nycdaug Chapter 146 Returning to Beijing
Chapter 146 Returning to Beijing
After an unknown amount of time, the fire gradually subsided.
When the first rays of dawn pierced through the clouds and shone on the scorched mountaintop, everything seemed so silent and desolate.
However, the men in black remained in ambush at the foot of the mountain, ready for battle.
Suddenly, a ripple appeared in the water, and Zhao Jihua's hand slowly emerged from the water, followed by the Ninth Prince.
They struggled to climb out of the pool, collapsed on the ground, and gasped for breath of fresh air.
"We...are still alive..." the Ninth Prince said weakly, a faint smile of relief appearing on his face.
Zhao Jihua was also relieved: "Those who survive a great calamity are bound to have good fortune in the future."
“Yes, our good fortune is yet to come!” the Ninth Prince said with a smile.
Zhao Jihua looked at him with unwavering determination in his eyes: "Your Highness, as long as I am here, I will ensure that nothing happens to you."
It's just acting! Anyone can do that.
The two helped each other to their feet. The Ninth Prince looked at the completely transformed scene before him and asked, "Where...are we?"
"It must be a new place. Luckily, there's an underground river at the bottom of the pool, and we were washed out."
The Ninth Prince took her hand:
"I know that the road ahead is long and there are many more difficulties and obstacles waiting for us, but as long as we join hands, we will definitely be able to overcome them."
Zhao Jihua suppressed the urge to pull her hand back, but she couldn't control it at all.
She simply pulled her hand away and said worriedly, "Your Highness, let's take a quick rest. Getting on our way is the priority... We've escaped this time, but those people will definitely not let it go."
The Ninth Prince bit his chapped lips. “My Third Brother is so ruthless and doesn’t care about brotherhood at all. I really don’t feel comfortable entrusting the world to such a person.”
“In any case, let’s return to the capital first and then discuss this further.” Zhao Jihua looked at the Ninth Prince, his eyes filled with determination.
……
After many days of travel, they finally returned to the capital.
The Ninth Prince immediately went to the palace to meet the Emperor. Others only knew that he stayed inside for two hours, but what he said remained unknown.
From the moment the Empress received the news, her face was so gloomy it could drip water. When she heard that the Ninth Prince was requesting an audience, her expression became even more unfriendly.
The Ninth Prince knelt down directly, holding the evidence in his hand: "Your subject is terrified! Someone delivered a letter to your subject saying that there were bandits causing trouble. Your subject led the state troops to suppress the bandits. In the mountains, you accidentally discovered that someone had forged this evidence to frame your third brother! On the way back to the capital, you subject was constantly being chased. Your subject is terrified and risked his life to bring this evidence here. Please, Your Majesty, protect your subject."
The Empress frowned upon hearing the Ninth Prince's words.
He said it was an unintentional mistake during the bandit suppression, so she couldn't use it as a pretext to make trouble. Otherwise, wouldn't that imply that the Third Prince had a different relationship with those bandits?
Whether it was to suppress bandits or to vent anger, whether it was intentional or unintentional, only the parties involved know.
The Empress looked at him scrutinizingly: "Is what you're saying true? And where did you get this evidence?"
The Ninth Prince respectfully replied, "Mother, this evidence was obtained by chance in a hidden cave in a bandit's den. At the time, those bandits were chasing me, and I only discovered this when I hid in the cave. I know that this matter is of great importance, and to prevent it from being leaked, I killed the people in the mountain who were in charge. If my Third Brother has really been framed, I absolutely cannot sit idly by."
"But what if your third brother really has this intention?" the Empress pressed.
"With a mother like you, Empress Dowager, who always considers his needs, and a powerful maternal clan, and with the fact that the Third Prince is the legitimate son and possesses formidable strength, the world is already in his grasp. How could he possibly do this?"
The Empress remained silent for a moment, then said, "Rise. I will send people to investigate this matter thoroughly."
The Ninth Prince thanked the Emperor and rose, saying, "Your subject still needs to apologize to the Third Prince, so I will take my leave now."
The Empress waved for him to leave before asking, "Huifang, what do you think?"
The old nanny Huifang said, "The Ninth Prince has never fought or competed since childhood, and he has no interest in the throne. This time, he probably did this because he was afraid of being retaliated against by the Third Prince, but this incident may have stirred up other thoughts in him."
"It's alright, let the prince handle it. He needs to vent his anger."
……
On the other side, the Ninth Prince left the palace, where Zhao Jihua was waiting outside.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was safe and sound.
The Ninth Prince walked towards her and said softly, "Everything is alright for now, but we still need to be careful in dealing with the various forces."
Zhao Jihua nodded. At this moment, she felt more respect for the Ninth Prince. This man seemed indifferent to everything, but he had an upright heart.
"Next, I need to go to the Third Prince's residence."
"Be careful. You caused him to lose the food and troops of an entire state. He will definitely not let you off easily."
"it is good."
The two arrived at the Third Prince's residence, only to find that the prince was furious and refused to see them!
……
The next day. The atmosphere in the imperial court was heavy and oppressive.
"The Third Prince always has a sour face, but today it's even more sour."
The person next to him quickly warned in a low voice, "You still dare to speak? Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?"
The emperor, seemingly oblivious to their presence, proceeded to announce a major piece of news: "A few days ago, I dispatched Xiao Liu, Xiao Jiu, and the two young ladies from the Prince of Jin's residence to Lingnan for disaster relief. They quelled bandits and rebellions without costing the court a single penny, and now Lingnan Prefecture is beginning to get back on track. My esteemed ministers, what do you think is the proper way to reward them?"
The third prince, dressed in magnificent court robes, with a sinister look in his eyes, was the first to launch an attack.
"Ninth Brother, I heard that although you achieved some success in this bandit suppression campaign, many bandits also escaped, disturbing the peace of the surrounding people. I'm afraid your achievements in suppressing the bandits will be greatly diminished!"
His voice echoed in the hall, carrying a clear provocation.
Instantly, everyone turned to look at the Ninth Prince, their eyes filled with either concern or amusement.
The Ninth Prince remained unfazed, stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and replied neither servilely nor arrogantly, "Third Brother, you are mistaken. In this bandit suppression campaign, our soldiers fought valiantly and have largely eliminated the bandit threat. Those fleeing remnants are nothing but stray dogs; they can't cause any real trouble. Besides, bandit suppression is inherently difficult; how can one expect perfection?"
The Ninth Prince spoke sharply and logically.
But the Third Prince was not about to give up so easily. He snorted coldly and continued, "Ninth Brother, don't try to flatter me. Do you know how much manpower and resources the court has to expend to hunt down the bandits because you didn't achieve complete success in suppressing them? And how are you going to make up for the damage caused to other towns?"
The Ninth Prince looked firmly at the Third Prince and said loudly, "Third Brother, serving the court and working for the well-being of the people is our duty. Although this bandit suppression was not perfect, I am willing to sign a military pledge to capture the fleeing bandits as soon as possible to put the people at ease."
He deliberately emphasized the words "bandits".
"you!"