Chapter 67: Hidden Depths

When Zhan Yan heard Zhongli Yu's anxious calls, her emotions gradually settled, and realizing her own loss of composure, she felt a bit embarrassed and cast him a reassuring glance. Everyone present looked on in utter confusion. Wasn’t it said that Princess Chun was just an ordinary girl from an obscure town? How had she now become the daughter of the Prince of the South? Though their hearts were full of questions, none dared voice them aloud, for before their eyes unfolded a touching reunion of father and daughter.

Zhong Yi Lan and Zhong Yi Jin stared at Zhan Yan in shock. How had they not known that the Prince of the South had such a peerless beauty for a daughter? Had their eyes been blind and their ears deaf all these years? Puzzlement piled upon puzzlement; their minds were filled with nothing but questions.

Yang Qi, seeing that the Prince of the South had already returned to Dongling while Zhongli Yu showed no intention of sending him back, grew anxious. “Zhongli Yu, the Prince of the South has been released. Can you let me go now?”

Zhongli Yu glanced at him coolly and replied slowly, “There is no need to be impatient. Someone is coming to escort you home. He will be here soon.”

Yang Qi was bewildered—who could it be? Hadn’t his father sent Yang Ming? Dissatisfied, he shouted, “Zhongli Yu, what trick are you playing now?”

Before Zhongli Yu could answer, a handsome man in a crimson brocade robe appeared at the gates of Wang City. The soldiers from Xiyuan, recognizing him, fell to their knees, calling out, “Your Highness, the Crown Prince!” It was Yang Rui, finally returned from Dongling. The soldiers’ reverence made it clear how beloved Yang Rui was in Xiyuan.

Upon seeing Yang Rui, Yang Qi’s heart sank. He had always kept people watching him, ensuring he would never leave Dongling alive, yet here he was now. Regret filled his heart.

Zhongli Yu, seeing Yang Qi’s reaction, called out loudly to Yang Rui, “Crown Prince Rui, I am returning your brother to you. I hope you will explain to all the Xiyuan soldiers how Yang Qi falsely accused Dongling of attempting to assassinate you and used this as an excuse to bring Xiyuan’s iron cavalry to trample our lands.” With that, he ordered Feng Lin to unlock Yang Qi’s chains and set him free.

Freed, Yang Qi immediately employed his lightness skill and sped toward Yang Ming’s position. Having recovered his martial arts, he moved swiftly, disappearing into the Xiyuan ranks in the blink of an eye.

Yang Rui nodded to Zhongli Yu, then turned to face the Xiyuan soldiers and addressed them slowly, “Brothers, the people of Dongling did not attempt to assassinate me. The true culprits were my father and my brother—your Emperor and the Second Prince who now stands before you, the one who led you to attack Dongling.”

A wave of shocked exclamations swept through the Xiyuan soldiers. How could this be? The Second Prince had claimed the Crown Prince was harmed by Dongling as a pretext for justice, yet now it seemed the Emperor and Second Prince had orchestrated the assassination. On reflection, it made sense—since time immemorial, the struggle for succession had been the most ruthless, with brothers and fathers turning on each other. The adage, “No affection is crueler than that within the imperial family,” was perhaps all too true. The soldiers now looked upon Yang Rui with sympathy, and recalling how the war had halved their numbers from several hundred thousand to less than half, they felt nothing but profound sorrow.

Yang Qi gazed desperately at Yang Rui and cried out mournfully, “Elder brother, what has Dongling promised you? How could you help a foreign land slander your own father and brother?” Cunning by nature, Yang Qi had no intention of admitting his crime of attempting to murder his own brother.

At Yang Qi’s outburst, the soldiers once more turned their uncertain eyes to Yang Rui, unable to discern truth from falsehood. For a moment, all were lost in confusion.

Yang Rui, unbothered, paid Yang Qi no heed. He said calmly, “Brothers, Yang Qi did not hesitate to hold innocent citizens hostage. Is such a man worthy of your trust? Imagine, should war break out and the enemy seize your families—how would you feel? As long as I live, I will never advocate for war. Our duty is to make our country prosperous, not to covet the lands of others. To speak frankly, in recent years, our Emperor has become obsessed with unifying the realm, neglecting governance and the well-being of Xiyuan. He cares only for conscription and levies. Now, Xiyuan is riddled with wounds. In Dongling, I witnessed prosperity and abundance, a thriving nation and a contented people. This moved me deeply. I hope that one day, Xiyuan can be as flourishing as Dongling, with peace and happiness for our people.”

“Yang Rui, cease your alarmist talk! How dare you speak that way about our father—it is treason, a crime punishable by death!” Yang Qi, seeing the soldiers swayed by Yang Rui and losing all will to fight, shouted in rage.

Ignoring him, Yang Rui continued to persuade, “Brothers, do you miss your homes? Do you truly enjoy war? If not, let us return home now. Each of you is a citizen of Xiyuan. I do not wish for you to become mere bones on the battlefield for one man’s ambition.”

“Go home, go home, go home…” the soldiers shouted in unison, agreeing with Yang Rui’s words. They refused to be mere stepping stones for another’s imperial pursuits. Ever since clashing with Dongling’s elite, they had witnessed Dongling’s might. Continued fighting would only mean certain death.

“Yang Rui, have you rebelled? Do you seek the throne?” Yang Qi roared, never expecting events to spiral so far beyond his control.

“Father is old. If he has no will to govern, he might as well become a retired emperor,” Yang Rui said mildly.

“Long live the Crown Prince, long live the Crown Prince!” The soldiers erupted in cheers. Over the years, Yang Rui had won their hearts. Even if he were to ascend the throne now, none would object. He had already made arrangements in Xiyuan, ready to force Emperor Yang Yuxiong to abdicate at any moment. He had long since lost faith in his father. It is said that even a tiger will not eat its own cubs, yet what had the Emperor done to him? To save the scarred land of Xiyuan, Yang Rui was willing to shoulder all the blame.

Yang Qi, furious, seized the moment when Yang Rui was unguarded and drew his sword, launching a vicious attack aimed at Yang Rui's heart. The soldiers had no time to react—Yang Qi's strike was as swift and deadly as lightning. "Your Highness!" they cried in alarm.

But Yang Rui was no easy target. The instant Yang Qi attacked, he dodged lightly, evading the blow, then drew his own sword, and the brothers became locked in fierce combat. The Xiyuan soldiers were at a loss, not knowing what to do. Yang Ming stood frozen, unable to comprehend how things had come to this. The Emperor had ordered him to retrieve Yang Qi, but now, instead of a rescue, he witnessed fratricide.

On the Dongling side, their people observed the chaos among the enemy. If they struck now, Xiyuan would be caught off guard and routed. However, the prince’s earlier words made it clear—the war was coming to an end, the Xiyuan Crown Prince was about to lead his troops home, and no order had been given to attack. So they watched in silence. Zhongli Yu seemed to have anticipated this outcome once Yang Rui arrived, and was neither surprised nor inclined to give the order to attack. Zhong Yi Lan and Zhong Yi Jin had only come to support Zhongli Yu; military command was not theirs, and with no order, they held their tongues. Having grown accustomed to peace, they had no love for war. If Yang Rui could lead the Xiyuan troops home and end the fighting, so much the better. As for Zhan Yan, the war was never her concern—finding her father had already fulfilled her heart.

The brothers fought for nearly half an hour before Yang Qi began to falter. He had not expected his elder brother’s martial skills to be so profound. It seemed Yang Rui had hidden his true strength for years, deceiving everyone. All of Xiyuan believed the Crown Prince favored the arts, while the Second Prince excelled in martial prowess. The Second Prince’s skills were said to be unmatched, yet the Crown Prince’s were even greater.

Realizing the tide had turned against him, Yang Qi lost the will to continue fighting. With a feint, he changed direction and fled into the distance. He knew he had lost this time. Though he had once gained the Emperor’s approval, Yang Rui had now spread his wings—so much so that even their father could no longer restrain him. At this point, survival was all that mattered, and so he fled.