To the west of Zhongjing, at the Envoy Guesthouse.
Retainer Jia scrambled in on hands and knees, wailing frantically, "Your Highness! Your Highness, disaster has struck!"
He rushed through the halls and corridors, collapsing finally before Prince Chunxuan's couch, sobbing, "Your Highness, a terrible catastrophe has befallen us!"
Prince Chunxuan was toying with a piece of jade he had just purchased, remarking casually, "What disaster? Could it be that royal brother of mine?"
Retainer Jia shuddered violently and stammered in haste, "Your Highness, no, it is not so! It has nothing to do with His Majesty! It is—it is the counterfeit dynasty! Last night they suddenly broke the pact and attacked us, completely wiping out our garrison before Xianglan Pass! Your Highness, this... this is a plot by the counterfeit dynasty to overturn our ancestral altars and eradicate our state!"
"Oh?"
A strange glint flashed in Prince Chunxuan's eyes. "Where did you hear this? Is it true?"
Retainer Jia said, "It was a young gentleman from the household of a certain minister whom we bribed earlier. He privately informed this servant."
Prince Chunxuan pondered for a moment. He knew the fellow. In the past, the man had never passed along any truly useful intelligence.
Though he looked like a frivolous playboy, his lips had actually been quite tight. Yet now he had abruptly fed them such crucial news. That meant either it was something they would find out immediately anyway, or there was a far more significant development that made this piece of news utterly inconsequential.
What could it be?
Linking this to the fall of Xianglan Pass, a thought crossed his mind. He asked again, "Who was the counterfeit dynasty's general who took Xianglan Pass?"
"Rumor has it that it was Chen Chuan, the counterfeit dynasty's Xuanji General."
"Oh? Was it him? Tsk, tsk..."
Prince Chunxuan could not help shaking his head. "Then it wasn't that imperial brother of mine was careless in his defenses; even if he had been on guard, it would have been futile."
The reason the former imperial house had come to negotiate in the first place, aside from the Skyline leaving them in an extremely passive strategic position, was the outcome of Chen Chuan's battle at Tianji Peak. That battle had made the former imperial house feel that peace talks were unavoidable.
Consequently, they placed great weight on gathering intelligence on Chen Chuan, which left the prince quite familiar with him. He knew full well that if Chen Chuan took the field, virtually no one among their border passes could stand against him.
Footsteps echoed outside, and the aide entered. He bowed with clasped hands to Prince Chunxuan and said solemnly, "Your Highness, please leave Zhongjing at once."
"Oh? What has happened?"
Prince Chunxuan remained unfazed. He asked with amusement, "Let me guess—Great Shun has decided to launch a military expedition against our dynasty?"
Retainer Jia trembled from head to toe, noticing that Prince Chunxuan no longer referred to Great Shun as the 'counterfeit dynasty.'
The aide fell silent for a moment before saying, "Your Highness is wise. We should leave as soon as possible."
"We cannot leave," Prince Chunxuan said. "Since Great Shun has already declared war on us, why would they let us depart so easily?"
"When two states go to war, envoys are spared."
"State? What state?"
Prince Chunxuan sneered mockingly. "Nothing more than a pack of clinging remnants of an old era, styling themselves emperors and hegemons behind shut doors! Did you actually take all that seriously?"
The aide straightened up and said severely, "Why would Your Highness utter such words? Our dynasty still boasts millions of armored soldiers and tens of high generals. Looking across the whole realm, how many nations in the world can match us?"
Prince Chunxuan shook his head. "Boast as you might, it cannot conceal the grand trend: the enemy is strong, and we are weak. Besides, the fall of Xianglan Pass is a matter of such monumental importance, yet I only learned of it just now—"
His fingernails scraped lightly across the mat. "Could our secret agents truly have been kept in the dark? Or has that good imperial brother of mine simply forgotten about me long ago?"
He suddenly chuckled. "If I were to return..." He drew a finger across his throat. "...my dear imperial brother would likely pin all the blame squarely on my head, then offer up my skull as a sacrifice to Heaven."
The aide was struck speechless. After a long pause, he let out a heavy sigh.
Just then, another servant rushed in from outside in a panic, throwing himself prostrate on the ground. "Your Highness! Your Highness! A large contingent of soldiers has arrived outside and surrounded the Envoy Guesthouse!"
Hearing this, the faces of everyone in the inner hall drained of color; some even burst into tears.
The aide barked, "Silence!" He declared with stern dignity, "If death is our lot, then so be it, but do not cast away the dignity of the dynasty!"
Prince Chunxuan, however, remained thoroughly calm. This was only to be expected. Since they were merely surrounding the compound, it was probably just to prevent them from sending any word outside; they would most likely not execute him right now.
Still, to be cast aside by his imperial brother just like that... how could he accept such a fate lying down?
He turned to Retainer Jia. "Go bring the maps I hand-drew, as well as the relics bestowed upon me by the Empress Dowager, along with the relics from my estate."
The aide's expression altered drastically. "Your Highness, what are you doing?"
Prince Chunxuan drawled, "This prince is doing nothing much—merely saving his own skin." He snapped coldly at Retainer Jia, "Foolish slave, why aren't you going?!"
Retainer Jia scrambled up and scurried toward the inner chambers.
"You must not!"
The aide lunged forward to grab him, but missed. He immediately turned back, cupped his hands toward Prince Chunxuan, and pleaded urgently, "Your Highness! Pray think carefully, Your Highness!"
Prince Chunxuan said, "Why waste your breath trying to dissuade me? What you carry on your shoulders is nothing more than a fallen court of the past. That dynasty perished long ago. Right now, this prince is seeking a way out for you and me."
The aide took a step forward, his face flushed crimson. "Your Highness! You are an envoy personally appointed by His Majesty, and a member of the imperial Yuan clan! How can you utter such treasonous words—"
Prince Chunxuan's expression turned chilling. He hurled the jade piece in his hand to the floor and rose abruptly. "Do not dare mention that bogus king to me!"
The aide was stunned, staring at him wide-eyed.
The look in Prince Chunxuan's eyes was exceptionally hostile; if the aide uttered another word, the prince looked ready to strike.
The aide held his gaze for a moment, craning his neck stubbornly as if to speak. But just then, Retainer Jia came trotting back, calling out, "Your Highness!" and placed a brocade box on the table.
Prince Chunxuan grunted, reached into the box to rummage through it, and retrieved a stone ring. He said, "Jia, take this and deliver it to General Chen's residence."
The aide froze, then cried out in distress, "Your Highness, you must not! That is a protective relic bestowed by the late emperor!"
Prince Chunxuan scoffed. "What use is this thing to me? Can it protect you, or can it protect me?"
He gave a sneer. "Fortunately, that imperial brother of mine won't be able to protect himself either. When I think of how my dear imperial brother will soon be brought low as a prisoner beneath the steps, my heart is truly delighted!"
He pointed at the brocade box and instructed Retainer Jia, "And these maps and registers—deliver them together to the court of Great Shun." Seeing Retainer Jia standing there in a daze, he kicked him and snapped, "Dog of a slave, get moving!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Retainer Jia hastily cradled the brocade box in his arms, bowed his head, and ran out.
The aide stood numbly by the side.
Prince Chunxuan did not even look at him again, treating him as though he did not exist. Clasping his hands behind his back, he called out, "Summon the musicians and dancing girls. This prince wishes to hear music and watch the dance. Let pipes and songs fill the hall to see us remnant scum of the fallen dynasty off on our journey."
***
Atop the Xianglan Mountain Pass, Chen Chuan stood before the rampart, feeding a handful of crushed beans to Chaoming.
This was the Confluence, where high-energy nutritious food was never in short supply.
Maintaining a smaller form had its advantages for Chaoming: under ordinary circumstances, it saved energy expenditure and slowed its growth phase. Any excess energy could be stored within its mutated tissue, to be absorbed later or deployed in combat once it reverted to its normal size.
At that moment, sensing something, he looked up into the sky. A number of swift birds had appeared up there, and they were quite sizable.
At a glance, it was clear they had been sent on reconnaissance by the former imperial house. In fact, ever since last night, these birds had been appearing incessantly, presumably to scout out the specific situation here.
He patted Chaoming. With a clear cry, the creature pressed its four paws against the battlements and launched into the sky. It swiftly closed in on the birds; there was no need for elaborate hunting maneuvers—simply slamming into them with raw speed was enough to burst them into midair clouds of blood mist.
Having dealt with them, Chaoming did not stop. Circling once, it flew further into the distance, its figure rapidly shrinking into a tiny black speck.
Chen Chuan watched the sky above. With Chaoming around, these reconnaissance birds stood no chance of getting close.
Mutated creatures capable of discerning the tactical situation, identifying enemies, and sensing danger were not easy to cultivate. At first, they had come in large flocks, but their numbers had dwindled noticeably by now.
Still, it was evident that the former imperial house took the loss of the pass very seriously and was desperate to ascertain the specific defenders and deployments here.
The former imperial house should normally have been able to obtain intelligence from the Conservative Faction, but judging by the current situation, they might not fully trust the Conservatives anymore.
This was actually a good thing. Without knowing the exact situation, the other side would find it difficult to make accurate assessments, and their mobilization of forces would not be as swift.
Furthermore, his main body's spirit was linked with him, and he could feel the true body rushing toward this location. For now, all he needed to do was stall until his true body arrived.
Just then, the whirr of propeller blades sounded from the sky behind him.
Chen Chuan turned to look and saw an airship approaching. The officer accompanying him said, "Sir, those are personnel from the National Esoteric Cult Censorship Administration. They're here to help us set up rituals."
The airship drew closer and docked at the mooring tower. A middle-aged man emerged with about twenty individuals clad in Esoteric Cult Administration uniforms. After observing their surroundings, the middle-aged man was guided by an officer toward Chen Chuan's position.
Arriving before him, the man saluted and said, "Greetings, Commissioner Chen. I am Wen Mingzhong, an esoteric ritualist dispatched by the General Administration for support. I have been ordered to assist you in setting up the esoteric rituals."
Chen Chuan returned the salute. "Mr. Wen, you arrived quite quickly."
Wen Mingzhong said, "We have coordinated with the military many times and understand that in military affairs, urgency is paramount; victory and defeat often hang on a difference of mere minutes. Therefore, as soon as the General Administration heard that Anbei Dao had captured Xianglan Pass, they dispatched us immediately."
Chen Chuan gave a slight nod. He could tell the man possessed innate spiritual power of no small measure; his standing within the Esoteric Cult Bureau was likely far from ordinary.
He said, "Then proceed with your tasks. The former imperial house hasn't made a move yet; if anything changes, I will have someone notify you promptly."
Wen Mingzhong said seriously, "Before we begin, however, we need to consult with Officer Chen. Our General Administration attaches great importance to this matter, so we have brought along an antique item imbued with a rather ferocious anomaly.
"However, any anomaly comes with a certain risk of losing control. Thus, the General Administration reminded us to fully respect Officer Chen's wishes. If you believe it poses an impediment, we can refrain from deploying it."
"An anomaly?"
Chen Chuan said calmly, "It is fine. Please proceed with your setup as planned."
Chapter 1396