HCB Chapter 166 Assassination of the Young Master
Chapter 166 Assassination of the Young Master
The prince came out of the queen's palace with heavy steps. His heart seemed to be tangled in a tangled mess, and the queen's words were like sharp thorns, constantly echoing in his mind.
He knew very well that his mother was doing this for his own good, but his respect and trust for his uncle were indelible.
He walked slowly under the corridors of the palace. The sunlight shone through the mottled leaves on the ground, forming patches of light and shadow, just like his conflicting mood at the moment, a mixture of light and darkness.
He recalled that when he was providing disaster relief in the south, his uncle's figure seemed to be right in front of him.
It was a land shrouded in disaster, with people displaced and suffering everywhere.
As soon as the emperor's uncle arrived there, he began to organize rescue without stopping.
He personally went to the worst-hit areas to check on the living conditions of the people, his face full of worry and concern.
Regardless of the hardships and dangers of the journey, the emperor's uncle rushed to various temporary resettlement sites to comfort the people who had lost their homes and loved ones.
He directed the distribution of relief supplies to ensure that every disaster victim had basic living security.
During those difficult days, the emperor's uncle worked tirelessly, often so busy that he didn't even have time to eat, just to ensure that more people could survive.
The prince knew that such an uncle only cared about the suffering of the people and the stability of the country, and everything he did was out of loyalty to the country and love for the people.
He didn't believe that such a person with the world in his heart would have ambitions to covet the throne.
However, his mother's words forced him to re-examine everything.
Did the Queen Mother really see it wrong? Or is the Emperor's uncle's kindness and loyalty just a facade, with a deeper conspiracy hidden behind it?
The prince shook his head, trying to dispel these messy thoughts from his mind.
He felt that he could not easily doubt his uncle just because of his mother's words. After all, he and his uncle had a deep affection for each other.
They used to ride horses and shoot arrows together, and the emperor's uncle patiently taught him how to be a wise monarch. Those beautiful memories were so real.
However, his mother's current situation made him feel distressed and helpless.
He knew very well that the power struggle in the palace was like a deep pool with undercurrents. If one was not careful, one would be dragged into it and there would be no escape.
The prince secretly decided in his heart that he would observe his uncle's every move more carefully, not to find any evidence against him, but to prove his uncle's innocence to his mother.
At the same time, he also understood that he could no longer be as innocent as before. In this palace, he needed to be more careful to protect himself and the people he cared about.
He raised his head and looked at the distant sky, with a hint of determination in his eyes.
He knows that the road ahead is full of unknowns and challenges, but he is willing to stick to his beliefs, seek the truth, and safeguard the justice in his heart.
After returning to his palace, the prince sat at his desk, but he had no intention of reading. His thoughts were still occupied by the affairs of the queen and the emperor's uncle.
He called his trusted attendant and ordered, "Go and secretly investigate the recent movements of the Prince of Chen, but do not alert anyone. I want to know what the Emperor's uncle does every day and who he meets. Remember, just investigate, don't do anything unnecessary."
The attendant took the order and left, while the prince leaned back in his chair, gently rubbing his temples. He knew that an invisible storm seemed to be brewing quietly, and he had to find a way to balance all parties before the storm came, so as not to hurt his uncle and to reassure his mother.
After the attendants left, the prince still sat on the chair, looking ahead with somewhat empty eyes.
He knew that his decision might lead to a series of unpredictable consequences, but he had no other choice.
In the vortex of power in this palace, he is like a small boat. He must control the direction carefully, otherwise the boat will capsize and everyone will die.
A few days passed and the servants did not bring back much useful information.
Prince Chen's life remained the same as usual. Apart from handling palace affairs, he was concerned about people's livelihood and occasionally discussed national affairs with several important officials in the court.
These situations are consistent with the prince's understanding of his uncle, which makes him more convinced of his uncle's innocence.
However, the Queen couldn't wait any longer.
Seeing that the prince was taking no action, her anxiety and resentment grew like weeds.
She knew very well that she didn't have much time left, and if she didn't overthrow Prince Chen as soon as possible, she would never be able to turn things around.
Although the palace where she was imprisoned was deserted and lonely, her mind never stopped for a moment. Every day she racked her brains to plot how to get rid of the great threat to her, Prince Chen.
Although there are only a few loyal old servants left around the queen, there is an old nanny among them who has been involved in the palace conspiracies and intrigues for many years and is well versed in all kinds of means.
She quietly offered a suggestion to the Queen: "Your Majesty, the son of Prince Chen, the Young Master, is about to hold a hundred-day banquet. The palace will surely be bustling with guests. This is a great opportunity. We can arrange for an assassin to sneak in and take the opportunity to assassinate Prince Chen."
After hearing this, a fierce light flashed in the queen's eyes. She felt that this plan was very feasible.
Therefore, the queen began to use the forces she could still contact in secret and secretly assembled a group of assassins with high martial arts skills and ruthless heart.
She personally assigned the task to these assassins, described in detail the appearance of Prince Chen and the layout of the palace, and promised a generous reward after the task was accomplished.
These assassins were all profit-driven and only cared about the generous reward offered by the Queen, so they took on this dangerous mission without hesitation.
The queen was making intensive preparations, but she never expected that her plan would be accidentally discovered by the prince.
The prince had a trusted young eunuch who was in charge of some chores in the palace. He accidentally overheard the conversation between the old nanny beside the queen and a mysterious man. Although he did not hear the whole story, the key information such as "the young prince's hundred-day banquet" and "assassination of Prince Chen" shocked him.
The young eunuch knew the importance of the matter and did not dare to delay for even a second, so he quickly reported the news to the prince.
When the prince heard this, he was horrified.
His heart was like a raging storm. On the one hand, he felt extremely sad and disappointed at his mother's unscrupulous means. On the other hand, he was extremely worried about the danger that his uncle's family was about to face.
He knew very well that he had to stop this conspiracy, not let innocent lives be harmed, and certainly not let the palace be plunged into a bloody massacre.
The prince immediately decided to go to Prince Chen's Mansion in person to inform his uncle of the news.
He hurriedly changed into casual clothes, avoided everyone's sight, and quietly left the palace.
Along the way, his heart was in his throat, the faces of his uncle and his family kept appearing in his mind, and his pace became faster and faster.