Chapter 76 is settled.
Soldiers' corpses can be seen everywhere in front of Shenwu Gate.
Although Qin Lie had prepared a fake list, the Crown Prince never fully believed it from the beginning and had a backup plan.
After more than an hour of fierce fighting, Qin Lie finally prevailed.
The crown prince was brought down, staggering and looking disheveled.
Qin Lie rebuked the soldiers, "How dare you be so rude!"
Just like when they were children on the training ground, he straightened his brother's clothes.
The Crown Prince showed no signs of defeat or dejection; instead, he appeared quite composed: "So Xie Yu has always been your man, and even the Imperial Guards are your men. My defeat is not unjust."
Despite the fighting outside for so long, there was absolutely no reaction from inside the Shenwu Gate, which is just one door away. Otherwise, they would have rushed over and tied them all up and taken them to the palace long ago.
Qin Lie said, "The Imperial Guards belong to the Emperor. Whoever wins, they belong to that side."
The commander of the Imperial Guards wasn't stupid. It wasn't that someone was rebelling outside; it was that the two princes who were most likely to inherit the throne were fighting to the death. They didn't know who to help, so they could only choose not to help either of them.
The crown prince then understood the crux of the matter, "Indeed, when it comes to military campaigns, if I had not been injured, I might not be worse than you. However, when it comes to understanding people's hearts, I am indeed inferior to you."
He looked at Qin Lie: "I have been defeated by you today, and those children will surely not survive. I only ask one thing of you, Second Brother: Your Second Sister-in-law has no children and poses no threat to you. She is also the Empress Dowager's niece. I beg you to spare her life."
Qin Lie said, "When we were in Jizhou, my second sister-in-law treated me well, which is only right."
"Let's do it." The prince closed his eyes.
Qin Lie did not make a move, and none of the people behind him dared to make a move either.
The Emperor is still alive, who dares to bear the crime of murdering the Crown Prince? Moreover, the Crown Prince is Prince Duan's only elder brother. If we act now, it may seem like a meritorious deed, but if Prince Duan remembers his brother in the future, who can guarantee that he will not blame the person who murdered the Crown Prince?
At this moment, Sun Yuebin, who had been held captive behind the Crown Prince, suddenly broke free. In a flash, he picked up a long knife from the ground and plunged it into the Crown Prince's chest from behind. As he pulled it out, blood splattered on his face, and the Crown Prince groaned and fell forward. Qin Lie quickly caught him, crying, "Second Brother!"
The crown prince grasped his hand and smiled, "Third brother, I'm going to see my elder brother. I really... miss the time in Jizhou, when we...we..."
Blood sealed his heart meridians, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. Before he could finish a sentence, his hand fell limply to his side.
Qin Lie supported the crown prince's body, half-kneeling on the ground, head bowed, remaining motionless for a long time.
At this moment, the Shenwu Gate was finally opened wide, and the commander of the Imperial Guards was also taken aback by the sight.
They naturally heard the fighting outside and knew that the Crown Prince was intercepting Prince Duan. Just as Qin Lie had predicted, they didn't know who to help, so they simply didn't help either side at first and went to report to the Emperor.
The commander of the Imperial Guards was indeed a confidant of the Emperor, but the Emperor was already nearly sixty years old. The once awe-inspiring General Qin had entered the capital and sat on the dragon throne, but within a few years, his body had been ruined by wine and women. And under his so-called checks and balances, the court had long been controlled by the Crown Prince and Prince Duan.
Even if someone is the emperor's confidant, they should still think about their future.
He thought the Crown Prince would win this battle, after all, the Crown Prince had intercepted and killed Prince Duan tonight.
The Crown Prince is kind-hearted; even if he intercepts Prince Duan, he would not take his life.
Unexpectedly, Prince Duan has won, while the Crown Prince has died at the hands of Shenwu. His expression changed drastically.
Hearing the commotion, Qin Lie raised his head, revealing an extremely calm face, and said to him, "Commander Li, your arrival is just in time. Please go to the palace to report to the Emperor. The Crown Prince's advisor, Sun Yuebin, attempted to rebel, but His Highness the Crown Prince discovered it. The Crown Prince secretly ordered me to return to the capital to suppress the rebels. Unexpectedly, the traitor Sun learned of this in advance and even coerced and kidnapped the Crown Prince to the Shenwu Gate. After his plot was foiled, he attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince to vent his anger. I was unable to save him in time, and I beg the Emperor to punish me!"
Commander Li had long known that Prince Duan was a man of few words, but he never expected that the first time he heard him speak at such a long length, he would find it to be a string of lies.
As if to confirm his words, Sun Yuebin threw away the knife in his hand and knelt down dejectedly on the ground.
Having no other choice, he said to Prince Duan, "This matter is of great importance, and I dare not relay it. I request that Your Highness enter the palace to meet His Majesty in person."
He gestured to his subordinates behind him to make way so that Prince Duan could enter the palace with him.
Qin Lie stood motionless, while Xie Yu knelt down and loudly proclaimed, "This humble subject failed to protect the Crown Prince properly and is willing to go to the palace with him, begging Your Majesty to punish me!"
The soldiers behind him roared in unison, "We failed in our duty to protect the Crown Prince and we are willing to go to the palace together to beg Your Majesty for punishment!"
The torches illuminated their blood- and dust-stained faces, but there was no trace of dishevelment on their faces; instead, their eyes were filled with a wolfish excitement—something Commander Li had seen before. When he and the Emperor entered the capital, those around him, including himself, had that same look in their eyes.
—That was the desire to serve the emperor and bring glory to one's ancestors!
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside, and a group of soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the capital's defense army galloped in from under the moonlight.
Qin Xiaoshan dismounted and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Qin Lie. "Your Highness, the 30,000-strong capital defense force has been fully assembled outside the city gates! The rest of the troops are also ready to go and can head to the capital at any time!"
Prince Duan fought on the battlefield for more than ten years, conquering most of the country. How many people did he promote and appoint to important positions?
The emperor thought he could rest easy after scattering his generals, but how many people had he secretly planted?
On the surface, the Imperial Guard and the garrison had nothing to do with him, but now they all obeyed his orders.
With only a few thousand men at his disposal, he was no match for them.
Thinking of this, Commander Li sighed, "In that case, please come with me to the palace!"
.
The Emperor has chosen Consort Yao tonight.
The eighteen-year-old girl from Jiangnan was in the prime of her youth, with a sweet smile and a supple waist, and had become his new favorite in the past six months.
Commander Li reported the matter three times, but the chief eunuch only dared to report it after the emperor's medicine had worn off.
What does the Crown Prince intend to do by intercepting and killing Prince Duan?! And what does the Crown Prince intend to do after killing Prince Duan?!
The Emperor was furious and terrified, and hurriedly ordered Commander Li to take his men and capture the Crown Prince!
That's why Commander Li arrived so slowly. He should have appeared when the two were both severely injured and decided the outcome in one fell swoop.
Unexpectedly, the news they received in the end was that the crown prince had died.
The emperor slumped onto the dragon throne, looking as if he had suddenly aged ten years, his back hunched over.
His second son, Qin Xu, was never the son he valued and loved the most.
His most cherished and beloved son was undoubtedly his eldest son, his first child, who brought him the joy of fatherhood for the first time. As the eldest grandson of the Qin family, he naturally held the highest expectations for his son, especially given his exceptional abilities. Next was his third son, Qin Lie, who possessed a naturally fiery temper and constantly caused trouble, requiring considerable attention. He would scold him daily, yet upon reflection, he couldn't help but feel proud; the boy was clever, even his old subordinates had suffered at his hands.
With an outstanding older brother above him and a troublesome younger brother below him, Qin Xu is caught in the middle, neither here nor there, in an awkward position.
However, he had a gentle personality. Although he was also excellent, he was not as good as his older brother, nor was he as mischievous as the younger one, so he was somewhat neglected.
Until that defeat, the death of the eldest son, and Qin Xu's serious injury, the Qin family seemed to have reached a dead end.
He certainly felt sorry for Qin Xu, but he had too many things to do and was overwhelmed with worries every day. Moreover, he didn't want to see his son, who had been diagnosed as disabled by the doctor, unable to avenge his father or seek justice. Seeing him would only add to his sadness and guilt.
Fortunately, Qin Lie appeared out of nowhere and took charge of the Jizhou army.
A few years later, Qin Xu returned to normal, though he was a little weak. He still had a gentle nature and assisted him in handling the affairs of Jizhou.
With one brother skilled in literature and the other in martial arts, the Qin family was even more prosperous than before, which brought him great comfort.
After that, Qin Xu stayed at the General's Mansion. Every time he returned to the mansion, Qin Xu seemed to be quietly waiting for him.
He was informed of events happening in the government office, the capital, and other places at a leisurely pace, so that he could make a decision.
Later, as he grew older, he rarely went to the military camp and spent most of his time at home, where his son was the one who spent the most time with him.
Later, the general's mansion became a prince's mansion. He requested that Qin Xu be made a crown prince, thinking that the military camp would belong to Qin Lie and Ji Province would belong to Qin Xu.
He was proud to have these two sons.
But when he became emperor and it came time to appoint a crown prince, the first person he thought of was not his son, Qin Xu.
They conquered the world, and without a doubt, Qin Lie is the greatest contributor.
The Empress wanted to appoint Qin Xu as the Crown Prince, but the thought of Qin Lie becoming the Crown Prince filled him with deep apprehension. That's why he gave the position to Qin Xu, who made him feel safe.
But when did he start to feel wary of Qin Xu?
The emperor didn't want to think about it; he just wanted to push all the responsibility onto others.
With red eyes, he questioned Qin Lie: "He is your brother, your own flesh and blood, how could you... how could you do this?!"
Qin Lie knelt below and respectfully explained, "Father, it was the Crown Prince who intercepted and killed me first."
The Emperor roared, "Given his temperament, at most he'll put you under house arrest. You know perfectly well he won't kill you!"
Qin Lie looked up at him: "Is it because the Crown Prince is kind and won't kill me that Father Emperor is so comfortable using me, keeping him in check, suppressing him, afraid that he might threaten your throne? He is clearly your Crown Prince, and you know he is kind, so why are you still so worried? Why have you driven him to this point?!"
"Nonsense!" The Emperor slammed the brush washer and cigarette holder down on the ground. "When have I ever been on guard against him?! When have I ever suppressed him?! It was you! It was all you! You must have done it on purpose, deliberately set a trap! You twisted the truth, called a deer a horse! You wanted to kill him! You've always wanted to kill him! How could I have given birth to such a wolf-like son?! Get out! Get out!! Guards! Guards!"
No one came over; the only sound in the hall was his heavy breathing.
He suddenly snapped out of his grief over losing his son and stared at Qin Lie like a venomous snake: "Are you trying to force me to abdicate?!"
Qin Lie took out the imperial edict drafted by Xie Yu from his bosom, "Please, Father, affix your seal."
The chief eunuch, covered in cold sweat, presented the edict. The emperor opened it and, sure enough, it was the edict of succession. He immediately tore the paper into pieces.
Qin Lie said in a flat tone, "Father, please tear it up. There are people waiting outside, and you can rewrite it at any time. If you can't figure it out right away, that's fine. Your son and several younger brothers will help you think about it."
.
On the thirteenth day of the first month of the eighth year of the Qizheng era, before the Lantern Festival, everyone woke up to find that the situation in the capital had suddenly changed.
The Crown Prince was murdered by his advisors. The villains were so ruthless that they burned down the Eastern Palace, leaving only the Crown Princess alive.
The founding emperor of the Daxian Dynasty fell seriously ill in grief and needed to rest in bed. He appointed Prince Duan as the crown prince, who would ascend the throne half a month later. Due to the emperor's poor health, the crown prince would temporarily oversee the country before the emperor's ascension.
There were still many matters to attend to in the imperial court and the inner palace. When Qin Lie returned to the palace, it was already the following evening.
Although he was not wearing the Crown Prince's court robes, Qin Feng still led the people of the Prince's Mansion to greet him at the gate, and they all knelt down in a rush.
Qin Lie looked around and asked, "Where is the Princess?"
Qin Feng replied, "Since the Princess Consort returned this morning, she has been in her room and has not come out, nor has she eaten any porridge."
Qin Lie's expression was solemn as he strode towards the backyard.
It was already dark, but the lights were off inside the room. Lingyi, dressed in blood-stained clothes, sat on the bed in a daze.
As soon as Qin Lie arrived, the maidservant quickly lit the lamp, and he sat on the couch, watching her silently.
She came to her senses, stood up and bowed to him, "Congratulations, Your Highness. I did not expect you to return today. Your appearance is disheveled. Please do not take offense."
Qin Lie sneered, "I knew it. As long as I can't see her, the princess will cause trouble."
Lingyi was not afraid and stood up on her own. "Everything I have done is for Your Highness. If I don't pretend to be fooled, how can I guarantee that the former Crown Prince will take the bait?"
Qin Lie asked sarcastically, "Does the princess think that I need a woman to succeed?"
Lingyi lowered her head: "Your Majesty, I dare not."
He couldn't stand her submissiveness, so he suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. "Are you doing this for me, or do you want to see him?"
Lingyi couldn't help but remind him, "Qin Lie, I killed him."
Qin Lie spat out a few words through gritted teeth, "But he also hugged you and kissed you."
He even laughed, "If I were to die one day, would the princess shed tears?"
Although he was smiling, his eyes were red, showing no joy at the prospect of ruling the world. Instead, he was cold all over, as if he was about to collapse.
Lingyi pursed her lips and changed the subject, "I'm hungry. I'll talk to you after I finish eating."
She was about to call a maid in to change her clothes, but he pulled her into his arms instead, saying, "Perfect timing, I'm hungry too."
He lowered his head and forcefully kissed her lips, easily thwarting Lingyi's struggles.
He pressed his lips to the back of her neck. "Isn't the princess supposed to be the best at playing the submissive one? Marriage is a natural thing, so why are you struggling now? Is this loss of composure because he's dead?" He looked up at her, even smiling. "Did he kiss you like this too? Did the princess feel the same way when he kissed her?"
Lingyi slapped him, and Qin Lie turned his head away. He wasn't angry; he simply restrained her hands and spoke in a tone as if he wanted to discuss things with her: "Why don't you have a good competition today, Princess, to see who kisses you more comfortably?"
He came to kiss her again, but Lingyi turned her head away. "Qin Lie, are you crazy?!"
Qin Lie chuckled: "Yes, I've been mad for a long time. Did the princess only realize it today?"
He had been suppressing his jealousy and anger for half a month since receiving the secret letter, the anxiety and uncertainty since she regained her memory, the gradually fading body temperature of his second brother in his arms, and the immense sense of loss and emptiness after his wish was fulfilled. He didn't want to suppress it. Love and hate, iron and blood, sweat and tears, could only be soothed by her.
He had actually gone mad long ago.
Xie Yu said that he and the princess were not suitable for each other, but in fact, every word he said was subtly telling him two things.
One thing he does is go mad and hurt himself and others if he doesn't receive the princess's complete love.
The other thing is that the princess is destined not to love him.
But so what? She's still in his arms.
After struggling for so long, what's wrong with him going crazy for once?
The maid on night watch trembled outside because of the noise inside.
She knew that the prince and princess had been affectionate before, but the noise today was too frightening.
Amidst that familiar sound, the Crown Prince would occasionally ask follow-up questions.
"Did he ever treat the princess the same way?"
"Does he know how sweet this place is for the princess?"
"Has he ever gone this deep?"
"Does the princess enjoy this much pleasure beneath him?"
......
Every time he finished asking a question, the princess would scold him, and sometimes there would be a crisp slapping sound.
The maid knew that it couldn't be the Crown Prince hitting the Princess Consort, otherwise how could the Princess Consort's physique withstand it?
But... but, no matter how much the prince dotes on the princess, he is now the crown prince, the heir apparent of the country. How can he be slapped?!
Will I be implicated by the princess's reckless behavior?
The maidservant had been living in fear for a long time when finally there was no more talking inside, only low moans and heavy breathing.
It stopped after a long time, but then started again not long after, and it continued like this until dawn before it finally subsided completely.
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