Chapter 1597: I should have hacked you to death

"If it's not for me, why are you seeing that surnamed Wu?" Wang Hai was unconvinced.

They were supposed to be brothers from different fathers and mothers, but it turned out to be so cheap.

Chen Guanlou stared at Wang Hai without speaking.

Wang Hai subconsciously felt a bit nervous. "What do you want to say?"

"Brother Wang, let me tell you something: Xiao Changsheng is dead!"

"How is that possible? Why didn't I get the news?" Wang Hai subconsciously denied it, looking completely incredulous.

"You didn't get the news because I blocked it. I want to see Wu Ming, so you can do it, right?"

"You suspect he killed him?" Wang Hai shook his head. "The Emperor wouldn't kill Xiao Changsheng; you are talking nonsense! The Emperor is the person who most wants Xiao Changsheng to live."

"I didn't say the Emperor killed Xiao Changsheng. Before last night, Xiao Changsheng was fine, except for being a bit weak, but it was controllable, and there were no problems at all. It just so happened that something went wrong last night, and someone poisoned him. The prison guards are investigating, and basically ruled out suspicion. The only one left is the Eunuch Wu Ming you mentioned; he is sharing the burden for the Emperor, and I fear he also did something else."

Wang Hai pondered. "If nothing unexpected happens, Eunuch Wu should be on duty in the palace right now. Even if he comes to see you, he will have to wait until he is off duty in the evening."

"I will wait no matter how late it is! Tell him I am waiting for his arrival in the Heavenly Prison." Chen Guanlou dropped these words and went straight back to the Heavenly Prison.

Wang Hai also had no heart to recuperate, dragging his injured body away from Chen's small courtyard and running back to the imperial palace.

Wu Ming was currently following behind the great eunuch Liu Shun, walking into the Taiji Palace.

Liu Shun turned back to signal him to wait, and he stood honestly in place, looking well-behaved. One couldn't tell at all that he was a Ninth-Rank warrior with profound cultivation who could hang and beat Eunuch Wang Hai, who was also a Ninth-Rank warrior.

He was even two years younger than Wang Hai. His eyes were very calm and very pure, with a kind of stability that saw through the world beyond his age.

A moment later, the little eunuch called him in.

He took a few steps forward, saw the bright yellow robe in front, and decisively knelt down to kowtow and pay respects.

"I pay respects to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be healthy!"

"Are there results?" Emperor Taixing was in a bad mood, slightly impatient, and also a bit excited.

Wu Ming took a stack of documents from his bosom and presented them with both hands. "Reporting to Your Majesty, this is Xiao Changsheng's confession!"

"Present it!"

Liu Shun personally took the documents and presented them to Emperor Taixing.

Emperor Taixing couldn't wait to flip through the confession, becoming more excited as he read. "Good! Very good! With this confession, I want to see how the Secretariat can block me from dealing with Prince Ning. Prince Ning is at death's door, hahaha..."

He was dancing with excitement, finally able to vent the hatred in his heart. Since ascending the throne, he had been stifled for a long time, and this bad breath finally had a chance to be vented. 【1597-25

Liu Shun also hurriedly said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, felicitations, Your Majesty. Prince Ning is a rebellious subject and a traitor; he deserves to die."

"Wu Ming, is it? You have done very well. How shall I reward you?"

"Your Majesty, there is one more matter I must report. I only hope Your Majesty will not be angered after hearing it."

"What is it?" Emperor Yuan Ding suddenly had a bad premonition, his expression sinking. "Don't tell me this confession is forged."

Wu Ming was neither humble nor pushy, his tone consistent, calm, and gentle. "The confession is real. It is just that when I arrived at the Heavenly Prison last night, Xiao Changsheng was in the middle of taking his own life."

"You stopped him, right?" Emperor Yuan Ding asked urgently, a flash of panic, resentment, and confusion crossing his eyes. How could Xiao Changsheng have the guts to commit suicide?

Wu Ming slightly raised his head and said solemnly, "The poison Xiao Changsheng used to commit suicide is only available in the palace. I couldn't worry about anything else at the time, so I also used poison on him, attempting to delay things for a while."

"You succeeded, didn't you?"

Since he had obtained the confession, Xiao Changsheng certainly hadn't died at that moment.

"Yes! But, barring any accidents, Xiao Changsheng is already dead by now."

"Dead?"

Emperor Yuan Ding seemed to have tinnitus and hadn't heard clearly. "What did you just say?"

"Your Majesty, barring any accidents, Xiao Changsheng is already dead by now, dead through and through. The Heavenly Prison physicians cannot save him; no one can save him. He ingested a lethal poison."

"Presumptuous! Absolutely impossible!" Emperor Yuan Ding suddenly flew into a rage and flicked his sleeve, sending the confession papers scattering to the floor.

"I finally obtained the confession and was about to make a big move, yet you tell me Xiao Changsheng is dead. Tell me, what am I supposed to do now? With the man dead, what use is this confession? The Secretariat will only turn around and slander me, saying that in order to deal with Prince Ning, I didn't hesitate to force Xiao Changsheng to his death. Wu Ming, you have ruined me! You deserve to die! A thousand cuts would not be enough."

Emperor Yuan Ding could not control his rage; he snatched up the sharp sword on the wall and slashed toward Wu Ming.

Liu Shun hurriedly blocked him, knelt down, and hugged Emperor Yuan Ding's thigh. "Your Majesty, calm your anger! Your Majesty, calm your anger! Your Majesty, you must not, you must not! Eunuch Wu has already done his best; Xiao Changsheng was determined to die, and no one could stop him."

Wu Ming slowly raised his head and looked the Emperor straight in the eye. "Your Majesty, I have already completed your instructions."

"Shut up! Are you in such a hurry to die?" Liu Shun shrieked at him. "Get out of here, you are a disaster. Your Majesty, I will vent your anger for you; you must take care of your health, you must be careful."

Emperor Yuan Ding was furious and pointed at Wu Ming. "You knew Xiao Changsheng would die, yet you delayed telling me until after he was dead. You made me happy for nothing. I want to behead you, you dog slave."

"Everyone knows that apart from Imperial Consort Xiao, the only person hoping for Xiao Changsheng to live is Your Majesty," Wu Ming suddenly said. He was not afraid in the slightest, seemingly unaware that the Emperor's rage could turn the palace into a river of blood.

"Your Majesty has obtained the confession, so use it as you see fit. Xiao Changsheng is dead, but those in the confession who ran errands for Prince Ning are not yet dead. Have the Brocade Uniform Guard arrest these people, and you can still punish Prince Ning. It is merely an extra step, that is all."

"You..."

Emperor Yuan Ding suddenly began to laugh, his laughter growing louder and louder.

"If I could arrest people at will, what would I need you for? That old fellow Wei Wubing, when he recommended you, said you could share my worries. And yet... you almost saddled me with a bad reputation! For Wei Wubing's sake, I will not kill you! Get out!"

Wu Ming took a deep breath, stood up, turned around, and left!

Liu Shun spat behind his back and cursed, "Trash!"

If not for the fact that Wu Ming had been recommended by Wei Wubing, he would never have stopped the Emperor from killing someone.

"Your Majesty, it is not worth getting angry over such a person! Actually, Eunuch Wu makes some sense. This confession might not be useful for the moment, but that doesn't mean it's useless. Keep it; one day it will come in handy. Your Majesty is in the prime of life; the thing you fear least is waiting. You have plenty of time to wear them down!"

Liu Shun's words comforted Emperor Yuan Ding's heart.

Time was Emperor Yuan Ding's greatest confidence and reliance.

He was young; he still had several decades!

Those old fellows in the Secretariat, however, were gradually growing old.

Let's see who can outlast whom!