Chapter 388: National Humiliation

"Father, something has happened!"

While Liang Kai was feeling vexed, his eldest son, Liang Feng, walked over quickly.

His heart sank; thinking something disadvantageous to the Liang Family had occurred, he asked hurriedly, "What is it?"

"The Third Prince has been captured by the Western Liang soldiers. This news just reached Jingshi, and the Emperor is likely to be furious." There was not a trace of worry on Liang Feng's face; instead, it was filled with mockery. "An Imperial Prince being captured is a great national humiliation. From now on, the Third Prince will have no connection to the throne."

"Is this true!" Liang Kai's expression was agitated as he grabbed Liang Feng's shoulder.

From ancient times to the present, no emperor could ever allow an Imperial Prince who had been captured by an enemy nation to inherit the throne.

Otherwise, the dignity of the Imperial Clan would be completely wiped out.

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"It is absolutely true. It is said that after Dou Wei learned the news, he fainted dead away." Liang Feng chuckled.

"Heaven helps my Liang Family! Back then, for the sake of maritime rights, my Liang Family and the Dou Family agreed to support the Third Prince in his bid for the throne in exchange for support. These past few years, we have let the Fifth Prince suffer quite a few grievances." Liang Kai paced back and forth.

The reason the Liang Family had not supported an Imperial Prince in the struggle for the throne all these years was not because they did not care about the throne, but because they had other calculations.

However, the Dou Family had broken the agreement for the sake of Artillery.

They had not supported his Liang Family at all.

Even though his Liang Family had made concessions at the time, he had already grown dissatisfied with Dou Wei.

Now, with the Third Prince captured by Western Liang, he no longer needed to let the Fifth Prince swallow his pride.

From now on, he could openly and legitimately support the Fifth Prince in competing for the position of Crown Prince.

The Dou Mansion.

Dou Wei fainted, woke up, wailed, and then fainted several more times.

The entire Dou Mansion was in chaos.

Dou Kuang and his mother, Lady Xiao, served by Dou Wei's bedside.

Dou Wei was still in a deep sleep.

Lady Xiao sighed at this moment.

"Your father has always doted on the Third Prince; this is truly going to be the death of him."

"Mother is right; Father dotes on the Third Prince a thousand times more than he does on his own child." There was a smile on Dou Kuang's face, but a flash of resentment crossed his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Lady Xiao wanted to say something but stopped, eventually saying, "You are his eldest son; naturally, he has to be a bit stricter with you."

"Perhaps." Dou Kuang only replied perfunctorily.

He could tell the difference between disgust and strictness.

"You say the Scout had been investigating everything well, so how did they fall into an ambush?" Lady Xiao sighed again.

Since Ma Jin had defected to Western Liang, the Wuguan guarded by the Dou Family had become a border pass.

Under Dou Wei's instruction, the Third Prince had proposed going to Wuguan to inspect the defenses.

The original intention was to establish military merit upon arriving at Wuguan.

He had not expected this disaster to occur.

According to the Dou Family general who delivered the message:

Ma Jin often sent Cavalry to the foot of Wuguan to insult Dou Wei.

How could the Dou Family generals endure this? They often sent out Cavalry to engage in slaughter with the Cavalry under Ma Jin's command.

Six days ago, the Dou Family Scout discovered a Ma Family Cavalry unit of fewer than five hundred men heading toward Wuguan again.

The Third Prince, who had been preparing to return to Jingshi, was eager to establish more merit and led two thousand men to intercept them.

He never imagined that while in the midst of the slaughter,

a large number of Western Liang soldiers would suddenly charge out from both sides of the mountain path, and the Third Prince was struck by an arrow and captured.

"Warfare is about deception. The Third Prince has never fought a battle; perhaps it was just a slip of the hoof." Dou Kuang's eyes flickered.

Just then, Dou Wei let out a groan and slowly regained consciousness.

"Quick, quickly prepare my official robes; I must go see the Emperor..." Dou Wei struggled to get up.

Lady Xiao hurriedly advised, "Master, you should lie down for a while longer."

"I told you to go, so go! *Cough, cough*..." Dou Wei was furious.

"Father, the official robes are already prepared. For such a major event, this child knows you must see the Emperor." Dou Kuang said suddenly, then he waved his hand, and a servant walked in.

Dou Wei nodded, simply got out of bed to put on his official robes, and took an old servant as he headed out.

Dou Kuang saw Dou Wei to the door, watched the carriage leave, and a cold sneer curled the corner of his mouth.

The Imperial Palace.

The news of the Third Prince's capture had also reached the ears of Zhao Heng.

He had been playing with a yellow oriole, and in his rage, he did not even realize he had smothered his beloved bird to death.

It was not until Liang Cheng reminded him that he came to his senses.

He was so angry he could barely stand.

While he was in a towering rage, Noble Dou Guifei came over wailing and knelt before him, "Your Majesty, I beg you, you must save Mu'er; he was also wholeheartedly trying to serve the country..."

"Enough! Do you really think I know nothing? He went to Wuguan to fish for military merit so he could return and compete with the Crown Prince for the position of heir. If you people would just put your minds to the right things, how could today's events have happened!" Zhao Heng was furious.

Losing Qinzhou and Yongzhou had already left him in low spirits these days.

Now that the Third Prince had been captured as well, it was simply a national humiliation.

He could even imagine the smug face of the Emperor of Western Liang, Tuoba Hao, right now.

The situation that Yan Wang had salvaged for him in Jinzhou had been reversed by Western Liang once again.

"Your Majesty, even if Mu'er was wrong, he is still your son, an Imperial Prince of Great Song. How can you let him fall into the hands of the Western Liang people and suffer such torture? Your Majesty, I beg you, save Mu'er." Noble Dou Guifei kowtowed incessantly, her face covered in tears.

"Save him! How do you expect me to save him?" Zhao Heng was even more furious.

Now he, too, was flustered and did not know what to do.

If the Third Prince were to return, there was no telling what kind of conditions Western Liang would demand.

Just as one was making a scene and the other was raging, a eunuch arrived to report that Dou Wei requested an audience.

"Tell him I will not see him alone; order him to summon the ministers to the Golden Throne Hall to discuss the matter," Zhao Heng snorted.

Now, he felt nothing but disgust for both Noble Dou Guifei and Dou Wei.

If not for them, how could such a humiliating event have occurred?

Half an hour later.

The ministers had all arrived, and Zhao Heng, supported by Liang Cheng, reached the Golden Throne Hall.

The news of the Third Prince being captured had already spread throughout Jinling, and the ministers were whispering among themselves upon their arrival.

The officials of Dou Wei's faction were all dejected, looking as if they had lost the will to live.

They knew very well that even if the Third Prince were rescued, this prince would only be able to be an idle prince from then on.

The Second Prince, the Crown Prince, and their respective factions were clearly gloating.

To them, with the Third Prince—a rival—gone, the position of heir apparent had moved a step closer to them.

Zhao Heng took in this scene, suppressing the anger in his heart as he sat on the Dragon Throne.

"Looking at this, you all already know. Speak, what should be done?" Zhao Heng propped up his head; he was physically and mentally exhausted at this moment.

"Imperial Father, this son believes that the Third Brother is an Imperial Prince of our Great Song and should be rescued at all costs; otherwise, our Great Song will lose all face. It would be better to first send an envoy to Western Liang to sound out the intentions of the Emperor of Western Liang. If he can be ransomed with Silver, that would naturally be best." A young man stepped out; it was the Fifth Prince, Zhao She.

The Crown Prince and the Second Prince looked at Zhao She in surprise.

This Fifth Brother had always been very low-key and rarely spoke in the imperial court.

"It would naturally be best if he could be ransomed with Silver, but that would be too damaging to the spirit of our Great Song. Imperial Father, it would be better to first order the Western Liang people to return the Third Brother, threatening them with war. If Western Liang is afraid, they will naturally release the Third Brother," the Second Prince suggested.

"You cannot! Wouldn't that put the Third Prince in danger? If the Western Liang people are provoked, they are capable of anything," Dou Wei said hurriedly, while glaring at the Second Prince.

"What if the Western Liang people refuse to exchange the Third Prince for Silver? The only option is war to strike terror into them."

"Anything that can be solved with Silver is not a problem."

"..."

With the Second Prince and Dou Wei leading the way, the officials immediately began to clamor, arguing until their faces were red.

The more Zhao Heng watched, the more annoyed he became, and he roared, "Enough! All of you, shut your mouths!"