Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

In the darkness, flames shot into the sky not far away, turning half the sky a hideous red.

The flames licked the night sky, as if trying to devour all evil.

Xiao Yi stood outside the courtyard, wearing clean everyday clothes that he had changed into after taking a bath.

He stood there quietly, his gaze piercing through the deep night and landing on that reddish spot.

The firelight reflected in his pupils, flickering and burning.

He suddenly laughed.

The smile was faint, yet it was as if a corner of a stone that had been pressed down for many years had finally been moved, revealing a bloody and mangled wound underneath.

A long-lost smile, tinged with a hint of joy.

"Zhang Mang, you're finally dead!" He said to the firelight, his voice low and calm.

After saying that, he bent down and placed two plates of washed fruit on the ground in front of him.

The apples were tinged with red, and the pears were still glistening with dew; these were sent by the First Madam this morning by her maid, Xiao He.

That's exactly what he needed.

He took out the tinderbox he always carried with him, blew on it gently, and lit the incense stick in his hand.

As wisps of smoke rose, he held incense in both hands and solemnly bowed three times towards a certain direction in the night sky.

One bow.

Second bow.

Three bows.

Then he inserted three incense sticks side by side into the soft soil in front of him, and the smoke rose straight up into the sky, as if it were going to drift to a very, very far place.

"Martyrs of the Xiao family army, the culprit who killed you, I have personally killed him."

He straightened up and spoke to the night sky, his voice ethereal in the night wind, yet each word was clear.

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

"Zhang Mang, he's dead."

"The rest is about becoming king."

He spoke calmly, as if stating something perfectly ordinary.

But beneath that calm lies countless lives, countless brothers buried far from home, countless sleepless nights like tonight, gazing at the firelight.

He then took out a small wine flask from his pocket, uncorked it, and slowly poured the clear wine onto the soil.

The aroma of wine mingled with the smell of cooking, spreading in the night breeze.

After doing all this, he slowly raised his arm and released a signal flare into the night sky.

"call out……"

With a sharp whistling sound, a red light shot straight into the sky, exploding into a fleeting flower against the dark night sky.

He stood with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly.

That tall, straight back gave off a sense of desolation and loneliness in the night.

Half an hour later, a familiar figure strode swiftly through the night and landed steadily in front of him.

"master!"

Qingfeng bowed to Xiao Yi, then his gaze fell on the two plates of fruit and three incense sticks on the ground.

Smoke was still rising, mixed with the undried wine stains in the soil.

He then turned to look at the fire scene not far away, where the flames still shone brightly, thick smoke billowed, and the distant sounds of people could be faintly heard.

He frowned and asked in a low voice, "Master, has something happened in the village?"

Xiao Yi shook his head, his tone indifferent, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, "It's nothing, just killing Zhang Mang, which can be considered as getting some interest back for the brothers."

He turned his head and glanced at Qingfeng, his eyes filled with a sense of relief.

"Qingfeng, you don't know, do you?"

It turns out that Zhang Mang, that traitor from back then, is now the leader of Tiger Head Stronghold.

My trip to Tiger Head Village has been truly rewarding.

Xiao Yi suddenly smiled and began to explain slowly.

Then he took out three incense sticks from his pocket and handed them to Qingfeng.

"You should also offer a prayer."

Qingfeng accepted the incense without asking any further questions.

He lit incense, bowed deeply towards the night sky, and respectfully offered prayers at a 90-degree angle.

His movements were slow, and his expression was solemn.

After bowing, he took the wine pot from his master, uncorked it, and slowly poured the wine into the soil.

He whispered, "Brothers, rest now."

With General Xiao here, he will surely avenge you.

After he finished speaking, he stood up, turned to look at Xiao Yi, and his face showed a hint of barely suppressed anger.

"That traitor Zhang Mang is actually hiding in Tiger Head Village?"

No wonder we searched for so long, turning the entire area around the capital, but couldn't find him anywhere.

So he hid in these deep mountains and forests and became a mountain king.

Qingfeng said through gritted teeth.

He then took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his anger gradually subsiding and replaced by a sense of relief.

"Now it's all right, our master killed him, which can be considered revenge for the fallen brothers."

He paused, looked at Xiao Yi, and asked, "Now, can we take the young master and Miss Tao'er down the mountain?"

Xiao Yi did not answer immediately.

He gazed at the fading flames in the distance, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

"Hmm, that's about right."

Just as Qingfeng was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard him add another sentence.

"However, there is another mastermind behind it all, the real culprit who killed our brothers!"

Zhang Mang is nothing but a selfish and treacherous scoundrel!

Qingfeng was taken aback: "The mastermind behind this?"

"Cheng Wang Xie Jingxing!" Xiao Yi uttered these words, a cold glint in his eyes. "Zhang Mang, this is just interest!"

The real mastermind is still at large!

He then turned his gaze into the depths of the night, his eyes as calm as a deep pool, revealing no hidden turmoil.

"My lord, Prince Cheng is powerful, with strong forces on all sides, and he also has the support of his mother, Consort Gui's, family."

The relationships are also very complex and intertwined, so it will probably be difficult to shake them in the short term.

The crown prince fell for his tricks. It is said that the crown prince has been deposed and exiled to the north as a king.

snort!

The old emperor feigned ignorance and bestowed upon the crown prince the title of Prince of the North, which was essentially a way to ensure his death in the north.

Qingfeng said angrily.

"King Cheng Xie Jingxing is a tough nut to crack, but one day we will be able to tear him to pieces."

Although the crown prince was deposed and exiled to the north, it may not necessarily be a bad thing.

It's actually a good thing that my brothers are all there.

No matter how powerful King Cheng was, he couldn't possibly extend his reach that far.

By the way, how smoothly have they traveled? Where are they now?

Has any news come through?

Xiao Yi thought of his exiled relatives, and a hint of worry appeared in his eyes.