He remarried after his mother's death, seized power over the world, and slept on the emperor�

The northern camp is in sight in the distance.

Banners stood tall, stretching for ten miles.

Ji Ling displayed the King of Yue's golden token and was granted unimpeded passage.

"I am here on imperial orders to conduct an inspection; unauthorized persons are not permitted to disturb me."

Jiang Bingning blended in with the guards, completely inconspicuous.

Her current task is to find the military clerk named Zheng Jiu.

Ji Ling checked into the commander's tent under the pretext of "inspection".

Jiang Bingning, on the other hand, used her status as a personal guard to move through the vast military camp.

"Have you heard? Zheng Jiu from the clerk's office has been sending money home again recently, and he's quite generous!"

"Where would a poor scholar like him get so much money?"

"Who knows? Maybe they struck it rich."

Jiang Bingning paused in her steps.

Zheng Jiu.

She walked discreetly to an old soldier who was feeding a horse.

"Brother, I have a question for you. Where is Zheng the clerk's camp?"

The old soldier looked up at her. "What do you want with him?"

"The prince has a document he needs to copy."

Jiang Bingning took out an official document from her bosom.

The old soldier, unsuspecting, pointed casually.

"Look, it's the third row from the east, the one at the very back."

Thank you.

Jiang Bingning put away the official documents and turned to leave.

As night fell, she showed Ji Ling the location map and Zheng Jiu's daily routine.

A cold glint flashed in Ji Ling's eyes.

"Let's make our move tonight."

-----------------

child time.

Two dark figures swept past the camp like ghosts.

It was Ji Ling and Jiang Bingning, who had changed into their night clothes.

Inside Zheng Jiu's tent, snoring was deafening.

Jiang Bingning gently lifted the curtain with her dagger and slipped inside.

Ji Ling followed closely behind.

Jiang Bingning delivered a chop to Zheng Jiu's nape.

The snoring stopped abruptly.

The two men put the sack over the person, carried him out cleanly and efficiently, and disappeared into the night.

In a corner of the military camp, there is an abandoned woodshed.

A bucket of ice-cold well water was poured over his head.

Zheng Jiu jolted awake.

He was tied to a pillar with a rag stuffed in his mouth.

Before my eyes, the campfire flickered.

The firelight illuminated two expressionless faces.

"Waaaaah... Waaah!"

Zheng Jiu was so frightened that his whole body went limp.

Jiang Bingning pulled the gag out of his mouth and held a dagger to his neck.

The icy touch made Zheng Jiu's jaw chatter.

"I ask, you answer."

Jiang Bingning's voice was colder than a blade.

"If you mispronounce a single word, I'll cut a hole in you."

Zheng Jiu nodded frantically.

"Sixteen years ago, the entire Liu family was executed. What role did you play in that event?"

Zheng Jiu's pupils suddenly contracted!

He tried to shake his head, but the dagger pressed even deeper into his neck.

Blood droplets slid down the blade.

"Yes...yes..."

He finally broke down.

"The smaller one imitated General Liu's handwriting!"

Jiang Bingning's breath hitched.

"Who ordered you to do this?"

"It was...it was Lin Wei, the eldest son of the Lin family, who was then serving as the Vice Minister of War!"

Prime Minister Lin!

Jiang Bingning's heart sank to the bottom.

"But...but I've never met him in person. It was...it was a eunuch sent from the palace who contacted me!"

Is there any payment?

"Five...five thousand taels of silver!"

Five thousand taels of silver to buy the lives of the entire Liu family!

A murderous intent surged in Jiang Bingning's eyes.

Ji Ling reached out and gently pressed her wrist.

Jiang Bingning took a deep breath and looked at Zheng Jiu.

Where is the evidence?

"What evidence?" Zheng Jiu asked, looking bewildered.

"Five thousand taels of silver notes? Or a token from the Lin family?"

"No!" Zheng Jiu cried out, "The eunuch said that once the deed was done, the money would be exchanged for cash, and the small silver notes had already been converted into cash!"

Ji Ling frowned.

Without evidence, there's no way to touch the Lin family.

Jiang Bingning laughed, a laugh that sent chills down Zheng Jiu's spine.

"Someone like you, who did such a big thing for others, wouldn't you leave yourself a way out?"

Her voice carried a sense of certainty.

"You must have left something behind, just in case, right?"

Zheng Jiu's face turned deathly pale.

"I'll ask again."

Jiang Bingning's dagger slowly moved down and stopped at his heart.

"Where is the evidence?"

Zheng Jiu's psychological defenses completely collapsed.

"Yes...yes! There's an account book! That little eunuch came to me more than once, and he made me do other dirty work...I...I wrote it all down!"

"Where?"

"There's a hidden compartment under the bed in my tent..."

-----------------

The two men dragged Zheng Jiu back to the camp.

Under the moonlight, Zheng Jiu shakily lifted the bed sheet and pried open a bed board.

Sure enough, there was a small hidden compartment inside.

He pulled out a yellowed account book wrapped in oiled paper.

"It's right here..."

Before the words were even finished!

A sharp, piercing sound!

An arrow shot in through a gap in the tent.

"puff!"

The arrow pierced Zheng Jiu's throat with pinpoint accuracy!

His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Jiang Bingning, making a gurgling sound in his throat!

"Be careful!"

Ji Ling roared.

Almost simultaneously, Jiang Bingning rolled to dodge, avoiding the second arrow that followed!

Outside the tent, a dark figure flashed by and darted into the depths of the military camp.

Ji Ling sprang up and chased after him.

Jiang Bingning did not pursue the matter.

She looked at Zheng Jiu lying in a pool of blood, at the arrow that had pierced his throat, and snatched the blood-stained account book from his hand, clutching it tightly!

Ji Ling's lightness skill was excellent, and he kept a close grip on the black-clad assassin.

But the more he chased after him, the heavier his heart became.

The assassin moved with unpredictable movements, yet seemed completely unperturbed.

He didn't seem to be running for his life; he seemed to be leading the way!

Ahead, a burst of light appeared.

A patrol of soldiers blocked their way.

Leading the group was Li Chong, the deputy general of the Northern Army.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the assassin in black actually slipped behind Li Chong.

Ji Ling also stopped in her tracks.

He looked at Li Chong, his eyes turning cold.

At this moment, the entire military camp was alarmed.

Ji Ling's personal guards were also rapidly approaching him from a distance.

"Lieutenant General Li, what do you mean by this?"

Li Chong ignored him, instead raising his long sword and pointing it sharply at Ji Ling.

"Take him down!"

A commotion arose among the soldiers behind him.

A sinister smile appeared on Li Chong's face.

"This man is a spy sent by the Great Zhou! He just infiltrated our camp with the intention of stealing our military secrets! I caught him red-handed!"

He held up a token.

"I have confirmed that his so-called King Yue's golden edict is a complete forgery!"

These words caused an uproar!

Ji Ling's head sank completely.

What a brilliant plan to kill two birds with one stone!

They killed him to cover it up, then framed him for the crime.

Li Chong is a member of the Lin family!

The Lin family had already infiltrated this northern camp.

"Protect the Prince!"

The wolf guards quickly surrounded Ji Ling, forming a protective barrier between them and Li Chong's men.

Tensions are high!

"Take him down!" Li Chong shouted sternly. "Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"

More soldiers are closing in from all directions.

Staying here means certain death!

Ji Ling made a quick decision and gave a low shout to Jiang Bingning behind him.

"Walk!"

He drew his long sword and cleaved the two soldiers in front of him in two with a single stroke.

"Head north to the mountain!"

The wolf guards formed a sharp spearhead formation, protecting Ji Ling and Jiang Bingning, and charged out towards the north, the weakest point in the encirclement!

Behind them, shouts of battle shook the heavens.

"Don't let them get away!"

"Catch the Zhou spy!"

The two ran wildly through the night without saying a word.

Behind them lay the inescapable net laid by the Lin family.

Before them lay the snow-capped mountains of the North, covered in pristine white snow.

That was their only way to survive.