Chapter 160: A Prosperous Era of Peace

After a few rounds of interrogation, nothing of the desired information was obtained.
The Emperor's face was clouded with deep sorrow.
Over the past few days, one mishap after another had befallen three of the imperial princes.
Even the prince who had always remained aloof from struggles for power had unexpectedly been poisoned?
Was this not a blatant provocation against the imperial majesty?
Who on earth bore such deep malice toward the imperial family?
Their crime was utterly unforgivable.

"Your Majesty, this matter is not difficult to resolve. If the Southern Frontier people are indeed behind this, we can simply send a letter to ascertain the truth."

What?
"Are you certain?"
"His Highness Prince Chen was poisoned by the monarch of toxic herbs. Unless it was done by someone within the Southern Frontier, outsiders could never obtain such a poison."
Han Qing pondered carefully.
Indeed, that made complete sense.
"Very well."
A letter was drafted immediately and handed directly to the envoy of the Southern Frontier.
Since both sides were still striving to maintain a facade of peace, an abrupt military campaign was out of the question.
Therefore, even if the letter was delivered, the other party would be compelled to provide a plausible explanation.

"As for the officials present here, we need only cross-examine one another to determine who was absent from the scene at that moment."
He spoke slowly, continuing to question the rest of the individuals.
The conclusions drawn were entirely logical.
They truly had no means to alter the current reality.
The officials in the imperial court also accounted for their respective whereabouts at the time.
Not a single person possessed a motive to commit the crime.

Just as the entire court fell into a state of deadlock, Prince Huai suddenly drew a small dagger and lunged at the Emperor.
The turn of events was far too abrupt and caught everyone completely off guard.
As the Emperor saw the blade thrusting straight toward him, he instinctively moved to dodge.
"Quickly, guard the Emperor!"
"Protect His Majesty!"
The officials present turned pale with shock, utterly unable to believe why Prince Huai, who had always stood quietly and inconspicuously to the side, would suddenly launch an attack.
Furthermore, were weapons not strictly forbidden within the imperial court?
How could he possibly have concealed such a sharp blade?
Before anyone could react, Prince Huai stabbed the Emperor two or three more times, plunging the hall into utter chaos.

"After enduring for so all these years, the supreme throne belongs to me at last!"
Prince Huai shouted with unbridled madness.
"I have diligently played the part of a dutiful son all these years, yet for making a single mistake, you ordered my authority to be stripped away! My mother cared for you tirelessly, only to suffer such an end in the end!"
"A man like you deserves a wretched death!"

He had completely lost control of his tongue, recounting the unfair treatment he had suffered over the years. Without a shred of reason, he attempted to scramble toward the dragon throne.
However, the guards surrounding the area instantly closed in on him.

The situation shifted too rapidly, and the imperial physicians rushed forward immediately.
Following their diagnosis, they declared that the Emperor was beyond saving.
His wounds were external, and the dagger's hilt had been smeared with a potent, exotic poison, leaving virtually no chance of recovery.
Han Qing looked on with a sigh.
"Lord Han, do you have any remedy?"
He shook his head.
"His Highness Prince Chen was poisoned, and there was a way to resolve it. But His Majesty has suffered multiple stab wounds, and the blood loss is severe."
He let out a long sigh.
Though he left the rest unsaid, every official present understood the implication.
He had anticipated that trouble might arise, but he had never imagined that someone would dare to directly assassinate the Emperor.
Such a ruthless method was astonishing!

The Emperor was breathing his last.
He knew his time was short, yet the succession issues remained unresolved.
He was acutely aware that the Third Prince was incapable of shouldering such heavy responsibilities.
He immediately summoned the ministers of the Six Ministries, preparing to issue an imperial decree.
The throne would be bestowed upon Prince Chen.
As for the Third Prince, who had committed grave transgressions, his fate would be left entirely to the discretion of the new emperor.

The ministers departed the palace clutching the imperial decree, deeply shaken by the sudden storm that had erupted within the palace walls.
After all, no one could have foreseen that matters would degenerate to this extent.
Naturally, dissatisfaction brewed among many officials in the court.
Some had previously pinned their hopes entirely on the Third Prince, and now that the crown prince had been abruptly replaced, how could they not panic?
Whether they would even survive the days ahead was now uncertain.
Yet, the Emperor's decree had already been issued.

By evening, Zhu Yunzhi had gradually regained consciousness, and his overall condition had stabilized.
Someone promptly informed him of all that had transpired that day.
The following morning, he ascended the throne directly.

The Third Prince was the first to voice his dissent.
He argued that under the chaotic circumstances of the previous day, their imperial father must have been of unsound mind and could never have appointed the Second Prince—who had long lived in exile—as the heir apparent.
"Right Prime Minister, under the circumstances of that day, did you all see things clearly?"
"Your Highness the Third Prince, the facts are already laid before us; why persist in denial?"

The officials of the court had already seen the writing on the wall.
Zhu Yunzhi had already secured all the evidence of the Third Prince's extortion and oppression of the common people over the years.
Moreover, he had received a reply letter from the Crown Prince of the Southern Frontier.
The lethal poison had indeed been delivered directly into the hands of the Third Prince at that time.
The truth spoke for itself: the very poison that had nearly claimed Zhu Yunzhi's life had been administered by this aggressively posturing prince!
Was it appropriate for such a man to become the crown prince?
Furthermore, the officials present at the time had heard the Emperor's dying words: the Third Prince was entirely unfit to succeed the throne.
The number of lives lost to his hands was countless.
The only reason these atrocities had remained hidden until now was to preserve the dignity of the imperial family.
Once he secured the supreme position, the entire State of Qing would inevitably plunge into chaos.
No one dared to bear the responsibility of such a historical crime.

"You..."
The Third Prince stared in utter shock as he watched the officials unanimously pledge their allegiance to Prince Chen.
These were the very officials he had spent years painstakingly courting.
Why had they suddenly turned their backs on him?

Everything was over.
Furthermore, Zhu Yunzhi was the legitimate successor by right of birth and decree, leaving no one else daring to harbor rebellious ambitions.
"Your Majesty, this subject is willing to follow you unto death!"
Han Qing was the first to declare his loyalty, and the other ministers quickly followed suit.

The Third Prince finally realized that his grand cause had utterly failed and that he would never have another chance at redemption.
Considering his blood ties to the imperial family, Zhu Yunzhi spared his life, stripping him instead of all actual power and banishing him to a remote fiefdom to fend for himself.
He was warned to manage his own territory properly; should he ever stir up trouble again, familial ties would no longer protect him.
As for Prince Huai, he was sentenced to immediate execution.

After decades of dark and bitter maneuvering, no one could have anticipated that the true victor of the imperial throne would be the long-exiled prince.
It was all decided in a single thought, bringing a definitive conclusion to the turmoil.

Upon ascending the throne, Zhu Yunzhi lowered taxes and declared a general amnesty across the realm.
He established several new offices dedicated entirely to resolving the sufferings of the common people.
He heavily invested in the restoration of famine-stricken regions, constructing irrigation networks and water conservancy facilities.
These measures stimulated local economic development and ensured that the populace could live and work in peace and contentment.
The radiant dawn of a prosperous and peaceful era slowly rose over the State of Qing.