I traveled back to the Southern Song Dynasty and was actually outmaneuvered by Yue Fei.

Xiao Bieli looked down at his sister, stuffed the plush rabbit back into her arms, and his lips twitched slightly.

He wiped the dust off Xiao Jinluo's nose with the back of his hand and said, "Let's go."

The deputy commander of the Imperial Guard was the last to be taken out of the Dali Temple. His left eye socket was so swollen that it was only a slit, the scabs on the corner of his mouth were frozen and turned purple, and his right leg dragged on the ground when he walked, leaving a shallow bloodstain on the bluestone slab with each step.

But he didn't ask anyone to help him. He walked all the way past the threshold of the main gate of the Dali Temple before leaning against the shaft of the Zongzheng Temple's carriage and letting out a long breath of white air.

"The air outside is better than inside," he said.

Xin Qizong's outer support team withdrew back to the old camp in the southern suburbs under the cover of night, without any conflict with the Imperial City Guard.

Jiao Qiong's patrol team also withdrew from Beiwa before dawn and returned to the daily patrol line of the Palace Guard. The shift change records and reasons for the route changes were all filed in advance by the Zongzheng Temple under the pretext of "cooperating with the pre-New Year registration".

The overt and covert routes were perfectly coordinated for the first time during this operation.

It was late at night when they returned to the Prince of Puan's residence.

Zhao Bozong did not return to his bedroom, but went directly into his study. He laid the map of Lin'an city on the table again and drew a circle around the location of Dali Temple with a vermilion pen.

Qin Keqing sat in her usual spot, with a bowl of porridge that had gone cold in front of her.

She recorded all the adjustments made to the Imperial City Guard's defenses that she observed during today's registration process.

Xin Qizong, Jiao Qiong, Yuwen Xu, Feng Yi, Zhang Quwei, and the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard—the last two to enter were Xiao Bieli and Xiao Jinluo.

Xiao Jinluo was already extremely sleepy, but she insisted on following her brother into the study. She sat on a low stool in the corner, hugging her plush rabbit, her head drooping little by little, and each time she was about to fall to the ground, she would suddenly lift her head up and try to open her eyes wide.

"We brought three people out of the Dali Temple today," Zhao Bozong introduced the three men.

"The intelligence network of the Imperial Guard deputy was preserved. Xiao Jinluo and Xiao Bieli escaped safely. Qin Hui's verification order was blocked by the transfer document from the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs."

He paused for a moment, then placed the pen on the pen mountain. "But Qin Hui won't give up. He suffered a loss today, which will only make his next revenge more intense. We must be fully prepared before he makes a move, especially by investigating Tian Ruyi."

"I've heard of Tian Ruyi. He was the Chief Intelligence Officer of the Privy Council in the early years of the Shaoxing era. He was very famous in the intelligence field back then." Qin Keqing raised her head. "But he retired due to illness in the seventh year of the Shaoxing era and went into seclusion. Nobody knows where he went. I need time to investigate."

"No need to investigate anymore," Xin Qizong suddenly said. "I have a way to find the thatched cottage by the Qiantang River where Tian Ruyi lives in seclusion. When he retired from the Privy Council in the seventh year of Shaoxing, I sent someone to escort him out of Lin'an. My men know the approximate location of the cottage. Give me two fast horses, and I will personally go and bring him back."

"Does General Xin want to be invited, or arrested?" Zhao Bocong asked.

"It depends." Xin Qizong said with a hint of disdain. "If he wants to come, then invite him; if he doesn't want to come..."

Feng Yi, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Your Highness, Qin Hui spent the whole day in the Ministry of Personnel today. Apart from sending that message to Wan Qixie, he did not issue any orders, but he summoned someone at Shenshi (3-5 PM)."

"Who is it?"

"A messenger rushed over from Xiuzhou overnight. He entered the Qin residence and came out in less than half an hour. The two talked in private for a long time."

Feng Yi's fingers slowly twirled inside his sleeve. "We are still trying to verify the identity of that courier and the contents of the documents he was carrying. We will report any further information immediately."

Upon hearing the words "Xiuzhou," Qin Keqing's fingers, which were gripping the charcoal pencil, froze for a moment.

Xiuzhou is where Manager Wang is located, and it's also where she previously used seven different identities to contact members of the imperial clan.

Her expression flickered for only a very brief moment before she regained her composure, suppressing that trace of unease back into the charcoal marks.

"Has something changed in Xiuzhou? The clan branch that Miss Qin contacted in Xiuzhou has been secretly helping us. If Qin Hui has already found out about Xiuzhou..." Zhao Bozong frowned.

Xiuzhou was a transit point for supplies and a liaison hub for the scattered branches of the imperial clan. If Qin Hui were to figure out this line, the losses would be extremely heavy.

"Your Highness, I need to go to Xiuzhou." Qin Keqing stood up. "I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning and try to return before New Year's Eve."

"I'll go too." Xiao Bieli stood up, hoping to find something to do as well.

"What should we do, A-Luo?"

"Keep her in the manor." Xiao Bieli turned to look at the little girl who was completely asleep on the low stool in the corner. She was curled up in a ball, with the plush rabbit lying next to her cheek, its ears slightly deformed from being squeezed by her hands. "Miss Shen can take care of her. A'Luo said that Sister Shen is a good person."

Shen Qingci's name appeared in this meeting for the first time. Zhao Bozong glanced at Qin Keqing, and Qin Keqing nodded slightly.

Although Shen Qingci was not involved in court politics, she was the only person in the Prince's mansion who could make Xiao Jinluo lower all her guard.

"Then it's settled. Miss Qin and Xiao Bieli will be leaving for Xiuzhou tomorrow. You'll need two days. Try to get back before New Year's Eve." Zhao Bozong stood up.

"The old camp in the southern suburbs has been moved to Level 3 standby, and the number of spies around the Dali Temple has been doubled. Our biggest weakness is not that our blades are not fast enough, but how much information about us Tian Ruyi still has that has not been dug up."

The Empress Dowager's sword has been drawn; Qin Hui will do everything in his power to sever her ties with us.

After the meeting ended, Xiao Bieli gently picked up Xiao Jinluo.

The little girl felt his familiar body temperature in her sleep, and subconsciously buried her face in his shoulder, mumbling indistinctly, "Brother, don't get the rabbit dirty."

As Xiao Bieli carried her through the corridor, they encountered Shen Qingci at the corner.

Shen Qingci was wearing a worn cotton cloak and holding a bowl of hot porridge, clearly waiting for them.

"I've come to pick up A'Luo." She handed the bowl of porridge to Xiao Bieli, then took it from Xiao Jinluo. "This porridge is for you. Drink it and then rest for a while..."

Xiao Bieli held the bowl of porridge, looking down at it. The porridge was made with osmanthus flowers, and had a faint, sweet fragrance.

"She kicks off the covers," he said.

"I know, I've been sleeping with her all these days in the manor. Not only does she kick off the covers, but she also talks to the rabbits while she sleeps." Shen Qingci lifted Xiao Jinluo up a bit. "But every time she's halfway through her sentence, she calls out 'brother'."

Xiao Bieli did not answer.

Shen Qingci carried Xiao Jinluo toward the west wing, and after walking for a while, she suddenly turned around.

"Brother Xiao, she was very happy when you brought her out of Dali Temple today. She has been holding onto that rabbit ever since she was released from prison."

She paused, as if considering whether to say the next sentence.

"Your sewn-up eye is a little crooked, but she's been showing it off to everyone who's passed by."

Shen Qingci carried Xiao Jinluo away.

Xiao Bieli stood in the corridor and finished a bowl of osmanthus porridge. The porridge was very sweet, but he didn't frown while drinking it.

He hadn't eaten sweets in a long time. On his exile, he ate hard biscuits and wild vegetables, while in the Jin camp, he ate spoiled rice and snow water.

The last time I ate osmanthus cake was in the autumn of the tenth year of Shaoxing, after the great victory at Yancheng. Yue Shaobao had someone give each member of the vanguard battalion a piece.

He placed the bowl on the corridor railing, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and then looked up at the night sky. The moon on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month was just a crescent, its light flickering through the clouds.

He's going to Xiuzhou tomorrow. His younger sister will stay at the Prince's Mansion, under the care of Shen Qingci, protected by the Imperial Clan Court, and patrolled outside by Xin Qizong's men. This is the first time in his life he's entrusting Xiao Jinluo to someone else.

He knew Shen Qingci was a good person, but he still checked the rag doll rabbit that had already been sewn up one more time. The loose eyes hadn't come loose again, and the crooked stitches were still secure.

Only then did he put it back in his sister's arms.