The Eastern Palace is Surrounded, The Crown Prince is Taken

Su Gan's eyes snapped open.

He didn't throw things or shout, but the icy killing intent in his eyes was more intense than ever!

He picked up the vermilion brush and quickly wrote a few lines on the Imperial Edict on the dragon desk.

Then he raised his head, his voice terrifyingly calm.

"Someone."

The old eunuch guarding the hall outside quickly pushed the door open and knelt on the ground.

"This old servant is here."

Su Gan threw the Imperial Edict in front of him.

"Deliver my decree."

"Order the commander of the Royal Forest Guard to immediately lead his men to surround the Eastern Palace, and do not let anyone escape."

"Bring the Crown Prince to me, at once."

His voice was not loud, but every word was as if quenched with ice.

The old eunuch picked up the Imperial Edict and trembled all over.

He had served in the palace for most of his life and had never seen His Majesty wear such an expression.

It was a calm that was close to death, ten times more terrifying than rage!

"This old servant obeys the decree!"

The old eunuch held the Imperial Edict with both hands and quickly withdrew from the Imperial Study.

As soon as he stepped out of the hall, he started running, his legs moving as nimbly as if he were not an old man.

The commander of the Royal Forest Guard, Chen Zhan, was patrolling the palace.

The old eunuch ran up to him, panting, and stuffed the Imperial Edict into his hand.

"Commander Chen, His Majesty has a decree, immediately lead your men to surround the Eastern Palace and arrest the Crown Prince!"

Chen Zhan took the Imperial Edict and unfolded it, his pupils contracting sharply.

But he did not ask why, only clasped his fists tightly.

"This subordinate obeys the decree!"

He turned and sternly ordered his adjutant behind him.

"Pass down the order, the entire Royal Forest Guard is to assemble, and immediately surround the Eastern Palace!"

"All exits are to be sealed, not a single fly is allowed to get out!"

"All personnel within the Eastern Palace, regardless of rank, are to be controlled on the spot, and not one is to be allowed to escape!"

"Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"

The adjutant's face changed, but he also did not ask further questions.

"This subordinate obeys the order!"

A moment later.

Hundreds of fully armed Royal Forest Guard soldiers surged towards the Eastern Palace like a tide.

Swords were drawn, bows were strung.

The uniform footsteps echoed on the palace path, startling the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs into making way.

At the same time.

Deep within the Eastern Palace.

Crown Prince Su Mingyuan was half-reclining on a soft couch, with a beautiful palace maid in his arms.

On the low table in front of him were placed all kinds of fine wine and delicacies, as well as several plates of exquisite pastries.

He held a wine cup, a leisurely smile on his face.

He was completely unaware of what was happening outside.

"Your Highness, another cup."

The palace maid giggled and poured another cup of wine for Su Mingyuan.

Su Mingyuan took the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

He had been in a good mood these past few days.

Although he had been nervous for a while when his father, His Majesty, ordered a thorough crackdown on the Demon Cult throughout the realm, he quickly figured things out.

He had already sent people to notify the branch sect hideouts that might hold evidence against him.

The documents that should have been destroyed were destroyed, and the people who should have been silenced were silenced.

Even if the Demon Suppressing Division and Prince Wu'an investigated meticulously, they wouldn't find anything on him.

As for evidence, as long as he didn't leave any, who could convict him?

What's more, he was the Crown Prince, the heir apparent.

Even if someone suspected him, without concrete proof, who would dare to touch him?

Thinking this.

Su Mingyuan's mood became even more pleasant.

He reached out and pinched the palace maid's chin, preparing to have another drink.

Just then.

A sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

A eunuch stumbled in, his face full of terror.

"Your... Your Highness! It's bad! Something big has happened!"

Su Mingyuan frowned and unhappily put down his wine cup.

"What's the rush? If the sky falls, I'll hold it up. Speak slowly."

The eunuch knelt on the ground with a thud, his voice trembling.

"Outside! Many Royal Forest Guards are outside! They've surrounded the entire Eastern Palace!"

The smile on Su Mingyuan's face froze for a moment.

Royal Forest Guards? Surrounding the Eastern Palace?

He immediately resumed his indifferent expression.

"Royal Forest Guards? Who dares to surround my Eastern Palace?"

He snorted coldly and sat up from the couch.

"Is it that brute Chen Zhan? Did he eat the heart of a leopard and the gall of a bear?"

"I'll go out right now and see what right he has to be arrogant in front of me!"

Just then.

The sound of clashing weapons and a few muffled groans came from outside the hall.

Immediately after, heavy footsteps approached from a distance.

The hall door was violently pushed open from the outside.

Chen Zhan, the commander of the Royal Forest Guards, strode in.

He was in military attire, a long saber at his waist, followed by a squad of fully armed Royal Forest Guard soldiers.

The soldiers had no expression on their faces, but their swords and sabers glinted in the lamplight.

Seeing Chen Zhan directly barge into his sleeping quarters, Su Mingyuan's anger surged.

He pointed at Chen Zhan and shouted sternly.

"Chen Zhan! Who gave you the courage to trespass into my sleeping quarters?!"

"This is the Eastern Palace! Not your Royal Forest Guard camp!"

"Get out!"

Chen Zhan stood still, not moving.

His expression was as calm as stagnant water, showing no emotion.

"Crown Prince, this subordinate is acting on imperial decree."

He took out the imperial edict of imperial yellow from his robe and slowly unrolled it.

"His Majesty has decreed—"

"The Crown Prince is to immediately accompany this subordinate to the Imperial Study to see His Majesty."

"All personnel in the Eastern Palace are to be detained on the spot and are not allowed to move."

He rolled up the edict and his tone remained calm.

"Crown Prince, please."

The anger on Su Mingyuan's face instantly froze.

He stared at the imperial edict in Chen Zhan's hand, his pupils contracting slightly.

Father Emperor's decree.

Father Emperor sent the Royal Forest Guards to arrest him and seal off the entire Eastern Palace.

Why?

Why would Father Emperor do this?

Had his collusion with the Holy Demon God Sect been exposed?

The moment the thought surfaced, it felt like a basin of ice water drenching him from head to toe.

He froze completely.

Yet, he forced his face to maintain the dignified bearing of the Crown Prince.

Impossible, he had been so discreet, all evidence destroyed.

The Demon Suppressing Division couldn't possibly find any leads.

It must be something else.

Someone was framing him, or his father had believed some slander!

As long as he could see his father, he could explain everything.

As long as it wasn't the collusion with the Demon Cult that was exposed, he could find a way to salvage any other mistake.

Su Mingyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the panic in his heart.

He adjusted his robes and shot Chen Zhan a cold glance.

"Since Father Emperor has summoned me, this Prince will naturally go."

"But Commander Chen, this Prince has noted your unauthorized intrusion into the Eastern Palace today."

Chen Zhan remained silent, merely stepping aside to clear a path.

Two Royal Forest Guard soldiers stepped forward, flanking Su Mingyuan behind him.

They were ostensibly escorting him, but in reality, they were apprehending him.

Su Mingyuan walked out of the bedchamber with his head held high.

As he stepped out of the hall and saw the dense ranks of the Royal Forest Guard filling the Eastern Palace courtyard.

His steps faltered almost imperceptibly.

Hundreds of Royal Forest Guard soldiers had the Eastern Palace completely surrounded.

All exits were sealed, and all officials, eunuchs, and maids of the Eastern Palace were gathered in the courtyard.

Everyone was squatting on the ground, hands clasped behind their heads, not daring to breathe.

The scene was even more stringent than the last major sweep by the Demon Suppressing Division.

Su Mingyuan's heart sank a few more degrees.

He gritted his teeth and continued walking towards the Imperial Study.

But the hands hidden within his sleeves were clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

What if, just what if.

If the matter of colluding with the Demon Cult was truly exposed... he would be finished!

He knew his father's methods.

Qian Youde had been executed by dismemberment, and his entire clan, nine generations, had been put to death.

If that was how he treated ordinary officials, would he show mercy to his own son who colluded with the Demon Cult?

Su Mingyuan dared not think further.

He could only cling to a sliver of hope, praying this was just about something else.

Hoping his father had merely heard some slander, or there was some other misunderstanding.

As long as the matter of colluding with the Demon Cult wasn't exposed, there was still room for salvage.

He followed Chen Zhan step by step towards the Imperial Study, each step on the palace path feeling like a descent into the abyss.

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