ith a speechless look at Princess Xifu's expectant face. The princess looked teasingly at her and said smilingly: "You’re a grown woman now; bearing children is just an everyday matter. You’ve been ma...Fishing in Troubled Waters

Watching the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree leave in a pitiful state, Mu Yang's expression darkened even more. His father’s wrongful death, Yao Ji’s disappearance, and Emperor Mo Jingle's suspicions weighed heavily on him like mountains. Seeing the bodies of the imperial guards strewn across the ground before him, Mu Yang’s face turned ashen.

Western Route General Zhao Lian had a cordial relationship with Old Duke Muyang, but when he rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, things were already out of control. Although he was on good terms with Old Duke Muyang, their friendship wasn't deep enough for him to risk his own life and career. He could only order Mu Yang to be placed under house arrest in the camp and personally wrote a memorial to send quickly to Emperor Mo Jingle.

Unfortunately, what he didn't know was that his memorial had turned into ashes just twenty miles outside of the military camp.

In Mu Yang's tent, Zhao Lian and Lei Tengfeng were seated together. Seeing Mu Yang holding a sleeping Mu Lie, they both sighed involuntarily. To be honest, neither Zhao Lian nor Lei Tengfeng believed that House Muyang would defect to the Ding Prince’s camp. It wasn’t because they didn't want to; it was simply impossible. Lei Tengfeng felt that something was amiss, but with Old Duke Muyang already dead, Mu Yang...

Thinking this far, Lei Tengfeng subtly gave Zhao Lian a signal with his eyes. Zhao Lian sighed helplessly in his heart. He could be considered an old general of the Chu Kingdom, even though he hadn't achieved any earth-shattering feats in his life; he had seen many things and was experienced. The decision for Mo Jingle to launch a northern campaign already made many people secretly anxious, and now that the war just began and the Emperor executed one of his prominent ministers, it left many people feeling uneasy. Soldiers who were close with House Muyang were especially indignant. If Mu Yang had any ulterior motives, chaos would likely break out in the army. To maintain stability within the military camp, Zhao Lian should have decisively apprehended Mu Yang on the spot. However, half of his officers here were former subordinates of Duke Muyang or had connections with House Muyang. Not only did Emperor Mo Jingle worry about this; even Zhao Lian himself occasionally secretly worried whether House Muyang really harbored some hidden agenda.

"Duke Muyang..." After pondering for a moment, Zhao Lian decided to persuade Mu Yang first. With General Lu Jinxian's forces pressing forward, the military camp could not afford any further chaos. Mu Yang gave a faint smile and said, "General Zhao is too kind; at present, I am no longer Duke Muyang."

Zhao Lian sighed and said, "There must be some misunderstanding here. Your old servant has personally written a memorial to the Emperor to explain it all; please remain calm."

"Even if there's a misunderstanding, Mo Jingle shouldn't have executed my father!" Mu Yang said sternly, a shocking hatred flashing across his eyes. Zhao Lian was secretly alarmed; this time around, no matter what, House Muyang would likely drift further away from the Emperor.

"Mother..." Mu Lie cried softly in his sleep within Mu Yang's arms, causing Mu Yang’s heart to ache even more as he picked up Mu Lie and made to leave.

"Mu Yang, where are you going!" Zhao Lian hurriedly asked.

Mu Yang turned around and said in a stern voice, "I have to save Nv Ji."

In the current situation, Zhao Lian dared not let him take his troops. He quickly said, "Now, how do you know where Lady Mu is It's better if we send someone to investigate first. Besides... You should know that once you leave..." If Mu Yang really left like this, he might be considered a traitor even if he wasn't one.

Zhao Lian gritted his teeth and said in a stern voice, "Alright, I won't stop you from leaving. But you can’t take the troops with you." If Mu Yang took the troops, Zhao Lian's own life might be at risk as well.

Mu Yang gave a cold smile. He wouldn't be able to do anything if he left alone; Mo Jingli could easily send men to kill him, let alone save anyone.

Standing by the side, Lei Tengfeng frowned and said, "Marquis Mu Yang, please calm down. Don’t you find this situation rather strange"

Mu Yang and Zhao Lian looked at Lei Tengfeng simultaneously. Lei Tengfeng spoke in a serious tone, "Emperor Chu isn't stupid either. If he really wanted to kill Marquis Mu Yang, why would he announce the death of your father so quickly He only sent several guards with the imperial edict. Doesn’t he fear that Marquis Mu Yang might defy the order or even rebel right there"

Mu Yang looked at Lei Tengfeng and said coldly, "Are you implying my father is fine, or that the messenger wasn't Mo Jingli's man He could have disguised himself."

Lei Tengfeng was speechless. They knew everyone around Mo Jingli. If someone had impersonated him in front of so many people, there would definitely be some telltale signs. Even those dead guards in the imperial palace were from Mo Jingli’s army before. How could they fake it

After a long silence, Lei Tengfeng sighed and said, "If Brother Mu trusts me, let's wait another day to confirm the situation at headquarters first. If anything happens then, I’ll escort you out of camp personally. Even if Emperor Chu blames me, I'll take the responsibility so as not to trouble General Zhao."

Zhao Lian immediately agreed. Stabilizing Mu Yang was the most important thing no matter what.

Mu Yang hesitated for a moment before finally nodding and saying, "Alright, let’s wait another day!"

In the Chu army camp, Mo Jingli glared at the trembling eunuch with a gloomy expression. He asked sternly, "What did you say"

The eunuch who delivered the edict was pale and trembled as he said, "Please spare my life! Please spare me... Your servant is incompetent... Marquis Mu Yang refused to accept the imperial decree and said that his family has always been loyal to Chu. He denounced Emperor Chu for being foolish and harming loyal officials unfairly and killed all the guards sent by him. Luckily, General of the Western Road arrived in time and saved my life..."

Mo Jingli scrutinized him for a long while. The eunuch's originally clean clothes were stained with blood and dirt; his face was tired and frightened, as well as bearing signs of endured pain. It seemed he had been injured too.

"Very well... Very well, Mu Yang! Mu Yang! Bring Mu Jingming to me!"

Mu Jingming is the original name of the Old Mu Yang Marquis, but since he was enfeoffed as the Mu Yang Marquis when he was young, very few people called him by his given name. Soon after, the Old Mu Yang Marquis was escorted into the tent by the guards. In just two days, the once energetic and vigorous Mu Yang Marquis had aged significantly. His already gray hair looked disheveled, and his sharp eyes seemed dimmer and lifeless. Life in prison would naturally not be pleasant; he appeared frail and powerless.

"Mu Jingming, do you have anything more to say!" Mo Jinglei asked sternly.

The Old Mu Yang Marquis was taken aback, wondering what could possibly make Mo Jinglei so angry. Glancing at the disheveled eunuch kneeling beside him who had delivered the imperial decree, a shiver ran down his spine and he seemed to understand something.

"Your humble subject is innocent; please let Your Majesty investigate clearly," although he had guessed what might have happened, the Old Mu Yang Marquis could not admit it and pretended not to know. Mo Jinglei sneered, "Investigate clearly You said that Mu Yang did not have any rebellious intentions, but he dared to kill the guards sent by me to deliver the decree and insult my rule as a fool. Is this what you call loyal devotion of the Mu Yang Marquis’ family to Chu"

"Your Majesty… This must be a misunderstanding! My son would never act so rudely!" The Old Mu Yang Marquis anxiously pleaded, knowing his son’s personality well and believing he wouldn’t do such an impulsive thing. Furthermore, considering that the marquis was still within the Chu army camp, even if Mu Yang had reservations about harming someone close to him, he wouldn't dare kill the emperor's messenger.

The eunuch who knelt beside him shuddered and shouted sharply: "Old Marquis Mu, do you mean that we’re deceiving Your Majesty Framing Marquis Mu Yang! Your Majesty, I’m innocent. Please dispatch a trusted person to investigate again so as not to let me suffer this unjust accusation. The massacre of the guards sent by His Majesty was seen by thousands of soldiers in the army camp! Moreover, although General Zhao Lian from Western Route arrived late on the scene, Crown Prince Shenzhou has been there since the beginning; please Your Majesty, investigate clearly!"

Seeing the eunuch’s aggrieved expression, Mo Jinglei felt even more convinced. Besides his own doubts about the Mu Yang Marquis’ family, he needed this to push everyone into action.

Sneering, Mo Jinglei said: "Of course I will investigate! Gao Ming, take my imperial decree and inform General Zhao Lian from Western Route that he should capture Mu Yang for me. If there is any resistance, execute him on the spot!" A general stepped forward, clasping his hands together respectfully and replied: “Your order is received; this subordinate will definitely bring back Mu Yang to apologize to Your Majesty!” Mo Jinglei hummed lightly, showing no interest in whether Mu Yang would actually apologize or not. He was worried that Mu Yang might lead over ten thousand troops against him since the Mu family had considerable influence within Chu's army. After some thought, he added: "I’ll give you an additional 50,000 elite troops to assist General Zhao Lian in defending against Lu Jinxian’s division!"

"Yes, thank Your Majesty," Gao Ming bowed loudly and gratefully; he clearly understood Mo Jinglei's intentions. These 50,000 soldiers were not for defense but as a precautionary measure to counter any unexpected moves from Mu Yang.

The Old Mu Yang Marquis looked at the towering figure of Gao Ming who seemed upright and just, with an increasingly helpless feeling in his heart. Nobody could only have friends and no enemies; conveniently, Gao Ming had always been on bad terms with the Mu family. The Mu family was descended from military generals while Gao Ming and Mu Yang were close in age but their backgrounds couldn’t compare. Therefore, even though Gao Ming followed Mo Jinglei when he was still a powerless prince, after becoming emperor, his status remained far inferior to Mu Yang’s. Their mutual enmity was well-known throughout the army. Although sending him might have been because Mo Jinglei worried that others would be lenient towards Mu Yang due to personal connections, it also effectively cut off any possible escape route for the Mu family.

The Old Mu Yang Marquis fell to his knees in despair, but Mo Jinglei didn’t even spare him a glance and swept out of the tent.

The eunuch who had been kneeling next to him hurriedly got up and ordered the others to return the elderly Mu Yang Hou to his牢房, with strict supervision. The elderly Mu Yang Hou glared fiercely at the eunuch, his eyes wide with anger. He sensed that something was amiss but found himself powerless to investigate further as he had been imprisoned by Mo Jing Li. After checking if no one else was around, the eunuch suddenly leaned in close and chuckled softly: "Don’t blame me, Your Excellency. Who told you to offend someone you shouldn’t have offended"

"So it is you!" The elderly Mu Yang Hou shouted angrily.

The eunuch waved his hand sharply and said, "What are you still standing here for Get him out of here and keep a tight watch on him. If the Ding王府 rescues him, we won’t have any chance to live." Helpless to resist, Mu Yang Hou was dragged away.

The next day, news arrived that left everyone feeling helpless.

"General, the Emperor has ordered General Gao Ming to lead 50,000 elite troops here to assist you," a soldier reported. The atmosphere in the large tent immediately turned solemn; Mu Yang Hou’s subordinates looked particularly grim.

Mu Yang sneered and said, "Help U General with 50,000 elite troops" His contempt was clear for all to see. Those present understood that even if Gao Ming brought 50,000 soldiers, it wouldn’t change the fact that there were already over 400,000 troops in their camp—more than twice as many as Lu Jinxian’s forces. It seemed unlikely that these reinforcements would be to counteract Lu Jinxian and more likely to keep an eye on Mu Yang.

Zhao Lian let out a long sigh and asked, "How far is General Gao"

A soldier answered, "General Gao’s troops are thirty miles away. Additionally… General Gao sent word that the Mu Yang Hou intends to rebel and requests you arrest him immediately. He will be delivered back to camp once he arrives for the Emperor's judgment." Upon hearing this, Mu Yang Hou’s subordinates all stood up with ill intent, glaring at everyone present.

Just as Zhao Lian was torn between actions, battle drums resounded outside the camp. His heart racing, Zhao Lian quickly made a decision and said in a deep voice: "The Mo Family Army is challenging us to fight; all generals will follow me out of the camp to meet them!"

Without looking back at Mu Yang or anyone else, Zhao Lian strode out. Lei Tengfeng got up, glanced at Mu Yang standing by the side, and sighed before following him out too. In the tent, Mu Yang Hou’s remaining subordinates whispered to each other: "Your Excellency…"

Mu Yang closed his eyes in determination, saying, "Those who wish to stay can fight with Zhao General; those who want to leave now should follow me." Several people silently left and followed Zhao Lian out. The rest chose to go with Mu Yang. Although their choices were different, none had any intention of looking down on the others at this point. Following Mu Yang was a difficult path; unlike the Ding王府, the Mu Yang Hou’s influence wasn’t enough for him to establish his own territory simply by leading troops away. Those who chose to follow Mu Yang could be considered loyalists or those whom the Mu Yang family had saved.

Muyang looked at everyone and said solemnly, "Muyang thanks all of you. Go back to gather your troops, we will leave immediately."

Outside the camp, two armies left in succession but headed for different places. When Muyang arrived, he brought ten thousand soldiers, yet only around three or four thousand followed him away from the camp. Zhao Lian sighed as he watched Muyang lead his troops away, a desolate look in his eyes filled with regret. Muyang's future path would likely not be long. If given time, Muyang could have become an outstanding general comparable to his father. However, now, with only three or four thousand men and without provisions or reinforcements, Muyang’s future was doomed.

Le Tengfeng stood beside Zhao Lian and asked indifferently, "General Zhao, are you not regretful for letting him go" Zhao Lian sighed, saying, "I have done my best. It's better than a mutiny." Le Tengfeng nodded in agreement; taking three or four thousand troops away would not cause much trouble to the army, but if Muyang was captured or killed, those generals who had previously been friendly with Duke Mu Yang might feel sorrow and alarm, leading to greater losses.

"But how will General explain this to Emperor Chu" Mo Jingli was no one to overlook the bigger picture; he would only see Zhao Lian's disobedience in letting Muyang leave.

Zhao Lian gave a helpless smile and said coolly, "I have done my best. Besides… who knows when I might die on the battlefield Why bother thinking so much about it To be honest, dealing with Lu Jinxian was already quite difficult for me." Deep down, Zhao Lian felt some chill in his heart upon seeing how he dealt with Duke Mu Yang's family, but as a minister, if the emperor wanted him to die, he could not refuse.

"General has done what is right," Le Tengfeng sincerely praised.

When Muyang left the camp two hours ago, he met General Gao Ming's army. Originally, the two armies wouldn’t have encountered each other so soon, but after Gao Ming received news that Muyang had led his troops away from the camp, he immediately turned around to pursue them while also sending a report to Mo Jingli’s camp about Muyang leading a rebellion with his troops. He even accused Zhao Lian of negligence in this matter. Since Gao Ming felt overworked for Mo Jingli and still looked down upon by other generals who came from powerful families, he certainly wouldn’t let go of the chance.

The two armies met, and without hesitation, Gao Ming ordered an attack. In the chaos, countless casualties occurred in a short time. Just when Gao Ming was gloating over his victory, a black troop suddenly charged out from the side, encircling both fighting groups.

Seeing that black flag fluttering in the wind, Gao Ming nearly fell off his horse in fright and cried out, "Mo family army… Black Cloud Cavalry…" Muyang’s expression darkened as he sensed something amiss. The combat strength of the Black Cloud Cavalry was far beyond ordinary soldiers from Chu; their charge disrupted the Chu Army formation instantly. The black-clothed leader ordered sternly, “Those willing to submit to Duke Ding should stop fighting immediately!” His powerful voice carried in all directions.

The soldiers were already disoriented by this sudden internal conflict and were further shaken by the Black Cloud Cavalry’s presence. They had no strong aversion towards the Mo Family Army originally, and even harbored some unease and resentment about this battle with Duke Ding's army. Under leadership, many soon laid down their weapons and left the battlefield. Upon seeing that the Mo Family Army indeed did not attack those who surrendered as promised by the black-clothed commander and even offered protection from other soldiers’ blades, more and more soldiers threw down their weapons.

Within half an hour, the entire battlefield quietened down. Over ten thousand troops chose to surrender to Duke Ding’s army, including both Muyang's and Gao Ming's men. While some of Muyang’s loyal guards continued fighting against the Mo Family Army, Gao Ming was already captured by them.

The black-robed general lifted Gao Ming and moved forward, saying in a deep voice: "Back off!" The Black Cloud Cavalry soldiers who had been surrounding Mu Yang immediately stopped and respectfully stepped to the side.

Mu Yang stared at the black-clad man in front of him for quite some time before finally frowned and said, "You are… Qin Feng" Although he had seen Qin Feng only a few times, Mu Yang remembered the silent man who was rumored to be in charge of the most mysterious Kirin unit under Prince Ding’s command.

Qin Feng nodded nonchalantly and casually threw Gao Ming at Mu Yang's feet.

Gao Ming got up with a despondent expression, looking fearfully at Qin Feng. He felt extremely unlucky to have been suppressed by Mu Yang all along, only to be sent by the Emperor to apprehend Mu Yang now, only to end up being captured alongside him by the Black Ink Army. At this moment, Gao Ming truly believed that Mu Yang was his nemesis.

"You… a rebel of Prince Ding’s! You have great audacity; I am an esteemed general of Great Chu!" Gao Ming shouted at Qin Feng who paid no attention to him, looking fierce but cowardly.

The officer beside Qin Feng twitched his mouth and couldn't help but cough softly while bowing his head. "Commander Qin, is this guy out of his mind" Is being a general of Great Chu something to be proud of Especially now when they were enemies in battle and he was already a prisoner

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So what if I am a general of Great Chu Now that both armies are facing off, wouldn’t it mean greater achievements for me the more generals of Great Chu I kill" Upon hearing this, Gao Ming's face paled immediately, and he stammered without daring to speak again.

Mu Yang looked at Qin Feng with a frown and said, "Commander Qin, you have excellent tactics. It seems that Prince Consort Ding must have anticipated our meeting here I request her presence." Qin Feng replied indifferently, "Prince Consort Ding is not here now; it's unlikely she can fulfill your wish."

Mu Yang frowned and asked, "Is my wife taken away by Commander Qin’s people She’s an innocent woman. As a military commander, surely you wouldn’t trouble someone who knows nothing"

"Knows nothing" Qin Feng looked somewhat strange.

Mu Yang nodded and said, "Indeed, I have no regrets dying at the hands of Commander Qin. But my wife and son are innocent in this matter; please let them off.under Western Capital as mentioned in the letter. She frowned and looked up, asking, "Have we received detailed maps of Northwest yet" Zhuo Jing turned around and pulled out another document saying, "...