Chapter 112 - 94: My Son Has the Makings of a Saint!!

Chapter 112: Chapter 94: My Son Has the Makings of a Saint!!

Emperor Jianhong faintly looked up at Zeng Shilin, a hint of impatience in his voice. "The death of the Count of Zhongyuan is already a foregone conclusion. Why must you persist, my beloved minister?"

Clearly, Emperor Jianhong’s patience was wearing thin.

However, Zeng Shilin’s next words made everyone raise their heads simultaneously, their expressions changing drastically.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that the Profound Array Department possesses an Array named ’Heaven-Questioning’. This Array is profoundly mysterious. To deduce the marching positions of troops... would be completely effortless."

Zeng Shilin only said half of what he meant, leaving Emperor Jianhong to connect the dots himself.

Sure enough, upon hearing these words, an intense, sharp glint flashed in the Emperor’s eyes. Three names had already surfaced in his mind: King Jiang, Qi Xianlin, Prince Qi... The battlefield back then...

Expressionless, he slowly shifted his gaze to Prince Qi.

At this moment, Prince Qi hadn’t yet realized the implications. He sneered and looked at Zeng Shilin, asking, "Heaven-Questioning Array? It should be called the Life-shortening Array, shouldn’t it? I know of that garbage Array too, but what does this prove?"

Zeng Shilin subtly glanced at Emperor Jianhong.

The Emperor’s gaze was deep and dark, lingering fixedly on Prince Qi.

"It’s secured, but it still needs a little push," Zeng Shilin thought.

Seeing Emperor Jianhong’s expression, Zeng Shilin knew that the situation had progressed exactly as planned. The possibility of Prince Qi colluding with Qi Xianlin had already been planted as a seed in the Emperor’s heart. It only needed a light watering to instantly grow into a towering tree!

"Your Majesty, I am not clear on the exact details of the battlefield back then, but we only need to summon Qi Xianlin from the Profound Array Department and ask him," Zeng Shilin said. His face was now completely devoid of expression, and his voice had lost its previous aggressiveness. But these words, as mild as warm water, were like a knife slicing flesh, killing without leaving a trace.

Prince Qi didn’t care in the slightest, merely giving Zeng Shilin an indifferent look, as if looking at a clown. The Emperor would absolutely never believe Zeng Shilin’s illogical empty words.

However, Emperor Jianhong slowly raised his head and spoke toward the outside of the hall. "Bring Qi Xianlin of the Profound Array Department into the hall."

What?

Prince Qi’s expression shifted slightly.

THUD.

A figure was thrown onto the floor of the great hall. The hunched old man had a face crisscrossed with deep wrinkles. He wore an extremely plain set of coarse cloth garments. If one didn’t know better, they would think he was just some old peasant farmer.

This person was the expelled disciple of the Profound Array Department, Qi Xianlin.

At this moment, he looked up blankly from the hall floor at the assembled officials and Emperor Jianhong on the dragon throne.

"Qi Xianlin, regarding the battle to exterminate the demons in Yin Wu..." Emperor Jianhong said, looking indifferently at the man on the ground.

"Ah... ah... nn... nn..."

Qi Xianlin tried to speak, but he couldn’t open his mouth no matter how hard he tried.

Seeing this, Emperor Jianhong frowned, somewhat confused.

"Your Majesty, this person must have been struck by Celestial Master Xu’s Wonderful Technique... He cannot speak," an inconspicuous eunuch in the hall whispered softly into the Emperor’s ear.

Emperor Jianhong furrowed his brow and looked at Qi Xianlin on the ground.

"Do I have to personally leave the palace to invite Celestial Master Xu?" he wondered.

While he calculated in his heart, a voice slowly rang out.

"Your Majesty, Minister Zeng said this person used the Heaven-Questioning Array to obtain news from the battlefield. But as far as I know, the Heaven-Questioning Array has immense restrictions for its setup and will shorten one’s lifespan by twenty years. Unless it is an absolute emergency, an ordinary Array Master will absolutely never use it.

"Although he cannot speak, we only need to invite an Imperial Physician to observe his remaining lifespan to know whether he has used the Heaven-Questioning Array!"

The person speaking was none other than the current Chief Minister, Li Zhen!

Hearing this, Emperor Jianhong slowly looked toward Li Zhen. Li Zhen met his gaze without any avoidance.

After a long pause, Emperor Jianhong slowly nodded. "Bring an Imperial Physician."

However, these words made Zeng Shilin’s expression subtly change. He narrowed his eyes and looked toward Li Zhen, only able to see his calm back.

He hadn’t anticipated this loophole...

But... it didn’t matter. He only needed to plant the seed in Emperor Jianhong’s heart. He and his son, Zeng Anmin, still had a backup plan prepared. That backup plan would be the fatal blow!

Shortly after, an elderly figure appeared in the grand hall. Facing the gazes of the officials, he walked tremblingly to Emperor Jianhong and knelt down.

"I greet Your Majesty."

"Dispense with the formalities, Imperial Physician Liu. Take his pulse," Emperor Jianhong said calmly, looking at Qi Xianlin on the ground.

"Yes."

Imperial Physician Liu did not dare hesitate. He quickly crouched on the ground and took Qi Xianlin’s pulse.

After a long moment, he suddenly looked up in shock and gasped. "A faint pulse... signs of a sudden depletion of vitality? Even with the finest medicines, his life can only be extended for two or three years... What did you do? How could this happen?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Emperor Jianhong suddenly looked at Qi Xianlin on the ground, the killing intent in his eyes no longer concealable.

An extremely cold aura slowly began to brew within the great hall!

He abruptly stood up, his voice carrying a chilling grimness. "Court is dismissed!"

After saying that, he directly stepped forward. In a few moments, his back completely disappeared from the officials’ sight.

Zeng Shilin looked at the abruptly departing Emperor Jianhong, the corners of his mouth slowly turning up. The voice of his good son, Zeng Anmin, seemed to ring in his ears.

"Once Emperor Jianhong becomes suspicious of Prince Qi, he will definitely seek out his trusted aides who participated in that battle to ask if they saw Qi Xianlin on the battlefield...

"Since Bai Ziqing was able to accompany Emperor Jianhong during his incognito inspection tour of Jiangnan, he is naturally someone deeply trusted by the Emperor.

"When the time comes, all he needs to do is give a slight nod, and Prince Qi’s life will rest entirely on Emperor Jianhong’s whim..."

Thinking of this, Zeng Shilin hesitated no longer and walked straight out of the hall.

As he passed Prince Qi, he heard the prince mockingly say, "Still trying to slander me? Zeng Shilin, if you had put all this effort into your studies, you would have already reached the First Grade and become a Sub-Sage by now."

However, Zeng Shilin didn’t even spare him a glance, choosing to ignore him completely. There was no need to converse with a dead man.

After walking out of the great hall, Zeng Shilin slowly looked up and headed toward his carriage.

Only one thought remained in his mind: "My son Anmin possesses the makings of a Sage!"