Chapter 1197: Chapter 1033: Da Xing Royal Family

"As for these assassins, I know a thing or two. Mr. Gu should also be aware that my fiefdom is near the border. Compared to Mr. Gu who stays in the Capital and knows nothing about border matters, it’s natural that I know more than Mr. Gu."

Prince Jing paused and glanced at Gu Chengyu, who was listening intently, unable to restrain a faint smile at the corner of his lips.

"The mastermind behind these assassins has probably already arrived in the Capital long ago. Based on the evidence I’ve gathered, Da Xing’s traitors infiltrated the Dayan territory as early as many years ago to plan this. The attempt on my father’s life was part of a long-plotted scheme. The demon in the palace lurked for over a decade to poison my father. Unfortunately, I learned all this too late. Not only was my father poisoned by him, but that demon also fled without a trace, truly hateful!"

Prince Jing slapped the table, his face still showing signs of anger.

Gu Chengyu frowned, "What you mean, Your Highness, is that Da Xing started planning over ten years ago? But the Emperor hadn’t only recently started trusting the Tianji Taoist; why did the Tianji Taoist act only now? Spending over a decade on this game seems unnecessary."

Gu Chengyu felt that there were still gaps in what Prince Jing said.

After some thought, he suddenly realized, "Unless, in the past few years, Da Xing was too occupied with its own issues to bother with Dayan. They were too busy taking care of themselves to have the chance. Furthermore, if they had poisoned the Emperor early on, they wouldn’t have had the ability to take over Dayan; perhaps the timing wasn’t right."

The more Gu Chengyu thought about it, the more plausible these points seemed. It’s said that Da Xing’s Imperial Family is as competitive as Dayan’s. Only, there are many more Princes, and their national customs have always been fierce, with constant fighting. One can imagine the intensity.

Da Xing’s territory is not nearly as vast as Dayan’s. Only after annexing some tribes ten years ago did they expand their land.

The more competing Princes for the throne, the more Da Xing struggled to manage itself. In recent years, due to internal strife, the warfare between the two countries ceased, allowing the people some peaceful years.

But now, since the other side has begun to activate their past plans, this indicates they finally have the chance. Could it be that Da Xing’s court situation has changed?

As for the issue of timing being unsuitable, that’s simple. While the Emperor is naturally suspicious and ruthless, it cannot be denied that Dayan’s empire has slowly begun to revive under his rule.

Over ten years ago, the Emperor was still robust, and his energy was incomparable to these past two years. The Princes had already grown up, and the aristocratic families’ power had not yet been weakened, considered the dynasty’s peak period.

At that time, the Emperor did not trust the Tianji Taoist so much. Furthermore, if the Emperor had been poisoned, the aristocratic families would certainly support their backed Prince to ascend. Taking over Mrs. Zhao’s kingdom would not be easy for Da Xing people.

Since that was the case, they simply waited. In those years, the Emperor was weakening the power of the aristocratic families. Now that the major aristocratic families have become toothless tigers, what is there to fear?

Other Princes have been sent to their fiefdoms. Even if Da Xing’s traitors broke into the Capital, they would still be powerless. By the time they arrived in the Capital, everything would have been settled.

Currently, the Crown Prince is about to ascend the throne in the court. Although the Crown Prince has many civil servants supporting him, he lacks the backing of a strong, powerful military.

What else can scholars do in the court besides spreading gossip? Could they go to the battlefield and fight? Once Da Xing invades, these Ministers would only be as timid as quails.

On the day of the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince, if not for the Crown Prince holding the Tiger Talisman able to command the troops, it’s hard to say this throne wouldn’t have changed hands.

Gu Chengyu took a deep breath. Who exactly orchestrated this, having patience to wait over a decade?

Prince Jing was quite amazed that Gu Chengyu could deduce the answer, nodding with admiration: "Mr. Gu is indeed sharp in political matters. Your guess is not wrong."

"Although we in Dayan have records on Da Xing’s Imperial Family, given the unfriendly relations, the records are not comprehensive. Over the past two years, staying in the fiefdom hasn’t given me any good but hearing quite a bit about Da Xing’s Imperial secrets."

Prince Jing picked up the teapot and found it empty. Thus, he called Jin Canling from outside to refill it.

"The Emperor of Da Xing has eight sons who survived; others died prematurely. Among them, the Crown Prince is the legitimate eldest son, born to the Empress. However, twenty years ago, the Empress fell incurably ill and passed within a month. At that time, our Dayan was powerful, and Da Xing had a vague intention of dependency. Therefore, when Da Xing’s envoy congratulated our Dayan Dynasty, they proposed for a princess from Dayan to marry into Da Xing as a gesture of peaceful relations between the two nations."

Gu Chengyu nodded; the matter of this political marriage is recorded in the historical records he had read.

"Back then, in order to show that Dayan is a great country, my father naturally wouldn’t refuse. However, he was troubled by choosing a candidate for the marriage. The several concubines in the palace weren’t of age for it. The eldest Imperial Sister, born of the Central Palace, was far too noble as a legitimate daughter to be married off. Besides, at that time, the eldest Imperial Sister was not yet of age, and both my father and the Empress couldn’t bear to part with her. Thus, my father selected a daughter of the Imperial Family, conferring her as Princess Yilun, to marry into Da Xing."

"This was originally a happy event. The Emperor of Da Xing immediately conferred Princess Yilun as the successor to the Empress, as a token of Da Xing’s genuine friendship. But who knew, just over a year later, news of Princess Yilun’s death came."

Prince Jing did not reveal whose subordinates these assassins were, but instead recounted these past events to Gu Chengyu. However, Gu Chengyu did not interrupt him, knowing Prince Jing had a reason for bringing this up.

These matters must be related to the assassins Prince Jing wanted to talk about.

"The Emperor of Da Xing said at that time that Princess Yilun was pregnant, already somewhat frail, and constantly pined for her homeland, resulting in significant physical decline. Thus, during childbirth, she suffered a hemorrhage. After giving birth to the Dragon Son, she passed away."

Gu Chengyu rubbed his smooth chin, then asked the critical question.

"What happened to the child?"

"No one knows where the child went! Whatever schemes were involved, outsiders like us wouldn’t know. Yet I’ve heard rumors that Princess Yilun’s death was due to other circumstances."

Prince Jing, recalling the information he’d gathered, frowned in contemplation.

"Oh? When the Emperor arranged for the niece of the Imperial Family to be titled Princess and married, was Da Xing’s Emperor kept in the dark?" Gu Chengyu wondered, as he recalled this had not been mentioned by Prince Jing earlier.

Prince Jing gazed wordlessly at Gu Chengyu, thinking this person’s cleverness bordered on dullness.

After a long pause, he said: "Back then, Dayan was mighty, while Da Xing was somewhat insignificant. Perhaps my father, considering himself the Monarch of a great country, paid little mind to Da Xing’s Imperial Family. Thus, this matter was never clarified. He only instructed the envoy escorting the Princess not to disclose it, then ceased concerning himself with it."

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