The prince took two steps back and said threateningly, "Aren't you afraid that I might trigger the fuse? With only the two of you, there's no way you can turn the tide."
Indeed, the guards in the hall at this time were all the prince's men. If it were just Song Zan and Song Hongshen, they would probably be outnumbered.
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhixiu stood up and lifted the seat beneath him. He could indeed see the gunpowder bag and the fuse. Then, Shen Zhixiu picked up a sharp knife and cut open the gunpowder bag. There was no gunpowder inside, only sand and gravel.
Shen Zhixiu also admired the prince's courage. He was truly determined to make a desperate move this time. If he succeeded, a single mistake today would mean the death of all the civil and military officials in the court.
Seeing the Crown Prince frozen in shock, Shen Zhixiu asked, "Your Highness, do you think Deng Youdu has taken care of everything?"
Deng You was the Junior Supervisor of the Military Equipment Bureau and also the prince's spy in the Military Equipment Bureau.
The prince was shocked when he heard this. The last time his father thoroughly investigated the Military Arsenal, he didn't find anything. He thought that no one knew Deng You's identity.
When did Shen Zhixiu find out about it, and how did he change the gunpowder?
Just as the Crown Prince was puzzled, he heard Shen Zhixiu say, "The last time the Emperor ordered me to conduct a thorough investigation of the Military Equipment Bureau, I noticed something was amiss with Deng You."
"So I have been checking him out and keeping a close eye on him."
"Your Highness, do you really think he can do it without leaving any trace? It's not that easy."
The Crown Prince's heart sank again. Because of Shen Zhixiu's last thorough investigation of the Armory, the blueprints were no longer leaked. Consequently, nothing had been built in Yuntaishan, Yuzhou. This time, determined to fight to the death, he had brought the gunpowder raw materials from there to the capital and had Deng You make the gunpowder bags.
He didn't expect that these things he thought were secret were actually seen clearly by others.
The Crown Prince gritted his teeth and glared at Shen Zhixiu, "Lord Shen, don't be too happy too soon. There is a group of people outside the palace heading for the Shen family. Lord Shen has angered me, so I don't need to show any mercy to the Shen family."
Although Shen Zhixiu was worried about the Shen family, he remained calm and said, "Then it depends on your ability."
When they heard that the gunpowder in the room was made of stone sand, everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief.
Only Chen Zheng felt uneasy. If there was anyone in the palace who most hoped that the Crown Prince would succeed, it was Chen Zheng.
If the prince fails, he will be finished too, and the emperor will not let him go.
But just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they heard the sound of orderly footsteps coming from outside.
The leader was the second prince, and behind him was a large group of soldiers.
The momentum is like a rainbow and the steps are in step.
Judging from the way these people are dressed, they don't look like the army of the Great Zhou. They should be private soldiers raised in advance by the crown prince or the second prince.
The second prince was dressed in a dark python robe, had a stern expression, and carried a scimitar at his waist.
Seeing the Second Prince coming, the Crown Prince's face suddenly lit up with joy, and he went out to greet him, "Royal brother, tell someone to take our father away first. Since our father has already written the edict of abdication, there is no reason for him to go back on his word."
At this moment, the Crown Prince had already reached the gate of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and stood opposite the Second Prince. From Emperor Xuande's perspective, he could only see the private soldiers filling the courtyard.
The second prince waved his hand, signaling the people around him to take action, and a group of people behind him immediately stepped forward.
A triumphant smile appeared on the prince's face, but his expression froze when he was subdued by the second prince's men.
At the same time, the Dragon Guards headed by Puyi appeared around the Hall of Supreme Harmony, stood side by side at the door of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and stopped the Crown Prince and the Second Prince.
Immediately afterwards, Puyi rushed into the Hall of Supreme Harmony and, while everyone was still not reacting, killed the guards loyal to the prince in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
All this happened so quickly that before the prince could even understand what was happening, the situation had already changed drastically.
He stared at the Second Prince in astonishment, "You've been lying to me? Are you my father's man?"
He never thought that the second prince was also ambitious for that position. He just thought that he was loyal to his father and that he restrained him in order to protect the emperor.
The Second Prince frowned upon hearing this, feeling troubled for a moment. If he had followed the Crown Prince's lead, he would still be the same Prince of Pingxi. He would even have been rewarded for his service in protecting the Emperor and suppressing the rebellion.
But he was unwilling to give up. If he missed this opportunity, he might never have another chance in the future.
So he only hesitated for a moment before making a decision.
"My Royal Brother, you are wrong. I will also fight for that position today."
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince suddenly realized what was happening. No wonder the Second Prince had been urging him to take action. Even these five thousand private soldiers were the Second Prince's men. Back then, he had been grateful to the Second Prince for giving him these men, but now it seemed clear he was just trying to profit from the situation.
"You...Second brother, I've treated you well."
The Second Prince ignored him, scoffing and signaling his men to attack. Thousands of well-trained warriors engaged the Dragon Guards, led by Fu Yi.
The Dragon Guards are carefully selected people to protect the emperor, and their martial arts skills are naturally not weak.
However, the other side had more people and was outnumbered, and gradually fell into a disadvantage.
At this time, everyone in the hall held their breath, while Song Zan and Song Hongshen protected the emperor on the left and right.
Emperor Xuande turned around and glared at Song Zan, "You knew this a long time ago? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
He could see that Song Zan, Shen Zhixiu, and even Puyi had made preparations, but why was he kept in the dark?
If they had told him earlier, how could we have ended up in this situation? He would have dealt with these two rebellious sons long ago.
Looking at the private soldiers outside who were about to attack, Emperor Xuande felt depressed. Judging from the situation, he was afraid that the situation was not optimistic.
Song Zan's face showed no sign of panic or nervousness. He explained, "Your servants had no evidence before, so we could only take precautions in advance."
How dare they say something without any evidence? Even if they did, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince would not admit it, and the Emperor would certainly not believe it.
At that time, they will turn the tables and say that they have ulterior motives.
Emperor Xuande said angrily again: "Pre-emptive measures? Is this how you take precautions?"
The enemy was about to break into the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but Song Zan remained calm. Where did he get the confidence to be so calm and composed?
Song Zan explained again, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Reinforcements will be here soon."
Emperor Xuande pressed the issue, "Where are the reinforcements coming from? You and your son are trapped in the palace, and the military commanders needed in the capital are also in the palace."
He really couldn't think of anyone else capable of leading an army into the palace to quell the rebellion.
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of orderly footsteps outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Immediately afterwards, a large black army rushed in and attacked the private soldiers in the yard without saying a word.
Emperor Xuande widened his eyes and looked outside in disbelief, "Why is he back?"
Wasn't Su Yuanzhou stationed in the Northern Frontier? Why did he suddenly enter the palace to quell the rebellion?
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