Hou Ye's palm heart is a black lotus

November arrived in the blink of an eye.

When the first snow fell in the capital, Ye Chutang received a letter from Ye Yunfeng.

— Shui Xingqiu is dead.

"He hanged himself."

Ye Chutang sat in the carriage, holding a hand warmer, and spoke calmly.
"He tore his clothes, tied them into a knot, and hanged himself in the middle of the night when no one was around."

Shen Yanchuan, sitting opposite him, was not surprised by this.

“When Tuoba Shan handed him over, he was already doomed. It was actually quicker to do it myself.”

Ye Chutang recalled that Shui Xingqiu had come to the capital a few months ago.

At that time, he was riding high and arrogant, and even the envoys from the Southern Hu dared not disobey him.

It hasn't been long, and everything is already muddy underfoot.

“However, I also thought it would be your friend who would do it himself,” Shen Yanchuan suddenly said.

You mean Xun Cheng?

Ye Chutang's feelings were complicated.
"...Indeed. He actually gave up this opportunity."

Ye Chutang had only recently learned Xun Cheng's true identity, and she was filled with emotion for a long time.

Although she had previously thought that Xun Cheng and Shui Xingqiu looked somewhat alike, she never expected that they were actually brothers.

"However, it seems he has no affection for the Shui family, and probably can't be bothered with it. In any case, for Shui Xingqiu, continuing to live would only be a greater punishment and pain."

Shen Yanchuan nodded. "The Nanhu sent another letter a few days ago. Tuoba Shan is very eager to make peace, and his sincerity is quite evident."

Ye Chutang wasn't surprised and raised an eyebrow.

"The Shui family has already fallen, and it's estimated that other aristocratic families will soon follow suit. He has achieved his goal and is naturally willing to negotiate. It's just a pity that Tuoba Yu died too young. If he knew that his death was also part of his good brother's plan, I wonder what he would think?"

Shen Yanchuan looked up and met her gaze, a hint of a smile appearing in his phoenix eyes.

"Sure enough, nothing can be hidden from you."

Everyone assumed that Tuoba Shan's sudden military campaign after Tuoba Yu's death was instigated by Shui Xingqiu and others, and that he only began to withdraw his troops and change his attitude to seek peace after the Battle of Pingshui Bay, realizing something was wrong. But this was not actually the case.

After going through all this trouble, Tuoba Shan got the result he wanted most.

"To exchange the life of a younger brother for an opportunity to take action against a powerful family, it's not a bad deal," Shen Yanchuan commented calmly.

Ye Chutang nodded in deep agreement.

"Judging from this, he must have some ability to get that position. At the very least..."

She shrugged.

"He is far superior to the former crown prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

When the rebels first rose up, Ye Chutang thought that since they had been planning for so long, they must have made ample preparations.

But after observing the situation for a while, she realized that she had overestimated the other party.

“No wonder the late emperor never considered him.” Ye Chutang clicked her tongue lightly. “With such a temperament, it’s hard for him to achieve anything.”

She looked at Shen Yanchuan.

"I heard you've arrested quite a few people recently?"

She asked directly, and Shen Yanchuan answered just as decisively.

“Some of them were exposed voluntarily,” he said. “It’s actually easier than before.”

Since learning Xiao Chenglin's true identity, Shen Yanchuan has begun to clear out the "spies" planted by the previous dynasty in the capital.

This was originally quite a difficult task, but...

Who told Xiao Chenglin to make such a foolish move?
The best way to deal with these people is to win their hearts and minds.

Sometimes, no amount of effort can compare to the enemy's quick thinking.

Ye Chutang nodded, then suddenly asked,

"When will the rebels storm the capital?" (End of Chapter)