172. The whole world is shocked

October of this year is definitely a day that will be remembered by people all over the world.

For example, Li Wang Mo Jingli and Nanzhao Xiling jointly attacked Dachu, and Dingguo Wangye personally led 500,000 Mojia troops to fight against the three-party coalition. Another example is that the 16-year-old Princess Dingguo, as a daughter, sat in the northwest. On October 15 and 16, she annihilated the Xiling army in Hongzhou City, the last line of defense in the northwest of Dachu. At this point, the 200,000 Xiling troops that confronted Princess Ding in the northwest were completely annihilated, and the Xiling Zhennan King fled west in panic. When this news came out, the whole world was shocked. Another example is that while Princess Ding was confronting Xiling Zhennan King, she even divided her troops into two groups, blocking nearly 300,000 troops in the canyon that Dachu had to pass through in the northwest with only 30,000 troops, and was caught in a dilemma. Qin Feng, the personal guard of Princess Ding, led a team of only a few dozen people named Qilin, who appeared and disappeared mysteriously. Every time the Mohist Army attacked secretly,

If the Qilin army could not be stopped, it would be invincible. On October 17, the grain and grass that the Xiling reinforcements escorted to support the Chu army were burned to ashes. A huge Qilin fire rose into the sky in the flames. From then on, Qilin became famous in one battle and was known to the world. The 300,000 Xiling troops lost all their grain and grass, and had to retreat to the border of Xiling in panic.

But these were not the most important news. The most shocking news was that on October 16, Princess Dingguo fell off a cliff in the Tingyun Mountains between Hongzhou City and Ruyang City of the Great Chu State, and her whereabouts were unknown. What was even more bizarre was that the people stationed at the foot of the mountain were not enemies but more than 7,000 Great Chu soldiers. Afterwards, Prince Ding was furious and executed all 7,000 soldiers, including all the generals.

No one was spared. It is said that the bright red blood almost dyed the wide river at the foot of the mountain red. As soon as this news came out, people all over the world naturally talked about it. Some people scolded Prince Ding for being cruel and brutal and killing innocent people, some spoke up for Prince Ding, thinking that someone was slandering him, and some people secretly speculated about the relationship between the disappearance of Prince Ding's wife and the seven thousand soldiers. However, no matter how people all over the world talked about it, the Mohist Army and Prince Ding, who had re-entered Hongzhou City, did not express the slightest expression. It was as if all this had nothing to do with them.

The news was sent back to Chujing at the time of the morning court. There was silence in the hall, and everyone was cautiously waiting for the order of the emperor with a distorted expression in the hall without even daring to breathe. Mo Jingqi could hardly hold the memorial in his hand, and his hands kept shaking, not knowing whether it was anger or fear. After a long time, he roared: "How dare you! Mo Xiuyao, you have such a big courage?! Seven thousand soldiers and horses, he killed me without a word, want to rebel, right?!" Your Highness, several old ministers lowered their heads and twitched their mouths imperceptibly. Your Majesty, did you see the point? Princess Dingguo might be dead. Considering the importance that Prince Ding attached to Princess Dingguo and Princess Ding's current reputation in the Mo Family Army and even the entire Chu, do you think these seven thousand people are really a big deal? Also...even if you really think that Prince Ding is going to rebel, you don't have to say it out loud in the hall in front of all the civil and military officials.

"Your Majesty, Prince Ding privately executed 7,000 soldiers and several generals of the court, which is a great rebellion. If he is not severely punished, it will chill the hearts of the soldiers of Da Chu and the people of the world. Please issue an order to severely punish Prince Ding." Prime Minister Liu, who is now in the limelight in the court, stepped out and said. Several other ministers who are close to Mo Jingqi also stepped out to agree. Mo Xiuyao was about to speak when someone suddenly stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, this cannot be done." Mo Jingqi looked up and saw that it was indeed the old minister, Su Zhe, who was over 60 years old and the academician of the Imperial Academy. Mo Jingqi's face darkened slightly, and he said calmly, "What does Lord Su think?" Su Zhe bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Dingguo has passed away, and Prince Ding must be extremely sad and angry at this moment. He can only be comforted and not oppressed." Prime Minister Liu turned around and looked at Su Zhe and mocked, "Did those 7,000 soldiers die in vain? Lord Su is also a scholar, and you should understand that this prince is guilty of the same crime as the common people. Moreover, Prince Ding is just your Majesty's minister. We naturally express our deep condolences for the death of Princess Ding. Is Princess Ding's life a life, and those 7,000 soldiers are weeds?" This is indeed a high-sounding statement, but who can stand in this court is a bookworm? Princes are guilty of the same crime as the common people? If this could really be fulfilled, the Liu family, which has been so domineering these days, should have been confiscated and exterminated long ago.

Su Zhe looked at Prime Minister Liu, sighed and continued to say to Mo Jingqi: "Your Majesty, please think twice. Now that Great Chu is in the midst of war, His Royal Highness Prince Ding has been too lenient this time, but now Great Chu cannot leave His Royal Highness Prince Ding, please forgive His Royal Highness Prince Ding's mistakes."

Prime Minister Liu snorted and said, "Can't live without His Royal Highness Prince Ding? Could it be that all the civil and military officials in the Chu Dynasty are good-for-nothings, and that the Chu Dynasty will be in trouble without Prince Ding?"

Su Zhe said calmly, "I have heard that Lord Liu's family has a general. I just wonder how well General Liu can lead troops and what military achievements he has made. Can he replace Prince Ding to quell the war in the northwest?" Prime Minister Liu's face suddenly turned pale, and Mo Jingqi slammed the table heavily, angrily saying, "Enough! Do you think the court is a place for verbal battles? Shut up! Pass on my decree that Prince Ding Mo Xiuyao has arbitrarily carried out private punishment and killed innocent people, which is actually deceiving the emperor. I remember the merits of my ancestors and pardon his death penalty. He will inherit the title of Prince Ding and be made a county prince, and be fined for three years!"

As soon as these words came out, the whole hall fell silent. It took a long time for someone to react, "Your Majesty, please think twice..."

"Shut up! I have made up my mind!"

The news from the court soon reached the harem. Empress Hua was originally receiving the homage of the imperial concubines and ladies, but when she heard the news from her trusted maid, she couldn't help but feel dizzy. She swayed for a while, but finally sat down. After waving her hand to let the concubines and ladies who were at a loss as to what had happened leave, she asked in a deep voice, "Is this true?" The maid whispered, "According to the news just received from the court, the emperor's order to punish the emperor has probably left the capital by now." The queen fell back on the phoenix chair weakly and murmured in a low voice, "He's crazy... Princess Ding... Princess Ding..." The maid said, "The family has also received the news. Princess Ding is probably in danger." The queen thought of the gentle woman she had met several times. She seemed gentle and graceful, but there was always a feeling that made people want to get close to her and a calming aura. That woman...did she amaze the world on the battlefield in the northwest, but died the next moment? It is true...God is jealous of beauty...

Soon, the queen came back to her senses, calmed down her expression and said, "You go out of the palace to see my father in person. Tell him... Tell him to put the Hua family first and not to worry about me."

The maid looked at the empress hesitantly, and the empress waved her hand and said, "Go, father will understand what I mean." The maid left with worry, and the empress leaned back on the phoenix chair and sighed deeply, her beautiful face full of worry and helplessness.

"Mother..." Princess Changle ran into the palace and saw the tired look on her mother's face. She asked worriedly, "What's wrong with you? Did something happen?"

The Queen held Princess Changle in her arms, patted her back and said softly, "It's okay, nothing will happen. Good child... Mother will arrange everything for you..." Although the Queen refused to say it, Princess Changle knew in her little heart that something big must have happened. She leaned in the Queen's arms and said, "Changle will also protect you. I want you to be safe and sound."

"Good boy..."

Hongzhou City

Still in the prefect's mansion, the atmosphere was completely different from the past. Unlike Xinyang, the losses in the entire Hongzhou city were almost negligible except for a few city gates. What was terrifying was the bloody battle that lasted for a day and a night. When the reinforcements arrived in Hongzhou City, the original 30,000 Mohist troops were only a little over 10,000, and the 70,000 Xiling troops were only less than 30,000. The whole city was filled with the smell of blood, and every step was stained with dark red blood. The corpses were quickly removed and dealt with, and the bloodstained streets were quickly cleaned. There was still a faint smell of blood in the air, and everything seemed to have returned to the way it was before the war. However, the woman in green who always seemed leisurely and carefree and made people feel at ease was no longer on the city wall or in the prefect's mansion, and the other master of the Mohist Army was still in a deep sleep and unconscious.

In the deepest courtyard of the prefect's mansion, Feng Zhiyao paced back and forth in the room in a restless manner. Looking at Shen Yang who was sitting beside the bed and taking the pulse, he asked impatiently: "Mr. Shen, when will the prince wake up?" Since coming down from the mountain that day, Mo Xiuyao's body, which was not healthy to begin with, finally couldn't stand the days of anxiety and fatigue and the sudden huge blow. He vomited a few mouthfuls of blood and fell off the horse. Since then, he has never woken up again. And the people who were looking for the princess did not dare to stop. Feng Zhiyao sent nearly 10,000 people every day to search along the downstream of the river and even upstream. But seven or eight days have passed, and there is still no news. Feng Zhiyao knew in his heart that there was really no hope. Shen Yang looked back at him and shook his head. Feng Zhiyao rushed forward and grabbed him and said, "What do you mean by shaking your head?" Shen Yang said, "When the prince can wake up is not up to me." Feng Zhiyao laughed dryly and said, "What do you mean? You are not going to tell me that the prince doesn't want to live anymore?"

Shen Yang shook his head and said, "That's not the case. If the prince really wants to die, then he is not worthy of being Mo Liufang's son. What I mean is that the prince's body will not allow him to wake up now. The toxins in his body have not been cleared, and he has been weak and sick for a long time. Now he is on the verge of extreme danger. Once the prince wakes up, he will definitely be furious. It's all... He doesn't need to think about it, his body will... Complete collapse." Feng Zhiyuan was too careless to be polite, scratching his hair angrily and said, "What should we do now? I can hold on for two or three days, and I can barely hold on for ten days or half a month. What should we do if the prince still doesn't wake up after a long time? What about the Mohist Army? What should we do in the northwest?" Shen Yang rolled his eyes at him and said expressionlessly, "I'm a doctor. You ask me about other things, who should I ask?"

"Mo Xiuyao hasn't woken up yet?" Han Mingxi came in with a sullen face, glanced at the person on the bed and asked.

Feng Zhiyao frowned and looked at him, "Mr. Han, please respect yourself." Han Mingxi sneered, "Self-respect? Self-respect whatsoever! When A'li was in trouble, he just lay on the bed and pretended to be dead? Get out of the way..." Feng Zhiyao stood in front of him and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Han, I respect you as a friend of the princess and I will give you some respect. Don't be ungrateful!" Han Mingxi laughed in anger, "You still remember your princess... It's rare. Mo Xiuyao, if you can still breathe, get up for me! Jun Wei is really in trouble for meeting you." Feng Zhiyao wanted to say something, but was stopped by Shen Yang who was standing aside. Shen Yang shook his head and motioned Feng Zhiyao to stand aside and not care.

Han Mingxi snorted softly, walked to the bedside, and looked down at the man with a pale face on the bed. He was not pleased with him. If it wasn't for this man, would Jun Wei, a lady from a rich family, have to risk her life on the battlefield? Would she have to be forced to not be able to take care of herself even when she was pregnant? All this was caused by Mo Xiuyao's incompetence!

"You continue to sleep! Just sleep till you die. I will avenge Jun Wei. Humph! Coward, idiot, waste..."

Feng Zhiyao stared in amazement as Han Mingyue used all the insults he knew to scold Mo Xiuyao from beginning to end without even pausing. Feng Zhiyao's expression was stiff and he didn't know how to react. God knows, no one has ever scolded Prince Dingguo like this since the establishment of Prince Dingguo's Palace. It seemed that he had finally vented the anger that had been pent up in his heart for the past few days. Han Mingxi's face was obviously much better. He glanced at Mo Xiuyao and snorted, "If you want to pretend to be dead, keep pretending. I won't serve you anymore!" After that, he blew away like a gust of wind. Feng Zhiyao blinked and looked at Shen Yang with empty eyes. Shen Yang looked at the person on the bed, shook his head, turned around and left.

In the early morning, Feng Zhiyao was called to Mo Xiuyao's yard by the guards in a hurry. The reason was simple. The guards who served the prince in the morning found that the man who was supposed to be lying unconscious on the bed was missing. Under the protection of hundreds of secret guards and hundreds of thousands of Mo family soldiers in and outside the city, the prince disappeared without a trace, which made everyone panic. Rushing into the yard, Feng Zhiyao kicked open the half-closed door and rushed in without caring about anything else, but was stunned by the situation in front of him.

In the room where the prince was said to have disappeared, the bed was still empty. However, a thin and tall figure stood by the window of the side hall. What shocked Feng Zhiyuan was the dazzling silver-white hair draped behind him. "Prince...Prince?" After coming to his senses, Feng Zhiyuan shouted to the outside of the door, "Please ask Mr. Shen to come over!" Mo Xiuyao turned around and looked at the person in front of him. Feng Zhiyao felt a pang in his heart. The silver-white hair casually hung on Mo Xiuyao's neck, making the already thin man look even thinner and paler. But his spirit seemed to be surprisingly good. There was no situation that Shen Yang had predicted that his body might collapse due to his rage. In Feng Zhiyao's opinion, his body seemed to be in better shape than before the princess' accident. However, his eyes, which were originally warm but cold, now had a sharp edge. Feng Zhiyao couldn't help but think of the blood-tempered sword light, as if there was a terrifying giant beast hidden under such calmness. Once it breaks out one day... Feng Zhiyao trembled in his heart and dared not think about it anymore, "Prince...Prince, are you okay?"

Mo Xiuyao raised the corner of his lips slightly, but Feng Zhiyao could not sense the slightest smile. He only asked calmly, "How many days have I slept?"

Feng Zhiyao's heart trembled slightly, "It's been nine days."

"Are there any news about Ari?"

Feng Zhiyao lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "Princess...you are blessed with good fortune. You will surely be able to turn misfortune into good fortune."

"Then it's useless..." Mo Xiuyao said calmly, "Good fortune and luck come together... turn misfortune into good fortune? This king does not believe in ghosts and gods, and does not ask for help from heaven. If she dies, this king will turn this world into purgatory, and let the mountains and rivers serve as a sacrifice for her!"

Feng Zhiyao was shocked, and finally shook his head in frustration. If Mo Xiuyao was mad, depressed or sad, he could still say something to comfort him. But facing the man who said such shocking words calmly, he couldn't say anything. He didn't know what to say, or he didn't dare to.

There was silence in the room for a long time before Mo Xiuyao said, "Tell me about Ah Li." Feng Zhiyao didn't know what to say, but he had to say it, so he told her everything he could remember since Mo Xiuyao left. When he inevitably mentioned the child who was only about two months old, Feng Zhiyao quietly glanced at the silver-haired man at the window. Except for seeing his hands tightly holding the window frame in front of him, there was no trace of emotion on his calm face.

Shen Yang came in hurriedly with a medicine box, and Feng Zhiyao immediately stopped talking and made way for him at the door. Shen Yang stood at the door and saw the person standing by the window was also stunned. It was obvious that the situation in front of him was not what he expected. The situation of white hair overnight was not unrecorded, but it was another matter to actually see it. On the other hand, Shen Yang understood why Mo Xiuyao woke up so quickly and was able to stand up on his own instead of being bedridden with a worse health. The anger, resentment, pain and sadness in his heart did not leave even in his coma, so the white hair appeared in front of him. But after all, it was released. As long as Prince Ding did not indulge his temper and mood too much, it would be safe for the time being. As long as there was time, he would always be able to find a medicine to completely cure him. Thinking of this, Shen Yang breathed a sigh of relief. He stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, please let me take your pulse."

Mo Xiuyao did not object, and casually sat down on the chair by the window, resting his wrist on the table. Shen Yang stepped forward and took his pulse, and looked at Mo Xiuyao for a long time with some doubt, frowning and said: "Your Majesty's health... is not serious for the time being. But please don't overwork yourself, and take care of yourself."

"Thank you, Mr. Shen." Mo Xiuyao nodded.

This time, Shen Yang also noticed that something was wrong with Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao was not a difficult patient to take care of, but he was definitely not a patient who would listen to the doctor's orders. At this moment, the look on his face that he had clearly listened to his instructions seriously made him feel a little uneasy.

"Your Highness has been mentally disturbed these past few days... I'm afraid. I'll prescribe some medicine for you to take as a hint."

"I understand." Mo Xiuyao nodded, thought for a moment, lifted up the white hair on his shoulders and looked at it, and said, "Please ask Mr. Shen to ask me to prepare some potion to cover the white hair."

Shen Yang was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "I obey your command."

"Your Highness, an envoy has arrived from the capital." The guard outside the door reported.

Mo Xiuyao lowered his eyes, a faint smile appeared on his lips, "Let him in."