(At the end of last month, Bao Yu's father's father said that book reviews are optional. I deeply agree and have been reading less lately, so I rarely mark them as excellent. Please understand.)

(The reason I don't read them is because I'm the type of person whose emotions are easily influenced. Tolerating criticism and accepting criticism doesn't mean I enjoy it, especially the glorious, correct, and great kind. Today, after drinking some wine, I couldn't help but read some, which stirred up many negative emotions. A sinister smile, like that of a treacherous official, appeared on my lips, and I couldn't find joy.)

(Writing novels is just telling stories, and explaining them makes them too boring. I can't say anymore; you'll understand later. Whether you like it or not, that's how I'm writing it. There's no work in the world that everyone loves. I'm not the director of the Spring Festival Gala, and Qing Yu Nian isn't planning to participate in the "Five-One Project.")

(I understand that everyone likes this story, so they discuss and criticize it seriously, but I also hope everyone can understand the frustration and unease when a person's body is often homebound while their mind is constantly exploding. Right now, what I need most isn't advice or criticism, but the pleasure of praise or a peaceful writing space.)

(This is some explanatory text shamelessly asking for applause.)

...

...

Yan Bingyun's arm was broken, hanging limply at his side. He looked at the Princess, his gaze somewhat dim. The dull pain in his chest told him that he had suffered internal injuries from the earlier touch. The experts from the Junshan Society around the Princess were beyond his ability to resist.

At this time, the Thirteenth City Gate Division was heavily surrounded by soldiers, their spears aimed at Little Yan. Two of the Junshan Society experts beside the Princess separated and quickly approached Yan Bingyun. The sharp blades they held exuded an aura of deathly stillness, enveloping him entirely.

"If His Majesty had listened to Anzhi's words back then and swept away the Junshan Society completely..." On the verge of death, Yan Bingyun couldn't help but have this thought. He knew he was no match for these Jianghu experts, and he didn't extravagantly beg the heavens or the Divine Temple for a chance to escape. He simply kept a calm face and pulled something from his chest.

It was a command arrow. Since something had happened at the City Gate Division, he had to notify Fan Xian in the palace of Zhang Deqing's fatal betrayal before he died.

Yan Bingyun's index finger hooked onto the arrow's ring. Watching the two black shadows of swords getting closer and closer, his pupils contracted, and he exhaled a breath of turbid air. He pursed his lips tightly and yanked hard.

With a "chi" sound, the command arrow ignited, but it didn't soar into the sky. A small force struck his wrist, and a patch of warm liquid splashed onto the back of his hand, causing his heart to tremble. The command arrow flew out at an angle, not far, before hitting a City Gate Division soldier in the chest and exploding slightly with a "poof" sound.

Yan Bingyun didn't lower his head, but his peripheral vision caught sight of his hand covered in blood, flowing profusely.

...

...

When his index finger reached into the ring, a look of terror appeared in the eyes of the Junshan Society expert closest to him, as if he had seen something terribly frightening. Then, a thin line of blood appeared on the expert's neck.

The line of blood rapidly expanded in an instant, turning into a bloody gash. One could see the expert's white, skeletal throat bone, disgustingly visible trachea, esophagus, and blurred flesh.

With a "ge" sound, the expert rushed in front of Yan Bingyun. With a "pa" sound, he knelt down, the force of the impact jarring his half-severed throat, unable to hold up his head. His head, with the vertebra at the back of his neck as the center, listlessly flopped backward.

The upside-down, pale dead face stared with wide eyes at the Princess and Zhang Deqing, protected by layers of experts and soldiers.

Blood sprayed out of his throat like a fountain, hitting Yan Bingyun's hand and painting it entirely red, coincidentally preventing the command arrow from rising into the sky.

And the other Junshan Society expert who had rushed over faced an even more tragic end. He didn't even reach Yan Bingyun. His eyes only caught a faint shadow reflected by the torch passing in front of him, and then he felt a chill at his throat.

A delicate and lusterless sword pierced through his neck from his right rear, exceptionally steady and ruthless in its speed, extending out from the other side.

With a "chi" sound, the sword tip darted out and retracted like a viper's tongue, lightning-fast, leaving his neck. All of the expert's true energy and life, along with the sword that had left his neck, departed from his body. His eyes stared like a dead fish, his hand attempting to cover his neck, only to find that he could no longer control any of the muscles in his body.

His legs began to weaken, his vision began to blacken, he began to lose control of his bowels, and he fell down, rolling on the ground like a gourd, until he bumped into the high threshold of the City Gate Division's hall and stopped.

The smell of blood and filth emanated from his body.

...

...

A sword, as if extended from hell, ended the lives of two Junshan Society experts with extremely sinister means in a flash of lightning. No one could react to what had happened, not even Yan Bingyun, who had been saved, stood there in shock.

Then, he felt his whole body lighten. In the next moment, a dark figure had grabbed him by the neck and flew him onto the City Gate Division's hall. Following the shadows under the high city wall, he vanished into the darkness of the capital.

The darkness before dawn grew even heavier.

And in the eyes of those who intended to surround and kill Yan Bingyun, they saw an even more terrifying scene. A dark figure appeared silently in the crowd, effortlessly and swiftly killing two experts. Carrying Yan Bingyun as if he were a broken sack, he easily escaped from the encirclement of so many people.

Because of its ease, it was terrifying. With three "pa pa pa" sounds, Yan Bingyun had been rescued, and the City Gate Division's soldiers hadn't even had time to raise the bows and arrows in their hands.

Who exactly was this dark figure, possessing such terrifying strength!

The Princess, protected at the rear by experts and soldiers, had a slightly pale face. She waved her hand to dismiss her subordinates in front of her and walked out from the crowd, looking at the direction the dark figure had escaped. No one knew her mood, but her eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"The Overwatch Council... is indeed terrifying."

The mastermind of this rebellion in the capital thought to herself, but she didn't feel much frustration. Since it was this world's number one assassin who had come today, using his most murderous reputation and skill to save Yan Bingyun, there was no way for her to stop it.

However, it shouldn't affect anything.

Li Yunrui thought, squinting her eyes at the soldiers at the city gate. At this time, the sky was gradually brightening, and the sun below the horizon began to release countless small silver fish, allowing them to protrude their bellies and reflect its brilliance, gradually driving away the thick night of the capital.

The torches no longer seemed so bright, and the faint morning light shone on everyone, casting shadows on the ground.

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Of course, the Overwatch Council is terrifying. The Eight Great Offices are filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. No one knows how many heroes and talents are willing to conceal their appearances, abandon their past glories, and devote themselves to the great cause of espionage in Qing. This force, when twisted together, can unleash a power that even the most powerful Emperor of Qing has always been secretly wary of.

Because in name, the Overwatch Council is a special agency directly under the Emperor of Qing, but everyone knows that the Overwatch Council can attract so many capable people to serve and can exist powerfully in Qing for more than thirty years, all because of that old cripple sitting in a wheelchair.

The current capital only has a little over a thousand Overwatch Council officials, yet they already seem so terrifying, breaking into the palace, suppressing the Ministry of Justice, forcibly opening the Heavenly Prison, and subduing the Capital Prefecture, turning the entire capital upside down in one night.

Fan Xian planned well, Yan Bingyun executed well, but being able to achieve such an effect still relied on the powerful organization and iron-blooded obedience of the Overwatch Council officials. And these unique qualities of the Overwatch Council were all painstakingly instilled into the soul of the Overwatch Council by Chen Pingping, this old cripple, and the first generation of heads of the Eight Great Offices over the course of decades.

So the most powerful thing about the Overwatch Council isn't the Black Knights, isn't Fan Xian, and isn't that world's number one assassin, but Chen Pingping himself and what he represents.

But it's very strange that the Crown Prince and the Princess planned the assassination attempt on the Emperor at Mount Dong, and the Princess was well aware of the Overwatch Council's power, but it seemed that she paid too little attention to the Overwatch Council. At least, in the eyes of the anxious Crown Prince, if he were to ascend the throne, who would dare to sit on the dragon chair if he didn't first control Chen Pingping?

Fortunately, Chen Pingping had been poisoned and was isolated outside the capital.

The Crown Prince thought that this was all the work of his aunt, but no one knew that this matter had nothing to do with Li Yunrui.

From the beginning, Li Yunrui had never thought about dealing with Chen Garden and the old man in the wheelchair outside the capital, not because she didn't value Chen Pingping, nor because she thought Chen Pingping was an old monster who could never be eliminated, but because she had a secret.

...

...

A secret is only one person's secret; the others in the plan are not aware of it. After the news that Chen Pingping had been poisoned by the poison master from Dongyi reached the capital, everyone was shocked, thinking that the old cripple was pretending to be something, but when the news of the assassination attempt on the Emperor at Mount Dong also came, and the Empress Dowager ordered Chen Pingping to enter the palace immediately, Chen Pingping still remained in Chen Garden... Everyone began to speculate what it could be.

Could Chen Pingping really have been poisoned? So, an old man who had been dealing with Chen Pingping for decades began to waver and have thoughts. This old man had always had a secret fear of Chen Pingping. He would never feel at ease unless he killed him. The current situation was also wonderful, so-called "take his life while he's sick." If he didn't take Chen Pingping's life at this time, the old man felt that he would be letting himself down.

So, after Qin, who plants cabbages, left the capital to regain control of the army, after his son regained control of the Capital Garrison, the first order he issued was... to slaughter Chen Garden.

...

...

Today's Chen Garden has become barren land.

In Fan Xian's eyes, Chen Garden, which was even more luxurious and extravagant than the Ming Family Garden in Jiangnan, has now turned into countless patches of black ash. Those beautiful and elegant gardens have been burned into black earth, those exquisite and grand houses have turned into countless half-section stone walls, and faint smoke still rises from all around, but it no longer has that scorching temperature, looking exceptionally desolate.

If Fan Xian saw this scene, he would probably be heartbroken and curse those who didn't know how to cherish it. However, from ancient times to the present, the military is the existence that least needs an artistic aesthetic, so when a branch of the Qin family's army stormed into Chen Garden with lightning speed, they naturally set a fire.

The reason for this fire is not similar to the fire set by the Eight-Nation Alliance. Those robbers from the Eight-Nation Alliance believed that there were too many things and they couldn't move them, so they simply burned them rather than leave them to the people of the country. And the reason why the Qin family's army set fire... was because they didn't loot anything, and they didn't catch anyone!

The traps and mechanisms outside Chen Garden, which had once startled Fan Xian, still existed. The Qin family's army lost more than three hundred men before breaking into Chen Garden. However, in Chen Garden, they didn't find a single living person.

What greeted them was an empty garden. The rumored Director Chen, who was poisoned and bedridden, was not in the garden, nor were his beautiful serving girls, nor were the servants and maids in the garden. Everyone seemed to have already withdrawn, and they withdrew exceptionally cleanly. Even the paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls of Chen Garden had been taken down.

Chen Pingping liked those paintings and calligraphy.

This army, controlled by the Qin family and mainly composed of the Capital Garrison, was led by a general of the second generation of the Qin family, a cousin of Qin Heng. He looked at the empty Chen Garden in exasperation. He thought that he had led the army to attack, so many people had died, and in the end, they only occupied an empty garden. He couldn't help but feel like vomiting blood.

In a fit of anger, this General Qin set a fire.

Amidst the raging flames, he ordered a fast horse to report back to the Yuantai Camp, but he himself didn't dare to lead the army back, because Lord Qin had issued a death order. Since they had taken action against Chen Garden, they must kill Chen Pingping before returning to the army.

Helpless, he had to put aside his usual pride and respectfully ask for guidance from the black-clothed man beside him. This black-clothed man had been sent by Lord Qin to help him. On the way the army had attacked, he had said that Chen Garden must be empty at this time.

At that time, this General Qin still didn't quite believe it, but now he had no choice but to believe it. In his heart, he sighed, thinking that after all, he was a veteran of the Overwatch Council, and he knew much more about Chen Pingping's power and scheming.

Yan Ruohai, with his face covered, rode his horse next to General Qin and said, "Since Director Chen has left, then General should be prepared... You shouldn't think about catching him in a short time."

General Qin was stunned.

Yan Ruohai glanced at him and said mockingly, "Don't forget, he is Chen Pingping."

After saying these words, he pulled his horse's head and walked out of Chen Garden, unable to bear to look at the raging fire in Chen Garden behind him. He thought about what shape the Director would cut this General, who set fire to Chen Garden, into.

He was a member of the Qin family. This secret seemed to be known only to the Qin family. The Crown Prince and the Princess didn't know about it. However, he was a member of the Overwatch Council. This secret was really only known to the Overwatch Council. The Qin family certainly didn't know about it.

...

...

The capital was gradually becoming a city in distress. Memorials from various prefectures entered the capital, but no imperial edicts were issued from the capital. Fortunately, in this era, information exchange was inconvenient, and everyone was accustomed to a slow-paced rhythm. So, even if the surrounding prefectures outside the capital felt something was strange, they didn't become panicked because of the capital's crisis.

At least in these few days, the entire Qing, except for the capital and Dongshan Road, was as peaceful as usual.

The morning in Weizhou was no different from the morning in the capital. Chen Pingping, the Director of the Overwatch Council, who should have been dealing with the affairs of the throne in the capital, or should have been treating his poison in Chen Garden, raised his eyes and glanced at the sliver of sky above the courtyard of the quadrangle. He frowned, then began to pick up his chopsticks and eat porridge and steamed buns.

In the past, the old man also liked to eat these two things in Chen Garden.

After the Empress Dowager's edict was delivered to Chen Garden, this old ancestor of Qing's intelligence service immediately ordered his subordinates to prepare carriages and pack their luggage, and then... he didn't return to the capital, but instead... slipped away with extraordinary speed.

Fan Xian and the First Prince were standing on the imperial city wall, worrying about running away. They didn't expect that their closest elder was doing it much more simply and neatly than they were.

A convoy of carriages left Chen Garden and circled around the countryside south of the capital. And behind the convoy, the Qin family's army was still relentlessly searching for the whereabouts of this convoy, intending to kill them all.

However, Chen Pingping wasn't worried. The convoy didn't speed up, and didn't even deliberately conceal its whereabouts, but just lured the army to circle around behind its ass.

The convoy circled three times south of the capital, and the army followed and circled three times. The reason why they had never met was not only because of the Overwatch Council's powerful intelligence system and concealment capabilities in the countryside outside the capital, but also because the army had a very excellent guide.

Yan Ruohai was leading the Qin family to hunt down Chen Pingping. Anyone could know that as long as Chen Pingping wasn't willing, they would never be able to catch up.

The escape convoy, which was like a tour, finally stopped at a manor outside a city in Weizhou, the largest prefecture south of the capital, because Chen Pingping estimated that the time was almost up.

Chen Pingping was drinking porridge. His teeth were still pretty good, and he wasn't leaning against the wall. But the few Overwatch Council veterans sitting beside him looked at the Director with the eyes as if thinking he was shameless.

The capital was in such chaos, and his two nephews were risking their lives. How could he bear to run away himself?

Three people were sitting around Chen Pingping's breakfast table: an old servant who had served him in Chen Garden for decades, a former director of the Seventh Office who Fan Xian had once seen in the Overwatch Council's Heavenly Prison, that bald man, and Zong Zhui, one of the Overwatch Council's wings on par with Wang Qinian.

From the rear of the manor came the faint sounds of young concubines waking up, washing, and joking. These women didn't know that they were escaping.

The faces of the three Overwatch Council veterans weren't so good. Zong Zhui pursed his lips, moistening his dry lips due to nervousness, and said, "The pursuers are getting close. Director... you should make some plans."

"They'll be transferring troops back soon. There's no rush for this matter." Chen Pingping put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth neatly, and said, "You guys go out and make arrangements."

"Yes." Zong Zhui and the bald-headed director of the Seventh Office obeyed and left.

Only Chen Pingping and the old servant remained in the courtyard. At this moment, Chen Pingping suddenly coughed, coughing very painfully. The old man's face turned blood red, and then quickly turned deathly pale, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

The old servant said in tears, "Master, we have to call Lord Fei back, otherwise what will we do about this poison?"

It turned out that Chen Pingping had really been poisoned! He sat in his wheelchair and smiled self-deprecatingly, saying, "The poison won't kill people, it's just a bit uncomfortable."

...

...

"Master... the capital is a bit dangerous. Are you really not worried about Lord Fan?" The old servant glanced at Chen Pingping and asked carefully.

On Chen Pingping's old face, the wrinkles suddenly became more numerous. After a long while, he sighed and said, "How could I not be worried? But even if things fail, I think he can survive. As long as he's alive, everything will be fine."

The old servant thought that matters involved the struggle for the throne. If Lord Fan really lost, how could he survive? And if the Crown Prince really inherited the throne, I am afraid that this line of carriages would never find a place to live in this vast Qing land.

The old servant suddenly thought of something and said with great joy, "That's right, there's still Minister Fan and Prince Jing who haven't taken action."

In these days, Chen Pingping often discussed the situation in the capital with those old fellows under his command. The old servant had been listening from the side, so he had a very clear understanding of the strength comparison in the capital. If the Thirteenth City Gate Division really fell, and the armies of the Ye and Qin families entered the capital, how could the Overwatch Council resist? Unless Fan Jian and Prince Jing had the power to turn the situation around, Director Chen wouldn't dare to sit safely in his wheelchair, not worrying about Fan Xian.

"Prince Jing and Old Man Qin are the same, they only know how to lose their temper at the land." Chen Pingping said with a sneer, "Fan Jian's success in this life lies in forbearance, but he also fails in forbearance. Where does he have enough power to change the situation? Afraid that the palace would suspect him, our Minister Fan has been forbearing enough these years. Now, he's even forbearing himself."

After saying these words, Chen Pingping fell silent. He knew where Fan Jian's most powerful force was, but the problem was that His Majesty had taken all of those people with him on this trip to worship Heaven, and who knew if anyone among those people would be able to survive.

Pa pa pa pa, a few white pigeons flew into the courtyard along the direction of the morning light. The old servant stepped forward, caught one, and held it in front of Chen Pingping.

Chen Pingping untied the small tube on the pigeon's foot, looked at the words on it, and his eyebrows gradually furrowed. After a long while, he summoned the Overwatch Council subordinate and ordered in a deep voice, "According to yesterday's order, everyone take action and continue to block any news from Dongshan Road. The imperial team going to pick up the remains is almost here."

"Yes."

...

...

After a long time, Chen Pingping finally woke up from a state of absent-mindedness. Until now, this Qing's most powerful schemer finally felt a trace of powerlessness. Perhaps it was the power of the poison, or perhaps it was the power of old age, that made him feel a trace of fatigue and... a faint disappointment.

"Fan Xian won't die so easily." Not knowing if he was comforting the old servant or comforting himself, Chen Pingping said calmly, "At least I've lured six thousand troops away for this kid. His pressure will be reduced a lot."

"You have to know that it's not easy to make someone die."

Chen Pingping pushed his wheelchair towards the backyard, and the old servant hurried to push it. Passing a flower bed, looking at the trembling white flowers in the early autumn in the bed, Chen Pingping's expression remained unchanged, but he stopped and watched for a long time. Then he slowly bent down, picked a flower, and carefully tucked it into his ear.

The old servant smiled and pushed him into a side room in the backyard.

When entering the side room, Chen Pingping suddenly said to him, "If Fan Xian knew that he was a father, he would learn to cherish his life even more."

The light in the side room was not too bright, but it could be clearly seen that a woman of about twenty years old was looking at the baby in her arms with a face full of love. This woman with a maternal glow was Sisi, the one who disappeared from the Fan family's manor in the suburbs of the capital, and the baby in her arms was...

Chen Pingping pushed his wheelchair forward, lovingly took the newborn baby from her arms, looked at the baby's rosy cheeks and closed eyes, clucked his tongue, and teased, "Little girl is so good. Your father will definitely like you very much when he sees you."

Sisi smiled sweetly as she watched this scene. Suddenly, she saw the small white flower on Chen Pingping's forehead and asked curiously, "Director, why do you have a flower?"

"Last time I held this child, she cried. It seems like I'm too ugly. Today, I put on a flower... See, she really doesn't cry anymore."

The wrinkles on Chen Pingping's face had become chrysanthemums with laughter. The color of love was so genuine that it couldn't be faked. It seemed that he really liked the little girl in his arms as if she were his own granddaughter.

Sisi, who had just given birth, was not in very good physical condition. Looking at Chen Pingping, she suddenly said sadly, "But... I don't know when the young master will come back."

When Chen Pingping took her away, Sisi was also taken aback. When she gave birth, Wan'er and the familiar people in the Fan Mansion were not by her side. All she had were the midwives Chen Pingping had arranged. This girl's mind had really suffered a lot.

However, she knew that Director Chen must not have any malice, but she didn't understand why she had to give birth outside the mansion. She couldn't help but think of some secrets of wealthy families, and she had been feeling depressed.

"Fan Xian will be back in a few days." Chen Pingping said with a smile of comfort, "The most important thing for a lying-in woman is to be in a good mood, so he asked me to take you out for a walk."

This reason was obviously a bit far-fetched, but Sisi's mind was obviously not working very well after giving birth, and she actually believed it.

"You rest first." Chen Pingping was so happy that he didn't want to let go of the little girl for a moment. He said to Sisi, "I'll take the child out for a walk."

Sisi said, "Don't let her get blown by the wind."

Chen Pingping nodded very obediently. In front of a mother, when snatching someone else's child to play with, you always have to be a little more obedient.

...

...

Chen Pingping teased the baby all the way to another room and said to the person in the room, "Let me show you Fan Xian's daughter."

The man was tightly bound and had a look of unease and sadness on his face. When he heard this sentence, he suddenly rejoiced and said, "Director, did the young lady get a name?"

He suddenly saw the small white flower on Chen Pingping's temple, and with a flash of inspiration, he said, "Just call her Fan Xiaohua. The master will definitely like it."

This person who was so good at taking names with the intention to flatter was naturally Wang Qinian, Fan Xian's confidant. No one knew how this man had escaped from Mount Dong, and no one knew why he was tied up in the room by Chen Pingping!

Chen Pingping glared at him and said, "What kind of crap is that?"

Wang Qinian had obviously lost a lot of weight. It seemed that after escaping from Mount Dong, he had suffered a lot of torment on the road. Looking at the little girl in the Director's arms, in addition to his joy, he suddenly thought of his family and daughter in the capital, thought of Fan Xian, who was in the center of the storm, and for some reason, his nose felt sore. He said, "I don't know if the master will be able to see his own daughter."

He said with a weeping face, "What exactly is this all about? I can't figure it out."

Chen Pingping had a calm face and said, "I don't understand what will happen in the capital, but I know that something will definitely... happen in the capital."

——————————————————

Fan Xian stood on the wall of the imperial city, looking at the rising sun in the east. The red-tinged sky was vast, but his brows gradually furrowed, and he sighed. Until now, he had not found Wan'er and Da Bao. Fortunately, a reply came from Prince Jing's Mansion that his father and Aunt Liu were both safe and sound and were on their way to the palace.

Counting on his fingers, Sisi's due date had also arrived. He wondered if the girl who had disappeared strangely was doing well now, and whether the child was a boy or a girl?

Of all his relatives, the one he was least worried about was Sisi, who was about to give birth, because since the mansion had defaulted to this matter, the person who took Sisi away could not be anyone else, but the old cripple in Chen Garden who would die alone.

What he was worried about at this time was Yan Bingyun. After Yan Bingyun entered the City Gate Division, no news had come back, and the Overwatch Council personnel responsible for reporting the news had also disappeared. All of this indicated that there was a problem. Fan Xian notified the First Prince to start making arrangements, but he was a little puzzled as to why Yan Bingyun had not sent out a command arrow.

The rising sun jumped out of the horizon. Fan Xian suddenly had a thought, as if he felt that some beautiful things were happening in the world.

Of course, these beautiful things did not exist in the capital. The capital was in danger, so Fan Xian had to comfort himself - in the most dangerous time, someone would ride a five-colored cloud to save him.