Chapter 93
Princess Wusun was very nervous, and Liu Hong was also very nervous.
The system gave him four pieces of information. The first was about Jiang Qi, the second about Zhao Fan, and the third about the Wusun Princess. So from the moment she spoke, Liu Hong stared at her closely, ready to act at any moment.
If the enemy was targeting Liu Ju, he would be delighted to watch the show, and at the same time pray that they wouldn't be as useless as the Xiongnu, and that he could achieve his goal with one strike. Yes, he simply wished Liu Ju would die immediately.
But if the other party is targeting Liu Che, the situation will be different. Liu Che must not get into trouble.
If Liu Che were to suffer an accident, Liu Ju would naturally succeed him as the crown prince, and with Wei and Huo supporting him, what would he have to do? Even if Liu Ju died, Liu Che could not die, at least not before he grew up.
Although he possessed the soul of an adult, he possessed the body of a child. He was too young, his foundation was shallow, and his wings were not yet fully developed. It was true that if the emperor and the crown prince were dead, it was highly likely that the Second Prince would be pushed to the throne by the officials.
But the lord is weak and the minister is strong, and these strong ministers are not his people. This situation is definitely not a good thing.
So Liu Ju didn't care, but since it concerned Liu Che's safety, he had to be vigilant. Especially if he planned it well, he could kill two birds with one stone and benefit from it.
Liu Hong looked intently and saw that the Wusun princess in front of him had already finished her greeting. When she looked up, she suddenly stood up, holding a dagger in her hand, and stabbed Liu Che!
One second he was kneeling, the next second he was stabbing. The reversal was so fast that it caught people off guard.
Just when everyone was caught off guard, a childish cry came even faster than the Wusun Princess's: "Father, be careful!"
With a cry of surprise, Liu Hong rushed over, pushed Liu Che aside, and stood in front of him.
At the same time, Huo Qubing leaped forward and charged towards the Wusun Princess. If nothing unexpected happened, he would have easily subdued her with his skills. A Wusun Princess, whose martial arts skills were not outstanding, how could she be a match for Huo Qubing?
But something unexpected happened. Liu Hong's push to Liu Che out of harm's way caused him to shift to the left, bumping into Huo Qubing. Though the shift wasn't significant, it still caused Huo Qubing's movements to shift, even if only slightly. Sometimes, a tiny error can lead to a huge difference.
Huo Qubing raised his leg and kicked the Wusun princess' wrist. The princess felt pain and the dagger dropped from her hand. Huo Qubing kicked the Wusun princess again, sending her flying more than two meters.
But the danger was not eliminated. In Huo Qubing's opinion, the dagger should have fallen down, but for some reason it flew out directly and hit Liu Hong's right chest by chance.
Everything happened so fast, and in an instant, something unexpected happened.
Everyone at the scene was stunned, including Liu Che, Liu Ju, Huo Qubing, and even Liu Hong himself.
The scene descended into chaos and clamor. Eventually, Liu Che was the first to react. Furious, he ordered all the Wusun people locked up. He then ordered his attendant physician to be summoned, then bent down, picked up Liu Hong, and carried him to the living room.
How could the attendant physician dare delay such a serious matter? Almost the entire Imperial Medical Bureau was mobilized, rushing over at the speed of a 100-meter sprint to gather around the bed to treat it. Liu Che withdrew and stood not far away, watching anxiously, his clothes stained with blood, his hands hanging by his side trembling unconsciously.
Liu Ju and Huo Qubing fell behind and looked at each other. They both understood each other's doubts.
With Huo Qubing's skill, how could he fail when he was right next to Liu Che? There was no need for Liu Hong to intervene. But Liu Hong chose to do this, and the meaning behind it makes people think more.
But both of them also understood that even if Liu Hong did have some ulterior motives, he was now seriously injured and on the verge of life and death, so there were some things he could no longer say.
To Liu Che, and even to most people, the action the next day would be considered "involving the emperor and father, and causing chaos due to concern." There is no doubt that Liu Hong wanted to save the emperor, and unless solid evidence is provided, those who question him would be put at a disadvantage.
The situation was set, and Liu Ju naturally knew what to do. He walked over to Liu Che and shook his hand: "Don't worry, father. Second brother is a lucky person, and nothing will happen to him."
Liu Che turned his head and looked at him for a long time, his expression a little strange, as if he was struggling.
Liu Ju's mind turned, and he lowered his eyes slightly: "If I had been more alert at the time, I would have noticed the Wusun Princess's actions first. I am older than my second brother and my skills are better than his. If I had stepped in, my second brother would not have..."
Before he could finish his words, he was slapped on the head. When he looked up, he saw Liu Che's face full of anger: "Are you stupid? You are the one who will come forward. What if something happens to you like Hong'er?"
"But that's Father. How can I sit back and watch him in danger? As long as Father is safe, I'm willing to do anything."
After hearing these words, Liu Che's hands trembled even more, and even his voice trembled: "I will not allow it. Listen carefully, no matter what the situation is, even if the situation today happens again, you are not allowed to gamble with your life.
"My safety is important, and yours is equally important. Remember, I'm always alone, and someone will always be there to save me. If you encounter such a situation, your first priority is to protect yourself. I don't need you to save me, do you hear me?"
His voice and expression were stern and his eyes were piercing.
Liu Ju replied blankly: "I understand."
Seeing him agree, Liu Che breathed a sigh of relief, stretched out his hand and pulled him into his arms, hugging him tightly: "Fortunately it wasn't you, fortunately it wasn't you. Fortunately it was just..."
But what? Liu Che didn't say anything else, but Liu Ju had already noticed it keenly.
Fortunately, it was just Liu Hong.
But Liu Hong had just saved him and was seriously injured, his life or death unknown, and he actually...
Liu Che knew that it was inappropriate to have such thoughts at this moment, but he just couldn't help thinking about it.
God knows how frightened he was when he saw Liu Hong covered in blood. He was afraid that something might happen to Liu Hong, that he would be the one stabbed by the dagger, and even more afraid that it would be Liu Ju who was injured. Remember, Liu Hong and Liu Ju were by his side at the time.
He had no doubt that Liu Ju respected and cared about him, especially after Liu Ju said these words. Fortunately, Liu Ju did not notice the Wusun Princess's actions. Fortunately, fortunately.
Liu Che held Liu Ju in his arms and looked at Liu Hong lying on the bed. The struggle in his eyes became even stronger, and his mood was extremely complicated.
Feeling guilty and relieved at the same time.
The two emotions are intertwined, and my mind is in turmoil.
Liu Ju finally understood the reason for his strange expression, and also glanced at Liu Hong on the bed, but was thinking in his heart.
Fortunately, Liu Hong was in so much pain that he almost fainted and had no time to care about anything else. Otherwise, who knows if he would have been so upset after hearing these words that he would have choked and died.
After taking it back, Liu Ju gently comforted Liu Che, saying only good things. After Liu Che calmed down, he pulled him to sit beside him and waited with him.
After an unknown amount of time, the doctors came out, sweating profusely, "Your Majesty, Crown Prince. The dagger in the Second Prince's body has been removed, and his injuries have been treated."
"It wasn't a vital wound, but it's quite deep. Thankfully, thanks to the suturing technique His Royal Highness taught me earlier, the bleeding has been stopped and medication has been applied. The injury is under control, and there's no danger to his life. However, he still needs to be carefully monitored and shouldn't be taken lightly."
No worries about life.
Liu Che's heart settled down, he nodded slightly, and walked into the inner room.
Liu Hong was temporarily conscious, but his face was pale and full of pain. When he saw Liu Che, his nose felt sore and he called out in grievance, "Father!"
Liu Che's heart softened, and he squatted down and sat beside the bed, holding his hand: "Don't be afraid, the doctor said it's fine now, just take good care of yourself."
Liu Hong nodded slightly, trying to force a smile. But no one knew that his other hand, hidden under the quilt, was quietly tightening.
After the incident, he was almost stunned.
He really wanted to save Liu Che and get credit for saving the emperor. But from his perspective and plan, he would at most suffer a minor injury. Who knew it would turn out like this?
Liu Hong felt a sharp pain, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. His first thought was the ten percent of his luck that had been deducted, and his face paled even further.
Damn! What the hell is that luck value? It's only 10%, how could it be so powerful? It almost cost him his life. Fortunately, it almost cost him his life. He's still alive, so everything is possible.
Now that things have come to this and he has suffered the consequences, he must seize the opportunity to maximize his benefits.
"It's my fault for making Father worry. I... I'm shorter, and my sight is lower than yours. I saw the cold light flash in Princess Wusun's hand, and I immediately panicked.
"I... I forgot that General Wei and Marquis Guanjun were here. I... Father, I'm sorry. I messed things up and hurt myself, causing you to worry."
Liu Hong lowered his eyes in grievance, and cautiously looked at Liu Che with the afterglow, as if afraid that he would blame him. He added, "But fortunately, father is fine. As long as father is fine, that's all that matters."
It was such a late hour, yet he was still thinking about him and worried about him. How could Liu Che not be moved? He gently stroked his head and said, "My dear, it's not your fault. You just care too much about your father. Don't let your imagination run wild. Your father understands your feelings. You are still injured, so the most important thing is to rest and recover."
Whisper softly and comfort gently.
Liu Hong nodded and gently closed his eyes.
After going through a life-or-death ordeal, he was already exhausted, and after the play was over, he quickly fell asleep. Liu Che considerately tucked in the corners of his quilt, left two doctors to look after him, and quietly left.
********
Inside the sky prison.
The Wusun envoys glared at the Wusun princess, completely bewildered as to why the princess, who had been so righteous just moments before, had suddenly launched an assassination attack. They had a chance of survival, but in the blink of an eye, they had plummeted from heaven to a hell even more horrific.
The envoy's eyes were red with anger: "Princess, why!"
The deputy envoy thought of something: "Among the three attendants who previously assassinated the Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty, I remember that one of them was the Second Prince's man."
If one is, it means all three could be.
The Wusun Kunmi had several sons, but the one he favored most was the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was good in every way except for his poor health, which had deteriorated steadily over the past two years, and he feared he would not live long enough.
Under the Crown Prince is the Second Prince, who is also very capable. Because the Crown Prince is weak and cannot work hard, the Second Prince has been assisting Kunmi and in charge of half of the country's military affairs over the years.
In terms of age and ability, if the Crown Prince died, the Second Prince would be the most suitable heir. However, Kunmi seemed to have other ideas. She loved the Crown Prince's son and even his children, and was willing to sacrifice the Second Prince in favor of her young grandson.
How could the Second Prince accept this? But Kunmi was still healthy and could temporarily suppress him. He couldn't directly bypass Kunmi to seize the throne, so he needed to find additional support for himself.
The Huns had long been dissatisfied with Kunmi's perfunctory attitude over the past two years. If the other party agreed to help the second prince ascend the throne, the second prince might not necessarily agree to cooperate with them and help them.
The envoy also realized what was happening and looked at the princess in surprise. "You...you are actually allying with the Second Prince? Princess, you know that if you rely on the Xiongnu, even if the Second Prince gains the throne, he will eventually fall under Xiongnu control! This will only harm the Wusun people, not benefit them."
The princess scoffed: "So what? Didn't you force me to do this?"
"Did we force you?" the envoy asked suspiciously. "When did we force you? Although the marriage was ours and Kunmi's choice, it was ultimately your own consent. If you hadn't asked, Kunmi would have had other princesses to choose from."
Other princesses?
Princess Wusun sneered, "Yes, I agree. But if I don't agree, should I let my third sister come?"
There were only two unmarried princesses of marriageable age in Wusun, herself and her third sister. They were sisters from the same mother and had a deep bond that was unmatched by anyone else.
"How could I let my third sister leave her homeland, go to a strange country, learn a strange language, and integrate strange customs, without any relatives or friends around her, with an unknown future? So I have to come.
"I'm also ready to be trapped in the Han Palace for the rest of my life, like a caged bird in the Han Emperor's cage. But why... why, now that I've come to the Han Dynasty, do I have to send my third sister to the Xiongnu?
"My father clearly promised me. Before I left, he clearly promised me that he would treat my third sister well and let her be Kunmi's beloved daughter for the rest of her life."
The princess pursed her lips, tears streaming down her face.
The reason why she volunteered was to protect her third sister. However, her sacrifice did not bring her third sister any peace, but instead pushed her into a deeper abyss.
Had she known this, she would have preferred to go to the Xiongnu herself and have her third sister come to the Han. After all, the Han's resources and climate were far superior to the Xiongnu's. But life never predicts. By the time she received the news, the delegation was already halfway through its journey, and everything was set in stone.
The envoy was speechless and explained, "Kunmi was forced to do so. The Xiongnu heard from somewhere that we were planning a marriage alliance with the Han Dynasty, so they sent troops to force Kunmi to give an explanation.
"Kunmi had no choice but to send the third princess to show that he had no intention of colluding with the Han to stab the Xiongnu, and to maintain the existing delicate balance.
"Princess, although the Han Dynasty is powerful, it is far from the Wusun. The Xiongnu are closer and pose a greater threat to the Wusun. So even if we dislike the Xiongnu and prefer the Han Dynasty, how can we ignore the tiger next to our bed?
"Until the Han Dynasty has completely defeated the Xiongnu and forced them to migrate north, far away from us, we can only feign compliance. This is a helpless move. Princess, you are smart, how could you not understand!"
Everyone can talk about the truth, and Princess Wusun would understand it, but when it comes to her closest relatives, she doesn't want to understand and scolds them, "It's your business if you want to be hypocritical, but why sacrifice my third sister?
"Have you ever considered that there are two princesses, one in the Han Dynasty and one in the Xiongnu? The Han and Xiongnu are sworn enemies. If war breaks out between the two sides, how will we cope? How will the two countries tolerate the Wusun's playfulness?
"You also said that the Wusun people are more inclined towards the Han Dynasty. So what do you think the Xiongnu will do then? How can they tolerate my third sister? Moreover, my third sister is a soft-hearted person. The Xiongnu royal court is a place of danger. How can she survive in such a situation?
"You are forcing my third sister to die!"
When the word "death" came out, the princess' voice trembled and tears streamed down her face: "My third sister and I are destined to have only one survive. Mother passed away early, and my third sister is the closest to me.
"I know Third Sister will definitely choose for me to live and for her to die. So I can't wait for her to choose. I have to act before she does. Only if I choose first will she not have to choose. She has to live well."
How could the envoy not know what she meant by this action?
Using fireworks to attract everyone's attention and assassinate Liu Che was the first move of the Xiongnu; gathering the troops in the palace to leave Liu Ju's side unattended and let the Wusun attendants take action was the second move.
In addition, they also buried a third step, which could come in handy in case the first two steps failed, and that was the second princess of Wusun.
The first two moves, one before and one after, one open and one hidden, all failed. Things seemed to have been settled. Everyone thought that the Huns had already made their next move. How could they have imagined that there was still a step?
At this point, letting the Second Princess take advantage of the opportunity to argue and prove herself, and then attack again, would absolutely shock everyone and go beyond their expectations. The Han people would never have thought that someone who had just been fighting for himself and saying that the Xiongnu were trying to sow discord would have the intention to assassinate him.
As long as they can't think of it, the probability of success will be a little higher.
If they succeeded, the Second Princess would surely die, but it would be a great achievement for the Xiongnu, and they would surely give the Third Princess corresponding honors.
Even if she failed, the second princess only needed to stab her to make her stance clear in public, pushing the Wusun into a dead end, leaving them with no choice. The Xiongnu would then give the third princess the status and dignity she deserved.
This move further strengthened the alliance between the Second Prince and the Xiongnu. If the Second Prince won, he would at least keep his promise and take care of the Third Princess.
"Just for the sake of the Third Princess, for your own selfish desires, you are going to put Wusun in danger? Princess, there are priorities. Family and country come first, and personal safety comes second!"
Just as his body was shaking and about to fall, he was filled with grief.
Princess Wusun disagreed: "That's for you. To me, nothing is more important than my third sister. Don't talk to me so high-soundingly. You think you can be any better.
"Aren't you also using me and my third sister to secure a future for Wusun? If that's the case, why can't I use myself and Wusun to secure a future for my third sister?"
What a good way to plan a future for the third sister.
puff.
Just as he spat out a mouthful of blood, he looked at the Wusun Princess with red eyes and regretted his actions.
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