Chapter 120: The Eve

Tomorrow is Princess Xinyue’s coming-of-age ceremony, yet the festive atmosphere has been shattered by the city-wide lockdown. As the capital of the Skyfire Empire, Flame City has been infiltrated by numerous high-level experts from enemy nations—a direct and humiliating slap in the face to the imperial house.

Zhu Yan sat rigidly upon his throne, his fury radiating a tyrannical Fire-element battle aura. He appeared like a god of fire standing in defiance, his rage pushing him to the brink of losing his composure.

"Insolent! How could those scum possibly appear in Flame City? Is this what you call tight security? Where is the Commander of the Imperial Guard? Get out here!"

"Y-your Majesty... this humble servant is here..." A timid voice drifted from below. A middle-aged man scrambled out from among the officials, tripping and falling flat on his face.

The surrounding courtiers looked at him with utter disdain, as if observing a corpse. Indeed, it is difficult to survive such gross negligence.

"Guards, drag him out and behead him!" Zhu Yan was decisive. With a wave of his hand, the commander was sent flying by a blast of energy; two guards immediately seized him by the shoulders and hauled him away. A moment later, a shrill scream pierced the sky, echoing incessantly through the palace.

Hu Yihu stepped forward with a grave expression. "Your Majesty, please calm your wrath. There is surely something fishy about this matter. While the commander bears inescapable responsibility, I suspect there is a mastermind pulling the strings behind the scenes; otherwise, those people could never have infiltrated the city so easily."

As Hu Yihu spoke, his gaze brushed past Situ Aoyun and Xu Shizhong. Their faces remained stoic, but their breathing and heartbeats shifted noticeably.

Hu Yihu felt a surge of secret delight. He had not expected Hu Mo’s plan to proceed so smoothly; in just one night, they had seized the initiative in the entire political struggle. Seeing the anxiety of Situ Aoyun and Xu Shizhong brought him immense satisfaction.

Zhu Yan and Hu Yihu had already coordinated in secret, so they knew exactly what the other was thinking. Zhu Yan had previously harbored doubts about Hu Yihu, but the events of last night confirmed his claims. Consequently, he became immediately wary of the Situ and Xu families, while his guardedness toward the Hu family reached a new level.

After a moment of "thought," he nodded. "Minister Hu’s analysis is sound. This matter is certainly not simple. For now, I leave the investigation to you, Minister Hu. However, do not be overly aggressive; conduct the investigation in secret. Tomorrow, envoys from the five great sects and the Heavenly Saint Palace will arrive in Flame City. I shall seek their counsel then."

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Yan’s eyes as he swept a glance toward Situ Aoyun and Xu Shizhong. That single look made the two old men’s hearts skip a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over them.

*Does His Majesty already know?* the two thought simultaneously, cold sweat soaking their robes.

"Ministers Situ and Xu, you must assist Minister Hu. If enemy spies are lurking in Flame City, your own safety is surely at risk, so this matter must not be taken lightly. Do you understand?" Zhu Yan said with a soft tone. The sudden disappearance of his previous rage left the two men feeling deeply unsettled.

"We understand, Your Majesty. We shall naturally assist Marshal Hu in rooting out these spies and eradicating them completely! Not a single one shall remain!" Situ Aoyun declared with a righteous air, almost causing Hu Yihu to laugh aloud.

Xu Shizhong stepped forward as well, bowing his head. "We shall obey your decree, Your Majesty. However, I have a few words to offer, if I may."

"Speak, Minister Xu. You are known for your loyalty; what can you not say in this court?" Zhu Yan replied with a smile. To anyone unaware of the situation, his words sounded perfectly ordinary.

Xu Shizhong composed himself, straightened his posture, and said, "Your Majesty, I suggest that we delay the investigation until after the envoys from the Heavenly Saint Palace have departed. For now, we need only strengthen our defenses. This is the first time the Heavenly Saint Palace envoys have visited Flame City; if they see the city in a state of panic, the Empire’s reputation will be severely tarnished. If we inadvertently offend the Palace, the Empire will face suppression. Furthermore, now that the Heavenly Saint Palace is here, what other forces would dare act recklessly? Therefore, I advise us to suppress this matter for now and plan carefully for the future."

On the surface, Xu Shizhong’s words were impeccable, seemingly motivated entirely by the interests of the Skyfire Empire. Following his lead, Situ Aoyun and their entire faction voiced their agreement. Only Hu Yihu and a few generals from the Ministry of War remained silent. Hu Yihu squinted, watching the show with amusement, thinking to himself: *Your Majesty, surely you see it now. Mo’er’s deduction was spot on—everything is going exactly as planned.*

Although a smile remained on Zhu Yan’s face, his heart was filled with shock. Only now did he fully believe Hu Yihu’s warnings. The power of the Situ and Xu families had reached such a height that he felt a sense of encroaching decay, as if Situ Aoyun and the others were the true masters of the court.

He took a hidden breath to calm his turbulent emotions and said evenly, "Minister Xu’s words also carry weight. Let the Hall of Venerables take charge of security, while the three of you oversee the investigation. Let us not cause a public stir and focus on prevention. I hope your words prove prophetic, Minister Xu, and that no mishaps occur."

The officials acknowledged the order and withdrew. Zhu Yan and Hu Yihu exchanged a look, shook their heads in silent resignation, and left the hall.

Hu Yihu’s expression shifted, and with a soft sigh, he turned to leave. He could no longer predict what would happen next; everything had fallen into a state of chaos that no one could clearly see or fathom.

Deep within the palace, a lonely silhouette stood gracefully by the pond. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her reflection rippled in the water. Her heart, however, remained far from peaceful.

"Is there really no room for me in your heart? Heh, so it was all just my own wishful thinking," the girl murmured to herself. Two tears fell into the pond, sending out ripples.

"Little sister, what are you thinking about? Can you tell your big sister?" Zhu Xinluo approached with a smile, standing by her side.

For the past few days, Zhu Xinyue had stood here, refusing to leave. She hadn't even reacted when Hu Mo was appointed as a general. It wasn't that he was no longer in her heart, but that she was afraid. She was afraid to face reality; since everything had been made clear, what point was there in continuing?

"Big sister, what brings you to the palace today? You look so joyous—has something good happened?" Zhu Xinyue forced a smile, her face deathly pale.

Zhu Xinluo waved her arm excitedly and laughed, "Of course there is happy news! My little sister is about to marry the Crown Prince of the Shenmu Empire—is that not a grand occasion? Little sister, were you thinking about your future husband just now? Heh, I’ve already asked around for you. The Crown Prince is known as the most handsome man in the Shenmu Empire. Not only is he dashing, but he is a genius in cultivation—already a Level 1 Battle King in his early twenties. He is also well-versed in both literature and martial arts. Little sister, when you marry him, you will be the envy of every woman in the world. Even I am a little jealous!"

Zhu Xinluo licked her lips with a gluttonous expression. Seeing this, Zhu Xinyue shook her head with a bitter smile and said faintly, "Big sister, you needn't be jealous. If you want him, I can give him to you. Heh, though I am only joking."

"Have you fallen for Hu Mo?" Zhu Xinluo’s tone shifted abruptly.

Zhu Xinyue’s expression flickered, but she shook her head. "Big sister, don't try to fish for words. I have accepted my fate. Since my life is destined this way, what is the use of futile resistance? What is more pathetic is that I don't even know if what I think or do has any meaning. If that is the case, why should I pursue anything else? Heh, how tiresome."

Zhu Xinluo’s expression dimmed. She sighed, "Little sister, marriages are destined by heaven; one cannot force them. Compared to me, you are much more fortunate, aren't you? Prepare yourself. Once you marry into the Shenmu Empire, everything will settle down. This is the life of a woman—to find a good pillar of support to marry; that is the greatest happiness. Everything else... heh, it is all just empty."

Zhu Xinluo gave Zhu Xinyue a meaningful look, hugged her gently, and turned to walk away. After ten steps, she stopped. Without turning back, she said softly, "However, if you ever find a reason to fight, do not just wait for death. Sometimes, miracles happen. I don't believe in them, but I hope you do, little sister."

As her words faded, Zhu Xinluo’s figure slowly drifted into the distance. Zhu Xinyue stood by the pond, murmuring, "A reason? Who will give me a reason?"

Back at the Hu estate, one of Hu Mo’s chess pieces suddenly slipped, knocking over four or five others. He rubbed his forehead in a daze, looked at Old Fu—who was watching him with a kindly gaze—and laughed, "I didn't sleep at all last night, so my mind is a bit sluggish, heh..."

Hu Mo’s explanation was one even he could hardly believe. Old Fu continued to watch him with a smile, picked up the white pieces he had captured, and sighed, "Once these pieces are lost, this old servant truly misses them. What a pity, what a pity—what is lost will never return."

As he spoke, Old Fu began clearing the board. "Young Master, get some rest. Tomorrow is Princess Xinyue’s engagement ceremony; your mental state is important!"

Hu Mo froze, stood up, glanced toward the palace, shook his head, and slowly walked away.