Jiaohua

Chapter 1698 The Places You Want to Go, I'll Go With You (The End)
Xia Zhaoyi and Shen Lie hadn't heard any news about Fan Zhuyi's sect for two years.

Yang Guanxian and Wu Renhao, including Qingque Pavilion, never stopped investigating Lin Qingfeng, but Lin Qingfeng and Ji Hong have almost disappeared in the past two years.

Shen Lie quietly put on his clothes, and as he was about to leave, Xia Zhaoyi woke up: "Shen Lie?"

Shen Lie sat down on the edge of the bed, his voice soft: "Fan Zhuyi is here. He wants to see me."

"Fan Zhuyi?" Xia Zhaoyi frowned slightly. "He must have no other choice."

After saying that, Xia Zhaoyi shook her head again: "It shouldn't be. Tang Xiangsi and Xie Zhong can't survive without money, but Fan Zhuyi's sect is not poor, in fact, they are quite wealthy. They have a place to hide and don't need to show their faces for a living."

Shen Lie said, "You rest first, I'll go take a look and I'll know for sure."

Xia Zhaoyi grasped his hand: "The most important thing is to find out the whereabouts of Ji Hong and Lin Qingfeng. Lu Ningjin has been looking for them."

In the past few years in the Northwest, Xia Zhaoyi has tried to find Lu Ningjin's brother, but has not been able to find him.

The number of people who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield was far too great, numbering in the tens of millions, and not everyone was able to leave their name behind.

Since this matter is already a regret, finding Ji Hong and Lin Qingfeng, who harmed her and her brother back then, is the only thing she can do for Lu Ningjin.

Shen Lie said, "Okay, I will find out. Don't worry."

After a pause, Shen Lie added, "Ying Jinliang, that useless piece of trash."

When Xia Zhaoyi handed Lin Qingfeng over to Ying Jinliang, she knew that Ying Jinliang would not let Lin Qingfeng off easily, and she also wanted to give Ying Jinliang, who was still somewhat influential at the time, some face.

As a result, Ying Jinliang actually let Lin Qingfeng escape.

Ying Jinliang is still under house arrest in Shen Lie's hands, and Shen Lie has not paid any attention to him.

These past few years have been so busy that Shen Lie has completely forgotten about him. Lu Ningjin knows that Xia Zhaoyi is busy, so she has never mentioned this matter in her letters to Xia Zhaoyi, for fear of troubling her.

However, Lu Ningjin was no longer in a hurry. Lin Qingfeng was able to escape from Ying Jinliang's hands, but Ying Jinliang would definitely have no way to escape from Shen Lie's hands.

Now that I'm finally free, it's time to settle things.

"You go to sleep, I'll go check on things, leave these to me." Shen Lie gently kissed Xia Zhaoyi's forehead and tucked the blanket around her.

Xia Zhaoyi knew he would handle it well, and being tired, she quickly fell asleep peacefully.

Fan Zhuyi was sitting in the living room. When Shen Lie saw him, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

A far cry from his usual aloof and otherworldly demeanor, reminiscent of bamboo, pine, crane, and Taoist elegance, Fan Zhuyi now wore a crimson brocade robe with floral and swastika patterns. The collar and cuffs were trimmed with two-finger-wide gold thread depicting auspicious and longevity symbols, and a royal blue belt with jade and emerald buckles cinched his waist. He looked exactly like a wealthy and powerful money changer.

Upon seeing Shen Lie, Fan Zhuyi stood up and looked him over somewhat awkwardly.

In his early years, Shen Lie followed Shen An. Fan Zhuyi's impression of him was simply that he was a hot-tempered, spoiled, and aloof young master with a family that had been wealthy for generations. He was exceptionally handsome, tall, and skilled in martial arts, but that was all. In terms of background, although there were the Yunliang Shen family and the Zuilu Guo family, neither of these families had any high-ranking officials or noble princes. Shen Lie was unambitious and, although his demeanor was cold and aloof, he was deeply devoted to family ties and was very easy to manipulate. Therefore, it seemed that Fan Zhuyi could see right through Shen Lie's future.

But Fan Zhuyi never imagined that Shen Lie could rise to such a position. Now he wields immense power, commands a large army, boasts numerous military achievements, and is undefeated. Meanwhile, Shen An, whom Fan Zhuyi had always admired, failed to become a prominent figure in the Xuandao sect on Ye Mountain.

Fan Zhuyi bowed awkwardly: "I am Fan, and I greet General Shen."

Shen Lie sat down and said calmly, "What do you want with me?"

Fan Zhuyi lowered his eyes and said, "My disciple is blinded by lust and has been led by the nose by Lin Qingfeng. His family is very wealthy, and I'm afraid it will all fall into Lin Qingfeng's hands in the future. I have come here to discuss a deal. I am willing to give you the map of Linquan and ask General Shen to help me deal with Lin Qingfeng."

"Your apprentice?"

Fan Zhuyi paused for a moment, then said, "It's not Shen An, but Jiang Hui."

Shen Lie's dark eyes turned playful as he looked at Fan Zhuyi thoughtfully.

Fan Zhuyi felt a chill run down her spine from the pressure of his aura.

Before coming here, I had imagined how difficult Shen Lie would be to deal with, but when I got to him, I truly understood what it meant to be miserable.

Shen Lie said, "We've already got the map of Linquan, and neither Ali nor I are very interested in Linquan. Do you have anything else to exchange?"

"Aren't Lin Qingfeng and Ji Hong's lives enough? You're not interested in Lin Quan, so what about Lin Qingfeng and Ji Hong?"

"More."

Fan Zhuyi frowned: "Is 80% of Jiang Hui's wealth enough? His family is wealthy, though not as wealthy as yours, but I don't believe you would look down on his assets."

"Any more?"

Fan Zhuyi said, "You!"

Shen Lie's handsome face remained expressionless as he simply stared at him.

Fan Zhuyi realized that she had entered the tiger's den.

But there was nothing he could do; he was furious.

He has suffered too much humiliation in recent years.

During the chaotic battle at the Hengshui River back then, he was stabbed by one of Dongfang Shi's men. Because Ji Hong refused to help him, he was furious and broke off relations with Ji Hong, and they started fighting. Afterwards, Lin Qingfeng's face was slashed by a haggard old woman, and his entire face peeled off.

Having lost her beautiful appearance and now that Ying Jinliang knows she is a two-faced person, Lin Qingfeng's good days are over.

If things had ended there, it would have been fine, but Ji Hong was so eloquent that he tricked Jiang Hui into spending a lot of money to get Lin Qingfeng out of Tongdu!
Ji Hong's eloquence in making grand promises convinced Jiang Hui to follow his advice.

In addition, Lin Qingfeng, imitating Zhao Ning, also put on a veil. Her pair of pitiful and resentful doe eyes made Jiang Hui feel sorry for her. Occasionally, her flirtatious eyes could even bewitch Jiang Hui's soul.

And then there are those two vile sisters, Xiao Rong and Xiao Wu, who, under Lin Qingfeng's guidance and training, also joined in bewitching Jiang Hui.

As a result, over the past few years, Jiang Hui has become almost completely devoted to Ji Hong and Lin Qingfeng, the master and disciple duo.

Once they gained power, Fan Zhuyi's days were numbered.

A down-on-his-luck tiger is worse off than a dog.

The sword that Dongfang Shi's men stabbed him with back then damaged his vital energy.

After that, he was hunted down by Dongfang Shi and Lü Wuwei, by Wei Xingchuan's men, by Yang Guanxian and Du Xuan, and also by a newly emerging force from Huangmen Hai investigating the fire that burned down Xia Zhaoyi's grave in Meiling...

He only had two disciples left. One was Shen An, who was being held captive by Shen Lie and was on his deathbed, barely clinging to life.

One of them is Jiang Hui, who was bewitched by Lin Qingfeng and his apprentice.

If he hadn't had nowhere else to go, he wouldn't have wanted to stay by Jiang Hui's side.

But now, he could no longer tolerate it. The conflicts that had accumulated over the years, little by little, were burning his heart like a smoldering fire. He wished he could devour the master and apprentice and those two vile sisters alive and fight to the death.

So he simply walked right into the trap.

Moreover, apart from his own apprentices, he had never personally harmed anyone. Even though he traveled to Meiling to obtain Feng Qingang's path to immortality and dug up Xia Zhaoyi's grave, it was a dead man's grave, and he went there on Feng Qingang's orders. He was not the mastermind.

Upon closer examination, he did far fewer immoral things than Ji Hong.

After thinking for a moment, Fan Zhuyi said, "I don't know what else you want, but you can take Lin Qingfeng's life, Ji Hong's life, Jiang Hui's wealth, and Xiao Rong and Xiao Wu's lives!"

"Who are Xiao Rong and Xiao Wu?"

"You don't know?" Fan Zhuyi felt there was a chance. "They were child slaves from Chongyi Mountain, from the same batch as Ali. They always targeted Ali and bullied her!"

Shen Lie raised an eyebrow slightly.

Ye Zheng and Wu Shaoning looked at each other, finding it all unbelievable.

How could Ali be bullied?

Fan Zhuyi, as if remembering something, continued, "Although they were once interrogated by Ali, they were clever and charming, and being young girls, the soldiers who interrogated them only detained them briefly for a few months before releasing them. But I know they have many lives on their hands! And Jiang Hui, he once tried to grope Ali at the entrance of Nianhua Zhai, and Ali broke his nose in the process. Before he was beaten by Ali, he was no pushover; he had molested too many women!"

Wu Shaoning said, "Since General Ali broke his nose, he has already been punished. Besides, you can take these matters to the authorities. Why use a dragon-slaying knife to kill a chicken?"

"Chickens? Who said they are chickens?" Fan Zhuyi said angrily. "Lin Qingfeng and his ilk are no good people. They and their master have been causing trouble for the past few years! Through Jiang Hui's financial resources, they have been recruiting soldiers and sending people to cause trouble in Hengxiang! In addition, Lin Qingfeng secretly supported the Qiao family in doing evil. Back then, Teacher Youjian of Dongping Academy was killed by Qiao Zhengui, who was in league with her, to vent his anger!"

Mentioning the Qiao family, Shen Lie's eyes darkened.

Guo Guan's death remains a mystery, and Shen Lie only knows that he died a tragic death, but he never expected that it was related to the Qiao family.

Shen Lie kept his promise and protected the Qiao family members who were working for Shen An Pharmaceutical. However, because there were too many descendants of the Qiao family, Wei Xingchuan couldn't kill them all, and Yang Guanxian and Wu Renhao couldn't investigate them all either.

Now, another person has appeared, with an even more bizarre name: Qiao Zhengui.

However, Shen Lie suddenly remembered another person, Madam Yao, who had saved Yang Guanxian.

Ali had just come from Jinzhou. Madam Yao was from Jinzhou, and her original surname was Qiao. Back then, she even went to Hejing and gave Yang Guanxian a good scolding.

After Ali arrives in Jinzhou, she will definitely keep an eye on Ali's movements. She is not a threat, but it is unknown whether she will collude with other members of the Qiao family to do something strange.

They hid in the corner, and Shen Lie wouldn't bother with them unless he coveted Ali.

But if they were to use underhanded tricks against Ali, Shen Lie would be more than willing to follow Wei Xingchuan's example and exterminate them.

Seeing that Shen Lie seemed to be deep in thought, Fan Zhuyi finally showed interest and asked, "So, Shen Lie, should Lin Qingfeng and his disciple be killed?"

“You’re no better,” Shen Lie said coldly, lifting his eyelids. “Fan Zhuyi, you deserve to die too.”

Fan Zhuyi got goosebumps, but his voice was firm: "I am indeed not a good person, but I have not harmed anyone else. The only one I have wronged is my apprentice!"

Shen Lie's lips curled into a sneer: "You used Shen An as a test for poison, let Shi Youqing impersonate Kong Zefeng's daughter to enter the palace, then indirectly caused Lin Youqing's death, and now you've tricked Jiang Hui, sending him here for me to kill?"

Fan Zhuyi took a deep breath: "Shen Lie, Shen An's old ailments were caused by his birth mother's mistake. Letting him test the poison can also be seen as letting him test the antidote."

"No need for sophistry. You know what you're thinking. Don't fool yourself."

"...In short, I haven't harmed anyone. I was merely ordered to destroy Xia Zhaoyi's grave, but that crime isn't enough to warrant my death. If word gets back to the old man of Liling, he wouldn't want anyone killed because of his disciple's grave, would he? Shen Lie, you can punish me if you want, I'll accept it, but Lin Qingfeng and Ji Hong, that master and disciple pair, I want them dead!"

“Okay,” Shen Lie stood up. “Give me the address, and don’t make anything fake.”

Fan Zhuyi was overjoyed: "Great!"

Shen Lie looked at Wu Shaoning: "Imprison Fan Zhuyi and send him to Huangmenhai to perform hard labor on a chosen day."

"Yes!"

Fan Zhuyi's joy was short-lived, but her face turned to horror as she watched Shen Lie leave.

The next day, Shen Lie told Xia Zhaoyi about it.

Xia Zhaoyi's first words after hearing this were: "Useless Ying Jinliang."

If Ying Jinliang hadn't misjudged Lin Qingfeng, none of this would have happened.

"However, what is Lin Qingfeng's purpose?" Xia Zhaoyi asked again. "Her power is gone. With the money Jiang Hui has spent to recruit troops, who will lead them? A general cannot be recruited with money. Xie Zhong has dug up so many graves, he is rich enough, but he still has to pick up Fang Yinai and Fang Yiping who are already there."

After saying that, Xia Zhaoyi laughed to herself: "No, it's that my thoughts are still caught up in the chaos of war and haven't been adjusted yet. Recruiting soldiers doesn't necessarily mean building an army. Let me think, Lin Qingfeng's purpose... right, her face!"

Their first day together after a long separation was bound to be spent in bed. Now that the sun was high in the sky, Shen Lie was still lying in bed, his large hand around her waist: "If I'm not mistaken, the yellow-faced woman who ruined Lin Qingfeng's appearance is most likely Jiang Mei in disguise."

Xia Zhaoyi nodded: "Everything makes sense now. We destroyed Jiangmei's business of selling girls and put out a global manhunt for her, so she hates us. When Ji Hong impersonated the Xia family army, she thought Lin Qingfeng was one of my men, so she took drastic measures against Lin Qingfeng."

Shen Lie said, "If she hadn't been pregnant with Bian Yuanfeng's child, I wouldn't have guessed it."

"Yes, the person who escaped with Bian Yuanfeng back then must have been her. However, Lin Qingfeng probably won't be able to find her; she's already dead."

Should we tell Lin Qingfeng the truth?

Xia Zhaoyi said sinisterly, "No, I hate Lin Qingfeng, so I'll make sure she can't find her enemy and that her hatred has nowhere to go."

Shen Lie also said sinisterly, "Fine, let her hate heaven and earth, hate until she goes crazy."

Xia Zhaoyi chuckled.

Shen Lie laughed and said, "What are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing," Xia Zhaoyi buried her head in his chest, "Let's lie down for a while longer."

Shen Lie hugged her tightly: "Okay, we won't get up until the sun sets."

The two of them lay there for a long time before finally opening the door to eat in the middle of the night. Feeling refreshed after eating, they dragged along a few other night owls who were still awake and set up a table to watch them play cards.

Xia Zhaoyi and Shen Lie neither liked playing cards. Both of them were skilled at card counting, and when they played, they would uncontrollably count cards, instantly losing the fun of the game.

On the contrary, watching others play cards is interesting.

They continued chatting as they watched.

After three days of leisurely fun, they left Huzhou and headed to Panzhou, and then from Panzhou to Huazhou.

Shen Lie went to see Nie Huimo, but Xia Zhaoyi did not go with him.

Nie Huimo knew that Xia Zhaoyi had returned from Beiyuan. He looked around again and again, but he still couldn't see her.

Shen Lie's handsome face was tense, his dark eyes narrowed slightly; he had been holding back for a long time.

Nie Huimo looked away, unwilling to mention it, yet unwilling to give up: "...She didn't come?"

Shen Lie asked, "Who?"

Nie Huimo said, "You know who I'm talking about." Shen Lie replied expressionlessly, "Explain yourself more clearly."

Nie Huimo looked at him coldly and scoffed, "Shen Lie, why are you acting like this? You're already hers, what are you fussing about? I haven't even given you a hard time."

Liang Jun and Wu Shaoning found this strange, but Shen Lie didn't react much, saying calmly, "General Nie wrote to me about official business, so let's not bring up personal matters now, otherwise..."

Nie Huimo raised an eyebrow: "Otherwise what?"

Shen Lie sneered: "Zhan Ning has a good memory. He memorized the letter you wrote when you were in a daze back in Hejing."

Nie Huimo was instantly stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief, his face deathly pale.

Shen Lie continued to press his advantage: "You know, Ali has attracted many scholars to Hengxiang's 'Discussion on Learning and Life' event. If each of them takes this opportunity to write a few articles, and then the storytellers in teahouses and restaurants..."

"Enough!" Nie Huimo roared, then paused and said seriously, "General Shen, my marching map is ready. This way, please."

Shen Lie had won a great victory. He glanced at him with disdain and strode away with his head held high.

Nie Huimo's battle plan was very well prepared, and Shen Lie had nothing to modify.

I arrived at noon and left at night.

According to etiquette, Shen Lie should have stayed for the banquet, and Nie Huimo had indeed prepared one. However, Shen Lie did not stay, as he was eager to return to see his beloved.

Nie Huimo wanted to go back with him, but Shen Lie had his weakness exposed, which annoyed him so much that he couldn't even open his mouth.

The final battle was scheduled for June 9th.

As planned, Nie Huimo set off from Huazhou to attack Songzhou.

Shen Lie's Yan army split into two routes, one coming down from the north and the other going up from Jiangnan, while Yun Bozhong came directly from Guzhou.

Jin Hongkang was no match for the three armies; any one of them was a formidable enemy that he could not afford to underestimate.

He never understood why these three parties could coexist peacefully until his death.

Before Anjiang City fell, he first poisoned his wives, concubines, and children, then killed Song Xihuai, who had only been on the throne for a few years, and then committed suicide by cutting his own throat.

Since Song Zhiyi raised his army, the people of Anjiang, Guangzhui, Songzhou, Xiongchi and other large provinces, who had been living under oppressive rule, finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Xia Zhaoyi lived in the Eight Rivers and Lakes of Linning for several months, gaining a deep understanding of the climate, customs, and daily rhythms of the people in this land.

Therefore, long ago, she had repeatedly asked those officials who were constantly bickering to formulate corresponding policies based on the local conditions in Anjiang in her letters to Hejing.

On June 20, after completely taking control of these major provinces, on the morning of June 25, these new policies were posted all over the streets and alleys of major provinces such as Anjiang, Guangzhui, Xiongchi, Songzhou, Guide, and Jiangzhou.

All the people gathered around, those who could read read aloud, and those who couldn't read busily asked around, and then the whole country celebrated.

The government granted a general amnesty, taxes were drastically reduced, corvée labor was exempted, the summer taxes that were supposed to be paid could be kept, and the regular taxes due in the autumn were also temporarily exempted.

This time of year is the transition between the Lesser Heat and the Greater Heat, the hottest period of the year, known as the Dog Days. In the past, countless people died from the heat and exhaustion in their workshops and fields under the scorching sun. But this year, they are able to catch their breath in the sweltering heat and temporarily forget the hardships of making a living.

This was a truly refreshing breeze, caressing people's hearts and the land, soothing all living beings. It was the most refreshing and abundant rain in summer, and many people hugged each other in the street and cried their hearts out.

In mid-July, Lin Qingfeng, Ji Hong, Xiao Rong, Xiao Wu, Jiang Hui, and several members of the Qiao family were personally escorted to Hejing by the elites of the Falcon Camp and Yan Army.

Shi Baijin and Tu Xiaoxi came to report the news. Xia Zhaoyi was sitting in the council hall, which had been renamed Wenhua Pavilion, watching the five teams of officials smashing books at each other, with papers flying everywhere.

Today's topic concerns industry support, and these officials have split into numerous camps, including five major groups: silk weaving, tea farmers, mining and metallurgy, canal transportation, and medicine, each with different interests and demands.

Yu Shiling, as a trusted senior official, remained very calm. In fact, he had been like this every day for the past few years. It would be unusual if he didn't argue. He was already unfazed by any changes and sat in his seat, writing slowly without moving.

On the other side, Zhuge Shan rested his chin on his hand, his eyes glazed over.

Xia Zhaoyi, who is seated in the main seat, has the same appearance as Zhuge Shan.

After Shi Baijin and Tu Xiaoxi finished speaking, Xia Zhaoyi simply nodded.

She was too busy to care about these people, since Shen Lie was there anyway.

Tu Xiaoxi paused for a moment, then said, "General, do you still remember that old man from Hengxiang who pretended to be crazy?"

Xia Zhaoyi raised her eyebrows, finally perking up: "Is it related to Lin Qingfeng?"

"He is Qiao Zhengui."

"..."

Tu Xiaoxi frowned: "He's very strange. Maybe he's not really pretending to be crazy. The two sisters said they were always afraid of him. They would often be talking to each other normally when he would suddenly go crazy, forget who he was, and even mistake himself for someone else."

Xia Zhaoyi said, "After he impersonated me at Zhiyu Water Pavilion, he stayed in Hengxiang and was kept under Xu Yinjun's watch. He has been gone for so long, and Lin Qingfeng and the others have not reacted at all?"

Lin Qingfeng didn't say anything, but the sisters Xiao Rong and Xiao Wu said they were happy to see him leave. He had become a hot potato, and they couldn't wait to find another family to take him in.

It turned out to be the case.

Xia Zhaoyi said, "That old man is relatively safe in Hengxiang and hasn't caused any major trouble. However, now that we know his true identity, we have to be careful. Xiaoxi, please help me draft a letter to Wang Fengnian and Xu Yinjun to tell them the truth."

Tu Xiaoxi replied, "Yes."

Shi Baijin and Tu Xiaoxi took their leave.

The noise continued inside the Wenhua Pavilion, and the Ministry of Works staff also joined in.

Hang Yusheng, along with Fan Dengchun and other members of the Ministry of Works, argued that after the sweltering heat, it would be better to first survey the fields and repair the water conservancy projects, because there had been many floods last year, and the people had suffered greatly during the autumn and winter.

Xia Zhaoyi suddenly realized that they were truly cunning, clearly waiting for everyone else to lose their voices before they started their performance—

Xia Zhaoyi turned her head and looked at Zhao Lingxiu and the others.

After returning to Hejing, Xia Zhaoyi arranged for all the strategists from the Falcon Camp, who were personally led by Zhao Lingxiu, except for Tu Xiaoxi, to enter the Wenhua Pavilion.

At that time, we will have to select a group of them and send them to Yong'an.

Now, they are also arguing, but they have not banded together into one faction; they have also "split up."

Only Zhao Lingxiu, the oldest among the strategists, was composed and calm. Like Yu Shiling, she was also writing, listening and taking notes at the same time.

The meeting ended, the tension subsided briefly, but then the arguments continued for several more days.

After the daytime meetings, Xia Zhaoyi would also discuss the restructuring of the administrative departments with Zhao Lingxiu and the others.

She knew all too well that there was no perfect administrative solution in the world, only relative stability for a short period of time, and that this "short period of time" could sometimes change even in just ten days.

But she likes this kind of uncertainty and looks forward to it.

In particular, the group of talents recruited by Hengxiang during his academic journey have been creating new teaching materials for the past few years. After these materials are introduced into schools, children will grow up holding these materials and will become new "good minds" in seven or eight years. Xia Zhaoyi is eager to see what kind of wonderful future they will create by giving such minds boundless freedom.

However, there is still a huge problem right now, namely, finance.

Road construction requires funding, innovation requires funding, education also requires funding, and the six ministries are clamoring for all sorts of things to do, all of which require financial support.

Wang Fengnian was in charge of her private accounts, so it wasn't appropriate to call him over. She still needed to work with Yu Shiling to figure out how to select a new team to handle this financial matter.

Five days later, at dusk, Shen Lie, who finally had time to return, went to the government office to pick her up.

Ha-kyung has no curfew, and the roads that were renovated years ago are now wide and clean, with bright lights shining throughout the streets.

Because there were many people on the street, they deliberately avoided the crowds and walked along the secluded riverbank.

Shen Lie has been preparing the Yan Army for the past few days, aiming to transform it into a regular army under the new policy.

New places of origin were established, new livelihoods were created, and rewards were given based on merit, including the awarding of medals.

Xia Zhaoyi also entrusted him with the Falcon Camp and the Xia Family Army, asking him to bestow titles and rewards upon them on his behalf.

Although Shen Lie had many subordinates, and Liang Jun and Cheng Jieshi were very good at this, he was still too busy to stop.

When talking about Lin Qingfeng and the others who had been brought back earlier, Shen Lie said, "Ying Jinliang will be here soon too. We can interrogate him together. Let's hand him over to Zhang Ji."

Xia Zhaoyi asked, "Have you heard about Qiao Zhengui's matter?"

"Yes, Wei Dongyou and Kang Jian both told me. I never expected that the crazy old man in Hengxiang was the Qiao Zhengui that Fan Zhuyi mentioned."

After speaking, Shen Lie's eyebrows and eyes lowered slightly.

Xia Zhaoyi paused, then said in a low voice, "You wouldn't have connected Qiao Zhengui to Guo Yunzhe, would you?"

Shen Lie smiled suddenly: "Ali, you are really smart. You always know what I'm thinking at a glance."

“They are different,” Xia Zhaoyi squeezed his hand. “Besides, we rescued Guo Yunzhe, and he is doing very well in Hengxiang now. In October, Zhili is going to Yeshan to attend the centennial celebration of the Wangxing Sect, and we plan to take him with us. After that, we’ll see where Guo Yunzhe prefers to stay, whether it’s a bustling market or a secluded mountain retreat. You see, he will be very happy.”

Shen Lie stopped in his tracks: "Ali, do you want to go?"

“Of course I want to,” Xia Zhaoyi said with emotion. “Sect Master Gu has been very good to me. This is the centennial celebration of the Wangxing Sect, a very grand and significant day. I should go and support it.”

“Then let’s go,” Shen Lie said with a bright smile. “Let’s go together.”

"But we're very busy with official duties..."

"We'll have to let go sooner or later, won't we?"

Xia Zhaoyi looked into his eyes and smiled gently, her smile as bright as the stars: "Yes, actually, there's no need for us to keep an eye on everything."

"How about just the two of us?"

"Great!" Xia Zhaoyi said happily, "Just the two of us, after we get to Yeshan, we'll reunite with my master and Zhili!"

Seeing her bright smile, Shen Lie was also in a great mood.

For the rest of the journey, they stopped talking about politics and started planning their route, discussing the history of the Star Gazing Sect, and the ancient tombs and legends on the Broken Cliff.

Unconsciously, I arrived at the riverbank where we first fell in love.

It was very lively here. The entire street across the river was bustling with people, and a stage was set up not far away where a play was being performed.

A gentle river breeze blew, and Xia Zhaoyi and Shen Lie stopped side by side.

Xia Zhaoyi leaned gently on Shen Lie's shoulder: "Shen Lie, the world is so big, I want to go everywhere, and you have to come with me from now on."

“Okay,” Shen Lie hugged her and said softly, “I will accompany you to every place you want to go in our lifetime.”

=====
Half a month later, Lin Qingfeng and Ji Hong were exiled by Zhang Ji to Huangmenhai, following in Fan Zhuyi's footsteps to perform hard labor.

Lin Qingfeng and Ji Hong breathed a sigh of relief, but Zhang Ji had another sentence they were unaware of: three years later, they would be beheaded.

After Xiao Rong and Xiao Wu escaped from Chongqing, they committed numerous crimes along the way. Zhang Ji sent people with portraits to investigate, and two of the bloody cases were confirmed to be their doing. The evidence was conclusive and the logic was clear. Zhang Ji sentenced them to death and they will be beheaded in November.

Jiang Hui was also exiled to Huangmenhai, where he would serve ten years of hard labor before being released.

His vast fortune was confiscated, leaving Xia Zhaoyi in financial straits. Zhang Ji, of course, accepted it all without hesitation.

In early October, Xia Zhaoyi and Shen Lie left Hejing by carriage without anyone else. They bought horses along the way, sold them at the ferry, and then hired a large boat to travel upstream.

After many years, Xia Zhaoyi returned to Yeshan, which has changed dramatically.

The old man is here, the man is frail, and the monk's health has recovered very well.

Mu Tingyu became increasingly eccentric, constantly addressing Xia Zhaoyi as "this humble Taoist." He, who used to be impatient, now actually got along well with Guo Yunzhe.

After a few days of lively and carefree fun, Shen Lie returned to Hejing and led his troops to Hengxiang to oust Lin Quan.

Xia Zhaoyi braved the heavy snow to personally go to Yong'an.

In Hebei, there is the Wenhua Pavilion, while in Yong'an, a new Xiezheng Hall will be built.

After several days of travel, she had just arrived in Yong'an and hadn't even had a chance to sit down properly when Zhao Yu, who had heard she was back, came running over crying and started complaining to her again.

As the rant went on late into the night, Zhao Yu noticed she was still sitting there in a good mood and couldn't help but ask, "...Ah Li, are you really enjoying this? Why don't you send me away?"

Xia Zhaoyi slowly sipped her tea: "I'm waiting for someone."

"Who are you waiting for?"

“An old friend,” Xia Zhaoyi’s smile held a hint of anticipation, her eyes shimmering in the candlelight, “he’ll be here soon.”

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, footsteps could be heard outside.

Feng Ping instinctively reached for the door, but Xia Zhaoyi put down her teacup and stood up first: "I'll do it!"

She hurried over to open the door, and there stood Xia Zhaoxue, dressed in the snow. He had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and his features were handsome. He was no longer the frail man he once was. His skin was much darker from the sun. He was tall, upright, and masculine.

Zhao Yu greeted him with delight: "Second Brother, you look so different!!"

Xia Zhaoxue said, "When soldiers fight, how can they not change?"

He looked at Xia Zhaoyi and smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth: "Little sister."

Xia Zhaoyi smiled and said, "Second brother, welcome back."

It's finally finished! See you all again sometime! There might be a random bonus chapter, or maybe none, haha, but there will be some heartbreaking moments~ After all, my character design for Ali is that she will also be an immortal, so I left a tiny, tiny, tiny foreshadowing in Shen Lie's final line, "In my lifetime"~ Thank you all for your support over the past 8 years!!! Love you all, =3=! Goodbye, Ali. Goodbye, Shen Lie! May we meet again someday!!