Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 44: Zhu Shou is the one staying at the hotel, what does it have to do with the emperor? (Edited)

After about half a stick of incense.

The inn was surrounded by a group of Tiance soldiers.

"Bang bang bang!"

The violent knocking on the door seemed to knock on the hearts of Wang Yuyan, A Bi and others, making them panic.

But before they could react, the door was pushed open with great force.

"You, what do you want to do?"

"Take them away."

The visitors ignored the resistance of Wang Yuyan and others, and several personal soldiers from the female guard camp forcibly took Wang Yuyan and others away.

……

This night, countless people are destined to toss and turn in bed.

The more powerful it is, the sharper its perception is, and it can produce vague sensations even if it is thousands of miles away.

Zhu Jinzhen used his sword power to suppress the world and travel thousands of miles.

Many people were shocked, especially those who had entered the realm of immortals on earth, or those who had achieved great attainments in swordsmanship. They could more deeply appreciate the existence that was above the artistic conception and sword power, and was close to the Tao.

Ximen Chuxue was the first to be hit.

He had just left Jiayuguan with Lu Xiaofeng, and was a peerless swordsman obsessed with kendo.

Therefore, he had the deepest perception of Zhu Jinzhen's sword intent.

"Man and sword become one, the sword's heart is selfless."

"The fifth realm of the sword path of the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai."

"Ye Gucheng's Heavenly Fairy is the ultimate sword move. There is no self in the sword."

"But in front of the swordsmanship of His Royal Highness Prince Su, I still have to surrender and be eclipsed. What kind of swordsmanship realm is that?" Ximen Chuxue stood on the windowsill with his hands behind his back. The moon hanging above his head cast bright moonlight, but it could not illuminate his way forward.

Today was the first time Ximen Chuxue knew that the way of the sword was as vast as the boundless sky and as thick and boundless as the earth. All things and all laws in the world could be swords.

Hua Manlou sipped the tea carefully, with a cheerful look on her face.

If you look closely, you can notice that there is an lingering sadness between his brows.

"Lu Xiaofeng, I hope you have a smooth trip." Hua Manlou wished you well in his heart. He knew who Lu Xiaofeng was going to meet. He and Ximen Chuxue knew it when they left Jiayuguan.

Emperor Zhu Houzhao on a secret tour.

However, the emperor trusted Lu Xiaofeng but did not trust Ximen Chuxue and Hua Manlou.

Therefore, Lu Xiaofeng had to go alone.

Hua Manlou and Ximen Chuxue were waiting for news from Lu Xiaofeng at the inn.

……

Lanzhou Prefecture, Zhaocai Inn.

Three galloping horses died of exhaustion along the way. Lu Xiaofeng, who traveled day and night, finally got rid of all the pursuers behind him and arrived at the agreed place to meet the emperor who asked him to investigate the truth of the matter.

When Lu Xiaofeng was brought into the inn by several figures, he was a little surprised.

Lu Xiaofeng politely clasped his fists, picked up the tea on the table and took a few gulps, as if he had suddenly come back to life.

"The small hermit hides in the wild, the great hermit hides in the city."

"Your Majesty, staying at this Fortune Inn so ostentatiously, aren't you afraid of exposing your whereabouts?"

Lu Xiaofeng said to the young man sitting opposite him. Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "The person staying at the Fortune Inn is Zhu Shou. What's his relationship with the emperor?"

Lu Xiaofeng shrugged. As long as the emperor liked such self-deception, it was fine.

If Lu Xiaofeng had witnessed the tip of the iceberg of the terrifying power of the Prince Su's Mansion today, he would not have thought that there was anything wrong with Zhu Houzhao's behavior. But after seeing the terrifying background of the Prince Su's Mansion and the appearance of the secret guards.

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly felt that the emperor might be too clever for his own good.

"You are so exhausted. Could it be that I, oh no, the thing I asked you to investigate, has made any progress?"

Lu Xiaofeng pondered for a moment, then said uncertainly, "I guess so."

Before the emperor could speak, a dark figure beside him snorted coldly, "If it exists, it exists. If it doesn't, it doesn't exist. How can you say it exists?"

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand and said, "Oh, it's okay."

"I'd like to hear what's going on, even if it happens!"

"I met Prince Su at Jiayuguan."

Lu Xiaofeng organized his words and told him everything about his meeting with Zhu Jinzhen during the day, what he saw and heard, the conversation between the two of them, etc., without any detail.

Zhu Houzhao seemed to be thinking about something.

After a long while, Zhu Houzhao asked without thinking, "Lu Xiaofeng, what do you think?"

"Prince Su is well-informed. He received the news right after I arrived and was directly invited to the Tiance Mansion. I haven't been able to verify any information yet."

"But as for the accusation of treason and collaborating with the enemy, I personally believe this was a long-planned frame-up."

"A long-planned frame-up?" Zhu Houzhao chuckled and said, "Lu Xiaofeng, do you know what crime the accusation against the royal relative is? Who in the Ming Dynasty would be so audacious?"

"Does Your Majesty have a suspect in mind?"

"Have!"

Zhu Houzhao pointed at himself without hesitation: "This whole thing seems to be a long-planned conspiracy by various forces to fight against each other and cooperate with each other to eliminate Su Wang Zhu Jinzhen, but their direct target is me, my throne, and the Ming Dynasty."

"There aren't many people who can deliver this message to the East and West Factories, the Hulong Villa, the Six Gates, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Baolong Clan at the same time. As the Son of Heaven, I am the one most capable of doing this."

"I don't need any substantial evidence. Just get this suspicion to Prince Su, to the ears of the people of the world, and add a little fanning the flames, and I'll be labeled a tyrant, a man with no tolerance for others, a man who will burn his bridges after crossing them, and cook his dogs after they've been slain. Even worse, it will create a rift between me and Prince Su."

"If a villain were to mislead and slightly distort something that seemed to be my decision and spread it to Prince Su's ears, he would probably not sit idly by and wait for death, even if it was just to protect himself."

The result would be that Zhu Jinzhen, in order to protect himself, would be forced to rise up in rebellion even if he was framed for treason. At that time, Cang Yun and Tian Ce, together with the Twelve Guards of Shaanxi, would total a million troops and bring with them millions of civilians from across Shaanxi to attack the Ming Dynasty.

Faced with this situation, Zhu Houzhao had to either fight to the death with Zhu Jinzhen or fight to the death.

There is simply no other way to go.

Sadly, Zhu Houzhao felt that no matter whether he or Zhu Jinzhen won in the end, the Ming Dynasty, which had just recovered some vitality, would be severely damaged again, and even other countries would find an opportunity to take advantage of it.

"Surrounded by tigers and wolves, they are trying to alienate the relationship between Prince Su, me, and the Ming Dynasty. The intentions of those who plotted this are so sinister that it is outrageous."

Lu Xiaofeng listened quietly, without interrupting or expressing his opinion, as if he were deaf.

The simplest analysis of behavioral motivations shows that all conspiracies are based on the word "interest".

The accusation of Prince Su for treason and collaborating with the enemy was used as an opportunity to eliminate Prince Su's Palace. One of the people who benefited the most was Emperor Zhu Houzhao, followed by the other princely forces that Lu Xiaofeng speculated in front of Zhu Jinzhen.

But Lu Xiaofeng would not say these words in front of Zhu Jinzhen or Zhu Houzhao.

As a smart person, sometimes pretending to be deaf and dumb may not be a bad thing.

Lu Xiaofeng is now well aware of this.

(End of this chapter)