Chapter 131: Substituting the Plum for the Peach

The fight at the inn’s annex was sudden yet brief.

From start to finish, it lasted less than a hundred breaths.

By the time Li Qiushi and Si Zhiye rushed over upon hearing the news, the five assassins were already corpses.

Li Qiushi looked at the scene silently, but Si Zhiye stammered, “Wh-what happened!”

“There were assassins attempting to murder the Prince.”

Beside them, Yi Yiyi, who had arrived a step earlier than Li and Si, wrapped her hand in a silk handkerchief, extended her index and middle fingers to check the necks of the corpses one by one, and frowned, saying, “Why wasn’t anyone left alive?”

Ding Suian was secretly astonished. Logically, a secluded Royal Noblewoman shouldn’t be expected to do much more than avoid crying when seeing a corpse, yet she dared to personally check their pulses?

“There was originally one alive.”

Ding Suian nudged the corpse of the leader, whose face was bruised black, with the tip of his boot. “Among the five, this was the only Astral Martial Artist. AZhi and I had jointly subdued him, but unexpectedly, he had preemptively held a poison pill in his mouth. After being restrained, he bit the pill, and the poison took effect, killing him.”

“Astral?”

“Poisoned himself?”

Si Zhiye and Li Qiushi spoke almost simultaneously.

A Martial Artist of the Hua Gang Realm could easily secure a respectable and wealthy life anywhere in the world.

If they joined a local powerful clan, they would surely be an honored guest, with large estates and beautiful wives easily within reach.

If they joined the military, they would start as at least a Battalion Commander. Of course, Ding Suian, who was intentionally suppressed and trained due to his extreme youth, was an exception.

But how could such a figure willingly become an assassin, and furthermore, a sworn Death Warrior?

One can imagine the power of the mastermind…

Si Zhiye seemed to realize something and hastily said, “Matters concerning assassins and strong men are not my expertise, nor do I understand them. This can be handed over to the County Yamen for disposal. I won’t cause any more trouble here.”

Having said that, he quickly left without looking back.

The Hour of the Ox was almost over.

No sooner had Ding Suian returned to the temporary residence in the inn’s side courtyard than Li Qiushi followed, carrying a pot of wine.

“Head Ding, the cold night is long. After all that commotion just now, this old man is completely sleepless. May I bother you for a couple of drinks?”

“Since Uncle has spoken, your nephew couldn’t ask for more.”

Ding Suian smiled and welcomed him into the room.

He and Li Meimei were sworn brothers, so calling Li Qiushi ‘Uncle’ was appropriate etiquette.

Li Qiushi clearly knew this, laughed heartily, and stepped inside.

“What is your view on tonight’s incident, Nephew?”

Li Qiushi made himself at home, immediately grabbed two teacups to use as wine cups, and filled them both.

Ding Suian hung the silent bell inside the room. “It’s obvious. Those two Imperial Princes in Central Heaven don’t want the Prince of Nanshun to return to the capital alive.”

“In your opinion, Nephew, how should this matter be handled?”

“The elder should go first. Why doesn’t Uncle speak first?”

“Hahaha, please.”

Li Qiushi raised his cup, and Ding Suian joined him for a drink.

“Since you and my humble son have sworn brotherhood, I naturally treat you like a son or nephew, so I won’t beat around the bush. I believe the Prince of Nanshun must be protected!”

Ding Suian thought for a moment while pouring wine, then said, “I share Uncle’s view.”

“Oh? Tell me why.”

To prevent Ding Suian from saying ‘the elder should go first’ again, Li Qiushi added, “Don’t play tricks. Putting aside personal relationships, now that we have left our national borders, we are colleagues who share honor and disgrace, and comrades fighting side by side.”

“Heh heh. Protecting the Prince of Nanshun is ultimately still for the sake of the peace talks. Your nephew doesn’t know whether the words spoken by Prince Anping during the farewell were his own intention or the intention of the Court Officials. If it was the intention of the Court Officials, the probability of these peace talks succeeding is less than one in ten thousand. The only sliver of hope is…”

Upon reaching this point, Ding Suian deliberately paused.

Li Qiushi met his gaze and whispered, “The Prince of Nanshun inheriting the throne.”

A simple statement, yet the risks involved were enormous.

Leaving aside whether the weak demeanor of the Prince of Nanshun suggested he had the makings of a ruler, the difficulty for two foreign ministers from a defeated nation to install him on the Southern Zhao throne was unimaginable.

Both men fell silent together.

After sitting in silence for a full quarter of an hour, Li Qiushi slowly said, “This matter, you and I only need to keep it in mind and act according to circumstances. If there is no opportunity, this old man will risk his reputation—even if I am punished by the court and reviled by my countrymen upon returning—I must retrieve the captured soldiers. If there is a chance, you may act boldly. If successful, all glory will be yours; if not, I will bear the blame and the consequences.”

Ding Suian smiled but didn’t respond.

Li Qiushi likely anticipated this reaction and gave a free-spirited laugh. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me, Nephew. We will see the truth in future actions.”

Having said that, he stood up decisively. “I’m leaving!”

Ding Suian stood up to see him off. As they reached the doorway, Li Qiushi suddenly stopped, turned around, and smiled, “Nephew, did you know that I am Supervisor Yuan’s student?”

Ding Suian was startled, not understanding why he mentioned it. “Your nephew knows.”

“Then you must also know that the Princess Consort is my Junior Sister?”

“Uh… which Princess Consort?”

“Hahaha, I’m going now. No need to see me out.”

Li Qiushi laughed loudly and departed.

Ding Suian watched his dashing retreating figure, and his suddenly accelerated heartbeat slowly calmed down. He had been caught off guard by that sudden remark and revealed a flaw.

The main reason was that Li Qiushi mentioned Lin Hansu too suddenly, and Ding Suian subconsciously tried to cover up, unnecessarily asking, ‘which Princess Consort.’

That question was completely redundant. Lin Hansu was his former superior, and Supervisor Yuan’s recent Disciple acceptance ceremony was quite grand.

Li Qiushi had already mentioned the title ‘Princess Consort,’ so there was no way he shouldn’t have known which one he meant.

Could it be that Li Qiushi knew about the secret affair between him and Lin Hansu, and deliberately hinted that he wouldn’t harm his cheap ‘Junior Sister’s Husband’?

Or had he simply caught wind of some rumors and spoken up to test him?

That guy left decisively and dashingly, but he caused Ding Suian to lose sleep for the rest of the night.

The next day.

The sky was cold and overcast.

Early in the morning, Wang Xigui, Li Qiushi, Daoist Master Yunxu, and others gathered at the inn’s annex.

Ding Suian activated the silent bell and turned to survey the group. “If it’s just three or five assassins sneaking around like last night, we have ways to deal with it. But if we continue thirty li west, we’ll enter the mountain path. If three to five hundred Bandits ambush us along the way, that will be tricky.”

The Prince of Nanshun, who was frightened last night, was wrapped in thick cotton clothes. Hearing this, he hesitated, “Dutou, are you exaggerating? This is still within Southern Zhao territory. Do they dare to be so bold as to mobilize three to five hundred people for an assassination?”

“Heh, Your Highness, before last night, I also didn’t believe that an Astral Martial Artist would willingly become a Death Warrior! If Your Highness doesn’t believe me, you are welcome to follow Lord Si Zhiye back to the capital along the predetermined route. But our Great Wu delegation will not accompany Your Highness, lest we get caught in the crossfire.”

“…”

Although the Prince of Nanshun didn’t quite believe his two younger brothers would be so audacious, he was even more afraid to leave Ding Suian’s protection. His expression was awkward, but he said nothing more.

Wang Xigui and Daoist Master Yunxu were both silent, appearing to wait for Ding Suian’s arrangements.

Li Qiushi, who had already communicated with Ding Suian, slowly sipped his tea.

Amidst the silence, it was Yi Yiyi who spoke. “If Dutou has a good plan, please share it.”

“We will quietly break away from Si Zhiye’s main group. My people will escort the Prince, turning northwest and then south, crossing Chongyin Mountain directly to outside Yunzhou City!”

As soon as Ding Suian finished speaking, the Prince of Nanshun gasped in surprise and repeatedly waved his hands. “Chongyin Mountain is full of Venomous Insects and Fierce Beasts, and the mountain path is rugged and difficult to travel. We cannot go, we cannot go!”

“With my fifty Elite Cavalry, Immortal Master Yunxu, and Great Master Zhisheng escorting you, what does the Prince have to fear!”

Ding Suian was almost laughed into anger by this Hostage Prince.

He was planning a way for him to survive, yet the Prince was still complaining about this and that.

“Even with the Immortal Master and the Great Master, Chongyin Mountain is dense with tall forests and has no clear path. We might not be able to get out if we go in.”

The Prince of Nanshun continued to object.

But this time, before Ding Suian could speak, Yi Yiyi next to him said first, “Royal Father! Have you forgotten how Dutou Ding returned to his motherland?”

Ding Suian looked approvingly at Yi Yiyi, then said, “Exactly! Zhao Yan, who serves as a maid beside the Princess, is a member of my household. She grew up at the foot of Chongyin Mountain and knows it like the back of her hand. With her leading the way, it will be foolproof.”

Yi Yiyi was slightly surprised to hear this. She had thought Ding Suian brought that Seductive Young Woman purely for pleasure during the journey.

Only now did she realize that he had come prepared, having anticipated this point even before setting off.

She couldn’t help but turn her head and met Ding Suian’s gaze. Yi Yiyi awkwardly lowered her eyes, then nodded lightly, seemingly thanking him, or perhaps apologizing for her previous misunderstanding.

Seeing Ding Suian and his daughter settling his fate through their exchange, the Prince of Nanshun grew anxious and hurriedly said, “Yi Yiyis childhood nickname~ Your Concubines can’t walk the mountain path!”

Yi Yiyis childhood nickname?

Her, Yi Yiyis childhood nickname?

Ding Suian couldn’t help but laugh, turning his head to chuckle twice.

Even Li Qiushi, who had remained silent the whole time, cracked a smile.

The perpetually cold Southern Zhao Princess has the Nickname Yi Yiyis childhood nickname.

…

Yi Yiyi’s face instantly flushed red, whether from anger at her Royal Father or shame from having her Nickname called out publicly. She suddenly stepped forward and, with a ‘zheng’ sound, drew the Precious Sword that the Prince of Nanshun wore as an ornament on his waist.

The Prince of Nanshun shrank back in fear. “Yi Yiyis childhood nickname, what are you doing!”

Yi Yiyi, holding the sword, turned and walked toward the door, her tone icy. “Since Royal Father can’t bear to leave his Concubines! I will go and kill them all right now! That way, Royal Father won’t be troubled by them and lose his life due to indecision!”

“No! Don’t! I, I’ll go! Can’t I just go through Chongyin Mountain!”

Every object has its counter; Nickname is quite cool.

Once the matter was settled, Ding Suian immediately took out the set of Disguise Techniques he learned from the Shadow Division to help the Prince of Nanshun dress up. At the same time, he said, “We need to find someone whose physique is similar to the Prince’s, who can stay at the inn for at least one more day to disrupt the enemy’s deployment.”

Actually, Zhao Yan could handle this.

But firstly, she was needed to lead the way through Chongyin Mountain. Secondly, impersonating the Prince of Nanshun undoubtedly carried great risk, and why should we let our Little Fox take such a chance?

Unexpectedly, Nickname, who was behind him, said decisively, “This is not difficult. I will do it!”

“You?”

Ding Suian turned around, only to see Yi Yiyi walk into the inner room. After just ten breaths, when she emerged again—

Yi Yiyi had turned into the Prince of Nanshun. It wasn’t simple dressing up or disguise, but a complete transformation.

Ding Suian suddenly realized. No wonder Zhao Yan said she smelled seductive. So, this person was also a Disciple of the Jile Sect!