Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The morning light at the beginning of the morning hour split the eaves of the palace like a tempered golden knife.

In the East Palace, ninety-nine bronze candlesticks in the Hall of Supreme Harmony flickered with a dim glow.

Chu Ning sat upright on the rosewood coiled dragon chair, the golden threads on his black python robe faintly visible in the shadows. He tapped the jade table in front of him with his fingers, and the dull knocking sound echoed throughout the entire hall.

"The arrowheads used by the assassins at Hongyufang last night were inlaid with the patterns of the Three Dynasties."

The young prince's voice was like a sword tempered by ice, and his eyes swept across the three messengers at the steps.

Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty on the left is as burly as an iron tower, and his black iron wristband glows coldly under the candlelight.

On the right, Du Ruhui of the Tang Dynasty was leisurely fiddling with the jade pendant at his waist, his dark red court robe making his face look like a jade crown.

Xun Yu of Wei State, who was in the center, lowered his head and stared at the gap between the blue bricks. His dark blue official robe almost blended into the shadow of the corner of the hall.

In front of the three men, there were three sharp arrows placed on a long table.

Zhang Qian suddenly chuckled, and his thick fingers ran across the arrows on the table: "Your Highness should know that framing someone is such a crude trick -"

He grabbed the tail of the arrow fiercely, his knuckles turning blue and white from the force: "If our dynasty really wants to kill someone, why would we need to make such a fuss?"

Before he could finish his words, there was a sudden sound of iron breaking through the air, and a three-inch-long short blade pierced into the table in front of him, the blade still vibrating.

It was Chu Ning who took action!

"presumptuous!"

Du Ruhui stood up suddenly, his jade-like face flushed red, and his chest heaving under his brocade official robe.

As an envoy of the Tang Dynasty, he was interrogated as a criminal by the Crown Prince of Chu, which made him feel indignant.

But when he met Chu Ning's eyes, he froze - those pupils were like cold ponds, reflecting the candlelight but without any warmth.

Xun Yu's skinny fingers suddenly pressed down on Du Ruhui's arm, and his voice rang out like a huge bell:

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is calling for justice. Could it be that you believe that we were the ones who did this?"

There was a gleam in his sunken eye sockets, but before he could finish his words, he saw Chu Ning's wide sleeves fluttering, and the teacup on the table shattered. The flying porcelain pieces brushed across his old cheek, leaving a line of blood.

"My patience is limited."

Chu Ning stood up slowly, his black robe sweeping across the dust on the jade steps, and the dragon-patterned jade belt buckles on his waist made crisp sounds when they hit each other.

He stopped three steps away from Zhang Qian, and his shadow completely covered the rough face of the Han envoy: "Until the real culprit is found, you are not allowed to leave the posthouse?"

The jade in Zhang Qian's hand suddenly shattered, and the broken jade pierced into his palm, oozing scarlet blood.

He raised his head and laughed, but the corners of his eyes turned red: "Your Highness the Crown Prince of Chu, are you going to put the envoy under house arrest?"

Before he could finish his words, a cold sword blade was pressed against his neck - twelve black-armored guards who appeared out of nowhere surrounded the three of them like ghosts, and the sword blades reflected their shocked and angry faces.

“It’s shelter.”

Chu Ning stroked the scabbard with his fingertips, and suddenly leaned over to approach Du Ruhui's dark face: "After all..."

His warm breath brushed across the veins on the Tang envoy's forehead: "If you don't want the murderer, then the murderer may attack you."

"If anything happens to you in my Chu State, I'm afraid I won't be able to clear my name even if I jump into the Yellow River."

Xun Yu's hunched back suddenly straightened up, and his cloudy eyes stared at Chu Ning: "Your Highness, do you know that this move will arouse the Three Kingdoms..."

A cold light flashed, and the emerald top bead on his official hat fell off and rolled on the ground with a shrill sound.

The clanging sound of Chu Ning sheathing his sword drowned out Xun Yu's last words: "Then let your emperor come to see me with the declaration of war."

"In Chu, no one dares to disobey my words!"

"If not, this time it's your official hat, next time it's your head!"

The morning light finally penetrated the long carved window, cutting the figures of the three people into pieces.

Zhang Qian's blood-stained fingers gripped the corner of the table tightly, and his knuckles almost pierced through the brocade.

The cold sweat on Du Ruhui's forehead slid down along the knife-like outline, leaving dark marks on the blue bricks.

The veins on the back of Xun Yu's withered hands bulged like spider webs, and the hem of his official robe moved without wind.

The three of them felt very aggrieved at the moment, but they didn't know how to refute.

They were well aware of how powerful the iron-blooded prince was.

If they refute at this moment, they will definitely anger the other party and they may really be beheaded.

And they also knew that Chu Ning had always been looking for an opportunity to kill them.

They can't give Chu Ning this opportunity!

"If the three of you don't say anything, I will take it as your consent."

"see a visitor out."

When Chu Ning turned around, the airflow from the corner of his robe extinguished the three nearest candles. The Black Armor Guard sword formation retreated in unison with his steps, making a teeth-grinding sound as it scraped on the blue brick floor.

The moment the three messengers staggered to their feet, the metallic vibrations of the twelve swords returning to their sheaths at the same time startled the birds perched outside the hall.

When Zhang Qian looked back for the last time, the morning light was gilding Chu Ning's outline.

The young prince stood with his hands behind his back under the Panlong Pillar. In the shadow, half of his face looked like an Asura, and the other half looked like a banished immortal.

The Han envoy's bloodstained palms suddenly clenched tightly, crushing the broken jade into powder, but when the black-armored guards approached, he let go dejectedly, letting the jade chips mixed with blood drip all over the place.

He knew that now was not the time to take action.

But he made note of this account.

As an envoy of the Han Dynasty, he had been to many dynasties, but had never received such treatment.

Chu Ning's actions today completely angered him.

While they were lost in thought, the three of them had already walked away from the East Palace.

As soon as they left the East Palace, Du Ruhui frowned and said, "Zhang Qian, tell me clearly, did you do this?"

Zhang Qian, who was still immersed in anger, was stunned for a moment, staring at Du Ruhui in disbelief:

"You...what do you mean?"

There are imperial guards escorting them at the scene. Saying such things at this moment is obviously meant for Chu Ning to hear!

He could only pretend that he knew nothing.

Unexpectedly, Du Ruhui narrowed his eyes and said in a cold voice: "Yesterday you discussed with me, Lord Xun, how to take action. Tonight, the families of five ministers were killed. Do you dare to say that you will not do it?"

"Du Ruhui, you old bastard!"

Zhang Qian, who was furious, roared, threw the broken jade in his hand at Du Ruhui fiercely, and roared:

"You want to frame me!"

He realized that Du Ruhui chose to speak at this moment because he wanted the imperial guards to hear it and then let Chu Ning hear it.

But as soon as he made a move, Du Ruhui stood there motionless, with no sign of dodging at all.

But the surrounding imperial guards rushed forward, and two of them blocked the broken jade with their backs.

Du Ruhui sneered: "Just now in the palace, I didn't tell Chu Ning about this matter. I gave you face, but I didn't expect you to be so ungrateful."

"Since you attacked me first, I have nothing to hide."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the two imperial guards who had blocked the broken jade for him, and bowed, "Thank you for your help. Please tell your prince about this and arrest Zhang Qian for questioning immediately!"

The two imperial guards looked at each other, and then one of them immediately went to the hall to report.

Zhang Qian's eyes widened, he was filled with rage, and he roared, "You old bastard, you are courting death!"

After he finished speaking, he suddenly flashed and punched Du Ruhui's heart hard!