For a moment, the entire crowd began to panic.
Feng Qingyang saw this and couldn’t help but look at Feng Qiwu for a few seconds, then said, "Someone, immediately count the number of people from each family who have not yet returned."
Then he addressed everyone, "Your Excellencies, please remain calm. If indeed someone is injured or killed, it is because the Crown Prince lost his mind and did not do it intentionally. But rest assured, I will punish him severely for it."
Inwardly, he thought: The more people who die, the better, and the higher their status, the better!
This way they will completely break ties with Feng Qiwu, and then let’s see who will still support him as the Crown Prince.
Didn’t that woman say Feng Qiwu was the savior of Da Qin?
He’d like to see how a madman could save Da Qin!
Feng Qiwu listened to Feng Qingyang’s words and coldly glanced around.
Then he said, "Now that the autumn hunt is over, can Father announce the first place winner?"
Hearing this, Feng Qingyang’s eyes darkened, then he looked at the tiger that Feng Qiwu had dragged back.
The others exchanged glances and dared not speak up.
The Mad Crown Prince even managed to hunt a tiger, who can compete with him for first place?
After a brief moment, Feng Qingyang burst into loud laughter and said, "Of course, my son even killed such a ferocious beast like the tiger, who else could compete with you for first place?"
"I declare, the first place in this autumn hunt is the Crown Prince!"
Feng Qiwu perfunctorily saluted and nodded, "Then I’ll take the Death Exemption Token first. I take my leave now."
Having said that, he stepped forward and smoothly took the Death Exemption Token from the tray.
After Feng Qiwu left, the smile on Feng Qingyang’s face slowly faded away.
His gaze swept across the faces of the many disappointed noble scions, inwardly cursing them as useless.
A group of people couldn’t even compete with the Crown Prince alone!
And yet they wanted to compete for the Death Exemption Token?
They probably couldn’t even eat shit while it was still warm!
A complete waste of his Death Exemption Token.
Not long after, the number of people from each family who hadn’t returned was tallied up.
"Your Majesty, this time a total of thirty-two people have not returned. Among them are Wu Yi, the heir of King Wu, Xue Zilin, the legitimate son of the Marquis of Pingyang, and Liu Wei, the son of Liu Hanlin. The rest are maids and servants from various houses, as well as some illegitimate sons and daughters," Xia Ziyang reported.
Hearing this, Feng Qingyang appeared outwardly furious but was inwardly delighted and said, "Send people to search immediately!"
The heir of King Wu, the legitimate son of the Marquis of Pingyang, the son of Liu Hanlin!
King Wu holds three hundred thousand troops, the Marquis of Pingyang was the commander of the three armies, and Liu Hanlin was being considered for promotion to the cabinet.
Feng Qiwu managed to offend so many powerful ministers with one move, which suited him perfectly.
The old subjects mentioned were now all with somber expressions.
King Wu even directly said, "Your Majesty, I will personally go! In the Prince Wu Mansion, Wu Yi is the only child who has met expectations!"
Having said that, he turned to leave with a solemn face to search for the missing.
The Marquis of Pingyang also coldly said, "I too will personally go to search, and I hope Your Majesty will permit it!"
Seeing the anger and resentment on their faces, Feng Qingyang felt utterly satisfied within.
But before he could bask in his delight, hoofbeats were heard from not far away.
The next moment, someone shouted, "The heir of King Wu and the others have returned!"
Upon hearing this, King Wu, the Marquis of Pingyang, and others immediately looked overjoyed and hastened towards them.
They saw Wu Yi and the others returning with a bear of pitch-black fur.
"My son, why are you only returning now?" King Wu asked as he approached with large strides.
Hearing this, Wu Yi saluted King Wu, "Father, on our way back, we came across a bear, which delayed us for quite some time, hence our late return."
The bear they encountered was extraordinarily strong and tall for some reason. It took them quite an effort, costing the lives of more than a dozen close attendants, to finally kill it.
With this bear, it should qualify him to compete for that Death Exemption Token, right? Find the newest release on novelꞁire.net
While Wu Yi was thinking this, Zhou Shixian said with a note of sympathy, "The heir of King Wu is indeed extremely brave to have successfully hunted such a huge bear. Unfortunately, compared to the tiger hunted by the Crown Prince... it still falls short."
He then pointed in the direction of the tiger.
Among beasts, the tiger is the king.
There is no doubt about who is superior.
Moreover, the Death Exemption Token had just been taken by the Crown Prince.
Would Wu Yi dare to snatch it from him?
At this moment, Wu Yi and the others followed Zhou Shixian’s line of sight.
Upon seeing the tiger, measuring four to five meters long, they gasped in awe.
Moments later, Wu Yi smiled wryly, "The Crown Prince is indeed incredibly powerful, I cannot compare."
Ever since he saw those assassins who died tragically, he knew he couldn’t compare to the Crown Prince.
But he never would have thought that he could actually hunt a tiger.
Red Leaf Mountain has always been a royal hunting ground. Even if there were large game, they would mostly be wild boars or deer. How could there be a tiger?
He was already surprised to see the bear and had not expected such a large predator as a tiger as well.
The place was so dangerous, how did the Golden Scale Guards not find this in their prior inspection?
King Wu no longer cared about the Death Exemption Token now.
As long as his son returned safely, that was enough.
So he immediately said, "Can you compare yourself to the power of the Crown Prince? Come, let’s get back and have something to eat to regain your strength."
The Marquis of Pingyang also quickly addressed his son, "Yes, Zilin, hurry back to rest and eat something, as there is a bonfire party tonight."
"Yes, Father." Xue Zilin quickly nodded.
The group nodded to one another, then returned to rest.
As for the other missing illegitimate sons and daughters, being of illegitimate birth, they weren’t worthy of having the Golden Scale Guards sent to search for them; instead, each family sent a few servants to look for them.
As for Feng Qiwu, once he entered the tent, he quickly took a warm bath and changed into clean clothes.
He then asked Xiao Quanzi, "Did Susu encounter any trouble this afternoon?"
Hearing this, Xiao Quanzi, while helping to dry his hair, replied, "Rest assured, Crown Prince, the Crown Princess Consort is quite clever. After returning, she claimed to be unwell and hasn’t stepped out even once, and Ling Han has been guarding her, so you needn’t worry."
Only then did Feng Qiwu nod in acknowledgment.
Then Xiao Quanzi cautiously asked, "Crown Prince, why was there a tiger on Red Leaf Mountain? Could it be... someone deliberatively released it there?"
As the designated hunting grounds for nobility, especially so close to the Capital City, Red Leaf Mountain should not harbor such forest beasts like tigers and bears that belong in deep wilderness.
Otherwise, if a noble were injured, it would be hard to account for it.