CHAPTER 684: CHAPTER 336: THE EMPEROR’S TRIAL FOR PRINCE CHU

That night.

Prince Chu and his entourage didn’t continue their journey; traveling at night wasn’t safe. They set up camp to rest beside a river in a forest.

Wei Mian instructed the guards to start a fire while he went to fill some water from the river, preparing to boil it.

The Tenth Prince had once told them that if they were outdoors, they must boil the river water before drinking it and never drink cold water. He said there were parasites in raw water, and drinking too much would make people sick.

Prince Chu sat by the fire, looking at the map in his hand. He calculated that it would take about seven or eight more days to reach Peng City.

Wei Mian kept an eye on the water in the pot while also watching the fish roasting by the fire. When the water boiled, he quickly poured a bowl and fanned it vigorously. After a while, he presented it to Prince Chu.

"Your Highness, the water is still quite hot; please sip it slowly."

Prince Chu took the bowl, lowered his head to blow on it, and then began to drink slowly, sip by sip.

To prevent Prince Chu from being scalded, Wei Mian squatted by his side, constantly fanning him.

"Your Highness, please drink slowly."

Prince Chu, feeling quite thirsty, drank rather hurriedly, but fortunately, the water wasn’t too hot and didn’t scald him.

After drinking two large bowls of water, Prince Chu finally stopped.

Seeing Prince Chu sweating profusely, Wei Mian quickly took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his sweat.

"Check if they’re drinking cold or hot water." Prince Chu found it troublesome to drink boiled water, but his tenth brother had repeatedly urged him not to drink cold water while outside.

"Yes, Your Highness." Wei Mian went around to inquire and found out that the guards had all drunk boiled water, not directly from the river, so he felt at ease and quickly reported back to Prince Chu.

"Boil more water for the journey tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Highness." Seeing the fish was done, Wei Mian quickly took out two small bottles from his sleeve, containing salt and Sichuan pepper. He sprinkled them on the fish. "Your Highness, please enjoy."

Seeing Wei Mian with condiments, Prince Chu couldn’t help but smile, "Why do you carry these when you travel?"

Wei Mian respectfully replied, "The Tenth Prince advised it."

Prince Chu asked in surprise, "When did the Tenth Prince tell you this?"

"He said it before. The Tenth Prince mentioned that if the servant followed you on a long-distance trip, I should bring some salt and Sichuan pepper. He said we might not always stay in hostels or inns, and sometimes we would camp outdoors, where we might catch fish or hunt rabbits to eat. Bringing salt and Sichuan pepper would make things tastier."

Prince Chu thought this was something Zhao Yao would say. In the Tenth Brother’s mind, nothing was more important than eating well, even while traveling.

"The Tenth Prince also said, salt is very important. If we get injured, salt can prevent..." Wei Mian momentarily forgot the words Zhao Yao had said, but after thinking for a while, he remembered, "Yes, salt can prevent inflammation and sterile wounds. Although it hurts, it can prevent the injury from worsening or festering. He also said, when a person is weak or injured, eating salt can restore strength."

Prince Chu said solemnly, "The Tenth Brother is right."

"That’s why the servant always carries salt," Wei Mian laughed, "Thankfully, the salt was only used on roasted fish, not on wounds." Most fortunately, His Highness wasn’t injured.

Prince Chu said nothing, lowering his head to eat the roasted fish. The salt and pepper seasoning indeed made it much tastier.

Wei Mian made fish soup and tore the bread into small pieces, dropping them into the soup.

During this period, Prince Chu and his entourage took shortcuts, avoiding official roads, and did not rest in hostels. Meanwhile, several groups impersonated Prince Chu’s party, boldly traveling along official roads and staying in hostels.

The groups impersonating Prince Chu encountered assassinations, with each wave more brutal than the last. The first group sent out was entirely killed by assassins, leaving no survivors. Although the other groups weren’t completely wiped out, they were gravely injured.

Just then, a carrier pigeon flew toward Prince Chu’s group.

A guard intercepted it, retrieved the letter, and handed it to Wei Mian.

Wei Mian accepted it and quickly presented it to Prince Chu.

Prince Chu opened the letter, his brow furrowing immediately, and his expression turned heavy.

Seeing Prince Chu’s grim expression, Wei Mian’s heart sank, and he quickly asked with concern, "Your Highness, what’s wrong? What happened?"

"The people we sent out were all attacked." Prince Chu threw the letter into the fire, and it was soon burned to ashes.

Wei Mian couldn’t help but exclaim, "What, all attacked, none left?"

With a cold expression, Prince Chu said, "None left."

Wei Mian drew a sharp breath and immediately turned very serious.

"The entire force was wiped out. The Crown Prince and Prince Dai are too ruthless, aren’t they? Although it was expected that His Highness’s journey to Peng City wouldn’t go unchallenged by the Crown Prince and Prince Dai, it was unexpected they’d go this far. "Your Highness, the Crown Prince and his men are intent on killing you."

Prince Chu sneered, "They don’t want me returning to the capital alive." He had anticipated all this long ago.

Wei Mian, feeling a bit panicked, asked uneasily, "Your Highness, all our decoys were attacked. Once the Crown Prince and Prince Dai realize the target isn’t you, they’ll surely send more assassins. We’re in danger now." It’s likely that the Crown Prince and Prince Dai will soon track down their whereabouts.

"Tomorrow, we’ll take the water route instead." Prince Chu had long known his decoys wouldn’t last long, "There are still several groups who will continue to impersonate me, but they won’t take the official roads anymore."

"Your Highness, you expected this outcome, so you have a backup plan?"

Prince Chu nodded slightly, "Yes, Prince Dai doesn’t want me alive in the capital, and the Crown Prince doesn’t want me alive in Peng City. Before I reach Peng City, the Crown Prince will send people to assassinate me."

"Your Highness, will the people you’ve arranged hold out until you reach Peng City?"

"Yes." Prince Chu, meticulous and strategic, had planned everything before setting out. "The journey to Peng City isn’t the most dangerous; the real danger begins once we reach Peng City." His greatest concern now was that Peng City might completely fall under the Crown Prince’s control.

"Your Highness, would the Crown Prince dare to openly assassinate you in Peng City?" Wei Mian was shocked, "You were sent there by the Emperor’s decree to investigate matters. If the Crown Prince openly assassinates you in Peng City, isn’t that too audacious?" Isn’t the Crown Prince disregarding the Emperor?

"He dares to steal copper and privately forge weapons, what else wouldn’t he dare to do?" Although Prince Chu wasn’t entirely sure about the situation in Peng City, he could guess at it. "After killing me, he can easily blame my death on Peng City’s officials or on Prince Dai." Once he reaches Peng City, the Crown Prince’s men will stop at nothing to kill him.

"Your Highness, is the Crown Prince and Duke Zhen planning a rebellion?" Wei Mian hadn’t imagined they’d be audacious enough to steal copper and forge weapons. What other purpose could they have for this but rebellion?

Prince Chu speculated, "They won’t rebel for now, but in the future, they might force the palace." Historical instances of Crown Princes rebelling to seize the palace were numerous. Although the Crown Prince and Duke Zhen haven’t yet committed treason, they harbor rebellious intentions. If the Emperor should ever de-throne the Crown Prince, then the Crown Prince and Duke Zhen will undoubtedly raise an army in rebellion.

"The Crown Prince and his allies..." Wei Mian’s face was filled with horror. Then something dawned on him, and his expression changed to one of realization, "That’s why the Emperor sent you to Peng City to investigate." The Emperor was aware that Prince Chu’s journey to Peng City would face attempts on his life by the Crown Prince and Prince Dai, and that it was a mission fraught with peril. Yet, the Emperor still dispatched him, as a test. If Prince Chu survives the assassins from the Crown Prince and Prince Dai and uncovers the truth about the stolen copper in Peng City, then upon his return to the capital, he will...

Upon considering that possibility, Wei Mian’s heart suddenly began to pound rapidly and fiercely. His initial fear was replaced by excitement.

"Your Highness, if you return to the capital triumphant, will the Emperor appoint you as..." Even if the Emperor doesn’t immediately make Prince Chu the Crown Prince, he would be the obvious heir apparent.

"That’s exactly why the Crown Prince and Prince Dai are determined to see me dead." Prince Chu also surmised the Emperor’s true intention in sending him to Peng City.

"Your Highness, you..." In his excitement, Wei Mian began to stutter; he wanted to speak but was hesitant to voice it directly.

"The investigation in Peng City won’t be easy." Prince Chu said, suddenly sighing, "My greatest concern now is for my tenth brother." As for his safety, Prince Chu wasn’t particularly worried; his real concern was for Zhao Yao’s safety and whether the eighth prince managed to rescue his tenth brother.