Chapter 562: Killing with Kindness

The majestic Jinghua.

The city walls are towering.

The garrison of Jinghua City alone looks extraordinary at a single glance. They are high-spirited, with sharp gazes. Even Liu Zheng, the man who single-handedly forged the invincible Liangzhou Army, still takes a deep breath upon seeing this Jinghua army.

Elite!

This is a true elite force!

Although there are only a few thousand soldiers in this garrison at the moment, Liu Zheng believes without hesitation that their combat power is comparable to tens of thousands.

Such a majestic city is naturally difficult to breach.

It is precisely this Jinghua City, which crouches like a tiger in Zhongyuan, that has protected the imperial Xie Family for generation after generation. For thousands of years, it is not that the Xie Family has never faced crises, but because of the existence of Jinghua City, which can withstand the world's powerful enemies, the Xie Family's national mandate has been preserved for a long time, enduring without end.

Liu Zheng naturally knows that Jinghua is not just these garrison troops; it also possesses various impregnable defensive works, mechanisms, as well as underground passages, watchtowers, and signal towers. It even has unimaginable granaries, as well as fireproof and waterproof measures. This thousands-year-old foundation makes it impossible for those with ulterior motives to find a way to attack Jinghua.

Toward such a city, Liu Zheng feels awe in his heart.

At this moment, outside Jinghua City, it is already overcrowded.

Liu Zheng takes a deep breath, holds the Imperial Edict document, rides his horse forward, and shouts loudly: "The Emperor proclaims: Longyang Princess is to return to the capital to acknowledge her ancestors and return to the clan!"

Once these words are spoken, everyone follows suit and kneels down.

"Welcome Longyang Princess!"

"Welcome Longyang Princess into the capital!"

"Congratulations to Her Highness the Princess on acknowledging her ancestors and returning to the clan!"

Next comes the rather cumbersome and lengthy procedure. Ma Zhizhong, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, first leads the ceremonial guard of Jinghua to welcome them. According to the rules of the Longyan Dynasty, princes and princesses who have been living outside must go through a whole host of procedures. The beginning, naturally, is kneeling before the ancestral temple, where the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs reads the genealogy to confirm Xie Chan's position in the family tree, with the Historian responsible for assisting on the side to verify the authenticity of Xie Chan's identity.

Once this blood relationship is confirmed, the scene is handed over to the Ministry of Rites to continue the process of Xie Chan returning to the ancestral temple.

Kowtowing to the ancestors, kowtowing to the generations of ancestors, and then kowtowing to the current Emperor.

Along this way, various ritual music is played, and various chants resound.

Although Xie Chan is weary of it, she can only let the Ministry of Rites and a group of ladies from the inner palace fuss over her.

Grand.

The scene is extremely grand.

So grand that even Liu Zheng sighs helplessly in his heart.

This "killing with kindness" from the Crown Prince's side truly puts no small amount of pressure on his heart. Looking at this appearance, the Crown Prince today still will not let go of the opportunity to infinitely "kill with kindness" Xie Chan!

Sure enough.

Just as the process here is nearly finished, Xie Chan, served by a group of palace maids, has already put on the attire belonging to a princess—a phoenix coronet and rosy-cloud cape—exuding an imposing nobility.

At this moment.

Finally, a line of horse carriages slowly drives out from Jinghua City.

"Quick, quick, quick!"

"Follow, follow!"

"Hurry up! Don't dawdle!"

Everyone looks over one after another.

At this look, almost everyone has a meaningful expression on their face. The first person to come out to welcome the Longyang Princess is unexpectedly none other than the master of the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince Xie Fang!

And...

Looking at this formation, it is truly not small.

One horse carriage, two horse carriages... three, four...

A full eight horse carriages!

This is...

The eight-carriage procession that only the Crown Prince is qualified to enjoy!

Many people look at each other in dismay, a look of watching the spectacle flashing in their eyes at the same time.

The Crown Prince today is really being quite ruthless...

Because the ceremonial guard he displays at this moment is clearly the ceremonial guard for welcoming a Crown Prince!

This implies that since you, Xie Chan, have been so prominent lately, are you not trying to compete with me for this position of Crown Prince?

Ruthless!

Killing someone is just a matter of a nod, but Xie Fang's move is equivalent to directly placing Xie Chan and Governor Liu on a rack to roast!

Insiders like Ma Zhizhong also change color upon seeing these eight luxurious horse carriages side by side.

What is this Crown Prince trying to do?

"Governor Liu has entered the capital!"

"Governor Liu has entered the capital!"

"Quick, quick, quick, go watch the excitement! Go see what that Longyang Princess looks like!"

The entire Jinghua.

Becomes lively.

Some want to see the Longyang Princess, whose good name has spread throughout the world. Naturally, there are also many supporters of Governor Liu who want to see their idol with their own eyes.

"Sister Manqing..."

At this moment.

On the Longyan Fengming Tower, a woman with a cold back profile sits quietly, her hands plucking a zither.

A maid beside her cannot help but call out.

"Don't speak, okay..."

Shen Manqing gave a desolate smile and said, "I know he has come, and that is enough."

The maidservant was somewhat indignant: "How can it be like this..."

"Otherwise, what?"

Shen Manqing said indifferently: "He came together with Longyang Princess... If there is no mistake, he is surely the person who will become the Imperial Son-in-law."

"But then..."

The maidservant still felt aggrieved on behalf of her mistress.

For the sake of Liu Zheng, Shen Manqing had abandoned her own White-clothed purity before the entire world, yet after waiting day and night in Jinghua, what she received was the news that Liu Zheng and Xie Chan were together...

Shen Manqing, however, gave a chuckle: "Silly girl, if you think that way, your mistress was originally nothing more than a person with a criminal record; it is precisely because I met the young master that it is even possible for me, in form, to call a person as noble as a princess 'sister'."

"As for status, is it important?"

She stood up slowly and said with a calm face: "The young master in Yinzhou, Manqing could seek. The young master in Liangzhou, Manqing could seek... The young master in Hanzhong, Manqing could seek..."

"But now..."

"The young master who has come to Jinghua, Manqing cannot seek."

"Manqing, whether for the young master or for the princess, is a stain..."

"Mistress!"

Everyone at the scene, upon seeing these eight Horse Carriages displayed by Crown Prince Xie Fang, all had their expressions change drastically.

The joyful atmosphere at the scene just a moment ago vanished in an instant.

An eight-carriage procession!

Eastern Palace regalia!

According to the laws of the Longyan Dynasty, the Eastern Palace Crown Prince may enjoy eight carriages, and princes enfeoffed as kings may enjoy six. Princes without a title have only four.

By logic, this Xie Chan should have at most four carriages.

Yet now, Xie Fang has directly used an eight-carriage procession to welcome her...

This is openly tearing off the mask!

"This, this, this, Your Highness the Crown Prince, this, this, this, this cannot be done, it cannot be done!"

Ma Zhizhong was dripping with sweat.

Others also followed suit to dissuade him.

Xie Fang, however, sat on his horse and laughed loudly: "What is there that cannot be done? Tsk tsk tsk, I, this Prince, believe that my younger sister is worthy of Eastern Palace regalia! Oh, I have no other meaning, I just feel that my sister has been wandering outside all these years and has suffered greatly; as her brother, I must certainly share the burden for the Emperor and compensate you, giving you the best—what is mine is yours! This is what it means to be siblings, isn't it?"

Once these words were spoken, everyone in the audience could not help but gulp.

To hell with siblings!

To hell with suffering!

To hell with compensation!

You are simply wielding a knife that kills without drawing blood!

Many people looked at Liu Zheng at the same time.

This Crown Prince had been so sharp the moment he appeared.

How would Prefect Liu handle this?

Seeing Xie Fang's arrogance at this moment, Liu Zheng also gave a light laugh.

Things in the world are just this helpless. Once upon a time, he and Xie Fang were comrades in the same camp, yet this time they met, they were already enemies meeting, eyes burning with hatred. The saying that there are no brothers in the royal family has always been true.

"Prefect Liu, have you been well since we last met!"

Xie Fang first acted arrogant and domineering here, then took a deep breath and, feigning a domineering look, looked at Liu Zheng.

In reality...

Facing Liu Zheng, he still harbored fear in his heart—that fear and sense of powerlessness from being crushed time and time again.

However...

This is the critical moment of the Bitter Remonstrance for the succession, and he cannot back down; he absolutely cannot back down!

Since things have reached this point, he might as well come over today and tear off the mask!

Thinking this, his gaze slowly became firm.

Who would have thought.

A single sentence from Liu Zheng, smiling, immediately made him lose his composure.

He cupped his hands toward Crown Prince Xie Fang and laughed: "The ancients also said, the dead are the greatest. The display Your Highness the Crown Prince has set up today is most appropriate for the recently deceased Third Prince; what does the Crown Prince think?"

Once these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone in the audience changed instantly.