Chapter 65: The Emperor Assassinated

Zhu Zhanhe was chatting merrily with a rather disdainful Zheng He.

"Uncle Zheng, this junior would like to ask what the staple food in Tianzhu is nowadays, and who is currently in power?" Zhu Zhanhe finally asked the crucial question, eager to understand the basic situation of India at this time.

"Prince of Han, currently..." Although reluctant, Zheng He answered truthfully, displaying fine upbringing.

Just then, Zhu Zhanhe caught an unusual sound and instantly whipped his head around. Zheng He looked on with a puzzled expression.

With a faint whistle of "swish," Zhu Zhanhe traced the sound and saw a short arrow visible to the naked eye shooting directly toward the Yongle Emperor seated on the high platform.

"Protect the Emperor!" Zhu Zhanhe roared at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing across the surroundings. However, with so many people around, the music and dancing were far too loud and chaotic, and those further away failed to hear him. The first to hear was naturally Zheng He, whose expression changed drastically as he looked toward the high platform.

By this time, that sharp arrow had already pinned one of the Yongle Emperor's sleeves to the dragon throne.

Those around Zhu Zhanhe were stunned at first, but they immediately reacted. Though unsure of the truth, they joined in shouting "Protect the Emperor!" and rushed toward the high platform.

The Yongle Emperor on the high platform also reacted, shouting "Protect the Emperor!" Immediately, the surrounding guards moved at the sound, but being some distance from the Emperor, they needed time to reach him.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhanhe had already locked onto the assassin who fired the hidden weapon, and without a moment's hesitation, he hurled the chopsticks in his hand straight out.

The assassin heard Zhu Zhanhe's shout and, having no time to aim properly, raised his hand and fired a second short arrow, preparing to loose a third.

Yet time had run out for the assassin. Zhu Zhanhe's chopsticks emitted a whistling sound, piercing straight through the assassin's head before the third arrow could be loosed. The assassin collapsed instantly without a sound, triggering widespread gasps of alarm all around.

Zhu Zhanhe looked up at the high platform. Despite the warning, the guards had failed to intercept the second arrow fired by the assassin. Sun Ruowei, standing close to the Yongle Emperor, had no time to think; she simply threw herself in front of the Emperor. Thus, the second hidden arrow was intercepted by Sun Ruowei with her own body, as she stood nearest to the Emperor.

Sun Ruowei collapsed directly into the arms of the Yongle Emperor, her breathing faint.

Seeing someone struck by an arrow and falling on the high platform, the Crown Prince, Prince of Han, Prince of Zhao, and Zhu Zhanaki—who were already rushing toward the Yongle Emperor—grew even more frantic. Disregarding everything else, they bowled over anyone in their path and sprinted straight for the high platform...

Suddenly, shouts and the sound of hurried footsteps filled the scene, plunging everything into utter chaos...

After about a quarter of an hour, the banquet venue had been tightly cordoned off by the Brocade Guard, who began conducting individual interrogations.

The remaining members of the imperial family had all been summoned to the palace—though naturally, some did not go, such as Zhu Zhanaki, who had run off holding his girlfriend, and the Crown Prince, who was dealing with matters at the scene.

Female family members within the palace were all gathered around the Crown Princess, awaiting her inquiries.

At this moment, Zhu Zhanhe stood face-to-face with his grandfather, the Yongle Emperor.

"Good lad, truly a qilin child of our Zhu family! If not for you today, they might actually have succeeded." The Yongle Emperor stared fixedly at this grandson from his second son's household, gazing so intently as if trying to read a flower on his face, his eyes full of solemnity and strangeness.

"You flatter me, Grandfather. This was merely what a grandson ought to do." Zhu Zhanhe remained completely unmoved by his grandfather's praise, his tone remarkably calm.

"What reward do you want? Grandfather can grant you one. Time waits for no one—speak it now," the Yongle Emperor said, raising his head to gaze at the ceiling with an unfathomable tone. No one could guess what this supreme monarch was thinking at that moment.

"Replying to Grandfather, no reward is necessary. If this grandson causes trouble in the future, just having Grandfather spare me once will be enough." Zhu Zhanhe refused to fall into the Yongle Emperor's trap of asking for high or low rewards, opting instead to request a pardon for future trouble.

"Er—" Zhu Zhanhe's words left the Yongle Emperor utterly speechless. The boy was completely immune to soft and hard tactics, or perhaps devoid of desires? Such people were the hardest to handle!

"Very well, I bestow upon you a golden medallion. Henceforth, you may use it to seek me out, or make a single demand directly!" The Yongle Emperor stared hard at his grandson for a moment before turning his head to gaze into the distance, leaving his expression unreadable as he delivered his ultimate reward to his grandson.

"Thank you, Grandfather, for the bestowal!" Without arguing further with the old man, Zhu Zhanhe accepted it outright.

"You may withdraw. If you run into your father and the others coming this way shortly, tell them to get lost!" Mentioning his three worrisome sons instantly soured the Yongle Emperor's mood.

"Understood! This grandson takes his leave." Zhu Zhanhe complied obediently and backed out of the chamber.

Sure enough, not long after stepping outside, he encountered the three uncles and father arriving together.

"Eldest Uncle, Father, Third Uncle, His Majesty's mood isn't very good right now and he probably doesn't want to see anyone. The three of you should be careful when you go in." Zhu Zhanhe bowed respectfully to the three of them and spoke.

"Good boy, thanks to you today. Go back and get some rest," the Eldest Uncle said to Zhu Zhanhe.

"He'er, go back and check on your mother. Tell her everything is fine; she was frightened to death today," his father said to Zhu Zhanhe.

"Second Brother, your He'er truly lives up to his heroic father—just like you, a fine fellow!" The Third Uncle chimed in, praising both the Second Brother, the Prince of Han, and Zhu Zhanhe simultaneously. This left the Prince of Han brimming with a sense of reflected glory and looking rather smug.

"This junior takes his leave." Zhu Zhanhe bowed respectfully to the three and turned to leave, abandoning the three golden-bean brothers to exchange glances before heading toward the Yongle Emperor's quarters. Even knowing they would be scolded, they still had to go!

Meanwhile, the Yongle Emperor was lying alone on a small couch, furrowing his brows and muttering to himself.

"What a formidable lad! From several zhang away, he pierced a skull with a pair of chopsticks?

Wearing an eye mask, yet he managed to make me feel pressured! Was it because he's exceptionally tall? Or something else?

Staring at this boy for a moment actually made my heart skip a beat? It gave me the feeling of being frightened by my father when I was a child?!

Such heavy majesty?! It seems I really need to go see the old monk!

How did that bastard of a second son manage to produce such an exceptional son?!"

The Yongle Emperor's mind was currently replaying the scene of meeting his second son's eldest grandson just moments ago.

First, the Yongle Emperor was astonished by the youth's towering physique; next, he was amazed that wearing an eye mask could still cause him to feel pressure! He was even more surprised that Zhu Zhanhe had taken the initiative to warn him and save his life.

Lost in thought, the Yongle Emperor suddenly heard a commotion outside the door.

"Come in, all of you," the Yongle Emperor knew without guessing that his three troublesome sons had arrived.

Instantly, a surge of anger flared up within the Yongle Emperor. Recalling the results of his recent investigations—that his second son, the Prince of Han, was actually colluding with Jianwen remnants to plot a rebellion—only made his fury burn hotter.

The moment the three entered, they behaved like obedient little lambs, lining up to await their reprimand. The Yongle Emperor held nothing back, launching straight into a fierce, tongue-lashing scolding of his three sons.

The final outcome: the Yongle Emperor ordered the eldest to write a memorial explaining the reasons, placed the second under house arrest, and had the third go out and make arrests! With that, he chased the three of them away.

The three brothers emerged from their father's doorway with stunned expressions, discussing amongst themselves what to do next.

Suddenly—

"Please stay your steps, three Highnesses. There is an imperial decree from His Majesty," shouted chief eunuch Xiao Biti, hurrying up to block their path.