels of the carriage rolled loudly, the ground trembling beneath them with each passing moment.

Ying Hongxue furrowed her brows, sensing something was wrong as the vibrations underfoot became stronger and more persistent. It wasn’t the carriage. The entire ground seemed to be shaking, and even the distant mountains were slightly trembling.

She suddenly realized what was happening and ran toward an open area. "Run! It’s an earthquake!"

———Author’s Note:

#Brother and Sister Reunion#

Dog: I found you a sister-in-law! (grins)

Sister: Fancy that, I found you a brother-in-law.

Your Highness: ?