Before Cui Shaoting's departure, he didn't give much instruction to his wife and children. Instead, he specifically called Song Chuyi into his study and solemnly advised her, "I'm leaving all my people to you; use them however you see fit. Just remember, never push yourself to do something beyond your capability. No matter what, both your uncles and aunts are here in the capital—don't make any foolish decisions."

  Though Cui Shaoting was only her cousin, he treated her with such care that it surpassed even her true uncle, Cui Yingshu. Seeing her eyes redden, he gently patted her head. "Silly girl, you usually seem capable, but in times like this, you act like you've lost your wits. I treat you just as Yingshu does. I never had a sister growing up, and your mother has always been like one to me."

  Saying this, he let out a mocking ugh. "If it weren't for looking after you and Yan'er, I wouldn't have let him into our home today."

  The "him" he referred to was, of course, Song Yi.

  Song Chuyi nodded resolutely, trying to hold back her tears. Cui Shaoting then took a very small box from a hidden compartment behind his desk and handed it to her. "Inside is my token. If you find yourself in a critical situation, take it to Lai Chenglong. It will be useful."

  Song Chuyi, startled, momentarily forgot her tears and didn't immediately understand. Lai Chenglong? He was the newly appointed Deputy Commander of the Jinyiwei. With Chen Xiang in charge of the Southern Command, Lai Chenglong now managed the Northern Command. She hadn't expected Cui Shaoting to have connections with such a powerful figure.

  Seeing her surprise, Cui Shaoting couldn't help but tease her again, "Caught you off guard, didn't I? No matter how resourceful you are, you can't possibly know every detail of my connections. Lai Chenglong's father was my advisor back when I was in Fujian. We went through thick and thin together. I wouldn't trust anyone else to help you in times of need. You may not want to tell me exactly what you need these people for, but I can imagine it isn't an easy matter. Use these people wisely—they're a double-edged sword. If things get out of hand, seek out Lai Chenglong, and he'll take care of it."

  It was only because she had no one else to turn to that she had thought of Ma San and the others. In her previous life, her cousin had been accused of keeping desperadoes as private soldiers, which had cost him dearly.

  Yet Cui Shaoting and Cui Yingshu had thought through everything for her, pnning ahead. She put the small box, barely the size of her palm, into her sleeve pocket and nodded heavily, fighting back tears.

  After retreating to the rear courtyard of the Cui residence and evading Lady Yu, her first words to Ma San and Ma Wangkun were an order to strike tonight. "You've been observing for three or four months by now, so there shouldn't be any mistakes. Tonight, they'll be heading to Hebei—take action when the moment arises."

  Ma San looked up hesitantly at Song Chuyi, then quickly lowered his gaze. "Kill them?" he asked, making a slicing motion across his neck, his heart growing heavier. He had been following Song Chuyi for four months. The first thing he'd handled was the affair with Huang Yuanwai, and now, the second task was a matter of life and death. He couldn't help but feel uneasy. Even those rough-and-tumble women back in his vilge, forced by circumstance to live as outws, would tremble at the thought of killing someone. But Song Chuyi spoke of it so casually, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

  Song Chuyi gnced at the hesitant Ma San, then shifted her gaze to Ma Wangkun, who had silently obeyed orders from start to finish. Fixing her eyes on Ma San's head for a moment, her voice turned as cold as icy winter water, sending a chill through him. "What? Afraid?"

  Afraid? He'd fought alongside Cui Shaoting's soldiers and killed plenty of people, even back when he was a bandit.

  Ma San quickly shook his head. He was just uncertain what deep grudge would lead this young dy to order someone's death.

  "If it's not fear, then do as I say." Song Chuyi's voice retained its coldness but softened with a slight touch of calm, making her sound less severe. "If you handle this well, I'll have both your sons sent to study, so they won't have to follow your path."

  Ma San and Ma Wangkun exchanged gnces, each realizing she had them cornered. Last time, she'd promised to move their wives and elderly mothers to a nearby vilge to work, and she'd kept her word—they could now visit them secretly. Now, she was offering another promise, and with her grip on their weak spots, how could they refuse?

  They had already scouted the spot, knowing exactly how many men were involved. Their group y in wait, hidden in waist-high grass, until the three carriages left the outskirts of the capital and entered the desote countryside under cover of night. They swiftly attacked, without wasting a single word, and eliminated all eleven men.

  Afterward, they shoved both men and carriages over the nearby cliff and spent the rainy night in an old house they'd secured outside the capital.

  Hardened as they were, none of them lost any sleep over it, each with blood on their hands. On the third day, the unremarkable Ma Wangkun slipped into the city, where he met Luo Gui at the theater to pass along a message.

  When Song Chuyi heard the news, she was in her room replying to Song Yan's letter. She curled her lips into a smile upon hearing it.

  Han Zhi loved to funt his wit, not only pushing a child with a striking resembnce to her son in front of her but also quoting that poetic line: "Even as the tree dies, the vine clings on." He probably thought she wouldn't figure it out.

  But he'd forgotten she harbored an old soul within. Given how sensitive Song Chuning's case was, his words took her suspicion from three to ten parts.

  She couldn't believe fate would toy with her twice, sending Song Chuning and then Han Zhi to trouble her. Besides, the more she interacted with Han Zhi, the less he seemed like the shrewd and seasoned man from her previous life. This only reinforced her belief that he wasn't reincarnated but was somehow linked to the reincarnated Song Chuning.

  Finally, all her patience and careful pnning paid off. She'd ordered Ma Yongfu and Ma Wangkun to tail Wei Yanjun closely, and they'd uncovered the truth: Song Chuning's coffin had indeed been taken to the temple. But it was rumored that on that day, there was another funeral procession on the outskirts, and the two groups had collided.

  Only in books would such coincidences happen.

  If Han Zhi wanted to toy with her, she'd send him a gift first. She wondered how he'd react upon learning that his lover was dead.