"Back to the capital?!"
Xiao Jinan only learned that Jiang Jiamian had been urgently summoned back to the capital half a day later. Upon hearing the news, he was no less shocked than Zhang An had been.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Sui Jinzhi, commander of the Huainan King’s forces, was visibly delighted. "That foolish emperor has lost his mind! Isn’t this a perfect opportunity for us? Your Highness, I request permission to lead the vanguard and charge straight into the Jiang family army’s camp! With Jiang Jiamian gone, they’re leaderless, only Deputy General Zhang An remains, and he’s no match for us! Our chance has finally co!"
Xiao Jinan’s expression was cold and severe. Without hesitation, he rejected the suggestion.
"We can’t move."
"Why?" Sui Jinzhi was stunned for a mont, then laughed loudly. "Your Highness is being overly cautious! Of course, we should wait a little and make sure Jiang Jiamian is truly far away before attacking. Otherwise, if he hears the news and turns back, things could beco troubleso!"
Xiao Jinan’s brows knit tightly at the noise.
He stood up abruptly and smashed the bracelet in his hand against Sui Jinzhi’s forehead.
"I said you can’t move!"
Why would the emperor suddenly recall Jiang Jiamian?
He couldn’t be that foolish, unless sothing had happened, sothing more urgent in his eyes than the threat posed by the King of Huainan.
Sui Jinzhi was instantly left with a swelling bruise on his forehead. He stood frozen for a long mont before silently bending down, picking up the bracelet, and handing it back to Xiao Jinan without a word. He then retreated to the side, head lowered, not daring to speak again.
Although confusion churned wildly in his mind, unable to understand why such obvious good news had angered the king, Sui Jinzhi knew Xiao Jinan’s temperant all too well. With the king’s gloomy expression and ruthless reputation, he didn’t dare ask further questions.
Xiao Jinan gripped the bracelet, his face dark, slowly twirling it between his fingers.
For a mont, the air inside the tent was eerily silent, broken only by the sharp clinking of the beads striking one another.
Suddenly, as if recalling sothing, Xiao Jinan stood up and strode out.
At the tent entrance, he stopped and turned back abruptly, his gaze sharp as a blade as it fixed on Sui Jinzhi.
"I’m returning to my residence. You’ll remain in charge here. Rember this: defend, but do not attack. Without my orders, if you act rashly, you should already know the consequences."
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Sui Jinzhi’s back. He wiped his forehead and hurriedly replied, "Yes, Your Highness. This humble general understands!"
What consequences?
Of course he knew.
Hadn’t the previous deputy general been executed personally by their king for failing to strictly follow orders?
At first, Sui Jinzhi hadn’t understood why Xiao Jinan, as the King of Huainan, insisted on personally punishing his subordinates, especially executing them himself, when a single command would have sufficed.
But after witnessing it ti and ti again, he finally understood.
Xiao Jinan enjoyed killing with his own hands. More importantly, he enjoyed the fear it instilled. The more his subordinates witnessed such brutality, the less anyone dared to even entertain the thought of disobedience.
When Xiao Jinan returned to the Huainan King’s Mansion, the sun was already setting.
Upon entering, he imdiately summoned his most trusted confidant, the one responsible for maintaining contact with spies in the capital.
"What happened in the capital?" He asked bluntly.
The confidant answered quickly, "The old general of the Jiang family has been accused of rebellion. Jiang Qingshan was beheaded, and Jiang Chong has been imprisoned. The court has also issued an urgent decree summoning Jiang Jiamian back. I fear his journey will be extrely dangerous."
Xiao Jinan’s heart skipped violently. He spun around. "Why didn’t you report this sooner?!"
The confidant was startled by the sudden fury and stamred, "When Your Highness left, you instructed that matters directly concerning you be reported there imdiately. Other intelligence was to be delivered upon your return..."
Xiao Jinan closed his eyes. His hand clenched tightly around the bracelet until his knuckles turned white. Only after a long mont did he slowly relax his grip.
He said coldly. "Send word to our people in the capital that from now on, use every ans available to monitor anything related to the Jiang family, especially Jiang Jiamian. No detail is too small. Deliver reports by carrier pigeon, day and night."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"And one more thing."
Xiao Jinan’s eyes suddenly flashed with murderous intent. His fingers tightened, and the bracelet shattered in his grasp. Beads scattered across the floor, clattering endlessly.
"Order all troops and forces to be prepared to attack the capital at any ti."
Jiang Jiamian, you must live.
If I can’t get you out, then I’ll gamble everything, hoping it’s not already too late.
Rebellion was the last resort and often the one that ca too late.
Xiao Jinan knew that before reaching that point, if he wanted to protect Jiang Jiamian and bring him back alive, he had to find another way.
"Shadow One!"
After a brief pause, Xiao Jinan’s gaze turned icy as he called into the darkness.
"Master!"
A black-clad figure appeared instantly, kneeling on one knee before him.
Xiao Jinan spoke coldly. "Take a team of secret guards and follow Jiang Jiamian’s entourage back to the capital in secret. Ensure his safety. But rember, unless he is in imdiate danger of death, you are not to reveal yourselves."
"Yes, Master!"
The shadow guard vanished as swiftly as he had appeared.
Xiao Jinan lowered his gaze, looking at the empty room and the beads scattered across the floor.
He had never desired anything with such intensity before.
Whether it was Jiang Jiamian or the supre throne.
Because at this mont, he understood sothing clearly.
If he wished to possess Jiang Jiamian without restraint, then he had to possess absolute power.
Only with supre authority could he protect both of them, ensuring that neither would ever again be manipulated, controlled, or forced to bow because of conflicting positions.
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