FBC – Chapter 364 You’re Not Dead!

Qing’e’s father was one of the people in Du Yun’s father’s group. Because King Cheng sold official positions and framed them, her father and younger brother were exiled, while she and her mother were taken into the Imperial Music Bureau.

After this group was rescued by the Mu Family Army, Gu Hua redeemed all their female relatives one by one, restoring them to civilian status.

Qing’e’s younger brother was brought into the prince’s residence by Gu Hua, while she herself went to Xianghua Tower to learn a craft.

She had originally planned to use her skills to support her entire family, believing that as long as they were together, life would gradually improve. Family mattered more than anything.

However, her father was not as lucky as Du Yun’s father. When he was rescued, he was barely clinging to life. Even with all efforts from Doctor Shen and Shen Li, he could not be saved.

Her mother, taken into the Music Bureau and subjected to humiliation, attempted suicide multiple times, only to be saved by Qing’e’s tears. Just as the family was finally reunited, her husband died. She could not endure the grief, fell seriously ill, and passed away shortly after.

Qing’e knelt and begged the prince and princess to help her seek revenge. Coincidentally, Gu Hua was looking for a suitable young woman at that time.

After Qing’e left, another person arrived.

Gu Hua saw a dark-skinned, handsome young man and exclaimed, “Are you the Fourth Prince?”

Zhao Yufeng smiled broadly and cupped his hands toward Gu Hua. “Yufeng pays his respects to the princess.”

Gu Hua quickly returned the greeting with a bow. “The Fourth Prince has grown so tall!”

Mu Junyan chuckled, “I thought you were going to comment on how tanned he has become.”

Zhao Yufeng smiled shyly. “After all the crawling and rolling around with everyone every day, I got a little darker.”

Gu Hua nodded. “That’s good. Men should be like this.”

Noticing the warmth in the other’s gaze, she immediately added, “Look at our prince—he’s truly the best of men. Fourth Prince should take him as an example.”

Mu Junyan modestly replied, “Princess, you flatter me. Yufeng is still a prince.”

Gu Hua pursed her lips in a smile. “My husband is right.”

Zhao Yufeng looked at them with admiration and bowed respectfully. “Prince Yong is my lifesaver. The royal family offers no true affection, but here I have found familial bonds, brotherhood beyond blood, and life-and-death loyalty. I am grateful to my mother for sending me here, allowing me to join the Mu Family Army, see the vast world, and help more commoners.”

Mu Junyan said, “That is your own destiny. Your kind heart brought this about. Otherwise, even if given the chance, you would not have had such realizations.”

Gu Hua asked curiously, “Will the Fourth Prince continue to follow us as part of the Mu Family Army?”

“No. Tomorrow, he will make his official appearance. The memorial praising his achievements will reach the capital first.”

Zhao Yufeng replied respectfully, “I will follow Prince Yong’s orders.”

The next day.

Zhao Yuxuan and Zhao Yuwen were stunned to see Zhao Yufeng suddenly appear.

“You’re the Fourth Prince?”

Zhao Yuwen didn’t even dare to believe it. He stepped forward and carefully examined the robust young man, who was about a head taller than him.

They were the same age, both eighteen. Previously, they had been roughly the same height. How had this missing young man returned after two years, dark as charcoal, and grown so tall?

Zhao Yufeng looked down at him and grinned. “Sixth Brother, do you remember the year you wet the bed and blamed it on me?”

Zhao Yuwen’s face flushed crimson. “Shut up!”

Zhao Yuxuan felt an inexplicable unease from this suddenly resurrected fourth prince.

Yet he still asked with concern, “Sixth Brother, where have you been these past two years? The palace went mad looking for you. If nothing happened to you, why didn’t you return to the capital and cause Mother distress?”

Zhao Yufeng smiled faintly. “I did encounter danger, but luckily I was rescued by the Mu Family Army. To repay Prince Yong, I voluntarily stayed with the Mu Family Army, starting from the lowest rank to strengthen my body, so as not to bring trouble in the future. I have already written letters to inform Mother and the Emperor.”

Zhao Yuxuan was shocked.

Even the Emperor knows?

He must inform the Empress immediately.

Mu Junyan said, “You should depart as soon as possible. I have official matters to attend to in Juzhou. I leave my princess and son in the care of His Highness the Crown Prince. Should anything happen to them, I will hold the Crown Prince accountable.”

Though spoken with a smile, Zhao Yuxuan sensed a threat in his words.

He realized that they had deliberately waited for him in Gongzhou.

Mother forced Gu Hua and her son to the capital as hostages, and now he was threatened to ensure their safety.

Zhao Yuxuan felt as if someone had a hand around his throat.

Moreover, Chi Yu led three thousand Black Armored Guards in grand escort—three times more than the imperial guards.

Zhao Yuwen also sensed unease and whispered on the carriage, “Second Brother, are we being counter-threatened?”

Zhao Yuxuan’s face darkened. He glared at him. “You’re too slow-witted.”

Zhao Yuwen turned pale. “Brother Ziyuan wouldn’t kill us, would he?”

Zhao Yuxuan replied slowly, “He’s no longer your beloved Brother Ziyuan. He is now the enemy of Mother and the Sun family. Yuwen, once we reach the capital, it’s either them without us, or us eradicating them.”

Zhao Yuwen was stunned, opening his mouth in disbelief. It took a while for him to recover. “Isn’t there another way? Couldn’t we coexist peacefully like before?”

“It’s no longer Father’s world. How can the art of balance remain the same? Even if we wanted peace, Prince Yong recruits and mobilizes armies, trying to consolidate half of the Da Liang kingdom. Do you think he wants peace?”

“But he still respected Mother’s decree. Gu Hua is the only woman he loves, and his legitimate eldest son is in the capital. Wouldn’t he fear they’d be taken by us?”

Zhao Yuxuan glanced at his foolish younger brother and sighed. “Before seeing Zhao Yufeng, I thought the same. But he appeared. Do you know why the Mu Family Army saved him and why he stayed with them?”

Zhao Yuwen scratched his head. “He’s not a legitimate heir. Could he possibly snatch your throne?”

Zhao Yuxuan’s expression grew serious, and he said no more.

His fourth brother had always been indifferent to politics, lazy and carefree. He couldn’t understand why Mother allowed him to come along.

When Empress Sun and King Cheng learned that Zhao Yuxuan had just arrived in Gongzhou and met Mu Junyan, they were furious that he hadn’t continued south but instead returned immediately to the capital with Gu Hua and Zhao Luoxuan. They were both enraged and at a loss for words.

King Cheng paced angrily. “It’s all your fault! You turned the second son into an idiot! He hasn’t even touched the borders of Juzhou. How can he ever control the Mu Family Army?”

Empress Sun, eyes red, said, “Is it my fault? Didn’t his tutor, chosen by Father, claim to be a great scholar of our era, to educate him in virtue? Well, now he’s virtuous, and he’s been tricked without realizing it.”

“Minister Yuan requests an audience.”

The eunuch reported.

Minister Yuan, a direct descendant of a branch of the Yuan family, was personally supported by King Cheng.

“Show him in,” said Empress Sun, wiping her eyes.

The messenger, holding a memorial, rushed in anxiously. “Bad news!”

King Cheng snapped, “Calm down! Speak properly. What’s the matter?”

The messenger stopped, but could not hide his urgency. “Prince Yong submitted a memorial praising the Fourth Prince.”

“What!”

Empress Sun and King Cheng jumped up together, screaming in unison.

“He’s not dead?”

“He’s still alive?”