With a muffled thump, Xia Zhuoyi’s body flew back like a kite that’s string was broken.
“Zhuoyi!” The fifth princess flashed over to catch Xia Zhuoyi, but was also sent backwards by that surge of strength, and the two of them crashed to the ground.
Xia Zhuoyi groaned, lifting his head to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood.
“Zhuoyi, are you alright?” The fifth princess asked with a sob, hugging Xia Zhuoyi tightly. Seeing his pale face and the blood at the corner of his lips, her heart clenched painfully.
“I’m fine. Get out of here, I will hold them off!” Xia Zhuoyi suddenly stood up. His figure was swaying as if he was about to fall, yet he stood in front of the fifth princess determinedly.
“No, you go!” The fifth princess knew that with his injuries, Xia Zhuoyi did not have any strength left to fight, and she went to stand in front of him protectively.
“Truly deep affection for each other, I see. Your Highness Second Prince, I told you that this method of yours won’t work but you still didn’t believe me,” the masked man who was leading the others said to Fu Chengxing, and then handed him a pill.
“Those adulterers! Get them! I’ll give them so much pain they’ll be wishing for death instead.” Fu Chengxing ate the pill that the man handed him, and stood up.
“I still think it’s better to kill them. Don’t mess up such big matters,” the masked man remarked. His voice was extremely familiar, and the fifth princess frowned as she thought about it.
“It’s you!” The fifth princess suddenly pointed at the masked man and exclaimed.
Realization struck Ling Chuxi, and she also remembered who the person was.
“Your Highness Fifth Princess, you certainly have a good memory. It has been so long, yet you still remember me.” The man took off his mask, revealing the fifth prince of Ding Lin Country, Si Nanchen!
“Fu Chengxing, you are truly despicable! You’ve actually already defected to Ding Lin Country! Even though you’re a prince and a descendant of the Fu family, you betrayed your own country! You actually sold out Nan Xia for glory! How could you ever live up to the name of Imperial Father and the ancestors of the Fu family? How can you face the millions of citizens of Nan Xia, and the ones who risk their lives on the battlefield everyday?” The fifth princess was furious, her eyes blazing with rage. She should have killed him earlier!
In that instant, the fifth princess understood Fu Chengxing’s plan. The reason why he was forcing her into marriage was not for Nan Xia’s throne, but rather to use her and Fu Chengyu’s strength to rid any rebellion and then surrender without a war, offering Nan Xia to Ding Lin Country. Presumably, he had no hopes of keeping Nan Xia safe.
Of course, as repayment, Ding Lin Country must have promised him quite a few benefits too.
Good thing she didn’t agree to his filthy request, or else she would have lived the rest of her life in humiliation as a traitor to her country, and the biggest joke in the history of Nan Xia.
“Idiot! Do you really think that Nan Xia Country can withstand Ding Lin’s great army? I am doing this so that after our country is gone, we can still preserve the Fu bloodline, allowing our Fu clan legacy to carry on! Why should I apologize to Imperial Father or our ancestors?” Fu Chengxing scoffed.
“You can’t fool me with your fake logic. You’re just finding excuses because you’re afraid of death and being labeled as a traitor,” the fifth princess sneered.
“Whatever. Now that everything’s out in the open, I’ll tell you something else: I made an agreement with Mister Chu. After Nan Xia is annihilated, I will be given the title of Duke, as well as a different family name, and I’ll get to enjoy endless luxuries and glory.
“Fifth Younger Sister, I am giving you one last chance. As long as you yield to me, I will seek mercy from Mister Chu for your life. When the time comes, we will be together forever, as Duke and Duchess, free and un