Cao Mo's newly settled heart leaped into his throat once again.
What did that mean? No imperial physician?
Had Prince Qi been deceived?
Xiao Rongche's mind buzzed as if someone were stirring his brain with a stick.
His blind right eye, his blurry left eye, the throbbing pain in his eyeballs and nerves.
Accompanied by Wang Nie's cold sarcasm, the emotions he had suppressed for five months could no longer be contained, finally erupting suddenly like a volcano.
He shook his head in agitation, sending his eyepatch flying. The pale, shriveled eyeball looked exceptionally terrifying.
"You are spouting nonsense! Gong Linjue promised to send an imperial physician over; that was the only reason I stole the potatoes for him. He cannot go back on his word."
"Tell him to send the imperial physician over immediately, or none of you will leave here."
Wang Nie straightened his chest, showing not the slightest trace of fear on his face.
He raised his chin righteously. "Trading potatoes for an imperial physician? Does Your Highness have any witnesses? We have our own potatoes in the State of Shuobei; there is absolutely no need to make a deal with your State of Dongzhao. You can't just pin this dirty deed on our Prince Wei based solely on your own words. You're dreaming."
It was a bolt from the blue, shattering them to pieces.
Cao Mo clenched his fists tightly, staring at Wang Nie in disbelief.
He had never seen such a brazen and shameless person.
To claim stolen goods as their own—as a scholar and the Minister of Rites, how could he be so shameless?
Xiao Rongche panted heavily, his chest heaving violently.
Wang Nie's mouth did not stop, quacking away like a duck.
"Two warring nations do not execute envoys, not to mention that our State of Shuobei and your State of Dongzhao have long since ceased hostilities. This diplomatic mission is specifically to forge a lasting alliance of marriage."
"Your Highness threatens this official with wild words. Could it be that you wish to start a war?"
Hearing the mention of starting a war, the others, including Cao Mo, gradually calmed down.
Now was not the time for conflict. Today's matter had to be reported to the Emperor first.
"A mere Minister of Rites dares to speak to me like this! If there is no imperial physician, then go to hell!"
Along with his furious roar, Xiao Rongche lunged like a madman at the speaking silhouette in front of him.
He seized Wang Nie's neck in a death grip.
The crowd was horrified. Qi Xiong immediately raised his blade and slashed toward Xiao Rongche.
Seeing this, the guards of Prince Qi's estate quickly drew their swords to intercept him.
The two sides clashed, and the guards of the State of Shuobei also joined the fray.
All the color drained from Cao Mo's face. For a moment, he froze in place, not knowing what to do.
At the entrance of the Huitong Guesthouse, the gatekeeping runners suspiciously pricked up their ears and looked inside. "I think I heard fighting."
His companion, who was sneaking a bite of a steamed bun, looked up. "You must have heard wrong. How could anyone be fighting in the Huitong Guesthouse in broad daylight?"
The man frowned, stepping over the threshold and walking two paces inward.
Once he heard it clearly, his expression turned to one of shock.
"There really is fighting! It's coming from the rear courtyard, it seems to be the courtyard where the Shuobei diplomatic mission is staying."
The other men turned their heads. Once they quieted down, the noise grew louder and became very obvious.
The four of them looked at each other, decisively threw away their steamed buns, and charged forward.
They shouted for backup as they ran.
In the courtyard, Wang Nie could not breathe; his face had already turned livid.
Afraid that Xiao Rongche would strangle him to death, Cao Mo hurriedly rushed forward to pry Xiao Rongche's hands away. "Your Highness, please let go! He is dying!"
"Wang Nie is the Minister of Rites of the State of Shuobei, the chief envoy of this marriage-seeking mission! He cannot die in the State of Dongzhao, and he certainly cannot die in the Huitong Guesthouse! Hurry and let go!"
The more Cao Mo tried to pry his hands apart, the tighter Xiao Rongche squeezed.
"Die! You all must die! If you cannot cure my eyes, you will all be buried with me!"
Xiao Rongche repeatedly muttered this phrase, acting as if he had lost his mind, completely blocking out everything around him.
He could not hear Cao Mo's voice, nor the fierce sounds of fighting in the courtyard. He was entirely consumed by his own emotions.
Seeing Wang Nie's eyes beginning to roll back in his head, Cao Mo panicked completely.
He tore his throat open and shouted, "Somebody! Somebody come quickly!"
Hearing Cao Mo's cries for help, the runners who were rushing over quickened their pace.
By the time they arrived, blood had already been spilled in the courtyard.
Seven or eight people lay on the ground; a few were still moving, but others looked as though they were dead.
After striking down all the guards of Prince Qi's estate, Qi Xiong glared with his bear-like eyes and charged toward Xiao Rongche.
