Chapter 43: Plotting Revenge

Huo Yuchen gazed at the dense forest surrounding him, his heart filled with uncertainty and a deep sense of anxiety. Even now, he had never doubted that the information Lin Pianran had provided was incorrect or that she had deceived him. He felt an inexplicable trust in her.

Another quarter of an hour passed, and still, there was no word from the Black Cloud Guards. Huo Yuchen blew his short whistle twice more, but received no response. Baili Qingyun, growing discouraged, asked in confusion, "Your Highness, where did you get this information? Could it be wrong?"

"It is not. I trust her," Huo Yuchen replied firmly, without a moment's hesitation.

Suddenly, a piercing bird call echoed from the depths of the forest. In an instant, a look of joy broke across Huo Yuchen’s face. He raised his whistle and blew again. The bird call from the depths of the woods responded in kind.

Huo Yuchen pointed to the front left. "In that direction. Let’s hurry."

Just then, a Black Cloud Guard approached to report, "My lord, a group of people is following behind us."

A cold, murderous chill flashed in Huo Yuchen’s eyes. "Whoever they are, kill them all. Baili Qingyun, take your men to deal with them. Do not let the General’s situation be exposed."

Baili Qingyun shed his usual air of lighthearted nonchalance, his face turning grim. "Rest assured, I will intercept them. You go and find the General! We must confirm they are safe; only then will this trip be worth it."

Watching Baili Qingyun depart with his men, Huo Yuchen felt no concern. Though Baili Qingyun appeared to be a frail, refined scholar, his martial arts were as formidable as his medical skills; ordinary men could not even get close to him. With silver needles in one hand and a soft sword in the other, few could stand against him.

***

Huo Yuchen led his men forward another few dozen meters before finally spotting a man in rags emerging from the brush. He was so thin he was barely recognizable and covered in filth, yet the heroic spirit in his eyes marked him as someone extraordinary.

Seeing that face, Huo Yuchen stepped forward in excitement, quickly grabbing the hands of Wei Zixing, who had begun to kneel in salute. "Uncle, I’ve finally found you!" A thousand words were distilled into this single exclamation.

Wei Zixing clasped Huo Yuchen’s hands. "Your Highness, you’ve come! Have you seen that girl, Pianpian?"

"I have," Huo Yuchen replied, his face bright with joy.

"She is a good child. It was hard on her, a mere child, to rescue us from that mountain prison. Before we parted, I asked her to contact you, but I never expected you to arrive so quickly. I thought it would take at least several days! We had just gone hunting to prepare food for the coming days and to turn animal hides into winter clothing. The other four are still chasing prey; they will be back in a while."

Understanding why he hadn't received a response sooner, Huo Yuchen immediately took off his cloak and draped it over Wei Zixing. He comforted him gently, "You’ve suffered, Uncle! You no longer need to hide in this forest; I can take you back immediately."

He ordered a set of Black Cloud Guard attire to be brought over. "Uncle, find a place to change into these. If you all blend in with the Black Cloud Guards, no one will notice, and we can return without a whisper."

Wei Zixing took the clothes and disappeared into the nearby thicket, emerging soon after with a new appearance. He walked up to Huo Yuchen, patted him on the shoulder, and remarked with emotion, "I thought for sure I would die this time. I had prepared for the worst, but to think there is still light at the end of the tunnel—that I could actually escape!"

"Surviving this catastrophe means you are destined for great fortune, Uncle. The Emperor has been searching for you everywhere; it seems he did not truly want you to perish. This matter likely was not his doing."

Wei Zixing, however, looked disappointed. "Even if he did not intend it, it is the consequence of his indulgence. With the court now fractured into factions and so many officials aligning themselves with Prince Duan and Prince Chang, can he truly not see it?"

"I suspect that even if the Emperor had no hand in this, he must have guessed it involved his sons. But what has he done? Sealed the information and searched in secret. What good does that do?"

***

"Look at Prince Chang; has he shown any restraint? He has merely moved our hiding place a few more times. This game of cat and mouse between father and son is truly laughable!"

"I believe that if the Emperor truly wanted to pry the truth from someone, it would be easy. If he really tore Yecheng apart, it wouldn't just be for show."

As Wei Zixing spoke, his resentment was palpable. He had finally seen the true faces of the Emperor and the Princes. After years of shedding blood and risking his life to expand the empire’s borders, he had ended up a victim of the "cunning hare caught and the hound discarded" fate. It had broken his once-loyal heart.

Huo Yuchen understood his uncle's feelings well. "The Emperor has had people searching all over Yecheng, turning the city upside down, putting on a show of concern. Yet, he has strictly suppressed the news of your month-long disappearance, refusing to let a single word leak. This has only emboldened Prince Chang, making him even more reckless."

"My father... he prides himself on being clever all his life, yet in some respects, he is hopelessly deluded. He believes he holds imperial power firmly in his grasp, never realizing that it is slowly slipping from his control."

"He has yet to see the true colors of his favorite imperial concubine and his sons. One day, he will surely regret this."

Wei Zixing cast aside his former gentleness and humility, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "Since the Emperor wants to seal the news, let us do the opposite. Let the word out that the General has been missing for over a month, and let us see how Emperor Qinwu reacts!"

"Before, I could only search for you in secret. Now that you are found, I have no such reservations. Let the news be spread."

Wei Zixing added, "As for that traitorous lieutenant, Chen Ping, send men to capture him secretly. And as for the Chen family, they dared to climb to power over the corpses of so many brothers—spare none of them. Kill them all."

"Also, the Liu family in Yecheng, who are part of Prince Chang's faction—deal with them thoroughly as well."

"Now that I am free, I must not let these pests who have caused so much harm go unpunished."

As the two were conspiring, a Black Cloud Guard came forward to report, "Reporting to Your Highness, Xu Feng and the other three have returned!"

"Let them come forward," Huo Yuchen said calmly.