Bright Sword: This unit is really ruthless

Chapter 491 His Royal Highness the Crown Prince

The queen's face changed, and she said quickly: "Your Highness has misunderstood. I just think this matter is strange. Qiuyue has always been loyal and would never assassinate Your Highness. There must be a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Zhang Ling's eyes flashed with sarcasm, "Empress, are you shielding her?"

The Queen knelt down quickly and said, "I dare not. I just hope that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can see clearly and not wrongly accuse a good person."

Zhang Ling looked at the queen kneeling on the ground and sneered in his heart. This queen is really good at acting.

He walked up to the queen, looked down at her, and said coldly: "Queen, do you really think I will believe your lies?"

The queen raised her head and looked at Zhang Ling, her eyes filled with fear. She said tremblingly, "Your Highness, everything I said is true. Please understand."

Zhang Ling sneered and said, "Since the Queen is so insistent, I will give you a chance to prove your innocence."

He turned to look at Prime Minister Wang and said, "Teacher, take Qiuyue away and interrogate her strictly. Make sure she reveals the mastermind behind this."

"I obey your command." Prime Minister Wang bowed and responded.

The queen's face changed, and she said quickly: "Your Highness, you can't..."

"What's wrong? Is the Queen feeling guilty?" Zhang Ling interrupted the Queen, a hint of sarcasm flashing in his eyes.

The queen bit her lip and said nothing more.

Qiuyue was taken away by the guards, and the queen also left silently.

Zhang Ling looked at the queen's departing back, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

This drama has just begun.

In the next few days, Zhang Ling has been secretly investigating Qiuyue and the Queen. He discovered that there seems to be some unspeakable secret between the Queen and the Second Prince Lingyun.

And at this moment, an unexpected person suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Long time no see, Your Highness."

The man was dressed in black, with his face covered, and his voice was so low and hoarse that it was impossible to tell whether he was a man or a woman.

Zhang Ling looked at the man in black in front of him and was shocked. Who was this person? Why did he know his identity?

"Who are you?" Zhang Ling asked vigilantly.

The man in black chuckled and said, "Don't be nervous, Your Highness. I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" Zhang Ling's eyes flashed with doubt, "Why do you want to help me?"

The man in black said, "Because we have a common enemy."

"Common enemy?" Zhang Ling was even more confused. "Who is our common enemy?"

The man in black said slowly: "The Queen, and the Second Prince."

Zhang Ling coughed violently, his chest roaring like a broken bellows. The fear of suffocation had not yet dissipated, replaced by a bone-chilling chill. He stared at Qiuyue's figure being dragged out, his eyes like a poisoned blade.

Prime Minister Wang supported him with concern, "Your Highness, please take care of yourself."

Zhang Ling took a deep breath and suppressed his surging emotions. "Teacher, this is by no means accidental. My father is seriously ill, and there are undercurrents in the court. I...I am walking on thin ice."

Prime Minister Wang stroked his beard and said in a deep voice, "I understand. I will keep a close eye on the Second Prince. But Your Highness, there are many eyes and ears in the harem, so you need to be more cautious."

"I understand." Zhang Ling rubbed his temple tiredly, waved away the palace servants, and only left Prime Minister Wang.

"Teacher, I feel that this matter is strange." Zhang Ling frowned, "Qiuyue is just a little palace maid, how could she have the courage to assassinate me? Who is the person behind her?"

Prime Minister Wang pondered for a moment, "In my opinion, Qiuyue is probably just a pawn. The real mastermind behind this is someone else."

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Zhang Ling's eyes, "I must find this man and tear him into pieces!"

In the following days, Zhang Ling seemed to be resting up, but secretly he began his own investigation. He knew that in this dangerous palace, no one should be trusted. He began to pay attention to the actions and every subtle expression of everyone around him, trying to find clues from them.

He found that since his father became seriously ill, the Empress seemed to be particularly attentive, personally delivering medicine every day and asking about his health. However, his mother, the Concubine Shu, seemed to be deliberately ignored and rarely paid attention to.

This made him feel uneasy. Could it be that the Queen was also involved?

In order to test the Queen, Zhang Ling deliberately tampered with the medicine sent by the Queen, replacing one of the herbs with another similar one but with slightly different medicinal properties.

Sure enough, the next day, the Queen Mother came to visit him under the pretext of expressing concern about his condition.

Zhang Ling pretended to be weak and lay on the bed, allowing the Queen to ask him about his health.

"Ling'er, are you feeling better?" the Queen asked with concern.

"Thank you for your concern, mother. I feel much better." Zhang Ling replied weakly.

When the Queen saw how weak he was, she was secretly delighted, thinking that her plan had succeeded.

"That's good. Your mother has specially prepared a nourishing soup for you. Drink it while it's hot." The Queen Mother picked up the soup bowl and handed it to Zhang Ling.

Zhang Ling looked at the medicine in the bowl and sneered in his heart, but pretended to be grateful on the surface, "Thank you, mother."

He took the bowl of soup, took a sip slowly, then pretended to be unwell and coughed while covering his chest.

"Ling'er, what's wrong with you?" The Queen asked hurriedly upon seeing this.

"Your son... Your son feels a little uncomfortable in his chest..." Zhang Ling said weakly.

A trace of panic flashed in the Queen's eyes, "Someone, call the imperial physician!"

The corners of Zhang Ling's mouth rose slightly. He knew that he had successfully tested the Queen's thoughts.

The imperial physician arrived quickly and after examining Zhang Ling, he did not find anything abnormal.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince just caught a cold, it's nothing serious." said the imperial physician.

Upon hearing this, the Queen felt relieved, but also more confused.

Zhang Ling looked at the Queen's expression and sneered in his heart. He knew that the Queen had begun to doubt him.

In the following days, Zhang Ling was more cautious and careful. He secretly contacted his confidants and began to secretly investigate the mastermind behind Qiuyue.

At the same time, the second prince Ling Yun was also secretly preparing to make a move. He knew very well that this was the best time for him to seize the position of crown prince.

A bloody storm is about to take place in this magnificent palace.

One night, Zhang Ling was reading in the study when he suddenly heard a strange noise coming from outside the window.

He put down the book in his hand vigilantly, walked to the window and looked out through the crack.

I saw a dark shadow flash by and disappear into the night.

Zhang Ling was startled and quickly opened the window, jumped out and chased after him.

He chased the black shadow all the way and came to a rockery deep in the imperial garden.

The black shadow seemed to be aware of his pursuit and suddenly stopped and turned around.

With the faint moonlight, Zhang Ling saw the shadow's face clearly and was stunned.

Standing in front of him was...

Zhang Ling coughed violently, his lungs burning as if on fire. He leaned weakly against the head of the bed, his eyes coldly sweeping over Qiuyue who was kneeling on the ground. This seemingly weak woman actually wanted to kill him!

"Teacher, how do you know it's the second prince?" Zhang Ling's voice was hoarse, with a hint of fear.

Prime Minister Wang stroked his beard, a gleam in his eyes: "This old minister is also speculating. Although the Queen has always been dissatisfied with Your Highness, she is your biological mother after all, and she should be cautious in her actions. And the Second Prince..." Prime Minister Wang paused and said meaningfully, "He has always coveted the position of Crown Prince. Now that Your Majesty is seriously ill, it is the best time for him to take action."

Zhang Ling was silent. He had always known that Ling Yun was dissatisfied with him, but he had never expected that he would be so cruel as to send someone to assassinate him.

"Your Highness, now that His Majesty is seriously ill and the situation in the court is turbulent, you must be more careful." Prime Minister Wang advised earnestly, "I will do my best to protect Your Highness, but Your Highness must also learn to protect yourself."

Zhang Ling nodded, a gleam of determination flashed in his eyes. He was no longer the innocent prince. After experiencing this assassination, he understood that in this treacherous palace, if he wanted to survive, he had to be ruthless.

"Qiuyue, do you have anything else to say?" Zhang Ling asked coldly.

Qiuyue raised her head, her eyes filled with despair and fear. She knew that she had no chance of survival.

"Your Highness, I am forced to do this." Qiuyue cried, "My family members are in the hands of the Second Prince. If I don't listen to him, they will be killed."

Zhang Ling sneered: "Being forced? Do you think I will believe your lies?"

"Your Highness, I am telling the truth!" Qiuyue kowtowed desperately, her forehead was broken, and blood flowed down her cheeks. "I beg Your Highness to have mercy on me and spare my life!"

Zhang Ling looked at her without a trace of pity in his heart. This woman, for the sake of her family, could actually betray him and even want his life.

"Come here, drag her away and beat her to death!" Zhang Ling ordered coldly.

Qiuyue cried in despair and was dragged away by the guards.

Zhang Ling closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His heart became colder and harder.

In the following days, Zhang Ling became more cautious. He knew that in the palace, a place where people are eaten without leaving any bones, if he was not careful, he would be doomed.

He began to secretly build up his own power, win over ministers in the court, and consolidate his position step by step.

At the same time, he also began to investigate the evidence of the Second Prince Ling Yun's crimes, preparing to bring him down in one fell swoop.

One night, Zhang Ling was reading in the study when suddenly a man in black flew in from the window.

The man in black was masked and holding a dagger in his hand, and he ran straight towards Zhang Ling.

Zhang Ling was prepared and dodged the attack from the man in black.

"Who are you? Who sent you?" Zhang Ling asked coldly.

The man in black said nothing and swung the dagger at Zhang Ling again.

Zhang Ling drew the sword from his waist and started fighting with the man in black.

The man in black was very skilled in martial arts, and every move was deadly. Although Zhang Ling was also proficient in martial arts, it was difficult for him to win for a while.

The two of them were going back and forth, fighting inextricably.

Suddenly, the man in black made a feint, turned around and fled out the window.

Zhang Ling chased him relentlessly all the way to the Imperial Garden.

Seeing there was no hope of escape, the man in black suddenly turned around and stabbed Zhang Ling with a dagger.

Zhang Ling dodged sideways and stabbed the black-clothed man in the chest with a sword.

The man in black fell to the ground, breathless.

Zhang Ling took off the mask of the man in black and was stunned.

The man in black turned out to be his personal bodyguard, Li Zhong!

Li Zhong has always been loyal to him, and he could never have imagined that Li Zhong would actually assassinate him!

"Why?" Zhang Ling asked in disbelief.

Li Zhong showed a strange smile at the corner of his mouth, and said with his last bit of strength: "The second prince...gave me...a lot of money..."

After saying this, Li Zhong died.

Zhang Ling's heart seemed to be grasped by an invisible hand, making it difficult for him to breathe.

He always thought that Li Zhong was genuinely kind to him, but he didn't expect that he was also bribed by the second prince.

Who can he trust in this palace?