Chapter 584
Bai Qingyan looked toward Fu Ruoxi. Even if they temporarily didn’t kill Fu Ruoxi, they absolutely couldn’t let him return to the capital with control of the troops.
Seeing the Crown Prince silently looking at Bai Qingyan, Fu Ruoxi knew that this idea came from Bai Qingyan.
Fu Ruoxi stepped forward, respectfully saluted, and said, “Your Highness, in the Anping Camp, there are still people capable of leading the troops. There’s no need to trouble Lord Dong to come. Dengzhou just faced a calamity, and Lord Dong is probably burdened with heavy duties and can’t manage both ends well. I assure you with my life that even if I am not in the Anping Camp, other commanders can surely defend it.”
As soon as Fu Ruoxi finished speaking, a soldier outside the camp reported, “Reporting. Outside the camp, there is a man claiming to be a Bai family guard named Lu Ping who says he has important matters to report.”
How could Fu Ruoxi not know Lu Ping? Not to mention the last time they hurried to the Northern Frontier to fight against Daliang, Lu Ping also fought alongside them. Even before that, Fu Ruoxi had heard of Lu Ping from the Bai family army. But later, Lu Ping was severely injured and was arranged by Bai Qishan to protect the women of the Bai family.
Fu Ruoxi’s heart pounded like a drum, but he maintained a calm facade and said, “Quickly, invite him!”
Bai Qingyan’s thumb pressed against the sword’s hilt, looking as though Lu Ping had already captured the messenger.
Lu Ping, clad in armor with two guards behind him, carried the intercepted messenger. Fu Ruoxi’s face immediately turned pale upon seeing that the person had already died, and only then did he slightly relax.
Lu Ping grasped the hilt of his sword, stepped forcefully, knelt on one knee, and presented a cloth belt containing a letter tube retrieved from the messenger, respectfully raising it above his head. “Lu Ping, by the orders of the Princess of Zhen, set an ambush between the Anping Camp and the capital, and intercepted this person! This was found on him!”
“That person, wasn’t he the one who just came to the camp to deliver a message to General Fu?” Fu Ruoxi’s blunt and straightforward subordinate grabbed his sword hilt, intending to draw it against Lu Ping, angrily saying, “What do you mean by this?!”
Fu Ruoxi pressed down his subordinate’s hand, biting his teeth, feeling a chaotic mess in his mind.
If he were to kill the Crown Prince now, it would be unjustified, branding him as a traitor; moreover, not everyone in the Anping Camp would necessarily follow him.
But if he did not kill the Crown Prince, he had to find a perfect explanation for that letter today.
The Crown Prince carefully held his breath and moved closer to Fang Lao.
Sending a letter to Dadu City at this time, what did it indicate for Fu Ruoxi?
It indicated that Fu Ruoxi might have already colluded with a certain prince in Dadu City who intended to seize the throne, or even with… the Empress.
Bai Qingyan took the cloth bag handed by Lu Ping and opened it to reveal a sealed letter tube. She opened the tube and pulled out the paper inside. It read… “Wait for the opportunity to act.”
Bai Qingyan clenched the paper and looked at Fu Ruoxi. Fang Lao couldn’t help but step forward and snatch the paper, saying, “General Fu, just now, that messenger came to Anping Camp to deliver a message. Now you were going to have this person deliver a message to whom? To whom did you instruct to wait for the opportunity to act? Speak!”
Fu Ruoxi pressed his lips and remained silent.
“General?!” Fu Ruoxi’s soldiers looked at him incredulously, seemingly disbelieving, saying, “This must be slander! General! Speak up!”
“Is General Fu going to deny it? Does General Fu dare to let me compare the handwriting…” Fang Lao rubbed the letter paper with his fingers and stepped closer to Fu Ruoxi. “Isn’t this paper used for military reports in the Anping Camp? And this ink! Today, with the Emperor unconscious and the Crown Prince not yet back in the capital, General Fu, if you cannot give an explanation today, you will be charged with treason!”
Fang Lao, furious, demanded an explanation from Fu Ruoxi, his words driving Fu Ruoxi into more chaos, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
Now, with his life on the line, having been pushed to the brink, Fu Ruoxi couldn’t sit and wait for death!
Fu Ruoxi bit down tightly, not saying a word. His hand tightened around his sword hilt, and in a flash of lightning, he made a decision. The chilling, murderous light of his sword unsheathed. Bai Qingyan’s eyes darkened, and she grabbed Fang Lao by the collar, throwing him backward. The sharp sword was drawn…
“General! General, what are you doing?!” Fu Ruoxi’s deputy exclaimed. If Fu Ruoxi hadn’t drawn his weapon, there might’ve been room for explanation, but drawing a weapon in front of the Crown Prince left him defenseless in words.
This sudden change was like thunder. The soldiers in Anping Camp were stunned, gripping their swords but uncertain whether to draw against Fu Ruoxi or the Crown Prince’s group.
Fu Ruoxi’s sharp blade brushed past Fang Lao’s headpiece, the lustrous white jade shattered. His eyes widened as the sword narrowly missed him, his half-silver hair scattering, and beads of blood appeared on his forehead.
At the critical moment, seeing he hadn’t killed Fang Lao, Fu Ruoxi turned and charged toward the Crown Prince, intending to kill him. Once the Crown Prince died, he could easily claim that the Crown Prince attempted mutiny and was killed by the Emperor’s secret order. He felt confident that, having commanded in Anping Camp for years, he could control the camp’s soldiers.
The Crown Prince widened his eyes and fell backward in retreat. As the cold light approached him, the sound of clashing swords suddenly rang out.
Bai Qingyan’s calm and deep gaze darkened. Her sharp sword emitted a chilling light, firmly blocking Fu Ruoxi’s blade mere inches from the Crown Prince. Protecting the Crown Prince, she swiftly drew the left-hand sword of a soldier under Fu Ruoxi’s command, and all they saw was a flash of cold light sweeping across Fu Ruoxi’s sword-wielding arm…
Everyone was too late to see what happened, but in Fu Ruoxi’s scream, they saw a spray of blood mist.
Bai Qingyan’s black, ink-like eyes carried a cold and sharp light as she calmly held her sword, standing in a fierce and imposing manner, protecting the Crown Prince. Covered in a layer of crimson mist, she sternly declared, “Fu Ruoxi intended treason, assassinating the Crown Prince! Arrest him immediately. Anyone who dares to obstruct will be punished as an accomplice, killed without mercy!”
Lu Ping reacted first, striking preemptively.
As Lu Ping drew his blade, Fu Ruoxi’s commanders drew their swords, seeing Lu Ping’s blade pressed against Fu Ruoxi’s neck, who cried out in pain from his lost arm, and pointing their swords at Lu Ping.
“Fu Ruoxi committed treason by assassinating the Crown Prince! Are you… planning to follow Fu Ruoxi in rebellion too?!”
As soon as Bai Qingyan finished speaking, the two thousand Dengzhou Army soldiers she brought immediately surrounded the command tent, making it impenetrable.
Bai Qingyan’s eyes were calm, exuding a cold and boundless chill that made people tremble with fear.
Fu Ruoxi’s deputy, flustered, looked at Bai Qingyan and then at the now-supported Crown Prince. Dropping his weapon, he knelt beside Fu Ruoxi, shouting, “General! General, say something!”
Seeing Fu Ruoxi’s deputy drop his sword, the soldiers of Anping Camp all dropped their weapons, kneeling and urging Fu Ruoxi to quickly speak.