So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

The unassuming carriage traveled along the post road outside the South Gate and stopped at Shili Pavilion.

Ning Yu, who had taken a short rest, heard the commotion outside, took out one hundred taels from the box, and got off the carriage.

These men were Xie Yan's personal guards, and Ning Yu was quite grateful for their escorting her out of the city in the middle of the night.

She handed the money to the head guard and said gently, "The post station is just ahead. It's too late for you to get back to the city. Go have some wine to warm up and rest for the night before going back."

"This—" The head guard was taken aback when she gave them money, and quickly declined, "It's my duty."

Seeing that he refused, Ning Yu forcefully put the money into the quiver on the side of the horse and instructed, "Go back quickly, let's go."

The last word was clearly directed at him. A-Zhou and the others got into the carriage and immediately whipped their horses, speeding away from Shili Pavilion.

Ning Yu heard the news two days later in Jingzhou. She saw everyone gathered around the notice wall, discussing it animatedly, and asked A Zhou to inquire about it.

Only then did they learn that the Seventh Prince had staged a coup in front of Jinghe Gate to seize the throne, set fire to the Eastern Palace, assassinated the Crown Prince, and forced the Crown Princess to commit suicide.

Meanwhile, the northeastern clans and the Yun King bribed the physician to tamper with the crown prince's medicine in their struggle for the throne. The crown prince died, and the Great Xia Dynasty is now leaderless and falling apart. Various kings in different regions have risen up in rebellion, and civil war is imminent.

In a daze, she thought of Xie Xun. Had he secretly eliminated all the princes one by one?

He needed a plausible reason to ascend the throne without any blemishes, so he shifted all the blame onto the seventh prince and the other princes. Did the crown prince really die at the hands of the physician?

As Ning Yu pondered this, she couldn't help but lift the carriage curtain and look outside.

The princes of the Great Xia Dynasty were either killed or died in battle. What about Xie Yun? Would he also die in the palace coup?

"Young master, let's go."

Ning Yu paused, took the naan bread that A-Zhou had bought, and put aside her wild guesses, saying softly, "Let's go."

The palace is now completely surrounded by Xie Xun's men. After dealing with the disobedient elders, he quickly rode his horse out of the palace.

He returned to the East Garden in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Amidst the kneeling guards and servants on the ground, Xie Xun strode into the waterside pavilion, kicked open the door, and headed towards the inner room.

These past few days, the master has had a lingering smell of blood on him, and the brocade robe he wears is stained with someone's blood, the corners of the robe looking cold and menacing.

The servants on the ground, upon seeing the newcomers, held their breath and prostrated themselves on the ground, their heads pressed tightly against the earth.

Xie Xun surveyed the room, opened the cabinet door, and found that all the medicine boxes inside had been taken away, and even the bottles and jars on the dressing table were gone.

He picked up the white jade comb from the dressing table, recalling her smiling and coaxing manner. The veins on his hand bulged as he gripped the comb, wishing he could pinch her neck instead.

Okay, very good. It was all a lie. All those words about loving him were fake, and all those promises to stay by his side were fake. It was all a lie.

"Come in."

The guards outside were trembling with fear when they heard their master's voice, and they entered in a panic.

"Who took her away?"

The head guard knelt on the ground and respectfully replied, "It was the night before last that the young master suddenly led his troops into the waterside pavilion and took the lady away."

Jealousy surged in Xie Xun's chest, and he felt the suppressed anger burning as if it were about to explode.

"My men quickly drew their swords to stop him, but the young master brought many assassins who entangled them and made it impossible for them to break free."

"The guards of the East Garden all fought their way out of the imperial prison. You can't beat our leader's elite assassins?!"

"There were so many assassins that day, and the reinforcements arrived so quickly. It seems that the lady had already packed her bags and was waiting for the young master to come and pick her up. As soon as he arrived, she immediately came out and left with him. I couldn't stop her in time---"

Xie Xun lowered his eyelids and kicked the head guard in the head.

The head guard was startled, realizing he had misspoke. He didn't even dare wipe the blood away, scrambled to his feet, knelt properly, and said respectfully, "Your subordinate is willing to accept punishment."

"Get in here."

Qingfeng, who dared not speak outside, realized that he was being called and immediately walked in with his head down, "Master."

A chilling voice boomed down, "Send men to investigate immediately! Search the entire Hongchuan region! Find her!"

"Yes."

She said she loved him, but she ran away with her older brother. Ning Yu, don't let me catch you! Don't let me catch you and you'll be with your older brother!

With a storm raging in his dark eyes, Xie Xun strode out of the waterside pavilion with a gloomy face, heading towards the Ink Courtyard.

Xie Yan planned to go to the Northwest in a couple of days; there were too many things to do in the palace right now.

But when he returned from the council hall, he saw the man sitting in his study. The courtyard was surrounded by his men, and the chilling sight of swords sent shivers down his spine.

"Big brother, you're back."

Xie Yan glanced at him coldly, "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing much." He leaned back in his chair, his chilling gaze sweeping over them. "I just want to ask, brother, where did you hide her?"

Xie Yan looked at his seemingly emotionless face and felt a strange urge to laugh.

He was so angry that he couldn't sleep at night after discovering that his wife, whom he had arranged to marry, had been taken away by his own younger brother.

That was his wife, yet he never laid a finger on her.

In order not to escalate the matter and embarrass the Xie family, and to prevent Ning Yu from becoming the target of public criticism, he suppressed his anger and quelled the incident, watching his younger brother riding high on his success.

But now it's finally his turn to laugh at him. He knows Xie Xun well; no matter how calm and collected he pretends on the surface, he's probably furious inside.

Isn't he even angrier than when he discovered that his wife was being kept in a separate house?

"Brother, this world belongs to the Xie family. Wouldn't it be better if we brothers jointly controlled all the political power in the north and south? Hand her over, and I won't lay a finger on a single soldier in Liangzhou."

"She's already gone, why did you bring her up?"

"Why did you find it?!" Xie Xun chuckled, pressing his temples.

Naturally, we would skin her alive, snap her neck, break her bones, and break her legs!

Xie Yan sensed that he wasn't thinking anything good, so he patted his robe, slowly walked to the tea table, poured himself a cup of tea, and said coolly, "I don't know where she is. Let's go back."

"Big brother, don't force me."

"I'm forcing you?" He lifted the teacup lid. "Ah Xun, even if I knew where she was, I wouldn't tell you."

Xie Xun slowly opened his closed eyes and looked at him.

Xie Yan deliberately poked at his heartstrings, "When she left, she repeatedly told me not to tell you where she was."

He paused, then looked over with a smile. "She can't wait to leave you."

Xie Xun's lips curled into a smirk, his taut jawline sharp as if carved by a knife, and his gaze was so sinister it seemed he wanted to kill.

Xie Yan was not afraid at all. He lifted his robe, sat down on the stool, and put down the teacup.

"She told me herself that every day by your side felt like an eternity, and she wished she had more legs to escape from you. So she begged me to get her household registration and take her away as soon as possible. I didn't kidnap her or take her away. Don't wrong me."

"Ah Xun---you went to great lengths to snatch her away from me, but it seems she doesn't love you."