One palace maidservant knelt beside the wide corridor, tears streaming down her face as she looked at Feng Xiyan and his approaching army.

Clasping her hands, she cried out, "Great General Feng, thank you for saving this servant’s life!"

After speaking, she kowtowed deeply, her forehead pressed against the back of her hands.

Seeing this, the eunuchs and other palace maidservants followed.

Kneeling along the wide corridor, they called out in unison, voices trembling with relief and hope, "Great General Feng, thank you for saving this servant’s life!"

As their voices echoed through the long palace corridor, they lowered their heads in deep bows.

Feng Xiyan’s gaze flickered slightly at this sight. As he rode past them, he said only two words.

"Thank you."

Hearing this, the first palace maidservant froze.

By the time she lifted her head, Feng Xiyan and his soldiers had already vanished into the depths of the palace corridors.

With the eunuchs and palace maidservants’ assistance, Feng Xiyan and his soldiers reached Yang Xin Palace in just twenty minutes.

When they arrived, Wen Kang, the Minister of War, and the generals were still waiting for the good news of the surprise attack.

Looking at the deserted Yang Xin Palace, Feng Xiyan calmly ordered, "One hundred men, follow this general inside. The rest of you, surround this palace. Make sure that not even a fly can get in or out without this general’s permission."

"Yes, Great General!" the elite soldiers replied. They dismounted their warhorses and quickly surrounded the Yang Xin Palace.

Dismounting his warhorse, Feng Xiyan drew his blue sword and walked past the wide-open main entrance.

Inside the imperial study, the Minister of War heard the sounds from outside and muttered, "Did I hear that wrong?"

Just as he was questioning his ears, the closed door was kicked open from the outside.

Bam!

The door cracked, then swung open and hit the wall.

Crash!

As the door broke into pieces, Wen Kang and the generals turned toward it. The moment they saw Feng Xiyan walking in with black-armored soldiers following behind him, their eyes widened in shock.

Bam!

Wen Kang slammed the table and stood up. His eyes turned red as he glared at Feng Xiyan. If looks could kill, Feng Xiyan’s body would have been riddled with holes.

Gritting his teeth, Wen Kang growled furiously, "Feng Xiyan!"

The moment Feng Xiyan stepped into the spacious imperial study, his eyes fell on Wen Kang. Clenching his blue sword, memories surged in his mind.

His father’s last look, his mother’s gentle words, and the straight backs of his family members when they left him.

Feng Xiyan’s eyes turned red, as if all he could see was the blood from that day.

Standing behind him, the elite soldiers felt the drop in temperature and the shift in Feng Xiyan’s aura. With their weapons ready, they looked at Wen Kang as if he were already dead.

Under Feng Xiyan and the elite soldiers’ cold gazes, Wen Kang felt fear for the first time.

Unable to accept that he was afraid of Feng Xiyan, Wen Kang rushed to the metal rack where the imperial sword was displayed. Grabbing it, he drew the long sword and pointed it at Feng Xiyan.

Turning to the generals, Wen Kang growled, "What are you still waiting for?! Kill him for Zhen!"

Hearing this, the generals snapped out of their fear and quickly drew their swords. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Just as they were about to attack, Feng Xiyan glanced at them.

In an instant, fear engulfed them. Their bodies trembled instinctively, their fingers loosened, and their weapons fell to the cold floor.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Looking at Feng Xiyan in horror, the youngest general fell to his knees. Cold sweat soaked his back and slid down his forehead as he begged, "P–please don’t kill me."

As if awakened by the young general’s plea, the other generals quickly knelt. Banging their heads against the cold floor, they begged for their lives.

"Great General Feng, please spare me!"

"Great General Feng, I’m willing to serve you with my life! Please don’t kill me!"

Seeing every one of his generals begging for their lives, Wen Kang almost fainted from anger. Pointing a trembling finger at them, he heaved in fury but couldn’t utter a single word.

Feng Xiyan calmly watched the terrified generals and the furious Wen Kang, feeling that all his efforts over the years had been nothing but a joke.

He looked up at the gold-adorned ceiling, then suddenly laughed. "Ha! Ha! Ha!"

His sudden laughter startled not only the generals but also his own soldiers.

Watching their usually calm and composed Great General laugh maniacally as tears slid from the corners of his eyes, the elite soldiers lowered their heads in silence.

Feng Xiyan laughed until he was short of breath before suddenly stopping.

Closing his eyes, he thought, ’Father, Mother... how could you die from the schemes of this kind of man?’

Filled with unwillingness and hatred, Feng Xiyan’s unstable mind finally broke down. He walked toward Wen Kang, staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

Wen Kang came back to his senses when he saw Feng Xiyan dragging his blue sword across the floor as he approached. Swallowing hard, he stepped back, his eyes fixed on Feng Xiyan’s cold, emotionless face.

One step...

Two steps...

Three steps...

Wen Kang kept retreating until his back hit the wall. Realizing he could go no farther, determination flashed in his eyes.

Gripping the imperial sword tightly, Wen Kang gritted his teeth. At this moment, all his fear turned into anger and humiliation.

Charging forward, he shouted, "Feng Xiyan! Go die!"

Feng Xiyan watched the sword aimed at his chest, but didn’t dodge or move. Only when it was about to pierce him did he act.

Raising his sword, he slashed horizontally. His sword moved so fast that nobody present could see when he made his move.

Slash!

Thud! Thud!

The sound of something heavy hitting the floor stilled even the air.