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

Inside the Fengtian Hall, a strange standoff ensued.

On one side was the emperor, wielding a butcher's knife and consumed by rage.

On one side are the Crown Prince and the other princes, who are fighting desperately to protect their younger brother and even risking their lives to confront him.

The civil and military officials knelt on the ground, their heads bowed low, not daring to even breathe.

They felt like a small boat in a raging storm, which could be torn to pieces by the royal storm at any moment.

As Zhu Yuanzhang witnessed this scene, seeing his most valued eldest son turn against him for the sake of a "traitor," and seeing all his sons standing against him, the string of reason in his heart finally snapped.

The anger of betrayal, the humiliation of being deceived, and the fury of being disobeyed all erupted at this moment!

"Father..."

Zhu Biao looked at his father, who was walking towards him with a sword in hand. His usually gentle and refined face remained resolute.

Zhu Yuanzhang walked up to them and stopped.

He looked at them one by one with his bloodshot eyes.

He saw the pleading and fear in Zhu Biao's eyes.

He saw the stubbornness and unyielding spirit in Zhu Di's eyes.

He saw the same sorrow and resolve in the eyes of his other sons.

Finally, his gaze passed through them and landed on Zhu Muying, who had stood behind them the whole time without saying a word.

"Get out of the way."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was calm, but beneath that calm lay a volcano about to erupt.

"No way!"

Zhu Biao stubbornly straightened his chest, "If Father Emperor wants to kill, then kill your son first!"

"Excellent! What a beautiful example of a loving father and filial son!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, and slowly raised the long sword in his hand, the tip of the sword pointing directly at Zhu Biao's throat.

"Let's ask one more time: will you let us pass, or not?"

The cold tip of the sword was less than half an inch from Zhu Biao's skin, and everyone's hearts were in their throats.

At this critical moment, a calm voice rang out from behind the human wall.

"Big brother, please move aside."

It's Zhu Mu... Ying.

He gently pushed aside Zhu Biao, who was blocking his way, and stepped out from the protective circle of his brothers.

Alone, he calmly walked up to Zhu Yuanzhang and stepped into the cold blade of his sword.

The father and son looked at each other.

One was filled with rage and murderous intent.

A calm as still water, yet utterly desolate.

"You unfilial son! How dare you show your face?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's teeth were grinding together.

Zhu Muying did not answer him, but just looked at him quietly, at the father who had given birth to her and raised her, but now wished he could tear her to pieces.

He suddenly felt very tired.

Exhaustion that comes from the depths of one's soul.

He didn't want to explain anymore, nor did he want to argue anymore.

He knew that from the moment that forged blood oath appeared, he had already lost.

He lost to that unseen enemy, and even more so to the deep-seated suspicion in his father's heart.

"Fine! You're not going to say anything, huh?!"

Seeing his "unrepentant" attitude, Zhu Yuanzhang became even more furious. "Then there's nothing more to say!"

He suddenly raised the long sword in his hand, the tip pointing straight at the sky, as if he wanted to pierce a hole in the heavens!

"We'll kill our own son!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's roar transformed into rolling thunder within the Fengtian Hall.

He wanted to use his son's blood to wash away the shame that had been borne by the imperial power!

He wanted to show the world that whoever dared to challenge his authority, Zhu Yuanzhang, would only have one fate—death!

The longsword, gleaming with a cold light, transformed into a deadly arc in everyone's eyes, slashing fiercely down towards Zhu Muying's head!

The sword's edge, carrying the force of a thunderbolt, tore through the stagnant air within the Fengtian Hall, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.

The chilling sword aura even made the surrounding civil and military officials feel a bone-chilling cold. That sword was not aimed at Zhu Muying, but at each and every one of them.

Time seemed to slow down at that moment.

Zhu Biao and the others were furious and wanted to rush forward, but they were intimidated by the invisible aura, and their legs felt like lead, making them unable to move.

Xu Da and Chang Yuchun clenched their fists instinctively, their nails digging deep into their palms, but they could only watch helplessly.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang was not a father, not a monarch, but a tyrant who held the power of life and death, the heaven, and the law!

No one can defy his will!

Zhu Muying stood beneath the deadly blade, yet she didn't even blink.

He gazed silently at the face contorted with extreme rage, his mind completely clear.

He remembered many things.

I remembered when I was a child, my father wasn't the emperor yet, he was just the King of Wu.

Back then, he would carry him on his shoulders and take him to see the lanterns on the Qinhuai River, and clumsily tell him some stories from previous dynasties that he had heard from storytellers.

He recalled his first time on the battlefield, his palms sweating with nervousness. His father patted him on the shoulder and said, "There are no cowards among the Zhu family! Kill them all!"

He recalled how, every time he returned victorious from the northern frontier, his father would personally greet him at the city gate, praising him lavishly in front of all the civil and military officials: "Our Prince Ying is truly a war god of the Ming Dynasty!"

Those tender scenes flashed before my eyes, only to be torn apart by the hideous face before me.

It turns out that all the deep affection between father and son, all the glory and praise, are nothing but fleeting clouds in the face of imperial power.

When he feels his wings have grown strong, when he feels his achievements are too great, when he feels his prestige is too high, all of this becomes a death knell.

ridiculous.

It's ridiculous.

Zhu Muying shed his blood for the Ming Dynasty and guarded the borders of the country for his Zhu family. In the end, all he got in return was a "rebellious son" and a butcher's knife that fell on his head.

Yeah.

It's better to die at the hands of one's own father than to die from the schemes and plots of some unknown villains.

Let's end it here.

He slowly closed his eyes, preparing to face his inevitable end.

However, just as the sword tip was only three inches from his head, Zhu Yuanzhang's wrist suddenly stopped.

The sword stopped.

The deadly whistling sound abruptly stopped.

The entire Fengtian Hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone held their breath, looking at Zhu Yuanzhang in bewilderment.

Zhu Yuanzhang's hands were trembling violently, and the heavy sword in his hands emitted a soft "humming" sound.

His chest heaved violently, veins bulged on his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot.

He stared intently at Zhu Muying, who had closed her eyes and was waiting to die, and let out a roar like that of a wild beast.

"Open your eyes!"

Zhu Muying did not move.

"We're telling you to open your eyes and look at us!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice grew louder, carrying a tone he himself was unaware of...

panic?

Zhu Muying slowly opened her eyes.

There was no fear, no anger, no pleading in those eyes, only a deathly stillness.

That was the calm of a heart that had died of grief.

This calm infuriated Zhu Yuanzhang more than any resistance or explanation.

Why didn't you dodge?!

Zhu Yuanzhang questioned him.

"Why don't you beg for mercy?!"

"Do you think we wouldn't dare kill you?! Do you think that with your older brother protecting you, and Xu Da and his men backing you up, we can't touch you?!"

Zhu Muying looked at him, her lips twitched, revealing a smile that was more like a grimace.

"Father,"

His voice was hoarse, "If you want to kill me, I'll just stretch out my neck. What difference does it make whether I hide or not, beg or not?"

"you!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was so choked by his words that he almost spat out blood.

He carried his sword and circled around Zhu Muying, like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

"Excellent! Zhu Muying is truly remarkable!"

"We'll make sure you die knowing why!"

He stopped, pointed his sword at Zhu Muying's nose, and said, word by word, "I'm asking you! You command 300,000 troops in the northern frontier, why are you so reluctant to relinquish military power? Don't give me that nonsense about generals in the field being able to disobey the emperor's orders! That's all bullshit!"

"Let me ask you again! Over the years, you've been secretly recruiting soldiers and buying people's hearts in the northern frontier. Haven't you long harbored rebellious intentions?!"

"And what about those five hundred suits of armor! You dare say you didn't prepare them for a rebellion?!"

"And now! Shanhaiguan has fallen! An army of 100,000 men is marching in under your banner! You dare say this has nothing to do with you?!"

Every question Zhu Yuanzhang posed was like a heavy hammer blow, slamming into the Fengtian Hall.

He had kept these words to himself for a long time.

He had wanted to ask that for a long time.

Today, he finally asked all these questions in front of the entire court.

He doesn't want an answer.

He wants a conviction!

He wanted everyone to know that he killed Zhu Muying not because he was heartless or suspicious, but because this son deserved to die!

Zhu Yuanzhang was carrying a golden knife.

Since even the Embroidered Uniform Guards dare not kill!

Then we'll kill them ourselves!

kill!

kill!

kill!

……

Kunning Palace.

They came into the main hall.

Empress Ma held Chang Shi's hand with her left hand and Xu Miaoyun's hand with her right. Looking at these two equally outstanding daughters-in-law who both deeply loved her son, she was filled with mixed emotions.

When she said in an unquestionable tone, "With me here, your husband won't die."

She even made the earth-shattering vow, "If he dares to kill his son, I will kill my father."

Only then did hope truly ignite in the hearts of Chang Shi and Xu Miaoyun.

They knew that this seemingly gentle and kind empress, like the decisive and ruthless Hongwu Emperor, possessed an unyielding and domineering spirit that brooked no disobedience.

As long as she's willing to take action, there's always a chance things will turn around!

"Mother, what should we do now?"

"I asked anxiously."

Xu Miaoyun also looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Empress Ma gently patted the back of their hands, signaling them to calm down.

She slowly stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, her eyes, which had weathered countless storms, gleaming with wisdom.

She was thinking.

She knew Zhu Yuanzhang's temperament.

That's a stubborn mule who won't listen to reason.

The more you go against him, the more motivated he becomes.

Rushing directly to the Fengtian Hall and making a scene would be the worst possible approach. Not only would it not save the Fifth Prince, but it would also drive him to a dead end, forcing him to do something even more irreversible in order to save face for the Emperor.

Therefore, we cannot force it.

We must come up with a foolproof plan.

A way to save the fifth prince's life while giving Zhu Yuanzhang a way out.

"Biao's daughter-in-law,"

Empress Ma stopped and looked at Lady Chang. "You just said that the Crown Prince and Xu Da knelt outside the Meridian Gate to stage a protest?"

"Yes, Mother."

Madam Chang nodded hurriedly, "His Highness the Crown Prince even... even requested to be deposed as heir apparent to prove my fifth brother's innocence."

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma's eyes flashed with both relief and heartache.

Her choice was ultimately too kind.

"Nonsense!"

She retorted, "The position of crown prince is not a game!"

Then she asked, "So... what was Zhu Chongba's reaction?"

Lady Chang's face darkened, and she shook her head: "His Majesty... remained unmoved. In fact, he was furious, saying... saying that the Crown Prince and the others were trying to force the emperor to abdicate."

Empress Ma let out a long sigh.

She knew it would be like this.

Zhu Yuanzhang hated being threatened the most.

By doing this, Biao'er and his group are undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire.

"Has the matter of those five hundred suits of armor been investigated? What exactly happened?"

Empress Ma asked again.

Chang and Xu Miaoyun exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.

Madam Chang said bitterly, "Mother, things happened too suddenly. The Prince of Ying's residence is completely surrounded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and we can't get any news at all. All we know is that the five hundred suits of armor were found in a dry well in the backyard of the Prince of Ying's residence."

"A dry well?"

Empress Ma's brows furrowed even deeper.

She knows her son too well.

Although the fifth brother was decisive in leading troops into battle, he was also the most upright and honest person.

If he truly wanted to rebel, he would never have resorted to such covert and secretive tactics.

Moreover, five hundred suits of armor?

It sounds scary, but for someone who commands an army of 300,000, what can this amount of stuff possibly do?

Not even enough to fill a gap between your teeth!

This is clearly a frame-up!

Moreover, it was an extremely clumsy frame-up!

But Zhu Yuanzhang believed it.

No, perhaps he didn't believe it, but rather he needed a reason.

A legitimate reason to remove his son, who was too powerful and influential, from his high position.

Thinking of this, Empress Ma's heart sank little by little.

If that's the case, then things are in trouble.

This is not a simple frame-up; it is a long-planned political suppression.

It was a ruthless purge of the power of the monarch over the power of the ministers.

In this situation, any evidence or defense seems weak and powerless.

Because what the emperor wants is never the truth.

What he wants is a result.

An outcome that would allow him to sleep soundly.

Silence fell once again in the main hall.

As Chang Shi and Xu Miaoyun watched Empress Ma's increasingly grave expression, the flame of hope that had just been ignited was gradually extinguished.

Is it...

Is there really no alternative?

Xu Miaoyun's hand unconsciously tightened around the golden dagger hidden in her sleeve.

If even the Empress can't do anything, then...

Just when the atmosphere was at its most oppressive.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The frantic footsteps, so hurried they were almost unsettling, came frantically from outside the palace, growing louder as they approached!

The sound was completely devoid of the composure and decorum expected within the palace; it was more like a frightened wild beast running for its life!

Empress Ma's brows furrowed instantly.

"Who dares to be so insolent!"

Before she could finish speaking, a young maid dressed in palace attire tumbled and crawled into Kunning Palace!

With a "thud," the little palace maid didn't even have time to stand up before she fell headfirst onto the cold, hard gold brick, breaking her head and bleeding profusely.

"Mother...Your Majesty...No...Something terrible has happened..."

Ignoring the pain in her forehead, the young palace maid braced herself against the ground and let out a desperate cry in her hoarse voice.

Empress Ma's heart skipped a beat; an extremely ominous premonition instantly enveloped her entire body.

"What happened?! Tell me slowly!"

Her voice remained calm.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

The young palace maid was breathless, trembling like a leaf, "His Majesty is in the Fengtian Hall... drawing his sword... beheading His Highness Prince Ying..."