The Demon Prince

Pan Yungong gritted his teeth, forced his way around, and swung his sword horizontally again.

Xiao Xingyue stepped forward, pressing the wooden spear against the blade, and reached out with his left hand to pull the dragon-capturing weapon.

Pan Yungong lost his balance and was pulled forward.

Xiao Xingyue delivered a powerful elbow strike!

"This bunch of amateurs dares to lecture my Northern Army?"

Pan Yun was struck on the abdomen, and his entire face turned pale.

Before he could retreat, Xiao Xingyue flicked his wooden spear again, sending Pan Yungong's longsword flying out and embedding itself in the ground three zhang away, making a buzzing sound!

Pan Yungong staggered backward, and Xiao Xingyue caught up in one step, sweeping his wooden spear horizontally. "This blow is an unjust punishment on behalf of the Northern Army!"

Pan Yungong was struck in the back of the knee and immediately fell to his knees.

Xiao Xingyue raised his foot and delivered another blow to the face. "This kick is on behalf of the Eighth Princess to punish you for disrespect!"

Pan Yungong fell backward to the ground, his face covered in blood.

A blush crept onto Li Shunhua's proud face.

Xiao Xingyue brought his staff down again, "This time, it's buy two get one free."

boom!

The wooden spear broke, smashing Pan Yun's bow directly into the dust!

The training ground was deathly silent. The wind blew across the old flag, and the words "Northern Frontier" on the flag trembled as if exhaling.

Pan Yun bowed his face and kissed the ground, his mouth full of dirt. He struggled desperately, but Xiao Xingyue pinned him down with one of his feet.

"Impossible, impossible, how could you be so strong?"

He screamed hoarsely, unable to believe that he couldn't beat Xiao Xingyue.

He was Cao Bi's apprentice!

When Li Shunhua saw Xiao Xingyue win, she was initially delighted, but then, remembering that she had just promised to remain a widow for Xiao Xingyue, she muttered a curse under her breath.

This bastard has at least the combat strength of a fifth-rank expert, yet he lies to himself as a third-rank expert!

She got scammed again!

Pan Yungong felt the strange gazes around him, and his veins bulged:

"Xiao Xingyue, you launched a sneak attack, you used despicable means, you...you have no right to interfere in the garrison's affairs!"

He suddenly looked up and screamed:

"Men, seize him!"

However, in the garrison camp north of Beijing, several generals stood at a distance, their expressions uncertain.

Some people lowered their heads to adjust their cuffs, while others turned to look at the sky.

Pan Yungong coldly and sternly rebuked:

"What are you all standing there for! Charge! If Xiao Xingyue dares to resist, he will be considered to be disrupting the military camp and will be dealt with according to military law!"

Only a few of Pan Yungong's lackeys surrounded Xiao Xingyue.

Xiao Xingyue swept his gaze over the old armor and swords, his deep and authoritative voice echoing throughout the training ground:

"Where is the Northern Army?"

All around was quiet.

Pan Yungong sneered:

"Who are you calling? The Xiao family is gone! Who would dare answer you?"

The veteran with the leg injury suddenly moved. He dragged his injured leg and walked to Xiao Xingyue, holding the wooden spear horizontally in front of his chest.

"Former troops of the Zhenbei Army are willing to protect the young general."

The second person to step forward was the archer who was missing two fingers:

"The old soldiers of Jushuang Pass are willing to protect the young general."

The third, the fourth, more and more of the old guard stepped out of the ranks.

Their armor was worn and their swords were worn down.

Someone has a shoulder injury.

Some people have difficulty walking.

But when they stood together, they were like a wall that had been eroded by wind and sand, yet still hadn't collapsed.

"Former troops of the Zhenbei Army, willing to protect the Young General!"

The sound grew louder and louder, shaking the flagpole in the drill ground.

Pan Yungong's expression changed drastically:

"You've rebelled! You've rebelled! Deploying troops without orders is tantamount to mutiny!"

Li Shunhua walked to Xiao Xingyue's side, raised her hand, and took out a token:

"Who said he had no orders?"

Xiao Xingyue not only has the authority to train and supervise, but also the temporary command authority over a hundred Northern Border troops.

Pan Yungong's eyes widened:

"Eighth Princess, that power was granted to you by General Qin!"

Li Shunhua looked down on him:

"Yes, I like giving it to Xiao Xingyue, is there a problem?"

Pan Yungong's lackeys all panicked.

Pan Yun's teeth were almost ground to powder:

"Why? What gives him the right?"

Li Shunhua's eyes were like knives:

"Do I need to report to you about the power I, the princess, have granted me? If you disagree, go ask my grandfather."

Pan Yungong froze, asking Qin Zhenyue, "How dare he?"

"Ninth Prince, you have quite the airs."

Just then, a cold voice came from the direction of the camp gate.

Minister of War Cao Bi has arrived.

He was dressed in a dark official robe, followed by an attendant from the Ministry of War.

Pan Yungong immediately felt like he had found a powerful backer:

"Master!"

Cao Bi didn't look at him; he first glanced at Li Shunhua, then at Xiao Xingyue.

"The Eighth Princess is, after all, a woman; it's best for her to avoid places like military camps."

Li Shunhua's face turned cold.

Cao Bi continued:

"As for the Crown Prince, you are not even qualified to go to the battlefield."

Otherwise, hmph, you'd probably be dead by now, along with your father and brothers.

The air suddenly turned cold.

The fists of the former Northern troops clenched tightly.

Xiao Xingyue's expression turned completely cold.

Li Shunhua gripped her gun, just as she was about to retaliate.

Cao Bi's cold gaze fell upon her. "Princess, I advise you to take the prince and leave this place. This is not a place for you to fool around."

"I will personally report to His Majesty and have him impose the punishment!"

His words startled the veterans from the Northern Border, who quickly took a few steps back and pleaded, "It has nothing to do with the young master, Lord Cao. We caused trouble ourselves today."

"Yes, we should be punished, but not the Crown Prince!"

Cao Bi swept his domineering gaze over the crowd, "Rest assured! I will not let a single one of them escape, Pan Yungong!"

"Your disciple is here!"

"Treat them with military law!"

Pan Yungong's lips curled up. "Yes!"

Xiao Xingyue held his arm and spear horizontally, protecting the people from the Northern Border.

Li Shunhua stood beside him, "You dare!"

Cao Bi's eyes narrowed. "I am a first-rank official, assisting in the management of this place. What do I have to fear! Guards!"

Just then, the sound of hooves came from outside the camp, and a rider galloped in.

Qin Zhenyue dismounted, and a cloud of dust rose as he landed.

Clad in black armor, his beard and hair billowing in the wind, the oppressive aura emanating from him instantly silenced the training ground.

"Minister Cao is truly capable. Why not give up your position and come with me to the border for some experience?"

Cao Bi's face stiffened slightly.

Qin Zhenyue strode over:

"I just don't know if Minister Cao can withstand the smell of sand and dust on the border."

He stood before Cao Bi, like a towering mountain:

"If you can't handle it, you should stay in Kyoto and retire."

"It's none of your business what happens in the barracks."

Cao Bi's face turned ashen, but he didn't dare to retort.

Qin Zhenyue is a top military general of the Great Xia Dynasty. If he really makes a move, the Minister of War's skin won't be able to protect him. At most, he can leave Qin with a whole corpse.

Cao Bi's face was gloomy. "General Qin has misunderstood. It was the Ninth Prince..."

Cao Bi was about to enumerate Xiao Xingyue's crimes.

"Imperial edict has arrived!"

At this moment, a messenger eunuch hurriedly entered the camp.

Everyone knelt down.

The eunuch's voice was high-pitched and frantic as he shouted:

"Convey His Majesty's oral decree!"

The case involving Lu Chengzhang, the Minister of Rites, remains unclear. He has been temporarily released and returned to his residence to await imperial instructions to defend himself.

Xiao Xingyue broke into the imperial prison without permission and acted erratically. Although he had the intention to investigate the case, he failed to act in accordance with the proper conduct of a subject and was ordered to reflect on his actions.

The Sixth Princess, Li Lingxi, caused a disturbance in the imperial prison, disrupting the proceedings. She is hereby ordered to reflect on her actions behind closed doors, and no one is permitted to approach her.

The imperial edict was read aloud.

Many people in the drill ground had changed their expressions.

Pan Yungong was the first to smile after he stood up:

"Your Highness, it seems His Majesty also thinks you've gone too far."

Cao Bi said coldly:

"Xiao Xingyue, the military camp is not a place for you to show off your power. It's not too late to back down now."

Xiao Xingyue accepted the imperial edict, glanced at it a few times, and appeared obedient on the surface, but his mind was racing.

Lu Chengzhang's evidence was conclusive, and Cui Daoyuan's confession was still in hand; the emperor could not possibly release him.

The Sixth Princess closed the door, and no one was allowed to approach. This statement... if no one is allowed to approach, who can prove that the person inside is the Sixth Princess?

Got it, this is to have the Sixth Princess continue to secretly impersonate Lu Chengzhang to fish?

Xiao Xingyue put the imperial edict away.

Pan Yungong took a few steps closer, lowered his voice, and said fiercely:

"Today you have General Qin and the Eighth Princess protecting you, but there will always be times when they are not around."

"Watch how I deal with these old things while you're gone."

Xiao Xingyue's eyes narrowed, and he instantly kicked out!

Bang! Pan Yungong flew out of the air and landed face-first in the dirt.

Cao Bi roared angrily:

"Xiao Xingyue, how dare you commit violence in front of me? How dare you!"

Qin Zhenyue looked helpless; this kid was too domineering.

He was preparing to step forward to block Cao Bi.

But then Xiao Xingyue pulled a dragon robe from his crotch and held it high:

"You, Cao Bi, are so audacious!"

This prince, bearing the imperial robes, is investigating corruption throughout the court!

Pan Yungong is suspected of being involved in the case. I kicked him to help with the investigation. Now that you've stepped forward, could it be that you're his accomplice?

The entire audience was stunned!