Duan Jiu looked at Liu Zan with a gentle expression and a smile. Even though he had advanced martial arts skills, he still felt uncontrollably nervous.

The distance between the two people is about three feet.

Liu Zan said calmly: "You have done a lot of things for me over the years, and it seems that your loyalty to me has never changed. But every time I think of the situation you deliberately approached back then, I feel that this was an idle move by my father. Of course.

, this is not enough to prove your true identity. After all, you have helped me many times, such as placing Ning Fengzhi in the boss's house, and controlling Qian Yong. Maybe I can do this myself, but your

Taking action saved me a lot of effort."

He turned around and walked slowly, and continued: "Assassinating Pei Yue could have brought down the boss and the second child, but it ended in my complete failure. But I don't feel depressed, because I confirmed two very important things from the failure.

Important facts."

He turned to look at Duan Jiu and asked with a smile: "Do you know what it is?"

Duan Jiu shook his head.

Liu Zang said: "First, how could Pei Yue predict that my target was Pei Ning on the day he took the concubine? He just asked his own soldiers to accompany him to protect him, why did he let Ye Qi protect him in secret? If Pei Ning died, Pei Ning would die.

Yue absolutely couldn't keep calm. That night, there must be someone in front of Prince Lu's Mansion.

Then blood would flow like a river. This matter puzzled me because I had been hiding it very well, and there were people of mine around Ning Fengzhi who were watching. Until I later learned something, in Pei Yuena

At my concubine's wedding banquet, Chen An accompanied the palace eunuch to the Zhongshan Marquis Mansion to announce the decree."

Beads of sweat appeared on Duan Jiu's forehead.

Liu Zan turned sideways to him, looked at the ancient painting hanging on the east wall, and sighed: "At that time, I realized that all my plans were under the control of my father. He even

Pei Ning knows the person he really wants to kill, but how can he know it so clearly and accurately? Brother Duan, can you tell me the answer?"

Duan Jiu pursed her lips tightly and said nothing.

Liu Zan smiled and said nonchalantly: "I guess Chen An is actually a member of Luan Yiwei, but he usually hides it very well, otherwise my father would not entrust such a big matter to him. Of course, you

There is actually no harm in informing my father, after all, I never thought about actually killing the boss."

Duan Jiu suddenly asked: "Your Highness, do you really think so?"

Liu Zan frowned slightly, his murderous aura gradually rising.

Duan Jiuyi was not afraid and said in a deep voice: "If His Highness really didn't want to murder the eldest prince, why did he have to put Pei Ning to death? As for the assassination case, His Highness said that he just wanted to involve the eldest prince and the second prince in it, and then destroy it.

Lose their reputation and show your ability to His Majesty at the same time. In this case, Your Highness does not need Pei Ning to die."

Liu Zan chuckled and did not answer Duan Jiu's question. He changed the topic and said, "The second thing I confirmed from the failure is that my father did not consider me, not from the beginning to the end."

Duan Jiu said in a low voice: "Your Highness is neither a direct descendant nor an elder. Your Majesty cannot forcefully break the rules passed down by our ancestors."

"Rules? He insists on pushing the eldest son to the position of crown prince. Isn't that breaking the ancestral rules? That bitch Wu Guifei bought people's hearts in the palace and bewitched my father to let him be cold to my mother-in-law. Even the queen can't do anything to her.

,Is this in line with the rules of the palace?"

Liu Zan suddenly stopped and roared angrily.

Duan Jiu sighed lightly: "Your Highness, since His Majesty doesn't like you, why do you have to fight for that position?"

Liu Zan sneered: "My father could fight back then, why can't I fight now? Haha, I already understand his thoughts, and I also know that he will never let me live. Because he knows in his heart that as long as I am alive for one day, I will definitely die.

He will try his best to escape from this cage. When father and son kill brothers and fight against each other, the national destiny of Daliang will be in turmoil. For an emperor who aims to pacify the world and leave a name in history, how can he accept such an ending?"

He stared into Duan Jiu's eyes and smiled nervously: "This is the real reason why my father asked you to secretly assist me, right? Let me take the initiative to become the sinner of regicide and patricide, and he can kill without any burden.

Got me."

Duan Jiu was silent for a long time and lamented: "Your Highness, it's still too late to turn back now."

Liu Zan looked at Duan Jiu mockingly and continued to ridicule, as if he wanted to vent all the resentment in his heart.

"My father will never be able to let go of the past events of the first year of Yongning. The words "incorrect position" hurt him all the time, so after he ascended the throne, he pursued the reputation of his master no matter what he did."

"He did not dare to deal with Pei Zhen directly, so he took advantage of the opportunity of Western Wu's large-scale invasion to drive Pei Zhen to the west. Then he sent his confidants several times to question Pei Zhen, forcing Duke Ding to fake his own death and escape."

"He didn't want to take down Lu Min directly. On the one hand, he didn't want to be known as mean and unkind, and on the other hand, he was afraid of involving a strange woman like Chen Qingchen, so he would rather watch the Western Wu cavalry destroy the military town, tens of thousands of soldiers

An innocent man died tragically. He risked half of Lingzhou being ravaged by the Xiwu cavalry, and he just wanted to force Lu Min to death in a fair and just way."

"He never trusts others, whether it's Mo Haoli or Wang Pingzhang, or even Shen Moyun who betrayed Pei Zhen and became the imperial lackey. While letting Taishitaige do those dirty things, he secretly cultivated Luan Yiwei. I don't understand.

What is he guarding against, but I know he must have done something sorry for Silent Cloud."

"In his eyes, only Liu Xian is his son. The second, sixth and I are all just whetstones, in order to sharpen Liu Xian into a benevolent king. He knows that as long as he gives me a chance, I will definitely kill all these brothers.

So he used you, a chess piece that had been buried for thirteen years, to deliberately give me the opportunity to embark on the path of rebellion. At that time, he could justifiably kill me!"

…

Duan Jiu shook his head, took a step back, looked at Liu Zan with strange eyes, and said softly: "Your Highness, you are crazy."

"You are right. From the day he imprisoned me in the palace, I went crazy."

Liu Zan dismissed it and then said: "The words monarch, minister, father and son have no meaning since that day. He used you to seduce me, so why didn't I use you to seduce him? As early as a few years ago, I

I had already anticipated that this day would come, and no one knows my father’s character better than me. So from that time on, I have been preparing for today.”

Duan Jiu's heart was shocked, and he immediately bowed his hand to Liu Zan and said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, I'm offended!"

Liu Zan raised his hand and said: "Don't worry, don't you want to know my specific plan?"

Duan Jiu forced his right foot back.

Liu Zan sneered and said calmly: "I asked you to contact Li Pingzhong just to make you believe that I really intend to rebel, and then let my father believe it too. In addition, you already know the manpower left by the Xian family, but you

What you know is only half of the truth. The Xian family was killed by the emperor's grandfather on unfounded charges and shed a lot of blood. Of course they wanted revenge, but you only know one part and don't know the other."

Duan Jiu said solemnly: "Your Highness, does the Xian family have other plans?"

Liu Zan blinked and said, "Do you think Xian Chunqiu's father had any close friends in life or death back then? If so, would those people be indifferent to the massacre of the Xian family?"

Duan Jiu's breathing quickened and he quickly asked: "Who is it?"

Liu Zandao: "I can't tell you yet."

Duan Jiu forced himself to calm down and said in a deep voice, "But thirty-six years have passed since the Xian family's incident."

Liu Zan said leisurely: "It does take a long time, but don't forget, Xian Chunqiu is not dead yet."

Duan Jiu wanted to ask again, but Liu Zan waved his hand and said: "As for Guo Kaishan, I actually let it slip in front of you on purpose. I have no connection with him at all. My father left Gu Liang in the capital, presumably just to keep an eye on Guo Kaishan.

.For me, this is the best arrangement. After all, Gu Liang is a bit troublesome. Even though his direct descendants are all in the south, his prestige in the military is still too high. If his father hadn't found something for him to do, he would definitely destroy it.

My follow-up plans.”

"I'm afraid Li Bingzhong can't help His Highness succeed." Duan Jiu said tentatively.

Liu Zan nodded and said: "You are right. Li Pingzhong and his confidants can only muddy the water and cannot make a final decision. I know it is hard for you to endure it. For the sake of our friendship over so many years, I will tell you the truth.

Let me tell you, my real trump card is actually the Kyoto garrison."

Duan Jiu looked at the other party in disbelief, and then said in a trembling voice: "Even if His Highness can control the Kyoto garrison, can you still rebel with these 30,000 people?"

Liu Zanqi asked: "Who said I want to rebel?"

He smiled strangely and continued: "I want to lead the Kyoto garrison to attack the traitor Pei Yue who assassinated my father."

Duan Jiu felt that his throat was a little dry and said with difficulty: "But His Highness just said that those assassins cannot harm His Majesty."

Liu Zan nodded and then laughed heartily.

After a while, he wiped the tears from his eyes and sighed: "Brother Duan, as my father's confidant, don't you know how the late emperor died?"

Hearing this sentence, and thinking about Liu Zan calling Pei Yue a rebel just now, Duan Jiu suddenly realized, and then endless fear and horror filled his heart.

The late Emperor Renzong suddenly contracted a serious illness half a year after he ascended the throne, and eventually passed away with hatred. Many people, including Duan Jiu, knew that he actually died of poisoning.

Duan Jiu looked at Liu Zan, who was laughing with tears in front of him, as if he was looking at a demon from purgatory.

Liu Zan took a step forward and asked forcefully: "Brother Duan, it's still too late for you to change your mind and follow me. As long as you are willing to betray your father, I promise to have faith in you and make you the second Silent Cloud of Daliang.

No, he is a more powerful spy leader than Silent Cloud. You and I have known each other for thirteen years, and you should know my character and temperament, are you willing?"

Duan Jiu swallowed a mouthful of saliva, with a murderous intent on his face, and said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, don't blame me!"

He suddenly stepped forward and slapped Liu Zan on the shoulder with his palm.

Liu Zan refused to dodge and retreated, allowing the wind from his palm to hit him. Then he clenched his right hand into a fist, suddenly exerted force within a very short distance, and punched Duan Jiu on the lower abdomen.

The fourth figure in Luan Yiwei was knocked out by this punch, spurting out a large mouthful of blood, and then fell to the corner.

Liu Zan looked at Duan Jiu who was about to struggle, and sighed softly: "Brother Duan, actually I really don't like reading, and I don't like to associate with those rotten literati. I just did it as a last resort to hide it from you people.

"

He walked to the wall, took down the ancient sword from the shelf, and slowly pulled it out.

Duan Jiu crawled out desperately while vomiting blood.

Liu Zan walked over slowly and said, "Thanks to your care for more than ten years, I will try my best to be as neat as possible."

He reached out and grabbed Duan Jiu's hair, and then cut the man's throat directly with his long sword.

Blood splattered on his clothes.

Liu Zan let go of his hand and put the bloody ancient sword back to its place.

He walked to the center of the room, carefully determined his orientation, and then sat on the floor facing north.

Not far away was Duan Jiu's body, and Liu Zan didn't seem to care. The figure of his father, whom he had admired since childhood, appeared in his sight, and then he seemed to see black blood pouring out of his mouth.

Liu Zan laughed loudly, but the laughter sounded like crying.

After a long time, he lowered his head and said softly, "Father, have a good journey."
Chapter completed!