Chapter 908 : “Imperial Guard Army (5)”
“What? Father really sent Yuan Biao out to capture Jun Xie?” Lei Chen asked, his eyes wide with incredulity, as he looked at the guard who had brought him the news.
“Then, where is little brother Jun now? Has he been captured by Yuan Biao?”
“The Immortals’ Loft is now heavily surrounded by the Imperial Guard Army, prohibiting anyone from going in or getting out. Your subordinate could only observe for outside but I did not see Young Master Jun being brought out by the Commander of the Imperial Guards. When the Commander left the Immortals’ Loft, he had been alone and judging from the situation, your subordinate is guessing that Young Master Jun had not been at the Immortals’ Loft and Yuan Biao had failed to capture Young Master Jun.” The guard reported.
Lei Chen finally heaved a great sigh of relief. It had only been several hours since last night when he had first gotten to know that Jun Xie was holding the Ring of Imperial Fire within his hands and he had just been planning what steps he could take next when the Emperor had unexpectedly moved so fast where he had immediately mobilised the Imperial Guard Army right at the break of dawn.
“Looking at the way he is going about it, Father is seriously seeking to take little brother Jun’s life.” Lei Chen said, clenching his jaw tight. Thinking back to what Wen Yu had said to him before, he could not help but start to feel that he had looked at things from too simple a perspective then.
Wen Yu must have guessed that the Emperor would do this and that was why he had been so anxious to get Jun Xie to leave this place of turmoil.
“Your Highness. Should we send our own men out to try to locate Young Master Jun’s whereabouts?” The guard continued on to ask.
Lei Chen shook his head immediately. “Little brother Jun is highly quick witted and he would definitely have his own ways of avoiding Yuan Biao. Since Yuan Biao had not been able to find him at the Immortals’ Loft, he will undoubtedly set his sights on my Crown Prince’s Residence next. He knows that I am on rather good terms with little brother Jun, and with him coming up empty handed at the Immortals’ Loft, he will in moments surely arrive here to search. If I am to rashly go search for little brother Jun now, the Imperial Guards are sure to discover it and it will only cause little brother Jun unnecessary trouble.”
Lei Chen calmed his heart down. The situation had suddenly gotten rather terse and he had not had time to make any preparations. The Emperor had taken lightning quick action and mobilised the Imperial Guard Army which just told him that that Emperor was not going to give Jun Xie anyway out of this!
As he had predicted, not too long after Lei Chen had received the news, Yuan Biao arrived at the Crown Prince’s Residence with a team of men.
“By Imperial Decree, your subject is currently in pursuit of the escaped fugitive Jun Xie. I would implore that Your Highness allow your loyal subject to carry out his duties.” Yuan Biao had come to the gates of the Crown Prince’s Residence with a large team of men.
Lei Chen had come to the main doors to confront him.
“What Commander Yuan is saying sounds really strange. You want to arrest Jun Xie, so why have you come all the way here to my Crown Prince’s Residence?” Lei Chen retorted with a cold laugh.
Yuan Biao was highly indifferent. “Your Highness has been known to be on very close terms with Jun Xie before this and Jun Xie has escaped leaving no trace behind. Your subject is just following His Majesty’s decree and I hope that Your Highness will not make things difficult for your humble servant.”
Lei Chen then said: “You want to search my Crown Prince’s Residence? Because you say so?”
Yuan Biao did not want to waste his breath any longer and he pulled out an Imperial Edict.
“Your subject holds here the Imperial Edict personally drafted by His Majesty himself, where I have been granted permission to search for the escaped fugitive in the Crown Prince’s Residence. Does Your Highness really want to defy the Imperial Decree from His Majesty?”
Lei Chen gritted his teeth discreetly. The Imperial Edict must have been on Yuan Biao’s body even before he had stepped out from the palace this morning. It was obvious that the Emperor had thought of the possibility that Jun Xie might very well run away, and he had this prepared well beforehand.
However highly displeased Lei Chen was feeling towards Yuan Biao’s actions, with the Imperial Edict placed before his eyes, and added to the fact that Jun Xie had indeed not come to the Crown Prince’s Residence, he would naturally not resist against Yuan Biao too strongly in this instance.
“Since it is by my Father’s decree, then Commander Yuan, please carry on.” Lei Chen face showed a mirthless smile as he took a step back, opening up the path he was blocking at the doors of the Crown Prince’s Residence.
Yuan Biao nodded slightly in a perfunctory gesture of acknowledgement, and immediately led his men to rush into the Crown Prince’s Residence!