Chapter 104

The Third Prince had been planning for many days and finally decided to attack the capital.

At midnight, Yan Lan brought the local troops he had assembled and surrounded the capital city. Looking at the closed gates of the capital, Yan Lan, who had finally waited for this day, was excited.

But Yang Hui stood in front of Yan Lan's horse and pleaded, "Third Prince, think twice. You have the upper hand with the holy decree, and these troops can only be used as a means of protection. You must not attack the city!

Yang Hui has said this countless times. Now that the capital is near, it was his last reminder to Yan Lan. At this time, Yang Hui seemed to have aged more than twenty years compared to when he first left the imperial court. His body was hunched over, and his hair was white. In particular, his eyes had lost their shrewdness and confidence and showed a vague sense of decadence.

Seeing Yan Lan, who was a serious candidate for the throne, moving step by step towards the path of attacking the capital as a rebel, Yang Hui could not figure out how the Third Prince, whom he initially admired, had turned into such a state.

If the Grand Prince made mistakes in political affairs or took the lead in using force, the Third Prince could not be blamed for leading the attack on the city. But the Grand Prince's every action has been frank and praiseworthy, and now he even personally went to Xiangzhou to control the flood. In this case, the Third Prince should just confront it with the holy decree. Why choose this means of attacking the city with troops? It was even the least impressive night attack.

"Teacher does not need to say more. The matter has come to this point, and my mind has already been decided. No matter what kind of appearance Yan Sa makes, he still is a traitor who imprisoned the Emperor and tried to usurp the throne. Once this palace rescues father, we will see who is right and who is wrong!

Yan Lan waved his hand and instructed Yang Hui to go down while he himself steered his horse to the front of the procession.

Yang Hui looked at the cold and hard face of the Third Prince, and the expectation in his eyes finally disappeared. He knelt in place towards the imperial city and bowed down and then resolutely turned around and left the camp of the Third Prince.

Even though the Third Prince held the title of the crown prince, even though he might succeed in taking the capital and ascending to the throne as Emperor tonight, Yang Hui was already disappointed to the core that Yan Lan was no longer the talent he would follow as Emperor.

Not caring about Yang Hui's departure, Yan Lan stared deep down at the capital's gates. He knew that leading an attack on the capital would definitely add a stain to his reputation. Still, there was nothing he could do about it, was there?

The news that the Grand Prince has recovered has been spread throughout the capital, and the entire capital regards Yan Sa as the next Emperor. Yan Lan will not get anyone's support even if he takes the decree and tells the people that he is the crown prince of Great Yan.

Yan Sa is already in the people's hearts, and Yan Lan can only use violent means to break their hearts.

With a glint in his eyes, Yan Lan raised the sword in his hand and shouted, "Listen carefully, the Grand Prince has imprisoned His Majesty and is planning to seize the throne. Father is in danger, so we must go to the capital tonight to save Great Yan!

"Go to the capital to save the Emperor! Save Great Yan!"

The people behind them were inspired by Yan Lan's words and chanted along with him.

With the shouting of the group, the dark city wall suddenly had a bright light, and a torch was instantly lit. Yan Lan tilted his head and saw a team of imperial troops in battle armor and majestic aura standing silently on the wall as if they had been waiting for a long time.

The sudden appearance of this fine army startled Yan Lan's camp, and the cries suddenly weakened.

Fang Rui, the head of the Imperial guard, slowly stepped forward and asked in a stern voice: "Who is there outside the city? Why have you gathered an army on your own? Are you trying to rebel?"

Yan Lan was startled by the new appearance of the Imperial army. He settled his mind and returned in a loud voice: "I am the Third Prince of Great Yan, Yan Lan, who has come here to assist the Emperor and catch the traitor Yan Sa!"

As soon as he heard Yan Lan's words, Fang Rui immediately threw back his head and laughed: "The Grand Prince is a traitor? This person who claims to be the Third Prince, take a good look. The Grand Prince is diligent and sincere in caring for the people. Now, he has even personally gone to Xiangzhou to treat the flood. In contrast, you have taken the people's lives in the capital in vain and built your own army to make this night attack. Who is the rebel?"

Yan Lan waved his hand with a sullen face and said to the people around him, "Read the holy decree! Let this group of imperial troops who are being used by the traitor know that this palace is the crown prince appointed by father!"

"The third prince, Yan Lan, is of great quality and far-reaching, and his benevolence is the most significant factor ... I have selected him as the crown prince. I hope that he will be benevolent and loving to the people to ensure the eternal stability of our Great Yan."

Fang Rui and others listened to the content of this lengthy decree until it finished reading, and only then did he look behind him and quietly spoke out: "It just so happens that you, Eunuch Chen, also have a decree to declare?"

Chen Bing, who had been waiting for a long time with the decree, finally stepped forward at this time and opened his voice: "By the Emperor's decree, the Third Prince, Yan Lan, has committed cruelty to his elder brother, deceived his superiors and subordinates, is disloyal and unfilial and has formed a party with the intention of plotting rebellion. The title of the prince shall be withdrawn, and he shall be sent to the Imperial Prison!"

After receiving the decree, Chen Bing looked at the Third Prince and said with a cold smile, "Third Prince, why don't you confess your sins?"

After hearing the decree, Yan Lan laughed instead of being angry: "This traitor Yan Sa is really bold. He dares to forge the decree, and his crime is unforgivable! Don't be fooled by him. Start attacking the city!"

The decree said he had harmed his brother and deceived those who were above him. At first, Yan Lan was really frightened for a moment, but then he rejoiced. If Yan Sa forged the decree, it was really a big crime.

Yan Lan's people and horses shouted and went towards the city gate to attack, but some people inadvertently tilted their heads and were startled and immediately stopped in their tracks.

They saw a bright yellow figure, supported by someone, slowly appeared on the city wall. At the same time, Eunuch Su's shrill voice cut through the night sky, instantly shocking the local army assembled by Yan Lan.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

At first hearing Eunuch Su's old but familiar voice, Yan Lan was startled and almost fell off his horse. He stared at the city wall with wide eyes and saw the old, white-haired Emperor with a gloomy face and angry eyes looking at him.

The soldiers who were going to attack the city all saw the figure of Emperor Hongming and the momentum that had just risen deflated like a punctured balloon.

The Emperor stood in the night breeze with red eyes looking at the son who had deceived him for many years. It was he and his mother who had completely destroyed the most precious thing in the Emperor's heart, and even more so, his Sa'er was unwilling to meet him until now.

The Emperor's majestic voice rang out from the city walls, suppressing all the commotion: "I am still alive. What are you doing with the army?"

"Father, Father Emperor...are you alright?" Seeing Emperor Hongming appear in person, Yan Lan was too surprised and staggered down from his horse, "This son, this son is worried about your safety before..."

Emperor Hongming was really alive. Yan Sa did not imprison him?

Yan Lan is now extremely shaken in his heart. Since Emperor Hongming appears to be real, then the decree just now was also true? The imperial decree said he hurt his brother, deceived his superiors...did the things he did back then...

Emperor Hongming's gloomy voice ultimately made Yan Lan's heart fall into the abyss: "I have to settle the score with you for what happened to Sa'er back then. The imperial guard will listen to the order, take this traitor down immediately! Together with this group of local officers who neglected their duties, they will be taken to the Imperial Prison!"

"I will follow the order!" Fang Rui received the order.

The local officers below, who Yan Lan had coaxed into thinking they had become a division to serve the Emperor, were terrified at the words of Emperor Hongming and immediately knelt and begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, spare our lives! We have all been deceived by the Third Prince. We have no rebellious intentions!"

Seeing the soldiers below kneeling all together, the imperial army suppressed them without much effort.

When the matter was settled, Emperor Hongming did not rush back to the palace but asked Bing Chen: "Tell me the truth, where did Sa'er go? Why can't I find him in the whole palace?"

Chen Bing saw that it could not be concealed, could only kneel down and plead guilty: "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Xiangzhou is seriously flooded. The Grand Prince personally went to Xiangzhou for several days to treat the flood!"

"What? Sa'er actually went to Xiangzhou personally? How can his body hold up? What are you lackeys doing? Bring Wei Lin to me!"

Emperor Hongming was furious. He feared that he might only be able to send off the person as soon as he began to repent.

At this moment, the commander of the imperial army reported: "Your Majesty, I have not seen General Qi Yue and others, but I heard that General Qi went to Xiangzhou to treat the flood instead of the Third Prince."

Emperor Hongming's heart immediately became incomparably cold. Previously, he ordered Qi Yue that if necessary, killing the Grand Prince would not be a hindrance, and now he is in Xiangzhou with Yan Sa. If they happen to meet...

That Qi Yue has always been loyal to him. Thinking of the worst possible outcome, Emperor Hongming had an intuition that caught his breath in his throat. His eyes immediately rolled over, and he fainted.