Chapter 1704 - 107: Cataclysm in the Palace, Princes Exterminated!
Royal Capital.
Imperial Palace.
Chengde Hall.
Chengde Hall is the palace of the Third Prince Ji Mingyu.
At this moment, it was surrounded by ranks of the Golden Armor Forbidden Army.
The weapons had already been drawn.
In the light of the rising sun, the bright blades reflected a cold light.
At this moment, Ji Mingyu, dressed only in thin sleepwear, not having had time to don his formal attire and armor, was gripping a long sword tightly.
The veins in his hand bulged, the tip of the sword trembled slightly, reflecting the rows of chilling weapons in front of him.
"Fifth Brother, you dare to murder your own brother?!!" Ji Mingyu shouted, his eyes filled with bloodshot rage and disbelief.
At the same time.
Ji Mingyuan, in a purple dragon robe, his hair bound with a jade crown, looked almost indifferent.
He slowly took two steps forward, and the Golden Armor Forbidden Army automatically made way.
"Third Brother," Ji Mingyuan began, his voice clear yet resolute, "today’s affair is not a fratricide but a choice for the future of the nation."
"The future of the nation?" Ji Mingyu laughed in rage, "Leading troops to surround my bedchamber, with blades pointed at your elder brother, you call this the future of the nation?!"
Ji Mingyuan shook his head slightly, a complex expression flashing in his eyes but was quickly replaced by cold hardness: "Does Third Brother still remember what the Martial Saint said in the Taiji Hall before he left yesterday?"
Ji Mingyu’s grip on the sword tightened.
"The Martial Saint said that the selection of the heir to the throne is a matter for the court, and he doesn’t care to involve himself." Ji Mingyuan stated clearly, as if reciting a judgment, "Since leaving court yesterday, I have pondered over these words repeatedly."
He looked up, gazing at the gradually brightening eastern sky: "The Martial Saint said he doesn’t care to involve himself, not that he cannot. If he truly wanted to intervene, a single decree could determine the outcome. But he chooses not to, why?"
Ji Mingyu said in a deep voice, "The Martial Saint remains aloof and does not involve himself in political matters, as he has for the past eight hundred years!"
"Not involving himself in politics?" Ji Mingyuan nodded and then said, "Indeed, over the past eight hundred years, he has never interfered with the succession, only nodding his approval. But in all these years, there has never been a Jiang Ning. Third Brother should know that Jiang Ning is very close with the Eighth Prince, and Shiqi is the Eighth Prince’s full-blooded sister, a bond far beyond what you and I can match. The Martial Saint values Jiang Ning highly, and I am certain that with just one request, the Martial Saint would directly designate the Eighth Prince as the heir to the throne."
At this point, Ji Mingyuan shook his head slowly again, "I do not dare to gamble!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Mingyu’s pupils constricted sharply while holding the sword.
Ji Mingyuan continued, "If the Martial Saint says the Eighth Prince is suitable, then all our years of scheming and efforts would be in vain. The Martial Saint’s word is destiny! Destiny cannot be defied!!"
Ji Mingyu roared, "You’re mad! How could the Martial Saint, such a figure, decide the succession just based on Jiang Ning’s word?!"
"Mad?" Ji Mingyuan laughed, his smile tinged with madness and determination, "Precisely because I am not mad, I must complete these actions today!"
He suddenly stepped forward, the Forbidden Army behind him advanced in unison, their blades forward.
"Third Brother, do you still not understand? The struggle for the throne has never been about who has more support from the ministers, or who can better govern the country. Ultimately, this world belongs to the Martial Saint! It was so during Father Emperor’s reign and even more so now after he fell into a coma!"
Ji Mingyuan’s voice echoed in the morning breeze: "If the Martial Saint doesn’t speak, then we must fight for the heir ourselves. And how do we fight?"
He glanced around, his eyes sweeping over the silent Golden Armor Forbidden Army, and the birds startled from the eaves of Chengde Hall.
"Only if there is only one heir left." Ji Mingyuan’s voice suddenly turned low, yet each word cut like a knife, "The ministers have no choice, the Martial Saint has no choice, the Imperial Uncle — has no choice. Only then will the struggle for the throne be settled."
Ji Mingyu gasped, a cold chill in his heart, and his body involuntarily trembled slightly. He finally understood why Ji Mingyuan dared to be so mad today.
This was not a moment of impulse, but a calculated final blow.
"So, you mean to kill all our brothers?" Ji Mingyu’s voice trembled, "The Eldest Brother is in a coma, the Seventh Brother has recently secluded himself due to illness, the Sixteenth Brother is still young... That leaves just you, me, the Eighth Brother, the Ninth Brother, and the Twelfth Brother!"
"The Seventh Brother had a sudden illness yesterday, the imperial physician was helpless, he passed away in his residence." Ji Mingyuan said indifferently, "The Ninth Brother’s residence caught fire, and he could not be saved. The Twelfth Brother was assassinated in his residence last night, killed by the assassin."
Hearing these two casual sentences, Ji Mingyu felt a chill all over.
"You... you’ve already taken action?" He looked at his half-brother in disbelief, as if seeing him for the first time.
"I started arranging it last night." Ji Mingyuan said calmly, "After dealing with Third Brother, only the Eighth Brother remains. But I have already sent people to assassinate the Eighth Brother on his side. The Eighth Brother’s martial arts are mediocre, he will surely accompany Third Brother to Huangquan Road. I hold Third Brother in high regard, so I had to personally come with troops to ensure nothing could go wrong!"
Ji Mingyu’s veins bulged as he gripped his sword, staring fiercely at Ji Mingyuan: "Are you not afraid the Imperial Uncle will enforce the family law?! Brother killing brother, according to the law should be executed!"
"Family law?" Ji Mingyuan laughed, his laughter filled with mockery, "Oh Third Brother, you grew up in this Imperial Palace yet remain so naive."
He slowly shook his head, a trace of pity in his eyes: "Do you think the Imperial Uncle is unaware?"
Ji Mingyu was taken aback.
"From the sudden illness of the Seventh Brother last night, to the accidental fire at the Ninth Brother’s residence, and now today I lead troops to besiege your Chengde Hall, such a large commotion, movement of troops, the Ti Qi all over the Imperial City, do you think the Imperial Uncle would remain ignorant?"
Ji Mingyuan gazed skyward with his hands behind his back, his tone chillingly calm: "Not only does the Imperial Uncle know, but he is probably watching from somewhere right now."