Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Establishing Authority

“Is it necessary?”

“Absolutely.”

“What if I want it all?”

“Mr. Jiu, you’ve already seen the consequences of greed.”

“I’m not content.”

Qi Wuya clenched his fists and asked, “And He Ying?”

Han Mo said, “It’s a zero-sum game.”

“He, Ying!”

He almost gnashed his teeth as he pronounced the name.

He must kill him!

Sang Yan, disguised as an ordinary peasant woman, accompanied He Ying as he healed, all the while keeping an eye on the situation outside.

In recent days, the entire Puluo Country seemed to have fallen into an eerie calm.

So peaceful it felt sinister.

Could it be that Qi Wuya had been severely injured and died?

Sang Yan couldn’t help but think in this direction.

Yet upon careful consideration, she felt it unlikely: with Qi Wuya’s status in Puluo Country, his death would likely bring about a national mourning. Such strange quietness, unless…

Just as she thought of a possibility,

the courtyard gate was kicked open.

Chen Hu, panting heavily, rushed into the room, grabbed a cup of water, and gulped it down, “Goodness, so terrifying, the wharf, was packed with so many damn people!”

“What’s happened?”

Sang Yan, who was helping Chunhua cook, saw him come in and hurriedly asked, “What’s happened?”

Chen Hu finished his water, pointed in the direction of the wharf, “The wharf’s open, over a dozen Beiqi ships have docked!”

Sang Yan: “…”

Beiqi ships?

Disappointed and anxious, she thought: no matter how much Qi Wuya was disregarded, he was still a Prince of Beiqi, and the sudden arrival of Beiqi troops likely meant they came to support him–

Wait a second!

Sang Yan’s eyes brightened, “Aside from the Beiqi ships–”

“There are Dahe ships too!”

Chen Hu finally regained his composure.

Sang Yan couldn’t help but laugh and cry at his antics.

Had it not been for her puzzlement over Beiqi’s sudden troop movement, she might have been scared to death by Chen Hu.

“I’ll go tell the Emperor about this.”

She said with a smile as she ran into the inner room.

He Ying lay on a makeshift wooden bed; after several days of rest, his complexion had greatly improved.

Even dressed in a coarse hemp robe, his noble and handsome bearing was difficult to conceal.

“Xinyuan!”

For the first time in days, Sang Yan showed a smile, “We might be able to leave! Dahe’s troops have arrived!”

“Given the time, they should have.”

He Ying, seeing her smile, also smiled.

He looked towards the direction of the wharf, his tensed body relaxing, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.

Before he landed on the island, the great army was already mustering.

Pei Muyang, upon the arrival of the great army, would naturally lead the attack on the island.

“But–”

Sang Yan’s smile faded somewhat, “Qi Wuya has reached out to Beiqi for support, and now they are right outside the wharf. We may have more people, but we are here…”

She hesitated, still feeling unsettled.

How could He Ying not know what she was worried about?

They were still in Puluo Country.

Though hidden here and momentarily safe, the moment they emerged, they would be swiftly kidnapped by Qi Wuya’s men.

If they were captured, with both Emperor and Empress as prisoners, how would Dahe soldiers fight without their leaders?

He Ying’s eyes flickered.

He had considered this problem as well.

At this time, Qi Wuya might be secretly watching every place in Puluo Country, just waiting for them to walk into the net!

*

Qi Wuya, accompanied by Han Chen, dragged his injured body to the dock.

Upon seeing those unending fleets of Beiqi warships, he couldn’t help but snort with laughter, “That waste, Qi Lv, actually proved a bit useful this time. He knows what’s important, sending so many people.”

“Order down, pay close attention to the He army day and night, cough cough–”

Before Qi Wuya could finish his command, he started coughing.

His wounds were still not healing, and now with the sea breeze blowing, he felt an icy coldness in all his limbs and bones.

“Mr. Jiu, let me help you back.”

Han Chen was very worried about his health and wished to support him back immediately.

Qi Wuya frowned and brushed off his hand, “It’s nothing. You just need to take care–”

“Lao Jiu–”

A jesting voice came from ahead.

Qi Wuya and Han Chen looked up.

On the deck

A man in a purple cloud-patterned brocade robe stood with his hands behind his back, followed by an old eunuch with gray hair.

It was the Beiqi Crown Prince.

Qi Lv, Qi Guanglie!

He was around twenty-five, tall and magnificent, with a sharp and capable appearance, very different from Qi Wuya’s enchantingly strange looks. Qi Wuya resembled his mother, with a pair of beautiful blue eyes, half of Puluo Country blood in him, which was precisely what Qi Guanglie disdained.

Qi Wuya’s heart jolted at the sight of Qi Guanglie: The waste actually came in person!

Qi Guanglie held his head high as he stepped down from the ship.

He looked disdainfully at his inconspicuous ninth brother with a mocking gaze, “I thought you had achieved something grand in Puluo Country, but to have ended up so bedraggled… what? Are the women here exceptionally beautiful?”

While speaking, he already glanced over at the group of palace maids.

Seeing each with ample bosoms and slender waists, voluptuous and seductive, although he disdained them, he was also tempted: he had never played with such goods in Beiqi. No wonder Qi Wuya lingered here.

“Crown Prince, you are safe.”

Han Chen bowed with both hands, respectfully.

Emperor Bei Qi favored the Crown Prince Qi Guanglie, entrusted him with military power. After he went to Beiqi, it was he who requested troops, but he hadn’t anticipated Qi Guanglie would follow.

With him here, there might be trouble for Mr. Jiu.

Alas, it seemed he had failed to handle things well again.

“Brother–”

Qi Wuya hid the sharpness in his eyes and respectfully saluted.

In truth, he thought: Very well. You waste, abandoning proper battle to join the commotion here; I will deal with you and He Ying together later.

“I am unprepared for Your Highness’ grand arrival, and your journey must have been arduous.”

“Enough, Qi Wuya, I have no time for pleasantries with you.”

Qi Guanglie descended from the ship and gestured with his hand, “Into the palace first.”

He had been adrift at sea for days, utterly exhausted and bored, now eager only to enjoy himself in the palace.

His gaze couldn’t help but linger on the beautiful palace maids, the more he looked, the more spirited he became.

Qi Wuya, of course, saw his intentions, and with a downcast look, he silently thought: Since ancient times, the land of tenderness has been the grave of heroes.

“Please, Crown Prince–”

Han Chen took a look at Qi Wuya, then hastily went ahead, diligently serving.

He knew that Mr. Jiu and the Crown Prince had always been at odds. Now that Mr. Jiu was seriously injured and facing the pressure of the He army, he still needed the Crown Prince’s support; it was not wise to offend him.

As Han Chen thought of this, swallowing his humiliation, he said, “I will guide the way for the Crown Prince.”

Qi Guanglie said nothing, walked a few steps, and reached the carriages.

At the carriages,

Someone bent down to serve as a footstep.

He stepped up, but upon seeing his brocade boots covered in dust, he frowned, “Lao Jiu, look at the state I’m in from all this travel, even my shoes are dirty.”

He cast a glance at Qi Wuya, clearly expecting him to clean his shoes.

He knew of Qi Wuya’s status in Puluo Country, having him clean his shoes both habitual contempt and a display of power.

No matter how popular Qi Wuya was or how esteemed his status, now that he was here, he was just a dog beneath his feet!

Han Chen clenched his fist so tightly at this scene, barely able to suppress the rage in his heart: He actually dared to ask Mr. Jiu to clean his shoes! He doesn’t deserve such!

Everyone was watching this scene.

The entire dock was in a tense atmosphere.

Even Eunuch Ma, who followed Qi Guanglie, couldn’t help shivering.

The Ninth Prince had trapped Emperor Da He and the Empress on Puluo Island–an observant person could tell that this underestimated prince was no ordinary man.

By provoking him this way, did the Crown Prince not fear that Mr. Jiu, in a flash of anger, might do something drastic?