Chapter 164: Is Old Man really dead?

Princess Xingguos Residence.

It was the depths of the Chou hour, a time when everyone was sleeping soundly.

Princess Xingguo, who was sitting at the head of the parlor, had been hastily woken up, yet there was no sign of irritation on her face. She elegantly took a sip of strong tea to refresh herself and listened quietly to the report from Lin Hansu below.

“The gate Soldiers caused trouble after drinking and clashed with Dutou Ding. My father happened to be passing by Wanan Gate and witnessed the incident.”

Lin Hansu tried her best to appear relatively relaxed. “Your Highness has always cherished talent, especially for young talents like Dutou Ding. You often show them favor and concern for their growth. This situation seems to risk escalating. Therefore, I dared to disturb Your Highness in the middle of the night to ask for your instructions on how to handle this matter appropriately.”

Care leads to chaos; Lin Hansu still revealed a slight flaw in her last two sentences.

This slight flaw might not have been noticed by others, but Princess Xingguo’s eyes still held that faint, gentle smile she usually had. The gaze she cast was like it was just resting quietly on Lin Hansu; it was neither a stare nor a scrutiny.

She just looked at Lin Hansu quietly.

But it caused the latter’s pressure to increase sharply.

“Your Highness.”

“Su’er~”

Normally, Princess Xingguo mostly called her Hansu, and occasionally called her “Female Chancellor” in a teasing tone. But at this moment, she suddenly changed to a more intimate form of address. However, the following words made people even more anxious: “It is only the two of us here. You must think clearly and thoroughly before you say what you have to say next.”

“…”

Lin Hansu was speechless for a moment. Princess Xingguo’s suggestive words actually made her afraid to speak.

After a while, Princess Xingguo added, “Why did I hear that Dutou Ding brought a woman into the city tonight?”

“…”

A thin layer of sweat quickly broke out behind Lin Hansu’s neck, dampening her undergarments.

But she still dared not speak. Princess Xingguo’s earlier, seemingly abrupt yet meaningful words, “It is only the two of us here, think clearly before you speak,” seemed to imply that she knew everything about the Wanan Gate incident, and also seemed to be a gentle warning to Lin Hansu not to lie.

Seeing that Lin Hansu still remained silent, Princess Xingguo slowly stood up and sighed softly, “Since the Princess Consort of Lanyang refuses to tell the truth, I cannot help you, nor can I help Dutou Ding~”

As she spoke, her figure had already lifted the bead curtain and walked towards the back.

When she used the intimate address “Su’er,” Princess Xingguo’s tone was like a spring breeze.

But at this moment, it suddenly changed to “Princess Consort of Lanyang.”

Being women, there was still a difference in their levels.

A crack immediately appeared in Lin Hansu’s mental defenses and quickly widened. Seeing Princess Xingguo’s figure about to disappear behind the bead curtain, her voice trembled, and she finally said, “Please forgive me, Your Highness. Just now, I… I deceived Your Highness.”

“Oh?”

Princess Xingguo stopped and slowly turned back. Through the bead curtain, her voice sounded ethereal, “Su’er, tell me again, what exactly happened at Wanan Gate?”

The gate tunnel of the East Gate’s barbican.

“Brother Ding, Master Ding. Quickly, quickly tell your son to let go!”

Ding Suian stood, Zheng Jinsan knelt, and one zhang in front of him was Ding Lie, whose expression was difficult to discern.

In the barbican outside the gate tunnel, more and more Soldiers who had rushed over after hearing the gongs and warnings had gathered.

Zheng Jinsan’s miserable cries for mercy were amplified by the gate tunnel and clearly reached everyone’s ears.

At the entrance of the gate tunnel, Ding Lie’s old brother, subordinate, and neighbor, Hu Yingfu—the father of the brothers “Make do, his real name” and “Make Do”—stood with the brothers of the First Battalion, First Company, blocking the way between the gate tunnel and the barbican.

It was as if they were worried that the Soldiers who had arrived upon hearing the news would rush in and capture the Ding Family father and son.

However, the hundreds of Soldiers gathered in the barbican, after finding out the situation inside, were not keen on interfering.

Dutou Ding of the Vermilion Bird Army’s Elite Cavalry was the embodiment of camaraderie in everyone’s hearts and a template for the lower-level Soldiers of Great Wu to get ahead.

Compared to officers like Zheng Jinsan who rose to power through nepotism, they were undoubtedly closer to Dutou Ding in their hearts.

“Make way~ Make way!”

At this moment, a group of armored cavalrymen wearing magnificent armor rushed into the barbican from Wanan Gate. The few leading the way shoved the Soldiers crowding the area very rudely; those who dodged a bit too slowly would have a horsewhip lashed at their heads.

“Shove your mother~”

“Dare to hit me?”

As soon as the resistance and curses began, they heard the leading armored Soldier shout, “Prince Anping has arrived, who dares to act presumptuously!”

“…”

Instantly, the cursing disappeared.

The status of royalty was more intimidating than military law.

Inside Wanan Gate, a young man in a python robe, not yet thirty years old and with a solemn expression, rode a tall horse straight towards the gate tunnel of the barbican.

“Master Ding~ Master Ding~”

Zheng Jinsan, who was kneeling on the ground begging for mercy, heard the words “Prince Anping” from outside. His face exploded with surprise and excitement, as if he had been injected with adrenaline. “Ding thieves, you father and son, why don’t you surrender!”

He immediately wanted to get up, but the hand Ding Suian had twisted onto his ear did not follow his wishes.

It yanked down violently.

A very faint sound of skin tearing.

Followed immediately by an earth-shattering howl.

“Ah!”

It resounded through the barbican.

The Soldiers who had originally been paying attention to Prince Anping all turned their heads to look.

They saw that Zheng Jinsan, who had just been kneeling on the ground, was clutching his right head with both hands, rolling on the ground in pain. Fresh blood gushed out from between his fingers, and in just a few breaths, his entire head was covered in blood.

Looking again, Ding Suian was still clutching an ear with a little skin attached in his hand.

“Hiss~”

Hu Yingfu gasped, and whispered to He Dahai, who had just returned, “Ding Suians courtesy name is so ruthless!”

It was obvious that the situation was gradually sliding towards being out of control, but He Dahai did not look panicked. Instead, he let his gaze linger on Ding Lie for a moment and replied in a low voice, “He is just like Big Brother when he was young!”

“Audacious! Ding Suian!”

Prince Anping, who had just arrived outside the gate tunnel, happened to see this scene. Sitting on his steed, he shouted, “You have only meager merits, yet you dare to be arrogant and lawless! Breaking into the gate at night is already a serious crime, and now you dare to openly mutilate a superior officer in front of me, tearing off an ear to vent your anger—this is treason! Come, seize this thief!”

The python robe shone with a cold and luxurious luster under the firelight, reminding everyone of his status.

His dignified face was now covered with a layer of frost, and the raging anger in his eyes was masked by a sharp gaze.

Anyone could see that Prince Anping was furious.

Ding Suian did not look at him; he dropped the ear in his hand and looked quietly at Old Ding, a faint smile seemingly still on his lips.

Old Ding, however, had a serious look in his eyes.

The posture of the father and son standing more than a zhang apart, silently looking at each other, was very strange.

It seemed like they were communicating silently, yet also seemed to be in a subtle confrontation.

“Make way, make way~ Commander Li of the Vermilion Bird Army is here to handle official business.”

Just then, there was a commotion behind them.

Li Baicheng looked anxious as he rode his horse into the barbican.

But he did not expect that Prince Anping was also present, or rather, he did not expect that Prince Anping had arrived even before him.

He quickly dismounted, stepped forward, and cupped his hands, “Subordinate Li Baicheng greets the Prince!”

“You have come just in time.”

Prince Anping, Chen Duan, pointed his horsewhip at Ding Suian in the center of the gate tunnel, “He is your subordinate, so let Commander Li personally apprehend this villain and hand him over to the Military Department for disposal.”

“Your Highness, Dutou Ding has always been loyal, brave, and kind. There might be something else behind tonight’s incident…”

Li Baicheng had no time to communicate with Ding Suian, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he had the intention to exonerate him.

“Commander Li! Do you mean to say that Commander Zheng and these wounded people all over the ground are fake?”

Chen Duan’s volume gradually lowered, but his tone became increasingly severe.

Only then did Li Baicheng have time to glance into the gate tunnel. He was also startled.

Old Six, your hand is too ruthless.

“The Heir of Prince Leyang has arrived.”

Another loud shout came from behind.

Han Jingru also did not expect Chen Duan to arrive so quickly. After running into him, he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

“…”

At this point, Chen Duan was already a bit speechless. Looking down at Han Jingru, he asked, “Why have you come as well?”

With a sleepy face, clearly just woken up and rushed over, Han Jingru respectfully said, “Your humble servant was drinking nearby and heard the commotion at Wanan Gate, so I came to take a look. I didn’t expect the Prince to have arrived first. Your Highness cares about state affairs, but you must also take care of your health.”

Seeing that Han Jingru did not, or rather, did not dare to plead for Ding Suian, Chen Duan’s expression eased slightly.

“The Prince of Shuochuan has arrived.”

But the next moment, Chen Duan’s just-eased expression instantly sank again.

In his extreme anger, he couldn’t help but chuckle lowly, “What a good Dutou Ding Suian; I would like to see just how many people want to protect you!”

As soon as his words fell, a sharp shout rang out.

“Her Highness Princess Xingguo has arrived in person, make way quickly!”

This time, the Soldiers crowding the barbican reacted far more than the previous times. They retreated with a rustle, instantly clearing a path.

A yellow woolen sedan chair, two eunuchs, and several guards appeared in everyone’s sight.

Chen Duan turned his head, his gaze narrowing.

A look of surprise and suspicion finally appeared on his face.

The surprise was not knowing why his Paternal Aunt had suddenly come; the suspicion was that his Paternal Aunt coming here was not good news for him.

After all, his fifth brother, the Prince of Shuochuan, Chen Yi, had been raised by his Paternal Aunt since childhood; in terms of closeness, he could not compare.

And Ding Suian was Chen Yi’s man.

Chen Yi, who had just walked to his side, looked up at Chen Duan and smiled, “Second Brother, are you prepared to continue sitting on your horse and talk to our Paternal Aunt?”

Chen Duan’s cold and stern expression suddenly vanished. He chuckled, dismounted, stood side by side with Chen Yi, and bowed to the small sedan chair from afar, “Greetings, Paternal Aunt~”

The yellow woolen small sedan chair reached them and landed. Princess Xingguo did not even get out of the sedan chair; a eunuch stepped forward, “Two Princes, please come forward to speak.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

The two walked to the side of the sedan chair and stood bowing.

“Duan’er, Yi’er, quickly disperse the Soldiers. Gathering here in the middle of the night, what if you disturb the Emperor and the people of Central Heaven?”

Through the sedan curtain, a soft, faint voice came out.

“Yes! We obey Paternal Aunt’s order!”

Chen Yi responded immediately.

Listening to his Paternal Aunt’s meaning, it seemed like she intended to resolve the big issue into a small one, and the small one into nothing.

But Chen Duan, with his head slightly lowered, twitched his face and whispered, “Paternal Aunt, although Ding Suian of the Vermilion Bird Army has minor merits, he is arrogant about his contributions and used cruel methods to injure several officers of the Winged Tiger Army. If he is not punished, the military discipline of our Great Wu…”

“Let’s talk about it elsewhere. Take both parties involved in the conflict to the West Yamen. We must ask clearly first.”

The voice was still unhurried, on the contrary, it was very gentle.

But this time, Chen Duan did not dare to refute anymore and had to say, “Yes.”

In fact, what else was there to ask clearly? The matter was already obvious.

The so-called “asking clearly” seemed to represent a certain attitude of his Paternal Aunt.

Inside the gate tunnel, someone naturally helped Zheng Jinsan and carried Commander Hou to the West Yamen.

Taking advantage of the slightly chaotic scene at the moment, Old Ding took the initiative to walk to his son, scanned him up and down, as if he didn’t recognize him, “Son, why did you use such a heavy hand tonight?”

“Old Ding, that man surnamed Zheng just made you kowtow! You didn’t feel angry when you heard it, but I felt angry.”

“In life, how can one not suffer grievances?”

“I just don’t want to suffer them.”

“…”

“Hehe, besides that, there is another reason.”

“What reason?”

“Do you still remember the man in black I told you about?”

Ding Suian looked at his father without blinking, trying to capture useful information from any subtle change in his expression.

Old Ding thought for a while and nodded, “Is it that benefactor who helped you break through the Realm?”

“Yes.”

“What does it have to do with him?”

“The gap between my Realm and his is like a chasm. He came to help me for no reason; he must have a motive. He wouldn’t just watch me fall into a desperate situation before waiting for a return. Unless, he is my close relative.”

“You mean, you want to force him to appear?”

“Yes.”

From beginning to end, Ding Suian did not see any abnormality on his father’s face, but he was still unwilling to give up and said, “Old Ding, do you really not have a father?”

“Nonsense! If I didn’t have a father, could I exist? Could I have you, this brat?”

“I mean, is Old Man really dead?”

“Hmm.”

Old Ding answered with exceptional firmness.