In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

His series of questions changed the expressions of everyone present.

His guards instinctively surrounded him.

Ji'an gave a bitter smile and put his hands together in prayer: "Amitabha."

"Nothing can be hidden from His Highness's discerning eyes."

"Your Highness, please forgive me."

"I attracted them, and I am indeed the person they want to arrest."

As he spoke, he confessed and knelt down.

Everyone was shocked!

Everyone in Ji'an began to realize that they had underestimated him.

"Why lure them here?"

"What exactly happened?" Li Yuanchang's eyes were icy cold, his anger burning. He never expected that his trusted friend would betray him!

Ji'an looked ashamed and dared not look at Li Yuanchang, and confessed.

"Your Highness, those warriors are from the Nakatomi clan."

"Dayuan Port is also the territory of the Zhongchen clan, one of the four major families in Japan."

"It was I who deliberately concealed the truth and brought Your Highness here."

"Not long ago, I tipped off Nakatomi's men, revealing my whereabouts, which led to my pursuit and detention."

"My goal is to use Your Highness's power to avenge me."

Upon hearing this, the entire forest fell silent.

To everyone's disbelief, the highly respected Ji'an was actually a person with ulterior motives who had completely fooled everyone!

boom!

Guo Chao punched Ji'an hard on the brow, and blood gushed out on the spot.

"You scoundrel, how dare you deceive His Highness!"

"It's a waste that His Highness has been so good to you!"

bass!

Guo Chao drew his knife.

Ji'an did not resist.

Li Yuanchang's eyes were icy: "So, you were already plotting this back when we met in Mingzhou?"

Ji'an nodded in shame, then collapsed to the ground, his face covered in blood.

A chill ran through everyone; his intentions were far too deep!

"But, but I really have been to Penglai Island, and I can indeed take Your Highness there."

"Your Highness, don't believe this scoundrel!"

"He's a liar! He took advantage of us!" Guo Chao shouted, making a gesture as if to chop.

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!" the guards shouted.

Li Yuanchang was ruthless and took the knife without hesitation.

"To avenge you? What grudge?"

Before committing murder, he wanted to understand the whole story.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Ji'an neither begged for mercy nor tried to hide anything.

Suddenly revealing his identity: "My father was once the head of the Nakatomi clan, Nakatomi Kama, and I am the sole legal heir of the Nakatomi clan."

boom!

Everyone was shocked. This Japanese monk they met on the way was of such great importance.

Ji'an continued, "But my family was targeted because we opposed the Soga clan, the most powerful clan in the country."

"The Soga clan colluded with traitors in the family to stage a coup five years ago, killing my father and more than 500 people from my lineage. Their corpses stained the entire shogunate red."

At this point, his eyes turned bloodshot, and he completely dropped his pretense, revealing endless hatred buried in his heart.

"I was forced to disguise myself as a monk and narrowly escaped the pursuit. I made my way to Penglai Island, hoping to seek refuge there."

"But they relentlessly pursued me, so I had no choice but to travel to the Tang Dynasty, hiding as a monk while gathering strength, hoping to one day take revenge."

"But with the ocean so far away, revenge seems a long way off, and it is incredibly difficult."

"Until I suddenly saw His Highness in Mingzhou, I knew my opportunity had come. His Highness is of noble status and powerful, so I devised a plan to use someone else to do my dirty work."

Upon hearing the truth, Li Yuanchang finally understood why Ji'an knew so much and why he shed tears while gazing at the Japanese mainland.

"You may be a victim too, but you're far too cunning."

"Now hundreds of people are imprisoned because of you. I, the king, cannot let you live!"

He raised the knife; betraying himself comes at a price.

"Your Highness, if you want to kill me, it's my own fault, it's what I deserve."

"But now that things have happened, please give me some time to help you rescue your people, to fight against the current members of the Nakatomi clan, to save the crew, and then to take you to the Immortal Island."

"After you've done all this, you can kill me to vent your anger!"

"Ji'an begs you!" He buried his face in the ground and wept bitterly.

"Do you think I'll still believe you?" Li Yuanchang said coldly.

"To target the Zhongchen clan is tantamount to selling me out and expecting me to count the money for you?"

Overwhelmed with shame, Ji'an said, "Your Highness, I'm so sorry!"

"But I'm burdened with a deep-seated blood feud, and I have no other choice but to resort to this desperate measure!"

"Now that the Nakatomi clan knows what's going on, they certainly won't give up. We must deal with them no matter what to get our ships and crew back."

"Give them your head, and it'll still work," Li Yuanchang blurted out.

Ji'an shook his head, looking very anxious: "Your Highness, you have already killed many of them, they will not let this go."

"Besides, if I die, no one will take you to Penglai Island. Even in Japan, there aren't many people who know about it."

"Your Highness, if I am lying, may I die a horrible death, and may all the souls of my family be denied reincarnation!"

He made a solemn vow and pleaded earnestly.

A hint of hesitation flashed in Li Yuanchang's eyes.

It wasn't that he sympathized with Ji'an, but he also felt that the matter had indeed reached this point and was indeed difficult to resolve amicably, given the deaths of so many people.

Moreover, the other side attacked and killed him first, then seized the ship. If he were to hand over the people now and try to settle things peacefully, he would lose face.

Killing Ji'an now would indeed only serve one purpose: to vent one's anger.

After only a slight hesitation, he still raised the knife.

Ji'an was filled with sorrow and resentment, but ultimately resigned himself to his fate: "Your Highness, I'm sorry!"

After saying this, he clasped his hands together and awaited death.

puff! !

Li Yuanchang slashed down with his sword.

Ji'an screamed and fell to the ground, the intense pain causing his veins to bulge and even causing spasms.

One of his ears was cut off, and blood was everywhere.

"This is the price you pay for deceiving me."

"If you weren't still useful, it wouldn't be this ear that fell off. Your head is on your head for now!" Li Yuanchang said coldly.

These words were spoken to Ji'an, and also to his subordinates.

It is not a good thing to let mistakes go unpunished; some loopholes should not be opened.

Ji'an was in excruciating pain, covering his ears. The pain was so intense that he couldn't even kneel upright, and cold sweat poured down his face. But there was no resentment in his eyes, only gratitude. He knew that Li Yuanchang had held back.

He clasped his hands together, trembling, and said, "Yes, thank you so much, Your Highness!"

"Stop the bleeding!" Li Yuanchang sneered.

Pei Xuan was so frightened that he didn't dare to speak, and it took him a while to act.

After being bandaged and given wound medicine to relieve the pain, Ji'an felt much better, but he had lost a lot of blood and his face was pale.

When he came before Li Yuanchang again, he was filled with shame and dared not look him in the eye.

"This sinful monk pays his respects to Your Highness."

Li Yuanchang cut to the chase: "Central Minister, who is in power now?"

"Where is their stronghold?"

"Who has the authority to control them?"

Ji'an was the only person present who knew about the inner workings of Japan, which is why he wasn't killed.

"Your Highness, this is my elder brother, my father's nephew, Nakatomi no.

"The Nakatomi Shogunate was located 100 li west of Aoki Castle, forming its own castle, and was the largest castle in southern Japan."

"It's no use, nobody can control them."

"Even the Emperor won't do!"