“Today we could have been absolutely safe, could it be that some expert is guiding that useless person behind the scenes?”
“The Crown Prince has really wasted his time with you bunch of good-for-nothings. Are you all mute during the court assembly? Don’t you know how to speak?”
Beside him, the minor officials remained silent, afraid of being implicated by the angry Crown Prince.
The Second Prince was also displeased, but in such circumstances, who could argue with him?
However, he, who was usually amiable, chose not to lose his temper with the Crown Prince. Instead, he said with a smile:
“Eldest Brother, don’t be anxious. We have actually achieved our goal.”
The Crown Prince snorted coldly, “Second Brother, you are truly hypocritical.”
“To be clearly tricked and still speak so well.”
The Second Prince was not angry and patted the Crown Prince on the shoulder:
“The northern frontier is a cold region, where crops are hard to survive.”
“In such harsh conditions, people survive through natural selection.”
“The Tartar tribes of the grasslands grow up on horseback and are exceptionally powerful.”
“So, Father Emperor’s decision to exile Ye Chen to the northern frontier is merely treating him as a discarded pawn…”
The Crown Prince grinned:
“Second Brother, you are indeed clever.”
“Since the Seventh Brother is so eager to serve the country, us older brothers should promote him properly.”
He turned to the scholars beside him:
“Spread the word that the Seventh Prince is leading his guards to eradicate the mountain bandits along the northern frontier…”
……
Exile of the princes was naturally not the same as punishing criminals.
Moreover, the Kaiyuan Emperor had already appointed Ye Chen as a hundred generals. Not only could he guard the border as a general, but he could also bring along guards from the Prince’s residence.
The guards of the Prince’s residence were different from the palace servants who were only loyal in name.
Most of them were trusted aides who had followed the Duke of the State in military campaigns when Ye Chen’s mother was alive.
This is why, despite being a well-known useless prince, he was still a thorn in the side of the other princes.
The Great Chu Empire was located in the central plains.
The terrain was flat, and there were external enemies from all directions.
This was a concern for every ruler.
To the north were the Tartar tribes, who frequently invaded the northern frontier of the Great Chu to plunder.
To the west were the Western Region countries with chaotic politics.
To the south were the southern barbarians, and to the east was the East Sea, which often faced pirate invasions.
Ye Chen made thorough preparations for heading to the harsh northern frontier.
He used all the funds from the Prince’s residence to purchase military supplies, ensuring that the guards were equipped with heavy cotton clothing and weapons made of fine iron.
Three days later.
On the post road outside the capital city.
The guards were full of energy.
Their formation was tight and disciplined.
Ye Chen, at the front, rode a fine horse and gave the order.
“Brothers, let us head to the northern frontier—”
The sound of their footsteps echoed on the post road.
From now on.
The sky is high and birds can fly.
The journey to the northern frontier would take about a month, as it was a long distance to travel day and night.
After three days of rest, the guards were energetic and moved quickly.
By evening, they had left the capital.
Although there was an official road, the route was winding. Even though Ye Chen was riding a horse, he still felt some friction. Seeing the sweat on the foreheads of the guards behind him, he couldn’t stand idly by.
He gently pulled on the reins and instructed:
“Brothers, up ahead is a relay station. We’ll arrive in two more hours.”
“Find a place to relieve yourselves and rest for a while before we set off again!”
“Yes!”
The captain of the guards signaled to everyone to rest.
The hundred-strong team rested orderly in a nearby field.
Suddenly, the order was disrupted by an angry shout.
“What is this?!”
A guard was thrown to the ground, his face immediately covered in dust.
Ye Chen looked over.
“You, are you a spy?”
The captain of the guards glared at the guard on the ground, his eyes wide with rage.
The captain was holding a note in his hand.
“Both of you, hold him down!”
The captain took a few deep breaths, holding the note, and hurried over to Ye Chen.
Ye Chen frowned and took the note.
The note clearly listed the route for the journey to the northern frontier.
He dismounted from his horse, walked up to the guard, and the surrounding guards cleared a path for him.
Seeing Ye Chen approach, the guard struggled desperately, his voice hoarse:
“Your Highness, I am innocent…”
A spy?
Ye Chen thought to himself.
If this person were indeed a spy, it must have been arranged by his so-called good older brothers.
His own guards were veterans from the Duke of the State’s residence. To place a spy among them would require considerable skill…
“Let him speak.”
Following Ye Chen’s order, two guards pulled the guard up from the ground.
Without time to catch his breath, the guard began to twist and plead with bloodshot eyes:
“Your Highness, the journey is long, and I took a look at the route to avoid mistakes!”
“This is out of my cautiousness to protect you, Your Highness!”
“I have ways to make you tell the truth!”
Ye Chen’s intense stare at the spy made him break into a cold sweat!
The oppressive aura even made the surrounding guards look on with concern.
It seemed like the prince had really changed this time.
The word “truth” was pronounced with such emphasis by Ye Chen that it sent shivers down the spy’s spine. However, he still trembled and insisted that he had done nothing wrong.
Ye Chen snorted coldly, “Stubborn!”
“Bind his hands and feet and put him in a barrel for all his needs!”
“We continue on our journey!”
Barrel punishment!
As the name suggests, it involves confining a person in a barrel, eventually turning it into a cesspool, causing the person to suffer from bacterial infections and being eaten by maggots until death!
It doesn’t cause bleeding but inflicts severe suffering!
Everyone shuddered.
In the absence of torture devices, the prince could come up with such a cruel punishment so easily…
As for the spy, he was already trembling in fear, with yellow liquid pooling beneath him!
Bang!
A wooden barrel was placed in front of the spy by the captain of the guards.
The half-height barrel could contain a person of seven feet, requiring their limbs to be bent and contorted!
“Your Highness, I will talk!”
The spy’s pupils suddenly constricted, and his voice became uncontrollably high-pitched!
“Under orders from the Crown Prince, I leaked your northern route and… spread the rumor that you are carrying a large amount of wealth…”
The captain of the guards was furious. In front of Ye Chen, he couldn’t control himself and stepped forward, delivering a hard slap to the spy’s face!
“How could I have wronged you? Why…!”
The spy’s face turned visibly red, and he could barely speak coherently:
“Captain, I have my reasons.”
All the guards were enraged:
“You have reasons, so you can put our lives at risk?”
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