"Your Highness the Crown Prince came to this prince's mansion just to say such nonsense?"
Helan Yanting sneered coldly. "This prince's ears are about to grow calluses from listening. Your Highness the Crown Prince might as well find someone else to talk to."
"What are you all standing there for? Immediately arrest the rebel Helan Yanting!"
Dongfang Qi shouted at the imperial guards on both sides. The guards on both sides immediately grasped their long knives and stepped forward to surround Helan Yanting tightly.
Before these people could step forward, Helan Yanting simply put down his cup, got up and waved his long sleeves. Several imperial guards thought Helan Yanting was about to make a move, and subconsciously raised their knives.
Helan Yanting just glanced at these people indifferently. His gaze finally fell on Dongfang Qi. "There's no need to trouble Your Highness the Crown Prince. This prince will go with you willingly."
Hearing this, Dongfang Qi couldn't hide his surprise. He thought Helan Yanting would resist.
Dongfang Qi was stunned for a moment. Just then, several imperial guards who had been searching everywhere returned to the main hall. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, your humble servants searched everywhere but didn't find that topographic map."
Several imperial guards gave the same answer, saying that they didn't see the topographic map mentioned by the Crown Prince.
Dongfang Qi frowned and stared coldly at Helan Yanting. "Helan Yanting, this Crown Prince orders you to immediately hand over the topographic map in your hand. Otherwise, your end will be very miserable!"
Helan Yanting sneered. "This prince doesn't know what topographic map Your Highness is talking about."
"Don't play dumb with me here! During these years you've been in the Dan Kingdom, you've actually been secretly in contact with the Yuan Kingdom. You're really ambitious. Who would have thought that we were deceived by your sickly appearance. Haha, quickly hand over the thing! Otherwise, everyone in the Helan Prince's Mansion will die!"
Helan Yanting still looked calm. "This prince doesn't like to say the same thing a third time. This prince doesn't have the topographic map in his hand. Your Highness the Crown Prince has the wrong person."
"You won't hand it over, right? Fine. If you don't hand it over, we'll start with your steward!"
Dongfang Qi glanced at Steward Yan beside him and ordered the imperial guards next to him, "Go and immediately behead this steward!"
The imperial guards were stunned for a moment and looked up at Helan Yanting.
"What, is this Crown Prince's words no longer effective?!"
The imperial guards immediately rushed towards the steward, intending to arrest him and behead him.
Helan Yanting frowned slightly. In the blink of an eye, the teacup in his hand flew out like a dart, knocking the knives out of the hands of two imperial guards.
"Presumptuous."
Helan Yanting stared coldly at Dongfang Qi. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, this prince's people are not for Your Highness to dispose of."
"This is not up to you!"
Having said that, Dongfang Qi waved his hand. Immediately, more imperial guards rushed into the main hall, almost filling the entire hall.
"Just attack on this Crown Prince's order. Kill without mercy!"
Dongfang Qi's eyes darkened as he issued a death order.
The imperial guards came menacingly. It seemed that they were about to overwhelm Helan Yanting and Steward Yan. Just at this critical moment, Helan Yanting slowly said, "This prince can take out the topographic map, but it can only be handed over to the emperor."
"If anything happens to this prince or the steward, you'll never get the topographic map again."
Dongfang Qi and Helan Yanting looked into each other's eyes. Finally, Dongfang Qi was defeated by his aura.
"All stop."
Dongfang Qi stopped the imperial guards' actions. "Immediately take the person away!"
Helan Yanting had always been very cooperative. He didn't struggle or resist. After all, he was still a prince, so these imperial guards didn't dare to act rashly.
Before leaving the mansion, Helan Yanting told the steward, "It's time for you to leave too."
The steward looked at Helan Yanting with a very determined look in his eyes. "Your Highness, this humble servant will follow Your Highness to the death."
Helan Yanting turned his head and glanced at the courtyard where Feng Yunshu had lived before. Not knowing what he was thinking, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Everything should have an end. You and I have been master and servant for a while. Fate will bring us together again."
"This humble servant respectfully sees Your Highness off!"
Steward Yan bowed deeply towards Helan Yanting and watched him until he left the mansion.
Inside the palace.
Helan Yanting was brought before Dongfang Chuan. Dongfang Qi stepped forward and told Dongfang Chuan what had happened. "Father, he insisted that he would only hand over the topographic map after seeing you."
Dongfang Chuan looked at Helan Yanting and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Helan Yanting, when did you start having such a rebellious heart? I really misjudged you. I didn't expect to raise a white-eyed wolf."
"What does Your Majesty mean by this? Yanting doesn't know what exactly has happened. Why does Your Majesty go to such great lengths to detain this humble official in the palace?"
"Hehe, your ability to play the pig to eat the tiger and play dumb is really brilliant."
Saying this, Dongfang Chuan gave an order. "Come, fetch that box for me."
A guard responded and left. When he came back, he was holding a square brocade box in his hand.
"Give the box to Prince Helan and let him take a good look."
The guard carried the box in front of Helan Yanting and then slowly opened the box.
The moment it was opened, a strong smell of blood filled the room, and what came into view was a dazzling scarlet.
Dongfang Qi beside him was startled when he saw the bloody head in the box. Unable to hide his nausea, he turned his head away and covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve.
Anyone who saw this scene would probably be startled and have nightmares at night. However, Helan Yanting's face only changed slightly when he saw the head, and his expression quickly returned to calm, but a complex emotion quickly flashed across his eyes.
Dongfang Chuan stared at Helan Yanting's face and said with a cold smile, "Prince Helan, why? You saw an acquaintance here but didn't show any reaction at all. Aren't you a bit too cold-blooded?"
Helan Yanting recognized at a glance that the person in the box was a subordinate who had always done things for him and communicated information between the Dan Kingdom and the Yuan Kingdom. Moreover, he was a small leader in the organization.
Helan Yanting looked at Dongfang Chuan indifferently and then coughed a few times. "Cough... This humble official doesn't know what Your Majesty means. I don't recognize the head in the box either."
"Hehe, there's no need for you to put on an act in front of me. Immediately hand over the topographic map. Maybe I'll consider leaving you with a whole body."
Helan Yanting's eyes darkened slightly. "Is Your Majesty planning to send troops to the Yuan Kingdom?"
"This plan of mine is not for you to speculate about at will."
Dongfang Chuan suddenly stepped forward, reached out and grabbed Helan Yanting's chin. "You're just a discarded pawn. Do you really think I haven't seen what tricks you've been playing all these years?!"
Helan Yanting frowned, and there was a faint red light in his eyes. His palm in his wide sleeve had already clenched into a fist. At this moment, he felt that a powerful force in his body seemed to break free from the cage and was about to burst out.
However, just when Helan Yanting was about to lose control of this force, Dongfang Chuan suddenly let go of his hand. "Come, throw the rebel Helan Yanting into the dungeon. No matter what extreme punishment is used, you must force out the whereabouts of the topographic map!"
Soon, the weak Helan Yanting was locked in the dungeon.
Just as Helan Yanting was being taken away, the Third Prince, Dongfang Yuan, rushed over in a hurry from not far away. Looking up and seeing Helan Yanting being escorted away, their eyes met in mid-air for a moment, as if they were signaling something to each other, and then quickly averted their gazes.
Helan Yanting didn't look at Dongfang Yuan again and was very calmly escorted into the dungeon.
Dongfang Yuan quickly entered the hall. "Father."
"Third son, you're here."
When Dongfang Qi saw Dongfang Yuan coming, he was first a little surprised, and then his expression showed a bit of contempt and disdain.
"Why is third brother here too?"