Looking at the arrow wounds on his body, Qin Junhao gritted his teeth in anger: "Dongfang Heng caused me to be seriously injured and poisoned. I must find an opportunity to capture Shen Lixue and torture her severely!"
The medicine he developed was not an ordinary poison, but one specifically designed to torture people. After being poisoned, one would experience a slight pain in the body, like ants biting. As time went on, the pain would gradually intensify, and after half an hour, it would turn into a burning pain like being cut by a sword.
Without the antidote, the pain will intensify, becoming unbearable, like being slowly sliced to death. The pain will be excruciating, causing one to writhe on the ground, wishing for death. Even if the antidote is taken, the pain will last for two or three hours, torturing one to the point of wishing for death.
Qin Junhao's voice trembled with anger because the effects of the drug were rampant throughout his body, causing him severe pain all over.
A cold glint flashed in Dongfang Zhan's sharp eyes, then vanished without a trace: "Crown Prince Qin, our opponent is Dongfang Heng, and he's the one who poisoned you. What's the point of torturing Shen Lixue?"
“Dongfang Heng is highly skilled in martial arts and his endurance is also beyond the reach of ordinary people. Even if we capture him and use the drug on him, with his ability as the God of War of Azure Flames, he will definitely be able to endure it without making a sound. Where is the pleasure in torturing him?”
Qin Junhao's gaze was strange: "Shen Lixue is different. She is a woman and pregnant. She can't withstand any torture. If she touches this medicine, she will definitely be writhing in pain on the ground. At that time, I will take her to Dongfang Heng and let him watch his beloved woman suffer unbearable pain until she dies. He will definitely be in so much pain that he would rather be dead. This is more satisfying than poisoning him."
"After this incident, Shen Lixue will no longer leave the manor, and she will be protected by highly skilled guards. The Holy King's manor is heavily guarded and on high alert. It will not be easy for Crown Prince Qin to sneak in and capture her." Dongfang Zhan smiled, but his deep eyes revealed a chilling and piercing coldness.
“Prince Zhan, have you forgotten that I am the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang? We people of Southern Xinjiang are proficient in all kinds of witchcraft and Gu magic. It is not difficult for us to capture Shen Lixue silently.”
Qin Junhao's lips curled into a sinister smile that sent chills down one's spine: "Twelve hours from now, all the poison in my body will be eliminated, and then..."
He didn't speak, but his narrowed eyes flashed with a chilling light, making it clear that he wasn't up to any good.
Dongfang Zhan lowered his eyelids and said in a low voice, "It is my pleasure to see Dongfang Heng suffer and be humiliated. However, he commands 400,000 elite troops and has won over many ministers in the court. His power should not be underestimated. Meanwhile, he has quietly dealt with most of my power and can no longer confront him head-on. If Shen Lixue is tortured to death, he will definitely guess that it was me who did it. At that time, he will be furious and command his army to crush us. We will definitely be wiped out."
"This is Qingyan Capital. As the Prince of An, would he disregard his status and abuse his military power to harm you, the Prince of Qingyan?" Qin Junhao was skeptical of Dongfang Zhan's words. In his Southern Frontier, no prince would dare to be so audacious as to disregard imperial authority.
"You know that Dongfang Heng dotes on Shen Lixue. In addition, the child in her womb is one that Dongfang Heng has always longed for. If Shen Lixue dies tragically, the child will die with her. With Dongfang Heng's ruthless methods, he will definitely make all the suspects go to the underworld to be buried with her."
Regardless of whether they harmed Shen Lixue or not, anyone suspected of being involved will be investigated. If Shen Lixue were to die tragically, Dongfang Zhan has no doubt that Dongfang Heng would launch a frenzied and bloody revenge.
"You, the dignified Azure Flame King, have a higher status and position than Dongfang Heng, yet you are suppressed by him at every turn. You are living such a pathetic life." The Azure Flame King that Qin Junhao knew had always been full of vigor, confident, resourceful, and clear-headed about everything. Since when did he start to be forced into such a sorry state by Dongfang Heng?
"I also want to get rid of this passive situation, but unfortunately Qingyan's military power is in his hands and not mine. Even if I plan carefully, I will need a certain amount of time and opportunity to surpass Dongfang Heng." Dongfang Zhan's eyes dimmed, and he sighed helplessly. His eyes flashed with cold light, as if he had no way out and desperately needed the help of a capable person.
Qin Junhao's gaze sharpened, and a smile appeared on his lips. This was indeed a very good opportunity. He leaned close to Dongfang Zhan's ear and deliberately lowered his voice: "Does Prince Zhan have any interest in vying for the throne?"
Dongfang Zhan glanced at him: "Nonsense, which prince doesn't want to be emperor?" Everyone yearns for the throne of the supreme ruler. As the Prince of Qingyan Zhan, whose abilities surpass those of the crown prince, how could he sit idly by and watch the crown prince, who is weaker than him, ascend the throne?
"I have a way to help Prince Zhan defeat Dongfang Heng and ascend the throne, but I have a condition." Qin Junhao smiled, but his smile was tinged with an indescribable gloom and eeriness.
Dongfang Zhan seemed not to notice, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes, and asked urgently, "What are the conditions? Tell me."
"After King Zhan ascends the throne, he will cede all the land south of Yunnan to Southern Frontier." Qin Junhao's gaze sharpened, his words clear and forceful, causing Dongfang Zhan to furrow his brows in disbelief.
"Qin Junhao, the area south of Yunnan is equivalent to one-sixth of Qingyan, and it is only a few roads away from Jiangnan. You want so much territory. It is clearly taking advantage of our misfortune and is too outrageous."
Qin Junhao disagreed: "Prince Zhan, you and Dongfang Heng are enemies. He will definitely try every means to prevent you from ascending the throne. If Crown Prince Dongfang Hong becomes emperor, you will not get any country except for the empty title of Prince Zhan. If you cooperate with me, you can become the supreme ruler and control five-sixths of the great country. It is better than getting nothing at all."
Dongfang Zhan lowered his head and remained silent. He had considered all of Qin Junhao's words. The Fifth Prince was dead, and the Fourth and Sixth Princes were very mediocre. If he lost, the Crown Prince would be the one to take the lead and ascend the throne as emperor.
Seeing him deep in thought, Qin Junhao realized he had a clue and continued his analysis, appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him: "Besides, Dongfang Hong's ascension to the throne is inseparable from Dongfang Heng's support. When that happens, he will become a great contributor, receiving promotions and titles, becoming the Prince of Qingyan. You, on the other hand, once competed with the Crown Prince for the throne, and the Crown Prince will definitely hold a grudge. Where will there be a place for you, Prince Zhan, in Qingyan? They can easily find a reason to exterminate your entire family..."
"Your Highness Qin speaks politely." Dongfang Zhan pondered for a moment, nodded, his tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he instantly made up his mind: "I will do as Your Highness Qin says. After the matter is accomplished, I will give you the land south of Yunnan."
"Good, Prince Zhan is indeed a man of few words. I like to work with straightforward people." Qin Junhao smiled smugly, got off the bed, went to the desk, picked up the wolf-hair brush, and quickly wrote on the white Xuan paper.
He is Dongfang Zhan's friend and also the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang. He always puts Southern Xinjiang first. If Dongfang Zhan is in trouble and needs his help, he will help, but he also needs to pay him a good reward.
Southern Xinjiang is a wealthy country. The palace is full of gold, silver and jewels, and there is no shortage of silk and satin. A little more or less makes no difference to him. For a country, the most important thing is its territory. The larger the territory, the greater the power.
Therefore, his condition for sending troops to help Dongfang Zhan was not those gold and silver treasures, but territory. The Qingyan army guarding the border was strong and well-equipped. Even if the Southern Frontier sent troops to attack, they would be unable to make an inch despite exhausting their manpower and resources. If he could exchange conditions with Dongfang Zhan and take one-sixth of Qingyan's territory without losing a single soldier, he would have made a great contribution. The emperor would definitely praise him, and his position as crown prince would be more secure.
Of course, Dongfang Heng is a powerful and difficult opponent. Defeating him would require a great deal of manpower and resources. His demand for territory south of Yunnan in exchange is not unreasonable.
"I am not a man of my word. If I say I will give you land, I will definitely give it to you. Crown Prince Qin, there is no need for you to go through the trouble of drawing up a written agreement." Dongfang Zhan looked at his busy back, his sharp eyes full of displeasure. No one would be happy if their character was questioned.
"I trust Prince Zhan's character. What I'm writing isn't a written agreement, but a plea for help," Qin Junhao replied without turning his head, his wolf-hair brush continuing to scribble on the cold paper.
"A distress message?" Dongfang Zhan was taken aback, then strode to the table: "To whom should I ask for help?"
“Of course, it’s the Southern Frontier.” Qin Junhao said arrogantly, “I request that my father secretly send someone to infiltrate Qingyan Capital to lend us a hand.”
No matter how powerful Dongfang Heng is, he is still in the open. The people of Southern Xinjiang are acting secretly, constantly creating panic and trouble for him, making it impossible for him to defend against them. They will soon be able to reverse the current defeat.
Dongfang Zhan looked at the Xuan paper and wrote a large sheet of it in a flowing style. The gist of it was: Qin Junhao suffered a setback at Qingyan and requested the Southern Border Emperor to secretly send someone to provide support...
"Alright." Qin Junhao extended the last stroke, finishing the letter. He put down the wolf-hair brush, picked up the filled Xuan paper, gently blew the ink dry, carefully looked at the contents, and a smile appeared on his lips: "With this letter, Prince Zhan's ascension to the throne will be just around the corner."
He took out his unique jade seal as the crown prince and stamped it on his signature. He waved to summon a carrier pigeon and slowly folded the Xuan paper. A hint of smugness appeared on his ordinary face: When Dongfang Zhan ascended the throne, it would be the day that Yunnan was incorporated into his southern border territory. He had made great contributions to the expansion of the southern border, and his position as crown prince would be more stable.
"Crown Prince Qin, thank you." A cold glint flashed in Dongfang Zhan's deep eyes, his deep voice carrying a hidden meaning. Qin Junhao, lost in his own thoughts, didn't notice, and arrogantly replied, "Prince Zhan, there's no need for such formalities. Your affairs are my affairs..."
"Swoosh!" The dull thud of a sharp weapon piercing flesh rang out. Qin Junhao's movements abruptly halted. He slowly looked down and saw the gleaming tip of a dagger protruding from his chest, stained with blood. A sharp pain shot through his chest...
Behind him, Dongfang Zhan's eyes turned cold, and he abruptly withdrew his dagger. As blood splattered, Qin Junhao felt as if all his strength had been drained away. Unable to muster any strength, he staggered and fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding wound and staring at him in shock: "Dongfang Zhan, what are you doing?"
"What else can we do? Of course, we'll kill Crown Prince Qin." Dongfang Zhan looked down at him, his gaze cold and devoid of emotion.
"Why kill me?" Qin Junhao was shocked. He was helping Dongfang Zhan, so why would Dongfang Zhan want to kill him?
"Do you still remember Ye Qianmei?" Dongfang Zhan asked in a low voice, his deep eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty glint, as if he wanted to torture someone to death.
"That disfavored princess of Xiliang? Didn't you dislike her?" Ye Qianmei was given to him by Dongfang Zhan, and he knew that Dongfang Zhan had no feelings for her, which was why he had just killed her with a single, merciless blow.
"She is my half-sister, born of the same mother but with a different father."
Dongfang Zhan's casual words struck Qin Junhao like a thunderbolt, leaving him unable to move for a long time. Ye Qianmei was Dongfang Zhan's younger sister, how could this be?
How did Dongfang Zhan's mother become a concubine of the Western Liang Emperor? When did Dongfang Zhan find out about their relationship? None of that matters. What matters is that Dongfang Zhan and Ye Qianmei are siblings. He killed Ye Qianmei, so Dongfang Zhan will kill him to avenge Ye Qianmei!