TRBDM -Chapter 190 You Are the Real Enemy

“I told you—what right do you have to stop me from speaking?”

Zhao Jingrui had completely given up, like a broken jar thrown beyond repair. He was already exposed. The Northern Border people in Liuxiao Palace were likely executed by now—there was no point in leaving him alive alone.

For over twenty years, he had lived trembling in the narrow gap between Dachong and Northern Border. His fear of Zhao Lingchen had lasted just as long.

But now, he feared nothing.

At worst, he would die.

Death might even be a relief.

“You only dare to deal with me. When it comes to Zhao Jingyan, every one of you turns into a turtle hiding in its shell—not a single one of you dares to say a word. He’s plotting rebellion and trying to seize the throne. I have the evidence. Do you dare arrest him?”

Zhao Lingchen waved her hand impatiently.

“Guards, gag him.”

She had no shortage of strength or methods.

“If he keeps struggling after being gagged, knock him unconscious. When Lord Jiang arrives, pour a bucket of ice water over him—he’ll wake up naturally.”

The next moment, Zhao Jingrui’s mouth was stuffed with cloth.

Perhaps he truly feared the ice water. After being gagged, he stopped struggling.

Half an hour later, Jiang Yuelin arrived.

“Greetings, Princess Chang and Tenth Prince.”

Zhao Lingchen had nearly fallen asleep waiting for him. She yawned and said, “Zhao Jingrui claims he has evidence against Zhao Jingyan. Go ask him what evidence.”

On his way here, Jiang Yuelin had already learned what had happened.

“Fifth Prince, where is the evidence? I’ll send someone to retrieve it.”

With the cloth still in his mouth, Zhao Jingrui let out muffled sounds and turned his head away.

Jiang Yuelin understood well—the evidence of the Third Prince’s crimes was Zhao Jingrui’s last protective talisman. He would not hand it over easily.

They could leave that aside for now and start with the poisoning case instead.

For various reasons, the investigation had been delayed for many days. It was time to resume.

“Fifth Prince, from your residence in the western outskirts, we discovered letters between you and Northern Border spies. The letters repeatedly mention ‘Duoming Powder,’ poisoning, and returning to Northern Border—more than enough to prove you colluded with the enemy and betrayed the nation. Do you admit your guilt?”

Zhao Lingchen ordered someone to remove the cloth from Zhao Jingrui’s mouth.

Sure enough, the moment Northern Border was mentioned, Zhao Jingrui immediately retorted:

“What colluding with the enemy? What betraying the nation? My mother consort was from Northern Border to begin with. Northern Border blood runs in my veins. You Dachong people are my real enemies.”

The words Zhao Jingrui had buried deep in his heart for years finally spilled out recklessly.

He felt both agony and exhilaration.

At last, he could openly declare in front of the people of Dachong that he was a man of Northern Border.

He had waited for this moment for so many years.

“Heh—”

A scoff rang out.

Zhao Lingchen’s laughter grew louder. She sincerely found Zhao Jingrui both foolish and pitiful.

“Zhao Jingrui, have you ever even been to Northern Border?”

That single question shattered him.

His face flushed the color of liver, yet he stubbornly retorted, “If Dachong law hadn’t forbidden my mother from returning to Northern Border to visit her family, I would have gone back long ago.”

Zhao Lingchen nodded as if in agreement.

“Then it is Father Emperor’s fault. He should have let you return—so you could see what Northern Border is truly like.”

Zhao Lingchen had spent years at the border, fighting the Northern Border forces countless times. She had even infiltrated a Northern Border border city for three months.

No one understood Northern Border better than she did.

The people of Northern Frontier were, in truth, nothing more than a pack of uncivilized beasts.

They lived across deserts and grasslands, ignorant of ritual and propriety. They neither farmed nor wove cloth, surviving instead by killing, burning, robbing, and plundering.

By imitating the people of Dachong, they established the Northern Frontier State and its army, and even created their own written script.

Many years ago, the army of Dachong utterly defeated Northern Frontier. They were forced to send a princess into the imperial court for a political marriage—Ling Consort, Zhao Jingrui’s mother.

Yet even so, the Northern Frontier never ceased provoking trouble along the borders.

Later, Fu Wei took command as marshal and defeated them again and again.

From then on, the Northern Frontier’s hatred toward the people of Dachong was etched into their very bones.

Half of Zhao Jingrui’s blood was that of Dachong, yet he still deluded himself into thinking Northern Frontier would accept him.

Laughable. Absolutely laughable.

All those years of studying—completely wasted.

“What are you laughing at?” Zhao Jingrui demanded, unable to understand why Zhao Lingchen kept smiling.

“Of course I’m laughing at how stupid you are.” Zhao Lingchen pointed at him. “What a pity. You were so earnest in playing Zhao Jingyan’s dog all these years that I never realized you harbored thoughts of running off to Northern Frontier. If you’d told me earlier, I would’ve asked Father Emperor to let you go.”

The moment he left Dachong, Zhao Jingrui would learn what it truly meant to be an outsider.

He thought he was an outcast in Dachong, forgetting that in Northern Frontier he would be one as well.

In Dachong, at least his father was the ruler of a nation—he would never lack food or clothing, nor fear for his life. But his mother? She was nothing more than a discarded chess piece sent away by Northern Frontier. If he returned there, what ending could possibly await him?

Northern Frontier had twelve princesses and as many as eighteen princes. Ling Consort had been the most insignificant among the princesses.

Otherwise, she would never have been chosen for a political marriage.

That fool Zhao Jingrui—no one knew how Ling Consort had brainwashed him into believing Northern Frontier was a good place.

In truth, surviving there was a hundred times harder than in Dachong.

“Zhao Lingchen, stop laughing!” Zhao Jingrui suddenly roared. He shouted so forcefully that the veins in his neck bulged in a terrifying arc.

“I’ll laugh if I want to. You’re a complete joke. The moment I look at you, I can’t help but laugh.”

Zhao Lingchen’s laughter was like sharp blades scraping against Zhao Jingrui’s flesh. Eyes bloodshot, Zhao Jingrui spat viciously, “What right do you have to laugh at me? How smart are you, really? You couldn’t even keep hold of your own child! I bet he’s dead. Tortured to death by traffickers, starved to death, beaten to death—you’ll never find your son. Hahaha! How ridiculous—the most powerful Eldest Princess of Dachong, yet too useless to protect her own child!”

“Oh, and your son is nothing but a bastard with an unknown father!”

Zhao Jingrui threw his head back and laughed wildly—

Only to have his face snapped violently to the side by a resounding slap.

The metallic taste of blood surged into his mouth. Before he could see who had struck him, he was slapped again and again from both sides—dozens of times in rapid succession.

His mouth filled with bloody foam, teeth loosened and trembling.

Through his blurred vision, he saw the furious face of Zhao Jingheng.

“You… what… are you… to dare… hit me…”

Zhao Jingheng seized him by the throat. “If I hear one more word from your mouth that shouldn’t be spoken, I’ll pull out one of your teeth. When there are no teeth left to pull, I’ll start on your fingernails.”

Zhao Jingrui had never seen such ruthless ferocity from Zhao Jingheng. Wasn’t he the silent one who only knew how to hide? Who had given him the nerve to act so arrogantly?

The thought flashed by in an instant. The pain was too overwhelming—so intense he couldn’t think at all.

“Your Highness, calm your anger,” Jiang Yuelin urged, afraid Zhao Jingheng would beat the man to death and disrupt the ongoing investigation. He pulled him back.

Zhao Jingheng clenched his jaw tightly, forcing down his fury.

“Imperial Elder Sister, don’t take Zhao Jingrui’s words to heart. He was spewing nonsense.”

Zhao Lingchen had long since lost her careless expression. Her face was dark as storm clouds.