Qin Ruoyan looked at Qin Junhao again. He was dressed in a proper white brocade robe, and the golden vines reflected an eerie light under the illumination. However, the flower branch near his heart was pierced to pieces, and his clothes were stained blackish-brown with blood.
Upon closer inspection, there was no poison in the blood. He had been stabbed to death. His once beautiful heart was now shattered like a beehive. This shows that his death was extremely tragic, and the murderer was highly skilled in martial arts and deeply hated him.
As the God of War of Azure Flame, Dongfang Heng commands thousands of troops and possesses unfathomable martial arts skills, making him fully capable of killing Qin Junhao.
What caused the conflict between him and Dongfang Heng?
Qin Ruoyan arrived at Qingyan in a dusty state. Upon entering the Zhanwang Mansion, she went straight to see Qin Junhao without even taking a break. Her hair was disheveled by the wind, and the hem of her white brocade dress was covered in dust. Against the backdrop of the colorful vines that covered her body, she looked indescribably mysterious and eerie.
Her breasts were full, her waist slender and delicate. If one ignored her plain face and dark skin, she would be a stunning beauty. As she turned around, a rich fragrance wafted up, causing Dongfang Zhan to frown deeply. He quickly regained his composure, his gaze dim and his voice low: "Because of Shen Lixue."
Dongfang Zhan knew Qin Junhao's temperament well. His death at the hands of a beautiful woman would be the least suspicious thing. Moreover, the person he wanted to scheme against was Dongfang Heng, and using Shen Lixue as a medium was the most suitable option.
"Your Highness flirted with Shen Lixue, and Dongfang Heng saw it?" Qin Ruoyan grew up with Qin Junhao and knew that although he appeared serious, he was a womanizer and flirting with women was commonplace for him. Shen Lixue was stunningly beautiful and very pleasing to the eye. If he saw her, he would definitely go up and flirt with her.
Dongfang Zhan lowered his head. The intense conflict between Qin Junhao and Dongfang Heng was fabricated by him. Without concrete evidence, he couldn't admit it too readily, nor could he add fuel to the fire. Timely silence could achieve twice the result with half the effort.
As expected, Qin Ruoyan interpreted his silence as confirmation of her guess. A chilling glint flashed in her small, beady eyes, sending shivers down one's spine: "He was just teasing Shen Lixue, he didn't bully or humiliate her, why did Dongfang Heng have to resort to such extreme measures?"
"It seems that when Crown Prince Qin was harassing Shen Lixue, Shen Lixue angered him, and he tried to torture her. Dongfang Heng happened to see this, and in a fit of rage, Dongfang Heng..."
Dongfang Zhan's words were ambiguous, but they only fueled Qin Ruoyan's anger: "Shen Lixue is fine. Dongfang Heng is angry, so he should just teach Qin Junhao a lesson. How could he kill him?"
Qin Junhao was the noble Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang. Even if he made a mistake, he should be punished by the Emperor of Southern Xinjiang. Dongfang Heng killed him without distinguishing right from wrong, which clearly showed that he did not respect the Southern Xinjiang royal family!
"Dongfang Heng dotes on Shen Lixue. She is more than seven months pregnant and is the most important person in the entire Holy King's Mansion. Dongfang Heng can't bear to see her suffer the slightest grievance..."
"Bang!" Qin Ruoyan slammed her hand on the table beside her, abruptly cutting off Dongfang Zhan's words. Looking at the large hole newly punched in the center of the sturdy table, her beautiful eyes burned with fury.
"Dongfang Heng murdered Qin Junhao, and your father just sat idly by? He should at least give us in the Southern Frontier an explanation."
Qin Ruoyan and Qin Junhao didn't have a deep sibling relationship, but he was, after all, her own brother. He died at the hands of Dongfang Heng, and she couldn't just stand by and watch.
Dongfang Zhan wore a deep blue brocade robe, perfectly tailored, highlighting his tall and slender figure. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with exquisite cloud and sea patterns, and a gold-threaded sash cinched his waist. He was elegant and distinguished, exuding an indescribable grace and nobility in every gesture.
"My father has ordered me to handle the matter of Crown Prince Qin with full authority. He has instructed me to mediate the conflict between the Southern Frontier and Dongfang Heng..."
"My Southern Border Crown Prince was killed by Dongfang Heng. This is not a conflict, it is hatred. Can the hatred of killing one's son and brother be resolved?" Qin Ruoyan was furious and her eyes were full of resentment. "Go and tell the Emperor that if he wants to resolve this matter peacefully, he should make Dongfang Heng pay for the Crown Prince's life."
Qin Ruoyan is a woman who enjoys male beauty and is not interested in important court affairs. However, as a native of the Southern Frontier, she is very protective of its reputation. Dongfang Heng's cruel murder of Qin Junhao is a provocation against the Southern Frontier. Only by killing Dongfang Heng and restoring the reputation of the Southern Frontier can she quell her hatred.
"Absolutely impossible." Dongfang Zhan rejected the idea without hesitation: "Dongfang Heng commands the Qingyan army of 400,000 men and is a brilliant strategist. He is one of the best among the younger generation of Qingyan and is highly valued by Father. If Southern Xinjiang asks for other conditions, Father might agree. But don't even think about killing Dongfang Heng to pay for Qin Junhao's life. Father would rather go to war with Southern Xinjiang than sacrifice this war god of Qingyan."
Friction frequently occurs between Qingyan and Nanjiang, and the two countries sometimes dislike each other, making war inevitable. However, to provoke war, one must be well-prepared and have a high chance of winning. Neither country is confident of annexing the other, which is why they have maintained a superficial peace and have not broken through that thin veil.
As the God of War of Azure Flame, Dongfang Heng's illustrious reputation is known to the people. He is their protector. If the emperor kills him to appease the Southern Frontier, the people may not say anything on the surface, but they will definitely curse him in secret, and the emperor's lifelong reputation will be ruined.
A wise emperor with ample national strength and no fear of the southern border would never do something that would boost the morale of others and diminish his own prestige.
"The Emperor did not kill Dongfang Heng because Qingyan Kingdom was powerful and on par with Nanjiang. He had offended Nanjiang and was fearless. If the situation became dire and he was forced into a corner, and had to choose between himself and Dongfang Heng, he would definitely kill Dongfang Heng."
Qin Ruoyan's smile was sinister and terrifying. Even though Dongfang Zhan was highly skilled in martial arts and remained calm, he was still chilled to the bone by her eerie smile: "What does Princess Qin want to do?"
"Of course, it's about plotting to capture Dongfang Heng." Qin Ruoyan said sweetly, her deep voice full of confidence, her small, beady eyes flashing with a cold light, as if victory was in her grasp.
Dongfang Zhan sneered inwardly. Things were going according to his plan. Under the dual stimulation of his and Qin Junhao's tragic corpses, Qin Ruoyan indeed harbored hatred and wanted to deal with Dongfang Heng.
However, Dongfang Heng is a veteran of countless battles, and his insight, adaptability, and command skills are unmatched by ordinary people. The title of "Azure Flame War God" is enough to show that he is extraordinary and invincible.
Qin Ruoyan is nothing more than a frivolous princess who loves men and never cares about the affairs of the Southern Frontier, let alone leading troops into battle. If she were to make a rash move, she would surely be utterly defeated by Dongfang Heng.
Dongfang Zhan was still counting on the guards of the Southern Frontier to help him seize power, and he absolutely could not lose to Dongfang Heng easily. He had to remind her: "Dongfang Heng is the God of War of the Azure Flame. He is invincible and can face thousands of enemy troops alone without changing his expression. It will not be easy for Princess Qin to capture him."
"Don't worry, I have my own way of dealing with him." Qin Ruoyan raised a mysterious and eerie smile: "Prince Zhan, just stand aside and watch carefully. The capital of Qingyan is about to change. Dongfang Heng killed his elder brother, the Crown Prince, and provoked my Southern Frontier Kingdom. He is truly arrogant and disdainful of everyone. He will soon pay a heavy price for his actions."
---Aside---
Episode 223: The Finale (Part 2)
"Li Xue, I'll go to the palace first. You stay here and don't eat or drink anything for now. I'll be back soon." Dongfang Heng held Shen Li Xue's small hand tightly, offering her silent comfort.
People are different, have different habits, and do different things every day, but they are all poisoned by the same thing. It must be a problem with their diet. Because, whether they are high-ranking nobles or lowly commoners, they all need to eat and drink every day. Through this channel, everyone can be manipulated.
Apart from that servant, no one else in the Holy King's Mansion showed any symptoms of poisoning. However, they had already eaten breakfast. Just because the food wasn't poisonous then doesn't mean it's safe now. Dongfang Heng wouldn't let Shen Lixue eat anything that was even slightly suspicious.
The palace is heavily guarded, and there are many highly skilled imperial physicians who should not have been contaminated with the poison. The treatment of patients or the development of antidotes will all depend on them.
"I know, be careful." Apart from the Holy King's Mansion, almost all the people on the street have been poisoned. Even if Dongfang Heng hadn't reminded her, Shen Lixue wouldn't eat anything until things became clear.
Dongfang Heng nodded, turned to leave, when a familiar yet anxious call came: "Prince An... Prince An..."
He looked up and saw that many civil and military officials, including the Minister, Vice Minister, Prime Minister, and General, were rushing towards the Prince of Sheng's residence, their faces full of anxiety: "Are you gentlemen preparing to enter the palace?"
The Holy King's Mansion is located on a bustling street. Many officials pass by the Holy King's Mansion on their way to the palace. However, the Prime Minister comes from the direction of the Imperial Palace...
"No, we came here specifically to see Prince An!" The officials carefully and quickly stepped over one fallen civilian after another, their voices filled with anxiety.
A bad feeling suddenly rose in Dongfang Heng's heart, and he frowned slightly: "What do you want with me?"
"Please take a look at this, Prince An." As they approached, the officials handed over slips of paper, each bearing only a few words, but all conveying the same message: If you want to live, go to the Holy Prince's Mansion and find Dongfang Heng!
"What does this mean?" Dongfang Heng's obsidian-like eyes were unfathomable. What was the mysterious man's intention in directing the officials to search for him?
The officials shook their heads repeatedly: "We don't know either. Just now, when we returned to our residences after court, all the people on the street were lying on the ground, unconscious. When we turned around, we saw this note pasted on the gate."
Dongfang Heng's gaze sharpened. He didn't know anything about medicine, and the physicians of the Holy King's Mansion couldn't diagnose what poison the people had been afflicted with. What was the purpose of the person who wrote the note and quietly posted it on the gate of the high-ranking official's mansion, asking them to gather at the Holy King's Mansion to find him?
"Hehehe." A silvery laugh suddenly rang out, and a familiar female voice came through the void: "Prince An, it's been a long time. How have you been?"