Chapter 579 - 576: Don’t Be _1
The Empress had a legitimate son in her womb, believed to be the reincarnation of a sacred deer. If she harbored any ill intentions, he feared there would be many attempts on his life during his return journey.
The Crown Prince’s trembling hand clenched tightly, hidden in his sleeve, lest others see his fear.
He was the Crown Prince. He could be afraid, but he could not show it.
Steadying himself, the Crown Prince pondered. The Dengzhou Army indeed suffered a disastrous defeat this time. If they accompanied him back to the capital, Dengzhou would be left defenseless. The only force he could deploy was from Anping Camp.
However, Bai Qingyan shook her head as soon as the Crown Prince finished speaking, and said in a deep voice, "The caravan is too slow. Let Quan Yu lead the caravan ahead. Your Highness and I will ride swiftly to Anping Camp. We must not let the treacherous individuals in Dadu City get ahead of us and use the Emperor’s command to mobilize the Anping Army in a way that would be detrimental to Your Highness. I fear that even if we set off on horseback now, it might already be too late. There is no time to lose."
"Then... Princess of Zhen shall go first!" the Crown Prince said.
"No!" Dong Qingyue also spoke, his tone steady, "The Princess of Zhen is not the Crown Prince. Even with your command, General Fu may not dare to really hand over the troops to the Princess of Zhen. The Crown Prince must be present."
The Crown Prince’s throat tightened, his gaze wandering, unable to calm down. But when he saw Bai Qingyan’s usual calm demeanor, it was like a thunderclap in the stifling summer heat, snapping him back to clarity.
This was no time for hesitation. Just as Bai Qingyan had said, if he did not gain control of Anping Camp first, he would have no chance to defend himself against any charges of rebellion from Dadu City. Even the Crown Princess Consort, who carried his child, would not be spared.
Only if he had troops at his command would the people in Dadu City hesitate, waiting quietly for his return. It would be best if the Empress and King Liang had no rebellious intentions. If they did, he would still have a chance to fight.