Jiutian summoned Kuangren Chu: "Take me to the Ninth Prince's mansion to gather information and see what their plans are. Then tell my second uncle."
Madman Chu is skilled in light-footed martial arts and also knows how to use poison. Jiutian can draw talismans. If they encounter danger, the two of them can cooperate with each other and nothing will happen.
Yin Jin'an didn't want them to take any risks, but Kuangren Chu was an impatient person and had already run away carrying Jiutian.
As expected, a few days later, the two returned home with a full load of goods.
This time, Xiahou Yan, following Yin Jin'an's plan, prepared to lead 500 men to escort the Heavenly Thunder, which was to be retrieved from the border between Changhe Town and the State of Qi.
These five hundred men were all Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, but they didn't tell the Ninth Prince's Mansion, who simply assumed they were formidable soldiers.
The Ninth Prince and Xiao Yuanrong selected a thousand of their most skilled personal guards to accompany the carriage, and also deployed tens of thousands of private soldiers and trusted confidants from the Prince's mansion to ambush Xiahou Yan along the way.
They even contacted their old subordinates and confidants in the court, planning to use the Heavenly Thunder to overthrow Yin Jin'an from within and without.
The location of their ambush, the generals, and how they coordinated were all overheard by Kuangren Chu and Jiutian, who then returned and told Yin Jin'an.
Yin Jin'an instructed Xiahou Yan and Gu Bahuang to follow the Ninth Prince's plan and "wait and see" the mantises before catching them.
The Ninth Prince and Xiao Yuanrong were completely unaware of Yin Jin'an's plan. They traveled in secret, leaving in the dark at dawn.
Before leaving, he even made a special trip to the palace to feign farewell to Yin Jin'an, kneeling and kowtowing three times to express his loyalty.
Yin Jin'an's face behind the mask was almost black with malice, but what she said was: "Uncle and cousin, take care on your journey."
The Ninth Prince and Xiao Yuanrong rode away.
After leaving Xingqing Prefecture, they arrived at the border of Xiazhou on the third day and stayed at one of the Ninth Prince's estates.
Staying at their own estate in Xia Prefecture was arranged in advance by the Ninth Prince and Xiao Yuanrong.
The estate had made preparations in advance, providing them with a hearty meal of chicken, duck, fish, and meat.
During their nighttime rest, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry locked the manor gates. Huo Dao, who was already waiting outside, joined forces with the cavalry to capture the Ninth Prince and Xiao Yuanrong, and carried them to the rooftop.
Xiahou Yan played his bamboo flute, making the father and son watch helplessly as the thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalrymen wiped out the Ninth Prince's thousand men.
The Ninth Prince and Xiao Yuanrong then realized they had been tricked, but how could they possibly escape? Their legs had already gone limp with fear.
Xiahou Yan and Huo Dao dragged the two men down and threw them into the hall.
Fearing they would shout, Xiahou Yan simply gagged them with a cloth.
Less than an hour later, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had cleared away all the corpses in the courtyard, and Wang Can and Qi Songliang, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, arrived in their carriages.
The two men looked at the bound Ninth Prince and Xiao Yuanrong, and without saying a word, began the interrogation.
After the gag was removed from the Ninth Prince's mouth, he began to shout angrily, "What's going on? Does His Majesty know? What right do you have to arrest me?"
"Your Highness, please don't be so irritable."
"His Majesty lied to me? He tricked me into coming out to kill me?" The Ninth Prince suddenly realized something and said angrily, "He did this to trick me into revealing my hidden strength?"
"His Majesty is not interested in your power. His Majesty has the method to make heavenly thunder. It would be very easy for him to kill you. One thunderbolt could take the lives of your entire household."
Wang Can said, "Ninth Prince, the Prime Minister and Lord Qi are quite interested in the cause of Empress Dowager Wei's death. You might as well tell us, and perhaps His Majesty will show mercy."
Upon hearing the cause of Empress Dowager Wei's death, the Ninth Prince knew that everything was over.
"I know nothing. Wasn't Empress Dowager Wei killed by Chu Jiang and the deposed Empress Chu? What do you want with me? What does it have to do with me?"
Xiao Yuanrong also said, "This prince and my father know nothing. Even if Chu Jiang and Chu Hanhua killed Empress Dowager Wei, it has nothing to do with our royal family."
Lord Qi sneered, "Don't try to confuse the issue! How could you not know how Empress Dowager Wei died?"
According to the retired emperor's confession, it was the Chu siblings who found the Taoist priest, but the anesthetic given to Wei Mu was provided by Xiao Yuanrong. Later, when Wei Mu was taken to the Thirteenth Prince's estate, it was Xiao Yuanrong who led the bleeding of Empress Dowager Wei.
Because you were originally ill, Empress Dowager Wei used her blood as a medicinal ingredient for you. You recovered after drinking her blood.
"No, that's not true, it's all slander."
"However, His Majesty found a bottle of Empress Dowager Wei's blood in the basement beneath the Ninth Prince's study."
This was originally evidence provided by Jiutian, but because they didn't want to alarm the Ninth Prince's Mansion, the people from the Dali Temple didn't search it.
When he tentatively brought it up today, he saw that the Ninth Prince's face had turned ashen.
Qi Songliang knew it was true.
While marveling at Princess Longxiang's prodigy status, he was also trembling with anger, never expecting it to be true.
"Ninth Prince, you should tell the truth and report others to lessen your own punishment. It doesn't matter if you don't speak, since the Emperor Emeritus has already given His Majesty the list of people who bled and ate meat at the Thirteenth Prince's estate."
Wang Can, with his rebellious nature, simply betrayed Emperor Yangsheng.
When the Ninth Prince heard that it was Emperor Yangsheng who had exposed him, he was so angry that he cursed, "This spineless bastard, he is the one you should kill the most."
The Ninth Prince said resentfully, "I really didn't eat much. I only got a bowl of blood. The Emperor Emeritus said that Wei Mu's blood could cure diseases. He was shot by a Uyghur arrow, which was poisoned. Wei Mu cut his own wrist and let some blood out for him. Not only was he cured of the poison, but he has also rarely been sick since. That's why many people want it..."
"The retired emperor proposed drinking the empress dowager's blood?"
"The Emperor Emeritus said her blood could cure all diseases..."
The Ninth Prince said that Emperor Yangsheng was seriously injured on the battlefield and fell into a coma. It was Wei Mu who cut his wrist to feed him blood, which cured the Emperor Emeritus of the poison and strengthened his bones.
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