Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

Xiao Fang did not bring the goods into the city.

He ordered his men to escort dozens of large carts out of the city and head towards the hot spring resort.

The hot spring village is located in a low-lying area, surrounded by mountains, forests and fields. Apart from the people around Qin Shi, few people come here on weekdays.

It's much safer to hide the items there than to leave them at the Prince Zhongyong's residence.

Lu Zhao led the escort, Lin Hui led the way, and fifty playboys on horseback were scattered on both sides of the caravan, their knives at the ready.

When they arrived at the estate, Madam Qin had already received the news and came out to greet them personally.

Without asking any further questions, she glanced at the cars behind her that were completely covered up, and then had someone arrange for them to be unloaded and stored.

Xiao Fang dismounted and stepped forward to bow to Qin Shi.

"Mother-in-law, may I borrow this place to store some things?"

Qin waved her hand.

"Forget about lending it out, this estate will be yours in the future, just use it as you like."

Xiao Fang nodded, then turned back to instruct Lu Zhao.

"Leave fifty people here to keep watch, in shifts day and night, and don't let a single stray cat in."

Lu Zhao agreed.

"The main road is right outside the city. If anything happens, send a message into the city."

The Dragon City Guards will arrive in less than half an hour.

"It means the same thing."

Xiao Fang said.

"Things can be discarded, but people cannot be forced into this situation."

If anything goes wrong, first send out a signal fire, then return to the city to report.

Lu Zhao raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, I'll assign a few fast men to guard the beacon fire."

Xiao Fang then followed Madam Qin into the inner hall.

Madam Qin had hot tea and snacks served, and then inquired about Yun Shuyao in detail.

"How has Shuyao been feeling these days? Is she able to eat? Has she vomited?"

Xiao Fang hurriedly replied.

"She didn't vomit much, and her appetite was okay."

He's just lazier than before, sleeping more, but his complexion isn't bad.

Madam Qin smiled.

"This child is a mother-loving child."

Unlike when I was pregnant with Yun Shuwen, I vomited so badly that I almost lost half my life.

Later, when she was pregnant with Shuyao, she felt much more comfortable. She could eat and sleep well, and her face even had a rosy glow.

As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao Fang and tentatively asked.

"I wonder if His Highness will be disappointed if this pregnancy results in a daughter?"

Xiao Fang's eyes lit up when he heard this.

"I love daughters. I really want a daughter."

"What's so good about a rascal? A daughter is much more considerate, like Shu Yao, she's the best."

Qin was taken aback for a moment, then laughed.

"You think differently from others."

She picked up her teacup, took a slow sip, and the smile in her eyes deepened.

Xiao Fang chatted with Qin Shi for a while longer before getting up to return to the city.

He said those things, but it wasn't entirely to comfort Qin Shi.

He is now in charge of the Censorate and will be leading a northern expedition in the future. The greater his power, the less he can afford to have an heir.

There are some things the Crown Prince won't hold against him, but the court officials will.

My daughter is good.

His daughter allows him to enjoy family life without being easily criticized.

With that thought in mind, he rode back to the capital at full speed.

Back at the Supervisory Department, Lu Zhao had already brought out several people who had been arrested.

One of them was Long Yuanming's confidant.

After several rounds of questioning, the man confessed to something.

Long Yuanming kept a group of assassins, hiding them in a secluded mountain valley on the outskirts of the city. There were about three thousand of them.

Xiao Fang's face darkened after hearing this.

"When did this happen?"

"It's been several years, I've been raising them for over a decade."

Lu Zhao also stopped smiling.

"They were all orphans, selected from a young age. Only one out of ten or so survived, and the rest died."

Xiao Fang made a decisive decision.

"Gather 30,000 Dragon City Guards and take them down tonight."

The three thousand elite warriors were hidden very well.

The valley is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only a narrow path leading to the entrance.

By the time Xiao Fang and his men surrounded them, it was already completely dark.

The Dragon City Guards lit torches and surrounded the city from three sides.

When the people inside realized they were surrounded, not one of them uttered a word to surrender.

They grabbed their swords and charged out like madmen.

One fell, and the other continued to pounce, stepping over the corpse.

Someone with a broken leg was still crawling forward, reaching out to grab the stirrup of the nearest cavalryman.

Some people were knocked off their horses, their knives slipping from their hands, so they used their teeth to bite them.

Lu Zhao watched for a while, then couldn't help but curse.

"These people don't even know how to write the word 'death'."

Xiao Fang, mounted on his horse, had a somber expression.

He looked at those reckless suicide soldiers as if they were a pack of wolves whose humanity had been worn away.

"They were locked up in the mountains since they were young, and they wouldn't have survived to this day if they hadn't killed people."

Only one out of ten people survives; the number of dead far exceeds the number of living.

After all these years, those who can stand here are no longer human.

Lu Zhao swallowed.

"You tell me, these guys are such good fighters, it's such a waste to kill them, why don't we recruit them?"

Xiao Fang shook his head.

"Cannot accept it."

Over the years, they have only recognized Long Yuanming.

Even if you lock him up until he dies, they will only try to save him or avenge him.

A person like Long Yuanming wouldn't raise something he can't even control.

Since we've taken them in, we must have ways to kill them.

Lu Zhao clicked his tongue twice.

"This is absolutely outrageous."

Xiao Fang didn't say anything more.

The sounds of fighting in the mountain valley gradually subsided.

In the firelight, the last assassin was pinned to the rock face by a spear.

The man was kneeling, his eyes still open, blood at the corner of his mouth, as if he were smiling.

Xiao Fang watched for a while, then slowly looked away.

"Withdraw the troops and return to the capital."

Before the morning court session even began, officials had already gathered outside the Meridian Gate.

Some people were rolling up their sleeves, while others were talking in hushed tones.

"I heard that His Majesty fainted again last night, only waking up once in between, and even medicine couldn't be fed to him."

"Several imperial physicians are present, but none dare say there's a chance of recovery. We should probably prepare for the worst..."

No one revealed what happened next.

But everyone knows that this time, the emperor is probably really not going to make it.

When the palace gates were opened, all the officials entered the hall.

Not long after, the Crown Prince held court again.

Wearing a golden crown and a bright yellow court robe, he gradually took his seat in the main position behind the dragon throne.

All the officials fell silent and looked over.

The prince's face was pale, and he was still thin, but when he sat down, his back was straighter than usual.

He looked around the hall, then raised his hand to the eunuch beside him.

"Proclaim the imperial decree."

The eunuch stepped forward and unrolled the bright yellow scroll.

"The Crown Prince decreed—"

"Order Xiao Fang to lead the northern expeditionary army and immediately set out to attack the Northern Hu."

"Fifty thousand Imperial Guards were transferred from the capital to supplement the 400,000-strong Zhenbei Army."

"Xiao Fang will assume the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Garrison. The former Marquis of Valiant Valor is getting old and will hand over the Tiger Tally immediately and return to the capital to recuperate."

After the imperial edict was read, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Some officials' expressions changed on the spot.

One person stepped forward first.

"Your Highness, you mustn't!"

"His Majesty has just signed a peace treaty with the Northern Hu. How can we turn around and send troops immediately? Wouldn't that be going back on our word?"

As soon as he spoke, several more people stepped forward from behind him.

"Yes, Your Highness! The court has torn up the peace treaty without even lifting a finger. Which of the surrounding countries will dare to trust our Great Liang in the future?"

"The Northern Hu envoys have just left, and there are no battle reports from the border. Why send troops now?"

Whispers and discussions grew louder and louder inside the hall.

The crown prince's face slowly darkened.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and slapped the dragon table.

"Snapped!"

The entire hall was silent.