Shen Lan replied, "That doesn't look like they're going to attack the capital."
King Jing believed this.
The Prince of Jin is kind and benevolent, and would never resort to bloodshed to fight for the throne.
This is terrible.
Prince Jing hurriedly lifted the curtain and peeked in. He saw Chen Yu leaning against the window with her eyes half-closed, her legs propped up on the seat opposite her, while Jiu'er sat opposite her, massaging her legs.
[Is Prince Jing looking for my daughter?]
Shen Yu opened her eyes, hurriedly withdrew her leg, and stammered, "I...I've already sent someone to take Lord He away. I...I'm waiting for you. I have important matters to discuss with you. Let's get in the carriage first."
As the carriage moved along, Prince Jing lowered his head and secretly glanced at Chen Yu, who was secretly pinching her calves with her hands hanging down.
Thinking that the weather was starting to get colder, and that Shenyu's legs might be afraid of the cold, King Jing took off his outer robe and draped it over Shenyu's legs.
[I feel hot and stuffy in the sedan chair, you take it for now. By the way, do you have something important to discuss with me?]
Shen Yu nodded, then turned and peeked through the curtains. They were also being watched, and if they tried to escape the capital, they would surely be caught and brought back by the Prince Heng.
She sighed helplessly, "Alas! The Prince of Heng's men are guarding the Mu family's residence. My elder brother can't escape, let alone take away the 60,000 troops."
King Jing was also troubled. "This is difficult to handle. The Prince of Jin is on his way to the capital. Knowing his temperament, he would never go to war with the Prince of Heng; he might even abdicate the throne."
Chen Yu panicked and looked up at Prince Jing. "If that's the case, then Prince Heng will have an army of 300,000, while our Mu family army only has 60,000. We have no chance of escaping the capital. Unless… they fight amongst themselves, our Mu family will have no chance of getting away."
King Jing immediately shook his head. "I know King Jin's temperament. Even if King Heng held a knife to his throat, he wouldn't resist."
Indeed, the Prince of Jin rode leisurely on horseback towards the capital.
The personal guard beside him, looking worried, handed the water pouch to the Prince of Jin and asked again, "Prince Jin, are you really sure? Are you really going to give up all of this?"
The Prince of Jin remained silent, having decided to hand over his 80,000-strong army to the Prince of Heng and become a monk, never again concerning himself with court affairs.
Dede dede...
A rapid sound of hooves approached. The Prince of Jin looked up and saw a man covered in blood, disheveled and holding a letter. Before the man reached him, he fell off his horse.
[The Prince of Jin has received an urgent message from the frontier.]
The Prince of Jin dismounted, took the letter, and saw that it was from the Third Prince Qiu.
Young Master Qiu wants to submit to him, and an army of 100,000 will arrive in the capital tomorrow evening to help him take over the palace.
What?
Prince Jin was shocked. Even though the late emperor had passed the throne to him, he did not want to be emperor. The help of the Third Young Master Qiu was nothing short of bringing trouble upon him.
To avoid conflict, he put the letter away, intending to rush to the palace as soon as possible, hand it over to Prince Heng, and explain everything to him.
As darkness fell, dark clouds gathered and rain began to fall, causing soldiers to cover their heads in the rain.
The Prince of Jin was filled with worry. He had originally planned to travel through the night and arrive in the capital by 7 PM, but now it seemed that he had no choice but to set up camp.
Midnight (11 PM - 1 AM).
The lights in Ziji Palace came on, and Chenyu, supported by Jiu'er, walked into the palace. Luoyan was dressing Hengwang.
Shen Yu hurriedly reported: "King Heng, five thousand soldiers attacked the west gate and have killed all the gate guards. I cannot mobilize the troops and say that I need King Heng's order."
The situation was urgent, so King Jing and my elder brother had no choice but to lead their entourage to resist.
We urge King Heng to order the dispatch of more troops to provide support.
Enraged, King Heng shoved Luo Yan aside and shouted, "I am stationed in the capital, yet rebels have invaded?! Guards! Issue the order: King Li shall lead five thousand troops to the western city to meet the enemy and annihilate the rebels..."
Hearing Heng Wang's words, Chen Yu secretly curled her lips, unable to hide her contempt and disdain.
The attack on the west gate was a feint by her and Prince Jing, designed to help the Mu family army escape from Prince Heng's grasp.
Since taking control of the palace, Prince Heng has stationed his own troops inside. Even if someone attacks the city gates, he does not use the Mu family army. It seems that the emperor is still wary of the Mu family.
No matter, her fabrication will surely throw the Prince into disarray and leave him at her mercy.
She stepped forward in alarm and said, "Your Highness, you mustn't! The troops in the palace cannot be mobilized."
Shen Yu learned that the Prince of Jin had camped fifty li southwest of Dongsheng Village last night.
Logically, the Prince of Jin should have returned to the capital through the east gate after returning from the southeast coast. However, why was someone attacking through the west gate? The only strategy that Shen Yu could think of was a feint attack.
The Prince of Jin intends to lure us to the west gate, then attack from the east gate and seize the palace.
Upon hearing Chen Yu's words, Heng Wang suddenly realized, "Yes, Prince Jin has 80,000 troops, while the palace only has 20,000 soldiers. If we send more people to reinforce the west gate, the palace's forces will be weakened, and Prince Jin might take advantage of the situation to invade..."
Thinking of all this, the Prince Heng hurriedly asked, "What brilliant plan does the female strategist have?"
Shen Yu was overjoyed, but frowned and pretended to think. After a while, she replied, "Prince Heng, we will send men from the west to circle around to the rear of Prince Jin. We will also ambush 30,000 troops outside the east gate to surround Prince Jin and catch him off guard."
As for who to send to the rear of the Prince of Jin, it can only be the Mu family army. The Prince of Li's troops have been stationed on the western frontier for many years and are not familiar with the surrounding terrain.
If the Prince of Heng trusts my elder brother, then give him another 30,000 troops. With that, my elder brother will surely be able to capture the Prince of Jin.
After a moment's thought, King Heng nodded repeatedly. "Good! Issue my order: send the Mu family army out from the west gate, and King Li with 30,000 troops to ambush outside the east gate. Together, we will annihilate the rebels, leaving no survivors."
Yin hour (3-5 AM).
As dawn broke, Prince Heng remained seated at the entrance of the Ziji Palace, awaiting news of victory.
Forget about good news, there wasn't even any sign of battle. Logically, the Mu family army should have already started fighting the Prince of Jin!
At this moment, King Li stormed in, glaring at King Heng with a mocking tone, "You're brave but reckless, obsessed with women. Even a middle-aged woman like Mu Chenyu can bewitch you so much you lose your bearings?"
Prince Heng abruptly stood up and shouted, "Prince Li! Don't forget I am the eldest son of the late emperor! How dare you point fingers at me!"
Do you know that the Mu family army has already flown far away?
Boom! Heng Wang slumped onto the circle, only then realizing he had fallen into Chen Yu's trap.
At this moment, Chen Yu was asleep in the sedan chair. The carriage swayed gently, and she pursed her lips with a faint smile on her face.
In her dream, Liu Yu and she hid in a cave. She felt a cool breeze and leaned against Liu Yu's chest.
Liu Yu pushed her away and looked up. How did Liu Yu fall off the cliff?
No!
Shen Yu awoke with a start, tears welling in her eyes. Opening them, she saw Prince Jing looking at her. "Don't be afraid," he said. "We're far from the capital. There's no one stationed on the western frontier or along the southeast coast. Shall we go to the southeast coast?"
Shen Yu nodded. With the Prince of Jin submitting to the Prince of Heng, the imperial court now had an army of 270,000, while the Mu family army and the direct descendants of the Liu family only had 95,000, with 30,000 soldiers being recruited from the Prince of Heng.
Now, all we can hope for is that Young Master Qiu can merge with them.
------
Six months later, it was the Qingming Festival.
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