After Jingzhe and Pinhao fought off the group of black-clad secret guards who had surrounded them, they turned their heads and found that Wei Dongling had disappeared.
Pinhao cried out in panic, "Brother Jingzhe, where's your Miss Wei?"
"I don't know," Jingzhe replied. His heart was in a turmoil. He had been so focused on dealing with the black-clad men that he hadn't noticed who had taken Miss Wei away when he wasn't looking.
The night was pitch - black. The Xiliang prince was in the middle of a fierce battle with General Qi's men.
The Tianchao crossbowmen on the palace walls didn't care whether it was friend or foe. They kept shooting crossbow bolts continuously, and in an instant, a large number of people were hit and fell to the ground. The cries of pain from the crowd were endless, and the small flames were burning brightly.
Li Mingyang was extremely anxious. He roared urgently, "Murong Yunqian! Tell your men to stop at once!" If this continued, not only would General Qi's men be completely suppressed by the crossbow bolts, but also the Xiliang soldiers he had brought would lose their lives here! He had come to help, not to commit suicide!
Hearing this, Murong Yunqian wanted to cry but had no tears. He wanted to agree, but his lower jaw had been severely fractured by a punch from Uncle Li. He couldn't even speak at this moment. Moreover, he was in a fierce fight with Uncle Li and couldn't spare any energy.
Murong Yunqian used to rely on his excellent martial arts skills to act arrogantly and bully others in the palace. But he had gotten no advantage from the "Ninth Prince" just now. Now, this white - haired old man was even more powerful. At first, he could hold his own, but after fifty moves, he was almost completely crushed. If he wasn't careful, he would be beaten, and he was black and blue all over and in great pain.
When the group of black - clad secret guards saw their master being beaten so badly, they rushed over to help. Unexpectedly, as soon as they pounced on, Uncle Li beat them so that they were missing arms and legs and crying for their fathers and mothers.
Suddenly, on a high platform in the distance, many black - clad men and imperial guards lit a large number of torches. Everyone looked over and saw the Prince Rui standing on the high place with his hands behind his back, looking down coldly. Beside him was a large iron cage, and inside was a bound black - clad woman.
When Jingzhe, Pinhao and the others saw the pitiful Wei Dongling in the cage, their faces turned pale instantly. They hurriedly pushed their way towards the high platform.
Uncle Li glanced at Wei Dongling in the iron cage and immediately became flustered. He kicked a black - clad man beside him far away.
The Prince Rui shouted to Uncle Li from afar, "Li Lang! Immediately take your men and get out! Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless and burning her to death!"
Only then did Uncle Li and the others notice that there was a pile of dry firewood under the iron cage beside the Prince Rui! Uncle Li's eyes were bloodshot, and he clenched his fists tightly, wishing he could rush up and strangle the Prince Rui. But what could he do! He couldn't risk Miss Wei's life!
Cuihuan was fighting in the crowd with a dagger in her hand. Hearing the Prince Rui's shout, she looked up and saw Wei Dongling in the iron cage. She was so anxious that tears were almost coming out. Luo Xunlong was also very anxious. He roared, "Pinhao! Tell them all to retreat quickly!"
Pinhao was also flustered. He urgently growled at the Tianchao soldiers behind him, "All soldiers of the Xue family's army, listen up! Quickly evacuate this place! Retreat to the palace gate!"
"Yes!" It was so dark that they couldn't see any tokens, but they could clearly hear Lord Pinhao's unique roar. In an instant, all the Tianchao soldiers brought by the Ninth Prince had evacuated completely.
Uncle Li glanced at Murong Yunqian, who was lying on the ground dying after being beaten by him. He felt a little annoyed. He should have stayed by Miss Wei's side all the time.
Hearing the commotion over there, Li Mingyang hurriedly looked up and saw that the black - clad woman tied in the iron cage beside the Prince Rui looked quite familiar. The more Li Mingyang looked, the more he felt something was wrong. Why did this black - clad woman look like Princess Murong Wanlin of Tianchao?
Wasn't she already dead at the hands of Zhao Chuanyi of Xiliang? Why was she here?
Li Mingyang grabbed an imperial guard in the crowd and pointed at the cage, shouting, "Who is the woman in that cage?" Li Mingyang had a premonition in his heart. Who else could be the woman that the Prince Rui was using to threaten Li Lang? Could it be that Princess Murong Wanlin wasn't dead?
Seeing the soldiers under General Qi rushing forward one after another, the imperial guard in Li Mingyang's hand panicked and said, "Reporting to Prince Mingyang! That is our fifth princess of Tianchao!"
Li Mingyang was stunned. He didn't know whether he was happy or worried for a moment. He stared at the familiar figure in the cage and didn't say a word for a long time.
She wasn't dead? And she had been brought back?
Arrows were flying everywhere. A crossbow bolt with kerosene passed through Li Mingyang's robe. Almost instantly, the corner of his clothes caught fire. A group of servants rushed forward in a hurry to put out the fire for him. The veins on Li Mingyang's forehead were bulging. He shouted at the Prince Rui, "Prince Rui! Release the fifth princess at once!"
The Prince Rui turned to look at Li Mingyang and said in a sarcastic tone, "Prince Mingyang! Do you think Murong Yunqian can be supported?"
Li Mingyang's face changed instantly. Was the Prince Rui trying to abandon the Tenth Prince and claim the throne himself?
Murong Yunqian, who was lying at Uncle Li's feet, stiffened all over. He looked at the Prince Rui on the high platform in disbelief, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.
Li Mingyang gritted his teeth and said, "Prince Rui! I can help you! First, release the fifth princess!" He had a lot of questions to ask Murong Wanlin.
What exactly had happened that day with Zhao Chuanyi? Why had he openly defied the imperial edict and tried to harm her? How had she survived and returned to the capital? Li Mingyang wanted to ask this woman who had once blocked a knife for him if she was still willing to go back to Xiliang with him. He promised that he would never leave her again this time.
Hearing the conversation between Li Mingyang and the Prince Rui, Murong Yunqian, who was lying on the ground, gradually felt a sense of despair rising in his heart. His Uncle Rui wasn't really trying to help him ascend the throne! The Xiliang prince was even willing to abandon him for the fifth elder sister!
The Prince Rui sneered coldly, "Sure! As long as you kill Li Lang! I'll release her as you said!"
Li Mingyang's face gradually darkened. Wasn't the Prince Rui making things difficult for him? He was no match for Li Lang at all!
Uncle Li roared hoarsely, "Release her! My life is yours!"
Wei Dongling felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. Uncle Li was a man of his word. He would surely keep his promise!
The Prince Rui looked at Uncle Li mockingly and sneered, "It's not impossible. Immediately commit suicide! Then I'll release her!" The Prince Rui was secretly calculating that as long as Li Lang was dead, the people in his hands wouldn't pose a great threat. With the Xiliang prince's men to check General Qi, the throne would surely be his!
Uncle Li and the others' faces darkened. If anything happened to him, how could the Prince Rui spare Miss Wei!
Just when everyone was at a loss, from the dark eaves behind the Prince Rui, a crossbow bolt with kerosene suddenly shot straight through the Prince Rui's chest.