Chapter 154: Inviting Imperial Grandfather, To Kill The Heir Apparent! For A Great Win, Please Vote Monthly
Old Zhu’s hesitation was within Zhang Biao’s expectations.
But his concern now was not Old Zhu, but his five brothers.
Currently, the Imperial Prison was unusually quiet, with only the occasional crackling sound of burning torches.
Zhang Biao leaned against the wall, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but in reality, his ears were keenly capturing every sound in the corridor outside.
He knew something big must have happened outside again.
The deathly silence after the Drum of Hearing Petitions sounded was more unsettling than any previous commotion.
Finally, steady footsteps could be heard from the end of the corridor.
It wasn’t Jiang Huan or Zhu Gao Sui, but the Imperial Guard banner officer on duty who was guarding him, accompanied by a supporting Imperial Guard soldier.
The banner officer had a stern face and sharp eyes. He was a trusted subordinate handpicked by Jiang Huan, clearly under strict orders to have no unnecessary communication with Zhang Biao.
And now, it should be time for dinner.
The Imperial Guard soldier handed in the simple meal through the small window.
Zhang Biao didn’t move, just fixed his gaze on the banner officer’s face, and suddenly smiled, his tone as casual as if making small talk:
“Sir Banner Officer, it’s quite lively outside, isn’t it? Has another righteous official pleading for the people been invited for tea by our Emperor again?”
The banner officer remained expressionless, as if he hadn’t heard. He merely gestured for the soldier to put down the food and leave.
“Hey, don’t rush off!”
Zhang Biao sat up, his voice still smiling, but with a subtle hint of pressure: “I heard that the Imperial Guard brothers don’t have high salaries, and it’s hard to make ends meet?
“Especially here in the Capital City, where rice and housing are expensive… I have some private savings here, hidden in…”
“Zhang Biao—!”
The banner officer turned around abruptly, his eyes like knives, and sternly interrupted him: “Stop spouting nonsense! Speak one more word, and don’t blame me for being impolite!”
As he spoke, his hand rested on the hilt, a clear threat.
“Oh? So loyal?”
The smile on Zhang Biao’s face didn’t change, it even became brighter: “What kind of charm did Jiang Huan pour into you guys? Is it worth you working so hard for him? You know, knowing too much sometimes gets you killed the fastest.”
The banner officer’s face turned ashen. He ignored Zhang Biao and turned to leave.
“Tsk, boring.”
Zhang Biao pouted, as if he found it utterly dull.
But the next second, he put on a mystical expression, dipped his finger in some cold water, and began to draw strange symbols on the cold floor, muttering to himself:
“Jiazi, Bingyin, Wuchen… The Kun position lacks metal, the Xun Palace sees ill fortune… No, no, the omen of a bloody disaster is not in the southeast, but in the north?”
“No… it seems to be related to… the water’s edge? Or… a family with a surname related to water?”
His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the banner officer and the soldier.
The soldier, being younger, had a flicker of curiosity and unease in his eyes.
The banner officer paused his steps, forcing himself not to look back, and yelled, “Stop playing tricks! Shut up!”
Zhang Biao ignored him, continuing his mumbling, even starting to calculate with his fingers: “Strange, strange, this ill fortune also involves the offspring’s palace… Is there an old mother at home? Or a young son?”
“Within these three days, there may be a danger of drowning… Alas, what a pity, what a pity…”
The banner officer’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
He did indeed have an old mother at home, and there was a shallow pond at the entrance of the alley where he lived.
Although he didn’t believe in such supernatural matters, Zhang Biao’s ‘evil luck’ had already spread within the Imperial Guard. Being precisely pointed out the people he cared about most made him feel a chill in his heart.
The soldier even subconsciously swallowed and secretly glanced at the banner officer.
Zhang Biao acted as if he had finished his divination, clapped his hands, and returned to his usual languid demeanor, muttering to himself:
“Forget it, forget it, it has nothing to do with me anyway. I just wonder if Commander Jiang knows that someone under his command is being disingenuous, secretly in Jiangnan…”
“What nonsense are you talking about!?”
The banner officer spun around, veins bulging on his forehead, his voice carrying a hint of shock and anger at having his secret exposed.
In fact, for Imperial Guards like them, they would definitely be present for any major case.
And Jiangnan was a region prone to cases, so it was normal for them to be dishonest in their dealings.
As for an old mother and a young son, who didn’t have them at that age?
And by the water, that was even more far-fetched.
This was Yingtian Prefecture, which had no shortage of water.
Therefore, Zhang Biao had simply used a ‘mind map’ to easily play the role of a ‘fortune teller’.
After all, his previous ‘divinations’ had indeed been quite eerie.
“I didn’t say anything!”
Zhang Biao spread his hands, looking at him innocently: “Sir Banner Officer, why are you so agitated? Could it be… that my casual ramblings actually hit the mark?”
The banner officer’s expression shifted rapidly between shock, fear, and anger.
He looked at Zhang Biao’s half-smiling, seemingly all-knowing expression, and his psychological defenses finally began to crumble drastically.
How much did this lunatic know?!
Just as the banner officer’s lips trembled, seemingly about to succumb to the pressure and say something to get Zhang Biao to shut up—
“Silence—!”
A furious roar came from the shadows of the corridor.
An Imperial Guard Captain strode out, his face terrifyingly grim.
He first shot a fierce glare at the nearly broken banner officer, then looked at Zhang Biao coldly:
“Zhang Biao! Do not spread heresy here! If you dare utter another word, I have the right to kill you on the spot!”
This Captain was clearly another layer of insurance arranged by Jiang Huan, responsible for monitoring the guards.
Zhang Biao looked at the Captain, the smile on his face slowly disappearing.
If the soft approach didn’t work, it seemed a hard one was necessary.
He slowly stood up, walked to the prison door, his gaze calm yet with a chilling penetration, staring directly into the Captain’s eyes.
“Sir Captain, what great authority you wield!”
Zhang Biao’s voice was soft, but carried a bone-chilling coldness: “I wonder if your authority can help you withstand the suspicion of ‘murdering the Crown Prince’?”
“What!?”
The Captain’s pupils contracted sharply, as if bitten by a viper, and he shrieked: “You’re spouting nonsense! How dare you slander me!?”
“Slander?”
Zhang Biao smiled, his smile chilling: “Hongwu 25th year, April 17th, the night the Crown Prince’s illness worsened. Where were you?”
The Captain’s face instantly turned as pale as paper.
Where was he that night?!
This question was too tricky! It momentarily stunned him.
Zhang Biao didn’t give him time to think and continued to press:
“Whose men were on duty at the Donghua Gate change? Who handled the Crown Prince’s medicine dregs last? The dark figure who slipped out of the Eastern Palace’s side gate at the hour of Chou… did they really think no one saw?”
“That night, I was just…”
The Captain trembled violently, cold sweat instantly soaking his Flying Fish Robe.
He was indeed on duty that night, and he had indeed secretly left his post for a moment to handle some personal matters, but he was absolutely not involved in the Crown Prince’s illness.
But once the time and place were linked, especially at a time when the Emperor was frantically investigating the Crown Prince’s cause of death—
This was like mud falling into a latrine! Once investigated, he couldn’t wash himself clean even if he jumped into the Yellow River!
He knew the methods of the Imperial Guard too well; they would rather kill wrongly than let go!
Death would be the least of his worries; he would likely implicate his entire family!
“Oh, right.”
Zhang Biao seemed to have just remembered something, and added lightly, shattering his last psychological defense: “That woman you secretly keep in your separate residence, her younger brother… seems to be…”
“Stop talking! Please! Don’t say another word!”
The Captain completely broke down.
He lunged towards the prison door, his voice distorted, filled with extreme fear, almost kneeling:
“Master Zhang! Grandfather Zhang! I was wrong! What do you want to know? I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything! Just beg you to let me off easy! That night I was just delivering a letter! It has absolutely nothing to do with the Crown Prince! Please!”
The banner officer and soldier beside him were already scared out of their wits, wishing they were deaf.
Zhang Biao looked at him coldly, as if looking at ants: “Li Mo, Wu Nai Da, how are they?”
“Caught… caught! They were just caught by the Five City Patrols! In the cellar of an abandoned temple!”
The Captain replied hastily, spilling everything like a bamboo tube:
“And Zhao Fengman! He… he came out and surrendered himself! Just on the way to catching Li Mo and the others!”
Zhang Biao’s eye corner twitched almost imperceptibly, but his voice remained steady: “Anything else? Anything special today?”
“And… and!”
The Captain was eager to impress and racked his brain: “Oh, right! His Highness Prince Yunteng, Princess Mingyue, and Princess Mingyu from the Eastern Palace went to pay respects to the former Crown Princess today. On their way back, they encountered a startled ox! They almost got into trouble!”
“Hmm?”
Zhang Biao frowned.
“It was the second son of the Prince Yan’s Mansion! Zhu Gao Xu! He suddenly appeared and killed the ox with his bare hands! Saving the three Highnesses!”
The Captain panted, adding: “It was also hailing at the time, very chaotic…”
He told them all the fragmented information he knew, just hoping Zhang Biao wouldn’t ‘point fingers’ at him again.
Zhang Biao listened quietly, his face expressionless, but in the depths of his eyes, a storm raged violently.
Li Mo, Wu Nai Da captured… Zhao Fengman surrendered… Zhu Yunteng and his siblings in danger, saved by Zhu Gao Xu…
All the fragments rapidly combined and deduced in his mind.
After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice indifferent: “Get out. Keep your mouth shut.”
The Captain felt as if he had received a great amnesty, scrambling to escape the prison door as if pursued by vengeful spirits.
The banner officer and soldier also fled in a panic, not daring to linger for a moment.
Silence returned outside the prison cell.
Zhang Biao slowly sat back on the bed, his head bowed, his expression unreadable.
Only his tightly clenched fists, with their white knuckles, revealed that his inner turmoil was far from the calm on the surface.
【Li Mo, Wu Nai Da, Zhao Fengman… you three big fools…】
【Did Fengman choose the two?】
【Zhu Gao Xu… will the Prince Yan’s Mansion get involved?】
【Zhu Yunteng… that iron box, in the end, it fell into your hands…】
He suddenly raised his head, looking towards the narrow ventilation shaft, his eyes flashing with a cold and resolute light.
【Old Zhu, this game is getting more and more interesting.】
【Are you still hesitating? I refuse to let you hesitate! Hahaha! Kill quickly!】
………
At the same time, in the Eastern Palace, inside Chunhe Hall.
A trusted palace maid was bowing and reporting to Consort Lü, her voice extremely low: “Your Highness, Prince Yunteng, Princess Mingyue, and Princess Mingyu seem to have had a heated argument in the hall. I faintly heard words like ‘account book,’ ‘Imperial Grandfather,’ and ‘to complain’…”
“Afterward, Prince Yunteng, holding an iron box, headed towards Huagai Hall with a resolute expression…”
Consort Lü’s hand, which was leisurely sipping tea, paused slightly, the exquisite teacup suspended in mid-air.
On her well-maintained face, the usual gentle smile faded slightly, and her delicate eyebrows furrowed.
“Account book? Complain?”
She repeated softly, a fleeting shadow of unease and vigilance in her eyes.
At this sensitive moment, those three little beasts acting so abnormally…
Eunuch Sun Ren, who was attending to Zhu Yunwen’s studies nearby, couldn’t help but say with a slight doubt: “Your Highness, Prince Yunteng just returned from paying respects to Madam Chang today… Could it be that the Chang family gave him something?”
“Or perhaps he believed some slander and wants to use this opportunity to complain to the Emperor, to voice some grievances?”
He naturally thought of rivalry for favor and making false accusations, as these were common dramas in the harem and court.
“The Chang family?”
Consort Lü put down her teacup, her gaze turning colder: “What does the Chang family have left to offer? Could it be some old grudges they want to cling to?”
Her first thought was whether her own and her son’s status would be threatened.
Although Prince Yunteng and his siblings were not to be feared, if they were to cry and complain to the Emperor with some unverified items during his fury, it might inadvertently lead the Emperor to have negative associations with the Eastern Palace and Consort Lü.
This could then affect the position of Imperial Grandson, which was already a ‘thing in the bag’ for her son.
“Mother Consort!”
Zhu Yunwen, sitting below, was the first to lose his temper, his handsome face covered in frost:
“How dare Zhu Yunteng! He must be seeing that Imperial Grandfather is busy with court affairs and wants to take the opportunity to cause trouble, to embarrass Mother Consort and me!”
“I will go stop him now! Let’s see what mischief he’s up to!?”
Saying that, Zhu Yunwen was about to rush out.
Spoiled since childhood and of noble status, how could he tolerate his younger brother, whom he had always overshadowed, suddenly ‘acting up’?
“Stop—!”
Consort Lü hissed to stop him, her voice not loud but carrying an irrefutable authority.
Zhu Yunwen stopped in his tracks and turned back with dissatisfaction: “Mother Consort!”
Consort Lü took a deep breath, quickly calmed down, and weighed the situation rapidly in her mind.
Forcibly stopping him would create too much noise and appear guilty. If that boy were to act up recklessly, it would be even harder to handle.
A glint of shrewd calculation flashed in her eyes. She picked up her teacup again, gently stirred the foam with the lid, and her tone returned to its usual gentle manner, but with a hint of coldness:
“You don’t need to go. You rushing to stop him would make it seem like we are bullying him, giving people cause for criticism.”
Saying this, she turned to the trusted eunuch and said lightly:
“Sun Ren, don’t you think it’s understandable that Prince Yunteng, having paid respects to his birth mother today, might be emotionally stirred? Perhaps he heard something he shouldn’t have, or took something he shouldn’t have. As his mother consort, I should show some concern.”
Sun Ren immediately understood: “Your Highness is benevolent, what you say is very true. His Highness is, after all, a child, easily misled.”
Consort Lü nodded, and then said to Zhu Yunwen: “Wen’er, since you are worried about your brother, go to Huagai Hall for your mother.”
“Remember! Don’t ask anything, just say you are going to deliver a bowl of ginseng soup to the Emperor for Mother Consort, to appease his anger and protect his health, and incidentally…”
She paused here and continued:
“See what your brother is doing. But remember, just watch, don’t speak, and absolutely do not conflict with him. Everything will be decided by the Emperor’s decree.”
This was a tactic of “retreating to advance.” It allowed Zhu Yunwen to go under the guise of filial piety by delivering soup, enabling him to monitor Zhu Yunteng’s actions while appearing benevolent and respectful of the Emperor’s handling of affairs.
Although Zhu Yunwen was unwilling, he had to obey his mother’s command and said gruffly: “Yes, I understand.”
“Also!”
Consort Lü then said to the trusted eunuch:
“Sun Ren! You immediately take the shortcut to catch up with Yunteng and tell him it’s from Mother Consort, that he is tired today and emotionally agitated, and it’s not appropriate to disturb the Emperor with court affairs.”
“If you have any grievances or objects, hand them over to Mother Consort first, and I will present them to the Emperor on your behalf, or wait until you calm down to see His Majesty tomorrow.”
“Remember! The tone should be respectful, and it should seem like it’s for his own good, and to help the Emperor share his worries, understand?”
This was a two-pronged approach: one to have her son observe openly, and the other to send someone to persuade him gently.
If she could stop him, that would be best. Even if she couldn’t, it would buy time and pre-emptively create the impression for Old Zhu that “Zhu Yunteng’s emotions are out of control due to mourning his mother, leading to erratic behavior.”
“This servant understands.”
Sun Ren understood implicitly and immediately bowed and withdrew, leaving quickly.
Zhu Yunwen also tidied his robes, adopted a dignified posture, and ordered someone to fetch the ginseng soup.
Consort Lü then sat back on the couch, her eyes gazing deeply in the direction of Huagai Hall, her fingertips unconsciously tightening.
【Zhu Yunteng… you’d better just be ignorant and cry about trivial matters…】
【If you dare to bring something deadly, and try to implic—】
【Then don’t blame your mother consort for being ruthless…】
Meanwhile.
Zhu Yunteng, holding the iron box, walked with determined steps, yet with a barely perceptible tremor, along the palace road towards Huagai Hall.
His heart felt as if it were tightly clenched by an invisible hand, fearful of the terrible truth about to be revealed, yet filled with a near-tragic determination due to the heavy mission.
Just as he was about to step onto the small square in front of Huagai Hall, a figure hurried from a side path and blocked his way.
“Oh my, my Third Imperial Highness!”
Sun Ren was panting, clearly having sprinted the entire way, but his face was full of concern and worry, his voice urgent and low:
“Where are you going? Why is your complexion so poor? Have you been too overcome with grief from paying respects to Madam Chang today?”
As he spoke, he subtly blocked Zhu Yunteng’s path with his body, his eyes quickly sweeping over the iron box in Zhu Yunteng’s arms, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.
Seeing this, Zhu Yunteng stopped, subconsciously clutching the iron box tighter, and looked at him warily: “Eunuch Sun, why are you blocking my way? I have important matters to report to Imperial Grandfather!”
“Your Highness, Your Highness!”
Sun Ren put on a heartbroken expression, his voice lower, but filled with an eagerness that seemed to be for Zhu Yunteng’s own good:
“Listen to this old servant’s advice! The Emperor is furious because of the major affairs in court! He is currently in a rage, and Commander Jiang and several important ministers are inside discussing matters. Even the biggest issue must wait!”
Saying this, he stepped closer, almost whispering:
“Mother Consort has heard that you are feeling wronged, perhaps you heard some gossip, or the Chang family gave you something… Mother Consort has sent this servant to tell you that if you have any objects or words, hand them over to Mother Consort first.”
“Mother Consort is your mother, she will definitely uphold justice for you!”
“But not now, we must find a suitable time to report to the Emperor in a stable manner.”
“If you rush in like this and offend His Majesty, won’t it make the Emperor even angrier? It won’t be good for you either, will it?”
His words were flawless, a combination of concern, threat, and delay.
If it were the former Zhu Yunteng, he might have been intimidated by such a mix of soft and hard tactics.
But now, the “suicide note” in his arms seemed to be burning, and Zhao Fengman’s words, “Tomorrow’s matters are for tomorrow’s people,” echoed in his ears.
He raised his head, looked at Sun Ren’s seemingly respectful but actually hypocritical face, and for the first time, did not back down. Although his voice still carried the clarity of youth, it was exceptionally firm:
“Eunuch Sun, please thank Mother Consort for her kindness on my behalf. But this matter, I must personally see Imperial Grandfather. Please move aside.”
Eunuch Sun’s smile froze. He hadn’t expected this usually timid Third Imperial Highness to be so stubborn today.
Just as he was about to try again, footsteps and a clear but displeased voice came from behind.
“Third Brother! What are you shouting about here? Don’t you know Imperial Grandfather is handling official business?”
Zhu Yunwen appeared, holding a bowl of ginseng soup, surrounded by eunuchs, his face displeased.
His gaze swept over the iron box in Zhu Yunteng’s arms, his brow furrowing even tighter, but his tone was one of condescending reprimand:
“What are you holding? So flustered, what kind of etiquette is this? If you offend Imperial Grandfather, can you bear the responsibility?”
Zhu Yunwen’s appearance made Sun Ren slightly relieved, and he quickly bowed and stepped aside.
Zhu Yunteng looked at his second brother, who had been doted on by the Emperor since childhood and was almost designated as the “Imperial Grandson,” and a complex emotion surged in his heart.
There was fear, there was unwillingness, but more than anything, there was a calm resignation.
“Second Brother!”
Zhu Yunteng nodded slightly, a form of greeting, but his tone was neither humble nor obsequious: “I indeed have extremely important matters that I must report to Imperial Grandfather immediately. I did not intend to make a fuss.”
“What important matter?”
“I dare say it, do you dare to listen?”
“You!”
Zhu Yunwen was momentarily choked, but remembering his mother Consort Lü’s instructions, he coldly snorted and, ignoring Zhu Yunteng, directly left with the ginseng soup.
At this moment, Sun Ren still wanted to stop Zhu Yunteng, but was impatiently pushed aside by Zhu Yunteng.
Not long after, Zhu Yunteng arrived at the solemn small square in front of Huagai Hall.
Suddenly, two Imperial Guard officers in Flying Fish Robes, with Xiuchun Sabers at their waists, appeared silently like ghosts and blocked his path.
Their faces were expressionless, their eyes as cold as deep, frigid iron.
“Your Highness, please stop.”
One of them spoke, his voice flat and toneless, yet carrying an undeniable authority:
“The Emperor has issued a strict decree; he is handling urgent state affairs, and no one is to disturb him. Please return to your palace.”
The cold refusal, like another basin of cold water, was poured down!
Zhu Yunteng’s heated heart suddenly contracted.
Imperial Grandfather wouldn’t see him?
The courage he had finally mustered seemed like a huge joke in the face of this procedural coldness.
He froze in place, his fingers holding the iron box turning white from exertion, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Force his way in? He didn’t have the status or the strength.
Go back? Then what about the deaths of Zhao Fengman and the others, Brother Biao’s imprisonment, and his father’s potential injustice?
Just as he hesitated, was at a loss, and didn’t know what to do, Sun Ren, the trusted eunuch of Consort Lü, rushed over again like a persistent shadow, his face still wearing that insincere concern.
“Oh dear, my Third Highness! Why are you still here?”
Sun Ren lowered his voice, but there was a barely perceptible hint of smugness and threat: “See? Didn’t I tell you? The Emperor is still angry; he won’t see anyone!”
“Just listen to this old servant’s advice, come back with me quickly! Whatever you have, hand it over to Mother Consort to handle; it’s the most secure…”
Saying this, he leaned closer, his voice almost squeezed through his teeth, with a chilling undertone: “Your Highness, you don’t want Princess Mingyue and Princess Mingyu to worry about you in the Eastern Palace, do you?”
“In this palace, when the wind is blowing, one wrong step can implicate those around you…”
Threatening again! Threatening him with his elder sisters!
Zhu Yunteng’s anger surged uncontrollably again, almost bursting from his chest!
This damn eunuch, these sycophants who trample on the lowly and flatter the high! How dare they?!
Just then, the sound of light footsteps came from another corridor.
Zhu Yunwen appeared, holding a delicate bowl of ginseng soup, surrounded by eunuchs, his expression indifferent.
He didn’t even glance at Zhu Yunteng, who was standing aside, holding the iron box, his face pale, as if he were just air, and walked directly towards the entrance of Huagai Hall.
The Imperial Guards on duty saw him and actually bowed slightly, not blocking him.
Yun Ming, who had already been waiting at the hall entrance, immediately put on an obsequious smile, quickly walked down the steps, his voice light and fast, full of flattery:
“Oh, Your Highness the Second Imperial Grandson, you’re here? His Majesty was just asking about you! Please come in, please come in! This ginseng soup is delivered at the perfect time; His Majesty will surely be pleased!”
Zhu Yunwen merely gave a faint “en,” his steps unhindered. Under Yun Ming’s deferential guidance, he strode, unhindered, even magnificently, through the hall door that Zhu Yunteng had tried with all his might to approach but failed.
At that moment, Zhu Yunwen’s indifferent disregard, Yun Ming’s drastically changed obsequious demeanor, the differential treatment by the Imperial Guards, and Sun Ren’s incessant threats…
All the accumulated humiliation, unwillingness, anger, and grief over his father’s unjust death exploded in Zhu Yunteng’s heart like a lit gunpowder keg!
Why?! Why could he enter and exit freely?!
Why was I obstructed and threatened at every turn just to speak a word?!
Why did my father die under dubious circumstances, yet these people can still flaunt their power here?!
“Your Highness? Your Highness? Just listen to my advice…”
Sun Ren was still chattering ignorantly, even reaching out to grab him.
“Get lost—!”
Zhu Yunteng let out a beast-like roar, his eyes instantly bloodshot.
To everyone’s astonishment, he went mad, suddenly lunged at the Imperial Guard blocking his path, and, catching him off guard, drew the Xiuchun Saber from his waist.
The cold blade unsheathed with a grating, sharp sound.
“You… what are you doing?!”
Sun Ren screamed in terror.
The next second!
A cold light flashed!
“Thwack—!”
A dull thud of a sharp blade cutting into flesh suddenly rang out!
Warm blood spurted out, splashing Zhu Yunteng’s face and body.
Sun Ren’s incessant chatter abruptly stopped.
He looked down in disbelief at the Xiuchun Saber plunged into his abdomen, then looked up at the Third Prince, who looked like a wrathful god covered in blood, making a ‘gurgling’ sound in his throat before slumping to the ground, twitching twice, and falling silent.
In an instant, the entire Huagai Hall square fell into dead silence!
Everyone was stunned!
Whether it was the two Imperial Guards blocking the path, or the eunuchs in the distance, all seemed frozen by an Immobilization Technique, staring dumbfounded at this sudden, bloody scene.
The Third Imperial Highness… killed someone?!
In front of Huagai Hall… killed Consort Lü’s trusted eunuch?!
Zhu Yunteng gasped for air, his chest heaving violently, the blood-stained Xiuchun Saber still dripping warm blood.
He raised his blood-red eyes, his gaze like poisoned blades, slowly sweeping over the two stunned Imperial Guards and the trembling eunuchs in the distance, and from between his teeth, he squeezed out a chilling, murderous sentence:
“Those who block me—die—!!”
After speaking, he no longer looked at the corpse on the ground, clutching the dripping steel knife, holding the blood-stained iron box, he walked step by step, like a vengeful emissary returned from hell, towards the heavy door of Huagai Hall.
This time, no one dared to step forward to stop him.
One of the Imperial Guards instinctively placed his hand on his hilt, but ultimately dared not move.
He simply watched the blood-soaked, crazed young prince walk step by step towards the hall door.
Zhu Yunteng reached the hall door, raised his blood-stained hand, and with all his might, slammed it heavily against the door that symbolized supreme imperial power.
“Dong! Dong! Dong!”
The heavy knocking sound, like war drums, beat on the silent palace square, and also resonated in the hearts of everyone inside the hall.
“Your subject Zhu Yunteng! Has a grave injustice concerning my father’s cause of death! I beg to see Imperial Grandfather at the risk of my life!!”
His hoarse and resolute voice pierced through the thick hall door and clearly entered Huagai Hall.
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