Hearing this, King Huai's throat tightened instantly, and he didn't dare to meet Lin Hai's suspicious gaze.
He originally thought his plan was flawless. However, not only did things not go as expected, but they took a sharp turn for the worse and brought backfire on him.
He had lifted a rock only to drop it on his own feet!
However, he still didn't show any signs of guilt. Pretending to be calm, he said,
"Qi Rong, stop scaring people and spouting nonsense! As Lord Lin said, even if this man's tongue wasn't cut off, how can you guarantee that what he says isn't something you've instigated?"
King Huai stepped forward and bowed to the emperor with clasped fists.
"Your Majesty is wise and discerning. Naturally, you won't believe your one - sided words!"
Qi Rong had long expected that King Huai would be stubborn. So he wasn't surprised. With a slight curl of his lips, he took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve.
"Your Majesty, since I've brought this man here, I must have made preparations."
"To convince the fifth brother and Lord Lin, I've specially brought this Gu worm from the Miao territory. As long as someone swallows it, they'll confess everything effortlessly."
Qi Rong paced up to King Huai, pulled out the bottle cap, and pushed the porcelain bottle forward. With a sinister smile, he said,
"Fifth brother, do you want to give it a try?"
Seeing the wriggling black worm in the porcelain bottle, King Huai took a hasty step back. His face turned ashen as he glared at Qi Rong:
"Don't think I don't know. Those who swallow this Gu worm from the Miao territory won't live for more than twelve hours! And their meridians will burst. They'll die a miserable death!"
It was said that this Gu worm was extremely domineering. Those who were swallowed by it would suffer great pain. Even if the Gu poison was removed, they would become useless people!
He had only heard about it before, but he never expected Qi Rong to get such a thing!
"It seems the fifth brother knows quite a lot about this Gu worm!"
Qi Rong sneered. He walked towards the man who was still pretending to be dead. He stepped on the man's hand. As the man let out a wail, Qi Rong casually threw the Gu worm into the man's mouth.
Noticing something was wrong, the man's pupils shrank. He quickly tried to dig out his throat, but even though his hands were covered in blood, it was already too late.
Qi Rong's cold voice rang out:
"Although this Gu worm is difficult to remove, there is still a way. Let me remind you: you only have half an hour before the onset of the disease. Whether you can save yourself depends entirely on your performance."
The man stopped his movements. His eyes were blood - red, and his face was full of horror as he looked at Qi Rong.
Just last night in the dungeon, he didn't think this man was as terrifying as the rumors said. However, at this moment, he was like a Shura from hell, making every part of his body tremble uncontrollably.
This was far more terrifying than directly killing him!
Seeing this situation, King Huai's face changed instantly. He shouted,
"Qi Rong, this is the Zhenghe Hall, not an interrogation room. In front of His Majesty, you dare to kill someone openly. You're too lawless!"
King Huai shouted, his mouth opening and closing. Qi Rong then made a throwing motion towards him, scaring King Huai into quickly closing his mouth. He could only glare angrily at Qi Rong, who burst out laughing.
The Zhenghe Hall was in an uproar. The emperor frowned and shouted,
"Enough! Don't waste any more time!"
He wanted to see what other tricks were hidden under his nose!
The man had swallowed the Gu worm and remembered the deadline Qi Rong had given him. He didn't dare to waste any more time. He told the whole story of his encounter with Qi Rong last night.
He also solemnly stated that even under his careful instigation, Qi Rong still remained loyal to the emperor and was determined to break with the Luo family!
What the man said was the same as what Qi Rong had said before. Even the emperor gradually restrained the anger in his eyes.
If Qi Rong could be his lackey, he was very satisfied with him. If he could be used, it would be even better!
"I've said you don't have much time. Think carefully if you've missed something important?"
Qi Rong's eyes were cold. The man couldn't help but shiver. He looked at King Huai nervously and made his final choice between life and death.
"I'm not actually the vice - general beside General Luo Yuan. Everything I've done was instigated by King Huai!"
Before the man could finish speaking, King Huai immediately roared and interrupted him.
"Nonsense! I don't even know you. How could I instigate you?"
He always handled things carefully, especially such important matters. Naturally, he wouldn't show up in person. He left everything to his subordinates.
However, the man gritted his teeth and tried his best to defend himself:
"Although you didn't show up in person, I recognize your bodyguard. The one who contacted me at that time was your trusted subordinate, Wang Chuang!"
"Because the matter was urgent, he was afraid I would make a mistake. He repeatedly told me and even gave me a token to enter and exit King Huai's Mansion. It's hidden under the stone lion at the entrance of Bai Lao Street in Thirteen Factories now!"
As soon as the man said this, King Huai's eyes froze for a moment. He gritted his teeth: That fool!
"Why is it another token from King Huai's Mansion? Fifth brother, you're really careless."
Qi Rong's words immediately reminded people of the Jin Yiwei who was beheaded during the royal hunt.
King Huai glared at Qi Rong angrily. However, Qi Rong suddenly took out a token from his waist and threw it at the man's feet. He said indifferently,
"Take a good look. Is this the token you hid under the stone lion?"
The man looked at Qi Rong in shock, as if he was looking at a ghost. He couldn't believe that he had been under the surveillance of King Xian from the very beginning!
Such a scheming mind in a young man in his twenties. How terrifying!
The outcome was already set. The man slumped there in a daze. Suddenly remembering that the Gu worm in his body hadn't been removed, he crawled towards Qi Rong on all fours, looking obsequious and pleading.
Qi Rong kicked the man away. His eyes were haughty, looking at the man as if he were an ant:
"You're not qualified to waste my Gu worm!"
These words woke everyone up: Qi Rong had effortlessly made the man confess everything with just one trick!
The man was stunned for a moment. Then he burst out laughing, as if he had gone crazy. He was immediately dragged out by the Jin Yiwei.
King Huai's face was gloomy. He remained silent. But Lin Hai quickly knelt down and said,
"Your Majesty! I was just used by King Huai. I had no idea it was his trick! Please be discerning, Your Majesty!"
"King Huai, what do you have to say?"
Deceiving the emperor was a crime punishable by beheading, even for a prince. However, the emperor's foundation was not yet stable. He still needed King Huai to balance other forces.
But even so, it didn't mean he could tolerate being deceived!
King Huai knelt down. Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes:
"Your Majesty, I did this out of good intentions!"
"The border is the gateway to the Liu Kingdom, a strategic and important place. The Luo family has been entrenched there for many years. Their influence is deeply rooted, and they pose a potential threat to the imperial city! Coupled with the former queen's immorality, colluding with the former crown prince and foreign tribes, which has brought internal and external troubles to the Liu Kingdom. The people are in panic, and Your Majesty can't sleep at night."
"However, Your Majesty is kind - hearted. You not only showed special kindness to the seventh brother and pardoned his crimes; you even never punished the Luo family. Therefore, I wanted to be Your Majesty's sword and do my best to relieve Your Majesty's worries. That's why I set up this game to test the seventh brother's loyalty!"
"If the seventh brother has no ulterior motives towards Your Majesty, I naturally won't say anything more; but if he has any disloyal intentions, even if Your Majesty can't bear to kill his own brother, I will surely be the first to not forgive him!"