As Zhuo Hao had said, the start of this ordeal was initiated by Shao Qi himself. Their actions these past days seemed deliberate and planned, suggesting today's events were anticipated.

Zhou You had eagerly begun studying the latter part of the Taiyi Heart Sutra. He transcribed the recognizable characters, filling in gaps where possible. He wasn't in a rush. As long as the core remained, he could practice safely without deviating.

When Shao Qi knocked, Zhou You had just finished patching up the sixth layer, feeling fairly confident in his work.

"Come in."

Shao Qi entered, sat beside the bed, and stared at Zhou You for a while.

"Why silent? The Zhu family won’t let this slide. Have you thought of a countermeasure? What’s our next move?"

Shao Qi asked a seemingly trivial question, "Can I sleep in your room tonight?"

Zhou You turned sharply, seeing his seriousness, and asked, blushing, "You've time to sleep tonight?"

"If not tonight, then tomorrow."

"Let's talk business." Zhou You wasn’t opposed to getting closer; they weren’t kids anymore. But they surely wouldn't be in the mood these days.

Shao Qi got serious, sat beside him, and whispered, "Zhu Rongwei has dispatched 5,000 men to besiege the Lychee Mansion. They’ll be here in half an hour. Want to join me?"

"You aren’t suggesting the two of us can stop an entire army, are you? Are we that powerful?" Zhou You curiously asked.

Shao Qi opened a map, pointing at a moving red dot, "This is their current position. To reach the Lychee Mansion, they must use this road with no residential buildings on either side. Five thousand is a lot, especially with their artillery. The mansion’s defenses are robust, but they can't withstand such bombardment."

"So?"

"I've set up an ambush here. Care to take a look?"

"An ambush? Who's out there?" Weren't Miao Miao and the others all at the villa? Or is it that Shao Qi has brought more people to Yang City than he's shown?

That's not too hard to believe. He had assembled a group when he went to save people in the cave. Maybe this time, some of his men sneaked in to set things up.

He stood up, put on his coat, and said, "Let's go. I want to see the ingenious preparations you've made."

As Shao Qi led him downstairs, everyone in the living room looked deeply concerned. Seeing the two in battle gear, they unanimously rose, saying, "We're coming with you!"

"No need. Stay here and protect the children. Don't let anyone take advantage," Shao Qi waved them off, not taking anyone with him.

As they were leaving, Li Yunxi handed Zhou You a small pouch, whispering, "Be careful. I've developed three types of poisons, each in a glass vial. They're all deadly; even a drop can be lethal."

Zhou You was taken aback. He knew Li Yunxi occasionally tinkered in the backroom, but he didn't realize she was making something like this.

"Such things are dangerous. Maybe make fewer of them in the future, so you don't risk harming yourself."

"Don't worry. I'm just dabbling. Besides, I used to major in chemistry."

As the two stepped out, the night was dark. But it lacked the quietness nights should have, with distant car and people noises persisting.

As the military entered the inner city, government agencies didn't dare intervene. Everyone knew who the Zhu family was targeting. Except for a few familiar with Shao Qi's group, the rest were just here to watch the show.

"I didn't expect tensions to escalate this far. I wonder if our household will get dragged into this. The Zhu family has always been courteous to us. After this battle, I doubt the relationship between the two families will ever be the same," Lady Zhou remarked with a hint of frustration.

However, this time Zhou Yichen didn't side with her and calmly said, "Who knows, maybe there won't be a Zhu family after tonight?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? How could just a few of them stand against an entire army?"

"Should we seek some help?"

Lady Zhou quickly chided, "Nonsense! This has nothing to do with us. If your father wants to help, that's his choice. You are to stay out of it!"

Zhang Dingshan, after finally having a full meal, thought he could get a good night's sleep, but such explosive news kept him awake. He sent people to keep an eye on external news and instructed his household to notify him immediately if someone came looking.

Wang Mang and a few of his confidants sat in the study, sipping tea, discussing the night's events. They were all skeptical about Shao Qi's chances, given the vast disparity in numbers. Superior individual skills mean little against overwhelming numbers.

"Master, you declared not long ago in front of everyone that they were the saviors of the Wang family. If we do nothing tonight, won't it tarnish our reputation?"

"What can I do? Send our brothers to face off against the army? They might escape, but how will our Thousand Mechanisms Hall ever maintain its standing in Yang City?" a confidant retorted.

After speaking, Wang Mang laughed ruefully, "I boasted too much before, overestimating my capabilities. However, I can't just stand by. While I can't overtly help, I can act covertly. Send 500 men to hide behind the Litchi Mansion. If a fight ensues, assist in evacuating some people. But, they might not necessarily lose."

"How could they possibly win?"

"Because that Shao Qi is from the Central Military Corps. How valuable is a senior engineer? Would the central authorities let him risk so much so easily? I feel there's more to this. Those people don’t seem impulsive."

Some were concerned for their safety, while others secretly rejoiced.

Song Jin'an was one such individual. This night was destined to be sleepless for him. He watched the news online, afraid of missing any update. If those people died, he would finally be free of worries.