Chapter 650: Determined To Win

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation , Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

The Empress turned to look at Xie Rui’s slightly protruding double chin… She also had the same question. Before this, she had imagined countless images of him being tortured.

Yet, today, after seeing him… No matter how she looked at him, he didn’t look like he had been tortured…

Conspiracy! This was a huge conspiracy! “Emperor Father, this is clearly a scheme that those people came up with!” Xie

Rui was wondering why those people were so kind and prepared so much food for him every day. So they were planning for his comeuppance here!

“Conspiracy? I want to know how kind the person who abducted you was to raise you until you became so fat!”

Xie Rui’s words were no longer convincing to Emperor Zhao Heng.

Now Emperor Zhao Heng was certain that they had taken all three parts of the iron-smelting technique. Even if they did it to save someone, it was still unforgivable to Emperor Zhao Heng.

The iron-smelting technique was much more important than a son who only wanted to send himself to his death quickly!

“Men! Drag the Empress and the First Prince out and beat them until they admit that they stole the iron-smelting technique!

Emperor Zhao Heng no longer believed a word they said.

Beat them.

As long as they were not beaten to death, he would have them beaten viciously! “Spare us, Your Majesty. Your Consort and His Highness really don’t know anything.”

“That’s right, Emperor Father. Your son is the one who was set up. Your son has

just escaped…”

Emperor Zhao Heng ignored them and was totally unmoved as they yelled their lungs out.

The guards pressed the two of them on the bench and smashed their poles viciously on their bodies. They did not show any mercy at all.

The voices of those two people gradually became softer, and their breathing became extremely weak.

Emperor Zhao Heng did not say how many strokes to give them. Before he shouted for them to stop, the guards dishing out the punishment did not dare to stop at all.

When he saw that the two of them were about to die, Emperor Zhao Heng waved his hand to signal the guards to stop.

“Send a message to the people in the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Tell them that I want to see the complete three-part iron-smelting technique within three days. Otherwise, I will have them beheaded!

By leaving the Empress and the First Prince a final breath, he was leaving hope for the Prime Minister’s Mansion. This allowed them to feel that there was still room for turning things around.

Although the matter in the palace had caused quite a stir, Emperor Zhao Heng ordered a gag order to be implemented. Thus, the news did not spread outside the palace. Not many people knew that something big had happened in the palace.

When the people in the palace came to the Prime Minister’s Mansion to convey the message, the Prime Minister’s Mansion was still doing their best to locate Xie Rui’s whereabouts. However, until now, there were still no useful clues.

“Father, someone from the palace has arrived. He is requesting Father to go to the palace immediately.”

Prime Minister Zhou sprang up from his chair. What he was most afraid of right now were people from the palace.

“Did he say what it is regarding?”

‘■He didn’t say anything. He only requested Father to enter the palace quickly.”

If they were not saying anything, then it was even more mysterious.

As a precaution, Prime Minister Zhou gave some instructions to his sons before leaving with the fellow from the palace.

As soon as Prime Minister Zhou stepped into the palace, he felt that something was wrong. He raised his head and saw the Empress and Xie Rui lying on the ground panting weakly.

Even Prime Minister Zhou, who had weathered all kinds of storms, was so shocked that he didn’t know how to react.

Why was Xie Rui in the palace?

“My Lord, His Majesty is still waiting for you in the inner hall.

Prime Minister Zhou practically staggered into the inner hall.

His mind was racing, but he couldn’t figure out what could have happened.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Zhao Heng was leaning back in his chair, but this still did not reduce the malicious air surrounding him.

-Prime Minister Zhou, did you see them when you came in just now?” Prime Minister Zhou could only brace himself and answer, “Please enlighten me, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Zhao Heng gave a sneer. “You guys ganged up to steal my Jin State’s iron-smelting technique. Yet now you’re turning around to ask me?”

Prime Minister Zhou’s white beard shook momentarily. “Your Majesty, please investigate. I have already handed the iron-smelting technique to you. Why would I still steal it? Someone must be slandering me. Please investigate and clear the Empress, the First Prince, and me of any wrongdoing, Your Majesty.” “Before I fell ill, I placed the iron-smelting technique in my sleeping chamber. During this period, it was the Empress who controlled everything in the sleeping chamber. Now that the iron-smelting technique is gone, who else could it be if not you guys teaming up with her?”

Prime Minister Zhou cried out that he was wronged, but Emperor Zhao Heng refused to listen to his explanation at all.

“If you guys hadn’t already obtained the iron-smelting technique, how could

Xie Rui have come back unscathed?”

This was what Prime Minister Zhou wanted to know too!

“Your Majesty, I really don’t know anything about this matter. Please give me some time. I will definitely investigate and give Your Majesty an explanation.” Emperor Zhao Heng gave a scornful sneer. “I will give you time, but not for you to find out the truth. I will give you three days to hand over the iron-smelting technique that you have stolen. If I don’t see the complete iron-smelting technique in three days, I will tear the two of them into pieces!” When Prime Minister Zhou came out of the sleeping chamber, he was still in a daze.

He even felt that everything that had just happened was a dream.

In the Second Prince’s Mansion…

Ever since he lost the iron-smelting technique, the Second Prince had been feeling depressed. He began to search for the whereabouts of the iron-smelting technique without sleep or rest. He only returned to his residence after the sky was already dark.

During this period, the Second Prince’s Mansion was shrouded in an oppressive atmosphere. The servants did not even dare to breathe loudly for fear that they might do something wrong and become innocent cannon fodder.

Xie Jun returned to the study. The moment the study door closed, the smile on his face could no longer be suppressed.

“Your Highness is indeed brilliant at plotting. In this way, it won’t be long before the Prime Minister’s entire family become departed souls in the hands of the executioners.”

Xie Jun laughed gleefully. However, he still had to put on a show. This way, not only would he be able to bring them down but he would also be able to fulfill his own wish.

-Get everything prepared. In order to avoid any trouble, I have to set off as soon as possible.”

Now, the three parts of the iron-smelting technique were in his hands. He did not covet this item. Once the kingdom belonged to him, could the iron-smelting technique still end up in other people’s hands?

He planned to put on a show. Next, he would receive news that someone was about to leave the kingdom with the iron-smelting technique. He would bring people to pursue him with all his might. After catching the person, not only would he be able to prove the crime of the Prime Minister’s Mansion but he would also be able to obtain credit for recovering the iron-smelting technique.

At that point, wouldn’t Emperor Zhao Heng be extremely satisfied with this son of his?

Xie Jun painted a very rosy picture. He was fully prepared to report the matter to Emperor Zhao Heng the next morning.

Emperor Zhao Heng was still suspicious of that first son of his right now. He immediately sent a team of people to assist Xie Jun and instructed them to follow him to track down the whereabouts of the iron-smelting technique.

Xie Jun had originally wanted to put on an act. If Emperor Zhao Heng’s men were present to watch, this act would seem even more real. He was very eager to get started.

That day, Xie Jun brought those men out of the palace.

“Your Highness, I don’t think there’s a need to go too far. The further you go, the higher the risk.”

Xie Jun had the same thought. Given the current situation, he couldn’t go too far away, in case he couldn’t rush back in time if something happened, in the end, they decided to look for the iron-smelting technique at Shao North Entry.

On the night they arrived at Shao North Entry, Xie Jun took out the iron-smelting technique.

He looked at the iron-smelting technique in the box, and a smile of determined confidence appeared in his eyes..