Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

His eyes burned with furious flames, as if he wanted to incinerate the eleventh prince: "If you dare to harm the sixth prince, I will never forgive you. Even if I have to give my last breath, I will make you pay the price."

Emperor Jingzhao's body began to sway, as if he would collapse at any moment.

His heart felt as if it had been pierced by countless sharp blades, and he was in so much pain that he couldn't breathe.

Looking at the eleventh prince's cold and indifferent face, he was filled with regret and pain.

He hated himself for not seeing through the eleventh prince's true colors sooner, and hated even more that the eleventh prince was so ruthless as to turn against his own brother.

The eleventh prince had long since lost all fatherly affection for Emperor Jingzhao.

Even though I knew he only had eyes for Lao Liu, seeing him so angry and heartbroken still pierced my heart.

So he took a deep breath and suppressed those inappropriate emotions.

Then, his gaze was fixed on Emperor Jingzhao, and he slowly said, "Father, I will not make things difficult for you. You only need to write the abdication edict, and I will let you live out your old age in peace."

His voice echoed in the silent imperial study, carrying an undeniable force.

Emperor Jingzhao glared at him angrily but remained silent.

The eleventh prince remained unmoved, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Father, why are you so stubborn? The Great Zhao needs a more capable monarch to lead it, and I am the most suitable candidate."

He spoke as he slowly paced back and forth, as if victory was assured.

Then, the eleventh prince stopped and looked intently at Emperor Jingzhao, continuing, "As long as you write an abdication edict and install me as emperor, I can guarantee you a peaceful old age without any harm; otherwise..."

He paused deliberately, the threat in his words was self-evident.

Emperor Jingzhao slammed his fist on the dragon throne, making a loud noise: "Wishful thinking! What do you have that compares to the sixth prince? Only the sixth prince is qualified to sit on this throne. You are not qualified. I will never write this absurd abdication edict."

Upon hearing this, the eleventh prince narrowed his eyes slightly, his heart filled with rage.

Then a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes.

He waved his hand, and a member of the Imperial Guard immediately stepped forward with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, placing them on the dragon table.

“Father, I advise you to be pragmatic. You have to write the abdication edict today, whether you like it or not.”

The eleventh prince's tone became even colder, carrying a strong sense of oppression.

Emperor Jingzhao glared at the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone before him, his heart burning with rage.

He gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "I will never yield to you, so give up on that idea."

Upon hearing this, the eleventh prince's face darkened even further.

He tilted his head slightly, took a deep breath, and seemed to be trying to suppress the anger in his heart: "Father, please don't force me to take harsh measures. I don't want to see the conflict between father and son escalate to an irreparable point."

Emperor Jingzhao snorted coldly, closed his eyes, and remained motionless.

I don't want to see this unfilial son again, nor do I want to say another word to him.

Upon seeing this, the eleventh prince waved his hand with a cold smile.

The next moment, Emperor Jingzhao heard the sound of many people's footsteps arriving.

His eyes shot open.

The scene before him, however, made his eyes widen in fury, and his anger reached its peak.

The concubines of the harem entered, bound hand and foot with thick ropes. Their hair was disheveled, their hairpins were askew, and their eyes were filled with terror and despair.

These women, who are usually pampered and elegant, are now like lambs to the slaughter.

Besides them, the princes and princesses who remained in the palace but were still minors were also bound together with ropes.

Their once magnificent clothes were now disheveled, their hair was loose, and they looked extremely embarrassed.

The twelfth prince's eyes widened as he glared at the eleventh prince and roared, "How dare you treat us like this!"

The little princesses were terrified and began to sob.

One of the young princesses, who looked about seven or eight years old, was crying out in a trembling voice, her face streaked with tears, "Father, save me."

Her small body was tightly bound by rough ropes, which left faint red marks on her delicate skin.

This scene caused Emperor Jingzhao immense heartache.

The sixteenth prince tried to struggle, but was held down firmly by the guards behind him. He gritted his teeth and said, "Eleventh brother, stop now. You're courting death."

The other princes and princesses also joined in the clamor.

Some of them had eyes filled with fear, while others were filled with condemnation of the eleventh prince.

The ropes, like venomous snakes, were tightly wrapped around their bodies.

The princes suppressed their anger and humiliation, while the princesses wept in fear and helplessness.

Only the Empress, Consort Li, Consort Min, Consort Liang, the Eighth Princess, and the Ninth Princess remained silent.

Although he looked humiliated, he showed no sign of losing his composure.

Even if Consort Liang and the Ninth Princess were highly skilled in martial arts, it would be impossible for the two of them to save so many people on their own.

Not to mention there were so many people guarding outside, and ultimately, one's own strength is no match for so many, so he had no choice but to be tied up and brought over.

At this moment, Emperor Jingzhao watched as his concubines and children were treated in such a way, and his anger and heartache burned like flames.

He gritted his teeth, his gaze like a sword piercing the eleventh prince, wishing he could tear him to pieces.

The eleventh prince stood in the center of the imperial study and said in a cold voice, "Father, you have seen the situation today. I did not want it to be like this, but Father is not cooperating, so I have no choice. As long as Father writes the decree of succession, I promise I will never harm them."

Emperor Jingzhao roared, "You unfilial son! How dare you commit such a treasonous act!"

The eleventh prince sneered: "Father, I was forced into this situation. I don't want to be branded as a usurper. I want the whole world to know that I rightfully inherited the throne."

Emperor Jingzhao sneered, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger: "Hmph! Based on what you have done today, how can you talk about legitimacy? You are simply insane! Do you think I would be threatened by you? I will never hand over this country to a disloyal and unfilial person like you."

Upon hearing this, the eleventh prince's face turned somewhat ferocious, and he raised his voice, saying, "Father, don't force me. If you don't pass on the throne today, the consequences... will be unimaginable."

Emperor Jingzhao straightened his back, his eyes blazing, and replied without flinching, "Then come on then. I want to see what you can do that's even more outrageous. Even if I die, I won't let you succeed."

The eleventh prince stared intently at Emperor Jingzhao, pressing him one last time: "Father, will you pass the throne to me or not?"

Emperor Jingzhao remained calm, his icy words uttering: "I will not issue the summons."

Upon receiving the answer, the eleventh prince's expression instantly turned bloodthirsty and cruel, standing there like a demon emerging from the abyss of darkness.

The slightly upturned corners of his mouth had a chilling curve, and his smile continued to widen.

His gaze slowly swept over everyone present, his eyes like cold blades, causing those he looked at to shiver involuntarily.

When his gaze fell upon the concubines, princesses, and princes, everyone felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

The concubines' once exquisite faces now lost all color, their bodies trembled uncontrollably, and their eyes were filled with terror.

The princesses were terrified, their eyes wide with disbelief, as if they could not believe that the frightening person before them was the eleventh prince with whom they usually got along well.

The princes were also pale-faced. They tried to remain calm, but their trembling legs and clenched fists betrayed their inner fear.

At this moment, the Imperial Study was deathly silent, with only the eleventh prince's deep voice, which seemed to come from hell, echoing: "Since that's the case, then Father, don't regret it, because I will use blood and the people you care about to make you submit to me in unbearable pain."

Each word struck the hearts of the crowd like a heavy hammer, sending chills down their spines.

Emperor Jingzhao had long anticipated this situation, and his heart felt as if it were being torn apart by a thousand sharp blades.

His face was filled with heartache, and his deep wrinkles seemed to deepen even further at that moment.

However, for a ruler, the stability of the country is always the most important thing.

Despite the extreme heartache, he could only close his eyes, clench his teeth, and try his best not to look at this heartbreaking scene.

His hands were clenched tightly on the armrests of the dragon throne, veins bulging.

He knew what he would face next, but nothing was more important than the country.

Even though he is facing emotional turmoil and inner torment at this moment.

He would never allow himself to be threatened into handing over the throne to such a treacherous, disloyal, unfilial, unrighteous, and immoral person.