Chapter 44: Traitor Night King

Not only was Xu Xianyang himself bewildered, but everyone else who heard his charge was also stunned.

When Xiao Rui learned about it, he was silent for a long time.

Finally, he gave a thumbs-up. His imperial father was indeed brilliant. Corruption and bending the law would at most lead to exile. The great crime of recruiting rebels and intending treason would definitely be death. No wonder Emperor Xia had not acted for so long. It turned out he had been holding a blade, feeling no panic.

But at the same time, Xiao Rui became curious. Which rebel had Xu Xianyang recruited?

He did not need to inquire specially. He just went out for a stroll and heard everything.

It was said that reliable information came from the Brocade Guard, stating that among the retainers Xu Xianyang had gathered, there were former subordinates of the traitor Night King. Moreover, maps and plans were found in the Xu Manor detailing how the traitors intended to sneak into the Imperial Palace to assassinate Emperor Xia.

The name ‘Traitor Night King’ jumped into Xiao Rui’s view.

But whenever someone mentioned Night King, the slightly older ones avoided the topic, as if it was a taboo. This made Xiao Rui as curious as a cat scratching his heart. So he asked Gao Quan to investigate.

The content was soon found.

Night King was the second son of Emperor Xiaowen, making him the second elder brother of the current Emperor Xia.

Back then, Emperor Xiaowen had many children, resulting in a wide range of ages. Emperor Xiaowen held the Imperial Throne until he was sixty-six. The Crown Prince was nearly fifty and had been Crown Prince for thirty years, almost giving up on the throne, fearing he might not outlive his father.

With the Crown Prince of that time no longer contending, the forty-year-old Night King decided to strive for it.

He served as the Military Governor of Ludong, commanding a hundred thousand troops of the realm, the most elite army of Great Xia at the time. If he did not strive hard, he too feared dying before his father.

And so, Night King rebelled.

His forces advanced swiftly, breaking through all the way to the gates of the Capital City.

Upon learning the situation, Emperor Xiaowen was so frightened that he fell unconscious, actually forgetting to take out the Tiger Tally to appoint a general. The Crown Prince was incapable of taking charge, and the other Imperial Princes were in disarray. At that moment, the current Emperor Xia, who was then Imperial Prince Xiao Ying, stepped forward. With his words, he persuaded the Patrol Battalion to defend the Capital City and set a two-day holding agreement. Then, alone, he left the city and headed to the Northwest Military Camp fifty li northwest of the Capital City. There, forty thousand troops guarded the Capital Region. Without the Tiger Tally, he persuaded the Commander to lead the troops to rescue the emperor by attacking Night King from behind, saving the Capital City.

Night King fled back to Ludong. After Emperor Xiaowen regained consciousness, he ordered the future Emperor Xia to lead the Northwest Military Camp to crush Night King.

This process actually lasted for several years. It was not until the future Emperor Xia ascended the throne and became Emperor that the traitor Night King disappeared.

However, after all, it was an Imperial Prince seizing power, so Emperor Xia issued an order prohibiting private discussion among the populace. Therefore, no one dared to talk about it freely.

Who would have thought that after so many years, there were still people associated with the traitor Night King active? This was… so fake!

Xiao Rui highly suspected that it was a trap set by Emperor Xia, deliberately fabricating a reason to deal with Xu Xianyang. How could Night King’s subordinates persist for so long and still think of rebellion?

That was crazy.

Xu Xianyang probably would be even more bewildered.

To Xiao Rui’s surprise, after his bewilderment, Xu Xianyang actually confessed. He admitted to the great crime of intending treason. He was sentenced to Immediate Execution after autumn, not lonely as he would join his son in the afterlife. Emperor Xia was merciful and did not punish his family by association, but exiled them three thousand li away.

“Damn…”

Xiao Rui was dazed, already ignoring the pleasant ding-dong prompt in his mind, notifying him of the task completion and Advent Points +80.

Why would Xu Xianyang confess to such a major crime? Xiao Rui could not understand.

And Jia Xu told Xiao Rui that he suspected the matter of the traitor was true; Night King’s subordinates were resurfacing. Moreover, Jia Xu had also investigated and learned that back then, Night King only disappeared. No one knew if he was dead or alive. So it was not impossible for him to continue plotting for the throne and recruiting his traitorous subordinates.

“A man in his seventies still thinking about the throne?” Xiao Rui couldn’t help but want to criticize.

Jia Xu sighed, “Perhaps it’s a kind of obsession.”

Soon, Xiao Rui was overjoyed by the prompt on the System page, grinning from ear to ear.

“Advent Points: 90/100”

“Haha… System, give me another task. Let me get to full points,” Xiao Rui excitedly shouted.

“Ding-dong…”

Who knew, the System actually issued a prompt sound.

Xiao Rui blinked. It was the first time he saw such a considerate System. Mwah.

He quickly browsed the System in his mind and saw:

“Name: Xiao Rui

Identity: Seventh Prince of the Great Xia Kingdom

Talent: Does being a transmigrator count? If not, then none.

Advent Points: 90/100

New Task Released: Find Night King Xiao Heding. Task completion Advent Points +10. Task failure, the Host can try the experiment of how long one can live after the heart leaves the body! Time: 20 days.”

Xiao Rui rolled his eyes and almost fainted.

He kissed too soon. This damned System was as bullying as ever.

Find Night King? Was this forcing him to firmly tread the path of a traitor?

But the task was already issued. Xiao Rui did not want to die, so he had to grit his teeth and accept it.

He found Jia Xu.

“Your Highness, you don’t look well. Is there something major?” Jia Xu asked with concern.

Xiao Rui said weakly, “Sir, I want to find Night King. What do you think?”

“…”

Jia Xu blinked and after a while asked, “Your Highness, are you sleepwalking?”

“Ah, it’s a long story,” Xiao Rui said, cupping his hands. “Trouble Sir to help me think of ideas. I have no clue at all.”

Jia Xu pondered and said, “Wanting to find Night King is no less difficult than snatching chestnuts from fire. After all, he has hidden for so long without being discovered. How could we find him easily? However…”

He paused, thinking of someone, and continued, “However, Xu Xianyang confessed. Why did he confess? This is infamy for all ages. He must have known something, making his heart as dead as ashes. We can use him as a breakthrough point and ask him.”

“Good!” Xiao Rui had no ideas either, so he could only take one step at a time.

After Gao Quan inquired, he learned that Xu Xianyang was still detained in the East Prison Death Cell and had not been transferred to the Ministry of Justice. Coincidentally, Xiao Rui had some friendship with Eunuch Wei and prepared some “modest gifts” to visit him.

“Your Highness wants to see Xu Xianyang?” Eunuch Wei warmly received Xiao Rui, but upon hearing his request, he was obviously taken aback.

Xiao Rui was just about to find an excuse to explain when Eunuch Wei had already come up with a reason for him: “Your Highness wants to beat the drowning dog? Your Highness is indeed righteous and awe-inspiring, ensuring both Xu father and son faced the law’s sanction.”

Xiao Rui quickly nodded.

Eunuch Wei said, “Leave this matter to me. I will take Your Highness to the death prison now. Does Your Highness also need a whip?”

Whip your sister!

I’m not here to torture people.

“No, no. Lashes with words can strike his soul more effectively,” Xiao Rui said with a smile.

Eunuch Wei admiringly gave a thumbs-up. “Your Highness is indeed Your Highness. Your level is something a lowly one like me cannot match.”

And so, Xiao Rui entered the East Prison Death Cell and saw Xu Xianyang. Eunuch Wei took away the guards in the cell.

Looking at Xu Xianyang sitting cross-legged on the hay pile in the cell, his graying hair was disheveled, and he wore a dirty white prisoner’s uniform—a stark contrast to his former powerful and imposing self.

“Seventh Highness, have you come to mock me?” Xu Xianyang raised his head, his face showing neither anger nor sorrow, and asked.