The Collapse

Ten days later.

The Imperial Capital, the Institute of Investigation.

As the place where array pattern masters live and work, the Sky Pattern Directorate has a very elegant environment.

Birds sing and flowers bloom, lush greenery abounds, pavilions and terraces stand side by side, and the wind ripples across the lake.

The midday sun in summer was warm. Some array masters dressed in yellow and blue brocade uniforms chatted and laughed as they walked along the wide, tree-lined path. Tall martial arts apprentices carefully carried boxes of "goods" from the warehouse onto beast-drawn carts. Everything was in perfect order.

However, this peace was quickly shattered by two figures.

Two people, one old and one young.

The old man had a pure white beard and an air of otherworldly wisdom, but his face carried a hint of ingratiation.

The girl wore a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her shoulders were sculpted, her waist was slender, and her gentle, watery eyes held a hint of annoyance.

The two hurried out from the warehouse. Along the way, even the top-ranking Heavenly Armor Array Masters of the Institute of Investigation bowed respectfully upon seeing them.

However, the old man and the young man completely ignored these people.

The girl stormed out.

The old man smiled obsequiously and chuckled along.

"Xin Yao, Xin Yao, don't be angry. Oh, Xin Yao, please don't be angry."

"."

Xu Xinyao suddenly stopped, her beautiful eyes fixed on Jiang He. Even in anger, her voice remained as soothing as water:

"Master, how did you agree to Xin Yao's request?"

"Well"

Jiang He opened her mouth, then chuckled awkwardly, "Xin Yao, which matter are you referring to?"

Xu Xinyao stared silently at Jiang He for several breaths, then took out a round ball about half a foot in diameter from her Sumeru Ring and held it in her hand.

"What's this?"

Jiang He was somewhat speechless, her eyes instinctively averting their gaze, and she muttered awkwardly in a low voice:

"Sun Veil."

"What materials are used inside? What kind of array patterns?" Xu Xinyao bit her lip. "I remember Master, you promised me that you wouldn't let these things be used for military purposes again."

Jiang He coughed lightly, trying to change the subject, and said in a low voice:

"Xin Yao, it's been so long since I've seen you."

Xu Xinyao sniffed, her clear eyes slightly reddening, and asked:

"Master, what the current war in the Northern Border needs is the Cloud Qi Bomb that you modified, not this so-called Sun- Sun Veil. What is the Institute of Investigation trying to do by manufacturing so many Sun Veil?"

Jiang He looked at her disciple, who had now grown into a graceful young woman, and sighed.

"Xin Yao, this matter has nothing to do with you."

Xu Xinyao lowered her eyes, her nails digging into her palms:

"More than twenty boxes, more than three hundred Sun Veil —our Institute of Investigation must have manufactured more than that?"

"."

Jiang He's fingertips trembled slightly. She raised her hand to touch her disciple's head, but stopped in mid-air.

After a while,

Jiang He withdrew her hand, the wrinkles on her aged face seeming to deepen slightly, and nodded:

"Yes, the Prime Minister has ordered our Institute of Investigation to manufacture a thousand Sun Veil. We have already delivered seventy percent to the Black Scale Army. What you see, Xin Yao, is the last one."

Xu Xinyao was startled upon hearing this, her voice trembling slightly:

"Sent to the Northern Border?"

"Yes, those Sun Veil have now been transported to various parts of the Northern Border using the imperial court's disaster relief carts."

This time the answer was crisp, but the tone was warm, unlike Jiang He's aged voice.

Under the sunlight, a figure in green robes gracefully landed and looked at the girl in blue.

Xu Xinyao looked up at the sound, meeting the man's gentle gaze, her expression complex, and whispered:

"Big brother."

Xu Changge smiled gently, her eyes crinkling.

"Xin Yao, it's been a long time. Your father misses you dearly. Come home with me now."

Xu Xinyao pursed her lips and didn't answer.

Jiang He hissed and said with some dissatisfaction:

"Xu Changge, this old man hasn't even spoken to my apprentice yet."

"Okay, I miss my father too."

"."

Jiang He opened her mouth.

Xu Xinyao bowed slightly to Jiang He.

"Master, Xin Yao will come to see you again tomorrow."

After saying that,

Xu Changge nodded politely to Jiang He, then used his Qi to envelop Xu Xinyao and flew away.

Standing alone, Jiang He gazed at the receding figure in the sky for a long time, her sense of loss turning into a soft sigh.

They remained silent the whole way.

Xu Changge disregarded everyone and flew directly over the no-fly zone above Di'an, landing with Xu Xinyao inside the vast Prime Minister's Estate.

Entering the inner courtyard,

Looking at the familiar, unchanging layout of her home, Xu Xinyao's worried expression eased slightly. After glancing around, she asked softly:

"Brother, hasn't Father returned yet?"

Xu Changge walked forward slowly, nodded slightly, and smiled:

"Father is going to the palace to meet the Emperor today, so he may be back a little late."

"Oh"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xinyao subconsciously glanced at the second annex on the right side of the main hall and asked softly:

"What about Third Brother?"

"."

Xu Changge.

Seeing her elder brother's expression, Xu Xinyao's beautiful eyes lit up with a smile. She pursed her lips and spat out:

"Is Third Brother going to a brothel in broad daylight again?"

Xu Changge chuckled softly, a complex smile playing on his narrow eyes. He shook his head and said gently:

"No, he's not in the Imperial Capital right now."

"Not in the Imperial Capital?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Xu Xinyao's eyes.

She returned to the Imperial Capital specifically to make a set of the protective magical weapons that Xu Yuan was wearing.

"Changtian went to the Northern Border; he should be in Beifeng City now."

"."

Xu Xinyao stared blankly at her eldest brother:

"Third Brother's cultivation is so weak, won't he be in danger?"

Xu Changge exhaled, glanced at the north, and whispered:

"Beifeng City has fallen."

"."

Xu Xinyao's pupils contracted slightly, and she suddenly felt a little short of breath. She remained silent for a long time, somewhat at a loss.

"How could Beifeng City have fallen? There are protective formations there!"

"The sects refused to come to our aid, which is why we fell."

Xu Changge's eyes flashed coldly, but his expression softened as he looked at Xu Xinyao, and he spoke comfortingly:

"Father doesn't enter the palace to meet the Emperor casually. Once he returns, he should know about your Third Brother's current situation."

"Oh"

Xu Xinyao responded softly, her fists clenched beneath her sleeves. "Third Brother... Third Brother is so smart, he'll definitely be alright."

"I think so too."

As he spoke,

Seeing that Xu Xinyao still looked dazed, Xu Changge paused for a moment, then stiffly began to change the subject:

"Alright, stop thinking about that. Tell me about your travels and experiences over the years."

The Imperial Palace.

The Lake Heart Pavilion, bathed in a warm breeze, is intoxicating.

Sunlight streamed through the window, revealing two figures sitting around a chessboard.

The game is intricate, with the white and black pieces intertwined, and it's nearing its end.

The old man, clad in Imperial Dragon Robe, casually tossed a black chess piece onto the board, then slowly rose to his feet, supporting himself on his knees, and chuckled:

"The late emperor loved chess. Back then, in order to win his favor, I devoted most of my life to studying chess, but now I can't even beat you, the former chess idiot."

Xu Yinhe gently placed the white piece in his hand into the chess jar and replied calmly:

"Your Majesty's current playing style is too hasty. Although it is powerful and difficult to resist, it also has many weaknesses."

The old man in the imperial robe grinned:

"Alright, you wouldn't come to the palace without a reason. Chancellor Xu, you didn't come here just to play chess, did you?"

Xu Yinhe raised his eyes and glanced at the old man in the imperial robe, then asked:

"Wasn't today's game initiated by His Majesty?"

"."

Upon hearing this, the old man in the imperial robe raised an eyebrow, a smile appearing on his wrinkled face:

"I recall the Chancellor Xu joked with me was about twenty years ago, on the day your third son was born. Ah, it seems some good news has arrived."

A hint of nostalgia flickered in Xu Yinhe's hawk-like eyes, accompanied by a smile.

The old man in the imperial robe chuckled:

"Chancellor Xu, my days are numbered. Wasting time by playing coy in front of me is not a good habit."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yinhe's eyes instantly deepened. He slowly stood up, bowed, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Your Majesty, once a move is made, there's no going back. We can proceed now."

The air suddenly froze.

In the silence,

The old man in the imperial robes narrowed his eyes, staring at his old friend before him, and said, word by word:

"Chancellor Xu, what do you mean by that?"

"."

Xu Yinhe slowly raised her eyes, meeting Li Yaoxuan's sharp gaze in the silent air, and spoke softly:

"Lou Ji sent word that the 300,000 elite troops of the Northern Border were routed last night."

I reviewed the outline again today and am preparing to speed things up.