Chapter 81: He Fights for the Goddess

With one strike of his blade, Xiao Moting split Yang Wei in two!

The surroundings fell into silence.

Everyone was stunned!

The air was filled with the metallic scent of blood.

An Fuhai was flustered, his voice shrill and duck-like.

"Prince of Northern Suppression... you, you are defying an imperial decree."

Xiao Moting narrowed his eyes, a sharp, murderous glint flashing within them.

He smiled faintly.

"Eunuch An, have the fifty lashes I bestowed upon you last time not taught you a lesson yet?"

After speaking, he suddenly barked sharply.

"Seize him for this Prince!"

Clatter!

The armored soldiers all around immediately rushed forward, drew their swords, and surrounded An Fuhai and his party.

An Fuhai was so frightened he shuddered, losing all his previous arrogance.

"This servant is merely here to deliver the imperial decree,"

Xiao Moting sneered and suddenly commanded in a deep voice.

"Take him away!"

An Fuhai finally panicked.

"Fourth Prince, by not obeying the holy decree, are you planning to commit treason? Don't forget that Yunfei is still in Shengjing..."

The soldiers dragged An Fuhai and the others away.

Xiao Moting's lips curled slightly, a cold, mocking glint flashing in the depths of his eyes.

Using his mother to threaten him?

Now, he had taken control of Yang Wei's 120,000-strong army, giving him a total of 180,000 troops under his command, all well-equipped and with ample provisions.

The two key strongholds of Xuancheng and Heyuan were also under his jurisdiction.

The current Prince of Northern Suppression was no longer the impoverished prince who had been constrained at every turn!

Xiao Dabao was anxious and stepped forward quickly.

"Your Highness, since we've already defied the decree and captured An Fuhai anyway! Why not just declare independence? We have the Goddess, we have troops and grain, why fear the Imperial Court!"

Qin Zhan frowned slightly.

"Consort Yun is still in the palace, and over two hundred members of the Yun clan are all being held in Shengjing."

"If Your Highness declares independence, his maternal Yun clan will be the first to suffer and be executed to the ninth degree."

Xiao Dabao gritted his teeth.

"The Imperial Court is doing this on purpose; keeping these hundreds of people from the Yun Family in the capital is just to threaten Your Highness."

Xiao Moting's expression was cold as he turned his head to give an order.

"Keep a close watch on An Fuhai."

After speaking, he turned and walked toward the room.

Xiao Moting closed the door, his cold, handsome face finally revealing a trace of struggle.

He was conflicted inside.

Over the past few months, he had won several consecutive battles, and his power had grown; he feared he had long since provoked his Imperial Father's murderous intent.

His Imperial Father had long been wary of him, and with De Guifei fanning the flames on the side, once he returned to Shengjing, he would certainly be stripped of his military power and then thrown into the Heavenly Prison; the Northern Frontier Army he had worked so hard to build would also fall apart.

But his mother was critically ill; if he did not return to Shengjing, he would not be able to see her one last time.

For over a decade, Xiao Moting had stayed in the Northern Frontier and had never once met his mother; he wanted to go back more than anyone.

If he returned to Shengjing, he would die.

All his trusted aides, Xiao Dabao, Qin Zhan, Han Guiying... they would all die.

If he did not return to Shengjing, his mother would die.

For the first time in his life, Xiao Moting's resolute, cold black eyes revealed a look of struggle.

He could not speak of these thoughts.

Because every word, if leaked, would be treason.

He could only confide in Bai Wei.

Xiao Moting walked to the wardrobe.

"Shennü Daren, are you free right now..."

He told Bai Wei everything about these matters.

To the outside world, Xiao Moting was the noble Fourth Prince of Daliang and the "Northern Frontier War God" who made enemy armies tremble with fear.

But in the end, he was only twenty-two years old.

Bai Wei stood in front of the wardrobe.

She opened her mouth slightly, her pupils constricting, unable to hide the shock in her heart.

Why?

Emperor Xuanjing actually harbored murderous intent toward his own son, Xiao Moting?

This was his most outstanding son, and the most brilliant young general in the entire Daliang Dynasty!

Bai Wei frowned.

She had also read in books about the struggles within ancient imperial families.

For the sake of imperial power, fathers and sons killed each other, brothers slaughtered one another...

No!

This kind of thing must not happen to Xiao Moting.

Xiao Moting was invincible in battle, unparalleled in wisdom and courage, had never committed a single misdeed in his life, and was deeply loved by the people.

Such a brilliant star—she absolutely could not let him fall.

"Xiao Moting, don't pay any mind to that bullshit imperial decree!"

"The military power of the Northern Frontier Army must absolutely not be handed over!"

"Lead your troops back to Shengjing yourself and go see your mother!"

Xiao Moting held his breath, his expression slightly shocked.

Shennü Daren... wanted him to go back on his own?

And she even told him to refuse to hand over military power and lead his troops back to the capital!

Since ancient times, for a frontier-guarding general to return to the capital without an imperial edict was treason, a capital crime punishable by death!

Not only would the general be executed, but all his subordinates would also be implicated; hundreds or thousands of people would die!

In a fit of rage, the emperor might even slaughter the general's nine generations!

Xiao Moting gazed at Bai Wei's message, his heart shaken.

He murmured to himself.

"Shennü Daren, do you also support me in rebelling..."

Before he could write, lines of text appeared on the Wardrobe again.

"Xiao Moting, read my words carefully."

"I know you were taught by Old General Han since you were young to be loyal to the monarch and love your country, and that you would rather die than betray Daliang."

"I am not asking you to betray your country; I am asking you to follow your own heart and ask yourself: who are you really fighting for?"

"Is it for the emperor? For the Imperial Court? Or for the Daliang Dynasty and all the common people?"

"Do you remember Yue Fei, whom I showed you? He was so formidable in battle, defeating all his enemies, yet in the end, he was murdered by treacherous officials in the Imperial Court. After Yue Fei died, the Southern Song fell, and the people were displaced, their lives worse than death..."

Xiao Moting stared fixedly.

His cold, deep black eyes gradually became resolute.

He understood.

If he died, this land he protected with his life would also be destroyed, and the common people would be slaughtered by the enemy in a bloodbath!

The Northern Frontier Army had fought on the battlefield, and countless men had died.

The hot blood of the soldiers was spilled on the battlefield, and many soldiers had not even left behind their names... They were willing to die, not for the Imperial Court, but to protect the parents, wives, children, brothers, and sisters behind them...

Xiao Moting's gaze narrowed to a point, like the pitch-black night, bottomless.

Deep within his pupils, a sharp edge flashed by.

Shennü Daren told him not to care about any "bullshit imperial decree."

She was right!

Did this corrupt Imperial Court even deserve to command him?

He fought for Beijiang, and even more so, he fought for Shennü Daren!

Xiao Moting made his decision.

If the Imperial Court feared his strength, then let them fear it!

He would not hand over military power!

Even if it meant defying the imperial decree, he would return to the capital!

Xiao Dabao, drenched in sweat, rushed into the command tent.

"Prince, An Fuhai has taken people and escaped!"

Xiao Moting's eyes turned cold, "Didn't I tell you to keep a close watch on him?"

"An Fuhai faked illness and vomited blood, so the Military Doctor took him to the mobile cabin for an examination; he snatched a knife, wounded the Military Doctor, and jumped out the window to escape." Xiao Dabao knelt on the ground, his face full of remorse, "It was our negligence; please punish me, Prince!"

Xiao Moting ordered in a deep voice.

"Send men to pursue him immediately."

"Qin Zhan has already gone in pursuit on the motorcycle, but there wasn't much fuel left, and he ran out halfway." Xiao Dabao said hurriedly, "However, An Fuhai didn't take his carrier pigeons; he can only ride a horse back to the Imperial Court to deliver the news."

Xiao Moting's brows furrowed tightly.

He had to catch An Fuhai; otherwise, if he returned to Shengjing to report, the Emperor would be even more wary of him and would certainly send troops to intercept him.

Perhaps seeing that he hadn't replied for a long time, Bai Wei grew anxious.

"Xiao Moting, why aren't you replying?"

Xiao Moting immediately wrote.

"An Fuhai has escaped, and the motorcycle Qin Zhan was riding ran out of fuel, so he couldn't catch up."

Just as he finished writing, Bai Wei's message arrived.

"Don't leave! Since the motorcycle can't catch him, I'll send you something even faster!"

"Tell me, how many li is it from Beijiang to Shengjing? Is there a Post Road suitable for carriages?"