Isolated town in northern border region

The day Jiang Min left Chu Jing, the weather was gloomy.

The imperial carriage slowly drove out of the city gate. Jiang Min lifted the curtain and glanced back at the majestic city.

The upturned eaves of the Chu Kingdom's palace were faintly visible in the morning mist, like a lurking giant beast.

"Princess, what's wrong?"

The maid asked softly.

Jiang Min shook her head and remained silent.

She felt a vague, inexplicable unease.

It was good that the Chu Emperor granted her request, but it was too sudden.

It had been delayed for half a month, and I remained noncommittal.

Now they've suddenly relented and even asked her to go to northern Xinjiang herself.

This is completely contrary to the etiquette of a great power!

What is the Chu Emperor delaying for? What is he plotting?

"Disperse the guards."

Jiang Min lowered her voice.

"Investigate the route carefully, and report any suspicious activity immediately."

The maid nodded and quietly withdrew.

As the mission traveled north, the post stations along the way had already received orders and prepared food and lodging for them.

On the fifth night, the mission camped at a post station south of Cangzhou.

Jiang Min was reading under the lamp when three soft sounds came from the window.

One long and two short signals were the secret guards' code.

"Come in."

A woman in black rolled in and knelt on one knee.

"Princess, I have found this."

She handed over a secret letter with both hands.

The wax seal bears the personal seal of the Chu Emperor.

Jiang Min took the letter and unfolded it.

Her face instantly turned icy cold, and her fingers trembled slightly.

The letter contained only a few words.

"The medicine will arrive with the letter. Act according to the circumstances. Blame the Jing Kingdom delegation for Xiao Lie's death!"

"Once this is accomplished, the Crown Prince position is within reach."

There was also a thin layer of oiled paper sandwiched inside the letter, and inside the oiled paper was a small clump of grayish-white powder.

Jiang Min brought the powder to her nose and smelled it; it had no odor.

She wrapped the powder carefully and put it into her sleeve along with the secret letter.

Where are they?

"They captured him alive in the woods outside the post station."

Jiang Min stood up, walked to the window, remained silent for a long time, and then gently exhaled.

"Leave no survivors!"

"Dispatch more secret guards to thoroughly inspect all roads leading to the Northern Frontier, ensuring absolute safety!"

The woman in black was taken aback.

"Princess, what about this letter?"

"You can run a errand for that Chu Emperor, just don't show your face."

"I was just wondering how to get Xiao Lie to leave the Chu Kingdom, and the Chu Emperor put on a good show for me."

"I'd like to see how he'll handle this."

Over the next few days, Jiang Min continued his journey north as if nothing had happened.

She continued reading, playing the zither, and discussing poetry and painting with Zhang Quan as usual, as if nothing had happened.

But her guards had already been dispatched, and every post station, every fork in the road, and every mountain pass along the way was under her control.

After entering Cangzhou territory, Jiang Min finally lifted the carriage curtain and looked out the window.

She was stunned.

The official road was grayish-white, smooth and sturdy, and could easily accommodate two carriages traveling side by side.

On both sides of the road are vast fields of farmland, with crops growing up to waist height, lush and green, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Mulberry and willow trees are planted along the ridges of the fields, and in the distance, there are villages with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, as neat and tidy as if they were in a painting.

"This...this is the Northern Frontier?"

The maid's eyes widened.

"Isn't it said that northern Xinjiang is extremely barren?"

Jiang Min remained silent.

Her gaze fell on a passing caravan.

The caravan consisted of more than a dozen large wagons, loaded with cloth, iron pots, and tea.

The man driving the cart had dark skin and a smile on his lips.

The man glanced at the mission's flag and casually asked a question.

"From the Kingdom of Jing?"

Jiang Min's guards nodded.

The man grinned.

"Oh, you've come to buy some of our finest goods from the Northern Frontier? Our Prince said that the gates of the Northern Frontier are forever open to all people!"

"Welcome, welcome!"

After saying that, he cracked the whip, and the cart rumbled past.

Jiang Min watched the departing carriage in silence for a long time.

"Zhang Quan".

Zhang Quan rode his horse closer.

"Princess."

"Before Xiao Lie took control of the Northern Frontier, this place was truly a harsh and cold land, where the people were poorly clothed and starving."

Zhang Quan smiled wryly.

"This old minister also learned it from a secret report. Who could have imagined..."

"There's too much that wasn't written in the secret report."

Jiang Min lowered the carriage curtain.

"Once we arrive in the Northern Frontier, I will see it for myself."

…………

In the Youzhou government office, Xiao Lie put down his brush and stretched.

Bisu brought in a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup and placed it on the table.

"Your Highness, you should rest now."

Xiao Lie took a sip of the sweet lotus seed soup and casually asked.

"Bisu, how's Xiao Yu doing lately?"

Bisu thought for a moment.

"The eldest prince... he's training quite diligently. General Luo said he's learning swordsmanship very quickly. It's just..."

She hesitated for a moment.

"He seems preoccupied these past few days. He's always distracted during training, and I've even heard him sighing in his tent at night."

Xiao Lie's smile froze.

That uncle in Kyoto is definitely not going to stay quiet. Sigh, I guessed it.

"Okay, you must be tired after a long day. Go and get some rest."

Bisu opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back and quietly retreated.

Xiao Lie sat in the darkness, silent for a long time.

Then he stood up, put on his coat, and went out the door.

The camp of the Trapped Camp was located outside the west gate of Youzhou City, covering an area of ​​several dozen acres. It was surrounded by high walls, and soldiers guarded the entrance.

Xiao Lie didn't ride a horse; he walked there alone.

The guards saw him and quickly saluted, but he waved them off and went straight inside.

The barracks were quiet, with only the sound of patrolling soldiers' footsteps.

Xiao Lie walked to Xiao Yu's tent and lifted the curtain.

Xiao Yu lay on the bed, but did not sleep. Her hands were buried in her chest, as if she were clutching something.

Upon seeing Xiao Lie, he suddenly stood up and instinctively turned to the side.

"You... what brings you here?"

Xiao Lie smiled and walked up to him.

"The food at the Trapped Camp is good, but it's northern cuisine, you probably won't like it, will you?"

"Come on, I'll show you something new."

Xiao Yu gave an awkward smile.

"Where to?"

Xiao Lie offered no explanation and turned to leave the tent.

Xiao Yu gritted her teeth, put on her coat, and followed them out.

Xiao Lie led Xiao Yu out of the city and headed north.

Without riding horses or carrying lanterns, the two walked along the mountain path by the light of the moon.

Xiao Yu didn't know where Xiao Lie was taking him, nor what he wanted to do.

He followed behind, his heart pounding.

After walking for about an hour, Xiao Lie stopped on a small hill.

There was a flat, large rock at the top of the mountain. He sat down, took out a wine flask from his pocket, uncorked it, took a sip, and then handed it to Xiao Yu.

"Hey, this is the mead Zhou Xun brought back from Kyoto last time, let's try it."

Xiao Yu hesitated for a moment, then took the wine pouch and sat down next to him.

"Cousin, do you remember when we were little?"

"Father took us hunting in the Northern Garden."

Xiao Yu was taken aback; he hadn't expected him to bring this up.

"I remember... you weren't a good rider, you fell off your horse, and cried all day."

Xiao Lie smiled.

"You're no better than me!"

"He shot an arrow that hit the emperor's target while archery and was punished by kneeling for two hours."

Xiao Yu's lips twitched, and she whispered a reminder.

"Although you are the legitimate son of the Imperial Uncle, you should still address the Imperial Uncle as the late Emperor."

The two remained silent for a long time.

Xiao Lie took another sip of wine.

"I heard you haven't been sleeping well these past few days, what's wrong?"

Xiao Yu's hand trembled, and the wine bag almost fell to the ground.

"No...nothing."

"Training is too tiring."

Xiao Lie turned his head and looked at him.

Under the moonlight, Xiao Yu's face was pale, and there was a fine layer of sweat on her forehead.

"Training is tiring? You were even thinner when you came from Beijing!"

"You never complained of being tired back then."

Xiao Yu lowered her head, not daring to look him in the eye.

"It's really nothing."

Xiao Lie didn't press him for answers, and instead turned his gaze to the distance.

"Fine! If you don't want to talk about it, then don't."

"How have things been with the Trapped Camp?"

Xiao Lie suddenly changed the subject, and Xiao Yu's tense nerves didn't react for a long time until Xiao Lie handed him the wine.

"Oh! I'm so tired!"

"But it's very easy!"

"My comrades are all very kind to me, and I don't have to be as reserved as I was in the palace..."

"By the way, your commander, Luo Daniu!"

"They always have boundless energy and can always find something fun to do."

Xiao Lie stood up and dusted himself off.

"He's got a lot of fun to share!"

"Go back now. Next time, Your Majesty must treat me to some good wine."

Xiao Yu was stunned.

He thought Xiao Lie would question him, or even interrogate him.

But Xiao Lie did nothing; he just dragged him up a mountain in the middle of the night and had a few sips of Kyoto wine.

He felt a tightness in his chest.

"Xiao Lie..."

"Um?"

"It's nothing."

Xiao Lie glanced at him, then turned and walked down the mountain.

Xiao Yu stood there, watching his back, clenching her fists.

The road down the mountain is more difficult to walk than the road up the mountain.

Xiao Yu stumbled along, nearly falling several times.

Xiao Lie walked behind him without saying anything, as if waiting for Xiao Yu to speak first.

When they reached the city gate, Xiao Lie stopped.

"Brother, are you content with your life these days?"

Xiao Yu turned around abruptly, her eyes filled with confusion, but after a moment, she seemed to have found something and became extremely determined.

"Feeling great! More comfortable than I have in the previous twenty years!"

Xiao Lie smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Rest assured, as long as I am alive, my brother will be able to live this freely!"

After saying that, he left.

Xiao Yu stood at the city gate, watching his retreating figure and murmuring softly.

"But how can one be at ease when born into royalty?"

Xiao Yu reached out and touched the envelope in his arms. The heart beneath the envelope was beating slowly, surging with hot blood, but he could not feel any warmth.

When the late emperor passed away, Xiao Yu was only nine years old.

From that day on, the only theme of his daily instruction was the struggle for the throne!

But now, having fallen from a prince to a soldier in the northern frontier, he finally understands that to the one on the dragon throne, he is merely a pawn…

"Father, if I really poison Xiao Lie, will I still be alive?"

…………

Back in his study, Xiao Lie sat at his desk and remained silent for a long time.

Bisu gently pushed open the door.

"Your Highness, why aren't you resting yet?"

Xiao Lie shook his head with a wry smile.

"Has Xiao Yu received any letters these past few days?"

Bisu thought for a moment.

"Yes. A letter arrived in the capital five days ago."

"It was sent by the post station; they said it was a letter from home."

Xiao Lie closed his eyes.

A letter from home? Or was it delivered openly and legitimately from a post station?

With such a grand display, is the Chu Emperor suffering from dementia? Or...?

There are other people involved!