Underneath The Moonlit Night

Chapter 74 - Fury Beneath the Surface

Prince Kai Ze stood amid the swirling storm of shouts and accusations, his body trembling under the weight of exhaustion and pain. His left arm hung limp by his side, the blood seeping from the reopened wound in his shoulder staining the sand beneath him. The metallic scent of blood mingled with the dust in the air, heavy and suffocating. The wound throbbed, sending jolts of agony through his body, but Kai Ze forced himself to stand tall. His vision blurred slightly from the blood loss, but his eyes remained sharp, focused on the growing chaos before him.

The crowd had become a roaring sea of confusion, fear, and anger. King Chengli's supporters, now gathered in a tight knot near the arena's edge, screamed accusations of treachery and deceit. Their voices rang out over the din, sharp and venomous.

"He forced the king into this trial!" one shouted.

"A traitor, condemned to death by the king himself!" another bellowed, pointing a trembling finger at Kai Ze.

"The prince is unfit to rule!" The Royal Advisor cried, his voice cracking with desperation as he sought to rally more to their cause.

The cries spread like wildfire, fueling the chaos. People in the crowd pushed and shoved, some shouting in support of Kai Ze, while others hurled insults at him. The arena had become a battlefield of words and emotions, teetering on the edge of violence.

Prince Kai Ze swayed slightly, his breath ragged, but he refused to falter. His heart pounded with a mixture of frustration and sorrow as he listened to the accusations. "Banished to death". His own father's past condemnation echoed in his ears, bitter and cold. "Crimes he committed in the past."

He clenched his jaw. His past. The truth was far more twisted than the crowd knew, and the weight of those words pressed down on him like a crushing force.

Suddenly, a commanding voice broke through the cacophony.

"Enough!" Lord Wu Xing stepped forward, his tall figure cutting through the throngs of guards and supporters alike as he joined Kai Ze's side. His dark eyes swept across the arena with steely resolve, his voice carrying a weight that made the crowd pause, if only for a moment.

Wu Xing turned to face the masses, his voice booming with authority. "You speak of treachery and crimes, but it is the king who has hidden the truth from you all!" His words sent a ripple of shock through the crowd.

"The king wrongfully condemned his own son to death—not for crimes, but for uncovering the true criminal: Duke Fengxiang."

A murmur spread through the gathered people, confusion taking hold of some as they processed the claim. Others shouted in defiance, unwilling to believe it.

Wu Xing's voice rose again, sharper, louder. "It was Duke Fengxiang who orchestrated criminal activities in the shadows—smuggling, extortion, and trafficking through the black markets. And the king? He knew all along! He turned a blind eye to his brother's sins, using Fengxiang's connections to gain power over the very underworld he was sworn to protect you from!"

The tension in the arena tightened, like a bowstring drawn to its limit. The crowd rippled with uncertainty, some faces darkening with doubt, others twisting in anger.

Wu Xing's words hammered down, relentless. "When Prince Kai Ze uncovered the truth and confronted the king, did the king seek justice? No! He condemned his own son to death to protect his brother's treachery! That is the truth of your king—of the man you claim to defend!"

Faces in the crowd shifted—some hardened with disbelief, others showing cracks of doubt. Whispers of confusion spread like wildfire, igniting conversations and stirring emotions. But the chaos refused to be quelled.