“In royal families, there is no father-son bond.”
Mu Mian Hong looked at the distant city and said softly, then turned to look at Xiao Man.
“When the fighting starts, tell Chief Bai to cover our entry into the city.”
Though Xiao Man had already experienced many battles, hearing this still caused her some panic: “What’s happening? We sent in the evidence about Xiao Xun, but that’s leading to death instead? What is she trying to do? Auntie, what did she tell you?”
Besides asking her to send letters to the capital, Chu Zhao had also given Mu Mian Hong a note earlier.
Since it wasn’t addressed to her, she hadn’t read it.
Xiao Man was a bit flustered. How was this different from what Chu Zhao had said? Hadn’t she said that once things were handled in the capital, everything would be over? But now it seemed they were heading for a deadly battle.
“She said if she died, I must kill the Prince of Zhongshan,” Mu Mian Hong said.
Xiao Man was stunned. How had it come to this?
“So she is going to her death!” She stamped her foot in frustration. “How can she be so reckless, how can she be so—”
She looked helplessly at Mu Mian Hong.
“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 to stop her?
This motherhood was both humble and helpless.
Mu Mian Hong embraced her and patted her back, laughing softly. “Don’t be anxious or angry. She’s reached this point where only by being reckless can she survive.”
Just like General Chu, fearless and bold. She was also like herself, Mu Mian Hong—hadn’t she also been fearless to have come this far? But she had only ever feared for and worried about two people.
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. Life was enough—what else was there to fear?
“A-Zhao said,” Mu Mian Hong looked ahead, wrapping the long whip around her waist and picking up a long sword that stood beside her, “if he kills your daughter, then you make sure he never becomes Emperor.”
“Your daughter”—these three words were as good as calling her “mother.”
If her daughter had a request, as a mother, she naturally wouldn’t stand in the way, but would do everything in her power to help.
A trace of a smile appeared on Mu Mian Hong’s face.
“I will make the entire Prince of Zhongshan’s mansion accompany my daughter in death. Not only will the Prince of Zhongshan fail to become Emperor, but his sons and grandsons will never succeed either.”
“With such a formidable mother as me, even if my daughter dies, she will die with a hearty laugh.”
…
…
“In royal families, there is no father-son bond.” The Prince of Zhongshan laughed loudly.
“Indeed, Miss Chu became Empress precisely because of this lack of father-son bond in royal families.”
The Third Prince had killed the Crown Prince to seize the throne, causing overnight chaos in the capital, with siblings slaughtering each other—no familial affection in the royal family.
“Miss Chu shouldn’t be so naive. How could you think that capturing Xun would be enough to threaten me?”
Chu Zhao looked at the Prince of Zhongshan and suddenly asked, “Your Highness, apart from your leg disability, how is your health?”
The Prince of Zhongshan was momentarily stunned. Why this sudden inquiry about his health? Was she implying he was old and wouldn’t live much longer? He laughed heartily. “Rest assured, Miss Chu. Except for the human calamity that damaged my legs, I’ve been blessed by the ancestors for decades without illness or ailment. I can still live for many years.”
Without illness or ailment, yet in that life, the Prince of Zhongshan had still died. Death must have been due to human causes.
Who could have caused the Prince of Zhongshan’s death? In that life, the Prince of Zhongshan hadn’t even mobilized his troops, with over 200,000 private soldiers at his command—
Who could easily kill him?
Was it also someone who had taken Xiao Xun hostage to threaten him?
But judging from the Prince of Zhongshan’s attitude, he was not swayed by such threats.
Chu Zhao’s mind wandered but quickly returned to the present. Looking at the Prince of Zhongshan, she asked again, “Your Highness, why do you want to be Emperor?”
Even at such a moment, this girl still had the mood for idle chat? The Prince of Zhongshan laughed. “Why would I want to be Emperor? Because I could have been Emperor—I am also the son of an Emperor.”
Chu Zhao said, “Even being the son of an Emperor doesn’t guarantee the throne. Moreover, you were the Emperor’s youngest son. After I became Empress, I looked through old archives in the palace and found poems written by Your Highness as a child—”
She looked at the Prince of Zhongshan and smiled, pursing her lips.
“They were full of talk about going out to play and traversing all the mountains and rivers of Da Xia.”
The Prince of Zhongshan hadn’t reflected on his childhood memories for a long time. His early years hadn’t been joyful. Now, hearing Chu Zhao mention his poetry, he couldn’t help but feel momentarily dazed. Indeed, there had been a time of carefree innocence—
He let out a cold laugh. “I am the Emperor’s son. I can be harmed by others, but cannot become Emperor myself. Where is the justice in that?”
Chu Zhao said, “Your Highness, you may have grievances, but as Empress, I must uphold the rightful succession.”
This was the first time since entering that the girl had referred to herself as “This Palace.” The Prince of Zhongshan looked at her.
The Empress sat straight, ignoring the weapons pointed around her. “This Palace says again, if you withdraw your troops and cease hostilities now, Your Highness can remain a prince.”
The Prince of Zhongshan laughed loudly—
“Miss Chu, what you should be saying now is, ‘I beg Your Highness, after ascending the throne, to spare that boy’s life.'” He smiled, pausing before continuing, “Of course, if Empress Chu surrenders now, I will also spare your life. In the future, you and your husband can be a leisurely prince and princess. Why must we both lose everything?”
Chu Zhao looked at him and smiled.
“Xiao Hong,” she said, “His Majesty and I don’t need your mercy, and you won’t have the chance to face His Majesty in battle.”
Xiao Hong, the Prince of Zhongshan, was momentarily stunned. How many years had it been since anyone had directly called him by his name? Even he had forgotten it.
The girl before him stood up.
“Xiao Hong, did you think I came to beg for mercy?”
“Did you think I captured your son to threaten you?”
“I led two routes of troops for one purpose: to kill your son first, then kill you, then slaughter the entire household of the Prince of Zhongshan!”
“You, your son Xiao Xun, and your seven children, along with your numerous concubines—all must die.”
The Prince of Zhongshan said, “Such big words from Empress Chu. With just those two routes of troops outside—”
“Your Highness,” Chu Zhao interrupted him, with a half-smile. “What do you think has brought me to where I am today?”
The Prince of Zhongshan was slightly taken aback. Because of Chu Yi.
Chu Zhao looked at him with a smile and asked, “Your Highness, you planned for many years, yet you were defeated by me that night. Haven’t you wondered why?”
Because of the Dragon Guard.
The Prince of Zhongshan had long suspected there was a bond between Chu Yi and the Emperor that others didn’t know about. That’s why he had been left unused for so many years, yet hadn’t fallen into obscurity.
That night, the young prince had been escorted to safety through the encirclement, and the Dragon Guard had revealed themselves to the world.
Yet Chu Zhao was still asking why—
“That night, the heir escaped quickly and didn’t know the details. The one who commanded the Dragon Guard was my father’s deputy general. He was in the capital that night and came to rescue me, but before he arrived, I had already killed the men Your Highness’s son had stationed around my home and successfully escaped.” Chu Zhao looked at the Prince of Zhongshan and said, “What does Your Highness think I relied on to escape? My uncle and my cousin?”
The Prince of Zhongshan’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t speak.
“Think about now, Your Highness. I am at the border region, yet with just a few casual words, I control your heir’s life and death,” Chu Zhao smiled slightly. “Is that also because of my cousin and uncle’s valor?”
Leaving aside the past and not discussing who was currently helping the Chu family capture Xiao Xun, just the speed at which messages were being transmitted—at a time when official courier stations were either cut off or monitored—was enough to prove that this girl’s words weren’t mere bravado.
The Prince of Zhongshan looked at Chu Zhao and nodded. “I understand now.” He sighed lightly. “I never thought that someone like General Chu Yi would also raise a private army.”
Chu Zhao said coldly, “What Your Highness can do, a subject can also do.” Without waiting for the Prince of Zhongshan to ask further, she continued, “Xiao Hong, as long as I live, neither you nor your son will become Emperor. And if I die, you will all accompany me in death!”
The Prince of Zhongshan gripped his cane and silently looked at her.
The girl smiled again.
“If you kill me, you won’t survive either. My troops, both those you can see and those you cannot, are spread outside. The moment I die, they will use every means to kill you.”
“Even in death, I remain the Empress of Da Xia. When you die, you won’t even be a prince of Da Xia anymore.”
“In this life, I, Chu Zhao, have obtained everything I wanted without any regrets. Death holds no loss for me.”
She looked at the Prince of Zhongshan, enunciating each word.
“So even if you’re willing to sacrifice your son, even if you’re not afraid to die and wish to perish together with me—this time, I still win.”