RPAGF Chapter 144 Returning to Beijing
Chapter 144 Returning to Beijing
Shen Yanchu stood beside the wrecked convoy, his expression grave. Along the way, they had faced wave after wave of assassination attempts, and their once abundant manpower was now dwindling. To make matters worse, Li Changyu and his group had also gone missing.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, Ms. Wang and her people arrived in time, allowing them to catch their breath temporarily.
However, Shen Yanchu's worries did not lessen in the slightest. He knew that these assassinations were no accident, and that a powerful force was manipulating them behind the scenes. Just as he was lost in thought, the head of the secret guards hurriedly came over and presented him with a document containing information about Li Changyu's identity that he had found.
Shen Yanchu took the documents and began to carefully peruse them. With each page turned, his expression grew increasingly shocked. This Li Changyu was not only the former leader of the martial arts alliance, but also a remnant of a dynasty that had perished over a hundred years ago. Such multiple identities made Shen Yanchu realize that this man's appearance would inevitably unleash a bloodbath in the martial arts world.
"Pass down the order: have someone keep an eye on Li Changyu's Tianxiao Pavilion. Report any unusual activity immediately. Remember, do not alert him; Li Changyu is no ordinary person," Shen Yanchu decisively instructed. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked, "Is there any news about Miss Shi and the others?"
Mu Yin immediately reported: "Your Highness, Miss Shi and the others have been heading north, possibly to Youzhou, but we do not yet know their exact location. I have already sent people to search for them."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yanchu frowned. He was worried about Miss Shi, that clever and intelligent woman. Although she didn't know martial arts, she was also not someone an ordinary person could harm. However, to ensure her safety, he still needed to send people to protect them secretly.
"Tell them to protect Miss Shi and the others, and to report to me immediately if any problems arise," Shen Yanchu emphasized again.
Mu Yin absentmindedly accepted the order, his mind preoccupied with the Princess's letter. He hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to deliver it to the Prince. After all, the Prince had been in a bad mood these past few days, but this was, after all, a letter from the Princess, and he dared not conceal it. Moreover, Her Highness the Princess was the Prince's birth mother, and the situation in the capital was currently quite chaotic, given that the Prince had been missing for a year.
Shen Yanchu took the letter, and seeing the familiar handwriting, a complex emotion welled up inside him. He knew that his disappearance must have caused his mother great worry. In the letter, his mother expressed her longing and concern for him, while also reminding him of the complex situation in the capital and urging him to return as soon as possible.
Shen Yanchu fell into deep thought. On one hand, he was worried about Miss Shi and wanted to find her to ensure her safety; on the other hand, he also needed to deal with the situation in the capital. He felt torn and didn't know what to do.
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar. Shen Yanchu looked up and saw a guard galloping towards him. The guard dismounted and knelt on one knee before Shen Yanchu, reporting, "Your Highness, we have discovered some suspicious signs. It seems that a mysterious force is also searching for Miss Shi."
Shen Yanchu's face instantly darkened. He realized that Miss Shi's situation was even more dangerous. He had to make a decision quickly: whether to continue searching for Miss Shi or return to the capital to deal with the situation.
After careful consideration, Shen Yanchu decided to send people back to the capital to stabilize the situation, while he himself would lead a group to continue searching for Miss Shi. He knew that Miss Shi was the most important person in his heart, and he could not allow her to suffer any harm.
Therefore, Shen Yanchu gave another order: "Mu Yin, I will lead a group of people back to the capital to assist the Princess in stabilizing the situation. You will lead the rest of the group to continue searching for Miss Shi. No matter what, you must ensure Miss Shi's safety."
Mu Yin accepted the order and left. Shen Yanchu, along with the rest of the group, continued their journey north. In this dangerous and unknown world, Mu Yin lived up to expectations, finding Miss Shi and protecting her safety.
Shen Yanchu clutched his mother's letter tightly, his heart churning with turmoil. The contents of the letter weighed heavily on his mind, plunging him into deep worry.
My mother mentioned that Uncle Zheng had recently been secretly amassing troops in the northern frontier, manufacturing weapons on a large scale, and engaging in open and covert struggles with various ministers in the court. This was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous signal, indicating that the situation in the court was becoming increasingly tense, and a huge storm could erupt at any moment. Furthermore, the mysterious forces secretly manipulating the situation made the entire matter even more unpredictable and elusive.
Thinking of this, Shen Yanchu frowned deeply. He knew that if the situation got out of control, it would bring enormous disaster to the country and its people. And his own family would inevitably be caught in the crossfire, unable to extricate themselves.
His mother had specifically warned him that his maternal uncle was already quite dissatisfied with Zheng Huangshu. Shen Yanchu understood that as the ruler of a country, his maternal uncle naturally could not tolerate anyone threatening his rule. Furthermore, during the time he had been missing without cause, his father had been targeted and even assassinated because of him. This filled him with guilt and anger.
Shen Yanchu secretly vowed to return as soon as possible to protect his parents and prevent them from suffering any further harm. However, the thought of Miss Shi filled him with conflicting emotions. Miss Shi's whereabouts were still unknown; how could he leave in peace?
He weighed the pros and cons repeatedly in his mind. If he went back now, he might be able to help his parents out of their predicament and stabilize the court. But how could he guarantee the safety of Miss Shi? He couldn't abandon her and leave her to face unknown dangers alone.
Shen Yanchu paced back and forth, his thoughts a jumbled mess. His guards stood silently by, awaiting his decision. Meanwhile, Mu Yin had already led a group back to the capital, while he himself led the rest to continue the search for Miss Shi.
Just as Shen Yanchu was caught in a dilemma, a bodyguard rushed over.
"Your Highness, we have discovered some clues about Prince Zheng. It seems that Prince Zheng is purchasing a large number of horses and having saddles made," the guard said urgently.
Shen Yanchu frowned, pondering Zheng Huangshu's actions. He was hundreds of miles away and couldn't effectively command the army in the northern frontier. The only way to resolve this crisis was to return to the capital and have his uncle issue an order.
He knew full well that Zheng Huangshu was ambitious and that this move would be significant. If action wasn't taken promptly, the consequences would be dire. Shen Yanchu made a decisive move, riding day and night back to the capital.
Throughout the journey, he was extremely anxious, constantly searching for a solution. The situation in the capital was also far from optimistic, with various forces intertwined in a complex web, requiring him to proceed with extreme caution.
Finally, Shen Yanchu arrived in the capital. Without taking a break, he immediately went to the palace to see his uncle, the emperor. Before the emperor, he gave a detailed report on the situation in the northern frontier and implored the emperor to issue an order as soon as possible to dispatch troops to resist the threat posed by Zheng Huangshu.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's expression turned grave. He knew this matter concerned the safety of the nation and immediately ordered a meeting of his ministers to discuss countermeasures. Shen Yanchu also actively participated, offering advice and suggestions to the Emperor.
With everyone's combined efforts, a plan was finally devised. Shen Yanchu volunteered to lead the army to the northern frontier to engage in a fierce battle with Zheng Huangshu. However, the emperor did not agree and instead sent someone else.
"Zhizhou, you've traveled day and night, weary from your journey, and have been away from home for a long time. Go back and reunite with your parents first. I'll take care of everything here."