The Ming Dynasty started with caution

"Boss, the prince has left the palace, and the young Zhu scholar from Liangxiang has appeared." The servant Asan reported.

After asking around in Liangxiang for a long time, he drew a portrait of the prince based on the description of the scholars.

Wang Ziran had a smile of victory on his face in advance.

The pit was already dug, and all that was left was for Zhu Houzhao to jump in.

He led his men out of the city, and the official dogs of the Wucheng Bingma Division had sharp noses and could sniff out weapons.

Therefore, the weapons and gunpowder were hidden outside the city.

He rode a fast horse and rushed to Mingfeng Mountain, five miles away from Liangxiang.

There were soldiers patrolling the road further ahead, so it was not convenient to start.

It was still seven miles from the capital, and there were few people on the official road.

"Sharpen the knife quickly and fill it with kerosene."

Kerosene will evaporate, and it needs to be plugged tightly with wooden plugs and cloth strips.

However, it will be used soon, and it will not evaporate in a short time.

Wang Ziran first poured kerosene into a glass bottle, then stuffed a cloth strip in it, lit the cloth strip after a while, and threw it out.

The cloth strip would ignite the kerosene, and a raging fire would burn.

This was the last step. If Zhu Houzhao couldn't be killed by chopping, he would be burned to death.

"Stretch out your hands, we are all family."

The servants stretched out their hands, and there was a lotus pattern on their arms with six petals.

Holding a machete and hiding in the forest, Wang Ziran was overjoyed, he was going to make a contribution.

Zhu Houzhao often came to Liangxiang to hang out, and this news was known to very few people.

The few people he summoned could fight ten people alone, and they killed many people. They were very famous among the lake bandits in Poyang Lake.

After squatting on the top of the mountain for a long time, the cold wind was howling, but Zhu Houzhao did not come out.

Wang Ziran couldn't help but curse: "The prince is like a dog and a pig. How can a prince play like this?"

He had studied for a few years. Although he had never been to the palace, he knew that there was a yamen in the palace specifically for teaching the prince, called the Zhanshi Mansion.

The prince had to recite scriptures and learn the principles of governing the country in the Zhanshi Mansion every day.

"Boss, my feet are numb from squatting. Let's come again tomorrow?" The servant couldn't help but said.

It was so cold that they only wore a few clothes made of rags.

It was better than refugees, but it couldn't stop the cold wind.

"This prince is such a piece of shit!"

"Who said he wasn't? It's almost three hours, and he hasn't returned to the palace yet."

Several servants were blowing in the cold wind, cursing.

At this moment, a fast horse came running on the top of the mountain, and the horse had not stopped completely.

The servant said happily: "Zhu Houzhao is here, and there are five Jinyiwei with him."

Wang Ziran was overjoyed and cheered up: "You go and ask the five Jinyiwei to stay, and let Zhu Houzhao come. If you succeed in this deal, you can sleep with the women in Chunjiang Pavilion and have many children and grandchildren."

His voice trembled with excitement.

Half a month ago, someone promised to take Zhu Houzhao's life with 5,000 taels of silver.

Chunjiang Pavilion is a brothel in Nanchang Prefecture. Most of the women sold there are descendants of officials whose homes have been confiscated. They are sweet and lovely.

Half an hour later, a fast horse appeared on the official road. He was wearing a Confucian robe and a turban on his head, which was worn crookedly.

Wang Ziran took a look at the portrait and confirmed that it was Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao rode a big horse to show his face in Minglun Hall before the master of Zhanshi Mansion went off duty.

He whipped the horse and hit the horse's flattery.

Suddenly, five horses came down from the mountain, surrounded him, and drew out their iron-breaking knives.

"Are you the crown prince Zhu Houzhao?"

Zhu Houzhao blinked his eyes: "I am a scholar from the capital, named Yan Chengjin."

"Tui! Who are you kidding?"

Wang Ziran looked unkind, and the five servants secretly spit at Zhu Houzhao.

Such a crown prince deserved to die.

Zhu Houzhao had never seen a horse thief, but he knew that he was kidnapped by a horse thief.

He smiled and said: "I didn't provoke you, why did you kill me?"

"Your name is Zhu Houzhao?!"

"Yes."

Wang Ziran said proudly: "Your Jinyiwei is gone, wait for me to kill you, and then go back to Nanchang Prefecture to receive the reward."

"What do you mean gone? And how many of you are there? I can beat ten of you." Zhu Houzhao pulled out the sword on the horse's belly.

This was won by a scholar in Liangxiang.

The merchants who were passing by were so scared that they fled in all directions when they saw this scene.

It would take a quarter of an hour for the patrol officers to arrive in a five-mile distance.

At this moment, at the end of the official road, Wang Shouren, dressed in white, rode a black horse and stepped on the flying snow.

Zhu Houzhao saw Wang Shouren coming: "I advise you to run quickly. If you don't run, it will be too late."

Wang Ziran saw that it was a scholar and said disdainfully: "Who are you trying to scare?"

Zhu Houzhao held his sword, and an arrow shot from the forest, but he dodged it by bending down.

The servant rushed up with a shining knife in his hand, and the white blade was accompanied by a gust of wind, and he chopped randomly without any rules.

When the knife was about to fall, an arrow feather nailed to the back of a servant.

Wang Shouren put away his bow and came to Zhu Houzhao in the blink of an eye.

He was about to return to Beijing after finishing his lecture in Liangxiang.

"Fool, they want to kill me, kill them quickly."

Without waiting for Zhu Houzhao's order, Wang Shouren held a sword and stabbed a servant to death.

He took advantage of the situation and snatched the spear he was best at. No one dared to touch his sharp edge.

"Your Highness, go back to the palace first."

Wang Ziran finally managed to catch Zhu Houzhao, how could he let him go easily.

Although this scholar was good at using a spear, he could also win.

Gradually, after the confrontation, he found that although this scholar was weak, he knew how to use a spear.

"Wait, spare my life!"

At this moment, the people hiding in the forest came and threw a few fire bottles.

Zhu Houzhao didn't burn, but he set the body on the ground on fire.

Wang Shouren was quick and pulled the bow and arrow to end his life.

"Your Highness, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Zhu Houzhao seemed to be in a good mood as if nothing had happened.

"This matter cannot be reported to the court."

Wang Shouren guessed his thoughts. If His Majesty knew, His Highness would not be able to leave the palace in the future.

"Forgive me for not obeying your order!"

"Then I will report to my father myself."

An hour later, in the palace.

Since Li Dongyang had his hemorrhoids removed, the silkworm room has not been used.

Wang Ziran was stripped naked, lying on a wooden platform, and was fed with numbing soup, and his consciousness slowly faded.

Zhu Houzhao held the razor and said with a smile: "Don't be nervous, this is my first time too."

"What are you going to do?"

"You are good at fighting, I want you to come to the East Palace as my companion."

Wang Ziran opened his eyes wide and watched.

When the knife was swung down, his eyes rolled back and there was no sound.

"Your Highness, the man has fainted."

"Take good care of him, I will come to see him in a few days."

Forbidden City, outside the Meridian Gate.

A fast horse from Liangxiang rushed over in a hurry.

In front of the Meridian Gate, the horse raised its front hooves and stopped in a hurry.

The spy turned over and dismounted, but was intercepted by the guards.

"The prince was assassinated, I was ordered to report it! I hope you can enter the palace!"

The guards were very calm.

"But the prince returned to the palace an hour ago."

This? The spy was stunned.

The patrol officers and soldiers of the patrol found that most of the Jinyiwei had died and the prince was missing, so they hurried into the palace to report.

Hearing that the prince had returned to the palace, he was relieved.

However, the prince's assassination was no different from the assassination of His Majesty, so the guards still had to report to Mou Bin.

The spy also hurried to the Ministry of War to report to Qin Hong.

Qin Hong asked, "Is the prince still alive?!"

"The prince returned to the palace an hour ago, and the soldiers on the patrol found the lotus in the hands of the horse thieves." The spy hurriedly reported.

The white lotus entered the capital again?

What made Qin Hong feel strange was that the prince returned to the palace an hour ago, why didn't he report it?

His Majesty must not know yet, so he hurried to the Fengtian Palace.