"What a brilliant plan, to wipe them all out in one fell swoop, huh?"

Su Wanwan looked at him blankly, as if she hadn't woken up yet: "What?"

Prince Rong gave a somewhat manic, cold laugh, "Without my support, how could Zhao and Liu have gathered in the capital?"

"You did it on purpose, deliberately casting a bait to lure me in."

Su Wanwan said helplessly, "I didn't know you would come to the capital."

Prince Rong's voice suddenly became much more affectionate, and a strange light flickered in his eyes as he pinched her cheek.

"Wanwan, if we can't be husband and wife, we can die together."

"Haha, with you going to the underworld with me, I won't be lonely on the way!"

Su Wanwan looked at the unusually excited Prince Rong, her eyes dimming slightly, "Alright."

Her health is deteriorating and she won't last much longer.

Sooner or later, I'll die.

She had thought that if she seized power, she could go to an island when she died, and Lu Xingjian would no longer be able to stop her.

She can finally make her own choice.

If she seizes power and elopes with Xiao Bin, Lu Xingjian will probably hate her to death.

However, she never expected that her power grab would be so easy, like playing a game.

He didn't even bother to resist; it was like he was just playing with her.

She could never truly be ruthless towards him.

In reality, military power was always her weakness.

Even with Zhang Yong's help, he was still weak and couldn't reach the middle and lower-level generals; it was like a castle in the air.

If it weren't for Lu Xingjian, she would probably be completely lost in the current situation.

She still couldn't become an empress; even if she ruled from behind the curtain, she didn't have the ability to control the capital's army and the border troops.

Lu Xingjian's abilities are quite considerable.

If the child follows him and learns some real skills, he won't be too bad off in the future.

Su Wanwan grabbed Rong Wang's hand, pleading, "Please let the child go."

"I'll go with you. Do whatever you want with me, kill me or torture me."

"The child is still young, he is innocent."

The excitement on Prince Rong's face subsided slightly.

He forcefully pulled his hand away from Su Wanwan's grasp: "Dream on."

Su Wanwan was thrown against the carriage wall by him, and was dizzy from the impact, her voice becoming much weaker.

"What do you want from me to let him go?"

Prince Rong sneered, his laughter twisted with malice. "Only when I find the antidote will I have a chance to live, and only then will your son live!"

A servant came to advise, "Your Highness, retreat quickly! The government troops will likely reach here soon!"

To the south of the capital lies the flat Hebei Plain, with no natural barriers such as mountains or passes, except for the occasional river blocking the way.

However, there were government troops checking all the roads, making it very difficult to get back to Changde.

However, it would be safer to leave Beizhili and go to Henan.

...

Lu Xingjian listened to the roar of the cannons, his face expressionless.

Then a scout came and reported: "We've found the whereabouts of Prince Rong and his entourage; they're on their way south!"

A glimmer of hope flashed in Lu Xingjian's dark, cold eyes. He quickly abandoned the carriage, mounted his horse, and shouted, "Chase!"

What grand ceremony in the suburbs of Beijing? It's just a formality.

The most important thing is to find the person.

However, the road was not easy to travel along the way.

There were many large craters on the ground caused by artillery fire, as well as many horse and human corpses that had not been collected by hand, and a lot of weapons and severed limbs.

The cruelty and brutality of the battlefield are right before our eyes.

Lu Xingjian felt unusually heavy-hearted.

With cannons protecting the capital, it naturally had no fear of bandits.

But what about those county towns with weak walls and insufficient troops?

They could only allow the bandits to run rampant, slaughter, and rape.

Zhao claimed to be a benevolent and righteous army, but he was actually committing murder and robbery.

It has always been the ordinary people who suffer.

Upon entering Daxing County, Prince Rong and his entourage were blocked by a group of people coming from the opposite direction.

Wearing border army uniforms, they announced that General Qiu of Ningxia was leading his personal guards to Beijing on imperial orders.

Prince Rong's heart sank further down.

With the Ningxia General in charge, how long can his two bandit groups, already in ruins, hold out?

The border troops had long fought against the tribes of the grasslands, and their fighting strength was far superior to that of the capital army and local guards.

Lu Xingjian and his group also caught up.

Prince Rong simply dragged Su Wanwan out, held a knife to her neck, and said triumphantly, "Come on, fire the arrows!"

"We'll die together!"

Lu Xingjian ordered the archers to put down their bows and arrows.

"Uncle Thirteen, just tell me what you need. Why resort to violence and hurt feelings?"

Prince Rong sneered, "If I asked you to abdicate in my favor, would you agree?"

Lu Xingjian replied calmly, "It's not impossible."

"Release the man, and I will write the abdication edict right away."

Prince Rong didn't believe him at all. "You're talking nonsense! If I release them, your men will shoot me full of arrows!"

"Then what do you want?"

"I'll kill one of you!"

Lu Xingjian's eyes were icy cold, and veins bulged on his forehead.

After a long silence, he said in a sinister tone, "You will return to Changde Prefecture and enjoy the treatment of a prince. Your past actions will be forgiven. How about it?"

He glanced coldly at the people around Prince Rong, "I won't hold you accountable for your crimes. Just live your lives peacefully. Why risk your lives?"

"Give your prince a good talking-to."

Those around Prince Rong probably realized that the tide had turned, and that letting bygones be bygones was the best possible outcome.

They looked at Prince Rong with eager eyes.

Prince Rong's eyes flickered, and he hesitated.

After a long while, he said, "Then make way. We'll let them through when we get to Changde!"

"good."

Su Wanwan struggled, "Child, let go of the child, I'll go with you!"

Her neck accidentally touched the wound of Prince Rong's knife, and blood gushed out immediately.

Prince Rong roared, "Are you out of your mind?!"

That bitch, don't let her get them all killed!

Lu Xingjian took a step forward, his hands clenched into fists, his jawline tense.

After a long silence, he said, "Leave the child here."

Prince Rong's gaze turned hostile. "Impossible!"

Having two hostages provides greater security.

Su Wanwan, having no other choice, declared: "Then don't leave!"

She turned her body to the side and bumped into Rong Wang's sword.

Now, Prince Rong restrained himself and avoided her, afraid that he might actually kill Su Wanwan.

Lu Xingjian looked somewhat anxious: "State your conditions!"

Prince Rong had no choice but to think for a moment and then said, "Never hold me or my subordinates accountable for their crimes!"

"I grant your permission."

Seeing how readily he agreed, a wicked thought flashed through the mind of Prince Rong.

He took out a knife smeared with poison and threw it.

"If Su Wanwan slashed me, you should slash yourself too!"

Lu Xingjian's eyes narrowed.

Thinking back to the last time Rong Wang asked for medicine, it turned out that he had been scratched by Wanwan.

That's it?

Prince Rong thought he wouldn't dare, and laughed, "Wanwan, he doesn't love you that much. When it comes to his own life and fortune, he starts to shirk responsibility."

Seeing this, Lu Xingjian picked up a knife and made a cut on his arm.

"Satisfied? Release the child."

Prince Rong's pupils contracted.

An unusual light flickered in his eyes.

He actually sought his own death?

Unless, he has already found a complete antidote?!

Prince Rong was overjoyed.