Chapter 161: Who Betrayed Me?! Terrifying Conclusion! Monthly Ticket Bonus Update 1
Taiyuan, Prince Jin’s Mansion.
Compared to the extravagance and decadence of the Prince Qin’s Mansion in Xi’an, Prince Jin Zhu Gang’s residence appeared more strictly regulated and orderly, yet it also exuded an indescribable coldness and oppression.
Zhu Gang himself, historically recorded as ‘heroic and martial like Taizu,’ was also of a violent temperament and cruel methods. He was absolute within his fiefdom, wielding immense power.
In the study, candlelight burned brightly.
Prince Jin Zhu Gang was not indulging in pleasures like his second brother, Zhu Shuang. Instead, he was frowning, poring over several secret reports from Yingtian Prefecture.
His face bore some resemblance to Old Zhu’s, with hard lines, and an unshakeable gloom and ferocity in his brows.
The contents of the secret reports were more detailed and horrifying than those received by Prince Qin:
【 Fu Youwen and the four others searched for the iron box, suspicions surrounding the Crown Prince’s death, the Drum of Hearing Petitions pointing to forbidden palace medicine, Fu Youwen and the four others implicating the ‘feudal prince’ character in court, a city-wide search, and the blocking of the nine gates…】
Each incident made his heart pound!
“The iron box… the cause of Eldest Brother’s death…”
After forcing himself to calm down, Zhu Gang tapped his fingers on the table unconsciously, his eyes flickering as he muttered to himself:
“It’s fake, it must be fake! If it were true, Imperial Father would have already exploded!”
He understood Old Zhu’s personality. If the iron box truly contained the truth about Crown Prince Zhu Biao’s death, Old Zhu would never have allowed Fu Youwen and the four others to search for so long.
It was likely a deliberate leniency to make them desperate and reveal themselves.
Just as Zhu Gang thought he had grasped everything, a trusted confidant quietly led a dust-covered person carrying Prince Qin’s token into the study.
“Your Highness, an envoy from Xi’an, with an urgent letter from His Highness Prince Qin.”
Zhu Gang frowned, and without wasting words, took the secret letter and quickly read through it.
The letter contained Zhu Shuang’s somewhat flustered and incoherent account, asking for his opinion on the situation in the capital, especially concerning the ‘iron box.’ The language was filled with probing and an attempt to draw him into ‘discussing grand plans.’
After reading the secret letter, Zhu Gang’s face showed a cold, disdainful smile.
【 My second brother… he’s really getting worse with age! Panicking like this over a small matter and trying to drag me into it?】
He casually tossed the letter onto the desk, his tone sarcastic.
But soon, that disdain was replaced by gravity.
Although Zhu Shuang was foolish, his concerns were not unfounded.
That iron box… what if there was something fatal inside…
Gradually, his thoughts drifted involuntarily back to Hongwu 25th year.
At that time, Crown Prince Zhu Biao had been inspecting Shaanxi and other regions. They, the feudal princes, had all, more or less, offered tribute of medicinal materials and tonics to express their ‘brotherly affection’… he himself was no exception…
Wait!
Zhu Gang suddenly sat up straight, a flash of lightning striking through his mind.
He remembered!
At that time, to please Eldest Brother, he had indeed presented a batch of premium purple ginseng and musk from Shanxi!
But this was not unique; Second Brother and Fourth Brother must have also sent something!
The truly fatal matter was something else!
He remembered that Fifth Brother, Zhu Su, that brother who was always doing useless things and was obsessed with pharmacology, had secretly sent him a batch of pills that were said to ‘strengthen the body and prolong life.’ He claimed they were an improved elixir formula from Second Brother Zhu Shuang, creating an even more potent ‘Red Lead Immortal Pill.’
However, due to the potent nature of the medicine, he dared not offer it directly to Imperial Father or the Crown Prince, so he first invited his elder brothers to ‘sample’ it.
He hadn’t taken it seriously at the time.
After all, Fifth Brother had been dabbling in these strange things for years.
However, since the elixir formula originated from Second Brother Zhu Shuang and had been improved by Fifth Brother Zhu Su, he felt it was ‘reasonable’ to let Second Brother Zhu Shuang experience the difference between the two elixirs.
Therefore, he kept some and, as part of ‘birthday gifts’ for Second Brother Zhu Shuang, secretly sent it to him.
The eunuch who received the ‘birthday gift’ at the time was a trusted confidant of Second Brother Zhu Shuang, named Wang An or something…
【 Oh, right! His name was Wang An, and he had a brother named Wang Fu, who served Eldest Brother in the Eastern Palace!】
Zhu Gang instantly understood.
But at the same time, he thought of the suspicion surrounding Eldest Brother Zhu Biao’s death in the iron box.
【 If… if Fifth Brother’s damn ‘Immortal Pill’ really had a problem, and Second Brother, to please Eldest Brother, included it in the tribute, and it ‘happened’ to be sent to the Eastern Palace… then…】
Zhu Gang broke out in a cold sweat!
He dared not think further!
【 Who?! Who leaked this secret?!】
【 Fifth Brother wouldn’t say it himself! Wang An? Wasn’t Wang An reported to have died of illness a few months ago?!】
【 Zhou Ji? Zhou Dexing’s son?! How did he get the ‘Immortal Pill’? And commit debauchery in the harem?!】
【 Logically, Zhang Biao and that group of ruffians wouldn’t know these secrets!】
Zhu Gang’s heart rate suddenly accelerated, and a great fear gripped him.
He suddenly looked at Prince Qin’s plea for help on the desk, and an even more terrifying thought emerged:
【 My Second Brother rushing to send a letter at this time, is he truly panicked? Or… does he know something?】
【 Or perhaps… he wants to use me as a scapegoat? Or to divert the disaster?】
【 No! That’s wrong! Second Brother doesn’t have the brains for that!】
【 Then who?】
【 Fourth Brother!? Prince Yan Zhu Di!?】
A terrifying glint erupted in Zhu Gang’s eyes.
【 It must be Fourth Brother! It must be him!】
【 Fourth Brother has always been cunning, appearing respectful to Eldest Brother on the surface, but who knows what he thinks in secret?】
【 He has the most military achievements and the strongest power, does he have no designs on that position?】
【 Eldest Brother is dead, and if Second Brother and I are brought down for ‘offering poison’ and murdering the Crown Prince… who is the biggest beneficiary?!】
【 Isn’t it him, Fourth Brother?!】
【 As for Zhu Yunwen? If medicine entered the Eastern Palace, Consort Lü is likely implicated!】
【 What a brilliant plan to borrow a knife to kill! Well played, Prince Yan Zhu Di!】
The more Zhu Gang thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, and the more frightened and enraged he became.
He felt as if he had fallen into a meticulously woven giant net, and the weaver was likely his ‘good fourth brother.’
“Your Highness? Your Highness?”
Seeing Zhu Gang’s expression shift, from fear to anger, the trusted confidant couldn’t help but call out softly.
Zhu Gang suddenly snapped back to reality, his gaze becoming extremely gloomy and fierce.
He could not sit idly by! Even less could he let Fourth Brother’s scheme succeed!
He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and said sternly to the envoy from Xi’an:
“Tell that envoy to go back and tell Second Brother that this King knows about the matters in the capital. Tell him to remain calm, not to panic, and not to act rashly. Everything awaits this King’s orders.”
After dismissing Prince Qin’s envoy, Zhu Gang immediately ordered his trusted confidant:
“Send someone immediately, an urgent dispatch of eight hundred li, to Prince Zhou’s Mansion in Kaifeng!”
“Do not attract attention. Secretly find Prince Zhou and ask him one question: ‘What is the deal with the ‘Red Lead Immortal Pill’ from Hongwu 25th year?! Besides him, who else delivered it to me?'”
“Also, tell him that something big has happened in Yingtian, and if he wants to live, he must confess honestly!”
“And dispatch a team of absolutely reliable people to keep a close watch on any individuals or correspondence from Beiping! Especially those from Prince Yan’s Mansion!”
“Also, immediately investigate all the servants who handled the elixir from Prince Zhou that year, and who delivered the ‘birthday gift’ to Prince Qin’s Mansion, and who were the informers? Especially regarding the ‘Red Lead Immortal Pill,’ not one is to be missed. Find them and control them!”
His heart bled. He knew that such a large-scale operation might expose more, but he could no longer afford to worry about it.
He had to first understand what was going on, seize evidence against Fourth Brother, and clean up the past before Old Zhu obtained the iron box.
Soon, Prince Jin’s Mansion, this powerful machine, under Zhu Gang’s command, quietly began to move, driven by suspicion and panic, towards all involved brothers and informers.
The already precarious relationship between the feudal princes instantly became tense and adversarial due to Zhu Gang’s suspicion.
And once a chain of suspicion forms, it is difficult to break.
…
On the other side.
Beiping, Prince Yan’s Mansion.
The night was as dark as ink. In the study, only a single lamp was lit, casting a dim light that projected Prince Yan Zhu Di’s silhouette onto the wall, making him appear even more profound and unfathomable.
He was not in a panic like Prince Qin, nor suspicious like Prince Jin. He was quietly listening to his trusted guard report the latest and most horrifying news from Yingtian.
With each piece of news, the expression in Zhu Di’s eyes became more grave.
But he maintained a terrifying silence, like the calmest region at the heart of a storm.
After hearing all the news, he slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and though his chest churned with turbulent waves, his face remained unperturbed.
After a long while, he opened his eyes and looked at Yao Guangxiao, the monk who sat quietly in the shadows, as if merged with the darkness.
“Master, the wind is rising, and the building trembles.”
Zhu Di’s voice was low, betraying no panic, only an extreme calmness: “This fire has finally reached us feudal princes.”
The prayer beads in Yao Guangxiao’s hands paused slightly, making a very light friction sound.
He raised his eyelids, his eyes showing no surprise, only a detachment that understood the world:
“Dust rises from the smallest beginnings and settles among the common people. However, if the wind does not cease, the dust will not settle. The wind in the Emperor’s heart has already begun to blow.”
Zhu Di nodded slightly. Yao Guangxiao’s words were always filled with Zen, yet they always hit the core.
The root of the problem was that Imperial Father’s suspicion had been thoroughly ignited.
“Second Brother panicked and went to Third Brother. Third Brother is suspicious and has begun contacting Fifth Brother and monitoring us.”
Zhu Di stated calmly, as if discussing something unrelated to himself:
“In your opinion, Master, what should we do?”
Yao Guangxiao said slowly:
“When a hurricane passes over a ridge, only the hidden grass survives. The Emperor’s might is like thunder. Now is not the time for arguments, nor for demonstrating loyalty. To move is less effective than to be still. Silence is like thunder.”
A glint of understanding flashed in Zhu Di’s eyes:
“Master means to counter movement with stillness, and silence with thunder?”
“Precisely.”
Yao Guangxiao nodded:
“Any action by Your Highness now can be seen as ‘guilty conscience’ by the Emperor. Prince Qin’s panic and Prince Jin’s suspicion have already put them at a disadvantage, causing them to lose their composure. Your Highness should do the opposite.”
He paused, his voice slowing, yet each word clear:
“Trust in the ability of Heir Apparent Gaochi. He is in the capital and will undoubtedly uphold his duty, remaining as steadfast as a rock.”
“Trust in the Emperor’s wisdom. Though momentarily enraged, he is by no means a foolish ruler. Traces will eventually lead to the truth. Your Highness need only wait and watch. Watch the changes, and await the opportune moment.”
Hearing this, Zhu Di finally understood.
Yao Guangxiao’s strategy was absolute trust and absolute inaction.
Trust that Zhu Gaochi could stabilize Prince Yan’s Mansion amidst the storm.
Trust that Old Zhu would eventually uncover the truth.
And for himself, to remain completely silent, avoiding any actions that could be misinterpreted, adopting a detached posture, and waiting for those who couldn’t hold back to make a mistake first.
After all, the innocent will prove their innocence, and the guilty will reveal themselves.
“Well said, ‘hidden grass survives’! Well said, ‘silence replaces thunder’!”
Zhu Di clapped his hands and sighed softly, his eyes showing admiration: “To act rashly at this moment is indeed a path to ruin. Second Brother and Third Brother have already lost a move.”
The anxiety in his heart and the fleeting thought of profiting from the situation completely dissipated, replaced by a steadfast composure like a mountain.
“Give the order.”
Zhu Di’s voice regained its former decisiveness, but with more restraint: “The nine gates of Beiping will strengthen their guard starting today, but only to repel external enemies, not to interfere in internal affairs.”
“Within the mansion, everything will proceed as usual. No one is to discuss matters in Yingtian. Any letters or visitors from Prince Qin’s, Prince Jin’s, or Prince Zhou’s Mansions are to be politely turned away with the excuse that ‘Your Highness is in seclusion for contemplation and is not receiving visitors.’ All courtesies must be observed, but no substantive contact is to be made.”
“All actions are to be recorded, for future reference.”
“Yes!”
The trusted guard acknowledged the order with a stern expression, feeling a sense of reassuring stability unlike that of Prince Qin’s and Prince Jin’s Mansions.
“Furthermore!”
Zhu Di added, his gaze directed towards Yingtian: “Send a letter to Gaochi. It need not be long, only eight characters: ‘Father is well, trust in you, await dawn.'”
This letter served not only to inform Zhu Di of his attitude but also to grant Zhu Gaochi the greatest trust and support, and it set the tone for Prince Yan’s Mansion during this storm.
“Your subordinate understands!”
After the trusted guard retreated, silence returned to the study.
Zhu Di looked at the map again, his gaze becoming deep.
He knew this storm was unavoidable.
But his Prince Yan’s Mansion would absolutely not fall into disarray like Prince Qin’s and Prince Jin’s.
He would use absolute calmness and trust to wait for the storm to pass, or… to wait for his own true opportunity.
“Eldest Brother…”
He sighed softly, this time with genuine sorrow: “How exactly did you die? I too really want to know…”
…
Meanwhile.
In a torture chamber within the Imperial Prison, a place that could almost isolate all sound.
The scent of blood mixed with medicinal herbs created a nauseating atmosphere.
Song Zhong expressionlessly watched his subordinates, Imperial Guard Officers, present the latest confession.
They had been interrogating dozens of former inner palace officials and palace maids who might have had contact with Wang Yue, Eunuch Li, and Lan Xin.
The progress was ‘smoother’ than expected, yet also more bizarre.
“Sir!”
A Captain hurried over and said in a low voice:
“According to the cross-referenced testimonies from the Imperial Laundry Bureau and the Hall of Anle, Wang Yue was indeed punished with one hundred strokes for ‘corruption of palace funds’ in early Hongwu 25th year, about half a year before the Crown Prince became seriously ill, and was banished to the Xiao Mausoleum Guard to grow vegetables.”
“Moreover, he contracted a cold last winter and didn’t survive, dying.”
Song Zhong frowned, then shook his head:
“The timing is wrong. His Highness the Crown Prince fell seriously ill in April. How could he have been dismissed at the beginning of the year? Has this been verified?”
“It has been verified. The transfer orders and the Imperial Laundry Bureau’s receiving records are all here!”
The Captain confirmed: “The timestamps are clear; it was indeed before the Crown Prince became seriously ill. The Xiao Mausoleum Guard also has records of his death from illness last winter, and his remains have been cremated.”
“What about Eunuch Li?”
Song Zhong felt something was amiss.
“Eunuch Li is even stranger. In the autumn of Hongwu 24th year, he was directly expelled from the Imperial Palace on the grounds of ‘negligence in attending to the Crown Prince’s medicinal soup’ and sent back to his hometown for resettlement.”
“Our men rode quickly to his hometown in Fengyang. According to the village elder, Eunuch Li lived a reclusive life after returning home. However, in the summer of Hongwu 25th year, shortly after His Highness the Crown Prince passed away, the residence he lived in caught fire. He and his entire family couldn’t escape and were burned beyond recognition. It was reported to the local yamen as an accident at the time.”
“An accident?”
A cold light flashed in Song Zhong’s eyes: “Such a coincidence?”
“As for that palace maid, Lan Xin…”
The Captain’s voice became even more hesitant:
“She was a personal maid brought into the palace by Consort Lü from her family, and was highly trusted.”
“However, shortly after the Lantern Festival in Hongwu 25th year, she suddenly ‘contracted a severe illness’ and was quickly moved out of the Eastern Palace to a secluded palace in the Western Garden for ‘rest.’ But after only three to five days… she was gone.”
“It was said to be an acute illness at the time, and her body was quickly removed from the palace and cremated, leaving nothing behind.”
Song Zhong abruptly stood up and paced in the chilly torture chamber.
Wang Yue, demoted for corruption six months before the Crown Prince fell seriously ill, later died of illness.
Eunuch Li, expelled from the palace months before the Crown Prince fell seriously ill due to negligence, later died in a fire.
Lan Xin, died suddenly of illness two months before the Crown Prince fell seriously ill, leaving no remains.
The disappearance or death of these three individuals all occurred suspiciously before Crown Prince Zhu Biao fell seriously ill.
Instead of being eliminated for silencing after the Crown Prince’s death, as the Emperor had speculated.
This logic of silencing did not fit at all!
Who would rush to eliminate all the executors before anything had even happened, or even before any plans were made?
This made no sense!
Unless… unless the disappearance of these individuals was not for silencing, but rather…
A more bizarre, more audacious, and even somewhat absurd thought, like an ice pick, suddenly pierced Song Zhong’s mind, causing him to shiver uncontrollably!
Unless… the transfer, demotion, and even death of these individuals were arranged by the Crown Prince himself?!
Had the Crown Prince sensed something before falling seriously ill?
Therefore, he had preemptively cleared out the inner palace officials and palace maids around him who might have been infiltrated, bribed, or whom he knew to be problematic, using various plausible excuses to cut off certain black hands? To protect himself?
But this thought was too shocking to contemplate!
The Crown Prince was benevolent and lenient. If he had detected a conspiracy, why didn’t he report it directly to the Emperor? Why use such an obscure, almost self-harming method?
Song Zhong broke out in a cold sweat from his own deduction.
He forced himself to calm down and re-examine all the clues.
“Who exposed Wang Yue’s corruption case? Who determined Eunuch Li’s negligence? Which imperial physician diagnosed Lan Xin’s severe illness?”
Song Zhong asked consecutively, his voice a little hoarse.
His subordinate quickly flipped through the files: “Reporting to Sir, Wang Yue’s case… was reported by a supervising eunuch in the Eastern Palace at the time, but the records show that the final approval and disposition were made by… by the Crown Prince himself.”
“Eunuch Li’s negligence… the records indicate it was an order personally issued by the Crown Prince.”
“Lan Xin… an imperial physician from the Imperial Hospital was consulted at the time, but that imperial physician retired and returned home in the summer of Hongwu 25th year, and has since also died of illness.”
Boom!
Song Zhong felt something explode in his head!
The Crown Prince personally approved the disposition!
The Crown Prince personally ordered the expulsion!
Although the imperial physician was dead, the timing all matched up!
All the clues seemed to point, vaguely yet incredibly bizarrely, to that unbelievable conclusion.
These seemingly ‘silencing’ purges were highly likely to have originated from Crown Prince Zhu Biao’s own will!
He was not an ignorant victim, he had likely sensed the subtle signs of a conspiracy long ago!
He might have even been resisting and planning in secret all along!
But this truth was too astonishing, and too cruel!
It meant that in the final moments of his life, the Crown Prince not only suffered the torment of illness but was likely trapped in a vast vortex of conspiracy, struggling alone, yet ultimately unable to escape the deadly plot!
Song Zhong’s back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.
He dared not think further.
How should he report this conclusion? To Commander Jiang? To the Emperor?
Would the Emperor believe it?
With the Emperor’s suspicious nature, would he think that someone deliberately fabricated clues to help the real culprit escape?
Or even… think that someone was framing the deceased Crown Prince?
A fear and pressure far greater than before gripped Song Zhong once again.
He realized he might have uncovered a truth far beyond his authority and capacity to bear, a truth that could shake the empire.
He stood there, his face changing expressions.
After a long while, he said to his subordinate in an extremely hoarse voice:
“Everything investigated today is to be classified as top secret. All files and confessions are to be sealed. Without my order, no one is to investigate further, nor is a single word to be leaked!”
“Yes…”
The subordinates also realized the gravity of the situation, their voices trembling.
Song Zhong took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm.
He knew he had to see Jiang Huan immediately and report this bizarre and terrifying discovery in its entirety.
As for the decision, that would be the Emperor’s and Commander’s affair.
He strode out of the torture chamber, feeling as if the chilling corridors of the Imperial Prison had suddenly become deeper and darker, as if leading to an abyss of blood and mystery from which there was no escape.
And the truth behind Crown Prince Zhu Biao’s death seemed to have become even more perplexing and more chilling.
【 I wonder what kind of immense wrath the Emperor will unleash when he knows the truth…】
Song Zhong dared not think further and quickened his pace.
…
Seeking monthly votes~
【 Seeking monthly votes, recommendation tickets, subscription, full subscription, automatic subscription! 】
【 Why does it feel like the monthly vote increase has slowed down? Wuwuwu, give me some motivation! (>﹏<)】
Also, to reiterate, this plot progression is necessary because when the truth is revealed, it will make Old Zhu truly explode.
However, starting tomorrow, it will be high-energy plot.
