My Cultivation Starting from Archery

"Catch the mole!"

"To be cut a thousand times over!"

"We must catch this damned mole!"

"..."

Civil and military officials buzzed with discussion, each of them feeling angry—on one hand out of fear, and on the other, humiliation.

Chamberlain Huang Hong slowly rose to his feet and stood firm beside the Emperor.

He looked at the closed-eyed Emperor, and after receiving a slight nod of affirmation, he began to question: "General Meng, Yong Yue Prefecture was attacked by you, and it was you who led men in pursuit of Li Gong. Tell us why he would appear here."

"Your servant, your servant has no idea!"

Meng Quji’s face turned unsightly: "After annihilating the Qing Army in Yong Yue Prefecture, I led three thousand light cavalry chasing them westward. They were driven to abandon their horses and flee on foot, but when we reached Wuzhai Mountain, they suddenly vanished. I don’t know how they could appear atop this Ziwei Mountain."

"Your servant has something to say!"

Young Pavilion Master Yan Maoxing interrupted: "Since April, the cleanup and security of Ziwei Mountain have been managed by the Xuanjia Army and the Hu Ben Army. It was only ten days ago that the Imperial Guard from the Capital City took over the core areas."

"But the outer perimeter was still under the charge of the Hu Ben Army and three thousand soldiers of the Xuanjia Army."

"Thus, the ones most likely to have let them in could only be Mr. Chen’s Xuanjia Army and the Hu Ben Army!"

Xuanjia Army and Hu Ben Army.

It was well-known that the Xuanjia Army was one of the two imperial armies personally nurtured by the Emperor.

Even if Chen Sansi wanted to assassinate the Prince and usurp the throne, the Xuanjia Army might not obey his command.

Moreover, this General Chen had little entanglement with various powers in the court and had no reason to do such a thing.

Therefore...

The intentions behind Young Pavilion Master’s words were quite clear.

Hu Ben Army!

"Thud!"

"Your Majesty!"

With utmost horror, Fan Tianfa prostrated himself and said: "Your servant has been negligent, I am willing to accept punishment, but the person definitely wasn’t let in by me deliberately, Your Majesty, please discern the truth, Your Majesty!"

"Well, you’re confessing now?"

Yan Maoxing attacked: "Fan Tianfa! You conspire with the enemy to assassinate His Majesty, harboring treacherous intentions—what is your motive!"

"Confess? What have I confessed to?"

In a panic, Fan Tianfa replied: "Mr. Yan, please do not make false accusations! At the time of the attack on Yong Yue Prefecture, I was still in Green Ridge Mountain, locked in a bloody battle with the Qing Country’s main forces! I had absolutely no chance to come into contact with Li Gong! Think for yourselves, who was in Yong Yue Prefecture at that time and are the most likely suspects to have spared Li Gong’s life!"

Meng Quji.

A student of the Yan Party, lifted to his position by the Emperor’s own hand.

This was known to all in the court and the country.

Fan Tianfa was clearly making a counterattack.

"Nonsense!"

Yan Maoxing retorted: "General Fan, you might not have been in Yong Yue Prefecture at that time, but someone else was!"

The implication of his words.

Directly pointed at the Crown Prince!

Hearing this.

The old and frail Yan Liang’s expression changed markedly as he glanced sideways at his own son.

This scene.

Chen Sansi took it all in.

It seemed...

That Yan Maoxing was really participating in the struggle for the Crown Prince behind his father’s back.

"Father Emperor!"

The Prince of Qin crawled forward a few steps on his knees: "Father Emperor, after that assassin failed to harm you today, it was clear he was targeting me and my eighth brother. I barely... I almost lost the chance to fulfill my filial duties to you, Father Emperor!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty!"

Yan Maoxing added, "Your servant noticed that Li Gong’s attack seemed not to be aimed at Your Majesty but rather the Prince of Qin and Prince Qi. Who wants them dead? Who would benefit the most from killing the Prince of Qin and Prince Qi?"

If the Prince of Qin and Prince Qi were to die.

Apart from Prince Zhen Nan, there would be no one else to contest the position of Crown Prince.

Whoever benefited the most was naturally the culprit.

For a time.

The ministers turned their gazes toward the Crown Prince, who knelt in silent submission, and they began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Crown Prince~"

On the Dragon Chair, Emperor Longqing, with his eyes closed, deliberately emphasized the final "Prince": "Do you have anything you wish to say?"

"Cough cough cough..."

The Crown Prince had been weakened further by the aftershocks of the fight, and after a fit of coughing, he managed to say breathlessly: "Your son has nothing to say! The Hu Ben Army is my responsibility, and any lapses are undoubtedly my fault!"

"Your Majesty, there’s something fishy about this!"

Minister of War Gao Bo chimed in: "From beginning to end, this incident seems like someone is deliberately framing and entangling—in His Majesty’s wise discernment, surely you won’t be fooled by such lowly tricks!"

"Framing and entangling?"

Yan Maoxing glared: "Mr. Gao, perhaps you would like to explain, who among us here has the power to control Li Gong, to make him obey and sell his life, who has such ability!"

"Mr. Yan!"

Gao Bo shot back: "Instead of beating around the bush, why don’t you just say what you mean?!"

"Your Majesty, your servant has a report to present!"

Yan Maoxing took out a memorial that had been prepared in advance: "These are the correspondences between Mr. Gao and officials from various places in Dasheng over the years. In the letters, Mr. Gao made all kinds of promises about official positions, winning people over. It includes everyone from high-ranking officials to local magistrates—the extent and the connections are simply shocking, even including many military and political key figures!"

"Right after the battle in the Eastern Territory, Mr. Gao even wrote to General Meng Quji, saying that if he simply nodded, he would make him a State Duke in the future."

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"That’s a State Duke!"

"As a mere Minister of War, what right does Mr. Gao have to appoint a Sealed Border Governor to be a State Duke? What does he mean by that? Could it be he wishes to take the Emperor’s place in making decisions?!"

"His intentions are punishable, punishable indeed, Your Majesty!"

In his speech.

He made no mention of the Crown Prince, yet all his insinuations pointed to the Crown Prince.

"Your Majesty..."

Previously bitten and in a state of anger, Meng Quji supported the claim: "What Mr. Yan has said is true. I indeed received a letter not long ago, but I have absolutely ignored it!"

"Mr. Gao."