CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

In the big city of Bu Mo, in the base of the gatekeeper soldiers. Lo Yi sat on his big horse. Complete with gold armour and a crown with a bull’s head which is the symbol of the state of Dai Yang. His large cloak fluttered by the strong wind that roared from the desert valley in front of the gate.

The big city of Bu Mo is one of the supporting administrative cities of the capital. The city located at the very edge of the Dai Yang country directly adjacent to Yue Yang had a big role in maintaining peace between the two countries. Even so, the fort was built strong enough to keep the enemy from entering Dai Yang’s territory.

The country which has only two seasons, hot and cold surrounded by desert has abundant natural resources in natural stone which is often used to make great weapons. One of the famous iron from the northern volcano of Dai Yang is black iron which is used to make Du Gu family life chain. This extremely rare resource was taken by the Du Gu family several generations before as a gift because the predecessor of the family who was once one of Wah Ye’s state officials managed to conquer a volcano that could have burned an entire capital area down. Until now the volcano was never active again.

And if Lo Yi wasn’t mistaken, his younger sister would probably use the Lightning Flame to activate the volcano. Meaning, there would be a lot of casualties not only from within the palace, but even from everyone living around it, and he couldn’t let that happen.

Lo Yi was still seriously looking at the valley as his personal bodyguard Hu Tian approached.

“Report Your Majesty, there is a letter from His Highness the Crown Prince from Yue Yang, he asked for his permission and his troops to enter the Dai Yang administrative area,” Hu Tian said lowering his head while handing over a scroll of sealed letters that had just been sent by messenger.

Lo Yi frowned, why did the Crown Prince of Yue Yang, Luo Xiang have to bring soldiers into his territory? Didn’t he already tell him that the internal affairs of Dai Yang’s country weren’t something he could just interfere with?

Lo Yi read a scroll of letters that seemed to be handwritten, either by the Crown Prince himself or his personal bodyguard.

.....

Lo Yi handed the scroll back to his personal bodyguard.

“Write a letter to him, Hu, I won’t allow him to cross the border, this is a matter within our country, why would the Crown Prince bother to come so far with his army.”

Hu Tian nodded his head while receiving the letter scroll.

“This is a matter of our country, Princess Chai Ni is a citizen of Dai Yang, we will take care of it, why would that person interfere”

Lo Yi was about to turn his horse towards the gate when he saw Hu Tian’s face which was a bit strange according to him, he would normally move quickly following his orders, but for some reason, his personal bodyguard just stood still where he was.

“What else, Hu? What are you waiting for?”

Hu Tian raised his head.

“Em, Your Majesty, I heard from the messenger that there is a possibility that Her Majesty the Princess will take the Viceroy Xin Hua as a hostage, and that he is a part of Yue Yang, therefore, His Highness the Crown Prince of Yue Yang has the right to pursue the Princess here.”

Lo Yi widened his eyes.

“What did you say? Viceroy Xin Hua? I mean, Chai Ni brought Bai Ying with him? What was the girl thinking? Had she lost her mind to even dare to challenge Yue Yang too? What’s in her head? Do you know where Princess Chai Ni is moving to? Why is there no report from all the border guards?”

Hu Tian lowered his head back.

“Report Your Majesty, we only received a report from the west gate that until now there has been no sighting of Princess Chai Ni crossing the border, there is a possibility that she is moving towards the east gate where General Mu Yi was, and he is a distant relative of Princess Chai Ni, is there a possibility that the general sided with the princess and let her in just like that?”

Lo Yi thought until his brow furrowed. He shook his head.

“That’s very unlikely Hu, Jenderal Mu Yis is very loyal to the Palace, it could be that Chai Ni used the enchantment plaque she had to make the General obey her. And if that was the case then nothing could prevent Little Sister from entering Dai Yang with her men. She was extremely dangerous, and by now, she might have put Xiao Ying under the spell. Did she really intend to use Bai Ying to ignite the Lightning Flame in his stead? She could kill brother Ying for that.”

Lo Yi turned his horse head and immediately headed to the resting area. Hu Tian followed him.

“Your Majesty, what about Crown Prince Yue Yang?” he asked.

“Give him the pass, he has the right to enter to save the Viceroy, and where is the closest town after the east gate? Chai Ni might be passing through there, we should immediately intercept him there as best we can”

Hu Tian thought.

“Em, after Su Wei, the city before the desert, the city of Land Wind stops,” replied Hu Tian.

“Let’s go there Hu, I’ll head there first and you bring the army to follow”

Hu Tian nodded.

“Ready Your Majesty”

.....

Land Wind Stopover City.

Very crowded city. It was really crowded with lots of people in the streets and merchants shouting here and there. Unlike the towns in Yue Yang which were mostly neat and clean, the transit town located on the border had truly become a stopover town for everyone, be it ordinary travellers or merchants. Seen on a busy road, several big and scary-looking men on the main roads are none other than road lords who often ask for tribute from every street vendor.

Among the crowds of people covering the road surface, Princess Chai Ni’s ugly carriage passed while she sitting on her own horse, dressed in a very simple commoner as to be unattractive moving along with her men at the back. They mingled with the chariots of merchants who always entered the city with the aim of selling their wares in the inner shops.

In a rocking carriage. Bai Ying peeked out a few times through the small window of the small carriage to see the crowd outside. This was not the crowd he expected and was used to in the cities big and small of Yue Yang or Xin Hua. Most of the people there looked rude and unfriendly. Some were even seen arguing on the side of the road about their wares.

It’s as what Princess Chai Ni said, if the stopover might not as what he always has in mind, it makes him even being so cautious when peeking out.

“Wow, didn’t they sell any food?”

Bai Ying touched his stomach, he was very hungry. The very stingy Princess Chai Ni only gave him one meal, and that was very limited this morning, and it was almost lunchtime, the worms in his stomach were screaming with hunger.

“Ouch, I’m hungry.”

...

Crown Prince Luo Xiang’s entourage was finally allowed to enter the Dai Yang administrative area. The first town they entered was the small town of Su Wei where there was a long stream of a small river that ran between the small town and the other big cities.

Luo Xiang’s large sturdy horses and his men stopped at the river’s shore studying the flow of the river which looked very calm. But it’s actually dangerous. According to local residents, the river has been very strange lately, starting after the river was passed by a group of traders a day ago, which is most likely the entourage of Princess Chai Ni. They were only a day and a half behind her and could have caught up if Luo Xiang and others had not delayed the trip.

But, he had to be careful, they didn’t know what was in the water no deeper than half the body of their great horse. If it is true that there is a strange thing that makes all the fish in the river disappear it must be because there is something very dangerous beneath the calm water.

Chen Ming sat on his big horse while Xiao Hong always clung to him, right now his top priority was keeping his Prince safe.

“Your Majesty, please forgive me, but your hair is blocking your view, here, let me help you tie it,” Xiao Hong said gently, taking Chen Ming’s long hair from the front and tying it at the back so that the wind wouldn’t make his hair cover his eyes when they were crossing later.

Bei Yau was always looking at them subconsciously, although the personal guard remained focused on the Crown Prince’s next order.

Luo Xiang pointed towards the river.

“Bei, we are going through the river, order everyone to keep their eyes wide open and be alert, we don’t know what caused the fish to disappear from this river”

“Yes, Your Majesty”

Said Bei Yau who then raised his hand up his head ordering the troops to the river, they going to cross it.

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