Chapter 182: Siege
Border, Dingcheng.
Huo Chen received news from the capital that the emperor had ordered Prince Rui to replace Commander Cui Hai and lead troops to support the army, and he was expected to arrive in three days.
When Huo Chen reported the news to Prince Fu, Prince Fu was in a complicated mood and didn't know how to face his third brother Prince Rui. On the one hand, because of the matter of the crown prince, he was suspicious of Prince Rui, but on the other hand, considering the relationship between brothers, he didn't want to think too badly of Prince Rui.
But one thing he was clear about was that he believed in the prince.
Prince Fu's mother died early, and he was raised by the Queen. The Crown Prince also took good care of him since he was young, so their relationship was naturally closer than with others, better than that of brothers. In his heart, the Crown Prince, his royal brother, was much more important than anyone else.
Even if the crown prince was demoted to a commoner and imprisoned in the Eastern Palace, he would still stand firmly on the crown prince's side.
Moreover, he has been a little afraid of his third brother, Prince Rui, since he was a child, and his relationship with him is not close. But after all, they are brothers who grew up together, so he still hopes that their relationship can be more harmonious. However, if it is really the other party who framed him, he will never cover up.
When Cui Yan learned that Prince Rui was coming to replace his father, he felt a little depressed. His father had just woken up and would definitely be devastated if he knew the news. He decided to keep it secret from his father and wait for two days until his father recovered.
…
On the other side, Ye Xuanhe reported to Qi Wuhan the latest news brought back by a spy.
The third prince, Prince Rui, leads an army of 20,000 and is expected to arrive at the border in three days.
"The third prince was imprisoned before. I didn't expect that he would overthrow the crown prince and be released so quickly. Your Highness should be careful." Ye Xuanhe reminded.
Qi Wuhan raised the corner of his lips indifferently and said, "He rushed to fight right after being released. He must be hoping to secure his position as crown prince through military merit. I won't give him this opportunity."
"Your Highness seems to dislike the Third Prince?" Ye Xuanhe said, his casual tone carrying a hint of meaning.
"He wants to use me as a stepping stone, but he's not worthy." Qi Wuhan's expression turned cold, and he ordered, "Give the order to attack the city tonight."
Just after three o'clock in the morning, Prince Fu was sleeping soundly when he was suddenly awakened by a series of knocks on the door.
When he ran over and opened the door, a black-armored soldier reported to him that the enemy was attacking the city and Huo Chen had already led his men there.
"Shoot!"
At Huo Chen's command, arrows shot in unison across the night sky like shooting stars.
"Formation."
At Ye Xuanhe's command, the soldiers in front immediately formed a shield formation.
The sharp arrow hit the cold shield with a clang, piercing it like a hedgehog.
Immediately afterwards, the second wave of arrows came, and the shield phalanx was quickly replaced by a new wave.
In the first confrontation, neither side gained an advantage.
"Your Highness, why don't you try the power of the new crossbow cart?" Ye Xuanhe said.
Qi Wuhan didn't say anything. The black eagle mask on his face shone coldly in the moonlight, and his indifferent peach blossom eyes were fixed on the city wall in front of him.
Huo Chen's sharp gaze also locked onto him. The two men faced each other across a vast swarm of soldiers, as if engaging in a psychological battle to see who would lose patience first.
"Fight."
"Attack the city."
The two gave orders almost at the same time.
As soon as the city gate opened, Huo Chen rushed out with the black-armored army.
When Prince Fu hurriedly ran to the city wall, the two armies had already started fighting. Both sides were wearing black armor. Looking from the city wall, one could only see a large group of dark figures fighting each other. It was impossible to tell whether they were enemies or friends.
Although both sides are wearing black armor, the helmets of the Northern Desert Cavalry are in the shape of a black eagle, which is easy to identify during the day. However, if the helmet is knocked off at night, it may be a bit difficult to identify.
Prince Fu stood on the city wall, nervously looking at the large group of dark figures, and kept asking the soldiers beside him which side had the upper hand. His heart was beating like a drum, his heart was beating fast.
Suddenly, a black shadow quickly dispersed from the large group of black shadows.
With a whoosh, an iron spear pierced into the ground.
It is the main arrow fired by the crossbow cart, weighing dozens of kilograms. If fired at close range, it can penetrate the city wall with one shot.
Huo Chen immediately ordered a retreat and led the Black Armored Army back to the city quickly.
At the same time, the black-armored soldiers stationed on the city wall quickly shot arrows to provide cover. After the last black-armored soldier in the team entered the city, the city gate was immediately closed.
Qi Wuhan did not continue the attack and retreated with the black-armored cavalry.
When Huo Chen rushed to the city wall to check the situation, Prince Fu couldn't wait to ask him if he had won the battle. Huo Chen did not answer, but asked someone to send Prince Fu back first, and then guarded the city wall all night.
Although the other party did not launch another attack afterwards, Huo Chen still had doubts in his heart. He felt that the other party retreated too easily. Could there be a trick?
…
Three days later, King Rui arrived in Dingcheng with 20,000 troops.
When Prince Fu came to see him, he was surprised to see Jiang Lan there.
"Greetings, His Highness the Fifth Prince." Jiang Lan bowed.
Prince Fu quickly asked her to get up, looked at her, and then looked at Prince Rui with a puzzled look on his face.
"I heard that General Cui was injured. How is his situation now?" asked King Rui.
Prince Fu was a little distracted and didn't have time to answer.
"Fifth brother?" Prince Rui called out to him. Prince Fu came to his senses and asked, "Third brother, what did you ask me just now?"
"Forget it. I'll go over and take a look myself later." King Rui changed the subject. "I heard that you went out of the city with General Cui to chase the enemy a few days ago. You weren't hurt, were you?"
"No, no." Prince Fu was a little embarrassed. Although he was not injured, he was tied up with a rope and taken back.
"I'm glad you're okay." Prince Rui consoled him, then changed the subject, "Father has summoned you. You can leave tomorrow."
Prince Fu exclaimed in surprise, "Huh?" and immediately waved his hand, saying, "No, I can't go back."
He hasn't avenged his previous humiliation yet, how can he just go back like this!
"This is what my father meant." Prince Rui emphasized his tone, leaving no room for bargaining.
Glancing at Prince Rui's sinister, almond-shaped eyes, Prince Fu flinched a little, but then mustered up the courage to look directly into those eyes and asked, "Did Father really depose my brother, the Crown Prince?"
"If you don't believe me, go back and ask your father yourself." Prince Rui suddenly smiled and asked, "Do you think I'm behind this?"
Prince Fu hung his head in silence. After a moment, he suddenly raised his head, looked directly at the person in front of him, and said, "I will go back and ask my father for clarification."
Prince Rui curled the corners of his lips.
Jiang Lan glanced in his direction and felt that he was planning something again. She planned to find an opportunity to remind Prince Fu later and ask him to be more cautious.
After Prince Fu left, Prince Rui sent someone to call Huo Chen over, and mentioned Huo Chen's identity to Jiang Lan, saying that he was Qi Wuhan's sworn brother whom he recognized in the army.
Jiang Lan knew that he was deliberately trying to embarrass her, but then she thought, she had never seen the other person before, and maybe the other person had never seen her before either, so this way she could avoid embarrassment.
When Huo Chen came over, Jiang Lan lowered her head. King Rui glanced at her and asked about the siege three days ago.
"Is it the Prince of Beimo who personally led the troops to attack the city?" King Rui asked, glancing at Jiang Lan's face.
When she heard the words "Prince Beimo", her heart tightened and she tried her best to control her emotions and not show them on her face.
"Yes." Huo Chen replied.
"Have you ever seen the true appearance of the Prince of Beimo?" asked Prince Rui, with a meaningful sneer on his lips.
Jiang Lan's heart tightened again.
A hint of hesitation flashed across Huo Chen's stern expression, and he replied, "He was wearing a mask, and I've never seen him before."
Prince Rui casually asked another question, "I heard that you sneaked into the enemy camp and rescued the fifth brother?"
"Yes." Huo Chen replied.
King Rui hesitated for a few seconds, wondering what he was thinking about, and then said, "Go down."
"I'll take my leave." When Huo Chen turned around, he glanced in the direction where Jiang Lan was standing, then looked away without leaving a trace.
After Huo Chen left, Prince Rui stood up and took two steps towards Jiang Lan, saying, "I'm going to go see General Cui. You stay here. Do you understand?"
Jiang Lan didn't answer.
"Did you hear clearly?" Prince Rui took two steps closer, his eyes filled with a cold desire for control.
Jiang Lan replied, "I heard it clearly."
Jiang Lan relaxed only after he left. When she was about to go to the door to see what was happening outside, Prince Fu appeared again, but was stopped by the guards guarding the door.
Jiang Lan walked over quickly and reminded him, "Your Highness must be extra careful on your way back this time. His Majesty is very respectful of the Third Prince now. Apart from the Third and Sixth Princes, he will not see anyone else. If Your Highness sees His Majesty after returning, you must advise Him not to overwork yourself. Health is the most important thing."
Prince Fu felt that she had a hidden meaning in her words, but he couldn't figure out her implication for the moment. He nodded to indicate that he had remembered everything. Then he glanced at the guards on both sides and asked in a low voice, "Why did you come here with my third brother?"
Jiang Lan couldn't explain it clearly in just a few words. "It's a long story. If there's a chance in the future, I'll tell you in detail."
Prince Fu thought of something else and his expression changed. He didn't know whether he should tell Jiang Lan. He glanced at the guards on both sides and reminded them cryptically, "You have to be careful of the Prince of Beimo. He might send someone to arrest you."
A strange look flashed across Jiang Lan's face, and she nodded again, "Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. I will be careful."
......
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