The Demon Prince

Li Shunhua blushed:

"Xiao Xingyue, you have no shame."

"I'm exhausted and sleepy, and I still have to worry about Cao Bi and Lu Chengzhang." He leaned back, with only the corridor pillars behind him.

"The Eighth Princess won't even give me a shoulder massage; this alliance isn't very reliable."

Li Shunhua gritted her teeth: "Just a shoulder massage?"

"Why do you sound so disappointed?" Xiao Xingyue asked with a serious expression.

"I'm a respectable person."

"Say that, and let Seventh Sister continue prescribing medicine for you." Li Shunhua sneered, cursing as she walked behind Xiao Xingyue and placed both hands on his shoulders.

Xiao Xingyue was almost pushed forward by her:

"What? You want to ride on my back?"

Li Shunhua snorted, and Xiao Xingyue gently pulled her hand. Caught off guard, she sat down next to him.

The two were so close that the light and shadow fell on her face.

The weariness still lingered in the corners of her eyes today, and the heroic spirit from the fight was still there, but shrouded in the night, it added a touch of indescribable softness.

Li Shunhua turned her face away:

Don't look at me like that.

Which one?

"The kind of person who tries to scam me into paying off my debts."

Xiao Xingyue sighed:

"The Eighth Princess really understands me."

Li Shunhua turned and glared at him:

I know I still owe you nine times.

Don't remind me, I'm afraid I'll try too hard tonight.

Li Shunhua was surprised by her own words. In order to save face, she punched Xiao Xingyue on the shoulder.

The two remained silent for a long time before being pulled inside.

The door closed, and the lamp flickered all night.

There was no noise, only the occasional panting from the Holy Dragon Technique as it was activated.

As dawn approached, Xiao Xingyue opened his eyes to find the candlelight in the room nearly gone out.

The Sacred Dragon Technique within his body suddenly activated, and he reached the fourth level.

The national destiny drawn from Li Shunhua last night is purer and more powerful than before.

Perhaps it was because she had just received the emperor's permission to go into battle, her reputation as a military officer had been established, and her fortune was at its peak.

Xiao Xingyue let out a breath.

Zhao Yuanbao was startled when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

"Your Highness, something has happened."

Xiao Xingyue's expression changed immediately:

"explain."

Zhao Yuanbao's anger still shone through the door:

"News has come from the escort team: the military registration verification documents for the escorting spirit to enter the capital have been blocked by the Ministry of War!"

Chen Manfu rushed into the courtyard, still clutching half a piece of white cloth in his hand. The old housekeeper's eyes were red, and his beard was trembling.

"Your Highness, this old servant just went to ask again."

They said the military registration documents for escorting the coffin to Beijing were incomplete, and they needed to re-verify the identities of the accompanying former subordinates.

"Absurd!" He grew angrier as he spoke.

"The old prince died fighting for the Great Xia Dynasty, and he needs approval just to go home?"

A large crowd had already gathered in front of the military department.

Several veterans from the North knelt at the bottom of the steps, their armor worn and their boots covered in mud from the outskirts of Beijing.

The oldest one, with completely white hair, knelt on the stone steps, holding a scroll of documents in his hands.

The Ministry of War official stood on the steps, reading the rules in a high-pitched voice:

"The accompanying old troops must remove their armor before entering the city, and their weapons will be temporarily sealed by the Ministry of War. The old banners of the Xiao family are not allowed to enter the city until the old system is verified."

The funeral procession has exceeded the permitted number of members and must be reduced to thirty. All other personnel are prohibited from accompanying the coffin.

With each sentence read aloud, the Northern veteran's face grew increasingly grim.

Someone was muttering curses under their breath at the bottom of the steps:

"Isn't this making the old prince go home naked?"

"Old banners are not allowed into the city, and old troops must remove their armor. The Ministry of War is slapping the Xiao family in the face."

The kneeling veteran swallowed hard.

He didn't look up, but simply held the document even higher, suppressing his anger as a plea:

"grown ups.

The coffins of the old prince and the eight young generals are still in the outskirts of the capital. The weather is about to change. We request the Ministry of War to make an exception.

The Ministry of War official glanced at him:

"Rules are rules. Don't you roughnecks from the borderlands understand?"

The veteran's finger twitched, and several of his former northern subordinates behind him suddenly looked up:

Who are you calling a boor?

"When the old prince was guarding the city in the north, you were still hiding somewhere, suckling your breast!"

The Ministry of War official's expression changed:

"How dare you make such a racket in front of the Ministry of War!"

The Northern veteran held his brother firmly behind him:

"Stop fooling around...don't delay the prince's return home."

Upon hearing this, several veterans' eyes reddened.

Xiao Xingyue arrived just in time to hear this sentence.

The kneeling veteran turned his head and saw him; tears immediately streamed down his face.

"Young General."

He tried to get up, but his knees had been kneeling for too long and he couldn't stand up straight.

Xiao Xingyue reached out to support him:

"stand up."

The veteran shook his head:

"We cannot get up. The documents haven't been approved yet, and the old prince is still outside the city."

A cold glint gathered in Xiao Xingyue's eyes.

On the steps, Cao Bi finally emerged from the gate of the Ministry of War.

Upon seeing Xiao Xingyue, he forced himself to adopt a businesslike demeanor:

"Your Highness, it's not that I'm making things difficult for you, but the Ministry of War has its own rules."

Cao Bi, with his hands behind his back, slowly walked down two steps:

"The dead can't speak, but the imperial court always needs evidence to handle matters."

He looked at Xiao Xingyue, deliberately raising his voice:

"You have to prove that the person lying in that coffin is your father."

The crowd erupted in a commotion. The veterans from the North all looked up, some with bloodshot eyes, their hands already reaching for the hilts of their swords.

Li Shunhua, who came with Xiao Xingyue, stepped onto the stairs:

"Cao Bi, say that again!"

Cao Bi's eyes twitched when he saw Li Shunhua.

But today, he is bound by the rules of the Ministry of War and the fact that the Xiao family is escorting the spirit into the capital. He doesn't believe that Xiao Xingyue would dare to make a move here!

"Eighth Princess, I am simply following the rules."

If any random group of people came today and said that the coffin contained the King of Zhen, and I let them pass, who would be held responsible later?

Chen Manfu was so angry that his face turned white:

"Minister Cao, put your hand on your heart and tell me, who dares to forge the old prince's name?"

Cao Bi sneered:

"Conscience is conscience, and rules are rules."

"I'd love to help you, but alas, I'm powerless to."

"Minister Cao, you're right." Xiao Xingyue's tone was terrifyingly calm.

"The dead can't speak, but living animals can."

Cao Bi's face instantly turned ashen:

"Xiao Xingyue, who are you cursing?"

Xiao Xingyue ignored him, turned around, and bent down to help the veterans from the Northern Border up:

"Get up, all of you."

The veterans gritted their teeth and got up.

Cao Bi was so angry that he laughed instead.

"Very well! Since the young master is unwilling to follow the rules, then this coffin will not pass through the Ministry of War today!"

Just then, the sound of a horse-drawn carriage came from the street corner.

The crowd automatically parted to make way for a blue-curtained carriage that stopped in front of the military department.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a woman stepped out of the carriage, supported by her maid.

She was dressed in a plain blue palace gown, with a white cloak over it.

She looked to be in her early thirties, with gentle features, yet possessed an air of refined elegance that made people hesitant to act presumptuously.

Even though she was dressed completely covered up, her beautiful figure was still outlined, making people unable to resist stealing a few glances.

She is Li Miaoqing's mother, Consort Jing, Beitang Yunjing.

These days she has gone to several counties outside the city to organize free clinics and provide medicine specifically for the poor after the disaster.

Because of her exceptional medical skills and the special permission granted by the emperor, the people of the capital respected her greatly.

Someone recognized her first: "Consort Jing."

The crowd in front of the Ministry of War immediately knelt down.

Cao Bi's expression changed, and the Ministry of War official hurriedly descended the steps:

"Your humble servants pay their respects to Consort Jing."

Beitang Yunjing didn't look at them, but instead focused her gaze on the veterans of the Northern Border, and then gave the people from the Ministry of War a disdainful look.

"Get up, everyone."

She walked up to Xiao Xingyue, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment:

"You're Xiao Xingyue?"

Xiao Xingyue cupped his hands in greeting: "Greetings, Consort Jing."

Beitang Yunjing nodded:

"He does resemble him somewhat."

Xiao Xingyue knew that the "he" that Consort Jing was referring to was her father, Xiao Junlin.

Beitang Yunjing turned to look at Cao Bi:

"Minister Cao, I just heard you say that you want to prove that the person in the coffin is the King of Zhen."

Cao Bi's forehead was sweating:

"Your Majesty, I was merely following the regulations of the Ministry of War."

Beitang Yunjing raised her hand, and a maid handed her a scroll with a gold seal:

"The King of Zhen died in battle on the northern border, and the military report has been delivered to the palace."

The Imperial Medical Academy's accompanying physicians had autopsy records, and the Northern Border Supervisor had official documents with official seals. His Majesty personally approved the escort of the coffin back to the capital.

She spread out the documents:

"These are my rules. Does Minister Cao think they are sufficient?"