We'll have you impersonate the Crown Prince and create a prosperous era for the Great Qian Dyna

It's time to show off our acting skills again.

Zhou Tiancheng took a step forward, first glancing at the guard with surprise, then turning to look at Zhou Tianze in shock.

"Third brother, what do you mean by this? If you want the position of crown prince, I will give it to you. Why resort to such despicable means?"

"First, you planted a traitor by my side, and then you colluded with your mother to have the traitor abduct a Hu woman into the Eastern Palace to frame me."

"Do you know how many people will laugh at Father Emperor for what you've done? I will be cursed to death by the entire world!"

"You've disgraced the entire Great Qian royal family!"

Zhou Tianze was speechless and unable to defend himself.

The witnesses and the motive are all there.

How else can he explain it?

All I could do was offer a feeble denial.

"I didn't! I didn't do any of those things!"

This is exactly the effect Zhou Tiancheng wanted.

He took a step forward, his expression as dignified and solemn as a judge interrogating a criminal in court.

Even the way he spoke was skillful, with his entire chest resonating.

"You didn't do it? Then tell me, what was your purpose in planting a traitor in the Eastern Palace?"

Zhou Tianze was forced to take a step back and began to explain.

"I really didn't mean to frame you. I was just thinking that when the time was right, I'd have him work together from the inside to end your life..."

"Third brother!"

Zhou Rui interrupted Zhou Tianze's words with an angry shout.

Zhou Tianze finally realized what had happened; he had been intimidated.

But what shocked him even more was Zhou Tiancheng's aura!

In that instant, he felt that if he didn't speak up, he would fall into hell the next moment!

Zhou Tianze had only ever seen that kind of majesty and solemnity in the imperial court.

When officials make mistakes, Zhou Rui's expression when he gets angry is almost exactly the same as Zhou Tiancheng's!

"That's impossible!"

"When did the Crown Prince learn such methods? And where did he learn this way of speaking?"

"It was like a thunderclap in my ears. My mind went blank, and I blurted out everything on my mind!"

Zhou Tianze felt increasingly uneasy.

He looked at Zhou Tiancheng suspiciously for a moment, and finally realized something.

The prince in front of me looks exactly like the prince, behaves the same way, and even has some of his little gestures.

But his temperament, methods, and scheming are completely different from those of the Crown Prince!

He is not the crown prince!

Absolutely not!

Zhou Tianze narrowed his eyes, his vigilance instantly reaching its peak.

What a terrifying existence it is that a fake prince could make everyone believe him without a doubt, and even he himself almost believed that he was real.

The key is that his ability to read people's expressions, handle situations, and his skills far surpass those of the previous Crown Prince!

"Third brother!"

Another reprimand abruptly interrupted Zhou Tianze's thoughts.

When he turned around, Zhou Rui was staring at him with a gloomy expression!

Only then did Zhou Tianze realize what he had said earlier.

He knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head.

Zhou Rui was so angry that his face turned red and the veins on his neck bulged.

"Third brother, I promised you that I would give you the position of crown prince in a few days, but you also promised me that you would protect your eldest brother's safety for the rest of your life."

"To coordinate an attack from within and without, and seize the opportunity to eliminate the Crown Prince—is this your promise to me?"

Zhou Tianze didn't dare to breathe!

Now, let alone identifying the crown prince, he feels he can't even protect himself!

But he wasn't fighting alone.

Qin Zhiang stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Your Majesty, this is, after all, a matter within the imperial family, and it is not appropriate to discuss it in front of others."

"But the Third Prince's words at least confirm one thing: sending the Hu girl to the East Palace was not the Third Prince's intention. There may be some misunderstanding here."

Zhou Rui was tired.

He felt more tired than ever before.

The empress's legitimate son was raised into a useless person by him, and the third son, whom he favored, secretly harbored the intention to kill his brother.

Am I really not a good father?

Zhou Rui could no longer face all of this.

"I am tired. Let's leave it at that."

"Third Prince, apologize to the Crown Prince. I'm going back to the palace to rest."

He closed his eyes, like an old and frail lion who could no longer control his restless cubs.

But Zhou Tianze refused.

He stood up and spoke decisively.

"Your subject will not apologize to him. He is not the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince does not possess such methods and cunning!"

Zhou Tianze knew he had no evidence, so he could only try to make Zhou Rui also suspect the Crown Prince.

As soon as he said that, Zhou Rui, who had been keeping his eyes closed, opened them.

He glanced at Zhou Tiancheng suspiciously, his heart filled with uncertainty.

"Now that the body is right here, who else could it be but the Crown Prince?"

With such conclusive evidence, is it possible that a second crown prince could emerge?

Zhou Tianze knelt down with a thud, glaring fiercely at Zhou Tiancheng.

"Father, I beg you to give me another chance. This time, I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly!"

Zhou Rui didn't want to agree, but when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he hesitated.

Because the Crown Prince in his memory was never as sharp as he used to be; he was just a good-for-nothing!

Is this person in front of me really the Crown Prince?

Zhou Rui paused for a moment, then suddenly changed his tune.

"I am getting old and lack the energy to distinguish the true Crown Prince from the false one. What are your thoughts, my esteemed ministers?"

He handed this difficult problem over to the high-ranking officials of the imperial court present.

Qin Zhi'ang was the first to bow.

"Your Majesty, this old minister believes that the matter of the true and false crown princes is quite serious, and no amount of caution is too much."

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you give the Third Prince another chance."

With him taking the lead, the other high-ranking officials followed suit.

"I second that opinion."

Now it was Chou Tien-cheng's turn to be dumbfounded.

The method he just used was an interrogation technique he learned from an old policeman.

His performance was so successful that even Zhou Rui began to doubt his authenticity.

What kind of situation is this?

However, since all the evidence is gone, as an actor, he is least afraid of being criticized.

His dough jiggled for a moment, and a wild smile appeared on his face.

"I didn't expect you guys wouldn't give up?"

"Fine! I'll stay right here. Third Brother can investigate however he likes, but... what if he can't find any evidence?"

Zhou Tianze, young and impetuous, was about to gamble his future when Qin Zhiang stepped forward first.

"Your Highness, if I remember correctly, the largest restaurant in the capital, Zui Chun Feng, was bestowed upon the Third Prince by His Majesty."

"If the Third Prince fails to find evidence, this old minister can vouch for him to hand over Zui Chunfeng to His Highness the Crown Prince. What do you say?"

Zhou Tiancheng was reluctant to agree.

It's just a restaurant, is it worth the risk?

Unexpectedly, Zhou Rui nodded slightly.

"I recall that Zui Chunfeng's annual profit is around 500,000 taels of silver, which is just right since the Crown Prince's income is insufficient to cover expenses. Using this as a guarantee would be appropriate."

Zhou Tiancheng has been in this world for four months and has some understanding of the purchasing power of silver.

To put it bluntly, 500,000 taels of silver is roughly equivalent to his 250 million before he transmigrated!

If this money were used to bribe... no, to grease palms with officials throughout the court, what would he have to fear then?

As for the Crown Prince's financial difficulties, he chose to be selectively deaf to them.

No matter how poor they are, this is still the Eastern Palace; even a starved camel is bigger than a horse.

All he could see was 2.5 million!

Chou Tien-cheng's smile grew even brighter at that moment.

"Then thank you for your generosity, Third Brother."

As for the evidence?

Even the corpse couldn't be found to provide any evidence, so what could Zhou Tianze possibly find to accuse himself of?