Qi Yuning and his group rode fast horses to the gate of Shengjing City.

It was the hour of Mao, and the city gates were wide open. The people entering and leaving the city were frightened when they saw so many horses and soldiers.

The city guard stopped Qi Yuning and asked, "Who are you?"

Lichun, who was beside Qi Yuning, showed the token of the palace and said, "My princess is Princess Qi. She has important matters to attend to before leaving the city today. Soldiers, please do not try to stop her!"

Lu Baozhu raised her horse whip and walked up to the city guard official and said, "This princess and Qi Yuning are going to go hunting outside the city. You are here to stop us!"

"yes!"

The city guard recognized Lu Baozhu and opened the gates of Shengjing wide to let everyone out.

Qi Yuning looked back at Shengjing City and rode away.

…

In the main hall, the black square bricks with lotus patterns shone with golden light under the slanting morning sun.

Civil and military officials stood in two rows, the dragon throne was empty, Zhao Chong sat upright on the lower right side of the throne, looking at the rising sun outside the hall door, all the officials knelt, it was said to be the pinnacle of power, Zhao Chong glanced at the dragon throne beside him with a sidelong glance.

If Lu Ze was willing to hand over Qi Yuning, Zhao Chong still couldn't bear to kill Emperor Shi Yuan. After all, his father had given him a lot of love since he was a child. Letting Emperor Shi Yuan take opium and die in drunkenness was also a fulfillment of his filial piety.

But if Lu Ze insisted on marrying Qi Yuning, Zhao Chong would have no choice but to climb onto the dragon throne in front of him, which was carved with a mighty flying dragon, as soon as possible.

Zhao Chong looked down and saw that all the civil and military officials in the court were bowing their heads in submission, except for Lu Ze who stood upright and did not kneel.

Zhao Chong frowned and said, "How dare you, Lu Ze! Why don't you kneel down in the hall?"

Lu Ze said, "I didn't kneel because you are not of the Zhao royal bloodline, not a king, but the son of a slave. Why should I kneel to you?

You, Zhao Chong, are not the biological son of His Majesty. Your biological parents are Qin Han, the Minister of State, and Xia Xi, the maidservant of Madam Yu, whom you personally executed."

When Uncle Qin heard Lu Ze's words, he didn't expect this little bastard to actually know about this. He quickly stood up and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Lu Ze, are you crazy?"

The princes of the Zhao family looked at each other in confusion.

Prince Ning walked up to Lu Ze and said, "Ze'er, do you know what you are talking about? You said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not of royal blood. How is that possible?"

Lu Ze saluted Prince Ning and said, "Second uncle, Zhao Chong is not of royal blood. He was not born to my grandmother. She gave birth to a daughter, but the Qin family replaced her with a boy. Her loyal servant, Nanny Qin, can attest to this."

Lu Ze took out a stack of papers from a wooden box nearby and said, "This records the fate of the imperial physicians, palace maids, and midwives who were with the Queen when she gave birth twenty-three years ago. Without exception, they all died in accidents twenty years ago. Not a single one of them died of natural causes."

Lu Ze handed the papers in his hand to Prince Ning, Prince Liao, Prince Xu, Prince Jin and Prince Shou one by one.

Prince Xu was clearly uninterested in this. Prince Liao quickly stepped forward to take the paper. Prince Jin looked deeply at Lu Ze, sighed as he took the paper, and whispered in Lu Ze's ear, "Ze'er, you're courting death."

Zhao Chong frowned and looked at Lu Ze below, feeling extremely angry and heartbroken.

"Lu Ze, Lu Ze, you are my nephew. Everyone in the capital knows how well I have treated you since you were young, and how much my mother dotes on you, my grandson. Yet, you dare to slander me and the Queen like this! I will never forgive you."

Qin Guojiu also said repeatedly: "Your Highness, Lu Ze's foul language is slandering the crown prince. He deserves death!"

The Qin family's followers all knelt down and said, "Your Highness, please punish Lu Ze!"

Lu Ze continued frankly, "These are the bones dug out from Xia Xi's grave. The autopsy records state that if they were biological mother and son, the son's blood could be dripped onto the bones and they would fuse. Zhao Chong, do you dare to try?"

Zhao Chong said, "Lu Ze, you've gone too far. Xia Xi is just a slave, yet you dare ask me to verify whether they are mother and son? If I really did, I would be a laughing stock. You are so bold and rebellious. I will never forgive you. Come, take Lu Ze away and lock him up in the Sky Prison!"

The guards in the court came forward one after another to take Lu Ze away.

Lu Ze said to Prince Ning and Prince Liao, "Second uncle, fifth uncle, everything Lu Ze said is true. Zhao Chong is not of the Zhao family bloodline.

Zhao Chong also gave His Majesty the scent of opium, which he called the scent of sweet grass. This scent of opium is highly addictive and extremely harmful to the body.

Your Majesty is in seclusion because he was bewitched by Zhao Chong to seize power. If anything were to happen to Your Majesty, it would be Zhao Chong who would kill the king! The matter of opium incense is known to everyone in the Persian court, and they will know the truth once they ask.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chong angrily shouted, "The scent of opium is used to treat my father's illness. Lu Ze, oh Lu Ze, you have truly disappointed me. Come, drag him away and execute him immediately!"

Prince Ning repeatedly said, "No, Your Highness, Your Majesty is not in good health right now. This Ze'er has always been Your Majesty's favorite grandchild. The matter of executing Ze'er must be decided by Your Majesty."

The King of Liao also said, "That's right. After you were born, why did your midwives all die within three years? It's really strange."

Zhao Chong angrily asked, "Brother Fifth Prince, do you also want to slander me?"

The King of Liao said, "I dare not, but you cannot kill Lu Ze."

Uncle Qin bowed and said, "Your Highness, I see Lu Ze is so crazy, could he be insane? It would be better to put him in the Sky Prison first. How to deal with Lu Ze will be decided after Your Majesty comes out of confinement!"

Zhao Chong frowned and said, "First, take Lu Ze to the prison."

When Lu Ze was being escorted away by the guards, he took a look at the murderous intent in Uncle Qin's eyes.

After Zhao Chong left the court, he was filled with disappointment. When he heard the queen coming, he stepped forward and said, "Mother."

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