Chapter 452
Chapter 452
After hearing the whole story, Shen Lang’s heart filled with a deep, seething rage. His opponents had acted with almost no restraint. It wasn't just the Fifth Prince, Ning Zheng, who was now guilty of murdering an official; Shen Lang had committed the same crime by killing a Skirmishing General. Without a doubt, all of this was the work of the Crown Prince's faction. So, who had planned such a vicious and cruel scheme? Zhuo Zhaoyan? Yes, it had to be her. She had played an exceptionally malicious hand.
Bing'er continued, sobbing.
“Young Master, it’s all my fault. All my fault. I’ve caused a huge disaster. If I hadn’t killed that man, His Highness the Fifth Prince wouldn’t have been thrown in prison.”
Shen Lang gently comforted her.
“Bing'er, you did nothing wrong. You were incredibly brave. When someone dares to harm our child, you must act decisively. You must kill them all, no matter who they are. Besides, even without the children, they would have found some other reason to make their move.”
Then, Shen Lang asked the old eunuch.
“Old Sir, why didn't you send someone to inform me?”
“We knew they made such a vicious move because you were their target, Young Master Shen. We were worried that if we sent for you, it would disrupt your advance.”
Shen Lang nodded. The old eunuch had a point. Just as Xiang Zhuang had performed a sword dance with the intent to kill Liu Bang, the Crown Prince's faction had attacked the Fifth Prince's estate solely because of Shen Lang.
‘So, Shen Lang, you’ve achieved an unparalleled feat? But now you’ve killed a Skirmishing General of the court and openly broken through the Xuanwu Gate. On top of that, Ning Zheng has killed several officials from the Court of Judicial Review. You can barely save yourself now, so how could you possibly save the Fifth Prince, Ning Zheng? Don’t think you’ve grown strong just because you’ve accomplished something great. Shen Lang, you are still a weakling with insignificant power. Do you see your pathetic, inconsequential true self now? Do you really think you’re qualified to be an enemy of His Highness the Crown Prince?’
Just then, the sound of dense footsteps and the clatter of armor and weapons echoed from outside, along with the urgent beat of hooves. An army had arrived. A force of two thousand soldiers surrounded the Fifth Prince Ning Zheng’s tiny residence. After completing the encirclement, one of the military commanders shouted toward the inside of the estate.
“Where is Shen Lang?”
Shen Lang stepped outside. The fourth-rank military commander who had just shouted asked coldly.
“Are you Shen Lang?”
“And who might you be?”
“I am Xu Siming, an Assistant Commander of the Metropolitan Command!”
‘An Assistant Commander? That’s a high-ranking military officer.’
“What is your business?”
Xu Siming, the Assistant Commander of the capital's Metropolitan Command, said.
“Shen Lang, a short while ago at the Xuanwu Gate, you defied a joint decree issued by the Department of State Affairs, the Bureau of Military Affairs, and the Central Military Commission. You openly killed one of our Skirmishing Generals. That act is tantamount to rebellion. You will come with us to the Metropolitan Command. Men, take Shen Lang away!”
‘How interesting. They didn’t pursue me right after I broke through the Xuanwu Gate, but they’ve come for me now? Does this mean they waited until I arrived at this residence and learned what had happened to the Fifth Prince, Ning Zheng?’
Shen Lang glanced at him and said flatly.
“Get lost!”
With that single phrase, Shen Lang turned and went back into the Fifth Prince's residence.
“Big Dummy, guard the door. If anyone dares to enter, strike them down!”
“Got it!”
Big Dummy immediately took up a position at the entrance of Ning Zheng’s residence, holding his darksteel cudgel and blocking the way like a gatekeeper. Assistant Commander Xu Siming sneered and then shouted loudly.
“Surround the entire residence! Do not let the traitor Shen Lang escape! Await further orders from above.”
In an instant, two thousand soldiers from the Metropolitan Command formed a tight cordon around the Fifth Prince's residence, ensuring no one could enter or leave. Several hundred meters away, Zhuo Zhaoyan stared coldly at Shen Lang, a contemptuous smirk on her face.
‘Shen Lang, did you really think you were so powerful after getting rid of Su Nan? How dare you make an enemy of His Highness the Crown Prince? How dare you humiliate me? You must realize now just how weak and incompetent you are. But it’s too late.’
Not far from where she stood, Xue Pan, the heir to the Count of Wu'an and a trusted subordinate of the Third Prince, Ning Qi, was also watching Shen Lang.
‘That shameless, boasting pretty boy. We gave him a chance to save face, yet he refused the Xue Clan's goodwill and insisted on seeking revenge? How utterly absurd and laughable! Now, a single woman under the Crown Prince has made a move, and you, Shen Lang, are facing a fatal disaster. Shen Lang, for someone like you to have offended both the Crown Prince and the Third Prince at the same time… few people court death as you do. How will you get out of this one? I must watch with my own two eyes as you meet your end!’
* * *
After being surrounded by the Metropolitan Command, everyone inside the Fifth Prince's residence was overcome with fear. They hadn't even managed to save His Highness the Fifth Prince, and now Young Master Shen had gotten into trouble as well. It was true that disasters never come alone. The old eunuch said urgently.
“What do we do now? What should we do?”
But Shen Lang, on the contrary, seemed completely unconcerned.
“Old Sir, rest assured. The situation may look dire, but in reality, the enemy is just posturing!”
Shen Lang then closed his eyes and began to think. He wasn't thinking about how to escape the current crisis. In fact, in this situation, he didn't need to do anything himself; everything depended solely on the King's will. Was he then devising a plan to save Ning Zheng? No, not just that! He had to devise a plan not only to save Ning Zheng but also to push him to a position of power.
Strike while the iron is hot. The moment he entered the capital, Shen Lang had immediately begun his battle against the factions of the Crown Prince and the Third Prince.
* * *
King Ning Yuanxian was still at the northern palace, hosting the King of Wu. Why hadn't he returned to the capital yet? Because he was waiting for the envoy from the State of Chu to arrive. It wouldn't be appropriate for Ning Yuanxian to invite the King of Wu to the capital of Yue, and besides, he needed to use the King of Wu’s presence to intimidate the Chu envoy. Thus, he had no choice but to remain at the northern palace.
For the past few days, Ning Yuanxian had been enthusiastically hosting banquets to welcome the King of Wu. Not only that, but the two often composed and recited poetry together and played Go. They even went on a formal hunt. In any case, the two great kings had not only turned from enemies to friends but were now as close as brothers.
Today, the two kings played another game of Go. At present, Ning Yuanxian had won more games than he had lost. In his mind, it was because he had seen through the King of Wu's style of play. Although he had lost their Go match during the decisive battle at the border, the King of Yue was convinced that his own skill in Go was far superior to the King of Wu's. He believed he had lost only because his style had been thoroughly studied by others, while he knew nothing about the King of Wu's strategies. In this game, although he won by only half a point, Ning Yuanxian was still the victor.
Ning Yuanxian said.
“For one so young, the King of Wu’s skill in Go is truly outstanding. You are a rare talent indeed. It has been a long time since I’ve had such a satisfying game.”
The King of Wu shook his head.
“No, Your Majesty’s skill is far too profound. This younger brother is exhausted from racking his brain. It would be best if we play only one game a day from now on. Otherwise, I fear my mind won’t be able to keep up.”
“Hahaha! You are far too modest, my dear King of Wu.”
Then, the King of Yue said in a sarcastic tone.
“Playing against you, King of Wu, feels like meeting a true equal. The last time I played Go with that fellow Shen Lang, his skill was so abysmal I would have rather been sleeping. I will never play Go with him again for the rest of my life. It was simply embarrassing!”
The King of Wu responded to the King of Yue's words with a smile, but inwardly, he clicked his tongue. He had lost count of how many times Ning Yuanxian had mentioned Shen Lang's name in the past few days—even more than he mentioned his own sons. Each time, Ning Yuanxian spoke of Shen Lang with a scornful tone, but who couldn't see the favoritism that lay beneath?
“Your Majesty has a wealth of outstanding talents under your command. This younger brother is truly envious.”
“We certainly have several talented individuals in Yue, but Shen Lang is not among them. That boy has some ability, but he is too frivolous to be worth mentioning.”
The King of Wu complained inwardly to the King of Yue.
‘If he’s not worth mentioning, why have you brought him up dozens of times to me recently?’
Just then, the Grand Eunuch Lü Jun hurried in and handed him a secret message. Ning Yuanxian opened it and saw two matters written on it. The first was the news that Ning Zheng had killed five officials from the Court of Judicial Review. The second was that Shen Lang had returned to the capital, killed Skirmishing General Wang Dong, and forced his way through the Xuanwu Gate. In an instant, King Ning Yuanxian’s expression changed completely. Seeing this, the King of Wu rose to his feet and said.
“This younger brother feels his strength waning and must go rest. I hope Your Majesty will also rest early.”
Ning Yuanxian, again with great enthusiasm, personally saw the King of Wu to the door. Then, his expression instantly turned grim.
“Has the Metropolitan Command arrested Shen Lang?”
Grand Eunuch Lü Jun quickly replied.
“No, Your Majesty. But they have sent two thousand soldiers to surround the Fifth Prince's residence where Shen Lang is staying.”
Ning Yuanxian’s gaze grew even darker. He suddenly kicked out with all his might, sending a small stool flying.
“I am not yet dead, yet they dare to be so impatient? They may take me for a foolish old man, but how dare they treat me like an incompetent ruler?”
The King was enraged.
“Tomorrow, see the King of Wu off with full ceremony for his return to Wu. At noon tomorrow, I will take my carriage and return to the capital immediately! I will go and see just what they are trying to do! Those bastards are truly courting death!”
The next day.
King Ning Yuanxian held a grand ceremony to bid farewell to the King of Wu on his journey back to his state. Then, an army of ten thousand men majestically escorted the King of Yue south, back to the capital. The King’s rage pierced the heavens.
* * *
The battle against the Crown Prince and the Third Prince was completely different from any he had fought before. In the past, he could simply eliminate his enemies, but this time, he could not. To eliminate the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, he first had to establish the Fifth Prince, and establishing the Fifth Prince was the most crucial task. It wasn't as if Shen Lang could charge into the enemy camp alone and take down the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, could he? That was simply impossible.
In the past, when Shen Lang dealt with the State of Jiang or Su Nan, he always used methods that resulted in great achievements, and the person who benefited most was the King. As Shen Lang's importance grew in the King's heart, he was able to act more and more freely within the State of Yue. As long as he didn't act against the King's interests or cross the King's lines, nothing would happen to him.
However, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince were not only the King's sons but also potential successors to the throne of Yue. Eliminating them would not only be a great loss for the State of Yue but would also cause great harm to Ning Yuanxian. Of course, Shen Lang didn't care about the interests of the State of Yue, but he was, after all, favored by King Ning Yuanxian and was, knowingly or not, regarded as a potential son-in-law. Of course, neither Ning Yuanxian nor Shen Lang would ever admit to that. Therefore, the most important aspect of this battle was to build up the Fifth Prince Ning Zheng’s power.