Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 73 Undisguised Killing Intent

"You actually guessed it..."

Zhu Houzhao's pupils trembled violently and he looked at Zhu Jinzhen in great surprise.

He had never told anyone what he was thinking, but Zhu Jinzhen guessed his intention from just a few words, which shocked him and made him even more wary.

Zhu Jinzhen drank his tea with a look of disdain in his eyes:
"Weird?"

"What gave you the illusion that your plan was perfect?"

"The moment the rumors in the capital reached my ears, I knew it would have been impossible without your tacit approval, or even your incitement. You went on an incognito tour and personally visited Shaanxi. If you said that you were only there to investigate the truth, you would be deceiving yourself."

"Besides this, the only place worthy of an emperor like you, traveling thousands of miles and risking your life in white fish and dragon robes, is me and the Prince Su's Mansion."

Zhu Houzhao was silent. After Zhu Jinzhen's reminder, he not only did not feel that there was anything wrong with his second plan, but he felt that Zhu Jinzhen was even more terrifying.

When he came to Shaanxi in disguise, Zhu Jinzhen was able to connect it with the rumors in Beijing and infer that he was using Lu Xiaofeng, and even secretly planning to kill someone with a borrowed knife or take advantage of the situation and take action in advance.

Don't give the emperor any room to resist.

His scheming and cunning are as unfathomable as his talent in martial arts.

"Prince Su, you are truly intelligent."

"Indeed, that is indeed my intention."

Zhu Houzhao nodded helplessly and admitted that he did have the idea of ​​getting rid of Zhu Jinzhen.

"It's not surprising. If I were in his place, with a Sai Wang commanding a million soldiers, I'd probably be restless and want to get rid of him as soon as possible." Zhu Jinzhen chuckled noncommittally. "But I'm still curious, who gave you the confidence to think you could move into Prince Su's mansion and get rid of me just based on a few rumors?"

"Just relying on those useless people from the East and West Factories and the Jinyiwei? Or Wang Zhi who is by your side?"

"Five years ago, I was a land-based swordsman. I fought on the battlefield, and even the combined efforts of Bashiba and Yelu Wudi, the pillars of the two great nations of Mongolia and Liao, couldn't accomplish what you did. Why do you think you can?"

Zhu Houzhao did not give a direct answer, but smiled meaningfully: "The royal family has the royal family's heritage."

Zhu Jinzhen curled his lips. "If the imperial family still had some foundation, the Ming wouldn't have fallen so drastically after the Battle of Tumu. How majestic and arrogant was Emperor Chenghua when he plundered the imperial court? But Emperor Hongzhi died suddenly in the palace for no apparent reason. Foundation? Their foundation is nothing more than the eunuch Zheng He, or a few tricks left by Emperor Taizong."

Zhu Jinzhen didn't say a word, but Zhu Houzhao's heart beat violently.

The two men faced each other. Zhu Jinzhen, as a celestial being on land, naturally saw Zhu Houzhao's reaction clearly, and the fear in his heart was instantly reduced by eight or nine levels.

After a long while, Zhu Houzhao finally spoke quietly: "Prince Su, Prince Su, has anyone ever told you that you are a little too smart?"

It is clear that the Ming Dynasty has been raising pigs for more than a hundred years, but 98% of the other royal families have been abandoned.

How could a monster like Zhu Jinzhen appear in the lineage of Prince Su?

Zhu Houzhao was puzzled.

"Oh, is that all?" Zhu Jinzhen couldn't help but chuckle, his voice tinged with contempt.

This smile made Zhu Houzhao frown: "Why is Prince Su laughing?"

"The Emperor wants to know?"

"I can't ask for it."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jinzhen's face showed a defiant look: "I'm laughing at the emperor's narrow-minded view, I'm laughing at you being self-righteous, I'm laughing at you for being able to see the big picture without knowing it." "What do you mean?" Zhu Houzhao felt inexplicably panicked.

"I've heard a saying: 'When you're not cultivating, seeing me is like looking at the moon from a well. When you cultivate, seeing me again will be like a mayfly seeing the sky.'" Zhu Jinzhen sneered. "Eunuch Sanbao followed Emperor Taizong on his campaigns, making seven voyages to the West and commanding the world. He was truly a leader in the terrestrial immortal realm. But how does he compare to Zhang Sanfeng? How does he compare to Phagpa, the Grand Master of the Yuan Dynasty? How does he compare to Yelu Wudi of the Liao Dynasty?"

"Five years ago, I was the youngest land-based swordsman. I single-handedly fought against three land-based immortals and triumphed."

"Isn't this record enough to alert you?"

"And how could you have known that I would stand still in the past four years?"

"I'm afraid that the eunuch Sanbao is fake, and the real one is colluding with foreign enemies and colluding with the Mongols and Liao to deal with me, right? Your Majesty?" With the last sentence, Zhu Jinzhen did not hide the murderous look between his brows, and the majestic aura was like a huge bell, pressing down on Zhu Houzhao fiercely.

"puff!"

How could a mere Zhixuan be able to resist the murderous intent of the gods?

Zhu Houzhao vomited blood on the spot.

But at this juncture, Zhu Houzhao ignored his injuries and retorted with his eyes wide open: "Nonsense."

"No matter how much I fear you and the Su Wang Mansion, there is no way I would join forces with the Mongols. Collaborating with foreign enemies is absurd. I am the Son of Heaven, how could I lead the way in selling out my country?"

"But this news came from the mouth of the Mongol Emperor Temur."

"I can guarantee that this is absolutely true."

Zhu Jinzhen's voice was soft but cold. He took out a piece of information from his pocket, put it on the table and pushed it in front of Zhu Houzhao: "I hope the emperor will give me an explanation, otherwise the Ming Dynasty will have to change its emperor."

This blatant threat made Zhu Houzhao's heart beat wildly.

Zhu Houzhao knew very well that Zhu Jinzhen had already made murderous intentions. If he could not prove his innocence, he would not be able to walk out of the Qin Palace alive even if the person in front of him was the emperor.

Sensing Zhu Jinzhen's undisguised murderous intent, even though Zhu Houzhao knew that Zhu Jinzhen could not possibly have committed treason, he still shuddered all over and shook his head with a frown, "I can guarantee that this is absolutely not the case."

"The Ming Dynasty and the Mongols are sworn enemies. Prince Su must be well aware of Emperor Yingzong's affairs. If I were to approve of such acts of collusion and betrayal, how could I face Emperor Taizu Gao and Emperor Taizong, the previous emperors of the Ming Dynasty, in my grave?"

Zhu Jinzhen said nothing, just stared at Zhu Houzhao, hoping that he could give him a satisfactory answer.

Obviously, what I just said is not true.

Zhu Houzhao also knew this, so he frowned and fell into deep thought.

"This intelligence letter repeatedly mentions that Temur wants to use the pretext of marriage to join forces with me to deal with Prince Su. His tone is so firm, it seems he is very confident that he can convince me to agree."

"But how can I agree to such treasonous behavior?"

Zhu Houzhao was puzzled, even confused. Where did Temur's confidence come from? Why did he, the Ming emperor, who was involved in this conspiracy, know nothing about it and couldn't figure it out?

He knew that something must be missing.

But for a moment, Zhu Houzhao really couldn't think of what reason the Mongols would use to convince him?

Cabinet, six ministries?
Zhu Houzhao had no doubt whether they dared to collude with foreign enemies.

However, the cabinet and the six ministries could not directly represent the attitude of him as the emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

If not them, what else could it be?
(End of this chapter)