Two days had passed since Zhao Xinying vanished.
Two days of refusing anyone, even the Emperor, from leaving the hunting ground. Two days of waiting for so much as one minister to argue with him. Two days of restraint... of not killing every minister in sight.
And now, Zhu Mingyu was done waiting.
The sun hadn't yet risen over the eastern ridge, but the ground shook with boots. The wind carried the heavy scent of steel, blood, and fury as the Red Demon Army advanced—not in ranks, not in parade form, but as a wave of vengeance, armor clinking like warning bells. This was no inspection. No search party.
This was war.
And leading it all was Crown Prince Zhu Mingyu. He didn't speak. He didn't blink. The only sound he made was the quiet grind of his teeth.
