Chapter 518: Chapter 351: Going Home (Part 3)

"Thank you for trusting me. You know, I stayed for a few days in the room where you used to live in the Imperial Court... Rong Heng, from now on, neither of us will be alone."

Rong Heng hugged her contentedly, the exhaustion and fatigue of the past few days vanished completely. His heart was full, and after hearing her words, he realized something, and his heart ached: "The Imperial Court... it was very cold there, Lanlan, I won’t let you suffer anymore."

"I won’t either."

Rong Heng’s nose tingled, and his tone betrayed a bit of grievance: "But you lied to me, how should I be compensated?"

Gu Lan was taken aback: "Besides that matter, when did I ever lie to you?"

"You said that after I finished those candies, you would be able to reach the Southern Border—"

Before he left the Marquis Mansion, Gu Lan specifically packed a jar of candies for him, saying that she should arrive at the Southern Border once he finished them.

Rong Heng scrimped and saved, reluctant to eat them, but he still finished the last one a few days ago.

In the next moment, Young Master Gu threw the candies he had specially carried with him into Rong Heng’s arms: "See, there’s still some left."

As expected of her, she hadn’t forgotten to bring Brother Hang some snacks.

"Cough cough!"

"Cough cough cough!"

Mu Jun and Su Zixiao coughed on the side, like two people with chronic coughs.

Rong Heng sulkily put away the candy jar, draped the cloak over Gu Lan, the dark cloak covering the girl’s fiery red dress, adding to her a bit of cool elegance and mystery.

"What are you coughing for? If you’ve caught a cold, get away, don’t infect me and Gu Lan." Rong Heng rolled his eyes and said coldly.

Mu Jun stopped coughing, raised a hand in an oath-like gesture: "I swear, I’m just shocked; I’ve never seen a Princely Heir wear a skirt in my life!"

Su Zixiao stared blankly at Gu Lan: "I’ve never seen it either, I’m shocked too! Even when my house was raided, I wasn’t this shocked!"

Gu Lan: "...There’s no need for that." As if she were some cross-dressing expert.

"Now that Song Zhi has returned to the Capital, and if Baoyi has indeed gathered the five hundred elite border army soldiers from back then, they might clash with him. We should return quickly." Gu Lan decided promptly after a moment’s thought.

Rong Heng’s expression was calm: "Don’t worry, I instructed her to take those five hundred border army soldiers to protect the people of the Marquis Mansion, and Jiu is by her side."

Gu Lan remembered that girl who loved to matchmake, and the baby-faced Jiu, her eyes curved into a smile: "I haven’t seen them in a long time."

Rong Heng couldn’t help but gently ruffle the girl’s smooth black hair, speaking softly: "In another day, the army will arrive in the Capital City, Rong Jing..."

He looked up at the brilliant sunset on the horizon and mounted his horse:

"Let’s go home!"

At this moment, Rong Baoyi had already entered the city. She waved the Tiger Talisman given to her by Prince Rui, rallying the five hundred elite soldiers mixed among the City Defense Army, who instantly assembled, resolutely following her orders.

The Capital City was already in chaos, with empty streets as civilians shut their doors tight, not daring to go out. Eunuchs and the imperial guard from the Imperial Palace searched house to house for Gu Family members.

Though the gates of Yan Capital were under lockdown, the sudden departure of the five hundred elite soldiers left the City Defense Army in a state of shock.

Princess Changle returned to the Capital, taking five hundred City Defense Army soldiers with her?

Could it be that Princess Changle is planning a rebellion?

The commander of the Capital City Guard, named Yan Mo, who had just recently taken office, was at a loss upon seeing such a situation.

He couldn’t pursue the five hundred elite soldiers who left with Rong Baoyi, so he had no choice but to send someone to report the matter to Rong Jing.

Just as he sent someone to deliver the message, Yan Mo saw County Princess An Rou, Han Xuan’er, leading a large group of nearly a hundred family retainers, hug the armored Princess Changle from afar.

Yan Mo called another person, with a face of bewilderment: "...Go tell His Majesty, it seems County Princess An Rou wants to rebel too."

County Princess An Rou’s father is Lord Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Han Ande. She’s welcoming Princess Changle with family retainers, could this mean Lord Minister is also planning a rebellion?

At this thought, Yan Mo felt a headache coming on.

A day of searching went by, and the imperial guard discovered clues near Prince Rui’s Mansion, yet Rong Baoyi had already brought soldiers to firmly protect everyone in the Marquis Mansion. Song Zhi had not yet returned, and Rong Jing had no way to organize more troops to surround them once again.

Finally, Song Zhi led the imperial guard and hurried back to the Capital, with Yan Mo quickly opening the city gates to let him in and telling him about the situation in the Capital that evening.

Only then did Song Zhi learn how Gu Lan escaped the Imperial Palace and found out that Rong Jing seemed to be injured. With a grim face, he only had time to issue an order about Prince Xiang’s rebellion, shut the city gates, and not allow anyone to enter or leave, before leading soldiers to the Imperial Palace to ensure Rong Jing’s safety.

Right after Song Zhi left, Gu Lan, Rong Heng, and Su Zixiao also arrived outside the gates of Yan Capital.

The night was deep and black, with a cold wind whistling, raising the Black Dragon Flag on the city walls of Dayan.

The next day would be New Year’s Eve, yet there wasn’t the slightest festive cheer in Yan Capital. Tonight, countless people would find it hard to sleep.

The ground under Yan Mo’s feet trembled with the hoofbeats of thousands of imperial guard horses, and he sighed deeply, feeling very distressed.

Prince Xiang and Young Master Gu led an unknown number of people, threatening the city gates;

In front of him was Rong Baoyi, in light armor, leading the elite five hundred from the past, smiling at him.

County Princess An Rou, Han Xuan’er, closely followed beside Rong Baoyi, with a crowd of family retainers from the Han Mansion grouped behind her, each as fierce as she was.

Han Xuan’er looked down from the city wall, indeed spotting Gu Lan on horseback, and couldn’t help but shout: "Oh, my idol, it’s been so long, you’re still as handsome as ever!"

Rong Heng was puzzled, why was his Lanlan so popular even after revealing her identity as a woman by wearing women’s clothes?

"I hope that the Prince, the Commandery Princess, and the County Princess will not make things difficult for me. I’m just a City Defense Captain, and Commander Song just gave orders that no one is allowed to enter or leave the gates!"

Yan Mo, sweating profusely, looked at Rong Baoyi, while his peripheral vision glanced at the army below the city, unable to resist loudly asking: "Is the Prince leading an army to force the gates and rebel?"

The firelight illuminated the royal flag with the character "Rong" fluttering in the cold wind. Dressed in a Python Robe, Rong Heng looked up at the Black Dragon Flag on the city wall, his voice clear and calm, each word carrying an unyielding authority:

"I’ve been ordered to return to the Capital, please open the city gates!"

Su Zixiao said beside him: "Captain Su Zixiao of the imperial guard, ordered to escort the Prince back to the Capital, General Yan, open the city gates."

The City Defense Army of Yan stood dumbfounded, taking a closer look, the soldiers outside were indeed in gold armor, part of Dayan’s imperial guard.

The person leading the troops was indeed Captain Su, who had rushed out of the city with his troops earlier that day.

But Commander Song had just returned to the Capital, also saying Prince Xiang was rebelling—so, who should they actually listen to?

Rong Baoyi raised her eyebrows and spoke in a cold, stern voice: "The troops under the Prince’s command are all imperial guard escorting him back to the Capital. How is he leading an army to rebel? General Yan, are you blind?"

Yan Mo: "What the Commandery Princess says makes sense... You look more like the one rebelling than the Prince does."