Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 909: Chapter 42: If I Haven’t Slept, Why Should They?

In a secluded residence in the capital, Prince Chu and Prince Wei unexpectedly found themselves sitting together, but both wore incredibly grim expressions.

Prince Chu glared menacingly at Prince Wei, who was seated opposite him, his voice laced with warning and threat: "If anything happens to Tenth Brother, I will never forgive you!"

Upon hearing this, Prince Wei realized that Prince Chu was already aware of the Southern Wei people’s plot to frame Zhao Yao.

"Tenth Brother will be fine."

"Won’t be in trouble?" Prince Chu laughed coldly as if he had heard a ridiculous joke, "Your Southern Wei men framed Tenth Brother as the murderer of Eldest Brother’s family, and you dare say nothing will happen!"

Prince Wei directly met Prince Chu’s gaze, coolly stating, "I will never allow anyone to harm Tenth Brother!"

Prince Chu did not trust Prince Wei’s words, "If you can’t control the Southern Wei, I don’t mind helping you manage them." The reason Prince Chu hadn’t moved against the Southern Wei was because of Prince Wei. "Your Southern Wei people have already targeted Tenth Brother; incidents like this will only happen again."

"They won’t!" Prince Wei said in a deep voice, "With me around, they wouldn’t dare to harm Tenth Brother again."

Prince Chu glanced at the resolute Prince Wei, his tone mocking, "You’d better deliver what you promise, or else..." Prince Chu left the sentence unfinished, but the meaning was clear enough.

"Don’t concern yourself with my people," Prince Wei retorted sarcastically, "You should manage your own people instead."

Prince Chu replied coldly, "My people don’t need your input either."

Prince Wei stood up, looking icily at the expressionless Prince Chu.

"I won’t let my people harm Tenth Brother, and you should do the same." With that, he turned and left, not wanting to spend another moment with Prince Chu.

As he watched Prince Wei’s departing figure, Prince Chu slightly narrowed his eyes, a shade of darkness flashing through his gaze.

Wei Mian, guarding outside the door, saw Prince Wei coming out and immediately turned to enter the room. Seeing Prince Chu’s somber face, he quickly asked with concern, "Your Highness, did Prince Wei anger you?"

Prince Chu replied, "He doesn’t have that ability." With that said, he stood up and walked outside, with Wei Mian promptly following.

Upon returning to the Prince Chu Mansion, he instructed Wei Mian to summon Yang Ling.

Yang Ling was Prince Chu’s strategist, always by his side, and lived in the Prince Chu Mansion, specifically in the front courtyard.

Upon entering the study, Yang Ling noticed Prince Chu’s displeased expression, causing his heart to sink slightly, and he quickly asked, "Your Highness, has something happened?"

Prince Chu first invited Yang Ling to sit down before saying, "I have a matter to discuss with Sir."

"Please speak, Your Highness."

Prince Chu whispered something to Yang Ling. After listening, Yang Ling initially displayed a look of extreme surprise but quickly regained his composure.

"This matter can only be entrusted to you, Sir."

Yang Ling stood up, bowed to Prince Chu, and solemnly said, "Your Highness, with such trust in me, I will do my utmost to accomplish it."

"Hearing these words from you, Sir, puts my heart at ease."

Yang Ling glanced at Prince Chu, hesitated for a moment, then spoke: "Your Highness, I’ve always been curious about why you put so much effort into caring for and protecting Prince Han? There is someone else, like Prince Wei." Prince Han, Prince Chu, and Prince Wei are not biological brothers, but Prince Chu and Prince Wei treat Prince Han like their own brother, unwilling to let him suffer any grievances or harm.

Prince Chu smiled slightly, "Tenth Brother is different."

"How is he different?" Yang Ling continued, "Prince Han is indeed talented, but neither you nor Prince Wei employ him."

"Do you think that I and Prince Wei are too indulgent with Tenth Brother, yet he doesn’t treat us the same?"

Yang Ling nodded slightly, "That’s right." He further added, "Prince Han isn’t as simple and innocent as he appears. Before he went to Lingnan, he planned many things and kept it a secret from you and Prince Wei. Since going to Lingnan, he must have done a lot, yet he hasn’t mentioned any of it to either of you. This shows he is wary of you." In truth, he understood why Prince Wei stood by Prince Han. It was said that when Prince Wei was often bullied in the palace, Lady Liang and Prince Han helped him a lot. However, when Prince Chu was in the palace, Prince Han and his mother did not help him. On the contrary, Prince Chu and his mother always supported them secretly.

"Do you still think Tenth Brother is deeply scheming?"

Yang Ling nodded in agreement, "That’s right. In my view, Prince Han’s scheming and shrewdness are unfathomable." Perhaps Prince Han’s cunning is deeper than both Prince Chu and Prince Wei.