Chapter 501: The Duke of Qin is the first to leave the city (1/2)

Chapter 501: The Duke of Qin is the first to leave the city

With words like that, there was no doubt the Mu father and son knew what was up with the traitorous guards. Although Long Tianmo still didn’t know the details, this only made him all the more angry. He pounded a fist on the table. “You guys! Are! Great! Just great!”

He and Mu Qingwu had done so much and earned imperial father’s trust along the way, only for things to suddenly turn south once the emperor summoned the Mu father and son to ask about those guards. If their traitorous actions hadn’t incited imperial father’s suspicion, things would not have devolved to this. Even in the past, imperial father wouldn’t dissolve the Mu Clan’s military strength so quickly after the military depot explosion, because of his trust in the Mu family. Imperial father would at least deliberate and hesitate, giving them time to fight for their own justice.

Now look! The entire court had watched the Eastern Palace turn into a laughingstock! Anyone could tell that demoting the Mu Clan mean the emperor suspected the crown prince as well!

When Long Tianmo saw that Great General Mu still refused to speak, his face twisted into a hideous expression. He was about to stalk off when the man suddenly said, “Your Highness, please calm your anger. This incident involves things that this soldier is reluctant to discuss.”

“Just say it!” Long Tianmo suppressed his temper.

But after Great General Mu said a single name, Long Tianmo’s fist pulverized the general’s most precious golden-threaded Phoebe nanmu tea table. The name was none other than…Mu Liuyue!

Even if Long Tianmo was facing her brother and father, he couldn’t control himself. Unsheathing his sword, he cried, “This crown prince is going to kill her!”

Mu Qingwu hastily blocked his way. Actually, he had figured out what was going on as soon as he recognized the young commander of the turncoat guards. That was why he hadn’t hesitated to kill the man that day. As for the commander’s two captains, they were nothing more than subordinates obeying orders with no idea of the bigger plot. They couldn’t give away anything.

“Let go!” Long Tianmo’s face was dark.

Great General Mu fell on his knees in front of the man. “Your Highness, please calm your anger! My rebellious daughter created chaos with her preposterous action, this soldier really is ashamed to face you.”

Long Tianmo gave a cold snort. “You father and son pair hide the truth until now. What face do you have left?”

Mu Qingwu gave a long sigh before dropping to his knees as well. “Your Highness, my sister deserves ten thousand deaths for her crimes, but she’s still the crown prince’s consort!”

Long Tianmo stilled at these words. The crown prince’s consort…of course, I’d forgotten Mu Liuyue held such a title.

The crown prince’s consort…was his woman, and the Eastern Palace’s woman! With her status, they had no choice but to suppress the truth. Otherwise, both the Mu Clan and the Eastern Palace would suffer disaster! Imperial father was already suspicious, so telling him about Mu Liuyue would only give the man a chance to suppress him further.

“Your Highness Crown Prince, please don’t concern yourself with Liuyue at the moment. When everything passes, this soldier will definitely teach her a good lesson.”

“Your Highness Crown Prince, our only plan now is to hurry and find those crossbow archers. Otherwise, His Majesty will definitely start looking into things.”

Both the Mu father and son pair were coaxing him earnestly. Mu Qingwu had his eyes on the end goal, while Great General Mu had a private desire to protect his daughter. Long Tianmo sat on the side, his heart stifled and uncomfortable. The greatest regret of his life—and yet the one regret he couldn’t take back—was marrying Mu Liuyue. Of course, his original motive for the marriage was to bring the Mu family to his side. Now was the time to put them to true use.

After a moment of silence, Long Tianmo dropped his voice. “The two of you, rather than trembling with fright and allowing yourselves to be trampled, why don’t we…”

He didn’t finish, but made an unsheathing motion with his hand. Without a doubt, he wanted to call out the troops and start a rebellion. Mu Qingwu was shocked, but Great General Mu only expected as much. He’d long guessed that a day like this would come, he just didn’t expect it to arrive so soon. Neither of them spoke.

Long Tianmo dropped his voice even further. “If not now, then when? Wait until imperial father’s taken away all your military powers? It’ll be too late to regret then.”

Unfortunately, the Mu father and son were still silent. Great General Mu might look rough and boorish, impulsive and temperamental, but in grave circumstances like this he was extremely prudent and careful. The Mu Clan had survived through two successive dynasties of sovereigns. They had maintained a moderate stance in past power struggles to earn Emperor Tianhui’s deep trust and controlled a massive army. It was clear that Great General Mu was no simple man. As for Mu Qingwu, his heart was more simple. He wasn’t loyal to any individual, but to Tianning and its people as a whole. If civil unrest began within its borders, it would be the innocent civilians who suffered the most.

Long Tianmo had a good sense of the pair’s attitudes. He too, remained silent, but left the two with a parting sentence before he stalked out the door.

“Fine! Consider this time the crown prince’s loss. The debt will be on Mu Liuyue’s head!”

Long Tianmo hadn’t even left the courtyard before Great General Mu chased after him. “Your Highness Crown Prince! Your Highness Crown Prince, please wait!”

Mu Qingwu was right behind his father, seeing the man’s tall, straight back bent over in submission like an old man. A desolate sadness rose in his heart. He too, felt that Mu Liuyue deserved to die for her actions, but he knew that his father felt differently.