Chapter 59: Confrontation

The Governor's Mansion was bustling with activity. The banquet spread from the main hall to the central courtyard, and the Crown Prince's court officials and the Northern Palace officers gathered together, chatting and laughing.

Wang Zhi, a doctor in the outer military department, was feeling a little uneasy.

Taking advantage of the gap, he quietly came to Wang Hao and whispered, "Father, Cheng Yu has not returned yet."

Wang Han paused to drink the wine in his hand and asked, "Where did he go?"

"Just now, I thought his mother broke her leg, so he went back to check on her, and then he never came back." Wang Zhi frowned and said, "I wonder if something went wrong?"

Wang Han took a sip of wine, his expression remaining calm.

"Didn't you say that everything was already prepared for today?"

"Everything is indeed fully prepared. Cheng Yu has made a promise." Wang Zhi said, "He's a timid man. He wouldn't dare to go back on his word at the last minute, unless..."

Wang Zhi hesitated for a moment and said, "Unless the Crown Prince noticed it in advance and took action."

Wang Hao silently glanced at the crown prince, who was chatting and laughing with the generals at the banquet. He looked relaxed, still his usual harmless, pedantic and superficial self.

"Are all the people accompanying you here?" Wang Han asked calmly.

"Everyone who accompanied him is here." Wang Zhi said hurriedly, "Father is absolutely right. If he wants to start a rebellion, who can help him intercept Cheng Yu?"

Wang Han did not answer.

He thought of one person.

"Has the Lu family I mentioned yesterday arrived in Jingkou?"

Wang Zhi shook his head.

"The people at the dock just came to tell me that the ship from Jiankang hasn't arrived yet. The Lu family should still be on their way."

For some reason, Wang Han felt relieved.

"What do you think?" he asked.

Wang Zhi said, "I've already sent someone to Cheng Yu's house to look for him. Should we put things on hold for a while and wait until he comes back?"

Wang Han felt that his son would never amount to anything.

"Can you call a halt to the current situation just because you want to? How many people are waiting in the dark? As the old saying goes, 'The first push is strong, the second weakens, and the third is exhaustion.' If you miss today, it won't be as easy as it was today."

Wang Zhi hurriedly said, "Yes."

"Cheng Yu's purpose is to incite rebellion. At this critical juncture, his presence or absence is irrelevant. Delaying will only create complications," Wang Hao said. "Let's do what needs to be done. There's no need to discuss it further."

Wang Zhi agreed and returned to his seat.

During the banquet, there was cheerful music and clinking of glasses.

Soon, new food and wine were served, and a group of servants came in one after another.

The Crown Prince raised his glass and said to the crowd, "Your Majesty cares for the Northern Prefecture and has granted us this banquet. I hope you will all be free to drink heartily and accept his grace!"

Everyone raised their glasses to express their gratitude.

Just as everyone was shouting "Long live the prince", suddenly, a group of servants who were serving food pulled out knives and stabbed at the prince.

The East Palace guards were quick to act and shouted, "Protect the Crown Prince!"

As he spoke, he rushed forward.

The banquet was in chaos, with bowls and plates overturned and food falling to the ground. Fortunately, the prince was surrounded by many guards who protected him and he was not hurt at all.

After a fierce fight, all the assassins were captured by the guards.

The banquet was a mess.

The five assassins were tied up and brought before the prince.

Wang Han hurriedly supported the prince and greeted him. When he learned that the prince was fine, his expression finally relaxed.

Then, he turned to the assassin and shouted angrily, "How dare you, a madman, assassinate the Crown Prince!"

Seeing this, the Crown Prince hurriedly advised, "Puye, I'm fine. Leave him alive and bring him back to Jiankang. Let the Supreme Court judge conduct a thorough investigation."

Wang Hao sneered, "Your Highness may be merciful, but since these thieves dared to set out from here, I'm afraid they must have been planning this for a long time. If we don't immediately interrogate the mastermind behind this, who knows what dangers lie ahead. It will be difficult for Your Highness to reach the East China Sea again."

This statement was met with a chorus of agreement. Many people shouted angrily, saying that the mastermind must be found today.

"Wang Pushe's words are certainly reasonable." The Crown Prince showed an embarrassment, "But I am traveling east this time to ward off disasters. Please do not start a war."

Wang Han said, "Your Highness, you are wrong. If we don't eradicate the root of the problem, we will only aid and abet the evil. For Your Highness's sake, please allow me to personally identify the mastermind behind this and punish him on the spot as a warning to others!"

He was so aggressive that the prince remained speechless.

After hesitating for a long time, the prince sighed and said, "In that case, everything will be decided by the Minister of Justice."

Wang Hao turned to the bandit leader and asked, "Tell me, why did you assassinate the crown prince?"

The thief trembled and said, "Prime Minister, spare my life! I am only working for others to make a living! It's just that the generals of the Northern Palace are fed up with the Royal Family's pedantic and incompetent behavior and want to replace them..."

"How ridiculous!" Wang Hao shouted angrily, looking around, "Who ordered you to do this? Tell me your name and I'll spare your life!"

The thief leader just knelt on the ground and kowtowed, not daring to speak.

"Assassinating the crown prince is a crime punishable by the execution of the entire clan," Wang Hao said. "You must think carefully."

After hearing these words, all five of them showed expressions of fear. The thief leader hurriedly shouted, "I confess everything! I confess everything!"

So far, things have progressed just as Wang Hao had expected.

He arranged the assassins, and knew in advance whose names the assassins would write down.

Seeing the thief being untied and writing on the paper with trembling hands, his heart was pounding.

The Northern Army is the best in the world.

After today, everything belongs to him.

Soon, the list was ready. But when the attendant presented it to Wang Han, he was stunned when he saw the names on it.

Then, he felt dazed.

The people on the list were not the ones he wanted to kill, but the ones he bribed.

He glared at the thief with an uncertain expression.

"Is this your confession?" he said in a gloomy tone, "How dare you deceive the emperor!"

But he didn't even dare to raise his head, but just prostrated himself on the ground.

The prince stood beside him at some point and took the list.

Then, he read out the dozen or so names above one by one.

The prince sneered: "How courageous you are!"

This situation obviously prevented everyone present from reacting in time. For a moment, those whose names were called fell to their knees, and their cries of injustice were endless.

"Regicide is a capital crime," said the Crown Prince. "What Wang Pushe said is correct. We must punish those behind this on the spot to serve as a warning to others!"

Wang Han looked back at the prince, and for some reason, he felt that he was a completely different person from the timid man he used to be.

Under his gaze, the Crown Prince's expression became gentle and polite again. "This is what the Minister of the Interior just requested. I wonder if there is anything wrong with it?"

Wang Han was blocked and speechless.

Hearing the endless cries of begging for mercy from afar, Wang Han knew that they were not begging for the prince, but for him.

If he didn't lend a helping hand, there was no guarantee that these people would not betray him on the spot.

One or two people wouldn't be a big deal, but if more than a dozen people came together to identify him in front of so many people, he would probably be in big trouble.

He had no choice but to continue.

Fortunately, he still has a backup plan.

Whoever has the army has the right.