Chapter 96 Hostage

At the same time, the court was in turmoil.

The news of Zhao Fangye's open rebellion exploded like thunder in the capital, and the entire court fell into an unprecedented crisis.

The emperor was furious when he learned about it. He roared at the entire court, "Zhao Fangye is so audacious that he dared to hold the crown prince hostage in rebellion!"

After saying that, he slapped the dragon chair and stood up, his face full of sternness: "I order you to strangle Zhao Fangye and his rebels at all costs!"

All the ministers showed confusion on their faces and they all knelt on the ground, not knowing what to do.

General Xiao, who watched Zhao Fangye escape, was even more worried. He knew that he was in a dilemma.

On the one hand, he did not dare to anger Zhao Fangye, lest the life of the prince be threatened; on the other hand, he could not disobey the emperor's order. After all, the emperor's order is difficult to disobey. After much deliberation, General Xiao had no choice but to send a small number of troops to attack Zhao Fangye, hoping to stabilize the situation and wait for a turnaround.

What he didn't expect was that Zhao Fangye's strength was so powerful. The troops sent to attack the rebels one after another were all defeated by Zhao Fangye's offensive. Instead, his troops suffered heavy losses.

There was no other choice, so General Xiao had to write a letter to the emperor to advise him.

In the letter, he said earnestly: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is the foundation of the country and is related to the safety of the country. The rebels are rampant now. If we rashly increase the military force, it may endanger the safety of the Crown Prince. I beg Your Majesty to think twice and put the life of the Crown Prince first."

The emperor looked at it and frowned. He replied, "General Xiao, I have made up my mind. We must put down the rebellion as soon as possible."

Now that Zhao Fangye has threatened his position, he has no reason to allow Zhao Fangye to expand his power. Even if it means sacrificing the prince, it would be worth it.

Thinking of this, the emperor's face gradually became gloomy.

After reading the letter, General Xiao was extremely anxious and continued to advise: "Your Majesty, Zhao Fangye is a ruthless person. If we push him too far, I'm afraid he will harm the prince. I am willing to personally lead a team of elite soldiers to negotiate with Zhao Fangye and try to resolve this matter peacefully to ensure the prince's safe return."

After receiving the letter, the emperor pondered for a moment and felt slightly shaken. But if he really did so, it would confirm that he, as the king of a country, was threatened by the rebels.

He picked up the pen and said, "General Xiao, I have made up my mind. If the rebellion cannot be quelled as soon as possible, I will not tolerate it!"

Commander Xiao shook his head helplessly and sighed inwardly. He knew very well that if anything happened to the prince, the Xiao family's status would be in jeopardy.

Only by finding a way to rescue the prince will they have a chance to completely get rid of the constraints.

Just when General Xiao was frowning, one of his subordinates took the initiative to say, "General, since we are being constrained, why don't we let them also have a taste of being constrained?"

"Oh?" Hearing this, Captain Xiao became interested: "Tell me in detail."

The man said with a cunning look on his face: "I heard that the male wife given to Zhao Fangye by the emperor is now in the camp opposite. Zhao Fangye is willing to rebel openly for the Song family, which shows that he doesn't care about this male wife. If we..."

The next words were not finished, but both of them smiled knowingly.

"Good boy, you are amazing. If this is the case, General Ben will definitely benefit from you!" General Xiao patted the man on the shoulder in a good mood and said, "Go and do it!"

The man saw that the method he proposed helped General Xiao resolve the issue. He also did not forget to compliment him: "Yes! It is my honor to be able to give advice to the general!"

Zhao Fangye's army was stationed outside the city, a long way from the city.

At this moment, the military camp was brightly lit, and the commander's tent was even more lively. Zhao Fangye and his personal guards were deploying troops. Several subordinates were arguing fiercely, each holding his own opinion and thinking that his method was more appropriate.

Neither of them gave in, and when they saw that they couldn't decide who was better. Several people looked at Zhao Fangye in unison.

Zhao Fangye sat in a chair, his eyes fixed on the terrain sand table in front of him. The pale eyes showed no emotion. The thin crimson lips were tightly pursed. He placed one hand on his temple and played with the small flag on the sand table with the other.

He looked calm and composed. The people who had been arguing just now became quiet the moment they saw him.

Zhao Fangye raised his eyes and glanced at several people, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted by a crisp voice. A pale face suddenly appeared from the side of the tent.

"Zhao Fangye!" Song Huaixi opened the curtain and looked inside, then took up the food box in her arms and shook it at him: "It's time for dinner, Zhao Fangye!"

After saying this, he opened the tent and walked inside without caring about the eyes of the people around him.

When everyone saw that Song Huaixi had arrived, they all looked at Zhao Fangye who was sitting there.

The kind of face that rarely shows emotion and has a cold expression. When he saw Song Huaixi, it was like the earth and snow melting, and he could actually smile?

The corners of his lips curled slightly, and Zhao Fangye's light eyes were filled with tenderness. He waved to Song Huaixi to come over to him.

Song Huaixi walked past his subordinates holding a food box and nodded slightly to each of them. There was a smile on his face, and the smile deepened when he saw Lan Feng standing among the crowd.

"Sister Lanfeng!" Song Huaixi freed one hand from the food box and greeted her.

Before he could say anything, Zhao Fangye, who was sitting next to him, began to order them to leave: "Okay, that's enough for today. Everyone, go down."

Lan Feng and his subordinates showed a knowing smile on their faces, and without further delay turned around and left, leaving the tent to the two of them.

A group of people walked out of the tent, and when they were far away, they began to tease, "Our prince seems cold-hearted and cold-hearted only in front of the princess."

"Your Highness is just cold on the outside but warm on the inside." Lan Feng smiled after hearing this.

As a woman, she actually sometimes envies Song Huaixi, who has the complete favor of one person.

Song Huaixi and Zhao Fangye were the only ones left in the tent. Zhao Fangye reached out and took him into his arms, gently stroking his hair: "What delicious food did Huaixi bring for me today?"

When it comes to food, Song Huaixi excitedly opens the food box in his hand: "Pheasant mushroom soup! Roasted lamb! Cold shredded vegetables! And chestnut cake!"

As Song Huaixi spoke, he placed all the dishes in the food box on the military defense sand table. Then he said excitedly: "Try it now, the chef said these are good things! You can't eat them normally."

Zhao Fangye said nothing but looked at him with a smile, his eyes full of doting. In fact, Zhao Fangye didn’t care much about what he ate. Because supplies were scarce in the northwest, Zhao Fangye did not seek any privileges and basically ate and lived with the soldiers.

But Song Huaixi is different. He was brought up in pampered condition since childhood. The size for eating is good. Even though it is built of gold and jade, at least it has never suffered any hardship.

Zhao Fangye didn't want to ask him to join this battle. After all, the conditions in the military camp are no match for those in the city. But Song Huaixi refused and insisted on following. He also brought his own small kitchen, saying that he wanted to cook for Zhao Fangye.

Zhao Fangye didn't feel anything about whether he was given special treatment or not, but after Song Huaixi came, he inexplicably used many privileges.

Song Huaixi ate the best food in the military camp and lived in the largest tent in the army. Even in the desert where there was a shortage of water, he was still guaranteed to have hot water every day to wash and bathe.

Everyone in the military camp can see that Song Huaixi is the apple of Zhao Fangye's eye.

"Zhao Fangye, please try it!" Seeing him pick up his chopsticks, Song Huaixi hurriedly and attentively picked up some food and handed it to his mouth. I looked at his reaction expectantly: "Is it delicious?"

Zhao Fangye swallowed the food in his mouth: "Not bad, Huaixi should try it too."

As he said that, he picked up the chopsticks and started feeding him. Song Huaixi ate mouthful after mouthful until his eyes narrowed. It seemed that he had forgotten that he was here to feed Zhao Fangye.

In the end, most of the food went into Song Huaixi's stomach. When he saw the empty plate, he realized what was happening and said with some frustration, "Oh no! How come I ate it all? Zhao Fangye didn't even get to eat it. I'm sorry, I'm so greedy."

She reached out and pinched his nose, little knowing that Zhao Fangye did it on purpose. After coming to the Northwest for several months, I see that the person in my arms has become a little thinner.

"It's okay, as long as Huaixi likes it." Zhao Fangye hugged him and said, "It's been a novelty in the military camp for the past few days. Huaixi will return to the city tomorrow. In a few days, the front line will start fighting. I can't take care of you, do you know?"

"Tomorrow?"

I didn't expect it to happen so soon. Song Huaixi insisted on coming along. Now that there is a war, he naturally has to go back.

He understands the truth, but he still feels reluctant to leave.

Song Huaixi leaned on Zhao Fangye's shoulder and played with his scattered hair, neither saying anything good nor bad. Obviously unhappy.

But Zhao Fangye was very determined. The front line was dangerous and the war was in chaos, so he wouldn't be able to take care of Song Huaixi.

Zhao Fangye lifted his cheek and kissed him on the forehead: "Be obedient, I will be distracted if you are here. Be good and I will be back soon."

After hearing him say this, Song Huaixi finally responded: "I understand. I will go back tomorrow."

"Yeah." Zhao Fangye reached out and stroked his eyebrows, his eyes full of tenderness: "Be good, I will find someone to escort you back tomorrow."

On the second day, Song Huaixi sat in the carriage and thought about going back to see his brother and sister-in-law, so his mood was still good.

However, he did not expect the accident to come so quickly. When the carriage passed through a remote canyon, twenty or thirty people suddenly rushed out from all around the valley like ghosts and surrounded Song Huaixi's carriage.

Suddenly, the silent canyon was filled with the sound of fighting.

The guards who protected Song Huaixi fought desperately but were outnumbered and eventually became victims of the men in black. The carriage was surrounded by guards who had been hacked to death.

The scene was extremely cruel and bloody. It was the first time Song Huaixi had seen such a scene. He was so frightened that his face turned pale and his hands and feet were cold. All his strength was drained out and he huddled in the corner of the carriage, shivering.

"What are you going to do?" Song Huaixi asked in a trembling voice, staring at the ferocious face that peeked in through the curtain of the carriage.

"Princess, don't be afraid. We are ordered by General Xiao to ask you to go ahead." The leader lifted the curtain of the car, grabbed Song Huaixi's arm and dragged her out. There was a hideous smile on his face and a vicious gleam in his eyes.

Song Huaixi was so frightened that he lost his voice and was shaking violently. He struggled desperately with all his strength. Tears wet the pale face.

Seeing how scared he was, the man just held him and walked out. During this time, the obscene gaze fell on Song Huaixi's face and he did not forget to tease her a few times: "Princess Ning is so beautiful, no wonder Prince Ning is willing to rebel against the court for you!"

Song Huaixi was tied up and taken all the way to General Xiao's tent, and he tried to ask for help countless times. But he was too scared to speak.

"Mr. Song, I'm sorry to have wronged you. As long as you cooperate, I promise not to hurt you." General Xiao said with a wry smile as he looked at Song Huaixi who was tied up and thrown on the ground.

"But don't worry, we won't do anything to you. Just be good and you'll be fine soon."

General Xiao immediately sent someone to deliver a message to Zhao Fangye, telling him that Song Huaixi was in his hands and asking him to exchange him for the prince.

The moment Zhao Fangye received the news, the violent emotions in his eyes instantly burst out and he looked like an army whose territory had been invaded. There was a terrifying low pressure emanating from his entire body.

When everyone in the military camp heard that Song Huaixi was kidnapped, they were furious and vowed to eat Xiao Jun's flesh and blood alive. Almost in an instant, the entire military camp entered a state of combat readiness.

For a moment the lights were bright.

Zhao Fangye agreed to General Xiao's conditions without hesitation and made all the arrangements. Zhao Fangye rushed straight to the dungeon in the city without stopping.

The sight of the half-dead prince covered in wounds in the dungeon made him feel an uncontrollable rage.

Zhao Fangye took the whip off the wall, and sparks of cruelty flashed in his pale eyes.

The prince raised his head, his eyes filled with despair and regret. He choked and said, "Please let me go...I will never go against you again..."

Zhao Fangye sneered, raised the whip in his hand and lashed the prince mercilessly.

The whip made a crisp sound in the air and hit the prince hard. The prince groaned in pain, but Zhao Fangye did not stop and whipped him again and again, as if he wanted to vent all his anger on the prince.

Finally, Zhao Fangye stopped and looked at the dying prince.

"Take him out." Zhao Fangye said to the guard beside him while wiping his blood-stained hands.

On the second day, the two armies faced each other.

Zhao Fangye looked at General Xiao standing opposite him and said, "Hand over my men, or don't blame me for being rude!"

Taiwei Xiao looked at Zhao Fangye fearlessly and said, "Zhao Fangye, you are not qualified to threaten me now. As long as you release the prince, I will release your people."

Zhao Fangye sneered, "Ha! I don't have time to waste on you. If Huaixi is harmed in the slightest, I will make you pay the price."

Commander Xiao's eyes were filled with joy. He turned around and clapped his hands, and his subordinates brought Song Huaixi up.

Being escorted, Song Huaixi couldn't help but speak slowly in a mosquito-like voice when he saw the fear and grievance in Zhao Fangye's heart: "Zhao Fangye..."

Zhao Fangye felt a pain in his heart. He looked at Song Huaixi with eyes full of self-blame.