151 Sudden Shock

d said, "You brat, I really didn’t recognize you when we met outside just now." Even Xu Qingze’s usually indifferent face had softened somewhat. He nodded silently to indicate that he also hadn’t reco...151. Unexpected News

After sending off the Southern Duke, his heir came rushing out with tears streaming down his face. Zhuo Jing and Lin Han followed behind him, both looking helpless; if not for them holding back the Southern Duke's heir, he would have rushed out earlier. Seeing the Southern Duke's heir charging towards the door, Ye Li stood up and asked, "Where are you going"

The Southern Duke's heir hesitated as Zhuo Jing and Lin Han blocked his path on either side of him. Turning around, he said, "As a son and husband, how can I watch my parents and wife and children suffer unjust imprisonment Moreover, this incident was caused by me." Ye Li walked up to him and said coolly, "What good would rushing out now do All it will achieve is adding another person to be thrown into the Heavenly Prison or taken to the execution ground. Or are you planning to go to the imperial court to plead your case Do you think the Emperor will give you that chance" The Southern Duke's heir covered his face in distress; he was not ignorant of what Ye Li said, but what else could he do other than accompanying his father back to the capital and facing everything with his family

"This trip to the capital for the Southern Duke does not necessarily mean there is no way out." Mo Xiuyao looked at them and frowned.

The Southern Duke's heir was surprised as he looked towards Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao said, "The Marquis of Huaguo has in his possession a golden scroll granted by the Emperor Gaozong to the Huajia family that can even exempt one from death sentence."

"But..." The Southern Duke's heir hesitated; he had heard about the golden scrolls, but only the Huajia family was bestowed one for their life-saving deed towards Emperor Gaozong. Even the Dingguo王府冇有這樣的東西。但是這麼貴重的東西，華國公府……墨修堯垂眸道：“華國公必不會吝惜死物。本王隻怕……”隻怕墨景祁下定決心要南侯的命，就算鐵劵丹書救了他隻怕也難逃一死。” Mo Xiuyao lowered his gaze, “The Marquis of Huaguo certainly won’t hesitate to use such an item. But I’m worried that even with the golden scroll’s protection, Prince Jingqi might still sentence him to death.” Ye Li clearly understood Mo Xiuyao's concerns and nodded slightly before turning her head to Lin Han: "Send a message to Mo Hua; do your best to protect Southern Duke."

The Southern Duke's heir gradually calmed down. He bowed to the two of them, saying, “Nan Junfei thanks Your Highness and Lady.”

Ye Li shook her head and said, "No need for formalities," while the Southern Duke’s heir smiled bitterly, "I am Junfei; from now on, your highness can just call me by my name. I am no longer an heir."

"Your Highness and Lady, a letter was left behind by Zhou Daoren for you," said a guard who presented them with a sealed letter. Ye Li raised her eyebrows and took the letter to examine it; there were no problems found in its contents. She asked the guard, "Zhou Daoren" The guard nodded and said, “Right before leaving, Zhou Daoren privately handed over this letter to me and asked me to pass it on to you.” Mo Xiuyao frowned as he asked, “Aili, do you know Zhou Yu” When Zhou Yu first entered, Ye Li's expression had shown a hint of surprise, although it was fleeting. Mo Xiuyao noticed due to his constant observation of her. She shook her head and replied, "He should be a Jinshi this year; I met him briefly last year." Ye Li’s memory might not be photographic, but she would not forget easily either. The moment Zhou Yu spoke, she remembered that he was the scholar who sold paintings in Shende Hall last year. To think that he had passed his exams and now worked as a main clerk at the Ministry of Justice. Although his official rank was low, it was still an actual position. As long as he did not lack ability or luck, he should have a promising future.

Opening the letter, Ye Li's expression changed immediately upon reading its contents silently. She handed the letter to Mo Xiuyao without saying anything; his originally displeased face turned even darker after seeing it. He slammed his hand on the table and barked out loud, "Servant! Retrieve Southern Duke at once! Anyone who dares to obstruct him shall be killed!" Zhuo Jing and Lin Han paled as they replied in unison and quickly left. Nan Junfei was also aware that something had happened; he changed expression and followed them.

The hall was left with only Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, but the atmosphere became even more solemn. Seeing Mo Xiuyao's gloomy face, Ye Li didn't speak much either, silently sitting by his side, watching him. After a long while, Mo Xiuyao seemed to finally wake up from his extreme anger; there was a hint of fatigue and helplessness on his forehead. Reaching for the letter that had been placed on the table, Mo Xiuyao looked at Ye Li with a bitter smile, "Aili, I am so tired...

..." Ye Li silently leaned against him, gently patting his shoulder. Mo Xiuyao reached out one hand to embrace the person sitting next to him and drew warmth from her body; however, he couldn't resist the cold in his heart. Looking at the letter filled with familiar handwriting, had the Prince DIng王府 truly been hated this much But His Majesty... aren’t you afraid that the Great Chu kingdom will be destroyed

The letter was not written by Zhou Yu but rather a note from Grand Duke Hua. No one knew in what circumstances the old duke could only find Zhou Yu, an official who had just entered the court six months ago, to deliver this letter. The situation mentioned in the letter truly chilled the heart. Mo Jingqi agreed to cede land of three states and eleven cities in the northwest to Western Xiling as a condition for working together with Western Xiling to wipe out the Mo family army. At the same time, participating in the action were also Mo Jingli stationed in southern regions and Nanzhao kingdom. This meant that it was possible at this moment... that troops from Nanzhao had already marched into Suixue Pass.

"Mo Jingqi has gone mad," Ye Li said softly. With forces of three countries to deal with the Mo family army, perhaps they could succeed. But did Mo Jingqi ever think about whether once the Mo family army was annihilated, would Western Xiling and Nanzhao really retreat according to their agreement What difference did that make from asking someone to spit out food already in his mouth Mo Xiuyao said solemnly, "He truly is a madman. Aili, it seems your husband will always be full of trouble." Ye Li smiled helplessly, "It's too late now."

Southern Duke and others returned very quickly; when Zhuo Jing and Lin Han intercepted them they had just left the city gate. It took no more than a quarter of an hour for them to return to Governor's Mansion. Wang Jingchuan looked very displeased, saying in a deep voice, "Prince Ding, what does this mean" Southern Duke also watched Mo Xiuyao with confusion; however, he understood that Prince Ding wouldn't ask someone to intercept them without reason. Mo Xiuyao stared coldly at Wang Jingchuan and asked indifferently, "Has Deputy Minister forgotten anything else that needs telling Your Majesty"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jingchuan felt a chill in his heart. He didn’t know why he suddenly found the calm and composed Prince Ding even more frightening than the one who had just exuded authority. Forced to smile, "What does the王爺mean Please forgive me for my stupidity."

Mo Xiuyao sneered coldly, "So much about your stupidity. I didn’t know that His Majesty would send such a foolish person to the northwest. Since Deputy Minister doesn’t remember, allow this prince to remind you of two things. For example… secretly executing Southern Duke on his way back to the capital. Deputy Minister surely won’t forget Huh" Wang Jingchuan’s eyes widened in shock; this secret edict had been personally received by him just before leaving the city, and he could say that only His Majesty knew about it besides himself. After receiving the order, he rushed on horseback to the northwest as fast as possible; Wang Jingchuan couldn’t understand how Prince Ding’s spies managed to obtain such top-secret information even if they had supernatural abilities. Upon hearing Mo Xiuyao's words, Southern Duke was stunned and then chuckled bitterly. Standing behind him, Nanjun Fei’s eyes were bulging with anger; if it weren't for Lin Han holding him back he would have rushed forward to tear Wang Jingchuan apart.

Wang Jingchuan knew that falling into Prince Ding's hands there was no place for him to run. His body went limp as he knelt on the ground, "Your Excellency, please forgive me; I am carrying out orders from His Majesty and beg Your Excellency to spare my life."

Mo Xiuyao didn’t even bother looking at him again. Ye Li waved her hand, saying, "Take him away."

Wang Jingchuan was quickly dragged away by two guards. Ye Li then looked at Zhou Yushan, who had been quietly standing to the side, and smiled softly, "Admiral Zhou, aren't you afraid"

Zhou Yushan remained calm as he clasped his hands together respectfully and replied, "Your humble servant believes that Lady Wang is not a person who kills indiscriminately." Ye Li gave him a faint smile before nodding and saying, "I am indebted to Admiral Zhou for this matter. However, your actions after returning to the capital will be difficult to explain." The news about Emperor Zhen's deal with West Ling was brought by Duke Hua Gong, but the information about Nan Hou was deduced and added in by Zhou Yushan himself. Wang Jingchuan thought that his message was kept secret, but he didn't know that Zhou Yushan had been following him closely over these days, inferring from his usual behavior and demeanor what the emperor's intentions were regarding the Nan Hou family. After a brief moment of silence, Zhou Yushan said, "Last year, I was only able to quickly raise the money needed for medical treatment for my mother due to Lady Wang’s help. A few days ago, my mother passed away naturally. I should have requested permission from the emperor to observe mourning and serve her funeral rites, but instead, I was sent here to accompany Minister Wang in the northwest. It is clear that this is a stroke of fate, giving me the chance to repay Lady Wang for her great kindness. Currently, I am alone with no ties or worries."

Mò Xiuyáo seemed thoughtful as he nodded and said, "If so, would Admiral Zhou be willing to give up your official rank temporarily and stay in the northwest"

Zhou Yushan was taken aback. He wasn't afraid of death but didn’t want to die either. The Duke’s actions clearly indicated that he intended to protect him. Glancing at Ye Li, who sat beside with a smile, Zhou Yushan quickly made his decision and said gratefully, "Thank you for taking me in, Your Highness."

"What about Nan Hou and Minister Wang Does your highness have any ideas" Ye Li asked with a smile.

Mò Xiuyáo smiled, “If Glaze asks this question, it must be because she already has an idea.”

Ye Li chuckled and said, "The northwest is in turmoil. With people from West Ling causing havoc everywhere, it's not surprising that Minister Wang’s group would meet with bandits or the West Ling army and suffer a total defeat. What do you think" Mò Xiuyáo praised her, “Glaze is absolutely right.” Nan Hou stepped forward to bow and thank them, "Thank you, Your Highness and Lady." Ye Li shook her head, "Your Excellency can rest assured to stay here. However, it will be a bit inconvenient for your Excellency for some time. Regarding the Nan Hou family..." Nan Hou smiled sadly and said, “Let’s leave everything up to fate. We only hope that His Majesty hears about our deaths and shows mercy on all of us.”

After resettling Nan Hou's father and son, Lin Han was tasked with setting up a scene where Wang Jingchuan's group met their tragic end. Although the identities of Nan Hou’s family as well as Zhou Yushan were fake, at least Wang Jingchuan was real. Lin Han had also been personally trained by Ye Li to be an expert in disguise and would naturally leave no obvious clues on-site. However, Nan Hou’s father and son would have to go into hiding under assumed names for a short time. For now, these matters could only be considered minor issues as Ye Li and Mò Xiuyáo's attention was fully focused on the secret letter sent by Duke Hua Gong.

Upon receiving the news, even Feng Zhirao, who usually appeared indifferent, couldn't help but burst into anger. He jumped up from his chair wanting to lead troops back to the capital, only to be stopped by Mò Xiuyáo. With a solemn expression, Feng Zhirao said, "When matters have reached this point, why does your highness still protect Mo Jingqi Why protect Great Chu He cares nothing for the vast lands of Great Chu; what do we care about"

Mò Xiuyáo looked indifferent and said in a deep voice, “The one I am protecting has never been Mo Jingqi. The Mò family army does not protect Great Chu's expansive territory but rather the common people living on this land.” Feng Zhirao coldly said, "Then what should we do now Even if we say nothing to him, will he let us off easily If we engage in battle against West Ling at the frontlines, can your highness guarantee that he won't stab us in the back"

Mò Xiuyáo was silent; he couldn’t guarantee it. Mo Jingqi had already prepared himself to stab the Mò family army in the back anytime and anywhere after signing such a deal with West Ling. However...

Ye Lüe nodded and said, "Once things turn ugly, people will generally trust the royal family more. Even if ordinary folks believe in us... it might be beneficial in the long run, but there's no immediate advantage. And we may have to face over two million troops simultaneously. No matter how valiant and skilled the Black Clan army is, they can't stand above such a vast number of armies."

Phoenix Zhiyao unwillingly said, "Are you telling me to just endure it"

Ye Lüe shook her head and replied, "No, we need time."

Phoenix Zhiyao was silent for a long while before saying in unison, "I understand. But I must return to the capital."

Murong Xiuyao frowned and asked, "What can you accomplish by going back"

Phoenix Zhiyao smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness, even the secret scouts in the capital haven't received this information yet. We know where it came from. I'm worried..." Murong Xiuyao interrupted, "Returning to her will only put her in greater danger, Phoenix Three. You're not someone who can endure quietly." Phoenix Zhiyao dejectedly said, "That's true... If Your Highness hadn't stopped me these years, I would have..." Murong Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you blaming me" Phoenix Zhiyao shook his head with a bitter smile and said, "No. No matter what I do, she won't leave with me. Your Highness saved both our lives." Murong Xiuyao said, "Stay in the northwest peacefully. I assure you that even if everyone in Chu's capital dies, she will survive."

Phoenix Zhiyao suddenly raised his head and looked at Murong Xiuyao with a clear gaze, "Your Highness has made arrangements..."

Murong Xiuyao replied, "We've been growing up together since childhood. Moreover, she's helped the Ding Wang Mansion a lot over these years. How could I not care about her life and death"

A sense of relief flashed in Phoenix Zhiyao’s eyes as he sat down again and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Murong Xiuyao said calmly, "I'm not doing this for your sake."

Phoenix Zhiyao smiled and said, "I know. I’m thanking you on my own behalf."

Everyone hates the emperor. Unfortunately, the emperor is also helpless; he wants to become stronger and be remembered in history. However, he's extremely foolish. Don't think that an emperor can't act so stupidly; when we read history books, we often wonder how such foolish actions could come from a ruler. Many of these behaviors are things even ordinary people would know are wrong. As for the Ding Wang Mansion, they aren’t blindly loyal to the emperor. Under the current circumstances, if they don’t break ties with the emperor, he will secretly sabotage them. But once they do break ties, the Black Clan army may immediately face encirclement by Western Ling, Southern Chao, Great Chu, and even Northern Rong. The enmity between the Black Clan army and these countries is too deep; there's no other way but to fight to the death.al sharp arrows flew towards the dark figure with whistling sounds. The man in black narrowly dodged the sharp arrows mid-air; however, a row of large spikes suddenly came down from above his head. Un...