Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 154 Invite the Emperor to kill the eldest grandson—! [Great review, please vote!]

Old Zhu's hesitation was within Zhang Biao's expectations.

But what he cares about now is not Old Zhu, but his five brothers.

Now, the prison is 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 listening to every sound in the passageway outside.

He knew that something big must have happened outside.

The deathly silence that followed the sounding of the petition drum was more unsettling than any of the preceding clamor.

Finally, steady footsteps echoed from the end of the passage.

It was neither Jiang Huan nor Zhu Gaosui, but the Jinyiwei captain on duty guarding him, and a Jinyiwei guard who accompanied him.

The captain had a cold and hard expression and sharp eyes. He was a confidant carefully selected by Jiang Huan and had obviously been strictly ordered not to have any unnecessary communication with Zhang Biao.

And now, it should be time to deliver the food.

The guards then passed in a simple meal through the small window.

Zhang Biao didn't move, but instead focused his gaze on the captain's face, suddenly smiled, and spoke in a relaxed tone as if he were having a casual chat:

"My lord, it's quite lively outside, isn't it? Has some upright official who petitioned on behalf of the people been invited for tea by our Emperor again?"

The captain remained expressionless, as if he hadn't heard, and simply gestured for the guards to put the things down and leave.

"Hey, don't rush off!"

Zhang Biao sat up, his voice still carrying a smile, but with an added hint of barely perceptible pressure: "I've heard that the brothers in the Embroidered Uniform Guard don't earn much, and it's quite difficult for them to support their families?"

"Especially in the capital, rice and housing are expensive... I still have some savings hidden away..."

"Zhang Biao—!"

The captain turned his head sharply, his eyes like knives, and interrupted him sternly: "Stop talking nonsense! If you say another word, don't blame me for being impolite!"

As he spoke, he placed his hand on the hilt of the knife, his expression full of threat.

"Oh? Quite loyal?"

Zhang Biao's smile remained unchanged, even becoming brighter: "What kind of bewitching potion did Jiang Huan give you? Is he worth you risking your lives for him? You should know that sometimes knowing too much can lead to the fastest death."

The flag bearer's face turned ashen. He ignored him and turned to leave.

"Tsk, boring."

Zhang Biao pursed his lips, as if he found it utterly boring.

But the next second, he put on a strange expression, dipped his finger in cold water, and began to draw strange symbols on the cold ground, muttering to himself:
"Jiazi, Bingyin, Wuchen... the Dui position lacks metal, and the Xun palace is afflicted by evil... no, no, the omen of this bloodshed is not in the southeast, but seems to be in the due north?"

"No...it seems more like...it should be near water? Or...a family whose surname contains the water radical?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the captain and the strongman.

The stronger man was younger, and a hint of curiosity and unease flashed in his eyes.

The captain paused, forcing himself not to turn around, and snapped, "Playing tricks! Shut up!"

Zhang Biao ignored him and continued his rambling, even starting to calculate with his fingers: "Strange, strange, this evil aura is even related to the offspring palace... Is there an elderly mother in the family? Or a young child?"

"There's a risk of drowning within these three days... Oh dear, what a pity, what a pity..."

The flag bearer's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

He does indeed have an elderly mother at home, and there is a shallow pond at the entrance of the alley where he lives.

Although he didn't believe in such supernatural phenomena, Zhang Biao's "evil" abilities had already spread within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Now that the person he cared about most had been accurately identified, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Li Shi swallowed hard and secretly glanced at the captain.

Zhang Biao seemed to have finished calculating. He clapped his hands, resumed his lazy demeanor, and muttered to himself:
"Never mind, it has nothing to do with me anyway. I just wonder if Commander Jiang knows that some of his men are outwardly compliant but inwardly disobeying orders and secretly operating in Jiangnan..."

"What nonsense are you talking about!?"

The captain turned around abruptly, veins bulging on his forehead, his voice carrying a hint of shock and anger at having his secret exposed.

In fact, these Imperial Guards would definitely be present whenever there was a major case.

Jiangnan is a region with a high incidence of crime, so it's quite normal for them to be dishonest in their dealings with cases.

As for the elderly mother and young child at home, which family doesn't have someone of that age?
And by the water, that's even more absurd.

This is Yingtian Prefecture, where water is the most abundant resource.

Therefore, Zhang Biao was able to easily play the role of a charlatan simply by using mind maps.

After all, his previous "selection of generals" was indeed quite bizarre.

"I didn't say anything!"

Zhang Biao shrugged and looked at him innocently: "Commander, why are you so agitated? Could it be... that my casual remark in my sleep actually came true?"

The flag bearer's expression shifted rapidly, a mixture of surprise, fear, and anger.

Looking at Zhang Biao's ambiguous smile, which seemed to see right through people, his psychological defenses finally began to crumble violently.

This madman, just how much does he know?!
Just as the commander's lips trembled, seemingly on the verge of collapsing under the pressure, and he was about to say something to silence Zhang Biao—

"shut up--!"

A loud shout came from the shadows of the passageway.

A Jinyiwei centurion rushed out, his face terribly grim.

He first glared fiercely at the nearly collapsing captain, then looked coldly at Zhang Biao:
"Zhang Biao! Stop spreading these false rumors! If you dare utter another word, I have the right to kill you on the spot!"

These hundred households were clearly another layer of insurance arranged by Jiang Huan, responsible for monitoring the guards.

Zhang Biao looked at the centurion, and the smile on his face slowly disappeared.

If the soft approach doesn't work, it seems I'll have to resort to a harder one.

He slowly stood up, walked to the cell door, his gaze calm yet possessing a chilling penetrating power, staring directly into the centurion's eyes.

"Lord Centurion, what an imposing official you are!"

Zhang Biao's voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling edge: "I just don't know if your official authority can help you withstand the suspicion of 'plotting to murder the Crown Prince'?"

"what?!"

The centurion's pupils contracted sharply, as if bitten by a venomous snake, and he screamed, "You're talking nonsense! How dare you slander me?!"

"slander?"

Zhang Biao laughed, a cold laugh: "Where were you on the night of April 17th, the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu, the night the Crown Prince's condition worsened?"

Baihu's face turned deathly pale.

Where was he that night?!
This was a tricky question! It momentarily stunned him.

Zhang Biao, however, didn't give him time to think and continued to press him:

"Whose men were the ones who changed guards at Donghua Gate? Who ultimately handled the Crown Prince's dregs? Did that dark figure who slipped out of the East Palace's side gate at three-quarters past midnight really think no one saw it?"

"That night I was just..."

Baihu trembled violently, his flying fish robe instantly soaked with cold sweat.

He was indeed on duty that night, and he did secretly leave his post for a moment to attend to some personal matters, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the Crown Prince's illness.

But once the time and place are linked, especially when the emperor is currently obsessively investigating the cause of the crown prince's death...
This is like mud dripping down his pants! Once investigated, he won't be able to clear his name even if he jumps into the Yellow River!
He knew the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard all too well; they would rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!

At that point, death would be the least of their worries; they might even implicate their entire family!
"Oh, right."

As if just remembering something, Zhang Biao casually added, shattering his last psychological defense: "That woman you secretly kept in the outer courtyard, her brother... I think..."

"Stop talking! Please! Stop talking!"

The bottom line of the Hundred Households collapsed.

He suddenly lunged at the cell door, his voice distorted and filled with extreme fear, almost kneeling down:
"Master Zhang! Grandpa Zhang! I was wrong! What do you want to know? I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! I just beg you to have mercy! That night I only went to deliver a letter! It has absolutely nothing to do with the Crown Prince! Please!"

The flag bearer and strongmen standing nearby were terrified, wishing they were deaf.

Zhang Biao looked at him coldly, as if he were an ant: "Li Mo, Wu Naida, how are they?"

"We've caught them! They were just caught by the Five Cities Garrison! In a cellar of an abandoned temple!"

The centurion answered hastily, spilling out everything like beans from a bamboo tube:
"And there's Zhao Fengman! He... he turned himself in! He was on his way to arrest Li Mo and the others!"

Zhang Biao's eye twitched almost imperceptibly, but his voice remained steady: "Anything else? Is there anything special happening today?"

"There's...there's more!"

Eager to impress, the centurion racked his brains: "Oh, by the way! His Highness Yunheng, Princess Mingyue, and Princess Mingyu went out of the palace today to pay respects to the former Crown Princess, and on their way back they encountered a startled ox! They almost got into trouble!"

"Ok?"

Zhang Biao frowned slightly.

"It's the second young master of the Prince of Yan's mansion! Zhu Gaoxu! He suddenly appeared and killed the ox with his bare hands! He saved the three princes!"

"It also hailed at the time, it was a complete mess..." Baihu added, panting.

He recounted all the bits and pieces of information he knew, only begging Zhang Biao to stop "selecting" him.

Zhang Biao listened quietly, his face expressionless, but his eyes were churning like a storm.

Li Mo and Wu Naida were arrested... Zhao Fengman surrendered... Zhu Yunwen and his sister were rescued by Zhu Gaoxu after being in danger...

All the fragments were rapidly combined and deduced in his mind.

After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly, his voice indifferent: "Get out. Watch your mouth."

The centurion, as if granted a pardon, scrambled out of the prison gates as if a vengeful ghost were chasing him.

The captain and the strongman also hurriedly fled, not daring to stay a moment longer.

Silence returned outside the prison cell.

Zhang Biao slowly sat back down on the edge of the bed, his head down, his expression unreadable.

Only his tightly clenched fists, with white knuckles, revealed that his inner peace was far from what appeared to be.

Li Mo, Wu Naida, Zhao Fengman... you three big idiots...

Did the curvy girl choose two options?

[Will Zhu Gaochi's Prince Yan's mansion suffer a fate?]

Zhu Yunwen... that iron box has finally ended up in your hands...

He suddenly raised his head and looked at the narrow ventilation opening, his eyes flashing with a cold and resolute light.

"Old Zhu, this game is getting more and more interesting."

Are you still hesitating? I won't let you hesitate! Hahaha! Kill them already!

.........

Meanwhile, inside the Chunhe Hall of the Eastern Palace.

A trusted palace maid bowed and reported to Lady Lü, her voice extremely low: "Your Majesty, it seems that His Highness Prince Yunheng had a heated argument with Princess Mingyue and Princess Mingyu in the palace. I vaguely heard words like 'ledger,' 'Grandpa Emperor,' and 'complaint'..."

"Then, Prince Yunhu, carrying an iron box, headed resolutely towards the Huagai Hall..."

Lu Shi's hand, which was leisurely sipping tea, paused slightly, and the exquisite teacup stopped in mid-air.

The usual gentle smile on her well-maintained face had faded slightly, and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed.

"Account books? To file a complaint?"

She repeated it softly, a barely perceptible shadow of gloom and wariness flashing in her eyes.

At this sensitive moment, those three little beasts suddenly acted so strangely...

Sun Ren, the trusted eunuch who was serving Zhu Yunwen while he was reading, asked with suspicion, "Your Highness, His Highness Yunwen just returned from paying respects to Madam Chang today... Could it be that the Chang family gave him something?"

"Or perhaps they've listened to some slanderous words and want to take this opportunity to complain to the Emperor, to tell him about their grievances?"

He naturally thought of vying for favor and making false accusations, after all, these were common occurrences in the harem and the imperial court.

"Chang family?"

Madam Lü put down her teacup, her eyes turning colder: "What does the Chang family have left that they can boast about? Are they trying to pin something on some old grudge?"

Her first thought was whether her own and her son's positions would be threatened.

Although Zhu Yunwen and his siblings are not a major concern, if they were to present something of dubious authenticity to the emperor in his anger, it would inevitably lead the emperor to have negative associations with the Crown Prince and with Lady Lü.

This would in turn affect the position of Crown Prince, which was already in his son's hands.
"Mother!" Zhu Yunwen, sitting at the lower end of the table, was the first to lose his temper, his handsome face covered in frost.
"Zhu Yuntong has quite the nerve! He must be trying to take advantage of the Emperor's recent focus on court affairs to embarrass my mother and me!"

"Your subject will go and stop him right now! Let's see what kind of trouble he's trying to stir up!"

As he spoke, Zhu Yunwen was about to get up and rush out.

He was spoiled since childhood and had a noble status, so he couldn't tolerate his younger brother, who had always been overshadowed by him, suddenly causing trouble.

"stop--!"

Lady Lü spoke softly to stop him, her voice low but carrying an undeniable authority.

Zhu Yunwen paused, then turned back with displeasure: "Mother!"

Lady Lü took a deep breath, quickly calmed herself down, and weighed the options rapidly in her mind.

Forcibly stopping him would make too much noise and make us seem guilty. If that kid really started causing trouble, it would be even harder to handle the situation.

A shrewd calculation flashed in her eyes. She picked up her teacup again, gently stirring the foam with the lid. Her tone returned to its usual gentleness, but carried a hint of coldness:
"There's no need for you to go. If you rush off to stop him like this, it will make it seem like we're bullying him, and that will give people something to say about us."

As she spoke, she turned to look at her trusted eunuch and said calmly:

“Sun Ren, don’t you think that Yun Tong was a little emotional when he went to pay respects to his birth mother today? Perhaps he heard something he shouldn’t have heard or took something he shouldn’t have taken. As his mother, I should be concerned about him.”

Sun Ren immediately understood: "Your Majesty is kind and wise. His Highness is still a child at heart and easily misled."

Lady Lü nodded, then said to Zhu Yunwen, "Wen'er, since you are worried about your younger brother, then go to the Huagai Palace on your mother's behalf."

"Remember! Don't ask any questions. Just say that your mother asked you to deliver a bowl of ginseng soup to the Emperor to calm him down and help him take care of his health. Also,..."

She paused here, then continued:
"While you're at it, see what your brother is up to. But remember, just observe, don't say anything, and definitely don't clash with him. Everything will be decided by His Majesty."

This was a strategic retreat, allowing Zhu Yunwen to pass by openly under the guise of delivering soup to show filial piety. This allowed her to monitor Zhu Yunwen's actions while also demonstrating that Lady Lü was virtuous and magnanimous, and did not interfere with the emperor's handling of affairs.

Although Zhu Yunwen was unwilling, he could not disobey his mother's orders, so he could only mutter, "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

"besides!"

Lady Lü then addressed her trusted eunuch:
"Sun Ren! Take a shortcut to catch up with Yun Tong immediately. Tell him that I said he is tired and emotionally agitated today and should not disturb His Majesty's handling of state affairs."

"If you have any grievances or items, please give them to me first, and I will pass them on to His Majesty. Alternatively, you can wait until he has calmed down and then meet with His Majesty tomorrow."

"Remember! Your tone must be respectful, and you must appear to be acting in his best interest, sharing the Emperor's burdens, understand?"

She was using a two-pronged approach: on the one hand, she had her son observe openly and honestly, and on the other hand, she sent people to gently dissuade him.

It would be best to stop him if possible. Even if we can't, we can still buy time and lay the groundwork for the impression in Zhu Yunwen's mind that "Zhu Yunwen is emotionally out of control and behaving erratically because of mourning his mother."

"The servant understands."

Sun Ren understood immediately, bowed, and quickly left.

Zhu Yunwen straightened his robes, put on airs, and ordered someone to fetch ginseng soup.

Lady Lü sat back down on the couch, her gaze fixed on the direction of the Huagai Hall, her fingers unconsciously tightening.

[Zhu Yunwen...you'd better just be immature, throwing a tantrum over trivial things...]

[If they really dared to take something deadly and try to bite someone...]

【Then don't blame me, as your mother, for being ruthless...】

the other side.

Zhu Yunwen, holding the iron box, walked with firm steps but with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, along the palace path leading to the Huagai Hall.

His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, filled with both fear of the terrible truth that was about to be revealed and a sense of almost tragic resolve due to the heavy mission he was entrusted with.

Just as he was about to step onto the small square in front of the Hall of Literary Glory, a figure hurriedly came from a side path and blocked his way.

"Oh my, my third grandson of the Emperor!"

Sun Ren was panting, clearly having sped all the way here, but his face was full of concern and worry, and his voice was urgent and low:
"Where are you going? You look so pale. Did you grieve too much while paying respects to Madam Chang today?"

As he spoke, he subtly blocked Zhu Yuntong's path with his body, his gaze quickly sweeping over the iron box in Zhu Yuntong's arms, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Yunwen paused, instinctively clutching the iron box tighter, and looked at him warily: "Eunuch Sun, why are you blocking my way? I have important business to discuss with my grandfather!"

"Your Highness, Your Highness!"

Sun Ren feigned deep sorrow, lowering his voice even further, yet it was filled with an urgent concern for his well-being:

"Please heed my advice! His Majesty is furious about a major matter in court! He's in a fit of rage right now, and Commander Jiang Huan and several important officials are discussing matters inside. Even the most important matter needs to be put on hold!"

As he spoke, he took a step closer and said almost in a whisper:

"Your Majesty has heard about it all and knows you feel wronged. Perhaps you've heard some gossip, or maybe the Chang family gave you something... Your Majesty sent this old servant to tell you what items you have and what you want to say. Please give them to Your Majesty first."

"Your Majesty is your mother, and she will surely stand up for you!"

"But not now. We need to find a suitable time to inform the Emperor prudently."

"If you rush in like this and offend His Majesty, won't that make the Emperor even angrier? It's not good for you either."

This statement is perfectly watertight; it is a combination of concern, a threat, and a delaying tactic.

If it were the Zhu Yunwen of the past, he might have been intimidated by this combination of soft and hard tactics.

But at this moment, the 'last letter' in his arms seemed to be burning hot, and Zhao Fengman's words, 'Leave tomorrow's affairs to tomorrow's people,' echoed in his ears.

He raised his head, looking at Sun Ren's seemingly respectful but actually hypocritical face. For the first time, he did not back down. Although his voice still carried the clear tone of a young boy, it was unusually firm:
"Eunuch Sun, please thank my mother for her kindness. But I must personally see my grandfather about this matter. Please step aside."

The smile on Eunuch Sun's face froze for a moment. He hadn't expected the usually timid Third Prince to be so stubborn today.

Just as he was about to try to persuade him again, he heard footsteps and a clear but obviously displeased voice behind him.

"Third brother! What are you shouting about here? Don't you know that Grandfather is handling state affairs?"

Zhu Yunwen, carrying a bowl of ginseng soup, walked over with an unhappy expression, surrounded by a group of eunuchs.

His gaze swept over the iron box in Zhu Yunwen's arms, his brows furrowed even more, but his tone carried a condescending reprimand:
"What are you holding in your hands? How sloppy and unruly! What kind of behavior is this? If you offend the Emperor, can you bear the consequences?"

Zhu Yunwen's appearance relieved Sun Ren slightly, and he quickly bowed and stepped aside.

Looking at his second brother, who had been favored by his grandfather since childhood and was almost designated as the 'Crown Prince', Zhu Yunwen felt a complex mix of emotions.

There was fear, there was resentment, but more than anything, there was a calm that came from a willingness to give up.

"Second brother!"

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly as a gesture of respect, but his tone was neither humble nor arrogant: "I do have something extremely important that I must see my grandfather immediately to report to. I did not mean to cause a disturbance."

"What's important?"

"I dare to say it, do you dare to listen?"

"you!"

Zhu Yunwen was momentarily speechless, but remembering his mother Lü's instructions, he snorted coldly, ignored Zhu Yunwen, and left with the ginseng soup.

At this moment, Sun Ren tried to stop Zhu Yunwen, but Zhu Yunwen impatiently pushed him away.

Not long after, Zhu Yunwen arrived at the solemn small square in front of the Huagai Hall.

Suddenly, two Imperial Guards, dressed in flying fish robes and with embroidered spring knives at their waists, appeared silently like ghosts and blocked his way.

Their faces were expressionless, their eyes as cold as iron in a deep pool.

"Your Highness, please stay."

One of them spoke, his voice flat and emotionless, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:
"His Majesty has decreed that he is currently handling urgent state affairs and no one is permitted to disturb him. Your Highness, please return to the palace."

The cold rejection was like another bucket of cold water being poured over me!
Zhu Yunwen's burning heart suddenly clenched.

Why is the Emperor's grandfather nowhere to be found?

The courage he had finally mustered seemed like a huge joke in the face of this cold, procedural approach.

He stood frozen in place, his fingers turning white from gripping the metal box, caught in a dilemma.

Force his way in? He has neither the right nor the power to do so.

Go back? What about the deaths of Zhao Fengman and the others, Brother Biao's imprisonment, and the possible injustice done to Father?

Just as he was hesitating, feeling lost and at a loss, Sun Ren, the trusted eunuch of Lady Lü, rushed over again like a leech, his face still plastered with that feigned concern.

"Oh my, Your Highness! What are you still doing here?"

Sun Ren lowered his voice, but there was a hint of smugness and threat in it: "See, I wasn't wrong, was I? The Emperor is in a bad mood and won't see anyone!"

"Please heed this old servant's advice and come back with me! It's safest to leave anything to Her Majesty to handle..."

As he spoke, he leaned closer, his voice almost squeezed out between his teeth, carrying a chilling undertone: "Your Highness, you don't want Princess Mingyue and Princess Mingyu to worry about you in the Eastern Palace, do you?"

"This palace is a dangerous place; one wrong step can implicate those around you..."

Another threat! Using his sisters to threaten him!
Zhu Yunwen's anger surged uncontrollably once again, almost bursting out of his chest!
Those bastards, those snobbish opportunists who gloat over the weak and flatter the strong! How dare they?!

Just then, a soft footstep sound came from the other side of the passage.

Zhu Yunwen, carrying a bowl of exquisite ginseng soup, walked over with an indifferent expression, surrounded by a group of eunuchs.

He didn't glance at Zhu Yunwen, who was being held aside, clutching the iron box and looking pale, as if he were just a wisp of air, and walked straight toward the gate of the Huagai Hall.

When the guards saw it was him, they actually bowed slightly in acknowledgment and did not stop him.

Yunming, who had been waiting at the palace gate, immediately put on a fawning smile, quickly descended the steps, and spoke in a soft, fast voice, full of obsequiousness:
"Oh my, Your Highness the Second Grandson of the Emperor, you've arrived! The Emperor was just asking about you! Please come in, please come in! This ginseng soup is served at just the right time; the Emperor will surely be pleased to see it!"

Zhu Yunwen simply gave a faint "hmm," and without stopping, with Yunming bowing and leading the way, he strode unimpeded, even ostentatiously, into the palace gate that Zhu Yunwen had tried his best to approach but could not.

At that moment, Zhu Yunwen's cold and indifferent attitude, Yun Ming's completely different fawning demeanor, the Jinyiwei's discriminatory obstruction, and Sun Ren's persistent threats...

All the pent-up humiliation, resentment, anger, and grief over his father's injustice exploded in Zhu Yunwen's heart like a lit powder keg!
Why?! Why can he come and go as he pleases?!
Why should I be constantly obstructed and threatened even when I'm just saying a few words?!

Why is it that my father died under mysterious circumstances, yet these people are still able to act so arrogantly here?!
"Your Highness? Your Highness? Please listen to my advice..."

Sun Ren continued to ramble on, oblivious to his own mortality, and even reached out to pull him away.

"Go away-!"

Zhu Yunwen suddenly let out a beast-like roar, his eyes instantly becoming bloodshot.

To everyone's astonishment, he seemed to have gone mad, suddenly rushing towards the Imperial Guard blocking his path, and taking advantage of the guard's unpreparedness, he drew the Embroidered Spring Blade from the guard's waist.

The cold blade was drawn, accompanied by a sharp, teeth-grinding sound.

"You...what are you going to do?!"

Sun Ren was so frightened that he screamed.

next second!
A flash of cold light!
"Pfft——!"

A dull thud sounded as a sharp blade pierced flesh!

Warm blood spurted out suddenly, splashing all over Zhu Yunwen's face and body.

Sun Ren's incessant chatter came to an abrupt halt.

He looked down in disbelief at the embroidered spring knife plunged into his abdomen, then looked up at the Third Prince before him, who looked like a demon descended to earth, his face covered in blood. He made a strange 'hoarse' sound in his throat, then collapsed softly to the ground, twitched twice, and fell silent.

In an instant, the entire Huagai Hall square fell into a deathly silence!
Everyone was shocked!
Both the two Imperial Guards blocking the road and the eunuch in the distance were frozen in place, staring dumbfounded at the sudden and bloody scene.

The third grandson of the emperor... killed someone?!
In front of the Hall of Literary Glory... he killed Consort Lü's trusted eunuch?!
Zhu Yunwen was panting heavily, his chest heaving violently, and the embroidered spring knife in his hand was still dripping warm blood.

He raised his bloodshot eyes, his gaze like a poisoned knife, slowly sweeping over the two terrified Imperial Guards and the trembling eunuch in the distance. He forced out a chilling, murderous utterance through clenched teeth:
"Those who obstruct me—die—!!"

Having said that, he stopped looking at the corpses on the ground, gripped the blood-dripping steel knife, and hugged the blood-stained iron box. Step by step, like a vengeful messenger returning from hell, he walked toward the heavy gate of the Huagai Hall.

This time, no one dared to step forward to stop them.

One of the Imperial Guards instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but ultimately dared not move it.

He simply watched as the young prince, covered in blood and with a crazed look in his eyes, walked step by step toward the palace gate.

Zhu Yunwen walked to the palace gate, raised his blood-stained hand, and with all his might, pounded on the door that symbolized supreme imperial power.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The heavy knocking on the door, like a war drum, struck the deathly silent palace square, and also struck the hearts of everyone inside.

"Sun Chen Zhu Yunwen! I have a great injustice regarding my father's death! I risk my life to see my Imperial Grandfather!!"

His hoarse yet resolute voice pierced through the heavy palace doors and clearly entered the Hall of Literary Glory.

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(End of this chapter)