TRBDM -Chapter 229 Unworthy to Be Emperor

Gao Yong spread his hands and scoffed, “Where is Ninth Prince? Why haven’t I seen him until now?”

In fact, the ministers in the hall had already noticed that Zhao Jingtian was not in the council hall.

But they were insignificant and powerless, and no one dared to voice doubts at such a critical moment.

Now that Gao Yong had brought it up, all eyes turned in unison toward Zhao Lingchen.

“I’m here!”

A weak, hollow voice came from the doorway.

Everyone simultaneously turned their heads toward the door.

Zhao Jingtian appeared, his face pale, supporting himself with a cane under his arms.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of the cane hitting the ground was dull and heavy. He moved his legs with difficulty, but the high threshold of the council hall still blocked him.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not cross it on his own.

General Nanyang, who had been standing by the door, stepped forward to help him inside.

“Thank you, General Nanyang.”

The usually arrogant Zhao Jingtian seemed like a completely different person—gloomy and sickly.

Even his simple expression of thanks made people uncomfortable to hear.

“Gao Yong, weren’t you waiting to see me? I’ve come.”

Gao Yong’s face froze in shock. He hadn’t expected Zhao Jingtian to still be alive.

How did he escape the ice cellar? Impossible!

General Nanyang looked at Gao Yong and subtly curved the corner of his mouth.

The Gao family’s ice cellar was in a remote area, guarded by roughly ten men.

General Nanyang’s men had knocked out all ten guards, swapped identities, and disguised themselves as the original guards, corresponding with the Gao family through daily letters.

Because the letters were delivered normally every day, Gao Yong confidently assumed Zhao Jingtian had long since died.

“Prime Minister Gao, why do you look so surprised?” Zhao Lingchen’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, as if she had already seen through Gao Yong’s deceit.

Gao Yong, that old fox, rolled his eyes and immediately realized everything.

It was Zhao Lingchen who had rescued Zhao Jingtian from the ice cellar.

Good. This time, he had fallen right into Zhao Lingchen’s hands.

The muscles on Gao Yong’s face twitched twice as he forced a calm expression. “Princess, you jest. Now that Ninth Prince has arrived, let us begin. There is no time to waste in selecting the new emperor.”

“Wait—”

Zhao Jingtian suddenly shouted, cutting Gao Yong off.

Gao Yong could no longer maintain his composure. His face darkened as he looked at Zhao Jingtian. “What is it that Ninth Prince wants to say?”

Leaning on his cane, Zhao Jingtian moved step by step to stand before Gao Yong. The hatred in his eyes was almost spilling over.

Just as Gao Yong waited for him to speak, Zhao Jingtian suddenly turned and walked straight toward Zhao Jingyan.

With each step, his feet throbbed painfully, as if thousands of needles were piercing his flesh simultaneously.

Zhao Jingtian had always been someone who could barely endure any hardship, yet now he forced himself to suppress the pain in his feet.

He stood before Zhao Jingyan and said, fixing him with a glare: “Third Brother, I have something to say to you.”

Zhao Jingyan lifted his head sharply, the brutal aura in his bones radiating through his body.

Zhao Jingtian… what audacity.

Since escaping the ice cellar, he should have cowered like a dog, never daring to appear in front of him again.

Not recklessly come before him to provoke him.

Clearly, Zhao Jingyan had underestimated Zhao Jingtian. He had such courage and clearly did not fear dying in the council hall.

Two “brothers” who had been “close and loving” for twenty years now glared at each other like sworn enemies.

“Third Brother, we are supposed to be brothers. I have always considered myself loyal to you, following you like a Western lapdog. You tell me to go east, I never go west.”

Zhao Jingtian recalled his past, groveling and incompetent self, and hated himself so much he wished he could slap himself.

“Even for the sake of old ties, you wouldn’t poison and kill me, would you?”

Zhao Jingyan’s face twisted with anger and humiliation. “What nonsense are you spouting? Who ever wanted to kill you?”

“Third Imperial Brother, dare to act but not to bear the consequences?”

Every word Zhao Jingtian spoke was a provocation. Zhao Jingyan would never allow him to be arrogant in front of him.

A dark, unyielding murderous aura coiled between Zhao Jingyan’s brows. With one kick, he sent the cane in Zhao Jingtian’s hand flying. Zhao Jingtian, caught off guard, stumbled backward, unable to control his balance.

The expected clumsy fall did not happen—someone had caught him firmly from behind.

“Ninth Imperial Brother, watch out.”

Zhao Jingheng’s voice came from behind, and Zhao Jingtian instinctively turned to look.

After that, Zhao Jingheng said nothing more. Once Zhao Jingtian regained his footing, Zhao Jingheng picked up the cane from the ground and handed it back to him.

Zhao Jingtian looked at him gratefully and took the cane.

Seeing this, Gao Yong immediately said, “Alright, Your Highnesses, stop arguing. Today is an important day for the Dachong Dynasty to select a new emperor; the ceremony must continue.”

“I do not agree!” Zhao Jingtian spoke up again.

Gao Yong hadn’t expected Zhao Jingtian to repeatedly speak such arrogant words.

“Ninth Prince, watch your tongue. Think of Consort Yu,” Gao Yong threatened him with her name.

But Zhao Jingtian would no longer believe a single word from them. Whether he compromised now or not, once Zhao Jingyan ascended the throne, there would be retribution.

He and his mother would still not have a peaceful life.

If not for the help of the General of Nanyang, Zhao Jingtian would have long since died quietly in the Gao family’s ice cellar.

Though he had survived, his leg was ruined.

The Dachong Dynasty could never allow a prince with a crippled leg to become the new emperor.

So he understood clearly: the imperial dream he had cherished for just two short days had long since shattered.

But! Even if he could not be emperor, he would never allow Zhao Jingyan to be!

“Zhao Jingyan has harmed his own brothers and is unworthy of ascending the throne. If Prime Minister Gao recommends Zhao Jingyan, I am the first to oppose it. Imperial Elder Sister, esteemed ministers, if any of you agree with me, you may stand behind me. Together, we shall resist Zhao Jingyan’s ascension.”

Everyone looked at each other in surprise.

No one expected that the first to oppose Zhao Jingyan would be Zhao Jingtian.

“What nonsense are you spouting!”

Zhao Jingyan, having endured so long, could no longer suppress his violent nature.

“Seize Zhao Jingtian.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the Council Hall instantly tensed.

The imperial guards and the princess’s personal guards moved simultaneously. Ten guards surrounded Zhao Jingtian, preventing the imperial soldiers from approaching.

The charged atmosphere made everyone in the hall hold their breath.

Zhao Lingchen broke the silence: “Minister Jiang, Ninth Imperial Brother accuses Third Imperial Brother of harming his own siblings. What is your opinion on this matter?”

“I believe it should be thoroughly investigated,” Minister Jiang replied.

“Coincidentally, I also believe it should be investigated. Ministers, what do you think?”

Those formerly part of the Crown Prince’s faction hesitated at first, then said, “I… agree to a full investigation.”

Once someone led, the rest followed easily.

More and more ministers expressed their agreement to investigate.

Zhao Jingyan and Gao Yong were furious to the point of killing.

Today was supposed to be a good day to select a new emperor, yet everything seemed to go wrong.

The Noble Consort had been sent to the cold palace for framing the Young Prince, and now even Zhao Jingyan faced accusations of harming his own brothers.

Zhao Jingtian continued with his accusations: “Zhao Jingyan, because Imperial Elder Sister supported my ascension, developed intentions to harm me. Two days ago, I was captured and locked in an ice cellar outside the Gao estate. It was there that my leg was injured from the cold. Zhao Jingyan, if you can even harm your own siblings, you are unworthy of being emperor.”

Every word from Zhao Jingtian was filled with bloodied grief, pointing directly at Zhao Jingyan.