Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Chapter 1444 Deliberately Alerting the Snake

Kyoto in early December was shrouded in a cold rain.

The drizzle was as light as silk, silently soaking the glazed tiles of the East Palace, dripping along the eaves, and making tiny sounds on the bluestone slabs.

Inside the hall, the finest agarwood incense was burning in a bronze beast furnace, and the curling green smoke seemed particularly solemn in the humid air.

Chu Ning stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, the four-clawed python pattern embroidered with gold thread on his black brocade robe faintly visible in the candlelight.

He looked out the window at the outline of the palace wall blurred by the rain, and his slender fingers unconsciously stroked the jade pendant at his waist.

The white jade pendant felt warm to the touch, but it couldn't warm the chill in his heart at that moment.

"Your Highness, Lord Jia has arrived." The eunuch's shrill voice broke the silence in the hall.

"Xuan." Chu Ning didn't turn around, his voice was so calm that no emotion could be heard.

Jia Yu walked into the hall in wet boots. His crimson official uniform was soaked by the rain, leaving dark water marks on the blue bricks.

He clasped his fists and saluted: "Your humble servant pays respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"No need to be polite."

Chu Ning then turned around. Under the candlelight, his handsome face was half hidden in the shadows, making him even more mysterious.

"How did things go?"

Jia Yu stood up and took out a wax-sealed report from his bosom: "The Concubine has set an ambush at the designated location as instructed by His Highness and successfully intercepted the prisoner kidnappers."

"Including Ma Qingsheng and seventeen others, they are currently being escorted back to Beijing, but..."

He paused, frowning slightly.

"Just what?" A sharp look flashed in Chu Ning's eyes.

"The Scorpion Clan's tokens were found on the prisoners."

Jia Yu whispered, "But the Concubine thinks this is suspicious. Gongsun Yi is no fool. If he really wanted to rob the prisoner, he would never leave such an obvious handle."

Chu Ning took the report, his fingertips lingered on the wax seal for a moment, and then he slowly opened it.

He glanced at the neat handwriting on the paper, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his lips: "Interesting."

The sound of rain outside the hall was getting heavier, and the sound of the rain hitting the window frames was like countless tiny fingers tapping gently.

Chu Ning walked to the desk, placed the report on the candlelight, and watched the flames devour the paper bit by bit, turning it into ashes and falling away.

"Your Highness, do you also think there is something fishy about this matter?" Jia Yu asked tentatively.

Chu Ning didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked to a hanging map of the territory and slowly traced his finger along the northwest border where the Scorpion Tribe was located.

"Jia Yu, do you think anyone in the Chu Kingdom would want to see me and the Scorpion Clan go to war?"

Jia Yu's face turned stern. After a moment's silence, he said, "Your Highness is about to ascend the throne, and all the ministers in the court are bowing to him. If there are still those who are dissatisfied with Your Highness..."

His voice gradually lowered. "I'm afraid it's only the remnants of the Grand Tutor. The Grand Tutor was killed by Your Highness, and his former students and officials are bound to feel resentment. If they try to sow discord between Your Highness and the Scorpion Clan, they might be able to fish in troubled waters."

"The remnants of the Grand Tutor?"

Chu Ning sneered and tapped his fingers lightly on the table: "If they had such courage, the Master would not have ended up like that."

He suddenly turned around, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Have you ever thought that perhaps it was one of my brothers who was behind this?"

Upon hearing this, beads of sweat appeared on Jia Yu's forehead. "Your Highnesses have always been law-abiding. I'm afraid this incident was not their doing."

"Have you always been law-abiding?"

Chu Ning interrupted him and sneered, "How can a royal family member ever truly be content?"

He walked to the window and looked at the palace lanterns dimly lit by the rain. "But there's no evidence right now, so let's put that aside for now. When can we bring those assassins to the capital?"

"Your Highness, according to the walking distance, we will arrive at noon tomorrow."

Chu Ning pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "You go and interrogate them yourself. I want them to speak, no matter what means are used."

Jia Yu bowed and was about to leave when Chu Ning said, "Wait a minute."

Amidst the sound of rain, Chu Ning's voice was remarkably clear: "Leave the city immediately and head to the Scorpion Clan camp to inform Gongsun Yi of this matter."

The corner of his mouth curled up into a meaningful smile: "Just say that I want him to enter the palace and give an explanation."

Jia Yu looked troubled. "Your Highness, if we notify the Scorpion Tribe now, won't that alert them?"

"It's just to alert the enemy."

A trace of calculation flashed in Chu Ning's eyes: "If Gongsun Yi has something to hide, he will definitely take action. If he has a clear conscience, he will come forward to explain."

"No matter what, we can see some of the truth."

Jia Yu suddenly realized and said, "Your Highness is wise. I will do it right away."

"remember!"

Chu Ning's voice suddenly turned cold: "You are the only one who knows about this matter. If even a little bit of it leaks out..."

He didn't finish his words, but the threat was clear.

Jia Yu felt a chill down his spine and bowed deeply, "I understand."

After Jia Yu left, Chu Ning stood alone in the hall, listening to the sound of the rain getting louder.

He suddenly felt that the East Palace was too empty. In the flickering candlelight, shadows stretched long on the wall, like dormant beasts.

The rain was like a curtain of weaving, covering the Scorpion Clan camp outside Kyoto in a hazy mist.

After leaving the city, Jia Yu rode his horse through the muddy official road. The raindrops on his straw raincoat gathered into lines and dripped down the corners of his clothes.

He looked up and saw the black flags of the Scorpion Clan hanging low in the rain, like a flock of crows with broken wings, exuding a chilling coldness.

The Scorpion guards in front of the camp gate blocked the way with their spears across their bodies. Jia Yu pulled the reins, and the horse neighed, splashing mud and water.

With a cold expression, he pulled out the East Palace token, and raindrops slid down the gilded characters "Crown Prince's Token."

"I am here by order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to see General Gongsun."

The guards looked at each other, and one of them turned and ran towards the central military tent.

A moment later, Jia Yu was led into the camp.

The scorpion soldiers stood on both sides, their eyes were as sharp as knives, as if they wanted to eat him alive.

Inside the big tent, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, but it couldn't dispel the chill inside.

Gongsun Yi sat upright on a tiger-skin chair, wearing black iron scale armor, his face as cold as a knife.

He did not stand up to greet him, but just stared at Jia Yu coldly, with a sinister glint in his eyes.

"Lord Jia, what brings you here in the rain?" Gongsun Yi's voice was low and hoarse with a strong foreign accent.

Jia Yu took off his raincoat, and water droplets fell on the carpet, leaving a dark mark.

He looked directly at Gongsun Yi and spoke word for word, "Last night, Youzhou Governor Ma Qingsheng and his entourage were assassinated. The assassin had a Scorpion Clan token found on him. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has ordered me to inquire. What explanation does General Gongsun have for this?"

The tent was suddenly quiet, with only the crackling of the charcoal fire.

Gongsun Yi's expression suddenly darkened, and his knuckles made a dull thud on the armrest.

"What do you mean, Lord Jia? Do you suspect that I have ordered someone to assassinate your people from the Chu State?"

Jia Yu's lips curled up slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes: "Whether it was you who ordered it or not, what you say doesn't count."

He walked forward slowly, his boots making a slight squeaking sound on the wool carpet.

"The Crown Prince's words are final. Now, His Highness wants you to come into the palace and give an explanation in person."

Gongsun Yi suddenly slammed the table and stood up, causing the teacup on the table to clink. "What if I don't go?"

The sound of rain outside the tent was getting heavier, as if echoing the tense atmosphere inside the tent.

Jia Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "If you don't go..."

His voice was gentle, but every word was as cold as ice: "Then don't blame me for being ruthless."

He paused deliberately, his eyes sweeping over the Scorpion guards standing inside the tent with their swords drawn, and continued:

"After all, you also did the thing of detaining the diplomatic mission, didn't you?"

Gongsun Yi's pupils suddenly shrank.

A few months ago, a tribe under the Scorpion Clan detained a delegation from the State of Chu, and this matter has always been a thorn in the side of the two countries.

Now that Jia Yu brought up the old matter again, it was clearly a warning - if he disobeyed, Chu Ning would have a reason to attack the Scorpion delegation.

The tent fell into dead silence, with only the sound of rain hitting the tent becoming clearer and clearer.

Gongsun Yi slowly sat back in his chair, his expression uncertain.

He knew very well that Chu Ning was a ruthless person. If he refused to enter the palace, the Chu army would probably encircle and destroy the Scorpion Clan camp tomorrow.

But if I go... who knows what awaits me within the deep palace walls?

Jia Yu stood quietly, the rain sliding down his temples, leaving a cold water mark on his cheek.

He was waiting, waiting for the Scorpion General to make a decision - to tear his face off, or to step into the dragon's den and tiger's lair from which there might be no escape?

Outside the tent, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating Gongsun Yi's dark face.

The thunder rumbled like the drumbeat of fate, urging him to make the final decision.