The Eldest Prince's Scheme, Sudden Shift in the Situation, Death of the Second Prince!

"Hehe, Second Brother, why are you in such a hurry? Why not stay on the front lines with your elder brother for a while longer and experience the customs of the Southeastern Plains?"

"Come to think of it, since we brothers arrived here, we haven't properly shared a meal."

"How about giving your elder brother the honor, Second Brother? I'll treat you to the newly opened Snow Moon Tower in the city. We brothers can drink ourselves senseless!"

"I heard Snow Moon Tower has novel dishes, and the wine they brew is unmatched in the world. In the city, it has already been priced at 100 Imperial Gold Coins per jar!"

"Second Brother loves wine like his life. Don't you want to give it a try?"

Hearing this, the Second Prince became curious and tempted.

"Oh? Such a thing exists? I've been here for days, yet I only learned of it today?"

The Second Prince, Lin Huiyu, had one great passion in life: tasting all the finest wines in the world.

If the wine at Snow Moon Tower was truly that good, he definitely had to try it.

"If that is truly the case, then since Elder Brother has invited me, it would be improper for me to refuse. I'll return to my residence and prepare. Tonight, we'll head there!"

Seeing his second brother agree, the Eldest Prince was delighted, but a trace of killing intent surfaced in his eyes.

After returning to his residence, the Second Prince immediately summoned Mr. Fuxing.

"Your Highness, this trip may be a trap!"

"It's fine, sir. I don't think my elder brother has the intention or the nerve to assassinate me in public!"

"However, just in case, I'll place all the Blood Shadow Guards gathered here under your command. My safety will be entrusted to you, sir."

"It is my honor, Your Highness!"

At the center of Bartley City stood a towering building that rose from the ground, over sixty meters tall and overlooking every other structure in the city.

At night, the building was brilliantly lit and filled with clamorous voices.

In a private room on the top floor, the Eldest Prince watched through the window as his second brother rode toward the building along the street.

"How is it? Are the preparations complete?"

"Rest assured, Your Highness. Everything is foolproof. Once the Second Prince arrives, he will have no choice but to obediently hand over the letters. Otherwise, he'll only leave lying down!"

"Good! I hadn't wanted to act this soon. I hope Second Brother makes the right choice."

Led by a waiter from the tavern, Lin Huiyu arrived at the private room on the top floor.

"Elder Brother, I'm here. Have you prepared the good wine and food?"

Seeing that his second brother had come with only one guard—a masked man carrying a sword on his back—Lin Mingyu smiled as well.

"It's been prepared for some time. This is Snow Moon Tower's signature wine, Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon. They say that after a single bottle, all worries will melt away."

Lin Mingyu had a maid bring over a cup filled with wine. Its color differed from ordinary wine.

Most wine was as clear as plain water, but the wine in this cup was red like blood.

"Good, let me taste it!"

Lin Huiyu lifted the cup and brought it to his lips.

The taste was intense upon entering his mouth, carrying a rich fruity fragrance mixed with fermented liquor.

After only one cup, Lin Mingyu felt his body begin to heat up, and he entered a slightly tipsy state.

"Good wine!"

After years of tasting wine, this was the first time he had encountered such a potent yet inventive drink, blending the fragrance of fermented fruit with alcohol.

It retained the intensity of wine while carrying the sweet aroma of fruit.

"Hahaha, as long as Second Brother likes it! Today, let us drink to our hearts' content."

Lin Huiyu had been the first to taste this wine and had been astonished by it, so he naturally understood how remarkable it was.

At the same time, he knew that for his wine-loving second brother, this was undoubtedly the best possible temptation.

The two drank cup after cup, quickly falling into a drunken haze.

Seeing that his second brother had now collapsed over the table, with barely any strength left to resist, the Eldest Prince seized the opportunity and asked, "Second Brother, Elder Brother seems to have something with you. I wonder if Second Brother can return it to me?"

"Hm? Elder Brother? Go ahead, what is it? If it belongs to Elder Brother, then Second Brother will naturally return it to Elder Brother."

The Second Prince lay drunkenly across the table, replying in a slurred mumble.

"It is the stack of letters of unknown origin that Second Brother acquired recently. Those letters were forged by Elder Brother's enemies. They are all fake, but they are very important to Elder Brother. I hope you can return them to me!"

The Eldest Prince's words immediately sobered the Second Prince, whose mind had been muddled just moments ago.

How did his elder brother know that he had collected evidence against him? It seemed this time he would not be able to escape. He only hoped Mr. Fuxing had noticed something.

For now, he could only stall for time.

"Elder Brother? What letters? Second Brother doesn't understand."

Seeing his second brother still playing dumb, the Eldest Prince's face instantly darkened.

"Second Brother, if you don't hand over Eldest Brother's letter today, I'm afraid you won't be going back."

As he spoke, the entire private room was instantly surrounded so tightly that not even water could pass through. These were all men the First Prince had arranged long ago.

"Eldest Brother, are you planning to lay everything out in the open today?"

Most of his own forces were in Far Capital. This time, he had only summoned the Blood Shadow Guard.

"As long as Second Brother returns what belongs to me, we can still be good brothers. Otherwise, I can't guarantee that I'll be able to spare your life!"

"No one will know about anything that happens here today. Everyone will only know that a prince fell gravely ill at the front lines and died despite treatment!"

"I'm sure Father Emperor wouldn't kill the most suitable heir he has at present just because of your death, would he!"

The First Prince's words made the Second Prince's face turn utterly grim.

"Despicable!"

The Second Prince cursed aloud. He had never expected his eldest brother to be even more ruthless than himself.

"Get him!"

Now that all pretenses had been torn away, there was no need to keep acting.

As the people around them stepped forward to capture the Second Prince—

The swordsman beside him moved.

"Your Highness, I'll hold them off. Run first!"

The swordsman was exceptionally skilled. In the instant his sword flashed, he carved open a gap at the door of the private room.

"Alright! Take care!"

Seizing the opportunity, the Second Prince fled from the private room under the swordsman's cover.

"You won't escape!"

"Order them to pursue him immediately. Dead or alive. And send men to his residence at once—search it thoroughly for me!"

The First Prince had underestimated the strength of the swordsman beside his second brother. With a single swing of his blade, ten men had died.

"Your master has already escaped. Now that you're surrounded, you can't get away. Why not pledge yourself to me? That way, your talents won't go to waste!"

The masked swordsman smiled faintly and mocked in a hoarse voice.

"You think you can keep me here? First Prince, you think too highly of yourself!"

With that, he turned and cleaved open a window with one strike, then spun around and leaped out. This was dozens of meters above the ground.

Yet after jumping out, the swordsman stepped on the upturned eaves along the outside wall of the tavern, hopping down level by level before quickly reaching the ground and leaving in style.

Where had his second brother found such a formidable expert?

The First Prince was clearly captivated by the swordsman's abilities and deeply jealous of his second brother.

After shaking off his pursuers, the swordsman vanished into the night and arrived at a street alley.

He removed his mask, revealing a handsome face. It was Lin Junyu.

"Now, it's time to make this even bigger!"

After fleeing the tavern, the Second Prince headed straight for his residence.

But on the street, a fully armed army blocked his path.

"Second Prince, stop running. You're already surrounded. If you make another move, my men's arrows won't recognize friend from foe!"

Leading them was a banner officer clad in silver armor. The surrounding soldiers had already raised their crossbows and aimed them at him.

"Yang Kan, I never expected you to side with my eldest brother!"

"Side with him? Before I joined the Imperial Royal Legion, I had always been in His Highness the First Prince's service!"

Yang Kan, a veteran of the Imperial Royal Legion—who would have thought he was actually one of his eldest brother's men?

It seemed that today, he was doomed.

Damn it, he had still underestimated his eldest brother.

Just then, groups of people dressed in blood-red garments suddenly rushed out from all sides. Raising the crossbows in their hands, they fired at the army ahead.

"Your Highness, the sir ordered us to come get you. Hurry and leave! He's already waiting for you outside the city!"

While the enemy was suppressed by the rain of arrows, someone led a horse over to the Second Prince.

"Good! As expected of the sir—you've saved my life again."

The Second Prince took the horse and galloped away, finally arriving at a dense forest outside the city.

"Didn't the sir say he would be waiting for me here? Why isn't there anyone?"

Looking at the pitch-black forest, Lin Huiyu felt a wave of unease rise in his heart.

"Second Brother, where are you trying to run off to?"

The First Prince emerged from the forest with another group of men.

"You—how are you here?"

"Heh, that's none of your concern. Someone, bring me my bow. Watch me shoot him down and take him back for interrogation!"

"Yes!"

The guard beside the First Prince handed him a bow and arrows. The First Prince immediately drew the bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the Second Prince on horseback.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Hold your arrow! First Prince, don't keep making the same mistake!"

Amid two cries of alarm, the arrow flew from the bowstring toward the Second Prince's left arm.

In the instant no one noticed, a tiny pebble carrying immense force struck the arrow in midair, changing its course.

The sharp arrow plunged straight into the Second Prince's heart. The searing pain in his chest made his eyes widen. Why? He actually dared to kill him.

Then his life force vanished, and he fell from his horse to the ground.

The First Prince stared blankly at the scene. He had only intended to wound him. Why had he shot him in the heart instead?

A terrible premonition surged through him.

"Why? I didn't mean to kill him! Why?! Why did he die by my hand?!"

Was it a coincidence?

Why did everything that had happened today feel like it had slipped beyond his control?

"Your Highness!"

In the distance, a cavalry force came galloping over, arriving just in time to witness the scene.

At the forefront was the imperial envoy who had arrived today. Beside him were Zichuan Mingyue, Qu Tairan, Liu Fengchuan, and Zichuan Shengxing!

Everyone gaped at what had happened before them. It was simply too shocking.

The First Prince had actually shot and killed his own younger brother on the spot!

Zichuan Shengxing inwardly sighed. The First Prince was finished now!

At the same time, he secretly counted himself fortunate. Although they had secretly pledged allegiance to the First Prince over the years, the First Prince had been cautious and had not had much contact with them.

Moreover, the First Prince had not succeeded in proposing marriage, and Mingyue had always insisted on keeping her distance from him.

The Zichuan Clan's ties to him were not firm—there had only been a verbal pledge of loyalty.

Otherwise, once this matter reached Far Capital and the Emperor flew into a rage and ordered a full investigation, the Zichuan Clan might be destroyed overnight!

While everyone else was shocked and occupied with their own thoughts, only the envoy cried out in grief and rushed to the Second Prince's side.

After checking him, he found that he was no longer breathing.

"Ah!"

The envoy let out a muffled groan and collapsed to the ground.

After the Third Prince, another prince had died—and this one had been killed by the First Prince.

What now?

How was he supposed to report this to the Emperor?

"First Prince, take care of yourself. I will report every one of your deeds to the Emperor, including what you did at Ferry Crossing Camp!"

"Commander Mingyue, quickly dispatch an iron cavalry escort to protect me into the capital!"

"I must depart at once and immediately report everything here to the Emperor!"

"Yes, Envoy!"

The First Prince stood there in a daze. Why? Wasn't the letter in his second brother's possession?

Why did the envoy have one too?!

Overwhelming terror and unease instantly swallowed his mind.

He knew that he might be finished!

In the dense forest, Lin Junyu, hidden in the shadows, watched the scene with a faint smile before silently leaping away.