Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

Chapter 333: Chapter 262: The 3rd Prince’s Fate (3)

"Nangong Elder, why must you put yourself through this? I truly sympathize with what you’ve been through, but for you to so openly deliver this child into my hands... think about it yourself. Are you helping me or harming me?" Ling Xiao said faintly. "Though I’m not afraid of the Crown Prince—and His Majesty the King likely anticipated that—I’ve never had a good impression of those who try to use me. His Majesty... he couldn’t resist setting me up one last time, even on his deathbed. Did he think I would covet power and install the Third Prince as a puppet king? And that this would inevitably draw the ire of the Western Li Family, leaving him to watch as I went to war with them?"

Ling Xiao’s words left Nangong Elder speechless. He was right. Both he and Elder Rong knew His Majesty the King’s temperament all too well—he was the kind of man who would try to outmaneuver a few more people even as he lay dying.

At this moment, Ling Xiao asked softly, "Does anyone know where you’ve taken the Third Prince?"

Nangong Elder shook his head. "I’m confident on that point. I’ve mostly avoided populated areas along the way. Almost no one knows I was carrying a child."

Ling Xiao glanced at Nangong Elder in his large robes. It was true; if he just tucked the child under his clothes, no one would see a thing. Besides, Nangong Elder’s strength was immense. He wouldn’t lie about no one noticing him.

Nangong Elder continued, "It was only when I reached Penzes City... I was so overcome with emotion that I rushed to see the Marquis and forgot to keep the child hidden. Alas..."

Ling Xiao let out a soft sigh. "Let’s head back to the residence first. We can talk more there. There are too many people on this official road. You must be exhausted from your journey, Nangong Elder. Go and get some rest."

Nangong Elder was overjoyed, knowing Ling Xiao had finally agreed to his request. At first, he hadn’t thought it would be such a difficult ask, but after hearing Ling Xiao’s analysis, he felt somewhat ashamed. It was true: for someone as powerful as Ling Xiao, sheltering the Third Prince offered no advantages at all.

Although Ling Xiao hadn’t said so explicitly, that was the reality of the situation. As things stood, the Crown Prince would not dare to provoke Ling Xiao, much less the Ling Family. Both sides were carefully maintaining a delicate balance. But if a prince carrying the Heirloom Seal of the Realm and the King’s secret decree were to appear in Ling Xiao’s territory, and word got out, then no matter how much the Crown Prince feared Ling Xiao, he would be forced to oppose him to the end.

After all, no one wants to allow such a formidable rival to threaten their future.

Because of this incident, Yisha and Huangpu Yue’s trip to the Imperial Capital was temporarily canceled. The moment Ling Xiao returned to his residence, Meng Li appeared before him. Inside a secret chamber, Meng Li produced a secret letter from the Imperial Capital and another wax-sealed message from the military camp at West Lake. The latter was still unopened and was likely from Ling Xiao’s father, General Ling Tianxiao.

Meng Li knew Ling Xiao’s preferences and got straight to the point. "Young Master, something major has happened in the Imperial Capital. Three days ago, His Majesty the King and the Empress died in a fire as they slept. Reportedly, His Majesty the King was assassinated. Someone put an overdose of sleeping medication in his dinner, causing him to fall into a sleep from which he never woke. They say the poisoner was found but committed suicide to escape punishment. A private letter from the Southern King was discovered on his body. After authentication, the letter was confirmed to be written by the Southern King himself! Alas, the whole affair is shrouded in mystery. I, for one, don’t believe that story. Regardless, the Crown Prince has already ascended the throne, and the entire Empire is in mourning."

Ling Xiao listened and nodded, then asked, "What about the Southern King?"

Meng Li gave a bitter smile. "The Crown Prince... his methods are truly something. The Southern King... has also committed suicide to escape punishment."

"This is the most preposterous joke in the world!" Ling Xiao sneered. "Does the Crown Prince take everyone for a fool?"

"It is foolish, but he’s on the throne now, just as he wished," Meng Li said with a soft sigh. "The world called the Southern King a hero, brilliant in both strategy and warfare, but who would have thought the real winner would be the Crown Prince, who has kept a low profile and bided his time for so many years. It just goes to show... it’s better to stay out of the limelight."

Ling Xiao nodded. "You’re right. But now, we have a massive problem on our hands."

After being brought up to speed, Meng Li couldn’t help but sigh. "To think something like this could happen... How do you plan to handle it, Young Master?"

Ling Xiao smiled. "I originally had no intention of taking on this trouble, but now I’ve changed my mind. Heh, it’ll be good to leave a massive headache for the Crown Prince. Even on the throne, he’ll never know a day of peace. The Heirloom Seal of the Realm of the Lanyue Empire, passed down for over one thousand four hundred and fifty years, is in our hands. Sooner or later, it will deal a fatal blow to him!"

Meng Li nodded. "Then what about the Third Prince’s identity...?"

"We’ll just raise him as an orphan," Ling Xiao replied nonchalantly. "After all, we’re already supporting many orphans as it is."

Meng Li nodded, understanding Ling Xiao’s intentions.

Meanwhile, the anxiously waiting Nangong Elder finally received Ling Xiao’s answer. At the same time, Ling Xiao’s mind was put completely at ease after he finished reading His Majesty the King’s final edict. The decree was written in no uncertain terms: *The Crown Prince is disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unrighteous; he has committed patricide and matricide... I hereby pass the throne to the Third Prince, Li Wuxiao...*

His wish granted, Nangong Elder secretly departed the Marquis’s Mansion that very night. His mission complete, he planned to return to the Imperial Capital and await an opportunity to assassinate the Crown Prince—oh, who was now His Majesty the Emperor, Li Wu Zhi!

Yisha, Huangpu Yue, Song Mingyue, Ye Zi, Uncle Fu, and other core members of the Ling Family all gathered with Ling Xiao to discuss whether they should still go to the Imperial Capital to conduct business.

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