Chapter 45: Mount Li Summer Resort (Part 2) The show is about to begin.
At the Lishan Mountain Resort, trees are lush and green, casting large tracts of shadow. Cool breezes blow over the Crescent Lake in the center of the resort. The sounds of stringed instruments are pleasant in the pavilions overlooking the lake, and the clinking of glasses creates a false impression of harmony.
The emperor sitting in the main seat seemed to be in a good mood, but the person sitting next to him was not Empress Guan - Empress Guan was also implicated because of the Fourth Prince's affairs and was imprisoned as well. Now, the person sitting next to the emperor was Concubine Liu, who was temporarily assisting in the management of the six palaces.
Before she got married, Concubine Liu was known as the most talented woman in the capital. She was outstanding in appearance, and as her name suggested, she had a somewhat delicate and graceful demeanor. Her eyes and eyebrows were gentle, and people could not help but feel pity for her. She was like a fairy who was untainted by the world and unaware of current affairs.
But she looked a little sick, and it was said that the illness was caused when she gave birth to the sixth prince.
Below the main seat was the seat of Crown Prince Xie Xuanhui. He had an indifferent expression and slowly drank the wine in his hand. His eyes occasionally passed through the dancing girls to the Sixth Prince who was chatting and laughing and the seemingly leisurely King Liang.
The two of them sang in unison, making the emperor on the throne smile from ear to ear.
During the banquet, the Sixth Prince stood up and casually mentioned:
"Your Majesty, the deer farm in the back garden of Mount Li has seen the addition of many young deer this year, and they're very lively. How about organizing a hunt? This would give your sons and me a chance to showcase our skills in front of Your Majesty and entertain you."
The emperor twisted the red agate bracelet in his hand, changed his posture and smiled:
"Okay. I haven't exercised in a while."
The prince lowered his eyes, hiding the sneer in them.
The show is about to begin.
The next day, inside a makeshift tent at the royal hunting grounds, Xiao Wangshu was carefully fastening the last strap of the crown prince's soft armor. His fingers traced the cool armor plates, his tone tinged with worry:
"Swords have no eyes, Your Highness must be extremely careful."
The Crown Prince, who had his back to him, suddenly turned around and put his arm around Xiao Wangshu's waist, resting his head lightly on his neck. He lowered his head and sniffed the refreshing fragrance of Xiao Wangshu's hair, his tone tinged with both joking and seriousness:
"Ashu, since you are so worried about me, why don't you come and be Gu Gu's personal bodyguard?" His fingers moved ambiguously from Xiao Wangshu's chest all the way down, but when they were about to touch a dangerous part, Xiao Wangshu calmly grabbed them, without putting any distance between them. Their eyes met, their breaths intertwined, and one hand held the Crown Prince's cheek, as if he was about to kiss him at any time.
At the moment when their lips were about to touch, Xiao Wangshu stepped back and reported with a smile:
"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince has sent men to surround Mount Li. General Guan can't mobilize that many men, but several thousand of them have already secretly attacked our men. We've also discovered traces of the Sixth Prince's men."
With a frown on his face, he listened to Xiao Wangshu's words impatiently. He bit Xiao Wangshu's lips as if to vent his anger, but relaxed his grip the next second and sucked them carefully and easily as if he was tasting some delicacy.
Neither of them was willing to give in, as if they were fighting a war without the smoke of gunpowder. Holding His Highness's neck with one hand, the two of them kissed passionately.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince hung on Xiao Wangshu like an octopus-like bear, his hands restlessly sliding along Xiao Wangshu's collar and into his chest.
Until a slight feeling of suffocation came.
Gently pushing the person away, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's whole body was flushed, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, as if he wanted to tear Xiao Wangshu apart and eat him. Being stopped at this time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's brows flashed with some reluctance, but he pouted and let Xiao Wangshu tidy up his clothes for him.
"Your Highness, it's getting late."
Xiao Wangshu couldn't help but scratch the Crown Prince's nose and said softly.
After calming himself down a little, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince stood on tiptoe, turned his head, and quickly bit the tip of Xiao Wangshu's ear.
Then, while Xiao Wangshu was still unable to react, he turned around, waved his sleeves and walked out of the tent.
Xiao Wangshu was left standing there alone. He touched the tip of his ear, where it seemed as if he could still smell the humid and hot breath. Thinking of the Crown Prince's expression, Xiao Wangshu's eyes were filled with smiles.
Mount Li's Back Garden——
The hunting party was a mighty force, with flags waving, horses neighing, and the nobles eager to try their luck. The emperor, still skilled in his art, opened the proceedings by shooting a powerful stag with a single arrow, drawing cheers from the audience.
The Sixth Prince immediately stepped forward and flattered with a smile:
"Father, you are so powerful! Your arrows never miss their mark. I, your sons, cannot even begin to catch up with you!"
His Majesty the Emperor was naturally delighted, and the atmosphere was heated and high. However, these ministers and their wives were unaware that in the dense forest, countless dark shadows were quietly moving, adjusting their positions, waiting for the agreed signal.
On a high platform not far away, the concubines did not participate in the hunt, but watched the scenery and chatted.
The one sitting in the main seat was naturally Concubine Liu. She was wearing a light and elegant palace dress and looked a little better. She sat under a canopy, but her eyes looked towards the hunting ground with a bit of worry.
In addition to Concubine Liu, the accompanying concubines included Concubine Wan, also known as Nian Yue, who has been enjoying great favor recently, as well as Princess Anping and Concubine De, the mother of the Seventh Prince Xie Zhenhe.
Nian Yue was sitting to the lower right of Concubine Liu, taking in her expression. She felt a little strange. Everyone knew that Concubine Liu and the current emperor had been in love since childhood, and that her rank had risen several levels in just a few months after entering the palace.
But it was not until she entered the palace that Nian Yue realized that the rumors could not be fully believed. At least there was a trace of imperceptible resentment in the eyes of Concubine Liu when she looked at His Majesty, and this resentment was extremely obvious to Nian Yue, who also hated the emperor.
I just don't know where this resentment comes from. After all, Concubine Liu has never fallen out of favor since she entered the palace. It can be said that except for the position of queen, His Majesty the Emperor has given her any honor in the world.
But before she could figure it out, something strange happened!
Without warning, several cold arrows shot out from the depths of the dense forest, heading straight for the emperor! The first guard commander to react drew his sword, blocked the emperor's way, and shouted:
“Protect the Emperor!!”
The guards then stepped forward and surrounded His Majesty, while the princes, ministers, and concubines were in chaos, each fleeing to a safe place under the guidance and protection of their servants.
After the arrows, several black shadows rushed out from the dense forest. The guards fought with these assassins to cover the emperor's evacuation. However, they were outnumbered and the incident happened suddenly. Many guards were hit by the hidden attacks and fell to the ground, gradually becoming weaker.
At the critical moment, a well-trained guards team rushed out from the flank like ghosts. Each of them had a token tied to their waist with a big word "Xuan" on it. They killed many assassins with swords and sabers.
At this moment, a more concealed wave of arrows shot towards the emperor's side and rear from an extremely tricky angle - that was the area where the Sixth Prince was "guarded"!
Unfortunately, it was accurately blocked by the guards who rushed over.
In the chaos, a man in black and the Sixth Prince, who was wielding a sword to kill an enemy, stared at each other in mid-air. The next second, an arrow shot out and the Sixth Prince shouted:
"Father, be careful!"
He took two steps at a time and rushed towards his father, as if he wanted to block the sword for the emperor.
But he never thought that all this was seen by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who was not far away. He calmly picked up a stone and threw it at Xie Yongheng's waist.
The arrow hit the target with one strike, and Xie Yongheng staggered two steps in pain. The arrow that the Sixth Prince wanted to block just brushed past his ear, and with a "puff" sound, it brushed against the Sixth Prince's sleeve and pierced deeply into the Emperor's left shoulder!
"Ugh!" The emperor groaned, his veins popping out in pain and cold sweat covering his face. His eyes were filled with murderous intent, and the blood from the wound dyed his bright yellow robe red!
"Father!" The Sixth Prince was filled with shock and anger. He rushed over, but he only had time to support the emperor's shaking body. His face was full of grief and fear.
His Majesty the Emperor was injured and the situation was out of control. The guards rushed forward again and surrounded the Emperor tightly, dealing with wave after wave of assassins.
At that moment, Xiao Wangshu, like lightning, pounced on an assassin who was attempting to take advantage of the chaos and aim at the emperor again. With a flick of his longsword, he knocked the assassin's weapon away and engaged him in a fierce struggle. His movements were clean and efficient, without any fancy moves, but each one was effective. Finally, with the cooperation of the other guards, he subdued the assassin. This act of "rescue" fell clearly into the eyes of the anguished, frightened and enraged emperor.
As for the rest of the men in black, they were almost all killed on horseback with the help of the prince's personal guards.
Before the chaos subsided, a deafening roar of killing suddenly rang out from the foot of the mountain! A general from the Imperial Guards hurriedly reported, "Your Majesty! This is bad! The Fourth Prince... The Fourth Prince has led a large number of troops and has surrounded the main road down the mountain. He's making wild claims, saying he wants... he wants to purge the emperor's court!"
Everyone was shocked! The emperor endured the severe pain, his face ashen: "Rebellious son! This rebellious son!"
However, without waiting for the emperor's order, the Sixth Prince suddenly volunteered, speaking passionately:
"Father! I am willing to lead a team of elite soldiers down the mountain to capture this traitor! I must ask him why he committed such a heinous crime!"
He acted like a filial son who was betrayed by his brother and was extremely indignant, and was also "atonement" for not blocking the arrow for his father before.
The emperor was in great pain from his shoulder injury at the moment, his mind was in a state of confusion, and he was extremely disappointed with the Fourth Prince, so he waved his hand and agreed.
The Sixth Prince led his men down the mountain and soon "successfully" captured the Fourth Prince and his "rabble", who seemed to be resisting but were actually offering their heads, and brought them up.
The Fourth Prince was forced to kneel on the ground, still struggling and roaring in defiance:
"Father! I am innocent! Someone has framed me! It's the Crown Prince! It's the Sixth Brother! They are the ones who set me up together..."
The Sixth Prince immediately interrupted with a sharp voice, heartbroken and indignant:
"Fourth brother! Are you still so stubborn and trying to blame others even now? Everyone knows that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had previously resigned due to illness. You are merely the son of the Empress Dowager, and while you hold the title of legitimate son, you are ultimately no match for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. How could His Royal Highness the Crown Prince harm you? Someone must have been sowing discord between you to drive you into this foolish act! Tell me, was someone instigating you?"
His words seemed to be an excuse for the prince, but in fact he established a role for himself as someone who was ignorant of the situation and even believed in the prince. He cleverly cleared his own suspicion while directing the suspicion of "provokation" towards the prince.
The emperor's eyes indeed swept towards the crown prince with suspicion. After all, for the crown prince, the fourth prince, the "legitimate son", was indeed the biggest stumbling block for His Royal Highness.
Facing the emperor's scrutinizing gaze, Xie Xuanhui took a step forward without panic and said loudly to the Sixth Prince:
"Sixth brother, you are wrong. Fourth brother is already an adult and has his own judgment. How can he be easily instigated by others?
If, as Sixth Brother said, we can blame others for any mistakes we make, then in the future, can any prince use this excuse to get away with misconduct?
He changed the subject and looked at the Sixth Prince sharply, "Sixth brother, you keep saying that someone is instigating things. It sounds like you already knew that someone is instigating Fourth brother, or you are the one who is instigating things!" Upon hearing this, the Sixth Prince denied it, but was suppressed by Xie Xuanhui's voice.
"After all! When I was ill earlier, Sixth Brother and Fourth Brother had a feud—a few days ago, I even heard that the two of you had a 'big fight' in the court."
These words were logically clear and each sentence was heartbreaking! They not only pointed out the Fourth Prince's own responsibility, but also fiercely counterattacked the Sixth Prince, hinting that the Sixth Prince also had ambitions to compete for the throne. They also accurately tapped into the Emperor's deep-seated suspicion and fatigue about his sons' infighting!
As for Xie Yongheng, he was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would suddenly come out to refute him. This confirmed his previous guess that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was indeed in cahoots with Xiao Wangshu. After all, how could a companion who grew up together suddenly turn to him?
As for the Crown Prince's reputation for being short-tempered and easily angered, it's probably just a way of hiding his shortcomings. Otherwise, why would the Emperor have kept him around for so many years? His words are sharp, unlike his usual tendency to daydream when faced with problems. It's more like...
Looking calmly at Xiao Wangshu who was standing with the ministers, the Sixth Prince had already thought of a hundred ways to torture the other party, but there was still a smile on his face.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince is joking. Sixth Brother just said it casually. It's just that I can't accept it right now, considering Fourth Brother has always been loyal and filial..."
The Sixth Prince wanted to say more, but was interrupted impatiently by the Emperor: "That's enough!"
The emperor was in pain from his shoulder injury and was mentally exhausted. He felt extremely annoyed when he saw his sons attacking each other.
"I will make the final decision on this matter! Take the Fourth Brother away and keep him under strict guard! Return to the capital for further trial! Anyone who dares to make irresponsible remarks about what happened today will not be forgiven!"
In the end, the emperor chose to suppress it temporarily, but the seeds of doubt had already been planted. He looked at Xiao Wangshu, one of the ministers, whose arms were stained with blood for "saving the emperor" and whose expression was frank, and his dissatisfaction with the Sixth Prince became even greater.
Because of the assassin incident, the atmosphere in the villa was delicate. With the help of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Xiao Wangshu was able to meet Nian Yue.
"Although the dog emperor's shoulder wound isn't fatal, the arrowhead is laced with a strange poison. The quacks in the Imperial Hospital are helpless and can only suppress it with difficulty." Nian Yue lowered her voice. "Coupled with the medicinal food I feed His Majesty every day, I'm afraid the dog emperor won't have much time left."
Ever since she learned about the prince's biological mother, Nian Yue realized that the prince might very well be her helper. After all, she had previously thought that she was going to kill the other party's father and had never dared to reveal a single word. Therefore, she wrote a letter to test the waters, but she did not expect that His Royal Highness the Prince would admit it so readily.
Hearing what Nian Yue said, Xiao Wangshu's eyes fixed:
"Do you know what kind of poison it is?"
Nian Yue shook her head. "I don't know the specifics, but it's definitely not a common poison in the Central Plains or Southern Shu. The person who poisoned it must have extremely malicious intentions. I just don't know if this poison was intended for the dog emperor or the Sixth Prince."
"Of course it's the emperor."
Why didn't Xiao Wangshu say it directly? Nian Yue immediately understood the key point. She paused, a strange look flashed in her eyes, and she said uncertainly:
"There's one more thing... I've recently discovered that Concubine Liu and His Highness Prince Liang don't seem to be completely unconnected. I once happened to see a trusted eunuch by Prince Liang quietly handing a jade hairpin to Concubine Liu's personal maid. This wouldn't have meant much, but one day when I was paying my respects, I saw the hairpin in Concubine Liu's makeup box. And just now, when the assassin attacked, Prince Liang stayed by Concubine Liu's side, protecting her every step of the way... There seems to be something fishy going on between them."
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