Jing Yuanchu sounded unexplainably confident, making everyone nervous. He quickly ran his eyes over everyone on the wall as if he had been selecting his booty.
Suddenly, Jing Yuanchu looked at Jing Yuanxiao and murmured, “It’s time.”
“One…” Jing Yuanchu started to count down.
“What are you doing?”
“Two…” Jing Yuanchu wore an evil smile.
“Three!” When Jing Yuanchu finished, Jing Yuanxiao took out a blue-and-white-porcelain bottle directly from his sleeve. The bottle that was as small as a thumb but extremely delicate had an old wooden stopper. It was just an ordinary porcelain bottle, but when Jing Yuanchu saw it, his smile froze.
“Yuanchu, are you looking for this?” Jing Yuanxiao didn’t look native anymore but shrewd. His sharp eyes were very like those of Jing Donghua, reflecting his wisdom. Jing Yuanxiao tilted his head a bit and showed his majesty, which completely oppressed Jing Yuanchu.
Jing Yuanchu said nothing. Qin Yunuan held her head high and took over the porcelain bottle from Jing Yuanxiao. She said with a smile, “The poison exclusive to North Di is colorless and tasteless. It will dissolve once it is added into water, so people will be killed without noticing it. Clever people can even adjust the dosage they put to make the poisoned one die at the time they desire. What is more wonderful is that average physicians and post-mortem examiners are unable to find out the death cause, so only classify it to sudden death. Your Royal Highness, it’s hard for you to get the poison, right? Work so hard for Wanyan Ba as his lackey and just earn one bottle of it.”
“Yuanchu, I’ m sorry that I don’t have the luck to have a taste of your poison.” Jing Yuanxiao chucked the porcelain bottle to Jing Yuanchu who almost missed it because of being in a trance.
“How could be. How could a fathead like you…” Jing Yuanchu always looked down on Jing Yuanxiao. “Ho, I know. They two helped you.” Jing Yuanchu said while pointing at Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan.
“Your Royal Highness, you don’t know there are people who have great wisdom but appear slow-witted.” Qin Yunuan cast a side glance at Jing Yuanchu who remained arrogant. “You always think yourself smart, so you neglect that your brother started to take precautions long ago. When 200,000 soldiers in black armor besieged the Yellow Flag Army camp, in West Liang, 38 skilled martial artists who disguised themselves as eunuchs in the Crown Prince’s Palace had wiped out all your pawns in the palace. Of course, to do so, we need help from our pawns. Do you still remember the maid who wanted to kill you in the Xihe Palace? She is Imperial Concubine Lian’s close maid. With her help, we got the name list of all your pawns in Imperial Concubine Lian’s palace, including those working in the palace and the military camp and even officials.”
Now, pawns Jing Yuanchu deployed in the palace and the military camp were all exposed. But those officials were the foundation supporting West Xia, so they didn’t uncover them.
“I see.” Jing Yuanchu was so angry after knowing he was swindled. Because he found out he was the most ignorant one. “So, you always pretend to be a fool, just waiting to see my comedown and pointing your index finger at me to laugh at me, right? Fine, you’re all smarter and better than me. But let me tell you. Once I’m killed, Sima Ray will send people from Qi to investigate this at once. You now, wait for your doomsday.”
Jing Yuanchu laughed like a madman. Qin Yunuan shook her head. He really over evaluated his value for Sima Ray.
The yell down the wall sounded like the motivating drumbeat. Jing Yuanchu suddenly removed the bottle stopper unflinchingly and threw it away. He poured the poison into his mouth with some dark purple decoction left on his lip corner. He looked at Qin Yunuan provocatively and said, “You learn leech-craft from Sun Miaoyang, that famous doctor, don’t you? Well, now I took the poison. Can you save me? As long as I die, secrets I know will disappear too, and you will never know how I get in touch with Sima Ray. Even though I can’t take hold of West Xia, I will not allow my incompetent brother to be the emperor.”
“It’s true that I can’t save you if you take in a bottle of the poison exclusive to North Di. But who told you the decoction was the poison?” Qin Yunuan wore a light smile, but seeing that, Jing Yuanchu became weak and feeble. He couldn’t even hear clearly what she said except for one sentence, “In fact, what you drank is just oral anesthetic.” Then, he completely lost consciousness.
At this time, the torrential rain turned into drizzles. Despite that, the winter rain was still cold. Chilly raindrops fell down on people’s faces and excited the never. Everyone looked a bit serious.
Jing Yuanxiao now became a totally different person. He didn’t behave like that upright and a bit silly man anymore, but a knowledgeable and outstanding Crown Prince who could run the country well.
“Mr. Leng, thank you.” Jing Yuanxiao didn’t take the credit. “Without your foresight and reminder, I’m afraid that we would all fall into Yuanchu’s trap and wait for his torture. Father, full credit must go to him.”
Jing Donghua was all wet. Soon, soldiers in black armor had broken through and rushed upstairs. Some living rebels of Jing Yuanchu still fought hard against soldiers in black armor but were directly killed. Soldiers down were still in a fierce fight and unaware of what happened on the wall.
So Leng Changxi directly lifted up Jing Yuanchu in a coma and pressed him against the wall. He stood on the buttress and shouted at soldiers down in a majestic way. “Everyone, look here. Jing Yuanchu, the thirteenth prince of West Xia, already pleaded guilty. Now, stop fighting and surrender.”
The most powerful weapon to defeat rebels, who started revolt not long ago, was not sword or spear, but the psychological tactic. They were like sheep which were on their way to escape from dangers on the prairie. They just followed the leading sheep, or Jing Yuanchu, no matter where Jing Yuanchu chose to go. When he died, the flock of sheep lost their leader. Under such circumstances, even the most skilled soldiers would suffer from low morale.
Leng Changxi knew well about this, so he lifted up unconscious Jing Yuanchu high on the wall. As expected, Yellow Flag soldiers saw slowed down for a while after seeing that. Soldiers in black armor just took the chance to defeat them and achieved a splendid victory.
Leng Changxi’s tactic worked, so he loosened his grip, without hesitation and mercy, on Jing Yuanchu who, therefore, fell down to the ground.
Soldiers in black armor who rushed upstairs helped Jing Donghua and Jing Yuanxiao who got wet to put on a thick downy blanket. But no one cared about Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi who just stood in the cold wind.
Jing Yuanxiao took down his blanket and handed it over to Qin Yunuan who intended to refuse. But then, Jing Yuanxiao persuaded her with a smile. “Shishi asked you to help me. But if you catch a cold here, she will blame me.”
Leng Changxi also smiled and expressed gratitude on behalf of Qin Yunuan, “Your Royal Highness, thank you for your care.”
Meanwhile, someone suddenly helped Leng Changxi put on a warm blanket. He looked back and found it was Jing Donghua giving his blanket to him.
“Your Majesty.” Leng Changxi was a bit flattered. Actually, they two hadn’t talked much but just exchanged a few words before. So Leng Changxi was so surprised last night when Jing Donghua asked people to send the imperial seal to him.
“Don’t refuse.” Jing Donghua lowered his head and said in a low voice, “As your father, I owe you so much. I just hope this thin blanket can make up a bit and hope it’s not late to show my love for you now.”
Leng Changxi didn’t know what to say. He didn’t see this man, the emperor of West Xia who he met less than two months ago, as his father emotionally. In his deep mind, he always regarded Leng Zhongxiao who had cared about and protected him for 20 years as the most respectful person. But what Jing Donghua did completely touched him. At least, it meant that Jing Donghua started to accept him and admitted that he was his son. So it would be easier later to dispatch soldiers from West Xia to help fight against Sima Ray and take Qi back.
“Right,” Jing Yuanxiao echoed. “We shouldn’t call you Mr. Leng anymore. Changxi, you are father’s eleventh child, so you’re my young brother, right?”
“True.” Jing Donghua was thoughtful. He seemed unexpected and surprised for knowing Leng Changxi was his son. “He’s your brother.”
Soon, soldiers in black armor down walked upstairs to report. In addition to killing rebels, they also captured seven lieutenants and one general who were all pawns of Jing Yuanchu in the Yellow Flag military camp.
“Your Majesty, how should we deal with them?”
Jing Donghua was poker-faced. He made a gesture which meant killing all captives and added, “Kill them all.”
It was time for West Xia to reshuffle its court.
When back to the camp, they received a detailed report about the battle. Inside the camp, there were 200,000 soldiers while outside were 300,000. It was lucky that only soldiers inside got involved in the battle. Among them, 130,000 chose to support Jing Yuanchu. But all generals took sides with Jing Yuanchu, which displeased Jing Donghua most.
When the reporter mentioned this, Jing Donghua was so angry that he directly threw the teacup in his hand to the ground. Having not fully dried his clothes, Jing Donghua already started to clean up all the mess while holding a cup of ginger tea. Jing Yuanxiao and Leng Changxi got changed. So did Qin Yunuan. She wore a piece of adorable light-yellow dress and a half-sleeved top. She combed her hair into a cross-shaped bun. Leng Changxi still wore the dark purple clothes he used to wear. They two didn’t get changed in the same place so just met each other outside the camp. Seeing cute and sweet Qin Yunuan walked to him, Leng Changxi recalled the first time when they met in the palace.
“You look really good.” Leng Changxi stood close behind Qin Yunuan and said with a bright smile. “This reminds me of the first time we met. You, a thin girl whose mother is just a concubine in the Qin Family, should dare to argue with the exalted daughter from the Shangguan Family on the road. I think I fell in love with you at that time.”
