Flowers Bloom from Battlefield

The emperor was extremely glad that his son was fine. Ming Gong didn't have much reaction as he was still angry over the assassination attempt towards him. Who dared to try to assassinate a member of the imperial family?

"It's good that you're fine, Ming Gong. Do you have any lead?"

"No, there aren't any."

Ming Gong felt angry over the event that had passed. From them all, they continued to lose one by one and it didn't seem like there was any change to make a comeback.

Strategist Wu walked to the hall and look towards the emperor. "Your Majesty, there is something that I need to talk to you about."

With that, the other officials were kicked out from the hall. Ming Gong returned to his residence while Ming Kui also went towards his residence. Xuan Pei followed soon after.

"Xuan Pei, where have you been?" Ming Kui brow creased.

"I'm waiting outside," Xuan Pei answered.

"You should just come inside. You can be considered as an official," Ming Kui said calmly. He strode to his residence and rummage through his papers. There were some things he needed to do.

Xuan Pei waited by the side quietly. He didn't interfere with what Ming Kui do, but when the other party looked at the expression on Xuan Pei, somehow he didn't feel good. There must be something wrong here.

"Xuan Pei, do you miss teaching those girls?"

Before being an official, Xuan Pei was a teacher for noble ladies. He hasn't become an official for long, but his capability was something different. Ming Kui used him a lot to make the strategy to win against Pan Kingdom. Although in the end they were suppressed by Kai Kingdom when they come.

"It's not that, Your Highness."

Xuan Pei shook his head calmly. Before Ming Kui could ask another question, several guards already come running to him. Looking at the sword on their hand, Ming Kui could guess that they were here to capture him. His face darkened as he knew that Xuan Pei was the only one who knew his real plan. He looked towards Xuan Pei.

"What did you do?"

"Telling the truth," Xuan Pei answered. "Assassination attempt towards your brother is not an appropriate thing to do, Your Highness."

Ming Kui expression changes swiftly. "You traitor!"

Ming Kui leaped towards Xuan Pei, but the other party immediately evaded the attack. That motion made Ming Kui eyes widen in shock. He was about to yell towards Xuan Pei when the guards reached him and took him down.

His eyes didn't leave Xuan Pei who still stood quietly. His mind churned out and he finally understood everything. But at this rate, no one was going to believe in him anymore.

Xuan Pei watched the guards taking Ming Kui calmly. He didn't bother chasing after them and thanked the guards who were coming to check him with politeness.

"Are you alright, Minister Xuan Pei?" a servant come to him with polite smiled.

Xuan Pei recognized the man as someone who stayed near Strategist Wu. He didn't know the other party name, though, since he didn't introduce himself. This servant was already in middle age, but he was still as agile as a young man and quick to respond.

"Yes, thank you for your concern."

The servant smiled. "Strategist Wu asks for your presence in the hall."

"I will come there soon."

"Then I will be going," the servant hurriedly scurried away.

Xuan Pei looked towards that servant with probing eyes. The people in the palace were really troublesome. Most of them were truly annoying and they didn't show their true self to anyone. Hiding deeply, that was the specialty of people from the palace.

Walking to the hall, Xuan Pei soon met with Strategist Wu and the emperor. The emperor looked extremely pissed off. How could he not be? His own son was trying to kill their brother.

"Your Highness," Xuan Pei kneeled.

"You have done well for reporting it and giving the evidence. As a reward, you will be granted a title and money," the emperor suppressed his feeling and nodded in a good manner.

"This official thanks Your Majesty."

The emperor nodded and said a few things to him before dismissing Xuan Pei. Sitting in his hall, he looked towards Strategist Wu and said one sentence.

"Plan the counterattack."

"Yes Your Majesty."

After going out from the hall, Xuan Pei met with Ming Gong. The prince had been waiting for the other party to appear while leaning towards the railing.

"You're the one who used to stay by my brother side?" Ming Gong sentence was not a question, but a declaration. His tone was already turned back to the usual arrogant and willful prince who would do anything as he liked.

It seemed the experience he got didn't change his attitude at all.

"Xuan Pei greets Prince Ming Gong."

Ming Gong knew that Xuan Pei was the one who brought the victory for the battle where Ming Kui was located before. Looking towards the official before him, he smirked.

"From now on, follow me."

That was an order and without Ming Kui, Ming Gong was sure that he would get the throne for himself. He was the official crown prince and that Ming Yan was never his rival.

Xuan Pei kneeled. "Yes Your Majesty."

Ming Gong laughed and walked away with Xuan Pei following after him.

That night, Xuan Pei came to visit Prince Ming Kui in the prison. The emperor has placed a big restriction for anyone to meet with his son. However, knowing the people in the prison, Xuan Pei bribed them. With a little effort, the guards were changed, and he could come inside without worry.

Ming Kui was sitting down with discontent feeling. He was trying to figure out where his plan went wrong.

"Prince Ming Kui, how do you feel?"

Ming Kui looked towards Xuan Pei with hatred burning in his eyes. "You traitor, you're the spy from another kingdom, don't you?"

Xuan Pei didn't look surprised. Since he showed to the other party that he could do martial arts, he knew that with Ming Kui slightly good intelligent, the other party would know that he was not an ordinary official.

"If you don't have anything to back you up, you better not saying nonsense, Your Highness," Xuan Pei voice was calm. "But this time you're right."

"You… oomph," Ming Kui was about to yell and tell the others, but he couldn't. Something was stuck to block his mouth.

"It's amazing for you to realize it in the end, but it means I can't let you go now. What about this, a prince is killing himself because he's feeling guilty over trying to kill his brother?"

Ming Kui eyes widened, but before he could do anything, he felt weak and then fall to the floor. Xuan Pei looked towards the prince with cold eyes.

"Clean it up, make it like an accident," He instructed the guard he stationed there.

"Yes Sir."

The next day, the whole capital was shocked by the news of Prince Ming Kui death. The emperor was angry while Strategist Wu chose to ignore it and focused on the matter on hand. He rubbed his forehead; his work has just increased. He could only instruct his servant to clean up the matter while he constructed the battle plan. The war was not over yet.

"Lin family," emperor's voice made Strategist Wu's hand stopped. "They are still there, right?"

"But, Lin Tang is no longer alive," Strategist Wu brow creased.

"The boy, Lin Hong, he should know about them. Bring him here!"

Strategist Wu face turned solemn, but he continued to arrange the strategy. The Lin family was not that powerful, which was why Lin Tang was never a threat for them. As for the secret of their family, it only consisted of one word, which was their family specialty:

Diplomacy