From childhood to adulthood, when mistakes were made, Hong Fang always faced harsher punishments than Hong Mu, which is why he harbored resentment towards Marquis Hong in secret, but he concealed it very well and never let Marquis Hong catch any hint of it.

Yet, after experiencing the double blow of being stripped of his office and being injured, Hong Fang inevitably felt emotional turmoil.

"Fang, do you resent me for treating you and your older brother unfairly since childhood?" Marquis Hong sighed. "Have you always felt that because you are a bastard, I have been unfair to you?"

"I wouldn't dare," said Hong Fang, with insincerity in his heart.

"You and your brother are different. If I had treated you the same as your brother from the start, do you think you would have the status and power you possess today? Your brother is the legitimate heir of the Hong Residence; even if he were incapable, he could still rightfully inherit the title of Marquis. But you are different; you are a bastard, and if you want to achieve great success, you must rely on yourself. I have seen your efforts over these years, and except for that one incident, I have been very satisfied with everything you've done these past years," Marquis Hong said, standing before Hong Fang with his hands clasped behind his back.

Marquis Hong cast a profound gaze at Hong Fang.

Marquis Hong's words resonated in Hong Fang's ears, provoking innumerable thoughts.

In his mind, scenes from the past thirty years flashed by like fleeting shadows.

Indeed, he was the bastard of the Hong Residence.

Hong Fang's mother was a foot-washing maid of Marquis Hong, who had no affection for her.

Before Hong Fang was even full-term, his mother was driven to her death by the legitimate wife of the main branch. Due to the lack of breast milk, Hong Fang was sickly and frail as a child, mingling with the servants of the Marquis Mansion.

Yet in secret, he studied diligently, and stealthily learned the Ultimate Skills of the Hong Residence.

At the age of ten, he made a name for himself in the Hong Residence with a celebratory poem at a family banquet; at sixteen, he made a remarkable impression at the Daxia Imperial Competition.

Hong Fang believed that every step he had taken over the years had been perfect.

Except for that one incident... the incident that Marquis Hong and Hong Fang referred to was Ye Huangyu's marriage into the Hong Residence.

Hong Fang had once harbored feelings for Ye Huangyu.

At least, in the first year or two when he first met Ye Huangyu, he loved her.

That's why he quietly married her. However, he had not expected Marquis Hong to become so furious, refusing to acknowledge Ye Huangyu's status, cutting off all of Hong Fang's financial gains, and even affecting his career.

Hong Fang was unwilling to accept this; his efforts over many years should not have been brought to naught because of one woman.

When Hong Fang was downcast, he met his current wife, Zhuge Rou.

Zhuge Rou's arrival offered Hong Fang a taste of power and status again, and without much hesitation, he abandoned Ye Huangyu.

Following that, he married Zhuge Rou and fathered Hong Mingyue, finally restoring the father-son relationship with Marquis Hong.

After that, everything went smoothly, and he became the Crown Prince's Grand Protector, the embodiment of both literary and martial virtues in Daxia.

"But this time, you have truly disappointed me," said Marquis Hong, flicking his sleeves. "Your secret alliance with Liu Qing, in partnership with Noble Princess Consort Luo and the Crown Prince, was alright, but the mistake was your underestimating the enemy, allowing them to exploit any opportunity."

Hong Fang was terrified; he had not anticipated that Marquis Hong was already aware of his collusion with Liu Qing.

"Do not forget, it was I who handed over the Sha Sect to you and your brother. It was I who personally trained Liu Qing, my dog." The reason Marquis Hong stood by and watched the affairs of the Sha Sect was that he believed Hong Fang would make good use of this knife.

Who would have thought that, in the end, the tiny Ghost Sect would annihilate the Sha Sect.

"If it weren't for the agreement I had with Marquis long ago, that neither of us could intervene in the power struggles within Xia Capital, I would have destroyed that Ghost Sect already."

Mentioning the Ghost Sect also inflamed Marquis Hong with anger.

It was then that Hong Fang realized there was an unwritten agreement between Marquis Hong and Marquis.

As the only two practitioners of the Reincarnation Fifth Level in Xia Capital, Marquis Hong and Marquis were always at odds.

With their strength and the powers they held, if they were to fight openly, the court would be engulfed in a bloodbath, and Daxia Country would inevitably be affected.

Therefore, twenty years ago, Marquis and Marquis Hong made an agreement: unless Daxia Country faced a calamity comparable to national extinction, neither of them could use force.

This rule has been in effect for twenty years.

It also indirectly allowed for twenty years of peace and balance among the nobles and the civilian population of not only Xia Capital but also the entire Daxia Country.

However, due to Hong Fang's blunder this time, the Crown Prince lost his standing, and this balanced situation was also broken.

"Father, I know my mistake. This time, it was my miscalculation that led to my defeat at the hands of that wretched Ye Lingyue. I have decided to personally..." Hong Fang hadn't finished speaking.

"You plan to personally take action against a junior? Hong Fang, you seem to only get more foolish with age. Do you really think that by making a move against a young girl in Xia Capital, her backing is merely the insignificant Lan Residence?" Marquis Hong said disdainfully.

"Father means that behind her stands Marquis, and possibly even the entire civilian power of Daxia?" Hong Fang was startled into a cold sweat by Marquis Hong's reprimand.

If Marquis would be provoked, given his explosive temper, he would definitely fall out with the Hong Residence.

"Thank goodness you still have some sense. However, Ye Lingyue is not yet a significant figure. She has only attracted the attention of Marquis and one faction of civilian powers. This person must be eliminated, but how to eliminate her, and who should do it, that is a question of strategy." Marquis Hong flicked his sleeve, dropping something into Hong Fang's hand.

As Hong Fang looked at the letter in his hand, his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Although you have been stripped of your position as Grand Protector this time, it may not be a bad thing. In no more than three days, this letter will reach His Majesty's hands, and you will surely be reused by the court. This is your last chance from me; if you still fail this time, do not even think about succeeding to the Marquis Mansion ever again." Having said that, Marquis Hong had already disappeared.

Just as Marquis Hong had said, within a few days, Hong Fang, who was originally ordered to be dismissed and fined, was quickly reused.

Days later, an urgent letter arrived at Xia Capital.

"There is chaos caused by beasts in the northwest region of Daxia, and many frontier cities are left defenseless, requesting military support from the court." As soon as this information reached the Daxia Court, Emperor Xia immediately summoned Hong Fang to the palace for an overnight discussion on the matters of the border. Also accompanying them was Lan Yingwu, the newly appointed General of Army.

It was only after two days and two nights that Lan Yingwu returned to Lan Residence.

The overnight scrutiny visibly exhausted someone as prominent as Lan Yingwu. His face had more of a stubble, and his eyes carried an undertone of indignation.