"Alright, alright~ I won't go, I won't go. You just wait here for Grandpa."
Dugu Bo twitched at the corner of his mouth, chuckled dryly, and his figure vanished from the carriage in a blink.
"Hmph!"
Only Dugu Yan remained in the carriage. Her eyes flickered, and after a moment of hesitation, she lifted the curtain and called for the coachman to stop. Then, with a mischievous smile, she skipped toward the carriage at the rear.
…
"Who goes there?! Fall back immediately or be killed without mercy!"
At the city gate, the commanding officer guarding the entrance saw a streak of green light flying swiftly toward them. He shouted loudly, prompting all the city guards to raise their weapons and ready themselves for battle.
"This old man is Dugu Bo! Open the city gates at once!"
Dugu Bo landed just outside the gates, hands clasped behind his back, expression stern as he addressed the guards.
"So it is Poison Douluo himself."
The officer atop the wall recognized him at once. He cupped his fists with a trace of respect before continuing,
"May I ask why your excellency is leading troops here? Is His Highness Prince Xuexing aware of this?"
Clearly, the officer was in the know. At the sight of Dugu Bo, he immediately associated him with Prince Xue Xing.
But as his gaze swept over the billowing clouds of dust and the soldiers marching behind Dugu Bo, his vigilance did not waver. As the city gate commander, he dared not lower his guard.
"Insolent!"
Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed, and he released a wave of Titled Douluo pressure without warning. The guards all trembled in fear.
"Within that approaching carriage is none other than His Highness the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe. Do you fools dare shut the gate in the Crown Prince's face?!"
He shouted thunderously. Dugu Bo had no intention of using Xue Xing's name to force their hand.
First, it wasn't his style.
Second, this was the perfect opportunity to publicly announce the return of the true Crown Prince—Xue Qinghe.
"The Crown Prince…"
The officer raised his head and looked out toward the approaching convoy in the distance. His expression grew complicated.
It was well known that the Crown Prince had fled the capital following an arrest order from Emperor Xue Ye. Though the reason was murky, he'd heard vague whispers of the truth.
But just as Qian Renxue had once speculated—
Despite her years of scheming within the Heaven Dou Empire, she'd never exposed a single flaw.
With Emperor Xue Ye now dead and no concrete evidence ever found against the Crown Prince, many of her old allies had already begun to speak out in her defense.
The gate commander was neither a loyalist of Qian Renxue nor a lapdog of the noble families. That's why, after hearing Dugu Bo's words, he showed hesitation rather than outright defiance.
…
Soon, the army halted two kilometers from the city. Only a single carriage continued forward, slowly arriving at the gate.
The curtain lifted, and Qian Renxue stepped out—once again in the guise of Xue Qinghe.
"The Crown Prince…"
"Look! It really is His Highness!"
"His Highness has returned!"
"Oh no—go report this to the master immediately!"
Both the guards at the gate and the curious onlookers nearby erupted into chatter the moment they laid eyes on Xue Qinghe.
Among them were undoubtedly hidden agents and spies of the noble families.
From atop the gate, the officer now clearly recognized the Crown Prince. He hurriedly descended from the wall and exited through the side gate. Falling to one knee, he greeted her with respect,
"Your servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Commander Liu? You're on duty today?"
Xue Qinghe glanced at him. The fact that he dared to come out and personally greet her, despite seeing her return with troops, earned him a closer look.
He wasn't her trusted man, but clearly, Liu's actions today marked him as loyal to Heaven Dou at heart.
"Yes, Your Highness. I am on duty," Liu replied, head slightly bowed.
"Your Highness… do you intend to enter the city?"
"I do," she nodded.
"But… if the army enters, it may cause panic among the citizens…"
His eyes flicked toward the stationed troops two kilometers away.
"They are all my personal guards. Naturally, they must follow me," Xue Qinghe said, then added, "But they will remain camped outside the city. I'll only take a few into the city with me."
"I see… Normally, if Your Highness were traveling, I would of course see to everything. But at present, all city affairs are under the control of Prince Xuexing and several elder nobles…"
"And where is Xue Beng?"
Hearing that, Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes. Emperor Xue Ye was dead. She, the Crown Prince, had been exiled. Shouldn't Xue Beng be the one holding the reins now?
"Third Prince is also within the city…" Liu replied cautiously.
Clearly, he understood the implication behind Qian Renxue's question—but he didn't know the full story himself. What he did know was that real authority now rested in the hands of Prince Xue Xing and the elder nobles.
"So what you're saying is… I'm not allowed to enter?"
Xue Qinghe's tone turned frosty. She spoke loudly on purpose, as though challenging the entire city.
"N-not at all, Your Highness. Of course you may enter…"
Commander Liu lowered his head even further.
Everything that had transpired so far must have already reached the ears of the city's higher-ups. As the mere gate commander, he couldn't afford to offend either side.
If the nobles failed to act soon, this matter would no longer be his concern. He had fulfilled his duty. Whether to block or not to block—they were two different matters entirely…
…
"Your Highness, shall we go?"
Dugu Bo, having seen enough, stepped forward. He lifted the curtain of the carriage himself, gesturing for her to board.
"Thank you, Poison Douluo," Xue Qinghe replied and stepped in without further delay.
Dugu Bo waved off the coachman, took the reins himself, and turned to Commander Liu.
"Open the gate. I am escorting His Highness into the city."
"Yes, sir."
Liu could only bow and acquiesce. He turned and shouted,
"Open the gates!"
Boom—!
The heavy city gates slowly creaked open. Liu glanced nervously at the army stationed outside, but thankfully, they made no move to advance.
The carriage passed through the gate unhindered and entered Heaven Dou City.
…
"How did that person end up accompanying Poison Douluo?"
Liu wiped sweat from his brow—though there was none to begin with.
Poison Douluo had always stood firmly at Prince Xue Xing's side, never once aligning with the Crown Prince. At best, their relationship was cold and distant—if not outright hostile.
And now? The man had personally escorted the Crown Prince into the capital.
The implications… were unsettling.
"Tch! Why am I worrying about that now?"
He shook his head and muttered to himself.
Now that His Highness had entered the city, it was the nobles who should be panicking.
…
"Your Highness, where to?" asked Dugu Bo once they were inside the city.
"Straight to the palace. I want to see exactly who dares claim the throne."
Qian Renxue's voice rang out from within the carriage.
Dugu Bo flicked the reins and guided the carriage straight toward the imperial palace.
The half-hour journey passed smoothly. There were no interruptions—not even a single inquiry from the palace guards.
"Stop right there! This is a restricted area—unauthorized persons—ah, Poison Douluo…"
The guards outside the palace stiffened when they saw the carriage approach. The moment they recognized Dugu Bo, their warning died on their lips.
"Hmph."
Dugu Bo nodded lightly. He lashed the reins once, and the horses trotted onward.
Suddenly, a wave of palace guards surged forth, surrounding the carriage in a tight formation.
"How dare you?!"
Dugu Bo's face darkened. Just as he was about to strike—
The guards parted silently, revealing a lone figure stepping forward.
He walked calmly, his eyes calm and unfathomable as they settled on Dugu Bo.
"I've long heard of the Poison Douluo's might. Today… I would very much like to experience it firsthand."
_
(CAUGHT UP WITH THE RAWS IN MY PATREON)
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