Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1192 - 177: Eliminating Root and Branch

"Your Highness Prince Han, if Lord Wei discovers your current sentiments, his heart would shatter." Yu Jiang, whose expression had remained impassive, slightly knit his brows. His tone grew colder as he questioned, "Are you defending Prince Chu, seeking retribution on his behalf?"

Yu Jiang’s pointed question caught Zhao Yao entirely off guard.

"It appears that in your estimation, Prince Chu holds greater importance than Lord Wei," Yu Jiang remarked with a sardonic tone.

Zhao Yao quickly countered, his voice firm, "That is not what I said. My Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother are equally dear to me."

"Then what is the reason for your assertion that Lord Wei intends to take your life?" Yu Jiang fixed Zhao Yao with a sharp gaze, his inquiry relentless.

Tong Xi, displeased by Yu Jiang’s insolent demeanor towards Zhao Yao, stepped forward. She fixed Yu Jiang with a cold glare, her tone carrying a clear warning, "Yu Jiang, mind your address."

Yu Jiang paid Tong Xi no heed. He produced a letter from his robes, presenting it to Zhao Yao. "Your Highness Prince Han, this missive is from Lord Wei himself."

Tong Xi moved swiftly, accepting the letter and placing it into Zhao Yao’s hand.

"Your Highness Prince Han, you are the individual Lord Wei cherishes above all others. I implore you, do not wound his feelings." Yu Jiang, clearly resentful of Zhao Yao’s earlier words, declared, "I shall take my leave now." With a curt nod, he turned and departed.

Zhao Yao glanced towards Tong Xi, who, understanding his unspoken command, immediately pursued Yu Jiang.

The anger that had simmered moments before dissipated under Yu Jiang’s scrutiny, replaced by a profound sense of helplessness. Zhao Yao carefully broke the seal of the letter and began to read.

Within the letter, Lord Wei’s words were concise. He confirmed that his promise had been kept and that Prince Chu remained unharmed. Furthermore, he advised Zhao Yao against venturing to the capital. Lord Wei made no mention of the demise of Princess Consort Chu or their children. The letter concluded with assurance that Lady Liang was well and that Zhao Yao should not harbor any anxieties regarding her.

Upon finishing Lord Wei’s letter, Zhao Yao lapsed into a pensive silence, lost in his thoughts. It was only when Tong Xi returned that he was gently drawn back to the present.

"Your Highness, Yu Jiang has departed."

"Departed?"

"Yes, before he left, Yu Jiang stated..."

Noticing Tong Xi’s hesitation to continue, Zhao Yao surmised that Yu Jiang’s final words had been less than pleasant.

"What precisely did he say?"

"He declared he would convey your previous remarks to Lord Wei’s ears, word for word," Tong Xi added. "He also commented that he felt Lord Wei’s actions were not justified."

Zhao Yao listened, offering no verbal response.

Observing Zhao Yao’s somber expression, Tong Xi cautiously attempted to offer solace. "Your Highness, perhaps you should disregard Yu Jiang’s insinuations."

"He speaks the truth; my earlier words undoubtedly wounded Eighth Brother’s heart," Zhao Yao conceded, not countering Yu Jiang's assessment.

Tong Xi continued her attempt to comfort him. "Your Highness, you spoke in a moment of intense emotion. I am confident Lord Wei would not hold it against you."

Zhao Yao, consumed by self-recrimination, sighed. "Eighth Brother will hold it against me. Eighth Brother will believe that my Fourth Brother is more important to me than he is."

"Your Highness, you are distraught because Lord Wei orchestrated the deaths of Princess Consort Chu and her son," Tong Xi echoed, her voice laced with indignation. "I too find Lord Wei’s actions excessively cruel. Not only did he eliminate the Princess Consort and the Heir, but the entire Li Family as well. Prince Chu had already been decisively defeated; he posed no threat to Lord Wei. Why then, did Lord Wei feel compelled to eradicate them so completely?"

"My Fourth Sister-in-law and her family..." The thought of Princess Consort Chu and the Princely Heir’s demise sent a pang of acute pain through Zhao Yao’s chest. "Fourth Sister-in-law was such a kind soul, and the nephews were so endearing and remarkably sensible. And now..." He recalled Fourth Sister-in-law’s thoughtful gestures during his own wedding preparations, how she would personally prepare delectable snacks for him. He remembered his nephews, who, despite their youth, always doted upon their young uncle, readily sharing their treats and toys. "Why did Eighth Brother take their lives?" Even though his Fourth Brother had been vanquished, his Fourth Sister-in-law and their kin presented no conceivable threat to Eighth Brother. Why, then, had Eighth Brother been so merciless?

Tong Xi observed Zhao Yao’s eyes welling with tears, a sight that stirred her own emotions deeply.

"I had believed Eighth Brother gave me his word that he would spare Fourth Brother and refrain from troubling Fourth Sister-in-law and her family. Yet, alas..." Zhao Yao’s fists clenched tightly, the veins on the back of his hands standing out starkly. "Eighth Brother has indeed annihilated Fourth Brother’s lineage utterly." Though no one from Prince Chu’s faction had explicitly stated it, Zhao Yao could surmise the dire circumstances of Prince Chu’s current state.

"Lord Wei’s ruthlessness is truly commendable."

"From the very moment Eighth Brother extinguished the lives of the deposed Crown Prince’s family, I recognized the chilling cruelty of Eighth Brother’s methods. Yet, I foolishly clung to the belief that Eighth Brother would spare Fourth Brother’s family for my sake. But alas..." Tears now streamed freely down Zhao Yao’s face. "Had I foreseen Eighth Brother’s unmitigated brutality, I should have intervened. Then, Fourth Sister-in-law and her family would not have met their tragic end. My inaction directly led to their deaths..."

"Your Highness, this is not your burden to bear. It is Lord Wei’s transgression, and it has nothing to do with you."