Heaven Slaying Blade

"After all these years, I am tired", Xia Jing sighed, fatigue veiling his eyes.

"Speaking of which, Young Master Chu may not believe it, but I think it's necessary to make matters clear, I don't mind being held accountable, but the question is who am I shouldering blame for." Xia Jing looked at Chu Mo, and said lightly: "The archer who was to shoot Zhang Qingyu was indeed from the Prince's Mansion and was once someone I valued greatly. However, I did not send him!"

"Not sent by you?" Chu Mo's eyebrow knitted, looking at Xia Jing. Although this old fox was known to be crafty, he was also a man who would dare to act. Otherwise, how could he have gained such a reputation as acting recklessly? He was unlikely to deceive himself. Especially not at this juncture. Xia Jing had neither the reason nor the audacity to lie to Chu Mo.

"So, it wasn't Xia Jie?" Chu Mo narrowed eyes, looking at Xia Jing.

"He doesn't have that authority." Xia Jing cast down his eyes, speaking lightly: "That archer holds quite a high rank in the Prince's Mansion. Xia Jie simply has no rallying power over him."

"And the letter? Those assassins?" Chu Mo looked at Xia Jing.

"That I did," Xia Jing calmly admitted, "However, I could never commit the act of killing the favorite minister's son."

"So, it seems...the other side was planning to ensnare you as well?" Chu Mo suddenly felt a chill settle down his back.

With a meaningful look at Chu Mo, Xia Jing said: "They have it out for me! You were accidentally caught up in the crossfire."

"Them?" Chu Mo pointed towards the heavens, and Xia Jing nodded in affirmation.

Chu Mo remained silent for a moment and said: "Those matters have nothing to do with me, as long as they don't try to scheme against me next time."

Xia Jing paused for a moment, and said: "That's hard to say."

"Then let them come at me." Chu Mo spoke with apparent indifference, yet he was on alert, feeling as if he had unwittingly stepped into a whirlpool.

Xia Jing left with two letters while Chu Mo sat silently, deep in thought.

"Royal Family...", a cold glint appeared in Chu Mo's eyes.

He had never thought that one day he would unwittingly get dragged into the royal conflicts.

Although he had never considered it, that didn't mean Chu Mo was ignorant!

The current emperor, although wise and a great warrior, was over sixty years old, and the crown prince had been established over twenty years ago, being the eldest prince Xia Ying.

There were dozens of princes, but the Queen only gave birth to three legitimate princes.

They were the eldest Prince, Crown Prince Xia Ying, Second Prince Xia Xiong, and Third Prince Xia Hao.

Crown Prince Xia Ying, now in his forties, has been in charge of the Eastern Palace for many years, and is steady, astute, and broad-minded. At least during these years, the general consensus, from the court to the common folk has been such. Many people believe that Xia Ying would definitely turn out to be as wise a ruler as his father.

The relationship between Xia Ying and Prince Xia Jing was not particularly good, but neither was it bad.

Although they were uncle and nephew, one was the crown prince and the other prince. It was generally understood that they should not be too close.

However, the relationship between Second Prince Xia Xiong and Third Prince Xia Hao, with Prince Xia Jing, was not very good.

Especially Third Prince Xia Hao, who was in his thirties, during his prime years. Since his mystic training, Xia Hao has always served in the army of Great Xia. He has reached the yellow rank and stepped into the bone refining realm, becoming a general.

The brave Xia Hao has always looked down upon his uncle, who had dominance over the world. He always felt that his existence would threaten the smooth ascension of his brother to the throne.

Therefore, he has always been openly and secretly opposing Prince Xia Jing.

This situation was not considered secret among the nobles of Great Xia.

Although Xia Jing did not openly say it, but looking at today's events, Chu Mo had guess that much of it had to do with the Third Prince Xia Hao.

To be able to employ someone of high status from the Prince's Mansion meant that at the very least, his identity could not be far lesser than a prince!

Otherwise, it would not make sense if what he could offer, Xia Jing could not.

The reason Chu Mo directly suspected Third Prince Xia Hao was because of a very important reason: Third Prince Xia Hao, and his grandfather, Fan Wudi, did not get along!

It all started from a New Year's banquet two years ago when Xia Hao seized the opportunity offered by the toast to rally generals for his elder brother Xia Ying.

This move was highly unacceptable to Fan Wudi. In the veteran general's view, the throne was inevitably the crown prince's.

But right now, it was the Emperor's Great Xia!

Not the crown prince's!

And he certainly wasn't a prince!

What were you thinking, a prince like yourself trying to coax these generals to your side?

However, while the old general was repulsed by the idea, he didn't say anything. After all, he was a soldier and had no interest in meddling in royal affairs.

Unfortunately, Xia Hao happened to approach Fan Wudi with a drink in a fawning attempt to gain the old general's favor.

Despite his mid-level rank among the generals, Fan Wudi commanded a great deal of respect, as many high-ranking military officials had once served under him. Considering the military's emphasis on seniority, his influence was considerable.

It wasn't quite like he could call on an army at a moment's notice, but at the very least, when Fan Wudi spoke, the military bigwigs would give him their respect.

For this reason, Xia Hao was determined to win Fan Wudi over from the start.

The old general tolerated him for a while, but Xia Hao would not stop bothering him. Irritated, the old general finally rebuked him: "An honest soldier... shouldn't play such games!"

As a result, Xia Hao insulted the old general in public, first mocking him for his low rank despite his long military career and then belittling his abilities, remarking that at his advanced age, he was still languishing in the Iron Bone Realm, unable to advance to the Iron Blood Realm.

Fueled by drunken arrogance, Xia Hao insulted Fan Wudi viciously, infuriating the old general to the point of almost punching him.

It was only when the emperor noticed the commotion and sternly reprimanded Xia Hao that the matter was finally settled.

But from this incident, Xia Hao nursed a grudge against the old general Fan Wudi.

At the banquet that day, Chu Mo and Xu Fufu, being of the younger generation, were fortunate to attend. Therefore, they witnessed this conflict with their own eyes.

As such, Chu Mo did not have to do much analysis to guess the cause of this matter.

Had it been earlier, Xia Jing would have probably spelled it out more clearly, but today, the prince had learned, however reluctantly, of the formidable abilities of the youth, and simply made a vague comment.

Chu Mo sat there in deep thought, muttering, "Ying, Xiong, Hao, Jie...the three princes, apart from Xia Jie, are definitely not to be underestimated!"

"Using a sharpshooter from the Prince's Mansion to drag Prince Xia Jing, old General Fan Wudi, Prime Minister Xu Zhongliang, and even Governor Zhang Chong of Qingzhou into this..." Chu Mo's face grew colder, "It's a savage move indeed."

"But...you'd better not provoke me any further, Xia Hao. I don't want to have anything to do with any of you princes! If you dare to harm my grandfather or me, I will make you regret it!"

A deadly cold glint flickered in Chu Mo's eyes.

...

Meanwhile, at the Prince East Palace.

The over-forty Crown Prince Xia Ying sat in the main seat, his brow slightly furrowed, and his face was filled with gravity.

Next to him sat a man in his late thirties, bearing a slight resemblance to Xia Ying, sporting a goatee, and emanating a somber aura. It was Xia Xiong, the second prince of Great Xia. On the surface, Xia Xiong was the most low-key among the three princes.

He neither held an office in the court nor served in the military. He was always by the side of the crown prince, looking more like Xia Ying's aide rather than a prince, if one didn't consider his status.

Only those who truly understood Xia Xiong knew how horrifying he could be. If it weren't for Xia Xiong, Xia Ying wouldn't have been able to secure his position as the crown prince so firmly.

Over the years, nearly half of the decisions made by the Eastern Palace originated from Xia Xiong.

It was once said that Crown Prince Xia Ying had drunkenly confessed, "Who says there's no love in the royal family? My two brothers, one civil, one military, are right by my side!"

The high esteem in which Xia Ying was held by the public was heavily influenced by the close bond he maintained with his two brothers.

Opposite Xia Xiong sat a man in his thirties, with a handsome face and strong demeanor. He sat upright, dressed in military garb, his face marked with anger: "He's a total waste! He can't even handle such a small task! Damn it, what a useless fool! And to think of the trouble I took to plant him in the Prince's Mansion for so many years."

"Enough, third brother. Some things are up to fate after we've done what we can. Stop complaining. At least, he chose to commit suicide rather than being captured and divulging your identity. He did quite well," said the second prince Xia Xiong, glancing at Xia Hao and speaking in a flat tone. "However, our uncle...is not any ordinary person. Even without any evidence, he's probably figured out that we were behind this."

"So what if he knows? Does he have any proof?" Xia Hao sneered. "I would love for him to cause me trouble! That way, his image in our father's eyes would only worsen."

"Dream on, third brother! Our uncle is much smarter than you. Besides, much as you dislike him, he is still our father's blood brother! This is just like our relationship with each other. As long as our father remains the emperor, no one can touch him," Xia Xiong replied, sighing regretfully. "It's a pity that we lost such a perfect opportunity last time because of that Chu Mo brat. Otherwise, that idiot Xia Jie would certainly be dead and our uncle...would have fallen out of favor long ago!"

"I considered trapping Chu Mo this time as well, but surprisingly, he evaded it. Something is off about that kid, and it would be better to stay away from him for now. He's quite cunning," Xia Xiong murmured.

"Pshaw…" Xia Hao sneered dismissively: "And you think that kid's got potential? Just a little brat of thirteen or fourteen years old, what could he grasp! After the incident yesterday, didn't he rush right over to the Prince's Mansion to cause a scene? Is that what a clever person would do? Haha, it's a shame I couldn't see such chaos."

"That kid knows nothing? Third Brother, you should really try not to underestimate others," the usually silent Crown Prince Xia Ying suddenly added in a soft tone: "That child...might very well become a formidable enemy!"

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Once again the Mid-Autumn Festival arrives, casting its moonlight over the sea, seemingly shared by all under the same sky!

To all my reader friends, I wish you a joyful Mid-Autumn Festival! May your body be healthy, and your family be happy!