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

A surprised voice suddenly came from outside the door. Ning Yu was stunned for a moment, and when she turned around, she saw Qin's mother rushing in.

"He's back. The Crown Prince was secretly sent back to the capital overnight and has now gone to the palace to report back."

Ning Yu thought she must have misheard. Wasn't Xie Yan dead in battle? How could he suddenly come back?

"The old lady and the Grand Princess have already gone to the door to greet you. Princess Consort, you should go too."

"Where did you hear that news?"

Qin's mother smiled and nudged her, "It's all over the capital. They say the young master was rescued, which is why he was able to return safely."

No, that's not right. They said Xie Yan's fate was unknown outside the pass, and it was only after a body was found that it was confirmed he was dead. What happened to that body? Could it be fake?

Suddenly she remembered something, her eyes widened in shock. No wonder the burial was so rushed, and the body was deliberately crushed during the earthquake. Was all of this arranged in advance?

Ning Yu felt like she was starting to use her brain. Since Xie Yan had faked his death and brought back a fake corpse, why was he actually coming back now? Did Xie Xun already know this? Were there a few people in the Xie clan who also knew about it?

This matter is probably not just related to the battle at Nanguan, but rather to the internal affairs of the Great Xia Dynasty, or perhaps the Xie family?

Seeing that she was frowning and seemingly lost in thought, Qin's mother grabbed her hand and tried to lead her to the lobby.

"What are you thinking about, Princess Consort? Go and see him. The return of the Prince is a great joy for you."

My palms were sweaty.

Thinking about her relationship with Xie Xun, Ning Yu couldn't help but feel uneasy. She had come back at just the right time. If she had waited two months, until her relationship with Xie Xun was over, it would have been much better.

After returning from the palace, Xie Yan rode his horse straight to the Xie residence. He was dressed in silver armor, his posture was upright, and his handsome face carried a hint of murderous intent.

Upon arriving at the Xie residence, she was immediately surrounded by a crowd. The Grand Princess, her eyes red, rushed forward in a few steps, crying out, "My child—"

He didn't die! He actually didn't die! His arms and legs were still there, and his body was perfectly fine.

Her emotions fluctuated wildly, and she couldn't help but wipe away tears in public, stroking his face, "You really scared your mother to death."

Xie Yan smiled, knelt down and kowtowed to the Grand Princess and the Old Madam, "I have caused my grandmother and mother worry."

"Quickly, get up and come inside to talk."

Ning Yu rushed over and immediately saw a handsome man helping the old lady into the mansion, followed by a large group of people.

She carefully observed the family members in the mansion and found that they seemed unaware of Xie Yan's return, and were all excitedly offering auspicious words.

"Grandmother, Mother, when I returned from the palace, Father told me to visit the family and then hurry to the Mingtang Hall."

Hearing this, the old lady understood what was going on. Her reddened eyes immediately calmed down, and she patted his hand. "Go first. After you're done, we'll have a family dinner together so that your grandmother can have a good look at you."

Xie Yan responded and bumped into a woman as he stepped out the door.

The two exchanged a glance, and Ning Yu quickly stepped forward, "Husband."

Xie Yan seemed to have known all along that he had married a woman to bring good luck. When he saw her, his expression softened and he said, "I'm back."

Ning Yu lowered her eyes, looking gentle, "It's good that my husband is back."

"I have something to do, I'll talk to you later."

A warm, calloused hand suddenly touched her hair. Ning Yu resisted the urge to back away and obediently hummed in agreement.

Xie Yan didn't say much to her before hurrying off to the Mingtang.

All the members of the imperial clan had arrived, and Xie Xun was seated in the lower seat of the main seat, wearing a crimson official robe, clearly having just come from the palace.

His expression was not good, unlike the other members of the Xie family; his lowered eyebrows and eyes showed displeasure.

"Father, Uncle."

A cheerful voice came from outside the door, and everyone's attention immediately focused on it. Some clansmen who were unaware of the situation rushed forward to ask for details when they saw that he had really returned, especially what the emperor had said during their private audience in the palace.

Xie Yan simply said that the corpse was fake, a forgery by the Liang people. As for the truth, that was for them to investigate themselves.

"Who rescued you, and where have you been all this time?"

Upon hearing his father's question, Xie Yan stepped forward and replied, "I was rescued by my subordinates and have been recuperating in a small village."

"Your words cannot fool even a saint."

Upon hearing the words of the Xie clan patriarch, Xie Yan sat down opposite Xie Xun, a hint of helplessness on his usually stern face. "It is true, Uncle, there is no need to test him further."

"Regardless of whether you faked your death or were rescued, the Battle of Nanguan caused such a huge mess; it's truly absurd."

The Xie clan patriarch suddenly chuckled, his cloudy eyes glancing at him, then at the silent Xie Xun, a shrewd glint in them.

"No matter what you two brothers are doing, remember, your surname is Xie."

The wings of a hawk swept across the sky above the Chengguang Ancestral Temple. The lights in the Mingtang Hall stayed on for most of the night. Members of the clan left one after another, and Xie Yan was detained and questioned for a long time by the Xie clan chief.

Xie Xun also did not come out. After the Xie clan chief left, only the two brothers remained in the Mingtang.

Moonlight streamed through the main hall, and a sudden gust of cold wind stirred up the lingering cigarette ash from the previous year. Xie Xun lifted his eyelids to look at the person opposite him. "Brother, you shouldn't have come back."

"Ah Xun, I've taken care of things in the Northwest for you. So many people died, and the people of the entire Yanzhou city are starving."

Before he could finish speaking, Xie Xun suddenly stood up, his face grim. "Indecisiveness makes it difficult to achieve great things."

Xie Yan's expression remained unchanged. "The battle at Nanguan resulted in countless deaths and injuries."

"Brother, I don't want to hear this." Xie Xun turned to look at him. "I told you, you were going to die in Nanguan and stay in the Northwest. You shouldn't have come back on your own initiative."

The struggle for the crown prince position has always been like this. Xie Xun could not tolerate anyone standing in his way, so letting him die on the battlefield was his mercy.

Xie Yan knew that his younger brother had always been ruthless, but after years of fighting on the battlefield, he could not bear to see the riots and the starving civilians, and he could not bring himself to massacre the entire city's inhabitants.

"Ah Xun, I don't care about what you've done, and I won't interfere in your affairs anymore. I'm withdrawing my troops after the Battle of Yanzhou City, and nothing you say will make a difference."

"The matter of privately manufacturing weapons has been exposed. I've killed the people for you and taken care of the aftermath. You'll have to clean up the mines in the Northwest yourself."

"Why did you have to come back?"

Xie Yan suddenly laughed and said to him, "I heard my family found me a wife, so I had to come back and see."

Of course, he couldn't have come back for a woman. He was forced by his own brother to stay in the border region to spy on the enemy in the army camp and even wanted him to launch a surprise attack on Ximisha. That would take several more years.

If he wants to compete, he should compete for the position of heir apparent, the position of clan leader, and the military power of the elders' council. Then he should compete openly and fairly.

Xie Xun looked at him, and the image of that woman suddenly flashed through his mind. "Brother, staying in the Northwest and becoming a local tyrant is your best choice."

Xie Yan stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Don't drag us, my husband and I, into this."

The words "husband and wife" sounded strangely jarring. Xie Xun walked out of the main hall side by side with him and said coldly, "A family should die together, lying in the same place."