Chapter 99: The future of Great Tang is worrying, Zhangsun Wuji

How could he possibly accept this?

From birth, he had lived in luxury, respected by all, with everyone bowing and scraping before him.

But now, to be told he was the son of a lowly peasant—did that not mean he would never again enjoy such supreme, noble treatment?

No!

None of this was true!

They were all lying to him!

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, do you know what this is?"

Zhangsun Wuji had long expected Li Chengqian to deny it with all his might, so he pulled the phoenix-patterned jade pendant from his sleeve.

"What is this thing?"

Li Chengqian stared blankly at the jade pendant, muttering and shaking his head.

"This jade pendant is an heirloom of our Zhangsun family, and it was also tucked into the swaddling clothes of the Empress's son when he was born."

Zhangsun Chong chimed in from the side.

"What? Why didn't I know about this?"

Li Chengqian asked, stunned.

"Of course you didn't know. This jade pendant was indeed in the swaddling clothes of a child, but that child was not you—it was the child snatched away by your biological mother!"

"And this jade pendant was privately taken by your biological mother and given to the child she snatched."

"With this jade pendant as proof, it is ironclad evidence that you are not the biological son of the Empress and the Emperor!"

Zhangsun Wuji shook the pendant in his hand, maintaining his smile and composure.

"Uncle, Uncle, I beg you, do not tell the Emperor and Empress about this!"

"I don't want to be a peasant's son, I want to be the Crown Prince!"

Li Chengqian was terrified to the extreme; he plopped to his knees before Zhangsun Wuji, hugged his thigh, and began to cry with snot and tears.

Zhangsun Chong sneered from the side, his face full of disdain.

Is this it?

He still wants to be the Crown Prince?

But he was only the pot calling the kettle black.

Zhangsun Chong's pride was merely based on the empty title of Top Graduate.

When it came down to it, that was also thanks to Qin Mu!

Neither of these two fools had any room to mock the other.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, no need to panic, please rise."

Seeing Li Chengqian weeping and kneeling before him, Zhangsun Wuji knew his goal had been achieved and helped him up unhurriedly.

"Uncle, have you promised to help me?"

Li Chengqian was timid and submissive, his whole body trembling.

It seemed this matter had dealt him a heavy blow.

"Of course!"

"After all, I watched you grow up from a young age; even without blood ties, the bond between us will not change."

"As long as you are obedient, I guarantee you will surely inherit the throne in the future and become the Son of Heaven of Great Tang!"

Zhangsun Wuji patted Li Chengqian on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

"Good!"

"Uncle, I will listen to everything you say! As long as I can continue to enjoy wealth and glory, I am willing to do anything."

Li Chengqian agreed without the slightest hesitation.

He had no bottom line!

"Hahaha! That's right!"

"Come, keep playing the music, keep dancing."

Amidst bursts of hearty laughter, the melodious sounds of strings and bamboo echoed once more in the main hall of the Duke Prefecture.

A dozen days passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Dongzan looked at this ancestral land.

Qin Mu and his party, after enduring countless hardships, finally crossed the Turkic borders and returned to Tibet!

It is worth mentioning that even now, Qin Mu remained in disguise.

The purpose was to prevent Li Xueyan from knowing he was a wanted criminal of the imperial court.

"Your Majesty, we have finally returned!"

Lu Dongzan looked at the ancestral land before him, his eyes moistening.

It felt like a lifetime ago!

"Yes, we have returned."

Gazing at the landscape painting before him, Qin Mu merely nodded silently, not a trace of emotion visible on his face.

This was, after all, not his ancestral land.

Great Tang!

That was his ultimate destination!

No matter what, he had to return!

Qin Mu tightened his grip on the warhorse's reins, secretly making up his mind.

"Your Majesty, there is one thing this humble subject has never understood: why did we go through such immense hardship to head to Mount Langjuxu within Turkic territory?"

Recalling their encounters within Turkic territory, Lu Dongzan still felt lingering fear.

Their party had encountered multiple cavalry attacks while in Turkic territory.

These attacks could have been avoided, but Qin Mu had been headstrong; after entering Turkic territory, he continued to push north instead of immediately detouring west to enter Tibet.

It was precisely because of this decision that they had encountered multiple attacks.

If not for Qin Mu's god-like martial prowess, they would likely have been buried in the desert long ago.

"Lu Dongzan, do I need to report to you where I intend to go?"

Qin Mu cast a glance at Lu Dongzan.

With just this one look, Lu Dongzan was terrified out of his wits, hurriedly rolling off his horse and plopping to his knees before Qin Mu.

"This humble subject dares not!"

"Enough nonsense, let's get moving. We must reach the Budalagong before dark."

Qin Mu did not blame Lu Dongzan further and walked forward on his own.

Lu Dongzan stood up, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and let out a long sigh.

Serving a monarch is like sleeping with a tiger!

In fact.

Qin Mu's reason for heading to Mount Langjuxu in Turkic territory did indeed have its own purpose. ===== CHAPTER 101 =====