son, don't mess around

Chapter 648: The Third Prince Rekindles Hope

Chapter 648 The Third Prince Rekindles Hope
It was just dawn.

The early morning sun shone into the imperial mausoleum of the Daning Dynasty, and the surroundings were silent and quiet.

The hunchbacked old man walked into the imperial mausoleum step by step with a staggering pace. He pushed open the gate in front of the mausoleum, and light gradually poured in.

Soon, a figure appeared in the sight ahead. He was sitting on a stone chair at the door, staring blankly ahead.

Although he is only in his twenties, his whole body exudes a sense of death.

Dressed in grey, he looked completely lifeless. He just sat there, looking absent-minded and extremely dull.

It was not until the hunchbacked old man approached with a broom that the figure reacted slightly and raised his head to take a look.

Then he looked away again.

The hunchbacked old man came to the door and began to sweep the dust around him.

The ground around was very clean, but the hunchbacked old man still moved slowly and cleaned the surroundings spotlessly.

The two of them kept silent until the old man finished cleaning the surroundings.

The figure sitting at the door stared absentmindedly at the hunchbacked old man. The surroundings were quiet, so quiet that it was a little eerie!
It's even so quiet that it makes people a little irritated!
This is where the former emperor's tomb is located.

The imperial mausoleum occupies a vast area, surrounded by mountains, and is eerily quiet. There is no one around, except for this hunchbacked old man sweeping the floor. Anyone who stays here for too long will probably go crazy!

After cleaning the door, the old man put away the broom. However, he did not leave the place like before, but turned around and slowly walked to the young man at the door and stopped.

"His Royal Highness the Third Prince!"

The voice is hoarse and old.

When hearing this address, there was no emotion on Li Yuan's face.

like a statue!
Since the mutiny and rebellion failed, he has been imprisoned in this imperial mausoleum, and almost lost all his thoughts.

The mutiny failed, and what awaited him was a lifetime of solitary imprisonment.

He was lucky to survive!
His elder brother was as kind-hearted as ever and did not kill him out of consideration for their brotherly love.

But for the proud and arrogant Li Yuan, being imprisoned here is worse than death!

However, every time the third prince wanted to end his life, he could not bring himself to do it!
He is timid!

In the end, he cowardly discovered that he didn't even have the courage to end his life.

This is undoubtedly another heavy blow to His Royal Highness the Third Prince!
He stared ahead in a trance, his expression motionless.

"Your Highness, Third Prince, when did you become so cowardly?"

The voice of the hunchbacked old man came again.

This time, Li Yuan finally reacted. He slowly turned his gaze to the hunchbacked old man in front of him.

He recognized him!

These days, there is only one living person in the entire imperial mausoleum!
It is said that this old man has been in the imperial mausoleum many years ago and is the mausoleum keeper appointed by the emperor!
As for his origins, no one knows.

In the few months since Li Yuan came here, he has seen the old man almost every day, and every time he appears at the door on time to clean.

And today, it was the first time that the old man took the initiative to speak to him.

Li Yuan stared at him for a while and said in a low voice: "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am, what matters is..."

The hunchbacked old man said, "Your Highness the Third Prince, you should cheer up again and not be so decadent and degenerate."

"Cheer up?"

Li Yuan seemed to have heard something funny. He looked at the old man in front of him with a joking expression and said, "How can I cheer myself up?"

"I have been trapped in this hellhole for the rest of my life. What good will it do if I cheer myself up? Can I get out of here?"

The hunchbacked old man's tone remained calm: "Why not?"

"As long as His Royal Highness the Third Prince wants, there is no way out in this world!"

Hearing this, Li Yuan was stunned for a moment, and then he smiled self-deprecatingly again: "Forget it..."

"I have fallen to this point. What does it matter even if I can get out?"

"What can be changed?"

The overall situation has been decided, his brother has ascended the throne and become emperor. He has also been convicted of treason, and there is no place for him in this world.

However, the hunchbacked old man remained calm: "That may not be the case!"

Li Yuan stared at the old man in front of him. He noticed that there seemed to be something wrong with the old man: "What do you want to say?"

"Who are you?"

The hunchbacked old man looked deep in his eyes and said calmly, "No matter what, His Royal Highness the Third Prince is a prince of the Daning Dynasty, and he has the royal blood of the late emperor flowing in his veins..."

"As long as the Third Prince is alive, everything is possible."

Li Yuan's eyes narrowed suddenly, realizing that there was something wrong with the old man in front of him, and asked again: "Who are you?!"

The old man still did not answer him, but asked in a low voice: "Your Highness the Third Prince, do you want revenge?"

"Are you willing?"

"Do you want to take back everything that originally belonged to you?"

The old man's voice was very low, and seemed to carry a hint of bewitching intent.

This made Li Yuan's expression extremely complicated, and he stared at the old man.

Are you willing?
Naturally unwilling!
Want revenge?

Of course he wanted to. He wanted revenge, to redress his previous humiliation, to take back everything that belonged to him, to... sit in the position he had been dreaming of for so many years!
only……

The burning gaze was like a basin of cold water poured down on him in an instant, bringing him back to reality.

"Is there any point in saying this now? I have already lost!"

Li Yuan sneered and stared at the old man in front of him: "Tell me, who sent you?"

"Did my good brother the Emperor send you to test me?"

The hunchbacked old man looked at him calmly and said in a deep voice, "Li Ci Ning, he will not live long."

As soon as these words came out, Li Yuan's pupils shrank suddenly: "What did you say?!"

The hunchbacked old man said nothing.

But Li Yuan's expression changed drastically, staring at him intently: "How did you know?!"

The hunchbacked old man did not answer, but just looked at him quietly: "Your Highness the Third Prince, don't you know?"

After hearing these words, Li Yuan stood there in a daze.

Then, the expression and gaze on his face kept changing.

Will Li Ci Ning die soon?

This news shocked him greatly!
Of course, he was aware of his brother's physical condition - his brother had been in poor health since childhood and had always been weak, which was also the reason why his brother had no offspring until now.

This is also the real reason why the emperor has been training him all these years...

At the beginning, the third prince had secretly drugged Li Ci Ning, but unfortunately, it did not take his life. However, the drug was enough to cause great damage to his body!
But even so, the third prince never thought that Li Ci Ning would die soon.

This sudden news really made him tremble.

My thoughts suddenly became confused.

"Isn't this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for His Royal Highness the Third Prince?"

The hunchbacked old man spoke slowly, as if bewitchingly: "Although the Third Prince lost this time, there are still many people in the court and among the people who support the Third Prince..."

"Li Qining's health is deteriorating. I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left. Once he dies without any children, then..."

"Your Highness, the Third Prince may not have really lost!"

Li Yuan was stunned, the words of the hunchbacked old man seemed to ring in his ears like some magic, making his heart, which had long been silent, beat violently again!
Not really lost?

He hasn't lost yet?
Yes... He is still alive, he has not completely lost! Although Li Ci Ning won last time, he will not live long... Once he dies, who will take the throne of the Daning Dynasty?
Li Ci Ning has no children, and the only ones qualified to succeed him are a few people from his father's lineage.

Among them, only the eighth prince Li Ping and the thirteenth prince were qualified to inherit.

But these people were either too young or completely obeyed his orders.

In this way, the one who is truly qualified to inherit the throne...

At this moment, Li Yuan's eyes, which had originally been silent, suddenly lit up again!
Only him!

Once Li Ci Ning dies, he will be the only one qualified to inherit the throne of the Daning Dynasty!
A strong emotion rose in Li Yuan's heart, a possibility of rekindling hope!

But this glimmer of possibility soon faded away.

"It's useless. I have been reduced to a commoner and trapped in this imperial mausoleum. There is no chance of getting out!"

"Even if he dies, it has nothing to do with me!"

Li Yuan's voice was low, even if there was a chance.

But now he is trapped here to death, what can he do?
The hunchbacked old man said calmly: "His Royal Highness the Third Prince will always be His Royal Highness the Third Prince. His Royal Highness has royal blood flowing in his veins, and this can never be changed."

"so what?"

Li Yuan said in a deep voice, with a look of despair: "Can you let me out of here? There are imperial guards outside, all of them are masters guarding my father's mausoleum. Unless you can mobilize the army, how can I get out?"

The hunchbacked old man said calmly, "If Your Highness wants to go out, there is a way."

As soon as these words came out, Li Yuan looked up suddenly: "What did you say?!"

"Do you have a way to get out?!"

"Your Highness, do you want to go out?"

Li Yuan stared at him intently: "Is there any way you can get out?"

At this point, Li Yuan's expression suddenly changed again: "Who are you?!"

Who is this old guy?
Which side is he on?

Are you here to test me?
Or...some other purpose?
"If your highness wants to know, please follow me."

The hunchbacked old man remained calm. He picked up the broom beside him and slowly walked towards the interior of the imperial mausoleum.

"Where are you going?!"

Li Yuan asked.

But the old man did not answer and walked inside on his own.

Li Yuan stood there, watching the old man's back as he left, his face changing from gloomy to bright. Finally, he seemed to have made up his mind and followed him.

Right now, there is no worse outcome than his current situation!
Even if something unexpected happened, the worst that could happen would be death, but if there was a chance...

A glimmer of hope appeared in Li Yuan's eyes again.

He followed the hunchbacked old man into the imperial mausoleum, one after the other. The area was under martial law and no one was allowed to set foot here normally. Even the guards who guarded the imperial mausoleum were strictly prohibited from approaching.

But the hunchbacked old man seemed to be very familiar with this place. He led Li Yuan left and right, along the steep and complicated road, and came to a secret door in the imperial mausoleum.

"Where are you taking me?"

Li Yuan, who had been following along the way, gradually became impatient.

The hunchbacked old man said nothing, but came to a secret door at the side. After he opened a certain mechanism, a secret door slowly appeared at the side.

"Your Highness, please."

The hunchbacked old man turned around and looked at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan was shocked and doubtful, his face changed slightly when he saw the secret door that suddenly appeared in the imperial mausoleum.

How could there be a secret door here?

what is inside?
Who is this old guy?!

Countless complicated thoughts emerged, and Li Yuan's eyes became cautious.

The hunchbacked old man seemed to see through Li Yuan's thoughts and said calmly, "If your highness wants to know the answer, you will know when you go there."

Li Yuan looked suspicious, but finally made up his mind and walked into the secret door.

As Li Yuan walked into the secret door, the secret door slowly fell down.

Before the secret door closed, Li Yuan heard the hunchbacked old man say, "Keep going forward and don't look back."

Then, the secret door fell heavily, as if it had never appeared.

The hunchbacked old man watched the scene expressionlessly. After a while, he slowly turned around and left with the broom in his hand.

……

Inside the secret door is a dark and complicated passage, which is airtight and has no end in sight.

Gloomy and fearful gradually set in.

Li Yuan looked around, and was unable to see his hand in front of him. He was gradually terrified. But thinking of what the hunchbacked old man had said just now, he realized that there was no way out, so he could only muster up his courage and move forward along this dark passage.

I don't know how long I walked, this passage seemed to have no end, it was so despairing that Li Yuan had a mental breakdown. He was in a mess, his palms and knees were scratched countless times in the dark passage.

But at the same time, Li Yuan also realized that there was such a passage in this imperial mausoleum, which was definitely not simple!
Where is the end of the passage?

With this thought in mind, Li Yuan gritted his teeth and continued forward.

Until he reached the end, his breathing became rapid and he was exhausted and panting, and finally he saw a ray of light ahead.

Li Yuan followed the light, and after a long time, the light gradually became bigger.

Then he heard the sound of running water.

He ran outside excitedly!

Finally, he breathed in some fresh air, and the blinding sunlight shone down and fell on him.

What comes into view is a valley.

It was secluded on all sides, with towering trees blocking out the sun, and in front of it was a small stream with the sound of gurgling water.

At this moment, Li Yuan, who was hungry and thirsty, didn't care about anything else. He ran all the way to the stream, scooped up the water and drank it in big gulps.

Keep drinking until you are full.

Then he sat down on the ground, breathing deeply, while continuing to look around.

This is where?

Already, have you left the imperial mausoleum?

Could it be that I escaped?
A feeling of ecstasy rose in his heart!

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly sounded in his ears.

"Your Highness, long time no see!"

The voice was sharp and a bit harsh.

Li Yuan suddenly turned his head and saw a figure squatting not far from the stream.

A very short guy, who looked like a skinny monkey, was looking at him with a smile.

"It's you?!"

Li Yuan recognized the skinny monkey face at a glance. He was the man he had seen when he was first imprisoned in the imperial mausoleum.