CHAPTER 170: CHAPTER 160: WOULD I COVET THE TREASURE OF XIAYU PASS?

However, in his heart, Li Cheng was not the least bit flustered.

He did not believe that the Crown Prince, who had always been flawless in his strategies and had inherited vast treasures from the Empress, would be tripped up by the trifling treasures within Xia Yu Pass.

...

Upon reaching home, Feng Qiwu was summoned back again and immediately looked displeased at Li Cheng.

Li Cheng quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Crown Prince, please calm down. His Majesty has something he wants to ask you, and it won’t take much of your time."

Hearing this, Feng Qiwu responded coldly, "It had better be so!"

With that, he turned around, mounted his tall horse again, and charged recklessly through the streets, galloping straight to the gates of the Imperial Palace.

Seeing this, Li Cheng secretly lamented in his heart and quickly chased after him.

How could someone as composed and considerate as the Empress give birth to such an unruly child as the Crown Prince?

As Feng Qiwu was hurrying back to the palace, Feng Qingyang was already pondering various possibilities of Feng Qiwu plotting rebellion in his mind.

Feng Qingyang was inherently suspicious and selfish. Now that he knew Feng Qiwu had discovered numerous treasures but did not submit them, his thoughts naturally turned to the worst assumptions.

Moreover, the imposing aura that Feng Qiwu exuded today was so profound and mysterious, causing Feng Qingyang to be extremely wary. Therefore, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that Feng Qiwu must not be allowed to live any longer.

No matter if everything that wretch Lingxi speculated is true, so what?

He didn’t care about the future of Da Qin. He only knew that as long as he was alive, all the power of Da Qin had to be under his control.

For Feng Qiwu, a mere Crown Prince, to seem to overshadow him, the Emperor, how could he tolerate that any longer?

Thinking of this, Feng Qingyang’s face turned sullen as he picked up a brush and issued a decree, then tossed it into the open mouth of a tiger head next to the Imperial Study Room’s desk.

As for Feng Wuchen, who was still standing in the Imperial Study Room, he suddenly felt a prickly sensation on his back, making it hard to breathe.

He couldn’t help but cautiously glance at Feng Qingyang. Seeing his father’s grim expression, he quickly averted his gaze and lowered his head.

Inwardly, he couldn’t help but secretly wonder: Why was Father suddenly so angry?

Father’s expression just now was truly terrifying, as if he was about to devour someone.

...

About half a quarter of an hour later, a eunuch informed Feng Qingyang that Feng Qiwu had arrived.

Feng Qingyang immediately composed his expression and calmly said, "Let him in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Not long after, Feng Qiwu walked in.

Upon seeing Feng Qiwu, Feng Wuchen couldn’t help but be taken aback.

He hadn’t expected that in just a few days of not seeing each other, Feng Qiwu’s aura would become even more formidable, making him instinctively feel a sense of awe.

He had never felt this way even from his father.

Amidst his surprise, an inexplicable surge of jealousy welled up uncontrollably from deep within him.

Clearly, he was not lacking, but because he was a Prince while Feng Qiwu was a Crown Prince, he always appeared weaker in presence whenever he encountered Feng Qiwu.

And now, just for having achieved another merit, Feng Qiwu’s prestige had risen to a new height, his confidence even stronger.

If it were him who went to Xia Yu Pass to suppress the bandits this time, would Feng Qiwu still have the nerve to flaunt his power in front of him?

It was just a pity that even though he knew it was a great opportunity, he still let it slip through his fingers.

...

Upon entering and seeing Feng Wuchen also present, Feng Qiwu casually asked: "So, the third prince is here too. Father, now that I’m home, why did you suddenly summon me again?"

Hearing this, Feng Qingyang immediately said flatly, "I ask you, after you exterminated the bandits within Xia Yu Pass, did you search within the pass?"

Listening to this, Feng Qiwu immediately replied impatiently, "What was there to search for in the middle of the night? To trip over corpses?"

These words left Feng Qingyang and Feng Wuchen both momentarily speechless.

Then, Feng Qingyang glanced at Feng Wuchen.

Feng Wuchen immediately took this moment to salute and bow his fist to Feng Qiwu, saying, "Crown Prince Brother, I heard there are many treasures within Xia Yu Pass, didn’t you send someone to search for them?"

He simply did not believe that Feng Qiwu would have no interest in those treasures.

But what Feng Wuchen hadn’t expected was for Feng Qiwu to simply roll his eyes at him after he spoke.

Then, displaying a nonchalant expression, he said, "Of course, I sent someone. I’m not foolish. How could they possibly be self-sufficient just relying on the fields on the mountain?"

"But, who told you that there are many treasures in Xia Yu Pass?"

Hearing Feng Qiwu’s words, Feng Wuchen looked at him incredulously.

"What do you mean, Crown Prince Brother? Are you saying you obtained the treasures and don’t want to hand them over, so you’re deliberately saying this?" Feng Wuchen immediately said.

Feng Qingyang also looked at Feng Qiwu with suspicion in his eyes.

In response, a trace of disdain appeared on Feng Qiwu’s face.

"Am I lacking in the treasures of Xia Yu Pass? Although I don’t know exactly how much gold and silver is there, could it possibly exceed my assets?" Feng Qiwu’s expression conveyed that such things weren’t worth his greed.

Then he said righteously, "Moreover, those were the hard-earned gains of the people plundered by the mountain bandits. No matter how greedy I am, I wouldn’t covet things that rightfully belong to the people."

Hearing this, Feng Wuchen was again momentarily speechless.

What Feng Qiwu meant was that Feng Wuchen was narrow-minded and wrongly judging him?

Seeing this, Feng Qingyang couldn’t help but ask, "Then where is the treasure of Xia Yu Pass now?"

"Naturally, I have ordered it to be sent to the Capital City, as for the large amount of grain on the mountain, it originally belonged to the people below the mountain. So, I’ve already had the grains returned to those people."

With that, he addressed Feng Qingyang, "Father, what do you think of how I handled it?"

Upon learning that Feng Qiwu had indeed ordered the return of the mountain’s gold, silver, and treasure, Feng Qingyang finally felt at ease.

It seemed he had misunderstood the Crown Prince.

He immediately said, "You did well. With the autumn harvest coming, I’m afraid the peasants’ grains had all been plundered by the mountain bandits. Without enough grain, they might not survive the cold winter."

The northwest climate is severe, and winter is especially difficult.

Without food, no doubt many would starve.

Seeing that Feng Qingyang had no objections, Feng Qiwu said, "With Father saying so, I am reassured."

Then he looked at Feng Wuchen and said, "But I have to ask the third prince, what do you mean by being so eager to cause trouble for me in front of Father?"

Feng Wuchen slightly clenched his fists, immediately saying, "Crown Prince Brother, you’ve misunderstood. I absolutely did not mean to report you. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Father."