When Fengyu and Xie Xun left the Feng Mansion, the sky was already light. This night had been quieter than they had imagined. Apart from the bustling commotion near the Hanguang Tower, the Capital City resembled a colossus in a deep slumber. Fengyu and Xie Xun stepped out at dawn, leaving the Feng Mansion behind. In truth, they could have hidden within the mansion, but the city was no longer stable. Xie Xun had matters to attend to, and staying in the Feng Mansion made it difficult to exchange information. If Yuwen Jing sent the Jinyi Guard to watch them, they would be at a disadvantage. Feng Changqing and Su Yuejiao, as well as the elderly matriarch, hoped Fengyu could remain in the estate for a day to reunite before departing with them. But Fengyu and Xie Xun had swapped bodies—meaning Xie Xun had to remain, which proved inconvenient. They couldn’t divulge the truth, so Fengyu could only leave with Xie Xun. Regardless of the circumstances, Xie Xun refused to let Fengyu stray from his sight. Their identities made wandering through the city impractical. Even after putting on disguises and dressing as men, they still drew attention. They returned to the courtyard before sunrise, and barely had they arrived when Ying Si returned as well. Yuwen Jing was furious, sleepless through the night, personally inspecting the site of Hanguang Tower’s collapse. The ancestral plaques were shattered to pieces; this matter was no trivial affair. Members of the Yuwen Royal Family had nearly all gathered at the Hanguang Tower. Director Li from the Astronomical Observatory claimed that the collapse of the tower must have been prompted by clear signs from the Yuwen Ancestor’s teachings. For reasons unknown, this enraged Yuwen Jing, who ordered fifty lashes on him. Yuwen Jing publicly berated the Astronomical Observatory for spreading alarmist rhetoric, slandering and deceiving people. He nearly imprisoned everyone, but ultimately a few elder officials risked their lives to plead for mercy. During the Ministry of Industry’s repairs, they uncovered gunpowder buried beneath the tower, revealing the deliberate sabotage to destroy Hanguang Tower. The Jinyi Guard was ordered to investigate the matter thoroughly. Xie Xun felt this matter wouldn’t be easily resolved. "While their focus is on Hanguang Tower, first escort Feng Changqing, Su Yuejiao, and the elderly matron out of the Feng Mansion. You and the Shadow Guards will accompany my sister-in-law to the eastern gate of the Imperial Palace, where we’ll meet you. Yuwen Jing likely won’t have time to deal with the inner palace for now. Both the Jinyi Guard and Forbidden Army are occupied repairing Hanguang Tower. The northern gate is the least guarded, making it convenient to leave from the eastern side. Remember, at midnight, you must bring my sister-in-law to the northern gate!" Xie Xun instructed Ying Si. The deadliest guards deployed by Marquis Zhenbei numbered fifty in the Capital City. He had also contacted Marquis An Yuan, who would delay Yuwen Jing at Hanguang Tower tonight. The northern gate and Hanguang Tower were in opposite directions, and outside the northern gate was the city moat, which had always been weakly defended. "Understood, I’ll handle it!" To ensure Feng Shu’s safe departure, Fengyu personally penned a letter and sent Ying Si to deliver it to her older sister. She and Xie Xun would wait for her at the northern gate to leave together. Xie Xun prepared a multi-layered plan. After Feng Changqing, Su Yuejiao, and the elderly matron left the Feng Mansion, they would first be taken to a small courtyard to await further instructions. Once Feng Shu was picked up, arrangements would be made for all of them to leave the Capital City—or alternatively, they might remain hidden in the small courtyard. Meanwhile, a few of Marquis Zhenbei’s elite guards would feign being Feng Changqing, Su Yuejiao, and Feng Shu leaving the city. The two plans could adapt based on the situation. Ying Si swiftly departed with Fengyu’s letter. Meanwhile, Xie Jue and several Shadow Guards were now scattered across the Capital City, not all stationed within the palace. Tonight, however, they would converge at the Imperial Palace to escort Feng Shu out. By midday, Fengyu’s heart began to race with inexplicable urgency—a foreboding feeling that something significant was about to happen. She struggled to calm herself. Xie Xun had prepared meticulously, even drafting contingency plans should the escape fail and necessitate a retreat from the Capital City. "Zhixu, I’m very anxious." Fengyu paced nervously by the peach blossoms, her heart restless, though evening was still three hours away. She couldn’t calm herself or focus on anything. For the first time, daylight felt unbearably long, and the night seemed slow to descend. She hadn’t seen her elder sister in three years; the last memory she had of Feng Shu was in a vibrant red wedding dress, joyous on her wedding day. She wasn’t worried about her grandmother, father, or mother, as the elite guards had arranged everything thoroughly and planned to handle a few Jinyi Guards outside of the palace. When Yuwen Jing realized what had happened, they should already have retrieved everyone. Over the past three years, none of them had left the Capital City, mainly due to mutual restraint among her family members—her parents, grandmother, and sister couldn’t bear to abandon one another. It was a delicate balance, one that Yuwen Jing had exploited skillfully. Those outside the palace couldn’t bear to leave those inside, and those inside couldn’t abandon their loved ones outside. Caught in limbo between survival and despair, each family member suffered tremendously. But tonight, the ordeal would finally end. They would all be free! Google seaʀᴄh 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝔫𝔢𝔱 "Ayu, stay calm. The closer we are to the moment, the more composed you must be. In just a few hours, you’ll see your sister-in-law again." Xie Xun comforted her, embracing her and pressing a kiss to her lips. Whether it was due to their body swap or not, he was growing accustomed to kissing his own face in this peculiar way. "I’m too excited...no, too nervous." Fengyu’s hands trembled with anxiety. Seeing her in such a state, Xie Xun couldn’t help but feel distressed. "Wait in the courtyard; don’t go to the palace gate. I’ll retrieve your sister-in-law myself." "No, I must go!" Fengyu insisted on accompanying Xie Xun. With their identities swapped, she was Xie Xun now. Her presence reassured the elite guards, and besides, with Xie Xun’s body, she wasn’t completely defenseless. In critical moments, she could protect Xie Xun and her elder sister. Dongxue and Xia Zhu dismissed the palace maids to gather flower nectar, leaving Yingchun Palace serene and silent. Feng Shu gazed at Fengyu’s handwritten letter, her heart warm. Ayu and Zhixu were in the Capital City, within the Imperial City, separated from her by a single palace wall. Ying Er and Ying San disguised as cleaning eunuchs lingered not far from Yingchun Palace. The remaining Shadow Guards positioned themselves along the route from Yingchun Palace to the North Palace Gate. Ying Si spoke, "Madam, the Prince and Third Miss will wait at the North Palace Gate at midnight. This is your best chance to leave the palace—you must not miss it." After reading the letter, Feng Shu calmly burned it, the flames swiftly consuming the paper. "Grandmother and Father, Mother—they’ll all leave tonight, correct?" "Yes, before midnight, the elite guards will escort them to safety. Do not worry, Madam." "Good!" Closing her eyes briefly, Feng Shu whispered, "I’ll go with you!"