The Cruel Tyrant

19

Everyone originally thought that the allied forces of the four rebel armies would definitely win the attack on the imperial city, but the result was a resounding slap in the face.

Those who had not paid any heed to the Crown Prince's change at first paid a heavy price. Chen Wei did not actually rebel at all but was a trap set up by the Crown Prince. The purpose was to make all the rebels feel that the imperial city was isolated and helpless. Once they went to attack the imperial city, Chen Wei and Qin Kunyu would then launch a pincer attack, and they actually stupidly jumped into the trap themselves.

The Eastern Army, the Southeast Army and the Southwest Army were almost completely annihilated. Only the generals of the Eastern Army and the general of the Southwest Army, Shangguan Hao escaped. None of the generals in the Southeast Army survived.

After receiving the battle report, Tian Guohai's eyes went red with anger. He slapped his hand on the table and roared: "Sixty thousand people, a full sixty thousand elite soldiers, yet only a few dozens of people came back, why don't you die together! My Eastern Army total 120,000 yet you bastards cost me 60,000 people. You......you......what did you come back for!"

The generals below had just fled back and were currently covered in dust and hungry. A fiery tempered military officer instantly could not resist, his eyes widened and said coarsely: "Your Excellency, how could we have known Chen Wei was unexpectedly Su Mochi's person. This Crown Prince is too insidious. He actually lured us into attacking the imperial city, and then cooperated inside and outside to wipe out our army."

Having been able to claim himself as king for nearly ten years, Tian Guohai was not a reckless man. After venting his anger, he calmed down and said to the generals standing below: "Please sit down, everyone. This time we were too underestimating of the enemy. Unexpectedly......unexpectedly this useless Crown Prince would actually become smart, and even know to play this kind of trick. Very good......this old man will have to see just how capable you are."

In the Southeast Army, the sorry figure of Shangguan Hao knelt down and pleaded guilty. The old man in the high seat raised his hand and said: "Get up, you are not to blame for this. No one thought that Su Mochi would suddenly change so much."

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Shangguan Hao stood up, paused and said again: "Your Excellency, the current Crown Prince is different from the past. It may be dangerous for Feiyu to stay there, it might be best to have him get out as soon as possible."

He shook his head and said: "Most of the spies in the imperial city have been secretly executed by the Crown Prince, and now we can't get any news."

"Then does that mean Feiyu is in deep danger?" Shangguan Hao frowned.

"Not necessarily, maybe it's safe now. The Crown Prince before don't even recognize his family when he killed, but now as long as Feiyu isn't exposed, the Crown Prince wouldn't do anything to him." Although he said so, he was still worried. After all, that was the only child left of his most loved daughter.

The Prince's main residence had been renovated, but the Croen Prince ordered everything to be simplified, so the Crown Prince's main residence was not as luxurious as before, but appearing a bit more simple yet still beautiful.

Yun Feiyu held the scroll in his hand, but his mind was not on the scroll at all. The perfect profile of a youth under the stars appeared in his mind again. In just half a month, most of the countless spies in the imperial city were wiped out by the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince even took the opportunity to kill many disloyal and unruly people.

Could this be the legendary it never rains but once it does it pours (TN: expression describing someone amazing the world with a single brilliant feat when before there was not a hint)? Yun Feiyu's eyes deepened, and the corners of his mouth raised into a small smile.

Suddenly the little eunuch outside the door came to announce: "His Royal Highness is here."

Yun Feiyu calmly put down the scroll in his hand and greeted Su Mu: "Paying respects to the Crown Prince."

Su Mu had just finished morning assembly and had not changed his heavy court clothes yet, which emphasized his imposing and dignified aura.

"Rise, where is Qin Ye?" Su Mu asked.

Yun Feiyu got up and said gently: "In the room, Wei Gonggong please go to invite Qin Gongzi to come over."

Su Mu looked at Yun Feiyu clad in a green robe. It was a pity that the talents of such a learned and peerless man would be buried in the palace like this. After a moment of contemplation, Su Mu suddenly said: "Would you like to be an official?"

Yun Feiyu was taken aback for a moment, looked at Su Mu unexpectedly, and said with a smile: "I thank Your Highness for the kindness, but I am afraid that there is no place for this caomin in the court." Indeed, Yun Feiyu may not have been officially recorded in the royal jade disc (TN: royal family register), but he was already in the harem of the Crown Prince. In which dynasty and what generation had there ever been concubines who served as officials in court? Even if the imperial court officials were afraid of the Crown Prince and did not dare to openly oppose it, they would still make it difficult every step of the way.

All of this Su Mu understood but the amount of officials who were executed by him during the turmoil numbered in the dozens, and many positions were vacated. Su Mu must fill these vacancies as soon as possible, otherwise there would be problems when issuing and carrying out decrees.

"As long as you have real power in your hands, I would like to see who would dare to not show respect. Doesn't Liu Xi have a post working in the Ministry of Rites. You can go to the Ministry of Justice, Chen Xurong will not be tactless."

Su Mu had no reason to put great talents in front of him but don't use them. He wanted to see who dared to make trouble for him.

Yun Feiyu smiled. The Crown Prince did not give him the right to refuse. Only the Crown Prince dared to blatantly do such things that would disturb the imperial court order. Not mentioning the fierce reputation that the Crown Prince had earned a long time ago, but just the fact that he killed hundreds of people not long ago, the court officials would not dare to openly trouble the Crown Prince. The scent of blood in the main market square of the imperial city had yet to diffuse.

Qin Ye walked in from the door expressionlessly, with naked hostility in his eyes. When he saw Su Mu, who was sitting in the high seat, he did not express anything, neither bowing or speaking.

Su Mu didn't care either, but directly said: "General Zhenyuan wants to take you back to the general's manor. You can go back anytime."

Qin Ye looked at Su Mu with a mocking smile and said, "Go back, what would I be doing when I go back, let others scorn me? Does His Royal Highness feel that the humiliation I have received is not enough and wants to change to a new way of playing."

Everyone knew that Qin Ye was the Crown Prince's person. Even if he returned to the general's manor, he would not have any foothold. What would others think of him, the world didn't know that the Crown Prince was the one who was on the receiving end. After all, the Crown Prince was so brutal, who would believe he was on the bottom.

Moreover, he could not marry a wife in this life. When he returned to the general's manor, he could only eat and wait to die. It was better to stay in the Crown Prince's Palace. At least no one would dare to taunt and scorn him to his face. And he could also find trouble for the Crown Prince to vent his hatred. Besides, those brothers in his family were no simple pushovers.

Although it was Su Mochi who had wronged him, but Su Mu was not here to be a punching bag, and he said coldly: "The Crown Prince's Palace does not lack a bite of food for you, so leave or stay at your convenience." Su Mu left Feiyu Pavillion with a flap of his wide sleeves.

Qin Ye looked at the direction of Su Mu's departure with a dark expression: "What does he mean, he is tired of playing so he is ready to throw it away! Does he want me to be grateful!"

"Don't you want to go out of the palace?" Yun Feiyu said mildly as he stood by the window and looked up at a group of flying geese.

"What's the use if I want to go out of the palace? What else can I do when I go out? Who doesn't know that we are the Crown Prince's......" Qin Ye gritted his teeth but in the end couldn't utter the words male pet.