Chapter 244: Prison Break (1/2)

In rage, Qi Chen forgot about all the advice his people had given him, telling him to be patient. The smart thing to do now was to retreat, but he couldn't stand running away like that. The throne had been right within his reach, but it was taken away from him by Jun Huang and Nan Xun. He refused to accept that all his work had been for nothing.

He wanted to kill his way out, but Nan Xun's soldiers were all masterful fighters. Jun Huang had also recruited a few men from the House of Heavenly Fiends to be on the safe side. There was no way for Qi Chen and his men to escape. They were forced to engage Nan Xun headon.

Nan Xun had been observing Qi Chen and came to the conclusion that he was not much better than an amateur. He wasn't a threat to Nan Xun. Nan Xun threw his sword to Jun Huang and took Qi Chen's attack with bare hands.

Sweat broke out of Qi Chen's forehead. His dominant hand was getting weak, while Nan Xun's movement remained fluid. His reserve of stamina seemed almost bottomless. Gradually, Qi Chen's moves started to slow down.

Nan Xun seized his wrist. He struggled to break out of the iron grip, but Nan Xun's fingers were on his pulse point. Pain shot through his body whenever he tried to exert force. His face went blue.

Nan Xun didn't want to waste any time on Qi Chen. He huffed and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into a stone lamp, knocking it down. It was evident how much force Nan Xun had put into his kick.

Qi Chen's men's resolve had been swaying as soon as Nan Xun showed up. Seeing their leader defeated, their will crumbled. Their moment of weakness didn't escape Jun Huang's attention. She scoffed and declared, “Anyone who surrenders will be spared. Those who struggle will be killed on sight.”

The soldiers muttered among themselves, their gaze s.h.i.+fting between Qi Chen and Jun Huang.

One of them dropped his weapon, then another. Like an epidemic spreading through the troop, they threw away their weapons in submission one by one. In the end, eighty percent of the soldiers surrendered.

The seemingly unstoppable force was broken up by a few simple words. Qi Chen bared his teeth at Jun Huang and got to his feet with his subordinate's help. His man advised him to conserve his strength and run. Nan Xun, though, had no intention of letting anyone go. He motioned at his soldiers to surround the treacherous prince.

Qi Chen was captivated and held in place at the bottom of the stairs. The emperor walked out of the palace with a eunuch's help, his clothes unkempt and rumpled, but his presence strong and untouchable. He stared at Qi Chen coldly, his eyes tinted with disappointment.

“Please forgive this official for not coming to Your Majesty's aid earlier,” Nan Xun said with a knee on the ground and his head lowered.

The emperor looked at him and waved a hand in the air. “The crown prince has committed treason. I hereby take away his t.i.tle and sentence him to imprisonment.”

“Understood.”

Once Qi Chen was taken away, the emperor's gaze landed on Jun Huang, who had been quiet. He didn't know Jun Huang well. He'd only heard Qi Chen mentioned her a few times, and he was told that she was the one Nan Xun was in love with. This was the first time they came face to face.

After a moment of silence, the emperor walked up to Nan Xun and helped him up. “You deserve to be rewarded for your successful rescue. Come with me.”

Nan Xun turned to Jun Huang and gave her a rea.s.suring nod before following the emperor into the main palace. The remaining soldiers dispersed after their general's departure. Jun Huang helped them clean up the mess, idly wondering what the emperor wanted to talk to Nan Xun about.

Inside the palace, the emperor got straight to the point and said, “You deserve to be rewarded for coming to my rescue today. I'll grant you a gold-plated banner, three iron armors, several weapons, and five boxes of silk and jewelry. What do you say?”

Nan Xun knelt on the floor and said earnestly, “This official wishes for Your Majesty to take the rewards back.”

The emperor's eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean?”

“This official wants nothing but for Your Majesty to issue a decree for marriage,” Nan Xun said seriously, meeting the emperor's gaze.

The emperor's smile dropped, his brows furrowed. “Ridiculous. How ridiculous. You should be thinking about strengthening yourself, not something that goes against the morals...”

“Your Majesty, marrying him has always been this official's goal. It's not an impulsive decision. I hope Your Majesty can grant me my wish.” Nan Xun remained dignified, his tone as steely as his presence.