CHAPTER 657: CHAPTER 657: THE INSIDE AGENT

Mu Cheng’an is a direct blood relative of the former emperor of Zhongzhou, and is Mu Yan’s elder, more qualified to inherit the throne of Zhongzhou than Mu Yan.

Mu Cheng’an treated him like his own, so from the age of ten, he infiltrated Mu Yan’s Hidden Guard and became the person Mu Yan trusted most, apart from the Vermilion Bird.

Although their acquaintance stemmed from his adoptive father’s careful design, he was filled with admiration for Mu Yan, but he always felt that his adoptive father was the rightful bloodline of the Imperial Family.

And Mu Yan was merely the illegitimate child of the Princess and an unknown father.

To be honest, Mu Yan was more pitiable than Zhan Lan, at least Zhan Lan’s uncle and grandfather truly loved her, whereas it seemed no one in Mu Yan’s family loved him, even he betrayed Mu Yan.

All because of power, the heartless Imperial Family since ancient times!

From the moment Mu Yan assigned him to accompany Zhan Lan, with the Vermilion Bird unable to protect Zhan Lan due to other matters, he knew his adoptive father’s plan had begun.

He knew his adoptive father must have made all the preparations, so along the way, he followed Zhan Lan as usual and got close with Qin Ming, making them lower their guard.

Indeed, today his adoptive father’s plan began!

What a brilliant strategy his adoptive father employed, first using the Da Clan’s sneak attack, then Asi Han’s blockade, plus him as the insider.

Zhan Lan finally fell!

The next person his adoptive father wanted to deal with was Mu Yan!

Thinking of this, he still felt some reluctance in his heart, after all, he had followed this master for so many years.

But whenever he thought of how cruelly Mu Yan rejected Qingcheng, how he made her heartbroken, he felt it was what Mu Yan deserved! Let him also taste the bitterness of losing Zhan Lan!

All these years, he had silently loved Qingcheng, but unfortunately, Qingcheng only had eyes for Mu Yan, never noticing him, the Hidden Guard.

As long as he could become remarkable, Qingcheng—no, Zuo Bingyan would notice his existence!

The reason he wasn’t afraid of Mu Yan discovering he was an insider was that Zhan Lan would never return to Mu Yan’s side.

Moreover, the carefully designed words were enough to make Zhan Lan doubt Mu Yan. With Zhan Lan’s character, she would never return to Mu Yan’s side.

Even if she did, it would only lead to enmity!

....

The Da Clan was chased into a rout by Qin Xiangming, fleeing back to their tribe.

In the firelight, Yun He saw Qin Xiangming riding his horse nearer and nearer. He pretended to faint, lying on the ground.

Qin Xiangming saw the Hidden Guards scattered all over and dismounted, shouting, "Lan’er!"

He called out several times, but no one responded.

"The child!" he thought desperately of the possibility that Zhan Lan had been killed!

Or kidnapped!

"Sir, they are unconscious, not dead!" someone shouted.

"Find a way to wake them!" Qin Xiangming’s mind was full of his granddaughter.

Yuan Hao, the Commander of Lizhou, hurriedly arrived with a large number of troops.

"Is Her Majesty the Empress here?" he asked Qin Xiangming anxiously.

Qin Xiangming’s eyes were bloodshot, he answered anxiously, "I don’t know!"

Yuan Hao was flustered; he had received the token and edict from the Empress, but he hadn’t had time to reach her side. If His Majesty blamed him, what could he do!

He had received the emperor’s secret decree a few days ago, saying that the Empress was within Lizhou’s borders and instructed him to secretly prepare for her protection. If any word of it got out, he should report with his head.

He was so focused on pleasing the Empress, having the city cleaned and decorated beautifully, but he had overlooked something important and hadn’t managed to send out someone for protection!

He was a bit angered by Qin Xiangming’s attitude, so he decided to shift the responsibility, "Qin Xiangming, what are you doing, how can you fail to protect the Empress with so many people!"

Qin Xiangming was scolded into silence, anxious to find Zhan Lan, so he took the torch from the soldier’s hand, mounted his horse, and went in search of Zhan Lan.

Seeing Qin Xiangming gone to search, Yuan Hao realized that blaming Qin Xiangming was useless now and immediately shouted, "Quick! Find the Empress!"

...

In the darkness, at the border of Beiyue, a group of hundreds successfully passed through the city gate into Beiyue.

After settling down, Mu Cheng’an looked at Asi Han’s gloomy face in the room and comforted him, "Don’t worry, Zhan Lan will definitely die, but right now she serves a great purpose. Once our grand plan is accomplished, I will personally deliver Zhan Lan to you!"

Asi Han, having had his arm cut off by Zhan Lan and being abandoned by the king of Western Rong, wandered with some subordinates until he became one of Mu Cheng’an’s followers.

Asi Han sighed, "Alright, I’ll listen to the Prince!"

"After the meal, we must hurry to the Beiyue Royal City, we cannot delay."

"Yes, Prince!" Asi Han secretly anticipated the day Zhan Lan would fall into his hands!

...

The next morning, Qin Xiangming, after a night of searching for Zhan Lan, returned from the valley, expressionless.

Like a walking corpse, he and the soldiers behind him carried a lamp rack.

On the rack lay a woman burned beyond recognition, only her approximate figure could be discerned.

Qin Ming, Yun He, and others, after taking various antidotes, finally woke up. Qin Ming’s expression was icy; he clenched his sword, swearing to avenge Zhan Lan!

Yun He lowered his eyes, unable to hide his sadness.

When Commander Yuan Hao saw the body, his face turned pale, and he asked in a trembling voice, "Is this Her Majesty the Empress?"

Qin Xiangming didn’t answer the question as he held up the torch and saw the golden hairpin in the grass—Zhan Lan’s, he recognized it.

And nearby, he saw Zhan Lan’s burned body.

Both the height and the vaguely visible features after being scorched matched, confirming it was Zhan Lan!

His expression was dazed, feeling like it was all a dream; seeing no one answered his question, Yuan Hao coldly said, "Qin Xiangming, all because of you, why didn’t you protect Her Majesty the Empress well!"

The Empress died in Lizhou, and with the current emperor’s temperament, he would surely bear the blame.

Even if he were to die, he must drag the negligent Qin Xiangming down with him!

Listening to Commander Yuan Hao’s words, the veins on Qin Xiangming’s forehead bulged as rage rose within him. Abruptly, he lifted his long sword and pointed it at Yuan Hao, questioning loudly, "They told me that Her Majesty pleaded for help from you, where were your men! Where were your troops in Lizhou City! Why did it take you so long to arrive!"

Qin Xiangming felt the sky collapse, his chest pressed by boulders, nearly unable to breathe!

His poor granddaughter, after enduring so many hardships, finally reunited with them, only to die soon after!

If not for his illness, Zhan Lan wouldn’t have come to Lizhou!

It was all his fault!

The overwhelming guilt nearly crushed Qin Xiangming, he regretted more than anything, thinking it would have been better if he had died, then everything would be over!

At least the child would be alive if she hadn’t come here!

Yuan Hao once thought Qin Xiangming was arrogant and didn’t try to curry favor with him; now he believed Qin Xiangming held a grudge, maybe even deeply dissatisfied, so he sharply drew his sword from his waist and shouted, "Arrest this old bastard!"

Qin Ming, Yun He, and a group of Hidden Guards all drew their swords, aiming at the Lizhou garrison.

Yuan Hao’s eyes widened as he yelled sternly, "Revolt! Revolt! Arrest them!"

Suddenly, a voice pressed over with deep anger, "Yuan Hao, who are you to insult the grandfather of both the Emperor and the Empress!"