Son-in-law Heaven Emperor Xiao Yi-Chapter 439 - The Gu Family Fort

"Father, something terrible has happened—another village has been wiped out!"

An anxious voice came from outside the door.

It was none other than Yan Wei's son, Yan Yinghao, his face drenched in sweat and his expression gravely solemn.

Before this…

Upon learning that Xiao Yi and his group had slaughtered the Teng Family Village, Yan Yinghao had been filled with righteous indignation and held extreme aversion and disgust towards Xiao Yi and his companions. But now, while Xiao Yi and the others were in the city lord's mansion, another village atop the ice plain had been wiped out.

So, it was clear.

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These previous village massacres had nothing to do with Xiao Yi.

Yan Wei's face changed color, "What did you say? Another village has been wiped out? Which village?"

Just as Yan Yinghao was about to respond, he caught sight of Bai Xue and Sun Yao's bodies lying in a pool of blood and swallowed hard involuntarily. Looking incredulously at Xiao Yi, who was emitting a murderous aura, he furrowed his brow slightly, "Father, what's going on here?"

"The Teng Family Village was exterminated. It was Sun Yao colluding with Bai Xue to frame Xiao Yi and His Highness Yang Ling…"

Yan Wei said offhandedly, his gaze drifting to Yang Kun before pressing, "Which village is it this time?"

He knew very well that it was Yang Kun who had framed Xiao Yi.

Yet if this matter were to spread, it would undoubtedly damage the royal family's prestige, so he simply pushed all the blame onto Sun Yao and Bai Xue. It just so happened that Yan Wei was aware that Sun Yao already had a feud with Xiao Yi from the battle with the Nangong Family.

Seeing this, Yan Yinghao didn't press further but reported, "This time, it's the Chen Family Village. Our patrol team happened to pass by the Chen Family Village just in time to see the demonic beasts slaughtering the villagers. We gave chase, but lost their trail near the Gu Family Fort…"

"The Gu Family Fort?"

Yan Wei's expression shifted slightly.

Gu Family Fort.

This was one of the largest settlements atop the ice plain, with the Gu Family Fort being extremely powerful.

The lord of the fort, Gu Yun, was a formidable expert at the Dharma Manifestation Realm, and the Gu Family Fort ranked among the top ten presences across the entire ice plain. Leveraging the unique geographic position of Ice Valley, they cultivated the ice plain's unique ice rice deep within the valley.

This ice rice was extremely high-yielding, and the majority of the ice plain's villagers purchased their ice rice from them.

They were practically the emperor of the ice plain!

Even Yan Wei, the lord of Northern Bing City, was quite cautious regarding the Gu Family Fort.

Xiao Yi looked at Yan Wei, "General Yan, what's so special about the Gu Family Fort?"

Yan Wei paused, hesitating for a moment before speaking gravely, "The Gu Family Fort's strength is formidable, and they almost have a monopoly over all the ice rice in the ice plain. Moreover, the ice plain where the Gu Family Fort is located sits between the Great Qian Dynasty and the Sword Dynasty, and they have always managed to benefit from both sides. If it were some other village, we could dispatch a large force to investigate, but the Gu Family Fort…"

Like the Gu Family Fort serving as the granary of the ice plain.

Both great dynasties regarded it with utmost importance!

If Yan Wei were to dispatch a large force to the Gu Family Fort, the Sword Dynasty would surely take notice, and they would likely send a large army as well.

Facing off, the two armies might clash and conflict could erupt.

A tug on a single thread affects the entire web.

A single misstep…

Could potentially trigger a full-scale war between the two nations.

Xiao Yi, sensing Yan Wei's dilemma, stated resolutely, "General Yan, let us go to the Gu Family Fort to investigate!"

"Hmm? You'll go?"

Yan Wei was startled, his mind somewhat moved by the idea, yet also concerned, he spoke gravely, "If you were to go, there would be no worry of sparking an interstate conflict, but His Highness Yang Ling holds a prestigious status. If the Gu Family Fort proves uninvolved, then well and good. But if this matter truly relates to them, then you may well be…"

He dared not gamble with Yang Ling's life and safety.

Yang Ling smiled slightly, his voice soft yet firm, "General Yan, as a prince of great stature, if I lack the courage to even visit my own nation's territory, how shall I speak of expanding our borders in the future?"

"This…"

Yan Wei hesitated, but looking into Yang Ling's determined eyes, he gritted his teeth and agreed, "Alright then, Yinghao, join His Highness on a trip to the Gu Family Fort. Remember, His Highness's safety is the utmost priority!"

"Father, rest assured, even if I am torn to pieces, I will not let His Highness suffer any harm!" Yan Yinghao patted his chest, firmly promising.

"Hmm!"

Yan Wei nodded, his gaze shifting toward Yang Kun standing beside him.

Yang Kun coughed lightly and said indifferently, "Since it's a matter that concerns the safety of the citizens of the Great Qian Dynasty, as the Crown Prince, it is my inescapable duty. The three hundred Blood Saber Guards under my command will also head out. Should there be any issue with the Gu Family Fort, we will simply eliminate it!"

Yan Wei uttered affirmatively, "With Your Highness and the Blood Saber Guard in attendance, I can indeed worry less."

Then...

Xiao Yi and the others followed Yan Yinghao and left.

In the darkness.

A middle-aged man dressed in a scholar's robe stepped out, asking with a smile, "General, by having Yang Ling accompany Xiao Yi and the others, aren't you afraid that he'll interfere with mischief again?"

"Afraid of what?"

Yan Wei smiled faintly, gently stroking his beard, "If Yang Ling cannot even handle this small affair, then he does not deserve to be Emperor. Similarly, if Yang Kun, in the face of a national crisis, continues to scheme against his own brother, then he too does not deserve to be Emperor."

He had never expressed support for either prince.

Now was the perfect opportunity to use this as a test and find the prince truly worthy of his support.

The scholar-garment man nodded, praising with a laugh, "True to your reputation, General, you are indeed a crafty old fox!"

In the past.

Receiving such high praise from the scholar-garment man would have undoubtedly thrilled Yan Wei.

But after experiencing Xiao Yi's strength and his audacious act of killing Sun Yao and Bai Xue to prove his innocence, he lamented, "I've grown old; now it's the era of the young..."

......

In the midst of snowstorms.

Xiao Yi and his companions rode quickly on a sled.

Yan Yinghao constantly remained among them, sometimes casting curious glances at Xiao Yi.

Yang Kun, leading three hundred Blood Saber Guards, kept pace at a certain distance from them. Both groups tacitly raced against time, vying to reach the Gu Family Fort as swiftly as possible.

Particularly Yang Kun...

His schemes against Xiao Yi had come to Yan Wei's knowledge. If he failed to capture the perpetrator of the tragedy with his own hands, his image in Yan Wei's eyes would plummet, never to recover.

His cold gaze flickered towards Xiao Yi and the others nearby.

Thinking of how his painstakingly laid plans had nearly been ruined by Xiao Yi, Yang Kun's intent to kill was chilling, "Xiao Yi, Yang Ling... I will make sure you suffer the agony of longing for death but being unable to die..."

Yan Yinghao, noticing the murderous intent in Yang Kun's eyes, frowned slightly and turned to Xiao Yi, "Be careful, Xiao Yi. I always feel like the Crown Prince harbors ill intentions!"

"Don't worry!"

Xiao Yi chuckled and responded, "If he behaves himself, I could still let him return in one piece to attend the ancestral worship ceremony. But if he dares to have more crooked thoughts, it would be a perfect time for root and branch elimination..."

"Uh..."

Yan Yinghao's eyes twitched, and he said with a wry smile, "Isn't that a bit much? He is, after all, the Crown Prince..."

"So what if he's the Crown Prince?"

Xiao Yi curled his lip, saying dismissively, "Kill him and dump him in the wild; wild beasts will have gnawed his flesh away within half a day. Who would know it was my doing?"

"..."

Yan Yinghao's mouth twitched, and he looked at Yang Kun with sympathy, "Your Highness, you better stay in line!"

The group raced onwards.

It wasn't until midnight that Yan Yinghao spoke, "We've arrived at the Gu Family Fort!"