After being exiled for eighteen years, the prince returned to the capital as a veritable immortal.

"A small-time thief with furrowed brows and rat-like eyes, he only dares to show his face covered."

Zhou Yi's mocking voice rang out.

Wu Meng finally remembered.

Judging from his figure, this young man in brocade robes was the masked man who had previously rescued the two children from the Feng family.

It seems that His Highness and Miss Hu Die are acquaintances with him.

The young man in brocade robes, not to be outdone, retorted:

"A seemingly weak but actually strong man always hides behind a girl."

Hu Die's voice rang out immediately, protesting:

"Brother Zhang, you're talking nonsense. Every time we fought, it was you who got a good beating from His Highness."

"I got beaten up because you pinned me to the ground, Miss Butterfly?"

"Hahaha, girls develop early. Zhang Pengzu, it's not shameful that you can't beat Hu Die."

"Hey, why isn't it shameful that I can't beat her? Zhou Yi, it seems like you can..."

"Of course my prince can!"

"Tch, come on."

……

Si Xuan, Wu Meng, and the others pricked up their ears, listening to the three people in the carriage chatting familiarly about their childhood.

The pure friendship, imbued with childlike innocence, brought smiles to everyone's faces.

Amidst the cheerful noise, the identity of the young man in brocade robes quickly came to light.

His name was Zhang Pengzu, the only son of the Zhang family, a prominent family of officials.

Childhood.

Thanks to Feng Ji's help, Zhou Yi and Hu Die managed to survive in the prison.

When he was two years old, Emperor Wu granted a general amnesty, and he was released from prison.

At that time, Zhou Yi was extremely weak, suffering from minor illnesses every two days and major illnesses every three days.

After the imperial physician diagnosed him, he shook his head vigorously.

He bluntly stated: Whether or not we survive depends on fate.

Hu Die and her mother were not from the Great Qian Dynasty; they originally planned to return to their homeland.

however,

From infancy, Zhou Yi was fed by Hu's mother and kept by Hu Die.

If the wet nurse is replaced, his chances of survival are even lower.

then.

Feng Ji used a portion of his already meager savings to hire Hu's mother to raise Zhou Yi.

Before being sent to the Si family in Liangzhou at the age of five, Feng Ji also paid for Zhou Yi and Hu Die to attend a private school.

In the private school, there was a little tyrant named Zhang Pengzu.

The three of them thus formed a bond.

……

The prince's carriage was not only luxurious but also spacious.

The three of them sat together, and it wasn't crowded at all; in fact, it felt quite spacious.

"Butterfly Girl, tsk tsk tsk, how beautiful!"

Zhang Peng, still as talkative as he was in his childhood, said:

"Last time, I said I'd marry you when I grew up, and that promise still stands. Want to consider it?"

"I am now the Left Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices..."

"Ouch!"

As soon as Hu Die raised her hand, Zhang Pengzu instinctively tilted his head to dodge, and bumped his head against the carriage wall.

Although he possessed no internal energy, Zhang Pengzu, who had only reached the Golden Core stage, instinctively dodged when Hu Die raised her hand.

It's purely because I was beaten as a child and developed psychological trauma.

"Giggle..."

A nightingale-like laugh echoed throughout the street.

Having had enough of the commotion, Zhou Yi's smile faded, and he asked:

"What business do you have with me?"

Although he was masked and followed all the way, Zhang Pengzu's whereabouts never escaped Zhou Yi's "vision".

"Of course, we've come to seek refuge!"

Zhang Pengzu flicked open his folding fan, crossed his legs, and said:

"Fifteen years ago, I... Old Zhang, I told you that if you were made a king, I would definitely submit to you."

"This statement is valid indefinitely."

Hu Die poured Zhang Pengzu a cup of fragrant tea and said with a smile:

"Brother Zhang, you should think this through. The Emperor has no intention of making my prince the crown prince."

"Moreover, Your Highness has just killed Su Wen, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Your Highness, are you going to the palace to see Jiang Chong?" Zhang Pengzu sat up straight, finally becoming serious.

"I am going to the palace to meet him."

"Okay, I'll go home now."

Zhang Pengzu said, "We'll force the old man to go to the palace and plead for you."

Hu Die said, "Brother Zhang, it's still uncertain whether His Highness can pass this test. Aren't you afraid of choosing the wrong side?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Zhang Pengzu said nonchalantly. "At worst, we'll just die and fly to the sky!"

"..." Hu Diejun blushed.

"You don't need to go to the palace."

Zhou Yi said leisurely.

Zhang Pengzu immediately became anxious: "Me... am I, Zhang, a coward who fears death?"

"There's another job that could cost you your head. I wonder if you dare to do it?"

"Please feel free to speak if you need anything."

"Do me a favor and go clean up Bowang Garden."

Bowangyuan?

The residence of the crown prince before his family was exterminated.

That was the Empress's Achilles' heel, a forbidden zone that no one in the Great Qian Dynasty dared to touch.

Zhang Peng's ancestor was startled.

He then realized that apart from Bowangyuan, Zhou Yi had nowhere else to stay.

The Crown Prince's residence is naturally the home of the imperial grandson.

When he first arrived in the capital, Zhou Yi did not bring a single servant, so there was indeed no one to clean.

"it is good!"

Zhang Pengzu resolutely said, "I will take my servants to clean Bowang Garden and await Your Highness's return!"

……

With the Emperor's decree, entry into the palace was unimpeded.

The guards and carriages, of course, could only remain outside the palace.

Zhou Yi led Si Xuan and Zhou Yi through the magnificent mahogany palace gate.

Si Xuan handed over a silver ingot and learned from the Imperial Guards at the gate that Jiang Chong's birthday banquet was being held in the back garden.

That's not bad.

Not to mention Si Xuan and Hu Die, even Zhou Yi was entering the palace for the first time, so he took the opportunity to admire the sights along the way.

The map of the palace was already imprinted in Hu Die's mind.

She knew every building, every courtyard, and even the first path like the back of her hand.

The Southern Study, the Jiaotu Palace, the Golden Palace...

Hu Die recounted the story in detail, explaining each place she passed along the way with great clarity and detail.

It was as if she had lived in the palace for many years.

The Great Qian Imperial Palace was magnificent and far surpassed Zhou Yi's Prince's Mansion.

The three walked and looked around, their eyes filled with curiosity.

Sudden.

Zhou Yi stopped and quietly looked ahead.

A white marble palace gate stretches across the flower path, with three large characters carved on the lintel, depicting dragons and phoenixes in a graceful manner.

——Longhua Gate.

Si Xuan and Hu Die gazed at Longhua Gate from afar, sighing inwardly.

They could understand Zhou Yi's feelings at that moment.

twenty years ago.

The case of the Crown Prince's family being exterminated originated from this very family.

someday.

As Emperor Wu passed through this gate, he suddenly shouted, "There is an assassin!"

The strange thing is...

The accompanying eunuchs and guards, numbering over twenty, did not see anyone.

Empress Wu insisted that there must be an assassin, and the Imperial Guards searched every corner of the palace, but found nothing.

At that time, Emperor Wu was at the critical moment of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Grandmaster level.

He was convinced that someone was trying to assassinate him while he was making a breakthrough.

Jiang Chong, who had always been at odds with the Crown Prince, invited a master divination expert to help Empress Wu.

After some deduction, the following conclusion was reached:

Someone wanted to summon evil spirits to harm the Empress.

then.

Empress Wu ordered Jiang Chong to lead the Embroidered Uniform Guard to thoroughly search every inch of the palace grounds.

Su Wen was assigned to assist Jiang Chong in his actions.

After receiving the imperial decree, Jiang Chong and Su Wen thoroughly excavated every part of the palace, leaving Empress Wei and the Crown Prince with "nowhere to stand on their beds."

The Embroidered Uniform Guards carried ritual implements with them beforehand, falsely claiming that they had been dug out of the Crown Prince and Empress's palace.

No matter how the Crown Prince and Empress Wei tried to explain, Empress Wu still didn't believe them.

Ultimately, the crown prince and his entire family were executed for treason, and the empress was given three feet of white silk to hang herself...

Tens of thousands of people were killed, and blood flowed like rivers.

This is the case of the Crown Prince's wrongful conviction.

Si Xuan and Hu Die stopped in their tracks.

Zhou Yi walked slowly away with his hands behind his back.

He leaned on the white marble doorpost and looked up.

"Longhua Gate".

With a soft murmur, Zhou Yi fell silent.

Did the Martial Emperor really see a figure at this gate twenty years ago?

Or was it just an excuse for him to eliminate the Crown Prince's faction?

Well known.

Empress Wu once had high hopes for the crown prince and groomed him to inherit the throne.

However, the crown prince served as regent for several years.

The Crown Prince's policy of governing the country with benevolence was incompatible with Empress Wu's iron-fisted methods.

perhaps.

At that time, he had already begun to consider deposing the crown prince.

Si Xuan and Hu Die quietly watched Zhou Yi's retreating figure.

Zhou Yi looked quietly at Hualong Gate.

In Si Xuan and Zhou Yi's eyes, there was only a white marble palace gate.

In Zhou Yi's eyes.

A spirit formed from black miasma was passing through the Hualong Gate and walking towards him.

Red flames danced merrily in his eyes.