The Imperial Prison.
Xiao Bingsheng was thrown into a cell, no longer subjected to the daily interrogations he had endured before. All that awaited him now was the countdown to his execution—the annihilation of his entire clan.
The Nine Familial Exterminations.
Xiao Bingsheng struggled to open his eyes. The scene of the imperial guards delivering the decree slowly surfaced in his mind. As the last remnant of the previous dynasty's royal bloodline, he had hidden his identity for decades. Yet, all his efforts had been undone in an instant—all because Prince Qin had made a trip to Yong'an County.
He seethed with hatred.
His consciousness began to blur, and Xiao Bingsheng felt as though he had been pulled into a dream.
In this dream, Prince Qin remained the same spoiled, reckless nobleman, but there was no trace of Princess Fu'an in his mansion. The Crown Prince had not been deposed either—instead, he ascended the throne smoothly after the Emperor's passing.
The Xiao family had lain dormant, biding their time.
The Crown Prince, incompetent and unworthy, had ordered Prince Qin's execution on the very second day of his reign—handing the Xiao family a golden opportunity on a silver platter.
In the dream, Xiao Bingsheng commanded Ma Liang to rally the people under the pretense of a divine omen at the royal ancestral temple in Yong'an County. Using Prince Qin's unjust death as a catalyst, they denounced the New Emperor as a cruel and unfit ruler.
With the reputation Ma Liang had built in Yong'an County, the rebellion quickly gained the support of the masses. Meanwhile, the Xiao family's hidden armies, disguised as righteous rebels, answered Ma Liang's call and marched straight to the capital.
The New Emperor, having ruled for less than a month, was struck down by Xiao Bingsheng's arrow. Every last descendant of the Song imperial bloodline was executed under his orders.
He restored his ancestors' legacy, overthrowing the Great Qi dynasty and establishing a new reign.
The sheer bliss of this dream made Xiao Bingsheng's lips curl into a faint smile.
If only this dream could become reality...
But why had Prince Qin changed? Why had the Crown Prince been deposed?
Xiao Bingsheng couldn't understand.
The next day, when the guards conducted their routine inspection, they found Xiao Bingsheng's corpse—already stiff, yet still wearing that eerie, unsettling smile.
......
Meanwhile, Song Yu and Song Shihuan arrived at the military camp.
Their visit had been prompted by Shen Qingping's offhand remark—that Song Yanchao and Song Yanming, the two princes from Ping Prince's Mansion, seemed to be steadily gaining influence among the soldiers.
Father and daughter exchanged a glance—this simply wouldn’t do.
Without hesitation, they marched straight to the camp.
Inside the main tent:
"General Gu Zheng, I’ve heard that the soldiers have nothing but praise for Song Yanchao and Song Yanming these days?" Song Shihuan smiled sweetly, though her eyes remained cold.
Gu Zheng cursed inwardly.
"Your Highness, you must understand—the two young masters have... charmed the soldiers beyond reason. One moment, they suggest letting the men return home for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The next, they demand better winter uniforms." Gu Zheng rubbed his temples in frustration. "These matters follow strict regulations. How can they be changed on a whim?"
"Those little brats!" Song Yu fumed. "I’ll teach them a lesson myself."
But Song Shihuan stopped him. "Father, leave it to me."
She turned to Gu Zheng. "General, please gather all the soldiers—and summon Song Yanchao and Song Yanming as well. Tell them... that my father wishes to inspect the troops."
As the Minister of War, Prince Qin had every right to visit the camp.
An hour later, the entire army stood assembled on the training grounds. Song Yanchao and Song Yanming, dressed as ordinary soldiers, stood among the ranks.
Song Shihuan removed her cloak and darted into the formation like a sprite, stopping right in front of the two brothers.
"Second Brother! Third Brother! You’re here too!"
Her delighted expression made the brothers' right eyelids twitch in unison.
"How long have you been training here? Is it exhausting? Have your combat skills improved?" She bombarded them with questions, leaving them speechless.
Before they could respond, she tilted her head. "How about a sparring match?"
Knowing full well what Song Shihuan was capable of, the brothers immediately tried to refuse.
But Song Yu’s voice cut in first. "I’ll allow it. Each of you shall duel Shihuan—let the soldiers bear witness."
Half an hour later, Song Yanchao and Song Yanming found themselves forced onto the training platform.
"Second Brother, Third Brother... go easy on me, won’t you?"
To them, her sweet smile was nothing short of demonic.
......
Song Yanchao went first.
Gritting his teeth, he threw a heavy punch—only for Song Shihuan to block it effortlessly. In one fluid motion, she flipped him over her shoulder and slammed him into the ground.
"Ah—!"
Song Yanchao groaned, feeling as though his organs had been rearranged.
"Third Brother, your turn."
Song Shihuan smirked. Before Song Yanming could react, she struck—her fist a blur of motion. He flew off the platform like a ragdoll, landing at the feet of the front-row soldiers.
Silence.
Only the brothers' pained groans filled the air.
"What happened? Fetch the imperial physicians!" Song Yu feigned panic. "How... how could two grown men lose to a child? After this, you must focus on your training—leave the meddling to others."
The underlying message made Song Yanchao and Song Yanming choke on their fury.
As for the soldiers who had witnessed the spectacle, their opinion of the two brothers plummeted.
Two men who couldn’t even defeat a young girl? Pathetic.
Prince Qin was right—they should focus on honing their skills.
On the battlefield, they’d rather trust their lives to stronger comrades.
Meanwhile, back at Ping Prince's Mansion:
"Has Censor Han been released yet?" Song Yanzheng glared at his stammering servant before smashing his teacup to the ground. "That Prince Qin’s household is nothing but a curse! Wherever they go, disaster follows!"
He had finally convinced Censor Han to mentor him for the imperial exams—only for the man to be imprisoned just two months before the test.
"Your Highness, please calm down—"
"Calm down? How can I?" Song Yanzheng’s rage flared. "I have no one reliable by my side, while Song Yu somehow turned that useless Shen Qingping into a valuable asset!"
A deep sense of powerlessness washed over him.
No matter how hard he schemed, everything he worked for was effortlessly destroyed by Prince Qin’s household.
Just as despair threatened to consume him, a panicked voice rang out:
"Your Highness! The second and third young masters have been beaten up by Princess Fu'an at the military camp!"
