Chapter 121 The Real Culprit
Even if Li Xiaoxiao racked her brains, she would never have imagined that a twelve-year-old child would be so cunning and use such cruel methods to deal with her own brother.
No wonder the Crown Prince couldn't find the real culprit. He probably suspected that even his own wife would never have imagined that his younger brother, who lived in the palace every day, dressed up beautifully to go to school, and often clung to him and acted spoiled, was actually the one who plotted to poison his entire family.
She was completely numb.
But if you disregard his age, it all makes perfect sense.
Only he could legitimately hide behind the Empress without arousing anyone's suspicion, and even the forces he secretly cultivated could use the Empress as a pretext to evade the Crown Prince's investigation time and time again.
After all, how could the Crown Prince possibly suspect the Empress of harming him? He would definitely suspect that he had investigated in the wrong direction and would never suspect the Empress.
Moreover, he had sufficient motivation. As the legitimate sons of both the emperor and empress, he had no chance of inheriting the throne simply because he was younger, and he didn't even have the opportunity to stand out and compete with the crown prince like the third prince.
The emperor and empress could not possibly watch their own brothers fight each other for the throne.
Since he couldn't openly rob him, he had to set up a scheme in secret.
In fact, he was almost successful. The Crown Prince's children were leaving quietly one by one, and the Crown Prince and his wife were gradually weakening due to the poison. By the time he came of age, the Crown Prince and his wife would either be dead or insane. No matter how much the Emperor favored the Crown Prince, would he dare to support a heir who could go mad at any moment? Wouldn't he be the best choice then, having just come of age?
He is also the legitimate son, and he is the crown prince's brother. He can rightfully take over the crown prince's power and the empress's support. At that time, will there be a crown prince who is more popular than him?
As long as the Empress's support can be secured, it's only a matter of time before the Emperor relents.
This was a flawless scheme, and victory was within reach. If it weren't for Li Xiaoxiao's unexpected appearance, the Eastern Palace would have been completely wiped out.
The Crown Princess sneered, "Shocking, isn't it? We ruled out all possibilities, and when we finally found out it was him, His Highness the Crown Prince was so angry he vomited blood..."
She said with a chill in her heart, "His own brother! He's the Crown Prince's own brother! He was more than ten years younger than the Crown Prince when he was born. The Crown Prince practically raised him like a son. He never refused anything he wanted. Who would have thought that he would turn against us? He's only twelve years old, yet he's already developed such a vicious heart!"
Hatred blazed in her eyes. She was heartbroken when her youngest son died in her arms. He was so adorable, with such a sweet tongue. No one in the palace disliked him. But she watched helplessly as his health deteriorated, his face losing its plumpness bit by bit, until he was nothing but skin and bones, lying lifeless in her arms like a rag doll. From then on, she never slept a full night again.
But as the Crown Princess, she had to strictly abide by ancestral etiquette. Even though she suffered sleepless nights, she had to act as if nothing had happened during the day. After discovering that the real culprit was the Crown Prince's own brother, her pain and hatred were even more intense than the Crown Prince's.
She gritted her teeth and said, "If he wants to be the crown prince, then he should stand up and compete with us fairly and squarely! Why does he have to resort to such a vicious scheme to harm my whole family and my child?"
Li Xiaoxiao sighed, "It's probably because he knows he has no chance of winning. Even though they are born of the same mother, just because his brother was born more than ten years earlier, everything he wants belongs to his brother, and he is resentful."
But no matter what, it's extremely rare for a twelve-year-old child to have such a cruel heart.
Don't tell her extreme examples like assassins or death squads starting to kill at the age of five or six. Those who are chosen to be assassins or death squads are all people with tragic fates, either without parents, or who are poor, have no food or clothing, and are sold cheaply. They are forced to take this path when they have no other choice. But the Sixth Prince is not like that.
He was a pampered and privileged child who grew up with no shortage of money or love. However, for his own selfish desires, he stabbed his loving older brother in the back at a young age and watched helplessly as his brother's family struggled in pain all these years.
Li Xiaoxiao couldn't empathize with such a wicked child.
She reminded the Crown Princess, "Your Majesty, with the poison stone, it's easy to find out who the real culprit is, easy to catch him, and perhaps easy to get the Emperor to punish him with conclusive evidence. But to avenge the deceased prince and princess, I'm afraid it won't be easy..."
Moreover, three years ago he was only twelve years old, yet he was able to train a large number of assassins to hunt down the Crown Prince. She simply couldn't believe he wasn't backed by powerful forces. The forces secretly supporting him were not to be underestimated.
The Crown Princess felt a chill run down her spine, instantly thinking of the Emperor and Empress behind the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince was the Emperor's youngest son and the Empress's lifeblood. Although the Emperor and Empress stood firmly on the Crown Prince's side without hesitation in the matter of deposing the heir, that was in front of the court officials and the imperial family. The two of them would naturally protect the Crown Prince, but what if the Crown Prince wanted to kill the Sixth Prince to avenge his dead son and daughter? I'm afraid the Emperor and Empress would be the first to stand up and disagree.
Three generations back, the ancestors of the Great Wu Dynasty had a prince who plotted a rebellion, but the result of the rebellion was that the prince was imprisoned for life and all those around him were exterminated along with their entire families. Although the prince lost his freedom, he lived to be over sixty years old and died peacefully in his old age.
There has never been a case of an emperor of the Great Wu Dynasty killing his own son.
Given this precedent, it is highly unlikely that the emperor would order the death of the sixth prince.
But the Crown Princess smiled gracefully and patted Li Xiaoxiao's hand reassuringly: "No rush. Now that we know who the murderer is, there's no need to rush to get revenge. You can stay in the East Palace and leave the fighting and killing to the men."
She lowered her eyes, concealing the coldness within them.
They might not have been able to act while the Emperor and Empress were alive, but how old are they? They will all grow old eventually, and the Crown Prince won't always be the Crown Prince.
From the day she became the Crown Princess, she had long since learned to be patient and wait.
To comfort Kuan Lixiao, she reassured her, "Don't worry about your young master's safety. As far as I know, His Highness the Crown Prince has taken him under his wing. With Pang Shi and Eunuch Wan around, Young Master Meng is safe."
Li Xiaoxiao frowned. The Crown Prince had brought Meng Guanqi with him? Was he worried that if word got out about her affairs in the Eastern Palace, the Sixth Prince would find an opportunity to harm Meng Guanqi?
But to be honest, it would be safer for Meng Guanqi to follow the Crown Prince than to follow Headmaster Gu. Headmaster Gu and his group of scholars are good at talking, but they are all weak scholars who can't even kill a chicken. When it comes to fighting with knives and spears, they can probably only watch helplessly.
Li Xiaoxiao reluctantly convinced herself to stay in the East Palace, hoping that the Crown Prince would turn against the Sixth Prince soon so that they could return to Biyang County as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince they were talking about was currently at a farm outside Yongzhou City.
As dusk fell, countless iron cavalrymen with torches surrounded the farm, the torches dispelling the darkness and illuminating the farm as bright as day.
The crown prince sat on a horse, with Pang Shi in front of him, Wan Quan on his left, and Meng Guanqi on his right.
The cavalry had formed an encirclement. A military officer in armor kicked his horse's belly, spurred it forward, raised his sword, and shouted: "Listen up, those inside! Lay down your weapons and surrender! Those who surrender will not be killed; those who disobey will be killed without mercy!"
But the farm was quiet, without a single firelight or a dog barking.
The adjutant called out again, but there was still no response from the estate. He frowned, turned his horse around, and walked up to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, there is no movement from the estate."
The crown prince's face flickered in the firelight: "Are you sure there hasn't been a leak?"
The adjutant said, "No, our soldiers are guarding both the front and rear escape routes. Not a single one of them will be able to escape."
The crown prince said coldly, "Since no one is coming out to surrender, then we will use fire."
The adjutant replied, "Yes, sir!"
He spurred his horse back to the front, brandished his sword, and shouted, "Release the arrows!"
Countless ignited rockets rained down on the village in the night.
Because it was summer and the temperature was extremely high, and it hadn't rained in recent days, and the farmhouses in the village almost all had thatched roofs, the rocket landed on them and almost instantly set the entire village ablaze.
The prince watched silently as the estate burned fiercely in the flames, silently counting the days: one breath, two breaths, three breaths...
Finally, the tightly closed doors of the manor were kicked open, and the young men who had been hiding inside rushed out wielding swords and knives, their shouts of battle deafening.
The adjutant rode forward on his horse and shouted, "Kill! Anyone who does not surrender will be killed without mercy!"
The scene instantly turned into a sea of blood and flames. Pang Shi, with a dozen or so riders, stood firmly in front of the crown prince, not moving an inch.
The only scholar present, Meng Guanqi, felt somewhat uncomfortable, but history had always been such that the victor was king and the loser was villain. If they weren't killed today, the crown prince would be the one to die tomorrow.
He forced himself to calm down and treat the scene before him with indifference.
The prince's cavalry quickly gained an absolute advantage. He came with great force and strength, and the enemy was completely unprepared. Even if they fought back, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock.
Soon, the cavalry gained an absolute advantage. Most of the able-bodied men in the village were killed or wounded, and the rest were frightened and retreated. They involuntarily put down their swords and knelt down to beg for mercy.
The lieutenant general shouted, "Search these surrendered men clean one by one, tie them up with ropes, and make them all squat on the open ground to the left!"
The cavalrymen, eager for credit, surged forward and quickly tied up the surrendered young men with ropes and pushed them together.
The Crown Prince said, "He Xiang, ask them where the rest of them are hiding. These are all people who know martial arts. There must be others in the farm who don't know martial arts, as well as the old, weak, women and children they used to cover up their true intentions. Don't let any of them go. Find them all for me!"
Upon receiving the order, Lieutenant General He Xiang immediately seized a surrendered farmer and asked where the rest of the people were hiding.
The young man, disguised as a farmer, darted around, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, unsure whether he should speak.
He Xiang punched him in the stomach and shouted, "You've already surrendered, yet you're still thinking of helping them escape? Tell me honestly where the others are hiding. If you tell me everything, maybe His Highness the Crown Prince will spare your life. If you dare to lie under my nose, I'll kill you right now and let you go with your dead comrades."
The young man, having been punched and intimidated, was startled and immediately shouted, "I'll talk, I'll talk! They're all hiding in the well. They dug a secret chamber there with food and water. If they encounter danger, they can hide in there for half a month without coming out..."
Suddenly, someone in the pile of prisoners stood up and shouted, "Guan Si, you traitor—"
Without hesitation, a soldier stabbed him through the chest with a knife. The man's eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground dead.
The prisoners writhed, their faces pale with fear, too terrified to utter a word.
Guan Si's face turned deathly pale. Suddenly, he broke down and shouted, "You've already surrendered. What's the difference between saying this now and saying it after being beaten half to death? If you're so capable, don't surrender! Charge ahead like Xu Chang did and get hacked to death. That would be considered loyalty to your lord! Don't laugh at someone who's only slightly better. When it's your turn to be interrogated, if you can remain silent, I, Guan Si, will respect you as true men!"
He Xiang sneered, "Guan Si, is that it? You're smart enough. Let's go, lead the way. If we find the rest of them, the Crown Prince might remember your merit and spare your life!"
Guan Si hurriedly said, "I beg Your Highness to have mercy! I am truly willing to surrender and show my sincerity. I beg Your Highness to spare my life..."
He Xiang kicked him in the butt: "Enough nonsense, lead the way!" He casually tilted his head, and immediately more than a dozen soldiers with knives followed.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, He Xiang and the dozen or so soldiers returned, pushing more than ten people back. Among them were several young men who had been tied up, and the rest were either elderly men and women with gray hair or young boys and girls. All of them had expressions of panic on their faces.
Upon seeing the Crown Prince, the elderly man with gray hair at the head of the group immediately knelt down and hissed, "Your Highness, I am the steward of the imperial estate, managing this estate on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress. I do not know what I have done wrong that Your Highness has set fire to the estate and massacred the tenants. I am willing to die, but I beg Your Highness to give me a reason. What have we done that requires Your Highness to send troops to suppress us?"
The Crown Prince sneered: "Cui Ruying, a Juren from the fifteenth year of Jian'an, left the Eastern Palace and came to the Imperial Estate as a steward. I think you should give me a reasonable explanation. Why would a Juren appear in the Imperial Estate? Is my Great Wu really so full of talent that even a Juren can only be a manor manager in the fields?"
Cui Ruying was shocked. How did the Crown Prince know his identity? When he was a staff member in the Eastern Palace, he barely had the chance to meet the Crown Prince. There were so many capable people in the Eastern Palace, how could the Crown Prince remember a staff member he had only met a few times?
The Crown Prince admired his pale face in the firelight: "I remember you are skilled in divination and have great expertise in building bridges and dams, as well as controlling water. This imperial estate is near the mountains and has little water. It doesn't need you to build bridges or dams. Why would you condescend to be the head of the estate? Think carefully about how you can give me a reasonable explanation."
Cui Ruying took a step back, her legs buckled, and she knelt straight down on the ground. Her head slowly drooped, and she kowtowed deeply to the Crown Prince, her voice trembling as she said, "Your Highness, please forgive me—"
The Crown Prince sighed: "I already know that you were framed after entering the Eastern Palace and were kicked out in my name. I understand that you have grievances against me. I can spare your life and even continue to use you in the future. But I want you to tell me, who exactly was it that set up the Chamberlain's Office to kick you out that day?"
Cui Ruying suddenly raised his head, looking at the Crown Prince with excitement. He had failed the imperial examinations repeatedly due to his uneven academic performance, and after many years of wasting time, he finally accepted the fact that he could not pass the examinations. Just then, the Crown Prince's Office was recruiting talents. He was proficient in divination and passed the examination with almost the highest score. He thought he would shine in the Crown Prince's Office, but after only three months, he offended his superior over a small matter. Not only was his travel money taken away, but he was also beaten with ten strokes of the cane and thrown out of the Crown Prince's Palace.
He was so angry and resentful that he fell seriously ill and almost died in the capital. He fainted on the street and woke up in the imperial estate.
The person who saved him was actually the sixth prince, a little genius who was only twelve years old.
He was lively, intelligent, and understanding, and treated him very well. At first, he thought that the Sixth Prince was young enough to help the Crown Prince win people's hearts. Later, as more and more capable people appeared in the Imperial Estate, he gradually realized that this young master had ambitions to seize the throne, and that the people raised in the Imperial Estate were not ordinary people.
But if it weren't for him, he would have died on the streets of Xicheng long ago. Since his master had this intention, he was naturally willing to do his best to assist him.
As a result, the Crown Prince told him that someone in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices had deliberately set a trap to drive him out, and that the person who set the trap must be the Sixth Prince's man. He actually used the Court of Imperial Sacrifices' secret network to openly snatch him away from the Crown Prince!
Cui Ruying felt her faith crumble in an instant. It turned out that all the resentment he had harbored towards the Eastern Palace over the years was a scheme orchestrated by the Sixth Prince. The Crown Prince had no idea why he had left the Eastern Palace.
Cui Ruying trembled all over, then suddenly sat up straight and cried out, "Your Highness, be careful! These people are all dead—"
A sudden, dramatic change occurred. A knife tip pierced his chest, and Cui Ruying coughed up blood, struggling to utter her last words: "They're all suicide soldiers..."
The women, children, and other children kneeling beside Cui Ruying suddenly sprang up. A child of a few years old nimbly snatched the long sword from a soldier who was completely unprepared and swiftly slashed his neck. The three young men who were bound by ropes quickly broke free and immediately took the swords from the children and began to kill.
Without their knives, the children darted into the crowd as if their feet were greased, leaving a trail of blood wherever they went.
Pang Shi was shocked. He cleaved through a woman who had jumped into the air to attack the crown prince with a single stroke of his sword, shouting, "We've been tricked! They're all assassins, even the children! Kill them all, leave no one alive!"
But these assassins were too close to the prince. When the soldiers in the distance saw that the prince was surrounded, they immediately came to his aid. However, the group of prisoners who had already surrendered had somehow broken free of their ropes and launched a counterattack.
The reversal came too fast, catching everyone off guard. Meng Guanqi's hands, which were gripping the reins tightly, were already sweating. He instantly realized that this was actually a ruse!
Whether it was the prisoners' surrender or Guan Si's deliberate defection, it was all a charade for the Crown Prince, with the aim of drawing the elderly, women, and children hiding in the well to the Crown Prince.
They knew that the Crown Prince had brought so many cavalry to besiege the estate, and that their strength was inferior to the Crown Prince's. They knew that they would not be able to win by fighting head-on, let alone get close to the Crown Prince.
So some of the assassins were killed, while others pretended to surrender to lower their guard. Then, Guan Si acted as if he was afraid of death but wanted to atone for his crimes, thus leading the last group of assassins hidden in the well, who were also the least noticeable, to the Crown Prince.
He Xiang tied up three of the able-bodied men, but he was completely unguarded with the women, children, and infants. These were either elderly women, frail women, or seven- or eight-year-old children. He had always assumed that the Sixth Prince had captured them from the nearby villages to cover his tracks. After all, anyone would be suspicious if there were only able-bodied men and no women or children in a royal estate.
He never expected that the only person in this group who wasn't a suicide squad would be Cui Ruying.
However, Cui Ruying suddenly learned the truth about her leaving the East Palace and instantly sided with the Crown Prince. She immediately warned the Crown Prince, and the assassins, seeing that the plan had been leaked in advance, immediately launched an attack on the Crown Prince!
What a vicious scheme, what a meticulous plan! The sixth prince wasn't even there, yet the assassins he left behind possessed such wisdom!
Meng Guanqi watched in horror as the guards surrounding the Crown Prince drew their swords and fought the assassins. Their martial prowess was undoubtedly the best, not to mention the presence of the formidable general Pang Shi, who firmly guarded the last line of defense in front of the Crown Prince.
But the soldiers on the outer perimeter were not so fortunate. They had dismounted, and without the support of their horses, coupled with the all-out counterattack of the suicide squad, they quickly suffered considerable casualties.
He Xiang was so angry he felt like vomiting blood. He had thought that leading the cavalry out tonight would be an easy way to gain great merit, but now it had turned out like this. Could he still hold on as a military commander?!
But he was a veteran general who had led troops for many years. Although he was caught off guard, he quickly recovered and said, "Don't panic, form squads of five, and arrange them in a '甲' (jia) formation, quick!"
He shouted three or four times in succession. Upon hearing the general's order, the soldiers, who had been attacked and scattered, immediately gathered five men around them to form a team and began to besiege the suicide squad.
While individual assassins are strong, they cannot fight multiple opponents. Furthermore, since orders are strictly enforced, the soldiers fought without restraint, and the situation was quickly brought under control, leading to a counterattack.
The Crown Prince already had a dozen riders protecting him closely, and Pang Shi drew his sword, quickly killing several people and forcing the assassins back, making it impossible for them to break through the defense line.
One by one, people fell, and the Crown Prince's side quickly gained the upper hand. Pang Shi wielded his sword like the wind; even if not every strike was fatal, those who fell under his blade were basically powerless to fight back.
The situation was quickly brought under control. After a fierce battle, only a young man covered in blood was left fighting Pang Shi in front of the Crown Prince.
This man's skills were truly remarkable. Even though he was covered in wounds from Pang Shi's attacks, he managed to avoid any fatal blows.
The Crown Prince's face was ashen, and his heart was heavy. He hadn't expected that his sixth brother, who was only fifteen years old, would already possess such strength.
The person in front of me is really skilled in martial arts; even Pang Shi couldn't defeat him for a while.
Meng Guanqi stared intently at the young man in front of him, then suddenly said, "Your Highness, this person looks like Zhang Li."
The crown prince was taken aback: "You haven't made a mistake?"
Meng Guanqi said, "I haven't seen him for more than two years. I don't know if he has changed his appearance, but the more I look at him, the more he looks like him."
The Crown Prince slowly said, "Even if it's Zhang Li, it's not surprising. He should be Sixth Brother's most important confidant. Pang Shi!"
Pang Shi, who was engaged in battle, asked in a low voice, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
The Crown Prince said, “This man before you once used the alias Zhang Li to poison and murder Young Master Meng. Spare his life for now, for I have questions for him.”
Pang Shi said, "Yes."
The Crown Prince had already spoken, and Pang Shi quickened his attack. Zhang Li was forced to retreat repeatedly, his strength rapidly dwindling.
With a final strike, Pang Shi cleaved down, breaking Zhang Li's longsword in two. The immense force of the attack forced Zhang Li to his knees, Pang Shi's blade already pressed against his neck: "Admit defeat!"
Zhang Li gave a bitter smile. The blood covering his face and body gave his eyes a strange, crazed look in the darkness. He coughed and chuckled, "You want to make a suicide soldier surrender?"
He gave the crown prince a wicked smile, which startled the prince, who immediately said, "Put the knife away!"
But it was too late; he crashed straight into Pang Shi's knife, and blood splattered nearly a foot high.
Pang Shi was shocked, but seeing the amount of bleeding, he knew the person was beyond saving.
He glanced apologetically at the Crown Prince and shook his head.
All the assassins present had been dealt with; not a single one was left alive. Those who were not completely dead all committed suicide by poison.
Everyone who survived was filled with indescribable fear upon witnessing this scene.
They're all dead! They must have been incredibly loyal to the Sixth Prince!
Not a single survivor was left, which meant that not a single witness was left for the Crown Prince. Even the Crown Prince felt a chill run down his spine at this situation.
Meng Guanqi couldn't help but shudder, feeling an indescribable horror and eeriness at the scene before him: Zhang Li had committed suicide, yet he still had a smile on his face even in death.
With a smile? Why would he be smiling after he died? Wasn't he defeated?
Meng Guanqi had a feeling something was wrong. Death warriors had no choice in their fate. Although death was a relief, thanks to the Crown Prince, he had seen quite a few death warriors commit suicide. None of them died with a smile on their face. So what was Zhang Li smiling about?
His heart suddenly started pounding, and he realized he had overlooked something.
The answer to this matter is obvious; he should know it.
The soldiers were already cleaning up the battlefield, carrying out the bodies of the fallen soldiers one by one and piling them up on the open ground.
The Crown Prince's side also had many injured people. Even He Xiang was accidentally stabbed. Pang Shi helped him to sit down and personally bandaged him and applied medicine to his wounds.
Those who were not injured went to help, and the crown prince also prepared to dismount.
The moment he moved, a flash of inspiration struck Meng Guanqi, and he blurted out, "Zhang Li is dead, but what about Third Aunt?"
The crown prince turned around in surprise, and Pang Shi stared blankly at him, holding the wound medicine.
As he finished speaking, the sound of sharp blades slicing through the air echoed, heading straight for the Crown Prince.
The prince was dismounting sideways, and it was too late for him to dodge.
Almost instinctively, Meng Guanqi lunged at the Crown Prince.
The two of them fell to the ground simultaneously. Wan Quan cried out in alarm, "Your Highness! Protect the Emperor! Quickly, protect the Emperor!"
The soldiers who were still around immediately rushed towards where the crown prince had fallen, while others drew their swords and attacked the person who had fired the arrow. Pang Shi and He Xiang even leaped up and almost instantly reached the fallen crown prince and Meng Guanqi.
A feathered arrow was clearly stuck in Meng Guanqi's back.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com