Chapter 103: The War King Returns to the City

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Outside Guanlin City, a massive army presses at the gates, while within the city, storms rage both literal and figurative. The townsfolk, stirred by rumors, are all restless and uneasy—worried that if war breaks out, the people of Guanlin City will suffer grievously; yet also fearful that the conflict might provide traitors and rebels leverage against the imperial court, rendering them helpless prey beneath the blade.

The Lu family outwardly remains calm and silent, but secretly, Lu Liyuan has already identified those within Guanlin City who are spreading the incendiary rumors. Meanwhile, Ye Shiyi has been tracking suspicious figures who might know the whereabouts of Xue Chun.

Recently, in the Marquis’s mansion, Rui’er somehow caught wind of the words “Duke’s Mansion” and persistently demanded to visit her great-grandfather’s home. With Weishao Qianyu and Lu Yanran having been missing for nearly a month, Rui’er had been unusually well-behaved and obedient. Hearing Rui’er’s wish, Xue Chun and Qingxia could not bear to disappoint her again.

Thus, on this day, Xue Chun and Qingxia took Rui’er to the Duke’s Mansion.

What they did not anticipate was that the people of Guanlin City had surrounded the Duke’s Mansion, loudly demanding that the Lu family give an explanation to the townsfolk of Guanlin and Liyue.

Sensing danger, Qingxia and Xue Chun tried to turn back, but it was too late; the three were swept into the swelling crowd.

Qingxia was separated by the press of people, while Xue Chun quickly lifted Rui’er into her arms, shielding her, desperately trying to push through to safety. But the crowd was dense, packed shoulder to shoulder, leaving no gap for escape.

Inside the Duke’s Mansion, Lady Lu sat uneasily, but the three generations gathered in the main hall remained unnervingly composed.

Finally, Duke Lu spoke with a hint of weariness, “Liyuan, what is your plan?”

“Grandfather, rest assured. There’s noise outside, but the true troublemakers are already contained. Once the War Prince returns, everything will be resolved,” Lu Liyuan replied.

Duke Lu nodded and sighed deeply.

Seeing Duke Lu’s fatigue, Lu Liyuan rose and went to fetch him a cup of hot tea.

Surprised, Duke Lu glanced at Lu Liyuan—though he was family, their relations were strained.

Unknown to the Lu family, however, Xue Chun and Rui’er outside the Duke’s Mansion had already been spotted.

No matter how careful, there is always a slip.

Holding Rui’er, Xue Chun suddenly felt a hand clamp over her mouth and nose from behind. A man in his thirties dragged her away from the crowd.

Shocked, Xue Chun wanted to free Rui’er but feared she would be trampled in the chaos. Thus, she held her tightly.

The kidnapper led Xue Chun toward a tavern near the city gate, planning to escape with her once the gates opened—expecting to earn great merit for himself.

That night, when Ye Shiyi received news that Xue Chun and Rui’er had been taken hostage...

A thunderous announcement erupted within Guanlin City: The War Prince’s army was at the gates!

Outside Guanlin City, Feng Jinye arrived with three thousand elite cavalry.

Compared to the ten thousand troops Qu Jun had brought recently, these three thousand horsemen exuded an even more formidable martial aura.

Just their presence at the city’s doorstep gave an overwhelming impression of an unstoppable force at the gates.

The gates of Guanlin City remained unmoved. Feng Jinye gestured to Ye Shi, who advanced.

“The War Prince returns. Open the gates at once!”

...

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“The War Prince returns. Open the gates at once!”

“The War Prince returns. Open the gates at once!”

...

The area outside Guanlin City was vast and empty; Ye Shi’s voice, imbued with internal power, echoed repeatedly across the plain with those eight words.

Even Xue Chun, on the third floor of the tavern within the city, could hear Ye Shi’s call.

Lu Liyuan and Ye Shiyi rode swiftly toward the city gate. Hearing the news of the War Prince’s return, Lu Liyuan signaled Ye Shiyi to rescue Xue Chun and Rui’er, while he accelerated toward the gate.

“Open the gates!” Lu Liyuan immediately ordered.

Ye Shiyi ascended to the tavern’s third floor near the gate.

Xue Chun had been coerced into sitting by the window. As Ye Shiyi arrived, the kidnapper sensed danger, yanking Rui’er out the window.

Knowing exposure was inevitable, the man panicked, shouting, “Don’t come closer! If you do, I’ll throw this child down!”

Ye Shiyi halted, assessing Xue Chun. She appeared weak and powerless—it seemed she had been drugged.

Below the tavern, the vermilion city gates were slowly parting.

Feng Jinye gazed absentmindedly at the gate tower.

When he marched out to the west of Yan, he had imagined countless times that if he returned, she would be there on the tower, watching, rushing down to the gate to meet him—perhaps even running toward him beside the wide-open gate...

But now she was gone. To Feng Jinye, there was only emptiness.

As the gates continued to open, he longed for Weishao Qianyu to appear on the other side, waiting for his return...

Yet such hope was but a vain dream; he knew she would not be there.

The kidnapper on the tavern, seeing the gates open, thought this was his chance to escape. Taking Xue Chun was impossible now; survival was all he sought. Rui’er was his greatest bargaining chip, but Ye Shiyi was no easy opponent.

Estimating that the drug’s effect on Xue Chun was about to take hold, he hoped she could stall Ye Shiyi long enough for him to flee.

Clearly, the man had never seen how Lin Yichu once threw Rui’er against the city walls without killing the young master of the War Prince’s Mansion. He did not know that the tavern’s surroundings were already surrounded by hidden guards. The moment he let go, Rui’er would be caught.

Ye Shiyi had come to ensure nothing went wrong.

“Tell your men to step back, or I’ll throw this child down!” the reckless voice bellowed again.

Ye Shiyi almost laughed but immediately noticed something wrong with Xue Chun. His expression darkened.

Xue Chun’s face flushed as she began tearing at her clothes. Ye Shiyi’s anger flared; he wished he could kill the kidnapper with a single strike.

At the city gate, Feng Jinye and his elite cavalry slowly entered the city.

Suspended outside the window, Rui’er seemed accustomed to it, neither shouting nor crying. Instead, he found it amusing, watching the hidden guards below as if playing a game.

In the War Prince’s Mansion, whenever Feng Jinye placed him in a tree and he accidentally fell, the guards would catch him.

But then, the accident happened in an instant...

Rui’er saw Feng Jinye and Weishao Qianyu entering the city, imposing and dignified. Excited, he flailed his arms and shouted, “Auntie, Uncle...”

“Rui’er is here, Rui’er is here!!!” he waved his small hands, calling out.

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Feng Jinye and Dongnuan looked up.

The kidnapper trembled in fear, never imagining this child was the War Princess’s nephew.

His legs went weak; in a moment of carelessness, he loosened his grip.

Rui’er fell from the window ledge.

Feng Jinye’s heart was inexplicably stirred by a nameless emotion—a sensation he had felt when Lin Yichu had hurled Rui’er against the city walls.

The hidden guards around the tavern had not yet moved when Feng Jinye leapt up and caught Rui’er.

Rui’er showed no fear, bursting into laughter in Feng Jinye’s arms.

Feng Jinye suddenly realized why he had always felt he had seen Rui’er somewhere before.

Rui’er bore an eightfold resemblance to Feng Jinye’s own childhood self.

There had been rumors in Liyue that Lin Rui was the War Prince’s son, and that Lin Rui resembled the War Prince remarkably. Feng Jinye had dismissed these as mere gossip, but now it seemed they were not entirely unfounded.

Gazing at Rui’er, Feng Jinye wondered: Could this wild child really bear the Feng surname? Could it be...

Lost in thought, Feng Jinye stared at Rui’er as the boy laughed and squirmed, trying to climb into Dongnuan’s arms, who was disguised as Weishao Qianyu.

Dongnuan noticed the War Prince’s strange expression but said nothing and did not dare take Rui’er.

Ye Shi immediately ascended the tavern to investigate, finding Ye Shiyi holding Xue Chun in his arms, disappearing swiftly.

The kidnapper, seeing Ye Shiyi clad in armor and standing resolute, immediately knelt and begged for mercy.

Ye Shiyi carried Xue Chun directly toward the outskirts.

As Xue Chun grew confused, she felt feverish and hot, tearing at her clothes. Her mouth was parched; she wanted water but could find none.

Ye Shiyi lifted her up. Xue Chun felt as if she had touched a source of coolness and clung tightly, fearing the soothing sensation would vanish. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ye Shiyi’s neck, restless, mischievously nibbling at his collar.

Ye Shiyi frowned. Little did Xue Chun know, the coolness she felt came from someone just as burning hot as herself.

Finally reaching a river on the outskirts, Ye Shiyi almost threw Xue Chun into the water but could not bear it—so he immersed her in the river while holding her.

Once in the water, Xue Chun calmed considerably. Ye Shiyi touched his neck and found teeth marks.

Helplessly, Ye Shiyi looked at Xue Chun as she opened her eyes, lustrous with charm.

Thinking he deserved some payback, Ye Shiyi pulled Xue Chun close and kissed her.

Feng Jinye returned with his three thousand elite cavalry to the Marquis’s Mansion and spent the entire day locked in his study, never stepping outside.

Ye Shi handed the kidnapper over to the Lu family, only to receive a strange order from his War Prince upon returning: Investigate Rui’er’s biological father.

Feng Jinye’s and Weishao Qianyu’s return had made Rui’er very happy; he was playing on the tree outside Feng Jinye’s study, clinging to Dongnuan.

Ye Shi stepped out of the study, scrutinizing Rui’er again and again, suddenly understanding why his War Prince wanted to investigate Rui’er’s origins.

His gaze then fell on Dongnuan disguised as Weishao Qianyu. Ye Shi immediately turned and dashed off to uncover who Rui’er’s real father truly was.