Chapter 621

Xiao Ran shook his head vigorously: "Impossible! Although Chen Hao is the eldest legitimate son of Chen Wang, he is completely different from Chen Wang! He would never deceive me!"

Xiao Ze looked at him: "Ninth Brother, you recognize Chen Hao's handwriting, that letter he wrote to you—is it truly his handwriting?"

"Yes! Absolutely no mistake!"

"Then bring it over and let Feng Zhou have a look—see if the handwriting matches the one he received, okay?"

Xiao Ran stood up and ran outside: "I'll go get it right away!"

A moment later, Xiao Ran came back holding the letter and handed it to Feng Zhou: "Look carefully—is the handwriting different?"

Having said that, he stared at Feng Zhou's face, full of anticipation.

Feng Zhou took it, unfolded it, and examined it carefully: "Exactly the same."

Xiao Ran froze.

Eunuch Cheng glanced at the Emperor's expression, then hurried forward to Xiao Ran's side, took the letter from Feng Zhou's hand, and shoved it back into Xiao Ran's hand:

"Ninth Prince, please don't rush, this old servant will help you go back and sit down."

Having said that, he pulled Xiao Ran back to the chair: "Please sit first—His Majesty is still here, after all."

Xiao Ze pondered for a moment: "Even if it's Chen Hao's handwriting, it doesn't necessarily mean he did it."

Xiao Ran snapped his head up: "Seventh Brother, you don't believe he did this either, right?"

Xiao Ningxun understood Xiao Ze's meaning and sighed lightly: "Ninth Prince, it's also possible that someone imitated Chen Hao's handwriting and set up this vicious plot."

Xiao Ran nodded repeatedly: "Xiao San, you've always been smart, Xiao Feifei always says you're like a fox, so what you say is definitely right."

Xiao Ningxun: "……"

"You're saying I'm like Xiao Feifei?"

Xiao Ningchen, however, didn't believe it at all: "Using just a letter almost got Feng Zhou killed—it's obvious they're exploiting the Ninth Prince's trust in him."

"If it weren't for Tuan Tuan and Xiao Feifei rescuing Feng Zhou, the forty thousand Western Regions reinforcements would have come to nothing, and the nine secret gates of Jingcheng could no longer be opened."

"How many of our soldiers would have died because of this?"

"You!" Xiao Ran glared at him, but couldn't go on.

He knew in his heart that what Xiao Ningchen said was all true, but no matter what, he still couldn't believe Chen Hao would betray him.

He held it in for a while, then shouted: "If you don't believe me, you can ask Tuan Tuan!"

"Tuan Tuan has always said Chen Hao is a good person."

"We're all ordinary mortals, but Tuan Tuan isn't—go ask her!"

"Shut up!" Xiao Jieyun shouted, putting an end to the argument: "Regardless of whether this was Chen Hao's doing, it's already a great fortune that Feng Zhou was saved; we absolutely cannot allow any further mishap!"

"Yuanhang, Feng Zhou must be heavily guarded at all times!"

"Your servant obeys the order!"

"From now on, I don't want to hear any further contact between Chen Hao and the Main Camp!"

He stared at Xiao Ran with a stern face: "Old Ninth, remember this for Me—you must not, for your own selfish sake, disregard the lives of those soldiers outside!"

"Unless you can prove this has nothing to do with Chen Hao!"

"The letter is in his handwriting, and the messenger is from his manor—based on these two points, his suspicion cannot be cleared!"

Xiao Ran fell to his knees with a thud: "Father Emperor, please calm your anger! Your subject obeys the order!"

Apart from Feng Zhou on the bed, everyone else rose to their feet: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

The Emperor walked to Feng Zhou's bedside, pressed his shoulder, and said: "You must rest properly, heal your body, then attend to those keys."

Feng Zhou was deeply grateful: "Your servant obeys the order."

Xiao Jieyun looked at Xiao Yuanhang, the corners of his mouth twitching: "Yuanhang, you truly have raised a fine daughter!"

"Feng Zhou's escape from death this time is largely thanks to Tuan Tuan and her little fox."

"I've thought it over, and there's really nothing good I can reward her with; everything will have to wait until we take Jingcheng."

Xiao Yuanhang smiled: "Your Majesty, Tuan Tuan has known Feng Zhou for a long time; even without a reward, she would do everything she could to save him."

Xiao Jieyun gave his two sons a sideways glance: "If you two had even half of Tuan Tuan's qualities, I wouldn't have to worry so much."

Having said that, he strode out of the main tent, and Eunuch Cheng hurriedly followed.

Xiao Ze pulled Xiao Ran along as they also left the main tent.

Feng Zhou looked at the father and son: "Did I say something wrong just now?"

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head: "What you said is all true—where's the mistake? The Ninth Prince simply refuses to believe he's become a pawn of his close friend."

Xiao Ningxun hesitated a moment: "Actually, what the Ninth Prince just said isn't without reason—Tuan Tuan really can always see what others cannot."

Xiao Yuanhang raised his hand to stop him: "Tuan Tuan already bears enough; let's not let her know about this. Once we return to Jingcheng, everything will become clear on its own."

The three brothers nodded.

At dawn the next day, Lu Wu sat on his horse, gazing into the distance, and finally saw the Northwestern Main Camp he had once visited.

"The Central Plains are far vaster than I imagined—I only arrived after traveling this long."

Beside him, the guard commander Wei Shen cupped his hands and said: "Master, you have already seen the Main Camp; please write down the prescription and its preparation method, so I can also send it to Jingcheng."

Lu Wu laughed: "We'll need to find a place to stay first—surely you won't make me write on horseback, will you, Venerable One?"

"Of course," Wei Shen turned his horse's head, "please follow me,"

The procession entered the city and stopped at the gate of a manor.

Wei Shen dismounted: "Master, this manor was specially prepared for you by the Venerable One."

Lu Wu frowned: "It's too far from the Main Camp—no good."

Wei Shen didn't answer, led the horse into the courtyard, and the others followed him in single file.

Lu Wu snorted, then had no choice but to follow inside.

The manor was not large, but hidden deep in the bustling streets, looking just like an utterly ordinary courtyard.

Lu Wu looked around, couldn't help but nod his head; this venerable sir is indeed skilled at hiding.

Wei Shen arranged for the guards to settle, then led Lu Wu into a separate small courtyard: "Sir ordered that the mage needs quiet when performing rites; is this place still suitable?"

Lu Wu looked around; though the courtyard is small, it has all the necessary rooms—study, bedroom, meditation room—all tidy: "Not bad."

Wei Shen entered the study, laid out paper, ground ink, dipped the brush: "Mage, please."

Lu Wu sat down, wrote the secret medicine's formula: "Send it back to Jingcheng."

Wei Shen looked: "Mage, you seem to have forgotten to write the preparation method."

Lu Wu put down the brush: "I'll write it after returning to Jingcheng."

Wei Shen furrowed his brows: "What the sir ordered was clearly……"

Lu Wu stood up: "The venerable sir ordered to bring that child and the Gu Worm back to Jingcheng; if that's truly impossible, then we must kill it."

"Without me, just you few, do you think you can manage?"

Wei Shen's brows furrowed even deeper.

Lu Wu looked at him, unhurried: "You Zhongyuan have a saying: orders given outside need not be obeyed."

"The secret medicine's formula I've already written; you can take it first to report back."

"As for how to prepare it, as long as you all follow my words, once we return to Jingcheng, I will personally hand it over to the sir."

Wei Shen's hand lightly rested on the sword hilt.