At Song Chengyuan's order, in an instant, the sky and earth were filled with a shower of arrows!
Shrill screams rang out densely below the city.
Even Xiao Rencheng couldn't have imagined that Song Chengyuan would actually dare to order the archers to shoot without regard for the lives of his own people!
Many of the commoners hadn't even managed to evacuate beyond the range of the arrows!
Down below, Lan Jinqin was thrown out of the out - of - control carriage and was hurtling towards the ground!
Lan Jinqin let out a scream and lunged towards the ground.
It's over!
She thought that her beautiful face was about to be ruined!
Just as she closed her eyes in despair, she suddenly felt a tight grip around her waist. A warm, large hand lifted her from the ground.
Her hair brushed against the ground, and her lotus - like face was just a hair's breadth away from hitting the dirt.
Then, she was scooped up from behind and lifted into the air. She landed safely outside the range of the arrows.
Lan Jinqin landed, still in a state of shock. Then she turned to look at the man who had saved her.
"You..."
Lan Jinqin's cherry - like lips parted slightly, and her eyes were filled with astonishment.
This man had a fair and smooth face, with sharp and cold features. His eyes were as black and deep as a well, his eyebrows thick, his nose high - bridged, and his lips beautifully shaped. Every part of him exuded an air of dominance.
It wasn't just his good looks that surprised Lan Jinqin.
He seemed vaguely familiar?
Lan Jinqin blinked and thought for a moment, but she couldn't recall where she had seen him before.
Xiao Rencheng's heart was pounding like a drum as he saw her sizing him up.
He wondered if Miss Lan still remembered him.
However, the next second, Lan Jinqin gave a charming smile and curtsied gracefully, "I thank you, my lord, for saving me."
She didn't remember!
A hint of disappointment flashed across Xiao Rencheng's face. Then he raised his eyebrows and asked with a gentle smile, "You're welcome, madam. How did you know that I'm an official of the court?"
Lan Jinqin pursed her lips and smiled faintly. "Just now below the city, His Highness the Crown Prince called you Grand Censor Xiao. My husband, Wen Zilong, serves as the vice - minister of the Ministry of War and is your colleague."
The Left Grand Censor held a second - rank position, while the vice - minister of the Ministry of War was a third - rank official.
In fact, this Grand Censor Xiao outranked her husband, Wen Zilong, by two levels.
Xiao Rencheng had already concealed his emotions. He was greatly impressed by Lan Jinqin's sharp reaction even after the shock. "So you're Madam Wen... You truly have a delicate and intelligent mind."
The evening breeze blew gently, and the night was alluring.
If it weren't for the faint smell of blood in the air, Xiao Rencheng thought that this might be one of the happiest days of his life!
But unfortunately...
The sound of thundering hooves approached from behind. Song Yinghuai's clear and cold voice rang out:
"Everyone, raise your shields and protect the commoners below the city as they evacuate!"
In just a few days, under Song Yinghuai's guidance, the city guards of Xinchang had developed excellent emergency response skills and good teamwork.
At the unison response, a row of shields quickly gathered in front of the panicked commoners like an embankment.
The arrows rained down continuously from the city tower but were all blocked by the iron shields.
Seeing this, the panicked crowd finally began to calm down.
Xiao Rencheng said to Lan Jinqin, "Madam, please stay here and don't wander off. I'll be back soon."
Xiao Rencheng leaped to the front of the commoners and began to organize their evacuation to a safe area in an orderly manner.
Song Yinghuai was riding on a tall and magnificent horse. He looked up at the sinister face on the city wall and shouted:
"Elder brother, how have you been?"
Song Chengyuan blinked and craned his neck to look down. Pretending not to be able to see clearly what was happening below, he said, "Huh? Who's impersonating my younger brother down there?"
He waved his hand and urged Zhou Wenxin, "Hurry! The scoundrels are so cunning that they dare to impersonate my brother!"
"Don't stop shooting! Keep going! Shoot through their shields!"
Zhou Wenxin was at his wits' end and groaned in despair.
Helplessly, he had no choice but to order the archers to draw their bows again.
In an instant, the sky and earth were once again filled with a dense shower of arrows.
The commoners, who had just calmed down a bit, let out another round of screams and wails.
Song Yinghuai narrowed his eyes, his gaze as cold as a sharp blade.
Suddenly, he let out a cold snort. He picked up a severed head from Leng Fei's hand, exerted force on his stirrups, and leaped into the air!
Like a great roc spreading its wings, he soared through the arrow - rain and landed steadily on the city wall in front of Song Chengyuan.
Song Chengyuan was in the middle of his smugness when a figure flashed in front of him. Song Yinghuai was already standing there.
That handsome face now looked terrifyingly like a death - messenger in Song Chengyuan's eyes!
Then, a heavy object flew into his arms.
Song Chengyuan instinctively caught it. Lin Zheng's bloody and disfigured head was staring at him with wide - open eyes!
"Ah!"
Song Chengyuan let out a scream and threw the head away. He jumped up and down, cursing angrily:
"Song Yinghuai! You're crazy!"
"You dare to scare your elder brother!"
"I'm going to complain to Father and Mother!"
"You dare to threaten the Crown Prince of Daye as soon as you enter the city!"
A cold laugh escaped from Song Yinghuai's throat. "It seems that elder brother has recognized his younger brother..."
Song Chengyuan suddenly stopped his endless cursing. His pupils shrank slightly. "No, you, you..."
Song Yinghuai turned to Zhou Wenxin and ordered, "Since His Highness the Crown Prince has personally recognized me, why don't you put away your arrows and open the city gates?"
Zhou Wenxin was already drenched in sweat. At Song Yinghuai's order, he didn't care whether it was the Crown Prince or the Prince of Yan. He quickly ordered his men to put away the arrows and open the city gates.
This farce, which had caused so much bloodshed, finally came to an end under Song Yinghuai's powerful counter - attack.
The commoners below the city began to enter the city again. Song Yinghuai looked at the timid magistrate of the capital city beside him with a sharp gaze:
"Lord Liu, as the parent - official of this city, you should have reminded His Highness the Crown Prince not to act recklessly. Instead of fulfilling your duty and giving advice, you even helped the evildoer. I will surely impeach you when I see Father!"
The magistrate Liu fell to his knees with a thud, sweating profusely. He looked at Song Yinghuai and then at Song Chengyuan, on the verge of tears.
He was just a magistrate of the capital. How could he afford to offend these two powerful figures?
When His Highness the Crown Prince ordered the city gates to be closed, if he had said something, according to the Crown Prince's temper, he might have been beheaded on the spot.
But this Prince of Yan was no better. He was a god of death.
Whoever wanted this magistrate position could have it!
Xiao Rencheng also walked over after evacuating the crowd.
The two tall and imposing men stood side by side. The wind blew down from the high city wall, making their robes flutter.
Xiao Rencheng said, "Your Highness the Prince of Yan, it's been many years, but you're still as imposing as ever. You've caused quite a stir as soon as you entered the city."
Song Yinghuai also smiled warmly. "Fortunately, Lord Xiao was here today to evacuate the commoners in time. Otherwise, the few soldiers I brought wouldn't have been able to hold out for long."
"Likewise."
The two exchanged polite remarks. Song Chengyuan felt ignored. His eyes burned with jealousy as he stared at them.
"Song Yinghuai! Xiao Rencheng!"
Song Chengyuan's voice was hoarse. His back was rigid, and his fingers were clenched into fists:
"Do you still have me in your eyes?"
Song Yinghuai then shifted his gaze back to Song Chengyuan.
His black eyes swept over casually. In the darkness of the night, they were as black as lacquer, cold and arrogant. There was not a trace of warmth in his eyes, which made Song Chengyuan shiver.
Just as Song Chengyuan was about to get angry, Song Yinghuai's calm voice rang out:
"Elder brother, I'm going to the palace to pay my respects to Father and Mother right away. Do you want to come with me?"
Song Chengyuan's anger was stifled in his throat.
He glared at Song Yinghuai viciously and said, "Yes! It's my fourth brother's first time back in the capital in seven years. Of course, I'm going to be part of this family reunion!"
Song Yinghuai ignored his sarcastic words. He simply descended the city tower first, remounted his horse, and galloped ahead, leaving Song Chengyuan far behind.
Song Chengyuan hissed through his teeth. Looking at Song Yinghuai's back, his eyes were filled with venom. He sneered:
"See! He's just relying on Father and Mother's favor. That's why he doesn't even put me, the Crown Prince, in his eyes!"