"If my elder brother doesn't speak, how dare I leave..."
The second prince said awkwardly, but inwardly he thought, "Didn't you tell me to wait here? If you hadn't been holding me back, I wouldn't want to see you again..."
"Second brother, you're so thoughtful. I was so engrossed in chatting with third brother that I forgot the time, which is why I've kept you waiting..."
Li Zhu didn't immediately get to the point. He only talked about the matter between him and the Third Prince, leaving the rest for the Second Prince to figure out, his intention being to make the Second Prince misunderstand...
People are prone to overthinking, especially since Li Zhu was adding fuel to the fire, guiding the Second Prince to the direction he wanted him to misunderstand...
"It's nothing, we haven't been waiting long. I wonder what you and Third Brother are talking about?"
The second prince asked tentatively. His little trick naturally didn't escape Li Zhu's notice, but he didn't expose it. Instead, he smiled and said...
"We were just chatting casually. After all, we're brothers. I'm heading to Xiliang soon, and there are a few things I need to explain..."
"Brother, if there's anything you need, please let me know. I will do my utmost to help..."
The Second Prince was afraid that Li Zhu and the Third Prince had reached some kind of agreement. He was all alone and powerless; how could he possibly fight against the two of them?
"Second brother is such a good person. Since that's the case, I'll be frank. Whether I'll be able to return from this trip to Xiliang, and when I'll return, is hard to say. The position of crown prince can't remain vacant indefinitely, so I thought I'd have a good talk with third brother about this matter..."
Li Zhu paused deliberately at this point, waiting for the Second Prince to come to him...
“Brother, my third brother is treacherous and cunning. If you hand over power to him, you will be utterly ruined. If you don’t mind, I am willing to be your henchman, to protect your position as Crown Prince, and to await your return…”
The Second Prince hurriedly and excitedly said that this was indeed a great opportunity to replace Li Zhu, especially with Li Zhu's permission!
"Second brother, actually, I value you the most in my heart. But although third brother is cunning and treacherous, he is still a sincere person. He told me all the secrets I wanted to know, so I couldn't refuse his kindness..."
Li Zhu pretended to be troubled and said!
"What? That bastard third brother told me not to tell him, but he actually told you himself? How could he be so insidious?"
The Second Prince said angrily!
"Second brother, don't be angry. But after I leave, you'll need to be careful around third brother. Knowing his personality, once he gains power, he might not even respect you as his second brother..."
Upon hearing Li Zhu's words, the Second Prince's eyes reddened. Being humiliated by his older brother Li Zhu was bad enough, but now being humiliated by his younger brother, the Third Prince, was simply too much to bear…
"No... Third Brother definitely won't tell you the truth. Brother, you've handed over the power of the Crown Prince to me. I will not only help you protect your position from being taken away by Third Brother, but I will also tell you the true backer of Huayue Tower..."
The second prince said excitedly, seeing that he had already fallen for the trap, Li Zhu pretended to be troubled and said...
"Second brother, you know I'm an upright and pure person. If I were to go back on my word, it would damage my reputation..."
Hearing Li Zhu's words, the Second Prince really wanted to retort, "You have absolutely no reputation! In the entire city of Luoyang, your reputation is the worst..."
“Your Majesty is absolutely right. I had originally intended to send one of my courtesans to you, so that you could listen to music and relieve your boredom on the journey west. But now, for the sake of your reputation, I have no choice but to leave the courtesan in your residence…”
"No, no... I've misunderstood you, brother. You're a kind person too. I trust you the most to have this power in my hands..."
Li Zhu pretended to be very annoyed and said this, but what he was really thinking was anyone's guess...
"Brother, this songstress is for you. I'll send someone to deliver her to your residence later..."
The Second Prince said with a smile, but his heart was bleeding. One by one, the women around him were given to Li Zhu. It was really heartbreaking!
"Hmm, second brother, you said third brother wouldn't tell me the truth. What's going on? We're brothers after all, he wouldn't lie to me, would he?"
Li Zhu steered the conversation back to the main point, which was the key reason he had found him today!
"How could he possibly tell you the truth? Even my father would give way to the Flower Moon Pavilion when it comes to its true background..."
Upon hearing the Second Prince's words, Li Zhu was stunned. He hadn't expected that he had guessed wrong. It wasn't his cheap father's property. This made him even more curious. Who was it that made even the ruler of a country give way to him?
Seeing Li Zhu's expression, the Second Prince thought he was right and that the Third Prince was lying. This made him secretly pleased. He believed that as long as he told the truth, Li Zhu would hate the Third Prince for deceiving him. When Li Zhu left, he would surely hand over some of his subordinates' power to him. With the strength of his own faction and the Crown Prince's power, he would definitely have the upper hand when facing the Third Prince. At that time, the face he lost with Li Zhu could definitely be regained from the Third Prince...
Little did they know, it was all a trap to ensnare him. Not only would he get nothing, but the Third Prince would get nothing either…
"Even Father Emperor has to give way?"
Li Zhu looked at the Second Prince in disbelief and said this in order to get the Second Prince to continue speaking!
“That’s right. This Flower Moon Pavilion is a property of the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Never heard of the Heavenly Dao Alliance? It’s an organization capable of overthrowing the New Tang Dynasty. Father doesn’t want to have a direct conflict with the Heavenly Dao Alliance, so this Flower Moon Pavilion has a special status in Luoyang…”
The second prince spoke eloquently!
Li Zhu was secretly shocked and realized why he had been targeted as soon as he entered the Flower Moon Pavilion. The poisoning was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, and the person who poisoned him did not really think they could kill him...
The reason they didn't continue to kill him was probably related to the fact that he solved the puzzle. The Heavenly Alliance valued the underground palace, and they weren't sure if his answer was true, so they needed to verify it before deciding how to deal with him...
Thinking of the courtesan's power, Li Zhu broke out in a cold sweat; he had essentially brushed with death...
"Brother, I'm telling you the real secret now. After you leave Luoyang, could you lend me the power of the officials inside and outside the capital?"
The second prince also revealed his goal: he wanted to obtain the right to use the inner and outer marquisates!
"Second brother, don't worry. I'll have the officials inside and outside the capital inform you of any important news, giving you a significant advantage when facing third brother..."
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