The news of the prince's house arrest spread far and wide, and the eldest grandson Wuzheng submitted some of the prince's crimes, all of which were evidence and lists of party affiliation and corruption, so that those princelings who still had illusions completely lost the opportunity to jump.

Emperor Rong, who saw the list, completely lost his favor with Wei Zixu and moved the idea of abolishing the prince? This idea that Emperor Chunrong suddenly popped up was added to by Jinyun City and told Wei Zixu.

The night wind howled, making people panic, and the patrolling Praetorian Guards couldn't help but speed up their pace, and disappeared under the eaves in a blink of an eye.

More than a dozen dead soldiers gathered in the main hall of the East Palace, unified in ink-colored night clothes, with sharp machetes tied to their waists, and double-edged swords in their hands. The candles were sporadic and bright, but their machetes were very bright.

The doors and windows in the hall are tightly closed and airtight. A stick of incense had already burned halfway, and the leaky pot on the right made a ticking sound, and the standing arrows marked with scales in the kettle were getting higher and higher. The crown prince Xu nervously walked in the hall, looking at the arrows in the leaky pot from time to time.

A whole stick of incense has been burned, the atmosphere in the palace has gradually solidified, time has passed little by little, and the crown prince Xu finally can't bear it anymore, "Why hasn't Jinyun City come yet?" He shouted outside the door, "Someone! ”

A thin eunuch hurriedly galloped in, slipped under his feet, knelt directly on the ground, and replied tremblingly: "Your Majesty has no news yet, it should be ...... I guess I haven't done it yet......"

"Still not yet? Could it be ...... Could it be that she was exposed? Or did she betray Hongu? Ecstasy is her match, and she is also the one who drugged it, she can't escape, yes, she doesn't dare to betray, wait ......a little longer, wait a little longer, wait a little longer" Wei Zixu only felt that it was difficult to breathe, and his eyes were black.

"His Royal Highness the Prince! His Royal Highness the Prince, there is news over there, Miss Jin has released a signal! ”

Prince Xu glanced at the leaky pot behind him, and finally breathed a sigh of relief, there is still time, as long as the sky is not bright, everything is in time!

Immediately ordered: "All the dead obey the order!" ”

"In!"

"Whether it is success or failure, when this palace ascends the throne, it will be the day when you enjoy glory and wealth!"

"Be loyal and courageous, and swear allegiance to His Royal Highness the Prince!"

Prince Xu raised the corners of his mouth coldly and laughed loudly.

Under the dark night sky, the candles in the emperor's bedroom had been extinguished, and there was silence all around. Wei Zixu knocked on the door gently, but no one responded.

The accompanying eunuch whispered: "Miss Jin obviously released a signal, why didn't she come out to answer?" ”

Wei Zixu gritted his teeth and pushed open the door of the main hall, it was dim and dark, but he could smell the smell of blood, the closer he got to it, the stronger the smell, Wei Zixu's heart trembled, and he said in his heart: Jinyun City will not poison his father and kill him, right? Without the abdication edict written by his father, wouldn't it be unjustifiable to ascend the throne himself?

At this time, someone lit a candle, and the dormitory suddenly lit up. Wei Zixu took a few steps back vigilantly and hid behind the dead man.

I saw many eunuchs and palace maids lying in the palace, but I didn't see Emperor Rong and Jinyun City, only Ge Yiyan sat on the edge of the dragon bed, holding a sword in his hand, and raised an eerie and terrifying face.

"His Royal Highness the Prince, let the ministers wait."

Wei Zixu screamed in fright, and hurriedly raised his long sword, but he couldn't even match the enemy.

Ge Yiyan got up and kicked the eunuch on the ground, and said: "Your Majesty really guessed correctly, if you can buy Wang Zhong, you will definitely buy off others, but these minions are not tortured, and they can't stand it after only a few swords. ”

"You have no official or position, how did you get into the palace? How did you end up here? ”

"That's the minister's ability, Your Highness doesn't need to ask more, you should worry about yourself now, how to end it." Ge Yiyan didn't take the prince in his eyes at all, and seemed to have predicted the fate of the person in front of him.

As soon as the words fell, he suddenly rushed into the black-pressed Praetorian Guards from outside the dormitory, and instantly took down the dead soldiers, Wei Zixu saw this, he was so frightened that he trembled, and the sword in his hand also fell to the ground. Only then did he realize that Jinyun City had betrayed himself!

Emperor Rong, who should have been ecstasy and paralyzed all over, came from the side hall at this time, pinched Jinyun Cheng's neck in his hand, and suddenly threw her hard, throwing her on the ground, which happened to stop at Wei Zixu's feet. Jin Yuncheng, who was covered in injuries, was already dying, and his slightly open eyes looked at him weakly, and he was already covered in blood.

"Father!" Wei Zixu pounced and knelt on the ground: "It's all her, she used her beauty to confuse Erchen, she took it upon herself to drug you and force Erchen to come over, right...... It's for you to write an abdication edict, she wants to be the queen, she ...... She ......"

"Enough!" Emperor Rong shouted sharply: "You are a few catties and a few taels, I know very well, let you be the prince, it is nothing more than that you are obedient enough, but I didn't expect that as soon as Murphy died, your wings would be stiff!" It's a pity that you are not smart enough, you easily believed in Jinyun City, and in the end you were used by her, you are not bold enough, if you realize that your plan has been discovered, desperately fight, and die under the sword of the Praetorian Guard, I can still look down on you, but you are greedy for life and afraid of death, full of lies, it really makes me look down on you! ”

Wei Zixu crawled over and hugged Emperor Rong's legs, and burst into tears: "Father, do you want to kill your son?" ”

Emperor Rong kicked him away in disgust, and immediately a Praetorian Guard stepped forward to pull the prince away.

"I have given you a chance, it is you who have repeatedly taught you, but I will not kill you, you are my son after all, but you are not worthy of continuing to live in the East Palace, you will go to the old palace of Chu for the rest of your life!"

"No, father, the son is wrong, the son is confused for a while, ask the father to give the son a chance, the son must change his mind, even if you want to abolish the son, don't let the son go to that ghost place, the son will not go!"

Emperor Rong ignored Wei Zixu's collapsed appearance, squatted down and pinched Jin Yuncheng's face, "The prince is unwilling to go, Miss Jin should be very willing, right?" After all, as the princess of Chu State, you have extremely strong feelings for it, since you can't go back to Chu State, it is better to feel the former glory in the old palace, which can be regarded as comfort. ”

Wei Zixu stopped crying and looked at them in a daze, "You...... Are you from Chu? ”

Hearing that his identity was exposed, Jin Yuncheng's eyelids trembled violently, but he was powerless to make a sound, and could only gasp in pain. Emperor Rong let go of her face, rubbed the blood stains on the dragon robe, and said to her: "What's the use of you trying to use the prince's hand to disturb the palace, no matter who succeeds to the throne, the Chu State has no ability to fight back, not to mention what kind of thing are you?" A princess who has been abducted and trafficked since childhood, they have long forgotten about you! It makes no sense for you to do this, stupid! ”

Jin Yuncheng suddenly surged with anger in his heart, opened his eyes that were covered in blood, and said hoarsely: "I did what I had to do, it's worth it!" As soon as he finished speaking, he spurted blood and passed out.

Wei Zixu knew that he had come to the end, his heart was like ashes, and he was as weak as mud. He looked desperately at the fire outside the hall, and the Praetorian Guards, who had once been respectful to him, now pointed their swords at him, treating them as enemies!

Wei Zixu slowly lowered his head and no longer defended.

After the crown prince was deposed, he was sent to the old palace overnight, and the accompanying party consisted of only two carriages and three or five palace people, and walked for half a day to reach the woods outside the old palace. Looking at the desolate palace, Wei Zixu rose desolate from the bottom of his heart, and couldn't help but shed tears again.

"Your Highness doesn't have to be sad, at least you don't have to worry about it for the rest of your life, do you?" Ge Yiyan poked his head out from the side of the carriage, and Wei Zixu was frightened, and his eyes became even redder.

Ge Yiyan looked at Jinyun City in the carriage, pointed at her, and said to Wei Zixu: "This woman has taken advantage of His Highness, and His Highness is still taking him to do something, so it is better to hand it over to the minister, and the minister will definitely teach her a good lesson for you." ”

Wei Zixu sneered: "Do you think this palace will be handed over to you?" ”

"Your Royal Highness is no longer the crown prince now, and Your Majesty hates you even more, do you think your life will be easy in the future? Will it still be as delicious and delicious as before? It is already Your Majesty's mercy to have one or two palace maids to serve you. But if Your Highness hands her over to me, I will definitely send you wine and meat every month, and I will not treat her badly! ”

Wei Zixu didn't believe it, but seeing that there were so many palace talents accompanying him, he had to believe it, so he could only agree to his request.

Jinyun City was left behind the carriage, and the team continued on, gradually disappearing at the end of the forest.

Ge Yiyan bent down, stretched out his finger and poked Jin Yuncheng's face, suddenly smiled gloomily, and said in her ear: "You betrayed your uncle, don't think I don't know, next, I will let you repay a hundredfold, a thousand times, to comfort my uncle's spirit in the sky!" ”

Jin Yuncheng's chest rose and fell violently, she remembered, but she had no strength, so she could only let Ge Yiyan carry herself on her shoulders and throw it into another carriage.

The prince rebelled, but it was not spread out, only saying that the prince had an incurable disease, and he knew that he could not inherit the throne, so he took the initiative to demote to the prince and went into seclusion.

As soon as Wei Zixu went, the position of the crown prince was vacant, and the ministers of the court and the central government discussed it for a long time, and the candidate was nothing more than the selection between the eldest Wei Yuan and the fourth prince Wei Yan, and this discussion was the majority of the month. Emperor Rong couldn't make up his mind, he always felt in his heart that these two sons could not shoulder the responsibility of the prince of the East Palace, one was too benevolent and unassertive, and the other was calculating, no different from Wei Zixu. On the other hand, although Wei Yao is the youngest, he is more suitable for the crown prince than his elder brothers, and he should be able to take on great responsibilities after only a few years of training. Although Emperor Rong thought so, he was still dissatisfied in his heart, just because these three sons were not like him enough, and they were always a little worse. On the contrary, Wei Zhen, who died early, is the most similar to him......

In the past ten years, Emperor Rong has dreamed of Wei Zhen more than once, and he always can't see Wei Zhen's face clearly in his dreams, only his eyes are full of fire, and the queen's mournful cry...... When he woke up from a dream, he was always in a cold sweat, and the person in the dream seemed to be right in front of him!

At the end of the month, in the early dynasty, the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty were still making trouble for the position of the crown prince, and Emperor Rong had no intention of dealing with them anymore, and was about to quit the dynasty, but was stopped by one person.

"Your Majesty!" Ge Zheng walked out of the ranks of military attaches and saluted Emperor Rong, "The position of the crown prince has been vacant for a long time, and the country cannot be without a prince for a day, and I also ask Your Majesty to choose another prince as soon as possible to stabilize the dynasty and reassure the people." ”

Emperor Rong was exhausted, and he held back his anger and said: "What the prince said, I can understand, but the matter of re-establishing the crown prince will be discussed later." ”

Seeing that Emperor Rong was about to leave, Prince Zheng hurriedly knelt down again, and said urgently: "Your Majesty! After the re-establishment of the crown prince is intolerable, please also ask Your Majesty to listen patiently to the words of the minister. ”

Emperor Rong ignored it, sneered, and was about to leave. Ge Zheng simply raised his voice and said: "Since Your Majesty can't choose a candidate for the crown prince, then the minister has the courage to introduce someone to Your Majesty, I believe Your Majesty will gain something." ”

"Wei Yuan, or Wei Yan? These two princes still need you to introduce them? "Emperor Rong felt that Ge Zheng was extremely abnormal today, and his behavior was ridiculous.

"Your Majesty invites him to the palace, and you will know the result."

Emperor Rong finally couldn't bear it anymore and roared at him: "Ge Zheng, don't you think I'm not upset enough, what can't you say tomorrow?" ”

"Your Majesty! This matter is a big matter, and I ask Your Majesty to allow the minister to invite this person to the Yongle Palace! ”

There was some discussion among the ministers, and Fang Chao Province was the first to come out and knelt down at the bottom of the steps, "Your Majesty, since the prince has a request, it is better to announce this person to the palace." ”

Yuan Qin was also busy coming out of the ranks, kneeling aside and echoing: "Please also ask Your Majesty for permission." ”

Among the ministers, the ministers who followed Prince Zheng all seconded the proposal, Emperor Rong closed his heavy eyelids, sighed helplessly, and said: "Let's go, announce him up." After speaking, he straightened his clothes and sat back down.

Outside the main hall, a figure slowly approached, with his back to the light, and his face could not be seen clearly. Emperor Rong lifted his butt to identify the dragon case, but he couldn't see clearly, stimulated by the surprised reaction of the ministers, Emperor Rong became more and more anxious, until the person stopped next to Prince Zheng, and he couldn't see the face clearly.

"West Building?" Emperor Rong was full of doubts and asked Ge Zheng: "The person you said will make me gain something, is he?" ”

"Does Your Majesty remember the old events of ten years ago?" The west building stands there, the jade tree is in the wind, and the temperament is outstanding, which is better than Wei Yao standing on the other side.

Emperor Rong's face was full of astonishment, and he didn't know what he was referring to, but there must be a reason why this person could be so valued by Prince Zheng. Emperor Rong racked his brains for a long time and couldn't figure it out, at this time Ge Zheng said: "Your Majesty has a lot of opportunities, and it is understandable to forget Empress Yu and Wei Zhen, after all, it has been ten years, but the death of Empress Yu and Wei Zhen is still haunted by the minister!" ”

Hearing the names of Empress Yu and Wei Zhen, Emperor Rong stood up violently, and only then did he realize what the old things that Xilou was talking about. It's been ten years, he didn't expect that someone would remember it now, let alone mention it in front of the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military! Emperor Rong's memory suddenly returned to that night ten years ago...... In the Fusang Palace, it was he who knocked over the candlestick and trapped the queen and the crown prince in it, ten years, and today, he finally remembered Wei Zhen's face!

Emperor Rong sat back on the dragon chair, looked at the West Building and Ge Zheng in horror and surprise, and couldn't say a word.

Ge Zheng clenched his fists excitedly, he had forgotten how many times he had staged such a scene in his heart in the past ten years, and the result he imagined was that Emperor Rong was remorseful in front of the truth, and the dignity and image that a son of heaven should have were gone at this moment! But as Emperor Rong continued to exterminate the relevant personnel back then, he realized that his majesty would never feel the slightest regret for the wrong things back then. And now that he finally told the secret that had been hidden in his heart for ten years, he still had a little pitiful expectation in his heart, hoping that the person in front of him would wake up, but unfortunately the result was expected, and there was nothing else in the eyes of this emperor except fear.

But isn't that exactly what he wants?

At this time, an official on the top of the hall asked Ge Zheng: "Does the prince think that the death of the queen and the prince is strange?" ”

"Exactly!"

"It seems that the prince knows something," the minister looked at the west building and asked, "I don't know what it has to do with this prince of Yan Kingdom?" ”

"Xilou is also the son of Empress Yu, although he has not been raised by his side since he was a child, but he also has blood, does he know ......" Fang Chao Province said quietly.

"Lord Fang! The crown prince died in an accident back then, do you still question my decision? Emperor Rong's gaze moved slightly towards the province, and his eyes were cold.

"Your Majesty," Fang Chaosheng simply knelt down, not afraid of the majesty of the Son of Heaven, "The prince is a blood relative of the Queen of Yu, and it has been ten years, since the prince has been haunted by this, there must be grievances in it, and I ask Your Majesty to allow Dali Temple to re-investigate!" ”

"When it comes to the election of the prince, why did you suddenly talk about ten years ago? I know your respect for the queen, and I also know that Prince Zheng and the queen have a deep brotherhood, but we should also take into account his identity as the prince, the retrial of old cases has never happened, once the re-investigation is made, the people will definitely be suspicious of the court, where is the majesty of my royal family! What kind of face does the prince have to stand here! Emperor Rong forcibly suppressed the fear and panic in his heart, but the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

"Doesn't Your Majesty want to find out the truth?" Ge Zheng asked the person on the dragon chair lightly.

Emperor Rong opened his mouth tremblingly, wanting to attack, but he had to suppress his anger. I did it myself ten years ago, so what can I check? Ge Zheng is obviously running for himself!

At this time, Xilou said: "The death of the queen is really strange, Your Majesty should re-investigate!" ”

"Ridiculous!" Emperor Rong's fist smashed on the dragon case, and said angrily: "As the prince of Yan Kingdom, you have no king in your eyes, you dare to speak wildly here, do you know what crime you have committed!" ”

Xilou shook his head helplessly and smiled, and said, "Xilou may not be qualified, but I do." ”

"What?"

"I'm not the West Building, the real West Building is long dead, died in assassination, and there are no bones left! And I'm just disguised as him, doing what he didn't finish. With that, he tore off the human skin mask, which was a face that no one had ever seen before, with sharp edges and sharp eyebrows, but at the bottom of the left side of the face, there was an extremely obvious scar, which was a scar from a burn.

Everyone suddenly reacted, the person in front of them with the face of Xilou was none other than Wei Zhen, who had died in the sea of fire ten years ago, and it was the prince!

"Are you really the prince?" Some courtiers were skeptical.

"Yes or no, look at this jade pendant!"

Everyone immediately focused their eyes on his hand, which was a jade pendant shaped like a tiger, and purple tassels were hanging at the lower end of the jade pendant......

"But a jade pendant, even if it comes from the palace, how can it prove your identity?" The courtier still didn't believe it.

The eldest grandson Wuzheng stood up in time to prove and said: "This Suizichen remembers that it was the spoils that His Majesty brought back from outside the customs back then, and the jade pendant was also His Majesty's belongings, and His Majesty personally tied it to the jade pendant for the prince, and it was the prince who was right!" ”

After saying that, he immediately knelt down and saluted Wei Zhen, and then Fang Chaoxing, Yuan Qin, Nangong Que and others knelt down first. Ge Zheng looked back at the minister who was still watching, and said to Emperor Rong: "The queen has been absent for ten years, and the truth has been buried for ten years!" If Your Majesty can investigate thoroughly, the minister is grateful, but if it is really difficult to trace, the minister does not blame Your Majesty, after all, Wei Zhen is still alive, and it can be regarded as leaving a thought for the minister. Your Majesty can rest assured that Wei Zhen's identity has been verified, and the minister is willing to guarantee the life of the whole clan, and please restore Wei Zhen's identity to the courtiers and the world! ”

As soon as the words fell, the rest of the people who were still watching could only follow and kneel.

Emperor Rong looked around the courtiers in the hall, except for the few newly appointed civil officials, all of them knelt on the ground. For the first time, Emperor Rong felt the sense of despair of being isolated and helpless, and in the face of the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military affairs, in the face of Ge Zheng and Wei Zhen, who suddenly appeared, he had no power to fight back!

And Ge Zheng's words have been made very clear, if he does not admit Wei Zhen's identity, he will definitely show evidence of his arson in front of everyone, once the truth of the year is confirmed, it may be difficult for him to end up as a son of heaven.

Emperor Rong sat down on the dragon chair, and the stormy emotions overwhelmed him, and he slowed down for a long time before he sat up straight with a deep groan. There was silence in the courtroom, waiting for him to respond.

Wei Zhen stared at Emperor Rong calmly, he waited for ten years to wait for today, but at this time he was not at all nervous, he even enjoyed it very much, looking at Emperor Rong's panicked appearance, watching him being forced to a desperate situation by the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military forces, his heart was very happy!

Emperor Rong looked at Wei Zhen and slowly spoke: "You, really Wei Zhen, are you my crown prince?" ”

Wei Zhen immediately knelt down, "Erchen survived by luck, and he has been in the rivers and lakes for several years, but he didn't dare to return to Rongguo, just because he was afraid that the person who harmed his mother back then would attack Erchen!" If it weren't for the murder of Xilou and the fact that Erchen borrowed his identity, I am afraid that Erchen would not have recognized his uncle, let alone stood in Yongle Hall and stood in front of his father! ”

"Do you still think that the queen's death is hidden?" Emperor Rong asked tentatively.

Wei Zhen hesitated for a moment, and immediately replied: "It's all up to my father!" ”

Ge Zheng slowly raised his head and echoed: "Your Majesty is wise and must have a decision!" The minister does not dare to speak falsely! ”

Emperor Rong finally breathed a sigh of relief, and then he was relieved: "Wei Zhen has lived in the palace since he was a child, and the prince naturally recognizes it, and he says that it is naturally that!" It's just that I often led troops to go out to battle back then, and I didn't have time to get along with Wei Zhen more, and I didn't recognize it when I met again after a long absence, I was really ashamed! He slowly stood up with the dragon chair and announced to the ministers: "Wei Zhen is back, I am very pleased, this is Rong Guo's luck!" From now on, the country will be tax-free for one year, and the whole country will celebrate! ”

Ten years of anticipation, once realized, Ge Zheng shed tears of excitement, and his whole shoulders couldn't help but tremble. Wei Zhen patted his uncle's shoulder intimately, and he was also very emotional.

After Emperor Rong finished saying something against his will, he let out a long sigh. Seeing that Ge Zheng and Wei Zhen were intimate, his heart was full of hatred, but he was helpless. From today on, Wei Zhen is the crown prince, a person who holds his own secrets, a prince who has no blood relationship with him, he doesn't know what will happen next, and he doesn't know how long he can sit on this throne.