I, the villainous eldest prince, will suppress everything!

Meanwhile, at the post station.

"Your Highness, what should we do? The palace examination is over, but Qin Li still shows no sign of letting us go. He clearly wants to detain us as hostages!"

"Yes, Your Highness, who in this world doesn't know that Qin Li is ruthless and unscrupulous? There's nothing he wouldn't dare to do."

"Your Highness, if we had known this would happen, we shouldn't have stayed in the capital of Great Zhou for so long. If we had gone back, none of this would have happened. Your Highness, please say something..."

The noise from the people around him was giving Murong Qingcang a headache.

He couldn't help but close his eyes and gently rub his temples with his hands.

Ever since the day he and Qin Li broke off relations, Qin Li had sent people to seal off the entire post station, which was packed with people three or four layers deep.

No one is allowed to enter or leave; only messenger eagles can fly out.

But this was not a good thing; it was Qin Li's deliberate act.

Qin Li wanted them to send a message back to the Northern Mang Kingdom, informing them that their entire delegation had been detained.

Should we not have stayed in the capital of the Great Zhou for so long?

Hearing this, Murong Qingcang laughed in anger.

If they hadn't stayed in the capital of the Great Zhou for so long, would the Empress, far away in the royal court, have taken action?

If the Empress doesn't take action, how can her eldest son possibly suppress her?

The strategy of using oneself as bait, leaving the royal court, luring the empress to make a move, and then capturing her in one fell swoop was correct.

His mistake was misjudging Qin Li; he didn't expect Qin Li would actually dare to attack their entire delegation.

Seeing that the people around him were still worried, Murong Qingcang couldn't help but shout sharply, "All of you, shut up!"

Everyone was stunned and shut their mouths, but they still couldn't hide the worry on their faces.

Actually, it's not entirely their fault.

Their good days are just around the corner.

When the empress fell from power, they were promoted and given titles.

But now?

Their lives are in the hands of others.

It's no wonder they're worried.

"Your Highness, should we just agree to Qin Li's request?"

The speaker was the deputy envoy of the mission.

At this moment, he was the only one who dared to speak.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Murong Qingcang with great anticipation.

This is a good suggestion. As long as they agree to Qin Li's request, Qin Li will let them return to Northern Mang.

Murong Qingcang glared fiercely at the deputy envoy of the delegation, who quickly lowered his head, clasped his hands in a fist and dared not meet his gaze.

Qin Li's demand was nothing more than to exchange hostages at Xuanque Pass.

But Murong Qingcang didn't want to exchange hostages. He had finally managed to pull the Empress off the throne, so how could he let her leave so easily?

In this way, if you don't cut the weeds at the root, they will grow back in the spring.

He was well aware of the Empress's abilities.

If he really lets the Empress go, who knows how she'll cause him trouble in the future.

"Your Highness, we absolutely cannot agree to Qin Li's demands. At worst, we'll die. What's the big deal? We'll be heroes again in eighteen years!"

The speaker was a young man in the delegation, full of vigor and ambition.

The members of the delegation sent to the Great Zhou were all carefully selected by Murong Qingcang. Most of them were young people, and the mission was mainly for training. Murong Qingcang also wanted to broaden their horizons and lay the foundation for conquering the Great Zhou in the future.

However, his words at this moment did not earn him Murong Qingcang's approval.

As the saying goes, those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who wear shoes.

But they were not barefoot; on the contrary, they were dressed in fine clothes.

Upon returning, everyone will be promoted and granted titles, and Murong Qingcang will even be able to ascend the throne.

Having come this far, Murong Qingcang had no intention of ruining the excellent situation with his own hands.

If you can sit on the throne in this lifetime, why wait until the next?

Therefore, going against Qin Li is not a viable option, and Murong Qingcang would not agree to it either.

"Stop talking!"

Murong Qingcang raised his hand and said, "We need to find some help."

helper?

Everyone was taken aback.

This is in the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, right in the heart of the enemy's territory.

Where did they get their help? It's good that the Zhou people didn't kill them.

Murong Qingcang said, "If you want to blame someone, blame Qin Li for making too many enemies. Don't worry, someone will come looking for us."

Two days later, sure enough, someone came to the post station; it was someone from the imperial palace.

Wang Bao had no choice but to let them bring the people into the palace.

Murong Qingcang did not leave the palace until dusk, a smile on his lips.

It is unknown what specific agreement was reached between Emperor Xuan and him.

However, no sooner had Murong Qingcang left the palace than he saw Wang Bao, who had been waiting for him for a long time, outside the palace gate.

Before Wang Bao could take him back to the inn, he proactively cupped his hands and said:

"I have long admired the reputation of the Marquis of Guanwai."

Wang Bao didn't give him a friendly look, and he didn't give Han Zhen, who came out to see him off, a friendly look either.

Everyone knows that the Great Zhou and the Northern Mang had just finished a major battle not long ago.

The Northern Barbarians plundered the borders of the Great Zhou, killing countless people, adding another bloody chapter to their record.

But to everyone's surprise, Emperor Xuan actually invited Murong Qingcang to the palace and treated him to delicious food and drinks.

Having such an emperor is truly chilling.

"Enough with the nonsense, hurry back to the inn, that's where you belong."

As they were talking, Wang Bao glanced at the palace in front of him and deliberately said, "As for this place, it's best to come here less often in the future."

These words were meant for Murong Qingcang, but also for Han Zhen; they were meant to be spoken to Han Zhen so that he could go back and tell Emperor Xuan.

It won't be as easy as it is today to invite Murong Qingcang to the palace again in the future.

Murong Qingcang chuckled and said, "No rush, no rush. Please trouble the Marquis of Guanwai to convey a message that I have thought it through and wish to see His Highness the Crown Prince to discuss the details of the hostage exchange."

Wang Bao said expressionlessly, "It's good that you've figured it out. Just wait and see."

Before nightfall, Wang Bao brought Murong Qingcang to the outside of the Crown Prince's residence, but they were not immediately allowed to enter. Murong Qingcang knew that this was Qin Li's way of putting him in a difficult position.

Murong Qingcang was not in a hurry; he would just wait.

Qin Li was more anxious than him. After all, how could Qin Li, as a father, be at ease knowing that his own daughter was being left alone?

However, as time went on, Murong Qingcang noticed something was wrong, because he hadn't gone inside yet and was still waiting outside the mansion.

Although the weather wasn't too cold, the cool night breeze still gave him a headache.

"How much longer do we have to wait?"

Murong Qingcang asked Wang Bao, who was standing beside him.

Wang Bao was sitting on the steps outside the mansion, wiping his long sword. Hearing the voice, he looked up and said, "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? I'm not in a hurry, why are you? Just wait."

That was the end of it.

And so, Murong Qingcang waited from day to night, from the first half of the night to the second half.

It wasn't until the sky began to lighten that someone finally emerged from the mansion.

Murong Qingcang stretched his limbs, preparing to enter the mansion.

Who knew that the man was just standing on the steps and said:

"Your Highness, please return. My Crown Prince is unwell and has recently caught a cold, making it inconvenient for him to receive guests."

Murong Qingcang pulled his outstretched foot back and suddenly stopped.

Are you suffering from a cold and unable to receive guests?

What does it mean for him to wait all night?

Murong Qingcang was so angry that his teeth itched. He had long expected Qin Li to give him a hard time, but he didn't expect Qin Li to actually make him wait all night for nothing.

He was the regent of the Northern Barbarians, and even the Xuan Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty smiled at him. How dare Qin Li treat him like this?

Okay, okay, he's remembered.

If I have the chance in the future, I will repay you a hundredfold.

With a flick of his sleeve, Murong Qingcang turned and went back without the slightest hint of lingering affection.

Okay, I'll wait and see who can't hold back first.

Whoever loses their temper first loses!

……

Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the inn, Murong Qingcang was so angry that he smashed the table and benches.

Everyone was silent, not daring to utter a sound.

"How dare he?!"

Murong Qingcang gritted his teeth in anger, his whole body trembling.

He had assumed that Qin Li would soon give in and come to see him.

But to everyone's surprise, half a month passed and Qin Li still hadn't come.

Murong Qingcang clenched his fists in anger after smashing the last chair.

Having lived most of his life, he had never met anyone like Qin Li.

That shameless and despicable brat! He's infuriating!

"Your Highness, you must not fall for this trick. This is Qin Li's way of provoking you to go see him."

"Yes, yes, Your Highness, you must not be fooled."

"You make it sound so nice, but if we don't go see him, are we just going to keep waiting like this? When will we ever see him again?"

"This is in the Great Zhou Dynasty, not in our Northern Wilderness! This is imprisonment! Imprisonment!"

The crowd was in an uproar and furious.

Because Qin Li doesn't play by the rules at all.

"Enough, all of you shut up! I will make my own decision!"

After speaking, Murong Qincang took a few deep breaths to calm down.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Wait two more days. If Qin Li, that brat, doesn't come to see me after two days, don't blame me for being impolite!"