Chapter 7: The Prince's Fury

Liu Donglou did not expect the Ninth Prince to be so ruthless, and a murderous aura had already spread across his angry face. He was about to retort, but the Ninth Prince had already ridden into Ningzhou City, leaving only a cold silhouette behind. Infuriated, Liu Donglou could only fix his cold gaze on Ji Qingchen's back, remaining silent.

General Liu has a keen eye, as he has recognized this to be the treasured sword of the War God of the Li Kingdom, Master Li Yaoshi—Wolf's Edge!" Ji Qingchen said lightly, "Now, does General Liu still think that Qingchen lacks the means to kill Hua Xixiong?"

Then how can one still protect him

Did the general not receive the messenger sent by Colonel Guo?" Ji Qingchen continued to inquire

After weighing the pros and cons, Liu Donglou changed from his earlier humble and amiable demeanor, his gaze becoming piercing as he sternly asked, "Your Highness, do you have any evidence?"

Liu Donglou frowned slightly and cast a cold glance at Hua Xixiong

No wonder! Ji Qingchen glanced at the imposing and fierce tiger general before her, and with a faint smile, said, "So you are General Liu, the Divine Spear of Dayan. No wonder the strength of your arrow just now was so formidable, and the momentum so overwhelming. Truly worthy of the title of the Spear God of Dayan, it is indeed well-deserved. Today, I, Qingchen, have gained new insights!"

"Not to mention that you did not receive the messenger's letter, the mere fact that Beirong cavalry has appeared outside Ningzhou City is enough to hold you, General of Huaxi, accountable!" Ji Qingchen shouted sternly, "In the heartland of Dayan, more than five hundred elite Beirong cavalry have actually appeared, and they are here to ambush the envoy of Dayan to the departing nation. Are the scouts of the Ningzhou army blind? Is the hundred thousand Ningzhou army merely for show, allowing Beirong cavalry to gallop across Dayan's territory? What is the court paying you for, and what is the purpose of the court supporting you?"

Liu Donglou did not expect the Ninth Prince to employ such a tactic. In a moment of urgency, he thrust his spear forward, intending to block the fierce strike of Huaxi Xiong's Wolf Blade. However, at the moment his spear collided with the Wolf Blade, the sound of clashing metal rang incessantly in his ears. Liu Donglou felt an immense force transfer from the spear to his right arm; he sensed his right arm grow heavy and saw the Ninth Prince's battle knife sliding down the shaft of his spear towards its tip, ruthlessly aiming for Huaxi Xiong's throat.

Ji Qingchen smiled, and while smiling, he slowly raised his sword towards Liu Donglou, saying word by word, "Does General Liu think this sword is worthy of killing Hua Xixiong?"

In the face of such an awkward situation, not only Ji Qingchen herself, but even Guo Lun and the Yulin Cavalry expressed dissatisfaction with the arrogance of the Ningzhou army.

However, General Shang did not waver, merely coldly gazing at Guo Lun. The cavalry from Ningzhou behind him, seeing their commander standing upright on horseback, also ignored Guo Lun's shouts.

In response, Huaxi proudly answered.

Oh? What does my uncle's https://mhetushucom.com mean? Ji Qingchen, however, was indifferent, smiling lightly as she asked.

In fact, when the cavalry of Beirong appeared in Ningzhou, he had already received news from the scouts. However, the message from Junlin City indicated that the Beirong cavalry seemed to be targeting the Ninth Prince, who was about to return to the country. He was a man of the Ning King, a trusted general of the Ning King. As soon as the news from Junlin arrived, he knew what he should do, and thus did not pay any attention to this cavalry.

Moreover, he is the commander of the Ningzhou army. Ji Qingchen daring to execute a general of the Ningzhou army in front of so many Ningzhou military officials is a provocation to his authority. Although Ji Qingchen is a prince of Dayan, Liu Donglou feels that he cannot simply lose face under the walls of Ningzhou.

Your Highness, your recent actions seem rather inappropriate!" Ji Qingchen said with concern as she approached the city gate, stepping forward beside him.

"You are the Deputy General Hua Xixiong of Ningzhou City, aren't you?" Suddenly, at that moment, Ye Qingchen had already dismounted from the carriage and asked the general on horseback.

The five hundred elite cavalry of the Northern Rong suddenly appeared three hundred miles outside Ningzhou City, seemingly intending to ambush the envoy of the Great Yan heading to the Li Kingdom. In last night's battle, one hundred of our Yulin cavalry were killed. Prior to this, we had already dispatched a messenger upon exiting Ningwu Pass, yet to this day, we have not received any response from Ningzhou City. General Hua Xiong stated that he only saw the messenger's letter today. May I ask, General Liu, is the evidence before us sufficient?" Ji Qingchen replied with a cold laugh. "The Ningzhou General's Office is responsible for the defense of Ning, Su, and Fen provinces. As the deputy general of the General's Office, how can you be completely unaware of these matters? How do you command your troops, General Liu? What if Hua Xiong truly is uninformed? Does this not reflect the responsibility of the Ningzhou General's Office?"

"How bold! Upon seeing His Highness the Ninth, why do you not dismount and pay your respects?" Guo Lun shouted loudly at Fang, who was so arrogant.

The cavalry galloped swiftly, barely stopping ten paces in front of Ji Qingchen's team.

Liudong Tower has fallen silent

At dawn, Ji Qingchen and the remaining more than ten Feather Forest Cavalry soldiers finally arrived outside Ningzhou City. Previously, Guo Lun had already dispatched scouts to send word, requesting that Ningzhou City send elite cavalry to escort His Highness the Ninth Prince. However, now that His Highness has already reached the foot of Ningzhou City, not only have the requested escort cavalry not arrived, but there is also no one from the city to come out and greet him.

So it is His Highness the Ninth Prince, General Liu Donglou of Ningzhou, I pay my respects to His Highness the Ninth Prince! The Tiger General merely clasped his fists in salute and said淡淡的说道.

Ji Qingchen let out a cold laugh and asked lightly, "Are you saying, General Liu, that Qingchen does not yet have the means to kill Hua Xixiong?"

I am the Deputy Minister of the Honglu Temple, returning to Yan after a diplomatic mission abroad. This is the returning envoy of the Great Yan, Ninth Prince. Ye Qingchen shifted his gaze towards Ji Qingchen

Liu Donglou suddenly exerted his strength, intending to use the tip of his spear to lift the Wolf Blade that was sliding towards Huaxi Xiong. However, he realized that the Ninth Prince's arm strength was so formidable that despite using all his might with his right hand, he could not lift the lowered spear. Reluctantly, he was preparing to hold the spear with both hands when he felt the spear lighten. Then came a scream, followed by a spray of blood, as Huaxi Xiong's head rolled to the ground like a ball.

Liu Donglou felt a tremor in his heart; he had not anticipated that the Seventeenth Prince, who was only seventeen years old, would be so difficult to deal with. Just a few words had struck right at his weak spot.

As the deputy general of the Ningzhou General's Office and the commander of the Ningzhou army, you remain completely unaware of the enemies before you. How can you still be worthy of being a general of the Great Yan and the commander of an army of one hundred thousand?" Ji Qingchen's cold voice carried a hint of murderous intent. "I, Ji Qingchen, the ninth prince of the Great Yan, can overlook your disregard for the messenger sent by Captain Guo, who seeks to eliminate those you wish to remove with the help of the Northern Rong cavalry. However, I absolutely cannot tolerate a talentless and incompetent waste as the commander of an army of one hundred thousand, guarding the borders as a general; nor can I tolerate a leader who would disregard the lives of their comrades for their own selfish desires.

Ji Qingchen ignored him, she sheathed her sword and calmly said, "General Liu, this matter will be explained clearly to His Majesty by Qingchen upon returning to Junlin City. However, I would like to remind General Liu of one thing: please remember your identity. You are the General of Ningzhou for the Great Yan, not a personal retainer of someone; furthermore, General Liu must remember that the one hundred thousand troops of Ningzhou are the elite soldiers of the Great Yan, not your private army, Liu Donglou!"

I only received it this morning!" replied Hua Xi Xiong coldly, as he no longer dared to meet Ji Qing Chen's piercing gaze

Liu Donglou let out a cold snort, remaining silent, merely nodding slightly in acknowledgment

"Does the general think that such a waste should not be killed?" Ji Qingchen asked pointedly, noticing that the other party was not even looking at her.

Suddenly, just as Guo Lun's spear was only a foot away from the vital point of Hua Xi, a crisp sound of "clang" echoed, and an arrow landed firmly on Guo Lun's spear, the force so great that it sent Guo Lun's spear flying away

Ji Qingchen did not expect that the conversation had reached such a point, yet there were still people willing to save Hua Xixiong. Seeing Guo Lun's expression, he became even more curious about who possessed such great power that could make the arrogant Guo Lun bow his head. He then shifted his gaze towards the direction of the Ningzhou city gate, where he saw a fierce general retracting his bow and arrow, riding out of the city under the protection of dozens of armored cavalry.

However, a glimmer of brilliance suddenly flashed in the eyes of Guo Lun and Yu Linlang, who were beside Ji Qingchen, as they listened to her response

"No!" Guo Lun received the order

"May I ask, General, if the Northern Rong cavalry that ambushed the envoy last night were the very same killers of the Crown Prince in the battle at Yanmen all those years ago, the elite troops under the banner of the Northern Rong Khan?" Ji Qingchen asked coldly

Suddenly, as soon as he finished speaking, the shadow beneath his waist leaped up. With a twist of his wrist, he utilized the momentum of the warhorse to deliver a swift strike towards Hua Xixiong, who was beside Liu Donglou.

The fierce general cast a disdainful glance at Hua Xixiong, urging his horse to a stop ten paces in front of Ji Qingchen, and coldly questioned, "Captain Guo, who granted you such great power to audaciously execute the deputy general of the Ningzhou General's Office?"

He is somewhat hesitant, unsure whether to continue supporting Huaxi Xiong

Ji Qingchen did not speak, merely offering a faint smile as she quietly gazed at the general before her

Your Highness—" Hua Xixiong was so taken aback by Ji Qingchen's imposing presence and words that he could no longer remain seated. He immediately dismounted and knelt before Ji Qingchen's horse, having long forgotten his earlier statement that 'wearing armor, one cannot bow.' 'Hua Xixiong has committed the offense of negligence and dereliction of duty, and I earnestly request Your Highness to show leniency!"

The wolf's fang knife—despite Liu Donglou's sufficient composure, he still shouted out loud

"Negligence, dereliction of duty, collusion with the enemy to betray the country, General Liu, what do you think? Should we impose a clear and severe punishment?" Ji Qingchen replied nonchalantly.

After a moment, he urged the horse forward, "General Hua, are you the deputy general of the Ningzhou General's Office? The commander of the Ningzhou army?"

Yet, before the city gate of Ningzhou, there was an eerie silence, with only the faint sounds of conversation from the soldiers patrolling the city tower.

Guo Lun was filled with rage, angrily gazing at the person in the distance who was shooting arrows to rescue Hua Xixiong. However, when his gaze fell upon a general who had already ridden out of Ningzhou City with his bow retracted, the previously overwhelming momentum of his lethal strike diminished by eight parts. He lowered his eyelids, not daring to meet the general's eyes directly.

Ji Qingchen understood clearly that Liu Donglou was reminding him that he was merely a powerless and insignificant prince, without the authority to deal with military generals like Hua Xixiong.

Hua Xi Xiong had long been stunned by Ji Qing Chen's intimidation, completely unable to comprehend that the Ninth Prince before him could kill on a whim. His mind went blank, and he had already forgotten to evade.

"Just last night, we encountered a surprise attack by the Northern Rong cavalry three hundred miles outside Ningzhou City. Among the hundred Yulin cavalrymen by my side, only a little over ten remain. I wonder where the general was at that time?" Ji Qingchen asked in a calm tone.

He had never seen Liu Donglou; this was information his uncle Ye Qingchen had told him while he was on his way back to Yan after leaving Li country. Moreover, he clearly remembered his uncle saying that Liu Donglou, hetushu.com, was the spokesperson for the Liu family, one of the eight great families of Dayan, and a supporter of his second brother, Prince Ning Ji Ping

From the piercing arrow just now, he has already discerned Liu Donglou's intention; the other party wishes to spare Hua Xixiong

This is a

"Your Highness, you flatter me; it is merely a trivial skill!" Liu Donglou humbly remarked. He then glanced at the vice general, who was already terrified and trembling as he knelt before his horse, desperately pleading. Liu inquired, "May I ask what crime General Hua has committed that requires Your Highness to administer a formal punishment?"

"Who are you?" The tiger general turned his gaze towards Ji Qingchen only after hearing the latter's retort.

Recalling the Feather Forest generals who perished under the iron hooves of the Northern Rong last night, Guo Lun's heart burned with rage. Now, the culprit was right before him. Upon hearing Ji Qingchen's command, Guo Lun urged his horse forward without hesitation, thrusting his spear directly at Hua Xixiong's throat

"Not bad, it is indeed this general. Who are you?" Hua Xixiong asked淡淡.

General, he is the Ninth Prince who has just returned to Yan from Li Country!" Guo Lun hurriedly replied

It should be noted that Ji Qingchen is also the Ninth Prince of Dayan. Today, His Majesty, the Guangwu Emperor of Dayan, is his father. Regardless of how high the position of General of Ningzhou is or how great the power may be, at this moment, it should not be displayed with such arrogance.

The commanding general is a robust man in his thirties, sporting a full beard. His gaze coldly swept over the ragtag group of soldiers before him, pausing on Guo Lun, completely ignoring the tattered Ji Qingchen beside him. In a frigid tone, he asked, "Are you Guo Lun, the Lieutenant of the Imperial Guard?"

Hua Xixiong is not his direct subordinate, and he has no need to offend the Ninth Prince, Ji Qingchen, because of him. However, without a weak and incompetent general like Hua Xixiong, it would be impossible for him to have sole authority over the Ningzhou army. If he does not secure his position today, should the court send another general to the Ningzhou General's Office in the future, it is likely that he will no longer be able to control the hundred thousand troops of Ningzhou as he does now

Uncle, do you think that if Qingchen does not offend them, they will let Qingchen go? Since they are bound to be enemies sooner or later, why pretend to be cordial? Qingchen can overlook this assassination attempt, but cannot fail to seek justice for the fallen Yulin warriors. " Ji Qingchen said with a serious tone in her eyes, and then urged her horse to gallop away

Ye Qingchen was somewhat taken aback after hearing his nephew's response

At that moment, the gates of Ningzhou City creaked open, and a cavalry unit of two hundred emerged from the city gates

Guo Lun noticed that the other party was ignoring him, his face flushed with anger, and he had tightly grasped his long spear.

As soon as this fierce general appeared, Hua Xixiong, who had just moments ago looked as if he were on the brink of death, seemed to see a bodhisattva. Forgetting his own demeanor, he scrambled to the front of the general's horse, weeping, "General, save me! Save me!"

Even if Hua Xixiong has committed the grave offenses of negligence and dereliction of duty, it is unlikely that the Ninth Prince would be the one to make the final decision, nor should Guo Lun, this Yulin Lang officer, be allowed to carry out the punishment. Liu Donglou has already resolved to contest with Ji Qingchen to the end. He did not claim that Hua Xixiong committed treason, clearly indicating his unwillingness to compromise. "Your Highness, although you are the Ninth Prince of Dayan, there are laws of the state and regulations of the military. I ask that you be clear about your own identity and refrain from interfering in the military affairs of Ningzhou."

"Your Highness, the Ninth!" Liu Donglou exclaimed in great anger, glaring at Ji Qingchen with a gun in hand.

He is well aware of the implications in Ji Qingchen's words. If he were to argue on behalf of Hua Xixiong that he was unaware of the situation, the accusations would then fall upon the General's Office of Ningzhou, and the blame would rest on him, Liu Donglou. However, if he were to acquiesce, it would be tantamount to admitting that Hua Xixiong was aware of the situation yet chose not to report it. Would this not solidify the charges of negligence, dereliction of duty, and treason against Hua Xixiong?

There was an air of authority in the words that left no room for Huaxi Xiong to refuse to answer

The atmosphere suddenly became a bit tense

Upon hearing the name Liu Donglou, Ji Qingchen immediately recognized that the general before her was indeed the foremost warrior of the Great Yan, the renowned Divine Marksman, and the commander of the illustrious Canglang Cavalry of the Ningzhou Army.

Hua Xi Xiong was taken aback; he did not expect Ji Qingchen to ask him this question directly, leaving him unsure of how to respond. After a brief pause, he finally spoke, "Last night, I was patrolling the city when His Highness was ambushed. I express my deep regret."

Following Ye Qingchen's gaze, Hua Xixiong cast a sidelong glance at Ji Qingchen on horseback and, maintaining a calm demeanor, said, "Hua Xixiong pays his respects to Your Highness. Due to my armor, I am unable to dismount and bow, and I ask for Your Highness's forgiveness"

Guo Lun turned his head to glance at the Ninth Prince beside him. He could not discern the expression on the Ninth Prince's face and could only urge the horse forward to call out to the city wall. After explaining for quite some time to the guards inside the city that the Ninth Prince of Dayan had returned to Yan and wished to enter the city immediately, the guards on the city wall looked at Guo Lun's token before responding.

"Your Highness, you have just returned to Dayan and should remain low-key and patient. It is only after you have accumulated strength that you can truly showcase your ambitions. It is not the time to offend the Liu family of Ningzhou or Prince Ning, as you have done before even arriving at Junlin," Ye Qingchen explained.

In the heart of the great Yan, enemy cavalry has appeared. Hua Xi Xiong, you have committed not only the crimes of negligence and dereliction of duty, but also the treasonous act of colluding with the Northern Rong cavalry, attempting to overthrow the great Yan. What use is there for a traitor like you? You disgrace the sons of the great Yan!" Ji Qingchen shouted coldly, "Guo Lun, kill this traitor to avenge the Yulin cavalry who died last night!"

Huaxi Xiong was taken aback by Ji Qingchen's words, stuttering as he spoke, his earlier arrogance and domineering demeanor completely vanished