Chapter 45: A Cornered Dog Jumps Over the Wall

Yang Zhan suddenly asked, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, what happened to that assassin?"

"He has been detained by His Majesty. Before releasing me, my father went to see the assassin."

A sharp glint flashed in Yang Zhan's eyes. "Could it be that the assassin revealed the mastermind behind the scenes?"

"Very likely!"

"That means the Emperor already knows who is behind this."

Having said this, Yang Zhan looked at Yang Xing. "Aside from releasing you, did the Emperor say anything else?"

Yang Xing glanced at Chen Shu and the others. "You all withdraw first!"

"Understood, Your Highness!"

Only then did Yang Xing reveal a look of joy. "Father said I should rest assured as Crown Prince, and no one can shake your position."

"Just that single sentence?"

"Yes!"

A smile appeared on Yang Zhan's face. "Congratulations, Your Highness, your position is secure!"

"That's what I think too. Father made it explicitly clear—he knows someone framed me!"

Yang Zhan asked once more, "Besides Your Highness, did anyone else hear this?"

"Some eunuchs and palace maids in the Wende Hall heard it."

"Most importantly, did His Majesty order the Left Xiaowei Garrison to withdraw their troops?"

Yang Xing was slightly stunned. "What is wrong with the Left Xiaowei?"

"The Left Xiaowei were ordered to guard the Eastern Palace by His Majesty's imperial decree!"

This was what Yu Shu had said.

Yang Xing shook his head. "When I left, Father hadn't mentioned this matter."

"Send someone outside to investigate!"

Yu Shu immediately left to arrange scouts.

Before long!

Word was brought back: the Left Xiaowei troops guarding the Eastern Palace were still in place.

Hearing this, Yang Xing's expression turned somewhat grave. "Second Brother, are you worried that my Third Brother..."

"Can we still enter the Imperial Palace?"

"Can Your Highness inquire about the movements within the palace? Ideally, regarding the Xining Palace and the Fengyi Palace as well."

Yang Xing blinked and smiled. "Second Brother, look at what you're saying. How would I have planted people there? Uh... I'll go give the instructions!"

Yang Xing left.

Yu Shu seemed to sense something and looked at Yang Zhan. "Second Brother, are you worried that a crisis might still erupt tonight?"

Yang Zhan nodded. "If you were the Third Prince, desperately wanting to become Emperor, but suddenly felt you had not a shred of chance left, what would you do?"

Yu Shu frowned. "If it were me, with no chance left, I would just resign myself to my fate."

"What if you had soldiers and men under your command, and with a single resolute heart, you could forcefully seize the imperial throne?"

Yu Shu's pretty face shifted slightly. "Does Second Brother mean the Third Prince is likely to take a desperate risk?"

Yang Zhan looked up at the dark night sky, pondering the things he had heard through Xiao Hong at the Xining Palace.

Then he closed his eyes, re-evaluating all the events that had transpired tonight.

A faint shock stirred in Yang Zhan's heart.

All of this—every single part of it—was probably truly targeted at the Third Prince. Not to take his life, but to exert immense pressure on him.

Thinking of this, Yang Zhan opened his eyes and looked at Yu Shu.

Yu Shu was gazing at him as well, but catching Yang Zhan's look, she instantly averted her eyes, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

Half an hour later, Yang Xing returned.

Beneath his pale complexion lay a heavy expression. "Second Brother, I just received news that the assassin is still claiming I instigated the plot. But afterwards, Father went to the Fengyi Palace to visit the Empress, and summoned my Third Brother through the night!"

"And then?"

Yang Xing frowned. "Afterward, the Third Prince knelt outside the Fengyi Palace. Not long after, Father issued a decree conferring upon the Third Prince the title of Prince of Li, and ordered him to depart for his fief tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shu said, "Your Highness, this is a good thing! Once the Third Prince departs for his fief, no one will be able to stir up trouble anymore."

Yet Yang Xing showed no joy, looking instead at Yang Zhan. "Second Brother, it is clear that His Majesty believes the Third Prince sent assassins to murder his own birth mother. Ordering him to leave for his fief immediately is meant to cut off his aspirations to the throne. Knowing my Third Brother as I do, I am afraid he will not accept this lying down!"

Yang Zhan frowned. "How long has the Third Prince been back at the Xining Palace?"

"I only just found out that Father summoned the Third Prince first before releasing me."

Yang Zhan took a deep breath. "In other words, the Third Prince has been back at the Xining Palace for nearly an hour?"

"Yes!" Yang Xing's expression grew even uglier. "Second Brother, what should we do now?"

Yu Shu seemed to realize the gravity of the situation as well and hurriedly said, "The outside is swarming with Left Xiaowei soldiers. This..."

Yang Zhan asked, "How many guards does the Eastern Palace have?"

"Fifteen hundred!"

Yang Zhan frowned. "Your Eastern Palace only has this many men?"

Yang Xing smiled bitterly. "Only this many. Nominally, the Six Imperial Guards of the Eastern Palace number thirty thousand, but in times of peace, the Eastern Palace does not keep a large garrison. Coupled with my previous confinement, when my Third Brother was acting as regent, he found various pretexts to send most of the soldiers back to their respective garrisons, dividing them into squads to take turns on duty at the Eastern Palace."

"You make a truly pathetic Crown Prince!"

Even Yang Zhan was forced to remark.

Yang Xing could only manage a bitter smile.

"Chen Shu!"

"This subordinate is here."

"Command the various commanders to garrison the main and side gates—defend them to the death!"

"遵命!" (Understood!)

Soon, all the soldiers inside the Eastern Palace were mobilized.

They formed battle arrays, preparing to repel the enemy.

Not long after Chen Shu left, Yang Zhan heard the commotion outside the Eastern Palace: the orderly tramp of countless infantry, the thundering hooves of warhorses, and the rattling wheels of chariots.

Yang Xing and Yu Shu heard it as well; both of their expressions turned grave as they simultaneously looked at Yang Zhan.

Yang Zhan raised an eyebrow. "This Third Prince really has been driven to desperate straits!"

"Second Brother, we are outnumbered and weak now. We must immediately ask His Majesty for reinforcements!"

Yang Xing made to hurry off and use his secret methods to notify the Emperor.

However, Yang Zhan stopped him. "Your Highness, this is different from the celestial prison. Since the Third Prince dares to pull this off, he has already prepared thoroughly. This is a bid for absolute success, and the Emperor's reinforcements won't arrive in time!"

"Is he going to kill me?"

"Once you are dead, whether the Emperor likes Old Three or not, he will have no choice but to pass the throne to him!"

With that, Yang Zhan strode forward.

As he walked, he said, "The Crown Prince and Crown Princess will stay right inside. I want to see who has eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard to dare lead troops in an attack on the Eastern Palace!"

Meanwhile!

Inside the Wende Hall.

Yang Wu stood by the window, gazing outside.

Han Zhong hurried in. "Your Majesty, the Left Xiaowei, the Right Xiaowei, the Left Wei, and the Right Wei have surrounded the Eastern Palace. The Left Guard and Right Guard armies have cut off all routes for reinforcements to reach the Eastern Palace. The troop deployments were extremely rapid—it seems they were well-prepared!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Wu shook his head. "Old Three is done for!"

Han Zhong anxiously urged, "Your Majesty, we must find a way, otherwise the Eastern Palace might..."

"How many men are in the Eastern Palace?"

"Probably only one to two thousand!"

"Why so few?"

"Previously, while acting as regent, the Third Prince kept whittling down the Eastern Palace guards!"

Hearing this, Yang Wu sighed again. "This sage of the Yang family—call him foolish, and sometimes he's quite smart; call him smart, and at a time like this, he's unimaginably foolish!"

With that, Yang Wu's gaze suddenly flashed. "Where is Yang Zhan?"

Han Zhong was startled, then spoke, "Just now, this old slave heard from a eunuch at the Fengyi Palace that the Fifth Princess returned late tonight, went to the Eastern Palace beforehand, and even saw Yang Zhan!"

After hearing this, Yang Wu said indifferently, "Then let's watch."

"But if the Eastern Palace cannot hold, His Highness the Crown Prince..."

Yang Wu chuckled instead. "I also want to see just how much capability Yang Zhan has in Heavenly Capital City, and I want to see this boy Yang Zhan look remorseful before me."

Han Zhong raised his head, utterly bewildered!

Yang Wu looked at Han Zhong, who immediately lowered his gaze.

Yang Wu spoke indifferently, "Han Zhong, send someone to the celestial prison and check if the prisoners from the Fenglin Kingdom are still there."

"Yes, Your Majesty."