mtl008 Chapter 217 The Mastermind of the Assassins
Chapter 217 The Mastermind of the Assassins
The two assassination attempts completely angered Emperor Yuanwu, otherwise he would not have allowed the Duke of Protectorate to join the investigation and let the Minister of Dali Temple listen to the arrangements of the Duke of Protectorate.
Several people were captured alive this time, especially the assassin who was knocked down by Ye Tang's fire dragon head, who turned out to be the leader of the assassins. The interrogation went quite smoothly. Shangguan Zhenhua and others found the assassin's trace in a City God Temple based on the results of the interrogation. They followed the clues and found out that the assassin was sent by Prince Duan.
Emperor Yuanwu was furious and ordered his men to tie Prince Duan up and take him to the imperial study.
Emperor Yuanwu dismissed everyone, and when the door was closed, he punched Prince Duan in the face: "Why did you assassinate Jingxuan again and again? Can't you tolerate him? Has he ever hurt you?"
Emperor Yuanwu was angry and disappointed at the same time. He asked, "Were you also the one who arranged the assassins on the first day of the lunar year? You are really capable. You even extended your hand into the palace. I underestimated you for having so many assassins."
"No, father, the assassin on the first day of the first lunar month was not arranged by me!" Prince Duan did not expect that he would be exposed so thoroughly. He looked panicked and sweated profusely, not caring about the swelling and pain on his face at all.
"In other words, you admit that you arranged the assassin last night?" Emperor Yuanwu looked grim.
Prince Duan's expression changed: "Not really..."
Emperor Yuanwu shook his head and sighed: "Seventh Brother, you have disappointed me so much. Without solid evidence, I will not tie you up."
"Someone come!" he shouted.
Xiong Jingzhong immediately led several guards and escorted the two men in.
The moment he saw the two men, Prince Duan's face turned even paler.
"Don't tell me you don't know these two people." Emperor Yuanwu looked at Prince Duan coldly, pointed at one of the two and said, "He was the one you arranged to go to Tian'an Prefecture and lurk beside Su Jing. He was just sent here by Old Eighth two days ago."
Then he pointed at another person and said, "I had someone capture this man. He is one of your advisers. Seventh Brother, do you think I know nothing about what you have done? I know everything. You and your brothers can fight as much as you want. After all, if you want to sit in my position, you need to pay a price. The position belongs to the capable."
Prince Duan was sweating profusely: "No, no, no, father, I have never thought of competing with the crown prince for the throne..."
Emperor Yuanwu slapped him and said, "If you really don't fight for it, that would be the greatest stupidity. They are all my sons. I give you the opportunity to compete, but you shouldn't touch Jingxuan. He is so innocent!"
Prince Duan's head was buzzing from the beating, and he finally recovered. After hearing what Emperor Yuanwu said, he suddenly laughed out loud: "He is innocent? Father, your words are ridiculous! He is the son of King Pingshan! He is the heir to the Pingshan Palace. Everything King Pingshan leaves behind will be his, including the Flame Army, military power, and everything else. Father, please don't tell me that you have no plans to train him?"
Emperor Yuanwu looked at him coldly without saying anything.
Prince Duan smiled bitterly, "I didn't really want to kill him last night. I just wanted to test his ability. I wanted to confirm whether he was really a waste. I still don't believe that the son of Prince Pingshan would be such a person. If he was really a waste, how could he grow up safely outside."
"What will you do after testing his abilities?" asked Emperor Yuanwu.
Prince Duan said: "Win him over."
Emperor Yuanwu sneered and slapped him again: "Everyone knows that you are trying to win over your cousin, and you still say that you don't covet my throne."
"Father, please stop hitting me. Father, I was wrong. I was really wrong. I will never do it again!"
Emperor Yuanwu sent someone to call Xiao Jingxuan into the palace.
He threw Prince Duan in front of Xiao Jingxuan and gave him a sword: "The one who hurt you is your seventh cousin. Today I give you the power of life and death. You can kill or chop him up as you wish."
Xiao Jingxuan trembled with fear and returned the sword to Emperor Yuanwu: "Uncle Emperor, please stop joking, okay? I dare not kill anyone."
Emperor Yuanwu laughed angrily: "Can you be a little brave?"
Xiao Jingxuan said: "Bloodiness is not gained by killing your own family. If your seventh cousin does something wrong, you should punish him. After all, he is your son. Wouldn't it be painful to kill you?"
Emperor Yuanwu placed the sword on Prince Duan's neck. Prince Duan instantly felt the breath of death, and the fear in his heart spread throughout his body. Did his father really want to kill him? Just because he attacked Xiao Jingxuan, his father really wanted to kill him?
Emperor Yuanwu saw his frightened look and chuckled, "Of course I feel bad for him, but I can't indulge him. If he dares to have someone assassinate you, he will dare to kill his other brothers in the future. I'm afraid that my father will also be killed by him..."
"No, father, I won't do that. I promise you!" Prince Duan pleaded, suppressing his fear.
"What can you guarantee? Will you hand over all your existing power and people to me?" asked Emperor Yuanwu.
Prince Duan was stunned: "Father..." His father actually wanted to take away what he had now. This was no different from cutting off his wings. Without these, he would lose the qualifications to compete for the throne.
Emperor Yuanwu looked at him and said, "You are my son. Everything you have was given by me. If I want to take it back, you have to give it to me. Are you willing?"
Prince Duan hesitated for a moment, and when he saw Emperor Yuanwu's face darken again, he hurriedly said, "Yes, I am willing!"
Emperor Yuanwu patted his face with his sword and said, "You are so good. You can still be saved. Come, tell me what you have. What private soldiers, advisers, and ministers who support you do you have?"
Prince Duan's heart sank to the bottom. He wanted to lie, but Emperor Yuanwu took out a list.
When he saw the names on the list, Prince Duan realized that his father knew everything he had done. He dared not hide anything anymore and told the emperor everything.
When he finished speaking, Emperor Yuanwu sneered again: "Seventh Brother, you are still not honest enough. Among the people you mentioned, there is a very important person missing."
Prince Duan was panicked, and heard his father say again: "That man is Gao Yi! The counselor who was arrested today was sent to you by Gao Yi. It was also Gao Yi who told you that Prince Pingshan had a son. Seventh Brother, you are so stupid, tell me, how should I punish you?"
......
Prince Duan was confined to his palace, and it was announced to the public that he was seriously ill. No one was allowed to visit him except the imperial physicians in the palace.
This news surprised all the princes and princesses.
"Seventh Prince has always been in good health, how could he suddenly fall ill, and in such a serious condition?" The Crown Prince was puzzled and did not believe that Prince Duan was really ill: "Something must have happened that I don't know about."