In danger, he traveled through time to save her, and the black-bellied prince doted on her

One could vaguely see a scar on the side of Mu Chen's neck. It was when he was surrounded and attacked with only 300 soldiers against 50,000 cavalrymen, that he was wounded by the enemy and his life was hanging by a thread. Fortunately, Rong De saved him.

The two admired each other and shared the same ideals. They often discussed military strategies and practiced martial arts together. However, in May, he expressed his feelings to the princess. Since his family background was not worthy of her, she disobeyed the princess's order and was beaten with thirty sticks before she could marry him.

After marriage, he had been in the military camp, but Emperor Ming was dissatisfied and ordered Rongde to return to Sheng'an City. Rongde sometimes secretly went to the border to visit Mu Chen. After being discovered by Emperor Ming, he ordered the Imperial Guards and Yang Zhaowei to monitor Rongde frequently and did not allow Mu Chen to return to Sheng'an to visit his relatives. The two were rarely together and could only express their feelings through letters. Finally, when he got the chance to return to Sheng'an City, he heard that his wife had passed away. Mu Chen was heartbroken.

He hadn't seen a child for many years, and Mu Jingyi's appearance had long been blurred. He caught a glimpse of a little girl standing in the corner, her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Mu Chen picked her up, cupping her cheek with his rough fingertips. This was the second time they met, father and daughter. The first time, she was still in swaddling clothes and couldn't speak yet. The second time, his wife, her mother, was gone forever. His eyes were filled with love, and he choked with sobs:

"Are you Jin'an? Your mother wrote to you saying that you could read and write poems when you were three years old? Can you write a poem for your father too?"

Mu Jinan wiped the tears from her father's eyes with her little hands. She didn't want to go to the palace. There were only steamed buns and rotten vegetables. She had lost her mother and the palace servants would definitely bully her. Although she was young, she was very smart. She placed all her hopes on her father and showed no fear. She glanced at the Mo Dao and Mongolian bow her father had just held and said without thinking:

"Father, I'm Mu Jin'an. Mother often looks at your portrait. I've seen you in the painting. You're wearing armor and wielding a sword. You're a great general and hero who protects the country and the borders. When I grow up, I want to be like you and protect the country and the people."

"'General Guards the Nation': The long-handled golden sword wins a hundred battles, and the bow is bent at the full moon to shoot the hawk. The army's might is like a tiger, driving away the barbarians, and thousands of families on the border hang lanterns at night."

"Father, please take my brother and me to the military camp. I don't want to stay in the palace. My brother said that there are only steamed buns and rotten vegetables in the palace. I am talking about my close minister Yong Kui Xie, who is reluctant to spend his remaining years."

Mu Chen couldn't hide the joy in his eyes. It turned out that in his daughter's heart, he was so majestic. She felt that she was different from other children and was very smart. She immediately understood everything. It was also because Li Shenghuang's confidant Fu Rong told him the curse. Li Shenghuang defended this. He felt that his daughter was not wrong at all. Rongde had been married to him for many years. The emperor only wanted to gain power and imperial dignity. First, he slandered him for losing the battle, then forced his wife to death, accidentally killed the prince, and wanted to imprison his young daughter. He comforted her:

"Don't be afraid, Jin'er. Your father will not abandon you."

Mu Jingyi tugged at Mu Chen's clothes, tears welling up in his eyes. He had also seen his father in a portrait in his memory, and he also wanted to be hugged. Mu Chen forced a smile from the corner of his lips, hugged his children tightly, and heard incredible words:

"My father is going to be a general and protect the people in the border areas. I want to protect my sister. If grandfather must leave one person behind, I am willing to stay. You can take my sister back to the border."

Mu Chen looked incredulous. The children really looked like Rongde. They were so young, but they knew how to think about others. His heart ached. He held the children in his arms and stood in front of Rongde, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Rongde, the children are like you, brave, fearless, righteous, and smart. Don't worry, I will protect the children."

Mu Chen was a military commander who had dealt with the enemy for many years and was familiar with military tactics. He could see that the emperor was on guard and was afraid that his military might would be too great. He was also afraid that what Mu Jinan said would come true, so he was so concerned. He looked particularly serious and warned:

"Jin'er, you must learn to keep a low profile, be reserved, and be taciturn. When anyone asks you, you must say that you are illiterate and can't understand. This is especially true for your grandfather. You are only filial and respectful to him. Do you remember this?"

When Mu Jinan saw her mother die in front of her, she collapsed in grief, and cursed the emperor without knowing the taboos. She hugged her father's neck tightly with her little hands, and tears could not stop falling:

"Father, I will keep this in mind."

"Open!" There was a sound of floor tiles shaking. Looking back, several people walked in through the moon-shaped door. She was wearing a goose-yellow brocade robe, with a pair of phoenix eyes gleaming with cold light. The red sandalwood stick in her hand was about to escape underground. This person was Zheng's grandmother, with a sinister and cold look in her eyes:

"This little girl dared to speak disrespectfully to His Majesty. She is the calamity that will bring disaster to the Mu Clan. Why don't you throw her out as soon as possible? You dared to kill the Emperor's secret guards for her. Do you want His Majesty to punish the Mu Clan?"

"His Majesty ordered you to divorce the princess and marry the granddaughter of the Fanyang Lu family, Xiao Wan of the Lanling Xiao family. Although she is a widow, her power and connections will be of great benefit to the Mu family. If you disobey the order, your entire clan will be implicated. Don't you consider your second brother?"

Mu Chen hugged the two children tightly. He knew very well that his mother never loved him, didn't like Rongde, and wouldn't think about him. As soon as Rongde left, these people with ulterior motives couldn't hold back and always thought about calculating others. The young man had a respectful and determined look on his face:

"Mother, His Majesty has granted the marriage. Xiao Wan is willing to marry and live here. I will not marry her. I want to take the child and leave. Rong De is the only one in my life. I will not divorce her. She is my wife, and I will not abandon my daughter."

Zheng Shu was so angry that she felt dizzy. She had never heard Mu Chen disobey her. When she raised her wooden stick, Mu Chen had already dodged.

Mu Chen looked at his deputy Jiang Heng and said mercilessly: "Watch the children carefully. No one is allowed to enter the mourning hall at will. If anyone dares to break in, I will kill them with my sword. I will go to the palace to meet His Majesty."

Jiang Heng drew his sword and held it in front of Mu Jinan. The young man's eyes were sincere and loyal: "I will obey your orders and will not let anyone take the young lady away."

Zheng Shu stood there in a daze. He dared to say that swords have no eyes. Was he trying to disobey the order?

Mu Chen left in a hurry and rode a fast horse to Ziming Palace. He had not stepped into the palace for many years. The nine-story palace door opened slowly. Ten beasts on the ridge of the palace stood majestically, looking down at his tiny life.

The summer wind brought with it the fragrance of lotus and a chill, crossing the threshold of the vermilion palace. The pearl curtains rustled crisply, and gusts of wind blew in from the windows, caressing his handsome yet mighty and strong face.

Mu Chen raised his eyes to look at Emperor Ming. After not seeing him for many years, the emperor looked ruddy and his cunning and calculating eyes were still the same as before. It was not that he could not see through it, but that he and Rongde both put the people first. He was worthy of his mission and his people, but he felt sorry for his wife and children.

Mu Chen bowed respectfully: "I pay my respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty."

Emperor Ming was immersed in the grief of losing his children. He lowered his eyes slightly and saw the general whom he had not seen for a long time, his son-in-law, the consort of Princess Chengsheng.

But no one ever called Mu Chen Prince Consort because Rongde did not allow others to call him that, believing that Mu Chen was a general of Sheng State and should not be given this name.

When Emperor Ming saw Mu Chen, he was as if they were enemies for ten generations. He always blamed Mu Chen for Rong De's death. The Ministry of Justice had not yet found the cause of the poisoning, and he was furious. He knew that Mu Chen had not lost the battle, and everything was planned by him. He wanted the two to divorce, but the divorce failed and his daughter lost her life. Anger quickly shuttled through Emperor Ming's heart:

"How dare you come to see me? You dared to kill Yang Zhaowei, did you want to kill the king? A few years ago, if you two had not won a great victory and made Yuhe surrender, and you had been beaten with a hundred sticks in order to marry Rongde, I would not agree to let her marry you."

"You and Rongde divorce, take Mu Jingyi with you, I will not allow Mu Jinan to leave Sheng'an City. She is your and Rongde's daughter, smart and intelligent, and a martial arts genius. If you let her go, you will cause endless troubles."

Mu Chen lowered his eyes. If the king really had a clear conscience, why would he care so much about these two words? He raised his eyes to look at Emperor Ming, his eyes showing a determination not to give in:

"Your Majesty, even if I shed blood in the Golden Palace, I will never abandon my wife and daughter. My young daughter never said anything wrong. It was Yang Zhaowei who slandered and deceived Your Majesty in order to gain credit. It was also Yang Zhaowei who killed Your Majesty. You should punish Yang Zhaowei, not your granddaughter."

This statement was intended to clear Emperor Ming of the crime of accidentally killing his son. The emperor's furious expression eased a little, and he thought calmly. All officials would definitely hold a meeting to discuss the matter. Even a tiger would not eat its own cubs, but he killed Crown Prince Li Shenghuang, which was a matter concerning state affairs and the foundation of the country.

Emperor Ming's mind kept popping up with his son, covered in blood, dying in his arms. He felt like a knife was cutting his heart. He would not lose this contest, and said bluntly:

"The barracks are full of men, and Mu Jin'an is a girl, which will be inconvenient. If we encounter the enemy, Rongde's son and daughter will be in danger. One person must be left behind, and I will not treat him harshly."

Mu Chen heard clearly what the emperor said, that he was worried about the general taking his children away, and was afraid that the general would come to the city to seek revenge one day. Rongde's spirit in heaven would definitely not want to see his daughter alone, so he made up his mind:

"Your Majesty, I have served the people for many years and have lived up to your command. I have gone through fire and water for the people. Now I am willing to give up my military career and pursue a career in literature. I am also willing to resign and return to my hometown, just to take care of my children."

Emperor Ming's eyes suddenly turned into shock with resentment. He was willing to give up his many years of military achievements just to take a little girl with him. After Rongde passed away, he would definitely torture Mu Chen in every way. How could he allow him to resign? Moreover, the border cannot be without Mu Chen now. With a wave of his sleeves, his voice of anger and threatening rage resounded throughout the nine-story palace:

"Mu Chen, my daughter is a princess, a prince, and posthumously crowned as the crown prince. If you resign and become a country bumpkin, how will the history books describe your identity? Return to the border immediately. If the foreign tribes invade the city even an inch, I will take your head."

"I will never mistreat Mu Jinan, but I will not allow her to study or practice martial arts. She must stay in Zimu Zhai. Cursing the emperor is a crime punishable by death and extermination of the entire family. Do not excuse her for her young age. If you dare to force me again, the imperial guards will shoot her immediately. Then, you will be the one who killed her. If you die, there will be no one in this world to protect your two children."

Mu Chen concealed his displeasure. He thought about how his daughter was only five years old and how the people in the palace were so cunning. How could she be safe? He was really worried. The emperor would not allow him to resign. He looked determined:

"Then let Mu Jingyi stay. I don't want to wrong my daughter."

Emperor Ming was stunned. There were people in this world who were willing to give up their sons and choose their daughters. He hesitated again and again, hiding the calculation in his eyes, with a face that showed three parts of indifference and seven parts of cunning:

"I only want Mu Jin'an! Tell the eunuchs to pass on my order and order Wang Zhengzhong and Guo Yi to lead an army of 1,000 to escort Mu Chen and Mu Jingyi back to the border. Anyone who dares to disobey my order will be killed without mercy!"

"Eunuch Gao, lead 300 imperial guards to the Mu Mansion to announce the imperial decree and invite Madam Gaoming and her family to the palace for the banquet. Bring Mu Jinan to the palace immediately."

"Mu Chen, regarding the divorce with Rong De, I have already taken a step back. Do you want to save the two children or have your entire family destroyed? Think about it yourself."

A barely perceptible smile flashed across Mu Chen's lips. He looked up at Emperor Ming. He was indeed cunning and treacherous. Divorce and child, the choice was the emperor's political strategy. No matter what, he would have to follow the emperor's plan in the end. He saw it very clearly. He missed his wife. At this moment, he was holding up his body and playing a game with the emperor. He was deeply saddened and his face was full of determination:

"Your Majesty, if you kill me, I can still catch up with my deceased wife and save her from being alone."

"Pah!" A green shadow flashed by, and the jade seal smashed against the window. The blue bricks and stones outside the palace made a thumping sound. Emperor Ming's beard was "three feet high", his face was ashen, and he thought, no one wants to live. The Crown Princess hit the wooden pillar, and Mu Chen asked for death. He pointed at Mu Chen in anger:

"I will die for you, Yulong, and repay you for your kindness on the Golden Terrace. You are a great general of a country, but you will forget your family and serve me loyally."

"Come here, take her away, put her in shackles, and take her back to the border. If you dare to return to the city without permission, I will kill your daughter immediately."

Heavy and orderly footsteps rushed into the hall, all wearing heavy armor. Mu Chen heard it clearly. He could die, but he was worried about his children. His mother did not love Mu Jingyi and Mu Jinan, so there was no one he could trust.

Dozens of swords were placed at his neck and shackles were put on his body. The emperor was ready.

Mu Chen was escorted out of the Ziming Palace. Those waiting for him were Wang Zhengzhong, Guo Yi and others. Behind him stood a thousand imperial guards, all with helpless expressions on their faces.

In order to protect Mu Jinan, Jiang Heng was seriously injured and held captive by dozens of people. He appeared in front of Mu Chen with blood all over his body, feeling guilty and blaming himself, with tears in his eyes:

"General, I am incompetent. The imperial guards took the young lady away."

How could Mu Chen blame Jiang Heng? He failed to protect Mu Jinan. He looked back at the cold and ruthless palace full of conspiracy. If his beloved was not from the royal family, he would have cursed at him. Several people were taken into prison cars separately.

Mu Jingyi sat with Mu Chen, holding his father's sleeve tightly. He was weak and could not defeat the imperial guards, so he was soon tied here and cried:

"Father, they took my sister away. Are they going to keep her in prison for ten years? How can my sister bear this? I am willing to enter the palace. Why doesn't grandfather agree?"

Mu Chen struggled against the shackles and held his son's hand tightly. The emperor cursed with resentment. The majesty of heaven could not be offended. The prince was innocently involved. If he forced Emperor Ming again, Mu Jin'an would lose his life. Of course, he wanted his daughter to save her life.

Mu Chen could no longer tell whether he was a coward or a hero. In the end, he failed to save his daughter. Since she could remember, they had only seen each other once, and now they were about to be separated. He was extremely worried about Mu Jinan, who must have felt so helpless at such a young age, being locked up in the deep palace.

He couldn't see his wife off to her final journey. The young man's heart ached, his mind was filled with the image of his wife and the tender face of his daughter. He, who had always been brave in killing enemies, couldn't stop his tears from falling, revealing his grief and helplessness:

"When you grow up, come back to see your sister."

Rongde made mooncakes but did not wait for her husband to return. She prepared a table of food but did not have a reunion dinner with her children. In the end, their family of four never had a chance to reunite.

The sound of the prisoner cart's wheels rolling over the blue bricks and stones was heavy and oppressive, suffocating. The mighty figures disappeared in Sheng'an City and went thousands of miles away...

The Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple investigated day and night, but to no avail. Emperor Ming could not find out who poisoned Rongde to death, and he was extremely angry that someone could kill the prince without anyone noticing.

All officials were heartbroken. The most benevolent, loving, wise and intelligent prince and princess of Sheng Kingdom were killed for no reason and the case was left unresolved.