Chapter 43: Hidden Depths?

Seeing soldiers surround him, Jiang Mingyu remained unperturbed: “How dare you! I am a special envoy personally appointed by His Majesty—who dares act rashly?”

Prince Qi sneered: “You still have the nerve to mention His Majesty? If His Majesty knew you consorted with bandits, he’d be furious.”

His eyes’ amusement turned to mockery: “How laughable—you, for personal gain, have allied yourself with thieves.”

“You truly believe the heavens are high and the emperor far away, that no one can control you? Such madness deserves death ten times over.”

“You mouth ‘His Majesty’ at every turn—I want to know: where exactly do you place His Majesty?”

“Those who understand the times kneel and submit. If you utter one word of defiance, I’ll take your head.”

Ma De seized the moment to flatter: “Your Highness fulfills your duty with unwavering devotion—you are a model for us all.”

Prince Qi smiled faintly: “To protect the realm and secure the people is only right.”

Jiang Mingyu sneered at his shameless demeanor: “Prince Qi, you speak well.”

“But when you stuffed the military pay into your own pockets, were you equally righteous?”

Prince Qi’s face darkened: “Jiang Mingyu, don’t change the subject. Your crime is fact—do you dare claim innocence?”

Jiang Mingyu shook his head: “Your Highness’s words are baseless. You accuse me of conspiring with bandits—what proof? What evidence?”

“Because I happened to appear here, you claim I conspire with bandits?”

“If that’s so, then since Your Highness is here too—may I accuse you of conspiring with bandits?”

Prince Qi never expected Jiang Mingyu to turn the tables: “Nonsense! I have never conspired with bandits!”

Jiang Mingyu sneered back: “If Your Highness isn’t a conspirator, then I am? How absurd and ridiculous.”

“If you accuse me of conspiring with bandits, produce evidence. Don’t make empty accusations—do you truly think I’m easy to bully?”

“If today you give me no clear reason, I will not drop this matter—even if I must take it to the Ministry of Personnel.”

Prince Qi smiled coldly: “You won’t get the chance to go to the Ministry of Personnel. Tonight is your last.”

Jiang Mingyu showed no fear: “Go ahead—murdering a special envoy? How thrilling.”

“But you’d better handle these men properly—kill them all. If this gets out, it’s enough to have your family exterminated and your estate confiscated.”

As soon as he spoke, Prince Qi sensed every face change; his words ended, and all around him, suspicion and wariness became unmistakable.

Prince Qi spoke coldly: “You came down from the mountain—that alone is the best proof.”

“Qinglong Zhai twists and turns—how could you know the path unless you conspired with bandits? And with bandits rampant, how could you escape unharmed unless you were one of them?”

“With this alone, I can send you to the Three Judicial Offices for trial.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t conspire—you came to suppress them.”

Jiang Mingyu nodded: “Correct. I came here specifically to suppress bandits.”

“I learned the mountain path from the bandits I captured—they’re now held in the county jail, ready for confrontation.”

Prince Qi sneered: “For years no one captured these mountain bandits—you arrive and immediately catch them? Who’d believe that? Three men wiping out bandits? Do you take me for a fool?” Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly: “Now that all the bandits are dead, the fact that no one caught them for years only proves Your Highness’s incompetence.”

Prince Qi’s face darkened: “Jiang Mingyu, do you think I’ve been too lenient with you?”

“You truly think highly of yourself? You’ve been given a sliver of authority and now think you can climb higher?”

“Suppress bandits, suppress bandits—who are you to play this role? Do you really believe you’re someone important?”

“Enough talk. Bring him down!”

As soldiers closed in again, Tu Kexiluo frowned, drew his sword, and roared: “Who dares step forward!”

Prince Qi seized the moment: “Attack! Anyone who resists—kill on the spot!”

Jiang Mingyu signaled Tu Kexiluo not to act rashly, then spoke: “If Your Highness doesn’t believe me, why not go up the mountain and see for yourself?” Prince Qi scoffed: “Such delaying tactics are foolish.”

Jiang Mingyu’s lips curled slightly: “How about a wager? If I’m lying, I’ll submit to your judgment.”

Prince Qi paused, then said: “Fine. Let me see your so-called exploits. Shall we go?”

Jiang Mingyu didn’t move: “Wait. If you lose, what then?”

Prince Qi didn’t hesitate: “If I lose, I’ll not only release you all—I’ll kneel and apologize to you.”

Jiang Mingyu chuckled: “Really?”

Prince Qi snorted: “No jesting in the army. My word is law—everyone here hears it. You needn’t worry.”

Ma De opened his mouth but held back: “Your Highness, this matter…”

Prince Qi sneered: “You think they wiped out hardened bandits? Dream on!”

“Jiang Mingyu, if it’s not as you claim, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

Prince Qi wasn’t afraid of Jiang Mingyu’s smooth talk—he held Jiang Mingyu in his grasp; how dare he play tricks?

Once his guilt was proven, he could be lawfully exterminated—how perfect.

Jiang Mingyu bowed his hand: “After you.”

After climbing the mountain, Prince Qi’s blood boiled—he’d capture Jiang Mingyu first, and good fortune would follow.

As he dreamed, soldiers who stormed the stronghold emerged carrying corpses: “Your Highness, twenty bodies total. No survivors besides our men.”

Prince Qi’s face turned grim: “This… how is this possible? Impossible—they couldn’t have such strength.”

Could three men really wipe out all the bandits? Was that something ordinary people could do?

Was the smiling Jiang Mingyu, in truth, a hidden master?

Prince Qi was stunned.

Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly: “Your Highness, the truth is clear. Please fulfill your promise—kneel and apologize.”

Seeing Prince Qi hesitate, Jiang Mingyu said coldly: “What? Will the man who swears by his word break it?”

“Under everyone’s eyes, once the shit is out, can you swallow it back? Won’t that damage your prestige?”

He stepped closer two paces, voice dripping with mockery: “First you embezzled military pay, now you break your word. The troops’ trust will shatter—how can you command them in the future? Your Highness must weigh priorities carefully.”

True enough, when Prince Qi looked up, the soldiers stared at him without blinking.

Out of fear of Jiang Mingyu—the “master”—he involuntarily stepped back two paces.

If he broke his word now, morale would collapse; soldiers might refuse to obey him in the future.

And if Jiang Mingyu, in a fit of rage, exposed the embezzlement, these seasoned imperial guards would never let him live.

After a long silence, Prince Qi closed his eyes, face dark, and knelt: “Special Envoy, I apologize for my disrespect.”

Jiang Mingyu merely chuckled, pulled out the imperial token bestowed by the Emperor, and said: “Your Highness, you’re bowing to His Majesty—please rise.”

“Since there’s no truth to this, I take my leave. Come visit the county office someday—I’ll serve you a cup of tea.”

Watching the two depart, Prince Qi gritted his teeth: “Jiang Mingyu, wait and see—this isn’t over!”

On the way back to the city, Cloud of the Murong secretly rejoiced but felt unease: “Today we’ve made a bitter enemy—we must be cautious going forward.”

Jiang Mingyu dismissed it: “What can he do to us? We have greater matters ahead—hurry home!”