Chapter 180 The Powerful Minister Returns to His Youth 34.

"Duan Fan, no, you're not Duan Fan! Who are you? What do you want?!"

"Let me go! Let me go!"

Zhao Wei heard the Prince Yong's voice through the narrow crevice in the rock. The prince, dressed in plain clothes stained with blood and looking disheveled, had fallen into the so-called blood pool, which resembled a large pit. The expression on his face felt both familiar and strange to Zhao Wei.

The cloaked figure, Duan Fan, removed his hood, revealing an aged face. "I underestimated you. I didn't expect that someone as clear-headed, foolish, arrogant, and conceited as you, who thinks you can dictate the whole world just by opening your mouth on the keyboard, would actually have a little bit of brains. Just a little bit, but not much, right?"

"Otherwise, how could you be so stupid as to suddenly go back on your word with nothing but a small knife in your hand? Or... do you actually have some backup plan?"

He stared intently at Long Ran, as if trying to glean something from him.

Long Ran's Adam's apple trembled almost imperceptibly, his face tightly pressed together with composure: "Of course I have a backup plan! Do you really believe I'm some kind of suicidal fool?"

“I don’t believe you,” Duan Fan shook his head, then smiled, revealing undisguised contempt and disdain, “because you’re an idiot!”

"You!" Long Ran was furious. He sprang up so hard that he almost jumped out of the blood pool.

But the middle-aged Taoist priest next to him reacted quickly, wielding a long board and slapping him back.

Duan Fan laughed heartily, his laughter unrestrained, yet the echo in the cave carried an indescribable sense of oppression.

While laughing, he gestured to the middle-aged Taoist priest to hold the person down properly. He then turned around, picked up another medicine bowl, and after thinking for a moment, seemed worried that it might not be safe and could be easily spilled. So he took out a water bottle and poured the medicine into it.

“Rather than believing that someone like you, who can’t even figure out how to outsmart a primary school student, could have any backup plan, I’d rather believe that your two bodyguards didn’t actually leave. They’re keeping an eye on things and are secretly protecting you somewhere,” Duan Fan said, carrying the medicine pot as he jumped into the pit. “Of course, that possibility is extremely small. If they really hadn’t left, they would have jumped out to save you just now, and then—been shot to death by my trap arrows.”

"Besides, even if they were here, what could they do? This mountain is full of the Demon Queen's rebels. If I give the shout, all three of you, let alone two guards with you and your child, even a thirty-man guard regiment would die here!"

“So, you don’t need to bluff here, Long Ran. No one knows you better than me,” Duan Fan pressed closer. “I bet you suddenly realized something after entering the cave, and then, thinking yourself clever, you decided to test me…”

The middle-aged Taoist priest pressed down even harder on Long Ran's shoulders and back. His hands were bound, and he was leaning forward, unable to move at all.

"See, your quick wit worked! I've been tested. And then what?"

Duan Fan grabbed Long Ran's head, forcing him to look up. "If I wanted to, I could continue to fool you and keep acting, but I suddenly feel that it's unnecessary."

"I've waited too long, I don't want to wait any longer... Three days is just a pretext to lower your guard. In reality, you can be free tonight."

"You...you're going to kill me?" Long Ran asked.

Duan Fan paused, glanced at him, and his gaze was indescribably strange and complicated.

“No, I will not kill you. Anyone could kill you, but I will never,” he said. “I just want you to abdicate. The body of the Prince of Yong is mine, not yours.”

"What are you saying!" Long Ran's eyes showed shock and confusion.

"Alright, I understand the saying that villains die from talking too much. I don't have time to explain anymore. You'll find out when my plan is complete." Duan Fan didn't want to talk to him anymore. After saying this indifferently, he grabbed Long Ran's mouth, raised the water bottle, and was about to pour the medicine into it.

However, before the medicine could actually flow from the spout and spill out, several darts shot over with a whooshing sound.

"superior!"

Almost simultaneously, Yu Shiqing's order was given, and the bowstring in his hand was suddenly drawn taut and released.

The arrows and darts rang out with a clang, their resounding echoes reverberating within the cave!

Caught off guard, Duan Fan let out a scream as a dart struck his wrist and an arrow pierced his right shoulder. The kettle crashed to the ground with a thud, scattering the medicinal soup everywhere. The middle-aged Taoist priest was less fortunate; he was hit in all four limbs and collapsed instantly.

Yu Shiqing fired another arrow, hitting the spring mechanism he had observed and discovered. The surrounding mechanisms collapsed, and a volley of arrows flew through the air before falling silent.

"rush!"

Yu Shiqing flipped over and leaped out.

Zhao Wei had instinctively rushed out at the sound of "Go!", but only after rushing a distance did he realize that the Sixth Prince had instructed him that rescuing the Prince was an important mission, but protecting the frail scholar Mr. Yu was an even more important mission. In such chaos, Mr. Yu could not be allowed to get into trouble.

So he quickly turned around.

Unexpectedly, upon turning around, he saw such a swift and decisive second arrow, and the opponent's agility far surpassing that of ordinary warriors.

Is this the frail scholar whom the Sixth Prince openly and secretly wished he could tie to his belt and protect?

Zhao Wei felt that something was wrong.

"What are you standing there for?" Yu Shiqing slapped Zhao Weijiang on the shoulder and his figure flashed past like the wind.

Zhao Wei was stunned for a moment, then wiped his face and ran after him, shouting hoarsely, "Protect the Prince!"

"kill!"

The secret guards and the imperial guards rushed in at the same time.

Duan Fan was visibly stunned for a moment, then shuddered violently as if attacked by some past fear. He sprang up and lunged at Long Ran, seemingly in a final act of resistance, taking the hostage.

Strangely, however, he had no weapon in his hand and seemed to be simply about to headbutt the target.

However, no matter what, he was destined not to succeed.

Because Yu Shiqing's second arrow had already arrived.

Duan Fan was shot in the left shoulder this time, his scapula was pierced, and he was thrown backward by the force of the arrow. He staggered and tried to move forward again, but he felt a pain in his shoulder and was held down by the guards, who then attacked him with swords.

"Your Highness, we are late. Please punish us!"

The two thugs were taken down, and the crowd rushed over. One group dismantled the surrounding mechanisms to prevent them from being triggered, while the other group hurriedly untied Long Ran and helped him up.

"It's alright. I am already extremely surprised and delighted that you all found this place. The rest is all my own plan, so it doesn't bother you..." Long Ran was surrounded and stood up. All the obvious expressions of resentment, panic, and horror on his face had faded away, leaving only a calm and joyful demeanor.

"I am ashamed to say that I was able to find this place entirely thanks to Mr. Yu..." Zhao Wei said.

"Mr. Yu," Long Ran bowed, "Rong'er and Xuan Shu..."

“All is well,” Yu Shiqing said. “Xuan Shu has already gone to carry out separate operations, while the Princess Consort is stationed in Huai’an, intending to take this opportunity to completely eradicate all the forces of the Demon Queen’s rebellious party in Jiangnan.”

"Good, good!" Long Ran laughed.

No, at this point, he should no longer be called Long Ran.

Duan Fan realized it too, his eyes widening suddenly: "You...you're not Long Ran, you're Prince Yong...you're Prince Yong! No, no! How could you possibly be Prince Yong? How could you possibly be! When!"

His shouts were so shrill that the guards next to him immediately tried to gag him.

But Prince Yong raised his hand to stop him.

During this brief moment, Duan Fan seemed to have figured it out: "It was at that time! When you went to send the guards away and suddenly had a headache! Your guards were there, not because they stayed on their own initiative, otherwise they would have acted when we tied you up. They had your secret orders!"

"When they kidnapped you, you used some kind of code to make them hold back for a while! You were acting as Long Ran, trying to extract as many secrets as possible from me!"

He guessed as much, but was still utterly bewildered: "But... how is that possible? How could you impersonate Long Ran and fool me, even for such a short time? You shouldn't have known anything when Long Ran appeared! There's no way you could have imitated him!"

Prince Yong looked at this malicious person from the future who did not belong to their era, his expression solemn: "The first three times, it was indeed impossible. But this time, it seems that because of your first 'array ritual,' I was unable to immediately control my body upon waking up, but through something, I saw your words and actions."

Did I make things worse by overdoing it?

Duan Fan stared wide-eyed, unwilling to believe it, but the facts were right in front of him, leaving him no choice but to accept it.

He looked around at the densely packed soldiers and generals, his gaze sweeping over General Zhao, the secret guards, and the cold and indifferent Yu Shiqing, as if he had finally confirmed that no matter how much he refused to admit it, he had already lost.

They couldn't even struggle anymore.

He seemed somewhat dazed, but not entirely desperate.

Yu Shiqing observed him calmly, his grip on the sword never loosening.

“The victor is king, the loser is villain,” said King Yong. “My guards have arrived. Even if the demon queen’s rebellion in this whole mountain were to mobilize, they wouldn’t have much of a chance of stopping me, would they?”

"Your scheme has been foiled. If you wish to keep your life, then reveal your identity, your purpose, and everything you have done!"

Duan Fan seemed not to hear, offering no response, but stared blankly at Prince Yong. After a moment, as if suddenly remembering something, his pupils contracted slightly: "Yes...yes, there was, perhaps there was, a moment when you unexpectedly saw the outside world, which is why in your past life on Qingyang Lake, you would rather commit suicide than not kill me..."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shiqing was taken aback. In a flash, something seemed to click through his mind.

“A past life? You…” Prince Yong frowned.

“Yes, it’s me,” Duan Fan tilted his head back and suddenly broke into a strange and unrestrained smile. “Ye Boyang, weren’t you just trying to trick me by saying I wasn’t Duan Fan? That’s right, I can tell you loudly, yes, I’m not Duan Fan, not Long Ran’s childhood friend. So guess who I am?”

"Who could know your secret with Long Ran, know how to prolong the time Long Ran is out, understand Long Ran's personality so well, know about Duan Fan's existence, and know about your past life with Long Ran?"

"The answer is right in front of you, isn't it?"

Prince Yong's brows furrowed even more, a mixture of suspicion and disbelief.

Duan Fan's smile widened: "If you really don't know, why not ask our renowned minister Yu Shiqing, the chief minister?"

Prince Yong paused.

A soft clanging of swords and armor filled the air as the soldiers turned around in surprise.

“Since we have decided to capture you here and will not cut out your tongue, we are naturally not afraid of what you may reveal,” Yu Shiqing said, stepping out from the crowd with his sword in hand, his demeanor otherworldly. “I am a reincarnated person, so what? Long Ran, you have no place to rely on, and you have been reborn as a rat in a ditch. You are pitiful, but if you harm others, then you are hateful.”

Zhao Wei was taken aback: "Mr. Yu, why are you calling this villain? Didn't you say that Long Ran is the one inside the Prince's body..."

“The one inside the prince’s body is one, and the one in front of us is another,” Yu Shiqing said, looking at the cloaked man’s aging face where the smile was gradually fading. “The former is Long Ran who knew nothing about his past life, and the latter is Long Ran who was reborn after causing the Yongwang Rebellion in his past life, which led to the prince’s suicide at Qingyang Lake, the early deaths of the princess, the princess, and the heir, and the death of Xuan Shu.

With so many people and so many shadows, the candlelight inside the cave became even dimmer.

Yu Shiqing stopped in front of the cloaked figure, his face slightly lowered, his eyes hidden in shadow.

"Long Ran, do you know how many people have died because of your stupidity in both your past and present lives?"

Yu Shiqing's voice was soft and cold, "The wicked empress and her traitors deserve the death penalty, and you too should... be torn apart by five horses!"