“But the Second Prince is no easy opponent. After this confrontation, there will certainly be much trouble in the future. Your Highness, please listen to my advice.”

“When did Lord Li become so cautious and hesitant?”

“I’m merely being thoroughly considerate!”

“The competition between this Prince and Na Yan actually began long ago, didn’t it? That being the case, what difference does it make whether I advance or retreat now? You blocking me is useless.”

“Your Highness…”

Na Tuo interrupted him: “Enough, don’t try to persuade me anymore! My mind is made up!”

He would no longer heed Li Qiao’s persuasion.

After all, with such a good opportunity now, he couldn’t let it slip away!

If he could use this to bring down Na Yan, everything would be worth it.

He turned and strode into the inner hall…

Li Qiao had no choice but to follow him inside.

Xue He remained kneeling outside. After about half an hour had passed, he truly could no longer bear it!

He was cold!

So cold his entire body trembled.

His lips turned purple!

The scenery before his eyes grew increasingly blurred.

He felt his body becoming light and weightless, about to collapse.

Suddenly, the guard watching over him from behind forcefully yanked his hair.

Ah!

Pain!

It felt as if his scalp was being torn off.

It also immediately brought him back to consciousness.

The guard rebuked: “Kneel properly!”

He used all his strength to straighten his body.

Kneeling properly!

Fearing that any resistance would result in a severe beating.

Who would have thought that the elegant young master Xue He would end up in such a wretched state?

Who knows how the storytellers would embellish this episode in the future!

He stared intently at that door!

Gradually realizing why Na Tuo had brought him into the palace.

Just at this moment…

Behind him came the sound of footsteps treading in the snow.

Looking back, he saw Na Yan.

He came hurriedly, his face dark as coal.

Seeing a lifeline, Xue He became excited at once, crying out: “Second Prince, you must save me!”

Hmph!

Na Yan glared at him.

Without saying anything.

He entered the great hall.

Leaving Xue He trembling in the snow.

Before entering the inner hall, Na Yan brushed the snowflakes off his body before going in.

But he merely stood at the entrance of the inner hall, calling inside: “Father King.”

For a long while, no one responded.

He simply waited like this.

Until Li Qiao came out from inside.

“Second Prince, the Great King is waiting for you.”

His face was cold and severe, his brows knitted tightly. He walked past Li Qiao and entered.

At this moment, inside the great hall, King Huyi sat on his bed, hands resting on his knees.

Though wearing yellow sleeping robes, he still exuded authority.

Beside his bed were three items.

The confession Bingzheng had personally written.

Banknotes.

A private letter.

These were things Na Tuo had sent someone to retrieve from the Ministry of Justice. During this half hour, he had told King Huyi everything.

Laid it all out.

He had even lodged a complaint against Na Yan.

Therefore, King Huyi was currently in the midst of his fury!

Na Yan’s arrival was equivalent to stepping on a landmine.

At this moment, Na Tuo stood in the center of the inner hall, his gaze firmly fixed on Na Yan.

At the corners of his mouth was a barely visible crafty smile.

His heart swelled with pride.

He wanted to watch carefully, see what fate would befall Na Yan, while his own heart was already celebrating.

Na Yan walked to the center of the inner hall but deliberately maintained some distance from Na Tuo.

“Father King.”

King Huyi looked at him, seething with suppressed anger.

“Outrageous!”

“Father King?”

King Huyi flew into a rage. With one hand, he grabbed the three items beside his bed and threw them forcefully to the ground.

Those three items lay spread out before Na Tuo and Na Yan.

Bingzheng’s confession was densely covered in writing.

On it was also a handprint.

Using blood as ink, it had been stamped on.

Extremely striking.

Na Yan understood very clearly in his heart that with this move Na Tuo had made against him, he had more or less already lost.

He took a step back and lowered his head.

King Huyi said: “During these days when I’ve been seriously ill, I entrusted all matters of the court to you to handle. And what have you done? Each time causing such tremendous disturbances. First it was the matter of Du Mubai’s murder, and now it’s about Du Mubai again! Are you trying to anger me to death before you’re satisfied?”

His chest heaved with fury!

A tremendous force surged in his heart.

Seeing the timing was perfect, Na Tuo quickly said: “Father King, your son has devoted heart and soul to handling affairs for Huyi. Previously, the moment I learned that Du Mubai had been murdered, I immediately came to inform Father King, hoping that Father King would handle it justly. Now that this matter has erupted, your son has also been devoted in handling it! I hoped to bring justice to Du Mubai, but who would have thought that Second Brother would obstruct from within! I truly had no choice but to enter the palace to inform Father King.”

How splendidly he spoke!

Na Yan’s face was dark as a winter cloud!

He quickly said: “Please allow your son to explain, Father King. This matter is Lord Liu’s responsibility, but these three items alone are simply insufficient to prove Xue He’s guilt. That’s why your son stood up to speak on his behalf.”

“Clearly it’s because Xue He is your disciple. You’re worried that if something happens to him, it will definitely affect you, which is why you’re protecting him so much.”

“I did not!”

“You did!” Na Tuo stated decisively, then picked up the three items from the ground and said to King Huyi, “Father King, your son has already told you—these three items are sufficient proof that Xue He back then incited Du Mubai’s three roommates to frame him. But Second Brother doesn’t distinguish right from wrong, stubbornly insisting these items were forged. Any intelligent person would know that the handwriting on this private letter belongs to Xue He. Moreover, Bingzheng wouldn’t have deliberately fabricated this private letter six years ago just to frame Xue He today! Much less… would he use the act of suicide to forcefully prove that what he said was true!”

When Na Tuo said these words, he was extremely emotional.

He also appeared deeply pained.

First, because Na Yan had distorted the facts.

Second, because of Bingzheng’s death.

His words sounded both infuriating and lamentable.

King Huyi was clearly affected by his emotions, his expression growing increasingly grave.

Na Yan knew he was caught between a rock and a hard place.

He could only steel himself and say: “Father King, you must not believe A’Tuo’s words. Your son did not…”

“Beast!” King Huyi interrupted him. “No matter how well you speak, you cannot escape the crime of favoritism.”

“…”

“Now the evidence is conclusive, yet you keep saying the evidence is insufficient. I truly regret having given birth to you.”

Ah!

Na Yan panicked!

Panicked to the extreme.

He quickly knelt down and stopped arguing, because he knew his Father King was an old fox.

Shrewd beyond measure.

Now there was only one way to salvage the situation.

That was…

To admit his mistake!

He quickly said: “Your son acknowledges his guilt, but it was not intentional favoritism.”

“Hmph, I know what’s in your heart.”

“Father King…”

“I now command you to properly handle this case. If favoritism appears again, I will strip you of your princely title!”