Xiao Chaihu nodded solemnly. "Yes! These men are about to become evidence of Minister Duan fabricating a case against His Highness for secretly hoarding troops."
At Xiao Chaihu’s words, Mu Houchu’s face darkened abruptly. He lifted his eyes to look at the group desperately fighting against the bandits.
The group’s attire was unremarkable, just like the ordinary common people, but their formation and attacks were obviously those of well-trained soldiers.
The gaze of Mu Houchu was as cold as a thousand-year-old ice, intimidating anyone who made eye contact with him.
So that was it. Minister Duan planned for these people to appear as commoners, but their moves screamed of military training. This would be enough to accuse him of hoarding troops privately the moment these people were seen.
This sinister move was exactly in his style.
"Your Highness, what should we do now?" Ling Feng immediately asked.
Mu Houchu’s face was filled with coldness. In his already icy eyes, there was an added hint of severity. "Kill them all."
Ling Feng was stunned. "The bandits and those people, kill them all?"
"Kill them all." Mu Houchu stated coldly.
Minister Duan hadn’t arrived yet. The only way out was to destroy the "proof".
As soon as Xiao Chaihu came, Mu Houchu knew it must be Ji Xinhe who was stirring up trouble. Since Minister Duan was still absent, he must have been held up by Ji Xinhe. He must take advantage of this opportunity.
"Yes!" Ling Feng saluted and signaled to the secret guards, "Kill them all, don’t leave a single one alive!"
"Yes!"
The secret guards raised by Mu Houchu were naturally well-trained. In just a moment, all these people, whether bandits or fake soldiers, were killed.
Mu Houchu rode his horse, its hoofs stepping in the blood. He dyed the Honghua Valley red.
His eyes were cold as he scanned the pile of corpses with no hint of warmth.
He quietly stood in the sea of blood, waiting for someone.
Not long after, this person finally arrived.
It was Duan Lan.
Duan Lan rode his horse in furiously, greeted by this ghastly sight. His originally angry face turned pale. When he looked at Mu Houchu again, his hypocritical eyes filled with genuine rage.
He wanted to burn him to ashes!
"Prince Pingyang, what a big action." Duan Lan gritted his teeth and said.
Mu Houchu looked at him indifferently, even somewhat mockingly, "Minister Duan, you are so clever, if I don’t act harshly, I will just leave a gap for you to exploit. Isn’t your ability obvious? If I have any regrets, it is that I spared your life, leaving you here today to cause so much trouble."
Duan Lan sneered, "Six years ago, you spared my life once, and it will become your greatest regret in this lifetime!"
Mu Houchu retorted coldly, "That’s why I will not be merciful anymore. Today, I have decided to clear the roots completely without leaving any room for you. How I deal with the bandits today is how I will deal with you, Duan Lan, tomorrow. Your fate will sooner or later be like them, dying under my sword. Six years ago, I spared your life, not because I pitied you, but because she cared about you."
Mu Houchu’s voice was bone-chillingly cold, with a hint of mockery, as if mocking Duan Lan’s overconfidence. If it hadn’t been for her, Duan Lan would have died long ago!
Mu Houchu was decisive and ruthless at any time, except when it came to her matters, where he was always careful.
He didn’t want anything or anyone to become a thorn between them.
Just like six years ago, Duan Lan helped her and even made her feel guilty for him. So even when Mu Houchu had the best chance to kill Duan Lan, and was filled with anger, he had to suppress his emotions.
Because he knew that if Duan Lan died then, especially at his hands, Xin He might not leave him, but it would be a thorn in her heart for a lifetime. He didn’t allow any man to stay in her heart, not even as a thorn!
He couldn’t bear it, nor did he allow it!
So he chose to spare him six years ago, and time proved his choice was correct. Until now, the little affection Duan Lan still had in Ji Xinhe’s heart had been exhausted.
"Mu Houchu, what are you so arrogant about? Today, you almost fell into my hands, and in the end, you had to rely on a woman to help you avoid trouble. You really are man enough." Duan Lan sneered, his eyes full of jealousy.
Mu Houchu wasn’t angry at all when he heard this, instead, he looked even more proud, "Really? Being able to make a woman worry and plan for me, isn’t that my ability too? Which man in the world has my kind of luck? Minister Duan, I don’t think you have it."
Upon hearing these words, Ling Feng and the secret guards almost fell off their horses. Their faces showed a variety of emotions!
Their master who was always proud, calculating, and powerful, was so complacent when being teased by others for being kept by a woman?! Shouldn’t he be slapping him to death right now?!
Ling Feng couldn’t help rubbing his eyes, doubting if he was seeing things.
Who would have thought, Mu Houchu’s mood seemed to be very good at this moment. Speaking of Ji Xinhe, the usually aloof corners of his mouth inevitably raised slightly. "She worked so hard today to deal with you, to help me avoid trouble. It seems that my wife really cares about me."
This expression was almost like saying: Yes, she stands by my side, she is determined to help me, even if the person on the opposite side is you, she doesn’t mind being your enemy! You are so insignificant in her heart that even if I kill you now, she wouldn’t care!
Ling Feng and the others twitched at the corner of their mouths, fearing they would be scolded by their master when they returned home. They quickly bowed their heads to hide their emotions.
At this point, Duan Lan’s face had changed drastically. Besides his anger, there was also a hint of hatred, and even... desolation.
He had been searching for her for six years, and when they met again, things had profoundly changed.
Duan Lan let out a sarcastic laugh, "So you think that now she doesn’t care about me, you can rest easy forever? Mu Houchu, don’t get ahead of yourself. Don’t forget the path you’re walking now. Don’t you want that throne? Once you’ve truly secured the country, do you think she will be willing to lock herself in the imperial harem, which is like a golden cage, for you?"
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