After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Prince Xin retorted sarcastically, "Traitorous ministers, wolves in sheep's clothing. A bunch of wretched wretches who have no ruler or father and only fear that the world is not chaotic enough, what do you want to advise me about?" She angrily rebuked them.

The Kitchen God, however, was not angry, and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Your Highness is mistaken again. I would not call myself a traitor, but I am certainly a villain."

The bandit leader spoke calmly, only half of what she said. Prince Xin's almond-shaped eyes flickered slightly, and he became more serious.

With just one sentence from the other person, she understood where they came from.

They came from the north.

Therefore, he did not consider himself a "subject" of the Zhu family.

The Kitchen God said softly, "Your Highness, I am from the Central Plains."

"So the Tartars sent you?"

Prince Xin's voice turned cold.

"The Northern Tartars want to capture me and force my Great Liang to surrender? They're dreaming!"

"Your Highness, I was not sent by the Northern Tartars either."

The Kitchen God calmly denied it.

"We are but a gift from heaven, born of humble origins, nothing more than a floating duckweed in this chaotic world..."

Duckweed... Prince Xin's eyes narrowed.

A few wisps of wind carrying a fishy smell blew in through the window, causing the lights in the cell to flicker slightly.

The Kitchen God's eyes were calm, and his tone was as flat as water, seemingly devoid of any emotion.

"Your Highness... I was born in a rural village. My family has three houses built by my ancestors, as well as twenty mu of land... or maybe ten mu... I can't remember."

My father was a skilled farmer, and my mother was a kind and gentle weaver. She was forty years old when she gave birth to me. I have three older brothers and one older sister, and one younger sister who is two years younger than me.

"The eldest brother is like his father, working hard from dawn till dusk. The second and third brothers are not so good; they are lazy and playful. They often go hunting in the mountains together to avoid farming."

"After being punished by his father and brothers, he was able to calm down and go to the fields for a few days. His father and brothers originally wanted to rent another ten acres of land, but this was not possible because of his second and third brothers."

"My older sister got married, and her husband is from the same village. They're just ordinary country folk, so their marriage isn't exactly harmonious. But my sister has two older brothers and two younger brothers, and she's the one who bullies her husband, and he can't say a word..."

"...I don't remember much about what happened after that. In short, when I was five years old, my parents died at the hands of the Tartars, and my elder brother's family became slaves of the Tartars."

"My eldest brother and his family were taken north by the Tartars to farm for them. After leaving the village, my eldest brother jumped into the river..."

"...My brother-in-law died under the arrows of the Tartars. It seems that the Tartars were hunting over there, but my brother-in-law went there to cut firewood and accidentally entered their hunting grounds...My nephew seems to be alive, or he seems to be dead. He is a year older than me. He and my eldest sister were taken by the government to repair the city...I have never gone to look for him."

"To be honest, Your Highness... I still don't understand why I never go looking for it..."

"...They were going to conscript people to work the land...My second and third brothers took my sister and me and we fled...On the way, my sister-in-law was robbed...The robber was a Han soldier from the Green Standard Army, I heard he was a bondservant of the Tartars...After my second and third brothers killed him, my two brothers died together, and my sister died too...I escaped..."

"I glanced back as I fled... My sister was still alive then, and I was just about to go back to save her... She was killed, her neck was slashed... I felt both like crying and relieved at the time... I turned and ran... I never looked back... Your Highness... I've thought about it for over thirty years, and I truly felt relieved at that moment."

Done.

The Kitchen God calmly looked at the Prince of Xin behind the iron fence.

"Therefore, Your Highness is right. I am indeed without a ruler or father, neither a subject nor a servant of the Zhu family."

The lights in the cell gradually dimmed, but the shadow cast by the Kitchen God on the ground trembled slightly.

Prince Xin glanced at him, his gaze remaining silent.

"Someone is hiding in the mountains."

The Kitchen God paused for two breaths, then spoke again.

"When I was starving to death, my mentor happened to pass by and saved me. He took me as his apprentice, taught me his unique skills, and led me, a down-on-my-luck martial artist, to make a living by performing."

"I was sometimes hungry and sometimes full. When I was eighteen and reached adulthood, my master beat me up, saying that I had stolen his rice bowl, and expelled me from the school..."

"He wandered to Tianjin and later traveled to Beijing with a woman, performing acrobatics and making a living along the way."

"A year later, I saw my master again, and his head was hanging outside the Meridian Gate of the capital..."

"My master's name was Zhang Shiwu. Twenty-two years ago, he and Han Qing, the leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect, stormed into the Forbidden City. He was captured alive by the Tartars, cut in half at the waist outside the Meridian Gate, and his head was displayed to the public... Only then did I realize that my master did not abandon me... He abandoned himself as well."

The Kitchen God straightened his back a little, and his shadow on the ground stretched forward like flowing blood.

"At midnight, I secretly came to steal my mentor's head, but someone beat me to it and fought with the Tartar soldiers who were waiting for me."

"The newcomer was highly skilled in martial arts. He single-handedly chopped off the heads of eight Tartars with a single sword. I was moved by his enthusiasm and took the opportunity to attack. Together with him, we snatched the heads of several members of the Heavenly Principle Cult."

"Seeing that his martial arts skills were decent, he asked him who he was. Holding his master's head, he told him the truth."

"That night, the moon was bright and the air was clear. I was young and impetuous. Seeing that he was thin but had extraordinary courage, I asked him directly who he was. He laughed and said that he was the new leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect, who had only been in office for three days. As for his name... he laughed again, clasped his hands in a fist salute to me, and said... his old name has been abandoned, and his current name is Han Qing... Han Qing."

The Kitchen God repeated the name with a rising tone at the end.

It was a resounding statement.

When the so-called new leader of the Heavenly Principles Sect was mentioned, his eyes and tone finally changed. His eyes were like fire, and his tone was as if he had returned to his youth.

The crown and beaded curtain of the Prince Xin moved slightly.

"So...you joined the Heavenly Principle Cult,"

She sighed inwardly, and after a long pause, said in a calm tone,

"Are you a follower of the Heavenly Principle Sect?"

The Kitchen God calmly replied, "I have nowhere to go."

The Prince of Xin lowered her eyelids slightly, and after a long pause, she said softly, "What do you wish to advise me about?"

The Kitchen God stood silently with his hands behind his back, offering no reply.

Prince Xin glanced at him and knew that what the other party was after was probably nothing more than the word "Northern Expedition".

Prince Xin sighed softly and said, "I truly feel ashamed at the tears of your remaining people... However... war is a matter of vital importance to the state; it is a matter of life and death, a road to survival or destruction, and cannot be ignored..."

The Kitchen God sighed and calmly interrupted, "Your Highness is right, and I have finished my admonition... If that is the case, then we can only ask your dynasty to find a new ruler who is willing to have pity on the people of the Central Plains..."

The prison was divided into two sections: the inner section held Prince Xin and his female officials, while the outer section held the officials of the Eastern Palace.

"As I said, I have captured a relative who is very important to Your Highness."

At that moment, the outer door was pushed open.

A man in white, whose hands and feet were bound, was brought in.

……

……

"Clang!"

Ning Nan kicked open the wooden door of the farmhouse.

Holding the pale-faced Peng Liangang hostage, he leaned against the door. The sun was setting outside, and the light was blinding, making it difficult for him to open his eyes for a moment. So, the blade had to be pressed against Peng Liangang's throat. After a while, his eyes slowly opened.

A few clumps of green grass came into view, their tips tinged with yellow.

The fields ahead are golden, with waves of wheat stretching to the horizon.

Take another look into the distance.

The mountains stretch endlessly, and a narrow path winds its way through the fields.

A gust of autumn wind blew from afar, carrying a few fallen leaves with it.

Ning Nan slowly exhaled, knowing that he had finally seen the light of day again.

A white horse stopped in the courtyard.

Gongsun Heng stood beside him with a tense expression.