Upon hearing this, Chu Xuan's face changed color in an instant and turned icy cold. He picked up the letter on the table and looked at it seriously, getting angrier by the minute. Finally, he slammed his hand on the table and said: "This Yan Zhen is a good one! This old scoundrel! I treated him with kindness, appointed him as General-in-Chief, made his elder daughter Empress, and even made his younger daughter Consort De. Why did he forget my kindness and turn against me, colluding with others to harm me?"

  "Your Majesty, calm down." Luo Zhong hastily handed him a cup of fragrant tea. "Your Majesty, have a sip of tea to calm your anger. I think General Yan must also be momentarily confused, and that's why he did something so rebellious and disrespectful."

  "Hmph, even drinking tea can't quench the fire in my heart. Yan Zhen, that old fellow, doesn't put me in his eyes at all." Chu Yixuan said: "I mistakenly treated him as a national father-in-law, it seems he is no longer worthy of being a national father-in-law."

  He turned his head to look at Li Zehao, who was calm and collected, and asked: "Zehao, you come and say something. How should we handle this matter?"

  "Your Majesty, I only speak my personal opinion. If there is anything improper, please forgive me. As the saying goes, 'The Son of Heaven who commits a crime should be punished like common people.' How can it be that a great general, even if he is the emperor's father-in-law, cannot be forgiven for violating national law? Moreover, he has no respect for his superiors and dares to harbor treasonous thoughts. In my humble opinion, he cannot be spared."

  "Hmm. Indeed worthy of being appointed as the Minister of War by Me. Handling matters decisively and efficiently. Having both strategy and bravery. I didn't misjudge the person."

  "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. I am also discussing matters based on facts. Moreover, I have always been a person who is impartial and selfless."

  "Alright, just for the sake of your words. I will entrust this matter to you to handle. You were once his good son-in-law. If you can put aside personal feelings, then I won't show mercy either."

  "I never thought so either, Father-in-law would be such a sinister person. If I hadn't discovered this letter, I would have been deceived by him." Li Ze Hao sighed. In the past, he always thought that his father-in-law was a noble man who was indifferent to fame and wealth, but it turned out that he had hidden so deeply.

  "It's just like the saying goes: 'It's easy to paint a tiger's skin, but hard to paint its bones.' One can know a person's face, but not their heart." Chu Yixuan said to him, "Have you figured out who the master mentioned in the letter is?"

  Li Zehao shook his head: "Regarding this gentleman, I have investigated for a long time and still can't find out who he is. The entire letter doesn't mention the identity or name of that gentleman at all. It's too secretive and difficult to investigate."

  "Who is this man after all? So mysterious." Chu Yixuan thought deeply: "I think that man also came for me."

  "It's highly likely." Li Zehao said: "Although I, your humble servant, haven't found out who the mastermind is, this letter was found at a relay station on the way to the border."

  "Border." Chu Yixuan muttered to himself. Sending him all the way to such a distant place. Was the mastermind really there?

  Zehao didn't mention the border, so he wouldn't think of that place. In recent years, his half-brother King Jing had been guarding it. He was a formidable general who had resolved many major and minor battles for him.

  Only Jing Wang remained in the border town. For decades, he never returned to the capital. Could he have colluded with Yan Zhen?

  Chu Yixuan's head hurt as he said, "As you said, this letter is being sent to the border. So, you mean that King Jing...". He really couldn't say any more. He didn't dare believe that King Jing would betray him. The two of them were about the same age. They had grown up together since childhood. And he was raised by King Jing's mother, Queen. The two could be said to be true brothers.

  More than a decade ago, the two of them conspired together to overthrow the emperor and seize the throne through internal and external coordination. He also voluntarily led troops to the border to fight battles at that time. As a result, one became the emperor in the capital, while the other became a general on the border. The two brothers cooperated tacitly for over a decade. How can such fraternal affection be believable? Can King Jing really betray him?

  Just based on this small letter, Chu Yixuan couldn't believe that King Jing was planning to rebel. King Jing was such a carefree and uninhibited person, with a licentious and unrestrained nature. How could he possibly plot against his own throne?

  Chu Yixuan disbelievingly said: "Ze Hao, you must be 'mistaken'. The father mentioned in the letter definitely isn't referring to Jing Wang."

  "Your Majesty, I didn't say it was King Jing either. But this matter is very suspicious. It's not impossible that it was him." Li Ze said ambiguously, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.

  Chu Yixuan was left wavering in his heart by what he had said. On the one hand, he wanted to believe in Jing Wang's feelings for him. On the other hand, he also had some doubts.

  "Your Majesty, you should make a decision as soon as possible to avoid their suspicion." Li Zehao advised. As a minister, he was supposed to be loyal to the emperor and share his worries.

  Chu Yixuan took the letter and read it again. After a moment of contemplation, he said: "You lead the troops to General Fu's mansion first and find more evidence. Then, arrest all members of their family and throw them into prison. Wait for my further instructions."

  "Yes. Then I'll take my leave first." Li Zehao bowed and hastily retreated. He was about to rush off to handle this important matter immediately.

  Luo Zhong also listened to the whole story on the side. He looked at his hesitant master and said, "Your Majesty, do you want to ask General Yan who is behind the scenes?"

  "I have this intention."

  "Your Majesty, I dare to say something unpleasant. Since the great general has dared to do such a thing and collude with others, as a military man, I think he should have some backbone and not easily betray the mastermind behind him."

  "I naturally understand all this. It's just that there's no other way. Let's try it out and see what happens." Chu Yicheng sighed lightly. After all, he didn't believe that King Jing would betray him unless he heard it from his own mouth.

  Three days later, the Yan family was accused of treason for colluding with others and was ordered by the Emperor to be imprisoned in a large prison, awaiting their final sentence.

  At this time, the iron gate of the big prison was pushed open by someone. Then, a large team of royal guards and eunuchs appeared, surrounding a master wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, walking towards one of the cells.

  After passing through the cell filled with prisoners, he stopped in front of the cell where only one old man was detained. Chu Yixuan ordered the prison head to unlock the door and have someone drag the old man out. The old man saw him but didn't salute.

  Chu Yixuan did not rebuke him, but instead looked at the person on the ground for a while before asking, "General Yan, do you know your crime?"

  Yan Zhen's face was calm and he sat on the ground without saying a word, ignoring the emperor's words.

  Lu Zhong saw Yan Zhen ignoring the emperor and dared not to respond to the emperor's words. He was about to get angry, but was stopped by Chu Yixuan.

  Chu Yixuan knelt down and looked at him, saying: "I respect you as my father-in-law. I have never wronged you before. Why do you want to betray me?"

  "Your Majesty." Yan's dry, cracked lips moved slightly as he spoke expressionlessly: "Although Your Majesty has not wronged me, I have never regarded you as my emperor. In my heart, I have long since pledged allegiance to another ruler."

  "Oh. Then who is the king in your heart?" Chu Yixuan stared at him and said: "But it's King Jing."

  "I'm afraid I can no longer tell you who it is, for now I am a prisoner of the lower ranks. Whether to kill or behead me is up to your convenience." Yan Zhen said with great dignity.