“In the imperial family, there is no true bond between father and son.”

Mu Mianhong looked at the distant city and said softly, then turned to look at Xiao Man.

“When the fighting starts, tell that Leader Bai to cover us as we enter the city.”

Although Xiao Man had already experienced many battles, she still felt somewhat flustered hearing this: “What’s going on? Sending in evidence against Xiao Xun is actually sending her to her death? What exactly is she trying to do? Auntie, what did she say to you?”

Besides having her deliver letters to the capital, Chu Zhao had also given Mu Mianhong a note earlier.

Since it wasn’t for her, she hadn’t read it.

Xiao Man was a bit panicked. How was this different from what Chu Zhao had said? She had said that as long as things were done well in the capital, it would all be over. But now it looked like they were heading for a fight to the death instead?

“She said that if she dies, I must kill Prince Zhongshan,” Mu Mianhong said.

Xiao Man was stunned. Why would she die?

“So she really went to throw her life away!” She stamped her foot resentfully: “How can she be so reckless, how can she be so—”

She looked at Mu Mianhong helplessly.

“Auntie, why didn’t you stop her?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Sigh, Chu Zhao wouldn’t even speak to her aunt—how could her aunt dare stop her?

What a humble and helpless position for a mother to be in.

Mu Mianhong pulled her into an embrace and patted her back, laughing softly: “Don’t worry, and don’t be angry. To survive until now, she could only be reckless.”

Just like General Chu—fearless and bold. Actually, she was the same as Mu Mianhong herself. How else had she walked this path until now if not fearlessly—except when it came to her two concerns.

General Chu was already gone, and her daughter was right before her eyes. In life, she could watch over her; in death, she would go with her. This life was complete—what else was there to fear?

“A’Zhao said,” Mu Mianhong looked ahead, coiling the long whip around her waist and picking up the long blade standing beside her, “he killed your daughter, so you won’t let him become emperor.”

“Your daughter”—these three words were like calling her “mother.”

Her daughter had made a request, and as her mother, naturally she wouldn’t stop her, but would help with all her might.

A trace of a smile appeared on Mu Mianhong’s face.

“I will make the entire Prince Zhongshan’s manor accompany my daughter in death. Not only will Prince Zhongshan fail to become emperor, his children and grandchildren won’t either.”

“With such a formidable mother as me, even if my daughter dies, she will laugh with joy.”

……

……

“In the imperial family, there is no true bond between father and son.” Prince Zhongshan laughed heartily.

“Yes, Miss Chu became Empress precisely because there is no true bond between father and son in the imperial family.”

The Third Prince killed the Crown Prince and seized the throne, leading to a night of chaos in the capital—brothers slaughtering each other, the imperial family without affection.

“Miss Chu shouldn’t be so naive as to think that capturing A’Xun could be used to threaten me.”

Chu Zhao looked at Prince Zhongshan and suddenly asked: “Your Highness, aside from your inconvenient legs, how is your health?”

Prince Zhongshan was taken aback. Why was she suddenly asking about his health? Was she saying he was old and wouldn’t live long? He laughed: “Miss Chu, rest assured. Aside from my legs being ruined by human malice, thanks to decades of protection from the Dao ancestors, I have no illness or ailment and can live for a long time yet.”

No illness or ailment—yet in that other life, Prince Zhongshan had still died. His death must have been caused by human malice.

Who could have caused Prince Zhongshan’s death? In that life, Prince Zhongshan hadn’t even mobilized his troops—his private army of over two hundred thousand—

Who could easily kill him?

Had someone also used Xiao Xun to threaten him?

But judging by Prince Zhongshan’s attitude, he wasn’t susceptible to such threats.

Chu Zhao’s mind wandered, but she quickly pulled herself back and looked at Prince Zhongshan, asking again: “Your Highness, why do you want to become emperor?”

At a time like this, this girl still had the mood for idle chat? Prince Zhongshan laughed: “Why want to be emperor? Because I could have been emperor—I’m also the emperor’s son.”

Chu Zhao said: “Even being the emperor’s son doesn’t mean everyone can become emperor. Moreover, you’re the emperor’s youngest son. After I became Empress, I looked through the old archives and collections in the palace and even saw poems you wrote as a child—”

She looked at Prince Zhongshan with a smile.

“Every single one was about going out to play, and you even said you wanted to travel across all the rivers and mountains of Da Xia.”

Prince Zhongshan hadn’t recalled his childhood in a long time. His youth had not been pleasant. Hearing Chu Zhao mention the poems now, he couldn’t help feeling momentarily dazed—there truly had been such a time, carefree and innocent—

He laughed coldly: “I am the emperor’s son, yet I can only be harmed by others but cannot become emperor myself. Where is the justice in that?”

Chu Zhao said: “Your Highness, you have grievances, but as Empress, I must uphold legitimacy.”

This was the first time since entering that the girl had referred to herself as “this palace.” Prince Zhongshan looked at her.

The Empress sat upright, ignoring the surrounding swords and blades: “This palace will say one more thing—stop the troops and cease warfare now, and Your Highness can still remain a prince.”

Prince Zhongshan laughed heartily—

“Miss Chu, what you should be saying now is to beg this Prince to spare that young man’s life after I ascend to the throne.” He smiled, pausing, “Of course, if Empress Chu yields now, this Prince will also spare your life. In the future, I’ll let you and your husband be idle nobles. Why must we both suffer losses like this?”

Chu Zhao looked at him and smiled slightly.

“Xiao Hong,” she said. “His Majesty and I don’t need you to spare our lives, and you won’t have the chance to fight His Majesty.”

Xiao Hong—Prince Zhongshan was somewhat stunned. No one had called him by his name directly in so many years that he had almost forgotten it himself.

The girl before him stood up.

“Xiao Hong, do you think I came here to beg you for mercy?”

“Do you think I captured your son to threaten you?”

“I led two forces of troops to first kill your son, then kill you, then slaughter the entire Prince Zhongshan’s manor!”

“You, your son Xiao Xun, and all seven of your children, your multitude of concubines—all must die.”

Prince Zhongshan said: “Empress Chu talks big—just with those two forces outside—”

“Your Highness,” Chu Zhao interrupted him, her expression somewhere between a smile and something else. “What do you think I, Chu Zhao, have relied on to reach where I am today?”

Prince Zhongshan was slightly startled. She relied on—Chu Ling.

Chu Zhao looked at him with a smile: “Your Highness, you planned for many years, yet that night you were defeated at my hands. Have you never wondered why?”

Because of the Dragon Might Army.

Prince Zhongshan had long suspected that there was an unknown connection between Chu Ling and the Emperor, which was why after all these years of being cast aside, he hadn’t fallen into obscurity.

That night, when the young prince was escorted and fought his way out, the Dragon Might Army was also revealed to the world.

And Chu Zhao still asked why—

“That night the heir ran very fast and didn’t know the details. The one who controlled the Dragon Might Army was my father’s deputy general. That night he was in the capital and came to rescue me, but before he arrived, I had already killed the men the heir had surrounding my home and successfully escaped.” Chu Zhao looked at Prince Zhongshan and said, “Your Highness, what do you think I relied on to escape? My uncle and my cousin?”

Prince Zhongshan’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.

“Your Highness, think about now—I’m in a border commandery, yet with a laugh and a word I control the heir’s life and death.” Chu Zhao smiled slightly. “Is that also because my cousin and uncle are divinely brave?”

Setting aside what happened before, and not even mentioning who helped Chu Lan’s family capture Xiao Xun, just the speed at which messages were transmitted back and forth—when the court’s official postal stations were either cut off or under surveillance—was enough to prove that this girl’s words were not empty bravado.

Prince Zhongshan looked at Chu Zhao and nodded: “I understand now.” He sighed lightly. “I truly never imagined that someone like General Chu Ling would also raise private troops.”

Chu Zhao said flatly: “What Your Highness can do, a subject can also do.” Without waiting for Prince Zhongshan to ask more, she continued: “Xiao Hong, as long as I, Chu Zhao, am alive, you cannot become emperor, nor can your son. And when I, Chu Zhao, die, you will all accompany me in death!”

Prince Zhongshan gripped his cane and watched her in silence.

The girl smiled again.

“If you kill me, you won’t survive either. My forces—the ones you can see and the ones you cannot—are spread everywhere outside. As soon as I die, they will use every means to kill you.”

“If I die, I will still be Da Xia’s Empress. If you die, you won’t even be a prince of Da Xia.”

“In this life, I, Chu Zhao, have obtained everything I wanted without the slightest regret. Even death is no loss to me.”

She looked at Prince Zhongshan, enunciating each word.

“So even if you’re willing to let your son die, even if you’re not afraid of death and want to perish together with me—this time, I still win.”