Chapter 165: Draw the first blood (2/2)

Prince Du glanced down at the shorter man and smiled, ” Mr Hanriu unlike your foolish master, I do my keep Traitors. I have no use for unreliable men like you”. He raise his sword and gave Hanriu's neck a clean cut. Hanriu's eyes widened just before his jugular was cut, the cut was clean and fatal. Hanriu fell to the side motionless. Zhongshan Ling paled as it happened, he glanced from Hanriu''s lifeless body to prince Du.

Prince Du wiped the blood off his sword on Hanriu's tunic and walked closer to Zhongshan Ling. ”That was a gift to you, I don't like traitors. Consider that my last kindness before you die”, Prince Du said as he ran a sword through Zhongshan Ling's stomach.

”Ah!”, Zhongshan Ling fell back as he pulled the sword out of his body. Blood gushed outS he did but Prince Du soared him no glance, he pulled the sword down and cut the nerves at his ankle.

”Aauh!!” Zhongshan Ling exclaimed loudly.

”Too noisy” Prince Du glanced at the two guards holding Zhongshan Ling up, ” throw him into the well”. The guards nodded and dragged him bleeding towards the well behind them. Xie feng at the masked men began trashing about while calling out for mercy but Prince Du just ordered his men to kill them all before leaving.

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Hours later, the Empress Palace

Emperor Zhong was having lunch with the Empress when a eunuch rushed in and fell on his knees in front of them.

”This lowly one greets Your majesty and your hignesss” the eunuch said head bowed low.

Emperor Zhong placed his chopsticks aside and frowned down at the eunuch. He had permitted the minister of war to bring him reports on the war no matter the time but while he appreciated their efforts. Time like this when he barely managed to get the Empress to stay longer that a few minutes with him. He didn't appreciate the interruption.

”What is it?” He said firmly, hus tone was so hard that even Empress Lu looked up from her plate. She was a little bit taken aback his tone much less the little eunuch. No matter how scared he was of earning the Emperor's wrath, the eunuch didn't dare act on that. He had more pressing news and withholding this information could cost hum, he life since it concerns the Crown Prince.

”Your majesty, General Zhang that is in charge of the seaport military base just reported that the Crown Prince a missing”

”What!” Emperor Zhong and Empress Lu exclaimed eye wide.

”How is that even possible, isn't he at the military watchtower over there. How can he just disappear?” Emperor Zhong stood and walled to the eunuch.

”Answering your majesty, the guard at the gates reported that the Crown Prince left with a handfull of guards four and a half hours before day earlier today. According to the guard the Crown Prince reported that he was going to buy a few necessities in the next village.”

”Just How incompetence those guards, it is not like it is normal practice for the Crown Princeto get his own supplies. Why didn't a team of guards follow him closely! we are at war, there is danger everywhere!” Emperor Zhong shouted walking around the chair.

Empress Lu glanced down at the shivering eunuch kneeling on the ground, his green eunuch uniform was showing signs of heavy sweating. If the eunuch stayed any longer, he might pee in his pants. She stood, picked up a cup of calming tea and brought it to the Emperor.

Patting him on the shoulder softly, Emperor Zhong's gaze locked on her calm face. Although she looked calm, her eyes was full of worry. He looked down at the cup of tea she handed to him and took it from her. He understood that she must be going through a lot, she had raised tge crown prince