Chapter 212 The Corpse Explosion: Everything is Under Control
"Chief Lou." The eagle guard who came towards him recognized Lou Cangyu. "We've reunited. Did your sword... discover the traitors' whereabouts?"
"The dock." Lou Cangyu pointed his sword toward the dock, his dark eyes gleaming with a rebirth-like light. "Gather your men and follow me to the dock to capture the traitor."
dockside
Hearing the clatter of hooves, Mu Chenbi guessed that Lou Cangyu had figured out their destination. The lingering mist made it possible to vaguely see dozens of black-armored eagle guards riding towards them. Lou Cangyu, the leader, was dressed in black but not wearing armor. Even from a distance, one could feel the murderous intent in his dark eyes. Mu Chenbi pulled Guan Ye up. For a moment, he wanted to face the pursuers and reveal his identity as the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, but looking at the sword in his hand, Mu Chenbi knew it was not the right time yet.
"I'm going to kill Lou Cangyu." Guan Ye recognized the leader, Lou Cangyu, dressed in black, and drew a short sword from her sleeve, ready to fight to the death.
“Not now.” Mu Chenbi shook his head at her. “If the commotion gets too big, Father and Cui Jin will immediately order them to chase after Ji Fang and the others. Ji Fang won’t have time to go back and report. There are still so many people on Canglang Island… Also, the Crown Prince is in the palace. The person with you is Ajiu.”
With her was Ajiu. Guan Ye instantly understood that if she couldn't hold back and fight Lou Cangyu head-on now, Lou Cangyu could simply claim that the people drawing their swords with the Eagle Guards were traitors from Xingguo Ward, kill them at the dock, and then return to report...
Guan Ye sheathed her short sword, glanced angrily at Lou Cangyu on horseback, and quietly left under the cover of the boat.
He dismounted and looked around, but there was no sign of the place Lou Cangyu was looking for. There were ships scattered on the sea, which meant that after the fog dissipated, the ships that had piled up had all set sail and headed off to the ends of the earth.
"So many ships, who knows where they're going..." Eagle Guard looked troubled. "Chief Lou, it seems they haven't gone far. Should we requisition ships and hurry to catch up?"
Lou Cangyu shook his head, "No need."
Where would they go? Where could they possibly go? Canglang Island, only Canglang Island. If Lou Cangyu wasn't mistaken, given the Emperor and Cui Jin's methods, it was only a matter of time before they attacked Canglang Island. Xingguo Ward had been destroyed, and although the island was inhabited by the old, weak, sick, and disabled, they were still an inextinguishable flame. They were all people abandoned by the world, their lives as insignificant as ants, and no one would care if they all died.
Mother and elder brother are still on the island… Lou Cangyu’s heart trembled. They wouldn’t just sit and wait to die. They would definitely gather the islanders and flee to another place, taking Mother and elder brother with them. No matter where they go, they won’t stay on Canglang Island to wait for death.
If that's the case, Mother and my eldest brother might still have a chance of survival.
"I will report back to the Imperial Advisor and then make further plans." Lou Cangyu turned away with a flick of his sleeve, his face showing a hint of inner conflict.
In the palace
When Ah Jiu saw Xiao Ma again, Xiao Ma was already a cold corpse. Ah Jiu thought she had seen wrong, or that they had deliberately used the excuse of a fake corpse to test her... but the corpse was indeed Xiao Ma, and Xiao Ma was dead.
"Only him?" Ajiu asked in a low voice.
Lou Cangyu raised his eyebrows arrogantly, "Your Highness, please don't be impatient, the others will be here soon too."
"This is... Ma Lin?" Mu You stood up from the dragon throne and walked closer, bending down to look at the blood-stained face of the corpse. "Ma Yi's grandson whom he has never met, Ma Yanyu's son."
"Yes," Lou Cangyu quickly replied.
Ajiu sneered, "Lou Cangyu, you even know about the Ma family's mint? Mayi, Ma Yanyu, have you met them? And you still dare to shamelessly agree?"
Lou Cangyu's face paled, and he took a few steps back, not daring to say another word. Cui Jin gathered his black robe and said calmly, "Your Majesty, this man's appearance is similar to the portrait brought back from Lingnan seven or eight times. He is Xiao Ma from Xingguo Ward." As he spoke, he gave Lou Cangyu a look, and glanced sideways at Xiao Ma's bare neck with his one eye, "What is he hiding? Bring it to me."
Lou Cangyu knelt on one knee, reached out and hooked the colorful rope hanging around the little horse's neck, revealing a crystal-clear jade buckle. "This..." Lou Cangyu was stunned and said in surprise, "I have lived and eaten with him for several years, and I never found out that he had this."
With that, she forcefully tore off the colorful rope, wiped the bloodstains off the jade buckle with her sleeve, carefully held it in her hands, and stood up to present it to Mu You, "Your Majesty, Imperial Preceptor, please take a look."
“This item is rare…” Cui Jin clicked his tongue. “It’s not something an ordinary family would own. The Ma family is a family that mints coins and has a lot of wealth. They can afford to produce such a fine item. Little Ma, that’s Ma Lin.”
Ajiu peeked at Mu You, whose expression didn't change much. It seemed he wasn't satisfied with only Xiao Ma dying. Lou Cangyu saw this and felt uneasy.
Lou Cangyu.
"Your subordinate is here." Lou Cangyu suddenly knelt down.
Mu You's expression was unreadable, his gray eyes sweeping over the swordsmen who had defected from Xingguo Ward. "You chased them all the way to the dock, knowing they had only been gone a short while. Why didn't you pursue them immediately? Instead, you let them go free?"
Lou Cangyu's knees went weak, but his tone remained calm. As he turned around at the dock, he had already figured out how to deal with it. "Because... I have a good idea of where they are going and what they are planning. Everything... is under my control."
"Oh?" Mu You showed a hint of curiosity.
Lou Cangyu glanced at Cui Jin, whose single eye was deep, indicating that he could speak freely. "They will return to Canglang Island first. There are still many people on the island. They consider themselves loyal and righteous, and they will certainly not abandon the islanders. Ji Fang and his sister grew up relying on each other, and he cherishes his sister more than his own life. No matter what, they will go back to the island and make further plans."
“It’s not hard to guess.” Mu Youcang’s eyes were dark. “They won’t stay on the island to wait for the army to invade. The sky is high and the sea is wide. Where will they go after leaving Canglang Island? What I need to know, you didn’t say.”
Lou Cangyu remained calm and continued, "Your Majesty does not understand the deep sea."
"How dare you!" Chang Lu angrily rebuked Lou Cangyu for his rudeness.
"Let him continue."
"The sea is deep and vast, dotted with islands of all sizes, but not all islands are suitable for human habitation," Lou Cangyu said. "On Canglang Island, there are still about a hundred people left. These people need to eat and live. If they leave Canglang Island, they must find another island suitable for human habitation. Such islands are few and far between in that sea area. I was born and raised on Canglang Island. Because of the shame of my ancestors' broken sword, I cannot touch a sword. If I cannot forge swords, I can only burn materials. If I do not want to burn materials, then there is only another path I can take." Lou Cangyu paused for a moment, then looked up, revealing his young and handsome face, "To become a fisherman."
“I started going out to sea with the fishermen on the island when I was six or seven years old. I am familiar with the surrounding waters and know which islands are suitable for people to live on. Even if they leave Canglang Island, they still cannot escape my grasp.”
Mu You finally showed a slight satisfaction, and after a moment of silence, he said, "Won't they leave the seas you are familiar with and go to more distant places?"
“Absolutely impossible.” Lou Cangyu, having reached the point of exile, disregarded the fact that the supreme emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty was in front of him and said without hesitation, “The island’s resources are already limited, and the islanders who remain are mostly the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled. Asking them to drag their families along and endure hardship would be impossible, as they cannot sustain themselves for long, whether in terms of manpower or resources.”
Cui Jin closed his single eye and said quietly, "Young Master Pei is still on the island. This person is quite talented, and his mind doesn't seem simple either."
Lou Cangyu sneered, "Pei Chu? The Imperial Preceptor has forgotten that he's crippled, just a broken body. What's there to fear?"
"Lou Cangyu." Ajiu, who had been silent for a while, looked at Cui Jin meaningfully and said, "Are you referring to Young Master Pei?"
Lou Cangyu felt a chill run down his spine, secretly annoyed at himself for being so smug. He quickly knelt before Cui Jin, bowing his head and saying, "This subordinate misspoke. This subordinate did not mean that. Please forgive me, Grand Preceptor."
"It's alright." Cui Jin waved his hand generously. "Lou Cangyu, you're right. You're young and promising. Given time, you'll surely achieve great things."
Mu You waved his sleeve and said, "Since you are so confident, after we deal with the remnants of Rongdu, I will entrust you with the task of leading the troops out to sea."
Lou Cangyu was overjoyed and bowed deeply, saying, "Your Majesty, I will not fail you."
"Lou Cangyu," Ajiu continued, "you said Ji Fang's sister is on the island. Are there any other people of yours on Canglang Island?"
Lou Cangyu dared not raise his face, hesitating and unsure how to answer. After a long while, he stammered, "This subordinate dares not conceal the truth, but my mother and elder brother... are still on the island."
Ajiu pressed on, "You've racked your brains and schemed everything for the Emperor, was it so that when the army storms the island, you could beg for his grace to save your family's lives? Or... did you go to great lengths to obtain the command of the army so that you might have a chance to save your family... or... something more?"
"Your subordinate dares not." Lou Cangyu was shocked. "Your subordinate is loyal to the Emperor and would never dare to have the slightest selfish thought. I beg the Emperor and the Imperial Preceptor to see the truth."
“Lou Cangyu, Pei Cangyu.” Ajiu sneered at the unfamiliar face before him. “You can even break the Blood Alliance and have defected once. Who can be sure you won’t defect a second time? Father, I think this person is not trustworthy.”
Lou Cangyu bit his lip with his teeth, knelt and moved a few steps, saying, "I have nowhere to retreat. I have broken the blood oath and killed Ma Lin. I am now an enemy that everyone in Xingguo Ward wants to kill. Apart from the inner ward and the Emperor's Grand Preceptor, I have no other support. I hereby swear that I will kill everyone on Canglang Island to show my loyalty to the Emperor."
"Everyone?" A-Jiu's eyes blazed with fury. "Including your mother and your brother?"
Lou Cangyu looked up without thinking, "If they remain obstinate and join forces with the remnants of Xingguo Ward, they will be enemies of the Emperor and the court. I dare not protect them. If that happens, I will not be merciful."
“Good.” Ajiu shook her head and laughed. “What a fine one, not one to be merciful. Lou Cangyu, the Grand Preceptor is right. You are indeed a capable person. I underestimated you before. I am also curious, when the time comes, will your sword… kill your mother and your brother as easily as it killed Ma Lin?”
"Lou Cangyu," Cui Jin suddenly spoke up, "Now that Ma Lin is dead, what do you think should be done with his body?"
Lou Cangyu was suddenly stumped by the question and blurted out, "Just throw him into the mass grave..." Then, realizing what he had said, he raised his head and said, "I understand... Ma Lin's descendant, a serious criminal, actually dared to escape from his place of exile to Canglang Island. Canglang Island is smuggling people and harboring refugees. Ma Lin is irrefutable evidence. Ma Lin's body should be hung at the gate of Rongdu City and exposed to the sun for three days to warn the people and to announce to the world that Xingguo Ward has committed a serious crime. There is no injustice, the evidence is conclusive, and he cannot escape the death penalty."
Ajiu stared in shock at Lou Cangyu's expressionless face. "The person is already dead, and you're leaving the corpse exposed for three days? That's far too cruel..."
Cui Jin's single eye gleamed with a sinister light. "The Crown Prince is still too lenient. Don't forget, there are still traitors on the run in Xingguo Ward. This method can only intimidate them and let them know that this is the consequence of opposing the court." He then nodded in satisfaction to Lou Cangyu. "Lou Cangyu, your method is good. What does His Majesty think?"
Mu You glanced coldly at Xiao Ma's stiff corpse, turned away in disgust, and flicked his sleeves, saying, "Let it be as it is. Doesn't the Grand Preceptor think this corpse is already rotting?"
A white cloth was draped over Xiao Ma, who was carried out like a discarded object. His bloodless wrists drooped down, and his slightly bent fingers hung limply as if he still had endless worries. A Jiu watched him, then turned away to hide the redness in the corners of her eyes.
"—Your Highness the Crown Prince." Cui Jin suddenly spoke.
Ajiu turned slightly with a confident posture, "Is there anything else, Grand Preceptor?"
Cui Jin lightly flicked his sleeves and approached him. A Jiu simply met him head-on, his sharp eyes meeting Cui Jin's single gaze without showing any fear. Cui Jin scanned him sharply and found that the man before him did indeed have the same face as Mu Chenbi, but was he really Mu Chenbi? Cui Jin felt that he was not, but... Cui Jin was at a loss.
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