Through Mountains of Blades and Seas of Fire

– Sir! This prince understands what you are worried about. She will not become my weakness; on the contrary, she will be the one to shoulder the great undertaking with me. Intelligent, quick-witted, decisive in action, and cautious in conduct—who could surpass her? Furthermore, compared to those scheming women who only know how to flatter, her straightforward personality makes me feel much more at ease.

The woman I choose will not become my burden.

For her, even if I must climb mountains of blades and plunge into seas of fire, I will never hesitate!

– This subordinate knows that Your Highness has great foresight. I only fear that in the future, Your Highness will abandon the foundation and prospects you have painstakingly built for so long for the sake of that woman. Do not forget the mission and responsibility you bear on your shoulders...

Prince An frowned, uttering a heavy sentence:

– I have my own boundaries!

The conversation fell into a deadlock from there, and Mr. Bai could say nothing more. If his mind was made up, then no one could change it.

A man who was once single-mindedly devoted to the empire was now suddenly wavering. The current him actually wanted to escape from the bustling affairs of the world, wanting to live a life for himself, as himself.

But would that truly be alright?

Hearing his decisive words, Bai Haoran felt somewhat relieved. However, a trace of lingering worry and a gentle sadness persisted in his heart. He thought to himself: "If you are like this, what will General Li do? She has followed you for so many years, doing everything for you. Do you truly have no feelings for her at all? If she knew that your heart had long been given to another, she would surely be heartbroken!"

After a moment of silence, Prince An suddenly remembered something. He stopped, turned around, and asked:

– A Cheng, what kind of person is Ma Shihuan?

The Northern Guard behind him stepped forward and bowed respectfully:

– Reporting to Your Highness, Ma Shihuan is a distant relative of the Empress Dowager. He was specially admitted to the palace two years ago. Thanks to his connections, he was appointed by the Emperor as the Dyke Commissioner, overseeing and inspecting dyke affairs. He frequently associates with the State Preceptor and other high-ranking officials.

Mr. Bai asked in confusion:

– Why does Your Highness suddenly ask about this? Has a problem occurred with the dyke construction?

Dingluan pondered for a long time before replying:

– While reviewing the memorials these past few days, I received several reports about this Dyke Commissioner, stating that he was negligent in his duties. His failure to reinforce the dykes in a timely manner has caused cracks to appear, leading to rising river levels and flooding the fields of the common people. Furthermore, the relief funds sent by the imperial court were embezzled by him, never reaching the hands of the citizens. He is truly a corrupt official who must be eliminated soon.

After careful consideration, Mr. Bai said:

– Your Highness, since he is the Empress Dowager's man, the power behind him is certainly not simple. Moreover, he frequently associates with officials, and his network is by no means small. These few memorials alone may not be enough to expose his crimes. You must play this hand carefully. Once you openly oppose the Empress Dowager, countless arrows will be aimed straight at you.

– Sir is absolutely right. I must be cautious regarding this matter.

Having a strategist who thought as thoroughly as Bai Haoran was truly a blessing of three lifetimes for Prince An. Whether in military or state affairs, Mr. Bai always provided flawless strategies. A single proclamation from him could diminish the enemy's morale, making our generals and soldiers rejoice and fight with all their might. A single word from him could make many scholars ponder. A man of such foresight was truly rare. Ever since inviting him to be the strategist, Prince An was like a tiger with wings, dominating every battlefield, winning every battle, and gaining great fame.

Looking back for a moment, Dingluan's face bore a pensive expression. His eyes were like a deep lake, bottomless.

Prince An's Manor...

"BANG!"

A figure had just flashed past the window. He moved very quickly, but it was enough for her sharp eyes to catch.

Sensing that something was wrong, she stood up abruptly and quickly pulled open the door. Outside was quiet, with only the grass swaying in the wind. Shi Yi cast a cautious gaze in all directions.

"Sneaking around, very suspicious. Who on earth is it?"

Then she fell into deep thought: "Going through the backyard is the fastest way to... lead to the study?!"

Xiao Jing approached, her face filled with confusion as she asked:

– Sister Yi, what's wrong? Is there someone outside?

She was still immersed in her thoughts, as if she hadn't heard a word the young maid had said.

A spark of fire suddenly flared up in the night sky, instantly turning into a large blaze. From outside, terrified screams echoed:

– FIRE! FIRE! HIS HIGHNESS'S STUDY IS ON FIRE!

The young maid and Shi Yi were startled upon hearing this, and they ran quickly out the door, heading straight toward the study.

At this moment, everyone was shouting to extinguish the fire, running back and forth in anxiety and haste. By the time they arrived, the study was already engulfed in roaring flames, and thick smoke billowed into the sky like a dragon. The heat was scorching; even standing at a distance, one could feel their skin burning intensely. The smoke rushed into their noses, causing everyone to cough violently as they covered their noses. The scene became extremely chaotic.

It was not hard to see that someone had intentionally set the fire. The study could not have caught fire on its own, and it was located far from the kitchen. Furthermore, after that figure flashed past earlier, she had already guessed some of it, but she just hadn't expected this person to dare.

The young maid grumbled at this moment:

– How strange, why didn't the warehouse or the kitchen catch fire? Fortunately, Brother Luan's study only has a few books and some memorials, nothing of great value.

As soon as those words were spoken, a trace of horror flashed in Shi Yi's eyes.

"Memorials? An Dingluan has to attend court tomorrow morning, could it be..."