Blink hard and look again. Dongfang Heng stands tall and handsome, his slender figure casting a long shadow on the ground. The officials secretly breathed a sigh of relief. There was a shadow, so it was a person. Prince An was not dead, and the people had returned to normal. It must be thanks to him. Thank goodness, Prince An was still guarding Qingyan.
The guards of the Holy King's Mansion stepped forward and carried the seriously injured civilians and officials to the nearest clinic for treatment. They instructed Zi Mo to properly settle the civilians who had suffered minor injuries. Shen Lixue slowly walked to Dongfang Heng's side: "Heng, how do you know that killing Qin Ruoyan will restore the people of Qingyan to normal?"
Before faking his suicide, Dongfang Heng whispered in Shen Lixue's ear, asking him to cooperate with her in staging a play to force Qin Ruoyan to show herself. He also said that if Qin Ruoyan was killed, the people would return to normal.
Shen Lixue knew a little about the Gu techniques of the Southern Frontier. She knew that the Southern Frontier used Gu to manipulate people, and that as long as the Gu in the body was killed, the person would return to normal. She had never heard of the Gu being removed by killing the person who cast the Gu.
Once the Gu is introduced into a human body, it is completely separated from the person performing the ritual. When the person dies, the Gu is also destroyed. The world is truly full of wonders.
“A friend once told me that there is a very special kind of Gu in southern Xinjiang that can control others to do its own thing. It is called Mother-Child Gu. The mother Gu is placed on the caster, and the child Gu is placed on the person who wants to be controlled. The caster can use the mother Gu in his body to control those who have the child Gu in their bodies, and make them do whatever he wants.”
Dongfang Heng's gaze narrowed slightly, and his tone was low: "When Qin Ruoyan made a move, the people of Qingyan went on a killing spree. This was exactly the symptom of the mother-child Gu. So, I used the solution that my friend mentioned. I killed the mother Gu, and the child Gu died automatically. The person who was infected with the Gu then regained consciousness."
"Your friend must be very skilled in Gu!" Shen Lixue had also asked the Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang about Gu techniques. He explained many low-level and mid-level Gu, but did not mention the Mother-Child Gu. This shows that the Mother-Child Gu is a high-level Gu, and people with low Gu skills simply cannot use it.
“Clever.” Dongfang Heng gently tapped Shen Lixue’s nose with his jade-like finger. “My friend from the Southern Frontier is indeed a remarkable person.”
"Is he a man or a woman?" Shen Lixue's cold eyes narrowed slightly.
"A man!" Dongfang Heng had no intention of hiding these small things from Shen Lixue.
"Really?" Shen Lixue stared at Dongfang Heng with her cold eyes. She had heard that the women of Southern Xinjiang were more skilled in Gu magic than the men.
"When have I ever had a heart-to-heart talk with any other woman besides you?" Dongfang Heng knew what Shen Lixue was thinking. He stretched out his long arm and gently embraced her shoulder. A hint of a smile was hidden deep in his eyes. She was jealous of him.
After Shen Lixue met Dongfang Heng, he was always cold and rarely spoke to other women. His friend from the Southern Frontier must be a man.
With a sense of relief, she looked up at Qin Ruoyan's lifeless body, her eyes wide open: "Qin Junhao, Qin Ruoyan both died in Qingyan, and the Southern Frontier will never let this go easily!"
The Southern Frontier is ambitious and has always wanted to annex the Azure Flame, but it could not find a suitable reason. The deaths of the Southern Frontier's crown prince and princess gave them a very appropriate reason. The Azure Flame court is in some troubles, which is a great opportunity for the Southern Frontier to advance into the Azure Flame. They will definitely not let it go easily.
Within ten days at most, news of Qin Junhao and Qin Ruoyan's deaths will reach the Southern Frontier. At that time, they will definitely reinforce the border and start a war with Qingyan.
"It's alright, Qingyan is not afraid of the Southern Frontier." A majestic voice rang out, and Shen Lixue looked up to see the emperor, dressed in a bright yellow brocade robe, walking slowly towards her surrounded by civil and military officials. A smile played on his lips, and his gaze toward Dongfang Heng was full of admiration.
Dongfang Heng's gaze was indifferent, his expression calm, as if he had known all along that the emperor would appear. He calmly cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have committed a grave offense and have frightened you."
"Didn't Prince An say that you didn't kill Qin Junhao?" The emperor looked at Dongfang Heng with a gaze that was both dignified and kind.
"Qin Ruoyan was killed by me." In full view of everyone, Qin Ruoyan died at his hands. Dongfang Heng could not deny it, nor would he.
"Qin Ruoyan controls the people of Qingyan and has the audacity to kill me and the court officials, and overthrow the Qingyan regime. Her ambition is obvious and she deserves to die. If the emperor of the Southern Frontier dares to come to Qingyan to demand his daughter, I can take this opportunity to teach him a lesson."
Two cold glints flashed in the emperor's sharp eyes. He was clearly very angry with Qin Ruoyan. Even if Dongfang Heng did not kill Qin Ruoyan, the emperor would send someone to kill her.
"Regarding Qin Ruoyan's matter, the Southern Frontier is in the wrong and dares not cause trouble for Qingyan. However, Qin Junhao's mysterious death in Qingyan will certainly not be left unpunished by the Southern Frontier Emperor," Dongfang Heng said slowly under the watchful eyes of the civil and military officials.
"What is Prince An's opinion on Qin Junhao's death?" Dongfang Heng killed Qin Ruoyan, saving countless people of Qingyan and preserving the Qingyan royal family's power. The emperor's attention and trust in him increased even more.
"Someone killed Qin Junhao and framed me," Dongfang Heng answered the emperor's question, his sharp gaze turning to Dongfang Zhan in the crowd: "I've heard that Prince Zhan and Qin Junhao were very close friends. Does Prince Zhan know who killed him?"
"Since Qin Junhao returned to the Southern Frontier, I have not seen him again, nor did I know that he came to Qingyan. As for the murderer who killed him, I know even less." Dongfang Zhan smiled slightly, his expression calm, and his words and actions were composed, as if he had really never seen Qin Junhao.
"Many people have witnessed Qin Junhao's martial arts skills. He is on par with me and Zhan Wang. He is also proficient in the Gu techniques of the Southern Frontier. Killing him is not an easy task. Qin Ruoyan said that his heart was shattered into pieces, which shows that the person who killed him was an acquaintance who struck him when he was off guard."
Dongfang Heng looked at Dongfang Zhan calmly, his gaze sharp as a knife.
Dongfang Zhan remained expressionless, his brows furrowed tightly: "Does Prince An suspect that I killed Qin Junhao?"
"I am merely stating the facts and analyzing the cause of Qin Junhao's death for everyone. I have no intention of blaming or suspecting anyone!" The implication is that some people are guilty and have taken the initiative to confess their crimes, so it has nothing to do with him.
Two balls of anger suddenly ignited in Dongfang Zhan's deep eyes, then vanished without a trace. Anyone who saw it would surely think they were seeing things. His jade-like fingers clenched tightly. He killed Qin Junhao, but he would never admit it. Dongfang Heng had already taken the blame, so let him take it to the end.
"Zhan'er, after Qin Junhao infiltrated Qingyan Capital, did he really not go to Zhanwang Mansion to look for you?" The Emperor knew something about the relationship between Qin Junhao and Dongfang Zhan, and he vaguely sensed that the two of them were secretly cooperating on something.
He knew Dongfang Zhan's character well and knew that his son would not betray the country, so he turned a blind eye to their transactions. But now, Qin Junhao had died inexplicably in Qingyan, and war between the two countries was imminent. He had to investigate the cause.
"Your subject swears to Heaven that he has never seen Qin Junhao again." Having experienced Dongfang Heng's prowess firsthand, and knowing that Qin Ruoyan's attempts to control the Qingyan people to attack Dongfang Heng would not be successful, Dongfang Zhan ordered his men to secretly remove Qin Junhao's body. The guest rooms, secret rooms, and other places where Qin Junhao had stayed were all thoroughly cleaned up, erasing all traces he had left behind. Even if the Emperor were to send people to search the Zhan Prince's residence now, they would not find anything related to Qin Junhao.
The emperor's sharp gaze swept over Dongfang Zhan and then fell upon Dongfang Heng. He had long sensed the subtle rivalry between these two younger generations. The real culprit had murdered Qin Junhao and framed Dongfang Heng, and must hate Dongfang Heng to the core. If Qingyan hated Dongfang Heng the most, it was probably his third son...
"Your Majesty, someone has sent a message by carrier pigeon to the Southern Frontier, informing Crown Prince Qin that Princess Qin has been tragically killed in the Azure Flame and is awaiting instructions!" A guard hurried over and respectfully handed over a slip of paper.
The emperor took the note, glanced at it briefly, and narrowed his sharp eyes slightly: "Qin Junhao's death will surely enrage the emperor of the Southern Frontier. War between Qingyan and the Southern Frontier is inevitable. The Southern Frontier is ambitious and has long been eyeing Qingyan. If he wants to fight, then let him fight. I will accompany him to the end."
Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials behind him had a momentary glint in their eyes. Qingyan Capital had always been peaceful, and they hadn't made a move for a long time. The war between the two countries was the perfect opportunity for them to showcase their talents.
"Your Majesty, secrets cannot be kept forever. Even if the guards shot down the carrier pigeons, the news of the deaths of Crown Prince Qin and Princess Qin at Qingyan will soon reach the ears of the Emperor of Southern Xinjiang. The Qingyan soldiers are not as fast as carrier pigeons, and reinforcements will not be able to reach the border before the Southern Xinjiang campaign begins."
Dongfang Heng is skilled in strategic planning and warfare, and understands the psychology of soldiers on the march. With his son and daughter killed, the emperor of the Southern Frontier is furious and will definitely mobilize many elite troops to attack Qingyan Border. No matter how strong the defenses of Qingyan Border are, there will still be danger. Only by sending reinforcements can the border be held.
“Prince An, there is no need to worry. The Prince of Yunnan is closer to the Qingyan border. I will order him to lead troops to reinforce it. No matter how fast the Southern Frontier army is, it cannot outrun the Prince of Yunnan’s short distance.”
The emperor smiled slightly, dispelling Dongfang Heng's worries, and his sharp gaze intentionally or unintentionally turned to Dongfang Zhan.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. Qin Junhao's death would likely be forgotten if no evidence could be found. However, the emperor seemed to have become suspicious of Dongfang Zhan.
The emperor very much wanted to compete with the Southern Frontier, but that was when he was in complete control and giving orders. Now, Qin Junhao's death has forced him to order a confrontation with the Southern Frontier.
Both are wars, but being proactive and being forced are two completely different concepts. As the supreme ruler, if the emperor is forced to do something, he will definitely be very angry and will also have some resentment towards Dongfang Zhan.
Let's wait and see how the war between the two countries goes. If Qingyan wins, the emperor will be overjoyed, and Dongfang Zhan will still have a chance to ascend the throne. If Qingyan loses, the emperor will be furious, and Dongfang Zhan will probably have no chance to become emperor.
The King of Yunnan was a king of a different surname appointed by the Qingyan Emperor. His fief was Yunnan, and he had his own independent army. After receiving the emperor's order, he did not linger and immediately led his troops to reinforce the border. Before the reinforcements from the southern border arrived, he joined forces with the Qingyan border soldiers and caught the southern border off guard. He not only stopped the southern border's invasion but also captured two of their cities.
However, with the arrival of reinforcements from the south, the King of Yunnan and his border soldiers found it difficult to advance, and no matter how hard they tried, they could not move forward a single step.
After much deliberation, the group devised a plan. During their renewed battle with the Southern Frontier people, they released specially made poisons and Gu poisons. Many of Qingyan's soldiers were poisoned and afflicted by the Gu poisons, resulting in their untimely deaths.