Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 252 Yang Shiqi's Collapse
"Grand Secretary Yang, what I said may not have been entirely accurate!"
After all, the imperial edict left by my grandfather, Emperor Taizong, is something that our Crown Prince has probably never seen, and he probably doesn't even know the contents of that edict! Zhu Zhanhe's words caused Yang Shiqi's pupils to dilate in shock. He almost couldn't catch his breath and quickly grabbed the table in front of him to steady himself.

"Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, my uncle, Emperor Renzong, also left behind a will."

"And His Highness the Crown Prince hasn't even seen this will, has he?" As Zhu Zhanhe finished speaking, Yang Shiqi's face grew increasingly pale and ashen. However, Zhu Zhanhe paid no attention to Yang Shiqi's pale expression and continued speaking.

"Hmm? I remember that thing seems to be placed in the Imperial Ancestral Temple!" Zhu Zhanhe accurately stated the location of the imperial edict, instantly letting Yang Shiqi know that what the Crown Prince of Han said was not unfounded, but that the Crown Prince of Han really knew something!
"Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, the edicts left by Emperor Taizong and Emperor Renzong should contain the same content!" Zhu Zhanhe bowed slightly and spoke softly to Yang Shiqi. Upon hearing this, Yang Shiqi was completely stunned. He was now absolutely certain that the Crown Prince of Han knew the contents of the edicts left by Emperor Taizong and Emperor Renzong!

At this moment, Zhu Zhanhe was absolutely certain that Yang Shiqi knew of the existence of the edict left by the Yongle and Hongxi Emperors, and also knew its contents. However, the Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji was completely unaware of the edict's existence, let alone its contents!

"You!" Zhu Zhanhe's words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Yang Shiqi's head, causing Yang Shiqi to tremble instantly, staring blankly at Zhu Zhanhe, unable to utter a word. At this moment, even with his hands on the table in front of him, Yang Shiqi's body couldn't help but tremble, and his disordered breathing made his face flush red.

"It's not just that." Zhu Zhanhe wasn't about to let Yang Shiqi off the hook; he wanted to break down Yang Shiqi's psychological defenses in one fell swoop!

"Grand Secretary Yang, you wouldn't want me to personally make a trip to Beijing before His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne, would you?" Zhu Zhanhe then withdrew his hands from the table, slowly straightened his body, and with a smile, took out a golden dragon token from his pocket and slowly placed it in front of Yang Shiqi.

"Thump!" The moment Yang Shiqi saw the token appear in Zhu Zhanhe's hand, it was like the last snowflake before an avalanche. His legs went weak, he staggered backward, and fell straight down into the chair behind him!

"Huff~, huff~, huff~, huff~" Yang Shiqi slumped in the chair, lying on his back and panting heavily, as if he would suffocate at any moment!
Meanwhile, the various Yunnan army and navy generals in the room stared dumbfounded at Grand Secretary Yang, who had fallen onto the stool and was panting heavily in shock. They didn't know what the Crown Prince had just said to Grand Secretary Yang, but they knew that words that could frighten the Grand Secretary must be something earth-shattering!

Zhu Zhanqi, the second brother who had been standing behind Zhu Zhanhe, heard every word his elder brother said. Although he didn't know the contents of the so-called imperial edict, as the son of the Prince of Han, he was fully familiar with the Golden Dragon Token and knew its function!
Standing behind his elder brother, Zhu Zhanqi clearly saw the token gleaming with golden light, and the lifelike golden dragon carved on it, which was truly mesmerizing! But looking at his elder brother's imposing figure, he still swallowed hard and forced his gaze to the side. However, the occasional glances he stole betrayed his excitement.

Of course, Xiao Xizi, who was standing to the side, heard everything clearly, but he kept his eyes fixed on the ground. After all, Xiao Xizi was someone who had even seen a real dragon and had been given the name Zhu Xilong by the Crown Prince. These things were nothing compared to a real dragon!
"Xiao Xizi!" Zhu Zhanhe suddenly called out to Xiao Xizi.

"Your Highness, this servant is here!" Upon hearing Zhu Zhanhe's call, Xiao Xizi stepped forward with the plate in her arms and respectfully responded to Zhu Zhanhe.

"Send a physician over here. Don't let anything happen to our Grand Secretary Yang on my Han Prince's territory." Zhu Zhanhe calmly instructed Xiao Xizi to arrange for a physician to examine Yang Shiqi, to prevent him from dying of anger in this newly conquered Guangxi territory due to his emotional state—that would be bad luck!

"Yes!" Xiao Xizi was taken aback for a moment, but he quickly recovered and respectfully agreed. But before he could turn around, Yang Shiqi spoke up.

"No need to trouble yourself!" Yang Shiqi, holding onto the chair, slowly sat up straight, raised his hand to refuse the offer to call the physician to examine him, and stared intently at Zhu Zhanhe with a complicated expression, as if he could see something in Zhu Zhanhe's face.

Yang Shiqi was truly terrified at that moment!

Yang Shiqi stared at Zhu Zhanhe with utter astonishment, for he had never before considered whether Emperor Renzong's ascension to the throne was justified. After all, he had always been a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince! It wasn't until he saw Prince Tuolong of Han that Yang Shiqi seriously considered the issue of imperial succession for the first time. However, by then, Emperor Hongxi had already ascended the throne, and Prince Han had begun his rebellion, causing Yang Shiqi's initial doubts to vanish from his mind.

But now, Yang Shiqi couldn't help but recall that old thought again. He even wondered, was the Holy Grandson truly the current Crown Prince?
Why does it seem now that the Crown Prince of Han is the most suitable candidate to inherit the throne?

If the Crown Prince of Han were to ascend the throne, the court could immediately quell the war, and the Crown Prince's dragon-shaped ornament would provide the court with the strongest legal basis—a legal basis that brooks no questioning! With this dragon-shaped ornament, the Ming Dynasty could absolutely recreate the glorious era of the Han and Tang dynasties!
At this moment, Yang Shiqi was thinking very seriously that Emperor Yongle's choice to let the Prince of Han ascend the throne before his death might really have been the best choice!

Now it seems that it wasn't just because the Prince of Han had military power, but more importantly because of the existence of the Crown Prince of Han. He possessed true strength, courage, benevolence, and decisiveness!

But another voice deep inside Yang Shiqi kept telling him that the only correct choice was for Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji to ascend the throne!

"Your Highness, this matter is difficult for me to decide. It requires discussion between the Cabinet and His Highness the Crown Prince!" Yang Shiqi quickly suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind. He struggled to his feet, supporting himself on the table, and said to Zhu Zhanhe.

Everyone could see that although Yang Shiqi's face was very ugly at the moment, he still forced himself to respectfully bow to Zhu Zhanhe.

Everyone in the room stared in astonishment at Yang Shiqi's performance. They had assumed that Yang Shiqi, as the Grand Secretary, would immediately refuse the Crown Prince's demanding, even unreasonable, request.

But to everyone's utter astonishment, Grand Secretary Yang actually said he would go back and discuss it with the court! Didn't that mean the court might actually agree to such an outrageous request?! That was the most terrifying thing of all! For a moment, everyone looked at Zhu Zhanhe with a strange glint in their eyes!
"Does Grand Secretary Yang think that I am consulting with the court?" Zhu Zhanhe asked Yang Shiqi with a smile on his face.

The moment Zhu Zhanhe uttered those words, Yang Shiqi's face turned even paler, and his clenched fists also turned pale.

"However, since Grand Secretary Yang wants to go back and discuss with His Highness the Crown Prince, I, the young master, naturally have no right to stop him."

"Then please ask Grand Secretary Yang to return and discuss this matter with the court officials." Zhu Zhanhe did not refute Yang Shiqi's suggestion to return and discuss it with Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji and others. After all, Zhu Zhanhe knew that Yang Shiqi alone could not possibly make a decision on this matter!

Although Zhu Zhanhe did not object to Yang Shiqi going back to discuss it, Yang Shiqi himself understood another meaning from Zhu Zhanhe's words: I don't care whether you, Yang Shiqi, can succeed by discussing it with anyone, but you, Yang Shiqi, don't interfere with any of my subsequent actions!

In other words, the Crown Prince of Han will definitely regroup his forces and launch a full-scale attack on Guangdong Prefecture after Yang Shiqi leaves Guangxi!

(End of this chapter)