Wang Zhanlin couldn't understand why so many people in the world yearned for the throne, yet these two, a couple, repeatedly refused it as if the throne were poisoned and they were desperately avoiding it.
"Princess Consort, the current situation is no longer one of peace and prosperity like in the past. With the late emperor around, you could pursue your own endeavors without worry. But now, we face internal strife and external threats!"
Wang Zhanlin pointed at the three princes present: "Prince Ping harbors deep schemes and excessive greed. If he becomes emperor, the Yun Kingdom will surely be thrown into turmoil once more. Even the incident where the Princess Consort was chased and hunted was orchestrated by him!"
"What?" Fan Zehao suddenly rose from his chair.
He stared intently at Wang Zhanlin, walking towards him step by step, "Is this true?"
Wang Zhanlin looked at the ashen-faced Huangfu Qiuping, "What do you say, Prince Ping!"
The news today was truly sudden. Zhao Jiaqi had expected that the ones pursuing her and Pingting would be Prince Xian or Prince Xiaoyao.
She had never considered Prince Ping, never!
"Prince Ping, I have no enmity with you, why do you target me, why must you take my life!" Zhao Jiaqi stepped forward, wanting to ask for a clear explanation. However, before she could take two steps, her husband pulled her into his embrace, not allowing her to approach Huangfu Qiuping even an inch.
With the plot exposed, Huangfu Qiuping no longer tried to deny it. He glanced at Wang Zhanlin, truly regretting having kept this old man around until now.
He straightened his body, also standing up, and with a calm face, directly admitted, "Indeed, I was the one who ordered it. If it weren't for Fan Zehao holding heavy military power and obstructing my path, why would I have bothered to deal with you? I just didn't expect you to be so resilient, to fall into a wolf's den and survive intact."
At that time, if she had died, Fan Zehao would have been at his most vulnerable, making him much easier to deal with. But... things hadn't gone as planned.
Fan Zehao now wished he could strangle Huangfu Qiuping to death. Even being torn apart by five horses or sliced into a thousand pieces wouldn't suffice to quench the hatred in his heart.
Yao Jingyun, seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, immediately stood up and said, "Now is not the time to discuss personal matters. Everyone must prioritize the bigger picture and not give outsiders a reason to mock us!"
Fan Zehao pointed at Huangfu Qiuping furiously, "Anyone can ascend this throne, but not you. If you dare to sit on it, I will overturn this Yun Kingdom!"
Harming his wife was tantamount to threatening his life!
Over the years, he had suspected the wrong person. His blindness had led him to mistake an enemy for a friend.
As for how Wang Zhanlin knew Huangfu Qiuping was the mastermind, Fan Zehao planned to question him thoroughly after this matter was resolved.
Wang Zhanlin walked to Fan Zehao's side and, facing everyone in the hall, revealed a truth that shocked them.
"The late emperor once wrote two imperial edicts. One was for the Prince of Zhen to protect the Crown Prince in his ascension. The other edict was blank. If the Crown Prince unfortunately died, then the other edict would be Huangfu Zhanlin's decree appointing him as the Crown Prince and enthroning him as emperor. This was the late emperor's plan from the very beginning!"
As his words fell, the three princes were greatly astonished. They had no idea their father (or elder brother) had such intentions.
The Yun Kingdom, built by the Huangfu family, was to be so easily handed over?
No one would have thought of this.
Wang Zhanlin looked at their mouths agape wider than bowls and let out a sneer.
"It is true that the Yun Kingdom was built by the Huangfu family. However, the late emperor was benevolent. He did not want to see a perfectly good Yun Kingdom ruined in his hands. He knew that no matter which of you ascended the throne, you would not bring a future to the Yun Kingdom."
"Prince Xian is easily swayed and easily provoked. Prince Xiaoyao is impatient, and his arrogance is your greatest weakness."
Wang Zhanlin repeated to the two princes the sentiments the late emperor had expressed to him.
His loving gaze shifted, and when he looked at Prince Ping, pain and hatred appeared in his eyes.
"Huangfu Qiuping... the late emperor once said that if you behaved yourself and remained a prince, your past transgressions would be concealed. But if you persisted in your ways, your acts of patricide and regicide would be revealed to the world."
Patricide and regicide!
Four words were enough to seal his fate. A crack finally appeared on Huangfu Qiuping's once calm and collected face.
"Those so-called brothers bullied me. I merely retaliated. Others may not know, but don't you know?" he roared hysterically at Wang Zhanlin.
A deep hatred welled up in his eyes. "So what if my mother was a palace maid? Is that my fault? They insulted me, and even forced my mother to her death. If I didn't kill them, I couldn't vent my hatred!"
Huangfu Xian and Huangfu Xu had only heard rumors about the past.
They only knew that their imperial grandfather had died of illness, and several imperial uncles had also passed away from various ailments. They never imagined that their so-called illnesses were brought about by the machinations of this uncle before them.
"Madness!" Huangfu Xian felt no other word was more fitting for him.
Huangfu Xu, who harbored a deadly hatred for him, immediately shouted towards the hall entrance, "Guards, arrest..."
Huangfu Qiuping took out an exquisite collar from his sleeve. Huangfu Xu's opened mouth could no longer utter a sound.
Shock, bewilderment, and anger contorted his face as he looked at Huangfu Qiuping, "Despicable, base, you wouldn't even let a woman go!"
Prince Ping curved his lips into a sarcastic smile. "This woman can threaten you, and that's enough!"
He cast a sidelong glance at everyone in the hall, his expression darkening. His twisted face had completely transformed, no longer resembling that of a normal person.
With a rustling sound, he produced several more items from his wide sleeves and placed them before them. "If I cannot leave safely, your loved ones will not live either."
Zhao Jiaqi looked at the objects in his hand. The toys her children, Yumeng and her sons, often played with were in his grasp. Her face instantly lost all color.
"My children? Where are they? Give them back to me!" She lunged forward, only to be pulled back by Fan Zehao.
The couple gazed at him. Fan Zehao, suppressing his anger and terror, forced himself to remain calm and said, "I can let you go, but only if I see my children are safe. Otherwise, it will be a fight to the death, and you won't leave this spot!"
Huangfu Qiuping seemed to have anticipated this and readily agreed, "No problem. Then I'll trouble you to escort me out of the palace!"
For the sake of his children, Fan Zehao dared not take any risks. He couldn't gamble with their lives, or his wife would never forgive him.
As soon as they left the palace, he threw something onto the ground, and thick smoke billowed. By the time they looked for him, he had vanished.
Everyone was stunned. Fan Zehao was even more enraged, vowing to catch him and tear him limb from limb.
While they were searching for him, Zhao Jiaqi rushed back to their residence to see how the children had disappeared and if she could find any clues.
However, as soon as she entered the residence, she was also bewildered. The children were playing at home, their toys simply changed.
"It's bad, we fell for it!"
At this moment, she realized the problem. But her husband and the others had already fallen for the ruse and gone in pursuit. She was filled with regret but also felt relieved.
Fortunately, the children were safe. The deception was worth it.
Her legs felt weak, and she immediately sat on the ground. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched her children play carefree. It was then she realized that perhaps she lived for her children!