Volume 1, Chapter 53: Li Xuan's 'Grand Gift'

The scent of blood within the Narrow Pass was so thick it was almost palpable.

The very last shred of the setting sun was swallowed by the mountain cliffs, and night quickly shrouded this realm on earth resembling purgatory.

Torches were lit one by one, their leaping flames casting light upon the utter devastation of the ground and the complex expressions mixed with exhaustion, lingering fear, and fanaticism on the soldiers' faces.

Li Xuan’s command was executed to the letter.

The soldiers of the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace Guard dragged out the corpses of the assassins with blank expressions, bound their ankles with ropes, and hung them one by one from the cliff walls at the entrance of the Narrow Pass.

Dozens of corpses swayed in the wind, casting towering ghost-like shadows under the torchlight, forming a hair-raising picture.

This was the most direct and the most barbaric declaration.

Anyone passing by this place would see this shocking scene and would know what Crown Prince Li Xuan had encountered here, as well as the iron-blooded manner in which he had retaliated.

The soldiers of the Jinwu Guard were silently collecting the bodies of their fallen comrades, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

In this battle, they had suffered nearly three hundred casualties. Yet, no one complained, and even less did anyone question.

They looked at the Crown Prince standing under the torchlight, his posture as upright as a pine, and nothing remained in their eyes but the purest reverence.

Amidst that world-shattering attack, it was the Crown Prince who had descended like a deity, single-handedly turning the tide of battle. It was he who had saved everyone's lives.

This realization was far more profound than any verbal bribery, piercing straight to the human heart.

"Tieliu!" Li Xuan’s voice broke the silence.

"Your humble servant is here!" Tieliu strode forward. His armor was stained with blood and filth, but it could not conceal the excitement pulsing within him at that moment.

"Count the casualties, and issue the compensation at three times the standard rate. The ashes of all the fallen brothers are to be escorted back to their hometowns by dedicated personnel, and their families shall be provided for by the Eastern Palace!"

"Understood!" Tieliu’s voice boomed, his eyes flashing with a passionate light.

Li Xuan turned back to Jing Yun: "How did the interrogation go?"

Jing Yun dragged over Zhou Ming, whose jaw had been dislocated and limbs broken, leaving him limp as a puddle of mud, and presented a confession stained with a bloody handprint. "Your Highness, he has confessed everything. The mastermind is the Third Prince, Li Yi, who secretly rescued Zhou Ming, promising him the restoration of his official post upon success and putting him in charge of the Ministry of Works. This so-called 'merchant caravan' consists of elite loyalists he has harbored for years. The ambush troops on the mountain were Jianghu desperados he hired through underground pawnshops."

Li Xuan took the confession, glanced over it, and a cold smile played at the corners of his mouth.

What a Li Yi, he was certainly willing to pay a heavy price.

He walked over to Zhou Ming, squatted down, and looked into the man’s eyes, which were filled with resentment and fear. He chuckled softly, "Prefect Zhou—ah, no, former Prefect Zhou, tell me, how should I thank you for this generous gift of yours?"

A gurgling sound came from Zhou Ming’s throat, but he could not utter a single word.

"Jing Yun," Li Xuan stood up and brushed some non-existent dust from his robes.

"Here."

"Find a good physician to treat his injuries, especially this mouth of his. Make sure he can speak. And get him a clean set of prison garb." Li Xuan’s tone was as calm as if he were discussing a matter of trivial importance.

Jing Yun was slightly startled, somewhat puzzled.

Li Xuan saw through his thoughts and continued, "My third brother has sent me such a 'surprise.' If I don’t return the favor, wouldn't I appear far too petty? Doesn't he like playing underhanded games? Then I shall play a grand one with him."

He leaned close to Jing Yun’s ear and gave a low-voiced instruction.

Jing Yun’s eyes grew brighter the more he listened, and by the end, the look he gave Li Xuan held not only reverence, but a mounting fanaticism.

Such a vicious scheme of pulling the firewood from under the cauldron and turning the tables on the opponent was something only His Highness could devise.

"Go handle it. Use our most reliable men and send him back to the capital overnight. Remember, make a commotion. Let the entire capital watch a good show."

"遵命!" Jing Yun accepted the command and quickly departed, dragging Zhou Ming away.

Having settled all of this, Li Xuan turned and walked toward Xiao Ningshuang, who had been quietly standing not far away.

Her delicate face was deathly pale; clearly, she had been shaken by the bloody scene.

Although she came from a military family and was well-acquainted with battlefield drills, witnessing such a fierce and tragic ambush at such close quarters still caused turmoil in her mind and heart.

"Frightened?" Li Xuan walked to her side, his voice softening noticeably.

Xiao Ningshuang shook her head, raising her gaze to look at him. Her clear, cold eyes were currently brimming with worry and lingering fear. "Just now... you were too reckless."

She was referring to the moment he scaled the cliff with his bare hands. The slightest slip would have meant being smashed to pieces.

"If I weren't reckless, how could I catch a big fish?" Li Xuan smiled, naturally taking her hand. Her hand was ice-cold and still trembling slightly. He wrapped his own palm around her small hand completely, warming her with his body heat.

"But..."

"There are no 'buts'." Li Xuan interrupted her, "As a commander, there are times when one must make oneself the sharpest blade. Besides, I also wanted them to see what happens to those who touch my people."

He paused, looked into her eyes, and said earnestly, "I promised you that I would protect you and your family. Whoever dares to reach out, I will chop off their claws."

These words were spoken with matchless dominance, yet they caused a warm current to surge through Xiao Ningshuang’s heart.

She could feel that behind his cold and iron-fisted exterior lay deep appreciation and a solemn promise to her.

She turned her hand over to grip his tightly, whispering, "I believe you. But you must also protect yourself."

"Alright." Li Xuan nodded, his heart softening completely.

At that moment, Wang Fugui came running over with a mournful expression, crying out, "Your Highness, the pair of dragon-and-phoenix wedding candles we brought... they were smashed to pieces by the falling rocks just now..."

Li Xuan was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing.

What time was it, and this old fellow was still worrying about that pair of candles.

Xiao Ningshuang, however, blushed prettily and cast him a reproachful glare.

"If they're broken, they're broken. Afterward, I'll have the Directorate for Imperial Affairs make a hundred more pairs and light up the Eastern Palace like a lantern festival." Li Xuan waved his hand, his mood lightening considerably because of this small interlude.

He looked up toward the direction of the capital, a cold flash crossing his eyes.

Three days later, the capital.

A carriage without any markings, escorted by dozens of black-armored knights, headed straight for the Ministry of Justice.

What was even more eye-catching was that at the front of the prison carriage, there were two riders—one beating a gong, and the other shouting at the top of his lungs:

"His Highness the Third Prince acts righteously for the sake of family! Deeply concerned for the Crown Prince's safety, His Highness the Third Prince is personally escorting the criminal Zhou Ming, who attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince, to the Ministry of Justice, requesting the imperial court to punish him severely!!"

This shouting, like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly created a huge uproar throughout the capital.

Commoners poured into the streets one after another, discussing the matter animatedly.

"What? The Third Prince's men assassinated the Crown Prince?"

"That's not right, didn't you hear? It was His Highness the Third Prince who 'acted righteously for family' and delivered the criminal himself!"

"What kind of play is this? He sends men to assassinate, and then hands the culprit over to the authorities himself?"

Inside the Third Prince's residence, the moment Li Yi heard the news, his vision darkened, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Puff—"

Unable to suppress it any longer, he spewed a mouthful of fresh blood, dyeing the desk in front of him scarlet.

"Li Xuan... How vicious you are! How utterly vicious!" His face contorted, and he let out a roar like a beast.

He racked his brains, yet could not figure out how Li Xuan, after breaking the death trap, could have come up with such a venomous tactic.

With this single move, he was plunged completely into a passive position.

Admit that Zhou Ming was sent by him? That would mean plotting against the heir apparent, a crime equivalent to treason.

Deny it? But human and physical evidence were both present; even the confession was spoken in Zhou Ming’s own voice, and the man was currently right there at the Ministry of Justice. How could he deny it?

Li Xuan’s move directly placed him over a fire to roast. What he had delivered was not a prisoner, but a hot potato, a death warrant!

His so-called "righteous action for the sake of family," in the eyes of anyone with discernment, was nothing more than a poorly acted farce performed to save his own skin after the assassination failed.

Not only had he lost the substance, but he had also thrown away every shred of his dignity!

At this time, inside the Second Prince's residence, Li Zhan was leisurely sipping tea. Hearing the report from his strategist, Wei Yong, he slowly set down his teacup.

"The mantis stalks the cicada..." he murmured softly, yet there was not the slightest trace of a smile on his face; instead, a heavier solemnity lingered there.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince’s move is truly brilliant," Wei Yong sighed.

Li Zhan nodded, his eyes deep. "Indeed. He was not only the cicada, but he was also the oriole. He used himself as bait to lure out Third Brother the mantis, swallowed him in one gulp, and conveniently dumped all the blame onto Third Brother's head."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked toward the direction of the imperial palace.

"My Crown Prince younger brother is far more terrifying than I imagined. He possesses not only sharp claws and teeth, but also airtight wisdom and ruthless, unscrupulous cunning."

Wei Yong bowed and asked, "Then, Your Highness, what shall our next step be..."

"Wait," Li Zhan uttered a single word. "Wait for him to return from the northern border. His momentum is too great right now, and His Majesty is riding a wave of high spirits; we cannot touch him. But great merits can overshadow the ruler. Once he gathers the loyalty of the northern border's army, you'll see if those civil officials in the imperial court aren't even more anxious than we are."

A cold curve formed at the corner of his mouth.

"Let Third Brother bounce around for a few more days. This play has only just begun."