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

Chapter 339 Yu Qian's Words of Advice
"Your Highness!" After a moment, Yang Shiqi, recovering from his shock, immediately realized that he might have been verbally blackmailed by the Crown Prince of Han. But since things had come to this, and the Crown Prince of Han had already obtained accurate information from him, Yang Shiqi had no other choice but to kneel down and beg the Crown Prince of Han to fulfill his promise and continue to protect the Ming Dynasty in the future.

"Your Highness, even if there are a thousand or ten thousand mistakes, it is all Yang Shiqi's fault."

May His Highness the Crown Prince be wise and righteous, and save the Ming Dynasty from disaster in the future!

"Yang Shiqi, I am willing to atone with my death!" Yang Shiqi was filled with despair, his words tinged with hopelessness. He could offer no more benefits to sway the Crown Prince of Han. He, Yang Shiqi, had only one life left to offer the Crown Prince, hoping to gain his forgiveness. Therefore, Yang Shiqi knelt resolutely before Zhu Zhanhe.

"Your Highness, I have failed Emperor Taizong's trust and am willing to atone with my death."

I implore Your Highness, please do not let Emperor Taizong's glorious achievements be reduced to ashes!

Your Highness, please reconsider!

"Thump, thump, thump~~" After hearing Zhu Zhanhe's words, Fan Zhong also had a look of despair on his face. But then, Fan Zhong showed a resolute look, knelt down on both knees, and kowtowed hard to Zhu Zhanhe. Even the ground made a crisp sound.

He, Fan Zhong, will protect the empire established by Emperor Taizong until the moment of his death!

"Your Highness, please reconsider!" Seeing the situation was turning against him, Yu Qian immediately knelt on the ground. Yu Qian hadn't expected things to develop to this point. The negotiations had gone quite well initially, so how could things have suddenly taken such a turn for the worse? Yu Qian was somewhat puzzled.

"I can help for my grandfather's sake."

"But, may I ask, Grand Secretary Yang, on what basis should I and my descendants help the person who killed my Prince Han, or even the murderer's descendant?" Zhu Zhanhe posed the crucial question. "My Prince Han's Mansion can honor my grandfather's last wishes and help him protect this empire. But why should we help the person who killed my Prince Han, or his descendants? Do you think we're fools?!"
Helping to seize power is acceptable, but helping one's enemy is not! This is the crux of the current conflict!

No solution! After hearing the Crown Prince's words, Yang Shiqi knew that this was an unsolvable problem! The throne was currently in the hands of the Xuande Emperor's lineage, and the Crown Prince was unwilling to help the Xuande Emperor and his descendants! Wasn't that a completely unsolvable problem?!
We can't just change the emperor now, can we?! Yang Shiqi knew that was impossible! Because the Xuande Emperor would definitely fight to the death! Yang Shiqi didn't want the Ming Dynasty to fall into endless turmoil again.

Now that the Crown Prince of Han is willing to back down and not vie for the throne, then we should use every means to make him back down again! Any means necessary!

"Your Highness, the Prince of Han left a dying wish: that Your Highness could save the Ming Dynasty from its dire straits during this critical time!" Just as Yang Shiqi and Fan Zhong were at a loss, Yu Qian, like a savior, knelt on the ground, raised the ring on his hand, and spoke.

Upon hearing Yu Qian's words, Yang Shiqi was completely stunned. He stared blankly at Yu Qian, wondering how he could not have known that the Prince of Han had such a dying wish.

"profound?

"Minister Yu, you can't convince me with just words by holding my token!" Zhu Zhanhe said with a smirk as he spotted the ring Yu Qian was holding.

In reality, Zhu Zhanhe knew, of course, that the ring on Yu Qian's hand was a gift from his father. At the same time, Zhu Zhanhe also knew that Yu Qian was talking nonsense. However, Zhu Zhanhe was very curious to see what kind of words Yu Qian would use to convince him.

To be honest, Zhu Zhanhe had no intention of attacking the imperial court. Just as Mr. Iron Face said, Zhu Zhanhe simply wanted to extract as many benefits as possible from the court. Now, Zhu Zhanhe was merely giving his brother-in-law a way out.

Of course, all of this is contingent on Yu Qian actually being able to persuade Zhu Zhanhe.

"Your Highness, please listen to what I have to say." Yu Qian knew, of course, that he was talking nonsense. However, he had to find a way to make his ramblings believable!
Only in this way could the Crown Prince of Han continue to fulfill the edict left by Emperor Taizong! Although, up to this point, Yu Qian didn't even know the contents of that so-called edict, he knew that anything Yang Shiqi and Fan Zhong were willing to risk their lives for must be extremely important! It must be extremely important to the court. Therefore, Yu Qian had to do everything in his power to obtain it!
"Go on," Zhu Zhanhe casually raised his hand, signaling Yu Qian, his brother-in-law, to continue.

"Your Highness, after the Prince's defeat, when he was imprisoned by the Emperor in the Prince of Han's Mansion in Beijing, the Emperor personally ordered someone to preach to the Prince."

However, the prince remained stubborn and refused to listen to the teachings. In the end, the emperor had no choice but to give the prince Emperor Taizong's old golden armor and his personal jade thumb ring, and also replaced him with a lower-ranking official to teach. Only then did the prince gradually begin to concentrate on studying the classics.

These items are all verifiable and are among the Prince's belongings. His Highness the Crown Prince also has verifiable records! Yu Qian nervously brought out some verifiable items to increase the persuasiveness of his words.

Zhu Zhanhe listened calmly, even taking a sip of tea, letting Yu Qian continue.

"Afterwards, the prince inexplicably had a premonition that he was going to die, so he gave me this ring and betrothed me to a princess he secretly raised in his palace. Now, that princess is my wife."

While discussing the scriptures with the Prince of Han, the prince would often play with Emperor Taizong's thumb ring and sigh. Even though the prince regretted not being able to ascend to the throne, he would definitely be loyal to the country and protect the Ming Dynasty at the crucial moment!
Your Highness, the Prince is an unparalleled warrior. Surely, no matter what, the Prince's spirit in heaven will not allow the Ming Dynasty to be humiliated!

I hope Your Highness will put the Prince's last wishes first!

We must prioritize the last wishes of Emperor Taizong!

"Protect the Ming Dynasty and its people!" Stumbling and faltering, Yu Qian finally managed to smooth things over. Even at the end, Yu Qian himself spoke with great fervor. After speaking, Yu Qian stared nervously at the Crown Prince of Han, because he knew there were many flaws in his words. But Yu Qian had no choice; it was merely a hasty response, and he hadn't even had time to think things through carefully.

Yu Qian was gambling, betting that the Crown Prince of Han would remember the favor he had shown to the Prince of Han and Emperor Taizong, and would save the Ming Dynasty at some point in the future.

Fan Zhong and Yang Shiqi, standing to the side, both looked dazed.

At this moment, Yang Shiqi also realized that Yu Qian was simply connecting several events that happened to the Prince of Han in Beijing, using a combination of nine truths and one lie to deceive the Prince of Han!

Of course, Yang Shiqi also noticed many flaws in Yu Qian's words. But there was nothing he could do at the moment; Yu Qian had already finished speaking, and Yang Shiqi had no time to add anything. Now, Yang Shiqi could only join Yu Qian in gambling on the Han crown prince's filial piety.

At this moment, Yu Qian, Yang Shiqi, and Fan Zhong knelt on the ground, staring nervously at the Crown Prince of Han, quietly awaiting his decision.

"Hehehe~" Suddenly, amidst the anticipation of Yang Shiqi and the other two, Zhu Zhanhe burst into laughter. The Han heir's laughter made Yu Qian, Yang Shiqi, and the others tense.

"Yu Qian, Vice Minister Yu."

"Your words reveal quite a bit of information," Zhu Zhanhe said, looking at Yu Qian with great interest. Although Yu Qian had strung together these seemingly random words, and there were quite a few loopholes, it was still barely coherent. Therefore, Zhu Zhanhe decided to continue watching to see what Yu Qian would say next.

(End of this chapter)