Chapter 223: Resting in Peace
The expression on Huan Ding's face changed.
He knew that Princess Yuzhang's carriage had overturned.
However, this wasn't his first time dealing with Sima Jun. Sima Jun was known for his toughness and unwillingness to yield easily. So, would he actually beg his enemy for the life of Princess Yuzhang?
Huan Ding didn't recognize the Prince of Yuzhang as such.
"That vicious woman, wouldn't it be better if she died?" Huan Ding snorted coldly. "Push her. If she refuses to submit, attack Jingzhou. I want to see which is more powerful, his small navy or the walls of Puqi County and my 100,000 troops."
The county magistrate had no choice but to agree.
Although Huan Ding refused outright, Chen Wang did not dare to offend Sima Jun easily. After much deliberation, he secretly sent a doctor to visit the patient on the ship.
Unexpectedly, the doctor brought back shocking news.
The consort of Prince Yuzhang died.
The county magistrate hurriedly told Huan Ding the news, and Huan Ding immediately jumped out of bed and asked, "Is it true?"
"It's absolutely true," the magistrate said. "There's been widespread weeping on that boat. I heard the prince has already sent people to find a coffin to bury the body overnight. He plans to first place the body in a temple on the other side of the river. He'll return to Jiangzhou tomorrow morning to attend the funeral."
Huan Ding fell to his knees and bowed towards Jingzhou, saying, "Father! I have finally avenged you!"
——
The news of the death of Prince Yuzhang's concubine spread like wildfire and reached a house in Puqi City.
Lu Qiuyan was as shocked as Huan Ding.
"Dead?" he said.
Yao Rong said, "The carriage is still there. I went to check it out, and it was indeed severely overturned. She wasn't indestructible, so it's not surprising that she died."
As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Qiuyan and asked, "Are you sad?"
Lü Qiuyan didn't answer. After a moment's silence, he simply asked, "Has Huan Ding heard the news?"
"Understood," said the attendant who had brought the news. "General Huan has sent a number of men across the river to investigate, and there's no doubt about it. General Huan has avenged his great vengeance, and plans to return to Jingzhou City at daybreak to continue mourning for the Duke of Nanjun."
Yao Rong snorted coldly, "Huan Ding is lucky. Now it seems that letting the Prince of Yuzhang fight him is not feasible. What should we do? Let him go back?"
"Of course we can't let him go." Lu Qiuyan said.
"Are you going to do it yourself?"
"I never do it myself. Someone else does it."
"oh?"
Lu Qiuyan said to Yao Rong, "Tell those around Huan Ding that the news of Princess Yuzhang's death is false. The Prince of Yuzhang is sending naval forces to confront Jingzhou, but in reality, he's afraid Huan Ding will lead a large army to attack, so he's abandoning the sea route and returning to Jingzhou by land. While Princess Yuzhang claims to be resting her body on the other side of the river, she's actually staying there, waiting to slip away at daybreak."
Yao Rong listened from the side, her eyes lit up, but she was hesitant.
"The Jiangzhou navy is stationed on the opposite bank. Does Huan Ding dare to attack them?" she said.
"Why wouldn't I be afraid?" Lü Qiuyan smiled. "The Jiangzhou navy is certainly formidable in naval battles, but their performance on land isn't always the same. Don't forget, the other side is still Jingzhou territory. Huan Ding has sworn to personally kill the Princess of Yuzhang. Given his reckless nature, he'll undoubtedly lead the charge this time."
"I understand." Yao Rong said, "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Lu Qiuyan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Where is the small temple where the Yuzhang Princess's body is kept?"
——
At night, the moonlight was obscured by clouds and the dew grew heavier.
Lu Qiuyan took his men and quietly crossed the river on a sampan.
The place where Princess Yuzhang's body was placed was a small temple with a perpetual lamp on. The night wind was filled with the smell of burning fire.
Lu Qiuyan sneaked closer and looked from outside the door. He saw that the temple door was open and he could see the Buddhist hall that had been temporarily converted into a mourning hall.
Faintly, one could see two guards guarding inside, and a maid kneeling in front of the coffin, burning paper.
In the middle was a coffin, standing alone in the center.
The wind blew, and the white flags fluttered around, looking bleak and eerie.
Obviously, all preparations were made in a hurry.
Lu Qiuyan stood and watched for a moment, then walked in.
The lantern swayed in the wind. The guard noticed him and stopped him immediately.
"Who is coming?"
Lu Qiuyan asked, "I wonder who passed away in the palace?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the temple door suddenly closed.
A woman came out from behind the coffin.
Seeing the newcomer, Lu Qiuyan smiled knowingly: "The princess is truly ruthless, actually joking about her own death."
"If I hadn't used ruthless force, how could I have gotten the Chief Secretary to show up?" Sun Wei said, "The Chief Secretary still gave me some face. Thank you very much, Chief Secretary."
Lu Qiuyan walked forward slowly and asked, "Princess, why did you go to so much trouble to summon me here?"
"Negotiate a deal with the Chief Secretary."
"Oh? What business?"
"After Huan Ding's death, Jingzhou was divided into two parts. The Crown Prince took the southern bank, and the northern bank was given to the Chief Secretary."
Lü Qiuyan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Princess, do you know that the south bank of Jingzhou is nearly four times the size of the north bank? Why did I agree to this loss-making deal?"
"Because I will help the Chief Secretary get rid of Huan Ding and Huan An," Sun Wei said, "The Chief Secretary has always been very careful about his reputation. Isn't it good for me to do such a dirty job for him?"
"Why dirty the princess's hands with such a trivial matter?"
Sun Wei sneered, "Then why did the Chief Secretary allow Huan Lingxian to slander me for the death of the Duke of Nanjun?"
Lu Qiuyan showed no guilt at all.
"Yao Rong must have told the princess that it was a misunderstanding."
"Huan Lingxian has already entrusted his life to the Chief Secretary. How can the Chief Secretary brush it off as a misunderstanding? Chief Secretary, do you know what the consequences would be if General Huan learned of this?"
"The princess is right. I am ashamed." Lu Qiuyan said.
"General Huan probably never imagined that when I met the Duke of Nanjun that day, it was the Chief Secretary who fed him the poison," Sun Wei said. "His beloved daughter had already colluded with you to deceive him."
Lu Qiuyan smiled, then suddenly said, "Just now, the princess suggested dividing Jingzhou into two, with the two of us governing the north and south respectively. I think this is quite feasible."
"oh?"
"However, I have another suggestion. The southern bank of Jingzhou will be given to the prince, and the princess will live with me on the northern bank."
In the candlelight, Sun Wei looked at him, his expression unable to tell whether he was happy or angry.
Lu Qiuyan walked towards her: "What do you think, Princess?"
Suddenly a long arrow came flying through the wind.
Lu Qiuyan calmly dodged and barely avoided it.
He looked at the figure that appeared behind the Buddha statue and laughed, "Sure enough, the prince is here too."
Sima Jun stepped forward and blocked Sun Wei behind him.
"The Chief Secretary has also come prepared," he said.
Lu Qiuyan asked, "I wonder what the princess and the prince are up to by setting up this trap tonight and constantly trying to trick me."
Sima Jun looked behind him.
Deng Lian opened the door to the side room, and a man rushed out, cursing, "Lü Qiuyan, you are worse than an animal!"
Lu Qiuyan's expression suddenly froze.
The person who came was none other than Huan Ding.
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