After hearing Eunuch Liu's words, He Zhiran had already realized something.
No wonder they hadn't encountered a single servant when they first entered the mansion.
Her father must have anticipated what the Empress Dowager would eventually do, so he had dismissed all the servants early to prevent them from getting implicated.
Uncle Feng was an exception—he was utterly loyal to her father, and even if he knew he would die, he would never flee and eke out a miserable existence alone.
Sure enough, Minister Hao broke into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha... I knew this day would come, so I dismissed my family and servants long ago. Even if I die, I won't need anyone to accompany me down to the Yellow Springs."
"You... you have a lot of nerve!" Eunuch Liu never expected Minister Hao to be so resolute. Before he left on this errand, the Empress Dowager had warned him that Minister Hao was stubborn, and if he wasn't afraid to die, they could threaten him with his family members.
Little did he know, Minister Hao had already made preparations.
What leverage did Eunuch Liu have to threaten him now?
After pondering for a moment, Eunuch Liu suddenly thought of something.
"Don't forget, your daughter is still in the northwest. With just one word from the Empress Dowager, she can dispatch a team. Do you think your daughter would have any chance of survival?"
Upon hearing this, He Zhiran could no longer remain calm.
She and Mo Jiuye simultaneously emerged from behind the folding screen.
The two moved in perfect coordination. While Eunuch Liu was distracted, they knocked out the two attendants at his sides from the left and right.
Then she sneered, "If you want to kill me, you don't need to go to the northwest. I'm standing right in front of you—let's see if you have what it takes."
Mo Jiuye was a martial artist with exceptional awareness of danger in his surroundings.
While hiding behind the folding screen, he had been carefully sensing the situation, confirming that only these three people had come to the mansion today.
Therefore, when He Zhiran decided to reveal herself, he maintained a supportive stance.
Eunuch Liu didn't recognize the two people before him, but he wasn't brainless.
From He Zhiran's words, he could deduce her identity. However, he found it hard to believe that the young Miss He, who had married into the Mo family and been exiled to the northwest the very next day, could appear in the capital.
It had to be said that this Eunuch Liu wasn't completely senseless.
Although he inwardly doubted the woman's identity, he clearly saw the entire process of their actions just now.
Their agility matched that of the Empress Dowager's secret guards, undoubtedly marking them as martial arts experts.
Eunuch Liu was sensible enough not to need He Zhiran or Mo Jiuye to warn him to keep quiet—he sealed his lips on his own accord.
However, to verify the identities of the people before him, he still asked in a normal tone:
"Who are you, exactly?"
He Zhiran sneered coldly.
"Heh... Weren't you just threatening my father, telling the Empress Dowager to send people to the northwest to take my life?
How about it?
I'm standing right in front of you now, but you don't recognize me?"
At this point, Minister Hao was dumbfounded. He had also witnessed He Zhiran and Mo Jiuye's actions just now.
He had never known when his daughter had learned such martial arts skills.
And seeing how close she was to Eunuch Liu, he feared that in a moment of desperation, the eunuch might take her hostage to threaten him.
"Zhiran, come to your father. Don't waste your breath on this kind of person."
Minister Hao had long been prepared to die. If his daughter and son-in-law hadn't come today, he might have taken the vial of poison on the table.
However, with his loved ones present, he couldn't do such a thing under any circumstances.
It seemed he would have to fight to the bitter end with this Eunuch Liu.
Speaking of fighting to the bitter end, he had forgotten about Mo Jiuye. With the former Battle God of Da Shun here, how could he and his daughter be in any danger?
Mo Jiuye was also unwilling to let He Zhiran face any peril. He stood in front of the He family father and daughter, staring directly at Eunuch Liu.
From his icy gaze, it was clear he viewed Eunuch Liu as a dead man.
Outside the study, Uncle Feng heard the commotion inside. He knew his young master's capabilities well and was confident that with him there, the old master and young miss would be safe for now. Thus, he continued to diligently stand guard outside.
Just now, when he heard the old master call the young miss to his side, even though he trusted Mo Jiuye's abilities, he felt a twinge of worry.
As Mo Jiuye seized Eunuch Liu's throat, Uncle Feng barged in wielding a wooden rod as thick as an arm.
Originally, he had intended to die alongside the old master. But now that the young miss and young master had returned, the old master surely wouldn't choose that path.
Since they were going to fight to the bitter end, he would contribute his share of effort.
"You eunuch scum, how dare you bully the old master and young miss! I'll beat you to death!"
Seeing Uncle Feng charge in with fury, Mo Jiuye swiftly flung the eunuch he was about to strangle over to him.
Eunuch Liu's corpulent body flew through the air like a lump of meat, landing at Uncle Feng's feet.
Uncle Feng moved nimbly, bringing the wooden rod down hard on Eunuch Liu's body with all his might.
This strike was so powerful that Eunuch Liu didn't even let out a groan before losing consciousness.
Since He Zhiran and Mo Jiuye had chosen to reveal themselves before these attendants, they had no intention of letting them live.
Both were precise in their attacks, ensuring that the two attendants they had initially knocked out wouldn't wake up for at least half an hour.
As for Eunuch Liu, Uncle Feng's blow had nearly taken his life.
"Father, were these people sent by the Empress Dowager? Does she want your life?" He Zhiran asked.
With the court in chaos, Minister Hao was unwilling to conspire with the Empress Dowager's faction and had already prepared himself for death.
But he didn't want to tell his daughter about such matters.
Since Minister Hao remained silent, Uncle Feng stepped forward and said, "Young Miss, please persuade the old master!
Two days ago, he dismissed all the servants in the mansion and prepared himself for death.
If I hadn't insisted on staying, the old master would have driven me away too."
"Enough, don't tell Zhiran these things. She's just a young woman, unsuitable for getting involved in such matters," Minister Hao sternly rebuked Uncle Feng, forbidding him from speaking further.
However, Uncle Feng had finally found a lifeline to save his old master's life—how could he stop now?
"Master, even if you beat me to death today, I must tell the young miss," he continued, turning back to He Zhiran.
"Young Miss, you must persuade the old master to leave this place of strife, no matter what.
The Empress Dowager's faction can no longer tolerate him.
The old master has served the court diligently for most of his life. He doesn't deserve such an end.
You saw it just now—if you and the young master weren't here, the old master might have lost his life..."
Uncle Feng could no longer continue, his eyes reddening.
