Gu Beiting had passed along the news to warn Suijie to be extra careful. After all, he was the Wang Rongrong faction's leading man in plotting against Xu Yi. If Xu Yanzhi set her sights on him while he was unprepared, things could go very badly.
Xu Yi had feigned concern for Wang Rongrong and said he would be extra careful, then ended his exchange with Gu Beiting. He felt both moved and wistful. Years ago, he had joked, "Someday, when I yearn for Chang'an, I'll really be yearning for someone in Chang'an." And now, he truly did think of that someone in Chang'an all the time.
By the time Xu Yi reached the negotiating hall on South Mountain, Wang Rongrong was already there. This time, he had brought his fullest force; nearly everyone who had taken part in the previous hunt for Xu Yi in the Mang Mountains had shown up.
This was the moment to reap the fruits of victory. It was only right that everyone bear witness, and it was a perfect opportunity to unite the ranks and rally their resolve.
With the moment of claiming victory drawing near, Wang Rongrong found that his excitement had faded. What occupied his thoughts most was the warning Suijie had sent through the Ruyi Pearl. Suijie had urged him to think it over again and again, and to look for any overlooked weaknesses. In short, Suijie simply refused to believe Xu Yi would meekly stretch out his neck and await execution.
At first, he had taken Suijie's reminder as a well-meant warning. Perhaps Suijie was simply cautious by nature and disliked taking risks. But after Suijie warned him repeatedly, Wang Rongrong couldn't help growing uneasy. Just then, Xu Yi stepped into the hall, his expression neither warm nor cold, giving