After becoming pregnant, the cold-hearted nobles all went mad.

Feng Ren collapsed after only a short time. Looking at the pair of moon-white embroidered shoes with lotus flower patterns, he forced a smile.

"Your subordinate is willing to accept punishment."

Shen Lingyi immediately ordered people to carry him out of the mansion.

Even if he were to be punished, it wouldn't be now. Feng Ren has already made such a great sacrifice; it would be a real shame not to grant his wish.

"Now that someone has taken the message out, you can rest assured. You no longer need to keep an eye on me for your master."

Xiao Sha gazed intently at her: "You treated that guard very well."

His expression softened. Even though others might see Shen Lingyi as cold-blooded and ruthless, only he could understand Feng Ren's thoughts. Sacrificing for their master was their life.

"You're overthinking it. I just don't like owing people anything, and I don't like others owing me anything either. So when you get back, tell your master to be prepared..."

"His Majesty also has his own unavoidable difficulties."

Xiao Sha couldn't help but defend his master, "The troops deployed are sufficient. As long as your family members don't run into the rebels, they will be safe."

Shen Lingyi sneered.

"Who would be so foolish as to run into that? You'd better find your Crown Prince soon. Our far-sighted Emperor used his only Crown Prince as a decoy to mislead the rebels. He's probably still at the Prefect's residence right now. If you don't find him soon, you'll be waiting for the Crown Prince to be sacrificed to the heavens before the fighting starts."

Xiao Sha's expression changed slightly. He had actually forgotten about this matter. He was so shocked that he didn't even have the mind to care about Shen Lingyi's presumptuous words.

The cold wind rattled against the window, and Shen Lingyi put down her pen in the dead of night.

"Give this recipe to the housekeeper."

She instructed Peony: "Once things have calmed down, send the medicine out of the city immediately. Also, keep an eye on Feng Ren's movements so that we can find someone to rescue later. To avoid arousing suspicion from the rebels, keep the pharmacies in the city open as usual these days and give some mugwort to the people to take home and fumigate their houses."

"Miss, do we really have to..."

"There's no other choice now."

Shen Lingyi remained clear-headed throughout. "Because of my grandfather's reputation in Liangzhou City, from the very beginning, it was destined that he would be the one to open the city gate."

She suddenly remembered that there was another troublemaker in the inner quarters, so she specifically singled her out and gave her instructions to Shaoyao.

"Tell everyone below to keep their mouths shut and not to speculate. Keep a close eye on Shen Tingjiao and don't give her any chance to cause trouble. It's best to keep a close watch on her and not let her leave this door."

"Don't worry, Miss, I'll definitely keep an eye on her."

Shen Lingyi was relieved; Peony's greatest skill was her loud voice.

If Shen Tingjiao dared to go out, her shout would be known throughout the entire mansion.

But she never expected that...

Shen Tingjiao was never actually in the mansion from the very beginning.

Three days later, Jiang Wenhai led a group of men carrying several barrels of wine to personally reward Prefect Zhao and his men, getting them thoroughly drunk.

Just after midnight, a beam of light appeared at the city gate, followed by several beams, forming a continuous expanse of fire that seemed to ignite the night.

The black armor gleamed with a chilling light. The horse's hooves pounded lightly, without uttering a neigh; all that could be heard was the rustling of the wind passing by.

Suddenly, more than a dozen archers appeared on the city wall and aimed at them with a whoosh.

Prefect Zhao swaggered out: "...His Majesty visited so late at night, and you didn't even inform us."

Snowflakes fell in a flurry, and the wind was bitterly cold.

Two people were hung out of the city wall. One was trembling, while the other was still trying to struggle, cursing Prefect Zhao for being shameless, which made the latter's face turn black.

Prefect Zhao snorted coldly, forcibly suppressing the surging anger in his heart. His reason, half-hyped by alcohol, had not yet fully returned. "Yesterday I caught an assassin in the manor."

He stared blankly at Xu Yanqing, whose face was deathly pale.

"Although one of them escaped, fortunately the woman did not, and we even used her to capture the spies lying in ambush in the city."

"Your Majesty, what is your decision?"

"Should I order the ropes cut now, so they fall and become a pile of mud, or should I order arrows to be fired and kill them all?"

Shen Tingjiao trembled like a leaf, and tears streamed down her face like beads falling from a broken string.

Shen Lingyi, standing to the side, found her crying really annoying.

It's not like she's dead, why are you crying so much? If it weren't for Shen Tingjiao's plan today, things should have gone very smoothly.

Who would have thought that Shen Tingjiao wouldn't stay at home and would sneak out, only to be caught red-handed by Prefect Zhao? Prefect Zhao, who was prepared, used a counter-strategy to bring down Jiang Wenhai.

It was all Shen Tingjiao's fault, and she still had the nerve to cry.

"Your Highness..." Shen Tingjiao looked at the man in white in the army with tears in her eyes, "Save me, I haven't married you yet, I don't want to die."

Xu Yanqing looked anxiously at the only person here with the power to make a decision, "Father, the women of the Shen family are all innocent and should not be sacrificed."

"Did I say I wanted to sacrifice them?"

Pei Heng spoke coldly, and not only him, but even Prefect Zhao was taken aback. "Zhao Qu, you are a traitor and everyone has the right to kill you. My secret guards have already found out that you ordered the surrounding villagers to mine iron ore, and you have taken all the mined iron ore for yourself. You are already a traitor who is definitely involved. So stop calling me Your Majesty and state your conditions."

"Excellent, excellent! As expected of our Emperor!"

Looking at the sea of ​​people below, Zhao Qu suppressed the urge to shudder and gritted his teeth, saying, "I want to divide the area from Liangzhou to Jizhou. Either let me declare myself king, or watch them die. You choose."

"Father..."

"impossible."

Pei Heng's face turned frosty. "When Wan Zhongyue's former disciples were being executed according to the family genealogy and correspondence, you were the only one missed. Now you dare to ask me for the throne?"

The man didn't say anything harsh, but his mocking expression seemed to ask, "Are you worthy?" Zhao Qu's face turned pale.

"Aren't you afraid I'll kill them?" Zhao Qu roared, waving his hand to have the rope lowered a few more meters. "Your Highness, this woman is deeply in love with you. Even on her deathbed, she's still thinking of marrying you. Don't you want to save her?"

Shen Lingyi's eyes shone brightly, like a burning flame, and she shouted, breaking through the man's furious roar.

"Don't listen to him. I was born a citizen of the Great Wei, and I will die a citizen of the Great Wei. I will never allow myself to become a tool to control the emperor. Kill me if you want, I'm not afraid..."

Zhao Qu was about to go crazy.

He was cursed the whole way here, and now this woman is ruining his plans. He should have killed her first as a sacrifice!

Suddenly, a bright light flashed in the pitch-black night, a cold glint rushing towards the swaying rope with unstoppable force.

Shen Lingyi suddenly descended, soon landing in a reassuring embrace: "The hostages are gone, launch a full-scale attack on the city!"