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

The old nanny dared not delay, bowed to accept the order, and hurriedly left to deliver the decree.

The Kunning Palace was brightly lit and orderly, as solemn and dignified as ever, without a trace of death or decay.

Empress Ma sat upright in the hall, waiting for the Crown Prince to arrive. She had already devised a complete plan to break the deadlock, and was just waiting to take advantage of the situation and make a smooth move.

The Eastern Palace.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was reviewing memorials under the lamplight.

As the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, he had already begun to assist Zhu Yuanzhang in handling government affairs.

He was kind and gentle by nature, and everyone, from court officials to palace eunuchs, spoke highly of him.

A eunuch rushed in from outside, looking flustered.

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"

Zhu Biao put down his vermilion pen, his brow furrowing slightly: "What's the matter that you're in such a panic?"

"Zhang, the old nanny from Kunning Palace, has rushed here to deliver a message: Her Majesty the Empress summons you to the palace immediately for a meeting concerning the case of His Highness Prince Ying. It is extremely urgent!"

The eunuch immediately reported the truth.

"What?!"

Zhu Biao stood up abruptly, his heart tightening.

Of course he knew that his fifth brother, Zhu Muying, had been imprisoned in the imperial prison.

In the afternoon, his father personally spoke with him.

The emperor told him that the fifth prince had made great contributions and was too powerful to be controlled. In order to secure his future throne, he had to be eliminated.

Zhu Biao immediately knelt down to plead for his fifth brother.

He said that his fifth brother had no intention of rebelling and that they were deeply in love with each other, and begged his father to investigate the matter thoroughly.

But the Emperor's attitude was unusually firm, even saying, "You don't understand, we're clearing obstacles for you."

In this case.

Zhu Biao felt anxious and pained, yet there was nothing he could do.

He understood his father and his brother.

One was a suspicious and distrustful founding emperor, and the other was a war god prince with unparalleled achievements.

The complex relationships between ruler and subject, father and son, crown prince and prince left him caught in the middle, torn between two difficult options and exhausted.

He originally intended to wait until his father's anger subsided before gently persuading him.

Unexpectedly, his mother summoned him to the palace in the middle of the night, which must have been part of a well-thought-out plan.

"Prepare the carriage; we're heading to Kunning Palace!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhu Biao grabbed an outer robe and strode out of the palace.

He knew that the situation tonight was extremely dangerous, and that his mother, being wise, insightful, and well-versed in political maneuvering, would surely be able to guide him on how to break the deadlock.

The choice made that night not only concerned the life of the fifth brother, but also the stability of the court and the future of the Ming Dynasty.

The night breeze lifted the hem of his clothes, and the lights of the East Palace cast his shadow long, very long.

Early the next morning.

Fengtian Temple.

The political heart of the Ming Dynasty was filled with an oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.

The civil and military officials stood on both sides, each with their eyes downcast and their breath deliberately slowed down.

Zhu Yuanzhang, sitting on the dragon throne, had a face so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

He didn't sleep all night.

After arguing with Empress Ma in Kunning Palace, he returned to Qianqing Palace, where he became increasingly angry and annoyed.

On the one hand, there was fear and murderous intent towards Zhu Muying, whose achievements threatened the emperor's position.

On the other hand, there was Empress Ma's insightful and earnest advice, their years of marital affection, and the hidden dangers in the court behind this matter.

Two conflicting emotions tore at him, giving him a splitting headache.

What troubled him even more was that overnight, undercurrents were swirling inside and outside the capital, with many officials privately discussing the wrongful conviction of the Prince of England, and people's hearts were unsettled.

Zhu Yuanzhang was both angry and panicked. He could suppress the officials and control the court, but he could never ignore the potential dangers to the country that Empress Ma had mentioned.

Just as he was feeling troubled, a piece of news, like a thunderclap, exploded in the silent court.

"Your Majesty!"

Zhan Hui, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, stepped forward, his voice booming, "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present! Yesterday, the Embroidered Uniform Guard acted without imperial decree, barging into the Prince of Ying's residence and imprisoning His Highness, a man of great military merit! Your Majesty, what crime has His Highness committed? Why was he imprisoned without a joint trial by the three judicial departments? This action is contrary to the law and morally unacceptable! I beg Your Majesty to clarify!"

Zhan Hui was known for his stubbornness and was in charge of investigating all officials, even reporting the emperor's mistakes.

His words immediately caused an uproar.

The King of England has been arrested?

This news was too sudden and too shocking for the vast majority of officials.

Prince Zhu Muying, that was the God of War of the Ming Dynasty!

How long has it been since the unparalleled feat of the Northern Expedition and the supreme glory of sealing the wolf's lair?

How come he was arrested and thrown into prison as soon as he returned to Beijing in triumph?

Immediately, the imperial court was abuzz with discussion.

Some were shocked, some were puzzled, some were gloating, and some were secretly worried.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face grew even uglier as he looked at the officials whispering among themselves.

He originally intended to act swiftly and decisively, eliminating Zhu Muying within three days with ruthless methods, giving no one a chance to react or plead for mercy.

But to his surprise, Zhan Hui, that troublemaker, was the first to jump out.

"Minister Zhan."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was icy. "Prince Ying, Zhu Muying, has been found to have secretly kept five hundred sets of armor in his residence. The evidence is conclusive, and he intends to commit treason. The Embroidered Uniform Guard is acting on my secret orders; how can you claim there was no imperial decree? Such a heinous crime of treason deserves to be thrown directly into the imperial prison. What's wrong with that?"

He secretly possessed 500 sets of armor?

The moment this charge was announced, the court fell silent.

Everyone knows what this charge means.

In the Ming Dynasty, possessing armor in private, especially in quantities exceeding a certain limit, was a clear-cut crime of treason.

But would the King of England rebel?

Almost everyone's first reaction was disbelief.

"His Majesty!"

Minister of Personnel Zhan Tong, also Zhan Hui's elder brother, stepped forward and said, "His Highness Prince Ying is His Majesty's own son, and has been loyal and filial since childhood. During the Northern Expedition, he commanded an army of 300,000. If he had any rebellious intentions, why wait until today? The matter of secretly storing armor may be a misunderstanding. I urge His Majesty to investigate thoroughly. You must not let momentary suspicion damage the relationship between father and son, or chill the hearts of the soldiers across the land!"

"Your Majesty, please investigate this matter thoroughly!"

Minister of War Ru Chang also stepped forward.

He was the representative of the military's civilian officials and was well aware of Zhu Muying's prestige within the military.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Prince of Ying enjoys a prestigious reputation in the army and is deeply loved by the soldiers. However, the northern expeditionary force is not yet fully settled, and the borders are unstable. If news of the Prince of Ying's punishment reaches the army, it could cause unrest among the troops! Please reconsider, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

In an instant, a large number of people knelt down in the imperial court.

Most of them were officials with close ties to the military or with an upright personality.

They might also fear the King's growing power and influence, but they feared even more that once the Emperor's suspicions were aroused, he might kill a prince today and themselves tomorrow.

This is a form of self-preservation born of the fear of the rabbit's demise.

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious when he saw his ministers kneeling below him.

OK!

One by one, they all came to plead for him!

What kind of bewitching potion did Zhu Muying give you?

The murderous intent in his eyes grew stronger.

The more these people pleaded for him, the more it proved how influential Zhu Muying was in the court and the army.

Keeping someone like that around will only cause trouble sooner or later!

"That's enough!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his hand on the armrest of the dragon throne, making a loud noise.

The entire hall fell silent instantly.

"Are you all trying to teach us how to be emperors?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was like a cold wind from the depths of hell, sweeping across everyone's face.

"The evidence of his possession of armor is irrefutable! Do you think the Imperial Guards are blind, or do you think we're senile and would wrongly accuse our own son?"

"Let me tell you, anyone who dares to say another word about this will be treated as an accomplice!"

"Court adjourned!"

After Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, he abruptly flicked his sleeves, stood up, and walked towards the rear hall without looking back.

The court officials were left behind, looking at each other in bewilderment, their hearts filled with despair.

Everyone saw it.

This time, the Emperor is determined to kill the Prince of Ying.

The claim of secretly possessing armor is just an excuse.

The real reason is those four words: "His merits overshadowed those of his master."