Chapter 302 - 88: Seeking Refuge

Chapter 302: Chapter 88: Seeking Refuge

Clear, bright laughter once again echoed from within the hall.

Immediately after, the General and the Scholar emerged, hurrying away without so much as a glance at the members of the Aristocratic Families standing in the courtyard.

But this put the Aristocratic Families more at ease. If the Princely Heir was happy, it meant the court wouldn’t be.

It seemed the King of Zhongshan’s rise to power was truly inevitable.

The members of the Aristocratic Families settled their nerves and continued to wait. They waited until the sun was high in the sky before they finally saw the General and the Scholar return. Unable to wait any longer, they stepped forward to ask, only to see a group of more than ten people following behind the General.

Men and women, old and young, they all looked bedraggled and travel-worn, with large and small bundles on their backs. Among them, a man who looked like the family head was being supported by his wife and daughter, his face deathly pale as he stumbled along.

They looked like refugees, or perhaps fugitives who had been captured.

"Sir," the members of the Aristocratic Families said, stepping forward to block the General’s path. "Will the Princely Heir see us?"

The General looked at them as if just remembering they were there. "You’ll have to wait a little longer. The Princely Heir’s guests have arrived." As he said this, he added with profound meaning, "Guests from the Capital City."

’Guests?’ The members of the Aristocratic Families were taken aback. ’From the Capital City? Has an Aristocratic Family from the Capital City come to seek refuge?’ They looked again at the group of people, who indeed appeared to have traveled desperately—

The group was clamorous. Men and women, young and old, all tried to follow inside but were stopped by the General. "Mr. Chu’s family may enter. The servants will all wait outside."

"Our master is injured!" a young page boy shouted.

An old servant, even older than Chu Lan, grabbed onto him. "Our master cannot be left without someone to attend to him."

"My lady, can you still hold on?" an old woman wept as she supported the lady from the Jiang family. "Don’t you worry, this old servant will stay by your side even in death."

"Miss, Miss, I won’t leave you even if I die!" a maidservant cried, practically clinging to the young girl.

The courtyard descended into noisy chaos.

’The servants of an Aristocratic Family from the Capital City are this undisciplined—’ The members of the Aristocratic Families standing in the courtyard were dumbfounded.

The General silenced the clamor with a harsh reprimand.

"A few of you to attend to them is enough. Don’t you see what kind of situation this is? You think you’re still at home living in luxury?" he said with contempt. "Keep making noise and I’ll throw you all out."

This threat frightened everyone. The servants fell silent, watching as the few who had rushed to support their master, mistress, and young miss followed them inside. But the rest refused to disperse, instead crowding at the foot of the steps and deliberately moving closer to the guards—

"It’s much safer standing next to you all," one of the old servants said to a guard with a fawning smile.

It was a sight too pathetic to behold. The members of the Aristocratic Families in the courtyard stared, aghast. Even their lowest-ranking manual laborers weren’t this shameful.

’Have the Aristocratic Families of the Capital City fallen so low? Their circumstances must be truly dire.’ This only further proved that the King of Zhongshan’s power was unstoppable.

Watching that family come to a halt before the hall’s entrance, they found renewed strength to continue their wait.

’The sooner we surrender, the sooner we’ll be safe.’

...

...

Xiao Xun watched Chu Lan and his family standing outside the hall’s entrance, a faint, unreadable smile on his face.

"It’s been over half a year, Mr. Chu. How have you become so haggard?" he called out from inside. "It seems the Empress didn’t take very good care of you."

Chu Lan looked at Xiao Xun. The audience hall was vast, and the young noble sat at the far end, so distant that his face was nearly a blur. All Chu Lan could make out was the rich brocade of his robes, a figure as gentle as jade. But this jade was stained with blood, radiating a chilling aura.

He could hardly recall the Princely Heir’s face. After all, he had only met him once or twice, and the last time had been so terrifying that he had to force himself to forget what happened just to survive.

Now, seeing him and hearing his voice, the nightmare of that night resurfaced.

"Your Highness," Chu Lan said, tears welling in his eyes. "I truly had nowhere else to turn."

...

...

CRASH! The General—who’d earlier displayed the petty paranoia of Empress Chu by suspecting the tea was poisoned—smashed his teacup on the floor.

"How dare you harm our Crown Prince!"

He drew his long saber and charged, slashing down at Chu Zhao, who was still seated in his chair.

Chu Zhao, holding the leather flask, did not move a muscle.

CLANG! Ding Dachui drew his saber and met the General’s blade, blocking the strike. He then twisted at the waist, stepped forward, and raised his own saber to counterattack.

The General retreated step after step.

The piercing sound of weapons clashing filled the hall.

The other generals standing by also drew their sabers and swarmed forward. One guard could block one attack, but against seven or eight men, he wouldn’t be able to fend them off even if he had three heads and six arms.

Ah Le drew his saber and stood before Chu Zhao, showing not the slightest fear in the face of the seven or eight towering generals.

Chu Zhao, for his part, remained perfectly calm and even took another sip of water.

"Stop," the King of Zhongshan said.

The moment he spoke, the generals who were about to attack all froze. The one fighting Ding Dachui also took a step back and stopped.