Gift of the Fox

Chapter 23: The Shocking News

The Wanglongian army won the battle against the Sorovs. They were on their way back and had camped for the night when a messenger entered Wang Shao's room, bowed, and declared:

"Your Highness, Prince Wang Shao, I have brought emergency news from the Royal Palace."

"What news?" Shao furrowed his brow - usually, it was the army sending news from the battlefield to the palace, not vice versa, and the word 'emergency' had an alarming ring to it.

"You are summoned back to the palace immediately. Prince Wang Rong has died."

Shao shuddered and grew pale - died?! Wang Rong, his eldest brother, at only thirty years of age?! He sprang up and clutched the messenger's shoulders:

"Is it true, or a lie? Know that if it is a lie, you are not going to get away with it!"

"No, Your Highness, it is all pure truth! Here, the emperor has also sent a letter."

The frightened messenger handed him a scroll. Shao opened it and ran through the lines.

"Yes, it is his handwriting... Damn it!" He closed the scroll and looked at Xin Tao and Nick, who had already stood up and prepared themselves. "We're moving out. Tao, notify the generals and tell them to rouse the soldiers up. We cannot be late."

"Yes, master."

Tao rushed out of the tent. Shao opened a blank scroll, wrote a note on it, and gave it to the messenger:

"Tell my father that I am coming and will be there as soon as I can. When we find out who was behind this murder because it is clearly murder, I shall execute that scum myself."

The messenger trembled. He bowed, took the scroll, and left the tent. Nick watched the 4th prince walk up and down in anger. He asked him in Sorovian:

"How many brothers do you have?"

Shao halted, regained his composure as he could, and replied:

"There are seven princes including me. Well, were..."

"Prince Wang Rong was the Crown Prince, wasn't he?" Nick inquired. He had knowledge of politics so he knew the names of monarchs and their direct heirs.

"Yes."

"Most likely political murder, then." Nick crossed his arms. "Back in Qartland, younger princes would often kill the Crown Prince to get the throne. I understand that situation very well."

"So, you too think it was a prince's doing, right?" Shao gave him a stern gaze.

"Most likely. Who is the most ambitious of your brothers?"

"The 2nd and the 3rd princes." Shao shrugged. "They both are the sons of 1st Queen Mu and most likely to get the throne. The rest of us are the sons of 2nd Queen Yue, so my brothers have less pretension on the throne. Wu is too kind and acts for the benefit of his loved ones. He is one of the only people I know in that damn palace of Wanglong who actually love their brothers and family. Hu is too much of a prankster. He would never be fit to sit on the throne and has no pretension on it whatsoever. As for Jong, my youngest brother, he is still only seventeen and cares only about games and fun. He is too pure-hearted and I would even feel sorry if he engaged in battles for the throne."

"Yeah, the sons of the 2nd queen are unlikely to get the throne." Nick nodded. "Especially the types of people you've just described. I too think it might be either the 2nd or the 3rd prince - they feel they can seize the throne if there is no obstacle such as the Crown Prince. But be sure, in order to hide their crime, they might put it so that one of the 2nd queen's sons gets caught and blamed for the murder. You come straight after the 3rd prince, but as you were away, you cannot be used as bait, so the one to be most likely blamed must be..."

"The 5th prince?!"

"Well, if the real criminal doesn't decide to directly put the blame on his blood brother, then yes." Nick shrugged. "At least, that is how it often happens."

"Hmm, you know way too much about royal intrigues..."

"I've served as a philosopher in Qartlandian Royal Palace and as a general in Sorovian Royal Palace. I've seen a lot of it."

"You and your brother both are needful allies. I shall need you both by my side."

"If my brother decides to stay with you, I will too. I will help him in any way I can," Nick said.

"Good."

Tao returned to the tent and bowed to the prince:

"The army's ready to depart, Your Highness."

"Nice. Let's go." Shao frowned. "We shall discuss our further plans on the way."

Thus, the army soon moved on to the capital city of Tiancheng.