Six princes died of poison on the same day, and the news shocked the capital.
Xiao Qing received the news overnight, both surprised and angry.
"With the Imperial Guards watching, who could have administered poison?"
The Shadow Guard replied, "My Lord, it was those princes' consorts and personal maids. They have already disappeared without a trace..."
Xiao Qing immediately dispatched someone to the Court of State Ceremonial to guard Mu Xuan.
Upon receiving the news, Mu Xuan and the Gong sisters hid under the covers and burst into laughter.
"I want to see what your Great Qian dog emperor and Liang Xiao can do to me!"
The next day, the envoy from the Great Liang Kingdom wept bitterly at the court, denouncing the Imperial Guards for their lax security.
Xiao Qing frowned, "I have already held them accountable, but the poisoners were the consorts and maids of your Great Liang's six princes. These individuals were responsible for the princes' daily care and, under the watch of the Imperial Guards and Shadow Guards, had no opportunity for private contact with our personnel. Therefore, they could not have been bribed. Both our nations have daily records of this."
The envoy quickly said, "Now that six of our princes have been harmed, and the Eighth Prince is also missing, with only the Third Prince of the late emperor's bloodline remaining, we implore the Son of Heaven of Great Qian to show special mercy and send our Third Prince back to Great Liang to ascend the throne!"
Xiao Qing exchanged glances with Wang Canghai and others, anger brewing in his heart.
Peace between the two nations was destined to be fractured due to the deaths of the six princes.
Now, with only Mu Xuan able to return home, the motive of the poisoners was self-evident.
Great Qian could not retain Mu Xuan by force, nor could it hold the Great Liang Kingdom hostage, as that would constitute a breach of the treaty.
After all, the Great Liang Kingdom still had its Eldest Princess, Zhi Rou, who could potentially succeed to the throne as empress.
"I need to consider this matter carefully, and at the same time arrange for guards to protect the Third Prince, to prevent further chaos," Xiao Qing sighed.
After the court session, Xiao Qing immediately arranged for an urgent dispatch, notifying Liang Xiao.
Before the Shadow Guard responsible for delivering the message could leave, another Shadow Guard arrived with news.
"My Lord, the Sword Master from Great Liang requests an audience..."
Considering Xiao Qing's safety, Ning Xuejun stepped forward, "The Sword Master is, after all, a figure from the martial world of Great Liang. This old official requests to receive him on behalf of Your Highness."
Half an hour later, Ning Xuejun entered with a crying child, her face filled with shock.
Two days later, Liang Xiao, who was in Yan Prefecture, received the urgent dispatch and was equally shocked.
"Six people poisoned to death in one day??"
Liang Xiao knew that regardless of Great Qian's explanation, relations between the two nations would deteriorate sharply. This was no longer something Qin Feng could control.
Great Qian, at this moment, also lacked the capacity to unify Great Liang.
"There is another piece of news. The Sword Master brought the Eighth Prince of Great Liang to find My Lord, and My Lord ultimately decided to have the Sword Master bring the child to see you..." the reporting Shadow Guard Captain said with an extremely complex expression.
"The Eighth Prince?" Liang Xiao's expression changed. "What about Great Liang's Consort Su?"
That was the child of Mu Cheng and Su Wanqing.
"After the Sword Master went to the capital, My Lord received news that Consort Su and the leader of the Spring Revival Cult perished together. The leader of the Spring Revival Cult did indeed bear a striking resemblance to Princess Christia!" the Shadow Guard replied.
"What?!" Liang Xiao's wives behind him looked on in disbelief.
The malevolent leader of the Spring Revival Cult, who had impersonated Sophia, was dead just like that?
Did Qin Xun use his own life as bait to finally regain Su Wanqing's trust in the Cult Master?
The Shadow Guard immediately recounted the details described by the Sword Master. Liang Xiao merely shook his head and sighed.
"Why did she have to go through all that? She could have just tricked the Cult Master into the palace," Yue Hongxiu lamented.
"Consort Su explained to the Sword Master and the Regent that the leader of the Spring Revival Cult was extremely cautious. Any slight disturbance would cause her to hide in the palace's secret tunnels, which the Xuan Guards would absolutely be unable to find. Once the opportunity was missed, capturing this woman would be impossible. Therefore, Consort Su feigned compliance solely for that slim chance."
"But she, as a noble consort of a nation, had to risk her life to perish with a villain. This..." Jian Qinwan's mood became somber.
She had once seen through Su Wanqing with Liang Xiao and guarded against her. Who knew she would have such a heroic and perilous act of repentance?
The Shadow Guard replied, "Consort Su said that in her youth, she was muddle-headed and firmly believed in the doctrines of the Spring Revival Cult. As the Cult Master's beloved disciple, she led followers to kill over a thousand innocent civilians. Later, she also obeyed orders and was selected as a consort, poisoning the Son of Heaven of Great Liang. She felt too ashamed to continue living and could only die to atone..."
Everyone fell silent.
They no longer knew how to judge this woman, but in the end, she repented and risked her life for self-redemption.
Liang Xiao felt an inexplicable sorrow and immediately prepared another tomb next to Mu Cheng's memorial tomb, burying a guqin that Su Wanqing had given him.
Seven days later, the Sword Master finally arrived at Liang Residence in Yan Prefecture with the child.
"I want Father Emperor and Mother!" the child in the Sword Master's arms continued to cry.
Yue Hongxiu tearfully held him, comforting him softly. The child finally stopped crying and gazed at Liang Xiao's family with his large eyes.
"Liang Xiao, I trust you are well..." the Sword Master said calmly, though he no longer possessed his former vigor.
"Thank you, Master, for your troubles. You shall stay in Great Qian from now on!" Liang Xiao grasped the Sword Master's hand, his face filled with gratitude.
"When I passed through Mount Tian, I spoke with Nan Feng. I plan to retire to Mount Tian. His Majesty has already granted permission," the Sword Master said, then looked at the child. "However, this child is orphaned, and I am old and frail. I fear I lack the ability to raise him and provide him with a good education. Consort Su also requested before her departure that he must never be told of his birth mother's identity when he grows up, so..."
"From this day forward, he is our family," Liang Xiao solemnly promised, then walked towards the child.
The Sword Master was relieved and said to the child, "Quick, quick, call him Daddy!"
The child merely looked at Liang Xiao with his wide eyes and said in a milky voice, "Is he my Father Emperor?"
Looking at the innocent child, Liang Xiao held him in his arms and said tremulously, "I am your elder brother!"
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone, including Liang Xiao, shed tears: by the time this child grew up, he would likely have forgotten what his parents looked like.
"What is this child's name?" Yue Hongxiu asked, choked with emotion.
"His Majesty bestowed it: You Min, meaning to protect the people," the Sword Master replied.
Hearing this, Liang Xiao sighed with even greater sorrow, "He will not disappoint his parents in the future."
Considering that his own father and Mu Cheng were sworn brothers, Liang Xiao ultimately did not become Mu You Min's adoptive father. Yue Hongxiu adopted Mu You Min, letting the child call her "Gangan Mother" and the three Liang brothers "elder brothers."
The Sword Master became Mu You Min's sword arts teacher, promising to teach him swordplay in the future.
The lineage of Mu Cheng was preserved.
In Liaodong, Great Qian, Mo Hongming finally received the letter of plea for help from Tai Chi Kingdom and looked troubled.
"Tai Chi Kingdom has repeatedly offended our Great Qian. It is impossible for our nation to rashly send troops to their aid now. What if it is an enemy's ruse to lure us in?"
The envoy, his face covered in blood, knelt and pleaded, "Our kingdom is truly wrong! We sincerely repent! We beg Great Qian to save our kingdom! His Majesty promises that as long as we survive this calamity, from now on, we will have no second thoughts, treat the successive Sons of Heaven of Great Qian as our biological fathers, and pay tribute on time!"
Mo Hongming sighed, "Tai Chi Kingdom has already eroded Great Qian's trust in you. This is a matter of great importance, and I do not have the authority to send troops. I need to urgently consult our Emperor and then ask for the opinion of Marquis Anguo."
The envoy continued to beg. Mo Hongming sent the letter of plea to the capital and simultaneously sent an urgent dispatch to Yan Prefecture.
In just half a month, Tai Chi Kingdom had lost a quarter of its territory. The troops of Cloud Country had left a trail of destruction wherever they passed, leaving only scorched earth and ruins. No living beings from Tai Chi Kingdom remained, only piles of white bones. The two sides had engaged in naval warfare.