usatvline Chapter 393 Counterattack
Chapter 393 Counterattack
Shen Lan used a handkerchief to wipe the blood off Li Ge's face.
Li Ge avoided eye contact with her, his gaze darting away.
He recognized her the moment her hand touched his arm.
"What is Xita?" Shen Lan asked in a low voice.
"It's not a good place. Don't worry, I won't go."
They couldn't hear what was being said inside the hall anymore, but they could tell that there was a heated argument going on.
Far from the capital, in the imperial mausoleum, a hunt is underway.
The princes hid in the tomb passage.
After the late emperor was buried in the imperial mausoleum, only a section of the tomb passage was left unsealed; going any further would have been a dead end.
But apart from here, they didn't know where else to hide.
"Brother, will Second Brother really bring people to rescue us?"
The youngest prince, the fifth prince, trembled with fear.
"Don't be silly, he escaped on his own, why would he come to save us?"
"But he said he would come."
"You believe everything he says? Besides, what can he possibly use to save us? The people outside are all the Princess's people."
“It was clearly my second brother who should have ascended the throne, but my uncle stole it from him, and we have all become thorns in his side.”
"Little Fifth, don't be silly. Even if Second Brother ascends the throne, does that mean he won't see us as a thorn in his side?"
"Yes, since ancient times, there have been no fathers and sons, let alone brothers, in royal families."
Considering that the Crown Prince and the late Emperor had become enemies, scheming against each other, and in the end, the Prince of Zheng benefited, the other princes remained silent.
Suddenly, footsteps came from outside, and the group quickly covered their mouths.
"Look around, we've sealed off all the entrances and exits, there's no way we can escape."
"Why not just block up this tomb passage? Even if someone is hiding inside, wouldn't that be perfect..."
The princes ran outside in terror.
If they were truly trapped in this tomb passage, they would be buried alive, and there would be no one to help them.
But running out like this is also a dead end.
The fifth prince couldn't help but cry.
"Father... I need Father... Father, save me!"
The eldest princess stood on the mountaintop, wearing a snow-white long dress.
The autumn wind rustled, ruffling her temples.
She accompanied the emperor to choose this sacred mountain, and she jokingly said that she wanted to be his neighbor after she died.
Although it was said in jest, she did indeed have her eye on this auspicious location.
"Your Highness, the princes have been captured. Should they be brought here?"
"Where's the second child?"
"They haven't found it yet; they must have already escaped."
"I underestimated him."
Before Prince Zheng ascended the throne, the eldest princess had always been wary of the second prince.
However, he didn't make any major moves, and no ministers in the court supported him, so people ignored him.
His ability to escape from all those encirclements shows that he not only has connections but also the means to achieve his goals.
"Don't kill those younger ones yet, lock them up first. If the Second Prince wants to fight us, he should ask him if he cares about his younger brothers."
The princess laughed after she finished speaking.
Royal brothers? Where's the brotherhood?
But they are all her own nephews, so it would be a shame to kill them.
"Your Highness, it's windy at the top of the mountain. Let's go down."
The eldest princess was getting old, and her head started to ache after being in the wind for a while.
As soon as she turned around, she saw several soldiers sneaking up and surrounding her from all sides.
"Where are our guards?" the princess asked in shock.
Her guards had all disappeared without her noticing.
"Your Highness, please come with us."
"Are you... people of the Marquis of Pingyang?"
The eldest princess raised an eyebrow and asked.
Looking across the entire capital, only the guards of the Marquis of Pingyang's residence possess the ability to rival a regular army.
There are many military generals in the court, but few have made outstanding contributions on the battlefield, and even fewer are skilled in leading troops.
Marquis Pingyang was a rare and capable general.
If the emperor hadn't been wary of his powerful achievements, he wouldn't have been sent back to the capital to live a life of luxury.
It's a pity he didn't lose his fighting spirit.
"Your Highness, please."
"Do you know what you're doing? You're rebelling!"
The one-armed general leading the group laughed.
"Your Highness is mistaken. We were ordered to rescue people, how could that be considered rebellion?"
He pointed to the crowd already engaged in battle below and said, "Rebels attempted to attack the imperial tombs and kill several princes. Upon learning of this, I immediately led men to their rescue and finally killed the rebels, rescuing the princes."
The people the eldest princess brought were all guards from her residence, and they were much weaker than the elite soldiers trained by the Marquis of Pingyang.
The eldest princess gripped her hand tightly, still unwilling to give up, and asked, "Where is your lord?"
"The Marquis did not come."
"So, the Second Prince went to see your Marquis? Does he really want to get involved in such trivial matters?"
The one-armed general shrugged. "We know nothing about the general's affairs; we are just following orders."
"So you're just obedient? Aren't you afraid he'll lead you to your doom?"
The soldiers present all laughed.
They shouted back, "We are not afraid! Even if we die, we are still the Marquis's soldiers!"
They followed Marquis Pingyang through thick and thin, and cannot be turned against him with a few words of provocation.
And it's not certain who will perish.
The princess swayed slightly and took a few steps forward, supported by her maid.
The fighting below is almost over.
The princes thought they were going to die, but then a miracle happened and saved them.
They simply didn't know whether the newcomers were friend or foe, and they hid in a corner, anxiously waiting for the battle to end.
Upon seeing the eldest princess, the fifth prince suddenly rushed out and shoved her forcefully.
"You wicked person! How could you face your father?"
The princess strained her back, and a look of pain flashed across her face.
She looked coldly at the brat, then smiled and said, "You're all going to die sooner or later anyway. Wouldn't it be better to die here and be buried with your father?"
"I think the one who should be buried with you is you!"
The fifth prince had a sinister look in his eyes. He was not even as tall as the eldest princess's chest, but he suddenly jumped up and pressed down on her.
Everyone thought he was going to hit someone.
It's normal for the princes to be angry, having just escaped death.
But the next moment, they saw the Fifth Prince pin the Eldest Princess to the ground, and a silver hairpin plunged viciously into her neck.
The princess stared at him wide-eyed in disbelief.
This child was favored by the emperor and her from birth.
Because they are all getting old, they love innocent and pure children the most, and they have truly spoiled them.
When she decided to kill them to prevent future troubles, she should have known that she would die at the hands of her own family.
The soldiers ran over and pulled the fifth prince away, a terrible thought inevitably creeping into their minds.
This little-known fifth prince is so ruthless at such a young age; it's hard to say whether this will bring him good fortune or misfortune in the future.
"Your Highnesses, we have come to rescue you on the orders of the Second Prince. Please come back to the capital with us."
The one-armed general specifically mentioned that the Second Prince had sent them to rescue people.
The fifth prince, who had just been viciously killing people, burst into tears, "Waaaaah... Second brother really came to save us!"
Looking at the already deceased princess, no one showed any sympathy for the child.
Perhaps it's just that royal blood sets them apart.