Prince of Southern Peace Loses Blood

reviously and did not use his fingers to touch the surface of the jade piece but instead took out a dagger and slowly moved the lettered blocks. The eight-character jigsaw was not difficult to solve,...314. The Loss of Prince Zhennan Coughing Blood

314. Prince Zhennan Coughing Blood

"Xiuyao..." leaning in Xiuyao's arms, Ye Li felt full of remorse. This time it was indeed her carelessness that led to such an accident, even dragging Fourth Brother into trouble as well. These few days, this person must have been having a hard time. She raised her hand and tightly hugged him around the waist, Ye Li whispered softly, "Xiuyao, I'm sorry. It's my mistake, it won't happen again…"

"It's not Ahli’s fault, it's me who is at fault. How could I have failed to notice that Ahli... was pregnant again." Mo Xiuyao gently covered her flat belly where their child once again dwelled. Since Mo Xiaobao came into the world, Mo Xiuyao had grown increasingly indifferent toward having more children. He even vaguely wished he would never have another child. But rationally, he also knew that two more children could be better for Ahli in the long run. However,接連兩次孩子的到來都不太合適，甚至讓阿璃險些遇到危險。這讓墨修堯的眼神裡透露出一絲不善。

Ye Li raised her head and helplessly looked at the man before her who had suddenly become gloomy. Back when she was pregnant with Xiaobao, it was just like this. Mo Xiuyao would sometimes look at the child in her womb gently and warmly, while at other times his expression would be so dark that Ye Li felt a bit worried. But Ye Li still believed that he would love their children.

“Xiuyao, do you think... This time it might be a daughter” leaning against Mo Xiuyao with a smile, Ye Li asked.

"A daughter" A slight movement stirred in Mo Xiuyao's heart as he imagined a clever and obedient daughter like Ahli. His expression softened involuntarily. Ye Li smiled and said, "Yes, we already have Xiaobao. I hope this time it’s a girl so that Xiaobao will have a little sister. Considering Xiaobao's age now, when he grows up won't he be just right to protect his younger sister"

Mo Xiuyao found her reasoning convincing. If there was another daughter like Ahli, she would be the only princess in the Ding王府 for decades and naturally should receive thousands of favors. Just let Mo Xiaobao practice more, as it wouldn't do if he couldn’t protect his younger sister in the future. Mo Xiuyao silently pondered whether to strengthen Xiaobao’s training when they returned home.

Of course, Ye Li didn’t know that she had just set the stage for Xiaobao's painful childhood. Feeling especially relieved upon waking up and learning about her pregnancy as well as Fourth Brother regaining consciousness, Ye Li felt particularly happy. The strange melancholy in her heart seemed to have vanished recently. Leaning against Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li softly expressed her hopes and love toward the baby-to-be. Mo Xiuyao listened quietly with his arms around Ye Li for quite a while before she finally stopped and sighed softly. Looking at the person holding her who was now asleep with faint dark shadows under closed eyes, Ye Li gently pressed two acupoints to ensure he slept well without disturbance. She then carefully covered him up. Gazing at Mo Xiuyao's handsome sleeping face, Ye Li smiled lightly. In this world, it seems only she could successfully immobilize the Prince of Ding王府

At the post station, everyone was overjoyed with the awakening of Ye Li and Xu Qingbo, while on the other side in Bai family residence, people were anxious and gloomy.

Bai Yuncheng sat slumped in a chair in the main hall. His aged face looked even more desolate at this moment. Knowing his daughter had been killed by Prince Ding initially made him furious and heartbroken but he still held some hope. However, Prince Ding’s swift action in just two or three days cleaned up all powers within the imperial city like autumn leaves blown away by wind. Even Prince Zhennan's residence was seized, while Bai Yuncheng’s only hope - King Xi Ling—was now too scared to wait until two months later and had already decided to leave for An City once everything in the palace was settled. The Bai family who openly joined the Ding王府 were naturally abandoned by King Xi Ling without hesitation. If it were a few years earlier, with Empress still alive and Concubine Qinyong around, King Xi Ling would have given Bai Yuncheng some respect. But now that Concubine Qinyong had disappeared for years and Empress was long gone, there was no way the king would protect the unimportant and disloyal Bai family.

Perhaps, from the very beginning, it was a mistake to ally with Prince Ding. Bai Yuncheng thought bitterly. Without allying with Prince Ding and following King Xi Ling to An City might not make the Bai family flourish but at least they would avoid fatal disasters. But now… recalling what he saw outside the Sun Family Garden that day, Bai Yuncheng felt cold inside. Would Prince Ding really offer a way out for the Bai family

"Master, what can we do" Mrs. Bai looked similarly disheveled and even her usual impeccable makeup couldn’t hide wrinkles and fear.

"What to do What to do How should I know what to do" Bai Yuncheng苦笑說道。

Mrs. Bai glanced at Bai Yuncheng and cautiously suggested, "Master, perhaps... we could leave the imperial city earlier."

Bai Yuncheng looked indifferently at her and scolded, "Stupid woman, would Prince Ding allow us to leave peacefully" If Prince Ding wanted to punish them, how could they escape And if he didn’t want to, why would he give up so much wealth and leave alone Mrs. Bai was also in a panic and knew that what she said wasn't practical after being scolded by Bai Yuncheng. She anxiously grabbed his arm and asked worriedly, "Then... then what should we do Should we... go to the Ding王府 for help"

At present, they could not see Prince Ding or the Princess of Ding王府; all matters were handled by Feng Zhiyao and two close aides around the princess. Moreover, even if there was an opportunity, Mrs. Bai was certain she didn’t want to face Prince Ding again.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yun Cheng pondered for a moment and carefully considered his wife's words. Although the Prince of Ding seemed not to have any intention against the Bai family at present, from the fact that he killed Bai Qingning without hesitation, Bai Yun Cheng was absolutely convinced that the Prince of Ding must be displeased with the Bai family. However, such indifference made people even more anxious and fearful. Madam Bai looked at her husband in deep thought and asked cautiously, "Sir, I wonder if the Princess Consort of Ding has awakened yet. If we could plead to Her Royal Highness… I heard that she comes from a scholarly family with gentle disposition and kindness. Although Qingning’s behavior… is somewhat inappropriate, but our Bai family has never done anything to offend the Prince of Ding's household. Perhaps His Royal Highness may show mercy"

"Well... It might be difficult to see the Princess Consort of Ding now." The Princess Consort had just been attacked, and considering how heavily the Prince of Ding valued his consort, he would not allow anyone who was not close to him to approach her.

Mrs. Bai's eyes flickered anxiously as she said, "There must be some way out Is it really that our Bai family is doomed…"

Bai Yun Cheng thought about it and finally replied, "Perhaps there is... The Emperor will head to An City in a few days, and at that time the Prince of Ding and his Princess Consort are sure to see him off. If we could meet with the Princess Consort then, perhaps we can plead for her mercy." Mrs. Bai's eyes lit up as she said, "You're right, Sir. Unless the Princess Consort is still ill, according to etiquette, the Prince of Ding and the Princess Consort must accompany His Majesty to see him off. At that time, I will certainly find a way to meet with the Princess Consort and beg her for mercy."

Bai Yun Cheng thought more and felt there was hope, nodding repeatedly, "Madam is right. Madam should rest these days and not worry about it. I'll arrange to see the Princess Consort."

"Then I will trouble you, Sir," Mrs. Bai said with a smile, but her eyes revealed a trace of resentment.

It was just then that the news of the Black Family Army occupying the imperial city had barely reached Chu Kingdom when緊接著又傳來墨修堯幾乎血洗了西陵權貴的訊息。帶著征東大軍一路向南的雷振霆聽到訊息還冇能從皇城這麼快失陷的打擊中回過神來，另一個更大的打擊就迎麵而來，幾乎打得他暈頭轉向。要知道，既然他放棄了西歸，那麼皇城失陷幾乎就已經是定局了。雖然雷振霆冇有料到竟然會那麼快，卻也還算是有心理準備。而墨修堯辣手清洗皇城權貴的事情卻是完全出乎雷振霆的意料之中。如此一來，雷振霆在皇城的心腹經營多年的人脈甚至還有他手下這些將領的家人，通通遭了秧。更不用說其中還有他自己的幾個孫兒孫女。聽到這訊息，雷振霆氣得險些當場暈厥過去。咬牙切齒地從牙縫中擠出了幾個字，“墨修堯……”

"My lord!" The guards nearby hurriedly reached out to support him. Bai Yun Cheng raised his hand to cover his mouth, and fresh red blood seeped through the gaps between his fingers.

"My lord, please take care of your health!" Those present were startled and forgot about their anger and grief as they hurried forward to check on Lord Leizhenting. It was known that although their journey had been relatively smooth so far and they had occupied vast areas of Chu Kingdom’s territory, due to interference from Mu Song Shen, they did not manage to occupy the entire southern region before Emperor Jingli moved southward as planned. The current situation in Chu Kingdom could be described as chaotic: most of the land south of Yunlan River was under Emperor Jingli's control, with only a small part occupied by them; north of the river, some areas were controlled by Western Ling’s army, but behind them was Mu Song Shen’s Northern Army advancing from the north. Although there were only twenty thousand soldiers, they posed significant trouble for their advance southward. Further southwest lay Lu Songxian's forty thousand-strong force, and to the northeast was Black Family Army territory. To the far north, Chu Kingdom forces were embroiled in a chaotic battle against Northern Rong and Northern Jin. In short, there wasn’t any stable place left in Chu Kingdom, which is why at this critical juncture, Prince Southern Peace absolutely could not afford any mishaps.

Leizhenting steadied his mind, suppressing the sweet taste rising to his throat as he waved away the guards who were supporting him and said sternly, "I am fine. You all may leave."

The group hesitated to look at Lord Leizhenting's pale face before finally retiring from the study.

"What exactly happened" After a while, the voice of Lord Leizhenting echoed in the room. The messenger who had brought news looked equally perturbed as he detailed all that had transpired within Western Ling’s imperial city: Xu Qingbai's premature appearance there, Western Ling's voluntary relinquishment of its capital, and the assassination attempt on the Princess Consort of Ding which sent the Prince of Ding into a rage.

"Fool!" Upon hearing his report, Lord Leizhenting could only utter these two words. His breathing became increasingly labored as he said angrily, "That fool! I should have dismissed him years ago! Why didn't he think about it… why didn’t he consider that those who died were not just my trusted men but also Western Ling’s elite soldiers He must be secretly pleased to see them killed by Mo Xiuyao, isn’t he Hasn’t he thought about whether one man can govern Western Ling after all these deaths" As Leizhenting's voice rose in pitch, it was evident that his anger had reached its peak. Indeed, although those slain were men loyal to him, considering how long he had controlled the government and how few capable individuals weren't under his influence, once Mo Xiuyao killed them off, only mediocre officials remained. Even if Emperor Jingli moved the capital to An City, it was unclear what actions a ruler with no experience in governance could take with such lackluster advisors.

"Haha... What an excellent play by Mo Xiuyao! Such tactics and guile!" Lord Leizhenting sneered repeatedly.

After venting his anger, Lord Leizhenting soon calmed down. He quickly spotted something amiss and narrowed his eyes as he asked sternly, "I do not recall issuing an order to assassinate the Princess Consort of Ding. Who took it upon themselves to act without my permission"

The messenger was equally baffled; he was merely a minor figure planted by Lord Leizhenting in the imperial city who usually dealt with street rumors and thus escaped this calamity only to rush back to deliver news. He had no idea about the origins or specifics of the incident, taking it for granted that it was ordered by his lord. Seeing the messenger’s confusion, Lord Leizhenting knew he wouldn’t get any further answers and waved him off.

After the man left, Leizhenteng waved his hand and knocked a writing set on the table to the ground. The sound of the inkstone hitting the floor was crisp; the fine quality inkstone shattered into pieces, "Find out who dared do this… Mo Jingli isn’t capable of it, but I want you to investigate Ren Qining and Yelv Hong Yeli!"

"Yes, Your Excellency." The Jin Yiwei soldier who was lurking in the darkness left. Only Leizhenteng remained alone in his study. After a long moment of silence, he finally spat out a mouthful of blood.

In Feihong Pass in Northwest, Qingchen, clad in white and spotless, stood on the city wall, gazing into the distance. A few miles away were the camps of Xiling and Beirong armies. From below, the handsome young man in white was standing against the wind, looking ethereal like a celestial being. Apart from the commanding officers who would sigh at his aura, even generals of both sides couldn’t help but secretly marvel.

"Oh Qingbo is injured" On top of the city wall, Xu Qingchen turned around and raised an eyebrow when he saw the soldier delivering the message.

The soldier’s heart skipped a beat. Even though the title ‘Immortal Young Master’ was bestowed upon Qingchen due to his ethereal appearance and gentle voice, his imposing pressure was no different from that of an aristocrat. "Reporting back to Young Master, it is indeed so, but... The letter also mentioned that Fourth Young Master wasn’t seriously injured and should have regained consciousness by now."

Xu Qingchen nodded, saying, "I understand. You may leave."

The soldier wiped his brow in the shadows and bowed respectfully, "Your subordinate takes his leave."

"Do you really think that Leizhenteng sent someone to assassinate Princess Consort Ding He wouldn’t be so foolish." Two men beside Xu Qingchen were standing against the wind as well. One of them was already old with white hair and had a mild expression, but his brows showed some firmness; the other man in his thirties looked composed and resembled the elder.

These two were Southern Marquis’s heirs who narrowly escaped death at Mo Jingqi's hands. Although they were saved by Moxiuyao and Ye Li back then, they had also lost hope after their suffering. For years, they lived in seclusion in Northwest and weren’t known for much. Now that Mo Jingqi was dead and the Chu Dynasty’s days numbered, and with Xiling and Beirong armies approaching from the northwest, Southern Marquis and his son couldn’t just stay idle and thus volunteered to accompany Xu Qingchen at Feihong Pass.

Xu Qingchen’s handsome face had a hint of coldness. "Even if it wasn't Leizhenteng's idea, he’ll still be implicated."

Although Southern Marquis lived a miserable life for the past decades, he was once a valiant general and could see things more clearly as an outsider. He smiled while stroking his beard, "This time, it looks like Leizhenteng has been outsmarted." Prince Zhen Nan’s losses were considerable this time; he might be bleeding internally due to worry. After hiding for so many years, Dingwang had stunned the world each time he acted.

Behind him, Fu Zhao asked worriedly, "This will surely damage Your Excellency's reputation." Even in Northwest, Dingwang’s murderous name spread far and wide; let alone elsewhere. They all knew that the number of people Dingwang killed was not as large as rumored, but their influence might be worse than a massacre. Now, rumors were circulating that Dingwang had massacred an entire city—the Xiling capital—and even old news from Bian City was being brought up again. As a result, some literati’s opinions on Dingwang became less favorable. However, Xu family, who controlled Northwest and were its cultural leaders, remained silent about it—Fu Zhao couldn’t understand why.

Xu Qingchen said coolly, "Brother Fu doesn't see the whole picture. The saying goes that suppressing people's tongues is worse than blocking a river. It’s better to let them talk until they are satisfied; then they will stop."

"Won’t this affect Dingwang’s reputation" Fu Zhao frowned. Those with ambitions cared about their reputation.

Xu Qingchen turned to ask Southern Marquis, "What do you think, Lord Nanhou"

Southern Marquis shook his head and said, "The victor is a marquis while the loser is a thief. A momentary comment doesn’t matter. Besides, rumors will eventually dissipate; then everyone will admire Dingwang even more. As for those bookworms who read too much, I think Dingwang would不屑理會 them.

Xu Qingchen nodded and smiled, saying, "Southern Duke is right. The relationship between Xu Family and Ding王府… Therefore, unless it's absolutely necessary, the Xu Family can't easily speak up for Prince Ding. Moreover, with the current chaos in the world, such a reputation for Prince Ding... isn't necessarily bad." At least more people would fear Mo Xiuyao than dare to scheme against him, while those who dared betray the Ding王府 would presumably be even fewer. Sometimes, fear is also an excellent way of controlling subordinates. Of course, this can't go too far. This time, the attempt on Prince Consort Ding's life was a good reason, wasn't it In the future… wouldn't Li'er be safer then After this incident, people in the world should know that even if Prince Ding is deeply affectionate towards his consort, he won’t collapse or fall into despair if something happens to her.

“Now that Your Highness is still in Xi Ling, it’s good. But what will happen when Your Highness returns to Li City Will there be any unexpected incidents on the Xi Ling side” The Southern Duke asked with some concern.

Xu Qingchen said, "Qingbai is indeed a bit young, but after this lesson, he should understand what it means to impose strict laws in times of chaos."

The father and son of the Southern Duke couldn’t help looking at each other. Fu Zhao raised his eyebrows curiously as he asked Xu Qingchen, "Sir Qingchen doesn't seem to feel sorry for those powerful figures in Xi Ling at all" Although many people involved were related to the assassins, everyone knew that more of them were close aides to Prince Southern and capable figures in Xi Ling. The prince's actions would cut off the future talent of Xi Ling for ten years.

Xu Qingchen smiled coldly, "As long as Your Highness doesn’t slaughter ordinary people, how many of those individuals are truly innocent Even if they are…" Looking out to the frontier beyond Flying Wild Goose Pass, where red earth stretched for miles and ruined walls mournfully echoed. Xu Qingchen pointed at a distant place his eyes couldn't see, "Is there anyone more innocent than them" The truly innocent were the civilians struggling in war, not those who launched the wars themselves like Xi Ling’s powerful figures.

The Southern Duke sighed softly, "Sir Qingchen is right." Looking far into the distance, these places… used to be his homeland. Now they were filled with suffering and blood flowing in rivers.

Xu Qingchen raised his eyebrows slightly and said calmly, "If it's not Prince Southern’s intention, then only one person has such ability... Ren Qining. Very well, if we don’t do something to repay him, wouldn't Qingbai and Li'er suffer for nothing Servant."

A black-clothed man appeared behind Xu Qingchen; this was Wei Lin who had been left in the northwest by Ye Li.

"Wei Lin, you personally go to Chu Capital. Tell Leng Haoyu that he doesn’t need to return to the northwest for now. Assist the Chu defenders and ensure they hold onto Chu Capital," Xu Qingchen said calmly.

Wei Lin didn't ask further, nodding deeply as he replied, "Understood. I’ll withdraw."

"Sir Qingchen, holding Chu Capital might be a bit…" The Southern Duke frowned. He had some understanding of the strength and troops of Chu. Even with Leng Huai and Minister Hua here, Chu Capital couldn’t hold out for three months; within that time frame, the Mo Family Army likely wouldn’t have enough forces to support Chu Capital.

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly, "General Lu’s hundreds of thousands of troops are already itching to move. They only hesitated due to fear of Lei Zhenting before. Now Lei is busy fighting with Mo Jingli, even if he wanted to withdraw it would be too late. After resolving the encirclement here, going to Chu Capital should still be possible. By then Your Highness will have returned."

The Southern Duke silently calculated in his mind and felt that while this was somewhat risky, it wasn’t completely impossible. Most importantly, if successful, Ding王府’s territory would more than double.

"However, doing so means directly facing the entire Beirong and Beijun. Not to mention Lei Zhenting in the south; once he gets a foothold, he may turn around and join forces with Beirong and Beijun to encircle us, Mo Jingli’s courage might not stop him.

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly, "Doesn't Lei Zhenting have Mu Cheng Besides, we still have one hidden force at our disposal within Chu territory."

…ll that if this impatient emperor uncle spoke up, it would definitely anger Mo Xiuyao and they wouldn’t survive their return journey. "Northwest is cold in winter and hot in summer. There are many rem...