Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 424 Rescue
However, they hadn't run far before the rebels caught up with them again.

Xie Tanyu suggested, "We'll split into two groups. I'll take the Crown Prince to seek medical help, while the Fifth Prince will impersonate the Crown Prince and, together with Yun Zhao, distract the pursuers."

Du Yunzhao agreed without hesitation: "Okay!"

Li Baizhou hesitated for a moment: "Will this work?"

"Of the three of us, only you and the Crown Prince have the most similar builds." Xie Tanyu paused here. "This mission is extremely dangerous. If Your Highness is unwilling, that's fine. I'll switch with you."

If Li Baizhou still disagrees after all this has been said, it would make him seem like a coward, and the good image he had painstakingly cultivated would collapse.

He had no choice but to reply, "Okay, I'll do as Tan Yu says."

With the help of Xie Tanyu and Du Yunzhao, Li Baizhou and Li Xuanhe exchanged clothes.

Li Baizhou, disguised as the crown prince, appeared in the sight of the pursuers along with Du Yunzhao. The pursuers were indeed fooled and immediately spurred their horses to give chase.

After a long period of escape, Li Baizhou and Du Yunzhao were eventually caught up by the rebel army.

Du Yunzhao drew his sword and stepped forward, vowing to fight the traitors to the death. He killed more than fifty rebels in one go, but in the end he was outnumbered and was stabbed. Li Baizhou also suffered many injuries. The two were already at their limit.

Xie Fu pressed, "If you tell me where the Crown Prince is, I will spare your lives."

Du Yunzhao laughed loudly, "You shrimp soldiers and crab generals dare to take my life? Come on, today it's either you who die, or I who perish!"

Li Baizhou clutched the wound on his waist and subtly backed away.

When Xie Fu gave the order to shoot, Li Baizhou pushed Du Yunzhao from behind. Caught off guard, Du Yunzhao stumbled forward and was pierced by dozens of arrows.

He opened his eyes wide in disbelief, never expecting that Li Baizhou would push him to his death at the last moment.

He tried to turn around, but the rebel's sword had already fallen, severing his head in one blow.

Taking advantage of the moment when they were dealing with Du Yunzhao, Li Baizhou quickly fled the scene. Xie Fu sent people to chase after him, but Pei Yan appeared at the critical moment and rescued Li Baizhou.

The two took refuge in a house.

On the surface, the owner of this house is a businessman who is often away on business and rarely returns home, so the house has always been empty. In fact, the owner of this house is Li Baizhou, who usually meets with Pei Yan here to secretly discuss their next plans.

Seeing that he was badly injured, Pei Yan quickly said, "There's medicine in the room, let me bandage you up."

"No need for bandaging, this is for the best." Li Baizhou's brows were furrowed with pain, and he was a little short of breath. "I will go to General Wu later and ask him to lead the Thousand Bull Guards to rescue His Majesty. You will bring your men to help, and you will be rewarded handsomely after the mission is accomplished."

Pei Yan asked, "How is the Crown Prince doing?"

"Xie Tanyu took the Crown Prince away. I guess Xie Tanyu might not trust me."

Pei Yan frowned: "Won't something unexpected happen?"

"Don't worry, the arrow you shot was coated with snake venom unique to the Western Regions. Just a little bit is enough to kill someone. Your brother, the Crown Prince, will definitely not survive."

"What about Xie Tanyu?"

"He has no evidence, and no one will believe him based on just his words. When I rise to power, I will deal with him quietly."

Seeing that Li Baizhou had arranged everything, Pei Yan felt relieved.

After a brief meeting, the two parted ways again. Li Baizhou, dragging his heavily injured body, went to the Wu residence and found General Wu, who was resting at home. The Crown Prince's prediction was correct; General Wu had an old grudge against the Xie family, and he would not allow the Xie family to successfully usurp the throne. He immediately donned his armor, took up his spear, and led all the Thousand Bull Guards to the palace to rescue the Emperor.

Everyone thought a bloody battle was about to unfold, but in fact, the rebellion in the palace was quelled before the Imperial Guards could even make a move.

It turned out that Li Jing had long suspected Xie Chen of having ulterior motives. He pretended to be unaware and allowed Li Mingguang to have someone poison his food, then pretended to be poisoned and fall into a coma.

Li Mingguang, believing the situation was under control, was very excited and told his uncle Xie Chen about it. Xie Chen felt things were progressing too smoothly and became uneasy. To prevent any trickery, he planned to personally pour another cup of poisoned wine into the emperor's cup.

But Li Jing woke up just as he picked up the wine glass.

Li Mingguang and Xie Chen were caught red-handed for plotting to murder the emperor, with the evidence irrefutable.

Realizing they had been tricked, the two turned and ran, but were captured by the Imperial Guards before they even stepped out the door. The Imperial Guard generals they had turned had already been arrested by order of Li Jing, and the elite troops that Xie Chen had brought into the palace had been wiped out by the Imperial Guards.

This palace coup ended abruptly and quickly, barely beginning.

When Li Baizhou learned of all this, he was shocked. He had thought Xie Chen was cunning enough, but he hadn't expected his father to be even more shrewd and calculating.

With Li Mingguang and Xie Chen as cautionary examples, Li Baizhou became even more vigilant, determined to be extremely careful and never reveal the slightest flaw in front of his father!
Li Baizhou, covered in injuries, knelt before Li Jing and called out anxiously.

"Father, General Du was killed by the rebels while covering my escape! Zhou Nanxu, Xu Hanshi, and the Crown Princess were also killed by the rebels. Even my elder brother, the Crown Prince, was hit by a rebel arrow and we don't know if he is alive or dead."

Li Jing was very worried about the safety of the Crown Prince, so he immediately ordered a city-wide search to arrest all the traitors and find the Crown Prince's whereabouts.

The rebels in the city were captured one after another, and then someone came to report that the crown prince had been spotted outside the palace gates!

Li Jing was anxious to confirm the Crown Prince's safety. Ignoring everyone's advice, he went out of the palace to fetch the Crown Prince. But when the palace gates opened, he saw the Crown Prince's body instead.

Xie Tanyu knelt beside the Crown Prince and kowtowed to Li Jing, his voice hoarse: "Your Highness, I failed to protect you. I deserve to die."

Li Jing walked slowly to the Crown Prince's side with heavy steps.

At this moment, the crown prince's eyes were closed, his face was pale, and his lips were purple.

Xiao Wenyi bent down to check his pulse, her face showing sorrow: "There is no pulse anymore."

Li Jing seemed to have lost his soul, staring blankly at the person lying on the ground, his lips moving as if making trembling sounds.

"Ahe, the ground is cold. Don't lie there. Get up quickly."

Xie Tanyu knelt on the ground, large tears falling onto the floor, and suppressed sobs escaping her throat.

"Ahe, you always go against me and often make me angry, but I never hold it against you. You can't do that anymore. Listen to me and get up now."

However, no matter how Li Jing called out, the people on the ground did not respond.

He was finally forced to face reality: his beloved eldest son had died.

Li Jing felt a suffocating sensation, as if he couldn't breathe, and his chest ached terribly. His face suddenly turned pale, and he spat out blood before collapsing straight backward.

Everyone present was terrified.

"His Majesty!"