My Lord, the princess doesn't want you anymore.

The leader of the secret guards responded respectfully: "I am incompetent and have no clue yet. I have never heard of such a person in the martial arts world before."

"A figure from the underworld?" Cui Qimo sneered. "If a simple figure from the underworld would have such a big move, and even tried to control the Tiegu Gang? Yunzhou is a must-go place when going to Changguo and Xiling. He appears in Yunzhou at this moment. I don't think it's a coincidence."

The leader of the secret guards was silent for a moment, "Your Majesty suspects that the fire in Muling Lane was caused by this Lord Ye?"

"Humph, if they can't get it, they destroy it. Isn't that the way this kind of people act?"

The leader of the secret guards kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty is right. I will send more people right away."

"Go ahead." Cui Qimo stood up and prepared to attend the morning court. "I don't mean to blame you. However, this matter was indeed overlooked from the beginning, and I don't want it to happen again."

At this time, before dawn, a rider on a fast horse came from the north, opened the city gate, and rushed towards the palace.

Urgent news from the border: The 300,000-strong army led by Prince Jing encountered the Tiger Division of Chang State at the border between the two countries, suffering heavy casualties.

This was the first defeat report sent back by Cui Hongjing after this expedition, because the opponent was the Tiger Division.

Because the army of Zhenguo was so unstoppable, Changguo saw that the situation was not right and deployed the Tiger Division in advance, causing the army of Zhenguo to suffer a disastrous defeat.

Therefore, the air pressure in the morning court today suddenly became very low.

Prime Minister Mei snorted, "The Changguo Tiger Division is well-known and skilled in fighting. It is understandable that Prince Jing was defeated for a while. However, I think Prince Jing has always been quite conceited and has won several battles in a row. I wonder if this defeat was also due to underestimating the enemy."

Prime Minister Mei's words may seem objective, but in fact they are trying to lead the emperor to blame Cui Hongjing.

Minister Wang of the Ministry of War was the first to raise an objection. "I'm afraid what the Prime Minister said is inappropriate. The soldiers are fighting bloody battles on the front line, and the battlefield is changing rapidly. Whether they win or lose, the reasons are not something we in the capital can know."

Prime Minister Mei didn't say anything else, but just glanced at Minister Wang, and the look in his eyes meant "You say yours, and I stick to mine."

Cui Qimo only thought that Prime Minister Mei and Prince Jing had always had a rift because of Mei Xueer's matter, so his words today contained some personal emotions.

He looked at Cui Hongxiao and said, "You are a veteran. Tell me what you think."

Cui Hongxiao looked at his father-in-law, Prime Minister Mei, and said, "Father, I have never fought with the Tiger Master of Changguo, so I dare not speak nonsense."

Cui Qimo knew he would answer like this, so he didn't ask any more questions.

Fortunately, Xiling had already stabilized it by marrying Princess Pingjin, and the Emperor of Xiling also promised not to participate in the war or lend the country's passage to Changguo, so Dazhen did not have to worry.

"Your Majesty, Prince Jing only has 300,000 men, while Changguo has 500,000 Tiger Division alone. Although less than half of them have been transferred to the border of Zhenchang, the Tiger Division is extraordinary after all. I ask Your Majesty to send reinforcements."

"Your Majesty, send reinforcements!"

Cui Qimo was a little hesitant. He knew that Master Changguo Tiger was powerful, but they had never fought each other. He never thought he was so powerful.

Although he disliked Cui Hongjing, he knew that his son was by no means a good-for-nothing. He did not expect that he would be so vulnerable in front of Master Tiger.

However, even if the entire army was wiped out, he did not regret sending the troops to fight.

Because of the situation at that time, even if Zhenguo did not send troops, the Changguo army would enter Zhenguo's territory and then march towards Zhenguo's capital.

Therefore, the Zhen Kingdom has only one way, which is to fight to the end.

Even if our country is destroyed, we must fight!

Surrendering or seeking peace is not something he can do.

"Let me think about it."

Just as the court was about to adjourn, urgent news arrived from the border.

This time, it was an eagle that delivered the message, proving to be more urgent than the previous battle report.

Cui Qimo took out the small note from the bamboo tube anxiously.

Then, his face changed, his expression became complicated, and his hands began to tremble slightly.

"Your Majesty?" All the court officials looked eagerly at the note in the emperor's hand.

Cui Qimo just waved his hand and said, "Dismiss the court!"

Amid everyone's suspicion, he asked Eunuch Li to help him leave the hall.

In his hand, he held the piece of paper tightly.

There was a line of very small words written on it: "On the night of March 29th, Prince Jing was assassinated in the camp and is in critical condition. The identity of the assassin is unknown."

The court officials did not see the change in Cui Qimo's expression when he saw the note, but it was all seen by Eunuch Li who was serving closely on the side.

Cui Qimo's first reaction at that time was actually relief. He probably thought that it would not be a bad thing if Cui Hongjing was really dead.

Then came worry. Not worry about Prince Jing's health, but worry about the war ahead. If the commander died, it would definitely affect morale, and this battle would have no chance of winning.

Only later did a trace of sadness well up in my heart. Blood is thicker than water, after all, he is my son.

Eunuch Li had served the emperor for decades and had long been able to guess the emperor's inner thoughts from the emperor's subtle and insignificant expressions. He also knew that this assassination was not arranged by the emperor.

But he knew how to advance and retreat, how to protect himself, and he had already learned to play dumb. He just couldn't help but sigh deeply in his heart.

No one in the palace understood the delicate relationship between the Emperor and Prince Jing better than he did.

……

At the border of Zhenchang, the military camp of the Zhenguo army.

From time to time, people hurriedly walked around the commander's tent.

But the scene was orderly and there was no sign of panic at all.

A secret guard took two steps at a time and walked to the front of the tent. He coughed lightly, and the door curtain was lifted from the inside.

Zhuang Xiang came out quietly, pulled the secret guard aside, and asked in a low voice: "How is it?"

"Brother, the brothers chased the female assassin into the mountains. In the early morning, fog suddenly rose in the mountains and she disappeared... However, the brothers disguised themselves and blocked all the ways down the mountain. As long as the assassin goes down the mountain, we will be able to catch her."

Zhuang Xiang nodded, "I will select some skilled soldiers from the army and put them under your command. You must hold on. The female assassin's martial arts are unfathomable. It is obvious that she is a professional killer, not an ordinary secret guard or bodyguard. If you encounter her, you don't have to fight hard. The key is to find out who is behind her."

Seeing the secret guard nod in agreement, Zhuang Xiang continued, "We need to investigate the underworld forces as well. Have you ever heard of any assassin organization with such a female killer?"

"We are still investigating." The secret guard shook his head slightly, and then asked with a worried look on his face: "How is the prince?"

Zhuang Xiang sighed, "He is still unconscious. The military doctor said that the knife grazed his heart and went through his chest, injuring his lungs and causing severe bleeding. Right now we can only use medicine to temporarily protect his heart... It's good for you to know about the prince's injury, but don't let the brothers know, otherwise..."

When the secret guard heard this, his eyes turned red. "I know the seriousness of the matter and won't say anything nonsense... Perhaps, only the princess can save the prince."

Zhuang Xiang's expression became even gloomier: "But the princess is now missing..."

"Don't worry, big brother. We have sent so many people out in the past ten days. We will definitely be able to find the princess as soon as possible. As long as the princess comes, the prince will be saved."

Zhuang Xiang sniffed and said, "Okay, go and get busy first."

Zhuang Xiang stood there for a long time, feeling deeply guilty.

I'm so stupid, really.

That night, I only knew that the enemy was using a tactic to lure the tiger away from the mountain, in order to lure me away and harm the prince; I also knew that the prince had been slightly injured in the battle that day; but I didn't know that the enemy was so skilled, especially the female killer who attacked the prince; I didn't know that the secret guards protecting the prince were not even their match.

As soon as I found the assassin, I went to meet him and told the other secret guards to protect the prince. The secret guards in Prince Jing's mansion were very obedient. I was the head of the secret guards, and they obeyed my words.

I chased the assassin outside the tent and fought him. The assassin's martial arts were much better than I thought, and I couldn't get away for a while. I finally got away and returned to the prince's tent. I called the prince, but there was no response. I went in and saw that the prince had fallen in a pool of blood, and the secret guards were gone. Those secret guards would not leave the prince and run away alone...

"Yes, I am really stupid, really..."