Chapter 187

Quanzhou.

The personal guards placed the blood‑stained light armor before Prince Rui, the dark‑red stains on the armor already hardened.

They all recognized this light armor; it was Xiao Jingyuan's.

"General, we found Xiao Shizi's clothing at the foot of the cliff, and nearby we also spotted traces of wild beasts, as well as a mangled corpse......"

No sooner had the words fallen than the chief aide standing beside Prince Rui stepped forward and analyzed:

"That day, the Prince himself led troops to Black Stone Mountain; Xiao Jingyuan was already seriously wounded and then forced to fall off the cliff; Black Stone Mountain is exceedingly sinister—ordinary people can hardly survive there, let alone a wounded one. Even if one had heavenly abilities, they could not overcome the mountain's dangers."

"I believe Xiao Jingyuan has already been devoured by beasts and perished."

Prince Rui sat imposingly in the Grand Tutor's chair, his dark‑blue brocade robe making his stature appear tall and straight, yet without armor he lacked some of his former sharpness.

Since the last time he personally led troops deep into Black Stone Mountain, he inadvertently inhaled the mountain's poisonous gas, and his health has been deteriorating day by day.

That is precisely why he could not go himself to check Xiao Jingyuan's fate at the cliff's base, and could only send the personal guards to investigate.

That mountain is indeed sinister; of the hundred light cavalry sent out, only three returned.

Prince Rui's handsome face showed a sickly pallor, yet as he casually lifted the blood‑stained light armor with his spear, his eyes betrayed a hint of triumph.

"Xiao Jingyuan, Xiao Jingyuan… you too have this day." He murmured softly, his voice laced with years of resentment.

Since childhood, he has regarded Xiao Jingyuan as his greatest rival, constantly competing with him in secret.

They were the same age; he was a lofty prince of noble birth, destined to outshine everyone, yet Xiao Jingyuan shone like a brilliant star, completely eclipsing him!

But this was not the point that aroused his jealousy the most.

In those years, Xiao Jingyuan served under Prince Yan guarding the northern frontier, while he guarded the southern seas; both fought on the battlefield and earned great merit. Though he was no less capable, the emperor's eyes never fell on him.

But what truly bothered him, even stirring jealousy deep in his bones, was the day of the capping ceremony——

When he underwent the coming-of-age ceremony, palace emissaries only delivered a cold imperial edict, solemnly enfeoffing him as Prince Rui, and even did not allow him to return to the capital.

But for Xiao Jingyuan's coming-of-age ceremony, the emperor himself personally came to the northern border, not only personally placing the cap on him, but also praised him as "youthful and heroic, capable of great responsibility!"

What does Xiao Jingyuan rely on?!

Thinking of this, Prince Rui's eyes flared with killing intent, the light armor on the spear tip trembled, and a few drops of already dried blood scab fell to the ground.

He slowly withdrew his spear, the light armor clanged as it fell onto the blue tiles, emitting a piercing sound.

The only regret is that he failed to behead Xiao Jingyuan, toss his head before the emperor, and make that person see that Xiao Jingyuan is nothing special!

At this moment, another guard came in to report, his tone suppressing excitement: "Report! The 50,000 troops of Liangzhou have arrived outside the city, awaiting your orders!"

"Report! The 90,000 troops of Chongzhou have also arrived south of the city!"

"Report......"

The 250,000 troops have now been fully assembled, and the atmosphere inside the room instantly became scorching.

"Good!!" Prince Rui roared, his black eyes blazing with fierce ambition.

When war breaks out, the most important thing is to seize the initiative.

Now the empress dowager is stirring up turmoil in the capital, controlling the imperial guards to restrain the officials; he is mustering troops in Quanzhou, marching north, also to rendezvous with the empress dowager, to accomplish this grand plot of treason to overthrow the throne.

Prince Rui shouted: "Convey my oral order, immediately break camp and march north!"

Liangzhou's 50,000 iron cavalry, Chongzhou's 90,000 armored infantry, plus the 110,000 Eastern Sea Guards secretly controlled by Prince Rui, the troops densely arrayed outside the city, their dark armor reflecting the sunlight, even the dust seemed tinged with a killing aura.

Shortly after, an earth-shaking horn blast rang out, its mighty sound tearing through Quanzhou's morning light.

The citizens of Quanzhou were awakened by this horn blast; in an instant, the streets and alleys filled with people, each face showing bewilderment and panic.

Quanzhou lies in the southeast; in recent years it often suffered pirate raids, so the populace is already sensitive to the sounds of weapons.

"Is this another war?"

"No, weren't the pirates already wiped out by Prince Rui? Could the pirates have come again?"

"If they come, they come; we have Prince Rui." This person waved his hoe, saying with a face full of reverence, "Prince Rui is peerlessly brave; he will surely make those bandits have no return."

This remark drew nods from the surrounding people.

In the hearts of Quanzhou's citizens, Prince Rui has long been like a guardian deity; it is he who cleared the pirates, dredged the harbor, allowing the people to fish and trade in peace.

Even now, with the horn startling the city, merely thinking of Prince Rui gives many people a bit more confidence.

Suddenly someone in the crowd pointed toward the city gate and exclaimed: "Quick look! The gate is open! The soldiers outside... are entering the city!"

Everyone turned their heads in unison, only to see the normally tightly closed eastern gate of Quanzhou slowly opening, with ranks of soldiers in dark armor marching in, bringing a solemn killing aura.

The citizens instinctively stepped back, their chatter gradually fading, replaced by a suppressed tension.

A shrewd merchant felt odd, wondering why so many regular troops had suddenly appeared; just a bunch of pirates, is such a grand mobilization really needed?

At that moment, a sudden rush of horse hooves sounded. A commander riding a tall black horse, holding a commander's banner, appeared at the end of the street.

The commander wore bright silver armor, with a long sword at his waist; his cold gaze swept over the crowded populace, and wherever his eyes fell, the people fell silent.

Prince Rui's commander's banner fluttered loudly in the wind.

Immediately after, his deep voice thundered like rolling thunder, instantly drowning out all subtle sounds: "All townspeople, males aged ten to forty, are to be conscripted into the army! Those who defy the order will be beheaded!"

The final "behead" character, carrying a chilling killing intent, exploded in the morning wind.

It turns out they are conscripting soldiers?!

The crowd instantly fell into dead silence.

After a brief silence, the streets erupted into greater chaos.

Some cried out wanting to go home, some tried to slip into alleys, but as soon as they stepped forward, they were stopped by soldiers lining the street—those soldiers' spears were already aimed at the crowd, their eyes icy, devoid of any of their usual gentleness.

"Hiss—"

A resisting man was pierced through the chest by a soldier's spear, killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.

Upon closer look, it was precisely the burly man who had just loudly praised Prince Rui; now he had breathed his last, lying in a pool of blood...

On the teahouse above the street, Shen Shuangning stood by the window, witnessing this scene, her brows furrowed tightly.

Prince Rui's forced conscription is not merely to fill a manpower shortage.

By "capturing one city, conquering another," he can turn the populace of the cities along the way into his soldiers, and even more, he can hold the people's families hostage—if anyone dares to rebel, it will implicate their relatives; if anyone tries to flee, they will be captured because of their concern for their families.

Thus, his northward army will grow like a rolling snowball, while those forced to enlist are merely stepping stones on his path to rebellion.

One moment he was the protector god Prince Rui, the next he is a rebel prince.

Downstairs, the soldiers' rebukes sounded again, groups of people being driven toward the North Training Ground, like a flock of penned lambs.

A light drizzle fell from the sky, the air growing ever colder.

Most people still did not know what they would face, timidly following the crowd forward.

Wherever there is war, it is the common folk who suffer.

The door of the elegant room was pushed open from outside, and Pei Zhi's voice came: "It's time to go."

The hundred-thousand-strong army had already marched north first, advancing at full speed to capture a city, while Prince Rui remained behind to hold the line, ready to adapt as needed.

That same day, the personal guards came to report, saying that Junior Preceptor Pei had brought a woman to request an audience.

"Junior Preceptor Pei?" Prince Rui raised his eyebrows slightly, somewhat surprised.

This person had defected from the Crown Prince's camp to his side, a pragmatic sort, yet Prince Rui never truly regarded someone who so easily betrayed his former lord as one of his own.

After all, if he could betray the Crown Prince, he would someday betray him as well.

At this moment, Pei Zhi suddenly arrived, bringing a woman with him, and Prince Rui could not help but wonder if he intended to win favor with a beauty.

During these days in Quanzhou, the Prefect of Quanzhou had once sent seven or eight beautiful women; though he accepted them with a smile on the surface, he left them all in the West Courtyard, never even glancing at them.

Before his great cause is accomplished, romantic attachments are, to him, merely useless burdens.

Prince Rui leaned back in the Grand Preceptor's chair, set down his brush, and said in a calm tone: "Let him in."

Moments later, footsteps came from outside the hall.

Pei Zhi wore a moon-white long robe, striding forward with an upright bearing; his expression remained his usual gentleness, though a hint of solemnity lurked in his brows, not easily noticed.

Behind him, two personal guards escorted a woman of extraordinary beauty, surpassing all the ladies of the West Courtyard, not even a single hair of theirs could compare.

The moment he saw the woman's face, Prince Rui's light eyes flickered with interest, his fingertip unconsciously rubbing the carving on the armrest.

Indeed, he had not expected that the "gift" Pei Zhi brought would be her.

Prince Rui said nothing, his gaze fixed on Shen Shuangning like a wolf.