Qi Yanzhou glanced at the myriad of weapons scattered on the ground, a cold sneer flickering in his eyes.
“Your Majesty, these weapons are part of Prince Chen's Mansion’s century-old collection, totaling no more than a hundred pieces.”
After speaking, he looked toward the pile of weapons stacked like a small mountain.
“Whether Your Majesty believes it or not, none of these weapons belong to Prince Chen's Mansion.”
His expression was one of ‘fabricating charges without cause.’
The emperor snorted coldly. “What, are you still trying to say Minister Ye is framing you? Then tell me, how did Minister Ye secretly hide so many weapons in your storage without your knowledge?”
When the dowry was delivered to the storage, Prince Chen's Mansion had assigned two guards to watch over it.
But under Qi Yanzhou’s deliberate arrangement, both were men secretly planted by the emperor within Prince Chen's Mansion.
Thus, the weapons were brazenly hidden in the storage.
Once the people from the Minister’s Mansion left, Qi Yanzhou’s men transported most of the weapons through a tunnel they had long dug.
Facing the emperor’s interrogation, Qi Yanzhou spoke solemnly, “Your servant is at a loss for words.”
“A fine ‘at a loss for words’ indeed! Does Prince Chen know these weapons are enough to justify wiping out the Qi family and their nine clans?”
To consolidate imperial power, the national law stipulated that no household’s guards could exceed a thousand, and weapons could not surpass five hundred pieces.
If these limits were exceeded without reasonable cause, the family could be charged with treason.
Qi Yanzhou calmly met the emperor’s gaze, his eyes mocking.
“If weapons seized from the Minister’s Mansion could justify exterminating the second prince’s nine clans, would Your Majesty also wipe them out?”
Such words were outright treasonous. The emperor, furious, grabbed a sword and pressed it across Qi Yanzhou’s neck.
A mere subject, daring to compare himself to royalty—such delusional arrogance!
“Who gave you the audacity to exterminate the imperial family?”
The blade sliced Qi Yanzhou’s neck, blood staining his ceremonial robe a deep crimson.
Qi Yanzhou no longer wasted time with words and directly pierced the emperor’s true intent.
“Your servant knows Your Majesty has long wished to eliminate Prince Chen's Mansion, but with only three thousand mysterious weapons, would you dare to annihilate the entire Qi family?”
The emperor, enraged, roared, “I am the Son of Heaven; what is there that I dare not do?”
He raised his sword, ready to behead Qi Yanzhou.
Qi Yanzhou pulled out a death-exempt token from his chest.
“This was bestowed by our ancestor, the emperor. Will Your Majesty defy the ancestral decree?”
The emperor looked at the token and sneered coldly, “One token can only save one life!”
With that, he spared Qi Yanzhou and turned his blade toward the Old Prince.
The Old Prince immediately dodged the emperor’s strike.
“Has Your Majesty forgotten? The Qi family still possesses the Imperial Sword granted by our ancestors—used to strike down tyrants and traitors alike!”
“The Imperial Sword can protect the Qi family, but only if they do not commit treason!”
The emperor pressed on with his attack against the Old Prince but was suddenly intercepted by Qi Yanzhou, who had broken free from his restraints and seized control.
No one expected Qi Yanzhou to suddenly strike and capture the emperor.
Everyone’s faces turned pale with shock.
The Minister of Justice shouted sharply, “Prince Chen, don’t be rash! Release His Majesty at once!”
The imperial guards immediately restrained the men from Prince Chen's Mansion.
“Prince Chen, if you so much as harm a hair on the emperor’s head, not a single soul in Prince Chen's Mansion will be spared!”
The emperor was visibly shaken, dropping his sword to the ground.
“Qi Yanzhou, you… do you intend to commit regicide?”
Qi Yanzhou lightly squeezed the emperor’s neck and shook his head.
“As I have said, Prince Chen's Mansion has never contemplated rebellion, much less regicide.”
With a cold sneer, he said,
“If His Majesty insists on wiping out everyone in Prince Chen's Mansion before uncovering the truth, I wouldn’t hesitate to commit regicide.”
The emperor knew Qi Yanzhou wasn’t bluffing. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
“The weapons were found in Prince Chen's Mansion. That is the truth.”
Seizing a moment when no one was paying attention, Qi Yanzhou slipped the imperial pardon token into the emperor’s chest.
“Your Majesty, why are you hiding the pardon token bestowed by our ancestors to Prince Chen's Mansion?”
The emperor was speechless.
“Qi Yanzhou, what madness are you spouting?”
In front of everyone, Qi Yanzhou took the pardon token from the emperor’s chest.
“The pardon token was found on His Majesty himself — irrefutable evidence. How does the emperor plan to deny this?”
The emperor was at a loss for words.
“You took it while I wasn’t paying attention...”
Before he could finish, Qi Yanzhou interrupted him.
“Your Majesty, the weapons appeared in Prince Chen's Mansion in the same way. Seeing isn’t always believing. If you want to accuse Prince Chen of treason, you must produce solid proof, or else you won’t silence the whispers of the world.”
With that, he released the emperor and knelt down on one knee.
“I had no choice but to offend Your Majesty. I beg for your forgiveness.”
The emperor was humiliated beyond measure, burning with rage and wishing he could tear Qi Yanzhou limb from limb.
But he couldn’t!
Because Qi Yanzhou held the imperial pardon token.
Not only was the Qi family a founding meritorious house, but they also had a powerful sword of authority backing them.
Mere possession of three thousand mysterious weapons wasn’t enough to justify the destruction of Prince Chen's Mansion and his clan.
Fortunately, he had prepared a backup plan!
Suppressing his fury, the emperor said, “Prince Chen, I hope that when the Imperial Guards find the ironclad evidence, you’ll still be so confident and unyielding!”
No sooner had he spoken than the Imperial Guards arrived swiftly, carrying a bundle.
“Your Majesty, we found this in Prince Chen's study.”
They opened the bundle to reveal priceless tribute from the Southern Territories.
Most of the Southern Territories’ tributes to the emperor were taken by Ye Chutang during the hunt for the “Ghost Thief.”
But those were the leftovers the emperor had rejected.
The best tributes had long been given to his favored concubines.
To frame Qi Yanzhou and link him to the “Ghost Thief,” the emperor had retrieved the tributes from his concubines and handed them to the Imperial Guards to set the trap.
Thus, the scene before them now.
“Prince Chen, these tributes were stolen by the ‘Ghost Thief’ long ago. Why are they in your study?”
Qi Yanzhou had already anticipated the emperor’s scheme.
Suddenly enlightened, he said, “Your Majesty, I understand now. Whether it’s the weapons, the letters, the witchcraft, or the tributes, it was all planted by the ‘Ghost Thief’ to sow discord between us!”
“Prince Chen is quick to find excuses. I suspect you and the ‘Ghost Thief’ are accomplices.”
“Your Majesty, the ‘Ghost Thief’ is clearly framing me.”
Then, bluntly, he added,
“Accuse me of whatever you want. If Your Majesty no longer trusts the Qi family, I have no defense. I hereby request exile!”
His sudden declaration stunned everyone.
Old Prince was beside himself with worry.
“Son, what nonsense are you talking about? Our Qi family has nothing to hide. We welcome any investigation. If you’re exiled, the people will think we’re guilty!”
Concubine Chen also chimed in, “Zhou’er, don’t act impulsively, and don’t lose your head. The Qi family’s century-old reputation cannot be destroyed by exile!”
The side concubines, lesser wives, and the illegitimate sons and daughters all opposed the exile as well.
“Exile is a grave punishment. It means that Prince Chen’s Mansion has committed a colossal mistake. Your Highness, you’re being reckless!”
“Please, Your Highness, think twice. The Emperor is wise and powerful; he will surely clear Prince Chen’s Mansion of all wrongdoing. There’s no need for exile!”
“Your Highness, the Qi family has been framed. If they are exiled, the charge of treason will be confirmed!”
“I’d rather die here in the capital than be sent to some barbaric wasteland!”
The Emperor looked at the weeping Qi family members and found himself opening to a new line of thought.
Given the current circumstances, convicting the Qi family of treason is indeed possible.
But the number of three thousand weapons is too few, and with the Qi family’s military merits and protective talisman, exterminating their entire clan is impossible.
At most, their titles would be stripped, and they would be placed under house arrest.
But house arrest means the Qi family would remain in the capital, where there is always the possibility of vindication.
Exile, on the other hand, would not only drive the Qi family far away but could also lead to their deaths along the way!
After all, exile is harsh, and it’s not unusual for a few to perish during the journey.
With this thought, the Emperor turned to Qi Yanzhou, and the long-suppressed anger vanished in an instant.
“I grant it!”
