CHAPTER 658: CHAPTER 658: "IMPOSSIBLE...

Yuan Hao was completely stunned upon hearing Mu Yan’s voice, as the Commander of Lizhou, how could he not recognize His Majesty’s voice.

Yet this was the first time he heard Mu Yan call his name, and the voice carried a murderous intent.

He turned to see Mu Yan, his face went numb, his heart pounded violently, and his legs uncontrollably knelt down.

"Your Majesty!"

Kneeling on the ground, he kowtowed to Mu Yan, then remembered what His Majesty had just said, grandfather?

Qin Xiangming was the Empress’s grandfather?

To think the Empress’s grandfather was guarding the border in such a barren place!

Qin Xiangming was muddled, he could obviously enjoy a peaceful life in the Imperial City, yet he was guarding the border!

No wonder the Empress came to Lizhou, it turned out she was not on an undercover visit, but came for a family visit!

Yuan Hao suddenly thought of his attitude towards Qin Xiangming, the color on his face faded gradually.

Letting subordinates take the blame is a common practice in officialdom, but he found someone to take the blame, and it turned out to be the Empress’s grandfather.

Isn’t this courting death!

He knelt on the ground, not daring to say a word to defend himself.

Mu Yan said coldly, "With an unclean mind, strip him of his official position, never to be employed again."

"Yes!" Yuan Hao was sweating profusely, if it weren’t for His Majesty being occupied with finding the Empress leaving no time to deal with him, his life would probably have been over.

Although he couldn’t be an official anymore, he was fortunate to keep his life!

There is a distinction between monarch and subject, the moment Qin Xiangming saw Mu Yan, he held a long knife preparing to kneel.

Mu Yan walked before him and supported him, he saw the sadness in the old man’s eyes.

Then he saw a body, already burnt, resembling Zhan Lan greatly.

Mu Yan’s breath halted, his heart sunk into an icy cavern.

Lan’er was dead?

Dead!

"Impossible..." Mu Yan’s expression suddenly turned cold, he walked up beside the body, squatting down to inspect carefully.

Yun He lowered his gaze guiltily, how could Mu Yan come, he indeed loved Zhan Lan dearly, Zhan Lan went to Eastern Wei, he chased to Eastern Wei.

Zhan Lan returned to visit relatives, even though he issued a secret decree, he was still uneasy, rushed after with great effort.

Vermilion Bird walked beside Yun He, asked softly, "It’s fake, is it not real, correct?"

Yun He said nothing, knelt on the ground.

The accompanying Hidden Guards also knelt together with Yun He, their behavior explained everything.

They did not protect Zhan Lan well!

Vermilion Bird’s heart felt heavy as if filled with lead, Madam treated them well, people have emotions, he felt so miserable, how agonizing must the lord be!

Mu Yan’s eyes turned red looking at the corpse before him, he was late!

These days he hurriedly dealt with state affairs, immediately rushed over, aiming to surprise Zhan Lan.

Yet he was still late!

He heard Qin Xiangming’s voice behind him, "It’s all my fault, if Lan’er hadn’t come to visit the sick, she wouldn’t have... would she blame me for not protecting her well!"

"Lan’er wouldn’t think like that." Mu Yan’s voice was very calm, Lan’er was best to her family, she would only blame herself.

Qin Xiangming’s eyes dimmed, hearing Mu Yan say this, his heart felt even heavier, Lan’er indeed never blamed others.

Not far away, footsteps and horse hooves approached, Qin Yan along with Qin Mu, Qin Jingshuo, and Qin Yizhuo also donned armor riding forth, equally stunned by the scene before them.

Arriving on horseback from Lizhou, Qin Shuang saw the corpse on the ground and collapsed in tears, "Lan’er!"

She was supported by two maids, nearly fainted, her expression blank, unable to believe what she saw, her child had knocked her unconscious to protect her, sent her to Lizhou.

Only this morning did she wake up, rushing over to witness this scene.

An elder sending off the young!

Why was Lan’er’s fate so bitter!

Qin Shuang’s face lost color bit by bit, until Mu Yan said, "Lan’er isn’t dead!"

Qin Shuang then noticed Mu Yan’s presence, his words gave her great confidence, she immediately asked, "Then this body..."

Mu Yan affirmed, "Anyway, I can ascertain this body is definitely not Lan’er!"

Even though this corpse greatly resembled Zhan Lan, his intuition told him, Zhan Lan wasn’t dead!

If the corpse was fake, then someone was surely trying to deceive him.

Zhan Lan must still be alive!

"It’s a trick, Lan’er must still be alive, don’t lose composure!"

Due to Mu Yan’s words, Qin Shuang became somewhat calm, Qin Xiangming also felt a heavy burden lifted from his heart.

Yun He’s gaze darkened slightly, after all, the lord was able to deduce that Zhan Lan wasn’t dead!

Even though Mu Yan guessed Zhan Lan wasn’t dead, his heart still tightened.

He must quickly find Zhan Lan soon.

His sharply defined hand gripped the sword, his eyes filled with murderous intent, no one could stop him!

Vermilion Bird saw the lord’s expression, he hadn’t seen the lord look like this in many years.

A dragon’s reverse scale, touch it and die!

And the lord’s reverse scale was Zhan Lan!

After understanding the situation, Mu Yan’s gaze grew completely cold, looking at Qin Xiangming, "Bring soldiers, follow me to the Da Clan’s camp!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Qin Xiangming mounted his horse, received the long knife from his subordinate, and joined the Imperial Army brought by Mu Yan to advance on the Da Clan’s camp.

Qin Yan and Qin Mu, the brothers, were angry upon hearing what happened last night, they led their respective sons, following the defense forces, also pursued.

...

Within the Da Clan’s camp, Wu He’er sat in the large tent surrounded by women he had abducted from Nanjin years ago, at his feet knelt a woman massaging his leg.

These women no longer appeared young as when they first arrived, he was already somewhat tired of them, but ever since Nanjin became Dayu, it had not been so easy to abduct women.

The faces of the three women displayed numb expressions, having been tormented by the Da Clan to the point of numbness.

Uncertain why the Da Clan’s camp had so few women, they liked to abduct Dayu’s women to bear children.

The Da Clan considered women who menstruated every month as inauspicious.

Therefore, even the children they bore would not recognize them as mothers, only treated as slaves, subject to humiliation from anyone.

When their sons reached adulthood, they would face an even more cruel fate.