Fang Zhengzhi heard what Crown Prince Lin Tianrong said .

Rank three official? Acting Minister of Rites? Isn't that a little underwhelming? I thought I was going to be a rank two official?

Perhaps Ping Yang's words were exaggerated .

Would I still be given land?

Fang Zhengzhi really wanted to ask someone to give him an antidote! He didn't want to stay silent on this matter .

However . . .

No one could hear him .

Shan Ling would never offer up the antidote because that would implicate him .

He would never admit to his actions!

Even though he had come clean back in Princess Shan Yu's room, he would never confess to them here .

Most importantly, he did not want to let Fang Zhengzhi speak .

When the settlement chiefs and generals heard Lin Tianrong, they finally understood how th.o.r.n.y this issue promised to be .

Fang Zhengzhi's actions were known to everyone .

If they executed Fang Zhengzhi now, they would be hard-pressed to explain it to the Great Xia and their citizens .

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had just been promoted .

This was a man who was highly valued by the Emperor . They could not sentence him to death so easily .

As such . . .

The only way was to let the Emperor handle it .

But how would the Emperor handle it?

The King of the Southern Region frowned . He had to balance his options . Ordinarily, Fang Zhengzhi would not be able to escape the death sentence .

However, to be honest, he didn't want to kill Fang Zhengzhi . . .

After all, Fang Zhengzhi was a key factor in their victory . If he killed him just to preserve the royal family's reputation

It would be slightly too vicious .

But if he didn't kill Fang Zhengzhi . . .

How could the Shan Family hold their head up high?

If Fang Zhengzhi was a dead man walking, then it wouldn't matter . But what if he wasn't? How was Princess Shan Yu going to find a mate in the future?

Anyone who married her would have to live with this fact .

As Fang Zhengzhi progressed up the ranks in the Great Xia, this would only become more and more embarra.s.sing .

To kill or not to kill?

The King of the Southern Region frowned .

"Father!" Princess Shan Yu's voice interrupted his train of thought .

"Shan Yu . . . speak your mind . " The King shuddered as he looked at Princess Shan Yu, his eyes filled with guilt .

As a father . . .

As a King, he could not possibly let his daughter be humiliated in this manner and do nothing about it .

"Sister, just let father . . . " Shan Ling wanted to interrupt .

"Father, according to Southern Region traditions, you held this banquet to find me a partner . Fang Zhengzhi had eaten the meat I prepared . Normally, that would mean that I can now make a choice, right?" Princess Shan Yu interrupted .

"Erm . . . " The King's expression changed .

He could tell where Princess Shan Yu was going with this . To be completely honest, having Fang Zhengzhi marry Shan Yu . . .

Was the best solution to all these . . .

But . . .

When he recalled that Fang Zhengzhi could die at any moment, he became extremely conflicted . He didn't want his daughter to be a widow .

The King of the Southern Region hesitated .

Shan Ling noticed the hesitation .

"Father, since this issue concerns a rank three official of the Great Xia, the Great Xia court would have jurisdiction . Why don't we have the Crown Prince bring Fang Zhengzhi back and have the Emperor himself decide!" Shan Ling suggested .

"Mm, what you say is reasonable, but . . . " The King of the Southern Region nodded . He still did not like this idea . He valued peace above all else .

As such . . .

Even if Fang Zhengzhi was about to die, he could still accept Princess Shan Yu's suggestion . Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi's lifespan was still up in the air .

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi could very well give him a grandchild before he pa.s.sed on . That would not be a bad thing .

"Father, rest a.s.sured . I will accompany the Crown Prince to the Great Xia and I will ensure that your opinions are heard!" Shan Ling added .

"You want to go to Yan Capital?" The King of the Southern Region was tempted .

Shan Ling, the Crown Prince of the Southern Region, knew his influence and position well . The King also knew what Shan Ling meant .

Since Fang Zhengzhi was a key factor in this victory . . .

Without this incident, he would be fast-tracked through the courts of the Great Xia .

If he were to be forced to stay in the Southern Region, his heart may not be in the right place .

However, if the Great Xia had given him a grave punishment . . .

Then . . .

They could come in and provide a better offer . They could offer Fang Zhengzhi Shan Yu's hand in marriage . Fang Zhengzhi would be grateful for such an offer .

"Yes, this concerns the reputation of the Shan Family . Now that we are in the midst of rebuilding after the war, you will be busy with domestic affairs . I think it is appropriate that I tag along . " Shan Ling added .

Princess Shan Yu pursed her lips . She wanted to speak, but she saw her father shake her head at her .

"Okay then, it is great that you are willing to go to the Great Xia for this . Crown Prince, what do you think?" The King of the Southern Region nodded . He didn't know what Shan Yu was thinking, but he knew that he couldn't send her .

Shan Ling was his best option .

"No problem at all!" Crown Prince Lin Tianrong nodded .

"Since that is the case, I will have to trouble you to take care of my son!" The King of the Southern Region replied .

"You are too kind . The Crown Prince's abilities are clear for all to see . He would be the one taking care of me . " Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smiled .

The atmosphere in the throne room relaxed .

Yet, it was also slightly awkward .

The settlement chiefs and generals didn't speak . After the battle they had just been through, they were not willing to start another one anytime soon .

The candidates of the Great Xia wanted to say something as well . However, when they felt the atmosphere in the room, they swallowed the words at the tip of their tongue .

However . . .

When they looked at the 'comatose' Fang Zhengzhi, their eyes were filled with envy and jealousy .

How could he possibly be sleeping so soundly after climbing into Princess Shan Yu's bed?!

　　 . . .

Before dawn . . .

The convoy heading to the Great Xia set out . After something like that happened, there was no point in carrying on the celebrations .

The candidates of the Great Xia were in the vanguard . They rode their horses and cleared a path with their Southern Region soldier guides .

Crown Princes Lin Tianrong and Shan Ling were in the back .

As Crown Princes of their respective regions, they had a squad of guards protecting them . The squad was eight strong .

These were not soldiers, they were hangers-on .

Hangers-on .

This was a common thing amongst the n.o.ble households of the Great Xia . Every family would have a few hangers-on .

Each of these people had special abilities . They had no official position, but they could do many things for the family .

The courts had rules governing the hangers-on .

Different families could have different numbers of hangers-on . However, even the most influential families did not have many hangers-on .

Furthermore, each one had to be registered with the courts .

The reason . . .

Was security . . .

The eight of them were in their fifties . These were the guards for the two Crown Princes . Furthermore, Shan Ling was already in the advanced Rebirth State .

Su Qing followed behind Crown Prince Lin Tianrong .

So long as they did not go up against the lord of the beasts, there should be nothing that could stand in their way .

As such . . .

Bringing along a 'comatose' Fang Zhengzhi was no problem at all .

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong closed his eyes throughout the entire journey, completely relaxed .

Shan Ling seemed to be thinking about something .

They traveled for hours before stopping for lunch . By sunset, they were already some distance from the Sagely Mountain City .

The setting sun was a beautiful sight to behold .

It went through the flaps of the carriage and stained Fang Zhengzhi's face red .

At that moment, the convoy stopped . Shan Ling reined in his horse and Lin Tianrong followed suit .

"Your Highness, do you still remember our deal?" Shan Ling asked .

"Of course I do . " Lin Tianrong nodded as he looked at the figure inside the carriage .

"Okay then, we will hold to our agreement and maintain peace for 10 years . However, I have one condition!" Shan Ling continued .

"How do you want to deal with Fang Zhengzhi?" Lin Tianrong smirked .

"Kill him . I will not let my sister marry someone like that!" Shan Ling's voice was icy .

"If so . . . please go ahead . " Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smiled . He had expected this to happen .

"If I kill Fang Zhengzhi, how will you report to the Emperor?"

"Fang Zhengzhi was unwilling to return to the capital because he knew he couldn't escape the death sentence . He kidnapped you so I had no choice but to agree to let him stay . Then, he took the chance to escape . However, because his cultivation was ruined, he was killed by beasts . By the time I got there, it was too late . . . what do you think?" Lin Tianrong replied .

"That's great!" Shan Ling nodded .

"If that is so, then it should occur in the bushes, not on the road, am I right?" Lin Tianrong looked at the forests by the side of the road .

"That's right!" Shan Ling nodded .

"Please . " Lin Tianrong pointed to the forest .

"Okay, let me clear a path for you . " Shan Ling walked into the forest .

Lin Tianrong and his eight hangers-on followed behind . Su Qing led the carriage carrying Fang Zhengzhi into the forest as well .

The sun was setting .

Darkness fell . . .

The candidates were already some distance away . Seeing that night was approaching, they stopped and set up a camp, waiting for Lin Tianrong to join them .

Safety . . .

Was already taken care of .

What they didn't know was that there were more than 10 figures and a carriage in the woods around them .

The flaps were opened .

Fang Zhengzhi could be seen . . .

He was dressed, his expression calm . However, his body was still paralyzed .

"What a great move . " Lin Tianrong commended .

"You too!" Shan Ling nodded .

"Are you not going to let him die a more honorable death?" Lin Tianrong smiled as he looked at the comatose Fang Zhengzhi .

"I never drag my feet when I work . Furthermore, the medicine that I gave him allows him to remain conscious despite his paralysis . He heard everything from the beginning . " Shan Ling shook his head .

"I see . " Lin Tianrong stiffened .

Shan Ling didn't say anything else .

He walked forward and stepped onto the carriage . He unsheathed his sword .

"Fang Zhengzhi, you can only blame yourself for being too greedy . When you asked for 10 gold mines, you should have seen this coming!" Shan Ling pursed his lips .

His voice was not loud and his arms were stable . His blade radiated an icy aura as he glared at Fang Zhengzhi like a ravenous predator .

He raised his sword . . .

Blood . . .

Blood splattered all over the carriage in that instant . . .

Chapter 474 The blade fallsTranslator Sparrow Translations Editor Sparrow TranslationsFang Zhengzhi heard what Crown Prince Lin Tianrong said . Rank three official Acting Minister of Rites Isn t that a little underwhelming I thought I was going to be a rank two official Perhaps Ping Yang s words were exaggerated . Would I still be given land Fang Zhengzhi really wanted to ask someone to give him an antidote He didn t want to stay silent on this matter . However . . . No one could hear him . Shan Ling would never offer up the antidote because that would implicate him . He would never admit to his actions Even though he had come clean back in Princess Shan Yu s room, he would never confess to them here . Most importantly, he did not want to let Fang Zhengzhi speak . When the settlement chiefs and generals heard Lin Tianrong, they finally understood how th.o.r.n.y this issue promised to be . Fang Zhengzhi s actions were known to everyone . If they executed Fang Zhengzhi now, they would be hard pressed to explain it to the Great Xia and their citizens . Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had just been promoted . This was a man who was highly valued by the Emperor . They could not sentence him to death so easily . As such . . . The only way was to let the Emperor handle it . But how would the Emperor handle it The King of the Southern Region frowned . He had to balance his options . Ordinarily, Fang Zhengzhi would not be able to escape the death sentence . However, to be honest, he didn t want to kill Fang Zhengzhi . . . After all, Fang Zhengzhi was a key factor in their victory . If he killed him just to preserve the royal family s reputation It would be slightly too vicious . But if he didn t kill Fang Zhengzhi . . . How could the Shan Family hold their head up high If Fang Zhengzhi was a dead man walking, then it wouldn t matter . But what if he wasn t How was Princess Shan Yu going to find a mate in the future Anyone who married her would have to live with this fact . As Fang Zhengzhi progressed up the ranks in the Great Xia, this would only become more and more embarra.s.sing . To kill or not to kill The King of the Southern Region frowned . Father Princess Shan Yu s voice interrupted his train of thought . Shan Yu . . . speak your mind . The King shuddered as he looked at Princess Shan Yu, his eyes filled with guilt . As a father . . . As a King, he could not possibly let his daughter be humiliated in this manner and do nothing about it . Sister, just let father . . . Shan Ling wanted to interrupt . Father, according to Southern Region traditions, you held this banquet to find me a partner . Fang Zhengzhi had eaten the meat I prepared . Normally, that would mean that I can now make a choice, right Princess Shan Yu interrupted . Erm . . . The King s expression changed . He could tell where Princess Shan Yu was going with this . To be completely honest, having Fang Zhengzhi marry Shan Yu . . . Was the best solution to all these . . . But . . . When he recalled that Fang Zhengzhi could die at any moment, he became extremely conflicted . He didn t want his daughter to be a widow . The King of the Southern Region hesitated . Shan Ling noticed the hesitation . Father, since this issue concerns a rank three official of the Great Xia, the Great Xia court would have jurisdiction . Why don t we have the Crown Prince bring Fang Zhengzhi back and have the Emperor himself decide Shan Ling suggested . Mm, what you say is reasonable, but . . . The King of the Southern Region nodded . He still did not like this idea . He valued peace above all else . As such . . . Even if Fang Zhengzhi was about to die, he could still accept Princess Shan Yu s suggestion . Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi s lifespan was still up in the air . Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi could very well give him a grandchild before he pa.s.sed on . That would not be a bad thing . Father, rest a.s.sured . I will accompany the Crown Prince to the Great Xia and I will ensure that your opinions are heard Shan Ling added . You want to go to Yan Capital The King of the Southern Region was tempted . Shan Ling, the Crown Prince of the Southern Region, knew his influence and position well . The King also knew what Shan Ling meant . Since Fang Zhengzhi was a key factor in this victory . . . Without this incident, he would be fast tracked through the courts of the Great Xia . If he were to be forced to stay in the Southern Region, his heart may not be in the right place . However, if the Great Xia had given him a grave punishment . . . Then . . . They could come in and provide a better offer . They could offer Fang Zhengzhi Shan Yu s hand in marriage . Fang Zhengzhi would be grateful for such an offer . Yes, this concerns the reputation of the Shan Family . Now that we are in the midst of rebuilding after the war, you will be busy with domestic affairs . I think it is appropriate that I tag along . Shan Ling added . Princess Shan Yu pursed her lips . She wanted to speak, but she saw her father shake her head at her . Okay then, it is great that you are willing to go to the Great Xia for this . Crown Prince, what do you think The King of the Southern Region nodded . He didn t know what Shan Yu was thinking, but he knew that he couldn t send her . Shan Ling was his best option . No problem at all Crown Prince Lin Tianrong nodded . Since that is the case, I will have to trouble you to take care of my son The King of the Southern Region replied . You are too kind . The Crown Prince s abilities are clear for all to see . He would be the one taking care of me . Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smiled . The atmosphere in the throne room relaxed . Yet, it was also slightly awkward . The settlement chiefs and generals didn t speak . After the battle they had just been through, they were not willing to start another one anytime soon . The candidates of the Great Xia wanted to say something as well . However, when they felt the atmosphere in the room, they swallowed the words at the tip of their tongue . However . . . When they looked at the comatose Fang Zhengzhi, their eyes were filled with envy and jealousy . How could he possibly be sleeping so soundly after climbing into Princess Shan Yu s bed . . . Before dawn . . . The convoy heading to the Great Xia set out . After something like that happened, there was no point in carrying on the celebrations . The candidates of the Great Xia were in the vanguard . They rode their horses and cleared a path with their Southern Region soldier guides . Crown Princes Lin Tianrong and Shan Ling were in the back . As Crown Princes of their respective regions, they had a squad of guards protecting them . The squad was eight strong . These were not soldiers, they were hangers on . Hangers on . This was a common thing amongst the n.o.ble households of the Great Xia . Every family would have a few hangers on . Each of these people had special abilities . They had no official position, but they could do many things for the family . The courts had rules governing the hangers on . Different families could have different numbers of hangers on . However, even the most influential families did not have many hangers on . Furthermore, each one had to be registered with the courts . The reason . . . Was security . . . The eight of them were in their fifties . These were the guards for the two Crown Princes . Furthermore, Shan Ling was already in the advanced Rebirth State . Su Qing followed behind Crown Prince Lin Tianrong . So long as they did not go up against the lord of the beasts, there should be nothing that could stand in their way . As such . . . Bringing along a comatose Fang Zhengzhi was no problem at all . Crown Prince Lin Tianrong closed his eyes throughout the entire journey, completely relaxed . Shan Ling seemed to be thinking about something . They traveled for hours before stopping for lunch . By sunset, they were already some distance from the Sagely Mountain City . The setting sun was a beautiful sight to behold . It went through the flaps of the carriage and stained Fang Zhengzhi s face red . At that moment, the convoy stopped . Shan Ling reined in his horse and Lin Tianrong followed suit . Your Highness, do you still remember our deal Shan Ling asked . Of course I do . Lin Tianrong nodded as he looked at the figure inside the carriage . Okay then, we will hold to our agreement and maintain peace for 10 years . However, I have one condition Shan Ling continued . How do you want to deal with Fang Zhengzhi Lin Tianrong smirked . Kill him . I will not let my sister marry someone like that Shan Ling s voice was icy . If so . . . please go ahead . Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smiled . He had expected this to happen . If I kill Fang Zhengzhi, how will you report to the Emperor Fang Zhengzhi was unwilling to return to the capital because he knew he couldn t escape the death sentence . He kidnapped you so I had no choice but to agree to let him stay . Then, he took the chance to escape . However, because his cultivation was ruined, he was killed by beasts . By the time I got there, it was too late . . . what do you think Lin Tianrong replied . That s great Shan Ling nodded . If that is so, then it should occur in the bushes, not on the road, am I right Lin Tianrong looked at the forests by the side of the road . That s right Shan Ling nodded . Please . Lin Tianrong pointed to the forest . Okay, let me clear a path for you . Shan Ling walked into the forest . Lin Tianrong and his eight hangers on followed behind . Su Qing led the carriage carrying Fang Zhengzhi into the forest as well . The sun was setting . Darkness fell . . . The candidates were already some distance away . Seeing that night was approaching, they stopped and set up a camp, waiting for Lin Tianrong to join them . Safety . . . Was already taken care of . What they didn t know was that there were more than 10 figures and a carriage in the woods around them . The flaps were opened . Fang Zhengzhi could be seen . . . He was dressed, his expression calm . However, his body was still paralyzed . What a great move . Lin Tianrong commended . You too Shan Ling nodded . Are you not going to let him die a more honorable death Lin Tianrong smiled as he looked at the comatose Fang Zhengzhi . I never drag my feet when I work . Furthermore, the medicine that I gave him allows him to remain conscious despite his paralysis . He heard everything from the beginning . Shan Ling shook his head . I see . Lin Tianrong stiffened . Shan Ling didn t say anything else . He walked forward and stepped onto the carriage . He unsheathed his sword . Fang Zhengzhi, you can only blame yourself for being too greedy . When you asked for 10 gold mines, you should have seen this coming Shan Ling pursed his lips . His voice was not loud and his arms were stable . His blade radiated an icy aura as he glared at Fang Zhengzhi like a ravenous predator . He raised his sword . . . Blood . . . Blood splattered all over the carriage in that instant . . .