Chapter 286: Chapter 282: Heavily Surrounded

CLOMP CLOMP! CLATTER CLATTER CLATTER!

CLATTER CLATTER CLATTER!

The clatter of hooves and the tramp of feet grew closer. In no time, squad after squad of the Imperial Army appeared on both sides of the street. Each soldier wore a Steel Helmet and Armor, gripped sharp Weapons, and moved to surround the entrance of the Lieu Mansion.

In just a moment, over a thousand soldiers from the Imperial Army had formed three rings, inner and outer, encircling the area as tightly as an iron drum.

Then, the ranks of the Imperial Army parted, revealing a narrow path. A man in a yellow robe and an ornate jade crown swaggered forward, appearing before the crowd.

"Greetings, Crown Prince!"

The Dong Brothers and Sisters and the many guards quickly bowed in salute. The Third Elder of the Lieu Family pulled Lieu Nuoning and her brother down to bow with them.

Imperial power was absolute. The Li family of Southern Tang were the masters of this land, commanding an army a million strong. Beneath the Innate Realm, be they commoners or Martial Artists, all had to kneel and salute when meeting a Crown Prince or the Emperor.

"Mm. All of you, rise," Crown Prince Li Yu said with a nod. His gaze swept over the surroundings before landing on the one person in the center of the crowd who had not knelt—a young man in green robes. He barked coldly, "You must be the Lord White Cloud. Why do you not kneel?"

"Heh. I kneel to heaven, to earth, and to my parents. What are you?" Ye Xing said flatly. "On what grounds should I kneel to you?"

"You bastard! I am the Crown Prince. How dare you disrespect me!" A murderous glint filled Crown Prince Li Yu’s eyes. "Lord White Cloud, I advise you to surrender and beg for mercy. You are surrounded by the Imperial Army. Your life is now in my hands."

"Oh, is that so?" Ye Xing looked at Crown Prince Li Yu. "I’m very curious. Was this operation ordered by the Emperor of Southern Tang, or are you acting on your own authority?"

"What difference does it make? I alone am more than enough to deal with you. There is no need to trouble my father, the Emperor," Crown Prince Li Yu said arrogantly.

"It’s best if it wasn’t the Emperor’s decree. Otherwise, while my White Cloud has no intention of vying for supremacy, we wouldn’t mind bringing Red Sun Province under our administration," Ye Xing said with a smile.

"Bastard! Don’t think you’re so great just because you defeated the Red Sun Army," Crown Prince Li Yu roared. "My Southern Tang Country still has an army of a million soldiers. Annihilating your White Cloud would be a simple matter."

"Oh? Then by all means, try!" Ye Xing sneered.

’Back when White Cloud was first established, we were able to repel the hundred-thousand-strong Red Sun Army even in a hasty battle. Now, the city’s defenses have been continuously improved and are significantly stronger. Our forces are reorganized and ready. And on top of that, we have cannons and various modern, high-tech weapons. Even if the Southern Tang Country truly sent an army of a million, they couldn’t dream of breaching White Cloud. Besides, the daily cost of supplies for a million-strong army is astronomical. If Southern Tang were to mobilize its entire force, it wouldn’t be far from its own ruin.’

"Hmph. Why would I need to attack White Cloud now, when your life is already in my hands?" Crown Prince Li Yu snorted. "Lord White Cloud, I advise you to obediently hand over the treasure and surrender. Otherwise, with a single command from me, my Imperial Army will mince you into paste in an instant."

SHING! SHING SHING SHING!

SHING SHING SHING!

Following Crown Prince Li Yu’s words, the soldiers of the Imperial Army drew their swords and took a step forward, pressing closer. Their long spears and sharp swords gleamed with a cold light under the sun. The entire scene was thick with killing intent, the air seeming to freeze. A bloodbath was imminent.

"Don’t kill Brother Ye!"

Lieu Nuoning’s lovely face was pale, her expression fraught with tension as she anxiously ran forward. The young boy in brocade, Lieu Yahan, also glared angrily at the Imperial Army soldiers, his little face flushed.

"Ning’er, don’t go! It’s dangerous!"

The Third Elder of the Lieu Family’s expression changed. He hurriedly pulled Lieu Nuoning back, keeping both her and her brother close to his side.

The commotion immediately caught many people’s attention. Crown Prince Li Yu frowned and turned to look, his eyes instantly lighting up. "Oh? What a beautiful woman! Who is she?"

"Your Highness," the Third Elder of the Lieu Family hurried forward and said in a low voice, "Ning’er is a member of my Lieu Family. She meant no offense just now. I ask for Your Highness’s forgiveness!"

"Haha, how could I bear to blame such a beauty? I wouldn’t have time for anything but doting on her," Crown Prince Li Yu laughed. "Elder Lieu, has this woman been married? Might she be promised to me?"

The Third Elder of the Lieu Family’s expression changed. "I’m afraid that would be inappropriate. Ning’er is the daughter of our Lieu Family’s Duke. As far as this old man knows, the Crown Prince already has a main wife!"

The Third Elder was trying to deflect the proposal. With Lieu Nuoning’s gentle and naive personality, entering a place like the Imperial Palace—a viper’s nest of intrigue where people were devoured without a trace—would surely lead to immense suffering. A single misstep could mean her tragic demise.

Hearing this, Crown Prince Li Yu frowned. The Lieu Family was an Innate Family, after all. Daughters from such families held high status and were usually chosen as the main wife for a Crown Prince or other princes. For instance, his own Crown Prince Consort came from another Innate Family.

"Daughter of Duke Lieu? So what? While Ning’er is my husband’s daughter, she was born of a concubine," said the first wife, Mrs. Dong, with a smile. "As her stepmother, I believe it would be her greatest fortune to be promised to the Crown Prince."

"Haha, now here is a woman who knows what’s what," Crown Prince Li Yu said, delighted. His eyes roamed over Lieu Nuoning’s exquisite figure. "Hehe, with Duke Lieu deceased, I will naturally take good care of his daughter. Though she was born of a concubine, I still have a position as Consort available for her. If I ascend the throne next year, she will become a Royal Consort."

"Alright, it’s settled then. Elder Lieu, Mrs. Dong, take my beauty aside and wait for a moment. After I’ve dealt with the important business here, we can discuss the marriage alliance with the Lieu Family," Crown Prince Li Yu boomed with laughter. In his mind, he had hit the jackpot today—a treasure worth millions of Gold Coins and a girl so beautiful she was practically bubbling over. He was in an excellent mood.

The surrounding Imperial Army soldiers were packed in circle after circle. The sharp tips of their long spears and blades, every single weapon, were aimed at the young man in green at the center of the field, waiting only for the order to swarm and kill him.

"Don’t kill Brother Ye! Third Grandpa, Ning’er is begging you, can you save Brother Ye?" Lieu Nuoning pleaded with the old man, her beautiful eyes filled with tears as she watched Ye Xing surrounded by the Imperial Army.

"Third Grandpa, didn’t you say our Lieu Family is an Innate Family and very powerful? Third Grandpa, can you save Big Brother? If he hadn’t protected us on our journey, Ahang and my sister wouldn’t have survived to this day." The young boy in brocade’s big, dark eyes were filled with anxiety. "As long as you can save Big Brother, Ahang doesn’t have to inherit the dukedom."

"This..." A bitter expression touched the corners of the Third Elder of the Lieu Family’s mouth, and he fell into deep thought.

"Third Elder, don’t blame me for not warning you," said the first wife, Mrs. Dong, in a snide tone. "Are you going to make the Lieu Family’s forces fight the Crown Prince’s Imperial Army? This isn’t just about offending the Crown Prince. If the Emperor finds out we fought the Imperial Army, our family’s good days will be over. You know how many years it’s been since the old Clan Leader left to venture into the Central Plains Martial Arts world. That place is dangerous and terrifying; it’s common for even Innate Realm experts to fall there. We don’t even know if the old Clan Leader is dead or alive. Our Lieu Family is now an Innate Family in name only. We can’t compare to the great families who truly have an Innate Realm expert watching over them."

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