In the Xiling Palace

In the Palace where Lan Cangmo, the second prince, lived.

"Leave me alone," Lan Cangmo said to Huo Si, a guard who stood next to him.

The latter nodded, cupped his hands, and walked out while also closing the door.

When he left, Lan Cangmo leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes.

In the clear sky, the moon was so bright. But maybe affected by the cold weather, it looked cold, too.

The moonlight shone on him who was leaning on the chair in a red cotton gown. He had a clear-cut face and delicate facial features. Not fully closing his peach-flower-shaped eyes, he gently pulled back the strand of hair hanging down from the forehead to his face with his long fingers. He looked so captivating.

Right at this time, Lan Cangmo suddenly opened his eyes and dodged. He stood up, pulled out the sword he had put on the desk, and pointed it at the window. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

When he finished, two figures who were as dark as the night showed up behind the window.

Then they two jumped into the room while Lan Cangmo kept pointing his sword at them.

"Your Highness, you're rather alert," Ye reached out to push Lan Cangmo's sword away.

Right, the two men who broke in were Ye and Mo.

Pointing the sword at Ye again, Lan Cangmo stared at him and asked, "Who are you? Why did you come to my room at late night?"

"Your Highness, don't worry. We're not here to kill you," said Mo who took two steps forward and pulled down the cloth covering his mouth.

"Kill me? How dare you?" Lan Cangmo put his sword away and sneered.

Then he looked at them and asked, "Tell me who sends you here to find me?"

"We're here to send a message to you and we'll leave right away," Ye turned to Lan Cangmo and explained.

Hearing that, Lan Cangmo frowned and asked with doubt, "Message? What?"

"A message that can help you become the Crown Prince!" Ye stared at him and continued.

Lan Cangmo lifted the corner of his mouth and wore a wicked smile. He said, "What message? Tell me."

"Xiling lost the battle. So if you can go to the battlefield to save His Majesty, he will surely reconsider which prince should be appointed as the Crown Prince, no matter who he was going to select before. Your Highness, you're smart. So I think you will make good use of this opportunity to win His Majesty's favor," Ye said after walking to the chair and sitting down.

Hearing that, Lan Cangmo laughed and said, "Funny. Xiling lost the battle? My father has led the army to the battlefield in person and our enemies are short of food. How come they could defeat us? Tell me, what on earth are you doing here?"

Lan Cangmo looked into Ye's eyes while speaking.

Ye looked away and said, "Believe it or not, we've finished our task. Hope you will give it a thought because there isn't much time left. Your Highness, please think it over. I assume your father will come back tomorrow morning."

Lan Cangmo's eyelids twitched. He squinted at these two men and asked, "Who do you work for?"

"Your Highness, you don't have to know that. If you have made up your mind, you can pretend to save your father halfway and we will assist you. Please think it over," Ye stood up while speaking.

Then, Ye took a look at Mo and they two walked to the window.

Right at this time, Lan Cangmo turned his head and asked again, "Why did you tell me this?"

But Ye just smiled at him and disappeared with Mo in the darkness.

When they left, Lan Cangmo also walked to the window. The moonlight outside was so pretty but he wasn't in the mood for appreciation.

Later, Lan Cangmo closed his eyes to think about their suggestion. Who on earth were they? Was this message true? Should he trust them?

If it was true, why was Xiling defeated? Didn't Wizard Zhan go to the battlefield too? Besides, the Dongling army was short of food. Xiling couldn't lose the battle in any case.

But if it was not true, why would they come to tell him this at late night? Why on earth did they do so?

Thinking of this, Lan Cangmo frowned. No matter whether it was true or not, he would go to the border areas to have a check.

If it wasn't true, he could just say he went there to welcome father back from a victory. But if they indeed had lost…

Lan Cangmo opened his eyes when thinking of this. Based on his assumption, he thought those two men worked for Shuo Ling.

But why would Marquis Shuo, a man from Dongling, help him? He was so confused.

Then, Lan Cangmo walked to sit down and thought everything over. After that, he turned to the door and called Huo Si.

Hearing the call, Huo Si walked in and said with his hands cupped, "Your Highness."

"Go to prepare something for me. I'll set off to the border areas tomorrow morning to welcome my father!" ordered Lan Cangmo who looked at Huo Si.

Huo Si frowned at his words but he nodded, "Yes, I'll do it right now!"

When Huo Si left, Lan Cangmo sighed and went to bed.

After Ye and Mo walked out of the palace, Mo asked Ye, "Will Lan Cangmo go to the border areas?"

"He will. No one will waste this opportunity," Ye stopped and said while looking at Mo.

Mo nodded at the words and asked again, "So next, we will..."

"We'll come back to ask people to make preparations so that we can help Prince Cangmo to present a good show tomorrow," Ye answered.

Then, they disappeared into the darkness.

In the meantime, Lan Kuo couldn't fall asleep at all although it was very late now.

Scouts he sent to find Feng Xian hadn't come back yet, so he didn't know what happened.

Thinking of this, Lan Kuo sat up on his bed, put on the cloak, and walked back and forth before his bed.

At this time, he heard some noise outside and turned his head to the door immediately.

Tian Kun walked in and curtsied to Lan Kuo, "Your Majesty."

"How's everything going? Have you found him?" asked Lan Kuo who walked to Tian Kun quickly and helped him stand up.

Tian Kun replied, "Your Majesty, I've sent people to look for him. They've searched every corner but haven't found Feng Xian."

"Have you searched Dongling's military camp? He's not there?" Lan Kuo kept asking.

Tian Kun nodded and said, "I had lingered outside their camp for a long time but I haven't heard any news of that they captured someone!"

"That's so weird. If so, where is he?" Lan Kuo asked with doubt.

Tian Kun raised his head and said, "Your Majesty, Dongling has invited the king of witchcraft to help them. Is there any chance that he has taken Feng Xian away?"

"If so, it will be more troublesome," Lan Kuo said and sat on his bed.

If the king of witchcraft really took away Feng Xian, it would be so hard for him to meet Feng Xian again in the future. In other words, it would be nearly impossible for him to win.

Seeing Lan Kuo said nothing, Tian Kun asked, "Your Majesty, when will we come back to Xiling?"

"Tomorrow morning!" Lan Kuo turned and walked to his bed.

He looked so tired.

Then, Tian Kun cupped his hands and said to Lan Kuo, "Your Majesty, please have a good rest. I'll take my leave."

"Fine, leave me alone," Lan Kuo answered in a slightly hoarse voice.

Tian Kun left his room.

Emperor Xiling had never expected that he could lose a battle that he was sure to win!

Now, his only concern was that Dongling would bear hatred against Xiling and try every means to plot against Xiling for what he did.

Thinking of this, Lan Kuo couldn't help sighing.

The next morning

Lan Cangmo got up early to make preparations and then left the palace.

"What? My brother is setting off to the border areas to welcome father back?" Prince Cangyue, the fifth prince, raised his voice when hearing something.

A eunuch nodded and answered, "Your Highness, I'm afraid that your brother has already walked out of the gate now."

That eunuch, or Eunuch Li, was a spy sent by Prince Cangyue to spy on Lan Cangmo.

"What is he going to do? Why has he suddenly set off to the border areas?" Prince Cangyue frowned and said in a low voice.

Eunuch Li shook his head and said, "I don't know. This morning when I saw Prince Cangmo, he was about to set off. Then, I hurried to inform you of this."

"I see. You can go back now," Prince Cangyue said.

Eunuch Li curtsied to Prince Cangyue and said, "Your Highness, take care!"

Then, he left.

When he was gone, Prince Cangyue called his guard immediately, "Le Qian."

"Your Highness," Le Qian walked in and cupped his hands to Lan Cangyue.

Prince Cangyue ordered him, "Hurry, prepare a sedan chair for me. I will go out!"

He hoped that he could catch up with Lan Cangmo to find out what on earth he was going to do!

"Yes," Le Qian cupped his hands and answered. Then he walked out.

At this time, Lan Cangmo had already walked out of the palace gate.

But soon after he left, Prince Cangyue arrived at the gate, too.

Pulling back the curtain, he saw no one so he got off the sedan chair and walked to palace guards. He asked, "Has there anyone gone out of the palace today?"

"Your Highness, Prince Cangmo just left," said one guard who cupped his hands.

Prince Cangyue nodded with a smile and patted him on his shoulder. "I see. My brother should leave me alone in the palace when going out for fun."

He turned while speaking. But the smile on his face gradually froze. He said to Le Qian, "Bring me the horse."

"Yes, Your Highness," Le Qian nodded and brought the horse to Lan Cangyue.

He took over the rein and mounted the horse. Looking at Le Qian, he said, "Wait here. I'll be right back."

"Your Highness," Le Qian wanted to say something.