The man in the white robe possessed an overwhelming, captivating charm, with features that hinted at a dangerous allure. This was Chu Qianyi, son of the Right Prime Minister.
Seeing him again, he exuded an even more unrestrained aura than before. His every movement was imbued with nobility, and a mere curl of his lips could unleash a smile that captivated all. Many in the crowd gasped; the man was truly handsome.
"General Ximen, have you been well?" Chu Qianyi clasped his hands in a greeting that was one-third earnest and two-thirds playful.
"Traitor! Just as my Emperor suspected, you would come to disrupt the execution," Ximen Zhenghao suddenly stood, his voice a thunderous roar. He reached behind him, and someone immediately handed him a Xuan iron spear.
The spear, weighing dozens of pounds, was held by Ximen Zhenghao as if it were a mere sword, revealing his astonishing arm strength and undoubtedly formidable martial prowess.
"Villain, die!"
Ximen Zhenghao leaped forward, soaring over the platform and landing directly before Chu Qianyi. With a flick of the spear, he prepared to strike.
The subordinates behind Chu Qianyi's face changed. Several of them rushed forward, one of them coldly shouting, "How dare you be so disrespectful to the Third Prince! You court death."
At these words, Ximen Zhenghao froze. What did this man mean? His gaze deepened. "What kind of trickery is this?"
Chu Qianyi's lips curved upwards, his smile growing more enchanting, more flamboyant. The subordinate who had just berated Ximen Zhenghao spoke again:
"This is our Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince. Let alone a mere general like yourself, even your Emperor Xian would likely not dare to make a move. Do you truly wish to start a war with our Yun Cang Kingdom?"
This statement shocked everyone present, not only on the platform but also the crowds below. Murmurs arose as people earnestly scrutinized the enchanting man on the platform.
He was indeed the Right Prime Minister's son. They had seen this beautiful boy grow up, so how could he be Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince? No one believed it.
"Nonsense! Do you think we'll believe you just because you concoct a story?"
"Bold Ximen Zhenghao, do I need your belief, Your Highness? Now, I wish to see Emperor Xian immediately," Chu Qianyi's expression changed abruptly. His alluring countenance shifted, becoming incredibly grim, charged with an imminent, explosive rage.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, Ximen Zhenghao dared not be careless, finding himself in a difficult dilemma.
However, if the person before him was truly Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince, then, by all means, they could not attack him, lest it lead to war between the two nations.
Yet, Ximen Zhenghao simply refused to believe he was Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince. This man was the most captivating figure in Lin'an City, the Right Prime Minister's son. Even if he turned to ash, Ximen Zhenghao would recognize him. Why had he suddenly become Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince?
"I will not heed your deceitful words. Are you suggesting I bring you to the imperial palace to assassinate the Emperor?"
Ximen Zhenghao dared not be remiss, his attitude resolute.
Chu Qianyi shot him a cold, furious glance. With a swift movement, a waist token appeared in his hand. The token clearly bore the inscription: Wen Yu, Third Prince of Yun Cang Kingdom.
To think that this Chu Qianyi was indeed Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince! Ximen Zhenghao dared not say another word.
"Very well, proceed to the palace." Such a matter could only be handled by the imperial court. He had no authority to decide on such affairs.
The hour of the midday bell had passed. The Chu family, not yet executed, were all confined to the Ministry of War prison. Ximen Zhenghao accompanied Chu Qianyi to the palace.
Liuli Palace.
Mu Rong Liu Zun was also taken aback by this situation. He had already dispatched secret guards to investigate and knew that people from Yun Cang Kingdom had been active in Lin'an City recently, so he expected an attempt to rescue someone at the midday gate.
However, he had never expected that this Chu Qianyi was not a member of the Chu family at all but someone from Yun Cang Kingdom. How could he be from Yun Cang Kingdom?
"You claim to be Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince?"
"Yes, Emperor Xian." Chu Qianyi shed his previous nonchalance, speaking with a rare dignity, composure, and restraint, his noble aura emanating from him as he gracefully presented his credentials.
It turned out he truly was Wen Yu, Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince.
Then, why had Yun Cang Kingdom's Prince become the Right Prime Minister's son? The Emperor, seated on his throne, had a grim and displeased expression. He spoke in a low, resonant voice:
"Now you are gracing my Xian Yue in the capacity of Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince. May I know why the Third Prince intervened when my Xian Yue's General Ximen was carrying out the execution?"
Chu Qianyi smiled faintly, his peach blossom eyes shimmering with the brilliance of a gentle breeze and clear moon.
"Emperor Xian, the Right Prime Minister did not actually assist the King of Beijin. Those three thousand garrison troops were deployed by me. However, since I am not a member of the Chu family, on what grounds can Emperor Xian condemn the Chu family?"
Mu Rong Liu Zun's face was dark, his eyes a boundless, black abyss.
He knew Chu Qianyi was speaking the truth. If Chu Qianyi was not a member of the Chu family, then he had no concrete proof to convict the Chu family.
Those three thousand garrison troops could have been deployed by Chu Da Gongzi using the military tally, but now Chu Da Gongzi was not a Chu family member at all, but Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince. If he executed the Chu family, he would certainly need an explanation.
"You!"
Mu Rong Liu Zun glared down at him, then suddenly laughed, as if he had just received a shower of grace.
"Very well, I underestimated you, Wen Yu. I never imagined you were so adept at hiding yourself. I wish to know now how you managed to switch heaven and earth, to be the son of the Chu family for over twenty years, yet transform into a noble prince of a nation in the blink of an eye?"
Chu Qianyi raised an eyebrow and gazed intently, his smile disappearing, replaced by a serious expression.
In truth, he wished he were just an ordinary person of the Chu family. In that case, he would have long ago urged his father to surrender military power. But he was not. His destiny was to sow chaos in Xian Yue, seize the emperor amidst the turmoil, and command the lords.
This way, Yun Cang Kingdom would outwardly remain a single nation, but in reality, it would be a country with two systems. However, as fate would have it, Yu Yan was somewhat foolishly in love with the Emperor.
No matter how they tried to persuade her, she refused to use any schemes against the Emperor, and thus, this final situation was disrupted.
"I was switched at birth. When I was only three or four years old, my master told me I was Yun Cang Kingdom's Third Prince."
"And what of the Chu family's child?"
The Emperor's face was covered with a frost-like, chilling cold. To think that such a grand scheme, initiated more than twenty years ago, was so meticulously planned that he could not uncover it at first. The mind behind it was too cunning.
"To eliminate any future trouble, he was killed long ago."
Chu Qianyi spoke slowly, his pupils deepening. This was a debt Yun Cang Kingdom owed the Chu family, so he could not allow them to be killed again.
"Good, Yun Cang Kingdom is truly ruthless!" The Emperor on the throne laughed, his laughter cold and arrogant, his eyes flashing with sharpness. After laughing, he looked at Ximen Zhenghao beside him. "General Ximen, confine the entire Chu family, from the elders to the juniors, for now."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Ximen Zhenghao withdrew.
In the great hall, the Emperor stood with a stern face, deep in thought.
Since Chu Qianyi's identity had been revealed, he had no reason to kill the Chu family. The Empress Dowager was dead, the King of Beijin was also dead, and the Right Prime Minister could neither speak nor move his hands.