Lose My Heart to the Lovely Kitten Princess - Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Grand Commandant Li Sanchuan
Zhao Tianheng glanced back at Mo Chen and said in a high pitch, “His Highness already killed Wu’s envoy, so if we lose, His Majesty might kill us in a fit of anger, and it will probably implicate our families back at the capital.”

“How can you talk about defeat before we even fight them? The troops can’t win because of cowards like you!” said Zhang Mang in disdain as he eyed Zhao Tianheng.

Zhao Tianheng glared hard at Zhang Mang with flames of fury in his eyes. Zhang Mang stuck his chest out and roared, “I, Zhang Mang, have fought many battles with His Highness and was never once a wuss.”

Then he walked up and stood behind Mo Chen to pay obeisance to Chu Yunshen as he said, “Your Highness, our troops are strong, have ample food and high morale. Wouldn’t it be great if we could take down Baiyu Pass now that the opportunity is knocking? I agree with General Mo! We should attack them!”

“Your Highness, we can’t be reckless. We have to discuss it again. If we pick a fight rashly, we will get punished by His Majesty even if we win. Just think about what happens if we lose…”

An officer walked over from the sand table and stood behind Zhao Tianheng and spoke to Chu Yunshen anxiously.

“Negotiating peace is an insult! Your Highness, I agree with General Mo. I think we should fight this battle!”

Before long, the officers before Chu Yunshen split into two factions. One faction supported the war while the other was against it. All of them were waiting for his decision.

There was a white cat with a baby bird on her head in an inconspicuous corner. She was turning her head towards their voices here and there.

As they went on talking intensely, both parties stuck to their opinions firmly. Then a sharp voice suddenly came from outside the tent and said, “An imperial decree!”

Chu Yunshen’s eyes turned cold as he eyed the officers to exit the tent and receive the imperial edict with him.

Everyone left the tent, and the huge crowd of people stood outside. Cheng Xiaoxiao snuck out of the tent with them as well amid the hubbub.

A dignified elderly man in scarlet official robes stood in front of the crowd with a knife hanging from his waist. The knife hilt was one foot three inches in length while its blade was seven feet nine inches with jewels hanging off its sheathe.

As Cheng Xiaoxiao looked at the fake smile on his face, he made her feel uncomfortable.

Cheng Xiaoxiao went back into the tent to hide the baby bird. When she went back outside into the crowd, she was closer to Chu Yunshen.

Li Sanchuan saw Chu Yunshen leading his officers out of the tent with a smile on his face. Li Sanchuan couldn’t help coldly sneering as he wondered how much longer Chu Yunshen could keep that smile on.

“Prince Jing, please receive the edict!” said Li Sanchuan as he unscrolled the edict in his hands and looked thoughtfully at Chu Yunshen.

“I humbly accept the decree,” said Chu Yunshen as he lifted his robe and knelt.

In an instant, Mo Chen and the other officers behind him knelt to receive the edict.

Li Sanchuan glanced at Prince Jing from overhead as he knelt before him. Then with a cold smile on Li Sanchuan’s face, he read the imperial edict, “By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that Prince Jing was reckless in killing the Wu envoy and has ruined the peace between both countries. By the Emperor’s orders, Prince Jing is to hand military duties over to Li Sanchuan and return to the capital immediately.”

“I humbly abide by the decree,” said Chu Yunshen as he raised his hand to take the imperial decree from Li Sanchuan. The moment he stood up, his eyes met with Li Sanchuan’s, and explosives blew up in both their eyes when they made contact.

“This way please, Grand Commandant Li,” said Chu Yunshen as he invited him in.

Li Sanchuan nodded and gestured politely for Chu Yunshen to enter first as he said, “Please go ahead, Your Highness.”

After everyone returned inside the tent, Li Sanchuan glanced at the sand table with a repulsive look on his face.

The moment they sat down.

Li Sanchuan turned towards Chu Yunshen, who was sitting on the main seat and spoke arrogantly, “Your Highness, on my way here, all the citizens claim you are hungry for success. At first, I thought they were unfounded rumors, but now it seems…” said Li Sanchuan. Then he scanned his eyes towards the sand table and continued, “Your Highness truly only cares about your military exploits and doesn’t care about the troops at the frontier.”

“How dare you!”

“Xiaowu.”

Chu Yunshen glared at Xiaowu and he shut his mouth resentfully.

Li Sanchuan said smugly, “Your Highness, don’t blame me for not reminding you. It’s wiser to rush back to the capital as soon as you can. His Majesty is furious that you killed the Wu envoy on your own. You better think about how to explain yourself to His Majesty.”

Chu Yunshen held his teacup in midair as he glanced at Li Sanchuan below and said with his eyes turning dark, “Grand Commandant Li, there’s nothing for you to worry about. I will explain myself to my father.”

“Your Highness, then can you please set up a tent for me? I have rushed for days and am exhausted.”

Li Sanchuan yawned as he leaned lazily against the chair. He was waiting to see how Chu Yunshen would get out of this embarrassing predicament.

“How dare you! You are unfit to have His Highness set up a tent for you!”

With a roar, the teacup on the table next to Grand Commandant Li broke into half with a crack.

Li Sanchuan’s face turned pale. Then he eyed the guard behind him, who walked up and stood in front of Li Sanchuan with his sword immediately.

Li Sanchuan felt more confident now, so he looked at the eight-foot tall and fearsome boor as he yelled angrily, “What are you trying to do?”

Zhang Mang retorted, “I’m not doing anything! I’m just helping you set up your tent!”

Grand Commandant Li coldly laughed as he turned to say to Chu Yunshen, “Prince Jing, you can’t even control your subordinates. You aren’t fit to be General Fuyuan!”

“Meow!”

He was too much. Cheng Xiaoxiao could no longer stand the sight.

Cheng Xiaoxiao got ready to jump and pounced onto Li Sanchuan with a swish.

They heard a meow as a white silhouette flashed in front of their eyes instantaneously before everyone even realized what it was.

“Ah!” cried Li Sanchuan shrilly. When everyone looked over, they saw a few scratches on the arrogant Grand Commandant Li’s face with blood oozing from them.

“Where did this animal come from?” yelled Li Sanchuan. He raised his hands to wipe his face and found the back of his hand covered with blood. Then his eyes instantly turned red as he shouted, “Slaughter it!”

Li Sanchuan’s guards unsheathed his sword and went hacking towards Cheng Xiaoxiao the moment he received the order.

At this very moment.

“Xiaowu

Chu Yunshen eyed Xiaowu, and Xiaowu used his sword to fend off the guard’s attack. Then he scooped Cheng Xiaoxiao into his arms.

Xiaowu said to Cheng Xiaoxiao privately, “Well done.”

Then Cheng Xiaoxiao curled up in Xiaowu’s arms smugly as she brandished her claws. That was nothing.

“Grand Commandant Li, that’s His Highness’ pet cat!” said Xiaowu as he kept the white cat in his arms protectively and retreated behind Chu Yunshen.

“So what if it’s His Highness’s cat? I’m a court official!” said Grand Commandant furiously as he glared at the lion cat and couldn’t wait to hack it to pieces.

“Snatch the cat from them!”

“Yes, Grand Commandant Li!” ordered Li Sanchuan. Then his subordinate attempted to snatch the lion cat from Xiaowu.

Chu Yunshen glanced at Xiaowu and Xiaowu immediately placed the lion cat in Chu Yunshen’s arms.

Grand Commandant Li’s subordinates eyed Prince Jing but didn’t dare to snatch the cat from him.

That was His Highness himself. They didn’t have the guts to be reckless with him regardless of Li Sanchuan’s orders.

“Your Highness, do you intend on defending that animal? Aren’t you afraid that I might report this to His Majesty?” When the cat in his arms heard this, she glanced down and meowed.

It appeared like she was in trouble again.

A large and warm hand pressed her back into his embrace.

“If Grand Commandant Li wants to kill it, go ahead,” said Chu Yunshen. He stroked the cat while he held up his teacup.

Grand Commandant Li’s eyes lit up as he attempted to tell his subordinates to grab the cat.

Cheng Xiaoxiao was so frightened that she wanted to escape immediately. But Chu Yunshen was holding her so tightly that she was immobile, so she looked at the guards helplessly as he approached her.

At this moment, Xiaowu stepped in front of Chu Yunshen and blocked the guards off as he glowered at them. Which one of them would be dumb enough to attack?

Mo Chen raised his hand and blocked the guards as he stared at Grand Commandant Li hard with his dark eyes.

The atmosphere instantly became intense and a fight might break out at any moment.

It was so quiet in the tent that even a pin drop could be heard.

Then Chu Yunshen sipped his tea and set the teacup down slowly. Then he said coldly, “Then let me warn you that this lion cat is Wu’s tribute to us. If Grand Commandant Li slaughters it, then you would be making the same mistake that I did. Since I am royalty, all I have to do is give my father an explanation. But can Grand Commandant Li escape death after killing it?”

Xiaowu said immediately, “I didn’t think that Grand Commandant Li would be so petty. He wants to kill the precious lion cat that Wu sent after getting a few tiny scratches! Master got scratched by the cat too just yesterday, but he is still taking good care of the cat.”

“I think publicly killing Wu’s tribute in the barracks is just pretext for Grand Commandant Li to steal His Highness’ military exploits!” said Mo Chen sarcastically as he narrowed his eyes.

“You!”

Grand Commandant was furious.

Li Sanchuan glared at the cat so hard that blood almost oozed from his eyes.

But he didn’t want to make unnecessary losses just to get even with the cat.

He had more important things to deal with.

Hmph!

They had better not give Li Sanchuan the chance to get rid of the cat.

Grand Commandant Li gnashed his teeth as he stifled his anger and swore that he would slaughter the cat.

“Okay. I won’t kick a fuss over a cat for the sake of diplomacy. Can Your Highness please assign me a tent now?” said Grand Commandant Li as he stood arrogantly at the center of the tent and looked at Chu Yunshen on the main seat.

Chu Yunshen was teasing the cat when his hand paused. His dark eyes sank slightly as his lips curved upwards at a perfect angle. Then a cold murderous aura radiated from Chu Yunshen as he said, “Why go through the trouble? What do you think of mine, Grand Commandant Li?”

When Li Sanchuan noticed the bloodthirsty and threatening look in Chu Yunshen’s eyes, he quit while he was ahead and hurriedly replied, “Your Highness, how could I? Just get someone to walk me to some other tent so I can rest.”

Chu Yunshen turned to look at Xiaowu.

Xiaowu glared at Grand Commandant Li. Then Xiaowu walked up to Li Sanchuan and said gruffly, “Grand Commandant Li, this way, please.”

Grand Commandant Li glanced at the cat in Chu Yunshen’s arms resentfully. Then he bowed to Chu Yunshen and said, “Your Highness, allow me to take my leave.”

Just as Grand Commandant Li exited the tent, Chu Yunshen’s voice came from behind. He said in a cold and expressionless tone, “Grand Commandant Li, be careful on your way out.”

Li Sanchuan replied without turning his head, “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will keep my eyes open while I walk. Your Highness should take care too.”

The moment Li Sanchuan stepped out, Zhang Mang looked angrily at the imperial edict on the table. He was so indignant that he smashed the sand table into smithereens. Then he said furiously, “It’s the old geezer, Li Sanchuan, again! His Highness just lost a city because Sun Mingquan sabotaged us!”

Once his temper acted up, it was hard to suppress. They had toiled for days to develop a strategy, but Zhang Mang wiped their efforts with his strong blow. Then he turned to look at Chu Yunshen, who sat in the main seat silently, and asked, “Your Highness, what should we do now?”

“Exactly! His Highness has been leading the troops all these years, and countless soldiers have died in the war. How can Li Sanchuan negotiate peace, cede territory and compensate the enemy?” said He Xiang as he clutched his head in annoyance, making stray hair fall from his temple.