Mu Rong Xuan smiled casually and said in a loud voice, "Brother knows that Crown Prince is extremely anxious since you've lost your most powerful supporter. I'm here precisely to relieve your anxiety, brother."
Mu Rong Xuan actually claimed that he could relieve his anxiety? The Crown Prince glanced at him, his expression changing. He asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Mu Rong Xuan said, "I can bring you the united support of the Prince Rui's Mansion."
The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes. The support of the Prince Rui's Mansion? What did Mu Rong Xuan mean by this? The Prince Rui's power was weak and he had no military authority. Besides winning the favor of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, he had no other advantages. In the disputes in the court, the Prince Rui had no standing at all. Why did Mu Rong Xuan say such a thing?
But Mu Rong Xuan was not a person who would make reckless claims. Since he dared to say such things, was there some unknown power behind the Prince Rui's Mansion? The Crown Prince pursed his lips and smiled. "Oh? The Prince Rui's Mansion?" With just the little power of the Prince Rui's Mansion, how could you claim to relieve my anxiety?
Mu Rong Xuan completely ignored the contempt in the Crown Prince's words. He sipped his fragrant tea and said, "Yes! I just want to exchange the support of the Prince Rui's Mansion for a person from you, Crown Prince."
Was he bargaining now? The Crown Prince was a bit annoyed. He asked coldly, "Who?"
"Miss Wei Dong Ling."
The Crown Prince was stunned. How did Mu Rong Xuan know Wei Dong Ling? How long had they known each other? He was willing to exchange the support of the entire Prince Rui's Mansion for Wei Dong Ling. He must value her highly. Why did Mu Rong Xuan do this? Did he know Wei Dong Ling's background? Also, how did he know that Wei Dong Ling was in his mansion?
The Crown Prince was extremely puzzled. He picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's your relationship with Miss Wei, Brother Xuan?"
"Miss Wei is the one I admire." Mu Rong Xuan didn't shy away at all.
The Crown Prince almost spat out the tea in his throat. You're both surnamed Mu Rong. How could you do this?
It seemed that Mu Rong Xuan didn't know Wei Dong Ling's background. But that girl knew it herself! What if she confessed it to Mu Rong Xuan after being taken away by him?
The Crown Prince glanced at Mu Rong Xuan, who was beaming with joy. He snorted coldly in his heart. He thought that this highly - praised Prince Xuan was so outstanding. Who would have thought that he was so stupid because of love that he was willing to use the entire Prince Rui's Mansion to offer his loyalty for Wei Dong Ling. The Crown Prince thought about it and felt more and more speechless.
Mu Rong Xuan raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's your opinion, Crown Prince?"
The Crown Prince coughed lightly and said casually, "It's a pity that the Prince Rui's Mansion is too weak to be of much use to me."
Mu Rong Xuan lowered his eyes and smiled. He said unhurriedly, "It seems that Crown Prince may have some misunderstandings about my Prince Rui's Mansion. Well, Minister Li of the Ministry of War is from the same hometown as my grandfather."
The Crown Prince was stunned. Mu Rong Xuan meant that Minister Li of the Ministry of War, who had always been independent and extremely noble in the court, actually had a deep friendship with the Prince Rui? He had visited many times to try to win Minister Li over, but the minister had always avoided seeing him. It turned out that he had secretly attached himself to the Prince Rui? The Crown Prince couldn't help but wipe the sweat off his forehead. He secretly regretted it. He actually wanted to make the exchange, but Wei Dong Ling might already be half - dead because of Miss Qiao. If he had known that Mu Rong Xuan was willing to do this, he would have protected that woman at all costs! The Crown Prince sighed and said, "I do want to, but..." He hesitated for a long time and didn't continue.
Mu Rong Xuan thought that the Crown Prince looked down on his offer. He then smiled and said, "The Tonglai Bank in the west of the city is also a small business under my command."
The Crown Prince was so shocked that his chin almost dropped. The Tonglai Bank had been lending money at high interest for many years. It must be extremely wealthy by now!
It was far more profitable than his own Dongmen Money House and underground gambling house. The Crown Prince now regretted it so much that his intestines turned green. If the Prince Rui was willing to support him, it could really relieve his anxiety!
Seeing that the Crown Prince didn't answer, Mu Rong Xuan looked a bit unhappy. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "Does Crown Prince think my chips are not enough?"
The Crown Prince was a bit fidgety. He quickly stood up and said, "I'll go to the toilet. Brother Xuan, please have some tea first. Please do me the honor of having dinner with me here tonight!" He didn't care about the form of address anymore. He hurriedly asked someone to serve some snacks to Mu Rong Xuan and rushed to the inner courtyard in a hurry.
He secretly hoped that Miss Qiao hadn't laid a hand on Wei Dong Ling yet.
Mu Rong Xuan was also restless. Just now, Ruan Niang came to visit and knelt down crying, saying that Wei Dong Ling was in great danger and had been detained in the Crown Prince's Mansion. Without saying a word, he rushed here and kicked open the gate of the Crown Prince's Mansion. Now, after negotiating with the Crown Prince for a long time, the Crown Prince seemed willing to agree, but he still hadn't seen Wei Dong Ling. He didn't know if she was safe.
Mu Rong Xuan couldn't help but feel worried. He ordered the maid of the Crown Prince's Mansion beside him, "I also need to go to the toilet. Take me there."
"Yes!" The maid didn't dare to disobey and led Mu Rong Xuan away.
The Crown Prince rushed towards the attic in a hurry. The Prince Rui's Mansion had always listened to this outstanding young prince. Now they were willing to come and offer their loyalty. Exchanging Wei Dong Ling for the loyalty of the Prince Rui's Mansion was simply a profitable deal!
The Crown Prince lifted his robe and ran in front. A group of mansion soldiers followed him. When they reached the attic, everyone was shocked.
He Jing Yao and his men were fighting fiercely in the yard.
The Crown Prince's archers were not good at close - combat. There were corpses lying on the ground, some missing arms and legs, some with their heads cut off. The remaining mansion soldiers and secret guards were fighting fiercely with He Jing Yao's men.
The Crown Prince was furious when he saw this. He waved his hand at the secret guards protecting him and said, "All of you, go! Kill them all!"
"Yes!" The crowd swarmed forward.
After a fierce battle, He Jing Yao's fewer men gradually fell into a disadvantage.
The Crown Prince couldn't find Wei Dong Ling in the yard. He was secretly anxious. He called Miss Qiao over and asked, "Where is Miss Wei?"
Miss Qiao replied, "Your Highness, I've already thrown her into the dry well."
The Crown Prince:...
The Crown Prince was secretly annoyed when he suddenly heard a loud noise. He turned his head and saw that the stone cover of the dry well had been kicked open from below and broken into two halves. Yu Zi Xi, bare - chested, carried Wei Dong Ling in one arm and leaped up. He quickly rushed towards the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince looked up. Yu Zi Xi's bare chest was red and swollen from the scorpion stings, and half of his face was also swollen. But the Wei Dong Ling he was protecting in his arms was completely unharmed.
Miss Qiao immediately waved her long sword and shouted to everyone, "Protect the Crown Prince!" Hearing this, all the secret guards rushed towards the Crown Prince and surrounded him tightly.
Yu Zi Xi held Wei Dong Ling in his right arm and picked up his inner robe with his left hand. He threw it at the Crown Prince and Miss Qiao. The inner robe was cut down by Miss Qiao's sword in mid - air. Instantly, a bag full of poisonous scorpions in the broken inner robe fell down on everyone's heads.
"Ah——"
"Ah——"
"Ah——"
Screams echoed everywhere.
A poisonous scorpion crawled down the Crown Prince's neck and onto his back. The Crown Prince was so scared that his hair stood on end. He screamed wildly, "Aaaah——"