Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Prince? Which Prince?_i
Translator: 549690339
Ancient officials on their way to exile were generally at the greatest risk.
The exiled officials had lost their power, and those who they had offended in the past no longer feared them. It was very likely that their enemies would seize this opportunity to take revenge by hiring assassins to kill the exiled.
Moreover, political adversaries still in court did not wish for these exiled individuals to ever return to the court, and would find ways to eliminate them.
Not to mention, Mu Changtian was once a highly renowned general in the Hu Ben Army.
In his efforts to assist the Sum Emperor in seizing the imperial throne, Mu Changtian had made quite a few enemies.
These people ail wanted Mu Changtian dead.
Now, like a tiger without teeth, Mu Changtian’s enemies would not miss this chance.
The issue Lu Chen now contemplated was whether to save his esteemed father-in-law or not.
With his current strength, if he wished to save Mu Changtian, it wasn’t completely out of the question, especially since he already had the Brocade Guard at his disposal.
Furthermore, Mu Changtian was the father of his wife, and it wouldn’t be right to turn a blind eye to his plight.
After a long moment, Lu Chen finally spoke, “If the exile is to the northwest, then it shouldn’t be too far from North City, right?”
Qin Yushan replied, “Indeed, my Prince.”
Lu Chen glanced once more at the report in his hand and then said, “This report came four days ago; 1 fear the Duke Mu Residence’s family is already on the way to exile. If this prince wants to save them, I’m not sure whether there’s still time.”
Hearing these words from Lu Chen, Qin Yushan immediately said, “Please rest assured, my Prince. 1 believe that once Commander Liang Zong becomes aware that you are our lord, he will know what to do.”
If Liang Zong didn’t know that his master was the North Prince, he definitely wouldn’t act to save the Duke Mu Residence.
But since he was already aware that their master of the Brocade Guard was the North Prince, and Duke Mu was the father-in-law of the North Prince, he would surely act immediately to rescue Duke Mu Residence and then await the North Prince’s next command.
After some thought, Lu Chen could only hope that the yet-to-be-met Commander of the Brocade Guard would have some sense.
Lu Chen then said to Qin Yushan, “Send a message to Commander Liang, instructing him to save Duke Mu Residence’s family. Have him disguise them as if they’ve all perished and then find a way to bring them safely to North City.”
Qin Yushan saluted and said, “As you command, my Prince.”
Lu Chen looked at the heads of the four divisions of the Brocade Guard and continued, “The Brocade Guard must continue to operate covertly for now. Whatever you were doing before, keep doing it.”
Although the Brocade Guard, in comparison to the Great Xia Dynasty’s Shadow Guard, wasn’t much to speak of,
as a prince, a lord on the frontier with such a vast and complete intelligence network, this would certainly arouse suspicion from others.
Why would a prince send people to infiltrate various counties of the Great Xia Dynasty, monitor officials, and gather intelligence? What are his intentions?
This is overtly preparing for rebellion.
Lu Chen wasn’t so foolish.
It was best for the Brocade Guard to continue lurking in the shadows.
Meanwhile.
Capital City.
Heaven Prison.
A middle-aged man clad in prisoner’s garb, tall and imposing, was bound tightly to the rack.
The man had disheveled hair, and his face looked utterly exhausted.
Upon learning of his impending exile, Mu Changtian couldn’t help but laugh uproariously.
“Hahaha, how ridiculous, truly ridiculous!”
“Lu Xingqiu, oh Lu Xingqiu, back then, to save you, I risked my life and led a hundred men deep into enemy territory, fighting with all we had to get you out. And when you were contending for the throne, 1 gave my all to support you, yet today, I’ve been reduced to such a state!”
“The emperor’s heart is always cold and merciless! Today, I have truly seen it!”
Mu Changtian’s neighboring cell held the members of Duke Mu’s family. As Mu Changtian’s words ended, a young man dressed in prisoner’s clothes asked, “Father, will we survive the journey to the northwest?”
The young man who spoke was Mu Changtian’s second son Mu Xingping, also Mu Zixuan’s elder brother.
XXX
He had grown up in the Duke Mu Residence, acutely aware of politics, so he was very clear that their whole family’s exile to the northwest was nothing more than a pretense.
The Sum Emperor would certainly not allow them to arrive in the northwest safely.
Even if the Sum Emperor didn’t kill them, the former enemies of the Duke Mu Residence would not let them live in peace.
Now that all the males in their family had been stripped of their skill, they were all ordinary people. If they encountered an assassination by a martial artist on the road, they would have no means of resistance.
After hearing his second son’s words, Mu Changtian fell silent.
Because he also knew that the Sum Emperor would not allow him to live and reach the northwest, nor would his enemies let him continue to live.
He and his family would die on the road of exile.
The Sum Emperor had not killed them directly but chose to exile their whole family, only because he feared others would accuse him of killing a meritorious official, afraid of being pointed at the spine.
At that moment, Mu Changtian’s eldest son, Mu Jingwu, said, “Father, little sister shouldn’t be implicated, right?”
Their demise was certain, beyond doubt. Mu Jingwu was now only worried that his sister, who had married the North Prince, would also be implicated.
Hearing this, Mu Changtian sighed deeply, still saying nothing.
The North Prince was nothing but an ignorant waste, and moreover, he was weak and incompetent.
He had heard that after the North Prince went to North City, he had kept many women in the Prince’s Mansion, indulging in pleasure every day, with his entire mansion managed by his daughter.
Given the North Prince’s character, even if the court did not dispose of his daughter, the North Prince might fear the court’s punishment and drive his daughter out of the Prince’s Mansion, or even divorce her directly.
Once the people from the Duke Mu Residence were all dead, Mu Zixuan would be completely helpless, and the North Prince wouldn’t have to worry about anyone troubling him.
Just thinking of his daughter’s future plight made Mu Changtian’s heart seethe with hatred!
He had truly been blind to have supported the ingrate Lu Xingqiu to the throne!
At that moment, a jailer unlocked the cell that held Mu Changtian alone.
A man walked in and said to the jailer beside him, “You go out first, I have a few words to pass on to Duke Mu.”
“Okay, head jailer,” replied the jailer.
After the jailer left the cell, only the man remained in Mu Changtian’s presence.
The Mu family members in the adjacent cells, seeing someone enter Mu Changtian’s cell, all turned their attention in that direction.
Mu Changtian gave the man in front of him a once-over, snorted with a laugh, and said, “Did Lu Xingqiu send you?”
Facing his impending death, Mu Changtian no longer showed the Sum Emperor the same respect, addressing him directly by name.
At these words, the man simply smiled.
He then approached Mu Changtian and unlocked all of the iron chains that bound him.
Seeing this scene, the Mu family members were all puzzled, not understanding why the head jailer would do such a thing.
The head jailer then spoke, “Duke Mu, let me introduce myself. My name is
Zhao Hong, and I am a man of the Prince.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Changtian was filled with confusion.
The Prince?
Which Prince?
Which Prince would dare to send someone to contact him now?
He was already about to be exiled, and he didn’t believe that the other Princes did not understand what his exile implied.
If a Prince contacted him at this time, it would surely incur the Sum Emperor’s displeasure.
Then, not just confinement but even their princely positions could be at risk of being lost.
After being unchained, Mu Changtian moved his body to ease the stiffness. While he was about to inquire which Prince Zhao Hong served, Zhao Hong took out three bottles and said, “These are three Great Returning Pills. Upon taking them, you will recover ninety percent of your skill.”
Hearing this, Mu Changtian was completely stunned..
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