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

In the imperial capital in October, the autumn wind already carries a hint of chill.

The ginkgo leaves in the imperial city began to turn yellow. Occasionally, a few leaves would fall in the wind, spinning on the bluestone slabs and making a slight rustling sound.

Late at night, the Emperor of Chu had a frown on his face. Ever since the Crown Prince suffered an attempted poisoning in the East Palace three days ago, the emperor, who was nearly sixty years old, had not smiled again.

"Your Majesty, Chief Steward Zhao requests to see you." The young eunuch outside the door reported softly.

The King of Chu nodded slightly: "Announce."

The eunuch chief, Zhao Ming, walked in quickly, his whisk resting on his arm. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as he bowed.

"Your Majesty, news has come from the Eastern Palace that the Crown Prince has left the palace with General Zhao and the White Horse Cavalry."

"What?" The Emperor of Chu suddenly looked up, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes.

His knuckles tapped dully on the sandalwood table. "When did it happen?"

"just now."

Zhao Ming lowered his head and spoke in a very low voice: "It is said that he left through Xihua Gate. The guards at the gate were all startled."

The Emperor of Chu stood up, his bright yellow dragon robe gleaming in the candlelight.

He walked to the window, looking at the outline of the East Palace in the distance, with a hint of surprise in his voice:

"Ning'er has only been back in the East Palace for two hours. Could it be that the person who poisoned her has been found so quickly?"

Zhao Ming shook his head, his narrow eyes narrowed into slits: "I think that with such a short time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can't find out the truth so quickly, and besides..."

He hesitated for a moment. "Even if the murderer is found, it should be the Jinyiwei or the Ministry of Justice who should arrest him. Why would we need to mobilize the White Horse Cavalry?"

There was a moment of silence in the imperial study, with only the sound of dripping water from the copper leak being clearly audible.

The King of Chu turned his back to Zhao Ming, his shoulders and back tense.

A gust of autumn wind blew in from outside the window, blowing the pages of the book on the desk, making a rustling sound.

Suddenly, Zhao Ming's face changed suddenly as if he thought of something.

He looked up at the emperor, his voice trembling slightly, "Unless... unless the person who poisoned him is of special status, then His Royal Highness will be forced to bring the White Horse Cavalry."

Emperor Chu turned slowly, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

He is fifty-eight years old this year, with gray hair on his temples, but his eyes are still as sharp as an eagle's.

"You mean..."

"I dare not speak nonsense."

Zhao Ming immediately knelt down, his forehead touching the ground. "But the White Horse Cavalry are the Crown Prince's personal guards. Each of them is an elite force picked from a hundred miles away. To be able to send them out..."

The King of Chu raised his hand to stop Zhao Ming from speaking.

He walked back to the desk, his fingers unconsciously stroking a white jade paperweight.

It was a birthday gift carved for him by Chu Ning himself. Although the carving was immature, he still treasured it to this day.

"Go wait at the palace gate."

The King of Chu finally spoke in a deep voice, "If the Crown Prince returns to the palace, bring him to me immediately. I will personally investigate who dared to attack the Crown Prince."

"Old slave obeys the order."

Zhao Ming kowtowed and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and hesitated, "Your Majesty, what if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince... refuses to speak openly?"

The Emperor of Chu's eyes flashed, and the paperweight in his hand dropped heavily on the table, making a dull "bang" sound.

"Then tell the prince that I am old and do not want to deal with state affairs, but I must know this matter."

Zhao Ming trembled all over and quickly responded and left.

He walked quickly through the corridor, and the autumn wind blew in his face, making him shiver.

The October wind was so biting that Zhao Ming gathered his sleeves and thought to himself: The sky in this imperial city is probably about to change.

At the same time, ten miles west of the imperial capital, a group of cavalry were galloping on the official road.

The young man in the lead was in his early twenties, wearing a dark brocade robe and a simple long sword hanging from his waist.

He had a handsome face, but there was a layer of frost between his brows. He was the current crown prince Chu Ning.

"Your Highness, Biyun Villa is just ahead." Zhao Yu, who was standing beside him, rode his horse closer.

Chu Ning pulled the reins and raised his hand to signal the team to stop.

In the distant foothills, a manor is faintly visible, with green tiles and white walls hidden among the red maples, looking particularly elegant.

"Are you sure it's here?" Chu Ning's voice was cold.

Zhao Yu nodded. "The Jinyiwei spies just reported that there are barbarians here. The area is heavily guarded and ordinary people can't get close at all."

A cold light flashed in Chu Ning's eyes.

There is actually such a hidden villa at the feet of the emperor.

"It's really dark under the lamp!" Chu Ning murmured softly, his fingers unconsciously clenching the hilt of the sword.

This time, he will not give the other party any chance and must catch the other party in one fell swoop.

"Your Highness, should we wait until daybreak before taking action?" Zhao Yu asked cautiously.

"No need."

Chu Ning interrupted him, a ruthless look flashing in his eyes: "Since they are here, let's catch them off guard! White Horse Cavalry, listen to my orders!"

More than thirty elite cavalrymen behind him responded in unison, their voices shaking the mountains and forests.

These soldiers were all dressed in white clothes and armor, and their horses were also snow-white. They were Zhao Yu's personal guards specially formed for the Eastern Palace, and each of them was capable of fighting a hundred men at once.

"Surround the villa and don't let anyone escape."

Chu Ning ordered in a deep voice: "But remember, without my order, you are not allowed to hurt anyone."

With the sound of horse hooves, the white horse cavalry rushed towards the villa like a snowy wave.

Chu Ning stopped his horse and looked at the villa in the distance, feeling mixed emotions.

The autumn wind blew up his robe, making a rustling sound, as if telling of the inescapable shackles of fate that was about to come.

The white horse cavalry swept across the outskirts of the villa like an avalanche.

The well-trained war horses trampled on the ground silently. The thirty elite soldiers were divided into three teams. One team blocked the front gate, one team blocked the rear road, and the other team followed Chu Ning and Zhao Yu to go straight to the courtyard.

"who!"

As soon as the guard in front of the villa gate noticed the unusual movement, two feather arrows pierced his throat and chest at the same time. He fell to the ground without even being able to scream.

Zhao Yu retracted his longbow and gestured behind him. The two cavalrymen immediately dismounted and neatly removed the door bolt.

Chu Ning unsheathed his sword, the tip of the sword flashing a cold light in the twilight: "Search!"

A bell suddenly rang in the villa.

More than ten black-clad guards emerged from everywhere, weapons in their hands flashing coldly.

Chu Ning recognized at a glance that these people's moves were not Central Plains martial arts.

"It's really here!"

The anger in Chu Ning's eyes grew stronger, and the tip of his sword pointed directly at the two people who rushed over first.

The two swords collided, sparks flew, and the opponent's scimitar was cut into two pieces.

Chu Ning attacked with anger, knocking the opponent's weapon away within three moves, and put the tip of the sword against his throat:

"Where is the leader?"

Before he could finish his words, a crossbow arrow suddenly shot from the side.

Zhao Yu crossed his two swords, chopped down the crossbow arrow with a "clang" sound, and threw the flying knife at his waist with his backhand. Immediately, a muffled groan was heard from the dark.

"Protect His Highness!" Zhao Yu shouted.

The white horse cavalry formed a battle formation in an instant, and the silver armor formed a wall of light under the light of the fire.

These elite soldiers cooperated well with each other. In just half a cup of tea, most of the guards of the villa had fallen. The remaining three or four people were forced into a corner, fighting a desperate battle with their backs to each other.

Suddenly, there was a sound of broken porcelain coming from the backyard.

Chu Ning's pupils shrank suddenly: "Want to run?"

He flew across the corridor and saw a middle-aged man in brocade clothes climbing over the back wall.

The man turned around when he heard the noise, and his pampered round face was completely pale under the moonlight.

"Stop him!" Chu Ning shouted.

Two cavalrymen on white horses immediately appeared on the wall, with their sharp swords crossed at the man's neck.

The man was so frightened that his legs went weak and he fell directly from the wall, crushing a patch of chrysanthemums when he landed.

Chu Ning walked forward slowly and lifted the man's chin with the tip of his sword.

"It's you." Chu Ning sneered, his voice even colder than the autumn wind.

The man's fat body was trembling, but he still tried to defend himself: "Your Highness, please understand! I am only here... here..."

"enough!"

Chu Ning said coldly: "If you have anything to say, wait until I catch the person behind you!"