Mu Chao Bi was surprised for a moment, then after a little thought, he found it quite reasonable. He said calmly, "Your Highness, Brother Yin's words seem to have merit... Since the Yan family is showing weakness, let's push them a step further! Arrest Ge Shou Li, Bai Qi Chang, and Feng En? When the court officials see the Crown Prince upholding order, they will naturally support him. Moreover, if the Emperor sees the Crown Prince as resolute, he will not lightly dismiss him."
Silence, and after a good while, Wu Ji Jue also chimed in, "It's feasible! Your Highness is now the Crown Prince supervising the nation. What problem is there in arresting a few people? Especially rebellious officials and traitors! Since we have captured the sons and grandsons of the Yan family, if they dare to resist, we can kill them all as well! The realm is in chaos both internally and externally. If the Crown Prince can be a pillar of support, he will naturally be the true Son of Heaven!"
Good!
Exactly!
Prince Yu suddenly felt as if a cloud had parted to reveal the sun. He looked at Yin Tai deeply several times, feeling that he had truly underestimated this man before.
"Duke Ying, what do you think?"
Prince Yu looked at Zhang Rong again.
Zhang Rong stroked his white beard and sighed, "It's feasible, but what if those court officials become even more troublesome?"
"Then arrest more!"
Wu Ji Jue, having thought it through, suddenly saw the light and said decisively, "Arrest as many as there are! Everyone, who in the capital doesn't know that Yan Song's sons and grandsons have been kidnapped! If we move against the Yan family again, the officials and the people will naturally guess it's directed at the Yan family... I think, as long as we arrest a few and behead them at the Meridian Gate, those capital officials will surely be obedient, and no one will dare to cause trouble!"
Hiss!
Several people gasped, all feeling that although this plan was extreme, it was a way.
Prince Yu gazed leisurely at the gloomy sky, let out a long sigh, and said slowly, "Good! I will personally draft the imperial edict. Marquis Wu, Duke Ying, you both take care and coordinate with Wang Ting Xiu. Take five hundred Palace Guards out of the palace. Chong Ji, you take another five hundred people, disguised as royal guards. Tonight, arrest Ge Shou Li, Bai Qi Chang, and Feng En. Tomorrow at noon, behead them at the Meridian Gate."
Everyone rose to receive the order, all feeling that once they made this move, there would be no turning back.
Bang bang!
Bang!
The hurried knocking on the door sounded startling in the late night capital.
Yan Shi Fan had not left his study. He hurriedly put on his clothes and went out. With a creak, the door opened, and he saw Lu Bing in the distance!
"Dong Lou! Something's happened!"
Lu Bing strode in. Although his movements were urgent, he was not panicked.
"Wen Fu, why is it you?"
Lu Bing waved his hand, dismissing his servants, and leaned close to Yan Shi Fan's ear, "Ge Shou Li and Bai Qi Chang have been arrested! Old Ge's servant said it was the Palace Guards who did it..."
Palace Guards?
That means the Crown Prince!
"Impossible?"
Yan Shi Fan stared at Lu Bing, confused, "Could it be someone impersonating them?"
Lu Bing gritted his teeth, "I just went to see him. I saw Old Ge, and he said it was the Crown Prince..."
!
"Prince Yu, you damned son of a bitch! What the hell!"
Yan Shi Fan truly couldn't believe it. Had the Crown Prince really changed his ways? Just after he conceded a step to him, the Crown Prince was pushing his luck. "No! Wen Fu, this won't do! We have to act!"
He had never been bullied like this in his life. Even those few times with Zhu Mo, it had only been a warning. He had never been kicked and beaten like this. Pacing anxiously several times, he blurted out, "We have to act too! Old Lu, we have to make a move against him too!"
Lu Bing comforted him, "Dong Lou, calm your anger... I don't think these few people matter much. I don't believe he can really do anything to us..." "Yes, that's right."
At some unknown time, the old Yan Song had already arrived, trembling and hunched over. He looked up at Lu Bing and said gently, "Wen Fu, it's been a long time since you've visited... The moment you arrive, you're helping Dong Lou, and helping this old man. Alas, you are in-laws, but Dong Lou truly doesn't deserve it."
Lu Bing went to support him and said, "Esteemed Elder, please don't say that. This matter is truly strange. I came specifically to ask for your advice."
Mmm, Yan Song nodded, turned, and slowly entered his study. Not long after, Luo Long Wen, Yan Mao Qing, and Zhao Wen Hua also arrived.
Yan Shi Fan also quieted down and said at this time, "Old Lu is right. If Prince Yu likes to act, let him act. Can he really kill his way to Liang Jin Shan Fang?"
Luo Long Wen also added, "Prince Yu is cornered like a rat. He wants to stir up chaos. He is using his identity as the Crown Prince supervising the nation to control the court and the capital."
As the words fell, several people looked solemn. After all, the Crown Prince's move was too outrageous! Ge Shou Li was a famously upright Censor, and Feng En was a top figure in the first twenty years of the Jiajing reign. Yet, the Crown Prince arrested them on a whim, claiming they were inciting chaos? This was no minor offense.
Zhao Wen Hua said with some worry, "Little Esteemed Elder, your subordinate believes these three are likely doomed. They are pushing their advantage. With these three, they will want more, and killing their way to Liang Shan Fang will naturally be the final step." Hiss~ Everyone also became quite vigilant.
Yan Mao Qing asked doubtfully, "Could it be that the Crown Prince really intends to kill these three censors? That would be unprecedented in the Great Ming Dynasty..."
Hmph!
Yan Shi Fan scoffed, "Why wouldn't he kill them? They are accused of inciting chaos, which is a capital offense! Even if they don't die, they'll face severe punishment! Old Luo, you go and arrange things later. We can't just let him run wild." Mmm, Luo Long Wen said, "Little Esteemed Elder, your subordinate will go and handle it shortly. Killing a remonstrance official is no small matter. Perhaps we should still inform the Directorate of Ceremonial?"
At this point, he looked at Lu Bing.
Lu Bing coughed dryly, "Well, killing a remonstrance official is indeed a big deal... I'll have someone go and speak with Li Bin to see what Lu Fang's intentions are..."
Having said that, seeing that everyone was about to discuss the matter, he, although Yan Shi Fan's in-law, had maintained a distance from the Yan family for many years. Now, involved in state secrets, if he heard anything, it would be a lot of trouble for him. He immediately cupped his hands to everyone and said, "Lu Bing takes his leave..."
Yan Shi Fan personally escorted him out. In a daze, he felt that the world was changing too quickly. If Lu Bing hadn't arrived in time tonight, perhaps people would have already been killed, and he wouldn't have known. Yan Shi Fan returned to his room, and Yan Song happened to stand up and said, "Lu Bing is right... killing remonstrance officials is inauspicious... If Prince Yu really kills them, it means he has nothing to lose."
He paused and also found the matter truly strange. Did Prince Yu really want to act recklessly? If Prince Yu truly gave up everything and acted, surrounding the Yuxi Palace was not impossible. But if Prince Yu controlled the capital tightly, wouldn't that mean he would suffer immediate losses?
While contemplating, Zhao Wen Hua also happened to say, "It's strange that Prince Yu is so ruthless? Killing remonstrance officials is like silencing all the people of the world! Why would he want to silence everyone? Could it be..."
He looked at everyone in turn and made a few gestures with his right hand.
Hiss!
Everyone gasped. Zhao Wen Hua didn't finish, but his meaning was clear—could it be that Prince Yu wanted to force the Emperor to abdicate?
By killing the censors, no one would dare to speak out. Was this matter becoming increasingly like heading in that direction?
And if Prince Yu truly went down this path, with the city gates closed, mouths silenced, and soldiers everywhere, even if everyone present were killed, no one outside the city would know...
Thinking of this, everyone couldn't help but turn their gaze to the old Yan Song.
Yan Song then looked approvingly at Zhao Wen Hua and nodded, "Wen Hua, that's it..."
He paused, paced a few more steps, and continued, "Shi Fan, why is there still no news from Niu Xin? The military reports from Liaodong should be arriving soon. Have Yan Fu and the others send someone to urge them... Also, this is not a good omen, so be careful... Shi Fan, go and find Li Ting Zhu before dawn tomorrow and tell him to prepare early. Tell him that if something major happens in the capital, he won't be able to get in. Mmm, mmm, only then did everyone feel a little at ease. This worst-case scenario could not be ruled out. In the blink of an eye, the lives and fortunes of everyone present were precarious, showing how quickly the fortunes of the world can change, from day to day, from dawn to dusk. Yan Shi Fan nodded and said, "That Niu Xin kid, he should have returned long ago... Your son will send someone to Jizhou early tomorrow to check."
After saying that, he suddenly couldn't believe it and blurted out, "You're saying? Will Prince Yu really kill three remonstrance officials?"