Prime Minister Feng quickly said, "Your Majesty, I would never have any connection with Prince Helan. The Feng Mansion will never collude with him. I hope Your Majesty can see the truth!"
After listening, Dongfang Chuan was silent for a moment. He looked at Prime Minister Feng meaningfully and said, "In that case, Prime Minister Feng, you might as well give me some advice. Feng Yunshu and Helan Yanting have colluded with each other and attempted to rebel. How should I deal with them?"
Prime Minister Feng was shocked all over. Before he could speak, Crown Prince Dongfang Qi, who was standing beside him, suddenly stepped forward and spoke first.
"Father, in my opinion, Feng Yunshu has colluded with Helan Yanting. She is extremely arrogant! She not only doesn't put the eldest mistress and the second young lady of the Feng Mansion in her eyes, but she even insults this Crown Prince wantonly. She is really audacious!"
"Such a stubborn person should be beheaded at the market to serve as a warning to others!"
Dongfang Chuan glanced at Dongfang Qi and said, "Crown Prince, did I ask you?"
Dongfang Qi knew he had been rude. He quickly lowered his head and said, "Father, I was rude just now. However, every word I said is true. I was really too angry to hold back, so I said this. I hope Father can forgive me!"
"Have you prepared everything I asked you to do?"
Dongfang Qi nodded and said, "In reply to Father, I have already prepared for the matter you told me a few days ago. I'm just waiting for your order to set off at any time!"
"Good! I didn't misjudge you, Qi'er. After Helan Yanting is captured and imprisoned, the Dan Kingdom will take this opportunity to attack the Yuan Kingdom. This time we must seize the opportunity to capture the Yuan Kingdom in one fell swoop!"
"Yes, Father, please rest assured! I have already made strategic deployments and investigations in advance. Everything is ready. I will lead the troops to set out immediately as soon as I receive the order."
"Oh, right. There is one more thing you need to send someone to do immediately." Dongfang Chuan remembered something and immediately added.
"What else? I'll follow Father's order."
"I've heard that Helan Yanting has been in close contact with the Yuan Kingdom over the years. He is extremely ambitious. I also know that he has a strategic topographic map of the Yuan Kingdom in his hand. If we can get this map, it will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort when you go on an expedition to attack the Yuan Kingdom."
"Is what Father said true?!"
Obviously, Dongfang Qi was deeply shocked by this strategic topographic map.
Dongfang Chuan nodded and said, "Naturally. How could my information be false? Crown Prince, you must get this topographic map."
Dongfang Qi nodded repeatedly. There was a burning excitement in his eyes. "Yes! Father, I will surely live up to your expectations!"
"Go."
After Dongfang Qi left, Dongfang Chuan looked at Prime Minister Feng and said, "Do you have an answer to the question I asked you just now?"
Prime Minister Feng quickly nodded and said, "Your Majesty, although Yunshu is my legitimate daughter, the master once predicted that she was an unlucky star who would bring bad luck to everyone around her. She killed her own mother as soon as she was born. Now that this girl has grown up, she has made mistakes again and again. I'm also unable to teach her well. I'll leave everything about her to Your Majesty's disposal!"
"Since Prime Minister Feng has already expressed his opinion, I'll speak bluntly. I've always thought your legitimate daughter was very strange. And from my observation, she seems to be an old acquaintance of the national master. This really surprises me."
"Your Majesty, what you said... You mean this girl knows the national master? How is this possible? Didn't the national master travel around before and just return to the court recently? Logically speaking, my daughter couldn't know the national master."
"Precisely because of this, this matter seems rather strange. After Helan Yanting is imprisoned, I'll take Feng Yunshu into the palace for a good interrogation to see how many secrets she is hiding."
"Your Majesty, this—"
Prime Minister Feng didn't expect the emperor to come to such a conclusion. He thought the emperor would surely take Feng Yunshu's life, but he didn't expect that the emperor had other plans.
"Hmm? Does Prime Minister Feng have any questions?"
Dongfang Chuan raised his eyebrows and looked at Prime Minister Feng seriously.
Prime Minister Feng quickly shook his head and said, "No, I naturally have no objections!"
"You must help me find out clearly what huge secrets she is hiding."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will surely do my best!"
...
Just as dawn was breaking in the imperial city, a faint glimmer of white appeared on the boundless horizon. Only a few street vendors were pushing small carts or carrying poles on the long street. Everything was so peaceful.
"The imperial guards are on a mission. Idlers, get out of the way!"
"Make way!"
The crown prince led a group of imperial guards swarming through the long street. Some small street vendors on both sides had their stalls kicked away by these rough imperial guards.
The vendors wanted to shout something, but when they saw the shining knives in the hands of the imperial guards, they could only swallow their anger.
Their appearance was like a bomb exploding in the entire imperial city, waking up many sleeping commoners.
"What's going on? Why have even the imperial guards from the palace been dispatched?!"
"Who knows? It seems that these imperial guards are going in the direction of the Helan Prince's Mansion."
"Could something have happened to the Helan Prince's Mansion?"
"What are you still standing here for? Let's go and take a look and we'll know. Let's go. Let's go and have a look..."
...
Helan Prince's Mansion.
A group of imperial guards broke into the mansion, shattering the peace inside. At that moment, Helan Yanting was sitting upright in the main hall. He picked up a cup of hot tea, blew on it slowly and took a sip.
The butler was standing slightly below Helan Yanting, with his head slightly lowered. His expression was half hidden in the dim light, making it hard to see clearly.
The mansion was eerily empty and quiet. In the huge main hall, only the breathing sounds of Helan Yanting and the butler could be heard, as well as the occasional chirping of insects in the garden outside.
Therefore, when the imperial guards broke in, their voices were extremely abrupt in this silence, like shattering a whole piece of glass with a bang.
The hasty footsteps outside gradually approached. Finally, a group of people swarmed into the main hall.
"You guys go over there. You go to the other side. Search this Helan Prince's Mansion thoroughly for this Crown Prince!"
Dongfang Qi ordered several imperial guards to search the Helan Prince's Mansion immediately. He didn't even put Helan Yanting in his eyes.
Just as several imperial guards were about to move, Helan Yanting spoke slowly in a deep voice, "I'm here. Who dares to act wildly?"
The imperial guards stopped in their tracks. They turned to look at Helan Yanting and then at the crown prince. "Your Highness, this..."
Dongfang Qi stepped forward a few steps. He looked at Helan Yanting and sneered, "Helan Yanting, this Crown Prince is really curious who gave you the audacity to act in such a rebellious way and attempt to usurp the throne!"
"Why does the Crown Prince say such things?"
Helan Yanting looked at Dongfang Qi calmly and continued to drink his tea.
Seeing that Helan Yanting still looked so leisurely and unconcerned even at this moment, Dongfang Qi couldn't help getting angry.
"You're just a hostage from the Yuan Kingdom, yet you dare to be so arrogant. Do you know that you're already on the verge of death! Moreover, soon, our Dan Kingdom will send troops to attack your Yuan Kingdom. After we flatten the Yuan Kingdom, you, the so - called second prince of the Yuan Kingdom, will be a complete stray dog!"
"Hehe."
Dongfang Qi originally thought that Helan Yanting would be angry or even attack him. He had already prepared to defend himself, but he didn't expect that Helan Yanting didn't get angry but instead laughed. His reaction was very abnormal.
"So what's the purpose of the Crown Prince's visit today?" Helan Yanting raised his eyebrows and looked at Dongfang Qi playfully. "Could it be that you weren't scared enough last time and you came here to be humiliated again this time?"
"Helan Yanting! After this Crown Prince flattens your Yuan Kingdom, I will surely behead all the royal family members of the Yuan Kingdom and hang their heads on the city gate to show the public!"