"Lin Changqi, enough nonsense, make your move!" Sun Quan shouted, suddenly spreading his arms and grabbing a pair of copper hammers that were propped up on his side. He then struck at Lin Changqi with the force of a whirlwind.
Lin Changqi's expression changed. He nimbly dodged, his arm outstretched, sword light flashing, directly striking Sun Quan's bronze hammer. "Clang!" The longsword immediately emitted a long whistling sound. But Sun Quan's bronze hammer was like a wild beast roaring as it attacked. Unable to land a single blow, Sun Quan then used both hands to exert force, the two bronze hammers accompanied by whistling wind, alternating attacks towards Lin Changqi. Lin Changqi's expression changed drastically. He had learned swordsmanship, the greatest advantage of which was its speed and fierce attacks. Combined with footwork, it made the swordsman's movements agile, making it the best for both offense and defense. Lin Changqi had also made some progress in this swordsmanship. He was full of confidence, having finally met a worthy opponent. However, Lin Changqi had miscalculated slightly.
Even if his swordsmanship was superb, it hadn't reached its peak. Sun Quan's martial arts were also remarkable, and he possessed immense strength. Those copper hammers weighed over a hundred pounds each, and the sound they made when he swung them was enough to send most people tumbling. Faced with Sun Quan's overwhelming strength, no matter how sharp his swordsmanship was, it felt like throwing an egg against a rock. As soon as he entered the arena, Lin Changqi was completely suppressed.
The scene erupted in uproar. What was initially thought to be a contest of power and influence had turned out quite differently.
Lin Changqi's face flashed with anxiety as he watched Sun Quan's copper hammers come in wave after wave. A cold glint suddenly flashed in his eyes, and he shouted, "Watch out for the darts!"
Sun Quan was taken aback, picked up the copper hammer and started swinging it wildly, but at that moment, he heard a sinister laugh: "Sun Quan, you've fallen for their trap."
Sun Quan's eyes widened suddenly as he looked at Lin Changqi, who was rushing towards him, and he cursed angrily, "Lin Changqi, you are despicable!" However, in just a moment, Lin Changqi's long sword had already pierced through the wind and thrust at him. Sun Quan took two steps back, but Lin Changqi was wielding a fierce sword and thrusting at him with all his might. His speed was also astonishing. How could he dodge it by simply retreating?
"Ah, you're courting death!" Sun Quan suddenly roared. Everyone felt as if his arm suddenly swelled up, and he swung his right hammer around his head before striking Lin Changqi's longsword. With a loud "clang," Lin Changqi's arm went numb from the shock, but he screamed "Ah!" and, with a ferocious expression, he thrust his sword backward toward Sun Quan's neck. Everyone was stunned. This was a true duel; every move was a deadly strike.
Sun Quan shouted "Ah!" and simultaneously swung both hammers at Lin Changqi's sword.
With a hiss, sparks collided, followed by a piercing screech.
"Break!" Sun Quan suddenly shouted, and the two hammers suddenly slammed together. Lin Changqi's sharp longsword was shattered at a speed visible to the naked eye. Hearing that sound, everyone's hearts jumped, as if the shattered sword was their own heart. They watched in horror.
"Ah! No!" Just then, a scream from outside the arena pierced the sky.
Everyone turned around in surprise, then turned pale with shock. The broken sword that Sun Quan had smashed was sent flying out of the arena by the force of the impact, hurtling towards the people sitting next to him.
"Pfft!" All the crowd saw was a spray of blood flying into the sky. The person screamed in agony as her entire left arm was pierced by the broken thorn. The slashing motion had actually sliced off half of her shoulder and left arm. Blood gushed out like a flying pillar, splattering dozens of people sitting nearby with blood. The scene was instantly chaotic, filled with screams.
"Princess Sheng, it's Princess Sheng!" The people next to her were so frightened that their eyes almost popped out of their sockets as they watched the person writhing on the ground in pain, and they screamed in shock.
Who else could it be but Princess Sheng, Leng Caidie, who had half her arm cut off!
If it were anyone else, it would be understandable. But Leng Caidie is not only the Princess Consort of Sheng, but also the legitimate daughter of the Leng family. She is also related to the Sun family by marriage. One move affects the whole situation. Lin Changqi and Sun Quan on the stage were both shocked, and the people of the five great families were also shaken.
Ouyang Yue stared intently, a fleeting look of astonishment crossing her face, replaced by a cold sneer. The five great families were truly in chaos!
☆、222, adding insult to injury!
The arena was filled with chaotic shouts, leaving people either stunned or dumbfounded.
"Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"
"Quickly help Princess Sheng out to see the imperial physician!"
Baili Mao sat beside Leng Caidie. When Leng Caidie's shoulder and arm were severed, the blood splattered, drenching him and his face. The strong smell of blood filled his nostrils, and Baili Mao froze in shock. Having grown up in the palace, Baili Mao had seen his fair share of things, but this was the first time he had ever witnessed such blatant bloodshed. At that moment, he felt a burning fear in his chest, his heart pounding wildly. He sat there like a blood-soaked figure until he heard someone scream for the imperial physician. Only then did Baili Mao snap out of his daze, his body trembling. He jumped back two steps and looked down.
At this moment, Leng Caidie had lost an arm, and blood was still flowing. He was in so much pain that his face turned ashen, pale as paper with a sickly transparency. His face looked as if it had been washed with water, and beads of sweat were pouring down. He was rolling around on the ground, screaming in pain. Just moments ago, he had been a figure of luxury and nobility, but now he was a complete mess.
Immediately, palace maids brought over a sedan chair and took Leng Caidie directly to a room in the central hall. Because this was a martial arts competition, and to prevent injuries, Emperor Mingxian had arranged for two imperial physicians to accompany her. The physicians were already waiting there, but when they saw Leng Caidie appear in this state, the two physicians were stunned. They thought that Princess Sheng had also gone down to compete for the position of deputy commander. How could she be injured so severely? Even the injuries of all the other contestants combined were probably not as serious as Leng Caidie's, except for the deceased Leng Caixi.
Even after Leng Caidie left, the scene didn't immediately return to quiet. More than ten people who were near the Shengwang Mansion were implicated and sprayed with blood. They couldn't stay there in their clothes, so they all went downstairs to change.
However, chaos has broken out among the five great families.
Madam Sun could no longer remain calm. Her beloved daughter had lost an arm. It was known that disability was forbidden in the royal family. A disabled prince could not become emperor, and a disabled woman would find it difficult to marry into a good family. Foreign women who married into the royal family with illness were disqualified; they had no chance of reaching the second rank or higher. This meant that this could directly affect Leng Caidie's position as Princess Consort. Leng Caidie had previously revealed that only the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, the Seventh Prince, and the Ninth Prince remained in the court. The Fourth Prince was weak and it was uncertain whether he could have children; he had already been abandoned. The Third Prince had been sent to a cold and desolate place by Emperor Mingxian a few years ago, missing crucial years for his development. Moreover, the Bai family was now in dire decline, making her chances equally slim.
The only remaining princes are the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince. However, the Seventh Prince, Baili Chen, has become extremely arrogant and domineering due to Emperor Mingxian's favor over the years. He has been impeached by the censors countless times. Even with his continued favor, Baili Chen has a terrible reputation in court, arguably the worst among the princes. It is difficult for such a person to convince others to accept him as emperor. No matter how much Emperor Mingxian favors Baili Chen, he must consider the opinions of his ministers. Of course, the chances of him marrying Ouyang Yue have increased somewhat, but even so, he does not have the same legitimacy as the Crown Prince. Originally, the Fifth Prince had the best reputation, but now that he is dead, Baili Mao seems to have little hope. However, with proper management, it is not impossible.
But even if Baili Mao becomes emperor in the future, so what? Leng Caidie is now crippled. Becoming the mother of the nation is just a pipe dream. No matter how she became crippled, the empress, the mother of the nation, must never be disabled. Sun felt as if a mountain was suddenly pressing down on her, making it hard for her to breathe. She was so angry that she was almost going crazy: "You actually harmed Princess Sheng! You all deserve to die! You all deserve to die!"
Sun was so angry that her eyes rolled back several times, and she almost fainted. Ever since Leng Caidie's accident, after she recovered from the initial shock, her whole body was trembling. She opened her mouth but couldn't speak for a long time. When she roared, the force was so strong that it almost shattered people's eardrums. Even Leng Yuren, who was a military officer beside her, was so frightened that he trembled.
Everyone present looked grim, filled with shock and uncertainty. Harming a royal princess was indeed a serious crime for an assassin, and it would be difficult to escape punishment. Lin Changqi and Sun Quan could both hide their fear, and the people from the Lin and Sun families were also greatly alarmed. They discussed among themselves, unable to make up their minds.
Emperor Mingxian watched this bloody scene from his seat, remaining silent for a moment, seemingly pondering a solution or something else entirely. Fenyan and Consort Zhang sat to one side, trembling with fear, heads bowed, not daring to utter a word.
"I want you to pay with your lives! I want you to pay with your lives!" Sun shouted again, her face contorted in a ferocious expression, which was quite frightening. The people from the Leng family did not speak at this time, but their eyes, which were fixed on Lin Changqi and Sun Quan, were full of coldness, clearly indicating their attitude.
The duel between the two left Leng Caidie severely injured, and this injury was far beyond what could be healed by rest alone—it was a severed arm! Unless a god descended, how could a severed arm be reattached? It was simply a pipe dream. Although Lin Changqi and Sun Quan both held official positions in the court, their ranks paled in comparison to Leng Caidie's position as the Princess Consort of the Prince of Sheng.
However, the Lin and Sun families were in a panic. Lin Changqi and Sun Quan were among the most outstanding members of their generation. This selection of deputy commanders was secondary for Lin Changjian, since he was more likely to succeed as the head of the Lin family clan. In terms of literary talent and martial arts, he was inferior to Lin Changqi. This time, Lin Changqi was the one who really wanted to run for the position. Sun Quan was the best in martial arts among the three brothers. As long as he put in some effort and had some patience, he could rise to the rank of first-grade general in the future. Both families had put a lot of effort into cultivating such talents. If he were killed here, they would hate him to death.
The Lin family patriarch couldn't help but say, "Second Madam Leng, please calm down. This happened too suddenly; it was a complete accident, and no one wanted it to happen."
Sun Bocheng frowned and said, "Cousin, nobody wants this kind of accident to happen."
"An accident? What accident? Lin Changqi and Sun Quan were fighting to the death just now. Don't they know that swords have no eyes? I am from the Sun family! My two children have both died at the hands of their own family members. How am I supposed to live?" Madam Sun wailed angrily. It was truly tragic. Leng Caixi was mistakenly killed by Sun Ming, and Leng Caidie's arm was injured in the struggle between Lin Changqi and Sun Quan. The consequences would be far-reaching. As a member of the Sun family, wasn't this tantamount to killing each other? Moreover, being harmed by her own family members made Madam Sun even more furious. Even if Lin Changqi from the Lin family had done it, she probably wouldn't be this angry.
Sun sat in the chair, her hands trembling with anger, as if she were going mad.
Those present were abuzz with discussion. Was this so-called accident truly unexpected to outsiders? Sun Ming's martial arts were said to be exceptional; how could he have lost control of his sword at the crucial moment and killed Leng Caixi? Leng Caidie was even more unlucky—Lin Changqi and Sun Quan were fighting their own people, so why did the attack fall on her? This was an accident, and now it was an accident twice? It made one wonder if something more was amiss. Could the Sun family have deliberately harmed them? After all, the Sun family was merely a branch of the main Sun family. Perhaps there were internal conflicts unknown to outsiders, and this was a way to cut off the Sun family's escape route; such a thing wasn't impossible.
But if that's the case, then the Sun family is far too cold-blooded and ruthless. The Sun family is their own family, yet they harm their own family members like this. If they are so heartless and ungrateful, wouldn't they be even more ruthless towards others? This is what is meant by "crossing the river and then destroying the bridge." If you get entangled with them, who knows how they will die in the future.
Sun Bocheng and the others from the Sun family were all startled, knowing that they absolutely could not take responsibility for such a matter in this situation. Even Emperor Mingxian cast a thoughtful glance at them, which frightened them so much that they hurriedly defended themselves, saying, "No, this matter is due to Lin Changqi of the Lin family. Anyone with eyes can see that she is no match for Quan'er at all. She has been holding on by sheer willpower. Even when she finally used her ultimate move, Quan'er easily countered it. It is clearly Lin Changqi who is treacherous and cunning, and did this on purpose. It has absolutely nothing to do with Quan'er. After all, they are family members. The Sun family would never do such a thing."
"Nonsense! Sun Bocheng, stop trying to deny it! If Sun Quan hadn't shattered Chang Qi's sword, how could the broken sword have been sent flying towards Princess Sheng? If there was any premeditation, it was the Sun family's. Now, to shift the blame onto Chang Qi and the Lin family at this point—you're incredibly cunning! You even thought of this! Could it be that you orchestrated this selection of deputy commanders?!" Lin Jianhua, the Lin family patriarch, angrily rebuked, but he was also quite cunning, directly accusing the Sun family of being conspirators, even implying that Emperor Mingxian's selection of deputy commanders was part of their scheme. What the emperor hates most is being schemed against. Even if all the officials were plotting against the emperor for personal gain, no one dared to speak out. This indirectly implied that the Sun family was up to no good. If Emperor Mingxian became wary of them, what would become of the Sun family?
"Lin Jianhua, stop making excuses. We all know what you're up to, so don't pretend to be righteous. When Lin Changqi's sword came at you, didn't Quan'er block it? It's only because Quan'er's martial arts are superior to Lin Changqi's that this sword would have killed Quan'er. Lin Changqi never had good intentions. He clearly knew he was not strong enough, so he did this on purpose. At that time, Quan'er could only use all his strength to block the move with his copper hammer. He clearly had malicious intentions and wanted to harm people, and then make Quan'er take the blame so he could seize the position of deputy commander. I never thought that the prestigious Lin family, the head of the five great families, would produce such a scoundrel. It's a disgrace to the five great families." Originally, the Lin family had produced two empresses, the Empress Dowager and the Empress. Normally, no matter how fiercely the five great families fought, they would not tear off their masks and accuse each other. But when it came to the outstanding offspring of the family, all of that was irrelevant. For the sake of face, for the sake of fear, the loss of the pillar of the family was something anyone would fight for.
Two of the five great families started arguing and blaming each other in an attempt to shirk responsibility, creating quite a scene.
"Hahaha, this is quite a commotion. Look at the expressions on their faces, tsk tsk tsk, they're so lifelike," Baili Gan laughed as he watched.
Dai Yu nodded slightly: "It's even more interesting than paying to see a traditional opera."
"What do you mean by this!" Sun Meng'er clenched her fists, worried, and immediately shouted at the two of them after hearing their conversation.
Baili Gan glanced at Sun Meng'er indifferently: "That's exactly what I meant. Doesn't Consort Sun understand?"
“The Crown Prince of De is considered a member of the royal family. What he should be thinking about most is the stability of the royal court. What good will it do you to fight between the Lin and Sun families? You should just offer some advice instead of gloating. What are you thinking?” Since it concerned Sun Quan’s life and death, Sun Meng’er was worried and wanted to vent her anger on someone else.
Baili Gan glanced coldly at Sun Meng'er: "What are you thinking? You're just watching the show. Everyone in this courtyard is watching the show. Why can't we speak the truth? It seems like the other people are saying the same thing. Does Consort Sun think you have so much power that you can suppress everyone's discussion?" Baili Gan smiled with narrowed eyes, "Tsk, the Imperial Uncle is still watching without saying anything. Consort Sun, you have quite the ability and courage."
Sun Meng'er's face was pale. She realized that everyone in the Sun family had always been accommodating to her, but after getting married, she encountered these annoying people, each one of whom was more eloquent than her, leaving her speechless and feeling extremely frustrated: "That was clearly Lin Changqi's deliberate framing. Second Brother was simply protecting himself. Can't the Prince of De see that? If the Prince of De speaks the truth, this concubine will be very grateful to you."
"Tsk tsk tsk, thank you, how should I thank you? Hehehe, what I need right now is a woman. Is Consort Sun going to send someone to warm my bed?" As he spoke, Baili Gan gave Sun Meng'er a lecherous look, and Sun Meng'er immediately stiffened at his gaze.
Baili Gan was not well-known in the capital before, but after returning recently, it was said that he had openly flirted with several women, and his reputation had become extremely bad in just a few days. Sun Meng'er was furious that he would dare to have such a shameless act, even daring to make advances towards her. Ouyang Yue said, "Cousin is talking nonsense again. Not everyone can take such jokes. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at for saying such impolite things? If you don't want her, others will." She glanced at Baili Gan's face, the gist of which was that while he was shameless, others still had their pride, especially women; this was tantamount to harassment.
Bai Lizhi couldn't help but say with a dark face, "My cousin's mouth is getting more and more outrageous."
Baili chuckled dryly, "Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. It was my rudeness, my rudeness. Please don't take offense, Third Cousin."
Baili Zhi comforted Sun Meng'er, saying, "Consort, don't take it to heart by arguing with the young master. He's a good person in every way, except he's always acting without any sense of propriety. He didn't mean it."
Sun Meng'er's face flushed red with anger and shame, but Baili Zhi, Ouyang Yue, and Baili Gan all spoke up, and Baili Gan even had a good attitude of admitting his mistake. If she pursued the matter further, it would make her seem cautious. But she was also uncomfortable holding back her anger. However, thinking of her second brother, she couldn't help but soften her tone and said, "Your Highness, you've been watching all along. You must have seen it. Just now, it was clearly Da Changqi who couldn't accept defeat and forced my second brother, which led to this tragedy. This matter has nothing to do with my second brother. He's too innocent. Why don't you put in a good word for my second brother and hope that Father won't blame you?"
Baili Zhi's eyes darkened, but he remained silent. Ouyang Yue, seeing this, wore a strange smile, which Sun Meng'er noticed, angering her. She said, "Princess Consort Chen, my second brother is suffering, and you're still laughing at me? Are you making a fool of me? We are sisters-in-law, after all. Your behavior is truly shameful."
Ouyang Yue continued to smile, not even glancing at Sun Meng'er. Sun Meng'er was about to say something when Baili Zhi said, "Consort, there's no need to be angry. This matter hasn't reached the point of no return, and whether or not to pursue this matter depends mainly on the opinions of the people involved."
Ouyang Yue turned around with a smile: "It's the opinion of the Ninth Prince, Prince Sheng."
A woman obeys her father at home, her husband after marriage, and her son when she gets old. Leng Caidie is now married to Baili Mao, so in a sense she can no longer be considered a member of the Leng family. Even if Madam Sun wants to seek justice for Leng Caidie, in the end, the one who should be condemned is Guo herself and Baili Mao. Before Baili Mao could even speak, the Lin and Sun families were already arguing fiercely, which was quite interesting.
In truth, the Lin and Sun families understood this perfectly well. However, their rivalry had been fierce for years, leading to deep-seated resentment. This was merely a turning point; there would be more to come. If only a few individuals were injured this time, it wouldn't cause a major uproar, since Leng Caidie was a princess consort. Regardless, they would have to give the Sheng Prince's Mansion an explanation. But sacrificing a promising member of their own household was absolutely out of the question, so naturally they would do everything in their power to clear themselves of any connection.
Emperor Mingxian had finally had enough and said in a deep voice, "Alright, all of you shut up!"
Lin Jianhua and Sun Bocheng, who had been arguing incessantly, suddenly fell silent as if their throats had been caught. They immediately knelt on the ground. Sun Shi, having heard their argument, especially Sun Jiancheng's sophistry, was so angry that she was convulsing, her face contorted in extreme rage, her eyes and mouth trembling. If it weren't for the two maids supporting her, Sun Shi would have wanted to hide on the ground and roll around trembling. At this moment, she was so angry that she was practically spitting fire. This was exactly what she wanted. At this point, she didn't even care about Caidie's life or death. How hateful, how utterly hateful!
Emperor Mingxian merely glanced at the furious Madam Sun, then turned to look at Baili Mao, who sat blankly to the side, seemingly lost in thought. Baili Mao was covered in blood, and while everyone else went to change their clothes, he insisted on staying. Only now did everyone notice that Baili Mao's expression was off. Emperor Mingxian said, "Ninth Prince, your Princess Consort has been in such a predicament. What do you think should be done about this?" This matter was insignificant to Emperor Mingxian, but extremely important to the Leng and Sheng Princes' residences.
Baili Mao remained silent, stunned. The atmosphere froze. His attendants, who had come with him, looked at him nervously. Seeing that Baili Mao did not speak, they said anxiously, "Your Highness... Your Highness, please say something! The Emperor is asking you a question."
Baili Mao remained oblivious, sitting there blankly. It wasn't until then that everyone realized something was wrong; something was amiss with Prince Sheng. The attendant, feeling Emperor Mingxian's gaze sweep over him, broke out in a cold sweat. Finally, gritting his teeth, he reached out and gently pushed Baili Mao. At first, the gentle push was ineffective, so he increased the pressure: "Prince Sheng, Prince Sheng, the Emperor is asking you a question!" In his heart, he thought, "Prince Sheng, please calm down quickly, or if the Emperor really blames me, I'll be in trouble too."
With that, Baili Mao was suddenly startled. His whole body jolted, and he jumped up in the same instant, shouting, "Princess, where is the Princess! Where is the Princess!" He was extremely agitated, looking around for Leng Caidie.
The attendant was horrified: "Your Highness, the Princess has taken her away for treatment."
"Treatment? What treatment? What could possibly be wrong with the princess that requires treatment? That's impossible." But his face was extremely horrified, clearly showing disbelief.
"Your Highness, but..."
"Shut up! I don't believe you!" Baili Mao shouted, then his eyes widened and he fell straight backward.
"Your Highness! Be careful!" Fortunately, there were two people standing behind Baili Mao who were shocked and helped him up, thus preventing Baili Mao from hitting his head. However, Baili Mao closed his eyes and fainted.
Everyone was shocked. Princess Sheng had just been injured and gone, and then Prince Sheng had also fainted. They had all arrived at the same time. However, when they looked at Baili Mao, they were all filled with sympathy. Leng Caidie had suffered such a serious injury with her arm severed; she might have lost her life if things hadn't gone well. Prince Sheng's condition was clearly due to excessive worry. The rumors were indeed true. Prince Sheng had deep feelings for his princess. Looking at his unbearable shock, it didn't make him seem weak at all. On the contrary, it made people feel that Prince Sheng was a man of deep affection and loyalty, a truly devoted man, worthy of admiration. At the same time, it made people envious of Leng Caidie.
Since Baili Mao had fainted, he naturally couldn't stay here. Emperor Mingxian waved his hand and ordered his men to take Baili Mao away. However, the Lin and Sun families looked at each other, their faces turning pale.
Emperor Mingxian had a somber expression on his face: "The contest between Deputy Commanders Lin Changqi and Sun Quan was a great display of their superb martial arts and wisdom, truly exemplary among the scions of noble families. The final match was also extremely exciting and evenly matched. Unfortunately, Lin Changqi's sword broke in the end, and Sun Quan ultimately won."
Everyone was shocked. This meant that Emperor Mingxian had acknowledged the match. If so, would Leng Caidie's injury be dropped? Upon hearing this, Madam Sun gasped for breath, then fainted with her eyes rolling back. The Leng residence was thrown into chaos. Emperor Mingxian glanced at Madam Sun, his eyes flashing: "On the battlefield, swords have no eyes. Such things are inevitable."
At this moment, the Crown Prince stood up respectfully and said, "Father is right. Your son saw it clearly. When Lin Changqi and Sun Quan fought, they risked their lives and fought with all their might. This shows their admiration for Father. It is not uncommon for weapons to break during fights. There have been cases of broken weapons injuring people before. The previous situation was indeed an accident."
At the Crown Prince's command, the Lin and Sun families echoed his sentiments, each offering numerous reasons to support their claims. The crowd listened, their lips twitching, yet unable to refute him. It seemed the Leng family was truly experiencing bad luck, the second branch of the Leng family deserved their misfortune, and Leng Caidie was particularly plagued by bad luck. The broken weapon, of all people, hadn't injured anyone but her. There were so many people around Leng Caidie; Baili Mao was sitting less than half a meter away, just a hair's breadth away, yet the broken sword was aimed directly at her, as if she were possessed by the god of misfortune. In truth, everyone knew that swords in the arena had no eyes; even if Leng Caidie died, there was nothing that could be done. Before, when Leng Caixi was killed, the Emperor had glossed over it with the excuse of swords having no eyes. Leng Caidie was far better off than Leng Caixi; at least she was still alive. However, because she was the Princess Consort of Sheng, her status was different, so everyone took it seriously. Now, seeing the situation, everyone had different thoughts, but outwardly they all echoed his sentiments.
In the end, it even turned into Leng Caidie's fault. First, people said that Leng Caidie was unlucky, and some even implied that in this competition, the other families only suffered relatively easy losses, but the second branch of the Leng family was so unlucky. First, Leng Caixi was mistakenly killed, and then Leng Caidie, who was watching from below, was injured by sheer coincidence. Could it be that the second branch of the Leng family had done a lot of immoral things and wanted to wipe out their lineage? Once this topic came up, some people even started to maliciously slander the second branch of the Leng family, and even pinned some unfounded things on them. But most of them were actually quite reasonable. Leng Yuren clenched his fists in anger. If he didn't still have some sense, he could have killed each of them with a single punch.
His son died, his daughter was injured, and these people still kicked him when he was down. Are there really people this hateful?
Emperor Mingxian frowned and said, "Alright, all of you shut up!"
The scene fell silent again. Emperor Mingxian looked at Leng Yuren, who was about to go crazy with anger but was still gritting her teeth and enduring it. He sighed and said, "However, this selection of deputy commanders requires the selection of talented people, but we have also lost a talented person. Princess Sheng was injured, and the Ninth Prince was also stimulated. I also feel guilty. I must give some compensation to the victims. Leng Yuren, accept the decree."
Leng Yuren was taken aback, then immediately knelt down: "Your subject accepts the decree."
"Leng Yuren is hereby appointed as a Second-Rank General of the Garrison Army, effective immediately."
Leng Yuren was stunned, his face full of astonishment, but he quickly thanked the emperor: "Your subject obeys the imperial decree and thanks you." It turned out that Leng Yuren was only a third-rank official, and above him was the young general Xuan Yuan Chaohua, in the middle were generals such as Ouyang Zhide, and below him were some extremely promising deputy generals. It would not be easy for Leng Yuren to be promoted now, but he was directly promoted to a full-rank official. He could be said to have picked up a windfall.
Previously, they had been gloating and even taking advantage of the situation, but now their expressions were strange, and they looked at Leng Yuren with some resentment. They used to think that the second branch of the Leng family was unlucky, but now they felt that this was a favoritism towards them.
Emperor Mingxian continued, “Princess Sheng was injured innocently, and I promise to do my best to heal her. I also guarantee that the position of Princess Sheng will never be held by anyone else. The Ninth Prince was upset because of his concern for Princess Sheng, and it pains me to see him suffer. The annual inspection of the Great Zhou is about to begin again, so let the Ninth Prince take charge of it this year.”
The Crown Prince's expression changed. The inspection wasn't just about supervising local finances and personnel; it also included a crucial task: allocating annual budgets and grain reserves. This was an extremely lucrative position, and every year, ministers from various factions would fight tooth and nail for it. Now, it had been given to Baili Mao for nothing. Baili Cheng was extremely frustrated. He had meticulously planned to secure this lucrative post this year, but it had slipped through his fingers so easily, ruining all his plans. He was filled with resentment! Of course, there was another thing that Baili Cheng was extremely concerned about: Emperor Mingxian's favor towards the Sun family hadn't ended. Was it out of consideration for Consort Sun's past, or for the new Consort Zhao? If it was out of consideration for Consort Sun's past, that wouldn't be good. The Empress had orchestrated Consort Sun's affair, and while she had been very careful, some of the charges against her were fabricated. If Emperor Mingxian held a grudge because of this, things would be disastrous!
Even if we disregard all of that, Sun Quan's appointment as deputy commander, his constant presence with Emperor Mingxian, and his frequent remonstrances to the emperor have placed the Lin family in a precarious position, something he absolutely cannot allow.
After Emperor Mingxian finished speaking, he left first. Someone would send news to the palace about Baili Mao and Leng Caidie's injuries. Some of the other spectators chose to leave, while others went inside to wait for news.
As soon as Emperor Mingxian left, Sun Meng'er rushed to the Sun residence, and Baili Zhi naturally followed.
Baili Chen sneered: "The fight is truly spectacular."
"Hehe, Your Highness, do you think Prince Sheng was really dizzy or just pretending?" Ouyang Yue smiled meaningfully.
"What difference does it make if he's really dizzy or not? All I know is that by doing this, the various factions in the capital have become even more complicated." Ouyang Yue nodded. "The most chaotic are the five great families, and the Lin family and the Sun family are likely to clash this time. Sun Quan became the deputy commander, a coveted position that everyone wanted, but in the end, it was the Sun family that got it. Will the previously scattered opposing forces unite against each other? It's truly intriguing." Originally, the major families were divided and vying for the same benefit, but now that only one family has obtained it, it's hard to guarantee that the others won't cooperate to deal with the Sun family. Even if it doesn't come to that, how could the Empress and the Crown Prince possibly give up?
A strange feeling flashed through Ouyang Yue's heart. Was Emperor Mingxian doing this on purpose? Was he truly still in love with Consort Sun? Was he showing too much favoritism towards the newly entered Consort Sun, hence this blatant act of favoritism? Wasn't it to incite a bloody conflict between the Lin and Sun families? If this was true, then Emperor Mingxian, that old fox, was far too ruthless. If not, then this unintentional act would cause such a stir throughout the city, proving that Emperor Mingxian had a talent for creating chaos.