My Princess, Do You Dare Treat Me as a Fool?

The sound of the horn grew increasingly mournful. Even the most stoic of men were on the verge of tears. Their beloved king was offering flowers to honor their fallen brothers.It was an honor, the greatest honor a warrior could receive.Once the ceremony was over, hearing the faint sobs behind him, Ronald sighed softly, clasped his hands behind his back, and recited, "Loyal bones lie beneath every hill, no need for silk to wrap their corpses. You will rest here now, and in the future, I'll bring our brothers to visit."With that, he turned and raised his voice. "Brothers, now is not the time for sorrow. Get on the bamboo rafts, we must leave this place!""On the rafts!"Liu Long gritted his teeth, fighting back tears, and shouted.But at that moment, a burst of laughter echoed from a distance."Ah, what a beautiful line: 'Loyal bones lie beneath every hill,' and 'No need for silk to wrap their corpses.' So, my royal brother has taken up poetry now?"Everyone froze, surprised by the voice. Looking toward the sound, they saw a group of two to three hundred men emerging from the dense forest. The two leaders at the front were dressed in fine clothes and carried an air of nobility. It was clear they were no ordinary men.The guards recognized them instantly—it was none other than Li Haotian and Mia.After the fierce battle, the air was thick with tension, and as soon as they met, swords seemed to be drawn in the hearts of both sides.Ronald's heart skipped a beat. This was already the Elven territory. He had thought Li Haotian would never dare to follow, so he hadn't been on guard. He never expected them to be so bold.But as he scanned their numbers, doubts crept into his mind. After the battle just now, several thousand soldiers couldn't stop them, yet a mere two or three hundred men dared to chase them?He sneered and spoke, "I thought it was someone important, but it's only my royal brother. What, do you think you can stop me with such a small group of men?"Li Haotian chuckled coldly. "Ronald, you're nothing but a stray dog. Even if I let you live a few more days, it won't make a difference. But, we were brothers once. Watching you be exiled... I couldn't bear it. So I came to send you off."Ronald laughed heartily. "Ah, my royal brother, so loyal. I truly admire you. In the future, I will make sure to spread the word about your brotherly affection and high morals, so the world knows the kind of person you are.""YOU—"Li Haotian's face turned red with fury. "You dare to spread rumors? Don't you fear the Empire will take your life for it?"Ronald sneered again. "The Empire's authority may be formidable, but do you think they'll let me live after today's events?""Hmph!"Li Haotian was momentarily speechless, letting out a cold grunt. He said nothing more.Mia, standing beside him, smiled faintly. She gracefully moved forward, curtsied, and said, "Your Majesty, it's good to see you well. That day, the palace was in chaos due to assassins and fires. I searched everywhere for you, but couldn't find you. I was deeply worried. Now, seeing you safe, I can finally rest easy."Ronald's eyes flashed with cold amusement."My dear consort, do you take me for a fool?"Wang Mengxue calmly replied, "Your Majesty, perhaps you misunderstand. The palace was in turmoil due to the assassination attempt and the fire. It was His Majesty who led people to quell the chaos. Afterward, when we couldn't find you, we feared the worst. As the nation cannot be without a ruler, the Prime Minister and the other officials decided that Prince Cheng should ascend the throne, and His Majesty the Emperor agreed. Now, seeing you safe and sound, I can only hope that, despite the circumstances, you will not hold a grudge against the Empire."The crowd exchanged glances. Mia's explanation seemed logical enough.