The carefree sixth prince, my father respectfully invites me to ascend the throne.

Daliang, the capital city, the imperial court.

"Father, the Ninth Prince Yang Ling, after drinking, harassed Consort Shu. I caught him in the act, so I arrested him and brought him here. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

Below the jade steps, Crown Prince Yang Shan stood before the civil and military officials, speaking with righteous indignation.

On the dragon throne, Emperor Liang's face was gloomy.

"Yang Ling! Is what the Crown Prince said true?"

Ninth Prince Yang Ling knelt on the ground, reeking of alcohol, his cheeks flushed.

He was a little bewildered.

What is this place?

Am I not currently part of a geological exploration team in Northwest China, searching for coal and oil for the motherland?

How did I suddenly appear in this place?

Strange wind!

He remembered that his team had just discovered a large open-pit coal mine when they were hit by a massive sandstorm.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in this place.

Looking around, I realized something was wrong.

This is the imperial court of ancient times!

The one wearing a dragon robe on the dragon throne is the emperor!

Yang Ling tried hard to recall the original owner's memories.

The original owner of this body was also named Yang Ling, who was the ninth son of the current emperor of the Great Liang Dynasty.

Her mother was a lowly concubine, so she was not favored from birth.

He was almost eighteen years old when he came of age, after which he would be granted the title of king and leave the capital to take up his fief.

He thought he could live a peaceful life as a prince.

Unexpectedly, after drinking some wine that day, he got lost in the palace and stumbled upon Crown Prince Yang Shan and Consort Wang having an affair in the back garden.

In her shock, she accidentally made a noise, which was noticed by the Crown Prince.

As a result, Crown Prince Yang Shan immediately turned the tables and accused the villain first.

Yang Ling was brought to the imperial court.

Yang Ling knew that the Crown Prince had a deep-rooted foundation and a strong support base, and most of the civil and military officials in the court were members of the Crown Prince's faction.

There's no way a son born to a concubine could be a match for the Crown Prince!

"Father, I am innocent!"

Yang Ling looked at Emperor Liang, hoping that the latter could make a clear judgment.

"Innocent! There are witnesses and physical evidence; how can you be wronged?"

Crown Prince Yang Shan snorted coldly.

Immediately, someone led Consort Wang into the hall.

"Your Majesty, please do justice for me! Today, I was sunbathing in the Imperial Garden when I unexpectedly encountered the Ninth Prince. Without a word, he pinned me to a stone table and began tearing at my clothes. If His Highness the Crown Prince hadn't happened to pass by and stopped his violence, I fear I..."

Consort Wang knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly.

Yang Ling watched her realistic acting and thought, "This woman doesn't even blush when she lies!"

But if she could secretly commit adultery with the emperor and the crown prince, does she really have any sense of shame?

"Father, don't listen to her nonsense!"

Yang Ling is prepared to reveal the truth.

"Your Majesty, I am a woman. How could a woman joke about her chastity? When the Ninth Prince assaulted me, I fought back fiercely and left a scar on his right arm. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

Consort Wang, not to be outdone, also cried out.

Ha ha!

clean!

Yang Ling looked at this vile woman with hatred that made her grit her teeth.

On the dragon throne, Emperor Liang watched his son and concubines put on a farce under the watchful eyes of his ministers, his brows furrowed.

"Scars? Someone, roll up the Ninth Prince's sleeves!"

Emperor Liang spoke.

Immediately, two imperial guards stepped forward and pinned Yang Ling down.

One person rolled up Yang Ling's sleeve, revealing her right arm, which was smooth, white, and without any wounds.

Yang Ling's eyes lit up.

However, the person who rolled up his sleeves revealed a sinister sneer.

"Ninth Prince! You'd better confess your crimes obediently! Otherwise, don't blame the Crown Prince for not giving you a chance!"

As he spoke, a bamboo skewer appeared between his fingers, and he scraped it downwards with a sudden motion.

Yang Ling cried out in pain.

But another person covered his mouth.

Deceitful to your face!

brute!

Yang Ling cursed inwardly.

"Your Majesty, there is a fingernail scratch on the Ninth Prince's right arm, which looks recent!"

The imperial guards turned around and reported to Emperor Liang.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang flew into a rage.

"Yang Ling, you unfilial son! The scratches on your arm are irrefutable evidence! How do you still intend to deny it?"

Yang Ling, clutching the wound on her arm, couldn't hold back any longer as she listened to her cheap father's scolding.

You old geezer, you're so dizzy and have no eyesight, you deserve to be cheated on!

He knew that the Crown Prince had even taken control of the Imperial Guards, so there was no point in him saying anything more.

He sighed and said, "Your subject has nothing to say!"

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince immediately laughed: "Father, since Yang Ling has confessed, he should be handed over to the imperial prison for a thorough interrogation! Let's see who instigated him!"

Imperial Prison! Interrogation!

Hearing Yang Shan's words, Yang Ling understood perfectly.

The prince had no intention of letting me live, and it wasn't so easy for me to die.

He wanted to use this as an excuse to torture and force him to falsely accuse court officials, thereby eliminating his political opponents.

This is a recipe for disaster, a death that will not bring peace and a complete loss of reputation!

Thinking of this, Yang Ling's mind started working at lightning speed.

The founding emperor of the Great Liang Dynasty left a will stating that if any member of the Great Liang royal family commits a crime and is imprisoned in the imperial prison, they can be exiled to the frontier to serve as a border king and guard the border to atone for their sins!

Compared to the imperial prison known as the Asura Hell, being exiled to the frontier seems like a glimmer of hope!

Yang Ling quickly looked at Emperor Liang: "Father, I only made a mistake while drunk, and no one instructed me behind the scenes! Emperor Taizu once said that those who commit crimes in the royal family can be exiled to the frontier to serve as border kings and guard the country's gates to atone for their sins! I am willing to volunteer to go to the frontier to atone for my sins!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang's anger subsided somewhat.

He was naturally aware of the system established by the founding emperor, and even he could not violate it.

This Yang Ling, he can recite the ancestral precepts very fluently.

"Emperor Taizu had ancestral instructions, and some members of the royal family in previous generations were exiled to Yanmen Pass in Bingzhou to serve as border guards. They all died on the frontier and never returned to the capital."

"Yang Ling, if you choose to go to the imperial prison, perhaps you will still have a chance to prove your innocence! But if you go to the borderlands, you will never be able to return to your homeland!"

Emperor Liang said coldly.

"Your subject is willing to defend the borders for the country, until death do us part!"

Yang Ling answered without hesitation and sincerely.

He didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place for even a day longer. As long as he could leave, he didn't care about the southern border or the northern desert, or any barren land. As long as he could live, there was hope!

Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials in the court began to whisper among themselves.

The harsh climate, material shortages, and constant warfare at Yanmen Pass made it a death trap for the pampered imperial family.

Throughout history, we have only ever heard of princes who were forced to guard the borders, but never of a prince who voluntarily requested to be exiled.

Is the Ninth Prince still drunk and hasn't sobered up yet?

Yang Ling awaited Emperor Liang's reply.

At that moment, a voice rang out.

"Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince's ambition is commendable! I believe his request should be granted! He should be exiled to Yanmen Pass to serve as a border king!"

The speaker was Yang Yi, the eighth younger brother of Emperor Liang and the King of Chu.

Yang Ling turned his gaze and sized up this royal uncle.

The latter was in his early forties, with deep features, a short, neat beard, and a majestic four-clawed python robe.

Yang Ling knew him; he entered the court at the age of twenty to assist in government affairs, and only gradually relinquished power when the crown prince came of age.

He was a capable minister who brought peace to the country, and was known as the "Eighth Wise King" by people both in and out of the court.

Emperor Liang hesitated upon hearing the King of Chu's words.

Crown Prince Yang Shan immediately spoke up: "Uncle, you are mistaken! Our ancestor exiled those who offended the royal family to Yanmen Pass so that they could be tempered in the harsh cold!"

"However, Yang Ling's crimes are unprecedented! How can the mere Yanmen Pass be enough for him to atone for his sins!"

He turned to Emperor Liang, cupped his hands, and said, "Your subject believes that Yang Ling should be exiled to Liangzhou in the northwest! So that he may never set foot in the Central Plains again!"

Liangzhou in the Northwest!

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped.

Yanmen Pass, though bitterly cold, is only located in Bingzhou, a few thousand miles from the capital, while Liangzhou in the northwest is tens of thousands of miles away from the capital.

Moreover, the local people are fierce and nomadic, and the border troops stationed there by the imperial court often lose contact or are even wiped out.

That place was a forbidden zone, the ends of the earth, for the people of the Central Plains!

The Crown Prince's suggestion is clearly aimed at killing the Ninth Prince!

However, no one noticed.

The Ninth Prince Yang Ling, who was involved in the incident, brightened up after hearing the Crown Prince's words.

Northwest, Liangzhou!

Didn't I just travel from that side?

Now my major is a perfect match!