Chapter 16

"Brat, you refuse to kneel before your sovereign—have you truly grown tired of living?"

Before Su Qiao could even react.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said,

"Enough, this has nothing to do with you lot. All of you, withdraw!"

Hearing this, Jiang Huan and the others suspected nothing and immediately retreated outside the prison cell.

Before Su Qiao could analyze the situation clearly.

Zhu Yuanzhang stepped forward on his own, staring coldly at Su Qiao and asking,

"I will ask you one thing right now."

Su Qiao, having no choice, stood aside on his own.

Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and asked,

"If I establish Prince Yan as the heir, tell me: after I pass away in the future, how must I arrange things to ensure Yunwen, Yunteng, and the other brother remain safe?"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared fixedly at Su Qiao.

This was Old Zhu giving Su Qiao one last chance to live.

And in an instant, Su Qiao detected the murderous intent within Zhu Yuanzhang's words.

He couldn't help but curse inwardly,

"Old thing, killing people so hesitantly."

"Having to find an excuse for it."

Having said that, Su Qiao immediately thought of that person.

A person who had just been buried in the yellow earth.

— Crown Prince Yiwen, Zhu Biao!

Thinking this, Su Qiao's gaze instantly became firm.

Isn't it said that you, Zhu Yuanzhang, have only two sons: one is Zhu Biao, and the other is your other son?!

Seeing Su Qiao remain silent.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but snort coldly,

"Well? Has Su the great scholar become a coward after entering this imperial prison?"

Su Qiao took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and looked at Old Zhu, saying,

"Your subject has a way!"

"I am listening!"

Having said that, Zhu Yuanzhang turned around on his own.

Su Qiao spoke with a cold, stern voice,

"The reason Your Majesty acts thus must be due to fear that the Crown Prince will follow in the footsteps of Zhao Defang of the former Song."

"What difficulty is there in breaking this situation? It requires only one edict from Your Majesty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang turned around on his own again, staring fixedly at Su Qiao and asking,

"What edict?"

Su Qiao took a deep breath, stared fixedly at Zhu Yuanzhang, and shouted,

"Abolish Crown Prince Yiwen's position as heir!"

The moment these words were spoken.

The imperial prison instantly fell into a deathly silence.

When hearing that Su Qiao intended to make an issue of Zhu Biao.

Zhu Yuanzhang almost could not hold back.

He would have immediately ordered Jiang Huan to drag Su Qiao out and behead him.

Regardless of Zhu Yuanzhang's age.

The deceased Zhu Biao would forever be the pain in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

But Old Zhu was not a foolish ruler.

He knew that at no time could one act on impulse.

Su Qiao's words were very harsh.

But upon careful thought.

They were indeed useful!

Abolishing Zhu Biao's position as Crown Prince.

Zhu Yunwen could then directly inherit his father's princely title.

And thus lose the legitimacy to succeed the throne!

In other words, in this way, Zhu Yunwen's threat to the throne would be no different from that of an ordinary second-generation feudal prince of the Great Ming!

You, Zhu Di, succeed to the throne and kill Zhu Yunwen.

Could you possibly kill the Heir of Qin and the Heir of Jin as well?!

16: Old Zhu: You little rascal, go investigate for me whether Su Qiao is loyal or not!

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Su Qiao, gritted his teeth, and took a deep breath.

After nodding, he squeezed three words out between his teeth.

"Good lad!"

Having said that, Zhu Yuanzhang strode away on his own.

If Su Qiao had not just acted upon Zhu Biao earlier.

Instead, they spoke of how "the Prince of Yan is benevolent and filial."

Zhu Yuanzhang would have had no hesitation in ordering someone to drag Su Qiao out and behead him.

But Su Qiao turned the spearhead directly at Zhu Biao.

On the contrary, he struck precisely at the root cause of Jingnan.

That was that Zhu Yunwen was never the Great Ming's legitimate heir.

It was Old Zhu, loving the house and thus the crow, who forcibly bestowed legitimacy upon Zhu Yunwen.

In terms of birth order, Zhu Yunying, born of Lady Chang, was still alive.

Zhu Yunwen was merely the eldest son of a concubine.

In terms of ability, ten Zhu Yunwens could not compare to Zhu Di.

But Old Zhu was unwilling to believe it.

From beginning to end, Old Zhu never accepted the fact that Zhu Biao had passed away before him.

Old Zhu raised Zhu Yunwen as if he were Zhu Biao.

Pity that Zhu Yunwen was ultimately not Zhu Biao.

Su Qiao's words scolded Zhu Yuanzhang awake.

Zhu Yuanzhang said not a word.

He walked out of the Imperial Prison on his own.

After walking out of the Imperial Prison,

Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and ordered,

"Jiang Huan!"

"This humble officer is here!"

"Keep this man safe for us."

"If Su Qiao's head is gone, you, and all of you! Will die alongside him!"

Having spoken, Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at the group of Embroidered Uniform Guards behind him in the Imperial Prison.

Everyone present shivered instantly.

Sweat the size of beans even seeped onto Jiang Huan's forehead.

"This humble officer accepts the order!"

……

……

Donggong.

Zhu Yunwen, who had originally been going to pay his respects to Zhu Yuanzhang, found no one there.