Chapter 244: Prince Wei Arrives
The first person Xiao Li met while waiting in Yuan City was Xu Nianqing. He was leading a number of guards, but there was no sign of Niu Jiahua or Xu Shuangnian.
Xu Nianqing looked terrible; it was clear he hadn’t found who he was looking for.
This made Xiao Li curious. She wondered just how this situation would unfold.
Xu Nianqing had obviously failed to find any trace of Niu Jiahua and was growing anxious. The first thing he did upon entering the city was visit the governor of Yuan City. He explained his purpose and asked to borrow men for a search.
The governor was persuaded. He lent Xu Nianqing the men and even gave him a token of authority. But if the people he was looking for weren’t here, what was there to search for?
As if he’d lost all leads, Xu Nianqing stayed put in Yuan City, only sending his men out to continue the search.
「The next day」
An unexpected person appeared. It was Lu Ling—a face Xiao Li had no desire to see, not even for a second.
This scoundrel, expelled by the Lu family and wanted by the court, had somehow become a close friend of the governor’s son here.
"Scum of the Lu family."
That was how Xu Nianqing referred to him, his eyes filled with disgust, though he paid him no mind. It was Lu Ling, on the other hand, who gave Xu Nianqing a few extra glances.
"And how should I address you, young man?"
Xu Nianqing couldn’t understand the source of his interest.
The governor’s son, Jiang Zhou, made the introduction. "This is Xu Nianqing, son of the County Magistrate of Kunyu. The County Magistrate was abducted by criminals, and he’s tracked them here."
Lu Ling smiled. "Is that so? You have a friendly face, young man. If there’s anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to ask."
Even Jiang Zhou was surprised. "Lu Ling, since when are you so eager to help?"
Lu Ling just gave a faint smile and said nothing, leaving the others completely baffled.
As Jiang Zhou and Lu Ling walked off, they began to talk. "So you finally remembered to come see me. Too bad your timing is off. Prince Wei is about to arrive. I doubt you’ll be able to stay for more than a day or two."
Lu Ling said, "Prince Wei isn’t going to make me run and hide. Your father, on the other hand, had better cover his tracks. Prince Wei is like the Empress’s attack dog these days. He’ll bite anyone he comes across and shows no mercy."
At the mention of this, Jiang Zhou’s head started to ache. "What do you think Prince Wei is even after? The Empress is in a coma, and he holds no power at court. All he does is clutch that imperial decree to investigate officials and does his job diligently. What’s in it for him?"
"What’s in it for him?" Lu Ling arched an eyebrow, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "He’s the only prince who has kept his title. Wouldn’t you call that a benefit?"
Jiang Zhou: "..."
"King Xian has sent several messages, wanting my father to join his cause. Father hasn’t even agreed yet, and now Prince Wei shows up. Just thinking about it is a nightmare."
King Xian was one of the three rebelling kings, trying to win over the governors and city defense generals of every city he could. But few had dared to answer his call. In contrast, wherever Prince Wei went, every city gate opened for him.
Of course they did. He had three hundred soldiers from the Silver Armor Army and was protecting the Big Killer. Who would dare refuse to open the gates?
Lu Ling’s interest was piqued. "Then just rebel."
Jiang Zhou, knowing his friend’s temperament, was exasperated. "You just want to see the world in chaos."
"That’s right. A little chaos is a good thing." Lu Ling’s smile widened. "If things aren’t chaotic, how could *she* come out?"
Jiang Zhou gave him a confused look. "Who?"
Lu Ling said, "The Empress, of course."
Jiang Zhou said, "The Lu family has certainly had it rough. The Empress has practically dug up your ancestors’ graves, yet you’re still running around, free as a bird."
Lu Ling replied, "None of that has anything to do with me."
A flicker of madness glinted in his eyes. "Warlords rise, the world falls into chaos, the Empress shall emerge, and blood will flow like rivers... Tsk, tsk. This world is getting more and more interesting."
Jiang Zhou muttered, "Madman..."
As Prince Wei, awaited by all, finally arrived, Xiao Li watched Xu Nianqing deliberately take a seat by the window. It was then that everything suddenly clicked into place for her.
Xu Nianqing wasn’t here to find Xu Shuangnian at all. He was here to intercept Prince Wei.
Searching for Xu Shuangnian, deliberately asking Governor Jiang for men—it was all an act. He was putting on a show, pretending to be desperate to find his father. That way, when Prince Wei arrived, it would seem much more natural for him to reveal that his father was the Empress’s maternal uncle.
It wouldn’t look like he was deliberately trying to curry favor with Prince Wei. Instead, it would seem he had lost someone important and, with no other options left, was forced to turn to the Prince for help.
Prince Wei might not care about a county magistrate’s success in quelling bandits, but if the Empress’s own maternal uncle was kidnapped, he couldn’t refuse to help. In fact, he would most likely report the matter to the capital.
Even with the Empress in a coma, the courtiers would not dare to neglect her family.
The Silver Armor Guards accompanying Xiao Jingyi had been assigned by Xiao Li herself. They were not under Prince Wei’s command; they answered only to their Commander. Their mission was to protect Prince Wei, and they had the authority to eliminate anyone who dared to defy him.
Xiao Li was using Xiao Jingyi as a figurehead. Nominally, he had no power, but in truth, his authority was not small at all.
As long as Prince Wei was dealing with matters of state concerning officials, the Silver Armor Guards could clear any obstacle in his path. By the Empress’s special decree, he alone held the authority to execute first and report later.
The three hundred Silver Armor Guards were an imposing sight. In their midst was a black carriage, making it impossible to be inconspicuous.
The people of Yuan City stared curiously at the legendary Silver Armor Guards. Xiao Li, however, was only thinking that she could finally hitch a ride. It might be slow, but at least she would reach her destination.
But then, trailing behind Prince Wei’s procession, two unexpected faces appeared.
’Niu Jiahua and Xu Shuangnian? How did they end up in Prince Wei’s entourage?’
’I thought either Niu Jiahua would have killed Xu Shuangnian, or Xu Nianqing would have caught up and killed Niu Jiahua before turning back to slaughter Tianhu Village. But this... has she found a third path?’
The Silver Armor Army cleared the path. The city gates stood wide open, and the governor of Yuan City was there to personally receive them.
"I, Jiang Ming, Governor of Yuan City, respectfully welcome Your Highness, Prince Wei."
All eyes were on him as Prince Wei stepped out of the carriage, holding the golden order.
Jiang Ming was already familiar with Prince Wei’s methods. His brow twitched, but he still lifted the hem of his robes and knelt respectfully. "Your servant, Jiang Ming, pays his respects to Her Majesty the Empress."
The officials and commoners behind him followed suit, kneeling. "We pay our respects to Her Majesty the Empress!"
In the year and a half since the Empress ascended the throne, Prince Wei had been acting like some kind of vagrant, roaming the lands of the Longsheng dynasty with the Empress’s golden order and the Silver Armor Guards in tow.
Every place he visited, the routine was the same. First, he would present the golden order. Anyone who refused to kneel would be cut down by a Silver Armor Guard without a second thought, followed by the confiscation of their property and the exile of their family in one clean sweep. Prince Wei would then report to the court, which would appoint a new official to take over. Each new appointee would arrive with ten Silver Armor Guards. Any dissent was met with death, a process that continued until the local bureaucracy was completely restructured.
Under such circumstances, anyone who wasn’t suicidally stubborn chose to kneel first.
Submission was followed by an audit from Prince Wei’s team. They would gauge public opinion and review old cases. Officials who passed muster were allowed to remain in their posts; those who failed were dismissed.
𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
And if anyone thought to cause further trouble, the same rules applied.
In short, where Prince Wei went, the official ranks were shaken to their core. Where he had yet to go, they waited in terror.
And now, after more than a year, he had finally arrived in this remote border city.
Prince Wei retracted the Token and turned back into the carriage.
"Enter the city."
Xiao Li slipped quietly into the carriage. She saw a handsome, cold face that still held the contours of his youth, but his aura was far more mature now, and there was a deep weariness in his eyes.
He clutched the golden order, rubbing it gently. A hint of desolation flickered in his eyes.
"Imperial Sister, this is the thirty-fourth provincial capital. I’ve nearly walked the length and breadth of your empire..."
’This kid...’