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

The moonlight is as red as blood, and the chill after a winter rain seeps into the bone marrow.

Zhao Yu's hand holding the gun trembled slightly, not sure if it was because of the biting cold or the shock brought by the familiar face in front of him.

The torches crackled, and the flickering flames illuminated the face behind the removed mask—Marquis of Pingyuan Lu Mengran, the new commander of the city defense camp and a confidant personally promoted by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

"How could it be you!" Zhao Yu's voice seemed to be torn apart by the cold wind and shattered in the humid air.

A sneer appeared on Lu Mengran's lips, and his usually dignified and upright face looked particularly ferocious in the firelight.

He casually threw the bronze mask onto the muddy ground, and the splashing mud stained his luxurious purple and gold robe.

Jia Yu's pupils suddenly contracted.

He knew better than Zhao Yu what this meant - the commander of the city defense camp was in charge of 30,000 defenders in the capital and was responsible for the safety of the imperial city.

This position has been vacant for three whole months since the previous commander Shen Zhengqing was executed for colluding with the remnants of the Zhao State.

The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel weighed the pros and cons repeatedly, and finally recommended the well-known Pingyuan Marquis to take over.

Crown Prince Chu Ning even personally praised Lu Mengran for his "loyalty and bravery" on the front line!

"Why!"

Zhao Yu finally recovered from his shock and pointed the tip of his gun at Lu Mengran's throat: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been very kind to you. Why would you betray His Royal Highness for your own selfish reasons?"

The clouds after the rain suddenly dispersed, and the pale moonlight poured down.

Lu Mengran's laughter echoed in the empty courtyard, startling the crows in the distant woods.

"You're not bad to me? Hahahaha..."

His laughter stopped abruptly, and terrifying hatred flashed in his eyes.

"Which eye of yours saw that he treated me well? If he really treated me well, he shouldn't have trusted that beast Shen Zhengqing in the first place!"

Jia Yu's brows jumped suddenly, and the major case that shocked the government and the public last year came to his mind.

The former commander of the city defense camp, Shen Zhengqing, secretly kept the remnants of the Zhao State in captivity and slaughtered the relatives of five important officials in the court for his own selfish reasons.

Among them was the only legitimate grandson of Grand Tutor Dugu Xin, and... Lu Jingming, the only son of Pingyuan Marquis Lu Mengran.

"My son Jingming..."

Lu Mengran's voice suddenly choked, and his resolute face twisted into a mask of pain.

"He was only nineteen years old, studying at the Imperial Academy. What connection did he have with the remnants of the Zhao Kingdom? Yet, that beast Shen Zhengqing ordered his men to murder him!"

The tip of Zhao Yu's gun drooped slightly.

He remembered the scene - Lu Jingming's body was rotten beyond recognition due to poison, and Lu Mengran, who went to identify the body, cried like a child.

The prince was furious at the time and personally supervised the execution of Shen Zhengqing, but he was unable to save the lives of the five young people.

"Master Taifu already..." Jia Yu said in a deep voice, but was interrupted by Lu Mengran before he could finish his words.

"Dugu Xin, that old fool!"

Lu Mengran spat, "Poisoning? Stupid! What I want is for Chu Ning to see his kingdom crumble before his own eyes!"

His eyes swept over the Scorpion Tribe's Great General Gongsun Yi, who was standing in the shadows. "What's this food? I've given the Scorpion Tribe more than this!"

A chill ran up Jia Yu's spine.

He suddenly realized that if Lu Mengran could mobilize the military rations of the city defense camp, he could mobilize more - the city defense formation map, the time for the imperial guards to change shifts, and even the prince's travel routes, etc.!

"Catch him!" Jia Yu shouted.

The Jinyiwei pounced on Lu Mengran like wolves and tigers and pinned him to the ground.

Lu Mengran did not resist, but just stared at Jia Yu, with a chilling obsession burning in his eyes.

"Do you think it's over once you capture me?"

As Lu Mengran was escorted past Jia Yu, he lowered his voice and said, "Let me tell you, there are many more people in the court who hate Chu Ning than you think!"

Jia Yu's face was as gloomy as iron: "Take him away! Keep him under strict guard!"

He turned to Zhao Yu and said, "Return to the East Palace immediately to report to the Crown Prince. Remember, do not disclose what happened tonight to anyone except the Crown Prince himself."

Zhao Yu even thought that this matter was of great importance, so he responded and immediately rode his horse towards the palace with the white cavalry.

If it was someone else, Zhao Yu wouldn't be so nervous, but Lu Mengran was the commander of the city defense camp and knew many secrets of Kyoto City!

At this time, the rain started to fall again, and the fine raindrops looked like countless silver needles under the light of the torches.

Jia Yu looked at Lu Mengran and Gongsun Yi being taken away, and felt uneasy.

Lu Mengran's last words lingered in his heart like a poisonous snake - "There are many more people in the court who hate Chu Ning than you think."

If this is true, then even if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne and becomes emperor, there will be many troubles in the future.

But now the Tang Dynasty, Wei State and Han Dynasty are eyeing it covetously, and Chu State will never allow any internal strife!

Soon, the Jinyiwei brought Lu Mengran to the Sky Prison.

The interrogation room deep in the sky prison was filled with the smell of blood and mold.

Lu Mengran was suspended in the air by iron chains, and his gorgeous clothes had already been torn to shreds by the whip.

Jia Yu sat at the desk, slowly and methodically wiping a long, thin iron hook.

"My Lord, I'll ask you again," Jia Yu's voice was eerily calm. "Who is that person wearing the bronze mask?"

Lu Mengran raised his head, blood dripping down his chin.

He grinned, revealing his bloodstained teeth. "Master Jia has good methods... It's a pity that these punishments are nothing but a scratch compared to the pain of losing a son."

Jia Yu stood up and approached, the iron hook gleaming coldly in the firelight. "If your son were still alive, how would he feel if he saw his father colluding with foreign enemies and betraying his country?"

"Shut up!"

Lu Mengran suddenly flew into a rage, his chains rattling. "Jingming died because of the hypocrisy of you people! Shen Zhengqing deserved to die, and Chu Ning deserved to die even more! He knew that Shen Zhengqing had evil intentions, but he indulged him blindly, just because Shen Zhengqing was a relative of the Crown Princess!"

Jia Yu's eyes flashed.

Although everyone knows this kind of thing, it is meaningless to talk about it.

This was clearly an attempt to deliberately embarrass the Crown Prince.

The iron hook slowly touched Lu Mengran's cheek: "My Lord, do you know what I am best at?"

His voice was as soft as a lover's whisper, "I can keep someone awake for three days and three nights, feeling every bit of pain!"

The screams penetrated the thick stone walls of the sky prison.

Half an hour later, Jia Yu walked out of the torture room with a few spots of blood on his fair face.

He took the handkerchief handed to him by the guard, wiped his hands, and shook his head at Zhao Yu who had been waiting for a long time.

“He would rather die than tell”

Jia Yu rubbed his temples tiredly. "But I am sure of one thing—there are people in the court who are in cahoots with him, and they are of high status."

Zhao Yu's expression changed slightly: "Master Jia, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince orders you to enter the palace immediately."

Jia Yu looked at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, and an ominous premonition arose in his heart.

The morning light after the rain should be fresh, but now it seems to be shrouded in a layer of blood.

He suddenly remembered the crazy look on Lu Mengran's face when he was being tortured. It was obvious that he wanted to take on everything!

He sighed deeply and said, "Let Gongsun Yi enter the palace with me."

After all, this matter is related to the Scorpion Tribe, and the prince may need this person for his next arrangements.