Chapter 308 - 92: Fighting to the Death

Chapter 308: Chapter 92: Fighting to the Death

"In the imperial family, there are no fathers and sons."

Mu Mianhong gazed at the distant city walls and spoke softly, then turned her head to look at Xiao Man.

"When the fighting starts, tell Leader Bai to give us cover so we can get into the city."

Although Xiao Man had already been through many battles, she was still flustered. "What’s going on? We sent in the evidence against Xiao Xun, but now it’s a suicide mission? What is she trying to do? Auntie, what did she tell you?"

Besides asking her to deliver letters to the Capital City, Chu Zhao had also given Mu Mianhong a note.

Since it wasn’t addressed to her, she hadn’t read it.

Xiao Man started to panic. ’This is different from what Chu Zhao said. She said that once things were handled in the Capital City, it would all be over. But now it looks like we’re heading into a fight to the death?’

"She said that if she dies, I must kill the King of Zhongshan," Mu Mianhong said.

Xiao Man stared blankly. ’How could she be about to die?’

"Then she really is going to her death!" She stomped her foot in frustration. "How could she be so reckless? How could she be so—"

She looked at Mu Mianhong, feeling helpless.

"Auntie, why didn’t you stop her?"

She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. ’Sigh, Chu Zhao doesn’t even speak to Auntie. How would Auntie dare to stop her?’

’Being a mother to her is such a humble and helpless position.’

Mu Mianhong pulled her into a hug, patting her back, and smiled gently. "Don’t worry, and don’t be angry. To have gotten this far, she had no choice but to be reckless to survive."

’She’s just like General Chu—fearless and bold. And in truth, she’s also like me, Mu Mianhong. Haven’t I also been fearless to make it this far? My only fears were tied to two people.’

’General Chu is gone, and my daughter is right before my eyes. If she lives, I can watch over her. If she dies, I will die with her. That is enough for one life. What else is there to fear?’

"Ah Zhao said," Mu Mianhong began, looking ahead as she wrapped her long whip around her waist and picked up the long saber leaning nearby, "’He killed your daughter, so you will make sure he never becomes Emperor.’"

’Those two words, "your daughter," were her way of calling me Mother.’

’My daughter has made a request of me. As her mother, of course I won’t stop her. I will give it my all to help her.’

A smile appeared on Mu Mianhong’s face.

"I will make the entire Prince Zhongshan Mansion be buried with my daughter. Not only will the King of Zhongshan never become Emperor, but neither will his children or his children’s children."

"With a powerful mother like me, my daughter will be roaring with laughter even in death."

...

.....

"In the imperial family, there are no fathers and sons." The King of Zhongshan roared with laughter.

"Indeed. Miss Chu only became the Empress because in the imperial family, there are no fathers and sons."

The Third Prince killed the Crown Prince and seized the throne, leading to a night of chaos in the Capital City. Brothers turned on each other—there is no family affection in the imperial household.

"Miss Chu, you shouldn’t be so naive. How could you think you could threaten me just by capturing Xun?"

Chu Zhao looked at the King of Zhongshan and suddenly asked, "Prince, aside from the trouble with your legs, how is your health?"

The King of Zhongshan was taken aback. ’Why is she suddenly asking about my health? Is she implying I’m old and don’t have long to live?’ He let out a laugh. "Rest assured, Miss Chu. Aside from my legs, which were ruined by human hands, I have been protected by the Daoist ancestors for decades. I am free of illness and will live for a very long time."

’Free of illness... but in that other life, the King of Zhongshan still died. His death must have been caused by human hands.’

’Who could have killed the King of Zhongshan? In that life, he didn’t even deploy his troops, and he had over two hundred thousand private soldiers at his side...’

’Who could have killed him so easily?’

’Did someone else also use Xiao Xun to threaten him?’

’But from the King of Zhongshan’s reaction, he isn’t bothered by this threat.’

Chu Zhao’s mind wandered, but she quickly snapped back to the present. Looking at the King of Zhongshan, she asked again, "Prince, why do you want to be the Emperor?"

’At a time like this, this girl is still in the mood for idle chatter?’ The King of Zhongshan chuckled. "Why does one want to be emperor? Because I could have been emperor. I, too, am a son of an Emperor."

Chu Zhao said, "Even among the Emperor’s sons, not everyone can become emperor. What’s more, you are the Emperor’s youngest son. After I became Empress, I was looking through the old archives in the palace and came across some poetry Your Highness wrote as a child—"

She looked at the King of Zhongshan and smiled, pressing her lips together.

"The pages were filled with plans to go out and play, and you even wrote about wanting to travel all across the lands of Great Xia."

The King of Zhongshan hadn’t thought about his childhood for a long time. It had not been a happy one. But hearing Chu Zhao mention his poetry, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of nostalgia. There had indeed been a time like that, carefree and innocent—

He sneered. "I am the son of an Emperor. I can be plotted against and harmed, but I cannot become emperor myself? What kind of logic is that?"

Chu Zhao said, "Prince, you may have your grievances, but as the Empress, I must uphold the legitimate line of succession."

This was the first time the girl had referred to herself with the imperial ’I’ since she entered. The King of Zhongshan stared at her.

The Empress sat upright, ignoring the swords drawn all around them. "I will say this one more time. If you withdraw your troops and end this now, you can remain a Prince."

The King of Zhongshan burst out laughing—

"Miss Chu, what you should be saying right now is, ’I beg you, after you ascend the throne as Emperor, to spare that little boy’s life.’" He smiled, then paused. "Of course, if you back down now, Empress Chu, I will also spare your life. In the future, I can let you and your husband live as an idle Prince and Princess Consort. Why must we head toward mutual destruction?"

Chu Zhao looked at him and smiled.

"Xiao Hong," she said. "His Majesty and I do not need you to spare our lives. And you won’t get the chance to fight His Majesty."

’Xiao Hong...’ The King of Zhongshan was stunned. No one had called him by his given name in years. He had almost forgotten it himself.

The girl before him stood up.

"Xiao Hong, did you think I came here to beg for mercy?"

"Did you think I captured your son to threaten you?"

"I led two armies here for one purpose: to first kill your son, then kill you, and then slaughter the entire Zhongshan King Mansion!"

"You, your son Xiao Xun, your other seven children, and your flocks of concubines—all of you will die."

The King of Zhongshan said, "Such arrogance, Empress Chu! You think you can do that with just those two armies outside—"

"Prince," Chu Zhao interrupted him with a smirk. "What do you think I, Chu Zhao, have relied on to get where I am today?"

The King of Zhongshan paused. ’She relied on... Chu Ling.’

Chu Zhao looked at him with a wide smile and asked, "Prince, you plotted for years, yet that night you were defeated at my hands. Have you ever wondered why?"

’It was because of the Dragon Power Army.’

The King of Zhongshan had long suspected that Chu Ling and the Emperor shared a bond unknown to outsiders. That was why, despite being cast aside for so many years, he had not been reduced to nothing.

That night, the young prince was escorted out from the encirclement, and the Dragon Power Army was revealed to the world.

And Chu Zhao was still asking why—

"That night, the Princely Heir fled so quickly he didn’t know the full details. The one who held the Dragon Power Military Order was my father’s Deputy General. He was in the Capital City that night and rushed to save me. But before he arrived, I had already killed the men the Princely Heir had stationed around my home and walked out unscathed." Chu Zhao looked at the King of Zhongshan. "Prince, what do you think I relied on to get out? My uncle and my cousin?"

The King of Zhongshan’s eyes narrowed slightly. He said nothing.

"And think about the present, Prince. I am here in the Border County, yet I control the Princely Heir’s life and death as easily as I breathe." Chu Zhao smiled faintly. "Is that also because my cousin and uncle are so valiant?"

Never mind the past, or who helped Chu Lan’s family capture Xiao Xun now. The sheer speed at which she sent and received messages—at a time when the court’s official post houses were either cut off or under surveillance—was enough to prove this girl was not bluffing.

The King of Zhongshan looked at Chu Zhao and nodded. "I understand." He sighed softly. "I truly never expected that a man like General Chu Ling would also keep a private army."

Chu Zhao said flatly, "What a Prince can do, a subject can also do." Before the King of Zhongshan could ask more, she continued, "Xiao Hong, as long as I, Chu Zhao, am alive, you will not be emperor. Your son will not be emperor. And if I, Chu Zhao, die, you will all be buried with me!"

The King of Zhongshan gripped his cane, watching her in silence.

The girl smiled again.

"If you kill me, you won’t live either. My forces—the ones you can see and the ones you can’t—are spread out all over. The moment I die, they will use every means possible to kill you."

"If I die, I will still be the Empress of Great Xia. If you die, you won’t even be a Prince of Great Xia."

"In this life, I, Chu Zhao, have gotten everything I ever wanted. I have no regrets. There is no loss for me in death."

She looked at the King of Zhongshan and enunciated each word.

"So even if you’re willing to sacrifice your son, and even if you’re not afraid to die and want to perish together with me... this time, I still win."