Your Highness, Let Me Die Knowing Why

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in Chang'an Fortress, inside a spacious courtyard, two white-haired old men were playing chess.

One of them was Zhi Xing, an education committee member of Heaven Dou Academy. His expression was steady, as if every move had been made after careful thought.

His opponent was a weather-beaten old man with a resolute face. He wore a dark robe, with a faded cloth belt tied around his waist. He looked plain, yet exuded an iron-blooded air, clearly a veteran general who had spent years on the battlefield.

The old general gently placed a chess piece on the board, then looked up and said in a clear voice to Sixth Prince Xue Shiming, who was leisurely drinking tea and watching the game beside them, "Your Highness, Old Zhi and I have been playing for an hour."

Zhi Xing held a chess piece suspended in the air and frowned slightly.

Xue Shiming was dressed in a gorgeous brocade robe, holding hot tea in his hand, his manner relaxed.

He gently set down his teacup and smiled faintly. "Old General Ge, there is no need to be anxious. Elder Zhi has plenty of time, and I was merely bored. Watching the two of you play is also quite an elegant pastime."

Hearing this, Old General Ge slowly closed his eyes, as though recalling the stormy years of the past.

A moment later, his eyes suddenly snapped open. He untied the inner lapel of his robe, revealing dense, countless scars.

He pointed at the fierce, conspicuous scar that ran from his chest to beneath his ribs. "Your Highness, this humble general is Ge Laizheng. I was born into a military family and have served in the army for fifty years, starting as a common soldier."

"This scar was left when