Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1040 - 105: Using Prince Zheng

Although the three Princesses dispatched envoys to propose an alliance with Prince Dai, he rejected them just as Prince Han had foretold. Even after the three Princesses sent another party with more lucrative incentives, Prince Dai remained unmoved.

While Prince Dai might not possess the cunning of Prince Chu or Prince Jing, he is certainly no simpleton. Regardless of the pretext—whether personal or political—he refused to join forces with outsiders from the plains, even when the Princesses' messengers insisted they were not affiliated with the Xiongnu.

The gruesome collapse of the Yuan family remains fresh in his memory from only a few years ago. Driven by his ambition for the throne, Prince Dai refused to gamble his future on an alliance with the three Princesses. He understood that any association with those from the plains would irrevocably disqualify him from the succession. Besides, he remained confident that his own capabilities were sufficient to claim the throne without foreign interference.

The persistent rejection from Prince Dai took both Prince Han and the three Princesses by surprise. They had operated under the assumption that a sufficiently enticing offer would surely secure his cooperation.

Upon hearing that Prince Dai had executed their envoys, Prince Han exploded in a fit of rage within his study. His luck had been abysmal over the past two days; multiple attempts on Prince Chu’s life had yielded no results. Now, with Prince Dai refusing the bait, his secondary schemes were stalled, fueling his fury.

Yang Qi stood off to the side, maintaining a rigid, silent stance while waiting for the outburst to subside.

When gripped by anger, Prince Han’s countenance became twisted and terrifying. Even Yang Qi, who held a position of trust, dared not interrupt, fearing the lash of his master's temper.

Fortunately, Prince Han’s wrath was limited to breaking furniture, a far cry from the lethal, whip-wielding habits of Prince Zheng.

After shattering several items, the intensity of Prince Han’s fury began to wane, though his expression remained dark and brooding.

Stepping forward, Yang Qi offered a cup of tea: "Your Highness, please, have some tea to soothe your nerves."

Prince Han took the vessel with a scowl, gulped down the tea, and slammed the cup onto the floor with a deafening crash.

Though startled, Yang Qi kept a composed exterior.

"Forgive my incompetence, Your Highness; our men failed to eliminate Prince Chu." The assassins dispatched by Yang Qi were elite professionals, many hailing from legendary organizations. Their track record was nearly flawless, yet this mission had encountered an insurmountable obstacle.

"It is not your fault," Prince Han conceded, despite his frustration. "I simply did not expect the legendary Black Hawk killers to be so pathetic." Black Hawk was the premier name in the martial world, famous for their infallible kill record.

"My Prince, it is not a lack of skill, but rather the sheer strength of Prince Chu’s protectors," Yang Qi speculated. "If I am not mistaken, Prince Chu anticipated your assassination attempts and made defensive preparations before he ever set foot in the Northern Territory."

Yang Qi’s words sent a jolt of shock through Prince Han. "What are you implying? That Fourth Brother calculated my assassination attempt before even arriving here? How could that be?" Since when did his fourth brother possess the gift of prophecy?

"Highness, while Prince Chu officially arrived for disaster relief, his primary goal is to investigate your activities."

Prince Han stood abruptly, his features shifting in alarm. "He came to the North just to investigate me?" He paused, turning the thought over in his mind. "You believe the relief mission was merely a convenient cover to look into my own affairs?"

Yang Qi gave a slight nod. "It is highly probable."

Stunned by this realization, Prince Han hissed a sharp intake of breath. "How could he have uncovered our secrets?"

"That… I cannot say." If his theory held water, Prince Chu’s strategies were truly formidable. "The Black Hawk experts failed, implying that the men guarding Prince Chu are even more lethal. It is very likely they are members of a suicide squad."

"A suicide squad?" Prince Han mused, finding the logic sound. "If he is surrounded by such men, it is no wonder the Black Hawk assassins could not finish the job."

"Prince Chu definitely came prepared for this campaign," Yang Qi added, silently admiring the man’s frightening efficiency.

With a thunderous bang, Prince Han pounded his fist onto the table.

"That wily fourth brother! I truly underestimated him!"

"Your Highness, if his retinue consists entirely of suicide squads, sending mere assassins will be wasted effort."