Chapter 209: Can't Swallow This Insult!

Seeing that he showed no regard at all for the affection between them over so many years, everyone in the Zhengting: "!!!"

The girl kneeling on the ground paused her sobbing for a moment, looked at the unconscious woman with reluctance, tears dropping plop plop down her cheeks, but her crying gradually quieted.

Her elder brother stepped forward and helped her up.

He glanced at the concubine collapsed on the table, opened his mouth, and in the end said nothing, turning his head to look away.

He was not like the other young ladies in the household who never stepped beyond the inner and outer gates.

He knew the situation was critical now—the Cheng Family Army was heading north and would soon reach the Capital.

Perhaps they wouldn't even need to wait for the Cheng Family Army to come kill them; once the enemy arrived at the city walls, the Xiyue Emperor, to appease the Cheng Family Army's fury, might push everything onto his father and hand the Wu family over!

The concubine had loved them siblings so dearly; the phrase she often repeated was that the two of them were more important than her own life.

Presumably, for the safety of the siblings, the concubine would also be willing to do anything, wouldn't she?

Besides, staying behind didn't necessarily mean something bad would happen. They could hold out for a while, and once they were settled, they could simply send for the concubine to come join them.

Thinking this way, the last trace of reluctance and guilt in his heart also vanished like smoke.

And so, the Wu family's children drifted about in a daze, going to pack their belongings.

This same scene was playing out in the other four households as well.

……

The next afternoon, outside the Capital.

"What?!"

"You're not returning to Muyuan?!"

Wu Yong and the others, dressed in Muyuan Kingdom soldiers' uniforms, cried out in shock.

Lu Xing's expression remained unchanged.

"The Muyuan army is marching this way; naturally we're waiting nearby to rendezvous with the main force."

Hearing him say this, Wu Yong's face turned very ugly.

"Then what are we supposed to do?!"

Wang Cai and the others beside him chimed in, their tone of questioning equally matter-of-fact.

"Exactly! Are we supposed to go on our own?!"

"Gentlemen!"

Lu Xing crossed his arms over his chest and swept a cool glance over them.

"Let me remind you—it wasn't I who begged you to go to Muyuan."

"Besides, hasn't this general already gotten all of you out of the Capital? Take this letter, and once you reach Muyuan, someone will naturally arrange everything."

At these words, the men who had been full of complaints moments ago were instantly struck dumb.

That's right—their deal was only that Lu Xing would help them leave the Capital and help them establish a foothold in Muyuan Kingdom.

Escorting their group to Muyuan was indeed not part of it.

Realizing this, Wu Yong silently clenched his fists.

Though he was furious, he still forced the corners of his mouth up into a smile, doing his best to speak to Lu Xing in a calm tone.

"General Lu, you can see that none of us know martial arts. The journey ahead is long and treacherous—could General Lu spare some men to escort us to Muyuan Capital?"

"Don't worry, we certainly won't let the brothers make this trip for nothing."

After he finished speaking, the others also watched Lu Xing with nervous anticipation.

Lu Xing wore a thoughtful look, deliberated for a moment, then relented.

"Very well, I'll send a small squad to see you off part of the way."

After all, they weren't soldiers under his command.

And it played right into his hands!

"Wonderful! Thank you, General Lu!"

Watching the few men who were overjoyed, Lu Xing silently turned away.

Smile while you can—soon you won't be able to.

And so, Wu Yong and their group of one hundred, escorted by a squad of soldiers, parted ways with the main force.

As for the Capital, by the time the Shunhe Emperor received the news, a full day had already passed.

That day, in Taiji Hall.

At first, when Wu Yong, Wang Cai, and the other three failed to appear, none of the Imperial Officials—including the Shunhe Emperor and the Crown Prince—found it strange.

After all, with what had happened in their families, it was understandable that they would be grieving and low for a few days.

If they didn't come, then so be it.

But unexpectedly, the previously peaceful Early Court was suddenly shattered by an urgent military dispatch.

"Report!"

"Your Majesty, news from the front lines—the Governor of Jincheng has surrendered!"

The great hall seemed to have been pressed with a pause button—silence, no words……

Then, like water droplets falling into a pot of boiling oil, the place instantly exploded.

"What?!"

"Surrendered? How could this be?"

"Useless! Coward! If it were me, I would have held Jincheng to the death!"

"Jincheng is so close to the Capital—won't the rebel army soon be at the gates of the Capital?"

"……"

The Imperial Officials' voices grew louder and louder.

The noise gave the Shunhe Emperor both annoyance and a headache.

At that moment, the soldier delivering the military report dropped another earth-shattering bombshell.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the one leading the rebel army is the former heir of the Marquis of Pingnan."

His voice was not loud, but the hall instantly fell deathly silent.

The Shunhe Emperor gripped the armrests of the Dragon Throne tightly, his knuckles white, his arms trembling slightly—the force was evident. He clenched his teeth hard, his body leaning forward a little.

"What did you say?! Who is leading the troops?!"

The young soldier knelt on the ground, so terrified by his kingly aura that he shook all over, his words tripping over themselves.

"R-reporting to Your Majesty, it-it's Cheng Sitao."

Swish!

The Shunhe Emperor shot to his feet, his pupils jolting.

"How could it be him?!"

Then he asked again.

"Did you see anyone else?"

Cheng Sitao is still alive, then what about the Cheng Song and Cheng He brothers?

Thinking of this, his whole body tensed, his hands unconsciously clenching into death-grips.

The Imperial Officials in the hall were likewise shocked beyond measure, but seeing the Emperor's reaction, they sensibly kept silent, none daring to make a sound.

"The others were just a few women and a young man."

Hearing this, the Shunhe Emperor let out a slight breath of relief, his taut nerves loosening along with it.

That's good.

Though he didn't know how Cheng Sitao had luckily survived, as long as the Cheng brothers were dead, it was worth it!

He returned to the Dragon Throne and sat properly at the front again.

"Where have the garrison troops at the foot of Snow Mountain reached?"

"And the National Lord of Muyuan Kingdom—has there been a reply?"

A minister from the Ministry of War stepped forward.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, half a month ago, General You Ke already led the main army on its way."

"As for the Muyuan Kingdom reinforcements, they have also set out."

"Mm."

Hearing this, the Shunhe Emperor nodded in satisfaction.

The combined forces inside and outside the Capital number some thirty thousand, plus...

Holding out until You Ke and the Muyuan reinforcements arrive should not be a problem.

Suddenly, a young Eunuch rushed into the hall from outside.

"Bad news!"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Lord Wu, Lord Wang, Lord Li, Lord Qian, and Lord Feng, along with their children and families—all, all of them are... gone."

"Huh?!"

At these words, an uproar broke out in Taiji Hall.

"Their five households together number nearly three hundred people—how could so many people escape at the same time?"

"Someone must have helped them!"

Someone suddenly thought of something.

"It's Muyuan! They must have left the city with the Muyuan Kingdom people!"

"Fleeing the battlefield is no different from treason! I beg Your Majesty to issue an Imperial Decree and send troops to capture Wu Yong and the others!"

The Shunhe Emperor's gaze darkened.

Looking at it this way, the matter of the Wu Residence birthday banquet was also part of their plan?

Good!

What a fine job indeed!

They've even schemed against me!

He shouted loudly toward the outside of the hall.

"Guards!"

"I beg Your Majesty to reconsider!"

After all, there were still a few rational men who earnestly and sincerely advised against it.

"Your Majesty, if you send troops to capture them now, it will inevitably cause friction with the Muyuan Kingdom soldiers. We are at a critical juncture now—it is not appropriate to come into conflict with Muyuan Kingdom!"

After all, they were still counting on them for support.

The Shunhe Emperor nearly ground his back teeth to dust.

"Are we just going to let them escape?!"

Being toyed with by a few ministers like this—he could not swallow this insult no matter what!

"Of course not."

The man who had spoken earlier replied respectfully.

"Once the rebel army is quelled, dealing with them will be just a word from Your Majesty, will it not?"

Hearing these words, the Shunhe Emperor's anger eased considerably.

"Old Grand Tutor! What's wrong with you?"

"Lord Lin of the Central Hall, are you alright!"

Several old ministers in the hall clutched their chests and toppled to one side.

By now, the taste of it had come back to them.

They old fellows had fallen right into the treacherous minister's trap!

"Your Majesty! It is all this old minister's fault! This old minister is to blame!"

The old men beat their chests and stamped their feet, overcome with regret.

In their fury and mounting agitation, their eyes rolled back and they simply fainted dead away.

"Old Grand Tutor!"

"Fetch the imperial physician at once!"

The hall was in utter chaos.

The Shunhe Emperor, even more agitated and annoyed, simply waved his hand.

Enough of this court session!