Chapter 18: The Eighth Prince

Chapter 18: The Eighth Prince

After walking out, Xiao Ce saw that Yin Pan’er and Nie Bing had already been awake for a while.

They had brought their own guard team of twenty people.

Xiao Ce noticed that this guard team was actually composed entirely of women.

After exiting the Crown Prince’s Mansion, a long transport convoy stood at the gate, stretching so far it was impossible to see the end.

Five strong, young men stood beside each cart.

Lin Zhong at the gate said to Xiao Ce, “Prince, we have prepared a horse for you!”

Xiao Ce followed Lin Zhong to the side where a tall, strong horse stood.

He immediately felt somewhat embarrassed.

Because, it seemed horses in this era were not equipped with stirrups.

How could he mount a horse without stirrups?

Seeing him look at the horse, Lin Zhong said, “Prince, this horse is a rare treasure that the Prince specifically prepared for you!”

Xiao Ce wasn’t really looking at the horse; he was pondering how to mount it decently without stirrups!

However, before he could speak, a servant boy walked over from the side.

The boy stepped forward, prostrated, and knelt beside Xiao Ce, clearly serving as a mounting step!

Xiao Ce stepped on the servant’s back and mounted the horse.

However, because there were no stirrups, he was still a bit unstable. Luckily, someone was holding the horse’s reins, so he could barely steady himself.

But he felt that without really good horsemanship, he would probably be thrown off the horse after a few moments.

After mounting, Xiao Ce asked Lin Zhong, “Uncle Zhong, don’t you have stirrups here?”

Lin Zhong was puzzled. “Stirrups? What are stirrups? Are they like a mounting step? Don’t we all use servant boys as mounting steps here? If you think it’s improper, Prince, I can have someone go get one.”

Seeing that Lin Zhong truly didn’t know, Xiao Ce shook his head. “No need!”

Xiao Ce wondered if the Turks’ cavalry had stirrups.

If they didn’t, he could equip his own cavalry with stirrups. Not only would it increase stability while riding, but it would also allow for more tactical maneuvers!

This way, wouldn’t he have added another powerful weapon against the Turks?

As Xiao Ce was thinking this, the servant boy led the horse, and they headed towards the city gate.

Their procession was grand and mighty, attracting many commoners who came to watch.

The commoners whispered among themselves.

“Why is this crown prince so happy? Is he not right in the head? It’s clearly exile, yet he really thinks His Majesty is relying on him to deal with the Turks…”

“Yes, if our Great Xiao Kingdom really fell to such a state that a useless crown prince like him was sent to guard the borders and protect us, we might as well line up to be killed by the Turks!”

“Still, this useless crown prince leaving is also a blessing for our Great Xiao! Otherwise, if he really became the Great Xiao Emperor, it would be our doom!”

The commoners were not afraid of this useless crown prince, so their discussions were very loud.

Inside a carriage to the side, Nie Bing frowned slightly and said, “Pan’er, your prince doesn’t seem very smart. He’s still smiling and waving to the commoners? Can’t he see they are all mocking him?”

Yin Pan’er said with a smile, “Sister, you can hear them inside the carriage. How could the prince not hear? But, how many people can maintain such an unruffled attitude as he does?”

Seeing Yin Pan’er’s admiring expression, Nie Bing looked somewhat speechless. “Pan’er, it seems to me you’ve been bewitched by him.”

Yin Pan’er’s face flushed slightly. “Sister, you’re just prejudiced against him, like these commoners.”

…

These rumors naturally reached Xiao Ce’s ears!

What the commoners said was very harsh.

However, he looked completely unconcerned. He knew very well that the commoners were cursing the original host, the crown prince.

What did that have to do with him?

That previous original host crown prince was indeed too useless!

As he had expected, when they reached the city gate, not a single person came to see him off!

The Prince of Zhenguo had already said in advance that he would not come.

Although Chancellor Yin had entrusted his daughter to him, he would certainly not come, to avoid suspicion.

As for the other civil and military officials, and the other princes, they all wished for his early death.

Naturally, no one would come!

He was, after all, a prince going to his fiefdom to “assume his post.” To have not a single court official come to see him off, he was truly the first!

…

Xiao Ce rode his horse out of the Capital City gate. He did not look back.

Because, there was nothing in this city worth him missing.

He was confident. Today, he left in solitude!

Someday, he would definitely have all the civil and military officials kneeling for ten miles to welcome his return to court!

Xiao Ce pulled the reins and shouted to the people beside him.

“Northern Desert Army, heed the order! The entire army, advance! Divide into three teams, providing protection in front, behind, and on the flanks of the convoy! Today, our destination is Pingshun City forty miles away, where we will camp!”

Han Da and Yan Jia cupped their hands and accepted the order.

This army of three thousand, along with the five-thousand-strong grain transport team, set off in a grand procession.

Xiao Ce really didn’t want to ride this wretched horse anymore. Under the pretext of fearing assassination, he got off the horse and directly climbed into Yin Pan’er’s carriage.

…

Not far away, on the city wall of the Capital City, two people stood.

A young man in a blue robe watched the departing procession and asked the middle-aged man beside him.

“Did you speak with her and settle everything?”

The middle-aged man beside him said to the blue-robed young man, “In reply to the Eighth Prince, everything has been settled. I told her she could act once they had left the Capital City!”

The young man was precisely the Eighth Prince of the Great Xiao Empire, Xiao Xiangqing.

Xiao Xiangqing said, “Once Xiao Ce is dead! Then, according to the plan, she will cast all suspicion onto Xiao Yang! We will then seize the opportunity to eliminate Xiao Yang!”

The middle-aged man beside him said to Xiao Xiangqing, “Eighth Prince, can this Nie Bing be trusted? How is it I never heard you knew Miss Nie before?”

Xiao Xiangqing nodded. “I only found out about her after she came to the Capital!”

“Back then, her Nie family was slaughtered by the Turks. She was lucky and managed to escape! Nie Yao was originally a close friend of Yin Weiyong! Nie Bing was then adopted by Yin Weiyong. However, the person who actually caused the city to fall and the Yin family to be slaughtered was Yin Weiyong himself!”

“By chance, I discovered Nie Bing had excellent martial skills. She had even personally trained a formidable team! I felt she would be useful sooner or later. After several contacts, I also gave her the definitive evidence from back then! To get revenge, Nie Bing naturally listens to me now!”

“I previously placed Nie Bing as a spy in the Prime Minister’s Mansion to deal with Yin Weiyong. However, I didn’t expect Xiao Yang to be all bluster and yet so useless. Even with our Imperial Father’s help, he couldn’t finish off Xiao Ce.”

“Instead, Xiao Ce has impressed me. It seems he was pretending before. This time, he seized the opportunity, not only forcibly taking Yin Weiyong’s daughter, which essentially forced Yin Weiyong to side with him, but also managed to slip away from the Capital like a cicada shedding its skin, heading to the Northern Desert Region.”

“Our Imperial Father is a fool, actually falling for his scheme! If he establishes a foothold in the Northern Desert Region, it will be as difficult as climbing to the sky to deal with him later!”

The middle-aged man on the side said, “Eighth Prince, a useless crown prince like him probably can’t cause any waves. It’s likely all this is the doing of the Prince of Zhenguo…”

Before he could finish, Xiao Xiangqing snorted coldly. “You are all mistaken! Although the Prince of Zhenguo protects Xiao Ce, if our Ninth Uncle had any real cunning, Xiao Ce’s position as crown prince would be as firm as a rock, and we wouldn’t have all these troubles… His actions these past days clearly show Xiao Ce’s own planning. Especially his behavior yesterday, it was well-reasoned and forced our Imperial Father to swallow this bitter pill.”

“His having such cunning is proof enough! We cannot let him leave alive. Otherwise, he will definitely become my great enemy in the future.”

The middle-aged man nodded and said, “Miss Nie Bing has said she will find an opportunity to act! Nie Bing has gained Yin Pan’er’s full trust, so Xiao Ce definitely won’t be on guard!”

Xiao Xiangqing nodded and said, “Also, did you contact the people from the White Lotus Sect?”

The middle-aged man nodded.

“I already contacted them. When the time comes, they will come and steal all that money and grain!”

Xiao Xiangqing nodded with satisfaction. “Once Xiao Ce is dead, and all evidence points to the second prince, Xiao Yang, the Prince of Zhenguo will certainly fight Xiao Yang to the death. Then, we can sit back and reap the benefits!”

The middle-aged man looked at Xiao Xiangqing with admiration. “Eighth Prince, your wisdom is profound. The Great Xiao Kingdom only has hope with a wise ruler like you.”

Just then, a gust of wind blew. Xiao Xiangqing tightened his clothes. “The wind is picking up. Let’s go back.”

…

After Xiao Ce climbed into the carriage.

He saw the two women looking at him warily.

Xiao Ce said, “Ladies, don’t be nervous. I’m just here to sit for a while!”

Nie Bing, as usual, liked to pour cold water. “Hmph, Prince, judging by your earlier performance! Clearly, you don’t know how to ride a horse. That’s why you had to come into our carriage, right?”

Xiao Ce didn’t deny it. “I’m indeed not very good at riding! However, I just need to make a slight improvement, and it won’t be a problem!”

Hearing this, Nie Bing looked full of disdain. “Improvement? Horsemanship is about skill. How can you improve it? Prince, I’ve realized you don’t have any real ability; you’re just good at bragging!”

Xiao Ce looked at Nie Bing, who was like a honey badger, finding fault with him no matter what. It seemed he really needed to teach her a lesson.

Otherwise, this journey would be anything but peaceful.

Thinking this, he said, “Miss Nie, you don’t believe me? I just need to add a tool for assistance, and my horsemanship won’t be any worse than yours!”

Seeing Xiao Ce make such a bold claim, Yin Pan’er spoke up. “Prince, don’t boast too much. Sister Nie Bing grew up on horseback!”

Xiao Ce was confident about this.

After all, in his previous life, he was also part of an equestrian association.

Today, he seemed unable to ride, simply because he wasn’t used to not having stirrups.

To use an inappropriate analogy, it was like someone used to driving an automatic car suddenly having to drive a manual.

But, as long as stirrups were added, he was confident that no matter how good Nie Bing’s horsemanship was, with stirrups, he could definitely beat her!

After all, the horse Lin Zhong prepared for him, gifted by the Prince of Zhenguo, was an excellent steed, a treasure!

Xiao Ce’s intention was simply to teach a lesson to this icy beauty who always looked down on him!

Xiao Ce looked at Nie Bing. Before he could even speak,

Nie Bing provocatively said, “What’s the matter, Prince? Could it be you want to race me?”