Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 365 The Peng Family in Peril!

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.

The Second Prince, Lu Xuhua, sat in the main seat with his brows furrowed and his hands on the armrests.

His deep voice broke the silence: "The Imperial Guards escorting His Highness the Crown Prince returned to the palace three days ago to report..."

“But…” Lu Xuhua paused meaningfully, “it seems that three special people are missing.”

Lu Xuyang's smug expression froze instantly.

Standing in the middle of the aisle, he snapped his folding fan shut.

"A special person?" Fifth Prince Lu Xu'en exclaimed in surprise, almost knocking over the teacup in his hand.

The princes present exchanged shocked glances.

What shocked them was not the disappearance of the Imperial Guards, but that their second brother was able to obtain such secret information.

It should be noted that the whereabouts of Emperor Wenjing's guards were always only accountable to the emperor!
"Second Brother's information network is truly impressive."

The Third Prince, Lu Xuqiong, slowly rose, his obese body surprisingly nimbly circling around the table.

His narrowed eyes gleamed: "Those three, Lu Yi and his companions... have disappeared."

Upon hearing this, the shadows on the princes' faces flickered, mirroring their own unfathomable thoughts...
Lu Yi and his two companions, the strongest of the Wenjing Emperor's Guards and martial arts grandmasters, had actually disappeared.

Strange...

"How is things at the Crown Prince's Palace?"

The Fourth Prince, Lu Xuzhen, suddenly spoke, his voice low and deep like muffled thunder.

His sharp gaze pierced straight at the Ninth Prince, Lu Xuyang.

This question, though seemingly casual, made all the princes present prick up their ears.

It should be noted that the Crown Prince's palace has always been a monolithic entity.

The entire royal family knew perfectly well that the high walls of the Eastern Palace were like an impregnable fortress, and the supreme power bestowed upon it by successive emperors made it as solid as a rock.

The other princes spent countless amounts of money and placed their cronies, whether they were servants or guards.

In a short time, or at most three days, they would disappear like a stone sinking into the sea, leaving no trace, not even a hem of clothing or a hair.

Only the Ninth Prince, Lu Xuyang, could always casually deliver secret letters from the Eastern Palace.

On those neatly written silks, one could even pinpoint exactly which incense the prince used each morning.

Under the intense gazes of everyone, Lu Xuyang slowly unfolded his folding fan.

The four large, gilded characters "高山仰止" (High Mountain to Look Up To) on the fan stood out conspicuously in the eyes of the other princes.

"Why the rush, Fourth Brother?"

He chuckled lightly, but there was no hint of amusement in his eyes: "The Eastern Palace has been quite quiet lately... except for that golden nanmu tree that my elder brother loved the most, which suddenly withered and died for some reason."

Upon hearing this, the Second Prince Lu Xuhua's jade thumb ring cracked with a "crack" sound, revealing several fine lines.

A shadow crossed the fat face of the Third Prince, Lu Xuqiong.

Everyone understood the implied meaning.

Golden nanmu is a symbol of the crown prince; its sudden death is a very bad omen!
"Ninth brother!"

The second prince suddenly interrupted sharply, veins bulging on his forehead. Some things are better left unsaid.

Moreover, what they want to know is not these trivial matters.

Yes, how can a tree that has been given meaning by people affect the overall situation?
However, their ninth brother's understanding of the Crown Prince's palace was perhaps a little too thorough.

The seven princes exchanged glances, their eyes filled with suspicion and apprehension.

Every time Lu Xuyang calmly handed over the secret report from the Eastern Palace, they were all greatly shocked.

These incredible methods once made the seven princes suspicious.

Could those mysteriously disappeared informants have been removed by their ninth brother himself?
After all, only his eyes and ears could survive safely in the Eastern Palace, which inevitably reminds people of the story of the snipe and the clam fighting.

The second prince, Lu Xuhua, even suspected that his ninth brother, Lu Xuyang, had a tacit understanding with the crown prince.

The so-called intelligence transmission was nothing more than a carefully designed trap, deliberately designed to lure them into revealing their weaknesses.

After months of undercurrents churning within their hearts, on a stormy night, the princes finally confronted each other at the Second Prince's villa.

Just as everyone was about to launch a coordinated attack, Lu Xuyang said calmly and slowly, "If my royal brothers do not believe me, starting tomorrow, your ninth brother is willing to provide intelligence free of charge."

"Of course, even if we do this, it still won't convince all the royal brothers that Ninth Brother can withdraw all his spies from the Eastern Palace."

“But by then…” Lu Xuyang paused deliberately, looking at the sudden change in the expressions of his seven imperial brothers.

“Our dear elder brother, no one can know His Highness the Crown Prince’s new moves in advance.”

These words struck everyone like a heavy hammer blow.

After much deliberation, they had no choice but to loosen their grip on the sword hilt that had been used to declare war.

After all, in the turbulent struggle for the throne, suspicion that cannot be proven is far more important than anything else.

Only by grasping the true strength and weaknesses of the Crown Prince can one possess a truly sharper weapon.

Since that day, seven pairs of eyes have been watching Lu Xuyang intently, as if he were watching from behind, while he still smiled and handed over the secret letter.

As if completely unaware, he had already become someone that everyone both feared and relied on.

Inside the hall, the gilded incense burner with its animal-head design emitted wisps of ambergris, but this could not suppress the tense atmosphere surging in the air.

The Second Prince, Lu Xuhua, flicked away the foam from his teacup, the jade cup striking the table with a clear sound.

His gaze swept over the Ninth Prince Lu Xuyang, who stood with his head bowed below the steps: "Ninth Brother, you know we don't want to know about this."

“We want to know.” Lu Xuhua suddenly stopped, and the entire hall seemed to freeze.

After a long silence, he slowly uttered five words: "The Crown Prince's condition!"

Lu Xuyang suddenly tilted his head back and let out a cold laugh, the hem of his dark yellow python robe fluttering even without wind.

He lightly tapped his palm with his folding fan, a mocking glint in his eyes: "Hmph, I don't know."

"Our dear elder brother has disappeared without a trace since he was sent out of the palace by our father."

At this point, Lu Xuyang deliberately dragged out the last syllable, watching his brothers' expressions suddenly tighten.

"Even those supposedly foolproof imperial guards of Emperor Wenjing disappeared without a trace after escorting the Crown Prince's carriage back to the palace."

"What's even more interesting is that the main hall of the East Palace is now completely surrounded by the Imperial Guards led by Eunuch Feng."

Lu Xuyang deliberately lowered his voice, as if he were telling some absurd joke.

“Even the Peng family’s imposing Crown Prince’s Guard Chief was secretly taken away a few days ago on a rainy night, without a word being leaked.”

"Oh, I almost forgot, this Chief of the Eastern Palace Guard, Peng Tiansheng, was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison along with that Imperial Father-in-law."

Lu Xuyang's words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer, and the hall suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Various unusual circumstances intertwined in everyone's minds, creating a terrifying picture.

Ultimately, they all converged into that figure perched on the dragon throne.

—The five-clawed golden dragon embroidered with gold thread on the bright yellow dragon robe remains immeasurably majestic despite the erosion of time!
Just like the emperor sitting on the throne, his brows and eyes are always shrouded in an unfathomable mist.

"Could it be..." Fifth Prince Lu Xu'en's Adam's apple bobbed violently.

His unspoken speculation was cut off by the sharp gaze of the Third Prince, Lu Xuqiong.

But everyone present knew the truth.

The vanished imperial guards, the besieged Eastern Palace, the Grand Tutor Peng Lie imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, and Peng Tiansheng, the Eastern Palace's chief guard.

Every single event bears the mark of the emperor's ruthless methods.

Lu Xuyang suddenly chuckled and tapped his temple with his folding fan: "Is this aimed at the Peng family's influence as relatives of the emperor, or is it a warning to our good elder brother, His Highness the Crown Prince?"

His voice carried a hint of madness, "Perhaps none of that is true—maybe this is just a trap set up for us by Father in his spare time." Everyone in the hall had their pupils shrink. This guess was too shocking, yet it fit the emperor's style of doing things perfectly.

The Second Prince, Lu Xuhua, slowly closed his eyes, as if trying to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

From a young age, they knew that their cold and ruthless father's mind was as deep as the ocean.

The surface is calm and still, but the seabed hides undercurrents that can tear everything apart.

Even though the Emperor was so weak that he needed the help of palace servants to lift his cup, who would dare to make any rash moves?
Who dares to presume to fathom the might of Heaven?

That was someone who could pulverize a martial arts grandmaster with a mere flick of his finger.

Even when the dragon was on its last legs, its remaining power was enough to awe the entire Wenjing Dynasty.

Judging from the fact that Peng Lieguo's father-in-law, who acted recklessly, was imprisoned in the imperial jail with overwhelming force.

They are the father emperor, the rulers of the Wenjing Dynasty, even though they are now bedridden and their breath carries a putrid smell that is incurable by medicine.

Yet it still possesses an ineffable power, capable of manipulating anyone in the world at will.

Under the scorching sun, the palace walls were baked in the heat!
An atmosphere of grim solemnity permeated the area outside the main hall of the Eastern Palace. Dozens of black-armored guards, wielding gilded halberds, stood guard, their armor gleaming with a cold light.

The steel swords hanging at their waists, their backs taut as bowstrings, didn't even flutter the hem of their clothes.

These people were all top-notch martial artists carefully selected from the Imperial Guard.

His breathing exuded a sharp and imposing aura, making it clear to anyone that he was no ordinary guard.

In the center of the formation, five guard captains wearing red cloud-patterned cloaks stood out.

Although they stood still, there was a faint flow of energy around them, their clothes moved without wind, and the blue bricks under their feet were pressed with internal force, causing tiny cracks.

It was the unique aura of a martial arts master.

The leader of the group held the hilt of his sword loosely in his right hand, and the direction he was facing seemed to hold a deeper meaning.

The other four worked in perfect unison, instantly adjusting their positions to protect the main hall's entrance completely.

Inside the stone pavilion at the end of the winding corridor in the distance.

Feng Gonggong, the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace, leaned against a vermilion pillar, his triangular eyes half-closed, yet his turbid pupils gleamed with a cold light.

His withered, bony fingers caressed the gilded whisk in his hand.
The silver tassels swayed gently with the movement, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Every unusual movement around the main hall of the East Palace did not escape the eyes of Eunuch Feng.

Whenever a palace servant approached, he would freeze in place, too afraid to even breathe, as his sharp gaze would force them to their feet.

Under this oppressive aura, the entire Eastern Palace seemed to be shrouded in an invisible giant net, so suffocating that it was hard to breathe.

"Why have you surrounded my palace?"

A cold voice suddenly rang out behind Eunuch Feng, startling him so much that he trembled.

A cup of clear tea had appeared on the white jade table at some unknown time.

Amidst the rising steam, Lu Xuan was already seated on the stone bench.

"Your Majesty... Your Highness?"

The old man's whisk fell to the ground with a "thud".

He turned his head stiffly, his cloudy eyes bulging almost out of their sockets.

Lu Xuan was dressed in a crimson dragon robe, the five-clawed golden dragon gleaming in the sunlight.

The oppressive aura emanating from him was so tangible that it made it hard for him to breathe.

"Pfft!"

Grandpa Feng's knees buckled uncontrollably, and his forehead slammed heavily against the stone steps.

He opened his mouth, but found his throat too dry to make a sound.

This was not out of fear, but because they were completely overwhelmed by the vast and boundless dragon's might.

The five Grandmaster-level bodyguards in the distance changed color at the same time, and their weapons clattered to the ground.

Dozens of guards knelt down in unison, like wheat being harvested, the clanging of their armor echoing throughout the room.

Lu Xuan took a sip of tea, the cup touching the stone table with a crisp "ding".

The sound wasn't loud, but it made Eunuch Feng tremble all over.

Faced with the crown prince of the Wenjing Dynasty, even the seasoned eunuch Feng completely lost his composure.

His emaciated body trembled uncontrollably, his forehead pressed tightly against the cold stone slab, and even his breathing became cautious.

At this moment, Lu Xuan is no longer just His Highness the Crown Prince.

With the old emperor critically ill, he is the future master of this vast land!

Eunuch Feng knew better than anyone what it meant when this crown prince ascended the throne.

"This old servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince..." Eunuch Feng finally managed to squeeze out a few words.

The kneeling guards in the distance didn't even dare to raise their heads.

They could clearly feel the oppressive aura emanating from the Crown Prince at that moment.

It was even more terrifying than the imperial aura I had felt when I met the emperor in the past!
Lu Xuan gently put down the teacup, a simple action that sent a shiver down Feng Gonggong's spine.

Because of this, he suddenly realized.

How did His Highness the Crown Prince break through the encirclement and appear here so quietly?
Those supposedly impregnable defenses were utterly useless in the face of this crown prince…

"Now, can you answer my question?"

Lu Xuan's voice was very soft, yet it made Eunuch Feng feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Behind this question lies a turbulent wave that could overturn the entire Wen and Jing dynasties!

Without hesitation, Eunuch Feng told Lu Xuan everything he knew.

"Yes, His Royal Highness!"

Outside the prison, a chilling atmosphere permeated the air.

The already heavily guarded prison was now completely surrounded.

Thousands of elite Imperial Guards were on high alert, with bows drawn and swords unsheathed, surrounding the eerie building like an iron barrel.

Because the special cell deepest in the imperial prison—that's where Peng Lie, the father-in-law of the Wenjing Dynasty, was imprisoned.

"Your Majesty, please have mercy!"

Outside the gates of the imperial prison, hundreds of members of the Peng family, dressed in fine silks and satins, knelt on the scorching hot stone pavement.

An elderly man with white hair, a woman holding a baby, a boy who has not yet reached adulthood...

Everyone had bloody marks on their foreheads, which looked particularly glaring under the scorching sun.

"My older brother is absolutely innocent!"

An elderly man from the Peng family cried out, tears streaming down his face, his voice hoarse.

He really couldn't understand why his elder brother had entered the palace by imperial decree that day.

In the blink of an eye, they were accused of heinous crimes such as "deceiving the emperor" and "plotting rebellion".

Even more bizarrely, he was thrown into death row without even being tried!

Among the crowd, Peng Lie's most beloved granddaughter had already fainted three times from crying.

She simply couldn't believe that her always-smiling grandfather would plot a rebellion.

The eldest son of the Peng family, standing at the very front, clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh.

(End of this chapter)