I was to be executed by Zhu Yuanzhang, and Empress Ma smashed Zhu Yuanzhang's jade seal.

"Your Majesty! Please calm down!"

In the civil official ranks, led by Li Shanchang, a group of them immediately knelt down.

They were all terrified, their souls nearly leaving their bodies, and they kowtowed desperately.

"Your Majesty! There must be something fishy about this! His Highness the Prince of England could never possibly be plotting a rebellion!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Those claims about Xiang Yu and Han Xin are clearly nonsense! Someone must be pulling strings behind the scenes, deliberately framing His Highness the Prince of Ying!"

They are truly afraid now.

They were not afraid that the emperor would kill a prince.

What they feared was that if the emperor went mad, he would wipe out the entire court in a bloodbath!

At that time, no one will be able to escape!

"Strange? A frame-up?"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed when he heard these two words.

His laughter was ferocious, his laughter was insane.

"Good! What a strange twist! What a frame-up!"

He bent down and picked up the blood-soaked letter from the ground.

He held the blood-written letter high, showing it to everyone.

"You all, open your dog eyes wide and see clearly!"

"What is this?!"

"This is information that our Ming Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard risked their lives to retrieve!"

"Shanhaiguan Pass has fallen! The northern frontier is in chaos! Hundreds of thousands of troops are marching towards Nanjing!"

"Now you're telling me this is suspicious? This is a frame-up?!"

"Then tell us, whose soldier is this?!"

"In this world, besides Zhu Muying, who else could command the entire Northern Frontier to rebel with a single order?!"

"ah?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's questions were like heavy hammer blows, striking everyone's hearts hard.

Yes.

Whose soldier is this?

Who else could it be but Prince Zhu Muying?

Which of the 300,000-strong army in the northern frontier wasn't promoted by him?

Which soldier has not received his kindness?

His prestige in the northern frontier was even higher than that of the emperor himself!

This is a fact that everyone knows but dares not say out loud.

Now, this fact is laid bare before everyone in a bloody and stark way.

There was no escaping it.

Xu Da and Chang Yuchun's expressions also turned extremely ugly.

They opened their mouths, wanting to defend Zhu Muying.

But they couldn't utter a single word.

Because they didn't know how to explain it either.

They believed that Zhu Muying would not rebel.

However, this soldier was indeed his.

The banner of "supporting the emperor" was indeed raised for him.

They were trapped in an indefensible deadlock.

Only Zhu Muying remained standing there, her figure completely still.

There was not a trace of panic on his face.

They didn't even have an expression.

He simply watched quietly as his father, who had descended into madness, stood on the high platform.

His eyes were calm, like a bottomless ancient well.

Beneath that calm lies endless sorrow.

He knew he was finished.

Completely finished.

The moment that blood-written letter appeared.

The moment those names that shouldn't have appeared were uttered.

He knew that he had no room for explanation.

All explanations seem pale and powerless in the face of the established fact of "treason".

His father, the emperor, will no longer believe a single word he says.

He will only believe what he chooses to believe.

That is, his son betrayed him.

His son wants to seize his kingdom.

That's enough.

"Father, I didn't..."

Zhu Biao, who was kneeling on the ground, finally came to his senses from the enormous shock.

He raised his face, which was covered in blood and tears, and spoke in a hoarse voice, almost pleading.

"My fifth brother would never rebel! There must be a huge misunderstanding! I beg Father to investigate!"

He knew that the situation had reached its worst point.

That "evidence of treason" that fell from the sky was like a bucket of gasoline, poured heavily on his father's already raging anger.

Now, the fire is completely out of control.

If we don't put it out soon, everyone will be burned to ashes!

"Misunderstand?"

Upon hearing these two words, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly turned his head and stared intently at his most beloved eldest son with his bloodshot eyes.

"Biao'er, are you even going to lie to us?"

His voice was low and deep, yet it carried a chilling disappointment.

"Was the fall of Shanhaiguan a misunderstanding?"

"Is the claim of hundreds of thousands of troops marching south a misunderstanding?"

"Are the banners of 'serving the emperor' and 'purging the court of corrupt officials' also a misunderstanding?!"

Every question Zhu Yuanzhang posed was like a nail, driven deep into Zhu Biao's heart.

Zhu Biao was speechless after being asked that question.

He didn't know how to answer.

He could only shake his head desperately, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.

"No... Father... that's not how it is..."

"What should it be then?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's patience had run out at this moment.

He suddenly waved his hand, pointing to the center of the hall, where Zhu Muying, who had remained silent throughout, stood.

"You tell us! You tell all the officials in the court!"

"What on earth is going on?!"

"Where did your 'arrogant and fierce generals,' who only exist in history books, come from?!"

"Go ahead and make this up for us!"

"Aren't you the best actor?!"

"Give us another one!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's roar echoed throughout the Fengtian Hall.

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

They knew that the final judgment had come.

Zhu Muying's answer will directly determine his life or death, and the lives of everyone present.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhu Muying finally made a move.

He slowly raised his head.

His gaze, calmly, swept over everyone.

He saw his older brother kneeling on the ground, crying his heart out for him.

He saw his second, third, and fourth brothers kneeling as well, their eyes filled with worry and lingering fear.

He saw Xu Da and Chang Yuchun standing in the ranks of military officers, their fists clenched tightly, their faces filled with grief and indignation.

He saw Li Shanchang standing in the ranks of civil officials, head down, seemingly lost in thought.

Finally, his gaze fell upon the high steps of the imperial palace.

It fell to his father, who had been completely alienated by the dragon throne and imperial power, becoming unrecognizable.

Zhu Mu...

A slow, gentle smile curved Ying's lips.

That smile was faint, yet it carried endless mockery and sorrow.

"Father,"

He finally spoke.

The sound, though not loud, was clear and reached everyone's ears.

"What would you like to hear?"

"Do you want me to say that all of this is a misunderstanding? That someone framed you?"

"Or do you still want to hear me say that I am utterly loyal to you and have no other intentions?"

"Or perhaps you would like to hear your son kneel down, cling to your legs, and weep bitterly, begging you to spare my life?"

Every word he uttered was like a soft knife, cutting no flesh but striking the heart.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face instantly turned even uglier.

He never expected that, even at this point, this rebellious son would still dare to speak to him in such a tone!

"presumptuous!"

Zhu Yuanzhang roared, "What kind of attitude is this! Who do you think you're talking to!"

"I am speaking to my father, the emperor."

Zhu Muying's expression remained calm.

"But my father no longer recognizes me."

"He didn't want to hear my explanation either."

"All he wanted was for me to die."

"In that case,"

Zhu Muying's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Your subject, why waste your breath?"

"Come and kill!"