NOVPUB
Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Comparing the Prince’s Handwriting
Zhan Feng was terrified when he heard Zhan Xinzhang’s words.
He looked incredulously at his grandfather, wondering how his grandfather could possess such evidence.
A frightened Zhan Feng immediately begged for mercy, saying: "Your Majesty, I confess, I was coerced. I was threatened by Young Master Si Jun!"
Seeing Zhan Beicang and Zhan Xinzhang not speaking a word for him, Zhan Feng felt utterly disheartened, and resentment towards the two arose in his heart.
They were his relatives, yet they betrayed him like this!
Realizing he could no longer stubbornly deny the accusations, Zhan Feng decided to drag Si Jun down with him.
Si Jun was the Emperor’s illegitimate child, a fact unknown to others, but he was well aware of it.
If His Majesty considered the bond between father and son, perhaps there would be a chance to turn things around.
Emperor Xuanwu’s expression changed drastically when he heard the name Si Jun.
Zhan Xinzhang had clearly spoken of his Princes colluding with the Western Rong to commit treason.
But, besides the royal family, no one knew Si Jun’s identity.
Emperor Xuanwu had initially intended to use Zhan Feng’s incident to weaken the Zhan Family, but now it seemed this affair could implicate many and was becoming more complicated!
Emperor Xuanwu said coldly: "Summon the three Princes and Si Jun to court immediately! I will wait for them here!"
Prince Yu, Prince Xian, Prince Qi, and Si Jun, who were summoned, arrived at the palace almost at the same time.
Zhan Lan had been waiting outside the hall, watching the Princes enter the Taiji Palace, sweating.
The last to arrive was Si Jun, who gave Zhan Lan a surprised glance before lowering his eyes and entering the main hall.
Si Jun was seventeen this year, Prince Yu was sixteen, and both Prince Xian and Prince Qi were fifteen.
The ages of the four were similar. When they stood in a row, their varying statures matched fairly evenly.
"Your son greets Father Emperor!" The three Princes knelt and bowed in unison.
After the three Princes’ voices fell, Si Jun then said: "Your subject greets Your Majesty!"
Emperor Xuanwu did not even glance at Si Jun, but told the three Princes: "All rise!"
"Thank you, Father Emperor!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Si Jun, feeling snubbed by Emperor Xuanwu, also rose.
Zhan Lan, standing outside, felt myriad emotions upon hearing this difference in treatment.
This must be why Si Jun had been scheming for his own future!
He was clearly the eldest son of Emperor Xuanwu, but due to his mother’s status as a courtesan, he had become the least favored person in the Si Family.
Moreover, even his identity had to be claimed as someone else’s son.
Such injustice magnified his feelings of unfairness.
It was also why he had become increasingly ruthless over the years.
His methods were insidious, his thoughts malicious, not only because of his inherently twisted nature, but also because Emperor Xuanwu had never offered him any familial love.
A person who was rightly the Eldest Prince, but had to address his own biological father as ’Your Majesty’ daily.
Not even daring to call out ’Father Emperor’!
How could he not feel wronged, not harbor hatred!
Zhan Lan began to doubt the true cause of Emperor Xuanwu’s sudden death in his previous life.
Perhaps that incident was inseparably linked to Si Jun.
Inside the hall, the sound of Emperor Xuanwu’s undiminished rage rang out again, "You three, have you ever associated with the Western Rong?"
The three Princes, who had just stood up, were so frightened that they knelt down again.
"Your son has not!"
The three almost chorused in unison, feeling that any slower response could spell disaster.
"Your subject has not," replied Si Jun, much more composed and at ease than the three Princes.
Zhan Lan had to acknowledge his brilliant acting skills and strong mental fortitude.
Si Jun, no matter the scale of the crisis, still managed to maintain a facade of calmness.
Zhan Lan increasingly felt that he was the one most resembling Emperor Xuanwu.
Emperor Xuanwu looked at Si Jun expressionlessly and said, "However, the legitimate son of the second branch of the Zhan Family claims to have been threatened by you, have you threatened him into committing treason?"
A flash of shock flickered through Si Jun’s eyes, his face filled with wrongfulness and cluelessness. Kneeling down, he still spoke calmly, "I am unaware why Young General Zhan Feng would falsely accuse me like this!"
Upon hearing Si Jun’s words, Zhan Feng suddenly felt as uncomfortable as if snakes and insects were crawling all over him.
This was unlike what he had expected; Si Jun was prepared to vehemently deny everything.
"Young Master, why won’t you admit to what you have done!" Zhan Feng asked with a pallid face.
Si Jun remained calm and composed, looking back at Zhan Feng without any trace of guilt, "The things you’re talking about are baseless. Why should I admit to anything that doesn’t exist?"
Emperor Xuanwu observed the expressions of both men. Zhan Feng was determined to point his finger at Si Jun, who seemed completely ignorant of the situation.
Could this be a bitter ploy staged by the Zhan Family in collaboration?
First, they use the prince he liked the least as a scapegoat.
Then, they would be able to slip away like a cicada shedding its shell!
Emperor Xuanwu turned to Zhan Xinzhang and said, "My loyal subject, it’s time you made those two letters public."
Zhan Xinzhang unfolded the letters in his hand that had yellowed with age. He opened the first one, written by Zhan Feng to Tuoba Hong.
Eunuch Li immediately stepped up to Zhan Xinzhang and began to read aloud.
Once the letter was read, everyone became aware of a key sentence in Zhan Feng’s letter.
"After our success, our Prince promises to give Western Rong five cities, including Lianbian City..."
Zhan Feng swallowed hard; the letter was indeed what he wrote to Tuoba Hong, with every word matching the original.
Could it be that the letter Tuoba Hong burnt before him was not the real one?
"Zhan Feng, this is your handwriting!" Eunuch Li handed the first letter to Zhan Feng for him to glance at.
Looking at the handwriting, his adam’s apple bobbed, filled with regret.
There was no doubt; it was his writing!
Powerless to defend himself, he slumped to the ground in resignation and was forced to admit, "It’s written by your servant."
Emperor Xuanwu’s gaze darkened, and Eunuch Li continued reading the next letter.
"At the hour of zi today, please have Western Rong send an elite squad to ambush the Main General of the Zhan Family. The cities promised by this prince will not be one less..."
As Eunuch Li read on, his voice began to quiver.
The letter contained far too many treacherous statements.
Emperor Xuanwu’s face darkened, and he commanded coldly, "Continue reading!"
With no choice, Eunuch Li continued, "If this prince ascends to the throne soon, I shall ensure everlasting amity with Western Rong, gifting them annually three million taels of silver, one million stones of grain, and three hundred thousand bolts of silk..."
Emperor Xuanwu’s face turned ashen in an instant; he was still very much alive.
Which unfilial son of his was eagerly awaiting his death!
"Stop reading; let them see for themselves whose handwriting it is!" Emperor Xuanwu’s anger flaring, he said impatiently.
Eunuch Li brought the letter to the three princes, who were sweating profusely out of fear. They wiped their sweat while examining the handwriting one by one.
Emperor Xuanwu stared intently at the three, and only when he saw Prince Yu, Prince Xian, and Prince Qi each let out a sigh of relief did he also calm down a bit.
The three princes, now kneeling more upright, answered in turn, "It’s not your son’s handwriting."
Emperor Xuanwu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness, those were not his princes’ handwriting!
He cast a cold glance at Zhan Xinzhang and pressed, "Old General Zhan, have you been bewitched by someone? These are not the handwriting of my sons. Clearly, someone has an ulterior motive!"
Zhan Xinzhang raised his eyes calmly, bowing as he said, "Your Majesty, there is one more person—Young Master Si Jun. The young master is also a member of the royal family."
Si Jun, whose name was called, felt a slight tremor in his hand.
Zhan Xinzhang was indicating to the emperor that he too bore the Si surname!
Anyone from the Si Family could potentially be implicated in the struggle for the title of Crown Prince.
With a single statement, he had pulled Si Jun into the whirlpool; the old Zhan Family Head’s move was indeed crafty!
