Mu Chao bi immediately said,
"Chao Bi, have you visited the Yan family recently?"
He asked this because he knew that these court officials of Jianwen often sought connections through the Yan family. Now that he was the Crown Prince, these people should make a clean break. Moreover, in this round, the Yan family had sent Zhang Yu to act tyrannically in Jiangnan, which was tantamount to trying to destroy him. They had shown their ferocity, and compared to Zhu Mo, the Yan family was actually more dangerous.
Mu Chao bi bowed and said,
"Your Highness, I haven't been to the Yan family for two years... We all know our place... Uh, I'm now worried if the Yan family knows Zhu Mo's identity? What if Yan Shifan also knows that Zhu Mo is related to the royal family? Will it change their attitude?"
Prince Yu smiled indifferently and said,
"The Yan family's informants are all over the world, how could they not know? I think the Yan family won't be able to get any evidence, and they know even less than Zhang Er... The Yan family, they already guessed that Zhu Mo was related to the royal family... But they still attacked relentlessly... The Yan family is the most ruthless. However, I want to use them one last time... After they bring down Zhu Mo, the crime of persecuting the royal family will be readily available...
Chao Bi, I have one more thing for you to investigate... that is Prince Jing. Zhang Er has some information that Prince Jing was driven mad by Yan Shifan... You also go and find out what happened to Prince Jing? Also, if there is any witness testimony or physical evidence, be sure to collect it. When I ascend the throne, the first edict will be to exterminate the three clans of the Yan family!"
Hiss!
The three were shocked and immediately realized that Zhang Yu's actions in Jiangnan had indeed frightened Prince Yu, and the hatred was too deep. The Yan family was too vicious. By doing this, they were directly making the Crown Prince a foolish and tyrannical ruler, and their methods were cruel, simply treating Prince Yu like a monkey...
Mu Chao bi immediately said,
"Your Highness, Yan Song and his son are guilty of heinous crimes. We have interacted with them for years and know that they have long harbored rebellious intentions... Your Highness, do not worry. If Yan Song and his son dare not comply, we will even raise an army to defend the king and tear them to pieces!"
Good!
Prince Yu was naturally timid. Having faced the most critical moment of his life, although he had shown courage, he was still somewhat weak. Hearing Mu Chao bi's resolute tone, and thinking that this person could defeat Mang Yinglong, he was considered the cream of the crop among the current court officials. With him, who commanded an army of 100,000, even if he failed in the struggle for succession and fled to Yun Gui, he could still make a comeback.
Thinking of this, he was greatly encouraged. He patted Mu Chao bi's shoulder and said in a deep voice,
"Duke of Qian, Marquis Gong Shun, Duke of Ying, if all goes well, I will not treat you unfairly!"
The four exchanged confidences and discussed further, deciding to find an opportunity in Jiangnan to escalate the conflict between Zhu Mo and the Yan family, preferably forcing both sides to confront each other directly.
...
Anlu,
Tianxiang Tower, late at night.
The entire prince's mansion was silent. Everyone was asleep. Only at this time could Prince Jing find some peace for his mind and body. Looking at the sparse stars in the sky and listening to the chirping of insects, he could only sleep soundly for a few hours each day.
But during this period, he knew it was the most dangerous time. The Imperial Guard Xu Jiu had visited again, bringing an imperial jade pendant worn by the Emperor, saying that he would arrange for Li Shizhen to treat him soon. Once he recovered somewhat, he could return to the capital to report for duty.
Prince Jing knew very well—
The Emperor could know that he was feigning madness, but no one else could know the truth! This Taoist priest, the Emperor, was very cunning and most likely wanted to see if he still intended to compete for the throne? Therefore, he remained vigilant towards Xu Jiu! kuAiδugg
The reason was simple—
Letting the Yan family push him to the throne was the most appropriate!
The Emperor would at best let him take over the Chu King's territory. When he recovered from his illness, Prince Yu would also be suspicious, and there would still be no peace!
Therefore,
He meticulously planned, making Xu Jiu believe that although he was feigning madness, after so many years, he had developed some issues and it would take a lot of effort to cure him.
This way, the Emperor would not be in a hurry for the time being and would temporarily forget about this side, and he would not be drawn into the storm that was about to break out.
He also learned from the staff of the prince's mansion that the reason Zhu Mo could stir up such a large commotion must have had considerable support from the Emperor. From various signs, it could be seen that Zhu Mo was likely related to the royal family... Moreover, now that Prince Yu knew he was beyond saving, how could he forget his brother?