Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1091 - 127: What Does Father Emperor Really Want to Do?_2

"My lord, I really don't know; I didn't aid Kou Nanyu and his crew," Terror gripped Wei Yan's heart; he never expected Lord Wei to be aware of this affair.

"Do you believe I'm ignorant of your transactions with Kou Nanyu's gang?" Prince Wei stared piercingly at Wei Yan, "You've pocketed a hefty profit from peddling the Divine Pill for Kou Nanyu and his men, haven't you?"

"My lord, I haven't..."

Prince Wei gazed coldly at Wei Yan, who kept attempting to refute.

The penetrating stare left Wei Yan unable to deny further. Gathering his courage, he confessed, "My lord, I consented to help Kou Nanyu market the Divine Pill not for the gold, but because he claimed it could manipulate minds."

Prince Wei's expression stayed grim, "You hid the Divine Pill matter from me."

Head lowered, Wei Yan avoided meeting Prince Wei's eyes, "My lord, you've always despised Kou Nanyu and his lot, and if you'd learned they created a pill to control people, you'd certainly block it." Then his voice changed, "My lord, this isn't the moment for that. Why did the court suddenly seize our men? How did they uncover us? How did they track our steps..." They'd concealed themselves masterfully for years, with the court never detecting them, so how had they abruptly sensed their trail? Was there a betrayer in their ranks?

"What do you think?"

"My lord, our followers have stayed perfectly hidden for years; the court couldn't possibly know of us. A betrayer must have sold us out."

"Do you truly believe father was unaware of the Southern Wei survivors?!"

"Has the Emperor known all along?" Disbelief filled Wei Yan's face, "Impossible, how could the Emperor know..."

"You underestimate father far too much."

"That's impossible. If the Emperor knew we existed, why hasn't he pursued us over all these years?" Wei Yan protested, "If the Emperor knew survivors remained, he'd exterminate us entirely, never allowing us to persist."

In Great Zhou's founding days, both the previous emperor and the current one launched vast purges against the Southern Wei remnants. They scattered far and wide, burrowing into hidden spots, surviving with utmost caution.

Great Zhou's emperor, much like the prior dynasty's ruler, tolerated no Southern Wei survivors. If he truly knew any lingered, he'd never permit their existence.

"My lord, someone must have betrayed us." The emperor couldn't have learned without an insider informing the court. "My lord, we must urgently hunt the traitor; else, the rest face certain death."

Prince Wei inquired, "What's your plan?"

"My lord, if you trust me, allow me to probe the traitor affair."

"As you wish." Prince Wei didn't think a traitor was to blame, but since Wei Yan clung to that notion, let him investigate.

"My lord, what's our next step?" Wei Yan asked anxiously, "Will the court keep chasing us down?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet?"

Wei Yan asked in confusion, "Figured out what?"

"Father ordered our people's arrest this time because Kou Nanyu and his crew crafted the Divine Pill, striking his reverse scale." Earlier, the Southern Wei's rogue assassination bid on Zhao Yao had already soured Prince Wei on Wei Yan's faction. Now, their secrecy and alliance with Kou Nanyu's group to sell the Divine Pill hardened his intent to destroy them.

Prior to the emperor's command to seize Southern Wei survivors, Prince Wei received Zhao Yao's letter, discovering then the covert Divine Pill production behind his back. From that moment, he directed his own followers to flee the capital temporarily, finding shelter in lands like Johor and Pyu. Thus, none among this round's captured Southern Wei belonged to him.

"Prince Han orchestrated all this. Without Prince Han, the court wouldn't have exposed the Divine Pill flaw, nor dispatched agents to snare ours." Prince Han had wrecked their years of toil. Had he not interfered, the Divine Pill would have sold briskly, ensnaring many under their sway. When the hour arrived, they'd dominate Great Zhou's court and resurrect Southern Wei.

Even with all their scheming, they never anticipated Prince Han spotting the issue with the Divine Pill, nor did they expect his decree banning it. The greatest outrage came when Prince Han alerted the Imperial Court, exposing their very presence.

"My lord, Prince Han has ruined our plans repeatedly; he must not be left alive..." Before finishing his words, Wei Yan was sent flying by Prince Wei's kick, slamming into the wall with a resounding bang.

Prince Wei pressed his foot down on Wei Yan’s chest, his voice icy cold, "You’ve dispatched assassins against my tenth brother over and over. I overlooked it due to your loyal service through the years, yet you still presume to suggest this. Do you truly believe I wouldn’t kill you?"

Wei Yan gripped Prince Wei’s ankle tightly, his face twisted in agony and desperate pleas, "M-my... my lord... mercy..."

"Should any of you lay a hand on the tenth brother again, your suffering will eclipse death itself!" Though Prince Wei had meant to punish Wei Yan and his followers earlier, the Divine Pill fiasco resulted in the arrest of everyone who had targeted Zhao Yao.

"No... I wouldn’t dare... never again."

Prince Wei released him only when Wei Yan’s eyes began rolling back, teetering on the brink of death.

"Scram."

Wei Yan hastily clambered to his feet from the floor and lurched out of Prince Wei’s study.

Prince Wei shot a look at Yu Hai and commanded, "Assign someone to watch him."

"Understood, my lord."

Prince Wei moved to the window, his gaze fixed on the eastern imperial city, lost in contemplation.

He’d realized long ago that his father knew of the Southern Wei remnants. For years, his father had spared them destruction, likely for a hidden motive, letting them delude themselves into thinking he remained ignorant. Yet now, with commands to seize the Southern Wei folk, it felt like he was beating the grass to startle the snakes. Hadn’t those years of pretended blindness been in vain?

Precisely what scheme did his father have in mind?

What did he seek from the Southern Wei people? Was it that item?

That item had vanished ages ago, useless to his father now. No reason existed for such extreme efforts to obtain it.

Beyond that item, the Southern Wei held nothing else capable of enticing his father.