Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Sheng Li sent Ying Lili to the chamber while Commander Yang took Huo Jin to the base camp where he was staying. General Wang waited for the Crown Prince in the tent house when he entered. Wang Hao stood straight and bowed in front of him.

"You should have taken a rest. You still have to recover," Sheng Li stated and gestured to him to sit. Wang Hao sat after Sheng Li sat on the long chair. "Huo Jin got his hands on the map, and you did not even find out. There is someone who can even escape from your eyes," Sheng Li remarked.

"Forgive me, your highness," Wang Hao lowered his eyes.

"We are lucky that he did not tell Tan Gengxin about all this else something big could have happened," Sheng Li affirmed. "Where is Huo Jin? He will study maps for us," Sheng Li stated.

"Commander Yang has taken him with him. I will call him here," Wang Hao asserted. Sheng Li hummed when he heard Wang Hao.

"Your highness, why did you easily believe Huo Jin? Even if you had, you would have punished him later. What is going on in the mind of the Crown Prince?" Wang Hao questioned.

"He was tied with the status he had– The status of a servant. It was not his choice, but he was forced to do that. However, he did not walk on the wrong path. Wan Ju and Hu Jingguo were the same. They ran away from their masters while Huo Jin could not. Hu Jingguo said this to me once- 'Why can't I see through people like them? I should feel them too. That way people will become my friends instead of my enemies.' I laughed at him but today I recalled his words. I felt that Huo Jin might have suffered," Sheng Li asserted.

Wang Hao understood the Crown Prince. He was surprised to find that the demise of Hu Jingguo turned Sheng Li into a thoughtful person. Wang Hao was happy but the Crown Prince could not be kind to everyone, he felt.

"Do not worry. My ruthlessness is with me, but for those who are evil," Sheng Li assured him. "I was a little scared when you were held captive by them. I am glad nothing happened to you," Sheng Li stated.

"But you should not have dropped the weapon. My life is nothing in front of yours," Wang Hao replied.

"Really? You have always protected me, Wang Hao. What's the use of this power if I have no friends or family? I learned this from Lili. A ruler is not about making people fear him but it is about the respect and willingness to die for him. That's possible only when the ruler opens his heart for his people," Sheng Li proclaimed. "Your life is dear to me. I could not lose it at any cost."

Wang Hao smiled. He recalled the first day when he started serving Sheng Li. He used to get irked at little things. He used to punish even one petty crime. It might be because of the anger buried deep inside his heart. But when the Crown Princess met the Crown Prince things changed. Wang Hao had seen Sheng Li grow in each phase, differently yet beautifully. After marriage, he indeed had turned calmer, which was the biggest change in his personality.

"Your highness, after the end of all this, let's have drinks together. It has been months since you drank with me," Wang Hao offered Sheng Li, who gladly acknowledged that. "I need to talk to the Second Brother and Wanxi too. Wanxi will surely be crying. He will curse me," Sheng Li chuckled.

"It was not your fault, your highness," Wang Hao solaced him.

Sheng Li hummed. He called a soldier in and ordered him to bring Huo Jin. Wang Hao offered he would but Sheng Li told him to be seated.

After a while, Huo Jin came there and bowed. "Have a seat," Sheng Li gestured to the chair around the table. Huo Jin pulled a chair out and sat on it. Sheng Li placed the map on the table.

"Explain this map to us," Sheng Li stated. "Is there only one secret route or are there more than one?" Sheng Li queried.

"There are two. It is on the map, your highness," Huo Jin stated and looked at the map. "Forgive me, because of the prolonged use it faded out from here," Huo Jin replied.

'Means Lili was right.'

"The first one is under the main entrance but the second one is confusing," Sheng Li asserted.

"Your highness, the second one goes out from the first one," Huo Jin answered. Sheng Li was stunned to know that.

"How will you go there? By now, he might have gotten the information from his spies that a few of them got caught in Luoyang. He might have also found out that you have been caught and might tell us about him," Sheng Li reasoned.

"Your highness, all his spies are killed. I killed them before coming here. And the First Prince kept my capture private. Everything is done privately," Huo Jin asserted. Sheng Li was impressed to hear that. For the first time, Sheng Li found Jian Guozhi useful in such situations.

"I will inform him that the Governor has found out about his daughter, who is under arrest. I was also captured, but I escaped from prison. I will direct him to this part of the fortified palace," Huo Jin pointed at the Southern Part on the map. "There is no escape point from here. By then, his highness can attack the Palace and surround them thus forcing him to surrender," Huo Jin told his plan.

"We need to take control of these Underground routes. Make sure to deviate all of them from here," Sheng Li stated.

"Do not worry, your highness. I will fully help you with this. I will send a signal to you and then you need to attack with your forces. Before that, replace everyone in the underground base camp within thirty minutes because two soldiers come to check on the workers," Huo Jin stated.

Sheng Li nodded his head.

"How will you send us the signal?" Wang Hao asked.

"From the flute," Huo Jin replied.

"You cannot play the flute in front of Tan Gengxin," Wang Hao reasoned.

"As soon as he gets busy with his forces, I will do that," Huo Jin replied.

"From the hill, a few of our shooters shoot the arrows in their direction, making them believe that we are on this side," Sheng Li stated. "We then attack them and destroy their war equipment first, followed by the other things."

"Yes, your highness," Huo Jin stated.

"Tan Gengxin will not get suspicious of you, right?" Sheng Li asked for confirmation.

"He will not. He knows that I will never betray him. I am alive to this date because of this reason only. He trusts me blindly," Huo Jin assured Sheng Li.

"Wang Hao, share this plan with Xiao and the Commanders," Sheng Li commanded him.. Wang Hao stood up and walked out of the tent house.