Chapter 584
“Of course it’s enough! If the two of you don’t mind, you can stay at Prince An’s residence, or at the Li family home—whichever you prefer. Not only will we provide you with a place to live, we can even prepare a pharmacy for you,” Li Zhiwei hurriedly said.
After all, she had already realized that these two old people were both highly capable. Whether they stayed at the prince’s residence or the Li family home, it would be a good arrangement.
“That sounds wonderful. Old woman, how about we move when the time comes?” Jun Mowen said, growing excited at Li Zhiwei’s suggestion.
“Move here, my foot! Once everything is settled, we’ll go to the capital together!” Madam Jin rolled her eyes at Jun Mowen.
After saying that, Madam Jin led Cuiyue, who had taken on a different appearance, out to buy supplies.
She had even deliberately chosen an inconspicuous carriage.
The Capital
When Zhu Jingchen received Xu Heming’s letter, his brows drew tightly together.
Prince Zhennan?
He had never expected Prince Zhennan to be involved as well.
Just as Zhu Jingchen was sending for Zhang Yanchu to come to the palace, a young eunuch hurried in from outside the hall and reported, “Your Majesty, General Pingxi requests an audience.”
“Send him in!”
Zhu Jingchen had not expected Zhang Yanchu to come as well.
“Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!” Zhang Yanchu quickly bowed deeply.
“That’s enough, General Wen. I happen to have something I need to discuss with you,” Zhu Jingchen said, waving his hand.
He truly had something important to discuss with Zhang Yanchu.
“Your Majesty, I have an urgent matter to report.”
Zhang Yanchu had also received word from Wen Xiu and learned that the people of Lanwan were in Lucheng. That was why he had hurried to the palace to report the situation.
“I just received a letter from Prince An. Prince Zhennan has joined forces with Prince Lanhuai and is causing trouble in Heping County,” Zhu Jingchen said, then looked at Zhang Yanchu, wanting to hear what news he had brought.
“I have just received word that the people of Lanwan are already in Lucheng. They have impersonated Prince An and are demanding money and provisions,” Zhang Yanchu hurriedly reported.
“What?” Zhu Jingchen had not expected the people of Lanwan to arrive as well.
It seemed that Lan Nuo now faced internal strife and external threats.
“Your Majesty, the envoys from the Qinling Kingdom will soon be entering the capital, while the people of Lanwan have taken advantage of the chaos to infiltrate our Lan Nuo Kingdom. This matter must be dealt with as soon as possible. Otherwise, the consequences…” Zhang Yanchu did not finish his sentence.
He truly did not know whether it was appropriate to say more.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Jingchen felt as though a weight were lodged in his chest, leaving him unable to breathe freely.
He had never expected Lanwan to join in as well.
“Your Majesty, could Prince Zhennan and Lanwan have been secretly allied for some time?” Zhang Yanchu cautiously ventured.
“That is not impossible!” Zhu Jingchen was startled by the thought.
“General Wen, leave for Heping at once and reinforce Prince An.”
Zhu Jingchen believed that if Lanwan and Prince Zhennan had indeed been allied for a long time, Prince An’s situation must be extremely dangerous.
“Your Majesty, if I leave the capital, then what about you?” Zhang Yanchu was anxious as well. However, when Xu Heming had departed, he had specifically asked Zhang Yanchu to remain in the capital and protect the emperor.
Besides, the envoys from the Qinling Kingdom would soon be arriving. Zhang Yanchu truly did not dare leave at such a time.
“It is precisely because the situation is so urgent that I need you to go and reinforce Prince An,” Zhu Jingchen said. He knew that the circumstances left no room for hesitation.
Xu Heming was the stabilizing pillar of Lan Nuo. He absolutely could not be allowed to suffer harm.
More importantly, the gold mines in Heping County could not be allowed to fall into the hands of those villains.
And in Lucheng, Li Tianyou was there as well.
When he thought of this, Zhu Jingchen felt utterly helpless.
Lan Nuo Kingdom could not be ruined in his hands.
“I shall not fail Your Majesty’s trust. I will bring Prince An and the others safely back to the capital,” Zhang Yanchu said at last, kneeling solemnly before Zhu Jingchen as he made his promise.
“Very good!” Zhu Jingchen nodded and said nothing more.
Yet he stood at the entrance to the study, gazing toward Heping for a long while.
Heping County
Xu Heming used the last of his strength to drive back Prince Zhennan’s men, then once again led his people into hiding in a mountain cave.
“Your Highness, your injuries are severe. We must find a physician immediately,” Xu Song said, his heart filled with panic when he saw Xu Heming’s condition.
“Xu Song, find a way to make contact. How much longer before the reinforcements arrive?” Xu Heming’s lips had already turned blue-black.
His face was deathly pale, and he could clearly feel the vitality draining from his body.
But until the reinforcements arrived, he could not collapse.
“Your Highness, our men only left an hour ago,” Xu Song replied, shaking his head.
The reinforcements would arrive at the earliest tomorrow morning. He truly did not know whether His Highness could hold out until then.
“Your Highness, this is bad! Prince Zhennan’s men are pursuing us!” a guard hurried in to report.
“Prince An, you should come out and surrender obediently!” Prince Zhennan shouted up at the mountain, his face full of smugness.
“Prince An, do you know that your Princess Consort of An and your entire father-in-law’s family were burned to death at the Lucheng county office yesterday? Aren’t you going to come out and collect the bodies of your princess consort’s family?”
When there was not the slightest response from the mountain, Prince Zhennan shouted again.
“Your Highness, shall we charge up and capture him?” an excited guard asked.
“Worthless!” Prince Zhennan angrily slapped the man across the face.
“Do you know who Prince An is? If you go up there now, are you looking to get yourself killed?” Although Prince Zhennan knew that Prince An was injured and had fewer men, he still remained wary.
Prince An was a man full of schemes.
Prince Zhennan feared that he might fall into one of his traps if he was not careful.
Inside the cave, however, Xu Heming tried to stand when he heard those words.
He did not believe that Li Zhiwei and the others were truly gone.
“Your Highness, please do not act rashly. He may simply be trying to deceive you,” Xu Song hurriedly advised, afraid that Xu Heming would really fall for the enemy’s trick.
“No. I must return to Lucheng and see for myself before I can be at ease.” Xu Heming felt as though a heavy gloom were suffocating him. How could Li Zhiwei possibly be gone just like that?
Besides, there was Li Tianyou and Li Tingzhou as well.
“Send someone to investigate!” Xu Heming said with difficulty.
“Your Highness, this is likely just a ploy by Prince Zhennan to lure you out. He must have set an ambush in Lucheng,” Xu Song said. He was unwilling to believe that anything had happened to the princess consort and the others either.
But no matter what, he would never agree to let His Highness go to Lucheng at a time like this.
After all, even if something truly had happened to the princess consort, that would mean people had been lying in wait for His Highness in Lucheng—
“Has any word come from Lucheng?” Xu Heming asked through clenched teeth.
“We have not received any news from Lucheng yet. But, Your Highness, no news is the best news,” Xu Song quickly replied.
“Xu Song, I cannot set my mind at ease. Prince Zhennan could not have said those things without reason.” Xu Heming drew a deep breath.
His heart was filled with anguish. He should never have regretted letting Li Zhiwei go to Lucheng in the first place.
If he had not, she would certainly not have met with disaster.
