What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?-Chapter 415 - 411: It Depends on Whether the Crown Princess Consort Agrees

Chapter 415: Chapter 411: It Depends on Whether the Crown Princess Consort Agrees

Outside the East Palace Gate, long knives and swift horses stood vigilantly in formation.

As Tang Xiaobai passed the palace gate, she glanced over and asked, "Who is leading the team?"

"General He Li of the Left Brave Guard."

The Emperor’s Twelve Guards had an extremely complex power structure.

The Left Brave Guard was close to the Zheng Family, making it most appropriate for them to join forces with Prince Jin, Li Shu.

The Crown Prince entered the Capital City without an imperial decree, enough for many to imagine a coup drama unfolding.

The Left Brave Guard, returning to the Capital on orders, likely had elements of acting as the situation demanded, aside from inquiries.

As the carriage passed through the palace gate, Tang Xiaobai asked, "Where is His Highness?"

"In the Lizheng Hall."

Tang Xiaobai was a bit surprised.

She hadn’t seen He Li outside the palace gate earlier; he was probably taken inside to meet the Crown Prince.

But the Lizheng Hall of the Eastern Palace was part of the Inner Court, intended only for confidential counselors.

Knowing the temperament of her Crown Prince, how could he possibly receive He Li in the Lizheng Hall?

"To the Lizheng Hall!"

Upon arriving at the Lizheng Hall, He Li was nowhere to be found.

"What are you looking for?" Li Mu came out to greet her, noticing her eyes scanning everywhere yet avoiding him, he was a bit displeased.

Tang Xiaobai took his hand and walked inside: "Didn’t He Li come to see you?"

He couldn’t possibly have gone to see Li Shu first, could he?

"I haven’t seen him," the Crown Prince replied coolly.

The Crown Princess Consort Tang finally focused her gaze on him, her look serious yet curious: "What are you planning?"

Li Mu observed her calm demeanor and also grew curious: "What high opinions does the Crown Princess Consort have?"

Indeed, Tang Xiaobai had been contemplating on the way back to the palace: "If the Emperor suspects you of plotting rebellion, then you had better actually consider rebellion."

The Crown Prince’s eyes gleamed slightly, seemingly pleasantly surprised: "Ah Jiao is decisive and bold!"

Tang Xiaobai was momentarily stunned, quickly waving her hand: "I don’t mean for you to directly raise an army, I mean—"

"Show strength to prevent reckless actions, wield gentle reassurance to ease compliance and submission;"

"To subdue the enemy without fighting is the epitome of skill."

She had no intention to incite war, but equally avoided naïvely believing in persuading enemies with reason.

Only by being prepared for war at all times can war be averted.

Li Mu paused, then turned, placing his hands on her shoulders and leaned down.

"Ah Jiao and I think alike!" The young man’s eyes shone like reflecting stars.

"Li Xingyuan has already taken the Crown Prince’s decree to Qinzhou to mobilize troops!"

Along the Longyou Road, nearly all were Tang Family troops.

But Qinzhou, being the closest to the Capital, didn’t heed the command of Duke Yan.

Little did she expect Li Mu had seized it.

Tang Xiaobai looked up at him.

After half a year apart, the young man’s jawline seemed to have gained sharpness, his lips thin and cold, when pressed slightly revealing a sense of ferocity. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Li Mu," she called softly.

The young man’s facial features seemed to subtly change, he lowered himself even more, bringing his face close to hers.

Tang Xiaobai raised her hand to caress his exquisite and handsome brows, the chill and sharpness between them melting inch by inch under her fingers.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him softly on the cheek, smiling with arched eyes: "You’re amazing!"

No matter how impressive the Crown Prince, he was still an eighteen-year-old young man.

For a moment, Tang Xiaobai felt as if his tail was lifted in delight, finding it amusing, she asked again: "And what about conciliation?"

Mobilizing troops was to project power, but he also needed to offer a way for the other side to yield.

The Crown Prince showed a "keep praising me" smile, just about to speak, when a report suddenly came from outside the hall: "Prince Jin is here!"

Tang Xiaobai looked at him in confusion.

Li Mu nodded: "I called him."

The Crown Prince’s conciliatory strategy wasn’t exactly gentle either.

"I entered the Capital without a decree for just two reasons: one, the Wang Family plotting rebellion, and two, Prince Jin plotting rebellion."

He threw down such words bluntly, without even an explanation.

Fortunately, Li Shu was also an astute person, and it immediately brought a smile to his face, though in restrained anger: "Do you really think you can single-handedly cover the sky?"

Li Mu remained unfazed: "You can try."

Li Shu’s expression changed briefly.

On the surface, Li Mu offered him the choices of "Wang Family’s rebellion" or "Prince Jin’s rebellion," but the real choice was "Crown Prince’s rebellion" or "Crown Prince quelling a rebellion."

As the Crown Princess Consort hadn’t followed the procession to the Palace, most of the Eastern Palace’s troops were in the Capital.

He too led a squad of Imperial Guards but was no match for the Eastern Palace forces in numbers.

To ensure his own survival, there was only one choice.

Inside Lizheng Hall, silence fell.

Li Mu, unhurried, casually picked up paper and pen to draw.

He wasn’t skilled in drawing, but during this half-year expedition, the longing in his heart was much fiercer than in previous years, often finding himself involuntarily wanting to draw whenever he picked up a pen.

His first attempt left him dissatisfied with both appearance and spirit, prompting him to practice diligently.

Now he had improved a lot, and with a few strokes, the familiar silhouette of the young woman came to life on the paper.

She seemed thinner, her chin sharper.

She had grown a bit taller as well.

When he held her, her waist was slender, and her curves a bit more defined...

His pen stalled, and Li Mu couldn’t help but glance at the Crown Princess Consort sitting nearby.

She was peeking curiously at what he was writing.

Her extended neck was ivory-white and delicate...

"Why did the Crown Prince enter the Capital without a decree?" Li Shu finally broke the silence, conveniently interrupting his wandering thoughts.

Li Mu focused again, sneaking another glance at Tang Xiaobai, then said lightly: "I heard someone intended to bully the Crown Princess Consort."

Tang Xiaobai: ...

Li Shu never expected such a response, instinctively glancing at the Crown Princess Consort. At that moment, he saw the young girl giving Li Mu a playful yet rebuking glance, her face involuntarily flushing red.

Her skin was like polished jade, her face blooming like a peach blossom, a rare display of tender charm.

Li Shu suddenly recalled the sharpness she showed yesterday, aiming a crossbow at him.

He remembered she left the city not long after, and by the time his sent inquiries returned, Li Mu was back too.

So was it then, someone bullied her?

Even with so many people in the Capital, she went the distance to seek help from Li Mu far away in Liangzhou?

Li Shu sneered silently.

It was probably just an excuse from Li Mu!

Even if it was an excuse, what could he do?

Li Shu suddenly felt disheartened, lowered his eyes, and said, "Why did the Wang Family plot rebellion? And why did the Crown Prince happen to enter the Capital?"

These words indicated that Li Shu had already largely compromised.

"The Wang Family was disgruntled over Wang Maozhao’s death. First, Hengyang incited the Turkic turmoil; later, Wang Jian intended to steal the Capital and bring Tibetans across the pass. Lone learned of this in Liangzhou and had no choice but to lead troops to the Capital."

Tang Xiaobai: Tsk! Such a liar!

Still, he weaves it so fittingly!

Li Shu fell into silence again for a while, then said: "I also detected the Wang Family’s attempt to seize the Capital. Collaborating with the Crown Prince, we’ll apprehend the rebels together."

"The Wang Family colluding with Tibetans, as detected by Prince Jin, must have sent people to inquire in Liangzhou, hence Lone led the troops to the Capital."

"In their panic, the rebels intended to take Princess Runan hostage; the princess resisted and was unfortunately injured."

Li Mu fell silent.

Li Shu, unwilling to be passively constrained, wanted to set conditions to establish a cooperative relationship, and that much he could agree to.

However, anything concerning Princess Runan was facilitated by Tang Xiaobai during Li Mu’s absence from the Capital.

Should Li Shu wish to seize this opportunity to rescue Princess Runan, it would depend on whether the Crown Princess Consort agreed.