Free Web NovelChapter 383: Chapter 385: Having No Choice
After dinner, everyone returned to their respective rooms.
Princess Rouwan had eaten a bit too much for dinner and felt bloated.
Nanny Zhang had someone brew some tea to aid digestion and brought it to the Commandery Princess.
After drinking the tea, Princess Rouwan went to the washroom. Her stomach finally didn’t feel so bloated.
Nanny Zhang helped the Commandery Princess to bed.
By now, the rain had lessened somewhat.
Nanny Zhang thought the rain would stop soon, but unexpectedly, the downpour intensified again around midnight. A loud clap of thunder jolted the sleeping Nanny Zhang awake.
Worried the Commandery Princess might have been frightened by the thunder, she quickly dressed, grabbed a lantern, and headed out.
When she reached Princess Rouwan’s chambers, she found the princess still fast asleep.
Nanny Zhang sighed in relief.
She was about to turn and leave when she suddenly heard the Commandery Princess speak.
Nanny Zhang thought the princess had woken up, but when she looked closely, she saw the princess’s eyes were still closed.
She was talking in her sleep.
It was unclear what Princess Rouwan was dreaming about, but her brow furrowed slightly in what seemed to be displeasure.
Then, Nanny Zhang heard her say a word.
"Don’t!"
Nanny Zhang was confused.
’Is the princess having a nightmare?’
The next moment, she saw Princess Rouwan’s brow relax as she broke into a smile. "Both jokers! I win!"
Nanny Zhang was speechless.
’She never would have imagined the Commandery Princess’s addiction to cards was this strong.’
’She was even playing cards in her dreams.’
...
The night was dark, battered by wind and rain.
Under the desperate protection of the Flying Dragon Cavalry, Wu Wang barely managed to escape the Dongyang Prince Mansion.
Li Hao sent men in pursuit, but they failed to catch them.
Upon learning that Wu Wang had already left the city gates, Li Hao closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He knew that once Wu Wang was out of the city, the first thing he would do was inform the Emperor.
’Things have come to this. He has no choice but to fight with his back against the wall!’
Li Hao opened his eyes, his gaze firm and resolute.
"Prepare my horse! I’m going to the palace!"
’The journey from Shangjing to Yuqing Mountain would take an entire night at the fastest pace.’
’He had to seize control of the Imperial Palace and Shangjing before dawn.’
’This was his only chance of survival!’
Li Hao galloped through the night, the cold rain lashing his face.
His horse’s hooves sent water splashing in all directions.
More than thirty of his personal guards followed close behind him.
These guards were all masters he had recruited through martial arts tournaments, and every one of them possessed extraordinary skills.
Li Hao had always provided them with the best food and drink. Tonight, their skills would finally be put to use.
When the guards on duty at the palace gate saw that it was Prince Dongyang, they didn’t think twice and immediately opened the gate to let him pass.
Without dismounting, Li Hao charged straight through on his horse.
His guards followed close behind.
Seeing this, the guards on duty hurriedly shouted after them.
"No riding is allowed in the palace! Your Highness, please dismount!"
Other than the Emperor, the only person permitted to ride a horse within the palace was Prince Zhao.
Even if Prince Dongyang was currently acting as regent, he still could not break the rules.
However, Li Hao didn’t even turn his head, acting as if he hadn’t heard the guards’ shouts.
In a matter of moments, Li Hao and his thirty-odd men had vanished into the night.
...
Xianfei was sleeping fitfully when a clap of thunder from outside the window startled her awake.
She looked toward the tightly shut window.
A plain curtain covered the window, obscuring the view outside, but she could hear the PATTER of rain against the glazed panes.
It sounded as if many hands were frantically beating against the glass.
An inexplicable sense of alarm gripped Xianfei.
She threw back the covers and sat up.
The palace maid on night duty heard the movement, immediately lit a candle, and hurried to the bedside.
"My Lady, what woke you?"
Xianfei’s voice was tinged with the unique hoarseness of someone just roused from sleep. "What hour is it?"
The palace maid answered truthfully, "It’s not yet the second watch. It’s still early, you should try to sleep some more, My Lady."
Xianfei felt a growing unease, as if something terrible was about to happen.
She had no desire to go back to sleep.
’But in the middle of the night, what else was there to do besides sleep?’
Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door.
KNOCK, KNOCK!
The voice of a palace maid came through the door.
"Lady Xianfei, Prince Dongyang has arrived! He says he has urgent business with you!"
Xianfei’s expression flickered.
’For Hao’er to rush into the palace to find her in the middle of the night, it certainly couldn’t be a trivial matter.’
She stood up at once. "Help me dress!"
The palace maids deftly helped Xianfei dress.
Without even taking the time to comb her hair, Xianfei hurried out.
A palace maid hastily grabbed a lantern and followed her.
The group hurried to the side hall.
The moment Xianfei entered, she saw Li Hao. His clothes were soaked through with rain, his hair was dripping wet, his eyes were bloodshot, and his face was deathly pale. He looked utterly wretched.
Xianfei quickly ordered, "Hurry and prepare some hot water! And bring a change of clean clothes!"
However, Li Hao was in no mood to change.
He said in a raspy voice, "I wish to speak with Mother alone."
Xianfei waved her hand.
The palace maids and eunuchs all withdrew.
In the blink of an eye, only the mother and son were left in the side hall.
Li Hao lifted the hem of his robes, knelt before Xianfei, and asked in a hoarse voice.
"Mother, may I ask one thing of you?"
Startled by his posture, Xianfei quickly reached out to help him up.
"What are you doing? Get up! You are my son. If it is something for your own good, I will do everything in my power to help you, even if you don’t ask!"
But Li Hao refused to rise.
He tilted his head up, looking at Xianfei with bloodshot eyes, his voice choked with sobs.
"Imperial Father sent men. He wants to kill me to avenge Li Yan! I don’t want to die, Mother! I don’t want to die!"
Xianfei froze, completely stunned.
She murmured in disbelief.
"How is that possible? You are the Saint’s own flesh and blood. How could the Saint be so cruel to you?"
From what she knew of the Emperor, even if he was furious that Li Hao had killed Li Yan by mistake, he wouldn’t go so far as to order Li Hao’s death.
At most, the Emperor would strip Li Hao of his princely title and banish him to some remote place to atone for the rest of his life.
Xianfei pressed, "Could there be some misunderstanding?"
Li Hao gave a wretched smile.
"I, too, wish this were all a misunderstanding.
But Wu Wang has already come for me with the Flying Dragon Cavalry.
Wu Wang is Imperial Father’s man, and the Flying Dragon Cavalry are under his direct command.
The only person in this world who can command them is Imperial Father."
Xianfei’s lips began to tremble.
"How could he be so heartless? You are his own flesh and blood."
Li Hao gripped Xianfei’s hand tightly, pleading through his tears.
"Mother, I have no other choice now.
If I want to live, I must seize control of the Imperial Palace and Shangjing before Imperial Father returns.
You’ll help me, won’t you?"
Xianfei’s eyes widened as she stared at him in shock.
"You want to rebel?"
Li Hao cried, "I just want to live! I was forced into this!"
Xianfei’s mind was in turmoil.
She never imagined that things would escalate to this point.
