A slightly shrill voice sounded and Chang Xi with his head full of white hair appeared like a ghost in front of everyone. His hands held the sacred decree, his eyes shooting straight at Gong Yi Mo!
"Everyone, receive the decree!"
Everyone including the imperial guards knelt down, but Gong Yi Mo had no intention of kneeling down and merely coldly looked at him. Chang Xi waited for a moment and couldn't help but sigh. He opened the decree and began to read.
"Accept the mandate from heaven, the Emperor's orders! The Crown Prince Gong Che, on the basis of defying the decree, will be deprived of the title of "Prince" and military command hitheron. He shall be taken back to the capital immediately, no delays allowed! As thus!"
After reading, he sighed again, "The Crown Prince still refuses to receive the decree?"
Gong Yi Mo suddenly laughed, "Elder Brother Crown Prince only has one breath left. I'm afraid he can't receive the decree."
Her words made Gong Gong's face pale and Chang Xi lurch. Seeing Gong Che's pale face that was not a lie, he frowned, "How could it be so serious?"
"Otherwise?" Gong Yi Mo smiled, "Who knows what the rumors are like in the capital by now. The Crown Prince wants to stand above his Master? Or does he desire the throne and deliberately resisting?"
Chang Xi walked forward a few steps and found that the Crown Prince was truly very weak. Just like Gong Yi Mo said, he really only had a single breath left.
He inwardly cursed. The capital's filled with muddy water, and who knows how many people lent a hand in this matter. You really can't believe a single word.
"Chang Xi Gong Gong." Gong Yi Mo gently called out to him, the same way she did back then in the palace, "Elder Brother Crown Prince is on the verge of death, so I will take him back by water. Gong Gong, please permit us to."
Even though Gong Yi Mo didn't lower her head, her pleading tone still made Chang Xi uncomfortable, but he's the Emperor's person after all. Thinking of the Emperor's orders, he cruelly shook his head...
Gong Yi Mo bit her lower lip, unwillingly saying, "I promise that by the time we return to Hengshui, the waterway would already be clear. We absolutely won't delay the Emperor's orders. Gong Gong... won't you allow it just this once?"
Chang Xi recalled the news he received about Hengshui and the fixing of the canal a couple days ago which enraged the Emperor. If Gong Yi Mo was really trying to bring Gong Che back through the canal, he's afraid that the Emperor would only be more angry!
Thus, Chang Xi once again shook his head.
"I ask for Princess to please not put me in a tough spot and allow me to bring the Crown Prince back first. Princess, rest assured, this one has internal force to support the Crown Prince with. He will be alright."
"Ha, haha..."
His resolute attitude and tone made Gong Yi Mo smile. She laughed so hard she ran out of breath...
How amusing! If Chang Xi escorts him back, the Crown Prince probably can retain his life but if he returns this way, he will be a criminal! If things make a turn for the worse, those princes and ministers may even accuse him of rebelling!
What is the difference between dying and not dying then?
By that time... Don't even mention how fixing the canal would give you the world or give you merits, he might die for it instead! Gong Yi Mo worked so hard for so long, Gong Che worked so hard for so long, not for all those efforts to go down the drain!
Seeing Gong Yi Mo unbudging, Chang Xi slightly frowned.
"Princess, do you want to resist for a third time?"
Gong Yi Mo gripped her sleeve dagger with one hand and lifted her head up and smiled, "Why not?"
Chang Xi shook his head. The wind rustled through the woods, carrying away his sigh.
"...Could it be that Princess... no longer cares if Lord Jue lives or dies?"
Gong Yi Mo's face changed, "What does this have to do with Gong Jue?"
Chang Xi handed an urgent report to Gong Yi Mo. She quickly took it and skimmed through it. The more she read, the more anxious she became!
So Gong Jue... didn't listen to her and Zhen Xi Wang's advice and instead, took some troops with him to scout out Lou Ye!