Deep Palace Pet Peach Blossom Flawless

Chapter 626: Encirclement and Suppression of Luofeng Valley

The Second Prince's affairs had finally alarmed Empress Dowager Li. Lan Qingwu was talking to the Seventh Prince when she heard a palace servant outside the door announce, "The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

Lan Qingwu quickly stood up to greet Empress Dowager Li. Supported by Lan Qingwu and the Seventh Prince, Empress Dowager Li walked in. Her face was filled with relief at having survived a disaster. "Empress, I heard that you took out the antidote and saved the Second Prince. Otherwise, he would have been beyond help! You did the right thing. When the Emperor returns, he'll surely be concerned if he sees that he lost a grown son while he was away from the Imperial City. This way, our family will be whole, and we can give him an explanation when he returns."

Lan Qingwu and the Seventh Prince helped Queen Mother Li sit down. Lan Qingwu smiled slightly and said, "Mother, your daughter-in-law didn't think too much about it."

At this time, Ruhan walked in again: "Reporting to the Queen, Concubine Jiang requests an audience!"

"Please come in, noble concubine."

Imperial Concubine Jiang came in and knelt down: "Your Majesty, the Second Prince is safe and sound. I have come to express my gratitude!"

Lan Qingwu said quickly: "No need to worry, just get up quickly!"

Imperial Concubine Jiang looked haggard, her eyes red. "No! Your Majesty, I must thank you, otherwise the Second Prince will… But that precious Ice and Snow Pill was left to you by His Majesty, you…"

Lan Qingwu said, "His Majesty left this for me as a precaution. It's the only Ice and Snow Pill in the palace. While it's precious, it's nothing compared to a human life! Besides, the Second Prince is just a child in my eyes. Since I can save him, I won't stand idly by."

Imperial Concubine Jiang raised her head slightly and said with some emotion, "The Second Prince received the Empress's kindness when he was young. At that time, His Majesty once said that the Empress only had one child to save in her eyes, and absolutely no other. I didn't expect that many years later, when the world has changed, the Empress still maintained her original intention and saved the Second Prince again. I am deeply grateful for Jin'er's life-saving grace. You can treat it as normal, but I will never take it for granted! Empress, my life and the Second Prince's life will be yours from now on!"

Concubine Jiang bowed solemnly three times, and Lan Qingwu accepted her greetings from the upper seat. Concubine Jiang was right. If Lan Qingwu hadn't taken out the Ice and Snow Pill, who would have known that the Emperor Shenwu had left behind a pill specifically for the Empress that could dissolve all poisons? If it weren't for Lan Qingwu's kindness, the Second Prince would have been doomed.

Lan Qingwu quickly signaled Ruhan and Ruping to help Concubine Jiang up, "Go! Go and look after the Second Prince!"

Imperial Concubine Jiang bowed again, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Queen, I will take my leave!"

After Concubine Jiang left, Empress Dowager Li said with satisfaction: "The Queen is the mother of a country. All the princes and princesses in the harem are naturally your children. You should be kind to them."

Lan Qingwu knew in his heart that he saved the Second Prince not because he was the son of Emperor Shenwu and of royal blood, but simply because the Second Prince deserved to be saved. In his heart, he was just a child, and he happened to be able to save him, and he just happened to have a trace of reluctance in his heart.

The Seventh Prince personally poured tea for Empress Dowager Li: "Grandmother, since you are here, let's have dinner together later! I will order someone to prepare some of your favorite dishes."

Empress Dowager Li shook her head, her expression darkening. "I didn't come to see you for dinner, Queen! I heard the Third and Fourth Princes have been captured. What are your plans?"

Lan Qingwu understood. It seemed that Empress Dowager Li was afraid that she would kill the Third and Fourth Princes in a fit of rage.

She said sternly, "They are your Majesty's sons. Of course, we will deal with them after your Majesty returns! However, the two princes have committed serious crimes, so I have no choice but to imprison them in the Imperial Clan Prison. Mother, do you have any instructions?"

Empress Dowager Li's expression relaxed. "That's good. Let's do as the Empress wishes! Empress, I have something that has been worrying me day and night lately! Princess Mingzhu is also the Emperor's heir. Ever since the Third Prince and his gang led troops to threaten the palace, there has been no news from her. Empress, I know that Mingzhu was ignorant and made mistakes before, but she is also the Emperor's own flesh and blood! She has also paid a price. My heart has been like being fried in oil these past few days. I really can't sit still. Empress, you must be magnanimous and can't ignore her!"

Lan Qingwu quickly comforted her, "What are you talking about, mother? This is my responsibility. I have been sending people to contact Princess Mingzhu, but Princess Mingzhu and her husband are not in the Grand Princess's residence. I have been sending people to look for them, and I believe there will be news of Princess Mingzhu soon."

Empress Dowager Li frowned and said, "I am afraid that the Third Prince's rebellion will implicate Princess Mingzhu. What if someone in the imperial city takes advantage of the opportunity to deal with her..."

Lan Qingwu tilted his head and asked the Seventh Prince, "Then send someone to the clan prison to question the Third and Fourth Princes, and even interrogate Qi Zhinan as well, to see if there are any clues."

The Seventh Prince nodded and said, "Son, I will give the order right away."

Lan Qingwu comforted Empress Dowager Li again: "Don't worry, mother. I sent someone to the Grand Princess's residence a long time ago to bring Princess Mingzhu into the palace. Unfortunately, Princess Mingzhu was not at the residence at that time. I guess that Princess Mingzhu had left the imperial city for some reason and was in the suburbs. The imperial city gate was closed at that time, so Princess Mingzhu could not enter the imperial city. She also happened to avoid the rebellion led by the Third Prince and his party. Mother, think positively, maybe this is a good thing!"

Empress Dowager Li thought for a moment and said, "I remember now. Mingzhu mentioned to me a few days ago that she wanted to go to the Guoan Temple in the suburbs to pray and make a wish! Perhaps things are really as the Queen suspected. Then open the gates of the imperial city immediately, and I will send some people to the suburbs to search."

Lan Qingwu agreed immediately: "Okay! Don't worry, mother, I will also send the Xuanyu Guards to search together!"

Empress Dowager Li nodded with satisfaction.

The situation in the front court and the harem was quickly stabilized. Prince Ding and the Seventh Prince were busy for four or five days, reopening the gates of the imperial city. Some important soldiers who had committed rebellion were arrested and their property was confiscated. The Xuanyu Guard and the Jinlin Guard were dispatched. In the harem, the health of the Second Prince also improved significantly, but his body had been corroded by the bone-eroding orchid poison after all. The imperial physician ordered him to take good care of himself for about two years before he could fully recover, and prescribed targeted decoctions for both nourishing and clearing. Imperial Concubine Jiang was very satisfied. At least, her son had this opportunity to recuperate.

After the Second Prince felt able to move, he immediately asked the Second Prince's wife to help him go to Lan Qingwu to express his gratitude. The Second Prince's heart was filled with mixed emotions, but thinking back to his childhood, it seemed natural. This kind of thing would be impossible for anyone else in the harem, but only his mother, whose purity had never changed even after so many years in the palace. She, like him when he encountered the snake as a child, also chose to lend a hand.

On the border of Dasheng, the Shenwu Emperor's forces were progressing smoothly. The war had evolved from an initial confrontation between the two armies to a situation where the remnants of the Beinar were on the run. The Shenwu Emperor dispatched troops to pursue and intercept them, and even then, he managed to defeat nearly 20,000 of the Unard Eagle's forces! For a time, the civil and military officials on the border were amazed at the Shenwu Emperor's meticulous control of the battle situation and his divine foresight, truly worthy of his title of "Shenwu Emperor". The Crown Prince therefore consulted with the Shenwu Emperor on many occasions. Despite his many years in the imperial city, the Shenwu Emperor was able to accurately know the hidden military strength of some grassland tribes. The Crown Prince was simply astonished, and his admiration and respect for the Shenwu Emperor reached a new level.

The day before yesterday, Emperor Shenwu personally participated in a large-scale operation to encircle and suppress the grassland army. At that time, many ministers were opposed to it, believing that by this time, the grassland tribes were already on their last legs, and it was not worth it for Emperor Shenwu to take the risk again. But as usual, no one could change Emperor Shenwu's decision. Emperor Shenwu put on armor and went out to fight again. He personally arranged the troops of three parties, himself, Qian Hui and the prince. The three parties finally surrounded Unard Eagle's main force in Luofeng Valley. The encirclement and suppression war began. Unard Eagle naturally led his troops to fight hard. He was shocked and confused. Emperor Dasheng knew every step of his movement clearly. Even this time, when he was about to withdraw from the main battlefield with his troops, he was blocked by the Dasheng army. This made his usually strong heart collapse slightly. Unard Eagle had already gone through the suspected traitors of the grassland tribes, and he immediately killed several of them. Logically speaking, there could be no more traitors in the grassland tribes!

But what was going on? Did the heavens truly favor the people of Dasheng? Was it true that the grasslands were not even slightly favored? Did the Dasheng Empire truly have an ancient human-war god protecting that land, refusing to allow foreign invaders to covet it?

These thoughts flashed through his mind, but Unard Eagle could no longer think of anything else. He had been forced into a desperate situation. As the soldiers around him fell one by one, Unard Eagle finally roared, "Break out! Charge!"

If he doesn't tear open a gap, then all his business of so many years will be besieged to death. He must lead his own people to rush out, keep his life and return to the grassland royal court to recuperate, so that he can make a comeback in the future!