Emperor Yongxing Assassinated

"I was wrong, Father-in-law. From now on, all matters will be up to you."

Zhao Xian looked ashamed. Since he was young, the Hongchang Emperor had always said he was naturally foolish and useless.

After adulthood, Zhao Xian had always wanted to do something to prove himself, but he ended up confined to the cold palace.

"This old body of mine won't last much longer. Once Your Highness has secured the throne, I'll beg to retire and return home to enjoy my old age."

Zhang Zhengyang had spent his entire life calculating gains and losses, always seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster, planning for the long term. On his deathbed, he went against his own principles regarding his children's affairs.

In his view, pushing Zhao Xian to the throne was not a good thing. The problem was that his eldest son was of the Zhang family bloodline.

No matter how tolerant an emperor might be, he could not tolerate a person of a different surname holding the reins of power in the kingdom for two consecutive generations. At that point, it would be hard to say whether Fengyang Kingdom's surname was Zhao or Zhang.

Conversely, if they followed the late emperor's edict, the Zhang family would still be a prominent local clan, even if they declined.

Once involved in manipulating the succession to the throne, even if they won a great victory in the present, they would be planting the seeds for the extermination of their clan in the future.

Zhao Xian noticed the changing expressions on Zhang Zhengyang's face and asked, "Father-in-law, when will we make our move? The longer we delay, the more stable my brother's throne will become."

"This matter cannot be rushed. The biggest stain on Your Highness's reputation right now is the late emperor's decree to depose you. The late emperor's posthumous title is Xuan, and the national history books have designated the Hongchang Restoration. Who would dare to defy his judgments during his lifetime?"

Zhang Zhengyang had to make this clear to Zhao Xian, lest he act on his own again and ruin the plan: "So, even if Your Highness overthrows Zhao Yuan now and ascends the throne, it will be difficult to gain the recognition of the imperial clan."

Zhao Xian asked anxiously, "What should we do?"

"Wait!"

Zhang Zhengyang said, "Wait for Zhao Yuan to take action and destroy the three families of Prince Chu, Prince Han, and Prince Jing, and then we will overthrow him."

Zhao Xian asked doubtfully, "Will the imperial clan recognize me then?"

"At that time, Your Highness will be the only son of the late emperor. Whether it's the imperial clan or the court, they will have to accept it."

Zhang Zhengyang said, "A dignified ruler of a restoration, allowing a collateral line to succeed to the throne when he has a legitimate son, will surely be branded with a reputation of disloyalty and impiety in the history books!"

Zhao Xian asked, "Is Zhao Yuan capable of such ruthlessness?"

"Of the late emperor's six sons, only Zhao Yuan is naturally suspicious and cold-blooded, and always acts with pettiness and vengeance. Otherwise, why would I have chosen him to ascend the throne for no reason?"

Zhang Zhengyang said, "Of course, personality is only a prerequisite. There are also subsequent means to induce Zhao Yuan to kill the three princes."

Zhao Xian asked for guidance, "Please enlighten me, Father-in-law."

"A few days ago, rumors were rampant in the capital, and various mansions were recruiting martial arts experts everywhere. I was the one pushing this behind the scenes..."

Zhang Zhengyang saw Zhao Xian's blank expression and rubbed his forehead helplessly, having no choice but to continue explaining.

"The purpose of doing this is to create an illusion. First, martial arts experts are scarce and difficult to recruit. Second, experts can determine the outcome of small-scale battles, implying that they are conducive to the struggle for the throne."

"Is there anything wrong with that?"

Zhao Xian said, "I heard about this and also sent people to recruit a few experts."

Zhang Zhengyang raised an eyebrow and said a few names: "Hong Hua, Wang Yizhang, Compassionate Monk, Old Taoist Qu..."

"..."

Zhao Xian's face turned red. No matter how foolish he was, he knew that these were all Zhang Zhengyang's people.

"Others are also following suit like Your Highness, recruiting experts everywhere. I heard that some people have even promised titles!"

Zhang Zhengyang said slowly, "Those who dare to make such promises must have great ambitions. When the palace sees this, it will have no choice but to recruit as well, lest experts from various mansions freely enter and exit the palace, endangering Zhao Yuan's safety."

Zhao Xian looked blank. What did this have to do with seizing the throne?

"Confucians like Liang and Xie have long been made foolish by reading books and would never stoop to meet with Jianghu vagrants, so this task will definitely fall on Li Defu."

"Li Defu is just an inner eunuch who rarely leaves even the Prince's Residence. How would he recognize any Jianghu experts?"

Zhang Zhengyang said, "My subordinates have already befriended Li Defu's relatives before this, without arousing any suspicion, and smoothly entered the palace to work..."

"Hiss!"

Zhao Xian gasped, feeling both shocked and delighted. He was shocked by how insidious the officials were, and delighted that the most insidious one was on his side.

"Not only that, but I also have people among the experts in those three Prince's Residences who have become enshrined."

Zhang Zhengyang said, "In a few days, the experts from Prince Chu's Residence will sneak into Shangyang Palace to assassinate. Do you think Zhao Yuan will be ruthless towards the three princes after being injured?"

Zhao Xian nodded repeatedly, exclaiming with delight, "Where did Father-in-law recruit so many experts to risk their lives?"

People in the Jianghu are naturally unruly and difficult to tame. No one would have thought that Zhang Zhengyang could subdue so many experts to be his loyal followers.

"This is a long story. After Azure Sky King was captured, the Brocade Guard failed to extract his cultivation technique, and everyone thought the inheritance was broken."

Zhang Zhengyang said, "But I have always had people secretly watching this matter, and finally found the Cang Family in Jiangnan. Then, under the guise of Buddhism and Taoism eliminating demons and defending the Way, I finally seized the Heaven Devouring Demon Art!"

Zhao Xian asked with delight, "Can this technique create experts in batches?"

"What they have learned is only a fragmented version, which not only shortens their lifespan but also lacks the method of integrating inner energy."

Zhang Zhengyang said, "The complete technique will be handed over to Your Highness in the future, which can be given to the eunuchs around you to cultivate, ensuring that the imperial family has Innate Grandmasters for generations."

"Father-in-law's great kindness, I will never forget!"

Zhao Xian raised his hand to the sky and swore, "In the future, the heir to the throne will definitely be my eldest son, Rong'er, and the Zhang family will enjoy prosperity for generations, sharing the fate of the kingdom. If the Zhao Dynasty betrays this, may the kingdom collapse and the bloodline be severed!"

Zhang Zhengyang nodded slightly, "There is no need to make such a heavy oath. It is enough to have this intention."

Having drifted through the officialdom for so long, Zhao Xian no longer believed in any promises.

The fundamental thing that sustains promises and oaths is that the benefit isn't yet large enough.

After hearing Zhang Zhengyang's plan, Zhao Xian felt the throne was within arm's reach. "Why not just assassinate Zhao Yuan and the others directly?"

"Doing so wouldn't fool the world. Whether there's evidence or not, you'd be branded with the infamy of murdering your brother to usurp the throne."

Zhang Zhengyang said, "On the contrary, if you overthrow the tyrannical Zhao Yuan, it would be to set things right and restore order. Ascending the throne amidst popular support would be of great use for controlling the court in the future!"

Zhao Xian's eyes turned slightly red upon hearing this, as these words sounded like arrangements for after his death.

Zhang Zhengyang coughed twice and said, "Rest assured, I can last for another two or three years, at least enough to find you a chief minister capable of managing the overall situation."

Zhao Xian bowed deeply, almost to the ground, with tears in his eyes.

"I thank you, Father Chancellor!"

Early July.

Emperor Yongxing was assassinated and seriously injured.

The assassin committed suicide by poison on the spot. After careful investigation by the Brocade Guard, he was identified as a retainer of Prince Chu's Residence.

The news spread, causing an uproar among the officials!

The Ministry of War mobilized the Imperial Guards to surround Prince Chu's Residence, and the Brocade Guard conducted a thorough search, finding imperial robes and seals.

Emperor Yongxing was furious and ordered the extermination of Prince Chu's line.

The Court of the Imperial Clan came forward to plead for leniency, stating that in the Zhao Dynasty's hundreds of years, no prince had ever been sentenced to death. In the end, the sentence was changed to stripping him of his title, exiling him to the Northern Frontier, and demoting him to a commoner.

Heavenly Prison.

Cell C was packed with prisoners, all implicated in Prince Chu's assassination attempt.

Relatives, maternal relatives, officials of the Prince's Residence, and even the three generations of the mansion's steward were all imprisoned, enough to show Emperor Yongxing's fury.

Rumor has it that if the assassin's dagger had deviated by another two or three inches, today would be a national mourning!

"Old Zhou, it's fortunate you refused that day!"

Lieutenant Lu's face was filled with fear. "It was the steward of Prince Chu's Residence who asked me to win you over, that old man in cell number seven. I need to go calm my nerves later!"

That day, after failing to win over Zhou Yi, Lieutenant Lu pondered it carefully and also refused the Prince's Residence steward's overtures, thus escaping a disaster.

Zhou Yi shrugged and said in a low voice.

"Old Lu, things will be busy these next few days. This is just the beginning!"