Chapter 833: The faithful and affectionate must live on (1/2)

As soon as Long Feiye reached the barracks, it was to receive news of Han Yunxi personally leading an expedition. Covered in dust, his steps came to a stop right outside the army camp as his face chilled. Although he knew Ning Cheng had kidnapped Han Yunxi back to the Tianning capital and that she’d raise her flags for sure, it was still unbelievable to hear the news in person.

By raising the flags, it meant that all his years of hard work had been wasted. No matter how he called her status into question, neither the Tang Clan nor the Baili army would believe him.

West Qin princess, you must detest your lordship utterly.

Long Feiye took out the two letters he’d kept concealed on his person. One was from Gu Beiyue before his accident, the other a purple letter he’d sent to Han Yunxi after his status as East Qin imperial prince had been revealed. He had written to ask, Han Yunxi, do you still trust me?

She had replied with a blank sheet of paper.

He had rushed to Medical City, but didn’t manage to meet her. There was only that purple envelope on the table. But now that she’d hung up her flags, wasn’t that as good as giving him an answer?

Was it possible that Ning Cheng had forced her to do the deed instead? Thinking up to here, Long Feiye’s lips curved into a mocking smile.

Why would I think that?

Han Yunxi was the West Qin princess and knew he’d lied to her for ages. Why wouldn’t she hate him? She must detest his identity and his lies. Long Feiye suddenly regretted everything. Perhaps he never should have hid the truth from her.

At least then, she’d hate him a little less.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, you’ve finally returned!” Baili Yuanlong’s cries of pleasant surprise reached his ears. Long Feiye quietly hid away his letters in response.

“Your Highness, Han Yunxi’s already hung up her flags at Tianning and led her troops on an expedition. She’s heading south with her army under Ning Cheng’s protection! She’s the West Qin princess without a doubt! Now that things have come to this, I ask Your Highness to make your stance known quickly so as to raise the soldiers’ morale!” Baili Yuanlong said anxiously.

As soon as he finished, two familiar faces appeared in front of Long Feiye: Tang Zijin and Tang Yiru, or Aunt Ru.

“Feiye, this is no small matter. As I see it--”

“Since when has the rules of the Tang Clan changed?” Long Feiye cut her off as he looked coldly at Tang Zijin. “Where’s Tang Li? Call him out to meet me immediately!”

“Feiye, the rules of the Tang Clan can be abolished in the face of war! Han Yunxi--” Aunt Ru wanted to explain, but Long Feiye never gave her a chance. He was already in a terrible mood, so seeing her charge in now was simply asking for trouble.

“As a traitor to the Tang Clan, what right do you have to tell your lordship about ‘in the face of war?’” Long Feiye interrupted sternly. “Tang Zijin, take her back to where you got her. Otherwise, don’t blame your lordship for being blunt! You should know that the Tang Clan and the shadow guards follow the same regulations. All violators and traitors are to be killed without mercy!”

At his words, everyone recalled Chu Xifeng, who’d been recently stripped of all his martial arts and cast away to Celestial Mountain. Tang Yiru shut up of her own accord.

The Tang Clan wasn’t one of the Seven Noble Families, but East Qin’s secret bodyguards. All of its pay and expenses came from the imperial court. Every year, the Tang Clan used to send a batch of guards to the royal court to protect its members with their hidden weapons. Because they were so well concealed, they escaped the destruction of both dynasties unscathed. Long Feiye’s paternal grandfather survived under their protection, while his father fell in love with Tang Yiwan.

Tang Clan women didn’t marry outside the clan, but such rules were ineffective against the royal house. Moreover, the Tang Clan wasn’t even one of the Seven Noble Families, so Tang Yiwan couldn’t even be made empress after marriage. The most she’d ever be was a noble consort. Thus, despite being East Qin’s last crown prince, Long Feiye still called his birth mother by mufei (mother concubine) instead of muhou (queen mother). In other words, if not for the fact that Tang Yiwan was Long Feiye’s mother, any member of the Tang Clan would be on the same standing as Chu Xifeng and the shadow guards. They should have no right to even speak up in front of him, much less disagree with his actions.

Seeing Long Feiye’s cold and icy face, even Baili Yuanlong felt a trace of fear, much less Tang Zijin and Tang Yiru.

“Someone come, escort Tang Yiru back!” Tang Zijin spoke up first. He knew that further arguing would put himself in grave danger.

“Did Tang Li let you release her?” Long Feiye asked coldly.