After Emperor Muwu’s furious outburst, he felt weakened and slumped onto the Dragon Throne, gasping for breath.
Prince Qing, witnessing the Emperor’s sudden aging, grew even more excited.
He continued, "Although you, my brother, have inherited the imperial throne, I, your younger brother, have never admitted defeat. If it weren’t for the support of our ninth brother, you wouldn’t have had a chance to ascend this throne!"
Muwu Emperor gritted his teeth, "Insolence! I am the crown prince personally appointed by our late father..."
"What does that matter!" Prince Qing raised his chin slightly, exuding a fierce aura.
"I shall now seize everything from you." It was likely that Ye Siheng had already met his demise in the capital’s camp, and no one could hinder Prince Qing’s plans.
After years of careful plotting, he had finally reached this moment, and impatience consumed him.
He didn’t want to waste any more time, so he first cut Lu Zheng’s arm, urging him once again, "Prime Minister Lu, if you don’t start writing, I will have your children’s corpses delivered to you!"
The Prime Minister’s wife and Lu Yanyan panicked at the sight of blood.
Lu Zheng hurriedly covered his wound, trying to prevent further bleeding, and reassured his mother and sister, "I’m fine."
The Prime Minister’s heart was gripped tightly.
Seeing Prince Qing about to scar Lu Yanyan’s face, he couldn’t bear it any longer and shouted, "I’ll write! I’ll write! Just spare my wife and children!"
Lu Zheng objected, "Father, you mustn’t."
This was equivalent to being a traitor!
He made up his mind and intended to throw himself onto Prince Qing’s sword, sacrificing himself for a just cause.
Prince Qing hastily sheathed his sword, and the Yulin Guards quickly restrained Lu Zheng, preventing him from succeeding.
"Young Master Lu, you should cherish your life," Prince Qing said.
"In this imperial examination, you ranked among the top. The court just hasn’t announced it yet. If you are willing to submit to me, the position of Minister of Revenue will be yours!"
Lu Zheng remained fearless, shouting, "Father, a true man knows when to act and when not to!"
Before he could finish, his mouth was gagged with a cloth.
Prince Qing’s expression turned extremely ugly.
He hadn’t expected Lu Zheng to be so stubborn.
However, when the Prime Minister heard Prince Qing’s words, he couldn’t bring himself to be ruthless.
He knew how hard his son had worked over the years, and if he were to die here, it would truly be a wasted life.
He knelt down and bowed to Emperor Muwu, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for my disloyalty and injustice."
Muwu Emperor didn’t get angry; he closed his eyes and said softly, "I don’t blame you."
Prince Qing was overjoyed and quickly prepared writing materials.
Everything was ready.
After the Prime Minister stood up, he tremblingly picked up the brush and began drafting the edict, his hand shaking slightly.
Once the imperial edict was written, Prince Qing eagerly picked it up, nodding in satisfaction.
He had finally waited for this day!
"The Imperial Seal!" Prince Qing shouted again, "Bring me the Imperial Seal!"
This time, the Prime Minister was not needed.
The Lord Dou stepped forward and took the Imperial Seal.
After stamping the edict with the Imperial Seal, he congratulated, "Congratulations, Prince Qing!"
Apart from Lord Dou, two or three other courtiers immediately expressed their loyalty.
The Prime Minister, along with Lord Xu and others, paled, their eyes filled with disdain.
Prince Qing had obtained what he desired, and he looked at Emperor Muwu once again, his gaze chilling. "Farewell, my brother. I shall take charge of this realm on your behalf, so you need not worry."
As soon as he finished speaking, he crushed something in his hand.
Instantly, a peculiar fragrance filled the air, causing everyone to cover their mouths and noses, thinking it was some kind of poison.
Prince Qing reminded, "This substance may be of no use to you, but our royal brother cannot withstand its scent, as it triggers the toxicity within him..."
He stared at Emperor Muwu, eager to witness the agonizing effects of the poison.
However, Emperor Muwu remained seated, perfectly composed and unaffected.
Prince Qing was taken aback, quickly crushing the substance into smaller pieces, intensifying its fragrance.
Yet... it was all in vain!
Emperor Muwu snorted lightly, "The chronic poison within me has long been neutralized."
His gaze towards Prince Qing resembled that of someone observing a fool.
"You... you were aware?" Prince Qing was stunned. "If you knew all along, why didn’t you say anything?!"
"If I had made it obvious, how could I have lured you out?" Emperor Muwu’s previous panic and anxiety vanished, as if everything was under his control.
"I owe my secure position as the crown prince to the assistance of my ninth brother, but I have held the title for many years, proving I am no simpleton."
Using the chronic poison to drive a wedge between the two of them?
Prince Qing was still too naive!
Prince Qing’s face turned pale, stumbling back a few steps before regaining his composure. He commanded, "Guards, guards! Kill them all!"
Although Emperor Muwu was not poisoned, he still had his Yulin Guards.
The Yulin Guards stationed outside the study heard the order and attempted to enter with their swords drawn.
However, as they reached the doorway, they were repelled and thrown back.
Simultaneously, a seal appeared at the entrance, quickly fading away.
Prince Qing widened his eyes, finally revealing a hint of panic on his face.
Since when had this doorway become impassable?
"Come on," Emperor Muwu spoke coldly, "subdue him."
"Royal brother, are you commanding these courtiers or the feeble eunuchs?" Prince Qing retorted.
He still had a few Yulin Guards by his side, so there was no need for him to panic.
However, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room.
Silently, several black-armored guards appeared within the study!
Prince Qing couldn’t react in time and was captured, his arms restrained.
The Yulin Guards accompanying him had their throats slit, blood splattering as they fell lifeless.
The situation had instantly reversed.
At this moment, Prince Qing saw that the black-armored guards bore inscriptions on their armor. His mind suddenly clicked, understanding the truth. "Could it be... invisible seals?!"
"Little brother, you have finally shown some intelligence," Emperor Muwu stood up. "Indeed, it was the invisible seals crafted by the Nanli, each one worth five hundred taels of silver!"
In order to lure his fifth brother into this trap, Emperor Muwu not only expended great effort but also spent a considerable sum of silver!
Prince Qing nearly spat out blood. "She was almost deceived by you and lost her innocence. How could she have sold you the seals?"
"It was precisely because of this incident that I became alert," Emperor Muwu lamented. "If your men could infiltrate the palace unnoticed, then naturally she could as well."
Not only did she sell him the seals, but she also helped him neutralize the poison.
Fortunately, he had fallen into the trap due to the poison, momentarily losing his focus. Otherwise, Nanli might not have forgiven him.
Prince Qing believed that with the assistance of the Qi Kingdom, he was invincible. Little did he know that his plan had long been exposed.
With a single command from Emperor Muwu, the black-armored guards apprehended the several ministers accompanying Lord Dou.
He squinted his eyes and spoke softly, "If it weren’t for my ploy to lure the snake out of its hole, I would never have known that you all had already conspired with my fifth brother."
The pleas of the ministers were futile, as the black-armored guards captured and silenced them.
The four members of the Lu family, seeing the situation had turned against them, though momentarily bewildered, understood that the crisis had passed.
They embraced each other, weeping and seeking solace.
Witnessing this scene, a cold smile reappeared on Prince Qing’s lips.
"Royal brother, even though I have been defeated, you are not faring any better. Chu Nanli has been captured, and Ye Siheng went to rescue her. They will surely not survive!"