This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

"That boy is very brave. The war commander hasn't arrived yet, what's he doing standing there pretending to be brave for?"

"That's not bravery, that's courting death. When the iron hooves arrive, he will surely be crushed."

"Look, the iron hooves are here!"

. . .

Whispers rippled through the crowd, lamenting Xiao Xingchen's reckless behavior. Xiao Xingchen was practically in tears. Damn it, he couldn't leave, and he couldn't stay either. This was the first time since his transmigration that he was caught in such a dilemma. It was as if someone was deliberately putting him on the hot seat. He didn't even need to think about it; he was about to become a huge, infamous fire.

Outside the city, the thunderous roar of hooves and billowing smoke, mixed with the sounds of fierce fighting, suggested that the raging caravan and the general's forces had clashed on the road.

Swords and blades have no eyes; Xiao Xingchen was truly afraid of being reforged. He looked hopefully at Lan Beitang, pleading, "Hurry and save me!"

But instead of helping him, Lan Beitang gave him an encouraging look.

Then look at Daji; she even raised her fist and cheered him on.

Holy crap! He felt like the sky was falling. These two unreliable people actually thought they could fight against the Iron Hoof?

Most importantly, the officials completely ignored him. This was the biggest problem. In this kind of situation, shouldn't a young man standing in the center be expelled? This further convinced him that Emperor Wu was behind it all, that he wanted to kill him. Although he didn't know why, he had no choice but to save himself, because no one could help him now.

Since you won't let me move, then I'll just disrupt your welcoming ceremony myself.

The Fourth Prince, who had been hiding in the distance, no longer exuded that roguish air; instead, his eyes revealed a wise glint. Behind him, Zheng Youqian stood, gazing intently at Xiao Xingchen, and said with concern,

"Brother Huan, isn't this a bit unfair of us? This young man has done us no wrong, and I'm really uneasy about trying to trick him like this,"

The Fourth Prince did not reply, but kept his eyes on Xiao Xingchen, observing his every move, and pondering what he would do if he were in that position.

"Brother Huan, what are you thinking about?" Zheng Youqian continued to ask, showing no awkwardness whatsoever despite the fact that the person in front of him was a prince.

At this moment, the fourth prince finally came to his senses.

"I wonder what that boy will do next? He probably realizes that this is all a setup against him, right?"

"It's hard to say. Didn't you see him still looking around like a headless fly?"

“It’s not his fault. Who could have imagined that a mere boy would one day lead the entire Great Qian Dynasty to set a deadly trap for him? And I still see no way to escape this trap. Father Emperor’s actions were an open conspiracy. I’m curious about what the late Empress did. As for how Father Emperor killed this boy in this way, I don’t understand it at all.”

"No...no way, this boy is really your brother?"

Zheng Youqian blurted out, then realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly covered his mouth.

“You don’t need to hide it. Actually, I’ve been thinking about it too. Could it be that the late Empress had an affair with someone else and gave birth to this boy? From a man’s perspective, only the hatred of being cuckolded would make Father Emperor so angry, right?”

Zheng Youqian nodded. He had thought of this problem too, but he didn't dare to say it.

If the boy is indeed the late Empress's illegitimate son, then everything is resolved. No man can tolerate being cuckolded. Moreover, this also indirectly explains why the late Empress was suddenly banished to the cold palace twenty years ago.

Zheng Youqian suddenly had a flash of inspiration. This made perfect sense! It must be this way. Emperor Wu had never planned anything like this before. This must involve a man's dignity. Otherwise, why would Emperor Wu be so furious and determined to kill such a nobody?

"What are you thinking about?" The Fourth Prince noticed the change in his expression and asked directly.

"Brother Huan, look, isn't this how it happened? Twenty years ago, the late Empress had an affair and gave birth to a son. Back then, the Empress held absolute power and directly sent the child away. When Emperor Wu found out, he was furious and banished her to the Cold Palace. Now, twenty years have passed, and the child has grown up and come looking for his mother. That's how the scene unfolded not long ago: he knelt down to pay homage to his mother and helped the Princess solve her problem. This matter reached His Majesty's ears, and His Majesty was enraged, which led to this whole affair."

"This boy is an innocent person in our eyes, but in His Majesty's eyes, he is an illegitimate child."

Zheng Youqian slammed his fist on the table, feeling that he had figured everything out. It all made sense now.

The fourth prince's face twitched upon hearing this. He knew he shouldn't think about it too deeply, but upon reflection, it was indeed true. He asked incredulously, "..."

"So, this boy can also be considered my brother?"

"If you look at it carefully, you could say that although they aren't blood relatives, the late Empress and Consort Lan had a deep bond, so you should address her as 'Mother Empress.' Wouldn't that be a good way to establish a connection?"

"Damn it, so I've implicated my mother's illegitimate child?"

The fourth prince's face darkened. How did things come to this after all this trouble?

Zheng Youqian nodded deeply.

"Now it seems that this is the most likely scenario: His Majesty intends to use the War General to kill that illegitimate son."

"Damn it, this won't do. No matter if this boy is my brother or not, he is the late Empress's son. He can't die no matter what. Quickly think of a way to save him."

The fourth prince panicked. He had initially maintained a calm and collected demeanor, seemingly enjoying the spectacle, but after this analysis, he immediately paled.

Although the late empress was deposed, she and her birth mother, Consort Lan, were sworn sisters. Even her own wealth and status in life were due to the guidance of the late empress. There is no kinship among the royal family, but her birth mother and the late empress had an unbreakable sisterly bond. If her mother knew that she had harmed the sons of the late and early emperors, wouldn't she break her legs?

Regardless of whether they were blood relatives or not, he accepted this younger brother as his own and couldn't let him be killed.

"But now, it's a dead end. The War General's chariot and the Wilderness's chariot have arrived at the same time,"

Zheng Youqian pointed out that from their perspective, the two torrents were approaching the city gate amidst their fierce collision.

And that boy, alone facing the torrent of steel, was about to be crushed.

“操，”

The fourth prince let out a loud shout and jumped directly off the tall building. Although he weighed over 300 pounds, he still drifted away like a swallow into the distance.

This shows that beneath that honest exterior lies a deep sense of humility.

Zheng Youqian shook his head helplessly. If he had realized this sooner, he might have been able to save the boy; he could have simply sent a squad of assassins to rescue him. But now...

Who is the War General? He is the King of the Northern Region, who has kept the Wildlands at bay for a hundred years.

Who is Manghuang? He is the barbarian who nearly destroyed the Great Qian Dynasty.

The King of the Northern Region has been fighting the barbarians for nearly a century, and the hatred has seeped into his very bones. Even without the Great Qian Dynasty, the Northern Region would never yield to the Wilderness.

Moreover, in a sense, as time fades, the hatred between the Great Qian interior and the Wildlands may not be as deep, but for the Northern Region...

Any wild and untamed person is a mortal enemy; upon meeting, there's no need for words—just draw your sword and fight.

The same was true in the Northern Regions and the Wilderness; the hatred between the two sides was irreconcilable, and would only cease when one side was completely annihilated. This meant that any collision between their caravans signified the start of a new war.

Even though the location has changed, even though they are now at the gates of Yong'an City, the Northern Region and the Wilderness will still have to fight.

Didn't you see that huge open space cleared out beneath Yong'an City? That's for use as a battlefield. Emperor Wu knew this; these two groups wouldn't enter the city unless they fought there.

In the center of the battlefield, the bewildered boy stood there blankly.

How to save him? How to save him?